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Tag: M.Ravi

  • M Ravi: J B Jeyaretnam Was Initially Admirer Of Lee Kuan Yew

    M Ravi: J B Jeyaretnam Was Initially Admirer Of Lee Kuan Yew

    A dinner in memory of the first opposition member to be elected to parliament, Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (JBJ), was held yesterday evening (27 Nov) at Ban Heng Restaurant in Harbourfront Centre.

    The event organised by friends and well-wishers of the Reform Party was attended by several prominent members of the opposition and the civil society.
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    One of the keynote speakers for the evening was human rights advocate, M Ravi. Mr Ravi said in his speech that JBJ was the inspiration to a whole generation of Singaporeans including Mr Low Thia Khiang, , Mr Vincent Wijeysingha, Dr Chee Soon Juan and Ms Teo Soh Lung.

    In his speech, Mr Ravi further claimed that JBJ was initially an admirer of Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and that he later turned a arch-nemesis of Lee due to his lack of regards for workers’ rights.

    “In fact, he was initially an admirer of Lee Kuan Yew, who started out as a lawyer for labour claims and workers. What motivated him to join and revive the Worker’s Party was his observation that the Government was moving further and further away from giving and supporting the workers and their claims. And the erosion of basic rights of workers and society at large.” – M Ravi

    Mr Ravi also described JBJ  a man of true principle, grit and determination who truly believed that it was the duty of an opposition MP to check, question and hold the government to account. He reminded the audience that the powers that be didn’t like this and went out of their their way to destroy JBJ, even going to the extent of mocking him for raising issues such as human rights and freedom.

     

    Source: http://theindependent.sg

  • M Ravi Barred From Applying For Certificate To Practice For 2 Years

    M Ravi Barred From Applying For Certificate To Practice For 2 Years

    The Court of Three Judges has decided that lawyer M Ravi who was ordered to stop practising in Feb 2015 should be prohibited from applying for a practicing certificate for a period of 2 years. In its judgment released today (27 Oct), the Court said that this was necessary to safeguard the interests of the public and to uphold public confidence in the integrity of the legal profession.

    Mr Ravi’s case was brought before the Court of Three Judges after he pleaded guilty to four charges of misconduct before a disciplinary tribunal last year. The tribunal, in its report released in December 2015 said that a prima facie case had been established against Mr Ravi since he had “pleaded guilty to the four charges and his mental condition as per the evidence of Dr (Tommy) Tan (a psychiatrist) does not exculpate him for his various acts of misconduct but are mitigating factors only”.

    Mr Ravi had earlier pleaded guilty to four charges of misconduct, which include creating a ruckus at the Law Society premises on 10 Feb 2015 and another charge of making inappropriate statements against the Law Society president and his family members in a Facebook post. He was also found guilty of  making false allegations against two lawyers in Feb 2015.

    The tribunal referred Mr Ravi’s case to the Court of Three Judges as it had no power to penalise a non-practising lawyer.

    On 6 Sep, Mr Ravi’s lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam sought an overall fine of $10,000 ($2,500 per offence) and pleaded for the Court to take his client’s mental illness into account.

    The Law Society’s lawyer, Mr Sean La’Brooy, did not object to a fine. He however, in arguing that Mr Ravi’s condition should not “exonerate” him, sought a higher quantum of at least $5,000 for one of the offences.

    The three judges that heard the case — CJ Menon and Judges of Appeal Andrew Phang and Tay Yong Kwang – described Mr Ravi’s conduct as “reprehensible” and “disturbing”.

    CJ Menon had then asked: “(Are we) not going to hold a solicitor to the standards expected of him? … The whole thing may have been avoided if (Mr Ravi) had taken the doctor’s advice … Should we say because he has a medical condition, we punish him differently?”

    The Court had other sentencing options besides prohibiting Mr Ravi from practicing. Among these options are to censure him, to order him to pay a penalty of not more than $20,000, or to strike his name off the roll of lawyers.

    In delivering the verdict today, CJ Menon said that the Court was presented with a situation where Mr Ravi has a mental condition which has in the past caused him to act in a manner unbecoming of a lawyer. He said that there is a possibility that this may happen again in the future.

    “In this circumstances, we consider that anything short of prohibiting the respondent for a substantial period of time from applying for a practicing certificate would be inadequate,” the verdict read.

    Commenting on the verdict Mr Ravi said the following in his Facebook:

    “The Court of Appeal handed out a judgement today prohibiting me from practising law for a period of two years. I have already been out of practice for more than 18 months. My doctor had certified me fit to practice since December last year.The Law Society had approved my application for Practising Certificate in August 2016. However the Attorney General objected to my Practising Certificate. During the hearing before the Court of Appeal the Law Society had agreed that a fine is an appropriate penalty in line with the recommendation made by the Disciplinary Tribunal below.

    I accept that I did not behave appropriately when I was unwell. However, the Court of Appeal’s Judgment is acutely disproportionate in view of the Disciplinary Tribunals recommendation of a fine. The effect of the Court of Appeal’s judgment means I am put (out) of Practice of Law for close to 4 years.

    However in as much I am devastated, this will not deter me from continuing my work in the field of international human rights and constitutional law and contribute to society where I can. To this extent, I will continue my work by assisting the firm of Eugene Thuraisingam LLP in my current role as a Head of Knowledge Management and Strategic Alliance Division.”

     

    Source: http://theindependent.sg

  • Osman Sulaiman, M Ravi Dan Roy Ngerng Antara Yang Akan Turun Padang Menentang PAP Di GRC Ang Mo Kio

    Osman Sulaiman, M Ravi Dan Roy Ngerng Antara Yang Akan Turun Padang Menentang PAP Di GRC Ang Mo Kio

    Parti Reform (RP) hari ini mengumumkan barisan calonnya di GRC Ang Mo Kio bagi pilihan raya akan datang.

    Pasukan seramai enam orang itu akan diterajui oleh Encik M Ravi, seorang peguam.

    Turut menganggotai pasukan RP tersebut ialah penulis blog Roy Ngerng, yang disaman oleh Perdana Menteri Lee Hsien Loong atas tuduhan fitnah berhubung isu CPF, penerbit filem Siva Chandran, aktivis sosial Gilbert Goh, mantan pegawai bank Jesse Loo dan pengarah perniagaan di sebuah syarikat hiasan dalaman, Osman Sulaiman.

    Meskipun kedua-dua Encik Goh dan Encik Ngerng pernah menyertai bantahan-bantahan di Sudut Pidato di Hong Lim Park, setiausaha agung RP, Kenneth Jeyaretnam menegaskan pasukan itu bukanlah kumpulan pembantah.

    Encik Osman, 40 tahun, mengetuai pasukan RP di GRC Ang Mo Kio pada pilihan raya 2011, yang memperolehi 30.4 peratus undi.

    “Perlantikan ini datang dengan tanggungjawab yang berat. Saya diharapkan berjuang bukan sahaja untuk bangsa Melayu, bukan sahaja untuk penduduk Ang Mo Kio tetapi untuk semua warga Singapura dan sekaligus berbakti kepada masyarakat umum,” ujarnya.

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

  • Roy Ngerng And M Ravi To Run In Ang Mo Kio?

    Roy Ngerng And M Ravi To Run In Ang Mo Kio?

    Blogger Roy Ngerng and his one-time lawyer, Mr M. Ravi, are said to be in the running to contest Ang Mo Kio GRC in the coming general election under the Reform Party (RP) ballot.

    Sources familiar with RP said that Mr Ravi, Mr Ngerng and activist Gilbert Goh will probably be part of the opposition party’s six-member team that will be fielded in Ang Mo Kio at the next polls.

    The three are said to have joined other potential candidates on Sunday to get their portrait photos taken for the campaign, which is expected to be held next month. This is even though they have yet to be confirmed as party members.

    The constituency is helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who had successfully sued Mr Ngerng for defamation, with damages to be assessed. Mr Ravi represented Mr Ngerng until he was suspended in mid-February from practising law after concerns about his mental health. When contacted, Mr Ravi and Mr Ngerng declined to comment about their plans.

    RP secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam had said that his party will contest Ang Mo Kio and West Coast GRCs as well as Radin Mas SMC. Yesterday, he put paid to rumours circulating last week that his party may not have the numbers to field candidates in those wards by revealing that he has seen a “surge in membership”.

    A statement released yesterday said former RP member Osman Sulaiman has rejoined the party and could spearhead its Ang Mo Kio GRC team. He is likely to be joined by Ang Mo Kio resident Siva Chandran and RP treasurer David Tan to contest in the area.

    Mr Sulaiman was fielded in Ang Mo Kio GRC when RP contested there in the 2011 General Election. The RP team managed to gain about 30 per cent of the votes.

    Mr Osman, who runs a renovation business, quit RP last year for the National Solidarity Party but left it earlier this year. He then volunteered with the Singapore Democratic Party and Singapore People’s Party before returning to RP.

    On Sunday, RP said in a post on its Facebook page: “Siva will be introduced at our press conference.” The comment was accompanied by a photo of Mr Ngerng, Mr Ravi, Mr Goh, Mr Siva and Mr Osman donning the party’s yellow shirts.

    When asked if Mr Ngerng was a party member, Mr Jeyaretnam said: “Roy’s membership is expected to be approved shortly.” He added that Mr Ngerng would bring “much-needed knowledge” of Ang Mo Kio, where his father runs a hawker stall.

    Mr Jeyaretnam also confirmed that RP chairman Andy Zhu, who stood in West Coast GRC in the last polls, will contest again.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • M Ravi Should Reconsider Decision To Not Run

    M Ravi Should Reconsider Decision To Not Run

    There was some speculation last week that human rights lawyer, M Ravi would run in the upcoming General Elections as a Reform Party candidate. However he poured cold water on that idea issuing a statement announcing his decision not to run. In most cases I would have left it at that – a candidate wishes not to run for personal reasons, however after reading that statement, I think otherwise.

    In it he cites 2 things – a calling and service. Indeed politics like lawyering, is a calling and similarly it’s about service. Mr Ravi may want to focus on his legal duties and service to his clients, but I do believe that he should also consider a greater calling and service – to the nation. If he had stood as an independent candidate in of all places – AMK GRC, I would not support the idea. I think to be an MP in Singapore, you need the support of a party behind you. There’s a lot of things behind the scenes that one must have or need to do. From the logistics of an MPS, to identifying residents’ problems and even gathering data to speak in the House – you can’t do it alone or with limited resources of an independent candidate.

    M Ravi has extensive experience as a lawyer – 18 years in fact. He’s handled the most serious of cases – ranging from those involving capital punishment to those that involve the rights of persons. He does not shirk from asking tough questions and raising arguments. I think there’s a shortage of politicians prepared to ask tough questions especially on the issue of our Laws. Far too many Laws have been enacted that are restrictive and unnecessary – the latest being the island wide alcohol ban after 10.30pm. Is it really necessary to have such a prohibitive law when the problem was basically restricted to Little India and parts of Clark Quay?

    What about Laws on basic freedoms? What about Laws on sentencing? Or even the system of justice and composition of the Legal Service and appointment of judicial officers? Is it prudent to have District Judges jumping back and forth from the AG’s Chambers to the Bench?  A prosecutor can of course become a Judge and vice-versa, but that should be that. You choose 1. This frequent interchanging of roles in my view tends to produce legal officers with narrower leanings or gives an impression of retaining ties to the AG’s Chambers. We need someone to ask hard and relevant questions.

    Next we have to look at upbringing and interaction with the common man. Although he’s a lawyer, M Ravi has always been associated with the common man. He isn’t aloof, he lives his life in a HDB estate, dresses and talks like a common man and crucially mixes with them. He doesn’t need to put an act. He takes public transport and witnesses the plight of ordinary Singaporeans daily. He can speak well, can ask questions and is not afraid to, he has the qualifications and places a premium on the value of service to his fellow man and nation. He ticks all the boxes that 1 should look for in a candidate.

    I understand that the Law Society will press on with some charges they have laid for him. But the charges are so ridiculous to begin with. He was diagnosed as having another episode of bi-polar disorder and has apologised for it. Moreover why should the Law Society get involved in matters where 1 person says things about another? The legal recourse to those parties is of course to commence a lawsuit, why is the Law Society playing judge? If the Law Society itself cites that it does not have any standing to deal with PAP MP Alvin Yeo for over-charging, that is a matter solely for a sub-committee, then pray tell why are they going after M Ravi, where evidence exists that this is a personal matter between 2 parties and that he has a solid statement from Dr Winslow that he was suffering from a major relapse at the time?

    I also understand that Dr Winslow has implemented a strict regime to ensure that such relapses will become a thing of the past or occur very very rarely. He has the support, he has the ability and he understands the issues facing the ordinary Singaporean, because he’s always been 1 of them. He will champion the cause of his residents, fight for them, serve them and most of all, he’ll be an MP who’ll go to the House, unafraid to speak up and ask the tough questions.

    I strongly urge him to reconsider his decision and to give it his all in the campaign. His service to his clients will not be affected, rather it’s a calling to serve the larger interests of community and nation. Finally we have so few Indians in Parliament prepared to ask questions and raise issues that the community are facing. When have we last seen a Tamil MP asking questions or speaking in Tamil? The influx of Indian nationals have severely affected the community – it’s time someone from their community spoke up for them and for other minorities in the resident Indian population in Singapore. M Ravi can be such a champion for them and for Singaporeans as a whole. The time is now – the calling is now – your nation needs you – you must run, M Ravi.

     

    Source: http://anyhowhantam.blogspot.sg