According to & nbsp, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim in parliament on Monday, November 6, the Singapore government has rejected five requests to use the Speakers’ Corner for events related to the Israel-Hamas war in October.
Separately, the Ministry of Home Affairs ( MHA ) issued a fresh warning against wearing or displaying combat-related clothing and accessories with foreign national emblems.
On October 7, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and kidnapping over 230 citizens. Roughly 10,000 people have died as a result of Tel Aviv’s airstrikes and ground bombardments in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
The officers and National Parks Board of Singapore have announced that they will reject applications for public gatherings and events related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Gilbert Goh, an activist, is under investigation for putting up a sign about the fight outside Speakers’ Corner.
Given the lessons the issue could teach national education and the fact that it is already widely covered online and in the news, & nbsp, Nominated MP Dr. Syed Harun Alhabsyi said he was” slightly disappointed” by the government’s decision to reject applications during a debate on the conflict in parliament.
I can understand the original worries about public order, the subject’s sensitivity, and the turbulence of the situation abroad, but I do hope the government will change its mind soon.
” We should keep allowing for peaceful conversation of such issues so that those with opposing viewpoints can do so in a respectful and sensitive manner. Then, over time, world as a whole gains from like depth and complexity of discourse.
The sole location in Singapore where Singaporeans may carry outdoor gatherings and parades without a police permit is The Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park. Those who wish to utilize the area may submit an application to NParks.
More than 400 requests to use the Speakers’ Corner for activities have been made to NParks over the past three decades. According to Assoc Prof. Faishal, seven uses were turned down.
Five of the seven failures were for matters pertaining to the October Israel-Hamas issue. For related activities in December 2022 and August, there were two more failures.
” True public safety and security issues exist.” Assoc Prof Faishal told parliament that there have been many instances of violence related to the turmoil in different nations.
People demonstrations may eventually support or exhibit more sympathy for one side of the conflict or the other because tensions are great. They have the power to ignite events on the ground.
They might even cause us Singaporeans to become divided. We will have to permit people once we permit one occasion.
He continued by saying that the government’s stance is in line with earlier calls for events held outside the Speakers’ Corner, such as those involving the Russia-Ukraine War, where the police also determined that there was a safety and security threat.
If the occasion had been held at Speakers’ Corner,” We would have adopted the similar strategy ,” he said.
Assoc Prof. Faishal suggested” other useful and powerful avenues” to show support, such as funding authorized fundraisers for charitable relief efforts.
Additionally, he pointed out that Hamas has” called on all Muslims to battle” and that followers of terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, including those in Southeast Asia, have praised his attacks.
” They’ve urged supporters to take part in a larger terrorism.” Singaporeans are susceptible to these emotions, he claimed.
According to him, Singaporean protection agencies are keeping a close eye on the situation and are taking more steps, such as increased security patrols at specific events and locations.
However, he emphasized that Singapore’s best line of defense against security threats is” shared attention.” He urged people to report any unusual behavior or folks they thought might have been radicalized.