Archive for November, 2008

Lee Kuan Yew has surgery to implant a pacemaker.  This follows Lee’s earlier hospitalization for atrial heart flutter.  Straits Times: MINISTER Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, 85, had a minor surgery on Saturday to implant a cardiac pacemaker, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on Sunday. The surgery was performed because MM Lee has [...]


The Wall Street Journal publishes its official response to the contempt of court fine — but only online and outside Asia. In the second editorial, we reported on the International Bar Association’s critical study of the rule of law in Singapore. This is the same outfit that held its annual conference in Singapore last year, [...]


Two scathing commentaries on the Wall Street Journal’s conviction for contempt of court, both pointing the finger squarely at the Lees.  Reporters Without Borders: “Even if the fine is not colossal, the ruling very clearly shows that Singapore’s judges have no intention of letting the foreign media express themselves freely about the country’s judicial system, [...]


Wall Street Journal Asia is fined S$25,000 for their “two decade attack on judges“, consisting of publishing two less than complimentary editorials (first, second) and a letter from Chee Soon Juan.  (Quick recap of the whole saga here.)  This quote from the Straits Times says it all, really: THE High Court on Tuesday fined Wall [...]


Lee Kuan Yew speaks at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry‘s Business China anniversary dinner, hyping up Singapore’s Mandarin education.  Straits Times: SINGAPOREANS must press on with efforts to equip themselves with skills to do business in China and capitalise on the Republic’s strong reputation there, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on [...]


Lee Kuan Yew has been re-elected into the Central Executive Committee of the People’s Action Party for another two-year term.   The CEC was re-elected in entirety, with no new members, as Lee Hsien Loong simultaneously proclaimed that “the PAP must constantly evolve to keep up with the times“.  AsiaOne: THE same 12 ministers from the [...]


The Singapore Democratic Party notes the rumor that the PAP may call early elections next year.  They are not due until 2011, but the tanking economy means that it may be better to get them over with now than risk electoral carnage when the pain really hits, and as the SDP points out: Of course, [...]


A smiling Lee Kuan Yew advises that “We all have to accept some sacrifices and cutbacks“, makes the odd promise that nobody will fall below the poverty line (too bad if you already did?), and trots out the old line about Singapore being so much better than its neighbors.  Straits Times: THE Government will ensure [...]


Lee Kuan Yew delivers an 80-minute lecture with Q&A at the International Energy Week.  CNA: Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has said ASEAN will need to cooperate to have a common grid and pipeline, especially in the face of the world’s immense environmental problems. Mr Lee said: “I hope our neighbours also come to [...]


The contempt of court case against the Wall Street Journal, triggered by their editorial about the Chee Soon Juan defamation case, has started.  Reuters, with a rather unbelievable quote from the attorney general: “Freedom of speech in Singapore allows a person to criticise government policy and the decisions of the courts. There is no fetter [...]



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