Censorship: Is it worth having in a post-911 world?
Date: 12 Jul 2003
Speaker: Alvin Tan
Time: 12:30 pm
Quick Links:
[ Quotes | Definitions | Resource Materials | Guest Speaker ]
Speaker: Alvin Tan
Time: 12:30 pm
Quick Links:
[ Quotes | Definitions | Resource Materials | Guest Speaker ]
Every ten years the Censorship Review Committee meets to deliberate the shape of censorship policy in Singapore. Soon to be released are their latest recommendations on a wide range of issues including a review of our classification standards for film, video and subscription TV, the licensing and regulation of arts groups and the need to classify or rate other media, such as publications.
How do you find the current state of censorship in Singapore? How do you think we compare with other countries in the East and West? Is censorship compatible with creativity? Does less censorship automatically indicate increasing freedom of thought? Or are there merits to maintaining some forms of censorship for the sake of public order in a post-911 world?
Where would you draw the line? Share with us your views.
How do you find the current state of censorship in Singapore? How do you think we compare with other countries in the East and West? Is censorship compatible with creativity? Does less censorship automatically indicate increasing freedom of thought? Or are there merits to maintaining some forms of censorship for the sake of public order in a post-911 world?
Where would you draw the line? Share with us your views.
Quotes
"For people who say there is a need for greater political space, well, I think if you compare Singapore today and Singapore of ten years ago, I think a fair and reasonable person would say that there has been a shift, that, indeed, there is more space. And likewise for the arts. And I think that's how we will make progress, at a pace that Singaporeans are comfortable with, at a pace that keeps society cohesive and in harmony. What we don't want to do is to move at a pace which will divide society, where we are not yet ready to make the next move and we take a step too quickly and society fractures. So, it is better that we make progress step-by-step rather than hurry along and break an egg."
- Minister David Lim in an interview with the BBC, 17 Apr
"Now, it's become subtler, of course, and instead of refusing licences, the State now uses arts funding to control the kinds of art that is produced. Sponsorship and censorship: nowadays it's almost impossible to detect where one ends and the other begins."
-Alfian Saat, poet and playwright in an interview with Sintercom
- Minister David Lim in an interview with the BBC, 17 Apr
"Now, it's become subtler, of course, and instead of refusing licences, the State now uses arts funding to control the kinds of art that is produced. Sponsorship and censorship: nowadays it's almost impossible to detect where one ends and the other begins."
-Alfian Saat, poet and playwright in an interview with Sintercom
Definitions
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that:
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Resource Materials
Censorship and the Internet: A Singapore Perspective
Paper on Singapore’s attempt at censoring information over the Internet.
Author: Dr Ang Peng Hwa and Berlinda Nadarajan
Interesting: ***
Readable: **
Relevant: ****
Censorship Review Committee website
Interesting: ***
Readable: ***
Relevant: ****
The subtleties of censorship in Singapore
Personal response to censorship in Singapore.
Interesting: ****
Readable: ***
Relevant: ***
Chronology of a controversy
Chronicle of the controversy in the mid-90s over Performance Art and Forum Theatre. Lovingly detailed.
Author: Lee Weng Choy
Interesting: *****
Readable: ****
Relevant: *****
Liberalising the Arts
Reprint of two ST articles, "How far can artists go?" and "Liberalising the arts takes time".
Author: Koh Buck Song
Interesting: ****
Readable: ****
Relevant: ****
Minister David Lim’s speech on censorship
Highlights three factors shaping Government’s policy towards censorship are highlighted i.e.
a. Multi-racial society
b. Globalisation and c. Technological Advancements.
Interesting: ****
Readable: ****
Relevant: *****
Minister David Lim’s parliament reply on censorship, 20 Mar 2003
Replies to various parliament queries on censorship.
Interesting: ***
Readable: ***
Relevant: *****
On censorship
Examples of censorship in US, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Singapore.
Interesting: ****
Readable: ***
Relevant: ***
The New McCarthyism
Article in an alternative, online e-zine describing some of the infringements on personal liberties in the US in the aftermath of September 11.
Author: Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive
Interesting: ****
Readable: ****
Relevant: ***
Free expression after Sep 11: An online index
Website chronicling numerous instances of censorship in US post-911.
Author: National Coalition Against Censorship
Interesting: *****
Readable: ***
Relevant: ****
Paper on Singapore’s attempt at censoring information over the Internet.
Author: Dr Ang Peng Hwa and Berlinda Nadarajan
Interesting: ***
Readable: **
Relevant: ****
Censorship Review Committee website
Interesting: ***
Readable: ***
Relevant: ****
The subtleties of censorship in Singapore
Personal response to censorship in Singapore.
Interesting: ****
Readable: ***
Relevant: ***
Chronology of a controversy
Chronicle of the controversy in the mid-90s over Performance Art and Forum Theatre. Lovingly detailed.
Author: Lee Weng Choy
Interesting: *****
Readable: ****
Relevant: *****
Liberalising the Arts
Reprint of two ST articles, "How far can artists go?" and "Liberalising the arts takes time".
Author: Koh Buck Song
Interesting: ****
Readable: ****
Relevant: ****
Minister David Lim’s speech on censorship
Highlights three factors shaping Government’s policy towards censorship are highlighted i.e.
a. Multi-racial society
b. Globalisation and c. Technological Advancements.
Interesting: ****
Readable: ****
Relevant: *****
Minister David Lim’s parliament reply on censorship, 20 Mar 2003
Replies to various parliament queries on censorship.
Interesting: ***
Readable: ***
Relevant: *****
On censorship
Examples of censorship in US, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Singapore.
Interesting: ****
Readable: ***
Relevant: ***
The New McCarthyism
Article in an alternative, online e-zine describing some of the infringements on personal liberties in the US in the aftermath of September 11.
Author: Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive
Interesting: ****
Readable: ****
Relevant: ***
Free expression after Sep 11: An online index
Website chronicling numerous instances of censorship in US post-911.
Author: National Coalition Against Censorship
Interesting: *****
Readable: ***
Relevant: ****
Guest Speaker
We're happy to have Mr Alvin Tan join us at this session as a guest speaker.
Alvin Tan is Founder and Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage. In 1992, five years after he founded the company, he started the Theatre For Youth Branch. He also initiated, and was the artistic director, of both M1 Youth Connection and the Marine Parade Theatre Festival. Alvin has a BA from the National University of Singapore, a Diploma in Education from the Institute of Education, and an MA from the University of Birmingham.
Alvin, together with Haresh Sharma, is one of the leading proponents of devising theatre in Singapore. He has directed many plays which have been staged both locally and abroad. He has also attended numerous workshops and conferences on theatre, directing, and civil society, and taught part-time at the National University of Singapore Theatre Studies Department. He also sits on the National Art Council's Arts Resource panel. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1997 where he spent three months at the New York University. He was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in 1998.
Alvin Tan is Founder and Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage. In 1992, five years after he founded the company, he started the Theatre For Youth Branch. He also initiated, and was the artistic director, of both M1 Youth Connection and the Marine Parade Theatre Festival. Alvin has a BA from the National University of Singapore, a Diploma in Education from the Institute of Education, and an MA from the University of Birmingham.
Alvin, together with Haresh Sharma, is one of the leading proponents of devising theatre in Singapore. He has directed many plays which have been staged both locally and abroad. He has also attended numerous workshops and conferences on theatre, directing, and civil society, and taught part-time at the National University of Singapore Theatre Studies Department. He also sits on the National Art Council's Arts Resource panel. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1997 where he spent three months at the New York University. He was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in 1998.
