Ladies and Gentlemen,
Singapore's official state controlled newspaper the Straits Times online edition of Jan 22, 2010 has this story "Govt seeks to lead, connect", an increasingly difficult job for them as George Yeo, a Lee Kuan Yew Minister admits.
In fact their difficulty will worsen with time, not get better, as ever more Singaporeans connect to the Internet.
Yeo when speaking recently at the Fullerton SJI lectures says "the government is still experimenting on the best way to lead and interact with Singaporeans". Singapore "leaders" he says have to adapt to the changing information age, to "interact" with the people. He confesses to the world being different now with information freely available, there being a multitude of news sources and therefore traditional hierarchies are breaking down and becoming "messy networks".
In plain English, Yeo is simply saying it is becoming increasing difficult to continue hoodwinking Singaporeans through their official state owned and controlled newspapers, where you get nothing but lies half truths and downright dishonesty; that people are for once opening their eyes through the Internet; and until and unless the Singapore's bully boys find some other way to keep the people chained and shackled, the game for them is, simply put, lost.
The root cause for this government's dwindling support should be obvious to a 10 year old boy; no need to have a Cambridge degree for that.
If you want to lead, you must have support. In order to have support, you should be respected. For respect you should have integrity, treat others with justice under the rule of law. And if you have a constitution, you must obey it. If not you will not have respect. And without respect you cannot lead.
Surely, this is not rocket science.
Singapore today is a place that struggles to survive on appearances, not reality. There is a constitution but it is not obeyed with citizens denied their right to speech, expression and assembly. You claim to have rule of law but you openly abuse it for political ends. You say that there is freedom of speech but you control every newspaper. When I correctly criticized Judge Belinda Ang Saw Ean for judicial bias, you throw me in jail for 3 months.
You pay yourself several million dollars a year which you call a salary but which is in essence theft.
When you behave in this despicable way, you lose the moral high ground. You are seen as a bunch of thieves who milk the people of their rights and their freedoms for personal gain. You cannot expect anyone to respect you in these circumstances.
In the past you could shield them from the truth with your local propaganda newspapers. Now it is no longer possible because of the Internet.
Yeo should realize that his game is simply put lost. Recently there were a number of articles on the Internet about increasing numbers joining the opposition. Peaceful protests, something which never happened there for decades, has begun not only to take root but is steadily rising.
This is not a situation that Yeo and his oligarchy can salvage, not now or ever. The writing is on the wall. The sooner Yeo and his friends in high places realize this the better.
I have some advice for Yeo. It serves no purpose for you to hide under false pretences. Don't try to pretend to be a democracy when you are not. Best thing is to come out with the truth. Like Communist China who at least have the decency to be honest about who they are, tell the world the truth, that you are a repressive dictatorship. Demand that Western Internet providers filter their content for "objectionable" material in the Singaporean sense. Tell Google to block this blog, Singapore Dissident, from being read in Singapore.
If you did this, at least your honesty will be appreciated, since either way, Mr. Yeo, your game is lost. It is only a matter of time.
Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
Fax: 510 657 6914
Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/
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1 comment:
In the US, a few Democrats have announced "retirement" long before the midterm election later this year because they face near certain defeat at the ballot box. Perhaps some PAP politicians will also "retire" before the election is held?
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