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From “anonymous counter-insurgents” to “openning up” in cyberspace, the Government is being forced to change its policies. But how will the opposition respond?
Having sat through the two hours of the Prime Minister’s National Day Rally speech, I am somewhat nonchalant about the announcements he made, particularly about the changes in the political sphere.
Earlier reports and write-ups in the local press and various comments by Government ministers had given clues that the changes were to be expected. Although I am glad that the Prime Minister has finally made them public, and thus would be held to his word, I nonetheless feel that the so-called “opening up” falls short of what a first-world country or democracy should have in the first place.
More importantly, the question I have is this: So what? Does it matter whether the Government allows podcasting or not? Or public protests? Or political films? Netizens are going to engage in them anyway, just as they did in the last elections. Besides, the Internet audience isn’t as big as the mainstream media’s, or so we’re told. And how many Singaporeans would want to create a political film, anyway?
My thoughts then became: Surely the Government knows that netizens are evidently not going to be bothered by such regulations. So, why make such significant announcements – and in a speech to the nation?
Well, there are a few reasons.
Government pressured to change
One, as Chua Lee Hoong, The Straits Times’ Political Editor said in the paper today, the Government wants to be seen as being “on top of evolving issues” and “updating itself for a new generation”. In other words, the Government is “hip and happening”. In recent times, members of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) and Government agencies have gone onto the Internet in a big way, albeit silently. Facebook, Youtube (even NTUC has a Youtube account), blogs, websites, all have been created, revamped, re-designed, etc.
Two, the announcements set down the “OB markers” for everyone. A government as paranoid as ours is obsessed with perimeters and demarcating such boundaries in cyberspace, as it feels this is necessary for control, another of its obsessions.
Three, and this is perhaps the most important reason, a whole new generation of tech-savvy, Internet-wise Singaporeans are, for the first time in history, availing themselves of alternative sources of news and information. Further, Singapore is one of the most wired places in the world, with access to broadband Internet. To ignore this is, well, political suicide.
So, it would seem that the Government, while portraying itself as being “on top of evolving issues”, is in truth being pressured to change – by New Media. And well it should too.
Opposition’s response?
Having said all that, these changes are not surprising. The PAP government being what it is – one which, really, is quite aware of the environment it operates in – it is expected to engage the people more fervently in cyberspace. These changes are a start. Expect the presence of the PAP to be more keenly felt in cyberspace as we approach the next General Elections.
The ball now is in the opposition parties’ court. How will the opposition respond? To be sure, besides the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), the other opposition parties are virtually non-existent on the Internet, besides a few disparate personal blogs by their members and several poorly-maintained websites which are updated only periodically.
So, while we may be skeptical of or criticise the Government’s foray into the Internet, the more important question, I feel, is about at the opposition parties: what are they going to do now to engage the new generation of potential voters who haunt cyberspace?
Ultimately, that is the question which Prime Minister Lee is asking of the opposition parties.
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what led to the decision to ‘liberalise’ (pending approval) ?
maybe its the internet of blogging and ‘some’ dissent ?
Wonder who should take credit for ‘liberalising’ us?
wow, so great and the people must so appreciate the generosity ?
JBJ said its our rights anyways.
I remain neutral.
This is to protect myself.
Dear Dr Syed Alwi,
Well – where are the public policy debates by the WP ? What alternative policies do they have ?
If I am not mistaken, the material posted in the current SDP policy forum mostly come from its GE2006 manifesto. I think you should compare it with the WP GE2006 manifesto, that is WP’s alternative policies. I have read both in 2006.
As to the WP public policy debate, fair to say WP will do it according to its agenda. SDP has its timetable and WP has its timetable.
Regarding the rest of your post, it is simply a matter of WP’s chosen approach in the current social / political climate. It has done its own calculation and charted its own course. You may not like it just like some people don’t like SDP’s course of action. That is life and that is democracy.
As WP said: “You have a choice.”
BTW, I totally understand your view regarding WP. It is not new.
Andrew i think you can agree that singapore is tiny compared to other countries. How difficult do you think it is to be aware of what people are thinking?
There are so many grassroot activities to learn about the community.
Reference: #31 My comment was not submitted in full. I meant to say the TOC website has many more visitors than SDP.org (according to alexa.com ) High profile (SDP.org)? But I am suprised of the poor viewership.
Dear Kelly,
Ours is a depoliticised society. Singaporeans are more concerned about their own rice bowls and family (including myself since my family is totally against me becoming a public figure). People here just want to sit back and let the few souls who dare – take on the PAP. They want to wash their hands clean of their civic responsibilities towards a democracy……….
In other words – they want to play but they don’t want to pay !!
” I meant to say the TOC website has many more visitors than SDP.org (according to alexa.com ) High profile (SDP.org)?”
So what is this compare to PAP, the ruling party ?
From Alexa as measure on 11:45pm 21 Aug2008
Worker’s party http://www.wp.sg/ ranks 2,952,154
People’s Action Party http://www.pap.org.sg/ ranks 1,423,092,
you wouldn’t want to try Alexa ranking on http://www.pap.sg cos ou’ll be shocked ! It is too pathetic to list.
SDP http://yoursdp.org ranks 354,491
Online Citizen http://theonlinecitizen.com ranks 306,301
I don’t think these rankings tell us anything useful. Surely PAP & WP will agree.
Dear Dr SA,
I don’t know why I have different facts from yours. SDP has more experience in running a constituency. It had 3 seats in the past. I wish SDP will continue to try and get into parliament.
Internet presence wise, it is subjective. SDP has a nicer website, WP has more bloggers. SDP has political activism (more NGO style), WP has less but more grassroots activism. Even US politicians do grassroots. NSP without a seat also does grassroots under Red Star.
Policy making wise, SDP has something, WP has a thick manifesto. Even if I blatantly say that SDP is ahead of WP, it is not “way” ahead. The one thing SDP is way ahead of WP is the aesthetic-ness of its website. WP should sack the designers who gave them the revamp.
This is how I see both parties. But it doesn’t interest me more than seeing what PAP does and how we can bring it down.
Dear anaken,
I am referring to the SDP under Chee Soon Juan and NOT the old SDP under Chiam See Tong.
Under Chee Soon Juan, the SDP has yet to run a constituency.
As for policies – the difference is that the SDP has a discussion forum dedicated to public debate of its policies. The WP has none.
As for grassroots – the SDP is slowly but surely winning support from thinking Singaporeans who realise that the system is severely flawed and needs to be changed. The WP however – is NOT willing to change the system but instead choose to work within it.
I am excited following this blog discussion.
I strongly believe that come 2010, that there will be sufficiently good enough people standing up to voice other views in parliament to try to make a better world here for the future generation.
Dear guys – please get organised; do not end up like me – brought up in this wonderful system and being complacent and trusting, is now sufferring the fate in having to relocate to continue to earn a comparable standard living elsewhere in my twilight years . Oh my wonderful Singapore – I love you, but I have given too much and now I have to leave to be a “FT” in a foreign land.
My last 2 cents comments – if you guys out there are serious, form a new political party and make a fresh start with no baggages….. here is your best chance, citizens.
Good bye guys… and thank you TOC – you have started many good things…. soldier on…………
Are Singaporeans able to think?
I assume they can think and about 49 years in a row, they think that no opposition should win majority votes.
This can only lead me to assume that
the majority does not want to give the opposition any chance of winning the majority in the last 49 years or so.
PAP started as opposition and given 49 or so years to become what it is today.
As for Opposition, they have never been given the chance to develop for 49 years straight . Since that day, they have never won, because the majority who is I assume can think and wants to live in a 1st world democracy, does not want them to win any GRC. This trend i foresee will last forever and possibly, the extinction of opposition members in parlimon if they lose potong ps (chiam old) and HG is uncertain now. Can LTK deliver? What was his reply about accountability?
disclaimer : just my personal opinion which may be flawed in all ways. feel free to correct.
“61) hkliao on August 22nd, 2008 1.42 pm
Can LTK deliver?”
Can you deliver. If you are lady, of course yes. If you are man, of course no lah.
disclaimer : just my personal opinion which may be flawed in all ways. feel free to correct.
Ok ok. New SDP or whatever you want to call it still has people during Chiam’s days. When Ling and Cheo still had their seats Chee Soon Juan was leader. I think he won’t forget how to run a constituency so fast. Hope people will give him a chance.
To be more specific – SDP has a ONLINE discussion forum dedicated to public debate of its policies. WP? I don’t know but would think that it must have held face to face discussion forums to come up with that manifesto and their parliamentary speeches. After all speeches can’t be easy to write since the million dollar ministers need speech writers to write for them.
(As for grassroots – the SDP is slowly but surely winning support from thinking Singaporeans who realise that the system is severely flawed and needs to be changed.) Well I hope it is true. After getting barely 20% in several elections I hope things will change for them. I pity the results they get for the work they put in.
(The WP however – is NOT willing to change the system but instead choose to work within it.) Why do you talk about grassroots for SDP and talk about intentions of WP? Fair comparisons please. WP has a stronger grassroots presence but I agree it needs to beef up operations to break past the 35% they have been getting.
Bet PAP will put up the first political video. They know they have been lacking on the internet and hence relaxed the laws.
64) anaken on August 22nd, 2008 2.23 pm
I AGREE WITH YOU 100%!! our BIG brothers always think of ways to cover they backside first.. sad..
After what happen to BN’s poor showing in the recent malaysia election, it is smart of PAP to learn from them on the seriousness of the power of the online media be it in form of blogs, website, news and etc.
They have finally realise the need to liberalise and let go of something which they cant control.
They can control the papers, they can control the TV, they can control the radios but they cant control the huge public which in this 2008 era, singapore has one of the highest accessibility to internet. Almost everyone have a broadband connection in their home or offices.
They cannot deny such posting and freedom of rights to post freely on their views on what should be done to make our country. Podcast and online video screening, facebook and etc has already been part of our life, its the same as having a mobile phone these days. Primary school kid also have one.
I foreseen PAP getting worried that they have tightened too much, they will end up like Malaysia’s BN, which is being too arogant and too confident that they will win the polls. It is during such times of hardship with the current high inflation rate, high oil prices and many other incidents such as the indian leaded HINDRAF which consititude to the poor results of BN.
It is more of a protest vote for BN more than saying that they supports the opposition.
This is the same case as in Singapore. PAP has been doing very well during almost every single election since they won by a large majority. But times have passed and there are no such things as “Durian Bao Jia” aka durian sure nice to eat system anymore. There have been incidents which PAP have failed to carry out to their usual standards. The NKF Saga, the Selamat Saga, Ren Ci and many many others shown that no one is prefect and I do not expect them to be.
I just hope that PAP can show more fairness by giving the opposition a fairer grounds to complete on. It’s the same as in sports, all athletes compete based on the same set of rules and not rules set by the champions. Which of course the champions will set it to favour them more than anyone else. The GRC issue, the controlled media (how many times do u see media report on the oppositions? yes only when they are charged in court) and many others..
As for the opposition, until the day when the grounds are fair, I dont see them coming up to be able to catch up with PAP.
There doesnt seem to have any cohesiveness in the opposition, they should pool their resources together and fight against PAP.
I bet even after the relaxing of controls by PAP, nothing could be done by the opposition which given so little resources to put up a decent website.
It is obvious that PAP dont see the opposition as a threat to them if not with the usual “kiasu-ness” culture, who will in the right mind to approve this?