SINGAPORE - Hours into a lengthy, testy Parliament debate over the merits of a law against foreign interference in Singapore, it was clear that contesting arguments across the aisle were converging on a somewhat esoteric but essential dynamic: one between law and order; court and government; judiciary and executive.

This, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam that day, was the "crux of the difference" between the ruling People's Action Party Government and the Workers' Party (WP).