Dear Editor,
I make reference to presidential hopeful George Goh’s remarks that the elected president must have a “say” in civil service and especially key judicial appointments.
The PMO recently revealed that it recommended to have 3 high court judges appointed by the president, which has raised eyebrows as if its widely believed to be an extension of the Cabinet’s Will in the judicial branch.
Amongst them is DCP Mohamed Faizal Abdul Kadir from the AGC. This is the same prosecutor who is involved in the prosecution of political cases and is the government’s “hatchet man”. He was promoted to senior counsel shortly after taking over the TOC criminal defamation case, as are the police officers who handled the persecution alongside him. Even DSP Jonathan Auyong was elevated to “special assistant” to K. Shanmugam despite botching investigations and mishandling the case – https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2020/10/31/police-statement-on-criminal-defamation-charges-in-2018-misrepresented-facts-of-the-case/
DCP Faizal did not reveal to court, on the plea bargain for one of the prosecution witness testimony in exchange for a lighter sentence for his various other offences. Faizal had also successfully blocked questions of importance that were posed to DSP Jonathan Auyong during cross examination and withheld parts of messenger conversations to paint a one-sided picture of the accused.
In this deteriorating political situation of both the governing party and loyal opposition to the ruling party, it is prudent George Goh chooses his remarks carefully on “vouching” for the integrity of the government as most Singaporeans confidence in our key institutions has been shaken and to a certain extent, even shattered. Former SM Tharman must eat back his words that he left the government in a “good working condition”.
We must also begin to reject the “normalisation” of the irresponsible notion of elected MPs quitting their post and responsibilities towards their residents for another higher paying office!
Yours sincerely,
Alan Teo
