Teens' white elephant T-shirt venture gets police
attention
VAL CHUA
Assistant News Editor
[email protected]
CONTROVERSY has trailed the Buangkok MRT station for the past
two-and-a-half years right up to its long-awaited opening
day.
On Friday, while preparations went into overdrive for the carnival
to celebrate the opening of the $80-million station on Sunday,
drama knocked on its doors yet again. This time, it was over some
"Save the White Elephants" T-shirts that former Raffles Girls'
School (RGS) students were planning to sell at the carnival.
That day, the students and Punggol South organisers received a
reminder from the police that they needed a fund-raising permit
before they could sell the T-shirts to the public, in line with
existing regulations. The 27 students were also told that they
might break the law if the T-shirts were worn "en masse".
The last minute reminder had apparently caught the 17-year-old
students who had created the T-shirts last year after the
infamous white-elephant incident off guard. When contacted, a
police spokesperson confirmed that the advisory was sent out.
"In view of the nature of the event, we had advised the organisers
that they should be aware that the wearing of T-shirts en masse may
be misconstrued by some as an offence under the Miscellaneous
Offences (Public & Order & Nuisance) (Assemblies &
Processions) Rules. Should Police receive any report or complaints,
we would have to look into the matter. This is consistent with all
reports made to the Police," he told Today.
But the police have no objections to the fund-raising initiative
per se, and are prepared to expedite the permit, which normally
takes three days to process.
"In this case, we have made an exception for the students. We have
communicated to the event organiser that the fundraisers can still
apply for a permit on Saturday, as long as they are able to produce
a memo of understanding with the charitable organisation," said the
police spokesperson on Friday night.
The latest drama caps the bumpy ride surrounding the Buangkok MRT
station, which will finally open after two-and-a-half years of
lobbying, including the placement of eight cut-outs of white
elephants in August, which resulted in the police issuing a stern
warning to a grassroots leader.
The then-RGS girls were inspired by the incident to create the
T-shirts, selling them at $12 each, to raise funds for Youth
Guidance, a charity that helps youth at risk. They managed to sell
all but 60 of some 300 T-shirts.
Calling themselves Project White Elephant, the girls formerly
from class 415 in RGS had said in a Lianhe Zaobao interview that
they had always taken a strong interest in current affairs and the
Buangkok incident had caught their attention.
They wanted to "galvanise the youth of today to rise up from the
apathy they are stereotyped with and take an active role in airing
their views".
In an infosheet which they sent to potential buyers of the
T-shirts, they had said: "Even though the White Elephant has become
our mascot and symbol for the project, we are in no way attempting
to judge or condone the Buangkok MRT incident.
"Rather, we are using the accidental fame of the elephants to spark
interest in our project; they also serve as a reminder that legal
boundaries are important and should be adhered to even while
expressing one's views and opinions about political issues."
Impressed by their entrepreneurial spirit and derring-do, Punggol
South grassroots leaders had invited the team to set up a stall at
the opening ceremony of the station.
Commenting on the latest police advisory, a grassroots leader
remarked: "There's no reason for them to protest, because the
station is going to be opened!"
Some 5,000 residents and non-residents who had each bought
tickets at $3 are expected to turn up this Sunday. A 240m long
ribbon will be placed around the station, allowing for some 400
residents to cut the ribbon alongside guests of honour.
Of the latest controversy, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Charles Chong
advised the students: "The (fund-raising) permit is not a new
requirement. We would urge them to get it."
He also assured the authorities that the participants had been
given T-shirts to wear but they are purple in colour, with "no
animal images on it".
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This is preposterous, not to mention a slap in the face of common
sense. 
There is evidently a lack of brains/common sense in the upper
echelons that run this show.. 
