If passed, the legislation would allow Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to regulate material that promotes political parties and candidates on the Internet, a government spokesman, Ng Chun Pin, said July 26. The legislation was presented for the first time in Parliament on July 25.

Singapore will hold general elections before August 2002. The People's Action Party, which has dominated the city-state's government since independence in 1965, is expected to hold on to power.

The government partially owns all broadcast and print media.

"With the media in Singapore so tightly controlled, the Internet has become a very important medium for us to spread our ideas," said Chee Soon Juan, leader of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party, which will soon open its Web site. "It's really not surprising that they will regulate the Internet as well," Mr Chee said.

Under the proposed law, Internet and print material promoting political candidates must name the publisher, printer and person for whom the advertising is being done. Opinion polls in the days leading up to elections and exit polls before the release of election results could not be published. Anyone violating the law could be fined and jailed for up to 12 months.

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