January 17, 2010
Despite his apology to a molest victim for his earlier curt
reply on his Facebook, netizens continue to hurl brickbats at
Foreign Minister George Yeo.
On 11 January 2010, a Miss Ang posted a comment on Mr
Yeo’s Facebook seeking help to expedite police investigations in a
pending molest case. Miss Yeo had lodged a report in November last
year and had yet to receive a reply from the police.
Mr Yeo’s immediate reply was:
“Please see your MP”.
After we published the story, a massive furore was sparked
in cyberspace with many netizens lambasting Mr Yeo for his lack of
empathy and sensitivity. The post has since been deleted from Mr
Yeo’s Facebook.
Mr Yeo subsequently apologized to Miss Ang in a private
message on her Facebook:
“I must also apologize to you if
my original reply on FB sounded curt. Such cases are always better
handled face to face, discreetly.”
It seemed that Mr Yeo’s apology wasn’t quite enough
to placate the lingering anger of some netizens.
The Patriot felt his apology lacked
sincerity:
“TR, you are too kind to give credit to Mr Yeo’s apology.
But apologizing and still not making immediate effort to solve Miss
Ang’s problem after knowing the outcry of the public is only
perpetuating his apathetic, careless and ‘you-die-is-your-business’
attitude towards we peasant Singaporeans….Does GY’s second
statement sounds that he has make any effort to help Miss Ang in
the form of action or advice or sounds more that ‘Pls don’t disturb
me, I just came from an exotic country for holiday. I need to see
my kids first.”
Wui wasn’t surprised by Mr Yeo’s initial reply
at all:
“A curt reply that perhaps reflects well in reality the
attitude of many members of the ruling party.”
helplesslydependent felt it is a shame that he
apologized only an outcry by netizens:
“To appologise after an outcry by netizens is a Big
Disappointment! What a shame.”
bullshits believed there is a political motive
behind Mr Yeo’s apology:
“Alamak! all these moron PAP MPs are just doing it
now cos the election is near. They are not sincere lah! That’s how
this bunch of
papaya monkeys operate…..they want our votes! that is the main
reason why they are so nice and humbug (ops!humble)”
While some netizens remain skeptical about Mr Yeo’s apology,
others applauded him for doing so.
MV wrote:
“Guess to be fair, he did apologize, it does take a real man
to do it, especially one of a public stature like his. Trust me, it
does: not once have I seen an even more public Singapore figure
even remotely apologetic for doing even more dastardly deeds (say,
jailing opponents unjustly without trial for personal ends, and
ruining their God-given lives). Talk about being a real man?? I’d
like to think though, that Mr. George Yeo is a big-hearted enough
man to (would have) apologize(d) upon self-reflection rather than
after public pressure?”
CPT related from his own personal experience
that Mr Yeo is a “good” man:
“BG George Yeo as a person is a good man. I interact with
him in quite a few occasion in the those SAF days. Things
might change when he enter politics and become a politician. he
might not have a choice but to adapt to pap environment.”
cy hoped to see more ministers emulating Mr
Yeo’s example:
“After Khaw has apologized for the KKH medical error, now we
have the 2nd minister to apologize all thanks to TR, expect to see
more of these cases of ministers’ apology after they are exposed on
the internet, for those ministers like WKS ,yaccob, MBT,etc. who
haven’t apologize for even serious mistakes than george yeo or
khaw, we netizens will keep on harping until you apologize or are
kicked out.”
Singapore’s leaders are not known for their humility. Few have
ever bothered to apologize for their mistakes which are often
blamed on the hapless Singaporeans.
When famed terrorist Mas Selamat made his outrageous escape from
a detention center two years ago, MM Lee Kuan Yew put the blame on
Singaporeans for being “complacent”.
The Geylang Indian Rojak mass food poisoning was blamed on the
“poor hygiene habits” of Singporeans by Health Minister Khaw Boon
Wan.
As for first-time home buyers who are unable to obtain a unit of
their choice, they are faulted for being too “choosy” by National
Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.
Are Singaporeans supposed to apologize collectively to their
millionaire ministers for making life “difficult” for them?
In other first world countries, ministers are regarded as no
more than public servants subservient to the will of the people. It
seems to be the other way round in Singapore.
Though Singaporeans are paying the salaries of their leaders,
they often behave as if we owe them a living which is not
surprising since there is no political pressure on them to do
otherwise.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/01/17/netizens-continue-to-hurl-brickbats-at-george-yeo-despite-his-apology-to-molest-victim/