The Straits Times has refused to publish Dr Chee Soon Juan's letter to Mr Chan Chun Sing. It wanted to edit out the essence of Dr Chee's reply. When Dr Chee said that he would like the letter to be published in full, the Straits Times refused.
(The paragraphs in bold are the ones the ST wants to remove.)
IT IS NOT I WHO IS SACRIFICING SINGAPORE
In his letter Chee sacrifices S'pore to win points overseas: Chan Chun Sing (ST, January 16, 2015), Minister Chan suggests that I am anti-Singapore because I publish op-eds in the international media.
I did not write these pieces to criticise Singapore, I wrote them to criticise PAP policies. The PAP and Singapore are two different things. We must not equate one with the other.
The reason I have written in these news sites is because Singaporean newspapers are reluctant to publish my pieces. Just in the last three month, the Straits Times has rejected all three of my op-eds which I submitted.
If Mr Chan insists that I am undermining Singapore, then he should note that it is not I but Mr Lee Kuan Yew who, in an interview with National Geographic (a Western magazine), rather uncharitably likened Singaporeans to indolent animals where "spurs [had to be] stuck into the hide” to make us work harder.
It is not I but the PAP who are persuading young Singaporeans not to pursue a university education while giving foreign students generous financial grants to study at our universities.
It is not I but the Government who has allowed in millions of foreigners to work in Singapore at the expense of Singaporeans' jobs and wages.
Mr Chan should not be directing his anger at me.
He says that I betrayed Mr Chiam See Tong. Former High Court Justice Warren Khoo who presided over the trial between Mr Chiam and the SDP said that he could find no malicious behaviour on the part of the SDP since the Central Executive Committee did attempt to seek reconciliation with Mr Chiam.
To be sure, Mr Chiam has contributed significantly to Singapore and the SDP honours him. We will do this by inviting him to our 35th anniversary dinner to be held later this year.
The differences between the SDP and him are miniscule compared to the problems Singaporeans are facing. It is important that we come together and work for the good of our nation.
There are genuine differences in how the SDP and PAP want to take Singapore forward. On this we can have an honest, even robust, debate. But let us not continue to demonise each other just because we hold different views.
Singaporeans want us to have a contest of ideas, not call each other names.
Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party
Source: YourSDP.Org
Editor's Note:
Clearly, our 154th ranked Mainstream Media is not interested to give opposition politicians a voice in their newspapers. This is yet another demonstration of the type of control that the PAP has over the everyday information needs of the people.
They happily published Chan Chun Sing's letters and reported on his points despite many of them being but a viscious personal attack on Dr Chee. Dr Chee's own letter which is grounded in reason has been refused as it paints the PAP in a bad light.
If there were no internet and no new media, Dr Chee's response would not be heard and the people would only be fed all the negative "facts" about Dr Chee with him given no chance to respond. It is precisely in this type of media environment that Dr Chee contested in elections and despite the many disadvantages, he was still able to win votes for himself and his party.
Do you want to continue living in a Singapore where even your basic information needs are controlled and restricted in order to serve the political interests of the ruling PAP?