Singaporeans ‘no longer trust their government’: Writer Catherine Lim criticises PM in open letter
Singaporeans no longer trust their leaders, says writer Catherine Lim in open missive to Lee Hsien Loong that fuels social media debate
An open letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, written by one of Asia's most iconic personalities in the field of literature, is spreading fast on social media, with many leaving comments on her blog thanking her for speaking up while others are sceptical.
Dr Catherine Lim is a well-known and prominent writer in the region, having published numerous novels and collections of poetry and short stories as well as political commentaries.
Her books have been used in government schools for literature studies. The award-winning Singaporean writer was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government and received an honorary doctorate of literature from Murdoch University in Australia.
Singaporeans see the defamation suit ... as the very cause of the erosion of trust
In her open letter, she claimed that Singaporeans "no longer trust their government and the government no longer cares about regaining their trust".
Lim, who is in her early 70s, said there were clear signs of a trust issue. She cited the recent case of graffiti at a public housing block that was targeted at the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) as well as the rising number of protests and the increased online criticism, among other examples.
The Malaysian-born author said the government had put in a lot of effort to improve the lives of citizens but warned that the better-educated internet generation demanded more.
She heavily criticised Lee's recent defamation suit against Roy Ngerng, a young blogger who allegedly accused the prime minister of misappropriating state pension funds. While supporters say the defamation suit is crucial to ensure Singapore does not embrace a culture of slander and libel, critics insist it will harm the image and reputation of Lee and his party, especially since the case is being pegged as a David-vs-Goliath duel.
International rights advocates have often chided the Singaporean government for using the threat of defamation suits as a way of stifling opposing voices.