Singapore promotes itself as a modern nation and a democracy, but people in a democracy shouldn’t be afraid to criticise the government or speak up about political issues. Can ordinary citizens in Singapore stake claim to such freedom of speech?

The Singaporean government has broad powers to limit citizens’ rights and inhibit political opposition. Does the Internal Security Act not give the Singapore government power to indefinitely detain people without formal charges or recourse to trial? Has this not been used effectively to imprison political opponents of the ruling party and silence dissidents? The Singapore constitution does not even include a right to privacy and the Personal Data Protection Act does not protect Singaporean citizens from government-sanctioned surveillance.

Like most democracies, Singapore’s constitution promises freedom of speech. Unlike most, it allows the government to limit that freedom by imposing restrictions as it considers necessary or appropriate to maintain national security, public order and morality, to prevent contempt of court or incitement of any offence or to preserve parliamentary privileges.

It is exactly this kind of authoritarianism and autocracy – which “thoughtful” people like Mr Fong have decided to accept, tolerate, allow and preach about – that Hong Kong is protesting against.

Gauri Venkitaraman, Lam Tin