US Ambassador-designate to SG promote political & press free
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February 4, 2010 - Temasek Review
Written by Our Correspondent
US Ambassador-designate to Singapore to promote political and press freedom in Singapore
U.S. Ambassador-designate to Singapore Mr David Adelman had promised to use “public diplomacy” to promote political and press freedom in Singapore at a nomination hearing in Washington D.C.
Mr Adelman’s nomination to be the next US Ambassador to Singapore was announced by the White House in November after the previous ambassador, Ms Patricia Herbold, relinquished her post in January last year at the end of the Bush administration’s tenure.
He was asked by Virginia Senator Jim Webb on his views on the United States’ engagement with Singapore on its repressive political system:
“The Economist Democracy Index ranks Singapore as 82nd in the world in terms of democratic development, below neighbours such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 133rd out of 175 for press freedoms. What is your view in terms of whether and how the United States should engage Singapore on these other issues?”
Mr Adelman admitted that Singapore is not a democracy and replied that the United States must engage Singapore on these issues:
“My view is the United States must engage Singapore on these issues. You identified the area where, quite candidly, Singapore needs the most improvement if it were to live up to the ambitions Americans have for democracy. Make no mistake, currently Singapore is not a multi-party democracy, and I intend, if confirmed, to use public diplomacy to work towards greater press freedoms, greater freedom of assembly and ultimately, more political space for opposition parties in Singapore to strengthen Singapore into a multi-party democracy.”
He did not elaborate more on how he will achieve his aims except tht he will bring some of his experiences in government and in the private sector to the United States’ public diplomacy efforts run out of the Embassy in Singapore.
Singapore’s ruling party has received much flak from the international community lately over its atrocious human rights record.
Respected international NGO Human Rights Watch described Singapore as a “textbook example of a politically repressive state” in its annual report released recently.
U.S.-based Freedom House reported that Singapore is not a “democracy” as proclaimed by its leaders and though Singapore conducts elections on a regular basis, Singaporeans cannot expect to vote out the incumbents.
Singapore has been ruled by the PAP for 50 continuous years since 1959. All institutions of the state including the police, media, grassroots organizations, civil societies and trade unions are under its firm control in one way or another.
Repressive laws are put in place to curtail the political and civil rights of ordinary Singaporeans. There is no opposition in Parliament to check on it resulting in a gross lack of accountability and transparency in Singapore’s political system.
While we welcome Mr Adelman’s committment to promote political and press freedom in Singapore, it is unlikely he is able to do anything without incurring the wrath of the vindictive PAP.
In 1988, Hank Hendrickson, the First Secretary of the U.S. Embassy in Singapore was expelled from the island for “meddling in Singapore politics.” Hendrickson was a confidant of the then President of Singapore Law Society, former Solicitor-General Francis Seow who was later detained under the ISA for being a “willing partner to acts in interference in Singapore’s internal affairs by representatives of a foreign power.”
Hendrickson was alleged to have “encouraged” Francis Seow to stand in the elections as an opposition candidate to challenge the PAP so as to have an opposition in the Singapore parliament which is “amenable” to U.S. interests. The United States said that Mr Hendrickson had done nothing out of line with normal diplomatic practice. Tit-for-tat, it expelled a Singapore diplomat Robert Chua.
Mr Adelman is an attorney who holds degrees from the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and the Emory Law School. He is a strong advocate of open government. In 2006, he authored and passed legislationi which provides public access to campus police department records.
Perhaps he can use his experience to “persuade” the ruling party to increase the level of transparency in its governance of the nation which is sorely lacking at the moment.
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Thumbs up for this.
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They are so used to these empty threats. Unless American interest is affected, nothing will happen.
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Originally posted by Chew Bakar:
They are so used to these empty threats. Unless American interest is affected, nothing will happen.
Agree on your opinion.....probably an effort to appease the many growing dissident among Singaporeans. -
Originally posted by Miracles&Prophecies:
Agree on your opinion.....probably an effort to appease the many growing dissident among Singaporeans.It's just a wayang.
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As long as lky lives, there is not going to be westernised democracy in Singapore. Old man did express western democracy not acceptable.
Democracy is democracy, there is no such thing as western democracy.
NO democracy (minimal???), no human right (minimal???) - no wonder quality of life going downhill.