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CASE
to hold protest walk on same weekend as SDP
Singapore
Democrats
22 Feb 08
Even as the police reject
the SDP's application
for a protest rally on 15 Mar 08, the Consumer Association of
Singapore (CASE) has announced that it will stage a march the
following day on 16 Mar.
Like the SDP's event, CASE's walk
is held in conjunction with the World Consumer Rights Day. The
event, announced on its website
will "promote the basic rights of all consumers." The
protest march, with Minister for Health Khaw Boon Wan as the
guest-of-honour, "will bring together over 5,000
consumers."
The venue will be at Merchant Loop
(behind Liang Court) and will take place from 7-11 am. Last year
it was held outside Parliament House beside the Singapore River.
But while Singaporeans are labouring under a slew of
price hikes which has brought the inflation rate to a crippling
25-year high of 5.6 percent (see following story), CASE is
"campaigning to stop the marketing of junk food to
children." Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
And
if the organisers were serious about what they were doing instead
of performing their usual wayang,
they would protest outside a MacDonald's or KFC restaurant
instead of doing it behind Liang Court.
Still, it is not
easy getting together 5,000 people for a march. So how does CASE
do it? Free goodie bags, of course. And, for good measure,
participants "stand to win attractive prizes at the lucky
draw."
As for the SDP's application for a permit,
Minister for Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng has refused
to respond to our appeal
even though we have written to him twice in the past week.
Stay
tuned.
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