Throughout the 1970s, many who worked for the newspapers and journals were arrested and imprisoned under the ISA. The government admits that more than 800 were arrested in that decade and 235 were detained (TODAY, 22 Nov 2011). The following are some of those in the media arrested:
Lee Mau Seng – General Manager, Nanyang Siang Pau
Li Singko – Senior Editor/Writer, Nanyang Siang Pau
Shamsuddin Tung Tao Chang – Editor in Chief, Nanyang Siang Pau
Lee Eu Seng – Managing Director, Nanyang Siang Pau
Chan Sun Choy (Chai) – Journalist, Sin Chew Jit Poh
Ngoh Teck Nam @ Wu Tek Nam – Translator, Sin Chew Jit Poh
Azmi Mahmud – Asst Editor, Berita Harian
Hussein Jahidin – Editor, Berita Harian
Arun Senkuttuvan – Journalist, Far Eastern Economic Review
Ho Kwon Ping – Journalist, Far Eastern Economic Review
They were all imprisoned without trial for months and even years. The only case that went to court was that of Lee Mau Seng in 1971. His counsel was the late Mr David Marshall. The grounds for his detention was:
“Since 1970, you as the General Manager/Managing Director of the Nanyang Siang Pau, Singapore, have consciously, knowingly and willingly veered the editorial policy of the said paper to (a) one of glamourising Communism and (b) stirring up communal and chauvinistic sentiments over Chinese language, education and culture.
The four allegations of fact were:
1. Under your management control, the Nanyang Siang Pau has deliberately and systematically instilled admiration for the Communist system. This has been achieved by presenting the Communist system as one free from blemishes. And whilst endorsing its policies, you have highlighted in the domestic news pages the more unsavoury aspects of Singapore life.
2. You have utilised the Nanyang Siang Pau to arouse communal sentiments over the Chinese language, education and culture, and created the impression that Chinese language and education are fighting desperately for survival in Singapore against a Government hostile to the Chinese.
3. In your campaign to work up disruptive and dangerous emotions, you have continuously echoed in the Nanyang Siang Pau the pro-Communist cry that Singapore’s independence was “phoney” by maliciously referring to Singapore as having undergone “150 years of colonial fetters” and that Singapore has not “in fact enjoyed political freedom”.
4. You have used deliberate falsehood to whip up communal fears and openly incite communal hatred against the Government.
The grounds and allegations were vague but exceedingly serious. Marshall argued that they were too “vague, unintelligible or indefinite” as to be insufficient to enable the applicant to make an effective representation against the order of detention. Chief Justice, Wee Chong Jin ruled that “it is not open to a court in Singapore to examine the grounds and allegations of fact”.
Lee was imprisoned for two and a half years. He left Singapore for Canada shortly after.
Today, the MDA’s anxiety to control the internet is understandable. The government has already successfully controlled the print and broadcasting media. The internet is the only media that has yet to be subdued. If we fail to keep this media free, Singaporeans will forever be the proverbial frog beneath the shell - “Katak di-bawah tempurung.”
Join the protest at Hong Lim Park this Saturday, 8 June at 4 pm.
Function 8 LTD
*Article first appeared on https://www.facebook.com/ThatWeMayDreamAgain