In case you missed the latest socio-political brouhaha going around online, there seems to be a lot of unhappiness surrounding the distribution of flyers in Aljunied by a group of People's Action Party (PAP) activists.

Why the unhappiness? Some are questioning the legality of such an act, while others point to a previous case of flyer distribution by the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) that was deemed illegal.

Before we proceed, here's the flyer:

The flyer asks five questions that it says Aljunied residents deserve an answer to. Most of the questions are about the actions of the Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) and accusations regarding AHPETC's refusal to come clean with information.

So in the spirit of the flyer, here are five questions that we think people are more interested in:

1. Are the flyers considered elections advertising?

According to our Statutes:

“election advertising” means any poster, banner, notice, circular, handbill, illustration, article, advertisement or other material that can reasonably be regarded as intended —

(a) to promote or procure the electoral success at any election for one or more identifiable political parties, candidates or groups of candidates; or

(b) to otherwise enhance the standing of any such political parties, candidates or groups of candidates with the electorate in connection with any election,

and such material shall be election advertising even though it can reasonably be regarded as intended to achieve any other purpose as well and even though it does not expressly mention the name of any political party or candidate, but excludes any button, badge, pen, pencil, balloon and any other thing prescribed by the Minister by notification in the Gazette;”

The flyers are given out by PAP activists, with a PAP newsletter attached.

More importantly, the title of the flyer specifically mentioned the word "WP".

Yup, not our Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council or your Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council" but "WP's Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council".

Is it fair to say that a resident will construe this as a political flyer?

2. Were the SDP folks arrested for distributing flyers a while back?

In 2009, District Judge Ch’ng Lye Beng found three SDP members guilty of distributing pamphlets without a permit.* They were fined the maximum amount of $1,000 each or one week's jail in default.

The crime? They distributed flyers at the Raffles City Shopping Centre on Sep.10  2006, questioning the ministers' salaries as well as the denial of political rights to Singaporeans Perhaps they were being combative and shouting party slogans during their flyer distribution? We cannot say for sure.

Did the PAP activists do the same thing? Highly doubtful, they distributed the flyers 'through the night'. Did they question ministers' salaries as well? Highly unlikely too.

A PAP branch chairman said on Channel NewsAsia that they have nothing to hide and “there was no difficulty in understanding that (the flyer) was from the PAP”.

Is that why they decided to distribute the flyers at night?

 *Editor's note - We apologise for the error made in this example. A reader has informed us that the SDP members were fined not because of their action of distributing flyers. A check with The Straits Times, Feb.23, 2011. revealed that Justice Woo said in his written judgement that "it was not the act of distributing fliers that had contravened the law". Rather, the SDP members were fined because they organised a demonstration without permit when they distributed the fliers. 

3. Are the flyers considered spam/litter?

This one is down to personal opinion but if you treat flyers as a nuisance and unnecessary junk, then yes, the flyers are junk that adds zero value.

If the flyers were scattered on the floor, does one consider the act littering?

Some creative Aljunied residents have found good use for the flyers.

4. Will the content of the flyers matter to residents?

If AHPETC residents are living happily, does it matter how the Town Council operates? If people are living in poverty, does it matter if the Government is squeaky clean and noble?

Anyway, WP Chairman Sylvia Lim declined to comment on the contents of the flyers when The Straits Times interviewed her last night at the Meet-The-People Session. Classy.

5. Are the elections coming?

I mean why these flyers at this time?

If it costs one dollar each to print the two flyers for each household, it would cost Victor Lye and his activists $35,000 with their initial print run of 35,000.

That will be slightly more than a month's pay for two PAP MPs, if they get elected.

Top photo from Victor Lye Facebook. 

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