• Singapore Rebel

From director Martyn See's blog. The film festival organising committe is maintaining regular contact with Martyn.  We'll let you know if there is a turn for the worse.

www.singaporerebel.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Interview over but investigation will go on

Last night (16 May 2005) between 2100 to 2220 hrs, the police interview took place on the 3rd level of the Cantonment Police Complex. The mood was relaxed and cordial. ASP Chan Peng Khuang asked some 50 questions, mostly pertaining to the making of Singapore Rebel such as

- Who conceptualised it? Who produced it? Who shot it? Who edited it? Who funded it? How much was spent? What was the objective of the film? Who else was involved in the production? What camera was used? Who shot the Istana arrest scene? How long did I take to make it?

There were also questions pertaining to the distribution of the film such as

- Who did you give copies to? Who put up the film on the internet? Are you still in possession of any copies?

Qustions pertaining to Chee Soon Juan and partisan politics were few such as

- Is Dr Chee a personal friend of yours? Where did you film the interviews? How did you appraoch Dr Chee to make the appointment? Are you a member of any political party in Singapore? Where did you film Mr JB Jeyaratnam?

Questions about this blog were also asked such as

- When did I start this blog? What is the purpose of this blog?

Other questions include

- What is your highest academic qualification? How much do you earn per month? Do you contribute to CPF? Do you own a computer? Do you have a production house?

More importantly, I was finally informed of the reason for this police investigation.

ASP Chan : "I'm informing you that the MDA (Media Development Authority) has on April 11 lodged a police report alleging that Singapore Rebel is a party political film. Do you have anyhing to say to that?"

At the end of the interview, I asked what is going to happen from here on. He replied that investigations will continue and that I may be asked to go for another interview. When asked if the police would raid my house to confiscate my tapes, he said investigations will go on.
posted by See Tong Ming, Martyn at 12:46 PM 19 comments   

Monday, May 09, 2005
Interview with police postponed (but they want to move it along "fast")
9th May 2005, 1745hrs - ASP Chan called me after we spoke some two hours earlier (read below) to say that he really needed to conduct the interview as soon as possible. Why the hurry? And how does it benefit me to speed things up in such a manner? He didn't say but only asked (politely, as usual) for an earlier date which I then fixed for Monday, 16th May at 2100hrs at the Central Police Station.

ASP Chan thanked me again for the rescheduling.

Earlier ...

9th May 2005, 1420hrs - I decided to call ASP Chan Peng Khuang (should be 'Khuang', not 'Kuang') to postpone the interview which were orginally scheduled for tomorrow at 7pm.

I reached him on his moblie (yes, he gave me his mobile number in previous call). Here is an excerpt of the exchange.

See : ASP Chan please?

Chan : Speaking.

See : Ya this is See Tong Ming,. the guy..

Chan : Ya ya, Mr See.

See : Are you back from holiday already?

Chan : I'm back in Singapore already.

See : I'm very sorry because of heavy work commitment, I don't think I can make it tomorrow so we have to reschedule the meeting.

Chan : When is your convenient date?

See : Not in the next two weeks because I'll be busy. Would it be possible at the end of the month? Somewhere on the 27th ...

Chan : You working as what ah?

See : Freelance video.

Chan : Oh, freelance videoing.

See : Ya, so I have an added project today. Would it be possible end of the month?

Chan : End of the month is too late.

See : Too late?

Chan : Too late because I want to finish this thing fast you see.

See : Oh, you want to finish this thing fast?

Chan : Ya, it'd be better if we actually can finish it fast.

See : Ohh ... right now I'm not even sure, like, what or who you are investigating?

Chan : About the film. Because you are the maker of the film.

See : Ya.

(I deleted a section of the conversation here as I think that it might affect the investigation if it is made public. Sorry, I'm just being kiasi.)

See : OK, and will it take very long?

Chan : Maybe two hours.

See : Am I allowed to bring any audio recording equipment?

Chan : Eh no.

See : Not allowed ah?

Chan : No, not allowed.

See : But I can write down your questions right?

Chan : You can take notes, no problem.

See : Check with me again next Wednesday or Thursday.

Chan : Thanks for calling.

See : Ok bye.

Chan : Bye

(End)

Excerpt of the Straits Times interview with Ms Indranee Rajah

Was the parliamentary committee consulted when Martyn See's film was banned under the Films Act? Do you think this will scare young people off from creative ventures for fear that they are overstepping boundaries?

"No. That was an operational decision made by the police. I guess they clearly felt the film fell squarely within what is prohibited.

I hope that it won't stifle talent. It's a difficult balance to strike. You have to see it in the context of our own political history. You remember the racial riots and communism. Our thinking has been coloured by our past. You don't want things that would unnecessarily stir emotions.

But you also do want a critically thinking population who are keen to comment on issues. The question is how to strike a balance? I don't think there is a fixed answer. Much of it depends on how it's implemented, but I do hope that notwithstanding this banning of See's film, that Singaporeans will still feel free to express their views."

Under the Films Act, which bans political films, TV broadcasts and newspaper interviews of ministers are deemed non-political. But videos of opposition politician Chee Soon Juan, Young PAP and PAP Women's Wing achievements are political. Do you buy that explanation?

"It's a valid explanation. There is a distinction between the Government and a political party, although people often mix the two up in the Singapore context, because all our ministers are members of the PAP. But the Government is not the same as a party.

The Films Act disallows the making of party political films. That is defined as one that advertises or promotes a political party, or a film that is made and directed towards any political end in Singapore.

However, a minister speaking to the media about his ministries' policies like terrorism, or health, for example, is talking about government policy, not party policy. So that is permissible.

It would be quite different if the same minister made a video clip to try and solicit donations for the PAP, for example.

That would be clearly political and would have nothing to do with his ministry or the Government. We are careful to maintain that distinction.

www.singaporerebel.blogspot.com

Police to confiscate camera and tapes relating to 'S'pore Rebel'

(25 August 2005)

This evening, I was again interviewed by the police regarding the making of my short video Singapore Rebel. The interview lasted about 3 hours and was conducted at the Cantonment Police Complex. The officer interviewing me was Assistant Superintendent Chan Peng Khuang. Again, the mood was relaxed until near the end of the interview when I felt many questions were totally irrelevant to the making of Singapore Rebel and I threatened to walk out. ASP Chan told me it is alright to refuse to answer questions which I deemed to be irrelevant. At the end of the interview came the cruncher that I was to surrender all tapes, courier invoices and even the video camera that were used for the filming of Singapore Rebel. I agreed to surrender them to him on Monday 29 August 2005.

Before the interview began, I asked ASP Chan : So I am here to answer further questions about the making of Singapore Rebel. Right?

ASP Chan : Yes

Here are a sample of some of the questions which totalled about 60.

When asked what inspired you to make this film, you claimed that political opposition in Singapore is marginalised. What do you mean by "marginalised?"

What in your opinion should the media do?

So you mean that the Singapore media is being unfair to political opposition?

You claimed that you took two and a half years to make the film. So is it normal for filmmakers to take such such a period to make a 26 minute film?

What sort of activities of Chee Soon Juan were you waiting that you think was worth shooting?

You mentioned that a friend of yours named Peter did the voiceover for the film? Is he contactable?

You mentioned that you edited the film on a friend's Macintosh laptop. Is he contactable?

How was the item (laptop) passed to you and how was it returned to him?

Did you save any of the footages in his computer?

Do you own a computer now?

There were some newspaper articles on your blog? How did you secure those articles?

In your film, there were footages of Chee Soon Juan making speeches at a election rally. Where did you secure the footage?

Did you duplicate the video before returning?

Why was the election rally audio muted?

When did you know that Singapore Rebel was classified a party political film?

I am informing you that Lesley Ho's (of Singapore International Film Festival) email dated March 2005 had mentioned that Philip (co-director of SIFF) was told that Singapore Rebel was objectionable pertaining to party political films. You were told that if you did not withdraw the film, the "full extent of the law" will apply. What do you have to say to that?

So you agree that at this stage when you read Lesley's email, you knew that Singapore Rebel was classified as a party political film?

Since you knew that the film "may have been" a party political film at that stage, why would you want to circulate the film to overseas film festivals?

Can you recall participating in any activities organised by any political party in Singapore?

(Somewhere at this point of the interview, I told ASP Chan that I would walk out if questions continue along this line).

Did Chee Soon Juan direct you to do the filming on May Day (arrests of 2002)?

On 19th July, 2005, Chee Soon Juan and some members was speaking at Speakers Corner? Were you there to film the event? Who directed you to film the event?

On August 11, 2005, were you present in front of CPF Building when Chee Soon Juan and other SDP members gathered for a protest?

Did you contact Chee Soon Juan after the video interview on Singapore Rebel?

Are you still in contact with Chee Soon Juan now?

I do not want to go to your house. Are you able to produce to the police the following items?

1) Two remaining copies of Singapore Rebel
2) Receipts from courier services of you mailing the film to New Zealand and USA (as mentioned in your earlier statement)
3) The Samsung mini-DV camera you used to make Singapore Rebel, and
4) Any raw footages of Singapore Rebel before the editing.

I ask : When are you going to return them to me?

ASP Chan : On completion of the case. Won't be too long.