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By Richard Borsuk
Asian Wall Street Journal staff reporter,
August 8, 2000
SINGAPORE
- - Hong Kong democracy activist Martin Lee, in remarks not reported
in the English-language Singapore media, has criticized the city-state's
political system at a seminar here that he said he hopes will 'ignite'
the 'flame of democracy' in Singapore.
Mr.
Lee, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council and chairman
of the Democratic Party, was a speaker at a forum Saturday organized
by the Open Singapore Center, a group led by opposition Singapore
politicians J.B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan. Other speakers at
the forum on political 'openness' in Asia, attended by 90 people,
were a member of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party and the vice-chairman
of Malaysia's opposition Democratic Action Party.
The
outspoken Mr. Lee said that when he was invited to speak, 'I never
thought this (seminar) could be organized in Singapore,'' adding
that he was 'sure we couldn't have this kind of discussion in Beijing.'
But he said that Singapore, like Hong Kong, isn't democratic and
that all societies should promote democracy.
'What's
this nonsense about different Asian values when it comes to basic
human rights?' he said. Mr. Lee also said that if people in Singapore
and Hong Kong hold on to principles and 'don't give up, one day
we'll be like South Korea, we'll be like Taiwan' in having full
democracy.
In
Hong Kong, he asserted, the election law is 'very unfair' but the
way elections are carried out is fair. In Singapore, it seems to
be 'the other way around', the activist said, 'so few people who
don't belong to the PAP will get in' Parliament. (Since independence
in 1965, the People's Action Party of Singapore patriarch and former
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has won nearly all seats at stake in
parliamentary elections.)
In
Singapore, 'things are getting better' in political expression,
Martin Lee said, citing his presence at the seminar and that he's
'not been arrested, yet.' He also said 'I wish and pray that after
Lee Kuan Yew there will be democracy' in Singapore.
Authorities
in Singapore vigorously defend the country's parliamentary system
of government and election rules. The press secretary of Senior
Minister Lee Kuan Yew, asked Monday about Martin Lee's remarks in
Singapore, said the former Prime Minister had no comment.
Singapore's
Sunday Times carried an article with a headline saying Martin Lee
appeared at a forum here Saturday, but only quoted his remark about
being surprised the function could take place.
At
the end of a question-and-answer session at Saturday's seminar,
Martin Lee called the function a 'very important beginning' for
promoting democracy in Singapore.
The
Hong Kong political activist said he was happy to 'see so many Singaporeans'
attend and that it looked 'as if the flame of democracy has been
ignited tonight. Let it spread like wildfire.'
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By
Chua Lee Hoong
Sunday Times (Singapore)
August 6, 2000
SINGAPORE
- - Well-known politicians from different parts of Asia gathered
in Singapore yesterday to debate the importance of political openness
and accountability.
The
occasion: the inaugural public forum of the Open Singapore Centre
(OSC), the body set up by local opposition politicians with the
avowed aim of pushing for more information transparency.
The
VIP guests: Mr. Martin Lee from Hong Kong, Mr. Lim Guan Eng from
Malaysia and Mr. Wilson Tien from Taiwan.
Each
spoke on the theme, ""Political openness and democratic accountability:
Nicety or necessity?'', focusing on their experiences in their own
countries.
Held
at Le Meridien Hotel in Orchard Road last night, the forum attracted
about 100 people who paid either $7 in advance, or $10 at the door
to attend.
Local
opposition MPs Low Thia Khiang and Chiam See Tong were conspicuous
by their absence.
Mr.
Lee is well-known in Hong Kong as a leading opposition politician
and a vocal critic of Beijing. His Democratic Party has 13 seats
in the 60-member Legislative Council.
He
was in the international limelight three months ago, when he was
invited by American President Bill Clinton to help persuade congressmen
to vote for permanent normal trading relations for China.
He
prefaced his speech with the remarks: ""I never thought this forum
could be organised in Singapore.''
The
speaker from Malaysia, Mr. Lim, is the son of the Democratic Action
Party chairman Lim Kit Siang.
He
came out of jail last August, after serving a year for printing
and distributing a pamphlet criticising the Malaysian government
for not pressing statutory rape charges against former Malacca Chief
Minister Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik.
Mr.
Tien is an aide to recently-elected President Chen Shui-bian. He
heads the international-affairs department in Mr. Chen's Democratic
Progressive Party.
Set
up a year ago, the OSC is registered as a partnership between Workers'
Party chief J.B. Jeyaretnam and Dr Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore
Democratic Party.
The
fourth speaker at last night's forum was Dr Chee, who is also the
director of the OSC. Mr. Jeyaretnam, a non-constituency MP, chaired
the forum.
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