Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Whatever The Fish Happened To Free Speech?

From Yahoo! News today :-

Kangaroo T—shirt trio may face contempt proceedings

SINGAPORE : Singapore’s Attorney—General (AG) has applied to the High Court to commence contempt proceedings against three individuals who are alleged to have impugned the reputation of the country’s judiciary.

They are John Tan Liang Joo, Isrizal bin Mohamed and Muhammad Shafi’ie Syahmi bin Sariman.

According a statement from the AG’s Chambers, the three appeared in the new Supreme Court building wearing identical white T—shirts bearing a palm—sized picture of a kangaroo dressed in a judge’s gown.

A kangaroo court or trial refers to a sham legal proceeding or court.

The incident occurred in May this year while a hearing to assess damages for defamation payable by Chee Soon Juan, Chee Siok Chin and fellow members of the Singapore Democratic Party was taking place in the building.

The defamation action had earlier been brought against them by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

If the High Court grants the AG’s application, the three respondents will be officially notified of the proceedings against them and a hearing date will be set for them to make their arguments in open court. — CNA /ls

They're not even speaking! Bringing lawsuit against people wearing T-shirts? Seriously overreacting.

No seriously. The world human rights activists really need to see this. Singalorleans are too timid to speak up, we even have one tiny corner where protests are recently finally allowed (protests are only allowed at the tiny speaker's corner, nowhere else), and even those are under strict control. A word out of place, LAWSUIT. A toe out of line, LAWSUIT.

Who the fish in Singalore dares to speak up nowadays? Wear suggestive T-shirt, LAWSUIT. Put up white elephant cut-outs, (almost) LAWSUIT. Whoever the person is who set up the white elephant gag, I salute you!

..... Wait, will saluting white elephant gaggers get me a LAWSUIT as well?

After awhile, it gets boring. The initial examples were already set, so.... how long will it take for them to understand that winning a defamation lawsuit does not render you a better character to the public? I think it only worsens your reputation. Hmm...

1 comment:

? said...

As long as woman can wear suggestive clothings, I am already happy. ^o^