SINGAPORE : They have an opinion on the casino issue and they
want to be heard.
MediaCorp NewsRadio 93.8's talk show Talkback saw an overwhelming
response from its listeners on Wednesday morning.
Callers stood a chance to win a trip to a Genting Highlands casino
with Gurmit Singh. and be part of the TV special 'High Stakes: The
Casino Debate' to be aired on Channel NewsAsia on March 3rd.
It was a bright and early lively discussion between callers and
guests on TalkBack.
"Response was really great and I think it's because listeners feel
that their voice is being heard. Singaporeans these days are more
vocal and more able to form an opinion, because they have access to
more information," MediaCorp NewsRadio 93.8's News Talk Host Eugene
Loh said.
Michelle Martin, also a News Talk Host said: "The mood was overall
conservative, with most callers worried about the social impact
that the casino would have in Singapore. Most felt that the
economic argument didn't stand well up for them."
A view that some guests on the show shared.
Tan Thuan Seng, President of Focus on the Family Singapore said:
"We are totally against a casino. We are glad that the issue is on
the table because it highlights the major problem of gambling in
Singapore. This issue has not been properly addressed, even without
the casino being here. A casino will just add to the
problem."
But more than anything else, what is coming through is the
importance of public opinion on the issue.
"Even though the government has said that it is not run by the
weight of public opinion polls, but because it's a moral issue as
well, I think it will count. Public consultation and feedback will
count a lot," Dr Gillian Koh from the Institute of Policy Studies
said.
On the table for discussion were what kind of controls would be in
place should a casino be allowed in Singapore.
And one of the show's guests noted that the government wanted to
ensure that the proper safeguards would be in place.
"The differentiation comes in to where the government makes an
assessment as to which companies, the large global casino
operators, who take responsible gaming very seriously and embody it
as a part of their corporate culture, and those that just think
it's a nuisance," said Jonathan V Galaviz of the Casino Gaming
Practice section at Galaviz Ong & Co.
"The economic vibrancy that the industry creates is essentially a
very strong selling point for the overall value proposition of
having an integrated resort, which has a small casino component,"
he added.
Phones have been ringing off the hook at NewsRadio 93.8 with
callers anxious to make their views heard. And there has never been
an easier time to join the Casino Debate.
You can take part in our SMS poll by SMS-ing CNA followed by 1 for
yes, 2 for no or 3 for undecided to 71888. - CNA