Calender of Events

Thursday, November 26, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENT: Thousands to Gather at Speakers' Corner... To Eat



Hong Lim food centre to relocate to Speakers’ Corner
Source: http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/11/26/hong-lim-food-centre-to-relocate-to-speakers-corner/

Singapore’s Speakers’ Corner will be more boisterous in the next few months not because there will be more Singaporeans speaking there, but due to the relocation of the nearby Hong Lim Food Centre in Upper Cross Street which will be closed for a facelift in March next year.

NEA said that “activities” at Speakers’ Corner will not be affected by the market’s move. Its boundaries will be “redrawn” next month.

Modeled after London’s Hyde Park, the Speakers’ Corner is the only place in Singapore where citizens can lawfully gather, speak and protest.

The ruling party decided to “relax” the rules last year to counter the civil disobedience movement launched by opposition groups such as the Singapore Democratic Party.

However, police installed CCTVs a few months ago at its premises purportedly for reasons of “public safety and security”.

Since then, the number of events at Hong Lim Park had dwindled as well as the participants.

A minibond rally called by former NTUC INCOME Mr Tan Kin Lian drew a paltry crowd of less than 200 while the usual attendance is twice the number.

Mr Tan still holds the record for the most number of rallies held at Hong Lim Park by a single person and number of participants with one rally attracting more than a thousand people.

Despite much fanfare, the authorities had ignored the hustlings at the rallies which have since fizzled out with some minibond holders remain uncompensated by the financial institutions.

The usefulness of Hong Lim Park to advance the political awareness and maturity of ordinary Singaporeans is very much limited by the general apathy pervailing the nation.

While there is much resentment and disgruntlement on the ground over some of the government’s policies such as its liberal immigration policy, the grousings are confined strictly to cyberspace.

Nobody has dared to step forward to organize rallies at Hong Lim Park to protest against the government openly in public.

The park is almost always deserted during the weekdays while it is used by the nearby Kreta Ayer Community Club for its activities on the weekends.

The three opposition MPs in parliament have been most reluctant to use the park to further their political agenda, preferring to make token speeches with little or no impact in parliament.

Speeches made there by some leaders like the Reform Party’s Kenneth Jeyaretnam during National Day attracted a small crowd of less than hundred people and usually the same familiar faces.

Ironically, Speakers’ Corner will see an increase in the crowd now with the relocation of a Food Centre there.

For most Singaporeans, food is still their primary obsession and interest rather than their civil and political rights if they are even aware of their existence in the first place.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Speakers' Corner Protest To Appeal President Obama

To: President OBAMA

Through

American Embassy
27 Napier Road
Singapore 258508
Main Tel. No: (65) 6476-9100
Main Fax No: (65) 6476-9340


Mr President,

As you grace our country with your presence during these APEC meetings, we beseech you to take some time off your meeting schedule to meet with MAS Chariman Goh Chok Tong, Finance Minister Tharman and bank CEOs to discuss compensation measures for minibond holders and investors that have lost entire life savings due to your predecessor’s failure to bailout Lehman Brothers in 2008.

A total of S$375 million (US$258 million) worth of Lehman-linked structured products was sold to 8,000 retail investors who did not have the financial acumen to understand the risks of these complicated products. The total number of structured products, which value evaporated overnight, is closer to S$500 Million. Our misplaced faith in the US banking and financial regulatory system, together with predatory sales tactics, had left us exposed to the whims and fancies of ruthless bankers and the former Treasury Sec. Hank Paulson.

Minibonds investors in Singapore have been filing complaints and lawsuits against various financial institutions, but many lack the resources to proceed with the lengthy and costly litigation process.

The spillover damage has also been hefty. Eight town councils in Singapore – institutions entrusted with funds meant for the maintenance and running of Public Housing facilities – had about S$16 million invested in troubled structured products.

The effort of some (e.g. Great Eastern Life) to redeem the original capital injection value of these products is but a drop of water in an ocean of judiciary irresponsibility. While three of the US biggest banks have exited the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) – a fund meant to save financial institutions from collapse – and handed out US$29.7 billion in bonuses, Singaporean investors are left wondering where was the Lehman Brothers Rescue?

Here in Singapore, investors holding credit-linked notes linked to Lehman Brothers had received no coupon payments (as of Oct this year) toward the end of the grace period. Yet another event of default as US banks trade TARP funds for bonuses.

Many people have the mistaken impression that investors have been assisted by the Singapore to get a fair compensation. This is the impression is forged by the streams of feel good press statements that misguide the uninformed reader.

The truth is, Singaporean investors have been shortchanged. Less than 20% has been compensated, while our neighbours in Hong Kong and Taiwan are getting more headway as 777 Singaporean investors continue to be ignored by Prime Minister Lee who declined to meet the investors or to delegate his officials to resolve this issue. Not much else has transpired as Singaporeans are ignorant of their human or contractual rights and unable to seek redress outside of governmental assistance due to years of a nanny state under the Lees.

Former CEO of NTUC INCOME Mr Tan Kin Lian had been an earlier crusader for our rights and we thank him for it. It heartens me that our plight is not forgotten and that Mr Yap Keng Ho is reigniting the spirit of justice.

A few affected investors and I are standing behind Mr Yap’s open call for resolution and invitation to gather at Speakers’ Corner. In the spirit of American’s 1st amendment, we will gather at Hong Lim Park and make our demands heard. Demands that the US be held culpable for its fair share in this debacle.

Mr President, Although you did not preside over this debacle, the current injustice is within your reach to fix.

Yours Sincerely,
Anthony Lee

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Lehman Bonds' victims must use Obama this week to make demands

Minibond & other Lehman victims should Demand Obama to RePAY during APEC
Yes! I am calling on the minibond victims & other victims to get organized and protest at Speakers Corner where you can conduct demonstration lawfully. :-) Demand Obama to Repay You, yes with US tax payers' funds and not SGP tax payers funds.

I had disagreed to have Singaporean tax payers fund or SGP public funds or SGP Banks' funds to be scooped out to repay you. This is unfair for Singaporean public interest and not their fault at all. It is bank & MAS & Minister of Finance's fault (*** Loong Son).

Your money was sucked to the USA by Wall Street Scum Lehmen Bros. The USA should be made responsible to compensate you. You should list US secretary of finance & Obama as defendant if you want to file class action lawsuit - my suggestion.

When Obama found that your angers are against him, then he will check with famiLEE LEEgime officially to find out that you had been treated so unfairly. :-)

You have to push Obama because he can kick the famiLEE LEEgime for you, if there is a person that can do it for you, it would be Obama, not that I need to flatter him at all. That's the basic strategy I am offering you, you have a chance this week to exploit Obama.

Do it within the next few days!

KengHo Yap
http://uncleyap-news.blogspot.com/20...use-obama.html

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08 November 2009

Dear Yap Keng Ho

REGISTRATION FOR USAGE/ACTIVITY AT SPEAKERS’ CORNER

BOOKING ID: DM-08112009-2

DATE: 08/11/2009 to 20/11/2009

EVENT TYPE: Demonstration

Your application has been successfully registered.

We seek your kind cooperation in helping to keep Hong Lim Park litter-free.

Please print this page as proof of your registration and bring it on the day of your activity.

Yours sincerely,
National Parks Board

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Source: http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=24192

Monday, November 9, 2009

APEC DEMONSTRATION, 8 to 20 Nov 09




Details: For APEC-related demonstrations
Organiser: Yap Kheng Ho
Details: TBA
Source: Sammyboy.com/showthread.php?t=42570