While I must confess that I am not an expert in law or on issues of human rights, what I do know is that I have the right to demand and want a peaceful and prosperous society, where the environment is conducive to raise our children. We are a multi-racial, multi-religion society. I have friends from different races and from all religious backgrounds. I do not take it likely when someone speaks ill of another religion or race, as I know that we are all different and we must respect these differences.

While one is free to have his own opinion and think of how things should be, no one has the right to tear up the cohesive social fabric that we have built up for so many years by speaking their mind out loud and criticise others while hiding behind the pretext that it is their human right to do so. Any act that does not give consideration to the interest of the public as a whole and might endanger the foundation of our society must be stopped.

Western media has always questioned human rights issues in Singapore, but our public in general is happy and satisfied with our country's political system as it has enabled our country to achieve steady progress for the past 40-odd years; mainly because we did not adopt any extreme ideals or policies. As ordinary people, we have the right to demand peace and stability in our way of life so that ordinary people can work hard for prosperity and a better life.

There will be no political system where it will be 100 per cent acceptable to all of its people. We need leaders and people like Prof Woon and Prof Thio to uphold a system where we carefully weigh and balance the rights of an individual and the responsibility of public interest.

Syu Ying Kwok