Singapore bans documentary on political exiles...

Singapore has banned a documentary on political exiles who have lived abroad for decades, saying the film undermines national security, highlighting the wealthy city-state's uneasiness over public debate on politics.

Singapore has poured money into nurturing its arts and creative industries in recent years, but it discourages dissent while steering public opinion, mostly through state-linked media, as furious debates on topics from immigration to gay rights play out on social media.

Filmmaker Tan Pin Pin, director and producer of "To Singapore, With Love", said she was very disappointed with the decision by the regulator, the Media Development Authority (MDA).

"By doing this, MDA is taking away an opportunity for us Singaporeans (to) see it and to have a conversation about it, and our past, that this film could have started or contributed to," Tan said in a posting on the film's Facebook page.

The 70-minute film features interviews with nine Singaporeans who left the city-state between the 1960s and 1980s to escape possible prosecution by British colonial authorities and later, by the Singapore government, the film's website says. (www.tosingaporewithlove.com)

The film has been screened in several countries and has won awards at a few film festivals. Full story...

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