Earlier this month parliament imposed new limitations on political campaigning over the Internet - allowing the government to regulate online material which promotes political parties and candidates during elections.

The government said the curbs were necessary to stop the fast spread of rumours.

The Think Centre, an outspoken civil-rights group with its own site (www.thinkcentre.org), pulled Speaker's Corner Online off the Internet in protest and also because it feared running foul of the laws.

Another political Web site, Sintercom.org, or Singapore Internet Community, planned to shut down next week after eight years of operation.

Tan Chong Kee, who runs the site, said he would close it in one week because of the threat from the new laws.

Melvin Tan, a member of the Think Centre, said Speaker's Corner Online would return to the Internet only if the parliament adopted more liberal laws concerning the flow of information.

Tightly controlled Singapore opened a real-life Speaker's Corner in a park last year, indicating a willingness to loosen some restrictions. Unlike its London counterpart, however, people who wish to speak at the corner in Singapore must first register at a police station and avoid topics that could inflame religious or racial hostility.

Singapore's Speaker's Corner is usually empty.

Speaker's Corner Online "was meant to be a conducive environment for freedom of speech", where people could write messages anonymously if they wanted, the Think Centre said.

The new curbs require Internet and printed materials that promote or "advertise" political candidates to identify the publisher, printer and person behind the advertisement.

Political Web sites without party affiliations, such as the Think Centre, are not allowed to campaign for political parties.

"Ideally, we would prefer individuals use their actual names, but we do not have that kind of ideal situation in Singapore, where people are willing to write without fear," the Think Centre said.