PAP state media continues to suppress coverage of SDP

Ah Chia SG

Ssshhh! Don't say "SDP"

Sunday, 26 July 2009

Singapore Democrats

The title to this report "Political parties go online to extend their reach" by Valarie Tan of Channel News Asia seems straightforward enough -- Singapore's political parties, both ruling and opposition, are fully utilising the Internet to achieve their ends.

But wait, there's no mention of the Singapore Democrats anywhere! It reports on only two parties - the PAP and WP. This is particularly strange when the SDP's website, updated daily, is by far the most read website of all political parties in Singapore.

CNA also writes that "Social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter are the latest ways Singapore political parties are reaching out to people online."

This website employs all manner of online instruments to reach out to Singaporeans. We have produced the most number of YouTube presentations, we were the first to get on Twitter with the most number of followers, and our supporters have even established a Friends of SDP Facebook page.

And yet in CNA's report, only silence about the Singapore Democrats.

The report also talks about the youth wings of both the PAP and WP. Yet, the SDP is the first opposition party to establish a youth wing. The Young Democrats was formed in 2000 and has since grown robustly. Again, absolutely no mention of this in CNA's report.

It is obvious that the media want Singaporeans to know as little as possible about the Singapore Democrats. If and when they do report on us, they will put on the worst possible spin. This is what the SDP is up against.

This trend will intensify as elections draw closer. The question that must be asked is: Why is the media so intent on hushing up news about, particularly, the Singapore Democrats?

In another instance, Alicia Wong of Today reported yesterday about the installation of CCTVs at Hong Lim Park (see here), obviously reading and then following up on the SDP's report two days before (see here).

Yet the newspaper refuses to acknowledge that the story was first reported on this website.

Are we complaining? No. We take this as the PAP badly wanting to get rid of us and a signal that we must work even harder to deny them the pleasure.

It is important that Singaporeans know the truth. The Singapore Democrats are not only alive and well, but leading the way on the Internet. We cannot let the media cover up this fact.

We ask our supporters and followers to step up efforts to help us overcome this hurdle by spreading the SDP's news as far and as wide as possible through your emails, Facebook pages, blogs and so on.

Don't let the PAP use the New Media to fool the people too.

Comments

Tan Tai Wei - Sun, 26 Jul 2009 11:37 pm Don't blame the likes of Valerie Tan.
It has been like this all along. You strive to do an honest, professional job of your calling in life. But you have to submit it for approval. And the higher up your "supervisors" are, the more "kiasu" they seem to be. By press time, nothing "untoward" remains, especially taboo references, such as SDP.

Same everywhere else, like TV interviews, which are never "life". You watch the telecast and realize you've wasted your time. Nothing important you have said remains!  maxchew - Beware the virtual world! Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:40 am The PAP Govt has been hit so hard by the SDP in recent times that they chose now to be in total denial of the SDP's existence.......Stop mentioning SDP and Dr Chee Soon Juan in all its controlled MSM and hopefully they will cease to exist in the real world (except when they go to jail or maybe even not that).
But they ignore the virtual world at their peril. The virtual world is now taking the world by storm by spreading exponentially.
Beware the Ides of March, all PAPists!

Siglap Centre - conformity Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:56 am TTW
I agree.
Nothing is important but conformity.

http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/component/

the Bear SG

frankly, i don't trust the Straitjacket Times when it comes to political coverage..

however, i trust the SDP even less...

here's some advice you should take yourself... you don't trust the MIW, yet you eat the BS from SDP like it was the best Russian Caviar...

your enemy's enemy may not be your friend...

chew on that...

Ah Chia SG

here's some advice you should take yourself... you don't trust the MIW, yet you eat the BS from SDP like it was the best Russian Caviar...

Like what BS?

Ah Chia SG

your enemy's enemy may not be your friend...

Common sense.

frankly, i don't trust the Straitjacket Times when it comes to political coverage..

But you follow their propaganda on Chee soon Juan.

Chew Bakar SG

Don't like CSJ.

A very insincere feel just like when I first look at LKY. Give me the creep.

the Bear SG

Common sense.

But you follow their propaganda on Chee soon Juan.

i don't... i've seen him.. i've heard him.. i've seen his actions towards a certain mentor of his...

i've seen him destroy the whole of the opposition movement..

the opposition movement was gathering momentum until he made his move...

the MIW could not have done better at destroying any dissenting voices...

and i don't even read the local rags about this...

Ah Chia SG

i don't... i've seen him.. i've heard him.. i've seen his actions towards a certain mentor of his...

i've seen him destroy the whole of the opposition movement..

the opposition movement was gathering momentum until he made his move...

the MIW could not have done better at destroying any dissenting voices...

We have to go through the ritual again.

http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=2468

http://yoursdp.org/index.php/the-party/faqs

http://wayangparty.com/?p=5704

An unsuspecting reader who do not know the full facts behind this episode will have the misperception that Mr Chiam has been traumatized by his “ouster” from SDP which was “engineered” by Dr Chee. Nothing can be further from the truth. Chiam was never “ousted” by Dr Chee. He resigned on his own accord.

In summary, Chiam was not “ousted” by Dr Chee. He first resigned as SDP’s Secretary-General after failing to obtain the CEC’s support to censure Dr Chee for his hungry strike.

http://wayangparty.com/?p=5704

angel7030 SG

Don't like CSJ.

A very insincere feel just like when I first look at LKY. Give me the creep.

They told me they also dun like you, first look at you only, they nearly want to vomit follow by all the bad luck events

angel7030 SG

Oppositions internally cannot even settle themselves and still wants to go into election. Oppositions should know that Unity is strength, they should work on that and not washing dirty laundry in the public, the worst is CSJ, a troublemaker both in the public and his own opposition party. He always want to be the odd one out.

noahnoah SG

When i look at LKY

remind me of if

i had a grandfather like him

now me will be shaking legs

and enjoying my drinks

on maldives resort

Fantagf SG

ah yew already said no fair game for oppositions. So so so so!!!

I pity the oppositions in singapore.

afterall this is not a democratic country

Fantagf SG

When i look at LKY

remind me of if

i had a grandfather like him

now me will be shaking legs

and enjoying my drinks

on maldives resort

YOu think you will be enjoying a normal grandpa and grandson relationship with him?

angel7030 SG

When i look at LKY

remind me of if

i had a grandfather like him

now me will be shaking legs

and enjoying my drinks

on maldives resort

no wonder when i look at LKY, it remind me of you. Very look alike

caleb_chiang SG

It had been a well known fact that local papers would only cover what they are allowed to.

Chew Bakar SG

They told me they also dun like you, first look at you only, they nearly want to vomit follow by all the bad luck events

now so superstitious oredi.

Atobe SG

i don't... i've seen him.. i've heard him.. i've seen his actions towards a certain mentor of his...

i've seen him destroy the whole of the opposition movement..

the opposition movement was gathering momentum until he made his move...

the MIW could not have done better at destroying any dissenting voices...

and i don't even read the local rags about this...

The ‘Drama Queen’ never fail to appear whenever CSJ name is mentioned.

Having been previously chastised for the baseless call that CSJ is an "attention seeking whore" - the ‘Drama Queen’ now prefer to be more careful in the efforts to deride CSJ by resorting to vague and unspecific charges.

Is there any basis for accusing CSJ for some supposedly vague and insidious "actions towards a certain mentor of his" ?

What were these unspecified actions that the ‘Drama Queen’ prefer to be vague and keep matters foggy and allow one's mind to play out the intended plot in the drama ?

Did the "mentor" assume the title of being one, or did the ‘Drama Queen’ assigned one for CSJ to suit the intended drama ?

"Mentor" ?

It seems that the ‘Drama Queen’ is inclined towards a term favored by those who needs mentoring.

Can the whole Singapore opposition movement be destroyed by one CSJ ?

If this is not sheer drama, what else can the ‘Drama Queen’ of Speaker's Corner have in mind for our entertainment ?

The ‘Drama Queen’ is clearly helping the PAP to prevent CSJ from becoming a potent threat, and at the same time to deride the entire 'opposition movement' as being useless.

Has CSJ - single-handedly destroyed the political fortunes of the WP and SDA, or even sabotaged the efforts by JBJ's son - Kenneth Jeyaratnam to continue the struggle with the Reform Party ?

It is clear that the "opposition movement" remains alive, and even more so now with a youthful Kenneth Jeyaratnam's Triple Star qualification from Cambridge in Economics that will surely bolster the ranks of the "opposition movement", and make him a more relevant player than even PM LHL's 'triple star' qualification from Cambridge in Mathematics.

One can only wonder if the ‘Drama Queen’ of this Speaker's Corner has not a personal axe to grind against CSJ - perhaps CSJ had thrown him out for being a fraud in CSJ's class at the NUS.

Atobe SG

Chiam was as much a dramatic player as the resident Drama Queen in the Speaker's Corner.

He had tendered his resignation the first time, when he could not get the SDP Central Executive Committee to support his demand to censure CSJ for the hunger strike.

Even as Chiam tendered his resignation, the SDP Central Executive Committee and CSJ had persuaded Chiam to withdraw the resignation and continue to be the SDP Secretary-General.

The second time that Chiam offered his resignation - did Chiam See Tong resigned on his own accord, or was he left without any choice but to do so AFTER Chiam was expelled by SDP's Central Executive Committee - (which CSJ did not participate) - by common consensus when Chiam had conducted a Press Interview attacking the SDP leadership for supporting CSJ ?

Why did Chiam resort to the Judiciary to reinstate his position in the SDP after the CEC had expelled him ?

Why should the Judiciary interfere in a legitimately conducted CEC procedural matters that had followed the SDP Constitution, and which even the Registrar of Society had not objected ?

From SDP website : ‘Where we came from’.

Following the election in 1993, Dr Chee was sacked by the National University of Singapore where he was a Lecturer. Dr Chee went on a hunger strike as a mark of protest. He was subsequently sued by his department head, Dr S Vasoo, faculty dean, Dr Ernest Chew, and secretary, Ms Janice Chen, when he disputed his sacking.

Mr Chiam first supported Dr Chee's action but later changed his mind and called for the Party to censure his the assistant secretary-general (Dr Chee was elected to the post in February 1993). None of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) members supported Mr Chiam's motion whereupon the Party leader tended his resignation, citing that he had lost the confidence of his colleagues.

A few of the CEC members, including Dr Chee, tried to persuade Mr Chiam to remain as secretary-general. However, Mr Chiam stated that he would do so only if he could be granted the power to appoint and dismiss the Party's cadre members. He also wanted the removal of Mr Wong Hong Toy as vice-chairman.

Under the Party's constitution a simple majority of the CEC was needed to appoint cadre members, not any one individual leader. The CEC did not have the constitutional power to accede to Mr Chiam's demands. A few weeks later, Mr Chiam gave a speech at the Singapore Press Club attacking the Party's leadership. It was only then that the CEC voted to expel him.

The Press Club had extended a similar invitation to Dr Chee to counter Mr Chiam. Knowing that the PAP-controlled media had every intention to fan the flames Dr Chee declined the invitation. But when he subsequently informed the organizers that he would speak but on the Party's alternative policy ideas instead of the altercation with Mr Chiam, the Press Club withdrew the invitation.

Mr Chiam sued the CEC for wrongful dismissal and won. He remained with the Party until the 1997 general elections when he resigned to form another party.

In 1994, the SDP published Dare To Change: An Alternative Vision for Singapore and adopted the book, written by Dr Chee as its manifesto. The following year, Dr Chee was elected Secretary-General.

The Party also amended its constitution to update its objectives and changed the name of its newspaper to The New Democrat.

Should we be surprised that Chiam had attempted to implement the undemocratic model adopted by the PAP in the POWER of ONE to appoint and dismiss anyone into the Central Executive Committee ?

angel7030 SG

now so superstitious oredi.

only u noticed me..ha haha

angel7030 SG

Chiam was as much a dramatic player as the resident Drama Queen in the Speaker's Corner.

He had tendered his resignation the first time, when he could not get the SDP Central Executive Committee to support his demand to censure CSJ for the hunger strike.

Even as Chiam tendered his resignation, the SDP Central Executive Committee and CSJ had persuaded Chiam to withdraw the resignation and continue to be the SDP Secretary-General.

Why did Chiam resort to the Judiciary to reinstate his position in the SDP after the CEC had expelled him ?

Why should the Judiciary interfere in a legitimately conducted CEC procedural matters that had followed the SDP Constitution, and which even the Registrar of Society had not objected ?

Should we be surprised that Chiam had attempted to implement the undemocratic model adopted by the PAP in the POWER of ONE to appoint and dismiss anyone into the Central Executive Committee ?

please keep your laundry at your own backyard and stop hanging them in the public...what a shame!!! these oppositions, not even in power, already start to fight for glory and status, just imagine if they are in power, OMG! civil war may broke out and that may be the end of my pubs.

Please lah, learn the way PAP does to their public images, anything internal problem is alway within the 4 walls.

As a lay woman, if come to know the internal struggle inside opposition hierrachy..I will just walk over to PAP.

Dear Opposition Supporter, let mei mei teach you about privacy ya.

Atobe SG

Please lah, learn the way PAP does to their public images, anything internal problem is alway within the 4 walls.

As a lay woman, if come to know the internal struggle inside opposition hierrachy..I will just walk over to PAP.

Dear Opposition Supporter, let mei mei teach you about privacy ya.

If only the fallen angel will learn to be less flippant in the daily morning ritual to release her bowels in this Speaker's Corner, no one will be aware of her morning incontinence.

Was it a bad night at your father's Bar again ?

No customers to excite your girls who give you another load of boring comments ?

Soon your girls will move over to your competition across the street as the singing there gets louder, and glass clinks more frequently.

Why get involve in politics when you cannot even attract the best customers to your Bar ?