Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann City

[xingguy]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Source: 1,000 Likes for a By-Election in Hougang

Goh Meng Seng SingaporeanFirst:

The SPH ST WF and PAP Ministers should be re-educated on the LAW of Singapore.

Foreigners cannot just anyhow suka suka display their own country's flags on Singapore soil. There are protocols.

Unless the PAP Minister(s) put up on the Gazette to give specific permission for them to do so.
So as I say, if PAP Minister(s) really thinks it is ok for Philippinos to celebrate their country's Independence Day at Taka in Orchard Road, please put up on the Gazette to permit them to put up their flags at Orchard Road... My challenge still stands....

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —
“national emblem” means any flag, banner or other emblem being or purporting to be the flag, banner or other emblem of any state, or the flag, banner or other emblem of any political organisation claiming to be a national movement in any state or any likeness or resemblance however reproduced of any national leader or former national leader of any state or the leader or former leader of any such political organisation;
“premises” means any land, building, vessel, vehicle or place whatsoever;
“school” means any premises or any part of any premises where persons are habitually taught whether in one or more classes;
“state” means any state or country, other than Singapore, and includes any dependency, possession or part of any state.

Display of national emblems in public or at schools prohibited
3.—(1) No person shall display in public or at or within any school any national emblem.
(2) For the purposes of this section, an emblem shall be deemed to be displayed in public if it is displayed in any road, street, bridge, passage, footway or place over which the public or any class of the public has a right of way or to which the public has access, whether on payment or otherwise, or if it is displayed in such manner as to be visible from any such road, street, bridge, passage, footway or place by any member of the public using the same or being therein.

---

Singapore Statutes Online - 196 - National Emblems (Control of Display) Act

 

[laksaboy]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

If Singapore were compared to George Orwell's Animal Farm, this is pivotal the 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others' moment.

I hope we, the farm animals, finally open our eyes. Maybe it's a little late, but better to wake up before you die than to persist in slumber for the rest of your life.

 

[Kohliantye]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

The invading armies are good at extending their turf.

They have already made Lucky Plaza as "an integral part of Phillippines"

Now their "armies are going to take over Ngee Ann City.

Finally, they would be at the gates of the Istana.

I heard God Save The Queen, Negara Ku and now Majulah Singapura, what's gonna be next??????????

 

[3_M]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Source: 1,000 Likes for a By-Election in Hougang

Goh Meng Seng SingaporeanFirst:

The SPH ST WF and PAP Ministers should be re-educated on the LAW of Singapore.

Foreigners cannot just anyhow suka suka display their own country's flags on Singapore soil. There are protocols.

Unless the PAP Minister(s) put up on the Gazette to give specific permission for them to do so.
So as I say, if PAP Minister(s) really thinks it is ok for Philippinos to celebrate their country's Independence Day at Taka in Orchard Road, please put up on the Gazette to permit them to put up their flags at Orchard Road... My challenge still stands....

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —
“national emblem” means any flag, banner or other emblem being or purporting to be the flag, banner or other emblem of any state, or the flag, banner or other emblem of any political organisation claiming to be a national movement in any state or any likeness or resemblance however reproduced of any national leader or former national leader of any state or the leader or former leader of any such political organisation;
“premises” means any land, building, vessel, vehicle or place whatsoever;
“school” means any premises or any part of any premises where persons are habitually taught whether in one or more classes;
“state” means any state or country, other than Singapore, and includes any dependency, possession or part of any state.

Display of national emblems in public or at schools prohibited
3.—(1) No person shall display in public or at or within any school any national emblem.
(2) For the purposes of this section, an emblem shall be deemed to be displayed in public if it is displayed in any road, street, bridge, passage, footway or place over which the public or any class of the public has a right of way or to which the public has access, whether on payment or otherwise, or if it is displayed in such manner as to be visible from any such road, street, bridge, passage, footway or place by any member of the public using the same or being therein.

---

Singapore Statutes Online - 196 - National Emblems (Control of Display) Act

It really up to someone who is brave enough to challenge the govt in the court on this matter of constitutional abuse.

 

[johnny333]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

I expect the Istana swimming pool to be full of Pinay bar girls..

Isn't the Istana where the old man is staying

He doesn't like to share anything.

 

[virus]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

never judge a book by its cover.

 

[xingguy]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Source: TR EMERITUS

N-Day celebrates a nation’s sovereignty
April 19th, 2014

[Ng Kok Lim rebuts 2 letters published in ST Forum: 'ST Forum letters supporting pinoy N-Day celebration'.]

I refer to the 18 Apr 2014 Straits Times letter “a question of fairness” by Mr Jeffrey Law.

Mr Law claims that xenophobia has reared its ugly head when Singaporeans condemn the public celebration of the Philippines’ Independence. It is Mr Law who is mistaken; there is nothing xenophobic about the protection of Singapore’s sovereignty which is the sacred right and duty of every Singaporean including Mr Law. To absolve oneself of such duty and to denigrate it as being xenophobic is to display the utmost disrespect and betrayal to our nation and to Singaporeans.

We have a law that forbids flags of other nations from being flown in Singapore except in Embassies and the like. The reason is simple, the flag symbolizes sovereignty and the right to raise the flags of other nations symbolizes the sovereignty of other nations which correspondingly reduces the sovereignty of our own nation.

The celebration of Independence Day cannot be anything but the celebration of a nation’s sovereignty. So the public celebration of a nation’s independence is the public celebration of a nation’s sovereignty which is like the flying of a nation’s flag in public. Unless Ngee Ann City has suddenly become the Philippines Embassy, allowing the public celebration of the Philippines National Day at Ngee Ann City is akin to recognizing Philippines sovereignty on Singapore soil. That would be the utmost betrayal to our nation.

The fact that we live in a cosmopolitan city doesn’t make us less of a country and doesn’t mean we should be accommodating to the point of giving up our sovereignty. Good ties with the Philippines cannot be founded upon us giving up our sovereignty to them.

Overseas Singaporeans are at liberty to celebrate National Day in private or at the Singapore Embassy but not in public. The Singapore Day is clearly not the Singapore National Day and its significance is nowhere near. Its purpose is to simply engage overseas Singaporeans and throughout its seven years of being held, was never held on National Day.

While we expect to be welcomed in other countries, we don’t expect to impose Singaporean sovereignty in other countries.

I refer too to the 18 Apr 2014 Straits Times letter “puzzling protest” by Ms Tan Say Yin.

Ms Tan’s puzzlement and questions over Singaporeans’ protest of the Philippines Independence Day on Orchard Road belies her lack of understanding of what it means to be patriotic. If Singaporeans had gathered in the thousands to sing Majulah Singapura on 9 August in front of Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka Square, what message would we be sending to our Malaysian neighbours? While we should be grateful to foreign workers whom we depend on to do the work that we would not do, the balance is lost when we allow our sovereignty to be compromised.

Thank you

Ng Kok Lim

* Submitted by TRE reader.

 

[laksaboy]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Heh, you can always depend on Jeffrey Law Lee Beng to post some vapid pro-establishment claptrap on the ST forum.

He has been at it for years and years.

 

[ILovePAP]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

 

[xingguy]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

 

[xingguy]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Source: The Online Citizen

A potential problem with law and order?
April 19 2014
17:33

The Independence Day celebration being organised by the Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS) has thrown up a question about law and order, and the reasons the authorities have given for allowing or disallowing such public events in the past.

The celebratory event, which is to be held in June at the Civic Plaza in Ngee Ann City in Orchard Road, has drawn protests from some Singaporeans.

The Prime Minister himself has now joined in to condemn the alleged “harassment” of the organisers by those who have taken offence at the event.

According to one news report:

The event organisers said they have been harassed with anonymous phone calls demanding the cancellation of the June 8 carnival at Ngee Ann City’s Civic Plaza. “The callers say we have no right to hold the event in Orchard Road,” said organiser Rychie Andres of the Pilipino Independence Day Council Singapore (PIDCS).

“We do not dare to pick up phone calls now if we don’t recognise the number.”

Many calls have been filled with expletives and are often made late at night, said the non-profit group, which is made up of about 20 Filipino volunteers.

The organisers do not plan to report the calls to the police because they do not want to escalate matters, they said.
​

The protesters are against the use of the Singapore skyline in the promotional posters for the event, such as this one which they find offensive. The sun’s rays resemble that of the Japanese “rising sun” flags and posters during the Japanese Occupation, and the Filipinos soldiers raising the Filipino flag against the backdrop of a Singapore skyline is suggestive of an invasion or occupation of the island.

The protesters are also against the event being held in a very public place, in the heart of Singapore’s premier shopping belt.

The celebration will be held on a Sunday, 8 June, and the organisers hope it will attract “more than 10,000 people.”

It would thus seem that it will be a major celebration.

The protests from some members of the public, however, and the alleged harassment directed at the organisers have thrown up the question of law and order, and its potential to disrupt the public peace.

In 2007, the Workers’ Party (WP) application for a permit to hold a cycling event in East Coast Park to celebrate its 50th anniversary was denied by the authorities.

In his explanation to Parliament, the then Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ho Peng Kee, said:

“It is an open area where there is potential for breach of peace, public disorder, and unruly behaviour.”​

And he added:

“You may be well behaving, but there may be other people whom you come across when you cycle who may stop you, may want to debate with you and that may attract a crowd, therefore will result in problems the police want to avoid.”​

A year later, the People’s Action Party Community Foundation (PCF) organised a “family day carnival” at West Coast Park where PM Lee was the guest of honour.

Questions were then raised in Parliament by then Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), Sylvia Lim, and Nominated MP (NMP) Siew Kum Hong about the apparent disparity in treatment of the WP cycling event and the PCF one.

They asked if the government’s position on such outdoor political events by political parties or their organisations has changed.

In his response, Associate Professor Ho said it has not. He also explained that the PCF event was a “family day” event, compared to the WP one which was political.

When probed further, Assoc Prof Ho said:

“It’s quite different for a political party under its own banner to organise an event where it espouses a political cause, talking about issues that are close to the hearts. Some Singaporeans will agree, disagree.

“As we have seen in other countries, when you do this, because politics can create emotive feelings, passion…you may not intend it, but then there may be bystanders who may stir up the situation.”​

Now, while the PIDCS event is not organised by any Filipino political party – if it were, the event would not even be approved – it nonetheless is a political one, as some have argued.

Celebrating one’s National Day of Independence is an emotional event, as Singaporeans themselves can attest, with the singing of the national anthem, the recitation of the national pledge, and the general feeling of patriotism and nationalism.

Indeed, there are few events which could be as emotionally charged as remembering and celebrating the birth of one’s homeland, which invariably entail the sacrifices of fellow citizens.

This is not to say that the Filipinos, or anyone else for that matter, should not be allowed to celebrate their nationhood in Singapore. They should, as indeed our foreign friends do. (See here.)

But for an event in a public place like Orchard Road, which its organisers hope to attract 10,000 people on a busy Sunday, and now with the very public protest against it, one would naturally ask if the reasons given by Assoc Prof Ho for disallowing the WP to hold its cycling event would also apply here.

In the same way as Assoc Prof Ho said the WP event might cause a “breach of peace, public disorder, and unruly behaviour”, and that “politics can create emotive feelings, passion” and that “there may be bystanders who may stir up the situation”, would the PIDCS event in June also not have the potential to cause all these as well, given what has transpired so far?

So, the question is: do the same reasons given for disallowing the WP a permit for its event also apply here in this PIDCS case?

Last year, we saw a riot take place in Little India, with a large crowd of people involved. Alcohol was fingered as one of the causes, and subsequently special legislative measures were introduced to prevent another occurrence of such an incident.

Would the PIDCS event in June also have the potential for law and order problems, given that emotions are running high over it, and undoubtedly will on the day itself too?

*Incidentally, filmmaker Martyn See has applied to the police to hold a “People Against Poverty” (PAP) rally at the Civic Plaza at Ngee Ann City on 8 June. (See here.)

 

[winnipegjets]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

You can bet the Ah Nehs in sinkapore will be celebrating their independence day in a grander scale to outdo the Pinoys.

 

[McDonaldsKid]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Better dont go Ngee Ann on 8 June.

 

[McDonaldsKid]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

You can bet the Ah Nehs in sinkapore will be celebrating their independence day in a grander scale to outdo the Pinoys.

Waiting for the Tiongs too.

 

[SadPlumpGirl]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Better dont go Ngee Ann on 8 June.

yep...looks like a huge security issue looming at this rate....

 

[Logisex]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

Even my PRC friend was shocked when he heard about this. To him, its like celebrating Singapore National Day at Tian An Men Square - it will never happen.

The next question he asked me was: "So now that the foreigners have climbed over your head, what are you locals going to do?"

 

[Faker]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

What a joke. Just look at the country's name, don't even suggest any independence.

 

[ILovePAP]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

 

[DuYunQi]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

You can bet the Ah Nehs in sinkapore will be celebrating their independence day in a grander scale to outdo the Pinoys.

I think the PRCs will beat the Ah Nehs to it. and I just hope.. really hope.. that some PRC nationals will go to this stupid event and cause some ruckus.. as we all know that CHINA and Pinoyland are fighting over some island in the sea.. if a lot of PRC go there.. YEAH!!

Let's get ready to.. watch them rumble!!

 

[SadPlumpGirl]

Re: Philippine Independence Day Celebration To Be Held on 8 June 2014 at Ngee Ann Cit

I think the PRCs will beat the Ah Nehs to it. and I just hope.. really hope.. that some PRC nationals will go to this stupid event and cause some ruckus.. as we all know that CHINA and Pinoyland are fighting over some island in the sea.. if a lot of PRC go there.. YEAH!!

Let's get ready to.. watch them rumble!!

cool....let's see how PAP handle when Ah Tiongs wanna have a big national day party at Chinatown