MHA made it clear that the proposed FICA doesn’t threaten academia that acts in the nation’s interest.
On the flip side, it desires to take charge of those who are detrimental to the country’s security.
The Singapore government has always said that universities as globalized sectors contribute immensely towards the knowledge economy.
The Singapore government wants to curb the unwarranted foreign interference and entrust the government with more powers to curtail acts of interference.
Discussions on Foreign Interference (Countermeasure)bill that aroused controversies on the unlimited legal authority to the government have started today.
The bill received many criticisms before its introduction due to the unlimited power the bill offers the government.
If passed sans restriction, it might cripple the work of many academia, and it will eclipse the legitimate activities of this academia too.
The academia suspects foul-play to control their legitimate activities
The academia doubts that their essential activities like cross-border collaboration, online assimilation of news aid the development of a country.
Even though the government’s bull’s eye is not academia, it might suffer beefy damage. Universities act as eye-openers to the citizens as they point out the detrimental effect of foreign interference in any country.
Earlier, Eugene Tan- Professor of law at the Singapore university of management, has expressed concerns regarding legitimate attracting the official displeasure of the government. It will curtail the powers of the independent media also.
A country like Singapore that values foreign collaboration for economic development should provide the same freedom to academia engaged in research.
Otherwise, the foreign collaborators would prefer another country as the government distrusts foreign participation research.
The proposed law has exemplary powers to identify a particular content, block the same and bring the author under the radar of the law.
Many academia publishes their research work online to inform the public of the outcome of their research.
Foreign interference should not be a reason to impose restrictions that seriously thwart legitimate work.
The MHA clears the air on controlling academia’s efforts
As opposed to the general brief, the government that has started discussions clarified that this law would not hinder the efforts of academia.
It further adds that a small state like Singapore is subject to alien country intervention in internal politics and victim of media manipulation.
Singapore wished to follow the path of Australia and Russia to deter foreign intervention.
The MHA also made a clear picture to brush aside the doubts that the academia presenting research papers on a foreign platform or receiving foreign monetary aid will not come under the ambit of this law.
This clarification came as a Facebook post to reply to doubts academics like Cherian George, Ching Ja Lan, and Linda Lim’s editorial in an editorial on academia. sg.
MHA also made it clear the activities that may attract legal action.
Publishing articles in an international journal, co-authoring a book with a foreign national, participating in international funding activities, accepting fellowships and awards that foreign universities may grant could attract government scrutiny.
Who is likely to get punished according to the ACT?
But it, without doubt, brings those people under the law, according to FICA, whose acts contradict the general public’s interest.
Furthermore, the bill unquestionably offers power to the home minister for investigations to bust the truth about the information campaigns that vouch for foreign interference contrary to the public interest.
Unlike a judge hearing the case, a panel headed by a judge will hear the arguments against the minister’s decision.
The decision panel will consist of people who have sensitive intelligence giving utmost importance to national security.
The opposition parties in Singapore and the experts agree that the nation is at threat due to growing foreign interference in internal affairs.
Singapore home minister Mr K. Shanmugam indicated that during 2016 and 2017, there was a sudden surge in online usage.
During 2018 and 2019, there was so much fake information spreading on the internet to tarnish Singapore’s image.
