It prevents citizens from raising questions, voicing opinions and acting on matters that affect their polity. In truth, Singaporeans, especially the younger generation to which I belong, are individuals full of ideals and ideas and not afraid to express them. Not all of our government's actions are to be defended, particularly its intolerance of opposition, but to allow firebrand democracy in a multiracial society is to court disaster.
People have to be held accountable for their words and actions and government control ensures that.
Singapore is a young nation and will take time to grow into a democracy. The British took three centuries. But more important is the need for a matured population educated enough to temper enthusiasm with realism and criticism with sensibility. First, the allegation in your article that there is disagreement between Seoul and Washington on the issues of North Korean missiles and nuclear weapons is groundless. The two governments have maintained close consultations on how to deal with those issues and share a common position on the manner in which the inter-Korean summit should be conducted.