Pink Dot 'disappointed' by new Speakers' Corner regulations

• QX179R

  21 Oct 16, 20:35

  Pink Dot 'disappointed' by new Speakers' Corner regulations

  SINGAPORE: In light of new rules that could curb foreign funding and involvement in events held at the Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park, organisers of Pink Dot said they hope more Singaporeans and local companies will step forward to support them in 2017.

  Pink Dot, an annual non-profit event, organised in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, also said in a statement on Friday (Oct 21) that while it respects and understands the Ministry of Home Affairs’ position, it is “disappointed” by the latest clarifications from the ministry.

  “Pink Dot has always been a local movement dedicated to bringing LGBT Singaporeans closer to their friends and families and closer to Singapore society as a whole – a universal aspiration that we do not consider to be controversial or political,” said spokesman Paerin Choa.

  “We remain committed to organising and holding Pink Dot as we have done for the past eight years and we want to work closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs and other Government agencies to ensure that we remain within legal boundaries and keep the event safe for all participants, as we begin planning for next year’s Pink Dot event,” said Mr Choa.

  “As our society continues to evolve, we hope that this will be the start of an ongoing dialogue and we look forward to continue engaging with the various Government agencies to better foster understanding between the Government and the LGBT community in the long term.”

  The 2016 edition of Pink Dot had 18 corporate sponsors, including Facebook, Google, Barclays, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, BP, Bloomberg, and Twitter.

  The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on Friday that from next month, foreign entities will have to apply for a permit to organise or assist in the organising of events held at the Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park. This covers sponsoring, publicly promoting, or organising members or employees to participate in the event. 

  Meanwhile, Singapore entities, such as local companies and non-governmental organisations, can organise or assist in the organising of an event, without the need for a permit. This is meant to “reinforce the key principle” that the Speakers’ Corner was set up primarily for Singaporeans, MHA stated.

  MHA also clarified that Singapore entities refers to those which are incorporated or registered in Singapore and controlled by a majority of Singapore citizens. This means many of Pink Dot’s foreign sponsors, which are registered and incorporated in Singapore, would not qualify as a Singapore entity, and would need to apply for a permit.

  GOOGLE BACKS PINK DOT

  At least one sponsor has committed to taking the extra step of applying for a permit in order to continue supporting Pink Dot.

  When contacted by Channel NewsAsia, a Google spokesman said: “We've been proud supporters of Pink Dot since 2011 and we will continue to show our commitment to diversity and inclusion. So we will apply for a permit to support Pink Dot in 2017 if required by this new regulation. We hope that these new rules will not limit public discussion on important issues."

  Another past sponsor, JP Morgan said via a spokesman that the company is “committed to promoting equality in our workplace and encourage a supportive and inclusive culture”. Channel NewsAsia has reached out to six other past sponsors of Pink, including BP, which said it had no comment.

  Other entities which have organised events at Hong Lim Park include the YMCA, but its head of corporate affairs Samuel Ng told Channel NewsAsia that he believes the YMCA “won’t be affected” by new rule, as its past Proms @ the Park events were held at the main lawn ‎of Hong Lim Park, not at the Speaker's Corner.

  “The administration and all is quite different,” said Mr Ng, referring to whether an entity applies to hold an event at the Speaker’s Corner or at the park. “(Our events) would be under the community shelter that manages the park.” 

   

  - CNA/ll

• minx

  21 Oct 16, 21:32

  Read in other site.    Possibly must be the shitty kentnina lawrence KHONG complain and request the sicko double standard shitty jerks to do this.     

• ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

  24 Oct 16, 11:09

  ???

  why disappointed? they are a claim to be a local movement so they shouldnt be worried abt getting funds from foreign bodies

• Justice Seekers

  2 Nov 16, 13:01

  ^ because SG isn't a FDI whore? International investment should be allowed. It's what SG was built on.

• QX179R

  4 Nov 16, 20:48

  Facebook user fined for threatening to 'open fire' on LGBT community

  SINGAPORE: A Facebook user who threatened to “open fire” on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has been fined S$3,500 for posting the “alarming” comment.

  
  

  Bryan Lim Sian Yang, 37, pleaded guilty to making a threatening communication likely to cause alarm under the Protection from Harassment Act.

  
  

  Prosecutors said at least 10 police reports were lodged against Lim following his comment on Jun 4 on an anti-LGBT Facebook page.

  
  

  “I am a Singaporean citizen. I am a NSman. I am a father. And I swore to protect my nation. Give me the permission to open fire. I would like to see these £@€$^*s die for their causes,” he wrote.

  
  

  His comment went viral eight days later, after 49 people were shot dead at a gay nightclub in Orlando, US.

  
  

  Lim subsequently apologised for his comment, claiming it had been "taken out of context". "I did not mean physical bullets nor physical death. I mean open fire in debate and remove them from Singapore domestic matters,” he wrote.

  
  

  ‘HE CHOSE HIS WORDS DELIBERATELY’: PROSECUTION

  
  

  Among those who made police reports was an employee of Oogachaga, a support group for the LGBT community in Singapore. The employee said Lim’s comment had caused the group’s staff, volunteers and clients to fear for their safety.

  
  

  Others who lodged reports were concerned by Lim’s “clear threat of violence through gunfire”. Coupled with his comment that he was a national serviceman, netizens thought he might have access to firearms, the prosecution said.

  
  

  Prosecutors Wong Woon Kwong and Sheryl Janet George said Lim “chose his words deliberately”.

  
  

  “By laying plain his threat of violence and seeking permission to open fire … (Lim) would have further aroused the emotions of people who disapproved of the LGBT community and … inflamed what, by his own admission, is a deeply emotional issue,” the prosecutors said.

  
  

  They urged the court to impose a “high fine” of S$4,000 for Lim’s “aggravated, inflammatory” comment which “generated significant alarm throughout the LGBT community … amplified by the recent Orlando shooting”.

  
  

  Mr Wong said Lim sought to retract the comment only after it had gone viral and his personal details were published online.

  
  

  ‘A POORLY THOUGHT-OUT RANT’: DEFENCE

  
  

  Defence lawyer Adrian Wee said Lim’s comment “was an over-exuberant and poorly thought-out rant replete with hyperbole”.

  
  

  But the effect of Lim’s comment was limited, he argued. “It is in the context of the Orlando shooting that the comment caused alarm to (the LGBT community here),” Mr Wee said.

  
  

  Lim “cannot be held responsible for the augmented effect of the Orlando shooting that occurred after the comment was posted”, he added, urging the court to impose a fine of between S$1,500 and S$2,000.

  
  

  Mr Wee also claimed Lim’s comment was not targeted at LGBTs, but at foreign entities supporting Pink Dot, an annual event held in support of the LGBT community.

  
  

  He pointed out “foreign interference” in Pink Dot has since been curbed by the authorities.

  
  

  In sentencing Lim, District Judge Low Wee Ping said he did not wish to comment on “the cause (Lim) was championing”, but found him guilty “for the manner in which you have communicated on your Facebook in championing your cause”.

  
  

  For making a threatening communication likely to cause alarm, Lim could have been fined up to S$5,000.

  
  

  - CNA/mz
• Hube12sunbe68

  17 Nov 16, 20:08

  the appearance of preferential treatment that is completely understandable

• Doublestemcell

  9 Dec 16, 19:15

  .