I arrived just after 4pm and the Hong Lim multi storey car park was already full. I ended parking right at the top level, and I was lucky as the few empty lots were quickly taken up. I hurriedly made my way to Hong Lim under a slight drizzle. The rain had petered off and no more lightnings. Thank God. Maybe the large crowd already at the wet and muddy field was strong enough to chase away the dark clouds. Umbrellas were everywhere, and the noise, the roar and tremble, could be felt as I approached the field. It was filled to the brim. I have never seen so many people in Hong Lim. The crowd was 10 times bigger than the Gay Rights Event, easily 5 to 6,000 in my estimate.
The drizzle, the wetness and the refreshing air, and a people acting in unison, with one dream and one purpose, it was like spring is in the air. I was busy trying to find some good angles to shoot some pics for the blog. The light was just good enough and can't complain about the rain though a bit worried about my camera. My disappointment was not able to meet up with Fish, but with the crowd it was near impossible. Neither was I able to catch a glimsp of Patriot and the rest of you. Manage to meet up with a few RI mafias who were there too. And yes, took a photo with Dr Wong Wee Nam too.
Here are some of the pictures which can better tell the story of the Hong Lim Spring.
Pass there at about 1130 hour and foresee some rain water in the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was there for my purpose at about 1620 hour,I hardly have a chance to mingle around and gave up my hobby of Beoing those you know who.
This is because I suddenly have a feeling of something which I had not have for years......
Left,right,front,back...all local born Sinkies of different races.
I suddenly feel that I am back in Sinkie land.I felt at home.
Uncles at my left offer to shelter me with his umbrella automatically and a young sweet lady at my right has the intention but shy to say.I feel Sinkies are so caring and warm hearted.I cried secretly as I am so touch.Ask the uncle whether he read blogs and he replied affirmative as a commenter.I thought of telling him I am agongkia and I believe even if I mention,he will still not treat me differently.To the uncle who shelter me from rain fall for that few minutes,I want to say thank you.I wanted to ask for his nick but haven't got the courage.
Alamak,those umbrellas started to block my view of the speakers and I have poor hearing.Have to leave early for work.
I find Singaporean ,regardless of race are so passionate on our future.
I believe with such spirit,everyone will stand up for Singapore should defence for the country is needed.
I am impressed .I love Singapore.
Hi bro agongkia, had share umbrella with my fellow countrymen.
DeleteNeed to shelter one another against the elements of the thunder and lightning.
Feel so good to be among and able to smell fellow Singaporeans as was lost these few years in the sea of strangers in the land we called home.
I might be the uncle who offered you shelter in my umbrella and my nick is virgo49 born in Sept 1949 the same day as LKY.
Wow!
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Crowd size not more than 2,000 to be fair. I am against PAP but when it comes to numbers, I am pretty sure it cant be 4K. WP rallies are much bigger than this.
ReplyDeleteNot only are Singaporeans firm in their principle, but they are also in practice. I'm proud to be Singaporean. Wish I was there with everyone!
ReplyDeleteOverseas,
Arrived at Speaker Corner with some buddies at about 3:45 PM, went round the Place to look for familiar faces. Many were near the Stage with umbrellas and the drizzle was quite heavy, so we headed to the permanent stage and got ourselves one of the best position to watch the whole proceeding.
ReplyDeleteBy about 4 pm, the crowd became too thick to look for anyone, as such we stayed put. Surprising Emperor Of Lijiang, Wally Buffet, called me to wish everyone at the Gathering. He is keeping track of us and said he is with us in spirit. How nice of him!
The crowd warmed the hearts of many and there were old, middle age and young carrying and displaying placards and banners. It was very touching.
Must say that Fish, G Goh and All the Speakers must be happy with the Turn-out.
Personally, me felt that Leong Sze Hian had spoken on behalf for us with vigour and conviction. Thank him very much.
It is clear that most Singaporeans are not happy with the planned 6.9 millions population by 2030. The Huge Crowd is for all to see and hopefully our Rulers are moved by the Showing.
Congratulations to the Organizer and his Volunteers and the Speakers. All in all a great job and a great success.
patriot
Got a bunch of software to write and some need to study some new computer languages. All these were burn as I went down Hong Lim.
ReplyDeleteThis is how I made my calculation.
I estimate its likely to be more than 5k at the peak. My former secondary schools is about 1000 people. The Hong Lim congregation look at least 5 times bigger than our morning assembly. That does not include people on the overhead bridge and peeking on nearby buildings.
Me too estimates the Crowd to be over five thousands
ReplyDeleteAnd it could be more as many stayed for a while but left because of the intermittent drizzle.
patriot
Redbean was looking to say hello to you, but almost impossible to find. Alas, miss a chance to greet a loyal Singaporean Internet hero.
ReplyDeleteAt most point in time about 3,000 to 4,000 people in the HL field this excluded many who came and left halfway due to rain, standing for too long and 3 hrs talks. Many took cover in shelters. All in all maybe about 12,000 attended.
If good weather, i suspect it will be a shocking number...maybe 20,000.
I was there with my husband, must say that we were surprised with the big turn out despite the rain. While we were there, the whole field was filled with people of different age, race but one thing for sure, they are the very familiar one like you and me, our own countrymen and women.
ReplyDeleteWe had to leave early (around 6.10 pm) to run errand. We are glad that we made it there despite of the tight schedule today. It was a great day, great speech and great people around.
Unity is strength! Go Singapore.
ReplyDeleteHeard that LKY is in hospital.
Red bean, I was there. At the peak about 5000 was there but many came and left so total attended may be more, I left at 6 pm as I was too tire after standing for more than two hours
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Redbean,
ReplyDeletejust would'nt get you too many people
a large crowd and protest is definitely a resounding success.
May I add What TCJ had said about the heat in the kitchen.......
The Kitchen is always hot, even thought your father is a good cook with his team of good chef, the son may not be a good chef despite being in the kitchen for 25 years. If you count the earlier years with the father is more than 45 years.
There is a difference between a good cook and a chef. A goof cook cooks from the heart and a chef is another professional cook!
limcy
Bean
ReplyDeleteCame early and roped in to dispense drinks, clappers n song sheets. Retirees, parents with young children and the young generation together showing our displeasure. Thank you GG and the hardworking volunteers (I hope Augustine get his pen back).
Our ministers/MPs are shameless. I rubbish-binned the MPed graced calender that was taking space in the drawer.
If 'YOU' especially the Malay/Muslim MPs, still have that bit of dignity, please resign and by-elections be called.
Mak Yah
Will history repeat itself? George Santayana certainly thought so.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Blood
This paragraph could be describing Singapore instead of the UK:
/// ... For reasons which they could not comprehend, and in pursuance of a decision by default, on which they were never consulted, they found themselves made strangers in their own country.
They found their wives unable to obtain hospital beds in childbirth, their children unable to obtain school places, their homes and neighbourhoods changed beyond recognition, their plans and prospects for the future defeated; at work they found that employers hesitated to apply to the immigrant worker the standards of discipline and competence required of the native-born worker; they began to hear, as time went by, more and more voices which told them that they were now the unwanted. They now learn that a one way privilege is to be established by act of parliament; a law which cannot, and is not intended to, operate to protect them or redress their grievances is to be enacted to give the stranger, the disgruntled and the agent-provocateur the power to pillory them for their private actions. ///
"... we want Singapore to do well so Singaporeans can do well"
ReplyDeletePM Lee Hsien Loong
PM Lee and the PAP is reading the roadmap upside down.
The roadmap is more correctly read as;
" ... we want Singaporeans to do well so Singapore can do well"
Isn't it fair to say Lee Hsien Loong's "Singapore" refers to his circle of elites?
So after Lee's Singapore do well, then the benefits "trickle down" to the rest of us Singaporeans?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/pm-lee-makes-passionate-appeal-for-population-white-paper-in-parliament-082910512.html
"Trickle down" economic theory explained:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/341481/july-28-2010/the-word---ownership-society
It does not matter if 2k or 5k S'poreans attended. The fact that S'poreans from all walks of life attended in that weather and during CNY celebrations showed that it was a special event. Time to take your future in yr hands and not let the ruling party squander it away. Time to wake up politically for yr children's future.
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful feeling at Hong Lim to see Singaporeans as one people. They were very comfortable with all the Singaporeans around them, the things they talked about, the way they moved around, the lingo and the warmth, and what they were angry about, sama sama.
ReplyDeleteGlad that so many were there. It was a good feeling to be one people again, the sense of being just simply Singaporeans Many were emotional, really emotional, not crocodile tears.
Judging by the photos: Very small crowd. The PINK rally had more people.
ReplyDelete@anon 856:
ReplyDelete>> .. we want Singapore to do well so Singaporeans can do well"
PM Lee Hsien Loong
PM Lee and the PAP is reading the roadmap upside down.
The roadmap is more correctly read as;
" ... we want Singaporeans to do well so Singapore can do well"<<
I have to agree with LHL there. The cuntree is infinitely more important than the people. People have a lifespan of, say, 80 years of which probably 50 are "productive". They are born, eat, shit, work, fuck and die. That's it. However the cuntree must go on beyond the selfish interests of the people who live in the present.
When you go to war, you sacrifice PEOPLE. If you sacrifice cuntree -- all is lost.
@virgo49
ReplyDeleteGlad to have a chance to say thank you here.I did have a feeling that you are someone who had given valuable comments in blogs when I met you.
Its my honour and pleasure to have the opportunity to stand besides you.Once again,thanks.Cheers.
The crowd at WP rally is of course much bigger and we cannot compare that with this Hong Lim Park event because this event is not that well publicised. Only netizens are well aware of it.
ReplyDeleteBut 3000 or thereabouts is significant. It is even more significant because these are not people ferried there by buses and given free refreshments and packet rice. Moreover, the weather was threatening and some people could have had second thoughts about going. Some people also commented on the niggling fear factor still playing a part in curtailing the attendance.
"we want Singapore to do well so Singaporeans can do well" -LHL
ReplyDeleteThis kind of view is seriously myopia. A country is not a company. A nation is more important than a country. A powerful nation can expand the country beyond boundaries but not the other way round. Anyway, the issue is not who do well but PAP betraying the people trust here.
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ReplyDelete