THE recent controversy ("Smear campaign: Singtel may face legal action"; March 19) raises questions on the approaches and implications of the handling of confidential business data.
The news broke after local blogger Wendy Cheng, or Xiaxue, published a leaked e-mail on her blog.
Singapore has enacted comprehensive secrecy and confidentiality provisions through the Banking Act, the Personal Data Protection Act and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore Act.
This is to ensure Singapore's position as a trusted place to do business.
The law prevents a person from divulging information which has been given to him in confidence and on the expressed or implicit understanding that the information should not be disclosed to others, or otherwise used by him.
Therefore, this leads to questions on whether Ms Cheng, in posting the data, breached the law on confidential information.
Perhaps she could have submitted a whistle-blower notice to Singtel directly instead, or informed the Infocomm Development Authority.
This event has highlighted the issue of confidential business information being exposed to the public, and the implications and impact on the company.
More clarity is needed from the authorities.
Wong Shih Shen
The news broke after local blogger Wendy Cheng, or Xiaxue, published a leaked e-mail on her blog.
Singapore has enacted comprehensive secrecy and confidentiality provisions through the Banking Act, the Personal Data Protection Act and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore Act.
This is to ensure Singapore's position as a trusted place to do business.
The law prevents a person from divulging information which has been given to him in confidence and on the expressed or implicit understanding that the information should not be disclosed to others, or otherwise used by him.
Therefore, this leads to questions on whether Ms Cheng, in posting the data, breached the law on confidential information.
Perhaps she could have submitted a whistle-blower notice to Singtel directly instead, or informed the Infocomm Development Authority.
This event has highlighted the issue of confidential business information being exposed to the public, and the implications and impact on the company.
More clarity is needed from the authorities.
Wong Shih Shen
