Singapore’s fake news law: a lesson to Asia in stifling dissent?
- The Lion City has pushed through a law against fake news despite criticisms that it grants the government too much power
- Campaigners now fear other countries will follow suit in an effort to stifle dissent
After six decades in power, Singapore’s People’s Action Party has plenty of experience in deflecting criticism from civil rights campaigners.
Still, even the PAP appears to have been taken aback by the fierce opposition to its plan for a law to combat “fake news”. Controversy over the law compelled the government to launch a last-minute public relations campaign before it pushed through its fake news bill in parliament on Wednesday.
With the bill soon to be made law – it will be need to be signed off by President Halimah Yacob first – activists say they will now concentrate on convincing regional governments not to follow in Singapore’s footsteps.
The Protection Against Online Falsehoods and Manipulation (Pofma) bill passed the 101-seat parliament late on Wednesday after 71 PAPs voted for it.
All nine opposition Workers’ Party MPs in the house voted against it, while three appointed lawmakers whose amendments to the bill were rejected by the government abstained.
While many people have welcomed aspects of the new law, activists, academics and journalists have argued that it grants the government too much power in deciding what is fact and what is not – claims echoed by the Workers’ Party MPs.
