Gawker: Singapore

Blogger Headed To Trial For Insulting Powers-That-Be

Hamilton Nolan — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:14:07 EDT

Back in June we told you about Gopalan Nair (pictured), a US citizen living in Singapore who was arrested for writing mean things about a judge on his blog. He accused the judge of "prostituting herself," and goaded the police by posting his address and phone number. His arrest was international news, but it appears that Singapore's authorities didn't learn their lesson: Nair now says he'll be going to trial next month, facing up to two years in jail. Who is this brave man standing up for free online speech in the face of an unyielding corrupt power structure? He's kind of a crank! But the charming, revolutionary type:

Nair is a Singapore-born lawyer who became a US citizen in 2005. He says the he left Singapore because he was "harassed and persecuted" for his political beliefs.

Nair has been posting long entries on his blog about his ongoing case. He strikes you as the type of person you see at City Council meetings throughout America, waiting to get up and harangue the politicians about their corruption and failure to fix stoplights. But in Nair's case, he's talking about the cane-you-for-chewing-gum culture of Singapore, so you have to believe he's on the side of the angels. This little excerpt gives you an idea of his personality:

Again and to bring you back to reality, the accusation here is merely that I misbehaved and yelled at police officers. I am sure you will agree that all over the world, people sometimes misbehave and out of frustration or otherwise, call a policeman a pig or a donkey. And sometimes, I am sure you will agree that some policeman; not all; deserve such a scolding.

We support this man!

[Breitbart]

Blogger Jailed in Singapore

Pareene — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:19:51 EDT

Gopalan Nair, a US citizen and blogger, was arrested and charged in Singapore for insulting a judge. He accused the judge of prostituting herself in a vituperative email and blog post. Then he basically asked to be arrested: "In another post on his blog Saturday, Nair taunted authorities, saying he was in Singapore at a particular hotel, and also gave his phone number." So bilious! Also, kinda dumb! Anyway, we'll add Singapore to the list. [AFP]

Laid Off? Move to Singapore!

Pareene — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:32:26 EDT

The following email was sent by the deputy editor of The Straits Times, an English language newspaper in the only growing market for print papers left: Asia. Singapore, specifically. The editor would like to know if maybe anyone who is going to get laid off from the New York Times would like to go work in a country whose "press freedom ranks below Nigeria and just ahead of Russia." They are in dire need of copy-editors, apparently! The last couple were maybe caned? Email below, via Thomas Crampton.

From: Warren Fernandez Jude
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:50:15 +0800
Subject: Fw: and the misery continues...

Would you know anyone within the NYT who could help us put out the word that we would be happy to take on some copy-editors, which we are in dire need of.

Ideally, they would operate in our newsroom in Singapore, but we are open to the idea of some working in the US, as Paul Zach does.

Many thanks

Warren Fernandez
Deputy Editor
The Straits Times
Tel: 63195343/63195312
Fax: 63198274
email: warren (a t) sph.com.sg

Singapore MDA Senior Management: Moguls, Not Rappers

Pareene — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:50:30 EST

Singapore's Media Development Authority is a government corporation "has been created to focus on and develop the media industry, putting Singapore at the forefront of the media age." Also, their management produced the greatest music video of the 21st century. Everyone sing along! Get connected worldwide rock on! We would actually listen to a whole track from IT Director Lim Chin Siang if he ever wanted to go solo. Also: "next I'll beautify our Fusionopolis!" Just wow.