FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

22 August 2008

Spokesperson’s Comment on the Intent for Holding Press Conference

Our intent for holding this press conference is to raise public inquiry to Singapore immigration and
manpower authorities about their groundless non-renewal of key immigration and work documents
of Burmese patriots who are pursuing anti-junta political activities in Singapore. 6 Burmese patriots
have been affected so far. They now are currently in third party countries on social visit passes, and
when these expire, they may be left with no choice but to return to Burma, where their security will
become precarious.

Our first inquiry is into the underlying reasons for the apparently arbitrary rejections by the
Singapore authorities. The Singapore authorities denied the Burmese patriots of renewing their key
immigration and working documents without giving any reason. We accept that the right of foreign
nationals to stay in Singapore is not a matter of entitlement and that foreign nationals must pay
respect to the law of Singapore and local sensitivities. While so accepting, we also want to state
affirmatively that none of these affected Burmese patriots has ever been charged with any crime
during their stay in Singapore, nor has any of them committed any outrageous act that conflicts with
local sensitivities. Hence, the rationale for the rejections should not have been their disrespect for
the law of Singapore and local sensitivities. Regarding individual merits, in the first place, these
affected Burmese patriots achieved their statuses as students, workers and professionals in
Singapore solely because of their manifested individual merits. And there is no evidence that their
individual merits have dwindled during their stay in Singapore. Thus, the rationale for the rejections
of renewing their immigration and work documents has so far been unapparent and unknown.

Our second inquiry is into whether the Burmese activists have been rejected for their peaceful
political activism. The reason why we suspect the rationale for the rejections be the peaceful
political activism of the affected Burmese patriots is that the affected Burmese patriots, students,
workers and professionals alike, do have commonalities in regard to their political activism. Because
of their political activism, all the affected Burmese patriots had their personal particulars taken
down by Singapore police and were at least once summoned to the Tanglin Police Station in the
past. Although this suspicion is not absolutely grounded, the fact that these Burmese patriots, whose
personal particulars were recorded by police, faced denial of renewing their documents one by one
serve as the only apparent justification for this suspicion. Moreover, so far, there has been no
explanation or rationale for the rejections declared by the Singapore authorities indeed.

Last but not least, our third inquiry is into why the Singapore government unfairly ill-treated the
Burmese activists despite its declarations of support for peaceful political change in Burma. In the
aftermath of last September Saffron Revolution in Burma, both the Prime Minister and the Foreign
Minister of Singapore declared concerns for the well-being of the peaceful protestors in Burma and
revulsions at the violent crackdown on the peaceful protestors committed by the Burmese military
junta. We now want to remind the Singapore government of its support and reassurances. Besides
that, we also want to remind the Singapore authorities that their apparently arbitrary non-renewal
of the passes may put the affected Burmese patriots into physical danger as well as make them
subject to very wanton violence the Singapore government condemned.

After this press conference, we will look forward to receiving reasonable response from the
Singapore authorities regarding the renewal of these key immigration and work documents. At the
same time, we will seek legal counsel and advice.

Myo Myint Maung

Spokesperson
Burmese Patriots in Singapore
Contact: 81189792 (permanent)
90768362 (temporary)
Email: marcmyomyint@gmail.com