Speech In Singapore: The Freedom Of Speech In Singapore

Freedom of speech is one of the most widely debated concepts in the whole world. Every individual craves the right to have an opinion, and the ability to voice that opinion, be it to a large audience, a small group of people or a single person. However, as of late, there have been many controversies involving the freedom of speech and how this right is either being abused, or not been fully utilised.

In Singapore, this whole concept of freedom of speech seems rather complicated. According to Article 14 (1) of the Constitution of the republic Singapore, it is stated that: 1. Every Singaporean has the right to freedom of speech and expression. 2. All citizens of Singapore have the right to assemble peacefully and 3. All Singaporean have the

If everyone was allowed to have an opinion on race and religion, there would be a lot more tension and anxiety in society. People won’t feel secure going out of their comfort zone, and that’s exactly what the Singapore government wants to avoid. In a racial harmony day celebration speech, Minister for Education Mr Heng Swee Keat touched on this issue too. “We are of different races and religions, yet we live together peacefully in our housing estates, learn and play together in our schools and the community.” He also added that whatever the case, Singapore must not “take things for granted” and continue to sustain efforts to build a “harmonious society” (Speech by Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for

How many other countries can confidently say they are at minimal, or at no risk of falling prey to a terrorist attack? Take the USA for example, ever since 9/11, the problem of racism and discrimination has grown and despite its riches, the country is still under threat from terrorists. Even in some of Singapore’s neighbouring countries, there is an increased terrorism threat with the emergence of the Islamic state of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS).

Singapore’s strict law on the open expression of opinions on race and religion means that the public is more aware of the issues that can arise with an open discussion (as seen in the rest of the world) and this deters them from engaging in dangerous activities or getting too involved with things they shouldn’t be meddling with. This is one of the biggest achievements of the government till date. After all, The best way to nullify threats from the outside world is to educate the people within a country.

Despite all this however, it must be acknowledged that there are a few drawbacks to this law, although they may not seem as important now but more in the long