The newspaper headlines might have mentioned that it was Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) in the dock, but once it was disclosed that a Workers’ Party event needed approval from a People’s Action Party “grassroots leader”, it was the PAP that was on trial — in the court of public opinion.
It is very hard to see how the PAP can win an acquittal.
The bare facts are that in the run-up to Chinese New Year early 2014, the Workers’ Party-run AHPETC organised a tiny bazaar in their area with only five stalls selling festive items such as decorations, cookies and sweets, fruits such as pomelo, flowers and assorted potted plants. The National Environment Agency (NEA) said they did so illegally since they did not have a permit. AHPETC did send in some forms but because they made amendments to it, the NEA deemed the forms incomplete.
More reports about the trial can seen in The Online Citizen:
•AHPETC questions NEA on need for “mini-fairs” permit;
•NEA forms “not suitable” for town council event: Sylvia Lim;
•Applying for permit means AHPETC accepts permit was needed?
(There are also reports in the Straits Times and I would have provided the links to them except that the Straits Times is behind a paywall.)
The bombshell from the first day of the trial was that the forms...
http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/pap-went-on-trial-last-week/
It is very hard to see how the PAP can win an acquittal.
The bare facts are that in the run-up to Chinese New Year early 2014, the Workers’ Party-run AHPETC organised a tiny bazaar in their area with only five stalls selling festive items such as decorations, cookies and sweets, fruits such as pomelo, flowers and assorted potted plants. The National Environment Agency (NEA) said they did so illegally since they did not have a permit. AHPETC did send in some forms but because they made amendments to it, the NEA deemed the forms incomplete.
More reports about the trial can seen in The Online Citizen:
•AHPETC questions NEA on need for “mini-fairs” permit;
•NEA forms “not suitable” for town council event: Sylvia Lim;
•Applying for permit means AHPETC accepts permit was needed?
(There are also reports in the Straits Times and I would have provided the links to them except that the Straits Times is behind a paywall.)
The bombshell from the first day of the trial was that the forms...
http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/pap-went-on-trial-last-week/
