REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SINGAPORE -- Leading Singaporean artists and activists urged the government Thursday to allow the exhibition of a documentary about the city-state's political exiles which has been banned on grounds of national security.

They expressed "deep disappointment" at the decision by the Media Development Authority (MDA) tot ban the public showing of "To Singapore, With Love" by local film director Tan Pin Pin.

"We would like to emphasise that censorship does nothing to promote a vibrant, informed society. We thus urge the MDA to reconsider its decision," said a statement signed by 39 artists and activists.

They include director Anthony Chen, a winner of the prestigious Camera d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as theatre directors Ivan Heng, T. Sasitharan and Ong Keng Sen, all winners of the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's op state award for artists.

The MDA, Singapore's media regulator, on Wednesday banned the 70-minute documentary, saying it provided a "distorted and untruthful" account of nine former political activists and student leaders.

They fled Singapore from the 1960s to the 1980s and current live in Britain, Thailand and Malaysia.

MDA said the film's contents undermined national security "because legitimate actions of the security agencies to protect the national security and stability of Singapore are presented in a distorted way as acts that victimised innocent individuals".

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