坎坷的2021年

2021 is an uneventful year
by Teo Soh Lung

For most of us, 2021 may just be an uneventful year. But for people who have been hauled before the courts, imprisoned or ordered to pay hefty damages and fines, I am sure those times will never be erased from their memory.

In 2021, several people were punished, in my view, unnecessarily and unjustly.

Here are some incidents which I think we should remember.

In January, Yan Jun was again arrested and charged for protesting outside the US Embassy for 15 minutes. What happened to him subsequently, I don't know.

In February, Jolovan Wham and eight young people were investigated by the police for holding in their hands the book "1987 Singapore's Marxist Conspiracy" in a train. Jolovan was subsequently charged, convicted and sent to prison for 22 days for unlawful assembly and vandalism.

In March, PM Lee Hsien Loong won a defamation suit against Leong Sze Hian. He was awarded $133,000 in damages and $129,327.22 costs.

In August, the Attorney-General was granted leave to pursue contempt of court proceedings against Terry Xu, Editor in Chief of The Online Citizen, a socio political website. Terry had earlier been charged for criminal defamation for the publication of a letter written by Daniel D'Costa.

In September, PM Lee Hsien Loong won $210,000 damages against Terry Xu for defamation.

Then in October, Infocomm Media Development Authority revoked the publishing licence of The Online Citizen. Singapore therefor lost one of two popular alternative news websites.

The only good that came out of these oppressive incidents was the people's realisation that citizens like Leong Sze Hian, Roy Ngerng and Terry Xu should not be bankrupted by the rich and powerful. They crowdfunded hundreds of thousands to pay off the judgement debts owed to PM Lee Hsien Loong. It is thus made clear to the prime minister and those in government that the people will no longer tolerate the acts of bullies.

May 2022 be a year when we, the people of Singapore will stand up for our rights and regain the rights we have lost.

Majulah Singapura!