§ 81 — Transparency directive for publishing political matters with foreign link

81.—(1) A transparency directive under this section may be given by a competent authority only to a person to whom this Division applies.(2) A transparency directive may require the person to whom it is given to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, all necessary measures to ensure that, for each instance of political matter with a foreign link and published in Singapore —(a)

by a politically significant person in section 80(1)(a);

(b)

in a newspaper that is —(i)

published (for sale or otherwise) in Singapore;

(ii)

published by the person in section 80(1)(b)(i); and

(iii)

specified in the directive; or

(c)

in a Singapore news programme included in a licensable broadcasting service that is —(i)

provided by the person in section 80(1)(b)(ii) in or from Singapore; and

(ii)

specified in the directive,

a disclosure about the political matter (whose content is prescribed by subsection (3)) is included or embedded in, or linked to, the political matter conspicuously and in the manner prescribed.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the content of the disclosure about the political matter must —(a)

identify the author of the political matter by name or pseudonym and by nationality;

(b)

identify the foreign principal for whom or at whose direction the political matter is placed (for consideration) for publication;

(c)

include a statement that the political matter has a foreign link; and

(d)

include a statement that the disclosure is made under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021.

—(1) A transparency directive under this section may be given by a competent authority only to a person to whom this Division applies.

(2) A transparency directive may require the person to whom it is given to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, all necessary measures to ensure that, for each instance of political matter with a foreign link and published in Singapore —(a)

by a politically significant person in section 80(1)(a);

(b)

in a newspaper that is —(i)

published (for sale or otherwise) in Singapore;

(ii)

published by the person in section 80(1)(b)(i); and

(iii)

specified in the directive; or

(c)

in a Singapore news programme included in a licensable broadcasting service that is —(i)

provided by the person in section 80(1)(b)(ii) in or from Singapore; and

(ii)

specified in the directive,

a disclosure about the political matter (whose content is prescribed by subsection (3)) is included or embedded in, or linked to, the political matter conspicuously and in the manner prescribed.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2), the content of the disclosure about the political matter must —(a)

identify the author of the political matter by name or pseudonym and by nationality;

(b)

identify the foreign principal for whom or at whose direction the political matter is placed (for consideration) for publication;

(c)

include a statement that the political matter has a foreign link; and

(d)

include a statement that the disclosure is made under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021.