17 May became quite an eventful Saturday. I was at a private film screening of "One Nation Under Lee" which was produced by artist and activist, Seelan Palay in the afternoon at the Peninsula Excelsior Hotel. Then when evening came, I went over to St. Martin's Drive with activists Rizal, Seelan, Noora and Shafie over to St. Martin's Drive with the intention to participate in the vigil for the cyclone victims. Both events left me with much food for thought and brought what I have read about to reality that seems so surreal at the same time.
At the film screening...
"One Nation Under Lee" is a narrative take of an alternative version of Singapore history, not found in our history textbooks. It also includes interviews with various political opponents and former detainees as well as pictures of public protests and activist campaigns that had taken place in Singapore over the years. I have enjoyed the film and I do recommend anyone who can get hold of it to watch it as well as share it. However the event did not went without any hiccups and harassment from the authorities. About halfway through the screening, the authorities from the Media Development Authority (MDA) turned up demanding to the organisers to hand over the unlicensed film to them. Ms. Chee Siok Chin, together with the Master of Ceremony, Chia Ti Lik ended up negotiating with them outside the Tulip Room and they did a good job of buying time, so that we could finish watching the film. I was mad at the notion that we might not get to finish watching it and must have been cursing and swearing under my breathe or something and at the same time hoping that they will let this film finish running before coming in to seize the dvd. So I heaved a sigh of relieve when the film ended without any of that happening. However the moment it ended, Ms. Chee came in to inform us that the dvd will be handed over to the officers as negotiated. It was also told that police officers were outside earlier but once they heard that the organisers were willing to hand over the dvd, they left. The audience clapped sarcastically, invited the MDA officers to introduce themselves and to join us for lunch as we still have "... some food leftover."
You can find the videos here in two parts: Part 1 Part 2
After that, the event just went on with Martyn See and Seelan Palay having a dialogue session with the audience on the Films Act. Interestingly, this did not went without harassment too. Rudely, one of the MDA officers came back again, this time demanding to have the projector that belongs to the hotel. With logic and reason, Ms. Chee declined to hand it over and encouraged him to check with the hotel if he really wanted to have it. He left of course, what more could he do? He had already made an ugly laughingstock of himself... him and his colleagues. They made what was mentioned in the film a reality.
My take on this is that if there is nothing wrong with the government and the ruling party, if there is nothing wrong with the information in our textbooks, why are they even afraid that people see such films? Or get an alternative set of information that is way more accurate than our history textbooks and what you get to read/ watch everyday from the mass media? Clearly from the name of the film, one can deduce that the film shown wasn't some horrible film of incest or child rape or anything like that. Oh... or maybe I am wrong. Hahaa but I stubbornly refuse to think so! 
Well maybe I have not really put it correctly but the excuse is that I am feeling sleepy so please pardon me.
Watch the film here. It was uploaded by Uncle Yap.
Read also:
Film on Lee Kuan Yew seized by MDA
Censors and police seized video at private screening
Government officials disrupt private screening of film on LKY
The gatecrashers
Leegime tried to prevent a movie about itself
Singapore. The ultimate police state
At the vigil...
We were about to go on our way to get some dinner before heading off to the Burmese Embassy when Rizal got a call saying that people were being manhandled by the police at St. Martin's Drive. So we forgo dinner. When we got there, plainclothes police officers were there. Apparently the manhandling stopped just before we got there and everyone had to form a queue to go up to the Burmese embassy in groups of four, each group standing a distance of about two metres away. That was stupid, they are people, not sheep. They were there to pray and mourn, not to tear down the whole embassy. Why do they need to have a permit to pray and mourn? So people have no right to do that and have to apply to do so? Absolutely tragic.
Initially Rizal and Seelan were told by a police officer that Singaporeans were not allowed to participate but somehow it changed and we got into the queue. It felt ridiculous to queue and move along by the officers' commands. No filming of the vigil directly outside the embassy was allowed but some photographs were taken and Shafie was filming here and there.
The reason why I was there was because I genuinely wanted to support the vigil. The Burmese community here is closely knitted and are very organised. I admire and respect that spirit and wish that more Singaporeans will learn from them.
The police disgusted me with their arrogance, attitude and sarcastic words. Makes me wonder if they have hearts at all, or even a brain.
Borrowing the idea from Aidil Omar, I wonder what will happen if all of us go right down to Tan Tock Seng Hospital to hold a vigil for Mrs. Lee? Interesting thought. Do you think we need a permit for that or will anyone come up to stop us and herd us around like sheep?
Hahahaa I cannot stop laughing at the mere idea of it now.
Is this truly the place I was born?
Pictures can be found here.
 | Haha I have always been very opposed to such acts of violations done to children. Mrs Lee is having a second stroke, experiencing slurring in her speech and all. Heard that she is in serious conditions... not too sure how she is now, I don't read the papers. It was friends who told me as well as my mum who did so two nights ago saying "Let's visit her!". |
| Hahahaa I mean... she is really not the one who should go... but ahem ahem... that old man. Then again, I do feel terrible for stroke patients because it can be very painful existing in that state. Not going to visit her though and my mum was being nuts for suggesting that we visit her! :P (shh... don't tell her I said that!) |
 | how come the MDA officers knew bout e screening? |
| Time will tell why, I have my guesses but they are only guesses. |
| lamuerte wrote on Jun 1, edited on Jun 1 they should have screened it at an even more private place.. |
| You think it will be any better? Doubt so... |
| Anyway if it happens, it happens and it did happened.
The authorities are nothing to be afraid of. Unjust laws should be broken, illogical acts (referring to the Film Act) should be challenged and our constitutional rights should be exercised. |
| Do you seriously think that, held in a private home or even a toilet, the event will not be raided? The authorities had a scanned copy of the ticket (as I have heard) so even if held in a home, there might not be any difference. I do not think that our emails, mobile phone messages and such will go unwatched, especially if you have incurred the wrath of you know who. |
| we r talking bout Ms Chee here so e reason is pretty obvious.. |
| Indeedy... but of course, that is my opinion... who knows? Maybe they can do a really private one in their homes someday and see how it goes. |
| |
horrible film of incest or child rape or anything like that. 