The Media Development Authority ( abbreviation : MDA ) was a statutory board of the Singapore Government , under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
145-648: MDA was founded on 1 January 2003 by the merger of Singapore Broadcasting Authority (SBA), the Films and Publications Department (FPD) and the Singapore Film Commission (SFC), in response to a national call to develop a globally competitive media industry in Singapore. An industry blueprint called Media 21 was also drawn up and eventually endorsed by the 2002 Economic Review Committee (chaired by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ) – as part of
290-697: A Diploma in Computer Science with distinction (equivalent to a first-class master's in computer science). He served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) between 1971 and 1984, and attained the rank Brigadier-General , completing a Master of Public Administration degree at Harvard Kennedy School in 1980. Lee resigned from the SAF in 1984 to enter politics and was elected the MP for Teck Ghee SMC . Since its dissolution in 1991, he has represented
435-499: A diploma in computer science (now equivalent to a master's degree in computer science) with distinction. His college tutor, Denis Marrian, later described Lee as "the brightest mathematician he had admitted to the college". Béla Bollobás said that Lee "would have been a world-class research mathematician", but his father did not realise this and persuaded Lee to leave the field. In an interview prior to Lee's resignation as prime minister in 2024, Lee said he did not feel regret pursuing
580-586: A 2005 judgment, the High Court expressed the view that the phrase necessary or expedient confers upon Parliament "an extremely wide discretionary power and remit that permits a multifarious and multifaceted approach towards achieving any of the purposes specified in Art 14(2) of the Constitution". It is unnecessary for the courts to determine whether a legislative restriction of a right is reasonable. All that
725-505: A ban as it expected film distributors to exercise discretion. The BFC stated only that the film had been banned "in view of controversial elements gathered from feedback". The ban was lifted at the beginning of 2006, which enabled the film to be released on DVD. Article 14(2) also empowers Parliament to impose restrictions on the rights guaranteed by all three limbs of Article 14(1) on the ground of public order. The term public order has been given an expansive interpretation that highlights
870-721: A considerable amount of deference to the Government. For instance, in Public Prosecutor v. Phua Keng Tong (1986), a case involving the Official Secrets Act, the High Court held that security in Article 14(2) does not merely mean protection from danger but includes the "protection of information which the Government considers vital or essential for its administration". However, not everything that
1015-736: A diplomatic breakthrough, which raised tensions with the PRC. The Singapore government later published the full records of the discussion with the Chinese embassy in Singapore's local media. On 28 August 2004, in his first National Day Rally speech and as prime minister, Lee criticised the Taiwanese leadership and populace over their pro-independence stance. He reiterated the reasons for the visit and said that Singapore's decision to stand firm on its vital interests had earned it international respect. Relations were eventually mended when Lee met Hu Jintao at
1160-407: A fine of up to S$ 200,000, jail of up to three years, or both. If the offence continues after conviction, a further fine of up to $ 10,000 per day may be imposed. The Minister may declare that any foreign broadcasting service which is rebroadcast in Singapore has been "engaging in the domestic politics of Singapore". Rebroadcasting such a "declared foreign broadcasting service" is prohibited without
1305-481: A fourth child. In November 2004, Lee sparked a national debate when he proposed to build two Integrated Resorts (IRs), or hotel-casinos. Despite the longstanding stance against gambling in Singapore, with the exception of regulated industries such as the Singapore Turf Club and Singapore Pools , the government was concerned its stance was hurting the economic competitiveness of the country, risking
1450-473: A government notification to users". In the leadup to the 2020 general election, Lee's own brother Lee Hsien Yang accused him of reneging on promises made in his 2004 National Day Rally speech about promising increased civil liberties and the freedom to express diverse views without interference. Lee and his ministers actively rebutted allegations by overseas media that POFMA is a tool for censorship, saying that "no information or view has been suppressed" as
1595-506: A joint statement expressing "deep disappointment" and urged the MDA to reverse the ban. On 2 October 2014, Tan submitted To Singapore, With Love , unchanged, to the MDA's Film Appeals Committee to review the film's ban. In a statement, Tan wrote, "As we approach our 50th birthday, I feel that we as a people should be able to view and weigh for ourselves, through legitimate public screenings in Singapore, differing views about our past, even views that
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#17327939744481740-837: A licence, and its constitutionality has been upheld before the courts in cases concerning political activities organized by opposition parties. The right to freedom of association guaranteed by Article 14(1)(c) is curtailed on public order grounds by the Societies Act. The Act requires all clubs, companies, partnerships and associations of ten or more persons to be registered with the Registrar of Societies unless they are already lawfully registered under other statutes. The Registrar may refuse to register certain specified societies if satisfied that, among other things, they are likely to be used "for purposes prejudicial to public peace, welfare or good order in Singapore"; it would be contrary to
1885-641: A licensee, or suspend or cancel its licence, if it has breached the terms of its licence, any relevant code of practice issued by the Authority, any provisions of the Broadcasting Act, or any direction issued by the Authority or the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts . In addition, it is an offence to provide a broadcasting service without a licence, and a convicted person is liable to
2030-436: A more participatory political culture. In fact, citizens were urged by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong not to be "passive bystanders in their own fate" but to debate issues "with reason, passion and conviction". Wrestling with "honest differences" was to be preferred over being "an apathetic society with no view". Parliament may impose restrictions on the rights guaranteed by Article 14(1) on two types of grounds. For
2175-413: A negative light." In May 2013, the MDA announced its new compulsory license scheme for news websites with significant reach that report Singapore news. These sites must put up a performance bond of S$ 50,000 and are expected to remove content that is in breach of MDA standards within 24 hours, once notified to do so. This move was heavily criticised by more than 20 activists and bloggers who pointed out that
2320-641: A person convicted of distributing uncertified films contrary to the Films Act, the High Court held that "the control of film distribution under the Films Act was for the purpose of maintaining public order and morality" and the accused had not undermined public morality since the films he had been distributing were not obscene. With regard to the issue of censorship, in 2003 the Censorship Review Committee said that "the responsibility to guide and control will have to be increasingly borne by
2465-401: A prelude to Heng succeeding Lee as Singapore's fourth prime minister after the next general election. Lee noted that the cabinet reshuffle "was more extensive than usual", with younger, fourth-generation ministers being prioritised and now heading two-thirds of the ministries. Speaking at his party convention on 19 November 2017, Lee said that raising taxes was a necessity to fund investment in
2610-403: A project. These schemes are applicable to projects across various sectors such as Film, Animation, Interactive media, Games, Publishing, Broadcast and Music. Another key responsibility of MDA is to create and enforce regulatory policies that make Singapore an attractive place to encourage investment and innovation in the media sector, leading to more choices for consumers. Since the 1990s (under
2755-410: A prophylactic approach" and includes "laws that are not purely designed or crafted for the immediate or direct maintenance" of the Article 14(2) grounds. Parliament may restrict the rights to freedom of speech, assembly or association if it is necessary or expedient in the interests of the security of Singapore or any part thereof. The courts have taken a broad approach to this exception, and have shown
2900-834: A result of the Act and that the government "has not restricted free debate". In an interview with The Straits Times , Lee noted that fake news could disrupt society, and that the United States and Europe were struggling to manage the situation, especially in light of alleged Russian interference in recent elections . He cited Germany as a country that has enacted a similar law . In response to concerns that POFMA could curb free speech, Lee said that free speech exists within appropriate boundaries, with no society having absolute freedom of speech, and that defamatory or threatening speech should be banned to facilitate meaningful exchange of information and ideals. The first COVID-19 case in Singapore
3045-450: A sixth term as prime minister in the forthcoming general election and resigned from his position as prime minister in May alongside his cabinet; he was succeeded by Lawrence Wong , who formed a new cabinet and subsequently appointed Lee as a Senior Minister . Lee Hsien Loong was born at KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore on 10 February 1952, during the time when Singapore
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#17327939744483190-416: A society, being involved in its management, being a member of it, and attending its meetings, are all offences. The Minister for Home Affairs also has power to order that a registered society be dissolved if it appears to him or her that, among other things, it is being used for unlawful purposes or for purposes "prejudicial to public peace, welfare or good order in Singapore". Once an order has been made,
3335-514: A strong presumption of legislative constitutionality , as the Supreme Court of India has expressed a need for "judicial self-restraint and extreme caution" when determining whether legislation unreasonably restricts a constitutional right. It has been noted that the Indian courts have thus been used to exemplify how much more deference Singapore courts should give to the Government, and that
3480-437: A terrorist-linked organisation, who had committed acts of violence to further their cause, for example suicide bombing." 15 of these photographs made it to the final cut of the exhibition and were disallowed. Festival director Ong Keng Sen issued a statement condemning MDA's explanation and pointing out that the photographs were already published in the readily accessible Time magazine, both online and off. He also pointed out
3625-609: Is "manifestly beyond argument that Art 14(1)(a) is subject to the common law of defamation as modified by the Act". It has been said that this argument "suffers from two fatal flaws". There is no evidence that the constitutionality of the existing rules of defamation was considered by either the Malaysian or Singapore Parliaments. More significantly, even if the Governments of Malaysia and Singapore had believed these rules to be constitutional, this should not have been treated by
3770-427: Is a little red dot . If we don't defend our interests, who will?" Lee in his National Day Rally speech The PRC later retaliated by cancelling several visits by high-ranking PRC officials to Singapore and delaying planned signing ceremonies , hinting that free trade negotiations would also be pushed back. The matter was further complicated and magnified when Taiwanese media headlined the visit and portrayed it as
3915-576: Is as follows: 14.— (1) Subject to clauses (2) and (3) — (2) Parliament may by law impose — (3) Restrictions on the right to form associations conferred by clause (1)(c) may also be imposed by any law relating to labour or education. Articles 14(1) to (3) are in pari materia with Articles 10(1) to (3) of the Constitution of Malaysia , from which they were adopted following Singapore's independence from Malaysia in 1965. Articles 14(1) and (2) are also somewhat similar to Articles 19(1) to (4) of
4060-498: Is not a static idea, but one that evolves with societal norms and values. For example, the MICA has endorsed a "flexible and contextual approach for homosexual content", and has liberalized its censorship of issues such as violence, sexual content and nudity, and coarse language in media. Unique to Article 14(2)(a) is an addendum stating that the right to freedom of speech and expression may be curtailed by restrictions designed to protect
4205-758: Is required is a nexus between the objective underlying the restrictive law and one of the grounds specified in Article 14(2) that Parliament is entitled to restrict the right on. The right to free speech is limited on the ground of the security of Singapore by the Official Secrets Act ;( Cap. 213, 1985 Rev. Ed. ), and on the ground of public order by the Broadcasting Act ;( Cap. 28, 2003 Rev. Ed. ) and Newspaper and Printing Presses Act ( Cap. 206, 2002 Rev. Ed. ). Public order also justifies restrictions on both free speech and assembly imposed by
4350-615: The Asian Wall Street Journal was declared to have engaged in domestic politics and its circulation was limited to 400 copies. The newspaper's publisher, Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc. , applied unsuccessfully to the High Court for certiorari to quash the Minister's orders. On appeal to the Court of Appeal , Dow Jones argued that the Minister had acted irrationally and misinterpreted scope of his powers under
4495-486: The 2011 Singapore general election , the PAP saw a 6.46% swing downwards to 60.14%, its lowest since independence. The result, while a landslide victory for the PAP by international standards, was seen as a rebuke to the ruling party as a result of massive immigration of low-skilled workers, high-profile rail transport breakdowns and the rising cost of living in the intervening years. During the campaigning period, Lee has sensed
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4640-753: The APEC Economics Leaders' Meeting on 19 November 2004, which signified the end of the dispute. On 12 August 2004, Lee succeeded Goh Chok Tong as prime minister and relinquished his chairmanship of the Monetary Authority of Singapore to Goh. Chief Justice Yong Pung How had Lee sworn in at the Istana . As prime minister, Lee also became chairman of the People's Association . In his maiden National Day Rally speech on 22 August 2004, Lee announced several new initiatives, among them
4785-431: The Constitution of India which provides that the right to fetter the freedom of speech and assembly is subject to the touchstone of reasonableness, Singapore's Article 14(2) does not contain the word reasonable . However, despite the broad power that Article 19(3) accords to the Indian courts, they have been "most reluctant" to invalidate legislation purportedly infringing the rights to free speech or assembly. There exists
4930-500: The Constitution of India . There is no constitutional right to bear arms in Singapore, as Article 14(1)(b) provides Singapore citizens with "the right to assemble peaceably and without arms ". Under the Arms and Explosives Act, no person may possess, import, export, manufacture or deal in any arms or explosives without a licence. It may be that the words and without arms were included in Article 14(1)(b) to ensure that arguments based on
5075-518: The Government Technology Organisation (GTO) , in the second half of 2016. Prior to the merger, SBA, which was formed on 1 October 1994 under the purview of the previous Ministry of Information and the Arts (MITA), was set up to regulate the broadcasting industry in Singapore. FPD was set up as a department under the then MITA to regulate the content of films and publications on 1 January 1998. The Board of Film Censors
5220-650: The Great Recession ; the downturn was attributed to the city's trade-dependent economy. To counteract the ailing economy, the government announced a S$ 2.8 billion stimulus fund in November 2008 for SMEs and local firms and further pledged a S$ 20.5 billion Resilience Package in January 2009. These measures were intended to keep the unemployment rate low, having risen to 2.6% in December 2008 and 3.3% by
5365-708: The President . However, in Jeyaretnam Joshua Benjamin v. Lee Kuan Yew (1990), a case involving defamation law , the Court of Appeal took a much broader approach. The Court noted that according to Article 2(1), law in Article 14(2) includes the common law in so far as it is in operation in Singapore. In May 1963, the Parliament of Malaysia had enacted the Malaysia Act 1963, which extended
5510-721: The Remaking Singapore Committee . On 10 July 2004, Lee visited Taiwan , an island claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) that has been ruled by the Republic of China (ROC) since 1945. The Singapore government maintains a policy of neutrality in the Cross-Strait relations between the two sides despite having severed diplomatic relations with the Republic of China on 3 October 1990 in favour of
5655-547: The Sedition Act ( Cap. 290, 1985 Rev. Ed. ), Public Entertainments and Meetings Act ( Cap. 257, 2001 Rev. Ed. ) and Public Order Act ( Cap. 257A, 2012 Rev. Ed. ); and restrictions on the right to freedom of association imposed by the Societies Act ;( Cap. 311, 1985 Rev. Ed. ). Freedom of speech has also been limited on the basis of morality by
5800-612: The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in 1971, and served as a commissioned officer between 1974 and 1984, and held various staff and command posts, including Director of the Joint Operations and Plans Directorate, and Chief of Staff of the General Staff. He also attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in 1978. Lee rose quickly through the ranks in
5945-642: The Singapore Army , becoming the youngest brigadier-general in Singapore's history after his promotion in July 1983 at the age of 32. Notably, he was put in command of the rescue operations following the Sentosa cable car disaster . Lee served as commanding officer of the 23rd Battalion Singapore Artillery in the Singapore Army before he left the SAF in 1984 for politics. During the 1980s, Lee
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6090-465: The Teck Ghee SMC in 1984, at the age of 32. He was subsequently appointed Minister of State for Trade and Industry , and Minister of State for Defence . In 1985, Lee chaired the government's economic committee, which recommended changes to established government policies to reduce business costs, foster longer-term growth and revive the Singapore economy, which was experiencing a recession at
6235-456: The first type , it must be shown that restricting the rights is "necessary or expedient in the interest" of the grounds. No such requirement applies to the second type of grounds, which appear in Articles 14(2)(a) and 14(3). At present, it appears that Parliament may restrict Article 14(1) rights on these grounds simply by enacting legislation, and that the courts are not entitled to assess if
6380-417: The privileges of Parliament or to provide against contempt of court , defamation or incitement to any offence") and 14(3) (laws relating to labour or education). At present, it appears that Parliament may restrict Article 14(1) rights on these grounds simply by enacting legislation, and that the courts are not entitled to assess if the restrictions are appropriate. The privileges of Parliament are set out in
6525-405: The Article 14(2) derogation clause was said to confer upon Parliament a great amount of discretionary power. The High Court also rejected the use of a proportionality analysis when determining the extent of Parliament's powers to impose restrictions on individual rights. The analysis enables the judiciary to assess if an interference with rights is proportionate to a legitimate and important aim of
6670-504: The Article, a process which is deemed necessary because the rights to free speech, assembly and association do not exist in a vacuum but jostle with competing interests and counter-values. As was said in Chee Siok Chin v. Ministry of Home Affairs (2005), "[f]reedom of action invariably ends where conflicting rights and/or interests collide". The text of Article 14, which is entitled "Freedom of speech, assembly and association",
6815-616: The Broadcasting Act, makes it mandatory for an Internet content provider to register with the Media Development Authority (MDA) if it is, or if the Authority thinks that it is, an individual providing any programme about or a body of persons engaged in the "propagation, promotion or discussion of political or religious issues relating to Singapore, on the World Wide Web through the Internet". The MDA can fine
6960-419: The Constitution are enjoyed only by Singapore citizens . In Review Publishing Co. Ltd. v. Lee Hsien Loong (2009), it was held that the appellant newspaper company did not have the requisite locus standi to rely on the constitutional right of free speech and expression as it was not a Singapore citizen, and Article 14(1)(a) of the Constitution expressly provides that only Singapore citizens are entitled to
7105-430: The Constitution as follows: In this Constitution, unless it is otherwise provided or the context otherwise requires — One reading of Article 14(2) is that in order to restrict the rights to freedom of speech, assembly and association, Parliament must impose the restrictions by passing written laws, that is, Acts of Parliament, since it exercises the legislative power of Singapore by passing bills that are assented to by
7250-410: The Court of Appeal as decisive as it is the courts' duty to independently determine whether the assumption is justified. Otherwise, a similar argument might be extended to all legislation passed by Parliament, and "[i]t is not difficult to see that this would spell the end of constitutional law itself". Parliament may restrict the rights to free speech, assembly and association on the grounds set out in
7395-662: The Creative Industries Development Strategy to propel the growth of Singapore’s creative economy. One of its major role is to grow the media industry by creating jobs, attracting investments as well as setting standards. On 18 January 2016, Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) announced that the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and MDA will be restructured into two new entities: The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and
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#17327939744487540-655: The Defamation Act 1957 to Singapore, then a state in the Federation of Malaysia. Since the Act, now the Defamation Act ;( Cap. 75, 1985 Rev. Ed. ), was premised on common law rules of the tort of defamation, the Court held that the Legislature had "clearly intended that the common law relating to defamation, as modified by the Act, should continue to apply in Singapore". Thus, it
7685-583: The Films Act ;( Cap. 107, 1998 Rev. Ed. ), which establishes film censorship and classification regimes ; and the Undesirable Publications Act ;( Cap. 338, 1998 Rev. Ed. ), under which obscene or otherwise objectionable publications may be banned. No necessity or expedience requirement applies to the second type of grounds, which appear in Articles 14(2)(a) (restrictions "designed to protect
7830-530: The GST to be suspended entirely or for the exemption of essential goods from the tax. Lee's government introduced the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) in 2018, colloquially known as the "fake news law", which was first mooted by Minister of Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam . Despite concerns by activists and opposition Members of Parliament that the Act would limit free speech under
7975-512: The Government regards as an official secret will be necessarily be deemed to be so by the court, especially if the information is "innocuous in nature". The burden of proving that official information is secret lies on the Prosecution. Freedom of speech and expression may also be restricted in the interest of friendly relations with other countries. This ground of restriction has not yet been considered by local courts, but might have justified
8120-690: The Lee government's effort to promote Singapore as an international center for arbitration, the city hosted the leaders of Mainland China and Taiwan for the Ma-Xi meeting on 7 November 2015 and the North Korea–United States summit on 12 June 2018. Singapore hosted the signing of the Singapore Convention on Mediation on 7 August 2019, the first United Nations treaty named after it, and ratified it on 25 February 2020. On 20 July 2018, it
8265-432: The MDA withheld the licence for Benny Lim 's play Human Lefts unless some scenes were edited and all references to the death penalty removed. The play was originally written about the hanging of Shanmugam Murugesu and was to have been staged one day after the controversial execution of Australian national Nguyen Tuong Van . In August 2006, a play Smegma was banned by the MDA which said that "the play portrays Muslims in
8410-534: The Minister to limit the circulation of foreign newspapers as described above, the NPPA generally imposes curbs on the foreign ownership of newspaper companies, and requires a permit to be obtained for the publication, sale and distribution of newspapers. In a September 2011 statement, the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts justified the NPPA's existence, stating: "The various safeguards provided for in
8555-464: The Minister's approval, which can be refused, revoked without reasons, or granted on conditions, which may include restrictions on the number of people permitted to receive the service and suspensions of the service for certain periods. Failing to comply with the above rules is a crime punishable by a fine of up to $ 100,000. Similar provisions exist in the NPPA to enable the circulation of foreign newspapers in Singapore to be restricted. In February 1987,
8700-414: The NPPA by not considering the right to free speech protected by Article 14(1)(a). The Court dismissed the argument on the ground that Dow Jones could not rely on the Article as it only applied to Singapore citizens. Furthermore, even if Dow Jones could raise the constitutionality of the relevant provisions of the NPPA on the basis that Singapore citizens were indirectly affected by it, it was not evident that
8845-548: The NPPA help to ensure that the media operating in Singapore play a responsible role and that publishers are accountable for the content they publish. The safeguards also prevent local newspapers from being manipulated by foreign interests which can have a divisive effect on social cohesion. These considerations are still valid today. Journalistic freedom to report responsibly has not been compromised." The Sedition Act, Public Entertainments and Meetings Act, and Public Order Act 2009 are statutes which arguably impose restrictions on
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#17327939744488990-526: The Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act ( Cap. 217, 2000 Rev. Ed. ), and the Singapore courts have held that the common law offence of scandalizing the court (a form of contempt of court ) does not violate Article 14(1)(a). The courts have also determined that the traditional common law rules of the tort of defamation strike a proper balance between free speech and
9135-520: The Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act. Under the Act, it is a contempt of Parliament to perform certain acts, for instance, to insult the Speaker or any Member of Parliament (MP) coming to or going from Parliament on account of his or her conduct in Parliament or of anything done or said by him or her in Parliament; or to publish any statement, whether in writing or otherwise, which falsely or scandalously defames, or which reflects on
9280-461: The People's Republic. To continue facilitating this policy when Lee becomes Prime Minister, Lee believed it to be important for him to "personally feel for the situation" in Taiwan and made the trip going to Taiwan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials advised that any visit to Taiwan by an incumbent prime minister would be diplomatically impossible, hence the trip was planned a month before Lee assumed
9425-653: The Singapore Media Fusion Plan (SMFP), a national media development blueprint, was launched in 2009 to s create the best environment in Singapore for media businesses to exploit new opportunities in digital media and move up the value chain, while enhancing the global appeal of Singapore media through international partnerships. In 2011, MDA also revised its funding schemes. In 2013, it has five main schemes namely Production Assistance, Development Assistance, Marketing Assistance, Talent Assistance and Enterprise Assistance to help support different stages of
9570-432: The Supreme Court of Judicature Act (Cap. 322 , 1985 Rev. Ed.) (now section 7(1) of Cap. 322, 2007 Rev. Ed. ) ("SCJA"), which states that "[t]he High Court and the Court of Appeal shall have power to punish for contempt of court", Parliament had conferred on these courts the power to act against persons that have scandalized the court. Furthermore, Article 162 could not be relied upon to require that
9715-500: The Teck Ghee ward of Ang Mo Kio GRC. Lee has served as Deputy Prime Minister , Minister for Finance , Minister for Trade and Industry , and Second Minister for Defence under two Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong before assuming the office of prime minister in August 2004. In his first two years, his government enacted a five-day work week and extended maternity leave days. His proposal to build two integrated resorts in Singapore to increase tourism revenue led to
9860-464: The accused was convicted under the Act for posting invective and pejorative anti-Muslim remarks on a blog and a forum on the Internet; and in Public Prosecutor v. Ong Kian Cheong and another (2009), a married couple were similarly convicted for distributing religious tracts that were considered seditious and objectionable to Muslims . The Public Entertainments and Meetings Act renders it an offence to provide public entertainment and hold meetings without
10005-514: The age of seventy, noting the need for someone to be in tune with the public. In the 2015 Singapore general election , Lee was re-elected in Ang Mo Kio GRC, with the PAP winning 83 of 89 seats in Parliament and 69.9% of the national vote. Lee's fourth term as prime minister was marked by events such as the China–United States trade war , which adversely affected the nation's economy, being highly reliant on free markets and trade. Increased cyberattacks on Singapore-related services and websites led to
10150-456: The announcement came three months before the 2006 Singaporean general election , it drew criticism that the ruling party was involved in "vote buying". In that election, the PAP won 82 of the 84 seats, including 37 walkovers. The Ang Mo Kio GRC was contested for the first time in 15 years. The Workers' Party (WP) claimed that they wanted to give Ang Mo Kio residents a chance to exercise their vote. Lee and his six-member GRC team won 60.42% of
10295-475: The ban on the grounds of freedom of religion protected by Article 15(1) of the Constitution proved unsuccessful. Parliament may, under Articles 14(2)(a) and 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, rely on the ground of morality to impose restrictions on two of the constitutional freedoms embodied in Article 14: the right to freedom of speech and expression, and the right to freedom of association. There are currently no Singaporean cases which have specifically discussed
10440-532: The cabinet as part of a rejuvenation process in the government and to provide a clean slate for Lee. Lee was sworn in to a third term on 21 May 2011. On 1 June 2011, Lee was named chairman of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation , which manages more than S$ 100 billion in assets. He succeeded his father, Lee Kuan Yew, who remained as senior advisor to the fund until his death. In 2012, Lee indicated that he hoped not to be prime minister beyond
10585-480: The character of, the Speaker or any MP touching on his or her conduct in Parliament or anything done or said by him or her in Parliament. It is presumably not open to a person charged with one of these offences to argue that it violates the Article 14 right to freedom of speech and expression. However, there is not yet any case law addressing this provision, and thus little guidance as to how the courts are to interpret
10730-767: The clause in the English Bill of Rights 1689 stating that "the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Conditions and as allowed by Law", which inspired the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution ("A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."), cannot be raised in Singapore. The freedoms of speech, assembly and association guaranteed by
10875-416: The concerns and values of the majority". The meaning of morality is therefore dependent on the views of the majority of Singapore citizens, as expressed through public channels and citizen advisory committees. Censorship has therefore been applied to obscene content that "erodes moral values through pornography, deviant sexual practices, sexual violence, child pornography, bestiality, etc." Public morality
11020-576: The court's only task is to ascertain whether an impugned law is within the purview of any of the permissible restrictions. Hence, all that needs to be established is a nexus between the object of the law in question and one of the permissible subjects stipulated in Article 14(2). In doing so, the Government must merely satisfy the court that there is a factual basis on which Parliament has considered it "necessary or expedient" to restrict one's individual right to freedom of speech, assembly or association. When determining whether legislative restrictions are "in
11165-549: The development of the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa . Following the Great Recession of 2008, he oversaw the country's economic recovery within two years. Further political reforms in 2010 saw increased online activism, as well as the number of Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) in Parliament. In between 2020 and 2021, Lee oversaw the government response to COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent recession and recovery . In 2022, he also oversaw
11310-566: The discontent in public sentiment and made a public apology. While the PAP swept into power, winning 81 out of 87 seats, it lost Aljunied GRC to the Workers' Party (WP), a historic win by an opposition party. Foreign Minister George Yeo and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua of the GRC were defeated. Following the election, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong resigned from
11455-446: The end of Q2 2009. In August 2009, Lee declared that "the worst [was] over" and that Singapore was in a stronger position due to better-than-forecast growth in the manufacturing and services industries. The Ministry of Trade and Industry announced an end to the recession in November 2009 and forecast a 3–5% growth for 2010. Singapore subsequently saw a record-high economic recovery of 14.53%, defying predictions of moderate growth, with
11600-567: The enjoyment of these rights may be restricted by laws imposed by the Parliament of Singapore on the grounds stated in Article 14(2) of the Constitution . There are two types of grounds. For the first type, it must be shown that restricting the rights is "necessary or expedient in the interest" of the grounds. The grounds are the security of Singapore and public order (applicable to all three rights protected by Article 14(1)), morality (freedom of speech and freedom of association), and friendly relations with other countries (freedom of speech only). In
11745-758: The form of the GST , which is expected to rise from 7% to 9% by 2025. Lee's government said that it was necessary to plan ahead for increasing annual recurrent expenses, with Heng Swee Keat saying that the "hike cannot be put off or scrapped" to pay for critical future needs, especially in the healthcare sector. In his Budget 2020 speech in February, Heng announced amendments to the GST Voucher Fund Act that would allow grants-in-aid to be given to parents or guardians for infants and children to mitigate their expenses. Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong said
11890-404: The freedom of speech and expression, as well as the freedom of assembly, in the interests of public order. The Sedition Act has been used to restrict the propagation of opinions that have a seditious tendency, which includes a tendency to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of Singapore's population. In Public Prosecutor v. Koh Song Huat Benjamin (2005),
12035-542: The government disagrees with. I hope that Film Appeals Committee will see the film and review the classification in this light." On 12 November 2014, Tan's review was denied. In a statement, the chairman of the Film Appeals Committee (FAC) said, "While of commendable artistic standard, the FAC found the film to be a one-sided account with minimal attempts to provide a balanced mix of views beyond those provided by
12180-648: The government response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine , making Singapore the only Southeast Asian country to impose sanctions on Russia. That same year, his government de jure and de facto legalised same-sex sexual activity between men by repealing the then already unenforced colonial-era Section 377A . Lee is frequently noted by the international media as the world's highest-paid state leader . His libel suits against journalists and political opponents have been frequently covered by international news outlets. In April 2024, Lee announced that he would not seek
12325-481: The growing sophistication of the economy and the financial markets' increasing volatility, Lee "may not have the full-time attention" due to his concurrent duties as prime minister. The economy grew for the first two years of Lee's tenure but plunged 12.5% during the Great Recession . Singapore became the first Asian country to slip into a recession during the fourth quarter of 2008, with the financial, construction and manufacturing sectors being particularly affected by
12470-470: The guise of preventing disinformation, the bill passed by a 72–9 vote on 8 May 2019 after two days' debate. Reporters Without Borders called the bill "terrible", "totalitarian", and a tool for censorship. Reuters wrote that the act "ensnares" government critics. Social media firms like Facebook expressed concern that the law would grant "broad powers to the Singapore executive branch to compel us to remove content they deem to be false and pro-actively push
12615-528: The immediate or direct maintenance of public order ...". The Government has power to limit the circulation of local and foreign media in Singapore under the Broadcasting Act and the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act ("NPPA"). These Acts can be considered as imposing restrictions on free speech based on public order. For instance, the Broadcasting (Class Licence) Notification, made under section 9 of
12760-736: The importance which the Singapore Government places upon social stability. In Chee Siok Chin , which dealt with the constitutionality of sections 13A and 13B of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act the High Court approved the following quotation from V.N. Shukla's Constitution of India (9th ed., 1994): The expression 'public order' is synonymous with public peace, safety, and tranquility. It signifies absence of disorder involving breaches of local significance in contradistinction to national upheavals such as revolution, civil strife or war, affecting
12905-466: The independence of Taiwan , with the PRC claiming that Singapore was making a "historical error" for the trip. Then-Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar replied to the PRC counterpart of him Li Zhaoxing that the ROC government had been asked to keep the visit low-profile and that it would proceed as planned. "When our vital interests are at stake, we must quietly stand our ground. As Dr Habibie said, Singapore
13050-466: The individual, the public, particularly parents, and the industry. While the regulator may define and regulate sensitive areas like race and religion, in the areas of morality, the responsibility will have to be devolved to the public and citizen advisory committees." In response, the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA) stated that the Government "must continue to remain mindful of
13195-506: The intent was to expand the range of people who qualify for the fund. With the amendment, the Act would allow for the funding of the $ 6 billion Assurance Package, which was intended to delay the impact of the impending hike for five years. The proposed hike met with broad disapproval from the opposition, with the Workers' Party and Progress Singapore Party calling for the GST to be retained at its present rate of 7% and others calling for
13340-402: The interest of" the relevant purposes specified in Article 14(2), the courts may examine the impugned statute, relevant parliamentary material and contemporary speeches and documents, and will adopt a "generous and not a pedantic interpretation". Moreover, the term in the interest of , when contrasted with the maintenance of , grants "a much wider legislative remit that allows Parliament to take
13485-683: The interviewees featured in the film". Of the 12 FAC members present, nine voted to uphold the classification while the other three voted that the film be given a Restricted 21 (R21) rating instead. In June 2016, the MDA objected to 31 photographs in Iranian photojournalist Newsha Tavakolian 's I Know Why the Rebel Sings exhibition, as part of the Singapore International Festival of Arts pre-festival The O.P.E.N. programme, as they featured "female kurdish members from
13630-627: The introduction of new ratings under their content classification standards (e.g. PG13), and previously SBA’s Class Licence Scheme. Like regulators in developed countries like Australia and the UK, MDA works with other public agencies and various community groups to raise media literacy standards through public education initiatives to nurture a media savvy and connected society. MDA has initiated programmes that help to cultivate critical media awareness skills and cyber wellness values. Restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly are enforced by MDA. In 2005,
13775-831: The introduction of the Cybersecurity Act in 2018 and the establishment of the Cyber Security Agency . The defeat of the Barisan Nasional government in the 2018 Malaysian general election , which saw the return of Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, led to a chill in relations as the new Pakatan Harapan government sought to overturn previously signed agreements on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail and Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System , and also disputed with Singapore on airspace and maritime rights. As part of
13920-498: The legislation in question. A court will inquire into whether relevant and sufficient reasons justify the statutory interference, and may substitute its own judgment for that of Parliament. The High Court concluded: "Needless to say, the notion of proportionality has never been part of the common law in relation to the judicial review of the exercise of a legislative and/or an administrative power or discretion. Nor has it ever been part of Singapore law." Bearing in mind these restraints,
14065-475: The loss of tourism revenue to other cities. In April 2005, despite some public opposition, the government approved the proposal. The IRs were built in Marina Bay and Sentosa . To limit the negative social impact of casino gambling, Lee suggested safeguards such as prohibiting minors from the casinos and charging an entrance fee for Singaporeans of S$ 100 (or S$ 2000 for a yearly pass). The Casino Control Act
14210-518: The meaning of morality . However, legislation such as the Films Act, which establishes film censorship and classification regimes ; and the Undesirable Publications Act, under which obscene or otherwise objectionable publications may be banned, can be regarded as restrictions on free expression pursuant to this ground. In Rathinam Ramesh v. Public Prosecutor (2010), where the issue was the sentence that should be imposed on
14355-488: The media industry by stimulating job creation, seeding and attracting investments, while setting standards that lay the foundation for building a cohesive and inclusive society. One of MDA’s key initiatives is to develop industry roadmaps that position Singapore as the nucleus where media content, services and applications are financed, made and traded for the world. Media 21 was the first roadmap established by MDA in 2003 in response to global media convergence. More recently,
14500-403: The national interest; or, if the society is a political association, its rules do not require all its members to be Singapore citizens or it is affiliated with some foreign organization that the Registrar considers contrary to the national interest. The list of specified societies includes the following: Any society that is not registered is deemed to be an unlawful society, and, as regards such
14645-406: The number of group representation constituencies (GRC) and increasing the number of non-constituency members of parliament (NCMP) and nominated members of parliament (NMP) to a maximum of nine each (inclusive of the number of elected opposition members). A cooling-off day on the day before the election was instituted, where campaigning is prohibited except for party political broadcasts. In
14790-533: The pandemic pushing Singapore into a recession, the government unveiled four successive stimulus packages intended to keep the economy afloat, the Unity , Resilience , Solidarity and Fortitude budgets. Following the 2020 Singapore general election , Lee was re-elected in Ang Mo Kio GRC, with the PAP securing 61.23% of the national vote, beginning his fifth successive term as prime minister. The election
14935-430: The party. Goh was firm that the proposed committee should attract only the right kinds of members, ruling out material rewards as an incentive. The proposed youth wing was to encourage the improvement of the system from within, which would give new members a stake in the country's future. Lee later said the establishment of the youth wing reflected concerns by the leadership that the lack of an official channel to engage with
15080-426: The path of politics over mathematics, saying that he "had the responsibility to come back to Singapore, be part of Singapore, and do what [he] could to help the country to succeed", and added saying it was "the right thing to do". He subsequently went on to complete a Master of Public Administration degree, becoming a Mason Fellow at Harvard University 's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1980. Lee joined
15225-435: The peace or riot and use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in any public place or at any public meeting with intent to cause a breach of the peace or whereby breach of the peace is likely to be caused, and all such acts as would endanger public safety. Such an interpretation is consistent with earlier cases. In Chan Hiang Leng Colin v. Public Prosecutor (1994), Chief Justice Yong Pung How considered
15370-437: The photos depicted the kurdish soldiers fighting ISIS , a greater evil. "And so we are living with a new terror where we don’t know, it is out of our control," he said at the exhibition's launch. Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong PPA(E) SPMJ DK (born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been the senior minister of Singapore since 2024. He previously served as
15515-462: The policy of the "five-day work week" which removed the half-working day on Saturday. The plan took effect on 1 January 2005. In response to public feedback, maternity leave was also extended from eight to twelve weeks after consultation with employers and unions. To encourage the growth of the birthrate in Singapore, the Baby Bonus scheme was expanded to provide financial support to women who bear
15660-433: The political system of Singapore and the political ideology underpinning it, the public institutions that are a manifestation of the system and the policies of the government of the day that give life to the political system. In other words, the domestic politics of Singapore relate to the multitude of issues concerning how Singapore should be governed in the interest and for the welfare of its people. In addition to empowering
15805-420: The position that "order and stability are essential for development" as economic growth requires a stable legal environment protective of contractual and property rights. Excessive focus on civil-political liberties during the early stages of national development would impair this. However, the Government appears to have loosened restrictions on political liberties like free speech over time to manage demands for
15950-489: The premiership and in his capacity as a private citizen, not as a government minister or as the head of government, with the PRC embassy informed on 9 July 2004. On the same day's afternoon, the PRC government summoned the Singapore ambassador in Beijing and urged the cancellation of Lee's trip, citing the likelihood of Chen Shui Bian 's administration in Taiwan exploiting the trip as a diplomatic coup and using it to promote
16095-433: The privileges of Parliament, or to provide against contempt of court, defamation or incitement to any offence. The Constitution does not require Parliament to show that is necessary or expedient to restrict free speech in the interest of these grounds. Article 63 of the Constitution provides for the Legislature to "determine and regulate the privileges, immunities or powers of Parliament" by law, and it has done so by enacting
16240-449: The protection of reputation, and have declined to apply a public figure doctrine or responsible journalism as additional defences to the tort. Article 14(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore was designed to protect the rights to freedom of speech and expression , peaceful assembly without arms , and association . It is subject to Article 14(2) which qualifies these rights. Judicial and statutory limits have been read into
16385-489: The public interest for a maximum number of households in Singapore. Their focus appears to be to design policy frameworks that facilitate industry growth, whilst enabling informed choices and protecting the young from undesirable content. A key challenge for the regulator is how to ensure its policies keep in-step with community values to bring about community-led content standards, whilst providing an excellent level of customer responsiveness to customers. Recent examples include
16530-562: The purview of SBA) until now, it see itself leading the charge to address the latest challenges and opportunities faced by the media industry posed by media convergence and a digital media era through convergence regulation. For example, it was the first to articulate Internet policies and establish Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) standards in Southeast Asia. Its regulatory approach gradually shifted towards industry co-regulation and consultation to stimulate industry growth and yet serve
16675-522: The restriction. Article 14(2)(a) of the Constitution provides that Parliament may restrict the right to freedom of speech and expression to provide against contempt of court . One of the more prominent uses of the court's contempt power has been for the Attorney-General to charge persons with the common law offence of scandalizing the court . The High Court case of Attorney-General v. Wain (1991) established that by enacting section 8(1) of
16820-479: The restrictions are appropriate. Article 14(2) of the Constitution states that "Parliament may by law impose" restrictions on the rights referred to in Article 14(1). This is arguably in line with Singapore's adoption of the Westminster system of government that rests upon parliamentary supremacy , the rule of law and common law principles. The terms law and written law are defined in Article 2(1) of
16965-509: The right to free speech included the right to receive information. In any case, even if the latter argument was accepted, it might be said that the right of Singapore citizens to receive information by reading the Asian Wall Street Journal had not been impaired since 400 copies of it were still in circulation. The Court interpreted the term domestic politics broadly, holding that in Singapore's context it included: ...
17110-400: The right. The rights guaranteed to the citizens of Singapore by Article 14(1) are subject to restrictions set out in subsection (2) of the same Article. In Chee Siok Chin , Justice V.K. Rajah elucidated the justification for these qualifications: The right of freedom of expression should never be exercised on the basis that opinions are expressed in hermetically sealed vacuums where only
17255-488: The rights of those who ardently advocate their views matter. That is entirely inappropriate. Freedom of expression when left unchecked may reach a point where protest, criticism and expression culminate in nuisance or something even more serious. The law inevitably has to intervene then. In 1993 in a statement delivered at the World Conference on Human Rights , the Minister for Foreign Affairs Wong Kan Seng took
17400-674: The scheme would impact citizens’ ability to "receive diverse news information". In May 2014, 45 major arts groups released a paper strongly objecting to MDA's proposed optional scheme to train arts practitioners as "content assessors" to ensure compliance with the authority's classification guidelines. Such practitioners whose groups' "content assessors" mis-classify performances would face a fine of up to $ 5,000, and may have their licences revoked. The arts groups rejected such "co-regulation" as promoting self-censorship. On 10 September 2014, Tan Pin Pin 's award-winning documentary To Singapore, With Love
17545-616: The school band, and National Junior College before he was awarded the President's Scholarship and Singapore Armed Forces Overseas Scholarship in 1971 by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to study mathematics at Trinity College, University of Cambridge . He became the Senior Wrangler at Cambridge in 1973, and graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours degree (later promoted to Master of Arts by seniority) in mathematics and
17690-501: The security of the State. To illustrate, the State may, in the interests of public order, prohibit and punish the causing of loud and raucous noise in streets and public places by means of sound amplifying instruments; regulate the hours and place of public discussions and the use of public streets for the purpose of exercising freedom; provide for expulsion of hecklers from meetings and assemblies; punish utterances tending to incite breach of
17835-440: The social, healthcare, economic and infrastructure sectors. Annual expenses on preschools is expected to reach $ 1.7 billion by 2022, while the growth in the ageing population is predicted to create a larger demand for affordable healthcare. Construction and refurbishment of new port and rail infrastructure, coupled with economic restructuring and training of workers, also necessitated tax increases. The taxes raised would be in
17980-578: The society becomes an unlawful society. On 14 January 1972, the Singapore Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses was dissolved, the Minister stating that the existence of the society was prejudicial to public welfare and good order because its members refused to do National Service , which is generally compulsory for male citizens and second-generation permanent residents. An attempt in Chan Hiang Leng Colin to challenge
18125-448: The sovereign power to ensure peace, security and orderly living without which constitutional guarantee of civil liberty would be a mockery" ( Commissioner, HRE v LT Swamiar AIR 1954 SC 282). The sovereignty, integrity and unity of Singapore are undoubtedly the paramount mandate of the Constitution and anything, including religious beliefs and practices, which tend to run counter to these objectives must be restrained. In Chee Siok Chin it
18270-437: The table below if it is "necessary or expedient in the interest" of them: In Chee Siok Chin , the High Court interpreted the phrase necessary or expedient as conferring upon Parliament "an extremely wide discretionary power and remit that permits a multifarious and multifaceted approach towards achieving any of the purposes specified in Art 14(2) of the Constitution". The Court emphasized the fact that, unlike Article 19(3) of
18415-472: The term in relation to the right to freedom of religion embodied in Article 15(4) of the Constitution and stated: I am of the view that religious beliefs ought to have proper protection, but actions undertaken or flowing from such beliefs must conform with the general law relating to public order and social protection. The right of freedom of religion must be reconciled with "the right of the State to employ
18560-522: The third prime minister of Singapore and secretary-general of the People's Action Party (PAP) from 2004 to 2024. He has been a member of parliament (MP) for Teck Ghee since 1984, initially as Teck Ghee SMC from 1984 to 1991 and as a division of Ang Mo Kio GRC since 1991. Born and raised in Singapore during British colonial rule , Lee is the eldest son of Singapore's first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew . He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge , in 1974 with first class honours in mathematics and
18705-515: The time. The committee's recommendations included reductions in corporate and personal taxes and the introduction of a consumption tax . In 1986, Lee was appointed Acting Minister for Trade and Industry . In 1987, he became a full member of the Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Industry and Second Minister for Defence. In March 1986, First Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong discussed the question with Lee on encouraging younger Singaporeans to join
18850-460: The unemployment rate falling to 1.8% by September 2010. On 27 May 2009, Lee gave a speech in Parliament validating the roles of nonpartisan Nominated members of parliament (NMP) and praising the NMP scheme as having improved "quality of debate" in the-PAP dominated parliament. He proposed to make the scheme permanent. In May 2010, Lee instituted electoral reforms to the electoral system by reducing
18995-463: The votes against WP's inexperienced team. On 29 November 2007, Lee announced that he would relinquish his finance ministerial portfolio to Tharman Shanmugaratnam on 1 December of that year. The handover was largely supported by business analysts, who felt that the importance of the position necessitated the dedication of a full-time minister for Singapore to entrench and promote its role as a financial hub. Regional economist Song Seng Wun said that with
19140-610: The withdrawal by the Board of Film Censors (BFC) of a certificate issued for the film Zoolander (2001) with effect from 8 February 2002. The film, a comedy about a male model played by Ben Stiller who is brainwashed into attempting to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia , had earlier been condemned by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board as "definitely unsuitable", though it did not impose
19285-492: The younger generation might lead them to vote for opposition parties and potentially bring the PAP government down. The youth wing was an official "tailor-made" mechanism to allow dissenting opinions to be heard. Lee was the first chairman of the PAP Youth Committee upon its establishment, the predecessor to Young PAP . On 28 November 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee Kuan Yew as prime minister. Lee Hsien Loong
19430-554: Was a British colony . He is the eldest child of Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo and the patriline grandson of a retired storekeeper-turned- salesman , Lee Chin Koon (1903–1995) and Chua Jim Neo (1905–1980), a chef . His mother has ancestry from Tong'an District and Longhu while his father has ancestry from Dabu County in China. Lee was educated at Nanyang Primary School and Catholic High School —where he played clarinet in
19575-457: Was a part of the FPD, responsible for classification of films and videos. Following the footsteps of film promotion in other countries, SFC was established on 15 April 1998. Following the release of the recommendations under Media 21, SFC was merged under the MDA in 2003. The Media Development Authority is responsible for promoting and regulating the Singapore media sector. MDA’s function is to grow
19720-403: Was announced that sophisticated state-linked actors had hacked Lee's health data along with that of 1.5 million other residents. The hack was intended to access Lee's data in particular. On 23 April 2019, Lee reshuffled his cabinet and promoted Heng Swee Keat to deputy prime minister , effective 1 May 2019. As part of the party's leadership succession, the move was widely interpreted as
19865-711: Was appointed chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in January 1998, and in 2001 he was made the finance minister . To ease the growing budget deficit due to falling tax revenues from cuts in corporate and personal income taxes and other factors such as the Iraq War and SARS outbreak, Lee proposed on 29 August 2003 to raise the GST from three per cent to five per cent, a change that took place in January 2004. Lee initiated several amendments to render requirements for Singapore citizenship less restrictive, notably for foreign-born children of Singaporean women. The changes were made after repeated pleas from MPs and
20010-541: Was banned in Singapore, with the MDA claiming that it undermined national security as "the individuals in the film have given distorted and untruthful accounts of how they came to leave Singapore and remain outside Singapore," and that "a number of these self-professed 'exiles' were members of, or had provided support to, the proscribed Communist Party of Malaya (CPM)." In response, a group of 39 artists, including filmmakers Anthony Chen , Royston Tan and Kelvin Tong , released
20155-471: Was confirmed on 23 January 2020. Early cases were primarily imported until local transmission began to develop. By late March, clusters were detected at multiple dormitories for foreign workers, which soon contributed to an overwhelming number of new cases in the country. In response, Lee announced on 3 April 2020 that Singapore would enter a limited lockdown with restrictions on movement. The policy, officially called " circuit breaker " in governmental parlance,
20300-511: Was enacted into law on 1 June 2006, which regulated the operations of the casino operators and provided social safeguards intended to deter problem gambling. In February 2006, Lee announced a S$ 2.6 billion Progress Package to distribute budget surpluses in the form of cash, top-ups to the Central Provident Fund , rental and utilities rebates, and educational funds. The cash bonuses were distributed in early May 2006. As
20445-454: Was further clarified that "the legislative power to circumscribe the rights conferred by Art 14 of the Constitution is, inter alia , delineated by what is 'in the interest of public order' and not confined to 'the maintenance of public order'. This is a much wider legislative remit that allows Parliament to take a prophylactic approach in the maintenance of public order. This necessarily will include laws that are not purely designed or crafted for
20590-515: Was intended to halt the disease's spread in the wider community. Workplaces were shut and all schools switched to home-based learning from 7 April to 1 June. Lee served as advisor to a multi-ministry level task force that had been set up in January, chaired by Minister for Education Lawrence Wong and Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong . Lee's government also contributed US$ 500,000 to support the World Health Organization . With
20735-435: Was made one of two deputy prime ministers, along with Ong Teng Cheong . He continued to serve as the minister for trade and industry until 1992, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma . He subsequently relinquished his ministerial position and underwent three months of chemotherapy , though he continued to be a deputy prime minister during his illness. The chemotherapy was successful, and his cancer has gone into remission. Lee
20880-435: Was regarded as the core member of the next batch of new leaders in the People's Action Party (PAP) leadership transition that was taking place in the mid-1980s, as Lee Kuan Yew had declared that he would step down as prime minister in 1984. Following the 1984 general election , all of the old Central Executive Committee members except Lee Kuan Yew resigned on 1 January 1985. Lee was first elected Member of Parliament for
21025-455: Was widely seen as a setback for the ruling party, with the opposition Workers' Party capturing a second GRC. Article 14 of the Constitution of Singapore#Restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly Article 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore , specifically Article 14(1), guarantees to Singapore citizens the rights to freedom of speech and expression , peaceful assembly without arms , and association . However,
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