THE TEMASEK REVIEW

From our Correspondent

A video produced by the Singapore Police Force on its behind-the-scene preparations for the APEC summit turns out to be another (subtle) propaganda to cast peaceful civil activism in a bad light! (watch the video here)

Singapore is hosting the APEC’s 20th summit for the first time from 8 – 15 November 2009.

The ruling party introduced a new law recently just in time for APEC which makes even peaceful solo protest illegal and gives the police extra power to ask the protestor(s) to move away from the scene.

The video began with footage showing our traffic policemen and women hard at work to ensure that traffic flows smoothly in the roads leading to the APEC venue at Suntec City.

At around 3:30 minute of the 6-minute video, the film shows a group of demonstrators decked in red confronting the police, some of whom are hosting a banner with the words “Freedom Now” in a reacted scene during a routine training exercise.

The narrator said:

“As with some high-level inter-government meetings in various countries, there is always the possibility that some groups may break the law and held public demonstrations or protests to highlight their agendas. To be ready for may protests which may disrupt the public peace, the police has been conducting training exercises to manage such incidents.”

Some of the protesters in the present police video are shown to be raising their fists and appear menacing towards the police officers who have surrounded them. The narrator described the crowd as “rioters” when no riots actually took place.

Public protests and demonstrations are a norm in international meetings like the World Economic Forum, IMF and APEC meetings as it provide the man in the street a rare opportunity to voice their discontent and unhappiness at their leaders whose policies may have an adverse impact on their lives.

Both the footage and narration in the SPF video clip are misleading and inaccurate because they try to associate public protests with social unrest which is untrue as they can be held peacefully without causing disruption to the traffic or others.

The Singapore police is merely making use of the opportunity to provide justification for the draconian laws put in place to curtail the civil and political rights of ordinary Singaporeans.

The next scene portrays the group as a violent mob when the members start to kick the riot police. Again, the message to Singaporeans is unmistakable: all forms of public protests are “violent” in nature.

The ruling party has been employing such scare tactics for several years to discourage its own citizens for participating in any form of civil disobedience.

The Singapore police is most adept at arresting peaceful protesters and hauling them to court.

Five Singaporeans were charged in court lately for merely walking from one point to another in a public place wearing T-shirts with the words “Democracy now”.

Though they were acquitted by the judge, the Attorney-General Chambers still decided to appeal against the decision.

While the police is most efficient in dealing with any expression of public dissent from its own citizens, it doesn’t seem to be able to capture a limping terrorist. Mas Selamat Kasteri was reported to be hiding in Singapore for 4 days before he swarm across the Straits of Johor to seek refuge in Malaysia.

Neither the Minister in charge nor the head of the Internal Security Department were ever taken to task for the incredulous security lapse which made Singapore a laughing stock in the world and caused inconvenience for many Singaporeans.

With the ruling party in full control of all state institutions, people power seems to be the only threat left to their hegemony which explains their perennial obsession about it.

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