Mr Chen Hwai Liang
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
Singapore
Dear Sir,
We are writing to you to correct some factual inaccuracies inherent in your letter to Financial Times titled “Singaporeans understand the perils of an open economy” published on 25 February 2009 in which you quoted a blog
You wrote “Unfortunately, the online poll he cited was from a website devoted to anti-government invective.” to describe our blog from which the poll was taken. Nothing can be further from the truth.
(On 12 January 2009, we conducted an online poll asking who deserves more sympathy - MP Seng Han Thong or his assailant Ong Kah Chua, 76% of 277 polled voted for the latter. The poll was quoted by Rear-Admiral Lui Tuck Yew in Parliament and subsequently reported in the Financial Times on 12 February 2009 by John Burton though no reference were made to us. You can still vote in the alleged poll here)
We invite you to visit us at http://www.wayangparty.com to read our articles. The Wayang Party Club is a socio-political blog dedicated to open and honest discussion of current affairs of the day.
While we admit we have been critical of the certain government policies, it is misleading to claim that our website is devoted solely to anti-government invective and nothing else.
We welcome views from both ends of the political spectrum, including pro-government ones. As you can see for yourself, we do publish occasional articles written by our guest writers which are adopt a neutral stance and sometimes even in favor of the government.
Mr Chen is most welcome to post his rebuttal to our contents here. Unlike some other blog which practises censorship religiously, we will respect your right of reply. Comments posted on this site in defence of the government are allowed with no moderation or censorship.
Perhaps the government should ask itself the real reason behind the pervasive anti-government sentiment in Singapore’s blogosphere which is reflected in threads even on forums owned by the state media such as Hardwarezone and Channelnewsasia.
Has the government done enough to communicate with its citizens ? Is the government aware of the undercurrent of discontent and disgruntlement against the way it governs the nation ? Does it really understand our concerns and grouses ?
Though the poll was conducted by a purportedly “anti-government” website, the question asked is fair and relevant. Each participant is allowed to vote only once which ensures that the result obtained is fairly accurate.
The poll result is not surprising judging from the outpouring of sympathies and support for the MP Seng’s assailant Ong Kah Chua in the internet chatrooms. While we do not condone the attack, we implore the government to ponder upon this question: are netizens against the MP or the party to which he belong ?
With all the major newspapers and broadcasting stations under its control, the state media has ceased to represent the voices of the common folks on the ground. Instead, it has become a propaganda mouthpiece of the government to manipulate and contort public opinion to its own partisan interest.
The lack of official channels to register their genuine displeasure, frustration and anger have led to citizens turning to the internet to let off steam. The chasm between the government and the citizenry will only grow wider if the state media continue to be nonchalant about online rumblings which have the potential to trigger a political tsunami in time to come.
There is still time for the government to acknowledge its own shortcomings and mend the bridges with the online community before it is too late.
Yours sincerely,
Eugene Yeo and Fang Zhi Yuan
Wayang Party Club
rom Mr Chen Hwai Liang.
Sir, John Burton (“Crisis spoils Singapore celebrations”, February 12) claimed an undercurrent of public discontent with the People’s Action party (PAP) government, as Singapore goes into a sharp recession. Unfortunately, the online poll he cited was from a website devoted to anti-government invective.
Singaporeans may be apprehensive about the financial storm raging around us, but we understand the inescapable vulnerabilities of a small, open economy, and what we must do together to pull through. At the next general elections, voters will decide whether this PAP government has served them well.
Mr Burton also highlighted losses from specific investments by Singapore government-owned entities in western financial groups. GIC and Temasek have diversified portfolios aimed at long-term returns. Their performance is not measured on each individual investment but on the entire portfolio.
They have suffered overall losses in this crisis like most investors in public listed assets, but by less than the decline in market indices.
Over the 20-year period up to March 31 2008, GIC earned annualised US dollar returns of 7.8 per cent, while Temasek earned 19 per cent.
This is not a disreputable record.
Chen Hwai Liang,
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister,
Singapore