10 March 2002
Dear Democrats,
I look forward to the CNN’s interview with Dr Chee! I really love what you guys are doing for our country and the way you reason with us through logic and reason.
I was there when Dr Chee was expounding on the tudung issue. I see nothing malicious in his speech. On the contrary, I feel that he was just encouraging us to go one step further by recognizing our fellow Singaporeans beyond creed, language, religion and race. What’s wrong with that honorable goal?
I can’t understand why the press (I saw several reporters taking notes) did not air the speech and let Singaporeans decide if he is in fact uttering nonsense.
March on Dr Chee and the Democrats! Though I may not support everything the party proposes but I will always support the foundation that Dr Chee and the SDP works on: openess, debate, justice and accountability.
I am often ridiculed by my colleagues for speaking up for the ‘shameful, attention grabbing’ Dr Chee but I do know deep inside what I believe in.
March on SDP!
Harry
SDP: It is sad – and dangerous – that the PAP continues to divide and rule Singaporeans according to race. The local media’s refusal to report Dr Chee’s speech at Hong Lim Park on the tudung issue is a good example. The Chinese-language newspapers continue to publish letters critical of the SDP even as they refuse to publish his speech. Such letters are absent from the English- and Malay-language newspapers perhaps because they know that the SDP will reply and they don’t want such discussions to be read by Malays.
Dr Chee had pointed the folly of the PAP’s policy on the matter and called for Singaporeans of all races to be tolerant and to speak up for each other regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs. But alas many Singaporeans will not know the SDP’s reasons and arguments (not only for this issue but for others as well) and continue to believe what the PAP says as it is the only viewpoint that get to read and hear. Such a political arrangement will not do our country any good.