The following is the speech made by Ravi Philemon, on behalf of TOC, at the recent 2009 Year In Review event at the Post Museum. (More pictures of the forum here.)
Ravi Philemon
At the close of the year 2008, one of The Online Citizen’s (TOC) writers, Benjamin Seah said that 2008 was the year of the blogger-activist. If 2008, was the year of the blogger-activist, 2009 was surely the year of the activist-blogger.
TOC took on the role of an activist by putting out editorial positions and speaking out in 2009, for foreign workers through the Foreign Workers Focus Week; for the bridging of the divide between the government and blogosphere; against the Marxist Conspiracy and the continued relevance of the ISA; against the Film’s Act; for Siew Kum Hong – for him to be kept in parliament; against the Public Order Bill and the restrictions it places on the constitutional right of the citizen for expression and assembly; for the government to adopt greener land transport alternative; for Temasek to be more transparent on its investments and losses; and against the media silence on Vui Kong – describing it as a national shame.
We covered the recently concluded COP15 or the United Nations Climate Change Conference and our representative, Donaldson Tan, flew to Thailand to cover the ASEAN People’s Forum and the ASEAN Summit. In Thailand, he was nominated to represent the economic interest of the youth sector in ASEAN.
And who can forget our live coverage of the AWARE saga – our servers crashed a few times that day.
We crashed George Yeo’s meet-the-people session at the McDonald’s and reported that he simplified the Burmese problems as ‘a very deep family dispute’.
We were the first to report many breaking news including the installation of CCTVs in Hong Lim Park.
An Indonesian acquaintance who came to know that I was a writer for TOC, told me that he read TOC to know what really happened with David Widjaja – he said that he did not trust the mainstream media’s report on the incident.
We critiqued the various parties’ National Day messages and got criticised by some for it.
Our article, “Is Hokkien my Mother Tongue?’, [written by Alfian Sa'at] was widely read and re-printed in the Straits Times.
We covered almost every alternative voice in Singapore – from exclusive interviews with NMPs like Viswa Sadasivan, to the 25 years in Parliament celebration of Chiam See Tong, from opposition walkabouts to interviews about youth in politics.
We wrote fearlessly about the CPF, HDB, electricity price hikes, unemployment, discrimination of the disabled, plight of the homeless and so on.
In 2009, a reader – Lionel De Souza – urged the Media Development Authority to take action against TOC for igniting the flames of religious disharmony.
Then there was Janet Wee, who emailed the Singapore Police Force (with copies to the Attorney General Chambers, as well as Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew) asking them to investigate TOC, for carrying an article with “seditious remarks about Mr Lee”.
Not forgetting our own internal drama – where Andrew resigned (temporarily) but came back, only this time as the Chief Editor; the leaving of writers like Benjamin Seah and Tan Kin Lian and editors like Gerald Giam and Deborah Choo.
Zheng Xi, one of the founders of TOC, is our Editor-at-Large, giving of his time even as he pursues his studies in New York University.
In 2010, we will have a new look – look out for it. We will have a focus week on discrimination in Singapore. We will also have a JBJ Special on his birthday on 5th January.
Thank you for supporting TOC these last 3 years. In 2010, we will try and become semi-professional and move closer towards advocacy journalism.
We of course will have to count on your support in 2010 and in the years to come for TOC to continue to mature and to be a voice for the voiceless, and to truly be a community of Singaporeans.
Thank you.
*We also held one of our most successful events in May of 2009 – the blogging seminar which saw a full house turn-out. (See here and here.)
Related posts:
- SPF should build strong community partnerships in cyberspace
- Self-regulation by the blogging community: why not?
- Changes tactics to battle community transmission
- Travails of a community cat lover: the Bishan case
- Award-winning director’s take on community
Parliament will sit on Monday, 11 January 2010, at 1.30 pm.
I hope TOC can cover some of the topics to be discussed.
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/AboutUs/ParlHouse-Visit.htm
The Order Paper lists the agenda for the day’s sitting at the House.
It will be available online a day before the sitting.
The Official Report of a Parliament sitting will be available on the website within 7 working days after the adjournment of a sitting.
I only now realise that TOC had ran article about the Marxist Conspiracy in May 2009. It seems this is an episode that the gahmen would rather not remember.
What I heard – from one of the “Marxists” – is that when the Internal Security Department celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2008, it held an exhibition showcasing all its works and achievements and there was not a single mention of the Marxist Conspiracy saga.
Happy New Year to all of you.
What is yoru enxt step in opposition evolution in this new decade?
3) Lai CF on January 1st, 2010 11.51 am
TOC is not a political party.
((We were the first to report many breaking news including the installation of CCTVs in Hong Lim Park.))
Correction. It was SDP that reported first the CCTV installation!
http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/2584-police-put-up-camera-at-speakers-corner
did the MSM mentioned about 2009 being the year where bloggers succeeded in waking up many apathetic citizens? To be fair, i feel that, the majority apathetics , who to me are pathetic, still have not woken up. I wonder are newbies apathetic as well?
keep up the good work TOC and TR!
Luckily, there is TOC. The MSM report on 2009 events is different from this TOC article. So, my point is Alternative media is necessary as it supplements if complements the MSM.
We need to know everything.
TOC should stop using the tagline “A Community Of Singaporeans” as it is highly misleading…
At best, TOC can only represent the vocal minority who like to oppose for the sake of opposing everything and anything, sometimes without clear objectivity and relevance. It is hence, not a representation of the silent majority!
It is also only qualified to claim itself as the site for “A Community of Singapore Homosexuals” for it disgusting support of homosexual activities in Singapore.
Last but not least, it can also call itself “A Community of Singapore Traitors” for its support of SDP’s continue use of foreign influences and pressure groups to run down Singapore at every given opportunity!
“TOC should stop using the tagline “A Community Of Singaporeans” as it is highly misleading…”
Could you please define the quantitative test (or the abstractly qualitative test if you are able to find one) for the use of the word ‘Community’ to be justified.
8) Lee See Yung on January 1st, 2010 12.42 pm
I believe that there are also PRs and foreign talents who are also on this site.
I’m sure there are many people who do not agree with PAP policies, but have kept quiet because they have no choice. A lot of people suffer in silence.
A lot of PAP policies are also not very clear and does not represent the needs of Singaporeans.
I believe that the SDP are not traitors but are concerned citizens whose views should also be respected. In fact the PAP are the ones trying to run them down, including any foreign influence that they perceive to be tarnishing to their image.
TOC rocks! Keep up the good work!
8) Lee See Yung on January 1st, 2010 12.42 pm :
Hiya Lee See Yung,
Perhaps you’d like to contribute an opinion piece of your own detailing the instances where TOC has “opposed for the sake of opposing” .. or have published articles “without clear objectivity and relevance”?
Personally I consider TOC to be one of the more balanced in their investigation and subsequent analysis of affairs in Singapore.
4) Donaldson on January 1st, 2010 12.11 pm 3) Lai CF on January 1st, 2010 11.51 am
What is yoru enxt step in opposition evolution in this new decade?
TOC is not a political party.
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If Tan Kin Lian and Leong Sze Hain decided to participate in GE2011, what then is TOC?
13) Lai CF on January 2nd, 2010 11.44 am
According to TOC’s “About Us” Section, TOC is a blog site which endeavours to reflect the views and opinions of ordinary Singaporeans. It is a platform which welcomes contributions from the man in the street, the average citizen who is concerned about issues facing our country. TOC endeavours to be a Community of Singaporeans – concerned citizens who care enough to express their views. Tan Kin Lian and Leong Sze Hian are concerned citizens regardless whether they participate in the coming General Election. Participating in the General Election does not change anything about TOC.
I hope TOC can interview the leaders of Student Political societies in NUS/NTU etc.
I hope they can also include some reviews of the articles written in university student run magazines.
Will TOC cover this event?
Men in Black or White: History as Media Event in Singapore
Date: 16 Jan 2010
Time: 14:30 – 18:00
Venue: The National Library Building
The POD, Level 16
100 Victoria Street Singapore 188064
Organisers: Prof CHUA Beng Huat , Dr SAI Siew Min
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=1003