纪念会举行的日期、地点和时间如下：

地点：新加坡大坡芳林公园演说角落

        Hong Lim Park (Upper Pickering Street)

   日期： 2013年2月2日，星期六

    时间：下午4时开始

欢迎公众朋友踊跃出席！

                    新加坡2.2事件50周年纪念筹备小组啟

2013年1月25日

同年9月26日和10月8日，又有更多人先后遭逮捕，如此冷酷无情的迫害和侵犯人权的行径，在新加坡还一直持续到今天。

被捕者不经审讯，遭关押几年，或二、三十年不等。李思东和已故林福寿医生遭拘禁20年；赛查哈里，傅树介医生和已故何标遭拘禁17年；而谢太宝则破纪录，遭拘禁长达32年。另外还有许多人遭驱逐出境或被迫流亡海外，其中一名，戴渊在被关押8年后遭驱逐出境。

 “冷藏行动”已过去50年了，不少政治拘留者也已过世，而他们所蒙受的冤屈仍未获得昭雪。在纪念“2.2”“冷藏行动”50周年之际，我们牢记那许许多多为崇高理想而奉献青春的男女青年，他们努力奋斗，要争取实现一个包括新加坡在内的独立的马来亚，要建立一个不分种族、、人人平等、尊重人权和民主的多元文化国家。

 欢迎参加2.2大逮捕行动50周年纪念！

日期：2013年2月2日（星期六） 
时间：下午四时至七时 
地点：新加坡大马路芳林公园演讲角落

Hours before the dawn of 2 February 1963, the governments of Singapore, the Federation of Malaya and Britain launched “Operation Cold Store.” More than 120 left wing activists were arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). They included leaders and key members of Barisan Sosialis, Partai Rakyat, trade unions, university students’ unions and other organisations.

More arrests were carried out on 26 September and 8 October of the same year. Such ruthless persecution and infringement of human rights has continued in Singapore till today.

Detainees were incarcerated for decades without trial. Lee Tee Tong  and the late Dr Lim Hock Siew were detained for 20 years; Said Zahari, Dr Poh Soo Kai and the late Ho Piao for 17 years and Chia Thye Poh a record  32 years. Many others were banished from Singapore or forced to flee. Tai Yuan, for example, was banished to Hong Kong after 8 years of imprisonment.

50 years have passed since Operation Cold Store.  A good number of the political detainees had departed without restitution for the injustice done to them.  In commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of Operation Cold Store, we remember the young men and women who sacrificed their youth in pursuit of their dream for an independent Malaya embracing Singapore and building a multicultural nation in which all communities would enjoy equality and respect for human rights and democracy. 

Come and join us.

 Date: Saturday, 2 February 2013

Time: 4pm – 7pm

Venue:  Hong Lim Park, Singapore  

In the circumstances, the commemoration will now be held on Saturday, 2 February 2013 at Hong Lim Park, Singapore from 4pm to 7pm.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please note the change of date and time.

Organising Committee

50^th Anniversary of Operation Cold Store

More arrests were carried out on 26 September and 8 October in the same year. Ruthless persecution and infringement of human rights continue in Singapore and Malaysia till today. Many are still imprisoned under the ISA.

Over the past 50 years, detainees were incarcerated for decades. Said Zahari, Dr Poh Soo Kai and Ho Piao were detained for 17 years, Dr Lim Hock Siew and Lee Tee Tong, 20 years while Chia Thye Poh was detained for 32 years. Many others were expelled from Singapore or forced to flee. Tan Wah Piow and Ho Juan Thai now live as exiles.

ISA detainees may have been freed from detention today, but they have been robbed of the prime of their lives.   They were ostracized for decades and treated as second-class citizens. They who had fought for Singapore’s independence from British colonial rule have been vilified in official history books. Their children and grandchildren know very little about their lives and what they stood for.

50 years have passed since Operation Cold Store. Youthful idealism has mellowed with age. Many have departed.  

Come and join us in commemorating the 50^th anniversary of Operation Cold Store.

Date:     Sunday, 3 February 2013

Time:     2pm – 5pm

Venue:  Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry

              47  Hill Street

              Singapore  

在过去50年里，我们许多被扣留者，有的被长期监禁，如谢太宝被监禁长达32年，林福寿，傅杵楷 20年，赛·佐哈里，李思东，何标17年。有的被驱逐出境，或被迫逃离，如陈华彪，到今天还有家归不得。

许多人虽然经过长短不一的监禁后获释归来，却被剥夺了与生俱来的参与政治活动和关心国家大事和社会福利的权力，我们彻底的被边缘化，成为二等公民。我们当年参与争取国家独立、反殖民主义斗争的光辉事迹被有意的歪曲和抹黑，我们的孩子、孙子在学校读不到这段历史。

在过去50年，我国国内的情况，经历了急剧的变化。二次大战过后产生的冷战局面已经过去。随着科技发明日新月异的发展，全人类的生活方式和内容已经大为不同，并日益丰富，民主潮流浩浩荡荡，今天还有人想一掌遮天，搞独裁，专制，势必遭受灭顶之灾，当今许多独裁者的悲惨下场对他们就是一个严厉的警告。

2·2事件至今已经足足50年，当年朝气蓬勃，满怀崇高理想的我们，如今已经是一个饱受沧桑，年老体衰的老人，我们当年的许多并肩作战的战友，逃不过自然规律，已经一个接一个先后离我们而去。我们这群有幸还活着的老人，不应该再默不作声，保持沉默下去，应该勇敢地站出来，让我们藉着这个沉痛的日子，从四方八面走来，齐集一起，沉痛纪念这个永远无法忘记的日子，控诉我们当年所受的不平待遇，回味我们青年时代的光荣的斗争事迹。

欢迎各界人士出席。

日期：2013年2月3日    

时间：下午2时至5时

地点：新加坡中华总商会大礼堂  47, Hill Street, Singapore

                           2-2事件50周年紀念筹備小組启

Chaired by Ms Maria Chin Abdullah the meeting got off to a witty start when Tan Wah Piow was jovially “chastised” for his love of good wine and good food by his introducers Mr Tan Yew Sing (Chairman of Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall), and Dr Kua Kia Song (Chairman of Suaram). Both of them knew Wah Piow well and recounted lively anecdotes dating back to their secondary and London Fuemsso days. He was praised for his wit, passion and powerful intellect and commitment to justice, democracy and political change. 

Kicking off the question and answer session the first salvo came from a former trade unionist who wanted to know the whereabouts of Phey Yew Kok who was the master mind behind the  frame up of Wah Piow and who subsequently absconded with  union funds. The questioner requested that if anyone has any information on Phey they should contact him while another member of the forum said he would gladly report him to the Interpol.

The issue of regime change was given a hopeful thumbs-up by Dr Wong Chin Huat who predicted that UMNO will not be able to “last the next 5 years”.  Based on their respective justifications for their continued hold on to power, one resting on race-based affirmative policies and the other on elitist meritocratic “pay me well policy” any electoral upsets on either side of the causeway would have serious ramifications for both the Barisan Nasional and the PAP.

The historic separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965 brought on an emotional surge to Dr G Raman. He felt strongly that the people of Malaya and Singapore are one people and it was tragic that the split occurred because of the rivalry between Jaffar Albar and Lee Kuan Yew whose political ambitions drove a terrible wedge into the pair of Siamese twins. As for the possibility of re-merger hope is always there as long as the current race based and elitist policies are unsustainable.

Looking to the future, Wah Piow is confident that change will occur. The mismatch between high GDP growth and serious distribution problem will cause younger Singaporeans to rise to the fore and strengthen the voices of the opposition. Dr G Raman believes that a loose coalition of opposition parties in electoral contests will pave the way to more significant changes later.  As for the question of “forgiving and forgetting” the repressive actions of autocrats, Wah Piow said he never looked upon the question as a personal one. He believes that repressive leaders like LKY did perform some social good like housing and other economic benefits. Their biggest folly is to place their own power interest above the need for healthy democratic institutions to evolve. It is indeed regrettable that  leaders like LKY could not rise to more statesman-like stature.

The book launch ended on a high note to the lyrics  of the song “we live in a land full of sunshine and beauty. Mountains high and forest green and turtles in the sea”. This was  belted out impromptu by a Singaporean who had brought a ten year old boy to the book launch. For him it is the younger generation who will represent our hopes for the future.

Acting Minister for Manpower, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin was quick to label the action taken by the bus drivers as an “illegal strike”. Investigations were launched by the police under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (MOM report dated 27 Nov 12 on what the Acting Minister said). The press, taking the cue from the Acting Minister, immediately and relentlessly used the term “illegal strike” in their reports. The bus drivers were clearly doomed from the start with MOM and its Acting Minister taking the side of their employer, SMRT.

On 29 Nov 2012, four bus drivers were charged under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act and their cases are pending. On 1 Dec 2012, 29 bus drivers were reprimanded and repatriated upon the decision of MOM to revoke their work passes (MOM statement of 1 Dec 2012). We are not informed of the reason/s why MOM revoked their work passes so swiftly and did not allow them legal representation or give them an opportunity to be heard.

On 3 Dec 2012, one bus driver was suddenly charged in court, pleaded guilty without legal representation and sentenced to 6 weeks’ imprisonment. He is presently serving his jail term and is likely to be deported immediately upon his release.

In the various statements of the Acting Manpower Minister and press releases of MOM, shortcomings of SMRT in failing to resolve the grievances of the drivers in a timely manner were acknowledged. It was not explained why swift and harsh action was taken only against the bus drivers and not SMRT. The repeated allegation by the Acting Minister, MOM, SMRT and the mainstream media that the refusal of the bus drivers to report for work constituted an “illegal strike” gives the impression that what the bus drivers had done was “illegal” and that there was indeed a “strike”. Since the cases have not been determined by the court, it is grievously wrong and prejudicial to the bus drivers to label their action as an “illegal strike”. It is commenting on a pending case and the law is clear that such comments are sub judice and constitute contempt of court.

We, at Function 8, view with grave concern the free and frequent use of the term “illegal strike” by the Acting Minister for Manpower, MOM, SMRT and the press. The four bus drivers are awaiting trial.  Repeated claims that they had participated in an “illegal strike” amount to prejudging their case. Such claims can only be calculated to influence the decision of the judge/s.

In the interest of justice and the preservation of the good name of Singapore, we call upon our ministers, all government officials, MOM, SMRT and the press to stop using the term “illegal strike” when referring to the SMRT incident.  If we are a first world nation and believe in the rule of law, we must ensure that all accused persons receive a fair and just trial.

Function 8 Limited

17 December 2012

To donate, simply head down to

Bloodbank@HSA,
Health Sciences Authority
(Opposite Outram Park MRT Station)
11 Outram Road
Singapore 169078

Or you can check which is the most convenient donation centre to you, and head down during office hours. Details are found in:

http://www.hsa.gov.sg/publish/hsaportal/en/health_services/blood_donation/wheretodonate.html?direct=1

Function 8 Ltd