Singaporean Couple Charged for Distributing “Seditious” Evangelism Tract

I just learned about this from reading the blog posts at Simply Jean and Mr Wang Says So.

ST April 15, 2008
Couple charged under Sedition Act
By Elena Chong

A COUPLE were charged on Tuesday with distributing a seditious publication to two others.

Ong Kian Cheong, 49, and Dorothy Chan Hien Leng, 44, are alleged to have distributed The Little Bride, an evangelistic material, to Sembawang resident Irwan Ariffin last Oct 19.

They are also said to have distributed the same publication to one Madam Farharti Ahmad at her home in Woodlands on March 6 last year .

It is not clear why they face the Sedition Act and the Undesirable Publication Act when the publication is the same.

Ong, who works in a telecommunications company, and his wife, a bank employee, were represented by Mr Selva K. Naidu.

The police prosecutor sought an adjournment of the case pending a Health Sciences Authority on handwriting specimen.

The couple were freed on $10,000 bail each. Their passports were impounded.

The case will be mentioned on April 29.

Under the Sedition Act, the maximum penalty is a $5,000 fine and/or a jail term of up to three years.

The maximum penalty under the Undesirable Publication Act is a fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to 12 months.

If this goes to trial, I’m guessing that it’ll become a landmark case whatever the outcome.

I’ve read the tract in question (don’t ask me how since all Jack Chick tracts are banned in Singapore), and while I agree that it might probably be the wrong tract to hand out to Muslims, I am not sure if the couple should be charged for sedition.

They stand guilty under the “Undesirable Publication Act” though, because Jack Chick tracts and publications have been banned by the Media Authority of Singapore (MDA).

I’ve read tons of Jack Chick tracts before they were banned, and though I disagree with some statements he made, there are truths in there as well. With regards to the tract in question, I’m just going to say that there’s some truth in there which many Christians will agree with but will not publicly admit to in case they are deemed seditious.

On the issue of tracts, I personally feel that the “problem” with evangelism tracts is that, most times, we hand them out without an actual conversation to explain the tract unless the recipient is interested after reading it and approaches you to ask for more information.

That does not mean that I think handing out evangelism tracts is wrong, nor do I think that it is an unproductive activity.

Tracts are a great way to get the basic message of the Gospel across, especially in this day and age when people are going “to and fro” and it’s the exception rather than the norm for people to stop and give you even two minutes to speak to them.

Not to mention that Singapore is one country where (I suspect) public, or open air, preaching would require one to first obtain a “public performance” permit from the police.

My advice to fellow Christians in Singapore: choose tracts wisely. That does not mean that you choose those that water down the Gospel, but ensure that there’s no possibility that you’ll be charged for sedition. In my opinion, materials from Living Waters are pretty good (you can also purchase the materials from the Asian site if you prefer).

Pray for Kian Cheong and his wife Dorothy, and let’s continue to share the Gospel for that’s what we are called to do. Even so, having ourselves heard and received the best news the world will ever know, we should proclaim it to the world in season and out of season.

Shalom Aleichem.

Footnote: The author is not affiliated with Living Waters in any manner, nor does he derive any financial benefits for recommending their materials.