Today
11 July 2005
THE police made a late guest appearance at Saturday's launch of the
latest book by opposition leader Chee Soon Juan.
Held at the Grand Plaza Parkroyal Hotel, the indoor public talk,
attended by about 50 people, had ended, and the few who remained
were having refreshments when the police arrived after receiving
word that video images had been screened.
The 2003 footage of Hong Kong residents protesting peaceably
against a proposed anti-subversion law had been projected onto a
screen as Dr Chee autographed copies of his book, The Power of
Courage, after a Q&A session.
Police spokesperson ASP Victor Keong told Today: "During the event,
a video disc was screened to the public. As the disc did not
possess a certificate for public exhibition, it was seized under
the Films Act for investigation."
The police questioned Dr Chee and will take statements later for
their investigation.
During his presentation, Dr Chee cited the "unjust" introduction of
laws, as well as their selective application and interpretation, as
reasons to effect political change in Singapore through non-violent
campaigns.
In his book, he cited the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act as
"perhaps the most damaging to the development of democracy in
Singapore".
Although licensing rules for indoor public talks were eased last
year when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his National Day
Rally, encouraged greater freedom of expression, restrictions
remain for public assemblies.
Asked why he chose the topic of non-violent civil disobedience for
his sixth book, Dr Chee said there needed to be a rethink of
strategy because, after 40 years, "it real1y didn't matter what
civil society or political society did, because nothing
changes".
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief referred to electoral
reform in particular, likening the Opposition's predicament to that
of a high-jumper training to clear a certain height for a
competition, only to have officials raise the bar just before he is
about to jump.
The SDP has helped organise two workshops this year to train people
on the principles of non-violent campaigns, with a third coming up
this month. Derrick A Paulo
