http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060706/1/41xsk.html
http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2006/07/regarding_today.html
A Singaporean newspaper has suspended an Internet blogger's column
after the government criticised his latest satirical piece about
high living costs.
"The editors of Today have suspended the Mr Brown column with
effect from Friday, 7th July, 2006," said a statement from
MediaCorp, the newspaper's publisher on Thursday. No reason was
given.
The latest blog from Mr Brown, whose real name is unknown, was
entitled "S'preans are fed, up with progress!" and heaped sarcasm
on hikes in transport and electricity costs among other
issues.
The Ministry for Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA)
issued a strongly worded rebuttal, accusing Mr Brown of distorting
the truth.
"His piece is calculated to encourage cynicism and despondency,
which can only make things worse, not better, for those he
professes to sympathise with," K. Bhavani, press secretary to
Information Minister Lee Boon Yang, wrote.
"It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to
champion issues, or campaign for or against the government,"
Bhavani stressed.
"If a columnist presents himself as a non-political observer, while
exploiting his access to the mass media to undermine the
government's standing with the electorate, then he is no longer a
constructive critic, but a partisan player in politics."
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the Singapore
government's condemnation of Mr Brown's column as "disturbing" in
light of the city-state's already strict curbs on the media.
"This reaction from a Singaporean official is disturbing," the
international press freedom group said in a statement.
"It reads like a warning to all journalists and bloggers in a
country in which the media are already strictly controlled. The
media have a right to criticise the government's actions and
express political views."
In April, RSF condemned Singapore's restrictions on political
discussions in blogs and websites ahead of general elections held
in May.
Last year the group ranked Singapore 140th out of 167 countries in
its annual press freedom index, alongside the likes of Egypt and
Syria.
