S'pore opposition politician seeks president's aid

S'pore opposition politician seeks president's aid

SINGAPORE (Reuters): A Singapore opposition politician
speaking out for free speech will ask President Ong Teng Cheong
to refer his campaign to the constitutional court, his lawyer
said on Monday.

"It is the president who can refer any matter to the
constitutional court and so we've got to write to the president
to ask whether he would send this up," Joshua Jeyaretnam told
reporters outside Singapore's Subordinate Court.

Jeyaretnam, head of the opposition Worker's Party, was
representing Singapore Democratic Party leader Chee Soon Juan,
charged under the Public Entertainment Act earlier this month
after giving a public speech without a permit.

Chee has pleaded not guilty to the offense, which carries a
fine of up to Singapore $5,000 (US$3,000). A fine of that level
would bar Chee from standing for election for five years.

A judge had earlier rejected Jeyaretnam's request to refer
Chee's case to the constitutional court and instead set a trial
date of Feb. 1.

Jeyaretnam, a veteran opposition politician, said the
constitutional right of free speech lay at the heart of Chee's
campaign.

"It concerns the constitutional rights of all citizens of
Singapore," Jeyaretnam said. "This prosecution cuts across the
rights of all citizens."

Chee was charged after making an unlicensed speech to a crowd
in Singapore's central business district on Dec. 29. He made a
second on Jan. 5 and plans to speak again at the National
University of Singapore later this week.

He risks arrest if he goes on speaking without a permit, but
says the opposition movement struggles to be heard in a system
requiring permission for public speaking, where print and
broadcast media are state-run and the threat of a punitive
Internal Security Act hands over the heads of dissenters.

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has made no comment on
Chee's campaign but says everyone must abide by the law.
Chee said his right of reply to articles and letters which had
appeared about his speech campaign in the Singapore media had not
been honored.

Singapore has just two elected opposition members of
parliament, plus Jeyaretnam who holds a seat as the 1997
election's best loser.

The PAP, which has controlled Singapore since 1965, holds 81
of 83 elected seats.

Chee, who said he was warned by government officials earlier
in the day about selling his latest book without a permit, said
he was prepared to go to jail to defend the right to free speech
and freedom of information.