6/05/2013

MDA – Loosening the G string


I sat through the live telecast of Talking Point on the issue of new licensing of online news sites. The most unbelieveable thing to happen in the programme is that the MDA personnel was not there, not Yaacob or Koh Lin Net but the Minister of MOM, Tan Chuan Jin. Isn’t this odd? Don’t tell me the new regulation was initiated and approved by Chuan Jin and he has to kuai kuai come out to explain his stand? Quite possible isn’t it? If I were Yaacob or Lin Net, even if my name is named after internet, I would not want to explain anything so unpopular if I have nothing to do with it. Your guess why Chuan Jin has to front this show.

What came through very clearly was that the regulation was rushed out without much thought, with many blanks left unanswered. Now they are going to relook at the details and to fill in the blanks. The main purpose is to target sites that are reporting on Singapore news and not so much about the right news. But right news still came out for some discussion and by the end of the show, no one really knows what is the right news or what is the right news all about.

The other point that came out clearly is that bloggers or individual websites will not be targeted. Then why was this not spelt out in the first place? Or is this an after thought, that bloggers were originally in the scheme of things? Imagine how much venom would have been taken out from the bloggers if from the first move the MOM clearly said bloggers will not be affected by the new regulation. It is still not too late to make an amendment to make it official that bloggers will not come under this regulation. Will the MOM just do that?

The truth is that MOM was not sure how things would develop and they wanted the provision that when blogs take on the characteristics of news site, reporting on Singapore news, then they will come under the regulation. Then I must say many bloggers will eventually come under the regulation despite the denial. Don’t trust me, let me explain. What if I keep reporting on the number of crocodiles in Sungei Buloh Wetland? Is that not reporting on Singapore news? What if I keep reporting about MRT jams or breakdowns as I take the train daily? Is that not reporting on Singapore news? There is no where to run when the definition of news is everything under the Singapore sky. Would MDA want to make this ‘Singapore News’ more specific?

Bertha Henson kept asking the minister what was the real intent of the regulation. And some callers asked a very simple question, ‘Is there anything that is not covered by existing regulations that made the rushing out of this new regulation that necessary and urgent?’ Anything criminal, defamatory or inciting violence on racial and religious issues are fully covered by existing laws. Then why ah? Why in such a hurry to rush out this regulation without making sure that the G string is properly tied and in the right place. Now the G string is found to be too tight and a lot of loosening and readjusting will need to be done, exposing many embarrassing holes and parts that should not be exposed.

What is the real intent of pulling this G string?

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amazing things would surface when a person is desperate. There is no real reason so please do not push him to the edge. It is just a desperate move to show he is worth the million salary.

Anonymous said...

"...the MDA personnel was not there, not Yaacob or Koh Lin Net but the Minister of MOM, Tan Chuan Jin. Isn’t this odd?"
redbean

Not really lah. Maybe the Govt thought Chuan Jin has the best PR skills among them lah, and so Sinkies may even like him the most also.

Remember how Chuan Jin had talked about action will be taken against job discrimination for Sinkies? That's a good one.

So another good one for him should surely be how to explain this MDA licensing thing to Sinkies, tio bo?

Maybe redbean still don't feel good after this but we don't know about the others, especially the 43% who voted PAP in a by election and maybe even more now.

This is their preparation and road to 2016.

And what has best opposition WP been doing about all this? Still thinking PAP govt is competent?

oldhorse42 said...

"...the MDA personnel was not there, not Yaacob or Koh Lin Net but the Minister of MOM, Tan Chuan Jin. Isn’t this odd?"
redbean

Yacob is already a full Minister earning his millions. You cannot make him work any harder. After all the action to license internet news sites may not have come from him. The CEO of MDA just bought a $10 million property and must not be distracted from her private enjoyment of the property. Whereas Ah Jin is only acting minister. He could be counted upon to handle unpleasant task not in his portfolio if he wanted to be confirmed in his current post.

Anonymous said...

Pass the buck.

Anonymous said...

Strategy lah.

Knowing that the people now loathe Khaw Boon Wan and Yacoob Ibrahim so very much, they cannot afford to let these Two talk too much anymore.
Anyway this Tan Chuan Jin does leave quite a favourable impression to many. At present he is the only one that gets the least cursed and spitted at in Sin.

Anymore public sermon by Khaw Boon Wan, Yacoob Ibrahim, Lim Swee Say, DPM Teo Chee Hean, Teo Ho Pin, Grace Fu, Goh Chok Tong and the Prime Minister will evoke a sense of displeasure so strong that PAP will collapse for sure in the Next General Election.
PAP is now at its most desperate and vulnerable position and it simply cannot affort to antagonize and irritate the Citizens anymore.
So now other sweet talkers like Amy Khor and Company will be doing more public relation with the People. They wont be able to repair or salvage much but, do the best they must.

The Day Of Reckoning has arrived.

Anonymous said...

"What is the real intent of pulling this G string?"

RB.
Seriously? You don't know?

The Singapore plane has been flying on auto-pilot for more than 5 years now.
It's not going anywhere.
It's just flying around in a circular pattern around Changi Airport.
Pilots call it a holding pattern.

What is the problem?
The 1st generation pilot is no longer able to fly.
The 2nd generation auto-pilot is emeritus already.
The 3rd generation auto-pilot has lost its compass. Has a tendency to read maps upside down.
The 4th generation autopilot has an American accent. Has acquired too much foreign content in its inner workings.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I am putting on a big innocent smile.

Anonymous said...

Ask Mr Tan CJ one simple question, does he support the new regulations. Yes or no?


Anonymous said...

Creativity requires critical thinking.

But PAPigs' political ideology will not allow critical thinking.
That is why creative industries will never take root in Singapore ... as long as we have a PAP government.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

I agree with 845. The manpower fella is more a "people's person".

You can make a safe bet: the PAP plays a strategic game. However like most strategies, sometimes you get BACKFIRE ;-)

>> What came through very clearly was that the regulation was rushed out without much thought, with many blanks left unanswered.

Never discount the possibility of "gasak buta". I think also the level of backlash caught them by surprise.

Or maybe... they're "testing the waters".

Who knows, really?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Speaking of loose G strings, has anyone seen those nude Jamie Ang shots? She's such a SYT. Delicious ;-) Apparently she has a liking for bananas :-)

Anonymous said...

With a massive 40% of the popular votes won in the last elections, oppositions voices are continued to be excluded in a media controlled by them.

Anonymous said...

Maybe some people are camera shy, even though they may be ministers or CEOs.

Because if you are minister or CEO, say something wrong only is 20 times more malu than an ordinary Joe.

Why? Ordinary Joe only earns $2K per month.
Minister or CEO may earn at least $40K per month. That's why 20 times more malu lah.

Anonymous said...

The Prime Minister being head of government, has to give the nod first for such a grave issue.

Why don't he explain the rationale behind it ?

Anonymous said...

There is no public consultation whatsoever making a mockery out of their so called 'national conversation'.

The minister is representing the govt in the talk show to 'sell' the new regulations, it no debate, afterall the decison has been made already!!











Anonymous said...

What is point having talking show when 'rice is already cooked'?

This should not must not be the way it works in a democracy. This is serious turn of events.

It should the other way round.

Please once the internet is crushed, more misinformtion will start to surface in the state-controlled media.

Anonymous said...

Like MS, I am more interested in G string.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

My "conspiracy mind" is starting to play up.

Maybe they are "Blackboxing". i.e. treat the socio-politico realm as a "black box", apply a "signal" to the input (i.e. bring in a controversial law) and then measure and observe the "output" (i.e. reaction of individuals and groups of humans).

Record and analyse the data. Singapore very good at data mining.

Before GE 2016, really hantam everyone with non-nonsense regulation. Reason: national and domestic security.

Did you read the "right thing" today? No? YOU BAD CITIZEN!

Anonymous said...

Do we trust the PAP anymore?

Now that the licensing scheme is just being put up, they will give all the assurances needed to pacify the objections. As someone said, the fear is about what comes after and when they will expand the catch beyond the ten sites. As I said earlier, can we trust the PAP anymore? So many things started with so many good reasons but ended up skewed beyond our wildest imagination.

I am sure this is another one of those schemes that is formulated with good intentions.

Anonymous said...

Correction

Should read 'I am sure this is another one of those schemes that is formulated without good intentions'

Sorry for the error.

Anon 2.27 pm

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

With this regulation in tact, what can be done to the bloggers during the hustlings in the next GE?

The bloggers could be scrambling daily to delete their blogs. Just a soft touch, no penalties or whatsoever. Just deleting and deleting and deleting. That could keep the blogger very busy.

What do you think?

Anonymous said...

Half of sinkies are males that went through NS so getting a general to talk will ensure total manipulation and total submission of these men. Compulsory NS is afterall a brainwashing exercise. Sinkies men are kiasu, kiasi, kia general.

Anonymous said...

The Authority is 'testing water' now. It will collate all the Reactions and then analyse them to come up with a water tight formula that will gag dissent to the maximun in a 'very nice and cordial' manner.
The tactic is to muzzle the dissidents gently and diplomatically. A foxy way to to silent dissent

高明但陰险。

Edmund Lim said...

@ RB:

//"What is the real intent of pulling this G string?"//


慧与机!

慧,在于因时。

机,在于应事。

兵不顿而利可全。

善攻者,敌不知其所守;善守者,敌不知其所攻。微乎微乎,至于无形;神乎神乎,至于无声

Anonymous said...

The usual tactic of the PAP is to get a foothold on anything first. Once that is settled, they will find ways to utilise the foothold to tighten whatever they think is to their advantage. Then they will start the squeezing. First the mouth, the throat and finally even the balls are squeezed flat and dry.

A perfect example is the Union.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@1033:

>> finally even the balls are squeezed flat and dry.

Not finished yet. They will then make you pay a fee for their "services".

The said...

I think the G-men realized that this Yakult guy cannot handle the G string, oops, I mean he cannot handle the truth or the audience or the panelists. So, there send in Tan CJ who, among the newbies, at least has a modicum of EQ. Yet, he still stumbles badly - can't really blame him as it is not his baby.

Now, drop the G string, babe.