Press Statement from the 19 charged in Court today

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT from the 19 Accused:

 

Chee Soon Juan                           Chee Siok Chin                   John Tan Liang Joo

Ghandhi s/o Karrupiah Ambalam       Jeffery George                   Seelan s/o Palay

Muhammad Jufri Bin Mohd Salim      Lim Teck Hee Sylvester       Chong Kai Xiong       

Surayah Binte Akbar                     Lang Chin Kah Carl Coca      Ng E-Jay

Francis Yong Chu Leong                Chia Ti Lik                         Go Hui Leng

Mohamed Jufrie Bin Mahmood         Govinda Rajan s/o Surian     Yap Keng Ho

Muhammad Shafi’ie Syahmi Bin Sariman                                  

 

 

THE TAK BOLEH TAHAN CAMPAIGN

THE PROTEST ON 15^th March 2008 World Consumers’ Rights’ Day

Before Parliament House Singapore

 

We are the 19 Singaporeans summoned to Court for allegedly participating in an assembly and procession without permit near Parliament House on 15^th March 2008 – this event is also known as the Tak Boleh Tahan Protest.

 

The term “Tak Boleh Tahan” is colloquial Malay for “We can’t take it anymore”.

The Tak Boleh Tahan Protest was meant to speak out against the multitude of ill-timed price hikes initiated by the Government, directly and indirectly in areas ranging from GST, public transport to education and healthcare, which have exacerbated the inflationary situation and made it much harder for Singaporeans to cope with the increased cost of living.

 

Despite rumblings from the ground, the Government had been unwilling to take real steps to reduce the cost of living for the majority of Singaporeans and the poor and lower income groups have been the hardest hit. When we presented ourselves in front of Parliament House on 15th March 2008, we did so because we felt that the protest would send a strong message on behalf of our countrymen to the Government not to make life any more difficult for Singaporeans.

On 15^th March 2008, 12 of us were arrested on the spot. Subsequently, another 7 were called up and questioned. By this morning, all 19 of us have been formally charged in Court 23, each with one count of assembly without a permit and one count of procession without a permit.

In light of the price hikes further initiated from the 15th March 2008 till today, it is clear that the Government remains unwilling to take active steps to make life less unbearable for all Singaporeans. We are now all the more convinced that the protest was needed and justified and simply had to be done. We are further convinced that our claim as citizens to the right of assembly and freedom of expression was timely and proper. Therefore, we would wish to claim trial to the charges brought against us.

I am the only lawyer in the entire group. But since I am now also a co-accused, I am unable to act as legal counsel for the group. Therefore the group at present is in need of legal representation. We make an appeal for Singaporean lawyers to come forward to represent us in these proceedings.

 

 

Chia Ti Lik