http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070906/tap-singapore-protest-c3bb44c.html

Singapore's pension reform plans spark rare protest

SINGAPORE, Sept 6 - Singaporeans have started a rare protest against the government's pension reform plans with an online petition and a planned public protest action.
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An online petition against the pensions reform had drawn nearly 600 online signatures as of Thursday, while on Saturday, activists will test Singapore's ban on demonstrations by staging a symbolic "black T-shirt" protest at a popular downtown mall.

Any public protest is rare in Singapore, where all outdoor demonstrations are banned and any public gathering of more than four people requires a permit.

The protest takes aim at plans to make it mandatory for all Singaporeans changes, to be out later this month," Member of Parliament Halimah Yaacob told Reuters.

Singaporeans have turned increasingly to cyberspace as an outlet for their dissatisfaction.

The latest petition -- on Petitiononline.com -- has drawn 580 signatures over two weeks. In the past two years, petitions against a pay-and-perks scandal at a national charity and against the introduction of casino gambling drew thousands of signatures.

Saturday's protest -- announced on political blogs and online forums -- is set to test Singapore's limits on freedom of assembly, as organisers merely suggest participants turn up at 4 p.m. at the Centrepoint mall, dressed "partly" in black.

Law student and online activist Choo Zheng Xi told Reuters he does not expect a strong turn-out, as other small-scale protest actions in the past months have drawn a massive police presence as well as plainsclothes policemen filming protesters.

Alright! now we got int'l media
I would have been really happy if this got a small picture in one corner in "today". Didn't expect that reuters is reporting it.

Lets give it a good showing fellow citizens!

Just a reminder, please remember :

"We are not making a political statement. We do it because we love - we want equitable policies for ourselves and our love ones."

"We just want to tell the government, please think of us when they come out with future policies. It is not our aim to bring down the government. We just want them to know that we have feelings, we have aspirations and we know how to think and in future, when they come up with policies, they should be equitable policies."

This also proved that you are being watched ...

Originally posted by Jontst78:
[b]
Alright! now we got int'l media
I would have been really happy if this got a small picture in one corner in "today". Didn't expect that reuters is reporting it.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, oh my lord!!!!!!!!!

What does that mean??!!??

Is it correct to say THE WORLD WILL BE WATCHING?

EVERYONE?

CNN, BBC, CNBC, ABC, FOX, AL JAZERA, PHOENIX, NIHON SHIMBUN, EUROPEean news, AFRICAn news?

Is it ? Is it ? Oh my lord!!!!!

This is so Freakin man!!!!!

I so scared siah....!!!!! what will happen now that the world is keeping watch?

I am shi tless liao.

Originally posted by Trump_Card:

This also proved that you are being watched ...

We are being watched anywhere in the world, just that we dun know. For example, in shopping centers, car parks, buildings....airports, So, no point worrying about this as long as you have not done wrong.

Originally posted by reddressman:

We are being watched anywhere in the world, just that we dun know. For example, in shopping centers, car parks, buildings....airports, So, no point worrying about this as long as you have not done wrong.

My point is someone is always observing the forums ... Then maybe these people also dispatched some 'myth-busters' here to debunk 'myths' ... You got my idea ?

PAP regime watches us, now foreign media watches PAP regime.

Myanmar in the news recently due to crackdown on democracy activists , if PAP regime makes a bad move now...

Originally posted by Poh Ah Pak:

PAP regime watches us, now foreign media watches PAP regime.

Myanmar in the news recently due to crackdown on democracy activists , if PAP regime makes a bad move now...

I'm more curious about the fact that Halimah Yaccob actually admitted that the protests were against the annuity scheme.

Perhaps this protest of sorts might just go ahead, to show the world that we are a "tolerant" and open society. If I were the PAP, I'd do just that to sell Singapore to the world as a place where alternative ideas are tolerated.

My guess is that there will be a police presence, just to make sure that things don't turn ugly and play crowd control. They won't arrest anyone, but I believe they will attempt to spin the situation and show the world that they are a government that does not clamp down on anything for the sake of it.

Makes me wonder if the protest plans were actually initiated as part of a radical idea to steal the thunder from SDP and make political liberalisation a tool to increase the attractiveness of Singapore to potential foreign talent.

Jonst78, the article I saw seems longer than yours. And the portion that you had about Halimah Yaccob being interviewed and acknowledging the protest seems to have gone missing.

I wonder, did Reuters amend it's article?

"Singapore's pension reform plans spark rare protest
Reuters
Reuters - Thursday, September 6

SINGAPORE, Sept 6 - Singaporeans have started a rare protest against the government's pension reform plans with an online petition and a planned public protest action.

An online petition against the pensions reform had drawn nearly 600 online signatures as of Thursday, while on Saturday, activists will test Singapore's ban on demonstrations by staging a symbolic "black T-shirt" protest at a popular downtown mall.

Any public protest is rare in Singapore, where all outdoor demonstrations are banned and any public gathering of more than four people requires a permit.

The protest takes aim at plans to make it mandatory for all Singaporeans under the age of 50 to buy annuities and which would impose restrictions on how pension savings are invested.

"People are quite unhappy, partly about way the announcements about the pension reforms were made," political commentator Leong Sze Hian told Reuters.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the pension reform in his National Day speech last month, saying there was no choice as "people are living longer".

To cope with a rapidly ageing population, the government is upping the retirement age from 62 years to 65 years by 2015, and up to 67 beyond that.

In recent weeks, government ministers have talked about several planned changes to the Central Provident Fund , a mandatory retirement savings scheme for all Singaporeans that pays a lump sum upon retirement and can be used to pay for flats.

"There is concern, but the public ought to wait for more specific details on the changes, to be out later this month," Member of Parliament Halimah Yaacob told Reuters.

Singaporeans have turned increasingly to cyberspace as an outlet for their dissatisfaction.

The latest petition -- on Petitiononline.com -- has drawn 580 signatures over two weeks. In the past two years, petitions against a pay-and-perks scandal at a national charity and against the introduction of casino gambling drew thousands of signatures.

Saturday's protest -- announced on political blogs and online forums -- is set to test Singapore's limits on freedom of assembly, as organisers merely suggest participants turn up at 4 p.m. at the Centrepoint mall, dressed "partly" in black.

Law student and online activist Choo Zheng Xi told Reuters he does not expect a strong turn-out, as other small-scale protest actions in the past months have drawn a massive police presence as well as plainsclothes policemen filming protesters."

There are many conspiracy theory.
But if you believe the cause.
Then support it.

Thinking all sort of conspiracy plans lead us nowhere.

Originally posted by reddressman:

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, oh my lord!!!!!!!!!

What does that mean??!!??

Is it correct to say THE WORLD WILL BE WATCHING?

EVERYONE?

CNN, BBC, CNBC, ABC, FOX, AL JAZERA, PHOENIX, NIHON SHIMBUN, EUROPEean news, AFRICAn news?

Is it ? Is it ? Oh my lord!!!!!

This is so Freakin man!!!!!

I so scared siah....!!!!! what will happen now that the world is keeping watch?

I am shi tless liao.

Reuters is in Buona Vista Science park....

Originally posted by LazerLordz:

I'm more curious about the fact that Halimah Yaccob actually admitted that the protests were against the annuity scheme.

Perhaps this protest of sorts might just go ahead, to show the world that we are a "tolerant" and open society. If I were the PAP, I'd do just that to sell Singapore to the world as a place where alternative ideas are tolerated.

Makes me wonder if the protest plans were actually initiated as part of a radical idea to steal the thunder from SDP and make political liberalisation a tool to increase the attractiveness of Singapore to potential foreign talent.

When you have facts staring at you coldly at your face, you can do nothing but admit it.

The Government has admitted technology is indeed powerful and that they will be keeping a watch on the online community.

I'm not at the all surprised at Miss Yaccob's statement at all. Anyway, she's been quite a straightforward and honest lady as well, which partly contributes to her statement.

If PAP decides to let this go ahead, it will be a divert from their usual style and people will start wondering.

Originally posted by kramnave:

Reuters is in Buona Vista Science park....

Reuters is an international news agency which provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters.

Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:

When you have facts staring at you coldly at your face, you can do nothing but admit it.

The Government has admitted technology is indeed powerful and that they will be keeping a watch on the online community.

I'm not at the all surprised at Miss Yaccob's statement at all. Anyway, she's been quite a straightforward and honest lady as well, which partly contributes to her statement.

If PAP decides to let this go ahead, it will be a divert from their usual style and people will start wondering.

If they are truly pragmatic, then they will not resist change.

The role of the government in this day and age has to shift from being a teacher to that of a facilitator. This reality and future will not escape, and I feel that the relevance of the PAP in the future will depend on the extent they are willing to accept that they must roll back their own authority in order for Singapore to grow and mature into a confident and stronger nation.

Originally posted by Trump_Card:

Reuters is an international news agency which provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters.

Custom ones. Them covering this particular protest doesn't mean it gets coverage worldwide..

Originally posted by kramnave:

Custom ones. Them covering this particular protest doesn't mean it gets coverage worldwide..

This will have to depend on the magnitude of the protest ... If things work out , Singapore have reached a new landmark and I believe this will attract the attention of international media ...

Originally posted by LazerLordz:

If they are truly pragmatic, then they will not resist change.

The role of the government in this day and age has to shift from being a teacher to that of a facilitator. This reality and future will not escape, and I feel that the relevance of the PAP in the future will depend on the extent they are willing to accept that they must roll back their own authority in order for Singapore to grow and mature into a confident and stronger nation.

They have already resisted change for very long. When it comes to this issue, I'm quite pessimistic. I'm pretty sure they won't change, even if they do, it's not much.

Originally posted by ndmmxiaomayi:

They have already resisted change for very long. When it comes to this issue, I'm quite pessimistic. I'm pretty sure they won't change, even if they do, it's not much.

and what better way to sell themselves to the dissatisfied and cynical youth to show that they are able to reinvent themselves?

if I were a political consultant, I may just recommend them to do that.

Originally posted by Trump_Card:

This will have to depend on the magnitude of the protest ... If things work out , Singapore have reached a new landmark and I believe this will attract the attention of international media ...

Unlikely. They already highlight dress "partly" in black liao...which is you know, subjective coz alot of ppl wear partly black when they go out....

Originally posted by LazerLordz:

and what better way to sell themselves to the dissatisfied and cynical youth to show that they are able to reinvent themselves?

if I were a political consultant, I may just recommend them to do that.

One word - changes. And that's the best way to promote themselves.

Could any brave soul possibly take a few photos?

Originally posted by Fingolfin_Noldor:

Could any brave soul possibly take a few photos?

I'm sure a lot of Clubsnappers and Flickrites will be there.

Well, this is all happening because finally, PAP's unsavioury policies and "money-centric solutions" have driven people's back up against the wall...!!

Many people in Singapore despise the PAP regime and the Singapore mainstream propaganda media for dishing out pro-PAP propaganda.

wow~

cool event......

bu jian bu san~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~