Singapore's long-serving administration has won some time to ponder how it will deal with yet another self-inflicted blow to its global branding.The reprieve came as a Singapore court today postponed a case against the British author Alan Shadrake for three weeks.
Shadrake, 75, faces contempt of court charges, after Singapore's Media Development Authority lodged a police report on 16 July against his book Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock, which criticises the application of the death penalty. Published in neighbouring Malaysia, the book has sparked a criminal defamation investigation against the author in Singapore.
Shadrake rejected an offer of mitigation in exchange for an apology at today's contempt of court hearing and said he would fight on. This means more reputation damage is in store for the People's Action Party administration in the weeks ahead. Full Story
