It has been nearly a month since it was revealed that Singapore has been helping Australia and the United States to spy on Malaysia and Indonesia, the two major Muslim countries in South-East Asia.

Edward Snowden, the now world-renowned whistle-blower, reportedly told the media that Washington had long put Singapore at the centre of a spy network that taps undersea cables.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported early this year that Gamma Group, a British company, had supplied the spyware FinSpy to 25 countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.

The software is said to be able to "grab images off computer screens, record Skype chats, turn on cameras and microphones and log keystrokes".

Now, one may cite the Latin phrase tu quoque and argue that governments around the world have been caught monitoring one another secretly through various means, so there is nothing new.

It is also true that Malaysia, due to unresolved historical and political issues, is most probably spying on the city state at the same time.

NONE However, until and unless Singapore comes up with solid evidence in this regard, the onus is on the People's Action Party government to clarify why, for all the rhetoric of prosper-thy-neighbour, there is now this disclosure that Singapore is a member of the so-called Five Eyes Plus intelligence Community - yes, a community no less - tasked with gathering information on its neighbours.

It is also most ironic that the scandal came just right after Lee Hsien Loong and Najib Abdul Razak had taken a " selfie "!

Pleading ignorance on a hot issue

I am not surprised that Ong Keng Yong has pleaded ignorance on the hot issue. After all, diplomats are granted privileges and immunities so that they can perform their duties with peace of mind, but that does not include spying.

So far, Wikileaks revealed only surveillance and information collection carried out by government agencies other than diplomats, although the personnel involved may have used embassy compounds for this purpose.

From Singapore's point of view, assisting the US and other Western allies in intelligence activities is vitally important to its strategic position in a somewhat hostile region, but the blatant manner in which the cooperation takes place will only make it more difficult for the island republic to present itself as a genuine friend, not only to Indonesia and Malaysia, but to China also. Let's not forget South Korea, also a key player in the Five Eyes Plus Community, which is responsible for spying on the Chinese.

However, what is becoming more and more bizarre is the fact that, thanks to its many allies, Washington has been stepping up intelligence activities in a frenzy, so much so that even Germany's Angela Merkel was not spared.

The National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance operations worldwide are now widely regarded as indecent, dishonest and against all the values that the US has been preaching the world over.

Numerous sources of data for the US

Of greater concern is that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been using information and communication technologies to achieve objectives that may not be consistent with the United Nations Charter, especially the violation of the right to privacy, as made clear by both India and Russia.

NONE It is not a secret that Washington has gained almost unhindered access to Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, Paltalk, AOL, Skype and many other online social networks, in addition to telephone tapping, and to say that information is no longer safe in Malaysia is an understatement.

Furthermore, through the NSA's Prism programme, the US authorities are able to collate data on prominent politicians and high-ranking government officers.

I would be most interested to know if Washington has exclusive information on Rosmah Mansor's spending sprees abroad or on Najib's alleged role in the death of Altantunya Shaariibuu. But even if there is, it is most likely to be used as a bargaining chip for foreign policy purposes.

From Chelsea Manning to Edward Snowden to Thomas Drake, anyone who dared to speak out has been punished to various extents. Even Alan Rusbridger of The Guardian and Glenn Greenwald have been harassed . It is clear that national security has become a new religion not just for the US, but its allies also, so much so that many innocent citizens are sleepwalking into an Orwellian state.

Now that the once clandestine operations are exposed, it is high time the international community halts this ‘militarisation of cyberspace', or it could lead to further erosion of trust and result in unintended consequences, rendering diplomacy a much harder profession.

Personally, I find it disturbing that some Malaysians, out of hatred of Umno, would defend the US, Australia and Singapore over the increasingly notorious spying activities. Yes, Malaysia is a far more corrupt country compared to them, and Umno's racist politics stinks to high heaven.

Still, spying on a supposedly friendly neighbour is a serious issue that any sovereign state cannot afford to overlook, but is duty-bound to respond diplomatically, even for superficial purposes.

Unless, of course, these Malaysians think it is better for the country to be sold out than reformed. If this is the case, they should stop pretending to support democratic change.

JOSH HONG studied politics at London Metropolitan University and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. A keen watcher of domestic and international politics, he longs for a day when Malaysians will learn and master the art of self-mockery, and enjoy life to the full in spite of politicians.