I was asked - what would I have done, if I was the President in 1987 when action was taken against the people involved in the alleged "Marxist conspiracy?" .
My honest answer is, "It would depend on the information that was made available to me at that time". I would still rely on my personal values of honesty, fairness and courage. If I believed that the arrested people were unfairly arrested, i.e. that they do not represent a security threat to the state, I would have the courage to reject their detention. (But I do not wish to judge any of the parties that were involved at that time, as they might have been given misleading information at that time).
A more important questions is - what would I have done today, if I were the President and a similar event had occurred. Fortunately, we are now in a different era - where the Internet allows greater transparency to uncover any abuse of power. It would be easier today to uncover the truth from the lies or forced confessions.
The citizens would have to depend on the ability of the President to act honestly, fairly and independently and exercise courage to stop any such abuse of power. I will be able to meet up with this standard.
Tan Kin Lian
My honest answer is, "It would depend on the information that was made available to me at that time". I would still rely on my personal values of honesty, fairness and courage. If I believed that the arrested people were unfairly arrested, i.e. that they do not represent a security threat to the state, I would have the courage to reject their detention. (But I do not wish to judge any of the parties that were involved at that time, as they might have been given misleading information at that time).
A more important questions is - what would I have done today, if I were the President and a similar event had occurred. Fortunately, we are now in a different era - where the Internet allows greater transparency to uncover any abuse of power. It would be easier today to uncover the truth from the lies or forced confessions.
The citizens would have to depend on the ability of the President to act honestly, fairly and independently and exercise courage to stop any such abuse of power. I will be able to meet up with this standard.
Tan Kin Lian
"It would depend on the information made available to me at that time".
ReplyDeleteHow very Tan Cheng Bok in style.
Information available is released by the Govt, if they want to nail someone, they would create a story to nail him down, by spreading
false information. So how to believe such official info?
Don't forget the discretion to find anyone guilty does not lie with the judiciary, it is with the Govt, under rules and regulations like the ISA, where anyone deemed a threat could be detained indefiniely without trial.
So we could not place total blind trust on such infomation, which is arbitrarily and biased, and may be subject to misuse and abuse.
One of the supposed Marxists is someone we know personally, we did not believe the official response, and could not forget the anguish and agony suffered by his hawker parents during those detention days. It's utter injustice played out.
TKL's statement is typical of any PAP member, it's called group thinking and behaviour.
A real disappointment.
Yujuan
ReplyDeleteI would welcome external source of information and if it is found to be true, I would have the courage to act independently of the government - especially if there is an abuse of power.
You can be sure that I would not close my ears and eyes - which is not my character. This is the value of courage.
Don't use the term "typical of PAP" to describe me - as I find it insulting.
To : yujuan
ReplyDeleteWhat about the present JI members arrested under the ISA? Why talk about the MArxist conspiracy when Mas Selamat is arrested under the ISA? I note that none of the opposition party criticize the PAP over the arrest of Mas Selamat. They only complain that he escaped from prison.