Chen Jiahao, a 23-year-old graduate student in the United States, said he closed his personal Web site after ASTAR, a Singapore government agency focusing on science and research, threatened legal action for what it said were untrue accusations.

Chen said Monday he had removed all material from his site and posted an apology April 26 after receiving e-mails from the agency's chief. But the agency told him last week his first apology was insincere and they wanted another.

On Sunday he posted the new apology on his ``Caustic Soda'' blog, saying: ``I unreservedly apologise to ASTAR, its chairman Mr Philip Yeo, and its executive officers for the distress and embarrassment caused to them.''

``They sent me an e-mail with these words,'' Chen said from the United States, where he studies chemical physics at the University of Illinois.

Yeo said he accepted the apology and considered the matter closed. ``We wish him well,'' he said.

Paris-based Reporters without Borders said the case highlighted the lack of free expression in Singapore, which is among the 20 lowest-scoring countries in the organization's worldwide press freedom index.

``Chen criticized some of AStar's policies but there was nothing defamatory in what he wrote,'' said Julien Pain, head of its Internet freedom desk.

ASTAR said in a statement that it recognized the value of a diversity of views and welcomed that in all media. ``But the particular public blog had statements which went way beyond fair comment.'' It did not elaborate.

Bloggers are often not journalists, but some of the thousands of online blogs - short for Web logs - have gained political relevance.

Singapore opposition politicians and international media have paid large amounts of damages in libel cases brought by senior government figures.