Lui Tuck Yew drags feet on SDP newspaper licence renewal

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Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Singapore Democrats

Minister for Communication, Information and the Arts Mr Lui Tuck Yew is dragging his feet in renewing the licence for the SDP's newspaper, The New Democrat.

The Singapore Democrats submitted our application for the renewal on 21 Apr 10 and was told the process would take about two to three weeks to process. Even a new application for a publication permit would, according to the Media Development Authority's (MDA) telephone recording, take only three to four weeks. Our application has already taken three months.

When contacted MDA Customer Service Officer, Ms Toh Siew Kuan, informed us that she had done everything to facilitate the process of our application. She indicated that the application is with Minister Lui and that there is nothing else she can do.

When asked if there was any other information or fee that was needed to be paid, Ms Toh said that everything was in order. She admitted that the delay was "not normal" but could not give a reason for it.

Her supervisor, Deputy Registrar Mr A R Madiee, also said that the application has been handed over to the Ministry and could only say that there is nothing else he could do about the matter. He, too, admitted that the delay was not usual.

The Singapore Democrats depend on the newspaper to disseminate news and views about the party and national issues. With the media under the thumb of the PAP, The New Democrat is our only communication line with the voters.

The newspaper is also an important source of revenue for the party. Proceeds from the sales go into funding our election campaign. Every week that is delayed means that our campaign budget is being cut into.

The MDA has a set of procedures and criteria on which it bases its decision on whether to approve or reject an application. As part of the civil service, the MDA has an obligation to discharge its duties fairly and independently without interference from the minister.

Mr Lui should not be the decision-maker on whether to approve our application as he is a partisan player who will be contesting under the PAP in the coming elections.

The MDA must make a decision immediately. If it rejects the application, it needs to give a reason so that the Singapore Democrats can take the necessary course of action, including seeking legal remedies.

But by sitting on the application, it is making it impossible for the SDP to operate and run an effective election campaign. We urge the MDA to renew our newspaper licence without further delay.

Mr Lui Tuck Yew
Minister
Communications for Information, Communication and the Arts

Dear Sir,

Re: Renewal for The New Democrat

We write to you about the Singapore Democratic Party's application for the renewal of our newspaper licence for the The New Democrat.

We submitted the application on 21 April 2010 and was told by various officers at the Media Development Authority including Deputy Registrar Mr A R Madiee and Customer Service Officer Ms Toh Siew Kuan that it normally takes two to three weeks for the application to be processed.

We are also told that our application is personally held by you. If you decide to reject our application, please let us know immediately and state the reasons so that we can follow-up with the necessary course of action.

You must know that it has already been three months since our application and we have yet to hear from you or the MDA. We urge you to approve our application without further delay. You must know that with the impending elections, it is important that we publish our newspaper as soon as possible.

We await your reply.

Sincerely,

Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party

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Comments (9)

Tue 20 Jul 2010 4:49 PM | BryanT - A Soft SDP?

SDP should adhere to its much avowed civil disobedience strategy and proceed to sell THE NEW DEMOCRATS without waiting further. (....and also since it is desperately in need of funds).

SDP should proudly defy the licensing law since it feels that it has unjustly been denied a license renewal.

Better still if all the party members partake in the sales around the neighbourhood, since it is the occasion to display party unity against an obvious injustice (and victimisation by the government).

Please make sure sufficient publicity is given beforehand, so that members of public (and NEA) can know where the sales is taking place.

Otherwise, why do I get the SDP has gone soft?

(disclaimer: I personally disagree to civil disobedience or the deliberate contravention of any laws. I am merely reminding SDP of its principles which it seems suddenly shy to stick to.)

Tue 20 Jul 2010 4:53 PM | Tan Tai Wei

Not appoving would be too obvious, especially when they probably would need to stretch the "reasoning" to justify it.

So keep the application pending through a crucial pre-election period and they achieve similar effect to not approving!

Tue 20 Jul 2010 5:46 PM | maxchew - We can expect more of such nonsense

We can expect more and more of such nonsense from the PAP as the impending GE looms nearer.

Obstructions, impediments, banning this and that, maybe even arbitrary arrests will now be initiated till the GE is announced.

The ultimate......LKY may yet repeat his threat to call in the Army if the Oppo looks like winning massively like in Malaysia in 2008.
No siree, he may not take it lying down.

But whose Army is he going to call? The PAP Army or the People's Army? One wonders!

Tue 20 Jul 2010 8:16 PM | AhKow - Another BryanT's double talk

Ah here comes BryanT's double talk.

On the one hand, he says:

"I personally disagree to civil disobedience or the deliberate contravention of any laws. I am merely reminding SDP of its principles which it seems suddenly shy to stick to."

This supposed upholder of the "Rule of Law" guy -- who by the way have no clues about what that means -- now wants, nay encouraging, the SDP to break the law.

Technically if not ironically, he is kind of breaking to the law himself -- incitement to commit a crime.

But hey, one can only conclude that he is out to -- using his own words -- "agitate (read violent)" against the SDP.

Tue 20 Jul 2010 9:37 PM | Robox

And btw, Psychopath BryanT, civil disobedience is a method, or a strategy if you will and NOT a principle.

Tue 20 Jul 2010 9:38 PM | Robox

To SDP, there is an obvious pre-election, or perhaps pre-YOG crackdown and this is part of it. I'm convinced now.

Tue 20 Jul 2010 10:13 PM | quantum - SDP's principles

BryanT: You seem to know the SDP principles very much. So let me ask you:

What are the SDP's principles?

Wed 21 Jul 2010 1:21 AM | Tan Tai Wei

BryanT the nagger.

Had SDP done it, he would say "there you go again, breaking the law to get attention, etc."

SDP hasn't done it, and so he says "why not? isn't your professed strategy to protest by breaking laws?"

But let's assume he is serious. Then we need only ask why he thinks that SDP's committal to that "strategy" necessarily means that it must so protest at every instance when faced with what it regards as unjust laws.

For instance, precisely because it is a "strategy", might they not reserve their protest for better opportuned cases?