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A
crowd of 50 Singaporeans and their supporters gave a
rowsing 'welcome' to Brigadier-General Lee Hsien Loong
on his arrival at a ABN-AMRO Bank dinner in Sydney on
Monday 5 June 2000. The demonstration was organised
under the auspices of the 'Singaporeans for Democracy'.
The event was covered by several media groups including
CNN and its cable affiliates.
Brigadier
General Lee's modest motorcade was heckled by expatriate
Singaporeans disgruntled by recent news of government
mismanagement of CPF funds through the secretive Singapore
Government Investment Corporation (SGIC).
The
SGIC is headed by Brigadier General Lee Hsien Loong
and his 77 year old father, 'Senior Minister' Lee Kuan
Yew.Recent non-government reports have given rise to
concern that the Sing$120billion national reserve, of
which compulsory CPF superannuation payments comprise
a large proportion of, have been depleted as a result
of the failure of numerous pet-projects masterminded
by the 77 year old Lee Kuan Yew, and the fall in the
value of derivative investments during the recent Asian
Financial Crisis. At the moment the SGIC is not accountable
to parliament and even ignore public and opposition
calls for transparency.
Also
present were Burmese organisations concerned by the
heavy involvement of Singaporean government investments
in support of the oppressive military regime in Burma.
Singapore is presently the largest foreign investor
in Burma, ignoring the European Union and US led boycott
of commercial links with the Burmese military regime.
Recent articles in the South China Morning Post and
other USA-based journals have linked the Singapore government
to the laundering of money for illegal Burmese drug
lords and businesses. Lo Hsing Han, a Burmese drug lord
recognised by the US State department and his son openly
base their extensive business HQ in Singapore.
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