Quora Answer: Does the Singapore Government Arrest Anyone for Criticising the Government on Social Media?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Does the current Singapore government arrest anyone for protesting, or criticising, the government on social media?”

That would be ridiculous.  We do not have space to jail 90% of the population of Singapore.  If Singaporeans are known for one thing, it is complaining, and a favourite past time is complaining about the government, especially on social media.

Mere criticism of the government is not an offence.  It is a right of free speech.  I am, myself, open about the fact that I think some of our ministers, and parliamentary representatives have the intelligence of mouldy bread, and the moral courage of emasculated mice.  The current Group Representation Constituency system means we are saddled with the unenviable choice of voting for one slate of candidates against another.  That means, along with credible candidates, we have the inevitable imbecile, and wasted sperm, masquerading as our members of parliament, wasting taxpayer’s money, and perfectly good oxygen, with stupid pronouncements, idiotic questions, and scintillating examples of educated ignorance.  They deserve to be criticised, and Singaporeans are wont to exercise that right.

Criticism that impinges on the credibility of the government, however, is subject to legal censure, unless those allegations can be proven.  As such, it is absolutely legal to state that minister so-and-so is a perfect example that evolution was not always kind, and he has the charisma of floating faeces on a pond of toxic waste, and that he deserves to be a coffee stain on the carpet beneath the organisation chart, instead of being near the top of government.  You will, however, get in trouble, is you claim he is corrupt, or dishonest, when there is no proof.

When it comes to protests, however, due to our experience with racial and religious violence in the 1950s, and 60s, and our caution, gatherings of a political nature require a permit  Gatherings of any public performance require a permit.  This is not just about “silencing free speech”, but also questions of public safety.