Tightening the Screws
In 1990, the Singapore parliament added a new section to its Newspaper and Printing Presses Act. The amendment introduced a new category of foreign publication: the offshore newspaper. An offshore newspaper was defined as a daily or weekly newspaper published outside Singapore which contained “news, intelligence, reports of occurrences, or any remarks, observations or comments, pertaining to the politics and current affairs of South-East Asia.” [37] Any publication that fit into this rather broad definition would now have to obtain a permit to circulate a maximum number of copies in Singapore, a permit to be granted — or revoked — by the minister of information without explanation. Offshore newspapers would be required to name a solicitor in Singapore who could accept any legal notices in the country on behalf of the publication. The paper would also have to post a deposit to cover any “liability costs” that might arise “in connection with the publication of the newspaper.” The amount, determined by the minister, was usually S$200,000, or roughly $112,000. [38]
Monthly publications were exempt from these requirements, as were a handful of existing news organizations. The first publication to fall afoul of these new requirements was the Economist magazine.
Footnotes
[37] Newspaper and Printing Presses Act, Section 23, (7) (a). This definition applies only if the editorial content and policy is set outside Singapore.
[38] The government stipulated that the Ministry would deduct money from the S$200,000 posting in order to pay for libel damages. The amount would be determined by the Ministry.