Sometimes I wonder if the existence of a country like Singapore is a mockery.
Just last night, I spent almost 30 minutes criticising Singaporean youths over their lack of the ability to THINK (if anyone asks me how I got my A1 in General Paper last year, my answer would be to 'think'), today I find out that the FATHER of ALL Singaporean bloggers (mr brown,mb) has had his newspaper column at the Today paper suspended. All because he took it upon himself to write a editorial which basically disagreed with what our government is doing (in a comical manner, if I may add). Because of that article, the Ministry of Communication, Information and the Arts (MICA) shot a reply, claiming him to be a partisan player in politics, unconstructive and said that the media has no business to tell the government what's wrong with their policies. What a load of bull.
So pretending to be stupid, I checked up on the meaning of the word 'partisan' and here's what dictionary.com has to say.
par·ti·san1 n.
A fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
A member of an organized body of fighters who attack or harass an enemy, especially within occupied territory; a guerrilla.
adj.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan or partisans.
Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause: partisan politics.
The last time I checked, the article wasn't in favour of ANY political parties. Of course I could be wrong but still, disagreeing with the PAP-dominated government doesn't necessarily translate into playing the grounds for an opposition party, does it? I didn't see mb psyching readers into voting for Party XXX in our next election (which will happen years from now because we've just had an election!).
The government claims that his comments were unconstructive and offer no solutions or alternatives. If we, the civilians, and the press are expected to come up with solutions to every one of our problems, then why would we still need the government? Especially when it comes to fiscal, monetary and all other matters which really should fall under the business of the government.
What is more sad is that after this mini hoo haa, the paper has now suspended mb's column. Break the man's rice bowl for offending the government. It's pathetic how the government should be afraid of the people but the truth works the other way round. It's idiotic how the media in free countries like the USA and the UK are allowed to criticse their governments without fear of repercussions and how the local media here is controlled by the government (some say it's infiltrated lol) and ready to serve the government with a bow on a whimper. The thing is, it now seems as if the Civil Service is bullying a poor man. This man is not like Vendetta, he doesn't blow buildings up. He's just a man on the streets with access to an editorial column. Does that make him any less of a civilian? No. He wasn't brainwashing Singaporeans, he was writing about his own experiences, and it seems that many people actually agree with him. So where's the wrong in that? In coming up with something that people relate to?
The good thing is that RSF has actually picked up this little nugget of news and people will know how this poor man is being intimidated into submission. And that Singaporeans have started rallying around mb. The guy seriously deserves better. For now, I'm waiting to see how things play out. Hopefully it will be in mb's favour but I doubt it....
I'm a 3rd year student in what is probably the largest autonomous university in Singapore majoring in a Science-related subject (well it sorta IS SCIENCE). I'm known to be introverted, sarcastic (at times), funny when I rant (which isn't a good thing lol) and somewhat of a loner. I miss LA and would move there in a heartbeat :(
