The Speakers' Corner is an outdoor venue located within Hong Lim Park, Singapore, where people can demonstrate, hold exhibitions and performances, and speak freely on most topics. It was launched on 1 September 2000 as a "free speech area" where speaking events could be held without the need to apply for a licence under the Public Entertainments Act (Cap. 257, 1985 Rev. Ed.), now the ("PEMA"). However, it was necessary for people to register their intention to speak at the venue with a police officer at the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post any time within 30 days before the event, though there was no requirement for the police to be informed of the topic of the proposed speech. Other conditions imposed were that speeches had to take place between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and the use of sound amplification devices was prohibited. In 2002, exhibitions and performances were permitted to be held at Speakers' Corner. Conditions for the use of Speakers' Corner were further liberalized in 2008. Responsibility for registering people wishing to speak or stage an exhibition or performance was taken over by the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, and online registration was introduced. It became possible to hold demonstrations provided they are organized by Singapore citizens and the participants are only citizens and permanent residents. Events can now be held around the clock, and self-powered amplification devices like loudhailers may be used between 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.
At present, Speakers' Corner is concurrently regulated by the Parks and Trees Regulations (Cap. 216, Rg. 1, 2006 Rev. Ed.), the Public Entertainments and Meetings (Speakers' Corner) (Exemption) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S 493/2011) (issued under the PEMA) and the Public Order (Unrestricted Area) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S 494/2011) (issued under the ("POA")). The applicable conditions have remained essentially unchanged. Speakers and demonstration organizers must be Singapore citizens, while participants at demonstrations must be either citizens or permanent residents. Banners, films, flags, photographs, placards, posters, signs, writing or other visible representations or paraphernalia containing violent, lewd or obscene material must not be displayed or exhibited. Persons making speeches must use one of the four official languages of Singapore (English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil) or related dialects, and organizers of demonstrations must be present throughout the event. Events must not deal with any matter that relates directly or indirectly to any religious belief or to religion generally, or which may cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups in Singapore. Events adhering to the regulations are not immune from other existing laws such as those relating to defamation and sedition.
Article 14 of the Constitution of Singapore guarantee freedom of speech and expression and freedom of assembly to Singapore citizens. However, the PEMA and POA, which require permits to be obtained before public meetings and assemblies can be held, were enacted pursuant to exceptions to these rights. Article 14 also provides that Parliament may by law restrict the right to free speech to protect, among other things, Singapore's security and public order, and to prevent incitement to any criminal offence. Under Article 14(2)(b), the right of assembly may also be limited for public order reasons. As Speakers' Corner was intended to increase avenues available for the exercise of free speech, the pieces of subsidiary legislation regulating the venue were issued to provide that public speaking and demonstrations there are not subject to the PEMA and POA if the conditions specified in the subsidiary legislation are complied with. Speakers' Corner has been criticized as a token gesture, though others have pointed to its use by civil society activists as evidence that it has widened the political space in Singapore.
Background and establishment
Singapore's political model has been described as a representative democracy,. and Singaporeans have constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly under Articles 14(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.. The constitutional rights to free speech and assembly extend only to Singapore citizens. Hence, the Singapore Court of Appeal has held that non-citizens enjoy only common law free speech.Review Publishing Co. Ltd. v. Lee Hsien Loong 1 S.L.R. [Singapore Law Reports] 52 at 171, para. 257, Court of Appeal (Singapore). Articles 14(1)(a) and (b) are then subject to Articles 14(2)(a) and (b) which allow Parliament to impose, by law, restrictions on the rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The grounds for restrictions are, for freedom of speech, Singapore's security, friendly relations with other states, public order, public morality, protecting parliamentary privilege, defamation, contempt of court and incitement to any criminal offence;Thio, p. 516. and for freedom of assembly, public order only. These restrictions made it a lengthy and difficult process to obtain the licence required to address a public gathering.
In response to these free speech concerns, Speakers' Corner was created as local adaptation of the Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London. In a 1999 interview with New York Times columnist William Safire, Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong attributed the idea to Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, but Goh felt that it was not yet the right time to set it up.. The following year, the Government decided to go ahead despite its fear of potential public disorder, as the idea enjoyed widespread support from the public and civil society groups.. During a parliamentary debate on the issue on 25 April 2000, opposition Member of Parliament (MP) J. B. Jeyaretnam asked the Wong Kan Seng, the Minister for Home Affairs. whether this was a "mere show" or whether the Government was serious about promoting free speech in Singapore. If the latter, he asked if the Minister would agree to an open debate with the Workers' Party of Singapore outside Parliament.. In response, Wong said there was nothing to prevent Jeyaretnam from making a speech at Speakers' Corner, but that the public forum for a proper policy debate was in Parliament:
Speakers' Corner was launched on 1 September 2000. at Hong Lim Park, a historical venue for political speeches and rallies.. The park's proximity to the Kreta Ayer Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP) also made it convenient for people to register to speak at the venue.Wong, "Speakers' Corner", cols. 21–22. In the first nine months, more than a thousand speeches were made..
Regulations governing usage Previous regulations Speakers' Corner was established by the issuance of the Public Entertainments (Speakers' Corner) (Exemption) Order 2000,Public Entertainments (Speakers' Corner) (Exemption) Order 2000 (S 364/2000) ("2000 PEA Order"), in force on 1 September 2000. which exempted people wishing to speak in Hong Lim Park from the need to apply for a licence under the Public Entertainments Act.Public Entertainments Act (Cap. 257, 1985 Rev. Ed.), now the ("PEMA"). Speakers had to be Singapore citizens,2000 PEA Order, para. 3. as the Government was concerned that the venue should not be used by foreigners "to pursue their own agenda whether in respect of their own domestic issues, or those of other countries, including Singapore's".Wong, "Speakers' Corner", col. 23 They also had to register their intention to speak with a police officer at the Kreta Ayer NPP any time within 30 days before the public speaking,2000 PEA Order, paras. 3(a) and 4(1). although there was no need to inform the police of the topic of the proposed speech. However, speakers were not permitted to deal with any matter which related either directly or indirectly to any religious belief or to religion generally, or which might cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups in Singapore.2000 PEA Order, para. 3(c).
On 15 February 2002, while at Speakers' Corner, Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan attacked the Government's decision to suspend four Muslim girls for wearing the tudung (Islamic headscarf) to public schools. Contrary to police advice, he chose not to apply for a public entertainment licence, arguing he did not need one. Chee's speech sparked heated exchanges involving the Sikh practice of wearing turbans.; . In July, Chee was convicted and fined S$3,000 for speaking without the required licence. In his judgment, District Judge Kow Keng Siong emphasized the twin considerations of public order and national security in multi-racial and multi-religious Singapore, finding that Chee's speech had bred social unrest.; ; ; . Under the Constitution of Singapore, a person who has been fined at least $2,000 cannot stand for election to Parliament for five years., Art. 45(1)(e). As a result of the incident, Chee was barred from contesting the 2006 general elections..
Other conditions imposed on a speech at Speakers' Corner were that it had to take place only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the date notified by the person to the police,2000 PEA Order, para. 3(b). had to be in one of Singapore's four official languages (English, Malay, Mandarin or Tamil) or any related dialect,2000 PEA Order, para. 3(d). and the use of sound amplification devices was prohibited.2000 PEA Order, para. 3(e). The latter restriction was justified on the grounds that it would reduce noise pollution and prevent one speaker from drowning out another one, and that it also applied to Speakers' Corner in London.Wong, "Speakers' Corner", col. 24. In 2002, exhibitions and performances were also permitted to be held at Speakers' Corner. The conditions that organizers and participants had to adhere to were broadly similar to those applying to speeches. In addition, the organizer or an authorized agent had to be present at all times during the exhibition or performance,Public Entertainments and Meetings (Speakers' Corner) (Exemption) Order (Cap. 257, O 3, 2002 Rev. Ed.) ("2002 PEMA Order"), archived from the original on 27 September 2010, para. 3(2)(c). the event could not contain violent, lewd or obscene messages,2002 PEMA Order, para. 3(2)(e)(iii). no banners or placards could be carried by participants,2002 PEMA Order, para. 3(2)(g). and the event could not be an assembly or procession for which a permit was required under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) (Assemblies and Processions) Rules.Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) (Assemblies and Processions) Rules (Cap. 184, R 1, 2000 Rev. Ed.), archived from the original on 27 April 2008, r. 4: 2002 PEMA Order, para. 3(2)(h).
Current regulations