Shanmugam: Parliament is Sovereign To Decide When To Start Counting The 5 Presidents

Law Minister K Shanmugam brought prata-flipping to a new level in Parliament yesterday (Oct 3) saying that appointed President Wee Kim Wee is elected because he took the Attorney General Chambers’s (AGC) advice. However, he contradicted himself in the same speech saying that the AGC’s advice is irrelevant, and closed the matter without further questions.

“Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the next election will be reserved for a Malay president and we have taken advice from the AGC. What Ms Lim is saying is that we are starting to count from here because of the AGC’s advice.  I think that was never suggested…  In any case, the legal advice given by the Attorney-General is irrelevant as the question before the court was whether the decision to count from President Wee’s term was constitutional… PM took the same position, he explained in Parliament. We decide but we took AGC’s advice. Did anyone say we are going to decide this way because this is the way that AGC has told us that we have to decide? That would make no sense because Parliament is sovereign.”

The corrupted Law Minister also took a snake bite at Opposition MP Sylvia Lim who criticised that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong misled Parliament:

“There is only one person in this House whom the courts have held to be misleading Parliament. And he is not from the PAP.”

Opposition MP Sylvia Lim has earlier given two quotes in parliament saying the ruling party has misled the people.

On 8 Nov 2017, PM Lee Hsien Loong told Parliament: “We have taken the Attorney-General’s advice. We will start counting from the first president who exercised the powers of the elected president, in other words, Dr Wee Kim Wee.”

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean also confirmed a day later saying:

“On the reserved elections and how to count, I would like to confirm that this is indeed the AGC’s advice and, if not and you do not think that it’s correct, I think it’s possible if you wish to challenge judicially.”

Sylvia Lim

“The Government had engaged in ambiguous language and red herrings. We in this House should have been told in no uncertain terms that it was the Government that wanted to count from Dr Wee Kim Wee. The Government should have defended its own decision on why counting from President Wee was appropriate. It should not have evaded the debate by using the AGC’s advice as a distraction, and then gone to court to say that the AGC’s advice was irrelevant.”

Minister K Shanmugam: International ranking is fake

After facing criticisms over Singapore’s 151th ranking on press freedom, Law Minister K Shanmugam hit out in Parliament yesterday (Oct 3) saying that the international ranking is fake and biased. The Law Minister said that rankings that rank Singapore poorly are “patently false” and specifically singled out international press freedom ranking:

“I am usually careful of such studies and reports that sometimes rank us at the top and sometimes rank us at the bottom… we have to be discerning about these rankings and how they are done and the political objectives behind them. Sometimes, ignore them, when they are patently false and not hold them up as a mantra. In 2008, RSF ranked us 144 out of 173 countries, below Guinea, Sudan, Pakistan, among others. I pointed out in 2009 that the International Herald Tribune (IHT) had a news story on Guinea. It was one or two days before I made my speech. IHT said that people were being gunned down by ‘brutal military junta’ and women were being raped on the streets, but in RSF’s eyes, their press freedom was higher than ours.”

Law Minister K Shanmugam angrily said that the researchers at Reporters Without Freedom (RSF) should go to Afghanistan and Pakistan because Singapore do not detain journalists:

“Singapore continues to fare badly and is ranked 151 out of 180 countries this year by RSF, below countries such as Guinea. Gambia, where journalists were detained, media outlets shut down, Internet disconnected, international phone calls banned last year; South Sudan, where it was described as having one of the world’s most serious refugee crisis, suffering the effects of a devastating civil war. Afghanistan is ranked ahead of us. Pakistan is ranked ahead of us. I would invite RSF to please go there.”

The Minister ended off his speech saying Singaporeans do not need to hear bad news of poor ranking:

“And really, you don’t need studies and reports. You look at our lived reality. What is the experience? Your experience, my experience, experience of our people. You know the answer.”

However the Law Minister conveniently left out the fact that internet blogs and websites have to place a S$50,000 bond when writing articles on Singapore current affairs. There is also a media ban on Election Day and Cooling Off day, while the mainstream media was able to carry on reporting propaganda material. Singapore’s legal media companies are also heavily influenced by the government on editorials, and the national papers Straits Times often publish fake news and half-truths to promote government agendas.

Law Minister Shan Screwed Up Again

Yong Vui Kong, a Malaysian national currently on death row in Singapore, may finally be getting a shot at keeping his appeal alive, as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reportedly agreed to a meeting with his lawyer.

NONEM Ravi (left), a human rights lawyer representing Yong on a pro-bono basis, said the government has requested to meet him when he visits Kuala Lumpur next week, between June 25 and 29.

“They have requested that I write a formal letter to them, which I have just forwarded to the media. I will keep you informed of the developments,” said Ravi, in an SMS to Malaysiakini yesterday evening.

Ravi says the Singapore Malaysian High Commission's second secretary Rohani Hussain conveyed the request.

Ravi met with Rohani and Juraida Abd Jamil, the other second secretary from the Consular's officer, for about an hour in Hotel Hilton this morning to discuss Yong's case.

Rohani visited Yong, who was caught trafficking 47g of heroin into the island city in 2007, in Changi prison yesterday following media reports seeking Malaysia's intervention in the case

Duty to protect citizens

At the same time, Ravi said he is exploring with Malaysian lawyers to file an application in court for mandatory injunction to compel the Malaysian government to file a complaint in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“This would be done if (Malaysia) fails in its duty to exercise its right to this vital legal remedy, which is available to our client via the ICJ,” he said.

NONE“We note with regret the de facto law minister of Malaysia's (Nazri) response, that the case was an internal matter. His remark was of grave concern to us, our client as well as the legal community and civil society in Malaysia,” he added.

“It is the duty of the Malaysian government to protect the rights of its nationals,” he stressed.

Ravi, in his letter to the High Commissioner, explained that Yong was making a clemency petition to the Singapore cabinet and President SR Nathan.

S'pore minister prejudiced case

His recourse for remedy was unfortunately pre-empted when Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam made a remark about the latter's case even before he could file the clemency, said Ravi.

Ravi added that Shanmugam's remark has prejudiced Yong's relief to the clemency process.

“In our view, as well as based on the opinion of legal experts in London, this is a serious breach of due process. We would urge the Malaysian government to file a complaint at the ICJ on behalf of its national facing imminent death arising out of the breach of local and international laws by Singapore,” he said.

“In view of the denial of the clemency process, the only option available to the Singapore government is to commute Yong's death sentence, which is the same remedy that can be sought by the Malaysian government at the ICJ”.

On May 9, Shanmugam said publicly that “Yong Vui Kong is young, but if we say, we let you go, what is the signal we are sending?”

The island's legal experts said that these comment had potentially prejudiced an appeal before it had been decided in court, making Nathan's rejection of Yong's clemency appeal both “illegal and flawed”.

SHAMmugam contradicted by Lee Kuan Yew

From: "cluedo"

Subject: Re: SHAMmugam contradicted by Lee Kuan Yew

LKY is right to say it was the huge influx of PRs and FT that caused the
surge in HDB price.

Way back in 2004/2005, HDB selling price was still reasonable since
Singapore was coming out of a recession. In Jurong, Sengkang and Puggol,
many new flats are empty. Likewise, some newly built SERS HDB block was
empty too. Hence, HDB decided to slow down its building programme in order
to clear some excess housing stock.

However, after the opening of the low budget air terminal in Changi, there
was a huge influx of foreign tourist, as well FT looking for jobs and since
the govt like these FT so much, they decided to grant a record number of
citizenship (14,000 in 2005) and PR.

Once these FT became PR, they stopped renting HDB flat or condos and decided
to buy them instead. In addition, they started to bring their own family
members to Singapore. Suffice to say, HDB resale price start moving up.

LKY only mentioned there are presently 50,000 HDB flats out of 1 million
owned by PR. This is a very number. But, he failed to mentioned there are
also 250,000 HDB flats owned by FT whom are now Singapore citizens. From
2004-2008, 30,000 new FT citizens have already bought their 1st HDB flat.

In the end, why do some Singaporean keep complaining they can't get a new
flat despite constant balloting ?

The answer is quite simple. If Sg govt keep approving record number of PR
and Singapore citizenship, realistically HDB need to build 25,000 HDB per
year. But why is HDB building only 1/2 that number every year ?

Singaporean should know the answer very well.

"truth" wrote in message

news:3Au8n.4161$pv.1529@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> Ha ha ha.
> I told u this SHAMmugam is a liar.
> Now the old man has publicly contradicted him.

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: n...@netfront.net ---

Law Minister: Romanian diplomat is innocent until proven guilty

From: Tanki <5191 ...="" gmail.com="">
Subject: Law Minister: Romanian diplomat is innocent until proven guilty

Romanian diplomat case: Don't jump to conclusions
Too early to pin guilt in hit-and-run case
By Kenny Chee

IT IS not right or appropriate for the Singapore Government to
determine guilt in the ongoing investigations related to a hit-and-run
accident involving a Romanian embassy car, said Law Minister K.
Shanmugam yesterday.

But it is right for the Government to investigate the facts, put them
forward and take the appropriate steps, he told reporters after a
dialogue with Yew Tee residents.

"There is no question of us not going through the facts carefully or
trying to shield anyone, or not following due processes," he said,
stressing the need for fairness.

Mr Shanmugam was replying to a question a resident had posed on the
Government's apparent silence on the accident.

Earlier this month, Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo said that due
process must be allowed to take its course for the case.

The accident occurred last month in Bukit Panjang. It left one man
dead and two men injured. Mr Shanmugam said that the police would
"investigate without fear or favour" and that, in the next step, the
Attorney-General would "proceed only if he believes that a case can be
made in court with witnesses beyond reasonable doubt".

Shanmugam: Foreign talent vital to success

Mick

Singaporeans leh... not vital to success meh...
pay millions for FTs to lean English... Singaporeans leh...
pay money to welcome FTs... Singaporeans leh...

'Our immigration policies must ensure that Singapore and Singaporeans
benefit.' -- so what are the plans...

Quote:
AsiaOne.com
shanmugam: Foreign talent vital to success
By TEH SHI NING

STAYING open to talent inflow is vital to Singapore's continued
success, Law Minister K Shanmugam said at the Harvard Club of
Singapore's annual dinner last night.

'If we are not open to talent, we will quickly lose out
internationally,' he said. 'Businesses invest in Singapore because
they know they will be able to bring in the talent they need.'

He pointed to the financial services sector, which employs several
thousand Singaporeans and many foreigners. 'If we told our financial
institutions they cannot bring in foreign employees, then we put the
jobs of Singaporeans at risk as well,' said Mr Shanmugam, who is also
Second Minister for Home Affairs.

A liberalised legal sector has brought benefits too, he said. Six
qualifying foreign law practice (QFLP) licences were given out last
year to allow foreign firms to practise Singapore law - a move that he
said has led them to expand their practices here, having been given
'buy-in within the Singapore legal scene'.

Seeing these changes, other non-QFLP foreign law firms have invested
more in their Singapore practices too, Mr Shanmugam said.

This opening up has increased the technical quality of and
opportunities for local lawyers, in line with Singapore's aim to be a
'top international legal hub'. The arbitration sector too, has
benefited from talent inflow. 'If Singapore wants to be an
international arbitration centre, we cannot take a parochial
approach,' Mr Shanmugam said.

But while attracting talent is crucial, this system of openness must
not abused, he said. 'Our immigration policies must ensure that
Singapore and Singaporeans benefit.'

Mr Shanmugam made the comments during a wide-ranging speech, in which
he also discussed how the need for good governance could require a
political system specifically designed to deliver that governance
well.

Singapore's need for high quality governance, and therefore an
'activist government', should be seen in the context of its external
challenges of regional security and political instability, and issues
arising from US's and China's growing interests in this region, he
said.

Law Minister explain why he said Singapore is a city

From: "truth"
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:47:32 GMT
Local: Sun, Nov 22 2009 4:47 pm
Subject: papist nincompoops prepared to destroy Singapore to defend pap dominance

truth comment: this asshole shanmugan said singapore is not a country. these
papist nincompoops willingly sacrifice singapore to defend and prolong the
pap dictatorship in Singapore. this is outrageous and singaporeans must
punish them
for their extremely destructive selfishness.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'Interesting,' says law minister of student's query

By Elysa Chen

THE question popped up during the tea break of a dialogue session that Law Minister K Shanmugam had with 200 Ngee Ann Polytechnic students last week.

Describing the query as 'interesting', the minister expanded on his answer when the dialogue session resumed.

The question was from student Mel-Travis Loke Yong Chin, 17, who had, together with a few friends, approached Mr Shanmugam during the tea break. They were hoping to understand the minister's comments to 200 lawyers from the New York State Bar Association recently.

In particular, the students asked the minister to explain his abbreviated comment that Singapore is a city, not a country.

Explaining, Mr Shanmugam said: 'I made two speeches to the New York Bar...

'I made it clear that we are a sovereign state, with all the attributes of a sovereign state. We are a country in the legal sense.'

Explaining that political differences are shaped by economic conditions, geography and history, he said it would be more accurate to analyse Singapore's politics by referring to politics in larger US cities, like New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

This is because Singapore does not have a large geographical land mass or different histories for different regions within the same country, which could lead to different political ideologies.

Mr Shanmugam was asked at the US session if it was true that the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP) hold on power for decades could be one reason why the opposition was unable to survive or win cases in courts.

In his reply, he defended Singapore's status as a democracy during the PAP's 50-year dominance by comparing Singapore to Chicago and San Francisco, where Democrat mayors have won since 1931 and 1964, respectively.

He also pointed out the dominance of Democrats in New York City's city council, where they hold 45 out of 48 seats.

Mr Shanmugam, who was basing his comments on arguments by Mr Bryan Caplan, an American economist, said Singapore was viewed as a deviation from the democratic norm because it was seen primarily as a country.

He added: 'This is where most people make a mistake... I have tried to explain that we are different. We are a city. We are not a country.'

Travis, a year-one diploma student in banking and financial services, said later: 'We often refer to Singapore in National Day songs as a country.

'As the song goes, "This is my country, this is my flag." So, we were scrutinising the words 'city' and 'country', and trying to understand why he made the distinction.'

To shed further light on the issue, Mr Shanmugam gave the example of how New York people are interested in international trade as opposed to those in a state in the mid-west of America, who would be focused on farming and would not be interested in free trade.

He said: 'So... a party that is focused on farming and protecting farmers will do well in a farming area, but may not do well in a city area.

Urban interests

'A party that is focused on urban interests, or interests which urban voters are interested in or focused on, will do well there but may not in a farming area.'

Mr Shanmugam said that in Singapore, whether you are born in Jurong or Changi or Sembawang or in the south, there are no big differences in climate, geography or economic interests.

We go to similar schools and live in similar places - 70 to 80 per cent of our population live in public housing.

He said: 'Our economic interests and the type of society we want to see, it's similar.

'So my point was that you cannot take Singapore and compare it with a big country with huge geographical and historical differences, then it gets distorted. What we have to do is compare it with other big cities.

'And if you compare us with cities in the US or other countries, you will find similarities - people tend to vote in a certain pattern because their interests are similar.'

Travis said he was never puzzled by Mr Shanmugam's comment, as Singapore was often referred to as a garden city.

'I thought he cleared the doubts my friends had in a tactful way,' the student added.

Shanmugam 's prudent management

From: Rainbow 虹
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:54:04 -0800 (PST)
Local: Sat, Nov 21 2009 10:54 pm
Subject: Re: Shanmugam standard=lost of $100billions = prudend management.

All they need to do is to increase taxes after taxes.
Recently they increase property tax by approx. $100 per HDB flat,
assuming there are 900,000 units available,
they will scoop up 900,000x $100= $90,000,000 every years.

So this is how they can make up the losses easily by asking us to pay
for their mistakes.
I am sure there will be more increases in other taxes akan datang..

On Nov 21, 10:27 pm, "truth" wrote:

- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
> This bloody asshole also claimed that Singapore has rule of
> law and that there are check and balances in the ISA.
> This man is absurd.
> He is talking thru his asshole.

> "truth" wrote in message

> news:1MSNm.56483$ze1.37421@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> >I have never seen another more ridiculous minsters than this
> > Shanmugam, the "Law" minister.
> > He claimed that Singapore financial management is prudent.
> > This after Temasek and GIC just burnt away $100 billions of
> > our wealth.
> > Singaporeans, fuck the pap hard in the coming GE will u ?

Singapore has the most "press freedom" in the world : Shanmugam

From: "lee ah kow"
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:28:38 +1100
Local: Wed, Oct 28 2009 10:28 am
Subject: Re: Singapore has the most "press freedom" in the world

Malaysian Press freedom is non existent

"AleXX" wrote in message

news:hc6nrm$87m$1@registered.motzarella.org...

> When the whole world says Singapore's Press Freedom are screwed, the lone
> "crony picked" kekling law minister is trying to reason out otherwise. He
> would like to imply that "Screwed-Up Government Controlled SPH" is
> "independent" and has a lot of "freedom".... Fuck him.. !!!

Law Minister: Singapore is not a country

soluna

For a fouth day running, Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam tried desperately hard to convince a skeptical audience that Singapore is a “democracy”.

He quoted the example of Chicago where democratic mayors have won without interruption since 1931.

‘But nobody questions whether there is a democracy in New York,’ Law Minister K. Shanmugam said on Wednesday, referring to the frequent questioning of Singapore’s democratic credentials given the 50-year dominance of the ruling People’s Action Party.

Drawing on arguments by American economist Bryan Caplan in a recent article, he said Singapore was viewed as a deviation from the democratic norm because it was seen primarily as a country.

‘This is where most people make a mistake…I have tried to explain that we are different. We are a city. We are not a country,’ he told 200 lawyers, many from America, at the New York State Bar Association International Section’s meeting here.

Did Mr Shanmugam make a “honest mistake” or a freudian slip? If Singapore is NOT a country, then are we still considered a sovereign and independent state? So which country owns the sovereign rights of the city of Singapore?

Singapore is unique in the sense that it is both a country and a city at the same time.

As an important minister in the Singapore cabinet, Mr Shanmugam’s words carry a lot of weight.

Why are Singapore males serving National Service when they are only defending a city and not their country? Who does our Prime Minister report to? What value does our pink IC have? Are we citizens of a country or residents of a city?

Mr Shanmugam’s use of Chicago is also highly inappropriate because Chicago is only a city in the United States and not a country by itself.

Furthermore, though the Chicago legislature is dominated by Democratic lawmakers, it has all the necessary pillars of democracy as outlined by former Thai Prime Minister Anand Paranyachun such as freedom of expression, political tolerance and a robust civil society.

You don’t see Chicago politicians being bankrupted by defamation lawsuits or protestors being arrested by the police. That’s the difference between Chicago and Singapore.

It must be a long and tiring week for Mr Shanmugam and he can be forgiven for a slip of tongue. Unfortunately, his flawed arguments can only convince Singaporeans and not the politically astute Americans with a long and proud history of democracy.

Steering committee member James P. Duffy III gave a diplomatic reply to the state media when asked about his thoughts on Mr Shanmugam’s speech:

“While not everything we learnt would fit comfortably with some important Western values, we are at the beginning of what we expect will be a long and fruitful dialogue with people whom we respect and want to know and understand better.”

If you read between the lines, you will realize he is merely “giving face” to Singapore which is the host for the event.