Falun Buddha Society (Singapore)
新加坡法輪佛學會 | |
Falun Gong Logo | |
| Formation | July 1996 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 75A Geylang Rd, Singapore 389196 |
| Membership | Around 500 to 1000 members (2020) |
| Website | https://falundafa.org.sg/ |
The Falun Buddha Society (Singapore) (Chinese: 新加坡法輪佛學會) is a religious organization in Singapore. Falun Gong, which originated in mainland China, was introduced to Singapore in 1994, leading to the establishment of the first Falun Buddha Society outside of China. Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore typically engage in activities aimed at informing the public about Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) and its core principles. They are often seen conducting related activities in sports stadiums, Singapore Botanic Gardens, and various public parks, with some local residents also participating.[1]
History
In July 1996, the Falun Buddha Society (Singapore) was officially established as a legally registered association, becoming the first Falun Buddha Society outside of China.[2]
As of 2001, Falun Gong had approximately 1,000 members in Singapore.[3]
In 2004, the Singapore edition of The Epoch Times, a Falun Gong-affiliated media outlet, was launched.[4]
As of 2020, Falun Gong in Singapore had approximately 500 to 1,000 members.[5]
As of March 2021, the Falun Buddha Society of Singapore maintained 26 main practice sites.[6]
Controversies
Between 2000 and 2006, Falun Gong practitioners in Singapore were prosecuted six times under various charges. The Singapore government has been accused by associates of Falun Gong of “discriminating” against practitioners by allegedly rejecting applications for citizenship, permanent residency, and work permits, delaying student pass renewals, and pressuring practitioners to resign from their jobs.[7]
In July 1999, some local community centers and clubs in Singapore began suspending activities related to Falun Gong.[8][9]
On 31 December 2000, about 60 Falun Gong practitioners gathered at MacRitchie Reservoir for a candlelight vigil.[10] The Singapore police detained 15 individuals,[11] and on 2 January 2001, charged them with “unlawful assembly.” Seven were sentenced to imprisonment and eight were fined S$1,000.[12][13] On 19 March 2001, the Singapore Buddhist Federation issued a statement requesting Falun Gong to stop using Buddhist terminology.[14]
In November 2001, the Chinese Embassy in Singapore held an exhibition titled “Anti-Falun Gong Cult Photo Exhibition” at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event was opened by Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jiuheng, and prompted a protest by over a dozen Falun Gong practitioners.[3]
In July 2006, nine Falun Gong members were believed to be involved in unlawful activities for engaging in unauthorised actions outside the Chinese embassy (Falun Gong sources claimed it was due to their distribution of materials encouraging people to quit the Chinese Communist Party). Another three members were charged for meditating and staging a hunger strike in protest.[15]
On 5 October 2009, five Falun Gong practitioners were arrested near Merlion Park by police, who accused them of offenses including “vandalism” and “inciting others.” Their display boards and materials were confiscated.[16] The individuals were later charged in court.[17] Between 5 and 7 May 2010, seven Falun Gong practitioners, including Huang Caihua and Cai Yongshui, were charged in court by the Central Police Division. Huang faced seven charges, while others were charged with vandalism and incitement-related offenses.[18]
In August 2015, a 21-year-old Chinese national, Gao Bin, vandalised an MRT viaduct pillar along Geylang East Avenue 1 in Singapore by writing pro-Falungong and anti-Chinese Communist Party messages in Chinese using a black marker. The graffiti included a message such as "Falun Dafa is good. Chinese Communist Party is going to fall, faster leave the party, to save yourselves," along with a phone number, and caused $300 in damage to the rail operator SMRT. A week later, Gao committed a similar offence on a Land Transport Authority control box along Lorong 22 Geylang. He told police that his intent was to raise awareness among his fellow Chinese citizens. Four other similar vandalism cases from the same month were taken into consideration, involving property belonging to Singapore Power, SingTel, and SMRT. The total damage caused was assessed at $728.11. Gao, who was studying English at a private school in Singapore, stated he was unable to pay for the damages. He was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and six strokes of the cane. Under Singapore law, each count of vandalism carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $2,000, and between three and eight strokes of the cane.[19]
On 5 July 2023, Singapore police found 59-year-old Falun Gong practitioner Peh Teck Ho conducting a public assembly without a permit along Science Park Road in Jurong, during which he displayed a placard promoting Falun Gong. On 13 May 2025, Peh was charged with two offenses under the Public Order Act and three offenses under the Vandalism Act, and was fined S$1,000. The court stated that the offense stemmed from organizing a public assembly without the required permit.[20][21]
See also
References
- ^ 周慧心 (6 May 2025). "新加坡法轮功学员纪念4.25上访26周年". 大纪元 www.epochtimes.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 6 May 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "Falun Gong in Singapore 法轮功在新加坡". 面簿. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ a b "新加坡法轮功成员抗议中国大使馆的诽谤图片展". media.minghui.org 明慧网 (in Chinese). 12 November 2001. Archived from the original on 1 April 2002. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "关于我们". Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ Wu, Ivan K. (7 December 2020). "Is Falun Gong a Cult?". RICE Media. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "法轮大法－新加坡炼功地点" (pdf) (in Chinese). 法轮大法. 17 January 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "关于新加坡政府参与迫害法轮功的调查报告" (pdf) (in Chinese). 追查迫害法轮功国际组织. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "法轮功自曝新加坡再遭阻". 上海市浦东新区反邪教协会. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ 张瑞玲. "柬报支持我取缔"法轮功" 新一些组织停止"法轮功"". 人民日报. 人民日报. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "新加坡逮捕十五名"法轮功"分子". 中国新闻网. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "新加坡警方逮捕15名非法集会的法轮功成员_国际新闻_新闻中心_新浪网". 新浪网. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ 朱昌都. "15名法轮功分子在新加坡被送上法庭". 光明新闻. 光明日报. Archived from the original on 20 March 2005. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "新加坡逮捕十五名"法轮功"分子_国际新闻_新闻中心_新浪网". 新浪网. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ 张敏 (20 March 2001). "新加坡佛教总会批驳邪教"法轮功"" (in Chinese). 中华人民共和国驻芬兰共和国大使馆. 中国国际广播电台. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Clearwisdom.net, Friday, July 28, 2006". en.minghui.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ 卓雅. "从迫害开始，新加坡鱼尾狮风景点的法轮功学员讲真相活动十年如一日，吸引着大陆游客的关注。然而十月五日，警察却突袭抓捕五名法轮功学员。类似事件在新加坡已有数例，每次都发生在中共领导人访问新加坡前后……" (in Chinese). 大纪元时报. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ "和平讲真相 法轮功学员再遭诬告". 新唐人电视台. 新唐人. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ 黄思源 (17 May 2010). "新加坡当局以莫须有罪名再次起诉法轮功学员 | 黄才华 | 大纪元". 大纪元 www.epochtimes.com (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ Poh, Ian (20 January 2015). "Jail, caning for man who vandalised SMRT pillar with pro-Falungong messages". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ 姚进顺 (13 May 2025). "无准证办公共集会 59岁男子判罚1000元". 联合早报 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 14 May 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "$1k fine for man who hung placard around his neck to publicise religious movement". The Straits Times. 13 May 2025. ISSN 0585-3923. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 21 June 2025.