TOC recently interviewed Dr Paul Ananth Tambyah, chairperson of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) to get his opinion on the proposed “Protection against Online Falsehoods and Manipulation” bill, its impact on freedom of speech, whistle-blowing, and the need for the bill in the first place. Dr Paul’s viewpoint on the fake news legislation is that it is detrimental for several …

The Australian authorities have launched an investigation after intercepting 585kg of Ice, worth A$440 million (S$426 million), inside refrigerators coming from a Singapore consignment. The container, which was originally declared to have electric overs, were stopped by border officials in Sydney on 30 March. However, after being checked by police at Sydney’s Container Examination Facilities, 11 commercial refrigerators were found …

Reuters reported today (10 Apr) that an F-35 stealth fighter belonging to Japan had crashed into the Pacific Ocean and its wreckage had been found. The pilot, however, remains missing. The aircraft, less than one-year-old, was only in the air for 28 minutes yesterday before it crashed. “We recovered the wreckage and determined it was from the F-35,” a spokesman …

By the end of the year, life will be much easier for people travelling constantly between Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore’s local travel card issuer EZ-Link and Malaysia’s Touch N’ Go have partnered up to introduce a dual-currency Combi Card in the fourth quarter of 2019 which will allow users to pay for toll and parking in both Singapore dollars and …

A five-judge Court of Appeal had ruled, on Wednesday (10 April), that there was no obligation on the part of the Prime Minister to call for a by-election when a single vacancy arises in a Group Representation Constitutency (GRC). This ruling was made in the context of a judicial review application by Dr Wong Souk Yee, assistant treasurer of the …

Straits Times (ST) published a news report on Monday (‘Photos of PM Lee Hsien Loong enjoying an evening with family at Botanic Gardens go viral‘, 8 Apr) highlighting that photos of PM Lee seen relaxing at Botanic Gardens had gone “viral”. PM Lee and his family were at a public concert performed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra in Botanic Gardens …

The debate around the new fake news bill continues, this time with Senior Lecturer and Professor of Practice at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Donald Low chiming in to discuss how POFMA might complicate discussions of fact and opinions in the field of science. Prof Low said in a Facebook post that one of the unintended consequences …

On Tuesday (April 9), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that the newly proposed bill to counter online falsehoods “works for Singapore” despite receiving criticism from various parties. “I’m not surprised that Reporters Without Borders criticised it; they criticise many things about Singapore’s media management. But what we have done has worked for Singapore and it’s our objective to continue …

by Khush Chopra Stunning. Take note my dear fellow Singaporean’s. Take careful heed. Speaking at a press conference to wrap up a series of annual Ministerial meetings during Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s visit to Malaysia on Tuesday (9 April), Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir tells Pinky quite literally to his face that the real problem with fake news laws is …

A media statement was released by Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) yesterday (9 April) on their website regarding the allegations made by marathoner Soh Rui Yong towards SNOC’s nomination of one of Singapore’s representatives in the SEA Games 2015 marathon event, Ashley Liew, for the Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy. SNOC recounted the events that happened, leading up …