Part II (5 January 2014), by Jufrie Mahmood
My earlier postings on the actual cause for my ISD detention and the
subsequent narration about how the divisional police screwed up a simple
investigation process were meant not only to remove doubts about my
sincere intentions in joining the opposition but also to demonstrate to
the uninitiated that the PAP is not what it claims to be.
Being accused of working in or with the ISD would definitely create doubts in the minds of Singaporeans, especially among non PAP camps, about your character and objectives. This is especially so for me since I am a long time activist in the opposition camp.
I shall explain as clearly as I can my reasons for saying this. Much of my thinking is influenced by my personal experiences and observations as well as from reading accounts given by ex detainees, some of whom I have personally met.
It is such a pity that the state security agency which is supposed to be appreciated and respected by the people for the work it should be doing to protect the county's security is instead feared by the very people whose security they are supposed to be protecting. In fact in many quarters the agency is much despised. It is not difficult to explain why the ISD is not trusted or earned the respect it deserves.
This state institution which is vital to the security and well being of the people is not seen to be impartial. It has been made to depart from its primary role. It is increasingly being seen as an institution that is preoccupied with serving the interest of the PAP against people who do not share the party’s views and approach in nation building.
The ISD has been screwed up and turned into a political tool of the ruling party and subjected itself to the whims and fancies of only one man. Its past actions are seen to be skewed towards protecting the party’s interest and to guarantee its continued rule.
This is unlike other developed democracies whose security agencies are largely known to be fiercely protective of their independence and would not hesitate to even act against leaders of their ruling parties should it become necessary.
If the ISD, which I suppose is manned by intelligent people, had been impartial in its actions, activists with alternative views like Lim Chin Siong, Chia Thye Poh, Dr. Lim Hock Siew, Dr. Poh Soo Kai, Said Zahari, just to name a few, would not have been detained or kept in detention for such a long period of time. In the first place the reasons given for their detention are now suspect and increasingly being questioned as more and more information is made available. Many ex detainees have issued statements and written books to tell their side of the story.
Whether or not a detainee is released does not depend entirely on whether he or she is any longer a ‘threat’ to the country's security. Clearly it was depended on the whims and fancies of one man. An example of this was aptly related by Dr Lim Hock Siew.
He said when his captors approached him after 9 years of detention they asked him “to show repentance otherwise Lee Kuan Yew will lose face.”
His answer to this ridiculous demand was, “For me this is not a question of pride, it’s a question of principle.” He went on, “In the first place, if a person has to save his face by depriving somebody else of his fundamental rights, then that’s not a face worth saving.” For standing up to his principles he was kept under detention for another 11 years, making him the second longest ISD detainee after Chia Thye Poh. (Please go to Youtube for the full text of Dr Lim’s speech)
Many others have written essays (Fajar Generation) and books - people like Teo Soh Lung (Beyond the Blue Gate) and Francis Seow (To Catch A Tartar) – to tell side of the their story.
There have been many cases of mass detentions after the PAP came into power such as operation cold store (1963), journalists of Nanyang Siang Pau Shamsuddin Tung, Lee Mau Seng and two others (1971), Lee Eu Seng (1973) Berita Harian’s Hussein Jahidin and Azmi Mahmud (1976), alleged euro communists (1977) operation spectrum against so called Marxist conspirators, including Francis Seow (1987), alleged JI members from 2001 onwards.
Detentions without trial like those mentioned above have struck fear in the psyche of Singaporeans and severely damaged the reputation of the ISD to the extent that if a person is identified as an ISD officer, chances are, people would probably avoid him.
Within the Malay Muslim community the attitude towards the ISD is much worse. It is looked upon with lots of suspicion. Known ISD officers are ostracised. When they attend the community's social functions like wedding receptions etc, people who recognise them would probably avoid them. Retired ISD officers are known to keep very much to themselves.
Some members of the community would even go to the extend of saying that if their daughters’ suitors who happen to be ISD officers were to ask for their daughters’ hands in marriage their request would probably be rejected.
Without exaggeration, any insinuation that you are working with or for the ISD, your mere presence in any organisation would make people feel uncomfortable. The more so will it be if you are into opposition politics.
There is little doubt that the ISD keeps a close watch over opposition parties even though opposition parties in Singapore have shown themselve to be largely working for and in the interest of Singaporeans. This is another example which shows that the ISD serves the interests of the PAP to give it a further and an unfair advantage at the expense of Singaporeans who have alternative views.
As for the ordinary Police Force the situation is not much different. Its bias towards the PAP and its uneven handedness have always been an added cause for concern. This frustrates you to no end. As far as the SDP is concerned enforcement of the law have on many occasions been subjected to double standards. For example, applications for permits for functions, where applicable, have always put us on tenterhooks. Peaceful gatherings or protests have always invited strong police action. In many instances the police would over react. Compare this with the extraordinary restrain the police showed against the violent demonstration in Little India and you will know what I mean.
Overzealous officers out to score points with their masters have made it appear as though law enforcement officers in Singapore practise selective enforcement and are not subjected to the rule of law.
Like the incident I mentioned in an earlier posting, what the police should have done was to call me for an interview to determine who was the driver who drove the lorry on the date the offence was committed. Then cross check with the the people at the shop and proceed to identify the culprit. Very elementary.
There was no need to arrest and throw the lorry owner into the lock up. I am very sure if the lorry owner were to be connected to members of the ruling party the approach and treatment would have been much different.
(Please note that I had stepped down as Chairman of the SDP at the party conference last October due to health reasons and in favour of a capable, younger and more energetic member.
I also wish to make a correction in the earlier posting. PERMUSI actually stands for Persatuan Muslimin Singapura or Singapore Muslim Society, not Singapore University Muslim Society)
If you don't mind my friends I would like to relate to you another classic example of this arrogance which I personally experienced. I hope I am not boring you with all these classic gems.
And I hope those in the PAP - especially their Malay MPs and die hard, unthinking supporters will also take the trouble to read to know some truth about the party they are so 'gila' about.
In the late 80's, years after my release from detention and prison and after becoming an active member of the WP, I, together with a couple of friends, set up a company to do contract work.
Apart from renovation and construction work we also secured lift installation contracts from Otis and Fujitect. Not many people knew that our company was given the contract by Otis to install the lifts at the new istana Darul Iman in Brunei.
In Singapore, apart from lift installation Fujitect, the other lift company we wete dealing with, also awarded our company contracts for scaffolding erection inside the lift chambers as well as lifting of the lift motors into lift motor rooms. At one time we were employing as many as 40 workers, some of whom were rehabilitated drug addicts from the Lyod Lease Centre who were placed in the day release scheme.
Obviously we owned some vehicles which included several lorries. Companies then were allowed to use residential flats as registered business addresses. I had used my home as the company's registered address when we registered our company.
On one occasion due to some technical problems at the site in which I was taking charge we had finished quite late at night. After packing up we hurriedly carried our heavy equipment to the lorry which was parked quite a distance away due to the site's inaccessibily. The rush to the lorry late at night might have given the impression that we had done something wrong . Some bystanders were looking at us suspiciously. I was relieved that nothing untoward happened that night. I went to bed way after midnight.
Unfortunately, the relief was short lived. At almost 6 the next morning, soon after finishing my subuh prayers, there was a loud knock on my main door. When I opened the door I was confronted by two men who identified themselves as police officers. They asked me whether I was the owner of a lorry no. xxxx. I said indeed I am the owner. Without further ado they asked me to accompany them to the Joo Chiat Police stn. They refused to answer any question. My wife was shell shocked. She was wondering what else her husband had done wrong. She was not allowed to come along.
Fortunately I was not handcuffed as it would have caused gross embarrassment to me. On reaching the station I was immediately thrown into the lock-up. I sat and waited for an explanation. At around 8 or 9 o'clock Asp Noordin whom I got to know during my ISD days, walked pass my cell and was surprised to see me there. He was the OC Crime at the station.
He asked me what was I doing in the cell. I said how would I know and asked him to check with his officers. He rushed to his office and returned a short while later.
He got his men to unlock the cell and drove me to a tyre and vehicle accessory shop along Joo Chiat Road. I was still dazed and didn't know what to expect.
Fortunately for me the moment the apek at the shop saw me he said, "Incik-incik lu punya driver lah Incik". My company had patronised his shop regularly for tyre change etc. In most instances I had accompanied my lorry driver to the shop when we needed to patch up or change vehicle tyres.
Asp Noordin heared from the apek that the person who had sold him some stolen sports rims was my lorry driver. He had used the lorry to deliver the stolen rims to the shop.
I was released soon after but no apology whatsoever was tendered for the wrongful arrest.Can you imagine what would have happened if the apek had a memory lapse or simply refused to tell the truth? God forbids. I was arrested and thrown in a lock-up just because I happened to be the lorry owner, the number plate of which was given to the police by the apek.
Having related the above what concerned me most was the wishy washy, unprofessional and idiotic way the police had handled the investigation. In one opposition rally at Bedok Stadium I had asked aloud, when referring to the case, "if this is the way the police conduct its investigations, if Lee Kuan Yew were to own a lorry and his driver were to commit a similar crime using his lorry would the police go and arrest the owner?"
That statement created a stir because they thought I was making up stories. I was told that Joo Chiat police station experienced a storm when the PAP leaders wanted to determine the truth and would have taken severe action against me if I had scandalised the police. Obviously they discovered that I was telling the truth but did not bother to say sorry. I have long given up waiting for those soothing words.
Enough for now guys. Some other juicy stories some other time. Have a good rest.
[These posts were first posted on Facebook, 3 and 5 January 2014. They are reproduced here with Jufrie's kind written permission.]
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