Singapore columnist gagged after government attack

A free newspaper in Singapore, Today, has suspended a popular column by a blogger known as mr brown following official criticism of a piece which attacked government economic policies. Today's editor, Mano Sabnani, said it was an editorial decision not to go on publishing the columnist, whose real name is Lee Kin Mun. But the paper gave space to the government to reply at length, and its real feelings emerged in a statement by a spokeswoman for the minister of information. She said mr brown was guilty of distorting the truth and added ominously: "It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to champion issues, or campaign for or against the Government." (Via AsiaMedia Media News Daily)