The Nation, 3 Oct 2008
No politician in Asia was as tough and persevere as Joshua Benjamin. Jeyaretnam, Singapore's opposition leader who died on Wednesday's night. He has fought for all his life for what he believed in—justice and democracy.
Obviously, in Singapore he was also sad figure but a powerful icon for the person who has stood up as the leader of the Workers' Party (1971) and fought against the monopolistic power of ruling People's Action Party and their leaders. He was knocked out of action in 2001 after he was declared bankruptcy for failure to pay the massive damages to members of PAP in a series of defamation suits.
Jeyaretnam believed that the suits against him were politically motivated to undermine his political prospects and standing against the island's most powerful figure, former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew. After all, in November 2004 he dared say that he wanted to take on Lee Dynasty. And he had stayed the course without wavering. Whoever decided to challenge Lee often met with the same fate. Indeed, he was not alone in this pursuit. Defamation suits and large amount of fine have already bankrupted opposition leaders including Chee Soon Chuan of Democratic Party.
He is truly an Asian hero because of his tenacity, knowing full well the consequences of his actions. Over the years, he frequently asked his fellow Singaporeans to speak out against the PAP. Apparently until the last day of his life, nobody has the courage to respond to his call because none wants to face the same repercussion he faced throughout his life. In the island fighting against the power wielders for a freer society is an impossible task as Jeyaretnam's life has epitomized. Without such a heavyweight foe, the Singapore leaders should take their own initiative and more the island more open and democratic.
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