Don't Follow Singapore's Lead

Don't Follow Singapore's Lead
Saturday, May 23, 2009

William J. Dobson's take on the rehabilitation of terrorism suspects in Singapore borders on the propagandistic ["The Best Guide for Gitmo? Look to Singapore," Outlook, May 17]. He wrote that since 2001, 40 former terrorists have been rehabilitated and released.

To be clear, the suspects are held under the Internal Security Act (ISA), the same act that has "rehabilitated" and "released" more than 100 opposition members, journalists, human rights advocates and trade union leaders, as well as a group of lawyers, Catholic Church workers and social activists for seeking to "violently overthrow" the Singapore government through a Marxist network. The fact that not a shred of evidence has been presented against these detainees doesn't seem to bother Mr. Dobson.

Such a rehabilitation program has been so successful that there is no political opposition or civil society to speak of in Singapore. Of course, as in Guantanamo, rehabilitation in Singapore comes with beatings and other forms of torture. A few people have been reported to have died in Singapore's cells. But unlike with Guantanamo, there is no debate on the detentions because there is no free press and free speech in my country.

Unlike with Guantanamo, there can be no change in the government that administers the ISA because Singapore is not a democracy. And unlike with Guantanamo, there is no one and no institution here to intervene on behalf of the detainees. You stand guilty as accused until the accuser "rehabilitates" you.

Mr. Dobson describes the regime in Singapore as a strict law-and-order government because it bans chewing gum. Banning chewing gum is the least of our problems. The government recently passed the Public

Order Act, which effectively bans even one individual from carrying out a protest. This is not strictness, it is repression.

Look to Singapore? Mr. Dobson should be careful what he wishes for.

CHEE SOON JUAN

Secretary-General

Singapore Democratic Party

Singapore

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