Singapore accuses Economist journalist of interfering in local politics

 

Dominic Ziegler, Singapore bureau chief of the Economist weekly, endorsed an alternative local magazine and described Singapore media as ‘captive’. (Economist Impact Events Youtube pic)

PETALING JAYA: Singapore has accused the bureau chief of the UK-based Economist weekly newspaper of interfering in local politics after he endorsed a local digital magazine called Jom.

The Singapore communications ministry said Dominic Ziegler had crossed the line by comparing the country to an illiberal state and urging Singaporeans to embrace an alternative vision, instead of what was being offered by the city-state and what he called a captive media.

“Ziegler’s action clearly crossed the line from reporting on Singapore to participating in the country’s domestic affairs.”

The ministry said in a statement today that it had also expressed its “clear expectation” to Ziegler that he not do so again.

The ministry said: “It is long-standing government policy that such foreign interference in our domestic politics will not be tolerated. Singapore politics is reserved only for Singaporeans.”

Ziegler is the Economist’s Asia editor and founding author of the paper’s weekly Banyan column on Asian affairs, for which he writes regularly. - FMT