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The Straits Times

www.straitstimes.com Published on Jan 19, 2011

Online Citizen's appeal rejected

By Jeremy Au Yong
THE Prime Minister has reaffirmed his decision to gazette The Online Citizen (TOC) blog as a political
association, turning down an appeal from the site.
The Registrar of Political Donations, who comes under the Prime Minister's Office, yesterday wrote to
TOC acting chief editor Joshua Chiang, 35, and co-founders Choo Zheng Xi, 25, and Andrew Loh, 43,
to inform them of the decision.
The letter was later released to the media, in response to queries.
In it, the registrar outlined the rationale behind the decision.
'TOC is not a passive website that simply hosts social or political commentary by individuals who have
nothing to do with it,' the registrar wrote.
'It provides coverage, commentary and analysis of political issues, and a platform for discussing such
issues. TOC has organised online and offline campaigns to change legislation and government policies,
a forum for local politicians, and polls on public support for local politicians and on other political issues
concerning Singapore,' he added.
On Jan 10, the Registry of Political Donations wrote to TOC to inform it of the intention to gazette the
site as a political association. The move would mean that the site would be bound by the Political
Donations Act (PDA) which, among other things, bars political associations from receiving funds from
foreign donors. The laws were created to prevent foreign interference in Singapore's political process.
Similar laws exist in countries like the United States, Canada, India and France.
A day after the registry's notice, the Media Development Authority (MDA) wrote to the site asking it to
register under the Broadcasting (Class Licence) Notification.
Both the registry and MDA asked TOC to submit the particulars of those involved in the site within 14
days.
Last Friday, TOC wrote to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to appeal against its gazetting as a political
association. It also wrote to MDA saying it would wait for the outcome of the appeal before it responded.
TOC argued in its appeal that the site did not fit the description of a political association.
'We do not engage in partisan politics, and we have no interest in engaging in partisan politics. TOC is
political to the extent and in the exact same way that all ordinary Singaporeans are political: By being
interested in, and talking about, political issues that impact us and our country,' it said.
In yesterday's response, the registrar made it clear that partisanship did not matter: 'The PDA defines a
political association to include an organisation... whose objects or activities relate wholly or mainly to
politics in Singapore...This clearly applies to TOC, whether or not it considers itself non-partisan.'
The registrar also repeated assurances that gazetting would not restrict TOC's activities.
'Declaring TOC as a political association will not hinder its existing activities, nor impede its freedom of
expression,' he wrote.
TOC could not be reached yesterday, but had earlier said it would be willing to comply with the
Government's request to register if its appeal failed.

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