It's official - promoting a cause is illegal: Part I

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Friday, 12 September 2008

Singapore Democrats

Ms Jaslyn Go walked into the police station on 10 Sep 08 to be questioned for being part of an illegal assembly on National Day this year. The group of activists were distributing Tak Boleh Tahan! flyers at Toa Payoh Central.

So what did Ms Go wear for the interview? The Tak Boleh Tahan! T-shirt. It certainly caught the attention of the officers manning the reception counter.

After being greeted by Inspector Tan Sin Choon, Ms Go was ushered into the interview room. When the Inspector started with his questions, Ms Go started with her note-taking.

"You don't have to take notes while I'm questioning you, you can copy later. I'll show you the statement at the end," Inspector Tan said.

When he was done with the questions, Ms Go asked why it was illegal on some occasions to distribute flyers and not on others.

"Pamphleting is not illegal but promoting a campaign or a cause is illegal," replied the Inspector.

What? Real or not? Since when did promoting a cause or a campaign become illegal? How do these guys come up with such things, anyway?

"Go and ask a lawyer," the officer said. "Or go to the AG Chamber's website. Next time if you are unclear go to the police post first and get clearance on whether something is illegal or not before you support it." Ms Go was beginning to wonder if she was living in Pyongyang.

Apparently perturbed by her taking down his every word, the officer quickly showed her the section of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, citing that promoting a campaign and cause is an offence. (We'll talk more about what the Act says in Part II.)

Asked why the police have not taken action against other political parties conducting similar activities, the officer replied that it was because the police did not receive any calls about them.

What about the police statement saying that the Tak Boleh Tahan activity held on 1 May 08, where activists were also distributing flyers at Toa Payoh Central, was legal? Inspector Tan said he was not aware of that and asked Ms Go to send him the information.

Perhaps, the good Inspector should meet with his superiors once in a while and get clued in to what's going on at his station.

But was the Inspector really so clueless or was he just playing games? When asked the same question by another activist he interviewed, the Inspector revealed that the 1 May TBT event was just distributing flyers. The 9 Aug TBT event is different -- it was promoting a cause.

If you're thoroughly confused at this point, it's okay, you're not alone. The inanity of the answer notwithstanding, why did Inspector Tan give two different answers to the same question?

When the questioning was over and the statement finally shown to her, Ms Go started jotting down its content. "You can't copy my questions, you can only copy your answers," the officer said.

"How do I know what question I am answering if I don't copy down the questions especially when most of my answers are 'Yes' and 'No'?"

Appropriately stumped, the Inspector reached for his handy-dandy, evade-all-hard-questions, civil-service-manual answer: "It's the rule."

That's the nub of the problem: It's the rule -- real or not, it's the rule.

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Comments (31)

Sat 13 Sep 2008 9:50 AM | Singaporean - No Talent in the govt service?

I am beginning to think that the govt hire people of at most average intelligence. I know of very intelligent Singaporeans but they are already out of the country or retired at home. No wonder LKY is always saying we do not have talent and is so keen on importing foreigners and giving them PRs and then they start complaining about not being given equal rights in getting subsidised HDB flats.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 12:02 PM | Old Uncle's Friend - Well written my friend !!

[quote=Old Uncle's Friend][i]As usually, ... a sad thing if the majority ... don't see the SDP for the liars that they are. There would be little hope left. Anyone who has been truly educated will see through SDP's endless lies, its distortion of the truth and its selective reporting. ... Just look at the way Chee is glorified on this site. ... Look at how SDP supporters attack other opposition parties. Is this the spirit of democracy? Can a party with the worst performance at the polls claim to represent the people? The SDP is run on the personal agenda of one man - do not be fooled![/i] [/quote]

On your points above :
- "[i]Selective Reporting[/i]". I agree with you. When the govt made huge profits in investments in the past, SDP did not praise the govt. When losses were made SDP immediately posted several articles. Can SDP guarantee profits in investments, always ?

- "[i]Chee is glorified on this site[/i]". This is SDP site, so be realistic. In PAP site their leaders are also glorified. Nothing wrong on the part of SDP here.

- "[i]SDP supporters attack other opposition parties[/i]". There are bound to be supporters who are less mature than yourself. They get emotional easily. When they really sit down and understand that SDP really does not have people capable to run this country, they will see other parties as better choices.

- "[i]Can a party with the worst performance at the polls claim to represent the people ?[/i]". You are precisely correct. Problem is that Chee needs to make SDP look great in order for him to gain support. He has no future here, what else can you expect him to do ? You are a logical person, good for you.

- "[i]SDP is run on the personal agenda of one man[/i]". Jackpot again. Chee is out to seek revenge on PAP which made hime lost his job, go to jail, etc. He uses the cover up of "Democracy" to sow the seed of discord amongst Singaporeans so as to oust PAP. Chee really has no ability to run this country neither his team members. E.g. He uses the poor to highlight PAP's neglect for this group in the light of rising costs, yet Chee never bothers to mobilise SDP to raise funds to actually help the poor. The real motive was really meant to make people hate PAP.

Any person who can [b][u]read critically[/u][/b] can see that SDP is heavily biased. It does not give a fair report even when the govt has done well for the people, in some areas.

Even "A" Level students who passed General Paper (GP) can tell you that all articles in this website are biased. If sent for marking in U.K., all articles will get [b]FAIL[/b] grades.

Make no mistake, SDP really does not have the right talents to run this country. Go look for other better opposition parties instead.

We still need opposition parties, but good ones only.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 2:45 PM | ahsayman

I'm not a sophisticated man. I can't give a coherent view on what the country
will be like if the PAP is no longer in
control. But one thing I'm sure. If the
citizens of Singapore can no longer trust the Police to be fair and impartial in their duty and doing it without fear or favour, then all is truly lost and we are done for as a country. But of course, we can always blame the West.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 4:55 PM | Michael Chan - Sure or not? S'pore's robotic cops.

Reading through what occurred during Jaslyn's interview, my take from similar experiences with the men-in-blue over decades is: Totally Expected! What a bunch of robotic nicompoops! It's actually not that they are of average intelligence, some are quite smart/clever, BUT being employed in a disciplined uniform org, they all have to toe the official line and code of conduct (or else!).No thinking out of the box, no independent(even if logical) thinking,no compassion or even common sense.....everything by the book (PGOs/directives)! They have all been conditioned (some say brain-washed) into unthinking robotic cops (some say keystone cops).
Actually, our MIBs (not MIWs) are pretty ok where and when the case does not involve politics. But all Hell breaks loose when it does, eg arrested activists and Opp politicians. They then comply strictly by the book, right or wrong. No face,understanding, nor compassion will be given to such "enemies of the State"! They are probably treated worst than real criminals (Gopalan Nair's case is a good example) Is this 2008 or 1984?

Sat 13 Sep 2008 5:35 PM | elitocracy - Rebutting Old Uncle's Friend

It is a grave mistake (and a fallacy perpetuated by PAP) that we should only support opposition party that are "good enough" to govern the country.

Fact: Once there is competition, the population benefit. The relaxation of the Speaking Corner Corner is but one small example.

Each time the SDP bang their heads against the huge walls of obstacles, they bleed. Detractors will say "See,
what a bunch of butt heads". But what they are not saying is this: The wall
vibrates with a eerie hollow sound. The wall is not solid, as assumed by a lot of people, but is in fact quite empty.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 5:55 PM | elitocracy - The wall

Why do u think recently LHL talked about "relaxing the rules"?

Because the rules are nonsensical. If you say any assembly of more than 5 needs permit, then the police should be catching people all over. When a bunch of friends sit in KFC, the police should go in and disperse them. When a bunch of friends cycle in East Coast Park, the police should ask for their permit. Every Sunday when thousands of Indians gather in Little India, the police should go in and break them up.

But they are not. Instead the police (and the AGC) exercise discretion and make judgement call, deciding when and when not to apply these rules. This is pure nonsense, because they are now acting as a proxy "judge", no less mentioned by the now Minister of Law, K Shanmugam when he was an MP.

Facts is, most of the Laws in Singapore are "trawl net" laws, designed to catch everything under the Sun. If they are strictly applied (and they should be, if Singapore is truly a "rule of Law" country), everyone is a criminal.

PAP thought they are being very smart by coming up with these trawl net laws.
Well now that SDP is testing these laws, they are found to be very wanting indeed.

To PAP: If you want Singapore to be a truly 1st class, global city, spending money on Esplanade, Singapore Flyer is not the answer.

The answer, as the smart Ministers know all along, is in changing those things that affect their true grip of power most, such as creating a society with real "rule of law" and level playing ground for politics and transparency in managing our reserves.

Ah, such conflict of interest between the country's and yours.

Which is why you guys will not let go without a fight. Which is why you try to distract us with IR and F1 racing.

Good luck.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 6:17 PM | Tan Tai Wei

The police inspector's being unsure about what is the purported 'law breaking'is very telling.

When laws are made, not to prevent real crimes, but to empower rulers with almost limitless discretion at using the police to 'fix the opposition', 'offences' have to be defined so loosely as to have the width needed for arbitrary law enforcing.

So loosely had the offence been defined that the poor inspector, when pressed, could only vacillate between one thing and another in trying to explain the it.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 6:24 PM | nameless - Swiss level of living - My foot

Many years ago, LKY + gang promised the Swiss level of living by a certain year (which I cannot remember as I don't believe he can do it) and one of the minister promised to lead Singapore to be in the world cup finals.

Did that happen?

It is obvious that what the results are quantifiable, the PAP cannot achieve it.

Personally, I don't mind that the ministers are paid millions provided the results are quantifiable and measurable.

Claiming that the are world class means nothing. For instance, even if they receive one-tenth or one-one hundredth of their current salaries, we can also claim that they are paid world class salaries ... (as compared to Malaysia, Philippines, China, etc).

All I want is something quantifiable and something that is not used again and again such as we are better than the Indonesians, and etc.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 7:00 PM | ahsayman - The New Enemy

It pains me to say this, but the day is near when we see the men in blue as oppressors instead of saviours. Who should we put the blame on then? Tell the young not to join the police force please.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 8:22 PM | panjang - Panjang Promised

Hi "nameless",

It was Panjang aka Peanut Husband who made the promise. I think he meant SWISS STANDARD FOR HIM and SWILLS standard for Singaporeans....

Sat 13 Sep 2008 8:36 PM | methink

When the men in blue do not know their real professional duties but are willing to be used by the powers that be, we the people of Sinkapoor will be the poorer for it.

Remember North Korea, China, Cuba or Zimbabwe? We are no different. Sorry and sad day for all sinkies.

Sat 13 Sep 2008 9:13 PM | nameless - I am puzzled

I am puzzled how did Temasek manage such earnings? Can someone enlighten me?

Sat 13 Sep 2008 9:37 PM | Anonymous - elitocracy

[quote=elitocracy]Facts is, most of the Laws in Singapore are "trawl net" laws, designed to catch everything under the Sun. If they are strictly applied (and they should be, if Singapore is truly a "rule of Law" country), everyone is a criminal.[/quote]

This is what I've meant all along but you've wrote in better manner.

The authorities have been abusing their power. Look at the children these days.... Children as young as 12 yr old if taken in by police, they will be treated as 'criminals'. Children at these age can also sit in lock-up waiting for bail. Will be asked to give statement without parents' consent and signed whatever they had said for I/Os. The parents will only be call in to bail AFTER their 'thorough' investigation. You can imagine many will be afraid and agree to whatever accusations they can get. By the time parents take note or found out the truth to justify their children, it will be too late coz the statements are signed by the children. There is NO organisations to protect this kids BEFORE anything but the govt. has already provide MCYS to help them AFTER being charged. Photo taken, 10 fingerprints taken and blood sample taken. (IBA, TAKE NOTE OF THIS)

A boy was put in a home because of having 2 packets of contraband cigarettes. Why does this law exists? All because of the Govt. wants to tax more on smokers. Profitable.
A 15 yr old boy killed himself by jumping from 12th floor just to avoid showing police officers his home because he has been begging for his family (sick mom, younger bros & sis).
One of my son, if he wasn't given for another urine test by SIB which was negative, he would have been convicted as a drug abuser by the police.
Many many more has been caught for unlawful assembly.

The common people, elderly or others. You can check out at sub court 26N at 6 pm onwards daily. A long queue of people in line to pay summons. Such as TV licenses, CC charges, littering, smoking etc. Our govt. getting high for getting such revenues from citizens.

Sun 14 Sep 2008 12:22 AM | Old Uncle's Friend - Injustice

SDP's constant attack on the police force is the real injustice. We should send a strong message - Singaporeans do not tolerate this rubbish. We benefit from a low crime rate. We are free to go anywhere, at any time with little fear of crime. How many countries have achieved that? So, I say - when SDP members and supporters become victims of crimes - robbery, housebreaking, please, do not call the police. You do not deserve their help. Having watched the youtube videos posted by SDP itself - I can only conclude, even when the police arrest SDP troublemakers, they do so with much restrain. SDP members on the other hand, scream, shout and resist and then label the police as thugs. Injustice.

Sun 14 Sep 2008 12:53 AM | Ah Heng

old uncle friend's wrote
Any person who can read critically can see that SDP is heavily biased. It does not give a fair report even when the govt has done well for the people, in some areas

You said the govt has only done well for the people in some areas, then the govt pay themselves so high pay but they only can do well for the people in [color=red][b]some areas only[/b][/color]. That means you yourself also know that the pap govt is fuckup. And how fair is the report the pap govt give to the people?

Sun 14 Sep 2008 6:11 AM | | Muhammad Shamin - Don't attack the police

I think Singapore is a safe country where we can roam around freely even at night without fear of something happening to us.

I think this is just an isolated case and there should not be a big hoo haa about it.

The thing that we have to criticise about our country's security system is the Internal Security Act (ISA). [b]This law allows the government to detain anyone SUSPECTED of threatening the country's peace and stability without trial![/b] This is injustice.

I hope that the SDP be very careful about attacking the government and it agencies. I am worried that this strategy might backfire and as a result the SDP might lose its credibility as a party committed to the democratic cause.

Salam Reformasi!

Sun 14 Sep 2008 6:46 AM | David

- "Selective Reporting".
When the govt made huge profits in investments in the past ?
Really ? From whom ? From Singaporean ? The only time I heard Singapore gov make money is from Singapore and through exploitation of Singapore, and nowhere else in the world. Changi Airport ? Same old story again ?

- "Chee is glorified on this site".
So why are you here commenting if that's the case. Just Shut the Fuc@#$k up or go elsewhere to sing the praise of your PAP saviour eternally.

- "SDP supporters attack other opposition parties".
You are really peanut ! How about PAP and the old fart insulting Denmark, Finland, Holland, Australia ,and other democratic countries ? Stop been narrow-mind and harvest fart-up brain. Isn't insulting other countries put you into greater danger than Dr Chee. You really brainless.

- "Can a party with the worst performance at the polls claim to represent the people ?"
How about a party that has worst performance in last election for the since independence ?
By far, Dr Chee has more qualified success than quantity ! What count is quanlity not quantity, substance and not image ! Didn't your grandfather tell teach you this ?

- "SDP is run on the personal agenda of one man".
Personal agenda ? So will you please go to jail for the sake of whole nation ? So what agenda has he to go to jail ?
How about LKY's agenda ? How come you never question his money-loving ways to exploit Singaporean ? Is it because Singaporean very good to bully ?

- Any person who can read critically can see that SDP is heavily biased.
How come you never criticize MSM instead ? It is lot worse than the shit I ever read ! If you can ever think critically, you will not have target SDP instead ! I don't think you can think critically because your brain is cummed with PAP spermy juice !

- If sent for marking in U.K., all articles will get FAIL grades.
Really ? Of course we get fail grades. Singaporeans bleed by the PAP education system are all robots and cannot think with brain like you, only with dick. Many Singaporean want to live like AngMoh.

-"We still need opposition parties, but good ones only."
Shit you ! The same can be say of PAP !

Fu@$ck off PAP TRoll !

Sun 14 Sep 2008 9:02 AM | | NOT MY SDP - 断章取义

断章取义

Sun 14 Sep 2008 9:42 PM | Steven

Actually, after having personal experiences with our MIB, I do not find the behaviour of that police inspector surprising. If those people are realli smart, they will be bankers, doctors, laywers and maybe even ministers. Who would want to be a MIB these days?

After watching various videos of how our MIB apply the laws, their bullying tactics at various events, I find they are a pathetic bunch. They are nothing more than paid thugs, paid by our taxes by the way! I have a young teenage nephew who wants to be a police inspector when he grows up cause he has the amiable ambition of protecting the public, till i shown him the videos and tell him exactly what cops in Singapore actually and realli do, he dropped that stupid idea.

Sun 14 Sep 2008 10:16 PM | Old Uncle's Fiend - Epitaph for Old Uncle's Friend

[quote][b]
Here lies Old Uncle's Friend
He BS-ed 'til the bitter end
'Twas not the words that were his sin
Too many thumbs-up did him in
Choked to death on bogus glory
Alas! Poor Uncle, end of story.

Walk soft my friends lest he should wake
With Pappy tales your soul to rake
Oh leave him rest in peace to wonder
To sleep, to wake, to poop BS like bloody thunder?
[/b][/quote]

Mon 15 Sep 2008 12:46 AM | Send for marking?

Well if you don't believe it, send it for marking by the A level examiners! Then we shall see who is right!

Or if SDP wants, the IB examiners! IB Extended Essays are more difficult and are not run my MOE

Mon 15 Sep 2008 1:25 AM | AnnA - Anonymous Is AnnA

Anonymous wrote to elitocracy.

Sorry.. I've forgotten to put my name to declare that the comment was mine.

Mon 15 Sep 2008 5:59 AM | Old Uncle's Friend 2

You "cho bo lan" activists are damned fortunate to have a police force that deal with a bunch of troublemakers in a civilised ways. Please be reminded that there is always a limit to whatever you do. Anyway, your main objective is to tarnish the image of Singapore and to show to your Western supporters that Singapore lacks freedom of every damned things, right?. Please dont be a hypocrite as if only you can save Singapore but from who?

Mon 15 Sep 2008 8:45 AM | Anonymous - re:

[quote=Old Uncle's Friend 2]You "cho bo lan" activists are damned fortunate to have a police force that deal with a bunch of troublemakers in a civilised ways. Please be reminded that there is always a limit to whatever you do. Anyway, your main objective is to tarnish the image of Singapore and to show to your Western supporters that Singapore lacks freedom of every damned things, right?. Please dont be a hypocrite as if only you can save Singapore but from who?[/quote]

Maybe to start, save it from people like you and all the other "Uncle's Friends"

Mon 15 Sep 2008 11:06 AM | Old Uncle's Fiend 2 - luv from F. Seow, G. Nair, CSJ, JBJ,...

[quote][i]You "cho bo lan" activists are damned fortunate to have a police force that deal with a bunch of troublemakers in a [u]civilised ways[/i][/u].[/quote]

"[b]If one would give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I would find something in them to have him hanged.[/b]"

- [i]Cardinal de Richelieu (9 September 1585 - 4 December 1642) was a French clergyman, noble, and statesman[/i]

Mon 15 Sep 2008 8:04 PM | Jaslyn's Fan

Really cant help myself but to post this...
Jaslyn is just so beautiful. :)

Inner and exterior... Cheers!

Mon 15 Sep 2008 9:51 PM | Jaslyn's Fan2

Psst.

Do you know that she is LaMei online?

Tue 16 Sep 2008 5:37 PM | | Eddie - Civil master!

The Singapore civil service comprises of civil Masters as they are no longer civil servants! We got to listen to them: hence, they are giving civil-Master(not servant)-manual-answer!Similarly, the ultra rich are ruling and managing not governing Singapore's majority poor Singaporeans: wondering if the rulers know how the poor survive in the high costs of living in Singapore!Perhaps they are too rich to understand!

Tue 16 Sep 2008 7:08 PM | Drummer

Jaslyn Go is HOT!

Tue 16 Sep 2008 10:51 PM | curious - to elitocracy

Fact: Once there is competition, the population benefit. The relaxation of the Speaking Corner Corner is but one small example.

oh this is a fact, elitocracy?

care to give more concrete examples?

i think you might need to have economics 101 and understand the concept of a "natural monopoly" being more appropriate, yielding better collective outcomes for the society than what a "competitive market" brings.