SINGAPORE: The government on Friday rejected fresh statements by former SMRT bus driver He Junling and civil society members over the Chinese national’s allegations of police abuse, which had been dismissed by the authorities after an investigation.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Manpower on Friday said the two statements were “reckless” and “unfounded”, and “repeat allegations the government has already answered”.
It said: “He Junling now repeats his claim that he had been ill-treated but again gives no details. Either he makes a police report and substantiates his allegation with evidence or the allegations must be regarded as unfounded and spurious.
“He cannot have it both ways — casting a smear without having to offer any proof.”
He’s statement Friday maintained that he was assaulted while in police custody, although he decided not to bring charges against the officers.
A separate statement — which was signed off by non-government organisations (NGOs) such as MARUAH, the Think Centre, Workfair Singapore and individuals, including infectious diseases expert Paul Tambyah as well as ex-political detainees Teo Soh Lung and Wong Souk Yee — said, among other things, that it was “not right” for the MHA to suggest the drivers’ claims were “baseless”, “just because they had not raised their complaints during investigations, or had opportunities to do so after that”.
They added: “The veracity of a claim should not be dismissed simply because of the timing in which the complaint was made.”
In response, the ministries said that the NGOs and the individuals should have “facilitated a proper investigation” of He’s allegations, “instead of hindering the investigation while continuing to cast aspersions on the integrity of the police”.
The ministries also accused them of exploiting vulnerable foreign workers. “In the guise of protecting vulnerable foreign workers, the NGOs and individuals have in fact exploited them for their own political ends,” they said, alluding to Associate Professor Tambyah and Ms Teo’s links to the Singapore Democratic Party.
The NGOs and individuals also “continue to repeat their reckless allegations about our labour laws, unions, and the Ministry of Manpower without any basis”, the ministries said.
He, who was convicted along with three others and jailed for seven weeks for instigating an illegal strike against SMRT last year, had claimed that he and another former SMRT driver Liu Xiangying were abused by police officers during investigations on the strike.
These allegations were refuted last Saturday as “baseless” by the MHA, following a probe by the Police Internal Affairs Office.
The ministries on Friday reiterated that the drivers did not raise their complaints with the police or the courts.
“He Junling in fact withdrew his allegation and then contradicted himself. Nevertheless the Police Internal Affairs Office did investigate their claims and found them baseless. The Attorney-General’s Chambers concurred with these findings,” they said."
An unfortunate incident that need STRONG government actions against those whom it believes are 'exploiting the situation and casting aspersion on the integrity of our judiciary system and law enforcement agencies'!
Lessons for me are:
1. if it is NOT true, and given the seriousness of the allegation, the government MUST sue the persons or organizations that promote such 'baseless and reckless' views as the INTEGRITY of Singapore's judiciary system and the enforcement agencies are being questioned!;
2. there is NO NEED to mention the driver or drivers concerned DID NOT file a police report. Just focused on WHAT the police internal affairs department had investigated and publish the results of the investigation to the public and ANSWER any SPECIFIC QUESTIONS relating to the investigation is the more appropriate course of action. What did happen during that period that the police had done properly since there is no wrong doing!;
3. bring the driver or drivers BACK from China to clarify this case as we SIMPLY cannot CONDONE and allow such shadowy public allegation to remain open. This is NOT the time to be gentle but a time for firm decisiveness - if you doubt the very basic foundation of Singapore's judiciary and law enforcement agencies to be 'biased or use violence' on detainees, it SIMPLY MUST BE PROVEN WRONG!
Another question in the public minds may be: why release the rebuttals AFTER the driver and drivers were deported? The Police Internal Affairs Department should have released its report earlier and then CHARGE the driver or drivers for falsely accusing police of brutality and abuse of power!!
Let's be clear about this. Seriously!!
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Manpower on Friday said the two statements were “reckless” and “unfounded”, and “repeat allegations the government has already answered”.
It said: “He Junling now repeats his claim that he had been ill-treated but again gives no details. Either he makes a police report and substantiates his allegation with evidence or the allegations must be regarded as unfounded and spurious.
“He cannot have it both ways — casting a smear without having to offer any proof.”
He’s statement Friday maintained that he was assaulted while in police custody, although he decided not to bring charges against the officers.
A separate statement — which was signed off by non-government organisations (NGOs) such as MARUAH, the Think Centre, Workfair Singapore and individuals, including infectious diseases expert Paul Tambyah as well as ex-political detainees Teo Soh Lung and Wong Souk Yee — said, among other things, that it was “not right” for the MHA to suggest the drivers’ claims were “baseless”, “just because they had not raised their complaints during investigations, or had opportunities to do so after that”.
They added: “The veracity of a claim should not be dismissed simply because of the timing in which the complaint was made.”
In response, the ministries said that the NGOs and the individuals should have “facilitated a proper investigation” of He’s allegations, “instead of hindering the investigation while continuing to cast aspersions on the integrity of the police”.
The ministries also accused them of exploiting vulnerable foreign workers. “In the guise of protecting vulnerable foreign workers, the NGOs and individuals have in fact exploited them for their own political ends,” they said, alluding to Associate Professor Tambyah and Ms Teo’s links to the Singapore Democratic Party.
The NGOs and individuals also “continue to repeat their reckless allegations about our labour laws, unions, and the Ministry of Manpower without any basis”, the ministries said.
He, who was convicted along with three others and jailed for seven weeks for instigating an illegal strike against SMRT last year, had claimed that he and another former SMRT driver Liu Xiangying were abused by police officers during investigations on the strike.
These allegations were refuted last Saturday as “baseless” by the MHA, following a probe by the Police Internal Affairs Office.
The ministries on Friday reiterated that the drivers did not raise their complaints with the police or the courts.
“He Junling in fact withdrew his allegation and then contradicted himself. Nevertheless the Police Internal Affairs Office did investigate their claims and found them baseless. The Attorney-General’s Chambers concurred with these findings,” they said."
An unfortunate incident that need STRONG government actions against those whom it believes are 'exploiting the situation and casting aspersion on the integrity of our judiciary system and law enforcement agencies'!
Lessons for me are:
1. if it is NOT true, and given the seriousness of the allegation, the government MUST sue the persons or organizations that promote such 'baseless and reckless' views as the INTEGRITY of Singapore's judiciary system and the enforcement agencies are being questioned!;
2. there is NO NEED to mention the driver or drivers concerned DID NOT file a police report. Just focused on WHAT the police internal affairs department had investigated and publish the results of the investigation to the public and ANSWER any SPECIFIC QUESTIONS relating to the investigation is the more appropriate course of action. What did happen during that period that the police had done properly since there is no wrong doing!;
3. bring the driver or drivers BACK from China to clarify this case as we SIMPLY cannot CONDONE and allow such shadowy public allegation to remain open. This is NOT the time to be gentle but a time for firm decisiveness - if you doubt the very basic foundation of Singapore's judiciary and law enforcement agencies to be 'biased or use violence' on detainees, it SIMPLY MUST BE PROVEN WRONG!
Another question in the public minds may be: why release the rebuttals AFTER the driver and drivers were deported? The Police Internal Affairs Department should have released its report earlier and then CHARGE the driver or drivers for falsely accusing police of brutality and abuse of power!!
Let's be clear about this. Seriously!!
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