Singapore, 10 December 2013-
We refer to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) statement dated 5 December 2013 which was made in response to our statement issued 29 November 2013.
We assure the AGC that the 170 persons who “purportedly” signed the statement did in fact do so.
It is regrettable that the AGC’s statement appears to predetermine that Mr Alex Au’s blog post did indeed scandalise the judiciary. Respectfully, we would like to point out that the AGC is not immune to errors of judgement. This is evidenced by Justice Belinda Ang’s decision to deny its application to bring action against Mr Au for another blog post dated 12 October 2013.
It is also regrettable that the AGC’s statement repeated an earlier instance where a blog post of Mr Au’s (18 June 2012) was deemed to have scandalised the court. This is not relevant to the current case.
The AGC states that the “Constitutional right to free speech and expression is not an absolute right, but subject to limits which are expressly provided for in the Constitution.” Our statement of 29 November 2013 was intended to query the extent of those limits vis-a-vis the AG’s intention to sue Mr Au.
We note again that the offense of scandalising the judiciary has become obsolete in the country of its origin and was repealed by the United Kingdom Parliament this year.
We reiterate the observation that the AGC’s action is not in keeping with the spirit of Singapore’s position at the 2011 UN Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights.
The AGC assures us that “[t]he hearing to determine whether the article is in contempt of court will be open to the public.” With respect, the assertion misses the point. The AGC’s decision to take action against Mr Au is counterproductive. It suggests that open and healthy debate about the judiciary is not allowed.
We repeat our call for the action against Mr Au to be abandoned. Further, we urge Parliament to reconsider the offense of scandalising the judiciary. It diminishes rather than encourages confidence in our legal system.
Signed:-
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Abdul Salim Harun |
Alfian Sa’at |
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Simeon Ang |
K Z Arifa |
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Ariffin Sha |
Dr Charan Bal |
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Jeremy Boo |
Boo Junfeng |
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Sharmeen Nina Chabra |
Qizhong Chang |
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Yan Chang |
Rajiv Chaudhry |
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Chee Mun Leon Kenneth |
Jeremy Chen |
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Vincent Cheng |
Cheow Xin Yi |
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Leslie Chew |
Tania Chew |
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Priscilla Chia |
Roderick Chia |
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Joshua Chiang |
Elvin Ching |
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Damien Chng |
Stephanie Chok |
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Olivia Choong |
Brendan Chong |
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Edward Chong |
Jean Chong |
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Lawrence Chong |
Chong Kai Xiong |
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Chong Wai Fung |
Chua Chuen-Seah |
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Dominic Chua |
Lyn Chua |
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Lucy Davis |
Nicholas Deroose |
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Dr Saroja Dorairajoo |
Farhan C Idris |
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Clara Feng |
Fong Hoe Fang |
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Otto Fong |
Foo Hui Shien Catherine |
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Koey Foo |
Jeffrey George |
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Lukas Godfrey |
Andre Goh |
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Dr James Gomez |
Mohan Gopalan |
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Bob Graf |
Johannes Hadi |
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Han Hui Hui |
Kirsten Han |
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Ramlan Kamarudin |
Gerald Heng |
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Ivan Heng |
Ho Choon Hiong |
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Sam Ho |
Vanessa Ho |
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Hoon Eng Khoo |
Isrizal Mohamed Isa |
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Shawn Kathiravan |
Sohni Kaur |
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Dennis Khew |
Godwin Koay |
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Stuart Koe |
Dan Koh |
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Ronald Koh |
Kok Heng Leun |
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Ken Kwek |
Dana Lam |
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Vincent Law |
Basil Lee |
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David Lee |
Lee Gwo Yinn |
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Howard Lee |
Kevin Lee |
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Lynn Lee |
Richard Lee |
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Lee Xian Jie |
Philip Selwyn Lemos |
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Francis Leo |
Leong Sze Hian |
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Leow Zi Xiang |
Lisa Li |
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Liew Kai Khiun |
Assoc Prof Lily Rahim |
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Chase Lim |
Gary Lim |
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Lim Hoch Yong |
Jeanne Lim |
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Jeramy Lim |
Lim Jialiang |
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Lim Kay Siu |
Lim Meng Suang Gary |
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Suchen Christine Lim |
Andrew Loh |
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Loh Chee Leong |
Andee Loo |
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Biddy Low |
Braema Mathi |
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Marayd McElroy |
Haron Mong |
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Ng Yi-Sheng |
Jevon Ng |
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Roy Ngerng |
Brian Nugawela |
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Azhar Sulaiman |
Kay Omar |
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Ong En Hui |
Linda Ong |
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Patrick Ong |
Yanchun Ong |
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Stephan Ortmann |
Osman Sulaiman |
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Pak Geok Choo |
Seelan Palay |
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Vivian Pan |
Engsien Pek |
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Ravi Philemon |
Dr Noor Rahman |
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Francisco Raquiza |
Max Revson |
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Mansura Sajahan |
Martyn See |
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Frederique Soh |
Prashant Somasundaram |
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Lily K Song |
Eric Seow |
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Siew Kum Hong |
Rev Miak Siew |
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K K Sin |
Jeremy Sing |
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Constance Singam |
Timothy Soh |
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Soo Teck Chong Jason |
Dickson Su |
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Prof Paul Tambyah |
Alaric Tan |
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Tan Elice |
Jacqueline Tan |
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Tan Jing Dear |
Joe Tan |
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John L Tan |
Joyce Qiuyan Tan |
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Kenneth Tan |
Luke Tan |
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Dr Netina Tan |
Petrus Tan |
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Dr Roy Tan |
Tan Ser En Daryl |
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Shawn Tan |
Sylvia Tan |
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Dr Tan Tai Wei |
Shawna Tang |
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Dr Tay Hu-Lin |
Derrick Teh |
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Jennifer Teo |
Jocelyn Teo |
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Kathy Teo |
Teo Soh Lung |
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Prof Tey Tsun Hang |
Tham Alex Ishibi |
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Callan Tham |
Shelley Thio |
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Margaret Thomas |
Ivan Thomasz |
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Dr Thum Pingtjin |
Min-Wei Ting |
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Melissa Tsang |
Vicnan KP |
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Caleb Wah |
Vivian Wang |
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Lawrence Wee |
Jolovan Wham |
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Dr Vincent Wijeysingha |
Thaw Win |
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Brenton Wong |
Wong Chee Meng |
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Dexter Wong |
Melissa WS Wong |
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Raymond Wong |
Dr Woon Tien Wei |
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Wong Tong Kwong |
Benjamin Xue |
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Julius Yang |
Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao |
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Yeo Yeu Yong |
Yeo Khirn Hup |
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Richard Yip |
Yuan Shuyi |
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Zaihan Kariyani |
Rachel Zeng |
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Zeng Ziting |
Zulkarnain Hassan |
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Leslie Low |
Tricia Leong |
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Vina Siew |
Sylvyn Lim |
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Yan Wai Chang |
Arjun Naidu |