Reuters report on "Black Saturday" at Centerpoint 8 Sept 4pm
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I think Robinson staff's uniform ish black rite?
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How many ppl and police came or notOriginally posted by qlqq9:It is a great success, many wear black at Centrepoint and along Orchard. -
What police..Originally posted by t_a_s:How many ppl and police came or not
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Undercover MIB. Easy to spot them lah. They have very nice neat hair cut. Properly dressed up mostly in short sleeves shirt. Hiding under their under wear ish their mini beedeo cam
You can see them walking around pretend to be window shopping but their eyes ish now focusing on the items they r looking at.
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Originally posted by Manager433:Undercover MIB. Easy to spot them lah. They have very nice neat hair cut. Properly dressed up mostly in short sleeves shirt. Hiding under their under wear ish their mini beedeo cam
You can see them walking around pretend to be window shopping but their eyes ish now focusing on the items they r looking at. -
Got check the longkang or not? A few might be lurking in there too.
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sounds like some lines from Infernal Affairs.
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Its true mah. I did went to CP this morning at 10am. I had my breakfast in the Mac.Originally posted by FireIce:sounds like some lines from Infernal Affairs. -
The All Blacks are taking on Italy at the moment. Go go All Blacks!
Ka mate, ka mate
Ka ora, ka ora -
I was at Orchard area for a movie until about 6:30pm I went to have a look @Ctr Pt.
By then I can see some in black. I thought the show was over. I walked down to Tangs direction. I saw many wearing black but not a majority. About say 40% had black based T-shirts for guys and gals and some ladies had black blouse.
I also saw young polees men patrolling.
At 4pm, how was it really?
I think not many at CP right?
But based on what I see from around 6:30pm, there is probably some effect.
I also interviewed a stranger singaporean if she knows about the event. She is totally oblivious.
Thus , there are other reasons for today's small 'fashion' show.
I also never see ang chia. Maybe 6pm was too late already.
So, if the effect I see today is in response to that call , I think a new change of singapore culture may have started. I shall not comment in this public forum whether this effect is good or bad nor if I support it or not, for my personal salvation. But you guys can guess lor.
cheers!
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I have a dream. -
why bother putting up a protest in a communist country?
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why bother to ask if you can't even be bothered?Originally posted by kopiosatu:why bother putting up a protest in a communist country? 
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The red buses parked in a inconspicuous place, near Taka.Originally posted by reddressman:I was at Orchard area for a movie until about 5:50pm I went to have a look @Ctr Pt.
By then I can see some in black. I thought the show was over. I walked down to Tangs direction. I saw many wearing black but not a majority. About say 40% had black based T-shirts for guys and gals and some ladies had black blouse.
I also saw young polees men patrolling.
At 4pm, how was it really?
I think not many at CP right?
But based on what I see from around 6pm, there is probably some effect.
I also interviewed a stranger singaporean if she knows about the event. She is totally oblivious.
Thus , there are other reasons for today's small 'fashion' show.
I also never see ang chia. Maybe 6pm was too late already.
So, if the effect I see today is in response to that call , I think a new change of singapore culture may have started. I shall not comment in this public forum whether this effect is good or bad nor if I support it or not, for my personal salvation. But you guys can guess lor.
cheers!
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I have a dream. -
I was there at 4, wearing black (and bumped into another forum member), but I didn't notice a significant difference in the proportion of black clothes. I chatted with the Reuters crew a little as well.
Did no one notice the SDP people outside Robinson's with their 'Free Dr Chee' placards? It made me wonder if they had set up this demonstration, claiming one purpose and then promoting another, or were just taking advantage of it to gain publicity. Either way, I was disgusted by their actions. -
My friend and i went to check the protest in centre point. It seems like there were no major big event call protest. At the end of it he commented that it was a prank one, and said that old Lee will laugh until drop dead if he ever discover that the standard of protest and expression of Singaporeans have dropped to this pathetic state.
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The SDP chaps later changed to black and were hanging around upstairs.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I was there at 4, wearing black (and bumped into another forum member), but I didn't notice a significant difference in the proportion of black clothes. I chatted with the Reuters crew a little as well.
Did no one notice the SDP people outside Robinson's with their 'Free Dr Chee' placards? It made me wonder if they had set up this demonstration, claiming one purpose and then promoting another, or were just taking advantage of it to gain publicity. Either way, I was disgusted by their actions. -
All this while there had been rumors about Chee's behaviors as not as simple as it seemed. Why make himself make them look good all the time?Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I was there at 4, wearing black (and bumped into another forum member), but I didn't notice a significant difference in the proportion of black clothes. I chatted with the Reuters crew a little as well.
........
This kind of weird behavior is a reasonable suspicion to some.
For me , I am not sure what is going on.
If this was indeed a prank, I think it must be to show singaporeans who have been complaining about policies that in reality in singapore , not much people really bother about protesting, even such a silent protest. To also tell them, although forums such as sgforums , sammyboy etc and other blogs have many forum Identities criticising, these are really either couch potato or NATO. No matter what , the days event successfully malu 'd all the supporters of the call. Indirectly, it tells those who have been criticising that no one really bothers. Kind of a 'pour cold water'. Like laughing at the black t-shirt folks, look what clowns you make yourselves to be! For me, I am just glad nothing bad happened.
If my wild guess is correct, it shows what is the true singaporean mentality.
Good or bad is up to you to interprete.
Its really time to apply for greener pasture.
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Its confirmed. Only Time can set us free. <---- my new song title -
which brings everything back toOriginally posted by Lin Yu:why bother to ask if you can't even be bothered?
why bother? -
I think SDP was courteous enough to packup their roadshow and change in black at 4pm sharp. Whether the coutesy was intended or not, as one of those in black, I "tip my hat" to you.Originally posted by LazerLordz:The SDP chaps later changed to black and were hanging around upstairs. -
Did anyone take pictures?!?!
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well, you gotta accept that not everyone is a cynic like you mah.Originally posted by kopiosatu:which brings everything back to
why bother? -
yeah, they dispersed and close their "shop" at 4pm sharp and immediately went in. whether there were police who asked them to leave i'm not sure.Originally posted by LazerLordz:The SDP chaps later changed to black and were hanging around upstairs. -
I arrived at Centrepoint around 3:40pm. Saw SDP's "roadshow" as I drove past, before turning left into the carpark. I did think to myself, "hmm, no surprise they are here, hope they don't hijack the black 'event' tho."
I think SDP was courteous enough to packup their roadshow and change in black at 4pm sharp. Whether the courtesy was intended or not, as one of those in black, I "tip my hat" to you.
As I watched the SDP folks pack up, I overheard a youngish looking female reporter asking someone nearby (in black with a zoom len expensive looking Digi Cam with a companion dressed in white Tshirt) "But you are wearing black, why?" or something like that. The guy just insisted that he was a concerned passerby or something like that.
At around 4:15pm, I was strolling around the 2nd and 3rd stories. There was definitely a slightly higher number of people wearing black at centerpoint on Saturday 8 Sept. I did exchange smiles with some at the entrance, although there was this chap at the entrance in a White England Soccer Jersey who was people-watching with a grumpy look on his face, like heÂ’s weekend was burnt. =P
High enough number of black clothing to call it abnormal, perhaps not. Did they all disagree with the compulsory annuity? I don’t know for sure. But going around spotting the plainclothes did provide some free entertainment while my date went shopping at Mango and Gap. Also some amusement much later, to see Uncle Yap with his cellphone snapping away at “middle aged men” who were loitering in groups or 2’s and 3’s.
I proceeded to the basement to see what were the Chee's up to. From afar, they looked like they are surrounded by reporters at MacDonald's. (Including 2 -3 Caucasians with huge zoom lens cams)
Went back up to the ground floor a while later, spent a short while walking up and down the mall, spotted a plainclothes a the top, with a walkie, who spent most of his time there on a wooden bench, looking down.
It was past 5:20, and I thought of leaving, after watching 4-5 of the plainclothes take a smokebreak (I think only the one posted at the top floor smoked) next to the taxi stand. Oh and Grumpy in the england jearsy was still at the entrance together with his chinese colleague.
So I thought, ok walk through the mall one last time to add my presence. l went through the basement, saw the CNA female reporter, looking somewhat exasperated. Hopefully she did get something to publish. I proceeded upstairs via the escalator, and started walking near or next to people who wore black. Standing next to a guy who was wearing black, just to add to the black presence.
Then I noticed there was a "black presence" in front of the Cultural Musical performance. See pic below. Ok, so I thought, ok I'll watch and add to the "Blackness". Guess what, the plainsclothes taking a break at the taxi stand all came back in, surrounding the "performance". 2 were watching from behind the stage, leaning on the railing at the escalators. 2 were on the right of the audience, on the 2nd floor, leaning on the railings. And a youngish looking skinhead was watching from the mooncake/pastry booths.
When the performance ended, I proceeded to Macs to get a drink, saw a group of like 5-6 black at Macs, thought of taking a photo, but then thought better of it. I then departed CP after that with my date for dinner. All in all, I think, it felt good. Hopefully the press did get something.
Success or not, largely depends on your point of view or expectations. If one expected this event to actually steer Government polices, then its was not really much of a success to speak about.
But then again, steering Government polices is not something that the people (who wore black to centrepoint yesterday afternoon) wanted or expected to achieve isn't it? Taking action to show or pass on a message of disagreement or objection to government polices, is still at its infancy here in Singapore. Even an alien concept to some.
In my opinion, this event is just another milestone in the political maturity of Citizens here in Singapore, where people who actually disagree but more than often, end up saying : "Aiyah, protest also no use. Its the Government leh".
A message of disagreement or objection to a policy or Government decision, does not have to end in violence, or even breaking the Law.
I hope this even will build in momentum, generate more awareness that Singaporeans actually have a say, and can say something, other than “Yes” to the Government, in an ever so slightly more assertive manner.
To all those who came in black, don't give up, even if the press brushes this of as nothing. Even if the government or anyone comes out and call this a pointless endeavour. Do not back down, continue to spread the word. The Government will do all it can to discredit it even, do not let negative press of the event discourage you from participating further.
Just as importantly, do not be goaded or baited into more extreme or confrontational practices, in future similar events. Keep it as it is, but help the numbers grow, generate awareness, spread the word. Keep the event peaceful and non-confrontational.
I propose the same thing, same time, same place, same colour on 15/09. Hopefully we Singaporeans can get things moving, and keep the momemtun building.
http://power2thepeoplesg.blogspot.com/ -
Why not change a different colour...something more uncommon ?
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lets make it pink?