Maintaining Public Order

An indoor public assembly is exempted from the Police permit requirement if it meets certain criteria, including that:

• It is held wholly inside a building or enclosed premises
• The organisers and speakers are all Singapore citizens
• It does not deal with any matter that relates directly or indirectly to religion, or may cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial and religious groups in Singapore

Religious foot processions pose a higher risk to public order. A general ban on religious foot processions was imposed following the racial riots in 1964, but an exception was made for three Hindu religious foot processions – Thaipusam, Panguni Uthiram and Thimithi.

MHA continues to manage religious foot processions sensitively and carefully.

 
The Police will not grant any permit for assemblies/processions organised by or involving non-Singaporeans that are directed towards a political end. This is especially if the purpose of the event is to further their own political causes, or to interfere in our domestic politics, policies and governance.

Singapore’s political, social or moral choices are for Singaporeans to decide for ourselves.

 
The Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park was established in 2000 as a space for Singaporeans to express their views on issues that concern them.

Singapore citizens and entities can organise assemblies/processions at the Speakers’ Corner without a need for a permit, if it comply with the exemption conditions listed in the Public Order (Unrestricted Area) Order 2016.

The conditions include, among others, that:

• Only Singapore citizens can engage in public speaking
• Only Singapore citizens or permanent residents can participate in the assembly/procession
• The event must not deal with a matter that relates to religion, or cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups in Singapore