Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:02
Discrediting the “new media”
In Guest Writers, Main Stories, Top Story • 2,521 views • 52 Comments
Melvin Tan
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, who is Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts, recently expressed disappointment with netizens for what he felt were “unkind comments” over the mishap involving PAP MP Seng Han Thong.
During a grassroots event in Yio Chu Kang SMC last month, Mr Seng was torched by an elderly resident, Ong Kah Chua, and suffered serious burns.
The Straits Times also interviewed Aw Chui Seng, the grassroots leader who was injured in the same attack while sacrificing himself to save Mr Seng, which saw him describe netizens as “inhuman” and “extreme”.
Are these a continuation of attempts by the mainstream media to discredit the “new media” (a term the internet is popularly known as)?
After all, sweeping statements have been made by the mainstream media against the new media on various occasions, most notably by the Straits Times’ “Chua sisters” – Chua Lee Hoong and Chua Mui Hoong, examples as shown in the below quotes:
“Anonymous bloggers and grandstanding kopitiam rabble rousers aside, I am doubtful if many right-thinking Singaporeans seriously think Mr Wong should resign over one lapse in one of his agencies.”
- Chua Mui Hoong, “Beyond witch-hunts to sanction for lapses” (ST, 23 April 2008)
“The problem with the Internet is reliability: To what extent can you trust what you read online? Whether due to ignorance, mischief or sheer absence of quality control, much of what is written online has to be taken with a pinch of salt.”
- Chua Lee Hoong, “Political challenges in 2009″ (ST, 3 January 2009)
Oddly, from what I have come across, the derisions of Mr Seng were hardly rampant in the socio-political spectrum of cyberspace, which encompasses primarily bloggers and online forummers.
Absent were any bloggers, identified or anonymous, mocking Mr Seng over the unfortunate incident.
On the contrary, several of them, including sympathisers of Singapore’s political opposition, expressed sympathies for Mr Seng and wished him a speedy recovery.
True, there were forummers armed with callous remarks and graphics but they did not constitute the majority either, bearing in mind that a handful of participants in an online forum cannot represent an entire slate of a few hundred or a few thousand registrants.
On my part was an article in my Chinese blog examining the potential causes of more senior citizens developing mental illnesses, attributing mainly to the increasing pressure in Singapore society and their inability to retire.
When RAdm Lui brought this to light in Parliament on 4 February 2009, he obviously had, intentionally or otherwise, drawn from a very small sampling and not a very significant portion of the new media’s population.
As for Mr Aw, I am unsure if he accesses the internet or browse socio-political websites because many people of his generation do not and if so, he might probably be fed the wrong information, most likely by the ST reporters interviewing him.
Generally, netizens are predominantly not as “beastly” as what the MSM makes them out to be by refusing to be specific about the level or originators of such derisions, in particular bloggers whose channels and readerships require more efforts to establish and maintain and would be foolish to squander their own efforts.
Why such a portrayal?
Although the effects of new media are limited, it is a useful tool to disseminate information of opposition parties as well as independent groups and garnering 1% of Singaporeans’ eyeballs beats garnering none at all, as what it was before the internet came into existence.
While the socio-political sphere is largely critical of the PAP government, it is due to the political circumstance that results in this and with voters of opposition political party candidates being under-represented, they have nowhere else to head to.
To put it in a fair manner, the ruling PAP gets more power it deserves and more flak, while the opposition parties in Parliament, namely the WP and the SDA, do not take much of the heat with the understanding that it does not receive much executive delegation.
This outcome stems from the reality that the Singapore government, along with several countries with enduring governments, such as in Malaysia and China, cultivates its national mainstream media to restrict it broadly in the areas of policies and politics with authority, making the presence of online alternative views desirable to carry the service of balancing the information dished out by these channels.
Unless the online acts are illegal, the internet can never be regulated or self-regulate, with only each netizen or blogger able to determine the direction he or she wishes to embark on.
Doing so would be akin to regulating a daily life aspect like sleeping or talking because cyberspace is a mirror of the real world, which is how the word “netizen” originates from “citizens”.
Anyway, the PAP does not believe that most Singaporeans are suitable to belong in their ranks, with its emphasis on “credibility” and “talent” for their leadership and candidature. So why would they expect “lesser-mortal” netizens to express themselves the PAP way?
Being an uncontrollable medium, there would surely be a fair share of distortions and the PAP is neither the only political party that encounters them nor is the mainstream media not guilty of the same.
From my experience, the Workers’ Party once had an impromptu visit by a seedy blogger to its weekly open house in the pretext of finding out more about it, pulling along another who, ironically, would be in an apparent position to provide him with honest information.
Later, a journalistic review was penned, with misleading pictures as well as quotes taken during private conversations from a WP Central Executive Council member and those present there that day, without informing them that they were being interviewed.
Apart from these rare instances, in fact, rarer than how the mainstream garbles the perceptions of the WP and other opposition parties over the years, netizens and bloggers are fine and should not be painted into an absolutely different light.
The author also blogs at http://melvintansg.blogspot.com/
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52 Comments
SZ
smallvice585
It is quite hard to have a free press with significant political opposition presence in parliament.
IDR
Should people’s honest opinion be coated with sugar?
Nick
Adm Lui is stupid and ignorant if he thinks the Internet can be regulated. And by whose standard should it be regulated if it could? The PAP’s? From what I hear from, as long as the feedback is critical of the PAP, it is deem rude, baseless and lies.
To Adm Lui, do go crying foul if you suddenly find yourself unable to control information distribution like you’re used to. It makes you sound immature and childish. The you want praise, do the right thing and the Netizens will respond accordingly. The fact that the people is seeing negative over everything the PAP does should be worrying for you. And if you think the Netizens are inhuman against MPSeng, ask yourself why.. what is the root cause?
Be afraid, be very afraid. Singaporean are no longer blinded and the days of your regime (and comfort) of incompetency is drawing to an end.
Jimmy Armfield
I think Mr Lui would be well advised to keep such comments to himself, or risk being ridiculed by the rest of cyberspace.
hansolo
“Netizen” is anyone who uses the Internet.
That pretty much covers most literate Singaporeans, including government officials, PAP members, grassroots leaders, MPs, Ministers.
So whatever Netizens say online is simply a reflection of Singaporeans’ opinions. So shouldn’t we be asking why do they think thus?
Observer (SG-HK)
Netizens are not bureaucrats. Bureaucratic lingo does not cut it with neitzens in cyberspace. What you read and hear are genuine voices and feelings from conscience humans a.k.a. concerned active citizens. Nobody will disagree that there will always be a group of hyper-sensitive and hyper-charge netizens that speaks in tongue. You can expect and have to expect this in a free-speech space. But one thing though, there are also a majority of people who respect and understand the social responsibilities that comes with free-speech in the cyberspace. Making a sweeping statement without credible supporting (in relation to the entire background of the events) is myopic and shallow in thought. I will be very skeptical to let people of this caliber to run a company let alone the country.
WHOknowNEXT
THEY are using the media corps, newspaper to brain wash the singaporeans, as they are always doing best for singapore. just those bad thing they are hide under
or put away.
They plant the best work that they have perform.
Let all the bad news go to the drain.
NO good thing came to singaporean, if they are so smart, or less mortal,,,,,,,
TrueBlood Singaporean
Singaporean and Singapore’s Fish are the same.
Don’t want to open their mouth scare of authority prosecution
thru force or legal means. We had so much stake in HDB, LTA, etc etc.
Internet is the only freedom of expression in Singapore for
different views and sometime to reveal the actual truth.
It doesn’t cause any physical harm let killing someone or sue someone to brankuptcy.
Doesn’t we agreed to disagreed in the first place and thru different views we
grow together as Singaporeans. There a saying in Chinese” The Truth is
always Hard to Bear”
If Authority like to heard what they like to hear ,just shut down the TOC server!
KBW
We will be hypocritics if we are yesman to all the policies & misdeeds that our Gahmen had done past years. I personally think our hypocrisy (Gahmen) is more of a beast than us netizens who simply just voicing out the personal views.
chaofan
Nominated Song of the year: Don’t Speak by No Doubt
cy
our MSM behaves like the official media of chinese communist party, reporting every word of important leaders and their activities.
Its okay with me if its the PM,but do we have to extend it to every tom,dick and harry.
By the way,what these leaders say are always the same,regurgitating what they have been always saying. I am sure the world is full of news that is more interesting.
Today, i read an article from the newspaper by falungong which reports on discovery of indian,tibetan hermits who can levitate themselves. That i could never find in MSM.
ronin
I think PAP is very afraid of the new media, after witnessing its power in M’sian politics. The mainstream media under PAP’s full control and thus singing its praises at all times. But this new media “beast” does not want to listen to PAP or be controlled by it. Therefore, PAP is trying all sort of stuff to discredit the new media.
RED-man
History had speak for itself time after time. I LKY is the last person I expect not to see it, if he is really half as wise he pretends he is.
First Emperor of China, tried burn books, bury people against him alive, split people into 5 pieces. So what? His empire gone straight after the throne passed to his son. The fact is, LKY. if you really understand a single bit about history, you would know it is non-bias. Japan can write it own history and pretends they are being invaded by US during WWII, but they can’t change the world history record to cover their deeds. It will be their great undoing and their citizen will carry their shame where they go outside japan. Their new generation will one day wondering why the world history is so consistent that they are the invader rather they what japan try to put it the way they want it.
This will lead to distrust of their own government and eventually break the cohesive of it people which we beginning to see now. Their economy has been slowly and surely taken over by the Korean since a number of years ago. It is LKY against the world lesser mortal.
tiredsingaporean
They can do what they like but can they close down Youtube, can they? if they have all the while been doing the right things for the people of singapore all these years, why should they be afraid? its their guilts that they are afraid of themselves being made known to the public.
right between the eyes
Hey, we are the Truth. Brutal truth. We are Reality. We are no fairy tales about cat and mice with happy ending.
RED-man
If there is anything LKY cannot see, it is the advance in today technology in term of communication power and speed.
I think he still stuck in the 286 and modem dialing time, where today news is always yesterday or few days before. He manage to gain control because of this advantage in the past, because it gave him sufficient time to perfect his lies to people due to the lag. Now, he kept saying the wrong thing not because he is old. But because, the speed of information is almost immediate and when things go wrong, he don’t have the time to make that U-turn like he did before.
Wise? Don’t think so. The best I give him is smart only. But time is catching up with what he does, his age, his mind and his life span. One wise advice that I would like to give him is to start atone his mistakes did in the past in order to leave a good name in history.
tiredsingaporean
The more they hide the truth, the more dirts will surface up. This is nature taking shape, its time as the saying goes, whatever goes around, comes around.
RED-man
This advice also go to those future politicans in Singapore that have other intention rather serving the people. Time will wear off your lies, like the stones worn off by steady stream of water flow.
With today technology, no one is able to wear a mask long if he want to be a public figure. The day, the truth face revealed, would be the day whatever you built crumble to dust in a matter of seconds.
RED-man
LKY is too perfect to be truth, even if he wear white for 24/7 365 a year. Including underwear. Somehow, dirt like to stick with white.
On contrary, black hide dirt longer. Problem actually lie with him trying to project himself as straight. We all know there is no such person. Even Buddha himself said that, without making mistakes, how could one even realize the truth without contrast?!
tiredsingaporean
Nobody can escape mother nature, not that I know of in my entire life of 50+ years, you reap what you sow, you live by the sword, you die by the sword! many ill hearted politicians have already been proven in the past.
RED-man
Most of you might have realize that I don’t even speak of the above mentioned “ex-army general” because when you talk about history somewhere in the distant future. I truthly believe that his name will no where to be found.
Unless of course he intends to strip his pants and run around orchard road. Maybe, just maybe, the little corner of the history book will record a stupid minister take off his pants and run around orchard road. That’s all.
Today there were 3 letters in praise of the PAP and Seng H T and 1 letter from Seng H T. No letters critical of the PAP or the government. This is what LTY, LKY & all in PAP expected from readers. Anyway, letters highly critical of the PAP & govt are seldom published.
Anonymous
I suspect they have plans of banning Youtube-like sites and political blogs in the near-future to hide the truth.
doctorwho
I bet they are warming up to pass some laws ?
patriot
If the leaders want to be exclusive, let them be.
The Cyberspace is for them to use and share, but if they think they are banyak atas(way above us) to work together with the netizens, let it be lah.
We sayang(take care of) them, but they think we are pariah, that’s their business.
Are we not here to help them to better the society?
Do they think we have nothing better to do?
patriot
Watanaporn
time to tell them to swallow the bitter pill and move on! Sometimes there can be no painless solutions..they cannot keep hearing or reading the things they want to hear and read all the time.
aiyoyo
aiyoyo
so should be ‘believe’ news posted by st, cna etc..?
very blur leh…
aiyoyo
Resigned44
I’m just too shock for any words.I’m just preparing for the worst.
How could such a catastrophe happen to Singapore? I just don’t get it!
Big Mouth
This PAPies always like to hear the good staffs, only the ABC can pls them. The “New Media” gives the ordinary citizens the right to express their thinking and opinion, so the 2 stupid sisters and the Big M Lui don’t “cow peh cow moo” ok.
Kaypo Citizen.
I recommend these four books for you guys to read. The ideas therein may be able to help bloggers to counter the mass media’s monopoly on propaganda and twisted news:
1. Press Critics Are The Fifth Estate – by Arthur S Hayes.
2. No Time To Think – by Howard Rosenberg and Charles S Feldman.
3. Turning Back The Clock – translation from Italian by Alastair McEwen.
4. Losing Hurts Twice As Bad – by Christopher J Fettweis.
talk-talk-lah
Response to 24) & 25)
If they try to add some laws or to ban some things some things in the internet, the biggest losers will be the PAP. They better learn from old chinese history:
不要禁止月亮 : don’t try to hide the moon, it will surface later somehow somewhere.
If people are irresponsible on the net, the educational system is partly to blame, of course the others being family, peers, society and maturity. The PAP has been incharge of the educational system since 1959, that’s 50 years and two generations.
In fact the PAP should be grateful to the internet, it gives them valubale grassroots feedback which they will not get in the feed-back unit and other media they control like the newspaper.
Very sad that singaporeans and their garment is widening the gap. Good chance for the opposition to come right in.
tiredsingaporean
Infact, now is the right time for any opp party, present or newly formed party to ride on this crucial period where the self claimed $millionaire elites are to be tested for what they are worth. So far, there are more screwed ups and cover ups being made known to the public by the present ruling team which are valuable records to the advantage of the next contesting parties. So, hit while the iron is hot guys, this thing happens every 44 years hah!
SZ
Agree… and i think they are very worried about all the truth spilling out on them, which is why these comment plus that association develop…these are people who are like some “great” rulers that we know, people who like to hear praises of themselves and deny those criticism.
Internet is their Archilies heel…it will be the catalyst to bring about their downfall as what they try to hide, the net will uncover. Imagine without this tool, will they try to hide what happen with Temasek and gic as a secret?
SZ
Chua Lee Hoong says: “The problem with the Internet is reliability: To what extent can you trust what you read online? Whether due to ignorance, mischief or sheer absence of quality control, much of what is written online has to be taken with a pinch of salt.”
and my reply to her is, sorry Chua, but i think what you say must be taken with more then just a pinch of salt…perhaps a whole salt lake?
khoo hung kim
Hi Melvin,
You appear defensive and apologetic. You dont need to. Netizen exists to allow it’s citizens to express their views. Some views are stronger and some milder. Some write under psuedonym and some give their names in full. So be it. It is good that the government is paying attention to what is written. Because they do realise that despite the strong views expressed, many of the articles are serious and relevant. Chua Mui Hoong said that ” the problem with the internet is reliability and questions the extend one can trust what one reads”. This question can also be directed at the Straits Times. If only its writers stop over praising the government and be critical when the need arises then perhaps Singapore will be a much better place to live in.
manifesto
#33,
I second your opinion about the reliability of the ST. In fact, I’ve stopped reading the national papers as it’s views on local political affairs are so slanted.
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 12 Feb 2009
[...] We Don’t Need No Regulation: MP burnt – TOC: Discrediting the “new media” [...]
tew pu ki
This Lui is a useless guy. He wants everybody to praise Pap ? no way man. Pap is not God. Pap is not perfect, netizens can voice anything as this is a democratic country. Unless you say Singapore is rules by a dictator, and we have no rights of free speech. Do you Lui want Spore to be a dictator state?? The fact that Seng was attacked twice shows something is wrong with him, Lui should send Seng to IMH for examination !!
Andrew Loh
Melvin is right. I am not sure which blogs Lui Tuck Yew read but from what I see, I do not see any blogs which celebrated the vicious and senseless attack on MP Seng Han Thong.
I suspect that he got the wrong impression from the Straits Times interviewer.
In any case, it would only be right for the minister or the ST to name the blogs which are guilty instead of casting such unsubstantiated aspersions to taint and paint all bloggers as “extreme”.
In the last few years, in all the write-ups by the mainstream media on how negative and bad blogs and bloggers are, there have been no mention at all about any particular blogs or bloggers.
The strategy, it seems, is to discredit everyone and anyone who blogs on social issues.
Pandora.
Hi Melvin,
It’s a very good and timely article; also good analysis. But I feel that you seems to be a little bit defensive.
There is actually no need to be defensive about the whole matter. In fact, netizens should launch a counter-offensive to bring home the point. However, the counter-offensive needs not be rude, callous or overly polite – just be factual, logical and civil.
Food for thought.
Again, well done, Melvin! Keep up your good works!
Melvin Tan
Dear Hung Kim & Pandora,
Thank you for your views.
The “defensive” probably comes from defending netizens and bloggers. I do not think I have any grounds to regret doing so because I think I am speaking up for the majority based on what I have observed while those I mentioned referred to the very minority.
Thank you again.
Regards
Justice Bao
This Rear Admiral[Ret] Liu is NOT Minister Material. Period
angry_one
Logically speaking, the establishment wrongly labels New Media as a separate group of people with radial leanings. The new media is simply an empty vessel, a medium. The people who fill it with their opinions are normal people from many walks of life. If you get nasty comments from them, it simply means normal people are fed up with you!
rahman
futile attempts by PAP lackeys. only stupid singaporean will be con by PAP propaganda machine strait times into thinking that new media is not reliable and trustworthy.
aiyoyo
aiyoyo
should not have subscribe to online st omg
since new media not trust worthy
江湖险恶
aiyoyo
kingfisher
Pls sympathise with RADM Lui as he was just trying to earn as many brownie points as he can get from the Old Man before he kaputs. Not surprising about his behaviour as he hailed from the Navy, so he is an Aye Aye man, a pappy dog and a control freak! He has to wag his tail and bark even before his master comes into view. Aye, aye! Woof!
simpson
The new age of having Internet has been giving S’pore Govt many headaches.
Many MPs and their gangs have been following the internet info (especially those related to S’pore Govt ) very closely.
Don’t be surprise if the S’pore Govt shut down these website prior to election.
Propaganda News always surface in the Straits Times & other local media..
S’pore Govt loves to place Malaysia opposition as a living example. Whenever the Malaysia oppositions have any negative news: The Straits Times, TODAY, The New Paper will never fail to these place articles as the Headline news. The purpose is to play the Psychology Mind Game as telling the S’pore citizens that opposition party has no credibility.
Last election in 2008, Malaysia lost 5 states. S’pore Govt has been feeling uneasy since then.
thinktalk
We dont like to hear things that do not fit into our thinking. So if the writings on New Media are not what you wish to hear then you would react accordingly. The best way is to engage and not punish. Sooner or later if not now the main stream media will fade away..a formula has to appear so that the mainstream media is also dominant in the new media. Is that a good thing???
Mrthinktalk
I still think that those who contributed to blogs are far away from the masses. it is heavily skewed towards those in the younger group who are against anything authoritative. There is always that feel good factor when you say something against those in power and get away with it. The “i say something nasty about you.. you cannot catch me..you cannot catch me” feeling. With the introduction of iphone/ipods etc it would make it easier for ordinary folks to make comments including the older folks. Maybe the new media platform will then be more representative of the wishes of the people. The time to take more serious note of new media is NOW. Wait two years it would be too late to lock the stable!!
[...] my friend, Melvin Tan, pointed out, virtually no blogger took or expressed pleasure at the attack on Mr Seng. Thus, we [...]
George
The new media offer many Sinkaporean an alternative news source and an opportunity to express their feeling and views. Unless the ST which is nothing more then a political mouth piece of the PAP regime start reporting news fairly and impartially, less and less people will read them. Its news content on local matter had only one objective – to report exactly what PAP want . I had stopped reading the ST a long ago. It is no more difference compare to the People Daily of PRC. We are thoughtful citizen and it did not take us long to realise what we read in ST and what the views in the Street was totally difference. PAP’ policy that affected large section of the population negatively was never ever reported nor alternative view. The opposition party speeches were never reported accurately and impartially. This is NOT a free press but a PAP mouth piece. We had hear enough nonsense on TV and the last thing we need is to buy and read the same nonsense each day.
Here we go again. Another case of cover up the good staff and report the bad