• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Trying to understand the authorities’ decisions and actions

by Andrew Loh
11/09/2014
in Commentaries
Reading Time: 5 mins read
10

MDA questions
In February 2013, independent filmmaker Lynn Lee was hauled in by the police for making a film of an interview with two former SMRT drivers who were being charged for going on a strike.
Ms Lee was paid a visit by the police at her home, had her computer and the hard drive which contained the interviews confiscated, and was “interviewed” by the police for seven hours at the police station.
In the words of the Attorney General then, the film:
“… amounted to contempt of court by creating a real risk of prejudice to the Criminal Proceedings which were then-pending (also known as sub judice contempt). The publication of the allegations made by He and Liu gave rise to a real risk that parties connected with the criminal proceedings, namely the witnesses, co-accused persons, and He and Liu themselves, would be improperly influenced in the giving of evidence on the admissibility of any confessions made by He and Liu. The publication also gave rise to a real risk that the judge hearing the trial in relation to the Criminal Proceedings would also be improperly influenced in reaching relevant findings of fact.”
It was only four months later, in June, that Ms Lee was given a warning by the police – for alleged contempt of court for the film which was uploaded online while the two drivers’ cases were before the court.
Ms Lee rejected the warning. (See here.)
Now, another filmmaker, Tan Pin Pin, is in the spotlight for another film – and this time the authorities are accusing the film of a rather more serious offence, that it “undermine[s] national security.”
In a statement regarding an application by the National University of Singapore Museum in May to have the film, “To Singapore, With Love”, classified before it was to be screened at the end of September, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said it had “assessed that the contents of the film undermine national security.”
That is a very serious charge indeed.
Undermining national security means, one would think, the film is a threat to the nation and its people, and to the peace and security of the country.
The MDA said this was “because legitimate actions of the security agencies to protect the national security and stability of Singapore are presented in a distorted way as acts that victimised innocent individuals.”
The chief executive officer of the MDA, Ms Koh Lin-Net, confirmed the reason for rating the film, “Not Allowed For All Ratings.”
Ms Koh said the MDA has “determined that the film has to be disallowed because of national security concerns.”
The Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said he supports the MDA’s assessment.
But how exactly do the actions of security agencies presented in “a distorted way” undermine national security is not explained.
So, here are some observations, comparing the two films mentioned here.
Both films are of interviews with certain protagonists about an event or an incident.
The contents of both films were described as untruthful by the authorities – the SMRT drivers’ claims in Ms Lee’s film that they were abused were “baseless”, according to the AGC; in Ms Tan’s film, the MDA said the “individuals in the film have given distorted and untruthful accounts of how they came to leave Singapore and remain outside Singapore.”
Both films were made public – the first was published online, the second made available overseas.
Both films were charged for allegedly very serious offences – the first for contempt of court; the second for undermining national security.
Yet, the treatment of the two filmmakers is entirely different.
Unlike Ms Lee, Ms Tan, on the other hand, whose film arguably faced a more serious accusation of undermining Singapore’s national security, has not met with the same treatment.
In fact, there doesn’t seem to even be any investigation into her or her film, as Ms Lee faced. Neither has Ms Tan’s computer or the film itself been confiscated. Ms Tan has also apparently not been hauled up by the police for questioning.
The government too has not protested with the countries where the film has been screened, where the film was also met with acclaim, winning several awards in the process.
Instead, the MDA told the press that “a ‘purely private’ screening [of the film] is allowed”.
Now, doesn’t that seem odd – that a film which can “undermine national security”, a very serious charge and offence, is allowed to be screened, even if it is “a purely private” screening?
It truly begs the question: if a film about terrorists is made and is then judged to undermine our national security, will it be allowed to be shown, even in “a purely private” screening?
One would think not. In fact, one would hope not.
So, what is this inconsistency about?
How do Singaporeans understand how and why the authorities ban films when they are seemingly given different treatments?
This is not a call for the authorities to do to Ms Tan what they did to Ms Lee.
If the authorities did, it would be most unfortunate, for Ms Tan was doing nothing more than just wanting to shine a light on a part – one would argue an important part – of our history, of our collective story, as we celebrate our momentous 50th birthday next year.
In the same way, Ms Lee gave a voice to the SMRT drivers who were exploited and had felt that they had no  one to turn to when they chose to go on a strike.
So, the authorities should help Singaporeans understand how someone who was accused of contempt of court was put through apparently a more onerous investigation than someone who is accused of undermining our national security.
And incidentally, shouldn’t questions or issues about national security be addressed by the security agencies or ministry, rather than a media regulatory authority?
Ultimately, the Government should accept that filmmakers should be allowed to tell the stories that they want, and to provoke debate and discussions.
Ms Lee and Ms Tan – and indeed all filmmakers and artists and content creators – should not be subject to intimidation by the authorities.
If the Government feels that it needs to rebut such stories or the content of such works, then it should also present its side of the issue, and not make accusations which are then followed by inconsistent and seemingly arbitrary actions which will lead to distrust of the system.
That indeed would be a real threat to our security as a nation and as a people – when Singaporeans no longer trust the government to make rational and well considered decisions.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

AFP

Myanmar junta imposes tough new measures on resistance strongholds

03/02/2023
Malaysia High Court dismissed DPM Zahid’s application to get passport returned permanently
Malaysia

Malaysia High Court dismissed DPM Zahid’s application to get passport returned permanently

03/02/2023
Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?
AFP

Adani turmoil a key test for Modi’s India Inc

03/02/2023
Kajang cops chided for denying woman access to police HQ because she was wearing shorts
Community

Kajang cops chided for denying woman access to police HQ because she was wearing shorts

03/02/2023
Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID
Current Affairs

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

03/02/2023
Minister Tan See Leng only reveals 500 intra-corporate transferees from India for last year – a Covid year
Opinion

Increasing number of working Permanent Residents in Singapore but with a stable PR population

03/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
10 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Myanmar junta imposes tough new measures on resistance strongholds

03/02/2023
Malaysia High Court dismissed DPM Zahid’s application to get passport returned permanently

Malaysia High Court dismissed DPM Zahid’s application to get passport returned permanently

03/02/2023
Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

Adani turmoil a key test for Modi’s India Inc

03/02/2023
Kajang cops chided for denying woman access to police HQ because she was wearing shorts

Kajang cops chided for denying woman access to police HQ because she was wearing shorts

03/02/2023
Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

03/02/2023
Minister Tan See Leng only reveals 500 intra-corporate transferees from India for last year – a Covid year

Increasing number of working Permanent Residents in Singapore but with a stable PR population

03/02/2023

A multi-party parliament is the only way to make sure that Singapore continues to not condone or tolerate corruption

03/02/2023
Anwar criticised over appointing own daughter as his senior advisor

Anwar criticised over appointing own daughter as his senior advisor

03/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
36

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Singapore warns slower economic growth in 2023

Less than 1 in 10 jobs created in first three quarters of 2022 went to Singaporeans?

by Leong Szehian
28/01/2023
69

...

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

by Terry Xu
31/01/2023
39

...

September 2014
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« Aug   Oct »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz