of occupy raffles place

Organisers of the Occupy Raffles Place posted on Facebook

Com'on lah, who are you trying to kid. The only reason few turn up is obvious. Remove that threat or fear I'm sure many will turn up. The financial piranhas had caused much miseries around the world. From food to oil to gold to precious metal. It is affecting every aspect of our lives. People are starving to death not because of natural disasters but due to some very greedy rich in this world. People who are not disgusted by this fact are either in the same game or dont know better.

Don't understand this thing that some people have about putting down organizers who are trying to put out a legitimate movement against injustices caused by the Government, Temasek Holdings, GIC and other bankers. You try to blame us but have no qualms about the real culprits who are failing due to poor performance and bad management and who are putting your investments and lives at risk. There is a word for what you are; hypocrites.

The organisers thanked the few who turned up (one even came from Johor Bahru) and promised to make it "bigger and better next time".

Those who have come out today to show your support for the occupation, you were heroes. It means an awful lot to be courageous men and women.

We'll do it bigger and better next time.

What others have written:

Passive Singaporeans Not Ready For Occupy Raffles Place? by transitioning.org

Singaporeans – pretty divided by nature, individualistic and not the gutsy type – are not prime candidates for organizers to galvanize in any illegal street protest. No one dares to go against the law by being openly defiant – there is the danger that he will not only face police charges but also jeopardize his employment status if he is arrested. If he is married, he will likely face a hostile reception at home and this may be the most effective deterrent factor even if he is the die-hard protest fan type. We are perhaps too boxed in by fear and cultural inhibitions to ever pull off a public protest effectively.

Occupy Raffles Place fail by New Nation. Calling it "The-demonstration-that-wasn’t-to-be attracted the press and police only. Plus a handful of pigeons."

The only attendees who showed up? About five members of the press, one police truck, a couple of police, a red riot truck (someone claimed to have seen it but I didn’t) and a handful of pigeons. Supposedly meant to be a decentralised demonstration on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m., the eventual number of protesters who turned up – based on a rough estimate of eye witness accounts – is somewhere between zero and nothing.

There is, very unfortunately, nothing to report because nothing happened

Protesters Fail to Occupy Singapore by Wall Street Journal

For a group that boasted defiance, and even designed a profile picture on Facebook with the words, “we will not remain silent,” the organizers of the planned Occupy Raffles Place event in Singapore were very quiet. Despite planning a demonstration in Singapore’s financial district at 2 p.m. Saturday, inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement and global protests happening across Asia, the organizers themselves failed to identify themselves. The small crowd at the central square outside Raffles Place MRT station included mostly journalists and photographers, looking listless and bored.

Occupy Raffles Place – we’ll do it bigger and better next time by The Online Citizen

The ‘Occupy Raffles Place’ a call for public protest, which seeked to replicate the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement in Singapore today, was a no-show.

[via TOC]

Some comments extracted from the Facebook page:

Hadi Honeydew Abdul: Singapore is just too diluted and too young of a nation. 40 year of independence. That just isn't enough to invoke national pride for people to come out to the streets, and risk their lives for the sake of the country, for the sake of equality and justice. Singaporeans are just too materialistic and blind consumers. It was a brave attempt and I salute you for it.

Alan Thunderbolt: Cater some food, drinks entertainers, pompom girls and gift. I'm sure more would've turn up.

Jiayi Chong: So who turned up today? How to know if anyone turned up if no one can tell who turned up?

KinMun Theodore Nathanael Lee: Actually, most blame the organizers who didn't even have the balls to reveal themselves to the media....We will not remain silent. But we will silently grow bigger. Except our balls. Those shall remain small.

Elfy Shah: I dont geddit....do pple really want change? All i see here is that the Organizer is being blamed yada yada yada...and by whom?By those who didn't go but would rather watch the event unfold from their laptops. Does this not equate to hypocrisy? It's a good effort ,imo. But not enuff traction. Singaporeans ,were and still are, an ignorant bunch I guess. Good for those who came but for those that didnt and still have the cheek to say something about it....whateva lets u sleep at nite buddy. On that note, a more thorough discussion with detailed planning might help get this movement more momentum. I say this because u'r dealing with Singaporeans...we're conservatives-liberal wannabes remember?!

Singapore "Occupy Raffles Place" protests FAIL - 16Oct2011




Singapore "Occupy Raffles Place" protests FAIL [via HWZ]