Orlandosentinel.com, 11 Jan 2013SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's long-ruling government is reacting to discontent about rising prices, foreign workers and a sluggish economy with unprecedented openness but threats of lawsuits show it remains testy with critics deemed to have crossed the line.
In power since 1959, the People's Action Party (PAP) was hit in 2011 by its worst election result in history, prompting the government to launch an "Our Singapore Conversation" campaign to consult citizens on policy and the future as they find new freedoms online and in public.
Twice this year and several times last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other PAP members have threatened critics with lawsuits for defamation, continuing a practice that rights groups see as a tactic to stifle dissent. Full story
