2006年VOA标准英语-Singapore Criticised for Changing Regulations o

By Barry Newhouse
Bangkok
07 August 2006

Media rights advocates are criticizing the Singapore government's recent decision to close what it described as a loophole in its restrictive media laws. Several foreign news organizations now face more stringent¹ controls.

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Singapore officials say five publications, the Far Eastern Economic Review, the International Herald² Tribune, the Financial Times, Newsweek and Time magazines, must follow the same rules as other foreign publications, if they want to continue publishing in the country by appointing a legal representative in Singapore, and paying a deposit of about $126,000. 

In a statement e-mailed to VOA, the press secretary to Singapore's minister for information, communications and the arts said officials revoked³ the five publications' exemptions⁴ to the rule as part of a policy review.

Foreign publications in Singapore are subject to the Newspapers and Printing Presses Act. The press secretary wrote that the law reinforces the government's position that it is "a privilege, not a right, for foreign newspapers to circulate in Singapore."

The media group Reporters Without Borders has ranked Singapore a low 140th out of 167 countries in its 2005 worldwide press freedom index. It said the loophole closure follows the Far Eastern Economic Review's recent interview with government critic and opposition⁵ leader Chee Soon Juan.

Senior editor at the Thai daily newspaper The Nation, Kavi Chongkittavorn, agrees that the closure is meant to send a message to the media.

"I think the Singaporean government wants to send a strong message that when a foreign publication wants to write about Singapore, and [is] on sale in Singapore, it's the Singapore government that makes the rules, not the foreign publication," said Kavi.

Roby Alampay of the Southeast Asia Press Alliance says Singapore is also signaling that it will not tolerate protests or reports on protests during the forthcoming summit of the International Monetary⁶ Fund, to be held in Singapore in September.

Cherian George, a professor of communication at Singapore's Nanyang Technological⁷ University, says the Newspapers and Printing Presses Act gives the government broad powers, although it has used those powers selectively.

"The law is written in rather sweeping⁸ terms, so a newspaper can be deemed to be interfering⁹ in domestic politics," he said. "In practice, though, the government has used this legislation in cases where publications have not given it the unedited right of reply."

News organizations that criticize Singapore's government have faced tough penalties. The government is renowned¹⁰ for initiating¹¹ lawsuits¹² and blocking advertising¹³ or circulation to control coverage¹⁴ of the city-state. In recent years, the International Herald Tribune and Far Eastern Economic Review have had their circulation cut, or paid steep fines after losing lawsuits in Singapore.

1 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

2 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

3 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

4 exemptions   

n.（义务等的）免除( exemption的名词复数 )；免（税）；（收入中的）免税额

参考例句：

• The exemptions for interpretive rules, policy statements, and procedural rules have just been discussed. 有关解释性规则、政策说明和程序规则的免责我们刚刚讨论过。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• A: The regulation outlines specific exemptions for some WPM. 答：该规定概述了某些木质包装材料的特定的例外情形。 来自互联网

5 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

7 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

8 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

9 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

10 renowned   

adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的

参考例句：

• He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
• She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。

11 initiating   

v.开始( initiate的现在分词 )；传授；发起；接纳新成员

参考例句：

• He is good at initiating projects but rarely follows through with anything. 他善于创建项目，但难得坚持完成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Only the perchlorate shows marked sensitiveness and possibly initiating properties. 只有高氯酸盐表现有显著的感度和可能具有起爆性能。 来自辞典例句

12 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

13 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

14 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。