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[h=2]Singapore lashes out at U.S’s criticisms of its Internal Security Act[/h]Posted by temasektimes on August 17, 2012
The Singapore government has lashed out angrily at the United States’ criticisms of its human rights record, accusing it of ‘double standards’ after a US State Department annual report attacked its tough internal security laws.
The US report criticizes Singapore’s Internal Security Act as providing the government ”with the power to limit, on vaguely defined national security grounds, the scope of certain fundamental liberties that otherwise are provided for in the constitution”
The Internal Security Act has been used in the past to detain opposition politicians without trial though it has been used sparingly in recent years to deal with suspected terrorists only.
In a statement issued to the media, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said:
“We are disturbed by the double standards applied to the US’ criticism of our (ISA), which is meant to address threats to internal security, including threats to public order, communal and religious harmony, and subversive and terrorist activities.”
It added that the Singapore government is held accountable to the public through ‘democratic elections and the rule of law’ and it will ‘adapt its policies in the interests of its own people and as its society evolves.’
The Singapore government has lashed out angrily at the United States’ criticisms of its human rights record, accusing it of ‘double standards’ after a US State Department annual report attacked its tough internal security laws.The US report criticizes Singapore’s Internal Security Act as providing the government ”with the power to limit, on vaguely defined national security grounds, the scope of certain fundamental liberties that otherwise are provided for in the constitution”
The Internal Security Act has been used in the past to detain opposition politicians without trial though it has been used sparingly in recent years to deal with suspected terrorists only.
In a statement issued to the media, Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said:
“We are disturbed by the double standards applied to the US’ criticism of our (ISA), which is meant to address threats to internal security, including threats to public order, communal and religious harmony, and subversive and terrorist activities.”
It added that the Singapore government is held accountable to the public through ‘democratic elections and the rule of law’ and it will ‘adapt its policies in the interests of its own people and as its society evolves.’
