Roy Ngerng: I have been labelled a criminal just for speaking out at Hong Lim Park

Friends,

I have been charged with two crimes. The Police gave me the charges yesterday. If I am found guilty, I will become a criminal.

Imagine, becoming a criminal in your own country simply for speaking up.

In May this year, I was sued for defamation. A few weeks later, in June this year, I was fired from my job by the government.

Earlier this week, I was called in by the Police to assist in investigations for "unlawful assembly".

Yesterday, I was charged for "public nuisance" and given an additional charge under the Parks and Trees Act. The police claimed that we had demonstrated without a permit, even though the Hong Lim Park is the designated area for demonstrations.

The first charge carries a penalty of $1,000. The second charge carries a penalty of $5,000.

This has been going on for 5 months now.

All I have ever wanted is to speak the truth, to let Singaporeans know what is really going on, so that together, we can do what is right to protect ourselves and our country, and most importantly, our families and our children.

This is why I speak up - so that we can protect ourselves.

However, for speaking up and for wanting to protect ourselves, I have been sued for defamation and charged with two crimes.

I will be made a criminal for exercising my constitutional rights to speak up.

But it is no longer just me.

Yesterday, five other Singaporeans were charged alongside me. Han Hui Hui was also charged with the same crimes as I am. Four other Singaporeans have been charged with "public nuisance".

These are Singaporeans who have also stood up and spoken up, because they want to give themselves a fighting chance, to change things, so that they can give their families and children a chance.

You see them as ordinary Singaporeans. Some of them as old as my mother, some old enough to be my father, my brothers and my sister. But they stand.

Because they know that for their own lives, for their families and for their children's future, they have to stand up. They have to speak up.

And so they have.

But today, for speaking up, for wanting to protect their own families, they have been charged for doing the very thing anyone would do for their families.

I look at them and I feel a sense of pride, like brothers and sisters whom have taken a stand and who knows how this government will do anything to prosecute us, and yet how they stood brave and strong, as they stood their ground and fought - for a future they believe in.

But today, we are being prosecuted. For having a dream. For daring to follow that dream.

Are we scared? Of course we are. But to know what you are up against, you know that for something you believe in, and most importantly, your country, your family and your children, you have to cast that all aside, and be brave, to be strong and stand your ground.

When you learn to believe in a future worth fighting for, you learn to be brave.

When you learn to believe in your own freedoms, you learn to fight for it.

And so we have.

It is not an easy road, but at least we have done it. At least we are doing it.

You know, at the end of the day, it might look like I have lost. But no, I have won. We have won.

For I can say to myself, my conscience is clear. I can smile to myself and thank myself for what I have done. At least I fought for myself. At least I fought for my country. At least I fought with pride and most importantly, with integrity.

Over the past few days, I have met some people on the streets who come to me and tell me that they know I am being investigated and being charged and that they will still support me, and support us.

I have never seen so many people come up to me at one time.

I am reminded that there other many Singaporeans who believe in me, and in us and who want to see justice done to Singapore.

I thank you.

On Monday, we will have to go to the state court at 1 Havelock Road at 10am to face our charge.

If you ask me, honestly, the charges are unwarranted, for we are exercising our rights to speak up, and to speak the truth, to help Singaporeans.

But the government does not like it.

But my allegiance is not to the government. It is to my fellow people.

The government takes our CPF to earn money for itself. And not only that, the government also earns money from our housing, healthcare, transport and education.

I am shocked by the extend that the PAP government has done to make money off Singaporeans.

This is not ethical and it is not moral.

Today, instead of responding to Singaporeans' concerns about how the government takes our money to earn, and how the government should return it back, the government keeps quiet on this but instead turn around to charge us, so as to keep us quiet.

Can you keep quiet on this, while your own lives are being marginalised? Will you allow your rights to be taken away?

If we are to fight the charges against us, the legal fees, we have been told, come up to $30,000 for the six of us. The penalties will come up to another up to $16,000.

I do not know where to get this money. These are people who have given up their lives to fight for what they believe in.

But, now they have to pay for it, just for wanting to fight for what we believe is right.

Is it right for the government to penalise us so heavily for speaking up, to speak the truth? 

But I have finally learnt this - freedom is not free. 

Do I still have the face to ask Singaporeans for funds? I have had to appeal to Singaporeans for my defamation suit. Do I still have the face to ask for further help?