Teo Soh Lung: Tell us why, MDA on Love SG film

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

It is sad that a film is banned just because the officials dislike what the interviewees said. Surely, a detailed press statement from the government is sufficient to rebut the claims of the interviewees. Further, the government controls the media and it is capable of churning out more films like “The Days of Rage” to counter the narratives of the interviewees who are now in their 80s.

The government have till today, failed to explain why after the September 1963 election, it had deemed it necessary to arrest so many people including three elected MPs of the Barisan Sosialis and imprisoned them for years under the ISA. It was because of the arrests together with hundreds of others under the ISA that year, that elected MPs Wong Soon Fong and Chan Sun Wing who appeared in the film became political exiles. They had put their heart and soul helping Lee Kuan Yew win the 1959 election. They had stood for election and won in September 1963 but had been denied their rightful seats in the legislative assembly. They and others, including He Jin, a prolific writer, told their stories in a calm and uncomplaining manner. Their love for the Singapore is evident from what they say and do today. They follow Singapore’s progress closely, reading newspapers daily and watching news on television.

“To Singapore With Love” is not just about the politicians and members of the CPM who left Singapore soon after Operation Cold Store and the general election in September 1963. It is much more. Indeed, the “star” in the film and the most reflective interviewee is Dr Ang Swee Chai who touches our hearts with personal stories of courage and sacrifice of her late husband, Francis Khoo, a young lawyer who fled Singapore when his friends were arrested in February 1977. They were accused of being “Euro-Communists.” Dr Ang and Francis were married just two weeks before the arrests.

Dr Ang herself was imprisoned and left Singapore to join her husband after her release. Legally, she has not committed any crime and should be able to return to Singapore without conditions or being subjected to the humiliation of giving statements of her past. But she has not been able to obtain a Singapore passport. In the interview, Dr Ang reflected on the hardship that befell her family and that of Francis. Francis’ mother missed her son and wished that he could return. But upon receiving a letter from Francis explaining why he had rejected the thought of returning because he didn’t want to “squeal” on his friends, she accepted the fate that she would not be able to see him. Like many other exiles, both Francis and Swee Chai were unable to return home to visit their parents when they became seriously ill and died.

MDA’s comment on the crimes of the exiles, in particular, the reference to Tan Wah Piow’s escape from enlistment after serving a one year prison sentence on a false charge for “rioting” is interesting. Many Singaporean males have failed to enlist. Surely the penalty cannot be 40 years of forced exile and the loss of one’s citizenship by the use...

http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/09/12/why-mda/


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