THE report, 'Chee on foreign funds, Chiam's exit from SDP'
(March 1), stated: 'In the (Lianhe Zaobao) article, the interviewer
asked him (Dr Chee Soon Juan) about rumours that he had been able
to engage in civil disobedience and other activities here because
he received financing from foreign donors.
'The article said that, after much probing, he replied: 'I am an
academic, and will occasionally receive research funding from
overseas. I have written award-winning books, and have taken part
in overseas research programmes.'�
'But Dr Chee did not say what the research entailed. All he
would say was: 'Maybe research like human behaviour.''
The way that the report is written is clearly an attempt to
portray me as being evasive about my income. I had told the Zaobao
reporter, Ms Yew Lun Tian, clearly that I depended on my books and
from time to time, help from my relatives for survival.
Because she found it hard to believe that this was sufficient, I
told her that we lived simply and frugally.
At one point, she said she felt embarrassed about having to ask
me where I lived and what kind of HDB flat I lived in.
This is an indication that she was aware that she was probing
into my personal matters. Nonetheless, I obliged her by answering
her question.
Yet Ms Yew reported it in such a way that I was trying to avoid
her answer and had something to hide.
What is left unsaid, although clearly implied, is that I may be
a stooge of a foreign agent conducting activities against
Singapore.
This is the favoured line of an autocratic regime and its
controlled media: They portray their opponents as traitorous
individuals in cahoots with foreigners to undermine the
country.
In all my years of service to this country, I have always worked
with one and only one objective in mind: To speak up for my fellow
citizens and empower them so that they can stand up for
themselves.�
In what way do I harm Singapore's interests by fighting for
democracy and the political rights of Singaporeans?
Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party
EDITOR'S NOTE: Our report was based on an
article in Lianhe Zaobao. The editor of Zaobao has said that he
stands by the article.
