China Applauds Sentencing of a Falun Gong Practitioner in Singapore

Beijing has pressured Singaporean authorities against the movement for decades. A man has been sentenced just for displaying pro-Falun-Gong messages.

By Yang Feng

May 21, 2025

Sentenced: Peh Teck Ho. From Weibo.

On May 16, the China Anti-Xie-Jiao Association issued a statement praising the Singapore judiciary for its sentencing of Peh Teck Ho, a Falun Gong practitioner. China Anti-Xie-Jiao Association presents itself as the largest anti-cult organization in the world. “Xie jiao,” mistranslated as “evil cults,” is a term used in China since the Middle Ages to designate “organizations spreading heterodox teachings,” and which teachings are “heterodox” is determined by the government. The China Anti-Xie-Jiao Association is not a private association, but is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. 

The Association and the Chinese government have long pressured Singapore to crack down on Falun Gong. Although Falun Gong is not banned in Singapore, it is often harassed, particularly when local practitioners protest Chinese persecution.

On May 13, 2025, Peh Teck Ho, a 59-year-old bus driver, received a S$1,000 fine for “taking part in a public assembly without a permit.” This incident occurred on July 5, 2023, when Peh parked his bus at Town Hall Link after finishing his morning routes and went to a grassy area along Science Park Road in Jurong. There, he meditated while displaying a placard that advocated for the Falun Gong movement. The placard, written in Chinese, translates to: “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance are good. Clean World Network.” He additionally put up messages advocating Falun Gong on both the front and back windscreens of the bus. This was constructed as a “public assembly” by the prosecutor and the judge.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua. Screenshot.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jason Chua pointed out that this was not Peh’s initial case of publicly promoting Falun Gong. In February and March 2023, Peh had published similar materials in public spaces. Due to the repeated nature of these actions, the prosecution called for a fine of at least S$1,000.

Peh’s defense attorneys, Foo Chuan Ri and Tan Seng Kiat, advocated for a reduced fine of S$500, asserting that Peh acted out of religious beliefs with no intention to offend. They also conveyed to the court that Peh has a monthly income of about S$3,000, which includes providing support for his daughter who is enrolled in a polytechnic.

According to the Public Order Act, engaging in a public assembly without a permit may result in fines reaching S$3,000. In this instance, the court ultimately imposed a fine of S$1,000, factoring in Peh’s repeat actions. 

The fine is significant, given Peh’s meager salary. It is also a message directed against Falun Gong practitioners, and an alarming signal that Singapore is bowing down to Chinese pressures against the movement.

Source: bitterwinter.org