Film about "Political Exiles" banned in Singapore

[AhJason]

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/classification-documentary-singapore-political-exiles-me

 

Classification for film on political exiles, To Singapore, With Love, means it cannot be shown here


By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh

SINGAPORE - A documentary film on Singapore political exiles who fled the country has been given a "Not Allowed for All Ratings" classification because its contents "undermine national security", the Media Development Authority said in a statement on Wednesday.

This means the documentary, To Singapore, With Love, by award-winning filmmaker Tan Pin Pin, cannot be exhibited or distributed here.

Ms Tan's documentary explores the lives of Singaporeans living in exile - some for as long as 50 years - in places like London and Thailand. It was submitted for classification in May by the National University of Singapore Museum.

"The individuals in the film have given distorted and untruthful accounts of how they came to leave Singapore and remain outside Singapore," said the MDA.

It noted that some of the people featured had tried to "white-wash their security histories", with two interviewees omitting criminal offences they were liable for, such as tampering with their Singapore passports or absconding from National Service.

Some of the "self-professed" exiles were members or supporters of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), which sought to overthrow the elected governments of Singapore and Malaysia through armed struggle and subversion, the MDA added.

"The individuals featured in the film gave the impression that they are being unfairly denied their right to return to Singapore," it continued.

"They were not forced to leave Singapore, nor are they being prevented from returning."

Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said he agrees and supports the MDA's assessment.

"It is not surprising that ex-CPM members and sympathisers wish now to give their own accounts of historical episodes that they were involved in," he said in a statement.

"But individuals who have chosen to leave and remain outside Singapore, and refused to account for their past actions, should not enjoy a public platform to purvey distorted and untruthful accounts to mislead the public, absolve themselves or deny their past actions."

One of the people featured in the film is Mr Ho Juan Thai, an unsuccessful Workers' Party candidate in the 1976 general elections. While campaigning, he criticised the government's promotion of the use of English over Chinese, and was accused of making racially-inflammatory speeches.

He fled to the UK in 1977, before the police could detain him under the Internal Security Act as a national threat.

Ms Tan, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, said she is “very disappointed” by MDA’s decision. The movie was meant to be screened with two of her other films - Invisible City and Singapore GaGa - as part of a triple-bill presented by the NUS Museum.

The screenings, planned for the end of September, will not go on.

By not allowing the film to be exhibited or distributed here, MDA is depriving Singaporeans of an opportunity watch it and talk about it, Ms Tan said."It is vital for us to have that conversation on our own terms, especially on the eve of our 50th birthday. We need to be trusted to be able to find the answers about ourselves, for ourselves,” she added.

Still, she hopes she can show it in Singapore one day and said that she may re-submit it for a rating in the future. “Now, the irony; that a film about Singapore exiles is now exiled from Singapore as well - this is not something I ever wanted or hoped for,” she said.

[Watwheels]

Just upload it as a bittorrent file. Ppl will download and watch.

 

Why are they so afraid? Let ppl judge on their own lah.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Watwheels

[ChickenMob]

Just upload it as a bittorrent file. Ppl will download and watch.

 

Why are they so afraid? Let ppl judge on their own lah.

 

they already trying to ban torrent already.

 

once upload MDA speed up the process.

[Myxilplix]

Please don't say "banned".

 

Wait *ahem* ask you to change thread title.

 

http://therealsingapore.com/content/channel-news-asia-changes-title-remove-ban-article-about-mda-censorship

[Watwheels]

 

they already trying to ban torrent already.

 

once upload MDA speed up the process.

 

Most of the political exiles were from the 70s and 80s. Whatever policies they opposed to is already running for several decades. Like the English language used over Chinese. If their protest worked we would be typing Chinese in this forum liao. There's no reason why we shouldn't know about the political opponents of the past. Unless there's something to hide.

[Ktglfc]

Dunno what the movie is abt, nor that interested...

Thats always 2 sides to a coin, but all these are history liao.

 

Got to move and look forward... to the day that I can withdraw my cpf, this more imprtant to me

[Watwheels]

It's just a documentary by a director who wants to contribute it to the NUS Museum. It's not for the opposition party. MDA go so far as to call it a "threat to national security". You say funny or not?

[ChickenMob]

 

Most of the political exiles were from the 70s and 80s. Whatever policies they opposed to is already running for several decades. Like the English language used over Chinese. If their protest worked we would be typing Chinese in this forum liao. There's no reason why we shouldn't know about the political opponents of the past. Unless there's something to hide.

 

I think there are things they do not want us to know that are being shown in the film.

 

it may be truth or false, but I dun care also lol....to me its another documentary film.

there's nothing like freedom of speech here, you sabo me I sue you coz I am rich. that's the way it moves around here.

 

controlled media is the way they want it to work, be it truth or false.

[Watwheels]

 

I think there are things they do not want us to know that are being shown in the film.

 

it may be truth or false, but I dun care also lol....to me its another documentary film.

there's nothing like freedom of speech here, you sabo me I sue you coz I am rich. that's the way it moves around here.

 

controlled media is the way they want it to work, be it truth or false.

 

To me it's just like a history lesson. I'm only curious to know. It lets ppl have a glimpse of what was it like, the politics back dan....compared to now. I think the more ppl try to censor the more ppl will try to dig out. Curiosity kills the cat eventually. LoL...

[Kb27]

History lesson is like the one in WWII Jap that won't admit and white-washed.

Here, it's treated by banning and saying it's against national security.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Kb27

[Shull]

 

Remember this? Nuff said..

[The_Bear]

I don't know about those guys but i think they are silly. They should take a page off mcf and just clone themselves and come back. Then tell ppl to stfu becos the past is the past le.

[Qpik]

If they want to hide, why propagate all the stuff our leaders went thru after separation from Malaysia.

 

Since it is the past, they shd trust viewers n give a balanced reporting.

 

And we might come to treasure what they have achieved after seeing it.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Qpik

[Kopites]

Ah gong still alive and kicking. Don't tarnish Ah gong name lah. Anyway just put on any social media. They say block but I am still able to stream football matches every weekend.

[Watwheels]

 

Remember this? Nuff said..

 

Is that his personal opinion or what? I also remembered he said the heavy downpour is once in every 50 years too.

[AhJason]

I thought bros here are rational? Why post links from TRS?

I am disappointed with MCFs bros already.

 

I am interested to know who are mentioned in the film. Got people like Tan Wah Piow who "siam" NS a not?

But one cannot deny communism/left wing sympathizers in the path did create much problems back then.

 

If such objective views are not presented due to the dislike for PAP, then i guess MCF bros are the same level as TRS.

[Scion]

i like one of the comments by a reader...

 

if gahmen is so afraid of the coming back of communism ideology in singapore, then why import 1 million ah tiongs? they are after all from a communist country

[Kb27]

I thought bros here are rational? Why post links from TRS?

I am disappointed with MCFs bros already.

 

I am interested to know who are mentioned in the film. Got people like Tan Wah Piow who "siam" NS a not?

But one cannot deny communism/left wing sympathizers in the path did create much problems back then.

 

If such objective views are not presented due to the dislike for PAP, then i guess MCF bros are the same level as TRS.

 

It's not so much about TRS or dislike of PAP.

I think most people are discerning enough of what you read in Internet or TRS; whether they're spouting truth or a bunch of lies.

 

The problem is a nanny state PAP gahmen.

 

They don't think you're old enough to view porn or hear the other side of the coin which may be construed as anti-PAP.