 Moves by politicians to embrace public opinion on unofficial and informal new media platforms also illustrate how freedom of speech and expression is upheld , and , in fact , increasingly encouraged and taken into account in Singapore 's system of representative democracy . More politicians have been engaging citizens through the Internet through social networking websites and online fora . Former Foreign Minister George Yeo has been actively communicating with netizens on the ubiquitous social networking website Facebook , and has amassed many " friends " who are interested in local political affairs . His willing and frank engagement was evident in the run @-@ up to Singapore 's 2011 presidential election , as he had initially contemplated contesting for the Elected Presidency after losing his parliamentary seat in the 2011 general elections , though he subsequently decided not to . Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong engaged in a web chat with netizens on the People 's Action Party 's Facebook page in May 2011 to answer questions and assuage their concerns . 
