Parliament bans political party films

BY Jasmina Kuzmanovic Associated Press writer

Related:MPs criticise bill

SINGAPORE'S parliament today banned political parties from making and distributing movies, placing the political films in the same legal category as obscene movies.

George Yeo, head of the Ministry of Information and the Arts, said the amendment to the 17-year-old Film Act was aimed at keeping up with changes in technology.

``It is not our objective to increase the level of censorship in Singapore,'' said Yeo, whose department oversees censorship of films, publications and computer-generated data. ``Just maintaining the existing level of censorship is difficult enough.''

The Film Act, which covers obscene and pornographic films, will ban the distribution and exhibition of political films by the parties. The amendment also doubles the penalty to $62,000 and two years in prison.

``Politics has become a dirty word in Singapore,'' said J.B. Jeyaretnam, leader of the small opposition Workers Party, accusing the People's Action Party that has dominated parliament for more than three decades of trying to stamp out political discussion.

Yeo said the amendment will not affect the freedom of political debate, and political parties have sufficient avenues to disseminate their views. During election campaigns, they may hold rallies and dialogue sessions and are given free broadcasting time in proportion to their number of candidates, he said.

Ruling party member Jacob Ibrahim warned against the possibility of US-style political campaign ads and the danger of digital technology that could create false pictures of candidates, as in the movie ``Forrest Gump.''

Last week, parliament extended censorship restrictions under the Undesirable Publications Act to modern electronic media, including CD-ROMS, computer graphics, digital sound and pictures.

 Published in the Washington Post Feb 28, 1998