By Andrew Loh
It took less than an hour for the Singapore police to stop a protest by about 20 Singaporeans, all dressed in red t-shirts and some holding placards, outside Funan Shopping Centre this afternoon at about 2.50pm.
The protesters were marking World Consumer Rights Day, which is held all over the world. They were protesting the rising cost of living in Singapore.
Those arrested include the Singapore Democratic Party chairman Gandhi Ambalam, SDP secretary general Dr Chee Soon Juan, Chee Siok Chin, John Tan and SG Human Rights activist Chia Ti Lik.
Videos and pictures below.
Read Reuters report: “Singapore arrests opposition members over protest”.
And International Herald Tribune’s “Singapore police round up opposition party members for protest against rising prices”.
*The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) will hold its event tomorrow. Click here and TOC’s earlier article here.
Gandhi Ambalam, Chia Ti Lik, John Tan, Chee Siok Chin and Chee Soon Juan addressing members of the media outside Parliament House:
Video summary of the entire event:
Protesters outside Funan Shopping Centre:
Police arrest protesters:
(Click on pictures below to enlarge.)
From one coward to other cowards, “Hey, I have no guts to fight like CSJ, but you guys ought to join him so we can have a reform, ‘cos cowards at WP will never get a majority!”
The wayang is getting stale. The motives for arguing is obviously to make opposition look bad.
I’m moving on.
Tell you what – lets just see how many Opposition MP’s will enter Parliament in the next election.Here I agree with CSJ – that the PAP will shift goalposts if the Opposition makes significant inroads.
As for the system – I suggest you read the article in Yawning Bread (The Mathematics of Elections) on how the current system is skewed to favour the incumbent PAP.
I think what CSJ has done is to expose the nature of Singaporeans. We are a materialistic and selfish lot. Singaporeans are NOT prepared to make sacrifices. Maybe thats why people migrate. Why put up a political fight when you can enjoy the good life in Australia or America ?
BTW – yes I am a real PhD. My title as Dr is REAL.
Yeah – cut the debate. Its getting stale. Lets just see the next election.
“We are a materialistic and selfish lot.”
We are really a mirror of PAP since they are the one that condition and dictating the society.
to be frank in terms of democracy,we are far behind from our neighbouring countries.
The level of our democracy is equivalent to our size of our island state.
One big question to ask the entire Singapore, including the govt.
WHY IS IT AN OFFENCE TO HAVE A PEACEFUL PROTEST ON WORLD CONSUMERS’ DAY IN SINGAPORE?
I believe that the arrest was politically motivated and deliberate.
Syed Alwi,
You wait lor. I wait Chee 15 years liao. He got change anything? Still same same.
SDP like PAP: PAP think it is right all the time. SDP also think it is right all the time.
SDP is different from PAP meh?
Again I state these questions:
Why did no passerby come to their aid?
Why was it not posted on BBC or CNN but only on IHT and some other news sites?
Why was there no condemnation from President BUsh, PM Brown or the UN?
Why wasn’t there any sanctions imposed?
Future Cabinet line up:
Who want CSJ as PM?
Who will take the other key critical positions?
i’m just farking fed up with this government!!! come election , as long as there is an opposition candidate against PAP, i will vote against PAP. period. change election boundary, give freebies before election, or whatever fark , i want to see some kick ass minister out of parliament. it will make my day ,better than kena TOTO !! tak boleh tahan !!!
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_218634.html
This answers my first question….
In the M’sia blogs i read,s’pore govt welcomes with an open arm for foreigners.
One sentence caught my eye though
: Ordinary s’poreans now view the chinese national spitting and talking loudly as normal.It’s a pity they got to keep up with this in their ‘HOMELAND’
“WHY IS IT AN OFFENCE TO HAVE A PEACEFUL PROTEST ON WORLD CONSUMERS’ DAY IN SING”
The answer is that it is not handled by minister.
Every ‘LEEgalised’ protest is backed by minister and gahmen so far. Putting own people is less dangerous, and even more useful for promoting party brand and interest. Even more so with the ShitTime showing the frontpage of how good and world-class is the Leegalised protest with the smiling face of the minister.
By default, the police should have granted him the permit to protest and let him protest peacefully. Of couse, he must be watched out for creating trouble.
The objective was about raising real issues about price increases, pressuring for a stop in these price increases and galvanising collective support – unity is strength.
As the government is too involved in many aspects of our life,
some of these price increases are controllable as they are provided by GLC (e.g utilities, buses, telephone, conservancy, property tax etc) and also in respect to the hugh budget surplus accumulation / reserves. Howelse is it going to be re-distributed back to the citizens if not in this difficult time.
Surely, those officers in blue uniform (or plainclothes) and their superiors know about the recent wave of price increases in this and that. The police has an important role to play in preventing real crimes but to block real social issues of being highlighted / displayed in a peaceful manner is clearly not their role.
A behaviour (even innocent ones and bad social habits like spitting, buying and selling chewing gum, speaking loudly, flushing the toilet after use, eating in MRT etc) can always be legislated to be an offence and Singapore has plenty of these for the police to act if they really want to be technical about it to the extreme ridicule.
In other countries, the police’s role in such protests is to make sure no civilians are hurt, while allowing the protests to go on. If the protests themselves get violent, the riot squads are called in. They are specially trained for such instances.
Singapore – and the Singapore Police – have to move on, allow protests and redefine their (the police) role.
Fundamentally, if protests are peaceful, they should be allowed to take place. The police’s job is to make sure civilians are not hurt – and not to stop such protests.
SDP doesn’t know what they’re doing. Here is the proof: Among the food items they displayed in front of Parliament House is…. wait for it… *drum roll*… a can of…. SHARKSFIN!
They are protesting the rise of sharksfin prices?????
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24764076@N02/2342098794/sizes/l/