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(March 5,
2008/ Brussels, Belgium)
The
democratic world needs to pay more attention to the growing
attraction of autocrats and dictators to regimes like those in
Singapore.
This was the message conveyed by SDP's representative Ms Chee
Siok Chin at a European Parliamentary Democracy Caucus hearing
in Brussels, Belgium on 5 Mar 08.
A group of six democracy and human rights activists from
Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Egypt, Venezuela, Singapore and
Zimbabwe were invited to make oral presentations to the
Parliamentarians on the topic “Defending Civil Society:
Establishing the Rights of NGOs.”
Ms Chee spoke about the threat of the so-called "Singapore Way"
to democracies in Asia and beyond.
She cited leaders who wanted to follow Singapore's model such as
Mr Nong Duc Manh of Vietnam, former Thai prime minister Thaksin,
and Hun Sen of Cambodia amongst others.
She also pointed how ex-president Vladimir Putin is perpetuating
his power in Russia, following in the footsteps of former prime
minister Lee Kuan Yew who is now Minister Mentor, a position
created for him.
After her talk, Ms Chee was invited to make a similar
presentation at the World Movement for Democracy's biennial
conference to be held in Kyiv, Ukraine in April this year.
Ms Chee was also warmly received by European MP and Leader of
the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), Mr
Graham Watson.
Mr Watson was banned from speaking at a public forum together
with six other European and Asian MPs when they visited
Singapore in Apr 07 at the invitation of the SDP.
The PAP Government had then threatened the parliamentarians with
arrests should they speak, triggering a diplomatic firestorm
which resulted in the European Presidency, European Commission
and the European Council lodging a formal protest with the
foreign ministry here.
Also, the meeting between the visitors and the group of PAP MPs,
including deputy speaker Ms Indranee Rajah, ended abruptly when
the two sides exchanged their views on the state of democracy in
Singapore.
During her visit, Ms Chee also met Dr Paul Lim, a Singaporean
working in the European Parliament. Dr Lim was one of those
accused of being part of the "Marxist conspiracy" in the 1987
ISD detentions.
At that time, Dr Lim was doing his doctoral thesis in Belgium.
He now works for a think-tank in Europe.
Despite the falsehood of what was said of him some 20 years ago
Dr Lim doesn't seem to hold any bitterness towards the PAP
government. He has reconciled with himself that Singapore is no
more his home and is quite happy living in Belgium.
Ms Chee is due back in Brussels in April to participate in the
ALDE-CALD (Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats) meeting. The
SDP is the current chair of CALD.
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