Singapore government to tighten laws against protests
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Singapore's deputy prime minister said the island state, which is hosting a summit of Asia Pacific leaders this year, may further tighten laws against public protests, according to reports.
Wong Kan Seng, who is also Home Affairs Minister, said the government is reviewing public order laws and may pass legislation to deal more effectively with illegal protests and other acts of civil disobedience.
The legislation is expected to be passed in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in November which could attract both local and overseas protesters, he said.
US president-elect Barack Obama, due to take office next week, is among the 21 leaders scheduled to attend the summit.
Public order laws are already tight in Singapore, where protests require a police permit if held outside a designated free-speech zone and gatherings of five or more people are illegal.
Nevertheless, Mr Wong said fresh legislation is needed to deal more effectively with political activities, while relaxing regulations on people gathering for social and recreational purposes.
He said police could be granted power to take action before protesters could gather at specific areas such as Parliament, and cited protests by the political opposition, and by Myanmar nationals against their country's ruling military government.
"They make a show of breaking the law," Wong said of the protesters.
"The police watch and do nothing and can only follow up with investigation after the show is over when they pack up and leave. This cannot go on," he said.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/403068/1/.html -
Getting more and more repressive, PAP regime.
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They have to suck it up to Obama mah...
else Selamat slip back and bomb the ass of Obama, very paiseh you know... -
If economic situation gets worse, more people may get frustrated with PAP regime and stage protest or gathering like lehman fiasco, the PAP regime will have to take steps to prevent such acts.
They must increase the political repression and restriction of rights.
They are very fearful now, the PAP regime.
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Singapore. The noose of repression tightens.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Singapore state controlled newspaper the Straits Times report of Jan 16, 2009 has this article, "Review of Public Laws".
It says "the government is reviewing existing public laws and may craft new legislation to deal with civil disobedience acts such as illegal protests. In the works could be a new law to give police pre-emptive powers, for instance, to act earlier to prevent people from congregating in certain places, such as Parliament House and the Istana"
In other words, the government is going to enact even harsher laws to stop anyone from protesting publicly against government actions.
As it is, the government is already violating the Constitution in several ways, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, by demanding that people wishing to protest or speak publicly require a police permit; denying them each time they apply.Constitutionally, the requirement for permits is itself illegal and ultra vires the Constitution. And worse, each time citizens apply for it, it is routinely denied.
Recently you have seen increasing numbers of people deliberately breaking these unjust laws by protesting without permits and being jailed as a result. John Tan, Shafi and Izrizal had been jailed for 15 days and 10 days each respectively by judge Judith Prakash a month ago for wearing T-shirts emblazoned with pictures of Kangaroos in judicial robes at a trial where Lee Kuan Yew was engaging in his usual pastime of suing opposition politicians for defamation of character, the victim being Dr. Chee Soon Juan.
Only a few days ago, a government Member of Parliament suffered the unusual attack at the hands of an unhappy citizen, of being doused with kerosene and set alight. I understand his whole body was on fire for several minutes before the flames were subdued. He is now in a Singapore hospital having suffered serious burns all over his body.
The same man was attacked some time ago, when another Singaporean punched his face at the meet the people session of the government.
Only yesterday, Mr. Koh Chan Meng aged 47 was charged for 3 counts of vandalism for writing the words "Go sue me Lee Kuan Yew" and "Hi, Harry Lee, I love you" on a brick wall outside Singapore Parliament. Although, the government may call him a vandal, he too was exercising his right to freedom of speech by showing his disgust at the ruling party and Singapore’s dictator Lee Kuan Yew.
Also a few days ago, it was reported in Straits Times that Seelan Pallay and Kai Xiong, 2 young activists had mounted a protest outside the Singapore Ministry of Manpower to show their solidarity with Burmese workers in Singapore who were being deported to Burma for engaging in peaceful protests. The Burmese face executions or decades of imprisonment at the hands of the Junta. Seelan and Kai Xiong are being charged for criminal trespass even though there was nothing criminal or trespass in their actions.
In September of last year, I was imprisoned for 3 months for allegedly insulting a judge, Belinda Ang even though I merely wrote a criticism of her in her conduct of a trial in this blog. The Wall Street Asia about the same time was convicted of contempt of court for writing a criticism of the weird goings on in there. Another reason for their conviction was because the article referred also to my case.
Trials are now going on in Singapore courts against Gandhi Ambalam, Chee Siok Chin and Dr. Chee Soon Juan for distributing flyers at the WTO meeting 2 years ago.
While all this repression goes on, the Singapore economy is fast declining with massive job losses and even more on the way.
The writing is on the wall and Lee Kuan Yew has seen it. The people are prepared to challenge these laws and suffer the consequences of imprisonment and financial suffering. Lee Kuan Yew anticipates that even more will brazenly break these unjust laws that deny them their constitutional rights.The problem is worsening with more job losses in a country that does not provide any safety net for the people suffering financial woes. So Lee Kuan Yew acts in the only way he knows; enact even harsher laws to punish those who dare question the government.
What Lee Kuan Yew fears the most is public protests, or people power. He realizes that the people are prepared now to challenge these unjust laws in increasing numbers. He remembers what happened in the Philippines when people power, mass protests, brought down the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He knows that such protests in Singapore, a crowded island state, will have devastating effects. He also knows that he will die very soon and his minions cannot save his dictatorship.
Of course he knows the already bad world opinion of him and his island state will diminish even further. All international human rights bodies including the US State Department condemn the human rights violations in Singapore.
Singapore’s economy relies today principally on money laundering for Burmese drug lords and Indonesian businessmen. Even this business, a dirty one, is also going to end with the US and the European Union demanding more transparency for banking transactions of clients who have avoided American and European tax.
This increasing bad publicity for Singapore, making it a pariah state, will have devastating effects of every other sector of Singapore business. Foreign universities will shun Singapore in their search for foreign campuses. Even more people would emigrate, more than what they are already doing. Tourism will decline further. Foreign businesses who care for their reputation will loathe having dealings with a disgraced country. Lee Kuan Yew will be facing gloom from every angle if he indeed goes ahead with his plan to enact even more harsh and illegal laws to muzzle dissent.
But with the impossible situation that Lee Kuan Yew faces today in his fast declining country, I think he will go ahead as he threatens. I expect longer prison sentences for those who dare challenge him. Maybe even the brutal caning. Perhaps they will also be ordered to pay the legal costs of the government running into several thousand dollars each time. Perhaps the law will permit the right to enter homes without warrants each time to seize and arrest people and property of suspected protestors.
I hope the people will not be deterred by these laws and do what is right, by protesting. Your actions may be wrong in the law of Singapore but I can assure you that in the law of natural justice, in morality and truth, you are not committing any crime. You are in fact heroes willing to stand up for the rights of your countrymen.
Lee Kuan Yew relies on his corrupt judges and his police force to do his dirty work. If these judges and these policemen refuse, then he is powerless. I hope these men and women who are made to do these bad things ask themselves the question whether it is just. And I am sure, with time, even the policemen and judges would one day say, enough is enough. I will not lend my hand to hurt innocent citizens. And once they begin to jib, Lee Kuan Yew will be powerless to hurt his people anymore. To them I say, search your conscience. And do the right thing, for heaven sake.
Have no fear. As some great man had said, it is better to die a free man than to live a coward. The very fact that Lee Kuan Yew is coming up with these laws means only one thing. The cause of freedom is winning and he is losing. Take advantage of the momentum. Capitalize on your victories. And show Lee Kuan Yew that in the end, the truth must triumph.
Gopalan Nair -
Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
If economic situation gets worse, more people may get frustrated with PAP regime and stage protest or gathering like lehman fiasco, the PAP regime will have to take steps to prevent such acts.
They must increase the political repression and restriction of rights.
They are very fearful now, the PAP regime.
Another reason for this tactical move.....
They must thought that the Hong Leong is a white elephant....
and must be shocked to see it so active and crowded.... -
They are very afraid, got people burn down one of their MPs.
They are afraid of being toppled by mass protest.
They must repress the people.
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Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
They are very afraid, got people burn down one of their MPs.
They are afraid of being toppled by mass protest.
They must repress the people.
Exactly what I am also thinking....
Long live the Emperor......
a thousand, a thousand facking years of lifespan..... -
Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
They are very afraid, got people burn down one of their MPs.
They are afraid of being toppled by mass protest.
They must repress the people.
Its time for you to stand up and lead a protest .....
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Originally posted by Ice Dive:
Its time for you to stand up and lead a protest .....
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I think WKS has got more important things to worry about rather than this. Protests in Singapore are only small-fry issues, it wont be like those you see in Thailand, Indonesia, etc.
What he should worry about is how to tighten our borders so that in future, we won't be seeing 73 year old grannies suffering from dementia and depression sneaking into Singapore unnoticed.
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Illegal protest - this is rather subjective. It is said more than 5 protest it is illegal but this is not always the case. double standard the ruling party is practisig. wong shorty not fit to take charge of security.
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Ah .... I guess one way is to do small protest , 1 person .. If not considered as illegal then 2 person .. So that people can test to find where the actual boundaries lie .
Of cos , I guess you can protest against " the law of illegal protest ". If successful then you shoot 2 birds with 1 stone .
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Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
Getting more and more repressive, PAP regime.
yalor, uncle pak, long long i told u already not to talk and post so much bad about them...now you see,...more and more rules coming up..aiya!! -
Originally posted by Fantagf:
Illegal protest - this is rather subjective. It is said more than 5 protest it is illegal but this is not always the case. double standard the ruling party is practisig. wong shorty not fit to take charge of security.
woei! shorty very brilliant and smart one ok,...but not all, some real goondo one. As for protest hor, the govt has forseen that 2009 will be a bad year, there will be alot of unhappiness when Gst, taxes and fares increases while pays are cut and job lost. So, they standby the laws first so that you all cannot suka suka protest...very clever shorty wong... -
From Third World to First in the first 40 years of independence.
Then I read somwehere that sg is slowly reverting back to Third World status.
Come to think about it, it is starting to look like it.
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From Third World to First in the first 40 years of independence.
I don't think Singapore was "third world" economy in 1965.
That is probably Lee Kuan Yew's propaganda.
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Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:
I don't think Singapore was "third world" economy in 1965.
That is probably Lee Kuan Yew's propaganda.
YOu see it through once again ... !!! -
Third World Singapore, 1960s, according to Lee Kuan Yew:
Singapore in the 1960s
http://news.webshots.com/album/
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with the liberalising of hl park, seems like true PROGRESS!
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what will the leaders wear for the photoshoot?
merlion suit?
all white?
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Originally posted by Ice Dive:
Its time for you to stand up and lead a protest .....
well, he is only good in hiding behind a screen and typing. when real actions take place, he will hide.
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Originally posted by angel7030:
woei! shorty very brilliant and smart one ok,...but not all, some real goondo one. As for protest hor, the govt has forseen that 2009 will be a bad year, there will be alot of unhappiness when Gst, taxes and fares increases while pays are cut and job lost. So, they standby the laws first so that you all cannot suka suka protest...very clever shorty wong...
shorty wong is selectively brilliant and smart to fit to agenda for himself and PAP. my friend stays in bishan told me there was once someone planted a fake bomb to scare him. It created a commotion. ha ha ha! -
Originally posted by charlize:
From Third World to First in the first 40 years of independence.
Then I read somwehere that sg is slowly reverting back to Third World status.
Come to think about it, it is starting to look like it.
If this is true, they should adjust their salary by receiving only 30% or 40% of what they are getting now.
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
If this is true, they should adjust their salary by receiving only 30% or 40% of what they are getting now.
Last time, the aim was to increase the wages and earning power of singaporeans.
These days, the aim is to decrease the wages and earning power.
Go figure.
