Singapore Democrats
Rachel Zeng
It was recently reported on this website that Ms Rachel Zeng was being harassed by a couple of male persons. She suspected that it was because of the book launch she was organising for Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock written by Mr Alan Shadrake who has since been arrested and charged.
Ms Zeng said that the incidents occurred just the day before the book launch. A reader of this website, jbharding, posted a comment asking why Ms Zeng did not warn Mr Shadrake and even suggested that the activist could be an Internal Security Department (ISD) agent who had lured the author into Singapore.
Ms Zeng posted a reply saying that both she and Mr Shadrake were mindful of the risks, but decided to go ahead with it because they did not want to bow down to intimidation.
“Alan Shadrake came because he wanted to,” she wrote, then added, “we chose not to be intimidated.”
We highlight this exchange because it is important for people to know that there are Singaporeans like Rachel Zeng who will stand up for injustice when they see it and refuse to be cowed into inaction. The Singapore Democrats salute her gumption and courage. We need more people like her to stand up for what is right.
We post jbharding’s comment and Ms Zeng’s reply below:
Who is the real Rachel Zeng???
If Rachel Zeng knew that ISD agents were interested in Shadrake’s visiting Singapore, WHY DID SHE NOT WARN SHADRAKE???
This is very strange behavior on her part. Is Rachel Zeng an ISD agent, herself, and was she luring Shadrake into Singapore where the ISD could get their hands on him? Think about it.
jbharding
Shadrake came because he wanted toIf I am an ISD agent, why are my pockets and bank account always so empty?
Funny how people can assume that I did not ask him to think twice. Alan Shadrake came because he wanted to. Do you actually know about the conversations that took place among the parties involved in the book launch?
APPARENTLY NOT.
Funny too how people think that when being intimidated, one should withdraw. Alan Shadrake did not withdraw from going ahead with the book launch, neither did we who were behind the organising team.
Really, this is a matter of choice. And we chose not to be intimidated.
By the way, ISD wasn’t interested in him. Ministry of Law and MDA were. He was told immediately when the books were taken off the shelves as well as other developments thereafter.
But since MDA did not publicly state the status of the book, it is clear that it has not been banned. So that was probably part of why he decided to come anyway.
In fact MDA was reported to have said that the book is not banned, according to a Straits Times report on 17 July 2010. It is very simple to accuse one of something without thinking but just based on what is presented on the surface.
Well jbharding, my turn to implore you to THINK.
Rachel Zeng
Read also: YD: Cease harrassment of Rachel Zeng