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Dr Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General Singapore Democratic Party
BRIEF BACKGROUND
Dr. Chee Soon Juan joined the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992. Three months after he took part in a by-election in December 1992 he was sacked by National University of Singapore (where he was a Lecturer).
When he disputed his dismissal, he was sued by the head of the department (who was also a ruling party MP) and two other university officials. He had to pay approximately US$300,000 in damages and costs. He had to sell his house and car, and borrowed money to pay the plaintiffs, failing which he would be declared a bankrupt.
He subsequently tried to get a job as a consultant psychologist at a private hospital but was later informed that the CEO of the hospital had received "shadow calls", pressurising the hospital not to employ him.
In 1995, Chee attended a conference in the United States at which Mr Francis Seow, former solicitor-general now living in exile, was a speaker. Seow had criticised the Singapore judiciary in his speech. When he returned to Singapore, Chee was censured by the Singapore Parliament for not refuting Mr Seow at the conference.
In 1996, Chee and three other party colleagues were charged by the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges with "deliberately falsifying data and misleading the public" in a debate on health-care costs in Singapore. They were fined a total of US$35,000.
In 1999, Chee was imprisoned on two occasions for making public speeches without a permit. He was also prosecuted for selling his book, To Be Free, in public without a permit. No bookstore in Singapore would dare to sell the book. His latest book, Your Future, My Faith, Our Freedom: A Democratic Blueprint for Singapore, was published in 2001.
In 2002, Chee was found guilty of defaming Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, and Senior Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, over questions he raised during the 2001 general elections concerning the Singapore government's US$10-billion loan to Indonesia in 1997.
In August 2002, he was fined S$3,000 for speaking on a religious topic at Singapore ÇŸÙ's Speakers' Corner. He has also been charged for attempting to stage a public rally on Labour Day. He was found guilty under Singapore ÇŸÙ's Public Entertainment Acts and fined S$4,500. Dr Chee was convicted and fined SGD$4,500 under the Public Entertainment Acts for speaking without a license . He chose to serve a 5-week jail term instead of paying the fines.
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