LAW ON PUBLIC SPEAKING (Relaxation)

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Home Affairs in view of Singapore becoming a more open society, if the law on public speaking will be relaxed.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act (PEMA) requires that a Public Entertainment Licence be obtained before a public talk can be held. Public talks, especially when they touch on politics, religion and race, can give rise to law and order problems. If the talk is held at an outdoor venue, the talk can attract large crowds and curious bystanders. Speeches can become inflammatory, thereby eliciting disaffection. People of different political persuasions, religious inclinations or racial groups in the crowd may hurl abuse; first, verbal and then physical, at each other. In other words, a public talk on even an innocuous topic may become unruly or degenerate into mob violence, if troublemakers are at work.

Sir, Singapore is a small, compact, multi-racial and multi-religious country. Past events show how easily it is for troublemakers to make use of gatherings to incite racial and religious riots, resulting in loss of lives and property. Indeed, events over the last two years around the world demonstrate the disruptive forces that can be unleashed due to racial and religious strife. Regulation of public talks is therefore necessary and continues to be needed.

Nevertheless, Sir, MHA proactively reviews the licensing laws under its purview and has relaxed rules on public talks. For example, in September 2000, we set up a Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park. Singapore citizens who wish to express their opinions on any issue, except religious speeches and speeches that would cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups, merely need to register their intent to speak at the Kreta Ayer NPP, which is located next to the Speakers' Corner.

Sir, the PEMA is administered with a light touch. The facts speak for themselves. Between 2001 and November 2002, Police approved 1,341 applications and rejected only 5 applications for public talks. That is a high approval rate of 99.6%. The applications were rejected because inadequate time was given by the applicant for Police to process the application before the event, or the venue was not suitable for the talks to be held.

Sir, although Singapore is becoming a more open society, regulation of public talks is still necessary. In any case, the provisions under PEMA are not overly restrictive and the regulation of public talks is administered with a light touch. Let me assure the House that MHA would regularly review the licensing laws under its purview as society evolves and people's aspirations change.