Clarification by Minister for Communications and Information
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This clarification concerns a factual correction by Minister for Communications and Information Mrs Josephine Teo regarding the classification of "Red Lines" under the Undesirable Publications Act. She highlighted that the Infocomm Media Development Authority had identified six other non-political publications as objectionable for denigrating religious communities in the past five years. These works contained offensive content or polemical teachings deemed likely to cause ill will and hatred among Singapore's various religious groups. The Minister clarified her earlier response to specify that these publications contained "offensive and prejudicial content" rather than just "comments." Consequently, "Red Lines" was deemed objectionable because it shared similar characteristics that threatened to undermine religious harmony in the country.
Transcript
The following statement was made during Question Time at the Sitting of 12 January 2022:
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo): In my earlier reply, I have also said that IMDA had in the last five years deemed six other publications to be objectionable, for denigrating various religious communities. None of them were about politics either. They either contained offensive and prejudicial comments about other religions or espoused polemical religious teachings which were likely to cause ill will and hatred amongst the different religious groups in Singapore. "Red Lines" is objectionable for similar reasons. [Please refer to “Considerations for Classifying 'Red Lines: Political Cartoons and the Struggle Against Censorship' as Objectionable under Undesirable Publications Act”, Official Report, 12 January 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 46, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
Written statement by Mrs Josephine Teo circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5):
I wish to make the following factual clarification to the reply given during Question Time at the Sitting on 12 January 2022. My reply should read as follows:
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mrs Josephine Teo): In my earlier reply, I have also said that IMDA had in the last five years deemed six other publications to be objectionable, for denigrating various religious communities. None of them were about politics either. They either contained offensive and prejudicial content about other religions or espoused polemical religious teachings which were likely to cause ill will and hatred amongst the different religious groups in Singapore. "Red Lines" is objectionable for similar reasons.