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 call for Myanmar's military junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi. Participants from Myanmar were requested to remain outside a cordoned-off area since only Singaporeans and permanent residents may attend demonstrations at Speakers' Corner. In July 2009, the police installed closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for "safety and security". The police said that the cameras complemented the presence of their officers on the ground and did not record audio inputs. The move drew some negative reactions from the public. Former Nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong felt that the installation of CCTV cameras was "pretty ridiculous", and wondered if