3 film-makers at helm of civil society group

(Cassandra Chew, Straits Times, 30 April 2010)

FILM-MAKERS now hold three of the four key posts in the fledgling civil society group Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD).

They are Mr Martyn See, who is its executive secretary; Mr Seelan Palay, its communications director; and Mr Ho Choon Hiong, its finance director.

The group's executive director is Dr James Gomez, a former Workers' Party member now based in Melbourne, where he teaches public relations at Monash University. He plans to continue living in Australia.

Filmmaker Martyn See speaks to Reporters Without Borders on censorship in Singapore and his run-ins with the authorities for his two political films, Singapore Rebel and Zahari's 17 years. 

Latest update: Agatha Koh, Voices editor, confirmed with me today, 7 Feb, that it was the editor of Today, Walter Fernandez, who said there's no need to publish the SFD letter which responded to comments by 'political analysts' in the Today report. - Jacob

I sent a letter to Today’s letters section, Voices, on behalf of SFD on the morning of Feb 4. The letter was in response to comments by ‘political analysts’ in a Today report titled Group gazetted as political association, Feb 4.

Photography by Aidil Omar

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the liverly discussion at Talk Politics #10. Here are local media reports on the event:

New group won't become political party: Gomez (TODAY)

Singaporeans For Democracy will not be a political party (938 Live)

The politics of Singaporeans for Democracy (The Online Citizen)

No approval yet, but website launched (Straits Times)