James Gomez Arrested
Holy fucking shit.
James Gomez has been arrested.
Here’re the two reports. Note the vastly different reporting styles.
Objective, informed or with an agenda? (italics - mine)
*growl*
Addendum: Given that it was reported Impact of Internet on General Election likely to be studied after polls, it is not too farfetched to argue that the Gomez arrest can well be a testing testy red herring (amongst all sorts of other reasons for his detention) – out to gauge how fast, how far and how wide news circulation can be via internet. Why do I think so. I have had several hits through blogger and goggle search on the man since I put up this entry an hour ago.
By EN-LAI YEOH Associated Press Writer
SINGAPORE (AP) -- A Singapore opposition politician was arrested Sunday for allegedly threatening the country's election officials, a day after he failed to win a seat in national elections, an aide said.
Workers' Party candidate James Gomez was arrested Sunday for alleged "criminal intimidation," his aide Jacob George said. Gomez was attempting to leave the country but was stopped by immigration officials, who turned him over to the police.
"We don't know the specifics, but it could be due to the minority certificate," said George, referring to an incident when Gomez initially accused officials of misplacing his election papers more than a week before Saturday's election.
He subsequently apologized after security camera footage showed he put the form into his bag. The academic claimed he was distracted.
Gomez was part of a five-member Workers' Party team that contested a multimember ward against the ruling People's Action Party, where a minority candidate is compulsory.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's PAP won 82 of 84 seats in Singapore's 10th general elections since independence in 1965.
"Police received a complaint against James Gomez from the Elections Department, and police are investigating," said police spokeswoman Siow Cheng Cheng. She did not elaborate.
A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with policy, said Gomez has not been charged. If found guilty for criminal intimidation, Gomez could be jailed for up to seven years.
It is not immediately clear why the elections department waited till after the polls to file the complaint.
The incident was played up by ruling party politicians and local media, which rarely deviate from the government line.
Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, called Gomez, 40, "a liar" and a "bad egg."
"He's not a fool ... He's saying he's got brains," elder statesman Lee was quoted on state-broadcaster Channel NewsAsia's Web site as saying. "Well, what do you use those brains for?"
Lee is the father of the current prime minister and wields considerable influence as "Minister Mentor" in his son's cabinet.
The PAP said they targeted Gomez, a researcher with a Stockholm-based institute, as it was an issue of credibility.
News Report 2
From CNA
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 07 May 2006 2149 hrs
WP's Gomez detained over Elections Department complaint
By Rita Zahara/Johnson Choo/Valarie Tan/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : James Gomez, the man at the centre of a controversy with the Elections Department over a minority candidate certificate, has been detained by police.
In a statement, police said they were investigating after receiving a complaint against Mr Gomez from the Elections Department.
Mr Gomez was stopped at Changi Airport on Sunday afternoon and prevented from leaving for Sweden.
Channel NewsAsia understands his passport and boarding pass have been confiscated.
Mr Gomez was taken to the Police Cantonment Complex at 4pm to have his statement taken.
During the hustings, Mr Gomez was embroiled in a controversy over his application for a minority candidate certificate.
He claimed to have submitted an application at the Elections Department, but security camera footage showed otherwise.
People's Action Party leaders later accused Mr Gomez of trying to discredit the Elections Department by claiming its staff had misplaced his form.
In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng had charged that Mr Gomez stage-managed the entire episode from the start.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew called Mr Gomez a liar, a charge he repeated on Sunday before police confirmed they had detained the Workers' Party candidate.
Said Mr Lee, "When I call a man openly, you're a liar, you're dishonest, and you do not dare to sue me, there's something basically wrong. And I will repeat it anywhere and you can't go and say, oh, I have apologised; let's move on. Can you commit a dishonourable -- maybe even one which is against the law -- an illegal act and say, let's move on because I've apologised? You may move on but you're going to move on out of politics in time."
Mr Lee said that whether other Workers' Party members connived at Mr Gomez's doings was a matter still to be determined.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was asked to comment on Mr Gomez's detention during his victory parade in Ang Mo Kio.
Mr Lee said he was not aware of what had happened, since the Elections Department filed a police report against Mr Gomez.
He said the matter was now in the hands of police.
At about 8pm, Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim was seen entering the police headquarters.
It is believed she is helping with investigations. - CNA /ct
James Gomez has been arrested.
Here’re the two reports. Note the vastly different reporting styles.
Objective, informed or with an agenda? (italics - mine)
*growl*
Addendum: Given that it was reported Impact of Internet on General Election likely to be studied after polls, it is not too farfetched to argue that the Gomez arrest can well be a testing testy red herring (amongst all sorts of other reasons for his detention) – out to gauge how fast, how far and how wide news circulation can be via internet. Why do I think so. I have had several hits through blogger and goggle search on the man since I put up this entry an hour ago.
_______________________________________________
News Report 1
From AP
May 7, 8:35 AM EDT
By EN-LAI YEOH Associated Press Writer
SINGAPORE (AP) -- A Singapore opposition politician was arrested Sunday for allegedly threatening the country's election officials, a day after he failed to win a seat in national elections, an aide said.
Workers' Party candidate James Gomez was arrested Sunday for alleged "criminal intimidation," his aide Jacob George said. Gomez was attempting to leave the country but was stopped by immigration officials, who turned him over to the police.
"We don't know the specifics, but it could be due to the minority certificate," said George, referring to an incident when Gomez initially accused officials of misplacing his election papers more than a week before Saturday's election.
He subsequently apologized after security camera footage showed he put the form into his bag. The academic claimed he was distracted.
Gomez was part of a five-member Workers' Party team that contested a multimember ward against the ruling People's Action Party, where a minority candidate is compulsory.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's PAP won 82 of 84 seats in Singapore's 10th general elections since independence in 1965.
"Police received a complaint against James Gomez from the Elections Department, and police are investigating," said police spokeswoman Siow Cheng Cheng. She did not elaborate.
A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with policy, said Gomez has not been charged. If found guilty for criminal intimidation, Gomez could be jailed for up to seven years.
It is not immediately clear why the elections department waited till after the polls to file the complaint.
The incident was played up by ruling party politicians and local media, which rarely deviate from the government line.
Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, called Gomez, 40, "a liar" and a "bad egg."
"He's not a fool ... He's saying he's got brains," elder statesman Lee was quoted on state-broadcaster Channel NewsAsia's Web site as saying. "Well, what do you use those brains for?"
Lee is the father of the current prime minister and wields considerable influence as "Minister Mentor" in his son's cabinet.
The PAP said they targeted Gomez, a researcher with a Stockholm-based institute, as it was an issue of credibility.
News Report 2
From CNA
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 07 May 2006 2149 hrs
WP's Gomez detained over Elections Department complaint
By Rita Zahara/Johnson Choo/Valarie Tan/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : James Gomez, the man at the centre of a controversy with the Elections Department over a minority candidate certificate, has been detained by police.
In a statement, police said they were investigating after receiving a complaint against Mr Gomez from the Elections Department.
Mr Gomez was stopped at Changi Airport on Sunday afternoon and prevented from leaving for Sweden.
Channel NewsAsia understands his passport and boarding pass have been confiscated.
Mr Gomez was taken to the Police Cantonment Complex at 4pm to have his statement taken.
During the hustings, Mr Gomez was embroiled in a controversy over his application for a minority candidate certificate.
He claimed to have submitted an application at the Elections Department, but security camera footage showed otherwise.
People's Action Party leaders later accused Mr Gomez of trying to discredit the Elections Department by claiming its staff had misplaced his form.
In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng had charged that Mr Gomez stage-managed the entire episode from the start.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew called Mr Gomez a liar, a charge he repeated on Sunday before police confirmed they had detained the Workers' Party candidate.
Said Mr Lee, "When I call a man openly, you're a liar, you're dishonest, and you do not dare to sue me, there's something basically wrong. And I will repeat it anywhere and you can't go and say, oh, I have apologised; let's move on. Can you commit a dishonourable -- maybe even one which is against the law -- an illegal act and say, let's move on because I've apologised? You may move on but you're going to move on out of politics in time."
Mr Lee said that whether other Workers' Party members connived at Mr Gomez's doings was a matter still to be determined.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was asked to comment on Mr Gomez's detention during his victory parade in Ang Mo Kio.
Mr Lee said he was not aware of what had happened, since the Elections Department filed a police report against Mr Gomez.
He said the matter was now in the hands of police.
At about 8pm, Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim was seen entering the police headquarters.
It is believed she is helping with investigations. - CNA /ct
1 Comments:
gawd....i hope it won't become another TLH or jeya sorta scenario...
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