THE POWER OF THREE

ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC IMAGES IN SINGAPORE TOOK THE FORM OF KOKILA PARVATHI, SITI AMIRAH (ALSO KNOWN AS CAMIRA ASRORI) AND SOBIKUN NAHAR ON THEIR WAY TO COURT. AUGUSTMAN SPEAKS TO THEM ABOUT THEIR IDEAS ON COMMUNITY ORGANSING, AND ABOUT RETHINKING OUR THOUGHTS ON POWER.

- SUFFIAN HAKIM

BEFORE WE BEGIN this article, there is one group of people I have to address: the civil servants at IMDA and the Ministry of Law who are reading this and must decide if this article needs to be flagged. Ahem. So, guys, what's up? All good with the family? Good, good. Same here. Have a coffee. Now, listen. The relationship between a government and a people is always tricky. My wording there is already emblematic of the issue: I've treated government and people as separate. It shouldn't be, right? We all want the freedom to decide when we want to be part of a people, and when we want to wield our uniqueness, what makes us special and apart from a people. I'm sure it's the same for you and even the bigwigs/politicians you report to.

This article, if we look at it purely thematically, is exactly about that: three women who wanted to share their will and that of the people who wrote and delivered letters together with them, and in doing so, were investigated, charged, and set apart from the people. Were they right to do that in the eyes of the law? That's not for me to decide. Are the three of them human beings with a profoundly interesting story to tell? Yeah, of course.

I also have to address people who might ask: "Why is AUGUSTMAN celebrating three women who are pro-Palestinian? What if I'm pro-Israeli/anti-Palestinian and my voice also deserves to be heard?" Well, I'm more than happy to have a conversation. Hit us up.

We all good? Okay, let's begin.

According to CNA, Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori (also known as Camira Asrori) and Mossammad Sobikun Nahar were charged under the Public Order Act for allegedly organising an assembly or procession without a permit on 2 February. Annamalai Kokila Parvathi who was not stated as being an organiser of the walk was also charged. They delivered letters together with a group of about 70 people to the Istana for thenPrime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.