And that is how whole society regresses and rots away at the expense of all but a few (bigots) who choose to believe the “whole world” is wrong excepting themselves.

First, they burn books.

Next, they will burn human beings.

Would they take to beating up protesters and those reporting with audio-visual equipment next?

There are many ways to skin a cat with technology the way it is.

Singaporeans have to re-learn the bitter lesson of not supporting a strong opposition. This is what will continue to happen if Singaporeans remain politically apathetic, the “Tida Apa” attitude and let them decide as long as we have “lobangs” to make money and be rich.

Your children and your children’s children will suffer because you do not care.

Likewise, even with this censorship in place there is no stopping from captured images of political controversy to surface in the internet. Unless you have a total ban on Internet usage. So, it is indeed a silly proposition to try to pretend to be liberal where in fact they are reinforcing their original stands in the guise of “UNCHALLENGED” legislation to ensure that they are “conservatively correct”. This tactic probably will work in the older days (I am one of the many older, naive Singaporeans who had only voted once in more than 5 decades) where the only source of news are controlled. It will be viewed as just another wayang for the non-apathetic Singaporeans.

The more educated Singaporeans are, the harder it is for the government to exercise full censorship. Whatever law is being enforced, you cannot mandate a person’s thinking nor can you mandate his will to spread the words legally. We are not dumb neither are we deaf. (apathetic Singaporeans are exception though). Time will come and it is indeed the best attesting element seemingly fitting for this Tiny Red Dot. That makes me wonder, whatif Hollywood decided to make a film for public consumption and the story line is based largely on you know what….that will be pretty interesting (but may be, the producer may think it is an entirely waste on resources to film about a Tiny Red Dot where there are more exciting materials to choose from.

My final advice to people at large, just ignore this episode. It is not worth your time to further exploration for something that we already knew what the out-come would be regardless of “tweak” public discourse for a selected few.

You should not give too much attention to this thingy. Even their own scholars will find it hard to gel the different conflicting logics of this sh**. Sometimes, it is quite fun to see our anoited ones behaving in such childish immature manner. Mer-liar, where areeeeeee you. Mer-liar, Mer-liarrrrrrr are you arounnnnnnnnd.

You have already answered it yourselves my friend – the words “idiotic rigid respect”. Symbols are static however we give lives to it. And yes, we need to lossen up.

Sometimes, the problem does not lie with you and me but in some other groups who may feel insecure and need to puff up their chests to let you know loudly that everything is under control.

It is just like a bubble and you should know what will happen when a bubble gets too big.

If CNN or BBC or even CNA shoots it and makes it a breaking news item, they be breaking the law too?

How then are we different from the Burmese, who had to secretly shoot and upload pictures of the monks protesting on the streets, risking arrest for doing so? With such rules how is our media different from N Korea’s, which only lets you hear “only the good stuff” about the exploits of the perpetual ruling party and its great/dear leader?

As an ordinary citizen (i.e. non partisan), I am highly disappointed that a self-touted first-class government (who also sees fit to remunerate itself as such) has to enact sweeping and ambiguous laws just to deal with a couple of dissenting voices. Furthermore It is not even as-if these figures command wide support of the majority who are conservative men-on-the-street.

It is strange that the government hasn’t the open-mindedness or the maturity to accept that no matter how successful they are (or think they are), when asking for genuine feedback, there will always be one or two detractors who see it from the opposite point of view. What were they expecting? Citizens lining along the streets, standing at attention and clapping their hands in unison?

And I am highly disturbed that such laws are being passed seemingly at the snap of the fingers without considering the wider implications on our nation. As a Singaporean I cannot in good conscience fathom how such laws can be for the greater good of the country.

It is highly ironic that the government is always preaching to the people to adapt and upgrade their skills to stay relevant in increasingly difficult times. But the government itself seems doing things with the same approach year after year even while circumstances have totally changed – here are tactics not unlike those used to deal with “enemies of the state” circa 1965.

But who really is the “enemy”?

I bet if you put up a mongrel dog vs a pap candidate these days, you will get votes for the dog.

“If No.1 is not feasible – only through the ballot box”

Yes, it appears to be the avenue that would remain eventually.

So cast your vote wisely. And if you can influence your family members/friends, that would be a huge plus.

Otherwise, seriously, this place is doomed. Citizens have no more rights or voice.

This law is so ambiguous you can turn around in an A380 in it and still serve cocktails without spilling.

WAKE UP GOVERNMENT>>>WAKE UP…

YES what you hear on the internet is not credible and that diversity is only encouraged when all the views are diverse ways that your party has succeeded.

Are you even listening to your people?

Liu and the other higher mortal are afraid of losing their iron rice bowl in the coming election. Thus they need a new law, to protect them from losing battle, regardless of moving our society backyard.

Y’know, honestly, I have this naggin feelin that during election, we will see the opposition party’s films being banned for being too ‘dramatic’ or ‘distorted’ whereas we will see PAP’s ‘factual’ and ‘objective’ films about how good and popular the PM is on the TV…do they have to stoop so low? They dont see the long term damage that they are doing.

Agree. We are more effective than the official (PA, PAP) grassroots. We believe in what we say.