Rilek1Corner

Tag: democracy

  • Indonesia President Joko: Chemical Castration Will “Wipe Out” Paedophilia

    Indonesia President Joko: Chemical Castration Will “Wipe Out” Paedophilia

    Indonesia could “wipe out” paedophilia with its new policy of chemical castration, President Joko Widodo has told the BBC.

    He said Indonesia respected human rights but there would be “no compromise” when it came to punishing such sexual crimes.

    Indonesia passed controversial laws earlier this month authorising chemical castration for paedophiles.

    The laws were subject to fierce debate in parliament.

    The Indonesian Doctors Association says its members should not be involved as the procedure would violate medical ethics.

    Chemical castration is the use of drugs to reduce sex drive and libido, without sterilisation or removing organs.

    The paedophiles who want treatment

    President Widodo said “our constitution respects human rights, but when it comes to sexual crimes there is no compromise”.

    “We are strong and we will be very firm. We will hand out the maximum penalty for sexual crimes.”

    He added: “In my opinion… chemical castration, if we enforce it consistently, will reduce sex crimes and wipe them out over time.”

    In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC’s Yalda Hakim, President Widodo – also known as Jokowi – discussed topics including the South China Sea, corruption, a recent tax amnesty and the government’s stance on homosexuality.

    Earlier this month, an advert for a new youth ambassador position stipulated that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community need not apply.

    The government advert said the post was only open to applicants not involved in “sexually deviant behaviour”.

    President Widodo said there was no discrimination against minorities, but he added: “We are the world’s largest Muslim nation and we have religious norms. You have to remember that and know that. We have social norms.”

     

    Source: www.bbc.com

  • Martyn See’s 12 Tips For Political And Human Rights Activists In Singapore

    Martyn See’s 12 Tips For Political And Human Rights Activists In Singapore

    My 12 tips for Political and Human Rights Activists in Singapore.

    1. Read the law thoroughly, particularly the ones that the PAP will use to trip you up, namely Sedition Act, the new Contempt of Court law, Public Order Act (holding a public indoor forum featuring a foreign speaker is illegal), defamation laws, Films Act, MDA Licensing Scheme, Cooling-off Day regulations, Penal Code.

    2. Being an activist is a good way to filter your friends. If certain people start avoiding you, then you know they are not worthy friends anyway.

    3. Family members and close friends will try to dissuade you. They are usually the biggest fearmongers in your life. Listen politely but always follow your own conscience.

    4. Bear your own responsibility for your speech and action. Never implicate others.

    5. Live your life as you normally would. If you labour under the (imaginary) fear of being under constant surveillance, you already short-changed yourself and the people around you.

    6. Campaigning should be fun and energizing. If it becomes a begrudging chore or bore, take a break and recharge.

    7. Yes, there are government moles within the opposition ranks and in civil society. They usually have friendly and pleasant personalities. They are likely to stay in the background and will not be too strident in their political views, but will offer to photograph, video or take notes. Most people unwittingly allow them into their organisation because they are short of manpower. But do challenge these dodgy types to display a public commitment to the cause. Otherwise, keep them out of the inner loop.

    8. From time to time, organise leisure activities with fellow activists from other fields. Watch the tension, friction and squabbles dissipate, like magic.

    9. If you haven’t had run-ins with censorship or the police, the government probably does not take you seriously.

    10. Be thoroughly prepared for your home to be raided by the police one day, to face arrest, and most of all, to spend time in prison. To be at peace with such a prospect frees you up to speak your mind fearlessly and to make decisions without regret.

    11. Draw inspiration from the ones who have suffered and sacrificed so much before us. For example, whenever I think of what Chia Thye Poh, Said Zahari, Lim Hock Siew and their families had to go through, my own worries become embarrassingly trivial.

    12. Forget about the results and the rewards. These things are out of your control. Do the work because your conscience is pricking you and is keeping you awake at night.

    —————————————

    Your guide to dealing with police interrogations.

    http://singaporerebel.blogspot.sg/…/activists-speak-about-t…

    ——————————–

    Good night, and good luck.

     

    Source: Martyn See

  • Kenneth Jeyaretnam: WP Helped PAP Kill Democracy In Singapore

    Kenneth Jeyaretnam: WP Helped PAP Kill Democracy In Singapore

    I note lots of bloggers and activists putting out the Hansard of the contempt bill. This is mindless propaganda. Any bill is going to get passed BECAUSE of decades of WP leadership undermining parliamentary democracy by ensuring that PAP always have a 2/3 majority.

    WP are no heroes here. Speaking in parliament about a bill they know is going to be passed is a no risk situation for them. As is every move by WP.

    If we had seen any action from WP before this bill was posited or indeed fierce objection to any amendment of the constitution over the past decades then they would have a right to preach.

    By ensuring the status quo can never be challenged they have killed our democracy.

    Stop wasting your words. PAP will, can and do make anything they chose into Law.

     

    Source: Kenneth Jeyaretnam

  • Chee Soon Juan: PAP Running Scared, Doesn’t Want Genuine Political Contest

    Chee Soon Juan: PAP Running Scared, Doesn’t Want Genuine Political Contest

    I have often pointed out that the PAP is never sincere in ensuring that there is genuine political contestation, it always raises the bar just when its opponents come close to beating it at its own game (think GRC, Cooling-off Day, Public Order Act, etc).

    The most recent example is the tweaking of the EP. Ostensibly, it is to ensure minority representation in the presidency. The reality is that alarm bells went off when Dr Tony Tan won by just 0.34%-point over Dr Tan Cheng Bock.

    As usual, the government goes through the exercise of conducting a “study” of the issue. “Expert” views are then sought to substantiate the recommendations in the study. http://www.todayonline.com/…/mixed-race-teams-presidential-…

    The process goes like this. Step 1: Frame the issue, set the parameters. Step 2: Gin up debate in the local media and through various panels (within prescribed parameters, of course). Step 3: Legislate it.

    Much time, effort and money is expended to legitimise a course of action on which the PAP has already decided. Remember the discussions about whether to have 9 or 12 NCMP seats or 3- or 6-member GRCs or which race Singaporeans prefer their presidents?

    As Noam Chomsky points out: “The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum.”

    What is troubling in this instance is that at a time when our country faces complex and enormous challenges – challenges where open and intelligent debate is so desperately needed – the PAP devices yet another scheme to further control the political process.

    There is a price, a steep one, to pay for all this.

     

    Source: Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全

  • Osman Sulaiman: PAP Must Stop Using Malay Community As Political Pawn, Cease Affirmative Actions

    Osman Sulaiman: PAP Must Stop Using Malay Community As Political Pawn, Cease Affirmative Actions

    If the PAP thinks that a Malay president is important periodically, and has always been confident of its party’s credibility and branding, then it should support a Malay candidate to contest in the coming presidential election as how it supported Tony Tan in the last election.

    Often times, the ones who made the Malays feel that they are of sub-par quality is the PAP itself. Creating GRCs and justifying it that without GRCs, a Malay candidate cannot stand on its own worthiness.

    GRCs were introduced in 1988. It was the last election that a Malay candidate stands in an SMC under the PAP banner. Mr Abdullah Tarmugi contested in Siglap SMC and garnered 73.7% of the popular votes. One of the highest achievers among the slates of candidates being fielded by PAP. It definitely showed no signs that a non-Chinese candidate cannot stand on its own merits.

    After the 1988 general election, no other PAP Malay candidates contested in an SMC. Between then and now, the PAP continues with its narrative that a Malay candidate cannot win an election in a Chinese majority electorate.

    I remembered when Masagos was promoted to a ministerial position, the PAP highlighted that the promotion reflected the progress of the Malays. It simply meant that the promotion was given on account that the community now deserves to have a minister while previously it didn’t as we are considered second best as compared to the non-Malays.

    Today, the PAP again uses the Malay community as a pawn for its political agenda. Knowing how close the results of the last presidential election between its endorsed candidate and the independent candidate Dr Tan Cheng Bock (TCB), the PAP is playing the racial cards again by tugging at the heart strings of the Malay community.

    It seems that it now wants a Malay figurehead to counter the possibility of Dr TCB winning the presidential election. And rules have to be tweaked to accommodate this.

    I will be elated if ever we were to have a Malay president again after Yusof Ishak. But there will be no honour in winning a contest when the favours are heavily tilted for a certain individual/race to win it. And when indeed a Malay president is elected under those conditions, then it will further affirm the unfounded theory that the Malay community cannot stand on its own calibre.

    I would rather we secure the presidential role fair and square. The PAP will need to walk the talk rather than just paying lip service. If it values the contribution of the Malay community and treats everyone as equal, show it by supporting a Malay candidate without tinkering with the system. The Malay community doesn’t need charity of this kind.

    The principle that all citizens are equal, regardless of race or religion, means we have to do away with affirmative actions.

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman