Dominic Ziegler: The Singapore Hater Living in Singapore

ottercitystate
Sep 11, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Sep 12, 2023

Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) has cautioned Dominic Ziegler, the bureau chief of The Economist, for "interference in our domestic politics." Ziegler had publicly expressed his support for local publication Jom on 25 August 2023, comparing Singapore to an "illiberal state", and encouraging Singaporeans to consider an "alternative vision" instead of what is being presented by the government and government-influenced media.

Ziegler writes the Banyan column in The Economist, which focuses on Asian-related issues. He is a famous critic of Singapore, currently living in Singapore. Is he really a dangerous foreign influence on Singapore? Honestly, we do not know, but we're fans of providing more information on the guy, for you to make your own decisions.

Career

1986: Joined the newspaper as a financial reporter.
1991-1994: Finance Editor.
1994-2000: Washington Correspondent (based first in Hong Kong and then Beijing).
2001: Returned to London as Finance and Economics Editor.
2004: Acting Washington Correspondent, Editor of the Books and Arts section, Deputy Editor of Intelligent Life, an Economist publication.
2005-2009: Tokyo Bureau Chief.
2009-2010: Founding author of The Economist's Banyan column on Asian affairs.
Late 2010: Returned to London and took up the position of Asia Editor.
2016: Moved to Hong Kong
2023: Moved to Singapore

Articles

We took a look at what Ziegler has written about Singapore in the past. In summary, Ziegler is quick to slam the government, painting them black in a one-sided criticism. He has very left-leaning views. We've also attached the original Economist articles at the bottom of this page for your convenience, so feel free to disagree with us on this.

27 Jul 2023: "A slew of scandals puts Singapore’s government on the back foot"

Summary: Ziegler discusses CPIB's arrest of minister S Iswaran, the affair of Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui, and the Ridout episode.

Stance: Ziegler takes an aggressive anti-government stance, even accusing Lee Hsien Loong of "putting party above country". He also does not mention the WP affair, even though Nicole Seah is also an MP.

11 May 2023: "A winner has emerged in the old rivalry between Singapore and Hong Kong"

Summary: Ziegler compares SIngapore and Hong Kong as cities.

Stance: Ziegler criticises Hong Kong's national-security law which saw many activists jailed. He criticises Singapore's capital punishment as "grotesque", and politics as constrained. In the end, he unwillingly concludes that Hong Kong is at a dead end, while Singapore is still at a crossroads.

1 Dec 2018: "Singapore’s ruling party reveals the next prime minister"

Summary: Ziegler reports on Heng Swee Keat being slated as Singapore's next prime minister.

Stance: Ziegler negatively compares Singapore's announcement to how the Chinese Communist Party reveals its candidates. Ziegler criticises the older generation of leadership for never giving up power even after retirement.

1 Jun 2017: "How foreigners misunderstand Singapore"

Summary: Ziegler explains why Singapore's success is not worth emulating.

Stance: Ziegler criticises Singapore for "social engineering" healthcare success, including coercing people to contribute to Medisave, and making most hospitals state-run.

11 Dec 2013: "Big trouble in Little India"

Summary: Ziegler reports on the Little India riots.

Stance: Ziegler criticised the media and government for offering "pitifully little insight" into the cause of the riots, and for ignoring the "dire state" of migrant workers' rights.

PDFs

Can't beat the Economist paywall? Here you go :)

Conclusion

We think it's pretty clear that Ziegler has nothing good at all to say about Singapore. That alone does not make his criticisms any less valid, but perhaps we should be wary of him nonetheless.

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