The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts said this in a reply to a leader of a group of 13 bloggers, from whom Mica had received 20 pages of proposals on Internet freedom.

Said Ms K. Bhavani, press secretary to Mica minister Lee Boon Yang: 'To keep up with the fast-evolving new media landscape, we have been reviewing our light-touch approach and are considering how we could take a lighter-touch approach.'

She also set out Mica's thinking in taking its current 'balanced light-touch approach'.

'Our intent...was to foster the growth of the Internet and to enable us to exploit its vast potential while safeguarding our society from its undesirable aspects.'

She noted that 79 per cent of homes here subscribe to broadband, and many Singaporeans, especially the young, own a blog or take part in some form of new media.

These developments, she added, 'clearly show that the light-touch approach had not been without merit'.

In thanking the bloggers for their suggestions, she also said their views plus feedback from others will be considered in Mica's review of new media.

Her reply on Monday was e-mailed to Mr Alex Au of the Yawning Bread blog, who made it available to The Straits Times.

The group had e-mailed its suggestions to Mica's Dr Lee last month.

They want, among other things, a guarantee of freedom to use the Internet to discuss political issues and promote political views.

Also, any regulation of online content should not be at the administrative discretion of officials, who have legal powers in this area, but through a court of law or preferably moderation by a consultative body of citizens, they said.

The bloggers' move was prompted by their concern that a study by the Government-appointed Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society would be too focused on the views of experts, said the group's other leader, law undergraduate Choo Zheng Xi of The Online Citizen blog.

The council is looking at refining the existing regulatory framework for new media. It began its work in April last year.

In drawing up the proposals, Mr Choo said the group focused on the regulatory process and online political content, hate speech plus sex and violence.

Yesterday, Mr Au, responding to Mica's reply, told The Straits Times it was too early to say which direction the ministry would take in its review of the regulations.

'We remain very hopeful that they will incorporate some of our ideas,' he added.

zakirh@sph.com.sg