We are open and transparent

The Rhetoric

“We are open and transparent…We cannot hide what goes on in Singapore.”
– Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng, Straits Times, May 18, 2003

The Reality

“…it is a well-known fact that the MOM considers foreign worker figures and some employment data official seccrets.”
– Straits Times, Aug 2, 2003

“In Singapore, the government routinely holds back all manner of data… And secrecy and control over the economy helps the government maintain its political control.”
– Asian Wall Street Journal, Aug 8, 2003