From Demystifying Asian Values in Journalism,
"the destination Singapore wants to reach has been the progress and prosperity of the nation - a goal ingrained in the mind of every citizen from the moment he goes to school, when he has to recite the national pledge. The mass media as ally in the lofty aim of national upliftment: who can quarrel with that?"
Do all Singaporeans have the lofty aim of wanting Singapore to prosper as a Nation? Or do we want Singapore to prosper only so that we can prosper? What if Singapore wasn't a prosperous nation? Is that what happens when you have a nation build upon the ideals of prosperity and economic progress?
Singapore ranks 147th in the press freedom index. That's way below Arfganistan, Iraq and Palestine. In our category, we are the only developed country there. But no worries, at least the word freedom is not in our pledge. The U.S was founded on freedom, and with all the emphasis on the First Ammendment, they rank 44th.
I am taking a subject now that looks at Singapore from an outside point of view, and everyday I learn things that blow me away. Go read the Newspaper Printing and Presse Act, the Sedition Act and the Official Secrets Act. It says that if the newspaper doesn't cooperate with the government, its license will be revoked. Considering we only have ONE broadsheet newspaper in Singapore, then revoke how? We got no newspaper to read.
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2 comments:
Even the nomer "Official Secrets Act" sounds hell dodgy! We strive for socio-economic development, not civil-political progress, that's why...
That's why we have had been living in a bubble all this while. For instance, it was only when I got out of Sgp two years ago that I learnt every serious opposition against the PAP had defamation suits slapped on them and went bankrupt. (Hence burning question: is our judicial system even a separated power?)
And yet at that period I knew everything that the US was doing right in foreign policy. And everything that Iraq was doing WRONG in its internal policy. (backtrack some years and it was Iran.) All through our good ol' Straits Times.
And Old Lee complains about Gen X being apathetic about politics... We're practising a form of political non-politics until you wake up, ok?
(But still some of the Western bashing has been rather unjustified. After all, the measures have so far ensured that our races live harmoniously with each other. Other than Switzerland, can anyone else seriously lay claim to that?)
Charl
(please any Singaporean official who chances upon this... I'm a lowly student! Don't come looking for me.)
haha you damm funny!! it would be funny if one day you wake up to find 3 singaporean officials looking at you shaking their heads...then they deport you and put you in jail without trial!!
Yes good ol' singapore newspaper where its happy clappy everyday in singapore. Should be their new corporate logo.
We learn the most about our country when we are out of it
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