Blogger group slams MDA for The Real Singapore closure, court allows editor to go to Australia
A blogger activist group is slamming the Media Development Authority's (MDA) closure of The Real Singapore (TRS) and calling for the 'arbitrary' and 'unsubstantiated' action to be immediately revoked.
The group, call FreeMyInternet is also demanding that the MDA 'come clean on its processes and standards' as a regulatory body.
In a statement to the media on Monday the group claimed that the MDA's 'unfettered power' is disproportionate in that it gives a statutory board the sole discretion to close down a website without due process, judiciary or otherwise.
"This is inconsistent with Singapore’s position as a state that is ruled by law, transparency and accountability.
FreeMyInternet added that MDA has 'clearly exhibited' inconsistency in how it approached “objectionable content”, which was one of the reasons the regulatory body gave for shutting down the controversial site.
MDA also said TRS had deliberately fabricated articles, falsely attributed them to innocent parties and inserted falsehoods in articles that were either plagiarised from local news sources or sent in by contributors so as to make the articles more inflammatory.
FreeMyInternet questioned the right of the MDA to shut down TRS on the basis of objectionable, fabricated and plagiarised content, claiming it was 'regular practice' in online and mainstream media.
"Websites managed by traditional news outlets have also been known to have fabricated content. Does MDA intend to take action against any website that plagiarises or fabricates content? What is MDA’s basis and standards for taking action, and what are the specific examples cited for TRS? Would it not be sufficient to request for the removal of specific articles rather than the termination of an entire website?"
The group said the right way to deal with any objectionable content is “with open discussion and reasoned debate”.
TRS editor allowed to leave Singapore
Meanwhile, TRS editor Yang Kaiheng was on Monday granted permission to leave Singapore to visit his ailing father in Australia, who had suffered a stroke on 1 May.
Yang was granted permission to leave Singapore on certain conditions, including an additional bail amount of S$40,000 on top of the previous $20,000, and submitting his full travel itinerary.
During the bail review hearing, Deputy Public Prosecutor G Kannan argued Yang was a flight risk, and that he had not cooperated fully during investigations.
The court heard on Monday afternoon that fellow website editor Ai Takagi, Yang’s fiancee, made an order to comply with the Media Development Authority’s request to provide information on TRS.
Yang has been allowed to leave Singapore from Monday to 17 May, and has been instructed to update his lawyer every three days on his father’s condition.
Yang and Takagi each face seven counts of sedition charges for allegedly publishing sedition posts on TRS that promoted hostility between different races or classes in Singapore.
If found guilty, they face a fine of up to S$5,000 and three years’ jail on each charge.
