Singapore Blogger Spared Jail

afaik_ianal writes "A Singaporean blogger, who pled guilty to sedition charges last month for posting anti-Muslim remarks in his blog, has avoided a custodial sentence, and has been placed on 2 years probation instead. According to the article, the 17 year old student is the third person to be convicted under Singapore's sedition laws in October. Singapore, which is unconcerned by wide criticism of its record of press freedom, appears to have been stepping up efforts against bloggers in recent months."

Comments

Educate Yourself Before Commenting

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh the Slashdotters will just love the restricted press and restricted freedom angle of this but, a little education may help you understand that this is not all bad. In Singapore, it is not just bad to slam Islam, it is illegal to speak ill or provacatively of any religion. So it is illegal for Christians to flame Muslims and it is illegal for Muslims to flame Christian or Jews. The law requires that everyone "just get along" or STFU! This twat posted flames and the law nabbed him.

Call it oppression if you like but, you must acknowledge the fact that it makes for a more peaceful society.

Re:Educate Yourself Before Commenting

[CRCulver]

Take for example Contenscious Objector status, you aren't allowed to object on a rational framework that killing is immoral, only a deeply held religious belief

Speaking as one who asked for and received honourable discharge as a conscientious objector while serving in the United States Navy, and became very familiar with the regulations, you are simply wrong. Since a 1968 Supreme Court case, the military has not required that the objector present any religious beliefs, just a deeply held moral belief that killing is wrong. Nowadays due to stop-loss policies it's hard for anyone to leave the military as a CO, but several years ago when I left there were always successful COs who were atheists or agnostics. Look at MILPERSMAN (NAVPERS 15560 D).

Re:Educate Yourself Before Commenting

[Tiro]

The truth is that while there is not bribery or the kind of corruption you would find in a place like Sierra Leone or Russia, but there is a lot of corruption that keeps the elite 1% in control.

If someone speaks out against the government and runs for parliament, the party that has run the place for the last 50 years sues for slander/libel and takes everything he owns. The person is also banned for running for office for a few years. Opposing the ruling party is like a peasant challenging a king, even if you are rich.

The judges are not exactly bribed, but they know how they are "expected" to rule in these cases, and the ruling party is all-powerful.

Re:Those commie bastards!

[radicalskeptic]

Actually Singapore is a market economy. It's one of the reasons they've been able to turn their economy around since they had a recession in 2001. The government is very business-friendly.

More about the blogger

[tcak]

The Sydney Morning Herald is a little light on details. Gan Huai Shi's community service will be performed among the Malay-Muslims, the community he once expressed his racist sentiments. The Straits Times wrote: "His 180 hours of community work should also take place at Malay welfare organisations such as the Jamiyah Home for the Aged, Pertapis Children's Home and Muhammadiyah Health and Day Care Centre for the Aged."

There is also a story behind his anti-Malay/Muslim remarks.

"Mr Pereira told the court the youth's animosity towards Malays stemmed from the traumatic death of his baby brother 10 years ago.

Gan, then seven, was with his mother trying to get a cab to rush his one-month-old brother to hospital. They failed to persuade a Malay couple to give up a taxi which had stopped for them. It took another 20 minutes before they flagged down another taxi. The baby was pronounced dead on arrival."

Let me give you the context

[hoshino]

For those of you who are wondering why our government considers such remarks as "sedition", no it's NOT because our government is controlled by religious zealots or anything.

The reason is simple, racial riots broke out in Singapore in the 1960s. The government realized that being the muilti-racial country that we are, such conflicts between the communities cannot be allowed to happen again. We are a small country and if internal disputes between the races and religions breaks us up, there won't be anything left for anyone.

Thanks to 40 years of government policies, including the racial quotas in government housing such that racial groups will not be segregated into different areas/buidlings, Singapore has enjoyed racial and religious harmony, even after Islamic extremists were arrested post-911 for plotting to blow up American targets in Singapore (under the same Interal Security Act that Singapore is always receiving criticisms for).

So yes, maybe some of you prefer to chase after an abstract concept of "freedom", but to Singaporeans, it's a good thing that that idiot got arrested for his racist comments.