Taoist priest fined S$2,000 for organising 10-hour procession without permit
The procession, organised by Tan Eng Hua, was held to mark the relocation of the Singapore San Ching Taoism Association, where he served as secretary.
The procession that Tan Eng Hua organised for Jun 22, 2024 was elaborate and lasted around 10 hours. (Photo: Court documents)
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SINGAPORE: A Taoist priest who organised a public procession involving about 150 people and multiple performances lasting around 10 hours was fined S$2,000 (US$1,600) on Friday (Apr 17) for holding it without a permit.
Tan Eng Hua, 62, who was then secretary of the Singapore San Ching Taoism Association, pleaded guilty to one charge under the Public Order Act.
Another similar charge was taken into consideration for his sentencing.
The court heard that in January 2024, a decision was made to relocate the Singapore San Ching Taoism Association from 399A Guillemard Road to 6 Ubi Road 1, with the move scheduled for Jun 22, 2024.
During planning, the idea of a public procession was mooted for the association to visit other temples to strengthen ties with those it had good relationships with. The procession was intended to commemorate the relocation.
Tan then organised the procession. As part of the event, 39 performers from China were engaged, along with five brightly lit mobile floats.
Auxiliary officers were also hired to manage traffic.
Despite being told by acquaintances that such an event would not be approved by the police, Tan proceeded without applying for a permit, which is required under the law.
On Jun 22, 2024, the procession, comprising about 150 participants, took place from noon to about 10pm, stopping at multiple temples across Singapore, including those in Geylang, Bedok and Loyang.
Participants travelled by vehicle between locations, disembarking about 200 to 300 metres away to perform rituals that also involved lion and dragon dances, as well as a qilin, before entering each temple. A qilin, or Chinese unicorn, is a sacred mythical creature in Chinese mythology.
At times, the group occupied at least one lane of a public road, with auxiliary officers redirecting traffic.
The procession ended with an 800m walk along a public road to the association’s new premises at Wintech Centre in Ubi, again occupying at least one lane of traffic.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Joel Fun urged the court to impose a fine of at least S$3,000.
He pointed out that the substantial financial investment of around S$42,160, the large number of participants, and the elaborate nature of the procession indicated significant premeditation and commitment to an unauthorised event.
"The scale of the public procession was significant, involving the blocking of at least a single lane of road traffic, involving multiple locations, and involving an extensive distance," Mr Fun said.
"The procession caused prolonged disruption to public roads over a significant period of time, affecting multiple locations across Singapore."
Mr Fun added that Tan had committed a similar breach in the past, albeit dated.
He acknowledged, however, that there had been no evidence of safety incidents during the event, and Tan had also cooperated with the authorities.
Seeking a lower fine, Tan's lawyer, Mr Manfred Lum, highlighted that Tan had engaged auxiliary police officers to ensure safety.
District Judge Kamala Ponnampalam noted how Tan had not acted out of ignorance, but from "wilful non-compliance" as he had been told the police would not have granted him a permit.
For organising a public procession without a permit, Tan could have been fined up to S$5,000.
