Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SINGAPORE1679
2007-09-10 09:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:  

SOME CYCLISTS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS -

Tags:  PGOV PHUM SN 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHGP #1679 2530949
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 100949Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3966
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 001679 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SN
SUBJECT: SOME CYCLISTS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS -
POLITICAL ACTIVISM IN SINGAPORE


Classified By: DCM Daniel Shields for reasons 1.4(b)(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 001679

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SN
SUBJECT: SOME CYCLISTS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS -
POLITICAL ACTIVISM IN SINGAPORE


Classified By: DCM Daniel Shields for reasons 1.4(b)(d).


1. (C) Summary: An internet blogger has revealed a double
standard by the GOS on outdoor political events. In August,
the opposition Workers' Party was denied a police permit to
hold a mass cycling event and the GOS defended the decision
in Parliament saying that no political party was allowed to
organize "outdoor gatherings." The blogger then revealed
that the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) Youth wing was
advertising similar events on its website. This led to two
PAP MPs claiming to the Straits Times newspaper that their
events had already either been canceled or postponed due to a
lack of interest and manpower. End Summary.

No Cycling For You
--------------


2. (C) In early August, the opposition Workers' Party (WP)
applied for a police permit to hold a mass cycling event at
the East Coast Park on September 9. It was intended to kick
off a series of activities to commemorate the party's 50th
anniversary in November, WP Chairman and Non-Constituency MP
Sylvia Lim told us on September 10. On August 14, the police
denied WP's application. During the August 27 sitting of
Parliament, Lim questioned the GOS for the reasons for the
denial. Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho
Peng Kee replied that no political party was allowed to
organize "outdoor gatherings because such activities have the
potential for public disorder and mischief, and may disrupt
community life." Ho then stressed that this policy applied
"to all political parties." When pressed by WP MP Low Thia
Khiang for any examples of WP events causing such problems,
Ho replied by saying "I don't know whether Mr. Low's hearing
aid is with him because I know he wears one -- I have said
that there is a greater potential for law and order problem."


Blogger Reveals All
--------------


3. (SBU) On September 4, internet blogger "Mr. Brown"
revealed that cycling with the ruling People's Action Party
(PAP) must apparently be safer for the community, as the
Young PAP (YP) had listed on its website a "Night Cycling"
event for July 28 and an Amazing Race outdoor event for
October 1. Three days later, "Mr. Brown" noted on his blog
that the two events had disappeared from the YP calendar.
(Note: "Mr. Brown" was fired from his column in the Today
newspaper in July 2006 for pointing out that the GOS had
raised some fees and taxes shortly after the PAP's May 2006
election victory. End Note.)

Deny, Deny, Deny
--------------


4. (U) This led to two YP advisers denying in a September 8
article in the Straits Times newspaper that the two events
had been dropped from the calendar after what had happened to
the Workers' Party cycling event. PAP MP Lim Wee Kiak said
the July 28 "Night Cycling" event had been canceled due to a
lack of interest and claimed that the YP hadn't even
organized it, even though it was listed on the YP website as
"YP Night Cycling." PAP MP Zaqy Mohamed said the October 1
Amazing Race event had been postponed due to a shortage of
manpower. He asserted that the decision to postpone the
activity had come before the August 27 session of Parliament
and they hadn't applied for a permit yet.

Comment
--------------


5. (C) This incident reveals the sporadic ability of internet
bloggers to keep the GOS on its toes. However, the
government's control over the mainstream media ensures that
the revelation of apparent double standards or ruling party
MPs insulting people who wear hearing aids will cause minimal
political damage to the PAP.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD