SMU Associate Professor of Law and political observer Eugene Tan noted that MDA appears to be acting differently from its usual “light touch” approach. He said: “The rules have not changed, but it’s how they are applied that is different. The perception is that there is a clampdown. The emphasis is on pre-emptive regulation – that is, to deal with potential issues before they even arise. He added that this is an “active work in progress that seeks to ensure that the regulatory framework is robust enough before the next general election”.