Singapore Paper Yanks Blogger Critique of Gov't 46
Hou writes "mr brown — aka Lee Kin Mun, Singapore's most famous blogger, has been writing a weekly column for a local Singaporean newspaper called 'Today.' Recently, one of his columns was more critical than the powers-that-rule liked, which was a satire on the increasing costs of living in Singapore. They issued a statement through the press secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts, and sternly chastised Mr. Brown for having expressed anti-government views. Not surprisingly, a few days later, Mr. Brown posted a notice saying that his column had been suspended by Today. " (More below.)
"Here's a snip from the government representative's statement:
Link to post on mr brown's blog, and the report from Reporters Without Borders. More blog entries can be found from fellow outraged bloggers here."It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to champion issues, or campaign for or against the Government. (...) If a columnist presents himself as a non-political observer, while exploiting his access to the mass media to undermine the government's standing with the electorate, then he is no longer a constructive critic, but a partisan player in politics.
Hmmm (Score:3, Insightful)
Isn't that called inflation [wikipedia.org]?
Re:Hmmm (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Hmmm (Score:1)
This is news how? (Score:5, Insightful)
It's just the government is a far more subtle about what they do, but yes, all media is censored (TV, movies, newspapers, Internet (you have to use their proxy servers - no fake TCP RST's here)). When you visit, take note. From the looks of it, it looks a lot like any western country - well run, good order, clean streets, fairly affluent. You just don't notice that the government has a lot of control in many areas. (It's a bit of the "let foreigners pour money into this country, but don't let them dare infect our 'culture'" - there's a lot of anti-foreigner bias in Singapore, though you'll have a very hard time getting someone to admit it). China's worse, yes, but they're not as subtle about it. If the ruling party of Singapore feels threatened by what you write, well, expect to disappear. This guy got off lucky by only having his column cancelled (so far).
Re:This is news how? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:This is news how? (Score:3, Informative)
That's the first sign that something is amiss.
"If the ruling party of Singapore feels threatened by what you write, well, expect to disappear."
And, we have confirmation.
Re:This is news how? (Score:5, Insightful)
Innovation, lack of strict governmental control, and freedom to think differently are intimately connected.
Re:This is news how? (Score:3)
not true -- singapore is a *fine* city (Score:1)
As the tourist T-shirts go, Singapore is a "fine" city -- they'll just give you a fine for something like that. They reserve the more corporal punishments for truly criminal acts where there's no doubt you should know better but did it anyway. You might spit if you get some sand in your mouth, but you don't "accidentally" graffiti someone's car. (and repeated offenses in the case of the dumbass who finally got himself caned a few years back)
Well thank God (Score:4, Funny)
Re:How Is this Funny??!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually, my statement was a bit of a back-handed compliment. Yes, the US does have more freedoms than do most countries - and it seems that Singapore is coming up quite the jerks on this one. But with the feds looking at the possibility of prosecuting the NY Times for treason for reporting leaked classified information, and the prosecution of ordinary citizens [fas.org] under the espionage act for even possessing information that is considered classified...
Then add domestic spying, etc. - and you can see that we have a government of extreme secrecy that WILL go to measures to stop people from critisizing the current administration. How many times has the current Executive branch of this government used the State Secrets privledge to dismiss lawsuits against it that seek to check the power of the federal government against the Constitution?
Don't be surprised at Singapore. In at least one forseeable scenario, you're looking at the future of the United States.
Re:How Is this Funny??!! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:How Is this Funny??!! (Score:2)
I'm way to sleepy to google for it (just woke up) but US is about one-third from the top when it comes to personal freedom & stuff. Nowhere near the top. You do make the most noise about it, though, i'll admit to that.
And soon.... (Score:2, Funny)
"It is also not the place of the newspapers or media to abuse their position to take support, or take aggressive and critical stanaces that will undermine confidance of local or community busineses, forgien governments, or celebrities. As such, we will be changing the name of Newspapers to the more appropriate name Blankpaper. You'll be able to by this blank paper at any store and write whatever you want on it as long as you don't show it to anyone else.
Democracy? (Score:1)
I hope I didn't confuse too many people just now.
Re:Democracy? (Score:1)
Speaking of offending the higher powers... (Score:2)
Re:Speaking of offending the higher powers... (Score:1)
Re:Speaking of offending the higher powers... (Score:2)
Besides, let's face it: that's only a tack-on to his real offense, which was refusing to go to Iraq.
-Erwos
Re:Speaking of offending the higher powers... (Score:3, Insightful)
Free speech in the Military (Score:2)
According to the link you posted the US government seems to be behaving very reasonably. Despite vocal opposition to the war, and his refusal to go to Iraq he is still permitted to go home at night while they investigate.
Re:Speaking of offending the higher powers... (Score:1)
Full disclosure: I'm an Army brat married to an Air Force brat. My father was an Air Force brat. Two of his brothers went Army; one went
The message is (Score:2)
The media has greater access than a normal person so they must be a-political. If you dare criticize the government, it is political because that is the only type of problems that a government has. Noone in the government would put their self-interest before public needs!
Take that Mr. Brown!
Read the Paper's Response (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't claim to say that this makes the Singapore government a different beast (how did we start talking about the govt anyhow?), but I do care to say that it ch
Re:Read the Paper's Response (Score:1)
Well to me, the blogger's article might come across as rather satirical but it does not appear at to be ill worded or lunatic. You can read the whole article here: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/127762.asp# [todayonline.com] http://www.todayonline.com/articles/127762.asp# [todayonline.com]
By mr brown,
I'm Must Be Missing the "Spot On" Part (Score:2)
Gee, I wonder why the man would insist on anonymity...
It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to champion issues, or campaign for or against the Government.
On the other hand,
Model 21st century state? (Score:3, Interesting)
Incidentally, Singapore has undergone a very rapid demographic shift. The once majority population has, within less than three generation, been replaced primarily by Chinese immigrants who now make up 76.8% [wikipedia.org] of Singapore's population. Aside from this, Singapore is considered one of the most diverse and multi-cultural places on Earth (supporting link [wikipedia.org]). To enforce this utopian vision, and ensure harmony, freedom of speech has been restricted, in a manner similar to that of Western European states and Canada; from Wikipedia [wikipedia.org]: "Laws restricting the freedom of speech are justified by claims that they are intended to prohibit speech that may breed ill will or cause disharmony within Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society. For example, in September 2005, three bloggers were convicted of sedition for posting racist remarks targeting minorities.[5]." Once people accept that freedom of speech has "limits," perhaps the remaining portions of the Singaporean model flow naturally.
Re:Model 21st century state? (Score:3)
Re:Model 21st century state? (Score:2)
Oh, bullpucky. The level of censorship in Singapore [wikipedia.org] far exceeds that of any Western European state. Every newspaper, every radio station, every TV channel is controlled by the government. Now that mr brown has been cast out into the cold by the govn't, nobody else will ever publish his writings.
Also, the much-repeated "multicultural in harmony"
Re:Model 21st century state? (Score:1)
Could you tell us more about these, when I was recently in Australia they seemed to have a large and varied range of media outlets, newspapers, magazines, commercial TV etc.
I was unaware they are run by the state.
Parallels in Australia (Score:2)
It is not the role of journalists or newspapers in Singapore to champion issues, or campaign for or against the Government. (...) If a columnist presents himself as a non-political observer, while exploiting his access to the mass media to undermine the government's standing with the electorate, then he is no longer a constructive critic, but a partisan player in politics.
It is scary how closely the Singaporean government's words mirror those of the Australian government when it was justifying withdrawi
Excellent analysis of falling incomes in Singapore (Score:2)
Income inequality widens markedly [yawningbread.org]
Note that 10% of Singaporean households now have no income (at all) and the next decile has seen its average earnings drop 20% in the past 5 years, while the rich get richer.
Cheers,
-j.
Re:Excellent analysis of falling incomes in Singap (Score:2)
Oh, and in that article it said the "poor" stayed the same. No sign of getting poorer, just most of the "new money" went to the richer.
Re:Excellent analysis of falling incomes in Singap (Score:2)
Hmm? Look at the data -- the percentage of people with no income has increased, and the average income of the poorest families has decreased in absolute terms, which means they did even worse in inflation-adjusted real terms.
Cheers,
-j.