Singapore bans political videos

Singapore bans political videos

SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore yesterday banned the island's main opposition group from selling a political video ahead of general elections expected later this year, saying parties should not be sold like soap.

"The government is of the view that political videos are an undesirable medium for political debate in Singapore," the ministry of information and the arts said in announcing the ban on the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) video.

A ministry statement said the ban "will apply to all political parties and political videos."

The SDP controls three of only four opposition seats in the 81-member parliament, dominated since 1959 by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) of longtime premier Lee Kuan Yew, now a senior cabinet minister.

"It's totally absurd," SDP Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan told AFP after the ban was announced.