Bankrupt opposition party head charged for trying to leave country

Oct 10, 2006, 1:51 GMT

Singapore - Singapore's bankrupt opposition party chief has been charged with trying to leave Singapore without official permission, news reports said on Tuesday.

Chee Soon Juan, the 44-year-old head of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), needs the permission of an official assignee before travelling.

The magistrate's court on Monday gave Chee until October 30 to engage a lawyer after Chee asked for more time, saying his lawyer was not available.

If convicted on the charges, Chee could be fined up to 10,000 Singapore dollars (6,451 US dollars) and jailed for up to two years.

Chee allegedly failed to secure the necessary permission when he tried to leave the city-state on April 1.

Chee was made bankrupt earlier this year for failing to pay 500,000 Singapore dollars (320,000 US dollars) in damages to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew for defaming them during the 2001 election campaign.

During last month's annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, Chee attracted international attention by spending three nights on the pavement, to draw attention to the 'denial of freedom of speech and peaceful assembly' in Singapore.