Singapore jails opposition
Nov 24th, 2006 by Tian
My friends Dr Chee Soon Juan and two other Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) members Yap Keng Ho and Gandhi Ambalam have been sentenced to jail yesterday (23 November).
Their offence: holding a peaceful gathering march during the IMF-World Bank annual meeting in Singapore last September.
Dr Chee has been sentenced to five weeks imprisonment, with immediate effect. Yap and Gandhi will be jailed for 10 days and three weeks respectively.
I knew Chee Soon Juan from early 90s, when he first went into politics. He has been Singapore’s most vocal opposition politicians. Just before the country’s general election this year, he was made bankrupted hence disqualified from standing for election.
“Every hour, every day, every month that I spend in jail only strengthens my resolve to fight,” the 44-year-old Chee told the court before the verdict was read.
His full statement in court:
Singapore Democratic Party website