Police: Foreign speakers at private forums require clearance

SFD Media Release
20 January 2012

Mr. Martyn See, Executive Secretary, Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD), appeared before police investigations today for the second time over a private forum he organized on behalf of SFD on 24 September 2011.

Inspector S. Vickneshwaran of the Central Police Division informed Mr. See that getting a foreigner to talk at a private forum may tantamount to an offence if it is done without any clearance.

Previously on 12 October 2011, Mr See had spent an hour and a half at the Cantonment Police Complex answering questions pertaining to infringements under the Public Order Act 2009 for organising the said private forum.

Thus, Mr. See is now additionally being investigated for being in breach of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

The forum, entitled "LKY : Liberal Democracy will do us in. Will it?" had featured Members of Parliament Tian Chua from Malaysia and Mu Sochua from Cambodia and from Singapore ex-ISA detainee Vincent Cheng and blogger Alex Au.

During the first round of questioning the investigations focused on establishing whether inviting participants through a Facebook events page and email for a private forum was a public activity.

This time the presence of parliamentarians from Malaysia and Cambodia at the SFD’s private forum are seen to have infringed the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

Dr. James Gomez
Executive-Director
Singaporeans For Democracy