Human Rights in Singapore... wtf?

I wish to see more freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly in Singapore.

That said, I have this ideals for some years back partly due to the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Chee Soon Juan but for the longest of time, I prefer to sit on the fence and not bother myself with it too much cause I am afraid of certain unknown repercussions.

But it seem that when you have this yearning... you only need a catalyst to push you forward to join the cause and for better or worse, I am surprised how much enthusiasm and actions that I have partake in the pursuit of human rights in Singapore... with regards to how much to bear for the consequences, gee I really don't know.

I just told an academic researcher recently when he noticed a recent trend of young activist taking on the "route" of Dr Chee's method of civil disobedience and he asked me whether we have forgo the fear...

I guess I am still afraid, for the longest of time, I can't sleep well because of my coward inactions towards certain injustices and violations of human rights done to certain Singaporeans and people and yet despite my recent active participation to engage, I still can't sleep well due to the lingering fear that Big Brother is going to watch you :(

However I am comforted... deep inside you at least you know that between the discomfort of cowardice and courage, the latter one allows me to give a pat on my back knowing that you have fight the good fight even if you fail.

It also helps when you know that you are not alone... for a few years back, many people will think Dr Chee's actions are mad and out of touch but it acts like an exponential curve cause recently especially last year and this year, we suddenly witnessed a number of Singaporeans and people having the courage and the "madness" to do what Dr Chee has done... from the Mr Brown's protest, to the Gay picnic at Botanical Garden, the candelight vigil outside Burmese Embassy and recently within a short span of 48 hours from 19 to 20 NOV 2007, we witnessed from the International Students walk to one of the largest demonstration in Singapore since 1965 to protest against the Military Junta.

And we are not mad or gone kaput... speaking about myself, I am a sane Singaporean, have a good decent education, loves to play Xbox and with my little niece and I pride myself to know that I am a filmmaker (won SIFF awards and have films represented in film festivals) and gratefully I have just met and knew some Singaporeans who are talented and normal Singaporeans who shared the same line of actions to pursue human rights in Singapore.

One thing leads to another... because of the Military Junta's violent crackdown on Burmese monks and people, I was damn piss off and when Dr Chee organized a petition signing and vigil outside the Burmese Embassy in Singapore, I went there to show my support and I was glad to see so many concerned Singaporeans, foreigners and Burmese people going down to show their solidarity as well. From there I got to know some Singaporeans who stayed days and night outside the Burmese Embassy and I got to know them even better as we engage in small talks about the Human Rights in Singapore and from there I know I was not alone :)

We decided to form an informal group called the SG Human Rights and I will end here, it is only the beginning and let the actions speak for itself.

videos which I have recorded recently :)

18 NOVEMBER 2007 SG Human Rights Forum

19 NOVEMBER 2007 International Students Walk

20 NOVEMBER 2007 Burmese Peaceful Demonstration

Please use your liberty to promote ours.

SO FAR 400 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION... YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED. THANKS

保母

Amsterdam was a good trip for me. In a way it is sort of a therapy for me. While there I thought of my nanny whom I have lost contact with her for 24 years. My nanny whom we called her "Ah Rua Jie Jie" came from Malaysia. She was hired by my mum to be a domestic servant and most importantly to take care of me and my twin brother when we were very little. However when we were 8 years old, my nanny decided to work in a factory and after one phone call a few months later to ask about our well being... I have not heard from her :(

I really missed her and I wondered how is she, is she happily married, have children and is she doing just fine?

Thus after my trip from Amsterdam, I am quite resolve to search for her. I hope to do so next year. In the meantime I went through some of my childhood photos and managed to find photos of her :)

Just want to share the photos to whoever that visits my blog and just a long shot... do you know her :)

Uppsala with Mr Cat

Been in London for a few days and then traveled to Uppsala, Sweden to meet up with my friend who is working in a research institute.

Quite a nice quiet place... heard it is an university town. Within half a day, my friend showed me all the attractions of Uppsala. Most memorable was the walk down a cemetery where an ex UN secretary general is buried. Gee cannot remember his name but heard he died in a plane clash and then we saw a cute furry fat cat.

Another strong impression I have of the place is the serenity and quietness of the town... what a good retreat to just walk around the town and garden and enjoy the scenery :)

German Girl Shrine

Wow... amazing, I guessed I last visited Pulau Ubin 4 months back and so many pleasant little surprises when I went there.

I am particularly amazed at the current state of the German Girl Shrine(you can notice from the link that shows the state of the temple a few years back); a shrine that housed the remains of a German Girl who lived in Pulau Ubin many many years back. People flock to this temple to pray for fortune like buying toto etc and gee I guessed that quite a number of them got their prayers answered. Apparently someone has renovated the temple very recently (the shrine got a flesh coat of paint and newly expanded zinc roof and tiling on the floor) and from what I heard from two villagers living there, that someone has strike lottery and won a few hundred thousands of dollars and naturally he wanted to repay the "German Girl Deity"

I am somehow quite attached to the German Girl Shrine. Since I stumbled upon this temple about 8 years back, I have seen it transformed from an abandoned rundown place to now what it is today; there is now a caretaker and there are a constant stream of worshipers flocking to the temple praying for luck.

Do not wish to boast :P but it makes me think that how one or two persons' efforts can really create something great to happen (a bit like the chaos theory or the butterfly effect)... just recounting...

When I saw this temple 8 years back... it was really in bad shape. There are holes on the roof and termites etc and apparently there was this old caretaker who passed away. I also got to know that the temple was standing on state land without a permit and it might be demolished. My friend (Michael Kam) and I did a documentary about our search for this German Girl's identity and then I brought a reporter from Straits Times and she did quite a big write up on the newspaper. In the midst of it, Both me and my friend went to appeal to Land Transport Authority and even Singapore Tourism Board to ask whether the temple can be preserve...

Gradually over a span of four years perhaps from the publicity generated from the Straits Times article and also by word of mouth, more people came to know about this temple and even more newspaper articles came up and the authorities eventually issued a license (TOL)
to someone who will take care of the temple (btw there are two caretakers, one of them holds the license and effectively is the owner and the other one who comes almost everyday to clean up the temple... anyway I don't really like the former cause I think he got some ulterior motive... will talk about this perhaps next time). Soon enough some worshipers got lucky and they repayed the deity by renovating the temple etc. In fact the Straits Times article even inspired a playwright to staged a play entitled "Moving Gods" and perhaps that the German Girl Deity bestowed her little blessing on me, I was fortunate to get the playwright's permission to do a tele-movie adaption of "Moving Gods" and screened at Arts Central channel. Though I must say that while filming, my production crew and myself encountered some spooky unexplained incidents there... to be continued :)

Room 3, Bed 3132

Everyone who knew Toh Hai Leong; he is now staying in a nursing home for the dementia at Pasir Ris Walk.

Quite glad and relief that he finally has a place who can really take care of his physical needs. For Chew and myself, we can perhaps now focus on our other commitments without feeling something at the back of our neck.

For myself, I hope not to sound too pragmatic, but "charity and help" in a way has a limit and lines have to be drawn. We definitely know for sure we can't be a caregiver permanently... if Hai Leong does not have the will to take care of himself, and his immediate family cannot be there for him, only an institution has the means and resources to do it.

Much as we dislike the idea of him being send to a dementia home and even other nursing home (all the patients we seen are really old), what other better options aside from IMH :(

However we will not forget him, he might be there for a long haul and he needs company. Thus we will visit him, bring him out etc for the emotional support and as friends, we can perhaps only do that much.

So for those who knew Hai Leong, you can now visit him anytime between 10am to 8pm.

Lastly, despite I know it is their "job"; a salute to those nurses and doctors and social workers who are there for him.

a video of Toh Hai Leong's first day in the nursing home

After F and the Festival

Something trivial. Toh Hai Leong needs no introduction among the Singapore film community. In brief, Hai Leong is a very unique and eccentric character; he used to be a film critic, security guard, "karang guni" man, "kopitiam" cleaner, SAF and SPH librarian, and now he is suffering from diabetes . Recently there was a documentary "F" directed by Chew Tze Chuan about Hai Leong battling his illnesses.

Because he is such a strange but yet strangely attractive individual, I like to hang out with him (recently I explained to someone why I prefer to spend time with him VS say some of my old school mates is that Hai Leong's conversation is never dry. He is witty, amusing and bizarre. My mind constantly gets whacked left right centre)

For the past three years ever since he "directed" and acted in what I should say my most favorite Singapore movie "Zombie Dog"
I have recorded close to 20hrs of tapes of him at various moments of his life. Since I have no idea if and when I will do a documentary on him, I am contented just to share some of my own video collections... starting with his recent discharge from the hospital.

Toh Hai Leong discharged from the hospital