We bring you once again snippets from "Internet Politics: Surveillance & Intimidation". Read excerpts from Chapter Three - Singapore: The Modern Police State, where James Gomez raises the question of politics and policing in the city-state.
The existence of "the police", a separate force designed entirely for enforcing the criminal law, is a product of modern urban society. The establishment of a metropolitan police force in London in 1829 is usually seen as the single most important event in this development. The existence of a police force, by its very nature, raises several related political issues. The oldest is summed up by the Latin question, "Quis custodiet ipsos custodies?" (Who guards the guardians?) That is, given the capacities and force of arms which the police must have to do their job, to whom are they accountable and how can they be prevented from abusing their position.
What characterizes Singapore's political system is the constant query, worry and anxiety among the majority of the citizens, foreigners and observers that individuals and groups will get into trouble with the police and the political authorities for challenging the political status quo. Such anxiety is based on repeated examples of political challengers consistently being found guilty of contravening the system of tight and restrictive laws that govern people in the city-state.
On the other hand, the Singapore policing authorities will be quick to point out that all they do is to work within the legal system. Increasingly this is coupled with good media management to project policing activity as being professional and targeted at lawbreakers. Attention will also be drawn to opportunities for recourse, where relevant, through the judicial process. But it all stops short of commentary on law making for the last four decades in a one party dominated state. Hence, the political dimension of policing is not raised for discussion.
Tune in next time for "Policing Singaporeans on the World Wide Web".
