Malaysia: Practitioners Protest Singapore's Unfair Treatment of Falun Gong

Since July this year, a number of Malaysia Falun Gong practitioners have been questioned and monitored at the Singapore border. Some have even been denied entry into Singapore. Therefore, Malaysia Falun Gong practitioners went to the Singapore Highest Commissioner’s Office on September 19th, 2006 to protest the unjust treatment of Falun Gong practitioners imposed upon by the Singapore government. They also went to the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office to deliver letters, calling on the government to pay attention to this issue.

Malaysia practitioners call on the Singapore government to treat Falun Gong fairly outside the Singapore High Commissioner’s Office

First Secretary of the Singapore High Commissioner’s Office accepts the protest letter

A Falun Gong spokesperson read a press statement introducing how several Falun Gong practitioners were denied entry into Singapore. He revealed that two practitioners from Johor tried to enter Singapore on September 12th, but the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint Authorities (ICA) denied their entry without giving any reason. This was the second time that both of them were denied entry.

In August, the two Falun Gong practitioners from Johor tried to transfer to a plane in Singapore’s Changyi International Airport, but were denied entry into Singapore.

Mr. Lim from Johor went to Singapore’s Changyi International Airport to take a plane heading for Narita Airport in Japan. There was no problem on his trip to Japan, but when he returned from Japan, Singapore Customs Office refused to let Mr. Lim enter Singapore. Officials told him to buy another air ticket to Malaysia’s International Airport. Customs officials were unable to give any explanation why Mr. Lim had no problem flying to Japan from the Singapore airport but was denied re-entry upon his return.

A practitioner said that another practitioner from Johor took the plane at Singapore’s Changyi Airport to travel abroad in August. Just like Mr. Lim, he was denied re-entry into Singapore without being given any reason. As a result, his ticket worth several thousand Malaysian dollars became invalid and the money spent on the unused ticket was not returned.

A practitioner couple went to Singapore to attend their son’s commencement at university, but the security staff of the university followed and videotaped them. This should have had nothing to do with Falun Gong activities, but the couple was monitored because they are both Falun Gong practitioners.

Practitioners believed that the Singapore government may be expanding the scope of persecution against Falun Gong, including denying Malaysia Falun Gong practitioners’ entry into Singapore. Singapore practitioners have appealed to the United Nations regarding the above-mentioned incidents.

The practitioner said that Singapore imposed a series of interfering activities against local practitioners, including several unfair charges against local Falun Gong practitioners and expulsion of Chinese practitioners who had legal resident status in Singapore.

Malaysia practitioners called on the Singapore government to treat Falun Gong practitioners fairly, stop discriminating against Falun Gong, drop the unfair charges against practitioners, and respect overseas practitioners’ freedom of belief and action.