From the sidelines......
http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1176472813.68
Singapore has banned European Parliament MPs from speaking at a forum organised by the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Their reason was the usual "interfering with the city's domestic politics" Now wait a minute, these people are not "foreigners" as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would like us to believe nor are they terrorist. And a fearful govenment has threatened to arrest them if they spoke. Now, this is dangerous waters because this would literally mean they would have to seal their mouths because the word speaking is vaugely defined.
"Now that is not where I believe Singapore is, or where I believe Singapore should be." - MEP Graham Watson
"What has happened today proves that Singapore is an authoritarian state." - MEP Ignasi Guardans
Jointly organised by Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ADLE) and Council of Asian Liberal and Democrats (CALD) and hosted by SDP, this forum aims to discuss democratic principles and put into perspective greater economic participation and cooperation between Asia and Europe (more specifically Singapore and the European Union). But now it seems that an official agreement is not likely in the near future.
This is an example of thawarted attempt by the government to engage the help of foreigners in our quest for reform. Let us hope and pray that the IBA event would yield better results.
