Singapore threw into jail a couple of ethnic Chinese Internet posters who wrote derogatory remarks about their Malay countrymen. As I wrote here, this kind of thing goes on all the time, and I’ve seen it myself. But this time, the Singaporean government cracked down, swiftly and surely laying down its brand of justice, something that may have a chilling effect on Internet freedom.

The Internet is one of the few places where one can feel free in taut neat Singapore. For a country so obsessed with its international ‘competitiveness’ it doesn’t look auspicious.

But a look at the government’s reasons are understandable, too. The island-state is tiny. It’s surrounded by Islamic states. Some of them are jealous of Singapore’s success and as a nation, Singapore can’t practically defend itself militarily against its huge neighbors that nevertheless lag Singapore’s development. So – Singapore focuses on not offending them. Part of that might be in standing up for the Singaporean Malay minority – they are 15% of the population, and many have family ties in Malaysia and Indonesia. To try to get along with comparatively huge Malaysia and Indonesia through the demonstration of a sort of evenhandedness is definitely not the same as appeasement – Singaporeans really aren’t cowards at all – it’s just an effort to be pragmatic in order to advance. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Some news accounts are saying that Singapore is interested in reasserting control against the widespread diffusion of the Internet. It makes them nervous, all this Internet. Possibly. But I am not entirely sure it’s mainly that.

What I think is going on is a heightened atmosphere of offense and victimhood in the Malay and Muslim communities. Maybe there is a growing sense of defeat because the Americans have been so successful in Iraq (Malaysia’s and Indonesia’s citizens vehemently opposed the U.S. strike on Iraq, on ‘ummah’ grounds.) Maybe the Singaporean government senses the danger of a growing Islamist influence and wants to give Malays confidence that the Singapore government stands for them too and is worthy of their loyalty. Either of these factors could tip the Singaporean government to act. They don’t want new problems.

Global Voices has a good summary of the entire event here.