Singapore has passed a law against the dissemination of supposedly false news on the Internet. Articles must be removed, otherwise imminent imprisonment or fine.
„Count on me Singapore“ – „count on me Singapore“, that is something like the second anthem of the city-state. All races and religions pull together for the beloved Singapore, harmony is the top priority – and whoever violates it gets a lot of trouble.
All newspapers belong to the „Singapore Press Holding“ with close relations to the governing party. The most important piece, the Singapore Straight Times, is a mixture of local newspaper and Neues Deutschland. Radio and television are run by a government investment agency and also sing the praises of the government.
Fine and imprisonment for fake news
And now even the previously difficult to control Internet the thumbscrews created. Converted € 450,000 fine and up to ten years imprisonment threaten for the dissemination of fake news.
These included messages that disrupt harmony, says Phil Robertson of human rights organization Human Rights Watch. „Disruption of religions and races is then a popular argument,“ says Robertson. „And what disturbs the harmony, that determines the government.“ This is another perfection of the far-reaching censorship, Robertson is convinced.
Remove article – if the state wants it
Thus, classical media as well as Internet corporations must remove in the future after government call complained of articles. Or you can be encouraged to publish „correction notes“. This also applies to social networks like Facebook, Google or Twitter, all of which have large offices in Singapore.
„Too much democracy hurts,“ said state founder Lee Kuan Yew once, the father of the current prime minister. A blogger who once described him as a „ghastly person“ even ended up temporarily in psychatry.
At this year’s Reporters Without Borders press freedom ranking, Singapore ranks 151 out of 180 – behind Russia, Gambia and South Sudan. Singapore is an almighty Big Brother culture, believes human rights activist Robertson. Robertson speaks of brainwashing by the population, most people would not even think to express critical thoughts.
„Prosperity versus good behavior“
A rich, safe, clean city with great infrastructure and excellent schools – most people do not seem to miss their freedom. „Our government is doing a great job,“ says a woman. Another says, „Money is freedom.“ The same party, the People’s Action Party, is in Singapore for 60 years. That brings a lot of advantages over Europe, explains a taxi driver. Prosperity versus good behavior, that’s a business. Or free after Brecht: Better in a rich autocracy than in a poor democracy.
