Singabloodypore sent us a note informing us that another blogger, a former Singaporean and current US citizen, has been arrested. Unlike the last arrest, of (ick) Fragrant Prince, this one is not for some species of racism, but stems, I think, from the same tendency, to shut up ideas not given official imprimatur.

Channelnewsasia gives the man’s name as Gopalan Pallichadath Nair.

Police have arrested a former Singaporean for the offence of “threatening, abusing or insulting a public servant”.

In response to media queries, police confirmed that Gopalan Pallichadath Nair, who is now a US citizen, was arrested at Broadway Hotel along Serangoon Road on Saturday.

A warrant of arrest without bail was granted by the courts for the arrest.

Nair is alleged to have sent an email to the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General which contained statements amounting to the offence of insulting a public servant.

The statements were directed against Justice Belinda Ang, a Supreme Court judge. The statements were also posted on Nair’s blog.

Nair is presently in police custody. He will be charged in court on Monday.

I’m not specialist but it seems like you can barely speak in Singapore without risking offense to someone, and if you offend anyone, you’re going to jail. Touchy bunch.

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Steven @ Singabloodypore goes into the case in admirable detail.

There have been Chinese-Malay riots in the past in Singapore and that seems to be the rationale for arresting this guy for a “thought crime.” But once you start arresting people for being tools, you better have a gigantic prison. In reality, of course, this is a tool for the maintenance of “order,” at all costs.