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23-03-2015, 06:50 PM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/spekasers%20corner.jpg?itok=CuL9Cf2S
The government has suddenly revoked the right to speak at Speakers' Corner as of 5:30am this morning, the morning of Lee Kuan Yew's death.
Raising the issue on his Facebook Page, Kenneth Jeyaretnam, from the Reform Party pointed out the gazetting of the revocation of rights.
In Singapore, laws on Public Order state that we are not allowed to hold protests or marches or other demonstrations which disrupt public order.
Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park was set up for this purpose and special laws were passed to allow people to use this space to hold demonstrations and protests.
The two laws which allowed this were: Public Entertainment and Meetings (Speakers’ Corner) (Exemption) Order 2013 and Public Order (Unrestricted Area) Order 2013
However, these exemption acts was quickly revoked this morning and gazetted. [Link Link]
The Revocation order says that the Minister of Home Affairs had exercised his power to revoke the exemption acts effective as of 5:30 am Mar 23.
This means that it is now illegal for Singaporeans to demonstrate or protest at Speakers' Corner just like it is illegal to do so anywhere else in Singapore.
Meanwhile, there has been no word of this in the mainstream media which is busy posting endless updates about Lee Kuan Yew and the thousands of tributes which are pouring in for him.
While some have pointed out that it could be just a temporary revocation given that 7 days of mourning have been announced for Mr Lee Kuan Yew, there is no obligation for the minister or government to re-instate the right to speak at Speakers' Corner.
In the gazzetted revocation acts, there is no indication to show that this is actually a temporary measure such as by listing an end date.
UPDATE:
NParks has alerted us that Hong Lim Park is being used for a Lee Kuan Yew Memorial area:
http://i.imgur.com/1NLa5kY.jpg
It is not known why, for such a temporary event, it is necessary to revoke the entire act exempting Speakers' Corner from the ban on demonstrations.
The revocation is, in effect, a permanent measure and the government needs to go through the process of parliament again to re-enact the revoked acts after the temporary memorial is finished.
Wouldn't it have been easier for NParks to simply refuse all permits during this time instead of getting the minister to revoke the entire act?
http://therealsingapore.com/content/...er-530am-today (http://therealsingapore.com/content/govt-officially-revokes-right-use-speakers-corner-530am-today)
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?203288-KJ-Upset-That-He-Cannot-Stir-Shit-At-HLP-During-National-Mourning-Period!&goto=newpost).
http://therealsingapore.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/spekasers%20corner.jpg?itok=CuL9Cf2S
The government has suddenly revoked the right to speak at Speakers' Corner as of 5:30am this morning, the morning of Lee Kuan Yew's death.
Raising the issue on his Facebook Page, Kenneth Jeyaretnam, from the Reform Party pointed out the gazetting of the revocation of rights.
In Singapore, laws on Public Order state that we are not allowed to hold protests or marches or other demonstrations which disrupt public order.
Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park was set up for this purpose and special laws were passed to allow people to use this space to hold demonstrations and protests.
The two laws which allowed this were: Public Entertainment and Meetings (Speakers’ Corner) (Exemption) Order 2013 and Public Order (Unrestricted Area) Order 2013
However, these exemption acts was quickly revoked this morning and gazetted. [Link Link]
The Revocation order says that the Minister of Home Affairs had exercised his power to revoke the exemption acts effective as of 5:30 am Mar 23.
This means that it is now illegal for Singaporeans to demonstrate or protest at Speakers' Corner just like it is illegal to do so anywhere else in Singapore.
Meanwhile, there has been no word of this in the mainstream media which is busy posting endless updates about Lee Kuan Yew and the thousands of tributes which are pouring in for him.
While some have pointed out that it could be just a temporary revocation given that 7 days of mourning have been announced for Mr Lee Kuan Yew, there is no obligation for the minister or government to re-instate the right to speak at Speakers' Corner.
In the gazzetted revocation acts, there is no indication to show that this is actually a temporary measure such as by listing an end date.
UPDATE:
NParks has alerted us that Hong Lim Park is being used for a Lee Kuan Yew Memorial area:
http://i.imgur.com/1NLa5kY.jpg
It is not known why, for such a temporary event, it is necessary to revoke the entire act exempting Speakers' Corner from the ban on demonstrations.
The revocation is, in effect, a permanent measure and the government needs to go through the process of parliament again to re-enact the revoked acts after the temporary memorial is finished.
Wouldn't it have been easier for NParks to simply refuse all permits during this time instead of getting the minister to revoke the entire act?
http://therealsingapore.com/content/...er-530am-today (http://therealsingapore.com/content/govt-officially-revokes-right-use-speakers-corner-530am-today)
Click here to view the whole thread at www.sammyboy.com (http://sammyboy.com/showthread.php?203288-KJ-Upset-That-He-Cannot-Stir-Shit-At-HLP-During-National-Mourning-Period!&goto=newpost).