Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11

loupgarou · 11th August 2005

http://www.flickr.com/photos/loupgarou/

SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (AFP) -

Riot police Thursday broke up a rare demonstration by four people demanding greater transparency and accountability in Singapore's state-managed pension fund and other government-linked agencies.

A dozen anti-riot police wearing helmets and knee-high protective gear and carrying shields and batons formed a phalanx outside the offices of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) as a commanding officer approached the demonstrators.

"You are committing an offence of public nuisance. If you don't disperse you will be arrested," the officer told the protesters as business people and employees watched in the central business district.

The four protesters, among them an office administrator and the sister of an opposition leader, Chee Soon Juan, voluntarily dispersed. They denied being part of any political group.

Police later asked them to hand over their protest materials -- T-shirts and placards -- as part of an investigation to determine whether they had violated any laws.

The two men and two women assembled at lunchtime outside the CPF building in the business district. They said they did not need a permit and staged their protest for about an hour.

Under the law, any public protest of at least five people without a police permit is deemed illegal. The protest took place as Singapore was in the midst of official celebrations of its 40th anniversary of independence.

The protesters hoisted placards calling for greater openness in how the government handles public funds used for retirement pensions, overseas investments and the building of subsidized high-rise apartments.

A police officer said they had received a telephone call from a "member of the public" about the protest, prompting them to send in the riot police.

Monica Kumar, 45, one of the protesters, said they had been insipired by public outrage that followed revelations last month that the chief executive of Singapore's biggest charity, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), was being paid 350,000 US dollars annually.

The scandal sparked an online petition signed by more than 40,000 people and forced the NKF chief executive, T.T. Durai, and the entire board to resign.

"In reality, the NKF is reflective of the entire system in Singapore where public matters are run in a non-transparent and non-accountable manner," the protesters said in a statement.

The statement called on the Housing Development Board and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) to open their books for public scrutiny.

GIC manages more than 100 billion US dollars in funds and invests globally.

"We call on the government to make Singapore more transparent and accountable, starting with the state organisations mentioned above," the protesters said.

weg · 11th August 2005

now how come news din report about this... i applaud their courage

benny · 11th August 2005

Seems like you are at the right place at the right time.

Very smart of the protesters too! 4 members, just short of running afoul of the law.

Cheers,

igpenguin · 11th August 2005

it's not on CNA's website.. let's wait for tomorrow's newspapers.

AReality · 12th August 2005

Look more like photoshoot than protest leh...

loupgarou · 12th August 2005

I read about it, so I went down at lunch time to take the photos.

AReality · 12th August 2005

It's on today's straits times, HOME section, page 2, bottom left. Small small only.

Wai · 12th August 2005

Got any photo of the 40 riot policemen??

saw some of them in this post

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showt...5&page=1&pp=15

http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest1.jpg
http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest2.jpg
http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest3.jpg

hmmm..why do they need 40 riot policemen in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guards vs two man two woman with only one cardboard???

zod · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by Wai

hmmm..why do they need [b]40 riot policemen in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guard vs two man two woman with only one cardboard???

SAF use 3:1 ratio
so police cannot lose. must use 10:1 ratio

mervlam · 13th August 2005

one of the points of riot police is intimidation, hence the bigger numbers.

maddog · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by Wai

hmmm..why do they need 40 riot policemen in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guards vs two man two woman with only one cardboard???

unlike army, they only got two dress codes, civee and fbo.

maddog · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by AReality

Look more like photoshoot than protest leh...

maybe the photographers were expecting the maxim babes....

melnjes · 13th August 2005

One thing nobody mentioned was that at least for a while, Mr Chee Soon Juan was at the side selling his books. I'm not kidding - it's true.

+1 before lock.

Canonised · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by mervlam

one of the points of riot police is intimidation, hence the bigger numbers.

Isn't this the same method our authority is using against anyone here? Juz look at that poor Kuan....

Hommie · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by zod

SAF use 3:1 ratio
so police cannot lose. must use 10:1 ratio

huaiwei · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by Wai

Got any photo of the 40 riot policemen??

saw some of them in this post

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showt...5&page=1&pp=15

http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest1.jpg
http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest2.jpg
http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest3.jpg

hmmm..why do they need 40 riot policemen in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guards vs two man two woman with only one cardboard???

Actually.....they riot police meh? Dosent look like from the picts leh...

Wai · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by huaiwei

Actually.....they riot police meh? Dosent look like from the picts leh...

http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest1.jpg

they are in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guards

i think we seldom see them in action except during NDP match pass

huaiwei · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by Wai

http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest1.jpg

they are in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guards

Yes I can see that, but do you guys define "riot police" as folks from the SOC, or simply NPCOs who come with shields, helmets, and so on?

sniperj · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by weg

now how come news din report about this... i applaud their courage

We need more of this courages people....hmmm come to think abt it so true...more transparency in HDB,,,keep claiming susidised our flat and yet build such a huge nice bldg at Toa payoh...if susudused how come so rich...

DIdnt knw otherwise cld have gone done to snap at our riot police...

huaiwei · 13th August 2005

Originally Posted by sniperj

We need more of this courages people....hmmm come to think abt it so true...more transparency in HDB,,,keep claiming susidised our flat and yet build such a huge nice bldg at Toa payoh...if susudused how come so rich...

DIdnt knw otherwise cld have gone done to snap at our riot police...

You think the riot police is the govt ah?

Walao if wan to complain, dont vent it on the poor innocent souls leh!

11th August 2005	#1
loupgarou Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,794	Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 http://www.flickr.com/photos/loupgarou/ SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (AFP) - Riot police Thursday broke up a rare demonstration by four people demanding greater transparency and accountability in Singapore's state-managed pension fund and other government-linked agencies. A dozen anti-riot police wearing helmets and knee-high protective gear and carrying shields and batons formed a phalanx outside the offices of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) as a commanding officer approached the demonstrators. "You are committing an offence of public nuisance. If you don't disperse you will be arrested," the officer told the protesters as business people and employees watched in the central business district. The four protesters, among them an office administrator and the sister of an opposition leader, Chee Soon Juan, voluntarily dispersed. They denied being part of any political group. Police later asked them to hand over their protest materials -- T-shirts and placards -- as part of an investigation to determine whether they had violated any laws. The two men and two women assembled at lunchtime outside the CPF building in the business district. They said they did not need a permit and staged their protest for about an hour. Under the law, any public protest of at least five people without a police permit is deemed illegal. The protest took place as Singapore was in the midst of official celebrations of its 40th anniversary of independence. The protesters hoisted placards calling for greater openness in how the government handles public funds used for retirement pensions, overseas investments and the building of subsidized high-rise apartments. A police officer said they had received a telephone call from a "member of the public" about the protest, prompting them to send in the riot police. Monica Kumar, 45, one of the protesters, said they had been insipired by public outrage that followed revelations last month that the chief executive of Singapore's biggest charity, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), was being paid 350,000 US dollars annually. The scandal sparked an online petition signed by more than 40,000 people and forced the NKF chief executive, T.T. Durai, and the entire board to resign. "In reality, the NKF is reflective of the entire system in Singapore where public matters are run in a non-transparent and non-accountable manner," the protesters said in a statement. The statement called on the Housing Development Board and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) to open their books for public scrutiny. GIC manages more than 100 billion US dollars in funds and invests globally. "We call on the government to make Singapore more transparent and accountable, starting with the state organisations mentioned above," the protesters said.

11th August 2005	#2
weg Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: WSSS Posts: 728	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 now how come news din report about this... i applaud their courage

11th August 2005	#3
benny Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Clementi Posts: 1,716	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 Seems like you are at the right place at the right time. Very smart of the protesters too! 4 members, just short of running afoul of the law. Cheers,

11th August 2005	#4
igpenguin Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,108	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 it's not on CNA's website.. let's wait for tomorrow's newspapers.

12th August 2005	#5
AReality Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4,396	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 Look more like photoshoot than protest leh... __________________ . The Visual Journalist

12th August 2005	#8
Wai Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: South Pole with Penguins Posts: 5,133	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 Got any photo of the 40 riot policemen?? saw some of them in this post http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showt...5&page=1&pp=15 http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest1.jpg http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest2.jpg http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/nkfprotest3.jpg hmmm..why do they need 40 riot policemen in truncheons, shields, head gear, and shin guards vs two man two woman with only one cardboard??? Last edited by Wai; 12th August 2005 at 11:38 PM.

13th August 2005	#10
mervlam Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 2,422	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 one of the points of riot police is intimidation, hence the bigger numbers.

13th August 2005	#13
melnjes Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,132	Re: Protest outside cpf building 2005-08-11 One thing nobody mentioned was that at least for a while, Mr Chee Soon Juan was at the side selling his books. I'm not kidding - it's true. +1 before lock. Last edited by melnjes; 13th August 2005 at 09:18 AM.