ST Forum Media Bias Thru Use Of Titles And Omission

googoomuck SG

Titles can express approval or condemnation.
The last paragraph in the ST forum article below is a forgerywell, sort of.
It was summarized with half the number of words if you compare with the writers original letter. The ST Forum editors selection and omission of words resulted in a letter - especially the last paragraph - that does not reflect the true opinion of the writer.

Pay rise for top civil servants timely (The title thats not the intended meaning of the writer)

I READ with great relief the article about ministers and top civil servants getting a 4-21 per cent pay rise next month (ST, Dec 14).

We can now be assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have secured their steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication to fight for our cause. It could not be more timely. When inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans 'can barely stay afloat' (The Sunday Times, Dec 2), we need, more than ever, the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through the difficulties.

We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to retain them at all costs. This is especially so as these senior civil servants have been in the public sector for so long that they are likely to seek fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, I hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate. Therefore, I appeal to them to follow Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lead in giving to the poor and spreading the blessings. 44

The writers explanation and the original letter to ST forum:

Please let me explain.
(Anonymous)
2007-12-19 03:23 pm UTC (link)
I'm so glad somebody finally smelt a hint of my original intention for this Forum entry. Honestly, I read with GREAT HORROR the published version of my own e-mail on ST Forum 18/12/2007.
Whatever was published on the Forum page on 18/12/2007 may be similar to what I had originally written, but the omissions made by the editors have actually changed its intended meaning altogether. I have reproduced below my original article as I had sent it to the ST editors:

"I read with great relief the ST article Ministers, top civil servants to get 4% to 21% pay rise in Jan published on 13 December 2007. We can now rest doubly assured that only the most competent people will serve the country. With the rise in their remuneration, we have successfully secured their most steadfast service, as well as their continued fervour and dedication in fighting for our cause. Certainly, it cannot be timelier. At this point, when inflation is soaring and some Singaporeans can barely stay afloat (The Sunday Times 02 December 2007), we are in dire need, more than ever, for the best possible team of civil servants to lead us through all these difficulties. We cannot afford to lose them to the private sector, and have to fight to retain them at all costs. This is especially so, as these senior civil servants have been dwelling in the public sector for such a long time that they are more likely indeed to seek a fresh experience in the private sector.

With the festive season coming, though, I sincerely hope that they will not forget to share the joy of receiving with the less fortunate in our midst, for the total annual increment that every senior civil servant is set to receive can actually support approximately 1,000 other Singaporeans. Therefore, I appeal to our senior civil servants to follow PM Lee's lead in giving back to the poor and spreading the blessings. What that increase means to you means infinitely more to them." 82

If it has not become apparent to you by now, I had meant this piece to be satirical. And I admit that I may have failed miserably. I admit that it may be my own incompetent, ambiguous writing that has resulted in the gross misunderstanding. It is indeed possible that my vagueness has led to the editors misreading my intentions and viewing all the hyperboles and superlatives as redundant emphasis on my support for the pay rise. I shall, however, leave it to you readers to decide for yourself.
I hope I have made my position clear, though: that I am strongly opposed to the unwise timing of the ministerial pay rise, and that if it happens anyway, I call for those benefiting from it to share with those among us who live on $290 a month, and are saving every single cent just to continue surviving.
- Agung Santoso Ongko

charlize SG

I must admit that I was a little confused when I first read the forum letter.

There were hints of sarcasm in the way the letter was crafted in the beginning. By the end of it all, it was made to look like the writer was genuinely concerned about the outflow of "talent" to the private sector.

Clearly this is a case of the editor not really understanding the original intent of the letter or that he or she chose to ignore it. Laughing

Ferret SG

Very Happy

LazerLordz SG

They'll call it editing for clarity. Laughing

Coquitlam SG

Well, I thought initially was where did they dig up this article...was wondering if it was propaganda churned out...now we know that the writer had something else in mind.....no wonder no one was for the amended letter....its all crap and b u l l s h i t....more akin to a dictatorship....making everything so sweet and sugary.....we thankfully we have left this little piece of red dirt

charlize SG

Not many Singaporeans can leave like you.

For those who are staying, whether willingly or unwillingly, they are just trying to make their lives and the country better. Laughing

fishbuff SG

i just met a cook from china who emigrated to brisbane several years ago.
he cant speak english and so does his wife and now they are living very well here in australia.

singaporeans by far are far more professionally competent, skilled and proficient in english. i cant see why singaporeans are afraid to emigrate while the PRCs can do it in hordes and very successful in this.

googoomuck SG

Anybody who writes to ST forums should also post true copies in forums and blogs.

If a letter is published in ST, readers can make comparisons to detect whether it is heavily edited. Alternately, if the letter is unpublishable, readers can still read it from the forums.

This is one way for readers to distinguish real information from propaganda, misinformation or disinformation. In other words, differentiate the genuine critics from boot-licking propagandists .

maurizio13 SG

The PRCs are more willing to take risk as compared to Singaporeans.

Singaporeans throughout the lives in Singapore have been conned into thinking that any other country outside Singapore is a haven for crimes, economically not viable and a hotbed for racism.

Our friend lionnoisy is a perfect example. He's the lion from the Wizard of Oz and this lion trembles at the mention of Oz.

HyperFocal SG

I wonder why people still waste time & effort writing to Straits Times' Forum...
... it's one big farking Instant Noodle factory...

maurizio13 SG

Laughing

charlize SG

Write to the ST and see how the original meaning in your letter gets distorted.

Kinda like this case. Laughing

simnatic SG

Well, one thing's for sure, when you write to the ST forum, anything that is anti govt. will not come out. The way to go is to praise the govt and give "suggestions" as to how it could do better.

To answer your question, writing in at least gives people a chance, though very slight, to express what they think about the country. It's better to write to ST than to just ramble your issue on the internet.

laurence82 SG

i wonder if a person would set up a website just so that writers can send their letters to both ST and website

then we can have a field day laughing at what ST did to the original letter

Demonight SG

the EIC of ST is ex-ISD…what you expect? Praise for your satire, wit and criticism?It’s like firing a pistol at a black hole

charlize SG

I thought Stomp was set up for that purpose.

No? Laughing

wheelcamp SG

PRC ppl are not so domesticated to let others milk them dry

ObviousMan SG

On Animal Farm, a Squealer is needed to tell you that black is white. Mr. Green

LazerLordz SG

Not the current one, to be precise.

Wink

But old habits die hard I tell you.