Also, I am disappointed that the government did not build the trust towards Singapore netizens. From their recent new rules, they are somehow judging the whole online community as immature, irresponsible bunch of trouble makers. The real fact is most of the Singapore netizens are not that much of online trouble maker.
Lastly, I am frustrated that MDA had introduced the $50000 bond. In my opinion, that is the worst part of MDA’s latest rule. $50000 is not a small sum of money, which is an extra expense to news websites operator. They can actually put that sum of money to a better usage, such as raise internet news more timely, bigger coverage, better quality and more accurate.
Do the government know that they came up the new regulation with a really broad brush stroke? They were trying to paint their targets (less than 5% of irresponsible online users) but in the process painted those they do not want to paint (which is the remaining of responsible online users).
Not only that, why the new policy was not be accorded ample air time for debating and gathering for feedbacks before implementation. Singaporeans today want to be consulted and want to have a say in policies affecting their lives. That is why the new rules alienate the Singapore online community.
Fortunately, it is heartening to see other good fellow Singaporeans fight for the freedom of the internet in Singapore. As grown-ups, we are mature enough to behave online. We do not need the government to tell us what we can read, write and share on the internet.
There is no such thing as monopoly of internet freedom. MDA’s new rules should be removed immediately!