Singapore Democrats
The International Bar Association (IBA) has invited Dr Chee Soon Juan to deliver his speech via video recording at its annual conference. This comes after the Singapore Government refused to allow Dr Chee to travel to Dubai to attend the conference that is currently underway.
The SDP leader was invited to speak at the conference’s Rule of Law Symposium on 4 Nov 11. However, being made a bankrupt by Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong, Dr Chee needs to apply for permission to leave the country. The Offical Assignee (OA) rejected the application.
Dr Chee has been asked to speak on the subject of Economic Sustainability and the Rule of Law. The discussion will consider the relationship between economic success and sustainability on the one hand, and, on the other, the rule of law:
Some states have been prepared or even driven to sacrifice the fundamental freedoms of their people in the interests of building a sustainable and successful economy. To what extent is that choice necessary and to what extent can the rule of law be the handmaiden of economic advance and security?
To what extent can it retard such advance? Is it possible to generalize with regard to this issue or is it a matter of context and local concerns? What role can the international community play in assisting developing countries to advance economically and at the same time respect the human rights and freedoms of their people?
Dr Chee’s presentation which will be played at the conference on 4 Nov. The other panelists are Dr He Weifang, a law professor from Beijing University and Mr Stephen N Zack, Past President of the American Bar Association. Moderating the session are Justice Richard J Goldstone who is a former Justice of the South African Supreme Court and Professor Robert A Stein from University of Minnesota Law School.