WP Town Council Trial: Sylvia Lim Explains why Festive Fair Proceeded without a Permit

SINGAPORE -Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia Lim set out in a district court on Wednesday why her town council went ahead with a Chinese New Year fair although it did not have a permit for it.

She also said the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) had been above board in the matter as it took the first step in approaching the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Dec 20 last year, to ask whether a permit was needed.

It had done so because of “some confusion on the ground” over NEA policies, she said.

Ms Lim, who chairs the town council, said she had understood from people in the industry – whom she did not name – that NEA was “not interested to look into events where there was no open food sold and events of a small scale (of) 15 stalls or less”.

The event from Jan 9 to Jan 30, held in a 560 sq m space between Blocks 811 and 814, had five stalls selling festive decorations, cookies and potted plants, among other things.

Ms Lim, who is also a MP in Aljunied GRC, added: “I decided it was important for the town council to initiate the communication with the NEA. This was to show that we didn’t mean to hide anything.”

She was testifying on the second day of a trial to decide if AHPETC had flouted the law in holding the fair without a permit in January this year.

The town council claims it was a “community event” or a “mini-fair”, and is disputing NEA’s assertions that it was a “trade fair” or a “temporary fair”, and as such required a permit under Section 35 of the Click here