I refer to the view of Senior Minister of State for Law Edwin Tong (Small group crying wolf, but most citizens want strong law, May 6).

The phrase "crying wolf" comes from one of Aesop's Fables, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

In the story, a young shepherd amuses himself by repeatedly raising false alarms, crying that a wolf is attacking his flock when there really isn't one.

To say that the small group of individuals and civic organisations who have voiced their genuine concerns over the proposed Bill is "crying wolf" is to state unequivocally that the trepidation they feel is false and should be ignored as there is no truth in them at all.

I am appalled by this simile. Brushing the group's worries aside in this manner is in fact painting a portent of what is to come.

Fake news will make the rounds no matter what. Most citizens are not affected by fake news. They do not mind a law to counter its spread but they certainly do not want a strong one.

George Kuan