Some of you might have attended various events organised and hosted by Function 8. However do be careful as it now being used as a honey trap by the authorities to identify and catalogue people who are organising and meeting people who the authorities regard as subversive to Singapore. It has been operation for some years now and visitors and those previously deported and banned have been allowed to return at the invitation of Function 8 and even conduct training previously banned.
To be clear, there are 2 levels of activities taking place and at times these overlap. The first type involves decent and brave folks expressing the displeasure and dissent of oppressive and authoritarian conduct of this Govt. And it also covers abuses of the authority along the way. This is very important for any society let alone a country to advance in the way they treat and value their citizens and being fair in the treatment of all. The second type is the subversive activity and this is the main concern.
As to the genesis of Function 8, the origins are traced to some who were detained during Operation Spectrum. When they were first released, they approached the Singapore Ex-Political Detainees Association whose membership included those were involved in Operations ColdStore and similar operations down the years. The Association however rebuffed them on the basis there the group did not have any clear political ideology and are not true political detainees. In time Function 8 was formed. It now includes others who were even detained during Coldstore and subsequent detentions but these are few. Not all Operation Spectrum detainees are involved in the second type of activities but they do attend he first type of usual activities.
Except for one political party, the rest have avoided Function 8 even though some members do attend the first type of activities. This political party only has 1 individual heavily involved in Function 8.
On honeytraps - these need not be created by the authorities, any congregation that started by others become one if it is convenient. The fact that previously deported and banned individuals were allowed back clearly makes it one. It does serve their purpose to identify the locals who are drawn and inclined towards subversive activities. Of course I would not put it pass these authorities to actually encourage these activities to draw more people in who might have the best of intentions.
http://theindependent.sg/function-8...individual-citizens-and-civil-society-groups/
To be clear, there are 2 levels of activities taking place and at times these overlap. The first type involves decent and brave folks expressing the displeasure and dissent of oppressive and authoritarian conduct of this Govt. And it also covers abuses of the authority along the way. This is very important for any society let alone a country to advance in the way they treat and value their citizens and being fair in the treatment of all. The second type is the subversive activity and this is the main concern.
As to the genesis of Function 8, the origins are traced to some who were detained during Operation Spectrum. When they were first released, they approached the Singapore Ex-Political Detainees Association whose membership included those were involved in Operations ColdStore and similar operations down the years. The Association however rebuffed them on the basis there the group did not have any clear political ideology and are not true political detainees. In time Function 8 was formed. It now includes others who were even detained during Coldstore and subsequent detentions but these are few. Not all Operation Spectrum detainees are involved in the second type of activities but they do attend he first type of usual activities.
Except for one political party, the rest have avoided Function 8 even though some members do attend the first type of activities. This political party only has 1 individual heavily involved in Function 8.
On honeytraps - these need not be created by the authorities, any congregation that started by others become one if it is convenient. The fact that previously deported and banned individuals were allowed back clearly makes it one. It does serve their purpose to identify the locals who are drawn and inclined towards subversive activities. Of course I would not put it pass these authorities to actually encourage these activities to draw more people in who might have the best of intentions.
http://theindependent.sg/function-8...individual-citizens-and-civil-society-groups/
Function 8 condemns use of gov’t powers against individual citizens and civil society groups
By The Independent - June 1, 2016 6 1139
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The following is a press release by Function 8.
Function 8 deplores the intimidation of Roy Ngerng and Teo Soh Lung and the unnecessary seizure of their mobile phones and computers. This follows their interviews with the police pertaining to an investigation into facebook postings on cooling off day on 6 May 2016 at the Police Cantonment Complex. The police have clearly abused their power of investigation even though both Roy and Soh Lung had never denied, and indeed confirmed at the interview, that they had commented on, and shared postings on Facebook which had been made by others.
Function 8 deeply regrets the actions of the police in this unnecessary seizure which is an invasion of privacy and an act of intimidation against Roy and Soh Lung. In our view, it is part of a chain of recent incidents that encroach upon work of civil society which contribute to the legitimate exercise of good citizenship.
We, at Function 8, condemns the use of governmental powers against sincere individual citizens and civil society groups that are striving to make our nation a more inclusive, and a more caring one, accountable for the welfare of our fellow human beings. This is truly an act of legal opportunism.
Function 8 Ltd
1 June 2016
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