OPPOSITION MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (Disallowing of speech-making at constituency dinner)

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs why an opposition Member of Parliament is not allowed to make a speech at a dinner organised by his party, held at his constituency, when the Government is promoting freedom of speech by opening a Speakers' Corner.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, the Police has reviewed its policy and has decided to allow Elected Members of Parliament to make speeches in the constituencies in which they were elected if their speech is part of a constituency event organised for the benefit of the constituents and where the intended participants are from that constituency.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, is this policy intended to gag the Opposition? The Minister of State mentioned "if it is organised as part of a constituency event .". Of course, the dinner organised by my Party is part of a constituency activity, and yet I was not allowed to speak. Sir, as far as I know, I was not given permission to speak.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, to repeat the answer, the policy has just been changed. But, of course, the Police will have to look at the event. We have said that the event should be a constituency event, in other words, a community event. The idea here is that a local MP who has been elected by his ward's constituents should have enough support so that the potential mischief and law and order problems that in the past have persuaded Police not to grant a permit will not apply. He is a local MP in a local community event - events that those of us on the ground will be quite familiar with, ie, karaoke, magic show, puppet show, etc, and if the local MP wants to speak, the Police will say, "carry on", because he is speaking to his own constituents.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, this is the first time I am having this knowledge. Up to last month, we were refused permission.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, I wish to seek clarification from the Minister of State. He said "elected MP". Is he saying that besides the MP, others who are from the same Party will not be allowed to speak at the event?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the answer is very clear. The context is that the local MP who has been elected by the residents can make a speech in a community event. If somebody who is not elected by the residents in that ward comes, he is making a political speech. He is not making a speech in a community setting. Sir, that will not be allowed.

Dr Wang Kai Yuen: Sir, does this apply to a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the answer is very clear. It applies only to MPs who have been elected to represent constituencies.

Mr Simon Tay: Sir, may I clarify two points? Firstly, if the event is organised by a political party rather than a constituency, does it mean that it will not be allowed? Secondly, is there any duty on the organising people to ensure that constituents from neighbouring constituencies do not come to the event? Obviously, in the second case, it is going to be very difficult to check people if it is a fun fair or an event.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, the intention, as I have said just now, is that it is a local community event, for example, a block party where residents will come down. When you organise the event, your target audience will be residents in the block. And I do know, so also those of us who know the ground, that people from other constituencies would not come and attend such a function.

That is my answer to the second question. What is the first question?

Mr Simon Tay: I asked whether it makes a difference if an event is organised by a political party.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Again, the context is that it must be a community event, a local event, meant for the residents. I know that some MPs, for example, organise events on the ground through the town council. For the town council, the rule applies and the MP has to make an application. In the past, even for Opposition town councils, speeches have been allowed.

If Mr Low Thia Khiang organises an event, for example, and I think he has organised many events in his constituency under the Hougang Constituency Committee, we all know that Mr Low Thia Khiang is behind it. If it is an MP who organises the event for his residents, Police will look at what is the context of the event. The context is important, because when the context is a local community event, the fears of the Police in the past concerning a political rally where potential law and order problems may arise, because disaffection from the crowd may arise, all these considerations are absent.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, it seems to me that the Minister of State keeps on stressing "community event". Is he implying that such speech should not be political and confined only to community events, like greetings? Is that what he means?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: When you are an MP, you are elected. And when you go to grassroots events and events like that, you will talk to residents. You tell them about how well you have done in your ward, what are the plans you have for the ward. I think that is the context in which this relaxation has come about, so that as an elected MP, when you want to go to the ground and talk to your residents in a setting like this, you can because, after all, you have been elected by them.

Mr Simon Tay: Sir, may I ask the Minister of State if, in that sense, the policy has not changed, because Mr Chiam's question here, as posed, the event is organised by his party. Am I correct, therefore, that if this question is still posed today, he will not be allowed?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: As I have said, he has to make an application. It is not for the Ministry to decide. Police will look at the application and see whether or not the considerations in the past that applied will still apply in the context of a big political event. Take Mr Chiam, for example, who held his National Day Dinner in Potong Pasir which he had done in September, he made the application in July. I understand that it was a very big function and outsiders also came. So members of the SPP would also come. The Police would look at it and see whether it is indeed a local community event that falls within the ambit of the relaxation. It is not a consideration that we will make, but Police will make that in the light of why such events were not allowed in the past and why the rule is being relaxed now.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, can I get further clarification? I still think that there is no change of policy. In other words, if the function is organised by a political party, it will not be allowed, unless it is organised by a grassroots or a community organisation. Am I right?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Right now, if Mr Chiam organises an event, which is not a town council event, it is an event like a magic show, lantern festival or children's party, the current restriction applies to such events. If it is in the open, Mr Chiam, even as an MP, cannot make a speech. Now, there is a relaxation because for these events - I think Members of this House know what we are talking about including Opposition Members, because Mr Low Thia Khiang's Hougang committee has organised many such events, so has Mr Chiam - events in his basketball court, that sort of setting, now if he wants to make a speech as a local MP elected by residents, he should make an application and the Police will assess it. If these criteria are satisfied, I will expect the Police to say "go ahead".

Mr Chiam See Tong: Another clarification, Sir. This question is specifically asked when a dinner is organised by a political party. Will the MP be allowed or not allowed to speak? The answer, as I get it, is still no. So, what difference does it make? There is no relaxation of the policy. Although the event is organised by a political party, there is participation by the constituents of my ward. How can you say that it is not a constituency event? It is a constituency event.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: All of us here can see a distinction between an event which is organised, say, by the SPP in a big field where there are 80-100 tables, or more, and not only residents come but SPP supporters come from other wards, and Mr Chiam makes a speech. In an open setting, there may be other members of other Parties present. Then, the potential for law and order problems will still be present which, in the past, the Police have said that they were the reasons why no speeches were allowed in that setting. So the setting is important. On the other hand, if Mr Chiam now organises a children's party at a basketball court. In the past, unless it was organised by the town council, he would not be allowed to speak. But now, if he makes an application, I would expect the Police to say "go ahead and speak". 2.00 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. It is 2.00 pm. End of Question time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 21(3), Written Answers to Question Nos. 18-19, 21-23 and 25-36 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the section "Oral Answers to Questions Not Reached" (Cols. 941-962). Question Nos. 20 and 24 have been postponed to the next sitting of Parliament.]