Good laws .. bad laws ... episode 1

Just as there are good people and bad ones .... there are good laws and bad laws ....

This was something that was said by Gandhi and how very true. When there is a government that straddles on extremism, you get laws that tries to cover every corner possible to give them any excuse to allow them to do anything they wish. In other words, unreasonable laws.

We have quite a number here in Singapore. Here's one:

Please note the definition of "film" in the "Film Act":
"film" means —
(a) any cinematograph film;
(b) any video recording, including a video recording that is designed for use wholly or principally as a game;
(c) any other material record or thing on which is recorded or stored for immediate or future retrieval any information that, by the use of any computer or electronic device, is capable of being reproduced or displayed as wholly or partly visual moving pictures,
and includes any part of a film, and any copy or part of a copy of the whole or any part of a film;


Licence for carrying on business of importing, making, distributing or exhibiting films
6. —(1) No person —
(a) shall carry on any business, whether or not the business is carried on for profit, of importing, making, distributing or exhibiting films unless he is in possession of a valid licence; or
(b) being the owner or occupier of any place shall allow the place to be used by, or let the place or otherwise make the place available to, any person who is not the holder of a valid licence for the purpose of carrying on the business of importing, making, distributing or exhibiting films.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $10,000 but not more than $40,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

Here's another:

Films made in Singapore to be deposited in approved warehouse
12. —(1) The owner of any film made in Singapore shall, within 7 days after the making of the film, deposit the film in a warehouse approved for this purpose by the Board.
(2) Any person who fails to deposit the film in accordance with subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.


Penalty for possession, exhibition or distribution of uncensored films
21. —(1) Any person who —
(a) has in his possession;
(b) exhibits or distributes; or
(c) reproduces,
any film without a valid certificate, approving the exhibition of the film, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —
(i) in respect of an offence under paragraph (a), to a fine of not less than $100 for each such film that he had in his possession (but not to exceed in the aggregate $20,000); and
(ii) in respect of an offence under paragraph (b) or (c), to a fine of not less than $500 for each such film he had exhibited, distributed or reproduced, as the case may be (but not to exceed in the aggregate $40,000) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
[10/98]
(2) Any Censor and any Deputy or Assistant Censor and any Inspector of Films may at all reasonable times enter any place in which any film is kept or is being or is about to be exhibited and may examine the film, and if on such examination he has reasonable grounds for believing that an offence under this section has been or is about to be committed in respect of the film he may seize the film and any equipment used in the commission of the offence.
(3) Any film and equipment seized under subsection (2) in respect of which any person has been convicted under this section shall be forfeited and shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of in such manner as the Minister may direct.
(4) For the purposes of this section if any film is altered in any way after it has been approved for exhibition under this Act, the film shall be deemed not to have been so approved.

So these are just some abstract from the "Film Act" of Singapore. Boys and girls. If you're reading this and you possess any Digital camcorder, and had made any home videos, travel videos, wedding videos or any kind of videos of any sort, you'd better send it into the censorship board to be inspected, and get ready some cash to pay for the licenses. If not, get ready to hide them real well, or may the government have mercy on your soul.

Amen. Amitaba ....