6/07/2013
Tan Chuan Jin the new poster boy of PAP
It used to be Khaw Boon Wan the devout Buddhist, the one that was full of compassion and very in touch with the ordinary people. Many could identify with him as a good minister. Boon Wan was THE man to front the party on any difficult issues. People used to listen to him in his cool, slow and measured demeanour. This is all history.
PAP now needs another poster boy to carry the flag. Among the new ministers, Chan Chun Sing is obviously out. Then there are Lawrence Wong and Heng Swee Kiat left. Baey Yam Keng was noted to be the auntie killer, but could be too junior to front the party. Between Heng Swee Kiat and Lawrence Wong, the party must have found Chuan Jin has a better face. So Chuan Jin is to be, the new PAP poster boy to get the party out of difficult position.
Now this should solve the mystery of why an unpopular new media regulation needs to be explained not by anyone from MDA or the Minister of Infocomm but an acting Minister from the MOM. What relationship has the MOM got to do with this media regulation to have its minister trying to explain away the unhappiness of the netizens? Anyone got any clue? I don’t.
So it must be an issue of putting the best face forward, the best front man. If Chuan Jin can carry this through, his future is going to be bright. But with a very unforgiving and cynical internet community and a very unpopular regulation that is seen more as not only unnecessary but obstructive, a good looker is not going to look much good in such a situation. Hope Chuan Jin does not get a broken nose or jaw in the process, and keep his poster boy image clean. He could be considered as having done well if he got away with a few scratches.
After Chuan Jin, can’t see anyone else good or pretty enough, or likeable enough to be the party’s mascot, except Singa.
Social Media Blackout – What you no longer read
Yesterday was the first time social media stopped writing about Singapore news. What the people could read was only news from the main media. Does it make any difference if there is no social media around and the people continue to read only news from the main media? Not really, life will go on as normal.
So, what is the point of a social media blackout or the total obliteration of social media? The main media will continue its responsible and professional role of feeding the people with the right thing to read and all the feel good news. The negative side of the news, the other version of the news, the other truth, will not be seen or heard. The people will be safe from reading the wrong news or not right news. No one will miss anything.
Would things be just as fine? It all depends on whether the main media is doing an adequate job in reporting all the right news. It all depends on whether the people are satisfied with reading all the right news. It all depends on whether the people, having been exposed to the other side of the news think the main media is doing enough and giving them a balanced news.
More than a hundred social media blogs and sites went black yesterday. Many of the bloggers saw the need for a protest to prevent the clamping down of information flow and news about Singapore from being black out in the social media in the future. What happened yesterday was a little blackout, a temporary blackout. The new regulation with its all encompassing rules could lead to a total blackout, a permanent blackout if not stopped in its path.
Remember the incremental changes to the CPF rulings, the incremental changes to the housing policies, the incremental changes to the import of foreigners to the country. The new social media regulation has set out with a very wide net. The implementation of bringing 10 websites under the regulation is only a very small step forward. The assurance by the ministers may seem comforting to some and brought about a false sense to relief that this is all about the new regulation. But with the provisions, incremental steps could be taken along the way and one by one could come under the net. Soon, when one becomes too complacent, the net could rope in every blog and social media site before you know it.
Don’t be complacent and drop your guards. Don’t ever think this is it and everything is ok or will be ok. Be afraid.
PS: The internet gives everyone a voice, a say in what he/she wants to say. Without social media, the people's mouth is shut for good.
6/06/2013
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.
Abe and a militant Japan
The road that Abe and his rightist ministers is taking is leading to an intractable position and war with China over the Diaoyu Islands is inevitable. The logic and slant taken by Abe's group is that of Imperial Japan when might is right.
The accusation that only in 1971 that China made a claim on Diaoyu was proof that China did not own the island is a white lie. China was weak, had too many issues to deal with domestically, that should it try to make any claims before, it could lead probably to another military defeat by Japan or a lot of embarrassment as it could not do anything about its claims with a military more powerful Japan and a hostile US.
The Diaoyu was taken by force, as war loot signed away by the 1895 Unequal Treaty. And Abe is claiming that this was legitimate. In a way, yes it is treaty, an agreement. In order for China to take back Diaoyu, if Japan refuses to return it peacefully, will be to take it back by force with another treaty with Japan to over ride this treaty. Is that what Japan wants?
China is no longer a pushover though Japan may think it could repeat its aggressive invasion of China once again. Let's see if Japan is up to it and if China can turn the table around and invade Japan to return the favour.
Many on the side of Japan are refusing to see the historical records of Diaoyu and claimed that Japan has some grounds to claim it. The only legitimate ground is the Treaty of Shimonseki which if Japan is insisting on it, will be to abolish this treaty by the same means, war.
Abe and his hawkish ministers are taking Japan back to militarism. The pretension that it is difficult to change the pacifist constitution is simply bullshit. Many Japanese are waiting to relive their glorious Imperial Japan days. Put it to the Diet and a 2/3 majority to change the constitution is just a formality. The Japanese psychic of domination and superiority and militarism has never changed. It is reviving with greater gusto and arrogance.
The lie that Japan did not have a military force but a Self Defence Force is only unnoticeable to the blind. Japan is already a big military force and can engage in wars of aggression. Its 5 trillion yen annual budget for defence is no small feat.
And what is wrong with China expanding its military expenditure and the deceit of claiming that China has expanded it by 30 folds? China's military expenditure came from a very small base. China should be spending similar amount in defence as the US for a country of that size and for its own defence from its bad experience of being invaded when it was militarily weak.
The right of self defence is the right of every nation. China's defence expenditure is defensive in nature as against the US that is for world domination and hegemony.
Abe will lead Japan to a war with China if he is allowed to continue in this path.
The accusation that only in 1971 that China made a claim on Diaoyu was proof that China did not own the island is a white lie. China was weak, had too many issues to deal with domestically, that should it try to make any claims before, it could lead probably to another military defeat by Japan or a lot of embarrassment as it could not do anything about its claims with a military more powerful Japan and a hostile US.
The Diaoyu was taken by force, as war loot signed away by the 1895 Unequal Treaty. And Abe is claiming that this was legitimate. In a way, yes it is treaty, an agreement. In order for China to take back Diaoyu, if Japan refuses to return it peacefully, will be to take it back by force with another treaty with Japan to over ride this treaty. Is that what Japan wants?
China is no longer a pushover though Japan may think it could repeat its aggressive invasion of China once again. Let's see if Japan is up to it and if China can turn the table around and invade Japan to return the favour.
Many on the side of Japan are refusing to see the historical records of Diaoyu and claimed that Japan has some grounds to claim it. The only legitimate ground is the Treaty of Shimonseki which if Japan is insisting on it, will be to abolish this treaty by the same means, war.
Abe and his hawkish ministers are taking Japan back to militarism. The pretension that it is difficult to change the pacifist constitution is simply bullshit. Many Japanese are waiting to relive their glorious Imperial Japan days. Put it to the Diet and a 2/3 majority to change the constitution is just a formality. The Japanese psychic of domination and superiority and militarism has never changed. It is reviving with greater gusto and arrogance.
The lie that Japan did not have a military force but a Self Defence Force is only unnoticeable to the blind. Japan is already a big military force and can engage in wars of aggression. Its 5 trillion yen annual budget for defence is no small feat.
And what is wrong with China expanding its military expenditure and the deceit of claiming that China has expanded it by 30 folds? China's military expenditure came from a very small base. China should be spending similar amount in defence as the US for a country of that size and for its own defence from its bad experience of being invaded when it was militarily weak.
The right of self defence is the right of every nation. China's defence expenditure is defensive in nature as against the US that is for world domination and hegemony.
Abe will lead Japan to a war with China if he is allowed to continue in this path.
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