Court’s ruling on Workers’ Party-run Chinese New Year Fair

SINGAPORE – The Workers’ Party-run town council broke the law when it held a Chinese New Year event earlier this year without a permit, a district court ruled on Friday.

District Judge Victor Yeo will pass sentence on Dec 24.

The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) can be fined up to $1,000 under Section 35 of the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA), which states that the organisation of “any temporary fair, stage show or other such function or activity” requires a permit.

The town council organised the event from Jan 9 to Jan 30 this year but it was not given a permit by the National Environment Agency (NEA) because its application forms were incomplete.

The town council argued that the event was a “community event” or a “mini-fair” and disputed the NEA’s assertions that it was a “trade fair” or a “temporary fair” for which a permit was required.

District Judge Yeo agreed with the NEA.

He found that the defence was “wholly misconceived” in arguing that the event – which had five stalls selling festive decorations, cookies, flowers, assorted fruit and potted plants in a space almost the size of three tennis courts – was a “community event” or “mini-fair” held within a common space that was managed by the town council, and so did not need a permit. Click here