Propaganda in Skool

[Apollo]

SINGAPORE: On persecution paranoia and press freedom

Government minister reiterates government's view of accurate reporting and mass media as a nation-building partner

The Straits Times

Thursday, July 3, 2008

By Jeremy Au Yeong

 

 

For over 15 minutes during an hour-long dialogue yesterday, Secondary 3 student Jarret Huang went toe-to-toe with Dr Vivian Balakrishnan on press freedom and freedom of expression.

 

At the session in Raffles Institution -- marked by sharp questions -- the 15-year-old's exchange with the Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister was the highlight of the morning.

 

A good-humoured exchange about persecution drew the most laughs. Asked if he had been persecuted for publications or views he had put online, the youngster replied: 'I don't upload things on the Internet, sir.'

 

As for whether he ever felt persecuted for anything he said or wrote, he said: 'Not legally, sir.'

 

The teen added: 'The sense of persecution is not a reactive measure in my situation but rather it is a pre-emptive measure taken such that certain things which are deemed incorrect cannot be said in certain situations.'

 

It was then Dr Balakrishnan's turn to draw the laughs as he said: 'Let's translate that into normal English.'

 

But laughter aside, the minister said there was a serious point he was getting at: 'There is a certain almost paranoia which I'm trying to overcome here... Nobody in Singapore has been persecuted for saying the truth. Nobody is going to be persecuted for saying what he believes in and standing up for it.'

 

He added: 'But if what you say is false, if what you say is motivated by malice, if your intention is to inflame religious and racial tensions, if you are a threat to the country, don't you think something should be done?'

 

Dr Balakrishnan, who was second minister of information, communications and the arts until earlier this year, also responded to Jarret's questions on freedom of the press.

 

Earlier in the exchange, he had asked the teen what was the one law he would change if he were a minister.

 

The teen's answer: 'Press freedom.'

 

Responding, the minister outlined the Government's attitude: 'The most important attribute is that we want accurate reporting. Because, if the journalists are just writing fiction and are just writing glowing portraits of me that nobody believes, then it is pointless.

 

'Our attitude towards the press in Singapore is that they are partners in nation-building.

 

'Our mass media also understand our key vulnerabilities and our hopes and dreams and are, therefore, partners in their construction.

'But they are not the mouthpiece of the Government and they are not there to give a one-sided view.'

 

He also noted that if the traditional press loses credibility, people would go to the new media.

 

'There are very few national newspapers with as broad a coverage and obsessive attention to detail and accuracy as our mainstream media,' he said.

 

'So don't berate ourselves and our journalists too much. That's not fair to them.

 

'In fact, then you have to ask yourself, what is there to hide? The second question is, even if there is something being hidden, can it be hidden in this new world?'

 

Date Posted: 7/3/2008

 

tat's all they can handle.... kids. no working adults or opposition members. tsk tsk. looking at this, i worried for singapore.

[Shull]

At least this Jarret Huang has the balls to question meeneestah..

 

i salute him..

Edited July 4, 2008 by Shull

[Rncw]

this is just for wayang only.

[Rncw]

all pre-empted one...

[Qpik]

u are reading a staged play....

[Apollo]

it's not so simple...

 

i think the whole anarchy of this saga is a sad ending for singapore.

 

by terminating the opposition, they hv effectively stuff out not just dissenting voice but also a sparring ground for real leaders.

 

i'm not surprised when some ministar suggested in some where it is ok if they if they r not good speakers but good worker or in my term administrators. so damned wrong.

 

administrators r useless in crisis. who among them could hold a hatchet if some fiery guy like Dr M or anwar decides to b funnie.

 

the world court is not gg to protect u, even if u hv the best senior counsel in ur grasp.

 

i can understand now why american leaders r no proponents of bankruptcy law against opposition becos it wud hv bankrupt the country of ideas, of competition and freedom. if bush senior hv bankrupted every democrats there wud b no one to stand up to saddam, putin and every concievable despots.

[Curahee]

Agree... Whats new. They r gd in such play to perform for the sillyporean audience

[Sabian]

ode to your lasup rendition

 

rasa wayang eh

rasa wayang wayang eh...

[Celicapimp]

wayang dialogue @ RI huh?

[Porker]

Last time I sang the National Day songs with such pride deh

 

[Genie47]

We are already bankrupt morally and intellectually.