NSP Public Statement with regards to Summon issued by NEA

[Goh Meng Seng]

We hereby categorically make the following open statements with regards to NEA’s action against us in our recent outreach on 4 July 2010 at Blk 137 Tamines St 11:

1) We strongly believe that it is totally inappropriate to use the Environment Public Health Act to charge us for “Illegal Hawking” when we are merely promoting our party publication North Star News. There is no issue of public hygiene with regards to selling a publication. There is no applicable licence, as confirmed by NEA officer, for political parties carrying out such activity. How could we be charged for not applying a licence under the ACT when there isn’t a relevant one to start with?

2) We are a legally registered political party carrying out our legitimate political outreach just like any other political parties or grassroot organizations like the Resident Committees (RC). We sell publications just like all other political parties, including PAP (in some branches) and RC which periodically send members to sell National Flags, dinner tickets, fun fare tickets etc. We are all volunteers who are providing Public Service in terms of grassroot or political activism. WE ARE NOT HAWKERS, least illegal ones, who depend on such activities to earn our individuals’ livelihood.

3) It is a total blatant INSULT to us, including all other social-political activists (from RP, WP, PAP, RC etc), who have sacrificed their free time and effort when NEA considered all of us as ILLEGAL HAWKERS.

4) We are a lawful and law abiding organization but we will not ignore UNFAIR and UNREASONABLE rules and regulations. We will fight to change these rules and regulations for the betterment of Singapore.


5) We will defend our Dignity as political activists in Public Service with whatever little resources we could garner.

6) However, we also hope that we could first meet up with the relevant people in NEA with the authority and power to make decisions on such serious matters to resolve this issue ONCE AND FOR ALL for the benefits of ALL social political activists who are actively engaged in their respective organizations.


7) With due respect to NEA as the law enforcer, we will voluntarily take a temporary break for the coming Sunday (11 July 2010) and we hope that NEA would reciprocate by meeting up with us to resolve this serious matter amicably.




Goh Meng Seng
Secretary General of the 13th CEC

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

国民团结党针对国家环境局稽查员在2010年7月4日于淡宾尼11街大牌137巴刹对我党党员发出非法贩卖传票事件在此作出如下的严正声明：

1) 我们坚决的认为稽查员以环境公众卫生法令对我党党员在例行活动发出非法贩卖传票是绝对不恰当的。我党推销党报绝对不会对环境或公众卫生造成任何问题。而国家环境局在早些时候也承认他们也没有任何适当的准证能让政党申请。如果没有适当准证可供我们申请，他们又凭什么控告我们在没有申请准证情况下非法贩卖我们的党报呢？

2) 我们就像任何政党、政治团体或如居民委员会的基层组织一样，是一个合法注册的政党团体，进行着合法的政治活动。我们也如这一些组织，包括一些行动党支部和居委会时不时到处售卖国旗、党报、庆典酒席门票等，到全岛各处去推广我党党报。但是我们并非小贩，更不是非法小贩，而是投入公共服务的自愿活跃份子。我们并非依赖非法贩卖物品来维持各自生计的非法小贩。


3) 国家环境局把我们归类为非法小贩，不只是对我党，而是对所有牺牲自身时间和贡献于这土地的社会-政治活跃份子（包括革新党、工人党、行动党、居委会等）的莫大侮辱。

4) 我们虽然是个合法和奉公守法的政党，但是我们也绝对不会对不合理的法归坐视不理。我们必定尽我们所能去争取对新加坡有利的变革。


5) 我们也必定全力以扑的捍卫所有身为公共服务里的自愿社会-政治活跃份子的尊严。

6) 然而，我们也希望能先与国家环境局有相关权力做出重要决定的官员举行会谈，以便能一次过圆满解决此影响深远的事件。这将有利于所有参与公共服务的政党和各个基层团体的活跃份子继续参与我国的社会与政治建设。


7) 谨于给予国家环境局作为执法者应有的尊重，我党决定自愿在这来临的星期天（2010 年7月11日）暂停我们原定的例行基层活动。我们也期许当局能以善意回应我们的要求，能与我们对此严肃的事件展开会谈以达至圆满的解决方案。



国民团结党秘书长
吴明盛

 

[scroobal]

Its really odd that they first they allowed speakers corner and then followed by lowering of restrictions including allowing organised protest. But a fundamental corollary of a being a political party that is properly registered is now illegal.

This remind me of the Preidential Elections and nominations criteria. It is now a sham and in the last elections, all the candidates were disqualified except for an overnight elderly chap who has no respect and no dignity.

 

[manokie]

Mr Goh

Please understand that only politicians' interests are affected

If you want to change things, try to involve the folks as well
Try to link other things together like freedom of speech etc if not very few people will care

 

[methink]

7) With due respect to NEA as the law enforcer, we will voluntarily take a temporary break for the coming Sunday (11 July 2010) and we hope that NEA would reciprocate by meeting up with us to resolve this serious matter amicably.

Why take a break when you have the upper hand? With the GE and Presidential Election coming, you should force the issue on them.

Continue to sell your party paper every Sunday as a series of test cases. Go to court and challenge the NEA for exceeding their authority. You have a "fine" case. Show the NEA up as nothing but a used stooge for the PAP! Any gahmen agency willing to work for and be used by the bullying dictator has to be exposed for what they are... stooges and dogs!

We the people of sinkieland are watching this test case with great interest.

 

[methink]

4) We are a lawful and law abiding organization but we will not ignore UNFAIR and UNREASONABLE rules and regulations. We will fight to change these rules and regulations for the betterment of Singapore.

Hurray! Learn from the Malaysians. Their gomen tried to do the same thing what PAP is doing to us here. The brave Malaysians chose to ignore the order and the public can see who is right... http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/136689

NSP will do well to keep up the pressure and expose the dirty tricks that PAP is using to subjugate will of the people. If you relent now, you are as good as throwing away the advantage for the coming elections!

Keep up the good fight! Fight for your rights! Our rights.

 

[halsey02]

2) We are a legally registered political party carrying out our legitimate political outreach just like any other political parties or grassroot organizations like the Resident Committees (RC). We sell publications just like all other political parties, including PAP (in some branches) and RC which periodically send members to sell National Flags, dinner tickets, fun fare tickets etc. We are all volunteers who are providing Public Service in terms of grassroot or political activism. WE ARE NOT HAWKERS, least illegal ones, who depend on such activities to earn our individuals’ livelihood.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why don't the oppositions track these activities, record them & call NEA and get their response, record the person replying to the response...it takes two to tango

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Mr Goh

Please understand that only politicians' interests are affected

If you want to change things, try to involve the folks as well
Try to link other things together like freedom of speech etc if not very few people will care

Dear Manokie,

Would you believe anyone who will not even stand up and fight for his own rights and welfare to fight for your rights and interests?

The most important thing is not about whose interests but on what grounds and reasoning that one stands on. One who wins with reasons will gain the moral authority. One without moral authority will lack the important ingredient to lead, be it ruling party or opposition party.


Goh Meng Seng

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Why take a break when you have the upper hand? With the GE and Presidential Election coming, you should force the issue on them.

Continue to sell your party paper every Sunday as a series of test cases. Go to court and challenge the NEA for exceeding their authority. You have a "fine" case. Show the NEA up as nothing but a used stooge for the PAP! Any gahmen agency willing to work for and be used by the bullying dictator has to be exposed for what they are... stooges and dogs!

We the people of sinkieland are watching this test case with great interest.

Dear methink,

It is not just about winning or having an upper hand. We must win with reasons and be seen as reasonable people. Give them some breathing space for I believe they are gasping for oxygen.

We only promise to stop for this Sunday as a gesture to get them on to the negotiation table. If all things fail, we will carry on our normal legitimate activities. But before that, give negotiation a chance. We want people to be reasonable to us, we must first be reasonable to them.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[leetahbar]

my dear ah seng,

the law is FIXED while the human mind is flexible and versatile.

if they said u cannot hawk, DON'T HAWK.

don't sell ur party's paper. just distribute it FREELY. then held a box and a placcard:

DONATION IN ANY AMOUNT APPRECIATED

in this way, u r not hawking. if they charge u on this, there is ground to argue on. if u were guilty of such, then many are too who distributed flyers FREELY in public.

at the same, u can also gauge the supports from citizens through their donations. more donations to your party means your support is gaining stronger foothold. less means...well, u guys just gotta work harder to prove your credentials.

would this be a more prudent way to make know your party's views and info to the public?

 

[leetahbar]

there's a very unusual happening here.

SDP put up booths in toa payoh hub, lelong for passerbys to buy their stuffs,

WHY WEREN'T THEY BEING CHARGED?

BY the way, they did that a couple of times and got themselves scotts free without even paying any space rentals or whatsoever.

how come like that? ah.....very suspicious hor.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Dear Bob,

That would be worse. It will fall under public donation act. Very difficult to get that licence.

Besides, for political parties, cannot get more than $5K anonymous donations PER YEAR in total. Not feasible.

Goh Meng Seng

my dear ah seng,

the law is FIXED while the human mind is flexible and versatile.

if they said u cannot hawk, DON'T HAWK.

don't sell ur party's paper. just distribute it FREELY. then held a box and a placcard:

DONATION IN ANY AMOUNT APPRECIATED

in this way, u r not hawking. if they charge u on this, there is ground to argue on. if u were guilty of such, then many are too who distributed flyers FREELY in public.

at the same, u can also gauge the supports from citizens through their donations. more donations to your party means your support is gaining stronger foothold. less means...well, u guys just gotta work harder to prove your credentials.

would this be a more prudent way to make know your party's views and info to the public?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

The Chinese papers Zaobao has given a very FAIR, TRUTHFUL and objective report.

国民团结党要同环境局商谈 各党沿街售党报合法途径

（2010-07-08）

● 郭丽娟　报道

　　国民团结党表示希望能同国家环境局官员举行会谈，以找出让各政党能合法地沿街售卖党报的途径。它表明双方如无法对此事找到圆满的解决方法，党副主席梁廷玮将不会缴付上星期天接获的非法售卖党报的传票上所规定的罚款，而会选择上庭抗辩。

　　不过，基于对执法者的尊重，团结党表示已决定在来临的星期天暂停原定的售卖党报活动。

　　梁廷玮上星期天是在淡滨尼售卖党报时，因没申请执照而当场被环境局稽查员发出传票。如有意销案，他必须在8月17日之前支付300元的罚款。

　　团结党对他沿街售卖党报而接到传票感到不满，还引发了政党究竟可通过什么合法途径售卖党报的讨论。过去几十年来，反对党人一贯都在走访选区时售卖党报，并没政党因此而被罚。

　　环境局发言人昨天回答本报询问时指出，当局只在流动小贩计划下发出执照让人们在公共场所合法售卖物品，并没有其他执照可供有意售卖党报的政党申请。

　　发言人说，流动小贩计划的对象是需要帮助的国人，申请者的年龄必须满45岁，失业至少三个月，并面对经济困难。而在这项计划下获得执照的小贩，也只能在获得市镇理事会和相关机构所批准的地点摆摊售卖物品。

　　然而，走进选区售卖党报的反对党人，并不符合这些申请条件。

　　至于各反对党多年来一直在选区售卖党报都没受罚，环境局这次为何又决定向团结党人发出传票这一点，环境局发言人解释自2003年以来，据环境局稽查员记录共129次遇上政党兜售党报，当稽查员见到政党的党员在公众场所无执照售卖党报时，都会告知他们这是违法行为。如果对方不顾警告继续售卖，稽查人员就会采取行动。

　　“在这起案件中，环境局是接获团结党人的通知，才获悉他们有意这么做。尽管我们劝请他们不要在没有执照的情况下售卖刊物，他们仍然继续这么做。”

按照公共环境卫生法第33条，小贩必须先获得公共卫生总监发出的执照，才能售卖食品和其他货品。非法贩卖的刑罚是初犯者罚款最高1000元，重犯者罚款最高4000元。

　　因此，发言人劝告有意售卖货品的民众应租用店铺或商场的零售空间。

　　团结党秘书长吴明盛昨天傍晚发表声明，坚决认为环境局向团结党党员发出传票是不恰当的。

　　他说：“我党推销党报，绝对不会对环境或公众卫生造成任何问题。而环境局在早些时候也承认他们没有任何适当的准证能让政党申请。如果没有适当准证可供我们申请，他们又凭什么来控告我们在没有申请准证的情况下非法贩卖我们的党报呢？”

　　吴明盛强调团结党是一个合法注册的政党，也进行着合法的政治活动。

　　“我们并非小贩，更不是非法小贩，而是投入公共服务的自愿活跃份子。我们并非依赖非法贩卖物品来维持各自生计的非法小贩。环境局把我们归类为非法小贩，不只是对我党，而是对所有牺牲自身时间和对这块土地作出贡献的政治活跃分子，包括革新党、工人党、行动党、居民委员会等的莫大侮辱。”

　　因此，他希望能尽早与环境局官员会谈，以便一次过圆满解决此事。

　　团结党认为这将有利于所有政党和各个基层团体的活跃分子继续参与我国的社会与政治建设。

　　另一方面，环境局发言人回答本报询问时透露，获得当局发出执照的报摊都可售卖获新闻、通讯及艺术部批准的刊物。这意味着一般报摊都能售卖各政党的党报。

　　询及团结党是否有意通过报摊售卖党报，吴明盛表示他们不打算这么做。这是因为报贩并非政党的党员，在售卖党报时难免有所顾虑，担心万一发生事情会受牵连。此外，反对党人走入选区售卖党报，并非只为赚钱，同时也是为了同民众接触，让他们了解政党的政见。

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Compare ST's report:


Title: Why NSP received summons
Source: Straits Times
Author: Andrea Ong

Legal News Archive

Opposition party ignored NEA advice not to sell publication without a licence

AROUND 25 summonses are issued by the Government daily to people hawking all manner of goods illegally, from packets of tissues to curry puffs and household items.

But when it comes to political parties illegally hawking their publications, only one case - out of 129 - has been taken to task since 2003, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) yesterday. Warnings were given for the rest of the cases.

That sole instance happened on Sunday, and it involved opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) vice-president Christopher Neo.

He was given a summons by the NEA for flouting the Environmental Public Health Act by illegally hawking the NSP's newsletter at a food centre in Tampines.

An NEA spokesman said enforcement action is taken only when a person proceeds to sell even after receiving a warning from NEA officers.

'In the NSP case, NEA was informed by NSP that they planned to conduct such sales. Despite our advice to them not to hawk without a licence, they proceeded as planned,' added the spokesman in an e-mailed reply to The Straits Times.

The NEA also spelt out the conditions and process for getting a licence to sell at public places.

The licences come under the Street Hawking Scheme for the needy to make a living. Thus, would-be hawkers must be aged 45 or older, jobless for at least three months and in financial difficulties.

This year, only three out of 71 applications have been approved so far. Two were for the selling of newspapers and one was for the selling of ice-cream.

The spokesman also said that 'street hawkers selling goods such as publications are only allowed to operate their trade at a fixed site after NEA has sought the concurrence of the respective town councils and other relevant agencies'.

The NSP, in a statement yesterday, protested against the summons issued to Mr Neo.

'How could we be charged for not applying (for) a licence under the (Environmental Public Health) Act when there isn't a relevant one to start with?' said the party's secretary-general, Mr Goh Meng Seng.

Mr Goh, calling the NEA action 'totally inappropriate', argued that selling party publications did not affect public hygiene. Also, the NSP was carrying out 'legitimate political outreach' like other political parties and grassroots organisations, he added.

However, the NSP will not sell the publication next Sunday, said Mr Goh, adding that it hopes the NEA 'would reciprocate by meeting up with us to resolve this serious matter amicably'.

The NEA, in explaining its work as the sole agency policing illegal hawking, said it receives about 20 tip-offs daily.

The 31 officers from its illegal hawking unit would check on them, conduct raids and patrol hot spots, said its spokesman.

An average of almost 10,000 summonses were issued yearly in the last three years. For the first five months of this year, 3,800 summonses were issued.

Of these, nearly half were for hawking food items such as roasted chestnuts and curry puffs. The others were mainly for household items, said the spokesman.

Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Permission required for reproduction.
return to top of page

 

[BusNo64]

However, the NSP will not sell the publication next Sunday, said Mr Goh, adding that it hopes the NEA 'would reciprocate by meeting up with us to resolve this serious matter amicably'.

NSP balls shrink?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

NSP balls shrink?

Actually, initially I also think like you but I have learned something from a young fellow who dropped by my shop.

He said he is a sportsman and one should respect his opponent first before going into the game. Similarly, he said we should respect our opponents first before we want to engage them.

And thanks to my NSP CEC colleagues, they talk sense and convince me that it is better take a step back before going forward. Let NEA has a breather, show some respect to them first before we take another step. Our motive is not about attacking NEA or the establishment at all cost. Our primarily motive is to uphold and stand up to defend our dignity as well as finding ways to settle this issue once and for all.

If all former channels failed to find the appropriate solution, then we will consider other options of action.

From this incident, I do learn a lot of things and I also hope my opponents and all others learn the lessons as well.

Goh Meng Seng

 

[soIsee]

Ah Seng

You know they purposely use a law they don't even usually use it ( even if the hawking was real for others) on you and your gang and you still make a helluva lot of nosie about it.

What for?

You can't win this one.

They make the law, they used it just on you.

As a show for others not to follow you and your ways of opposing them and also to suppress you.

So?

You bay song.

Still they charge you.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

It is not about winning the law or the legal battle. In such circumstances, we must first win the hearts and minds of citizens via our stand with sound reasoning as well as our actions.

We may lose the legal battles but definitely must not lose the moral high ground.

Goh Meng Seng

Ah Seng

You know they purposely use a law they don't even usually use it ( even if the hawking was real for others) on you and your gang and you still make a helluva lot of nosie about it.

What for?

You can't win this one.

They make the law, they used it just on you.

As a show for others not to follow you and your ways of opposing them and also to suppress you.

So?

You bay song.

Still they charge you.

 

[soIsee]

It is not about winning the law or the legal battle. In such circumstances, we must first win the hearts and minds of citizens via our stand with sound reasoning as well as our actions.

We may lose the legal battles but definitely must not lose the moral high ground.

Goh Meng Seng

What moral high ground?

At last count, 66.6% sees only money and can be brought by money and good resale of their HDB pigeon holes, to shift their hearts and mind accordingly, to where ever one wants to shift it.

Real moral high ground ppl account for less than 5% and this has been getting lesser thru the years.

You sure lose again one lah!

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

That is very pessimistic.

Singaporeans are not that daft, really.

Goh Meng Seng

What moral high ground?

At last count, 66.6% sees only money and can be brought by money and good resale of their HDB pigeon holes, to shift their hearts and mind accordingly, to where ever one wants to shift it.

Real moral high ground ppl account for less than 5% and this has been getting lesser thru the years.

You sure lose again one lah!