The Malaysian government has again mooted compelling online bloggers and news portals to register with the government, prompting fear of an impending clampdown on the online media.

This has triggered comparisons with the Singapore model for online media regulation, where compulsory licensing has been in place for the online media since June 1, 2013.

What is the Singapore model, and how has it turned out?

In the city-state, the media industry is regulated by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), which is a statutory body that reports to the cabinet.

The MDA regulates a broad range of media in the country, including but not limited to newspapers, radio, television, film, and, of course, online content.

As part of its policies regulating the online media, the MDA issues an 'Internet Service and Content Provider Class Licence'. The process is largely automatic and requires no registration.

However, for some groups, registration is required and additional conditions apply for their online content.

This includes Singapore’s political parties, online newspapers, and 'Internet service resellers', such as Internet cafes and libraries.

Groups or corporations providing any programme on political or religious issues in Singapore are also required to register, and so are individuals deemed by the MDA to be providing such content.

These groups are required to register within 14 days of commencing operations, and the process entails paying a S$50,000 (RM147,211) performance bond to the MDA, as well as submitting the personal details of its directors and editorial staff.

Comply within 24 hours

They are required to comply with any takedown notice from the MDA within 24 hours.

The scheme covers websites that report Singapore's current affairs at least once a week on average over a two-week period, and receiving an average of 50,000 visits a month from unique Singaporean Internet protocol addresses.

During the roll-out of the registration scheme, The Wall Street Journal had quoted the MDA as saying that the scheme is not meant to clamp down on Internet freedom, nor place onerous obligations on licensees.

It is only meant to bring a more consistent regulatory framework, such that rules regulating the online media are more in like with those regulating traditional news platforms, it said.

In a 2014 report, the US-based NGO Freedom House took note of these developments with concern, but said the biggest threat to media freedom in the country comes from self-censorship instead.

"Self-censorship is prompted party by fear of the strict application of defamation, contempt of court, and other laws.

"Executives of larger media houses may also dread losing the (ruling party's) patronage," the report said.

Nevertheless, the registration scheme claimed its first victim in May last year.

The MDA accused the website The Real Singapore ( TRS ) of publishing prohibited material, without specifying what content was deemed offensive, apart from saying several articles had sought to incite xenophobic sentiments against foreign workers.

TRS was ordered to disable access to its website, which it appeared to have complied with. Two of its editors were also charged with sedition while its licence was suspended.

Singapore ranks 148 out of 199 countries in Freedom House's 2015 report on press freedom, and ranks 153 out of 180 countries in the 2015 Press Freedom Index 2015 of the French-based NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Malaysia performed marginally better, ranking 142 on Freedom House's report, and 147 on RSF's report.