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List
of conferences Dr Chee was/is scheduled to attend but rejected by
the Singapore Government
1
Apr
World Movement for Democracy 4th
Assembly
Istanbul, Turkey
19 Apr
Southeast
Asia Press Alliance Conference on Investigative
Journalism
Manila, Phlilippines
21 Jun
Council
of Asian Liberals and Democrats –
Liberal International
Annual Conference
Pasay City, Philippines
4 Sep
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats
Executive
Committee Meeting
Taipei, Taiwan
18
Sep
Community of Democracy NGO
International Steering
Committee Meeting
New York City, US
19
Oct
International Civil Society
Forum for
Democracy
Doha, Qatar
9 Nov
Liberal
International 54th Congress
Marrakesh, Morroco
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Chee
charged for attempting to leave S'pore without permission
9
Oct 06
Dr Chee Soon Juan was charged today for
attempting to leave Singapore in April 2006 without permission
from the Official Assignee. He had his passport seized at the
airport when he was scheduled to attend the 4th
Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy (WMD) in Istanbul,
Turkey.
Dr
Chee was made a bankrupt after he couldn't pay the damages of
$500,000 that was awarded to Messrs Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok
Tong in their defamation suits.
Because
of this, the Official Assignee's (OA) office has refused to allow
the SDP secretary-general to travel overseas.
The OA has
repeatedly rejected Dr Chee's applications to attend conferences
overseas even though in every case, the organisers undertook to
pay for Dr Chee's expenses in full (see box on left).
The
latest occasion is the International Civil Society Forum for
Democracy organised by the Qatar Government in Doha, Qatar from
29 Oct-1 Nov 06 and supported by the United Nations.
Towards
the end of March 2006, Dr Chee applied to attend the WMD
conference. The OA wanted Dr Chee to submit a breakdown of his
monthly income and expenditure so that it could determine how
much Dr Chee would have to pay the PAP leaders. It promised that
if Dr Chee undertook to do so, the OA would consider his travel
application (see exchanges of emails below).
But when Dr
Chee complied, the OA then shifted its position and asked him to
make a proposal to pay Mr Lee and Mr Goh before it would consider
his travel application.
The exchange of emails continued
until the day of Dr Chee's scheduled departure during which the
air-ticket had to be purchased. Not having received a reply from
the OA, Dr Chee made his way to the airport during which his
passport was impounded.
The OA then proceeded to charge
the SDP leader that he "did attempt to leave Singapore, on
or about the 1st day of April 2006, without the
previous permission of the Official assignee and have thereby
committed an offence punishable under Section 131(2) of the
Bankruptcy Act (Chapter 20) read with Section 511 of the Penal
Code (Chapter 224)."
In another case, Dr Chee is
charged with Mr Gandhi Ambalam and Mr Yap Keng Ho for speaking in
public without a permit. The trial is set for 25 Oct 06.
1.
Email from OA to Dr Chee on 28 Mar 06
Dear Dr
Chee,
BANKRUPTCY NO.38 OF 2006
We refer to your
application to travel submitted on 20/3/06 and to your attendance
at our office this morning.
2 When we queried you on your
average monthly income, you informed us that we cannot ask you
about your income over the counter as you need time to recall how
much you earned and that you wanted us to write to you requesting
the said information. You also told us not to "act cute"
when we explained to you that as your trustee in bankruptcy, the
Official Assignee has the right to query you on your affairs as
and when necessary. However, you told us that every request for
information that the Official Assignee makes regarding your
affairs has to be written down in "black and white".
3
Enclosed herewith is the Income & Expenditure Statement for
the period 10/2/06 -28/3/06 for your completion. Please let us
have the completed Statement by 30/3/06. We will examine your
Income & Expenditure Statement and thereafter determine the
monthly instalment you are required to contribute for the benefit
of your creditors. Once you undertake to do so, the Official
Assignee will consider your application to travel.
Yours
faithfully
MS KALASELVI RENGASAMY
MANAGER, INDIVIDUAL
INSOLVENCY DIVISION
For OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE
2. Dr
Chee submits the Income & Expenditure Statement on 30 Mar 06
3. Email
from OA to Dr Chee on 31 Mar 06
Dear Dr
Chee,
BANKRUPTCY NO. 38 OF 2006
We refer to your
Income & Expenditure Statement which you submitted on
30/3/06.
2 We note that you have disclosed that your
present income is insufficient to pay for your expenses. We would
strongly advise you to be gainfully employed so that you can
contribute monthly instalment payments for the benefit of your
creditors.
3 We would also like you to clarify what you
mean by "savings" which you have disclosed in Part (II)
of your Income & Expenditure Statement.
4 We note that
you have not made any proposal on your monthly instalment
payments for the benefit of your creditors. Please let us know
how much you will contribute monthly. As we mentioned in our
earlier e-mail, only after you undertake to do so, we will
consider your application to travel.
Yours faithfully
MS
KALASELVI RENGASAMY
MANAGER, INDIVIDUAL INSOLVENCY
DIVISION
For OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE
4. Email from Dr
Chee to OA on 31 Mar 06
Dear Ms Kalaselvi
Rengasamy,
This is what you stated in your previous email:
"Enclosed herewith is the Income & Expenditure Statement
for the period 10/2/06-28/3/06 for your completion. Please let us
have the completed Statement by 30/3/06. We will examine your
Income & Expenditure Statement and thereafter determine the
monthly instalment you are required to contribute for the benefit
of your creditors. Once you undertake to do so, the Official
Assignee will consider your application to travel."
I
have complied with your request and submitted the Income &
Expenditure Statement. Now you say: "We note that you have
not made any proposal on your monthly instalment payments for the
benefit of your creditors. Please let us know how much you will
contribute monthly. As we mentioned in our earlier e-mail, only
after you undertake to do so, we will consider your application
to travel."
I have given the breakdown of my expenses
and my income in my statement. You can see clearly from the
figures that I do not have enough funds to make monthly payments
to Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Goh Chok Tong. This is why I am unable,
as I have stated repeatedly, to make any proposal for monthly
payments.
Sincerely,
CHEE SOON JUAN
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