Francis Seow's article

Francis Seow’s Article

I read your article by Francis Seow on "The politics of judicial institutions in Singapore" and it was such fascinating reading that I read it twice. Within the compass of just one article, Francis Seow has detailed with facts and figures many of the evils of Lee Kuan Yew and his regime.

It won my admiration for Mr Seow yet again. It is a pity that while Lee is frequently interviewed by many magazines and newspapers for his essentially second-hand views and opinions gleaned mainly from policy studies reports that he subscribes to, Mr Seow does not enjoy the same advantage. If only more newspapers and magazines would interview and print his views, which are witty, all the more so with the use of understatement as contrasted with Lee's strident and off-the-mark overstatements that really offend everybody including regional neighbours (in that article, note Lee's insulting descriptions of Mr Jeyaretnam as "mangy dog, hustler, etc) right in Parliament sittings.

If you compare Seow's two books against Lee's Memoir, you will come to the conclusion that the former is not only a better writer but has also a finer mind. It is a pity that he is not invited to more seminars and speeches at important functions. But every cloud has a silver lining and Francis Seow is doing a wonderful job with his two ground-breaking books and speeches. His scholarship is providing the thoughtful world with a picture of Lee Kuan Yew and his regime that would otherwise never have been painted. His exile is a personal tribulation for him but a godsend to the opposition in Singapore.

To end, I would like to leave you with two original (the first adapted) odds and ends. One an adapted quote that I hope will encourage you all in your important work and the second, for a laugh.

Firstly, "you can intimidate some people all the time and all of the people some of the time but you can't intimidate all the people all the time."

And secondly,

"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singapore hit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singaporehit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singaporhit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singapohit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singaphit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singahit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Singhit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Sinhit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Sihit."
"TCS has produced yet another primetime Shit."