What is Singapore’s proposed Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act? How does it actually work? What are the problems with it? And how does one avoid running afoul of it? We explain why this law is problematic and why Singaporeans should be very worried about it.
Author Archives: Thum Ping Tjin
Thum Ping Tjin (“PJ”) is Managing Director of New Naratif and a historian at the University of Oxford. A Rhodes Scholar, Commonwealth Scholar, Olympic athlete, and the only Singaporean to swim the English Channel, his work centres on Southeast Asian governance and politics. His most recent work is Living with Myths in Singapore (Ethos: 2017, co-edited with Loh Kah Seng and Jack Chia). Reach him at pingtjin.thum@newnaratif.com.
Posted inOpinion
Shanmugam’s Stealth Coup in Singapore
The Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill will give Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam the power to demand information about any Singaporean’s private life and finances, all based on the suspicion of foreign interference—no evidence required.
Posted inPodcast
“Raffles Renounced” With Faris Joraimi
On today’s episode, PJ Thum speaks to Faris Joraimi about his book, Raffles Renounced. They talk about how the book came about, how it rejects the orthodoxy of Singapore’s history, its national myth, and how it challenges the Raffles-centric view of the country’s history.
Posted inPodcast
The Online Citizen Banned: Discussion With Editor Terry Xu
Editor-in-chief Terry Xu joins New Naratif managing director PJ Thum to discuss the banning of The Online Citizen, what Terry plans to do next, and the proposed new anti-foreign interference law and how it may impact both TOC and New Naratif.
Posted inPodcast
Prison Abolition and Islam
Ryaihanny Sahrom argues that effectively addressing crime requires shifting from retribution towards abolishing the environmental conditions that create it in the first place, and that this is also an Islamic approach to transformative justice.
Posted inPodcast
My Queer Story with Elijah Tay
19-year old veteran activist Elijah Tay talks about their personal life journey, My Queer Story SG and LGBTQIA+ activism, and gives advice for other young people trying to create positive change in the face of resistance.
Posted inPodcast
Up and Out!
The founders of Up and Out, an Instagram page dedicated to better quality sex education for Singaporean youth and speaking out against the outdated sex-ed curriculum of the Singapore education system, talk about holistic sex education and their own journeys as activists.
Posted inPodcast
The Quadruple Crisis in Malaysia – and Lessons For Singapore
Lim Wei Jiet, a human rights lawyer, speaks to PJ Thum and Sean Francis Han (Wake Up, Singapore) about the ongoing humanitarian and political crises in Malaysia, how it happened, and where it might go.
Posted inPodcast
Racism and Group Psychology
Aleesha Khan, who works on sexual violence and mental health in Singapore, talks about her life story, her activism, her work, and discusses some of the psychology of racism in Singapore.
Posted inPodcast
What Is Minority Theatre?
Shaza Ishak, Managing Director of Teater Ekamatra (Singapore’s leading ethnic minority theatre company) talks about her life and the challenges she faced as a female Indian Muslim professional. She discusses Teater Ekamatra, minority representation, and its unique role in Singapore.