Browsing Tag

Asia Centre

4 posts

Asia Centre report highlights proliferation of unchecked hate sites in Singapore

“Political Hate Sites in Singapore: Flourishing Without Repercussions” by Asia Centre reveals the challenges of public accountability and free speech. The report criticizes the Singapore government’s handling of online hate content and calls for stricter monitoring and transparent handling by tech companies.

Dr James Gomez: Overcoming structural challenges for greater electoral integrity in Singapore

Dr James Gomez, a political scientist and Regional Director of Asia Centre, asserts that while Singapore’s elections are administratively free and fair, structural disadvantages lead to low democracy rankings. The 2017 presidential election, which required candidates to be ethnic Malays, exemplified exclusionary practices. Furthermore, systemic irregularities impact electoral competition, and a lack of critical discussion around these issues undermines Singapore’s electoral system. “The high barrier to participation and absence of genuine non-partisanship is why Singapore’s presidential system scores low in international electoral integrity rankings. This is an issue that needs to be discussed head-on”. said Dr Gomez.

Asia Centre highlights Myanmar’s alarming erosion of religious rights in new report

The 2021 military coup in Myanmar accelerated the decline of religious rights, particularly for ethno-religious minorities, says a new report by Asia Centre. The study highlights four main oppressive practices, including targeted violence, destruction of religious sites, arbitrary detentions, and escalated persecution of the Rohingya population. Despite the junta justifying these practices as national security measures, their impact is a rapid erosion of religious freedoms, especially post-coup This report is available for download here: https://tinyurl.com/mw6x9z4a

PAP’s overwhelming dominance makes civil rights advocacy challenging, says Jolovan Wham

Prominent Singaporean activist Jolovan Wham asserts that advocating for civil rights will remain challenging in Singapore due to the ruling party’s dominance. In a podcast interview with Asia Centre, Wham discussed the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) and the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), saying progress against such laws will require civil society groups, citizens, and political parties to unite and push back collectively.