Hong Lim Park Protest Against the Population White Paper in Singapore - Alvinology

Hong Lim Park Protest Against the Population White Paper in Singapore

The event started at 4pm.

I looked out of my window at 3.55pm and it was drizzling lightly. Should I head down to Hong Lim Park to take a look?

I was skeptical about the turnout as Singaporeans are very busy people who need to go shopping, watch movie or indulge in other leisure activities over the weekend.

Then, I turned to Facebook and Twitter and saw many pictures of crowd gathering at Hong Lim Park. An estimate would put the turnout at easily over a thousand.

Wow.

This has got to be the largest non-partisan protest ever in Singapore since 1965! It is history in the making.

I cannot miss this.

I quickly made my way down to Hong Lim Park, leaving my wife and son at home, not wanting them to get caught in the rain.

I reached at around 5pm.

Once I stepped out of Clarke Quay MRT station, I found myself surrounded by Singaporeans everywhere in Hong Lim Park. This was a stark contrast to the sea of foreigners I encountered in the MRT train on my way there (an all too common sight these days).

There were Singaporeans of all ages – grandparents with their grandchildren, parents with kids, young adults, teenagers and couples. There were Singaporeans of all races – Malays, Indians, Chinese, Eurasians and Sikhs.

These people have all braved the rain and sacrificed a precious Saturday to attend this protest.

I wonder if our ruling government can finally hear us now.

I love Singapore and I believe so do all the Singaporeans who show up today at Hong Lim Park.

We are not xenophobic and we should not and do not hate the foreigners who are here living and working alongside us, contributing to the progress of our nation.

We just want our government to listen to us and let us have a say in the future we want for ourselves and for our future generations.

Veteran politician, Chiam See Tong and a PAP MP, Inderjit Singh have spoken against the population white paper. So have many economists, bloggers, professors, both prominent and ordinary Singaporeans.

You said you heard us, but have you ever listen?

I am not so much concerned about what the speakers have to say when I went down to Hong Lim Park. What needs to be said had been repeated many times through various discourses.

I just wanted to see how many Singaporeans will be pissed off enough with the 6.9 million population white paper to show up at Hong Lim Park.

There are many and they come from all walks of life.

I will let my pictures do the talking:

I have never seen our Speakers' Corner so crowded before
I have never seen our Speakers’ Corner so crowded before
Singaporeans braved the rain. Many came prepared with umbrellas.
Singaporeans braved the rain. Many came prepared with umbrellas.
Braving the mud and rain
Braving the mud and rain
Protest tee-shirts and signboards
Protest tee-shirts and signboards
Some people were in the sheltered area
Some people were in the sheltered area
One of the speaker on stage
One of the speaker on stage
Young Singaporean protestors
Young Singaporean protestors
Someone cannot wait to vote again
Someone cannot wait to vote again
Les Miserable - Singapore style
Les Miserable – Singapore style
This dude is proud to be Singaporean
This dude is proud to be Singaporean
Made in Singapore girl
Made in Singapore girl
More people kept coming
More people kept coming
A young couple
A young couple
The umbrellas are not all blue or white ah, it's multi-coloured - non-partisan
The umbrellas are not all blue or white ah, it’s multi-coloured – non-partisan
Sikhs, Chinese, Malays, Singaporeans of all races.
Sikhs, Chinese, Malays, Singaporeans of all races.
Standing on slopes
Standing on slopes
Listening in the sheltered area
Listening in the sheltered area
Listening on the rooftop
Listening on the rooftop
Punks are protesting too. I just hope they are not Neo-Nazi wannabes. Xenophobia is wrong. We are against the policy, not racists.
Punks protesting. I hope they are not Neo-Nazi wannabes. Xenophobia is wrong. We are against the policy, not foreigners.
This one fierce...
This one fierce…
More colourful umbrellas
More colourful umbrellas
From Guinness to ABC umbrella...
From Guinness to ABC umbrella…
Ordinary Singaporeans from all walks of lives
Ordinary Singaporeans from all walks of life
Hong Lim Park Protest Against the Population White Paper in Singapore - Alvinology
“Lee Kuan Yew” was at Hong Lim Park too
It is the
It is the “Tree Wizard” guy who goes around trolling all big events with his Lee Kuan Yew figurines
The rain finally stopped as the last speaker got on stage
The rain finally stopped as the last speaker got on stage
This boy sums up what I want to say
This boy sums up what I want to say

Finally, watch this video taken at the end of the protest:

I have not felt so much pride in a long while hearing my fellow Singaporeans sing our national anthem together. Have you?

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