a new dimension in cyberspace

The little war between CNA and Singapore Elections is an example of what the future of the media is like. The long entrenched and preserved territory of the media, once strongly guarded of the selected few, to wield the mighty pen to influence the masses is now being challenged. No longer can the media blow its trumpet and sing its tune with immunity. When they talked nonsense, they will be exposed. Just like the election when politicians talked nonsense, immediately people pounced on them and amplified their loose talks in the cyberspace. Singapore Elections is claiming that CNA had used their pics and doctored them. CNA is saying no. The details are in the Singapore Elections forum. Wow, the media being made to account for what they are doing. Before this development, the media is the boss and print what they like. You may complain if you don't agree, but if they don't response, nothing will be heard and no one will know. Internet has changed all that. They cannot ignore you, in this case Singapore Elections has its own platform to tell the world. Things are getting interesting.

magic of internet and digital photo

The combination of internet plus digital photography is really powerful. Someone shot a few dirty pictures of Marine Parade and posted in Sammyboy. The pictures glorified the litters, rubbish and walls with peeling paintworks. Immediately the town council sprang into action and all the disfigurements, graffittis and dirty spots were attended to by contractors. No MPs worth their salt will be able to live in peace when pictures of their badly maintained estate is floating aroung in the internet. And this same magical tool can be used in other areas as well. Wow, it used to be posting a complaint in the Straits Times forum to get a response. But that way you got to be lucky if the paper publishes it. Otherwise, nothing heard, nothing needs to be done. Now with internet, blogs and forums, sure to be posted and be seen. This is efficiency Singapore style, or internet style.

acjc student blogger warned by teacher

gayle goh, an acjc student engaged bilahari kausikan, 2nd perm sec of foreign affairs on an issue concerning retraining of old workers. the perm sec took the trouble to discuss the issue with her and even encouraged her to be critical in her views. but she was warned by her schoolmates and teachers that her blog deals with social and political issues. what more can i say about the mindset of the young singaporeans when the kiasi attitude is etched in them when they are in school. no discussion on socio political issues. how to change this when on the other hand a top civil servant is trying to encourage our young to speak out.

unfair trading practices by banks

While NTUC Coop is restructuring their business model to cut the cost of selling insurance products, it did not count on the 'hard sell methods' of banks to get customers. When banks use hard sell or unfair tactics to improve sales, should this be questioned? And this is what Tan Kin Lian is doing. Then there is also the new Fair Trading Acts coming into force soon which is supposed to level the playing field and prevent unfair trading practices. For those who advocate a laissez faire environment, they may say it is ok. Any organisation can leverage on their strength to gain market share, like hard sell method' or 'dumping' or undercut the competitors by unfair pricing or inducements. The selling of insurance by high pressure tactic as mentioned by Tan Kin Lian is one of such examples. Another example is for banks to offer below the market commission to retain, attract or capture new customers. This is exactly what some banks are doing, selling some products by underpricing the market and make their profits from their main products. Are such practices ethical and tolerable under the Fair Trading Acts? What would happen is that such practices will destroy the jobs of those businesses with dedicated professionals or agents, and thus causing job loss. It will in the long run also destroy the market as well. This is an area which the govt can do to prevent job loss and curb the Levianthan in the banks. It is the muscling out of small players by big boys and has nothing to do with efficiency and professionalism. And the govt has a duty to protect the small guys from such unfair practices. Unless the govt sees the destruction of jobs as a good thing and authorise or encourage the banks to keep doing what they are doing.

Mudslinging by Mahathir.

A DVD is selling on the streets and pasar malams with contents showing Mahathir attacking the Malaysian govt. He accused the govt of lacking courage and the country going to the dogs. By saying that the govt is lacking courage, he is actually calling all those in govt as cowards. And by saying the latter, he is saying that the country is run by dogs. This is a very offensive terminology in a muslim country when dogs or angin are tabooed in the religion, a very derogatory term. Mahathir should count himself lucky to be in Malaysia. In some countries he will be sued until his pants drop. Those words he used not only challenged the credibility of the govt, he is also attacking the sacred institutions of govt and defaming the leaders.