Singapore has traditionally restricted dissent but on September 1, 2000 created a Speaker's Corner in a small patch of greenery close to the banking district, patterned after London's famous Hyde Park.

After an initial flurry of activity, few people now use the venue. Critics complain that too many rules defeat the purpose of the Speaker's Corner.

"What we actually want to do is to highlight the existence of a venue for free speech," S. Kunalen, vice chairman of the Singapore People's Party, told

"It actually allows people to do public speaking within the defined rules... (but is) not fully exploited by many groups," the retired barrister said.

Kunalen said he submitted the proposal together with retired stock broker Tan Kim Chuang, another regular speaker at the site, to Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's office.

The two plan to distribute balloons labelled with the words "Freedom of Speech Soars" at Speakers' Corner on the anniversary day itself, Kunalen said.

Although it is modelled after Hyde Park, Singapore's own free-speech corner comes with a raft of restrictions.

Only Singapore citizens are allowed to speak on the site and topics relating to religion are banned, as are issues which may incite racial disharmony.

Despite criticism of the restrictions imposed on speakers, Kunalen said the free-speech corner has been a useful avenue to get in touch with the people.

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