13 March 2004
Hi SDP,
I am a regular surfer of several forums and despite the fact that the death penalty report by AI was quickly shuffled away by the PAP, the issue is still alive and kicking. The following thread in Sg Forums,http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=67027 is only one of many such threads which decry this shambolic reputation of Singapore.
But the people can only cry out and rant without any kind of power. I agree that the Opposition has been emasculated by the regime but I still sincerely wish that some kind of action, however symbolic, can be taken.
We need not confront the PAP blindly but use ingenious means of dissent like putting up parodies of the gallows in strategic areas of Singapore like Orchard Road. Even a petition however worthless in the Singapore context can be powerful in a purely symbolic sense.
I still remember the signature campaign by Think Center in the Iraq War fracas last year, as these actions aggregate, they can snowball into a consciousness in the electorate which no amount of NSS bribery or pork barrel politics can overturn.
Please act now Dr Chee. Thank you.
FRANCIS C. SILVA
The Singapore Democrats urge all Singaporeans to sign the petition at http://gopetition.com/online/3642.html