What Hong Kong’s Father of Democracy said about Singapore’s democracy
Actually this news report is about the retirement of this pioneer and spearhead of Hong Kong’s democracy, Mr Martin Lee. But, what he said about Singapore interested me more.
Quoted from Zaobao.com:
记者会上，他多次重申，不想香港民主路走向“新加坡化”。
Translate:
He emphasized many time in the news conference that he doesn’t want to see Hong Kong’s democracy goes the “Singapore Way”.
Quoted from Zaobao.com:
对于香港的民主路，李柱铭在记者会上强调，民主选举不能怕输，“新加坡的选举，人民行动党就不会输；共产党的选举也是。选举要有输有嬴，无所谓，李柱铭是输得起的。”
他又称，“新加坡表面上有民主选举，而每次选举，执政党都不会全胜所有议席，输两席，送出两个席位给反对派，因此就可以告诉美国了。他们竟然可以控制得这么好。”
他说，北京这么喜欢新加坡，就是因为未投票已知结果，“新加坡无自由，无新闻自由，无独立思考，现在香港的爱国教育就是‘洗脑式’，很危险，令年青人失去独立思考，就如新加坡一样，怎能去发明一些东西呢！”
李柱铭狠批新加坡的民主，他说：“新加坡在软件上动了手脚，例如若选民不选执政党，巴士就不开入该区。”
Translate:
In regards to Hong Kong’s democracy, he emphasized that, ones must be able to take the defeat in democratic elections. “In Singapore’s general election, PAP will never lose; it’s the same in communist’s election. There must be win and loss in elections. Nevermind, Martin Lee can take defeat.
He said again: “Singapore looks like there is democratic election, and in every general election, the rulling party will not win all the seats. There will be 2 losses to oppositions. Then they can tell the Americans (about them being democratic). (It is amazing that) They can control the situation so well.”
He said that, the reason Beijing (China) likes Singapore so much is because that they know the result of the elections even before they vote. “In Singapore, there is no freedom, no freedom in press, no independent thinking. The current “patriotism” education is just like brainwashing. It is very dangerous. It results in the youths losing the ability to think independently, just like Singapore(ans). How are they going to create, invent new things?”
He criticized that: “In Singapore, some “softwares” was altered, if the voters in an area did not vote for the ruling party, there would be no public transport service to that area.”
Quoted from Zaobao.com:
他说：“不公平的东西就要讲，否则，香港在走新加坡的路。”
Translate:
He said: “One must speak up if something is unfair. If not, Hong Kong is going the Singapore way.”
I did some search on the relevant news report in English, like:
Channel News Asia: Hong Kong’s Martin Lee to step down from territory’s legislature
AFP: Leading Hong Kong democrat to step down from legislature
Yahoo Singapore: Veteran Hong Kong democracy advocate Martin Lee to quit politics
International Herald Tribute: Veteran Hong Kong democracy advocate Martin Lee to quit politics
AlJazeera: HK democracy veteran to retire
It is interesting that none has mentioned the parts that I quoted.
So, what do you think? Do you agree?
Tags: AFP, Aljazeera, Channel News Asia, democracy, Hong Kong, International Herald Tribute, Martin Lee, PAP, Singapore, Yahoo
