International NGOs: Filling the "Gap" in Singapore's Civil Society

This paper looks at the role and impact of international NGOs on Singapore's civil society. It argues that since the mid-1990s the Internet has increased accessibility to information generated by such external organizations. In some ways, the Internet has spurred the development, growth, frequency, and reach of the work of these organizations thereby creating greater global and local awareness and activism of "freedom" concerns in Singapore. Such "freedom" concerns in particular focus on the lack of freedom of expression and media freedom in the Republic. The fact that on numerous occasions the Singapore government under the People's Action Party has taken issue with information put out by these organizations shows that the work of these external organizations does have an impact. Given that there is presently no consolidated local media advocacy initiative, these external groups play an important role in filling one gap in the local civil society landscape. However, the Internet and external input do not replace the need to have real local actors to move the media advocacy agenda forward in Singapore.