Women accost Shanmugam during Nee Soon Meet-The-People session & accuse him of lying
At a recent Meet-The-People session (MPS) in Nee Soon, two women accosted Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, asking to discuss the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).
The minister posted a video of what transpired on Facebook on Thursday (13 March) night, describing it as “deliberate rowdyism, rudeness”.
Women told that Meet-The-People session is for residents, accuse Shanmugam of lying
Mr Shanmugam, who is an MP for Nee Soon GRC, said the two sisters came to see him on Wednesday (12 March) night, asking to talk about POFMA.
At the time, he was greeting residents waiting for the MPS.
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
They were not his residents, with one of them saying they were from Punggol.
When he said MPS was for residents, he was accused of lying because other MPs had seen non-residents.
The Branch, which runs the MPS, can decide that it will only see residents, though “the MP can exercise some discretion in seeing non-residents”, he explained.
Women make gestures at camera while Shanmugam is talking to them
While Mr Shanmugam was talking to them, the women noticed that a female volunteer was recording them.
They then gestured towards the camera.
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
One of them even made a vulgar gesture with her finger.
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
The minister noted that the women were being recorded, but the pair asked the volunteer to delete the video as it was taken without their consent.
He said his volunteers would follow him and take videos and photos, adding that the location was a public place.
Women shout at minister, calling him a ‘coward’
Mr Shanmugam then proceeded to leave as he was busy and had to join Malay community leaders to launch a Hari Raya light-up.
But the women, who were joined by a man, then shouted after him, calling him a “coward”.
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
This prompted the minister to return to tell them off for their behaviour, saying they were disrupting the MPS.
He pointed out that residents had come for the MPS as they had real issues, adding:
They can’t, as non-residents, come to MPS and insist that their political discussion take priority over the needs of the waiting residents.
As for the recording, he said people are entitled to record them in a public place and if they wanted to see him they could wait.
He later spent about 30 to 45 minutes speaking to the two sisters and two others, Mr Shangmugam said, with the discussion being recorded.
He didn’t elaborate on what was discussed as discussions at MPS are confidential, he added.
Other similar incidents at MPS in last few months
Mr Shanmugam noted that “a small number of persons” had been going to different MPS run by People’s Action Party MPs over the last few months.
They have been “deliberately confrontational” and creating incidents to provoke, he said, adding:
They then put out a version of what happened, to put the MP and his team in as negative light as possible.
In this case, the two women spoke and behaved in an “antagonistic way”, which “suggested that they wanted to make a scene” and get material put out, rather than engage in a genuine discussion, he said.
MPS not a protest venue, says minister
While he understands that people may feel strongly about some issues, “MPS is not a protest venue”, he stated.
As many residents have acute concerns, hijacking MPS is “unfair” to them, he said, adding:
There are appropriate avenues for advocacy — but disrupting sessions meant to help residents who are struggling with everyday challenges crosses a line.
Instead, the commotion caused concern and shocked waiting residents, some of whom apologised to him for the behaviour of the two sisters, he said.
Also read: Police called in after Chai Chee resident turned ‘aggressive’ at Meet-the-People session
Police called in after Chai Chee resident turned ‘aggressive’ at Meet-the-People session
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Featured image adapted from K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook.
