Hong Lim Exclusive
7
Hong Lim Park: more than a just a Speaker's Corner
Colourful history
Tempting as it may be to treat Hong Lim Park as being nothing more than the Speakers’ Corner nowadays, that would be doing injustice to the history of the place. Our little green neighbour has been a hotbed of political activity since Cheah Hong Lim converted Dunman’s Green into Singapore’s first public park in 1885.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Hong Lim Park was the site of many election rallies and political speeches. Of particular significance was the rancorous 1961 Hong Lim by-election where Chinatown’s darling, Ong Eng Guan, beat the PAP candidate, Jek Yeun Thong, with 73% of the vote. This failure at the polls prompted Lee Kuan Yew to offer his resignation to the PAP, which was rejected. If said resignation had been accepted, one can only imagine the amount of impact this little park would have made on the course of Singapore’s history. Having made waves for decades now, Hong Lim Park certainly seems an apt location for our Speakers’ Corner!
Troubled birth
The birth of the Speakers’ Corner in September 2000 was met with controversy. Some critics viewed it as a token move to placate pesky civil society groups and to persuade foreign liberals that Singapore is more than just North Korea with money. Other cynics saw it as a purely pragmatic move to provide a spot for the increasingly vocal populace to let off steam about unpopular policies, instead of having the anger manifest into street protests or opposition votes. On the other hand, proponents declared the opening of the Speakers’ Corner as a sign of genuine political liberalisation, and point out that civil society groups have themselves used the Speakers’ Corner to promote their causes.
Evolution
Controversial beginnings notwithstanding, it is clear that the Speakers’ Corner has been gaining legitimacy as the go-to place for protests and other political endeavours. This increase in its popularity can be attributed to some extent to the relaxation of governmental control over events conducted there. Notably, from September 2008 onwards, NParks took over responsibility for registration of Speakers’ Corner events from the police, demonstrations could be held, and sound amplification devices were allowed. In a somewhat ominous turn of events, CCTVs were installed at the Speakers’ Corner in 2009 – though it is of course entirely possible that these were installed to catch litterbugs or opportunistic pickpockets.
off steam about unpopular policies, instead of having the anger manifest into street protests or opposition votes. On the other hand, proponents declared the opening of the Speakers’ Corner as a sign of genuine political liberalisation, and point out that civil society groups have themselves used the Speakers’ Corner to promote their causes.
Evolution
Controversial beginnings notwithstanding, it is clear that the Speakers’ Corner has been gaining legitimacy as the go-to place for protests and other political endeavours. This increase in its popularity can be attributed to some extent to the relaxation of governmental control over events conducted there. Notably, from September 2008 onwards, NParks took over responsibility for registration of Speakers’ Corner events from the police, demonstrations could be held, and sound amplification devices were allowed. In a somewhat ominous turn of events, CCTVs were installed at the Speakers’ Corner in 2009 – though it is of course entirely possible that these were installed to catch litterbugs or opportunistic pickpockets.
by TAN WEE HAO