Two bloggers jailed for making racist remarks online
- From: "LifeManTalking" <tv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 7 Oct 2005 21:39:43 -0700
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : For the first time, two Singaporeans have been sentenced to
jail for posting racist remarks online.
28-year-old Benjamin Koh Seng Huat, a kennel keeper at an animal
shelter, has been sentenced to one month's jail.
Separately, the court sentenced 25-year-old former assistant marketing
manager, Nicholas Lim Yew, to serve one day in jail and a maximum fine
of $5,000.
Koh walked into the court, accompanied by his lawyer and a friend
Hisham Abu Bakar.
He pleaded guilty to making racist remarks on his web blog which
sparked off more than 200 comments.
Lim, whose postings were regarded less serious than Koh's by the court,
was also charged under the Sedition Act.
In passing sentences, Senior District Judge Richard Magnus said the two
had crossed the red line by wantonly breaching the basic ground rules.
He said passing a deterrent sentence was necessary so that such
offending acts are tackled early and contained.
The judge also said that young Singaporeans may have short memories
that race and religion are sensitive issues.
He said callous and reckless remarks on racial or religious subjects
had the potential to cause social disorder, regardless of which medium
or forum they are expressed.
The judge added the right of one to propagate an opinion on the
Internet is not and cannot be an unfettered right.
It is only appropriate social behaviour of every Singapore citizen and
resident to respect the other races in view of Singapore's multi-racial
society.
Lim's lawyer said there was a lesson to be learnt from the judgement.
Helen Chia, Lim's Lawyer, said: "He is sending out a signal to the
public that this is a serious matter and everybody should take a second
look at themselves."
Separately, a third blogger, 17-year-old Gan Huai Shi faces seven
charges of posting racist remarks on his blog.
.
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