YoGo
09-21-2005, 07:56 PM
What do you guys make of this? There is apparently provision in the law to charge people for making seditous remarks here in Singapore.
Sept 22, 2005
Court hearing looms for charged bloggers
TWO young men charged with making seditious and inflammatory remarks about Muslims on the Internet will find out next week when they have to face a judge.
In the first case of its kind, Nicholas Lim Yew, 25, and Benjamin Koh Song Huat, 27, face charges under the Sedition Act for promoting 'feelings of ill will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore' on the Internet.
They could be fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to three years, or both.
At the Subordinate Courts yesterday, the pre-trial conference was set for next Tuesday, when a date for the hearing will be decided.
Lim, an assistant marketing manager, allegedly posted anti-Muslim remarks on an online forum for dog lovers in Singapore - www.doggiesite.com.
Koh, who works at a kennel, was said to have made similar racist comments on his blog, Phoenyx Chronicles, on several occasions.
Both Lim and Koh were responding to a letter printed in The Straits Times Forum page asking whether cab companies allowed uncaged pets to be transported in cabs. Most Muslims in Singapore are forbidden by their faith from coming into contact with a dog's saliva.
Lim's lawyer, Ms Helen Chia, told reporters that she would try to get the charges reduced.
Meanwhile, a third blogger was charged last Friday with posting alleged racist remarks online.
Private school student Gan Huai Shi, 17, is accused of making inflammatory comments about Malays and Muslims on his blog on seven occasions between April 4 and July 16.
Some more interesting commentary here (http://singaporeangle.blogspot.com/2005/09/two-charged-with-sedition-for-racist.html) .
If they were seriously spreading messages of 'ethnical cleansing' then I think they do deserve to be charged. However the posts have been deleted and the press and authorities have not produced the actual statements made, so it's a bit hard to make any form of judgement IMO.
I do hope its not a matter of overkill however on the government's part. Like our media laws aren't tough enough already. Many of the comments seem to revolve around the vagueness of the law which states:
“a tendency to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore; or to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore.”
It doesnt seem to really make a distinction between what might be ignorant and troll-like comments and a movement like the KKK.
Sept 22, 2005
Court hearing looms for charged bloggers
TWO young men charged with making seditious and inflammatory remarks about Muslims on the Internet will find out next week when they have to face a judge.
In the first case of its kind, Nicholas Lim Yew, 25, and Benjamin Koh Song Huat, 27, face charges under the Sedition Act for promoting 'feelings of ill will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore' on the Internet.
They could be fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to three years, or both.
At the Subordinate Courts yesterday, the pre-trial conference was set for next Tuesday, when a date for the hearing will be decided.
Lim, an assistant marketing manager, allegedly posted anti-Muslim remarks on an online forum for dog lovers in Singapore - www.doggiesite.com.
Koh, who works at a kennel, was said to have made similar racist comments on his blog, Phoenyx Chronicles, on several occasions.
Both Lim and Koh were responding to a letter printed in The Straits Times Forum page asking whether cab companies allowed uncaged pets to be transported in cabs. Most Muslims in Singapore are forbidden by their faith from coming into contact with a dog's saliva.
Lim's lawyer, Ms Helen Chia, told reporters that she would try to get the charges reduced.
Meanwhile, a third blogger was charged last Friday with posting alleged racist remarks online.
Private school student Gan Huai Shi, 17, is accused of making inflammatory comments about Malays and Muslims on his blog on seven occasions between April 4 and July 16.
Some more interesting commentary here (http://singaporeangle.blogspot.com/2005/09/two-charged-with-sedition-for-racist.html) .
If they were seriously spreading messages of 'ethnical cleansing' then I think they do deserve to be charged. However the posts have been deleted and the press and authorities have not produced the actual statements made, so it's a bit hard to make any form of judgement IMO.
I do hope its not a matter of overkill however on the government's part. Like our media laws aren't tough enough already. Many of the comments seem to revolve around the vagueness of the law which states:
“a tendency to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore; or to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore.”
It doesnt seem to really make a distinction between what might be ignorant and troll-like comments and a movement like the KKK.