Not if ST is determined to sink lower than the murky depths of the 153rd position, a drop of 3 places from last year's ranking of 150, out of a total of 180 countries and territories. The 2015 ranking of 153 is the lowest-ever ranking the Republic has been given by watchdog group Reporters Without Borders in its annual evaluation.
In the same mean spirit of the other slanted ST report that gave the impression Amos' mother filed a police report to have her son arrested, this time the story telling nuanced that Mr Vincent Law, a family counselor and faithful Christian, had refused to bail Amos out a second time and had given up on his lost cause.
An interview with a more credible online source revealed that Mr Law did extended an offer to bail him out again. It was Amos himself who declined the act of Christian charity, on grounds of refusal to abide by the onerous bail conditions, as he had no wish to be gagged by anyone. Something along the lines of give me liberty, or give me death, but less dramatic.
Cognizant of the youth's stand on principles, Mr Law had no recourse but to discharge himself as the bailor.
We are told that on the first occasion of the bail fiasco, Mr Law made it clear that he is of Christian persuasion and asked if Amos had any problems with that. After all, the boy had said that some Christians crave for power while giving the impression of being compassionate. Sets you thinking about Kong Hee building a mega singing career for his wife, and Lawrence Khong kicking his daughter out of the house while she was heavy with child.
“No, no, its fine,” Mr Law recalled Amos saying in response to his declaration. Once again, the boy demonstrated he is more mature than his years, “Just like, as much as I may not agree with Lee Kuan Yew’s policies but we can still have a dip in the same swimming pool.”