Speakers' Corner, Singapore to these free speech concerns, Speakers' Corner was created as local adaptation of the Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, in 2000. In a 1999 interview with "New York Times" columnist William Safire, the Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said the idea had first been suggested by the Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, but Goh felt that it was not yet the right time to set it up. The following year, the Government decided to go ahead despite its fear of potential public disorder, as the idea enjoyed widespread support from the public and civil society groups. During a Parliamentary
Speakers' Corner, Singapore "exercise in tokenism" for the purpose of preserving a literal "space" for engaging in free speech while also "cornering" it in that space. This is reflected in the relative lack of progress towards liberalization in other areas such as awards of high damages in libel lawsuits brought by politicians which has been said to have a chilling effect on political speech in Singapore. Former Workers' Party member James Gomez has also expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the Speakers' Corner as a site of vibrant political debate, citing the lack of a "culture of speaking" amongst Singaporeans. The ban on