The idea that public assemblies equal chaos has been deeply etched in the minds of Singaporeans. Such tumult, we are told, leads to violence and the eventual ruin of the country. Anyone who attempts to exercise his or her right to protest must therefore not only be penalised by the authorities but must also be censured by fellow citizens.
The effect has been resounding. Singapore is a graveyard when it comes to protests which are still taboo in Singapore.
This may slowly be changing, however. The recent Bersih Rally held in Kuala Lumpur opened the eyes of many Singaporeans.
We saw ordinary Malaysians gather in the streets of their country's capital to press for election reform and none of them looked like the rabid, violent anarchists who are just out for some window-smashing and rock-hurling.
They were aunties and uncles, teachers and students, professionals and workers who wanted to express their political unhappiness over the system. They were people very much like Singaporeans who attended the nightly rallies with such enthusiasm during our own GE in May this year.
Even the daughter of Malaysia's long-time ruler Dr Mahathir Mohamed, Marina Mahathir, took part in the rally. Here's how she described what she saw:
But to me what was most important was that Malaysians proved two things: one, they can assemble together on a common cause peacefully and two, therefore showed that they are a mature people. The fact is that there were all kinds of people there, young and old, all races and religions and all classes and creeds. I bumped into many young people, the children of my friends, who had come to see what it was all about and decide for themselves what to think about the issue.
Hers was not an isolated case. Everywhere one turned, the participants were peaceful, some even in a festive and upbeat mood. A Singaporean who had observed the rally up close had this to say in a post on The Online Citizen:
The gathering of people of different races, religions, classes and creeds for a common cause was in fact reflective of their growing maturity as a people. The Bersih movement seemed to have a far greater unifying effect among the rakyat…
But ideas and ideals can never be stopped by despotic actions, as one Thomas Chai pointed out in a direct tweet to the Prime Minister: “Beneath this YELLOW there is an idea, Mr Najib, and ideas are bulletproof.”
Of course the Malaysian government, unused to such boldness, did everything it could to demonise the protesters. In a reportedly leaked memo published by the New Asia Republic, the Malaysian authorities had given instructions to portray the rally participants in as bad a light as possible.
Issue: BERSIH 2.0
By most accounts, the Bersih 2.0 protest on July 9 could turn out to be massive and will certainly go beyond issues of fair and free elections. With over 100 political, NGO and right groups could be joining the “March for Democracy”, we expect them to champion a slew of issues ranging from inflation to Teoh Beng Hock and Lynas.
The protest, if not countered, could undermine the government, the economy and national security. This note sets out the policy guidance and the do’s and don’ts in managing the issue.
Advisory
Label the rally as “perhimpunan haram” or “illegal assembly”, and that the people behind Bersih are trouble-makers and going against the Constitution and the law to gain political mileage.
Since DSAI (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) is already “out of the race” for premiership, he has to resort to street protests because PR can’t win GE13 through ballot boxes. He is seeking a “short-cut” to Putrajaya via undemocratic and unconstitutional means. Remind people about his Sept 16 bluff.
Create anxiety that Bersih is working for the interests of foreign elements, who are out to destabilise the country.
That BERSIH is not bersih (clean) after all as it is an illegal group out to create havoc.
Use the meeting to reinforce the branding as “perhimpunan haram”, that Bersih is an unlawful organisation and the perpetrators are out to create chaos.
KDN, which has jurisdiction over all print media, needs to exert its authority in ensuring the press toe the line.
The soundbytes in our favour MUST come from across the country and across the ethnic lines. The soundbytes should not just be confined to the Malays or those residing in the Klang Valley.
Media to highlight stories of how businesses, retailers, tourists, shoppers, motorists and ordinary people will be affected.
Friendly bloggers and cybertroopers will continue to be mobilised.
Reinforce the view that public sentiment is NOT with Bersih and the opposition.
Send a strong message that the government is full control of the situation, that it will not tolerate trouble makers and those who undermine the rule of law.
The propaganda had an impact. Many Malaysians bought into the notion that the rally partcipants had indeed caused mayhem and that their actions brought shame to the country. Not true, Ms Marina Mahathir countered:
There are also some people claiming that the world now has a bad impression of Malaysia because the foreign media (and the local media for that matter) reported only about the teargassing and water-cannoning. I think people are confusing the government with the people. Yes, the world now has a bad impression of the Malaysian government because it has handled this whole issue so badly. They don’t have the same impression of the Malaysians who stood up for their rights and their cause...I know that I’m on the right side.
PAP not much different
Back in the 1950s, Mr Lee Kuan Yew had organised and participated in public assemblies when he was in the opposition. He and his PAP colleagues were at the forefront of organising street protests against the British colonilaists.
Unfortunately after it came to power, its true colours emerged. The PAP Government started cracking down on protesters, portraying public gatherings as inherently evil and their participants as destructive hooligans.
In a video prepared for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference held in 2010, the police enacted scenes of a protest where participants carried placards calling for democracy.
The protesters are then shown to resort to mindless violence, throwing projectiles and even fire-bombs at the police. The police then step in and heroically save society from the bad guys. Watch the video here. (The relevant portion starts at about 3:20).
The video's sole purpose is to frighten Singaporeans and demonise freedom of assembly.
Autocratic governments will always try to paint protesters as troublemakers out to ruin the country. But there are many intelligent citizens who know that freedom of speech and assembly are basic rights necessary for a functioning democracy. They are what allow citizens to hold their governments acountable.
When good, decent and right-thinking people take to the streets to demand that their government listen to them, they can be a tremendous force for good.
Sun 31 Jul 2011 12:06 AM
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Jufrie - There have been protests in Singapore
Who says mass ptotests are not allowed in Singapore?
You are allowed to protest in a group only if you are foreigners working in Singapore, especially those from PRC. It has happened time and again. Rest assured the police will not take action against you.
But for Singaporeans even a single protester is considered an illegal assembly - ie according to a PAP bastardised version of the English language.
Mon 01 Aug 2011 5:20 AM
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singexpat53 - Bersih protest
Perhaps 6 Aug 11 is as good as any other day for singaporeans to emulate their neighbours and push for democratic and political reforms as stated in the country's constitution.
Wed 03 Aug 2011 12:48 PM
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Commoner - Meritocracy and Obscured Standards
Well, this is exactly what happens all the time. In the name of meritocracy, barriers and obstacles are, as a matter of need, installed to preclude the use of means of which has been proven effective in achieving specific ends by those who had used them if such means should threaten their comfort zones.
Certainly the power that be will swear to their graves to prevent this from happening. The recent Thai political turmoil will possibly be cited as an example why demonstration must not be allowed. Of course, for those of you who had been following the developments in Thai politics, thousands of suspicions inevitably linger in your mind. You may even suspect that the cause leading to the insane massacre and a state of temporary anarchy that ensued were actually attributable to the then Democrats-led coalition government to stump-out the rumbling threat from Thaksin and his supporters. Nevertheless, the Thai people had rationally exercised their rights in GE2011 and delivered their judgment ex post facto about the dramatic mishap.
Similarly, looking back into our history, the Hock Lee bus riot in 1955 for example, the similarly doubts of planted trouble-makers cannot be totally ruled out inasmuch as Chia Thye Poh's and Lim Chin Siong's status as communists. However, somewhat pathetically, our politically immature populace is apparently less intellectually developed than our Thai counterparts. We have acquiescently allowed the atrocity to perpetuate for almost five decades and apparently likely to continue allowing the same in the near future.
Oblivious to many people, the numbers who had suffered under detention without trial are not limited to the number of those who we have come to know. The numbers who were and are detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provision) Act far surpassed those detained under the Internal Security Act. And mind you, many as young as 16 years old are being thrown into prison for some alleged criminal involvements of which they are deemed to be of legal age to be held responsible whilst, at the same time, 16 years-old is deemed legally infirmed to cast a vote.
Our judicial impotence is primarily responsible for such acts of aggression against the people. The merits under the system of meritocracy had elevated them to the Bench to have their bottoms warmed with loads of benefits that under the same system of meritocracy they are unable to find elsewhere had made them subservient and eager to attend to the callings of their masters that they too adopted the pragmatic value of their masters in the dispensation of justice. Our Constitution is, of course, conveniently forgotten as a result thereof, leave alone the writ of habeas corpus.
The system is not going to be changed save the people wants a change and have the guts and will to institute the change, otherwise, we will have to continue to allow a so-called class of elites to build their happiness upon our sorrows in the name of meritocracy - and obscured standards of course.
Perspective 
The idea that public assemblies equal chaos has been deeply etched in the minds of Singaporeans. Such tumult, we are told, leads to violence and the eventual ruin of the country. Anyone who attempts to exercise his or her right to protest must therefore not only be penalised by the authorities but must also be censured by fellow citizens. 
But to me what was most important was that Malaysians proved two things: one, they can assemble together on a common cause peacefully and two, therefore showed that they are a mature people. The fact is that there were all kinds of people there, young and old, all races and religions and all classes and creeds. I bumped into many young people, the children of my friends, who had come to see what it was all about and decide for themselves what to think about the issue.
PAP not much different
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You are allowed to protest in a group only if you are foreigners working in Singapore, especially those from PRC. It has happened time and again. Rest assured the police will not take action against you.
But for Singaporeans even a single protester is considered an illegal assembly - ie according to a PAP bastardised version of the English language.