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Wong
Kan Seng says no to rally against price hikes but SDP to
proceed
Singapore
Democrats
10 Mar 08
Mr Wong Kan Seng has rejected the
appeal of the Singapore Democrats to hold a rally outside
Parliament House this Saturday, 15 Mar 08.
The Ministry
of Home Affairs said in its reply (which came only three weeks
after the appeal was first made):
"Parliament
House is a high security installation. The Police accordingly
rejected the SDP's application. Outdoor protest activities
organised by political parties are not allowed given its
potential for public disorder and disruption to community
life."
Despite
this rejection, the SDP will go ahead with the planned rally.
This is because the Minister is abusing his powers yet again. The
reasons he has given is, to put it mildly, disingenuous, and it
must be challenged:
a.
Parliament House is a high security installation
If
this is the case, then why was CASE allowed to conduct its march
on 18 Mar 2007 when thousands of people assembled, carried
placards, and made speeches at the exact spot that the SDP has
applied to do?
How is it that Parliament House is a high
security installation only when it comes to the SDP and not CASE
when both events are open to the public?
b.
Outdoor
protest activities by
political parties are not allowed
Who
is Mr Wong trying to kid? In the first place, other activities
organised by non-political parties such as People Like Us, Sg
Human Rights, Burmese nationals, and international students, etc.
have also been disallowed. His answer demonstrates his complete
disrespect for the people's intelligence.
Secondly, where
in the Constitution does it say that the Executive can ban a
certain class of groups, much less opposition political parties,
from exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly
as laid out in Article 14?
Article 12(1) distinctly states
that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to the
equal protection of the law. The Government cannot show favour to
CASE and discriminate against the SDP.
c.
There is potential for public disorder
If
this is the case, then Mr Wong should also ban all football
matches, New Years' Eve countdown celebrations, and Swing
Singapore parties because the potential for public disorder is
always there.
In fact, there were many incidents that
male revellers were groping and molesting women during such
celebrations. Fights and gang violence occur at many gatherings
that are open to the public. Why not ban all these as well?
Even PAP meet-the-people sessions should be disallowed
because members of the public can cause disorder and disruption.
It was at such a session where PAP MP, Seng Han Thong, was
assaulted by one of his constituents.
And why is it that
there is not a potential for public disorder in CASE's
event
Singaporeans can see through Mr Wong Kan Seng's lame
excuses in rejecting SDP's application. It is plain that the
Minister is abusing his powers to suppress any demonstration of
public anger at the ruling party.
Such abuse must be
stopped.
In view of this the Singapore Democrats will
proceed with the planned rally this Saturday at 2 pm at the
concourse between Parliament House and the Singapore River.
The
protest is targeted at the recent spate of price hikes that have
caused inflation to rise to an unprecedented high. This has
severely affected the middle- and lower-income
Singaporeans.
Much of the problem stems from the
Government's economic policies. And yet, the Ministers think
nothing of increasing their own salaries to $3 million a year -
up by 85 percent in one year!
We
ask all Singaporeans who cannot stomach PAP's bullying anymore to
join us this Saturday. More details will be announced over the
next few days.
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