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By Dr  Wong Wee Nam

“Those who are wise do not dispense political decrees (to the people)” 知者不言 Laozi

On 12th of May 2008, a terrible earthquake hit the Sichuan Province of China. About 70,000 were killed.

This earthquake was so great it devastated not just small towns and cities, but shook places as far as Beijing, Shanghai, Hanoi and Bangkok.

Even as the buildings were still collapsing, the then Prime Minister of China, Wen Jiabao, was already in the disaster area, comforting the survivors and directing operations in the midst of after-shocks.

There was really no urgent need for Mr Wen to risk his life and limbs by visiting the disaster area so early after the event. He had no re-election to seek and no political mileage to gain. There was no way anyone could guarantee his safety. Yet he was there, at the centre of action.

By Dr Wong Wee Nam

On the 12th of August 2004, a young man confidently declared, “We will continue to expand the space which Singaporeans have to live, to laugh, to grow and to be ourselves. Our people should feel free to express diverse views, pursue unconventional ideas, or simply be different. We should have the confidence to engage in robust debate, so as to understand our problems, conceive fresh solutions, and open up new spaces.”

With these words, he was sworn in as Singapore’s third Prime Minister.

At that time, this speech did not immediately raise the hopes of those Singaporeans who were looking forward to living in a less stifling political atmosphere. Nevertheless these Singaporeans did not dismiss the declaration outright and preferred to wait and see.

The eight years that followed showed some progress. But the pace was so slow that even up till this day, the fear of the government is still there and not a lot of people have the confidence to engage in robust political debates.

By Cheryl Marie Tay

And so, as many of us had probably already expected, the MDA’s plan to “regulate” online news sites has come to pass. Today is the day, and it appears there’s not much we can do about it.

For all the talk of a “light touch”, as well as all the fuss over the much-hyped National Conversation, the nasty surprise sure hit many journalists like a ton of bricks. But why is there so much apprehension and disapproval from not just journalists and editors but also the rest of the general public?

Between the Lines

Let’s look at what the new licensing rule entails. Minister for Communications and Information, Yaacob Ibrahim, said: "Given the evolving landscape, it's important to give some form of parity between online news sites and traditional mainstream media newspapers and TV broadcasters."

MOVEMENT AGAINST NEW LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR ONLINE MEDIA

MEDIA STATEMENT - 1 JUNE 2013

The blogging community will be organising a protest and online blackout next week against the new licensing requirements imposed by the Media Development Authority, which requires “online news sites” to put up a “performance bond” of $50,000 and “comply within 24 hours to MDA’s directions to remove content that is found to be in breach of content standards”.

We encourage all Singaporeans who are concerned about our future and our ability to participate in everyday online activities and discussions, and to seek out alternative news and analysis,  to take a strong stand against the licensing regime which can impede on your independence.

We urge Singaporeans to turn up to send a clear message to our elected representatives to trust the Singaporeans who elected them.

Singaporeans can support us in three ways:

1) Join us at the protest.

Date: 8 June 2013

Time: 4.00pm – 7.00pm

Venue: Speakers Corner, Hong Lim Park

2) If you are a blogger, join us in an online blackout by closing your blog for 24 hours, from Thursday 6 June, 0001 hrs to 6 June, 2359 hrs. You can choose to create your own blackout notice, or use www.freemyinternet.com we have created for your convenience. When you reopen your blog, write your account of the protest, about the new regulations and censorship, or anything related to media freedom in Singapore. Share your thoughts. Share your hope that the light that free speech provides will not go out on us.

3) Sign our petition and read our FAQ at this link to call for the Ministry of Communications and Information to completely withdraw the licensing regime.

We invite media to cover the protest at Hong Lim Park. To indicate media attendance and other media queries, please contact Howard Lee at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Free My Internet