Wednesday, September 2, 2009 0:08
LTA’s “palpable panic” over news leak
In Andrew Loh, Main Stories • 3,212 views • 26 Comments
Andrew Loh
Straits Times (ST) journalist, Mr Christopher Tan, wrote on his blog in the STonline website:
“NEWS of the enhanced off-peak car (OPC) scheme is probably talk of the motoring town now.
But an unfortunate incident leading up to the announcement of the new and improved scheme – designed to persuade car owners to convert their rides to red-plates – proved to be far more exciting to the newsroom last Friday night.”
That “unfortunate incident” Mr Tan referred to was the news that there were going to be changes to the OPC scheme. The Minister for Transport, Mr Raymond Lim (picture above) , was to make the announcement of the changes at an event on Sunday. Reporters who were invited to the LTA’s briefing on Friday about the changes were told that the news of the changes was to be embargoed till after the Minister had spoken and announced them. It was to be so secret that “no one was supposed to call motor industry players for comments, in case they inadvertently informed them of the changes,” Mr Tan explained in his blog entry.
But the news was posted on the Land Transport Authority’s website on the same Friday. And by the evening, it was all over the Internet.
This meant that the “thunder”, as Mr Tan put it, was stolen from the Minister’s speech which was planned for Sunday. And it seemed all hell broke loose in the newsroom of the Straits Times. “The Straits Times newsroom was shocked,” Mr Tan wrote, “and everyone scrambled to find out what had happened and whether the news should then be run the next day (Saturday) as the leak had already spread far and wide.”
The LTA, naturally, too was shocked and started an investigation into the leak. Eventually, the embargo was lifted and the news of the OPC changes was reported on Sunday.
What is interesting to note is one, Mr Tan described that “the authority’s [LTA] panic was palpable” when it learned of the leak. Panic? Palpable? One wonders why the news leak of changes to a car scheme would incite such a reaction from the LTA. Disappointed would be a more appropriate reaction, I feel.
Second, it is interesting to note that the LTA first rejected the Straits Times’ request to publish the news, since it’s now been leaked. The LTA later relented. But this was because the Minister himself, as Mr Tan said, “was gracious enough to agree to the embargo lift.”
Lastly, when the incident happened “it caused real tension on Friday”, according to Mr Tan. The paper was uncertain if it could publish the news of the changes as the deadline to print was approaching. Real tension? For news of changes to a car scheme?
Or was the LTA more concerned that the Minister’s thunder had been stolen and that he would have nothing “new” to announce on Sunday? That is, was the LTA’s concern more about the Minister for Transport now looking bad or that its own embargo had been breached, by its own people?
But why would such news be embargoed in the first place? The only reason would be so that the minister has something to announce to the public and thus, look good, isn’t it?
Either way, it doesn’t look too good on the LTA for having its own embargo breached, by its own people.
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26 Comments
someone
Yamamoto
Is this minister the guy who say that public transport pricing are not pledged to oil pricing? that speaks volume
ApApA
Same goes to GDP numbers. Our LHL always has the previlege to review it and strategize their speech to engage Singaporeans even before MTI officially releases it.
Accuracy of GDP numbers? That’s another question…
Raba Raba
I thought this guy told people to do take do the BMW (Bus, MRT, Walk)…. what’s happening? Now he wants people to really buy a BMW and add to the congestion on weekends?
This episode highlights a number of uniquely Singaporean bureaucratic features:
1. Tight integration of press with government. No other democratic government tells the press anything unless they intend for the news to become public that instant. Besides, “news” is the job of the press isn’t it?
2. Our government machinery is paranoid and has no sense of perspective. If they reacted like this to a leak about transportation policy, what then would they do in the event of a national security leak?
3. Inflexibility and inability to adapt. Anywhere else, if something leaks, everyone picks it up. It is already public. Only in Singapore would the press continue to ask for permission to cover something that is public. Only in Singapore would the government have the gall to say “no” initially.
4. The (highly selective) Blame Game. This has not happened yet, so it is speculation on my part. I think the leak was a genuine mistake. The information was probably available internally at the LTA and some guy was told to put it up by Sunday. That guy either missed the part about “no sooner than Sunday” or he was not told about it. Being a hardworking, no-questions-asked Singaporean, I bet he decided to do his job efficiently and put it up on Friday … I mean, who reads the LTA web site over the weekend right? My prediction: This poor smoe or his supervisor will be “it”. There will be no “move on, it is an honest mistake” where they are concerned.
Ryvyan
Lol this is such a tiny matter which blew up because of how the government people handled the leak. Imagine what would happen if they rule the count… OH WAIT.
Pimps And Prostitutes
Perhaps “panic” was just a poor choice of words by the writer, which, unfortunately, put the LTA in poor light for reacting in such manner.
This incident brings to mind a word that I had long forgotten about: GABRA!
LOL! Can imagine a;; the “Gabra-kings” at LTA as well as ST, not knowing what to do. This is a sad state of affairs. Without permission from the Minister, people are lost.
An editor with balls would have just published the story and attributed it to the source – the LTA website. Instead, like a gabra-king army recruit, the person stood at attention and shouted out loud: “Permission to carry on, SIR!!!!”
Gabra King
” Only in Singapore would the press continue to ask for permission to cover something that is public. ”
They work for the same boss, remember?
The next GE must be pretty close. The party is now rolling out all the ‘feel good’
schemes and ‘offers’ to buy votes. Just sit back and watch more ‘goodies’ being
rolled out. It cannot indulge in last election tactics of giving money away since
its a bad period and the PM’s wife who was so powerful (5th, if I remember correctly) she could make billions disappear overnight!
I wonder what’s next, or whose (ministry) turn it is next?
More read
Some original version statements have been posted in mrbrown.com. He managed to capture them. Good read and funny by LTA folks, again.
Gone the way of the toking cok?
Where has Mr Brown gone ?
oh, he got sponsored to UK.
Is he rich already?
He said before in a talk, he is not poor.
Harrison
Fellow Singaporeans,
With the incentive to drive all day on Saturdays, we can be assured of a big rise in weekend cars but do not expect a reduction in demand for the non red-plated cars.
In other words, the government’s aim is to increase car ownership (1st, 2nd, 3rd car, etc) which will fill the carparks and of course the roads. In due time, carpark charges will increase, more road tax, registration, ERP, etc, etc, etc, revenues.
Remember we are heading for a 6 million plus population. The road ahead for us will be full of congestion even on weekends.
Dumb and dumber
To 1) someone
“may i know what’s the difference between the initial OPC scheme and the new enhanced OPC scheme? ”
See below – Enhancements To The Off-Peak Car (OPC) Scheme
http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=2181
Extract:
1. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is pleased to announce that it has completed its review of the Off-Peak Car (OPC) scheme and will be implementing the following three initiatives to enhance the OPC scheme:
(a) e-Day Licence to replace the current paper licence, which offers greater flexibility with more channels for purchase and post usage payment;
(b) Revisions to the OPC scheme to allow unrestricted usage on Saturdays and on the eves of 5 public holidays; and
(c) Cash Rebates for conversion of normal cars to the new OPC scheme of up to $1,100 for every six months’ registration as an OPC.
prettyplace
The ST is really behaving like dogs….what news is this…some silly weekend car scheme…
The Minister has to have thunder…in announcing this news…what bullshit….ST has to panic…LTA do not know what to do…hey wake up guys…..
Shows how silly and petty you boys are getting. And
Raymond Lim….better wake up as well..the MRT is getting too crowded….can’t even stand. Bus routes are wee bit too long, let them take the expressway.
Pimps And Prostitutes
#11 wrote: “Remember we are heading for a 6 million plus population. The road ahead for us will be full of congestion even on weekends.”
No need to wait for 6 million. Already, the MRT and buses are congested not just during peak hours but sometimes close to midnight and also on weekends.
BUT… if you recall, some months ago the $m,mmm,mmm Transport Minister cited STATISTICS in Parliament which say that, even at the peak of peak hour in the most crowded section of the NS MRT line, the MRT is still not crowded enough and can accommodate about 100+ more passengers per car.
The ST even carried an illustration showing how spacious and comfortable the MRT is during peak hours, with just four (if I remember correctly) persons per square metre, compared to Tokyo, HK etc that are much more packed.
Imagine yourself, after being unable to board three MRT trains, finally get on the 4th to find yourself packed like sardines… and then (with great difficulty) you bring up your newspaper to read this report and see the “cartoon” drawing.
NoNo
# 5) Lee Chee Wai on September 2nd, 2009 2.42 am
“3. Inflexibility and inability to adapt. Anywhere else, if something leaks, everyone picks it up. It is already public. Only in Singapore would the press continue to ask for permission to cover something that is public. Only in Singapore would the government have the gall to say “no” initially.”
You forgot that Val Chua, a TODAY reporter, was sacked and TODAY’s editor was summoned by MM Lee’s press secretary for a scolding because Val had ACCURATELY reported on MM Lee’s speech in which MM recounted his experience in London when his wife suffered a stroke.
Singapore’s newspapers are rated 156th in the world by Freedom House …………
Yamamoto
well, for them, to have a maximise profit, it is to carry as much people as possible on the least possible frequency of train to earn max profit
Good of Chris Tan to spell out in his blog the weird happenings in LTA and the ST newsroom. He should become the LTA’s favorite son soon – if he isn’t already one.
We need more people like Chris Tan in journalism, able to make a joke of the silliness of bureacracy gone burea-CRAZY.
ltalanlan
what is the problemo?
well for a start whatever opc cpo cop thinggie, the lta minister want to release on a weekend sunday speeches to show singapooriums he cared by introducin new budget scheme for car owners also to boost popularity lark…
by the way…didn’t a few years back the ex-lta minister was thinkin of shuttin down the redplate thinggie? so many NUTS inside lta mey?
loop
The press should be given more freedom to publish news that are meant for the public. Why should they ask for permission?
George
Totalitarian come to mind when the supposedly “Free Press” had to ask permission to publish a piece of news which had already been in the public domain.One would beg the question – is the news carry “national security” implication? If it is not, then we must draw our own conclusion what sort of government have we here? They claimed they are the best brains in the country and duly paid accordingly. Is it all hot air and no substance?Are we still the guilible citizen like our forefathers?
Yang
Sorry guys, what do you want the press in s’pore to do. They are all own by the gov. Do all of you know who are those board of directors sitting in SPH? Check their web site and will tell everything.
This is the way how the PAP gov. control the media inorder to suit them in reporting. But they forget that now we have internet and other form of communication to spread the news faster. So TOC, keep up with the good work and guys please share this web to as many people as possible. Especially the young ones. Thank you.
letin
of course LTA suck up to the minister who suck up to PM who suck up to MM. this is the whole grand of singapore suck up inc
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 2 Sep 2009
[...] of your Minister’s bosses – mrbrown: ST Blogs: Internet steals minister’s thunder – TOC: LTA’s “palpable panic” over news leak – Tan Kin Lian’s Blog: Running the [...]
The “embargo” practice is prevailent in gahmen news as I undertsand.
Perhaps, anyone who have access to such “embargoed” news should post it in the web way before the embargo date rather than waitng for ST to publish, thia will effectively make it impossible to embargo news meant for the public.
tiredsingaporean
expect more and more shocking changes to be annouced from the various ministries, guess they are preparing to rip in more $$$ to cover for those $Billions losses whether you like it or not, what can you people do? LL right?
wika
*sniff* I smell more erp charges. now encourage people to switch to opc, after then new report come in, traffic congestion during off peak hours. hmm so how? oh yah, there’s ERP! *cha-ching*
may i know what’s the difference between the initial OPC scheme and the new enhanced OPC scheme?