Forum to go ahead with local speakers. Come down and register your disgust with ministerial pay hike.
Date
13 Apr 07, Friday
7:00 pm
Venue
Venue: Sheraton Towers, Scotts Road
Opal Ballroom
Given that the police have banned the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) from speaking at tonight's forum, the speakers will not address the audience.
However, Dr Chee Soon Juan and other SDP leaders will go ahead with their talk as no permit is required for locals to speak at a public forum.
Therefore, event will go ahead and we call on Singaporeans to attend as the issue of the ministerial salary increase will take centre stage. Dr Chee will show how the PAP's political-economic strategy is harming the future of the nation.
So if you are have been unhappy with the issue of the pay hike, come down to Sheraton Towers Hotel, Scotts Road, at 7 pm at the Opal Ballroom and register your displeasure with the PAP.
This is also a chance for you to interact with the MEPs on an individual basis at the reception who will be present.
In the meantime, the delegation will be meeting with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Indranee Rajah, and other PAP MPs, this afternoon and will discuss this matter.
The Ambassador of the European Commission in Singapore has also been alerted to the situation.
It is ironic that today marks the 10th anniversary of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF). Minister S Jayakumar is the guest-of-honor at a reception tonight. ASEF will be notified of the ban on the European speakers. It is understood that the European Parliament in Brussels will also be informed of the developments.
The MEPs will conduct a press conference at 6 pm this evening also at the Sheraton Hotel before the public forum. An official statement will be released from the delegation.
The SDP will issue a separate statement on the matter and reply to the propaganda put out by the Ministry of Home Affairs in its press release this morning.
Singapore Bans Opposition Forum On Ministers' Pay Hike
ReplyDeleteApr 13 2007
11:14:00 AM
Dow Jones International News
English
(c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
SINGAPORE (AP)--Singapore has banned an opposition party from holding a public debate on the recent hefty salary hike for government ministers, and has forbidden seven EU invitees from speaking on the subject in the Southeast Asian city-state.
However, the opposition Singapore Democratic Party said in a statement Friday that it will defy the ban and hold the forum as planned later in the day, albeit only with local speakers.
In a statement late Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said police have rejected the SDP's application to hold the forum "on the ground of public interest." It did not elaborate.
It said immigration authorities also rejected applications for professional visit passes for the seven members of the European Parliament the party had invited to speak.
"Singapore's politics are reserved for Singaporeans. As visitors to our country, foreigners should not abuse their privilege by interfering in our domestic politics," the statement said.
"Foreigners who abuse the privileges that Singapore accords to guests and visitors, and meddle in Singapore's domestic politics, are not welcome here," it said.
Chee Siok Chin, sister of party leader Chee Soon Juan and a senior party member herself, said the seven foreign invitees arrived in Singapore late Thursday, apparently on social visit visas.
They will not speak at the forum, Chee said, adding that she would. The party faces up to S$10,000 ($6535) in fines for defying the government ban.
The barred speakers include European Parliament members Graham Watson of the United Kingdom, Anders Samuelsen of Denmark and Lydie Polfer of Luxembourg, a former deputy prime minister of that country.
Not allowing members of the European Parliament "to speak at a public meeting organized by another legally recognized political party of Singapore is regretted by the European Union," Holger Standertskjold, the head of the delegation of the European Commission to Singapore, said in a statement.
The Singapore government said earlier this week that the yearly salaries of government ministers will increase by 60% to S$1.92 million by 2008.
Under the proposed changes, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's annual salary would rise by the end of the year to S$3.1 million - about five times higher than that of U.S. President George W. Bush.
Lee earned S$2.5 million last year, according to parliamentary documents. Lee later said he would donate his raise to charity.
The ruling People's Action Party defends the high incomes by saying ministers and civil servants must be paid enough to attract the best talent, and to help prevent corruption.