6/05/2013
MDA’s clarification on new regulation
After Yaacob and Chuan Jin’s clarifications the MDA’s position on the new regulation has been sieved and some concerns are slightly clearer though not conclusive. Both have stated that the regulation is meant more specifically for news sites or sites that report regularly on Singapore news. Blogs are not the concerns of the new regime and bloggers are encouraged to keep on doing what they have been doing, writing commentaries about Singapore affairs.
Both are taking a kinder and conciliatory approach towards bloggers and were in a way telling the bloggers to keep commenting on local affairs and express their opinions. The Govt’s position, presumably they are expressing the real Govt’s position, is that bloggers or citizens have the right to discuss and comment on local affairs.
This is actually a new situation as it takes a more positive turn from the past when anyone commenting on local affairs was frown upon and may be visited by Sue. There was this over aching fear that something untowards could happen any time. The invisible hand of the dark side is always around the corner waiting to lash out at the most unsuspecting moment.
The lighter touch and the more accommodating posture of the Govt is noted and welcomed. Let’s hope this will stay and citizens are encouraged to participate in the affairs of the country and not seen as enemies of the Govt when they hold contrarian views or are critical of Govt policies. This departure is a little progress towards a more liberal and inclusive society.
Another point that was acknowledged by Yaacob and Chuan Jin is that the internet is not easy to regulate and a lot of works need to be done if the Govt ever intends to take on the big international news providers. So who is the Govt going after other than Yahoo Singapore? TRE and TOC have been cleared as not the target news sites, and they are not news sites at least for the time being. Both have exceeded the two criteria of reporting on Singapore news and the 50,000 IPs by more than a mile. Having confirmed the fate of two of the biggest local aggregators, these two sites would now be the barometer for other bloggers to gauge themselves if they have crossed the line vis a vis the new regime.
Some of the doubts and worries of the bloggers and internet community have been explained and the fear allayed. But more assurance is needed from the MOM to include provisions in the new regulation to exclude the bloggers if they are to sleep in peace. Would there be amendments directly on this regulation or would MOM wait till the major review of the Broadcasting Act next year as mentioned by Chuan Jin? Before the ink is dry, before anyone breathes a sigh of relief, anything can still happen. This new regulation is encompassing as cyberspace.
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24 comments:
What is there to prevent them from changing the rules after succeeding in putting a noose around netizen's neck? This is just the beginning of the start, not the end.
Never trust MIW!
As a govt, there is a need to conduct public relations exercise.
To make them look good and also make Sinkies feel good. Or rather from bad to less bad.
So that 60% Sinkies will continue to vote for PAP.
Anyway, what choice do Sinkies really have? Will it be better to vote WP as govt and Low Thia Khiang to become PM?
Tomorrow is Blackout Day for social media. Shall I black out my blog as well?
What do you think?
By winning 7 seats, Sinkies think WP is still the best opposition, even though WP is not even ready to be govt.
And WP leader Low Thia Khiang also has no ambition to be PM. So am I.
So is it good that I become PM?
Blackout Day or not, redbean blog blackout or not, what's the difference?
I mean the difference that really matter, of course.
By similar logic, just one vote. What's the difference? Does each vote matter? What do you think?
Vote wisely.
MDA will tighten the screw whenever GE is coming. This regulation is not a one off event.
Yep, it is not so simple as it seems to be. They don't rush into things without good reasons.
Every bloggers in town SHOULD blackout for a day.
So that every readers will experience what it is like to NOT have an alternative sites to go and read their news. It's the cold turkey approach, if you don't lose it, you won't realize how much you need your oxygen.
Go on, black the hell out for a day.
You will be missed.
Dear RB
here's a table that you will like:
The Most Over/Under-Valued Housing Markets In The World
Source:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-06-04/most-overunder-valued-housing-markets-world
Why are they so embarrassed to include Sin and HK?
Dear RB
Cannot include Singapore housing into the OECD table for comparison.
Singapore housing is "subsidized".
So such a comparison will give Singapore HDB flats an "unfair" advantage compared with the OECD countries.
ROFL.
redbean:
The list is for OECD cuntrees. There is NO WAY Singapore will join the OECD, and I suspect neither will Hong Kong, for "taxation" reasons. The OECD dislikes Singapore and HK because it says our taxes are too low/ we are tax haven. Also the OECD tries to "influence policy" in many member cuntrees. Singapore will have none of that.
However recently Singapore has agreed to "cooperate" and end tax secrecy, winning favour of the OECD, which has now placed Singapore on the "white list".
Yay. Singapore is one of the "good guys"! (according to the high priests at the OECD)
@837:
Many other cuntrees have housing subsidies, rent control, tax breaks, mortgage relief etc.
However I think Singapore is unique:
1. Your "subsidised" public leasehold flat is actually a serious financial asset
2. You can become a millionaire, or close to it, from public housing.
My faith in the government's "light touch" of the internet policy has been reduced by several orders of magnitude.
I don't trust 'em. I suggest bloggers not be too quick to do a "victory dance".
But wait, let's not entirely blame the government.
In a 2010 Project CRC Survey, commissioned by the MDA, 39% of Singaporeans polled think that censorship controls on the internet are TOO RELAXED
Source -scroll down to figures 9 & 10
Take the next Figure - 12 and observe the results from a 2012 Blackbox Research study:
33% of respondents want the TRE and Online Citizen to BE REGULATED LIKE ANY OTHER NEWS SOURCE
OK, first a caveat on "surveys". I find the science borderline at best and remain skeptical on the conclusions. Surveys are not controlled to any significant degree, the role of biases and heuristics also not controlled for, and the big red flag that says that there is NO WAY OF TELLING if people are being honest in their responses, or what the distribution -- socio economic, gender, industry sector, area of domicile, age, education, culture/ ethnicity etc etc of the sample of people.
That said, if we look at the surveys, it would indicate that there are more Singaporeans than you realise who want MORE CONTROLS on personal expression. About one third or more, using the results of the surveys mentioned.
As always, the more clarifications they give, the messier it becomes.
Hey, the grandmaster just made an appearance to tell you guys he is still alive hor. Maybe, when the explanation by the poodles fail to stem the criticisms, he will be trotted out to deflect the blows.
I think you should black out to show solidarity with your fellow bloggers.
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing".
"When bad men combine, the good must associate, else they fall one by one".
Both attributed to Edmun Burke.
ST Forum 06June
[Population conversation and reviews will continue]
Soffy Hariyanti (Ms)
Director (Corporate Communications)
National Population and Talent Division
Prime Minister's Office
"WE REFER to Mr Colin Loh's comments on the Population White Paper
('Hard to engage public if details are lacking'; Forum Online, last Thursday).
We will continue the population conversation
to collectively arrive at the appropriate balance.
Closer to 2020,
we will review the population projections and our policies again,
taking into account our changing circumstances and needs."
http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/population-conversation-and-reviews-will-continue-20130606
The current MDA's action is just a starter. The main dish will be just before the next GE2016 to prevent vote swing.
That is the idea. The PAP is famous for hiding sneaky tactics under the pretext of searching for an imaginery cure.
/// Both are taking a kinder and conciliatory approach towards bloggers and were in a way telling the bloggers to keep commenting on local affairs and express their opinions. ///
Let a hundred flowers bloom......
And then kaboom......
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Flowers_Campaign
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/226950.html
You still don't get in Redbean. What Yakult wants is to pass an all-encompassing regulatory law that allows him and only him (or the regulatory team appointed by him) to decide on a case-by-case basis whether any blog has crossed the line. In other words the Minister himself is the LAW.
This law empowering a Minister to decide on a case-by-case basis has been around already. For example, the Minister can decide to allow you to tint the windows of your car, even though in general no other person can do so. Another example: the Minister can allow you to put up a TV satellite dish in your home, although in general no one else can do so. There are too many such examples where the Minister is the Law who has the discretionary power to decide whether anyone can or cannot do anything.
Anon 6:42, Agree with your point. Just posted an article about this the point you raised.
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