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Activists protest against media control outside SPH Print E-mail
Saturday, 03 May 2008

Singapore Democrats

A group of Singaporean activists marked World Press Freedom Day by staging a protest outside the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) building at Toa Payoh today.

The SPH controls all the local newspapers except Today which is published by MediaCorp. The organisation is run by former deputy prime minister Dr Tony Tan.
Activists unfurl a protest banner outside the SPH building
The activists comprising of Mr Chong Kai Xiong, Mr Ho Choon Hiong, Mr Isrizal, Ms Noora Zul, Mr Seelan Palay and Mr Shafiie released the following statement:

Today is World Press Freedom Day, an opportunity to reflect upon the principles of press freedom. Press freedom must be championed and protected as it comprises the fundamental Freedom of Expression (Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights). UNESCO's 2008 themes for this day are Access to Information and Empowerment.

In resonance with this, we as independent activists marked World Press Freedom Day 2008 this morning, with a series of messages to share our thoughts on the state of press freedom in Singapore.

Censored news is no news

It's no big secret that Singapore, though proudly claiming to be a 'First-World' country, is ranked 141 out of 167 in 2007's World Press Freedom Index (Reporters Without Borders). 142 is Afghanistan. For the same year, Singapore is ranked 157 out of 195 countries in the Freedom of the Press World Ranking (Freedom House). 158 is Iraq.

Freedom House clearly establishes Singapore's status as "Not free". Not free. Shackled. Clipped. Censored? A common criterion to these indices is an evaluation of the level of censorship. Though news in Singapore may not be overtly censored, the problem is self-censorship.

Free press, free minds

A freer press empowers people as it gives them pluralism in sources of information as well as access to diverse points of view. All of us have the right to form and express our opinions and respect should be accorded to this right through freedom to access information.

Newspapers and Printing Presses Act = Repression

The Newspapers and Printing Presses Act was introduced in 1975. In effect, the Act enables the State to impose such restrictions as:

• Permits (to be renewed every year) granted on a discretionary basis for locally published newspapers. In addition, these permits may be granted with conditions such as the State's specification on the language in which the newspaper may be published.

• Permits required for the sale and distribution of foreign newspapers. In addition, individuals will need to comply with this permissibility for any papers brought in which may be for personal consumption. Complementary provision for powers of examination of packages and articles is included.

Other incidents of repressive media management include lawsuits against foreign newspapers such as the Asian Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER), a publication currently banned in Singapore. Yet let us not forget one of the most glaring examples: persecution of journalists. Most notable was the 17-year detention under the Internal Security Act of Said Zahari, editor of then-locally published Utusan Melayu.

No to media monopoly

Today, the press in Singapore is monopolised by the Singapore Press Holdings. It publishes all but one of the dailies (the exception is Today published by Mediacorp) – a far cry from a lively press and publishing history in Singapore (pre-1975). There were several papers published in Malay, Indian and Chinese languages as compared to just these main non-English newspapers: Berita Harian, Tamil Murasu, Lianhe Zaobao (& Wanbao) and Shin Min Daily respectively.

Get alternatives, get online

Though press freedom in the professional arena should be safeguarded, individuals can overcome a restrictive and biased press through citizen journalism. Through the new medium of the Internet, citizen journalism, which increases participation in the exchange of news and information, is on the rise. Alternative sources are available on the internet on web portals and blogs that allow individuals to express themselves and engage with others in open discussion.

Open discussions and dialogue on all human issues are vital for us to engage with each other in an environment of respect and dignity. The role of a free and pluralistic press as such a forum enshrines the fundamental freedom of expression for everyone.

To continue this dialogue on press freedom and efforts to promote it in Singapore, email Noora at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Click here to read more about it, and here to see more pictures

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Comments (36)
  • Sat 03 May 2008 5:13 PM | Neutral party - Bullshit
    What kind of bullshit is that? Freedom of press? So that press can anyhow write without any responsibilities? If you want to write something valid enough for a print, nobody is going to stop you but everyone is responsible for what you say or write. Wake up!!!
  • Sat 03 May 2008 5:41 PM | Sinister Minister
    Yes neutral party, anyone can write bullsh*t just as your opinion is... isn't that the beauty of it.

    Freedom of press does not mean freedom of responsibility. How you twist the two in your twisted world is beyond me or any free thinking Singaporean.

    Re-read what you wrote because you really made yourself look like an idiot. But then again, you are perfectly free to do that and publish yourself as one. That my friend, is but one example of what freedom of the press can do :)
  • Sat 03 May 2008 6:06 PM | | Aidil Omar - Product of a state-controlled press
    Neutral party is a good example of a product of the state-controlled press. The mainstream media have successfully indoctrinated the wrong values contrary to the Constitution as well as the principalities of what we recite in our 'democratic' pledge.

    His mind has been totally brainwashed into perceiving that acts of exercising our constitutional rights to advocate matters of justice, fairness and freedom, is a complete waste of time and resources.

    His concern along with many other transient citizens is the sole need to accumulate more wealth to sustain himself and family, albeit sacrificing his citizen's rights and turn into a docile imbecilic sheep that only begets a government of wolves.

    I applaud these activists whom I have had the opportunity to acquaint with. I salute these brave citizens. God grant you strength.
  • Sat 03 May 2008 6:16 PM | | Kaiser
    Yes. Neutral party.Please do not embarrass yourself.I feel bad for you.
    Anyway,great work and its really nice to see activism.Thank you
  • Sat 03 May 2008 6:28 PM | | Dr.Huang - Support for free press
    Hi Guys,
    Thanks for speaking out for the many Singaporeans who share your quest for a freer press.
    Although we do not pretend that all Singapore's problems will be solved by a free press, it will be a step in the right direction.
    A free press will better reflect the people's feelings of what is happening around them. We will be free to expressive our approval or disagreement to public policies.
    Sure there will be teething problems at first when the press becomes finally free and a myriad of papers will spring forth and some of them will be downright lousy. With free competition and passage of time, credible newspapers will emerge to take its righful place as the Fourth Estate.

    Keep up the good work!
  • Sat 03 May 2008 10:22 PM | G Chen
    Wow neutral party, is your mind in deep sleep when you write your comments or perhaps your simplistic and skewed idea/equation that "freedom of press = irresponsible press" is the outcome of having been under years of controlled press. Wake Up then Grow Up please!!
  • Sun 04 May 2008 3:21 AM | MC - Bravo!
    All reporters and editors, if they have any journalist integrity, should be protesting.

    In fact, all students/professors in the school of Journalism and all newspaper readers in Singapore should be protesting, too.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 3:45 AM | | Aung
    Great work!

    We, democratic forces worldwide, support your action.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 4:25 AM | nick
    stomp which is part of sph straits times is very much like govt. poor management. the whole place is a huge cock up. take s'pore seen for example. anyone can take yr pic. where's my privacy?
  • Sun 04 May 2008 5:03 AM | Anonymous
    I think we should cut press freedom further.

    Currently, on cureent affairs,
    They always put something way positive than the actual situation. :dry:

    The press is free to write whatever they deem as accountable, unfortunately they often write something which theoretically are rather different coverage on the real thing people are going.
    through. :unsure:

    Celebrities gossips & columns on the other hand, are exaggerated overly with hoards of scandals. :woohoo:

    Nowadays news just spell "BULLCRAP & TRAPS" :woohoo: Beware.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 5:09 AM | Chew
    Neutral Party,

    Are you a neutral party by intend or by pretense? You don't appear all that neutral to me. I think a name change is in order.

    If PAP is capable and indeed world class as they love to claim, why are they so scare and in denial mode of having a free press? They should be the one taking lead and give Singapore a world class free press to add to all their other "world class" achievements.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 5:40 AM | tencentsworth
    Let's not be naive, name me one western media that is objective and neutral? You will not find the views of the conservatives in Washington Post / New York Times. In fact, both papers are seen as exemplars of "liberal media bias.

    There's no such thing as free press. This is a myth put forth by the western media to thrust their own point of view into the throats of people who run contrary to their operating principles.

    Ironically, the western press is dominated by a few individuals - ask Mr Murdoch. Yet, they are the one that talks the loudest about free press.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 5:42 AM | Jen - good job
    We really need more of these fellow singaporeans to stand up and fight for our rights and freedom. I definitely believe that we can overcome and the time has come closer and closer. Let's all stand together shall we??

    and Neutral party, may i just know how old you are? Before you get others to wake up, you Grow up first.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 5:51 AM | CHUA CHUAN SEAH - My Thanks To The SDP
    I'm very grateful to the Singapore Democratic Party and its leaders for starting and constantly maintaining this crucial and much-needed website. It is designed to edify and to enlighten thinking Singaporeans by providing them with crucial and relevant news and information.
    It also aims at eliciting their hopefully well-considered, well-informed and well-expressed written responses and contributions.
    This SDP website has now become my indispensable daily diet of vital news, information and comments. (These are either not fully and fairly reported in the local mainstream media - or not at all! - or else reported with severe prejudice and insufficient comprehensiveness and balance.)
    I also want to thank the SDP for allowing me to publicly express my own political opinions, criticisms and views in this website. These have been, in the past, dutifully denied publication in The Straits Times (for obvious but questionable political reasons) by the PAP Government-controlled editors (except when they suit their purpose).
    Incidentally, do Singaporeans know how many former State security and intelligence officers, working for the PAP Government, have been masquerading as working "journalists" in the local press?
    No wonder these well-paid impostors and running dogs care so little about press freedom and write so disparagingly about critics who disapprove of the PAP Government's tight control of the local media!
    Lastly, I'd like to reveal that, as I am too poor to afford my own personal computer, I have been, all along, using the one at the public library to post these comments and to peruse this SDP website.
    I wish the SDP all the best!
  • Sun 04 May 2008 6:17 AM | Joker
    This is the first time I have seen this website and the last. The adolescent comments posted by people like Sinister Minister, Chew and Kaiser waste readers' time.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 7:06 AM | Paul Poh
    Very shallow thinking Neutral Party.

    Your level of political knowledge is low and narrow.

    This is due to the worthless mainstream media.

    I hope PAP can allow an independent media industry to grow in Singapore, so that people can be informed about political affairs and issues, otherwise all depoliticised like Neutral Party.

    He knows nothing about politics.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 7:22 AM | | seebeng - There was independent media
    Singapore did have independent media industry until 1959 when PAP came to power. It was through such a media that the PAP was able to replace Lim Yew Hock's government. But Lee Kuan Yew killed it all to perpetuate his dynastic rule.

    The ST is headed by Tony Tan, a former deputy prime minister who is also the deputy chairman of GIC, whose chairman is Lee Kuan Yew and its other deputy chairman is Lee Hsien Loong whose wife Ho Ching is CEO of Temasek Holdings!!! It's all in the famiLEE.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 7:46 AM | Nothing
    Freedom of the press to me is the opportunity to hear both sides of the story.

    Do we have this opportunity in Singapore?
  • Sun 04 May 2008 9:40 AM | Chew
    Joke,

    Truth hurts?
  • Sun 04 May 2008 10:20 AM | Paul Poh
    I feel sad that Singaporeans are being brainwashed with state propaganda and then go and vote PAP.

    66.6% were duped in this way.

    Nobody is informed about politics.

    All depoliticised and apathetic because of this worthless useless propaganda media.

    Feel sad that Singapore media is so worthless.

    This type of useless media drags the entire society down.

    We can have a lively and vibrant media, not the current state propaganda media.

    Worthless, shameless and useless.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 11:33 AM | Gary Teoh
    Spore is not a democratic country, so it is logical there is no freedom of press.All journalists are under Lee kuan Yew.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 1:05 PM | Sinister Minister
    Sad to see you go before you had anything useful to add.

    Freedom of press is not a western myth. If it is, then so is asian values. asian vaules according to the pap would be to ban a copy of playboy, yet allow prostitution? now tell me, which is worse? asian values would also be letting our grandparents clean toilets and tables until the day they die. personally i would called that shameful, but asian values it is???

    freedom of the press is to be able to report both sides or all sides without any fear. i will put it in very simple terms to understand what freedom of the press is.

    believe it or not i write for a sports magazine in singapore. i have written articles on different equipment and brands that are cheaper for people to buy and just as good as the top brands or even better! however, because these top brands are the ones advertising and paying the bills my editor did not publish my article. she told me she liked it, and she was not aware of all these other options.

    however if she published it the top tier companies may not advertise in the magazine anymore since we did an editorial on brands that do not advertise and pay like they do. In other words, if we acknowledged the competition and put them on the same level as the top tier brands, the top tier brands would then hurt the magazine by not buying ad space. is the light bulb going on?

    Now keep in mind, my editor said she did not know about these brands and about these other options... sound familiar again? does it sound familiar when a newspaper will not publish opposing viewpoints or options?

    Furthermore, by not publishing it, who does it hurt? it hurts the people, it hurts you. it hurts you by keeping knowledge away from you; knowledge that you can use to better yourself or use to make an informed decision. In addition, who stands to lose the most regarding public opinion if the article was published... it would be the top tier companies, the ones in power. does this sound familiar again?

    lastly, who would bear the wrath of the top tier companies if the magazine published the alternative equipment article... it would be the magazine.

    put all the pieces together. in the end, who gets hurt... you do. who remains in power, the top tier companies. and who is being held hostage... the magazine and its journalists.

    this simple example of what censorship and lack of freedom of the press shows is how if multiplied what a government can do its people. when you cannot write freely, it is the people who get hurt. it is the people that go uninformed. it is the people who are blinded. it is the people who are at times lied to. it is the people who are mislead. it is the people who are not given an opportunity to decide for themselves. again, there is a difference between freedom of the press, and being responsible, and it is not impossible to be both.

    if you turn it another way, if you are a journalist and NOT reporting the alternative, then in fact you are not being responsible as well. as i have just proven here, freedom of the press is not a myth nor a western thing, it is a humane thing and it is the right thing. put them together and freedom of the press equals human rights.

    joker, neutral party and others who think freedom of the press is a myth, or a western thing... thank you for the laughs. you are truly a product of the pap and have proven once again why they are desperately looking for leaders and why it is time to move on to alternatives.

    if i had spelling or grammatical errors, it is because i had no editor to look over this piece :)
  • Sun 04 May 2008 1:16 PM | Lord
    This is a great site! Well, at least to me :) Guys, how abt sending the link of this site to all people that you know?

    Some of our fellow singaporeans just might not have the time, mentality or initiative to search for, when it comes to these kind of issues.

    Anyway, thanks guys! For all that you fellows have done. All i can say is, it takes foresight to see that all that have been done is actually for long term good. All Singaporeans have to do is just work their brains abit, thats all.

    L
  • Sun 04 May 2008 1:59 PM | G Chen
    To tencentsworth, a freedom of press does not mean that all media agencies must think alike and write without any individual agendas or objectives. Different agencies / reporters when reporting the same event may give their own perspective to the event, that is one of the beauty of a free press where the readers have choices. However, Free Press does mean that the government does not intervene through censorship or other form of restraints such as legislation. It means freedom of access to the media, to form media companies, to distribute media products, to read etc.
  • Sun 04 May 2008 6:21 PM | Possum from Oz
    This is great that peaceful protests are finally taking shape in Singapore.:)
  • Sun 04 May 2008 6:55 PM | | Aidil Omar - Well said!
    Well said, Sinister Minister! That ought to put them in their place. :D
  • Sun 04 May 2008 11:28 PM | Cynic
    :cheer: I sense a lot of anger/resentment...that however, does not detract from tencentsworth very valid and correct point...

    free press? Thats a good one...the really discerning reader will seive out truth...that nothing is free in this world..not the information you get from a paper backed by a conglomerate with an agenda...Happily, this does not apply only to Singapore but to the rest of the world as well... :)
  • Mon 05 May 2008 3:37 AM | Anonymous
    Free here refers to libre, not gratis.

    And the difference between here and the rest of the free world is that over there, the governments don't shut down any media or news publishers that are crtitical of it.
  • Mon 05 May 2008 5:42 AM | Dick
    Keep up the pressure,this will slowly gain support. No one like to live in fear.
    You can see the PAPAYA dogs are out in full force here to counter your effort.
  • Mon 05 May 2008 5:45 AM | batman
    Yes Joker, don't waster your time. Buzz off for good.
  • Mon 05 May 2008 7:04 AM | Serious - Who are they?
    [color=red][size=medium]
    Joker :X
    = Neutral party :unsure:
    = Anonymous :dry:
    = tencentsworth :evil:
    = Great Pretender. :dry:
    = "This is the first time I have seen this website and the last." :cheer:
    = Slapping on his own face. :woohoo:
  • Mon 05 May 2008 2:16 PM | Anonymous
    To Cynic, while huge conglomerates may sometimes be deemed to pose a threat to the true spirit of a free press but here is where the similarity between countries with such media conglomerates but which practices freedom of presses, and those within autocratic/oligarchic countries with controlled press, ends. You are right that "nothing is free in this world", you will have to fight for it or you lose it, which is what these people are doing for Singaporeans and they definitely understand what you profess more than you think you do. Lastly, the fact that you have added an adverb to stress that the readers have to be not just discerning but "really discerning" shows your agreement that a controlled press could easily mislead even the "discerning" readers with their information.
  • Mon 05 May 2008 2:23 PM | G Chen
    Sorry, forgot to add my name to the above reply to Cynic.. :lol:
  • Mon 05 May 2008 4:30 PM | Stepfen
    Just to help a bit some people who apparently find it difficult to understand what freedom of press/speech is about.

    Free press doesn't mean necessarily true press. It means that everybody should be allowed to put his thoughts in print (no matter what these thoughts are about).

    It is then the responsibility of the reader to get information from multiple sources and shape his own view by combining this input with his own critical thinking.

    The key point is the "critical thinking" that all citizens of democracies should posses. So keep questioning EVERYTHING (including this very suggestion :shock: ).

    Hope this can help...
  • Tue 06 May 2008 5:28 AM | Anonymous
    "Incidentally, do Singaporeans know how many former State security and intelligence officers, working for the PAP Government, have been masquerading as working "journalists" in the local press? "

    :cheer: I figured this out long time ... that's why I say nowadays news just spell bullcrap and traps .. :lol:
  • Sat 10 May 2008 11:53 AM | lifesuxwpap
    Joker,

    I think you really deserve the title of a 'joker', making a fool of yourself with that pathetic comment.
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