2 topics about Singapore

There are two hot topics about Singapore announced recently. Both articles are so interesting to me.

1. free use of public wireless LAN for 2 years starts.

All people can access to the net by public wireless LAN without paying at densely-populated area in Singapore for 2 years since next September. Some IT companies with supporting by Singapore govenment will provide this service. This is a part of national projest policy "Intelligent Nation (iN) 2015" to develop the level of IT infrastructures in Singapore.

This service will be provided by Singapore Telecom , i-cell Network and QMax Communications respectively which were selected by competing bids. Constructing expenses costs about 100 millions SGD (approximately 7.5 billions JPY) and Singapore govenment releases up to 30 millions SGD as grant money.

Communication speed of wireless LAN will be planned 512Kbps. Advanced speed willneed some payment. This service will be available both for Singaporeans and for travellers. Singapore Telecom has a plan to provide IP telephony service with mobile phone.

Commercial area in central part of Singapore, business distinct and residential areas have many "Hot Spots". Now there are about 900 spots which are installed in airport/schools/cafes, but in the future, over 5,000 spots. That will be rate of 7 spots per 1 square kilometer.

The penetration rate of the Broadband Internet in Singapore is lower with 58% than Korea, but Singapore govenment wants to take up the gap by this project. Furthermore the number of public wireless Internet users is now about 50,000 and the govenment expects to increase the number to 250,000 in 2 years.

If you have mobile phone or PDA applied for Skype, you can make a ring to your friends by nothing. Bringing notebook PC outside is still inconvenient.

2. Singapore strengthes control of publications

Since 1990, Singapore govenment is forcing foreign newspapers/publicants to put a representative from these companies respectively in Singapore for issuing proceedings for breach in need. Moreover, the govenment forces them to deposit earninest money with 200,000 SGD.

Ministry of Information, Communications and The Arts of Singapore (MICA) announced that it cancelled the permission of dispensation against these publications in response to changes in the latest media environment. Thus far, some largest media were excluded from strong administrative control by the govenment, News Week, Times, Financial Times, Far Eastern Economic Review and International Herald Tribune.

According to the announcement from MICA, the aim of this policy was because these media showed political issues/articles about Singapore regularly and the govenment strengthens consecutive rules. On the other hand, these media insisted on that they were just observers in Singapore and that they didn't interference in country's affairs.

One of these largest media, Far Eastern Economic Review, posted an article it published in July about Singapore opposition activist Chee Soon Juan. It is said that Singapore govenment felt quite upset about this article. In nature, any local chinese language except but mandarin cannot be posted in any media (newspapers, TV, radio, magazines etc) in law in Singapore. And Temasek Holdings in which Ho Jing Hsian, wife of Lee Hsien Loong, is the president plays a role of 100% shareholder of Mediacorp which owns some large broadcasting stations, for example Channel News Asia. Therefore all critical news and informations against the govenment about are restricted. As the result of such media restriction, it is said that there are other affected freedom of expression except but media and lots of young elites escape to another country after another.

French non-governmental organization, Reporters Without Borders, publised the chart of "Yearly worldwide press freedom ranking of countries" on September, 2005. This ranking shows Singapore ranked 140 in 167. Of course the worst was North Korea.

I don't want to live in such country without freedom of speech like Singapore .