Howard Lee

As a former British colony, Singapore once hosted a vibrant and diverse media industry, with newspapers of different languages openly critical of the government and press unions taking part actively in industrial action. Following Singapore’s independence in August 1965, the media environment has traditionally been highly regulated. The historical dominance of the People’s Action Party, in power since 1965 and holding at least 80% of parliamentary seats at any time, has essentially meant that the government is accustomed to implementing policies and passing laws with virtually no resistance from its political opposition. This dominance has led to the development of a government that has little tolerance for the concept of the media serving as the fourth estate. Rather, the media are seen as integral to ...