Police have received several press queries regarding the protest activities organized by Chee Soon Juan and his Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) outside the Myanmar Embassy on 30 Sep 2007 .

Chee’s organizing of a petition letter campaign per se is not unlawful. However, Chee has decided to do so in an unlawful manner even when advised by Police not to do so. He chose to collect signatures from the public for his petition by staging an assembly with his handful of party supporters without a permit outside the Myanmar Embassy on 30 Sep 2007 .

Chee has called members of the public to sign petition letters not only against the Myanmar Government but also against the Singapore Government outside the Myanmar Embassy on 30 Sep 2007 . Police officers have advised the persons to leave after they have signed the letters. Chee and his supporters instead called for the public to remain in defiance of Police advice. While many left after signing the petition, several remained behind.

Police note however that this incident is the latest by Chee in a series of similar incidents of staging illegal assemblies as acts of civil disobedience against the Singapore authorities.

Police wish to reiterate its earlier call to the public not to participate in an assembly or procession that does not have a permit as it is an offence to do so. This is a law which must apply equally to all, whether local or foreigners. The public should also stay away from the vicinity of such illegal protest activities.

Petitions can be organized through lawful means. Indoor political forums by Singaporeans are exempt from the need to apply for any licence. Foreigners who wish to do so can apply for a licence from any Police station or on-line at www.spf.gov.sg/licence/index.html. Those who choose to give expression to their political views or who wish to organize political activities are urged to do so through available avenues and lawful means.

Police are appreciative that officials of the Sasanaramsi Burmese Temple have similarly reminded the Myanmese community in Singapore to conduct themselves within the bounds of the law. In fact they have explicitly advised their devotees not to take part in the illegal assembly by Chee Soon Juan outside the Myanmar Embassy on 30 Sep 2007 .