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Note:
The
photographs shown below were taken from CASE's website
http://www.case.org.sg/central2.htm
and
http://www.case.org.sg/case2.htm
see
also
http://www.consumersinternational.org/Templates/
Internal.asp?NodeID=96110
They
have since been removed. They were available on the website up
until the SDP published our police application on 7 Jan 08. We
had anticipated this and downloaded the pictures for safekeeping
to be used on an occasion such as this.
Photo
A
Photo
B
Photo
C
Photo
D
Photo
E
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Chee
Soon Juan to Wong Kan Seng: Take your ministerial oath
seriously
Singapore
Democrats
13 Feb 08
13 February
2008
Wong Kan Seng
Minister for Home Affairs
New
Phoenix Park
28 Irrawaddy Road
Singapore 329560
Fax
: 6254 6250
Dear
Sir,
As you know, the police have rejected the SDP's
application
for a public rally
outside Parliament House on 15 March 2008 during World Consumer
Rights Day. They have yet to give us the grounds of their
decision.
We intend to protest against the rising cost of living
and the exploitative policies of the Government. I write to
appeal to you to grant us the permit for this event.
I
wish to inform you, if you don’t already know, that the
Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) conducted a protest
march on the same occasion last year on 18 Mar 07. The
photographs attached, taken from CASE’s website, show the
following:
Photo A: Scores of
CASE protesters assembled outside Parliament House beside the
Singapore River.
Photo B: Protesters
wearing printed T-shirts with the words "Walk with CASE,
World Consumer Rights Day" and carrying placards with
various messages.
Photo C: Dr Teo Ho
Pin, former CASE president, Mayor and current MP of your party,
protesting with other participants.
Photo D: Hundreds
of CASE demonstrators marching through the streets.
Photo E: A stage
was even set up and a ceremony of sorts seems to be taking place
involving another PAP MP Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (left), who is also
the current president of CASE.
It is my sincere
hope that you will not deny our application to conduct the same
type of activity on the same occasion and at the same venue as
CASE's event last year.
If you do decide to reject our
application, you need to tell Singaporeans whether CASE had a
permit to hold its protest. If they did, please tell us why the
SDP cannot have a permit for a similar event. If CASE did not
have a permit, you need to tell us whether the police had taken
action against the protesters for taking part in an assembly and
procession without a permit.
When you took your oath as a
cabinet minister, you swore to uphold the Constitution of
Singapore. This means that in the process of discharging your
duties, you may not show favour towards organisations affiliated
to your party such as CASE while discriminating against citizens
of Singapore, including the opposition.
I sincerely hope
that you treat your oath seriously and perform your role as a
minister with integrity. Do not continue to abuse your power by
denying Singaporeans the right to assemble and speak
freely.
Sincerely,
Chee Soon
Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party
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