US ambassador
Is he interfering in our affairs?
Outgoing US envoy Frank Lavin leaves behind a hot topic after touching on Singapore's limits on political expression. Some online opinions.
Oct 23, 2005

sgforums
robertteh
When Singaporeans do not have freedoms of expressions and the right to vote freely due to GRC or political defamation suits, and US Ambassador is merely pointing out such a fact, is he interfering in our internal affairs?
Personally, I think he is doing the majority of Singaporeans a big favor by pointing out a truth. It is our government who has to change. What is basically wrong is not defensible.

iveco
He is actually sounding a wake-up call to our pathetic regime. We are too weak to do anything on our own. Shame on us.

LazerLordz
In the MIW's (men in white) Singapore, pointing out obvious facts and educating the public is deemed as interference.

Salman
Lets be fair on this issue.
Yes, what Franky said is true. I do think that our government is very stupid and childish to charge the previously unknown bloggers. It could well be our weakness in the long run.
But to call for the overthrow of PAP is ridiculous. PAP has done a great job for Singapore all these years.

sgdiehard
During his term as ambassador to Singapore, "the American continue to supply the latest weapons to Singapore, and they continue to use the military facilities here.
American was first to have free trade with Singapore and American MNC continues to use Singapore as a hub to the region, American community continue to grow and the Singapore American School is getting larger. Singaporeans, including those from the regime, continue to enjoy visa free entry to America."
Do you think the regime will take what this departing ambassador say seriously?
As American Ambassador to Singapore, he must have all the time to meet the Lees, the Goh and all in the regime, did he take those opportunities to speak to them about the plight of the Singaporeans?
If he were serious, he could have done what Gore did to Mahathir, telling Mahathir right in the face, "Can't you hear the sound of REFORMASI?"
We have heard so many American leaders praising LKY and the Singapore leadership openly but how much criticism have we heard from the Americans, except from the newspapermen?
Why this ambassador talked about freedom for Singaporeans only when he is leaving? Did the government blame him or the American government he represents "interfering in our affairs'??
Politicians play politics. American MNC are the first to retrench Singaporeans and employ FT for greater profitability, Americans will be the first to withdraw from Singapore when there are signs of any trouble here. I won't count on the American to be truely interested in the welfare of Singaporeans.

laserlordz
At least he used his position to sound out. That in my books is still a little of social responsibility. Mutual interests are the only thing that's true in this world.
Salman, just because the government thinks that they have done a good job does not give them the right to deem political change an act bordering on criminality.
Do you understand the idea of democracy and the right to change a government or a governing party through citizen education by legal means?
If to change a ruling party is a crime, then why not just give up all this democratic BS?
I know we will reach a point where political maturity is high enough for us to have a small number of capable parties who will push each other to run the nation in a much better manner, like economic competitors.
You perform better when you know that there is a team behind you fully able to kick you out and do a better job.

sgdiehard
What the ambassador said is not new. Singaporeans are fully aware of that, it is just that many singaporeans are pragmatic and are choosing not to do anything now till there is a clear alternative, or they choose PAP as the better of two evils, or are taking a selfish stance by ignoring those who are suffering as long as they themselves are ok.
What was said was an obvious fact, but for "educating the public", hardly!!
Some words of concerns about freedom coming from the US ambassador in Singapore is certainly good.
His words would have carried much more weight as a "wake up call to the regime" had he spoke when he was still the ambassador.
The point is he has left his position, why he didn't use it when he had the position??
It is always free to talk about freedom, or we choose to talk about freedom only when it is free.

drawer
Recently our government (is) leaning too close to the communist China, especially Lau Lee, I am sure those Americans don't like to see that happening.
If the opposition leaders could promise those Americans some goodies when they take over power from PAP, I am sure those Americans would lend us a helping hand.

Salman
Those commies can never be trusted. Just look at what happened at SIP.
We'd be better off as American stooges anytime than to trust the Chinese.

drawer
Besides, those PAP leaders taking their salaries even higher than the US president might already make many American Senators "eyes red". If I was American president, I would also jealous of those PAP leaders high salary.
Imagine, the American President have to take criticism, demonstration from the public, and constantly challenge from the opposition members. But our PAP leaders can sit back, relax and keep talking BS and yet collect such a high salary.
sgdiehard
As a little red dot, we are having a lot of attention and we need a balanced view, from EU, China, India, Russia, besides America and UK.
We walk with our heads up, we don't need the "left over".
Selling us the latest F15 fighter planes with the latest missiles, allowing us to participate in the future fighter planes development, that is a privilege!

Spirit of Fire
In order for the others to respect us, we Singaporeans have to learn to respect ourselves first.

robertteh
If US has been warding off the threats of communism and imperialism (against Japanese, European type of imperialism) for so many years, it can be more trusted to uphold peace, progress and human values for suppressed nations in the world should their own government fail to practice human dignities.
I see any continuing promotion of democracy and human rights by US and its ambassadors as positive not something to be suspected. At least they can be more trusted than own governments of many countries.
Given the above historical facts about US I see any lunches with our oppositions members like GMS or Steve Chia as perfectly in order and not interfering in our internal affairs.

sgdiehard
I recognised the old traditional American values in upholding peace... against suppressed nations in the world, during WW2 and especially during the COLD WAR.
But today, such values are giving way to American's own interests, its own security in fighting the terrorists, its own economy in securing supplies of oil and the issue of steel import, its own industrialisation in dealing with international treaties such as Kyoto Protocol, just to name a few. a bit out of topic but I have no doubt about the truth of what is said (about freedom in Singapore), neither do I suspect his intention to want to speak something good, I question the effectiveness of such a statement and I certainly feel that much more can be done, could have been done, if there is a true intention asking for changes.
In other words, I won't look at a yellow piece of sh-t and shout "Gold!".
I don't know about historical facts or about US, I am talking about HERE in Singapore, if the US ambassador does have lunches with our opposition members, and if the government does not make noise, then they have indeed become more "magnanimous".
But, the US ambassador must first invite the opposition members leh. No lunch how can we know if the PAP has become more tolerant?
It is immaterial whether you or I think such lunches are "as perfectly in order and not interfering in our internal affairs".
The US ambassador lunches with many husbands and wives and who is to say if he were interfering in somebody's domestic affairs?
Oct 23, 2005