OB marker

Last updated

An OB marker, short for " out of bounds marker", [1] is used in Singapore to denote what topics are permissible for public discussion. Discussion topics that go beyond the OB marker, are considered to be either societal, cultural or political taboos. [2] The entire phrase "out of bounds marker", however, is rarely used within the political landscape.

Contents

Etymology

The term is adopted from golf, where an out of bounds marker denotes the area beyond which playing is forbidden and not allowed. However, unlike golf, the OB markers of Singaporean political discourse are not visible. The term "OB markers" was first used in 1991 by the then-Minister for Information and the Arts George Yeo to describe the boundaries of acceptable political discourse. [3]

Considerations

An additional complication is introduced by the fact that OB markers may shift depending on the political climate, so a topic that was previously permissible may be banned in the future, and vice versa. In 1999, George Yeo said that it is difficult to define exactly what the OB markers are in advance. [4] Straits Times editor-in-chief Cheong Yip Seng found OB markers "bewildering", stating that topics deemed off-limits during his tenure included stories about a stamp dealer, carpet auctions, monosodium glutamate, feng shui and unflattering pictures of politicians. [5]

In 2003, a Remaking Singapore sub-committee, chaired by Raymond Lim, described OB markers as "action and speech that engage directly in electioneering and party politics; that is, within the arena of the contest for political power". [6]

Notable cases

There are several notable cases where the Singaporean government has flagged OB markers.

Catherine Lim

In 1994, author Catherine Lim published an essay The PAP and the people - A Great Affective Divide suggesting that the People's Action Party is not representative of the people. Then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong warned her to join a political party if she wanted to air political views in public, and stated that "demolishing the respect for and standing of the Prime Minister and his government by systematic contempt and denigration in the media" [7] was out of bounds.

2005 White Elephant incidents

The lack of clear definition of OB marker resulted in mixed responses by the police and the government during the "White Elephant" incidents at Buangkok MRT station in 2005. An undisclosed person posted a series of cut-outs of elephants to criticise the delayed opening of the mass transit station. This led to a police investigation. Although the person was later let off with a stern warning, [8] Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng commented that "we cannot apply the law to some and turn a blind eye to others. If we do, then the law becomes the real white elephant." [9]

Later, a group of students from Raffles Girls' School were preparing to sell T-shirts bearing the phrase "Save the White Elephants" to raise fund for a charity. This prompted a warning from the police, [10] but later Wong admitted that the police had over-reacted. [11]

mrbrown

In 2006, blogger mrbrown wrote the article "S'poreans are fed, up with progress!", for his weekly opinion column in Today concerning the rising costs of living in Singapore. The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts labelled him a "partisan player" whose views "distort the truth", [12] and his column was suspended by the paper.

Criticism

James Gomez, a Singaporean political science academic and member of the Singapore Democratic Party, has described OB markers as "unconstitutional: by subscribing to the idea of OB markers, people abandon their constitutional rights or risk having such rights abused." He described adherence to OB markers as a form of self-censorship. [13] The Southeast Asian Press Alliance has described the OB marker system as "a suffocating environment where the limits of one's freedom to express is defined by citizens themselves." [1]

While OB Marker usually refers to the restriction on political discourse, there are other forms of restriction on speech in Singapore.

Race and religion

Under the Singapore Sedition Act, topics known to be permanently out of bounds are comments that might produce ill-will and hostility between different races and religious groups. This applies to the Internet as well, where 3 people were arrested and charged under the Sedition Act for posting racist comments on the Internet, and two subsequently sentenced to imprisonment in September 2005. [14]

At Singapore's Speakers' Corner, the rules state that:

The speech should not be religious in nature, and should not have the potential to cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups. [15]

Homosexuality

Homosexuality has long been a taboo subject in Singapore. For example, in 2005, an overseas-located gay website was banned by the Media Development Authority. [16] However, in 2007, the proposal to repeal sections 377 and 377A of the Penal Code received a very public airing. This led to a local journalist, Sumiko Tan, suggesting that the OB markers have been redefined. [17]

Others

Other past and present topics widely considered out of bounds include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People's Action Party</span> Political party in Singapore

The People's Action Party is a major conservative centre-right political party in Singapore and one of three contemporary political parties represented in Parliament, alongside the opposition Workers' Party (WP) and Progress Singapore Party (PSP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North East MRT line</span> Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore

The North East Line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, the 20-kilometre (12 mi) line is the MRT's shortest. It runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol station in the northeast, serving 16 stations via Chinatown, Little India, Serangoon and Hougang. Coloured purple on official maps, it is Singapore's third MRT line and the world's first fully-automated underground driverless heavy rail line.

Catherine Lim Poh Imm is a Singaporean fiction author known for writing about Singapore society and of themes of traditional Chinese culture. Hailed as the "doyenne of Singapore writers", Lim has published nine collections of short stories, five novels, two poetry collections, and numerous political commentaries to date. Her social commentary in 1994, titled The PAP and the people - A Great Affective Divide and published in The Straits Times, criticised the ruling political party's agendas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lim Yew Hock</span> Malaysian politician

Lim Yew Hock was a Singaporean-born Malaysian politician and diplomat who served as Chief Minister of Singapore between 1956 and 1959. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cairnhill between 1959 and 1963 and previously a Member of the Legislative Council and later Legislative Assembly between 1948 and 1963. He was de facto Leader of the Opposition between 1959 and 1963. He and his family elected to take up Malaysian citizenship after Singapore's independence from Malaysia.

LGBT art in Singapore, or queer art in Singapore, broadly refers to modern and contemporary visual art practices that draw on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender+ imagery and themes, addressing topics such as LGBT rights, history and culture in Singapore. Such queer art practices are often by Singaporean or Singapore-based visual artists and curators who identify as LGBT+ or queer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Gomez (politician)</span> Singaporean politician

James Gomez is a Singaporean academic, politician and a member of the Singapore Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buangkok MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Buangkok MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North East line (NEL) in Sengkang, Singapore. Located underneath Sengkang Central near the junction with Compassvale Bow, Buangkok station is one of the two MRT stations located within the Sengkang planning area and serves the town of Buangkok. The station is operated by SBS Transit.

Censorship in Singapore mainly targets political, racial, religious issues and homosexual content as defined by out-of-bounds markers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Yeo</span> Singaporean business executive and former politician

George Yeo Yong-Boon is a Singaporean former politician and brigadier-general who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs between 2004 and 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lim Swee Say</span> Singaporean politician

Lim Swee Say is a Singaporean former politician who served as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress between 2005 and 2015, Minister for Manpower between 2015 and 2018, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office between 2004 and 2015, Second Minister for National Development between 2004 and 2005, and Minister for the Environment between 2000 and 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sengkang</span> Planning Area and HDB Town in North-East Region ----, Singapore

Sengkang is a planning area and residential town located in the North-East Region of Singapore. The town is the second most populous in the region, being home to 249,370 residents in 2020. Sengkang shares boundaries with Seletar and Punggol in the north, Pasir Ris and Paya Lebar in the east, Hougang and Serangoon to the south, as well as Yishun and Ang Mo Kio to the west.

<i>I Not Stupid Too</i> 2006 Singaporean film directed by Jack Neo

I Not Stupid Too is a 2006 Singaporean satirical comedy film and the sequel to the 2002 film, I Not Stupid. A satirical comedy, I Not Stupid Too portrays the lives, struggles and adventures of three Singaporean youths—8-year-old Jerry, his 15-year-old brother Tom and their 15-year-old friend Chengcai—who have a strained relationship with their parents. The film explores the issue of poor parent-child communication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Singaporean general election</span> Elections to the 11th Parliament of Singapore

General elections were held in Singapore on 6 May 2006. President S.R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 20 April 2006 on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong three weeks before the election. The People's Action Party (PAP) won 66.6% of the overall votes and gained 82 out of 84 seats. The PAP held the office of Prime Minister for a twelfth consecutive term. The general election was held under the first-past-the-post system. On Nomination Day, the PAP gained 37 seats in divisions which were uncontested by other parties. The main election issues included employment, cost of living, housing, transport, education, the need for an effective opposition voice in parliament, and the quality of the candidates.

The following lists events that happened during 2006 in Singapore.

These are the events concerning the 2006 Singaporean general election which occurred before the polling day on 6 May 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lim Hwee Hua</span> Singaporean politician

Lim Hwee Hua is a Singaporean former politician who served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Transport concurrently between 2009 and 2011. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), she was the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Serangoon division of Aljunied GRC between 2006 and 2011, and Marine Parade GRC between 1996 and 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Singaporean general election</span> Elections to the 12th Parliament of Singapore

General elections were held in Singapore on 7 May 2011. President S. R. Nathan dissolved parliament on 19 April 2011 on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Voting is mandatory in Singapore and is based on the first-past-the-post system. Elections are conducted by the Elections Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office. Nomination day was held on 27 April 2011, and for the second election in a row, the PAP did not return to government on nomination day, but it did return to government on polling day. This election also marked the first and the only three-cornered fight since 2001 in Punggol East SMC before it increased to four-cornered fight on a by-election held two years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Wong</span> Singaporean politician

Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai is a Singaporean politician, economist and former civil servant who has been serving as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore since 2022, Minister for Finance since 2021, Deputy Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2022, and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore since 2023. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Marsiling–Yew Tee GRC since 2015, and previously the Boon Lay division of West Coast GRC between 2011 and 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speakers' Corner, Singapore</span> Free speech zone in Singapore

The Speakers' Corner in Singapore is an area located within Hong Lim Park at the Downtown Core district, where Singaporeans may demonstrate, hold exhibitions and performances, as well as being able to engage freely in political open-air public speeches, debates and discussions. As a free speech zone, it is based upon the premise of its namesake, Speakers' Corner, which was first launched at Hyde Park in London and has since been established in many other countries with a political system of representative democracy.

References

  1. 1 2 "SEAPA : Southeast Asian Press Alliance". Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  2. ↑ "Limitations of Civil Freedoms in Singapore | InterNations GO!". www.internations.org. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  3. ↑ "Remaking Singapore team wants people to speak up without fear". Channel NewsAsia. 13 June 2003. Archived from the original on 9 April 2005. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  4. ↑ "Minister Yeo on OB markers and Internet". The Straits Times. 26 May 1999. Archived from the original on 14 February 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  5. ↑ "Home". Asia Sentinel. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  6. ↑ Ng Boon Yian (16 June 2003). "OB markers: We still need them?". Today. Archived from the original on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  7. ↑ ""PM tells Dr. Lim why he responded to commentary". In The Straits Times. 17/12/94."
  8. ↑ "Residents bring up 'white elephant' Buangkok MRT during minister's visit". Channel NewsAsia. 28 August 2005. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
  9. ↑ Teo Hwee Nak (1 October 2005). "Some things are non-negotiable". Today . Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "Teens' white elephant T-shirt venture gets police attention". Today . 14 January 2006. Archived from the original on 16 January 2006.
  11. ↑ "Police overreacted to white elephant T-shirt incident: DPM Wong". Channel NewsAsia . 21 January 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  12. ↑ "Letter from MICA: Distorting the truth, mr brown?". Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. 3 July 2006. Archived from the original on 15 November 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
  13. ↑ Gomez, James (2000). Self-Censorship: Singapore's Shame. Singapore: Think Centre. ISBN   981-04-1739-X.
  14. ↑ "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005" Archived 12 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine , The United States Department of State. Retrieved 20 March 2006.
  15. ↑ "Reply to Questions in Parliament on Speakers' Corner,25 April 2000 Archived 15 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine ". Ministry of Home Affairs (press release), 25 April 2000.
  16. ↑ Chua Hian Hou (28 October 2005). "MDA bans gay website and fines another one" (reprinted, with commentary). The Straits Times . Archived from the original on 27 September 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2006.
  17. ↑ Sumiko Tan (4 November 2007). "The gay debate; For moderates like me, the vitriolic exchanges made me wonder: Why can't we just live and let live?". The Straits Times .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.