Mainstream Media Propaganda

Rock^Star SG

Let us all keep track of the highly biased mainstream media till elections day. Can the mods sticky this thread?

We will update this page with the pictures from the Straits Times each day until the elections are over.

As the General Election approaches, we take a look at the coverage of the People’s Action Party (PAP) by the state-owned broadsheet, The Straits Times. Invariably and, an uncanny coincidence perhaps, virtually all the pictures of the PAP are of the members smiling.

We also notice that the PAP is perhaps trying to soften its image – by being photographed together with children.

There’s the front page picture of PAP secretary general Lee Hsien Loong, on 6 March, surrounded by smiling faces as he carries an infant in his arms; MP Charles Chong speaking with a little girl; and MP Amy Khor speaking to another little girl in school uniform; and MP Heng Chee How in a picture with a couple carrying a small child.

It is perhaps not surprising that the PAP is trying to soften its image – especially with all that have happened these last five years or so.

Here’re some pictures from the Straits Times’ coverage.

Straits Times 21 Mar 2011 Pg A3

Law & Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam

Straits Times 21 Mar 2011 Pg B2

George Yeo ST 21 Mar 2011 Pg B2

ST 21 Mar 2011 Pg B3

Straits Times, 22 Mar 2011, Front Page

Straits Times, 23 Mar 2011

Straits Times 23 Mar 2011, Pg A3

St Front Page 24 March 2011

25 March 2011

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Saturday, 26 March 2011

PAP

Opposition

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Sunday Times, 27 March 2011

PAP

OPPOSITION

None.

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28 March 2011

PAP

OPPOSITION

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29 March 2011

PAP

OPPOSITION

You and I know the Straits Times is a self-proclaimed “nation-building” newspaper. That, of course, is an euphemistic term for being a PAP mouthpiece. Even its Chief Editor, Han Fook Kwang, did not deny it when he was asked about this.

“We’re aware people say we’re a government mouthpiece or that we are biased. But the test is if our readers believe in the paper and continue to buy it,” he said in 2010.

But even so, the ST should at least pretend to be a serious newspaper and its “journalists” professional. The problem is that it does indeed pretend to be these – except that it falls flat on its face every time. I mean, a lie will always be a lie and it will always show itself up. A lie trips you up every time – sooner or later.

And the sooner has arrived.

With expectations of a General Election reaching high fever, I knew the ST could not be counted on to be professional. Where is the proof, you may ask. Sure. Here it is – the Straits Times General Election website, specially set-up for election news.

The above screenshot was taken on 03 April 2011 at 10.30pm.

Does that look like a news website to you? Or does it look like a partisan, one-sided PAP website?

Out of 30-plus news stories, I only see one about the opposition (Workers’ Party) and another one of a PAP minister commenting on an opposition party member (Workers’ Party’s Chen Show Mao).

There are no stories – at least on the front page of the website – of any other opposition party.

And look at all the videos. Not a single one is about the opposition.

I mean, come on. This is not even journalism. This is plain propaganda. This is blatant and shameless sucking up. Seems the Straits Times is bending over for the PAP in the most obscene manner possible.

It is the same in the print edition too. Pages after pages dedicated to the PAP.

The upcoming GE has been said by government ministers to be a crucial one – one where the very future of Singapore is at stake. Indeed, we are said to be choosing our 4th generation of leaders.

If this were true, isn’t it then incumbent upon the only national broadsheet to be more responsible and professional and provide fair coverage of all parties so that Singaporeans will have enough information to make a wise and informed decision?

How can such blatant betrayal of journalism be constructive or helpful to Singaporeans?

Is this “nation building”?

Its GE website looks like something the governments of North Korea or Burma would be proud of.

I mean, Straits Times, you not embarrassed meh?

And Fook Kwang, people buy your newspaper because there are no other. Remember: you are a monopoly. DUH!

But we certainly are not buying your crap.

Source: onesingaporean

Vote PAP OUT to Save SG SG

but who here really gives a fuck about PAP state propaganda?

I see their propaganda also feel like vomiting. Their propaganda is such a disgusting eyesore.

Junyang700 SG

A little bit here and there goes unnoticed.
10 pages everyday irks the public.

Vote PAP OUT to Save SG SG

A little bit here and there goes unnoticed.
10 pages everyday irks the public.

lucky I never read PAP state propaganda mouthpieces.

Leomanz SG

lhl follow gct footstep ........... 5 yrs carry baby 1 time

reyes SG

for ST sake, do a research why singaporeans buy straits time. because we dont have a choice. the state make it hard for any independent newspaper from setting up. i buy ST only on weekends, to see sports( EPL news), classified ads nia.

i dont give a shit what you write on singapore issues. just reading it, i know it is bias and give a propadanga effect towards the ruling regime.

likeyou SG

I seldom buy st.

Get free today paper will do.

Rock^Star SG

No news in CNA about opposition but there's PAP. CNA should be renamed CNAPAP, it's a partisan channel, no?

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GE: PAP introduces 5th batch of candidates
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid/S Ramesh | Posted: 04 April 2011 1742 hrs

Photos 1 of 4
(L-R) Ms Low Yen Ling, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng, Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan, BG (NS) Tan Chuan Jin Video

GE: PAP introduces 5th batch of candidates Special Report • GE Countdown

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng says the People's Action Party (PAP) has been able to govern Singapore because of the people's faith in the party and the support it receives.

This has enabled the government to think long-term and not be distracted by constant politicking.

Mr Wong, who is also the party's First Assistant Secretary-General, said this when introducing its fifth batch of new candidates for the upcoming General Election.

The three new candidates introduced on Monday are: 42-year-old Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan Jin, 37-year-old Low Yen Ling, a former director at the Economic Development Board (EDB), and 40-year-old trade unionist Patrick Tay Teck Guan.

BG (NS) Tan was a Guards officer and has served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for nearly 24 years.

Ms Low is PAP's third new woman candidate introduced so far. Ms Low has been active in the Meet-the-People sessions and grassroots activities in Hong Kah GRC.

Mr Patrick Tay is currently the executive secretary of the Healthcare Services Employees' Union and an adviser to the Union of Security Employees. Mr Tay has also been active in grassroots work at various levels.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong said many of PAP's new candidates come from a humble background. And because they have benefited from the meritocratic system that the PAP built and the economic opportunities that have been created, such individuals "are doing well".

That is why they are stepping forward to serve Singapore, and to make a difference in the lives of other Singaporeans, said Mr Wong.

The PAP looks for six key qualities in selecting its candidates.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong said: "To be a PAP candidate, one must be committed, capable, able to communicate and connect with the ground. They (PAP candidates) also must have a passion and conviction to serve. Our new PAP candidates have these qualities and they will continue the party's tradition of self renewal which keeps the party fresh and connected to the societal changes."

Mr Wong reminded Singaporeans that the world is full of surprises like the SARS episode in 2003 and the global financial crisis in 2008.

When these surprises hit Singapore, what is important is to have strong leadership to help the people and to bring the country out of these problems, he said.

One such leader is BG (NS) Tan, who has been credited for his role in leading SAF's relief efforts to Meulaboh in Aceh after the 2004 Boxing Day Indian Ocean tsunami.

He is also credited with initiating the 8.22pm Pledge Moment in the 2009 National Day Parade.

BG (NS) Tan is widely tipped to be an office-holder and a member of the fourth-generation core team which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hopes to form after the polls.

Speaking at the introduction session, BG (NS) Tan said: "In many policies, it sometimes seems easy to broad brush and say, 'it should be like this and like that', because everything has an implication. How do we then balance the different needs? One extreme obviously is you have a referendum for every issue and that's not where most countries are doing. It is not possible to govern in that respect.

"When a Member of Parliament is elected to represent the people to make the best possible decisions on the people's behalf, the key thing for a Member of Parliament is to really listen to the different constituents and their views and to incorporate them in his decision-making process and to the best of his ability, decide what seems to be best for both the constituents and the national level and make those internal trade-offs.

"I don't think there is a particular formula but the key thing is: are we prepared to listen? are we prepared to engage, particularly, the views which we may not agree? The views may be out there and I think you've got to figure out how best to weave them into the process, and that's something I hope, in my own small way, to contribute in......and make the correct decisions."

For candidate Ms Low, she said she "would like to create an environment that will help support, encourage and strengthen mothers at work".

"The second area I feel passionately about is ensuring that children from needy families have access to pre-school education. I know a lot of resources have been made to ensure that pre-school education is made accessible and affordable to all, and currently one percent of each cohort does not receive pre-school education. Having said that, every child counts and more can still be done in this area," she said.

Moving on to Patrick Tay, he said meeting the challenges faced by different segments of the workforce is an on-going process.

"The Employment Act.....that's one area I hope to be a voice to....I see incrementally we should review the Employment Act to ensure a greater scope of coverage, not just restricting to a particular group of people but to cover more and more so that other segments of workers not covered under the Employment Act can have ready access to it other than taking a civil action," said the trade unionist.

Summing up, Deputy Prime Minister Wong said the PAP has done well for the people. "Had we been a failed state, no one will invest in or learn from us. This election is about your future and your family's future. Hence it is very important to you."

He added Singaporeans must consider which party has the best team to help secure their future.

The PAP has introduced 15 new faces so far. It has said it will introduce more than 20 fresh faces for the upcoming election.

View the introduction of the new candidates here

- CNA/ir

Rock^Star SG

Ok this is what we don't see in the msm.

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“Ask her what is she going to do about the HDB prices!” Sunday, 03 April 2011 Singapore Democrats

A resident at the Yuhua constituency today was visibly upset with the PAP's policies of high HDB prices, and he made it known during the Singapore Democrats' campaign walkabout this morning.

“Ask her what is she going to do about the HDB prices!” he shouted in Hokkien, referring to Ms Grace Fu who was also doing her rounds at the hawker centre. “Are they going to let it go up to one million dollars? Now my son can't afford to buy one.”

His voice was quivering as continued to lambaste Ms Fu who was handing out Yuhua newslatters as part of her campaign material.

The SDP entourage assured the gentleman that if Yuhua residents elected our candidate, we would bring up the matter in Parliament and ensured that a solution be worked out to make HDB flats affordable to Singaporeans.

A few minutes later we encountered a stallholder who complained that many of the vendors at the food centre were angry because they had contributed some money towards a pool of funds for the management of matters related to the hawker centre.

Speaking in Chinese, the vendor said that they did not know what the funds were being used for and they were not consulted. He asked the SDP to take up the issue and see what could be done to resolve the matter.

On a separate occasion, a bus driver who lived at Yuhua indicated to us that Mdm Fu, as he called her, was not a popular MP. “Many residents don't like her,” he said, “she has a smug attitude.”

The two camps ran into each other today at the Yuhua Village Food Centre. Dr Chee Soon Juan and Ms Fu exchanged pleasantries before moving on in their respective campaigns.

The Yuhua SMC residents seems to be more vocal and throwing up a number of complaints against both the PAP and its MP. Last week one voter complained loudly that the it seemed that the PAP could not find locals to be its candidates.

Following its now regular visits to the SMC, the Democrats made our way to the Ghim Moh Food Centre which is part of the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC where we met with residents who were out having lunch.

Yesterday, the party concentrated our campaign at the Bukit Panjang constituency where we again distributed flyers and sold The New Democrat. The groundwork continued into the evening as party activists and campaign volunteers worked tirelesly to canvass for support.

We urge our supporteres to step forward in this crucial time and volunteer your time and energy in helping our candidates get into Parliament.

Rock^Star SG

COE prices down across the board
By Mustafa Shafawi/Vimita Mohandas | Posted: 06 April 2011 1636 hrs

Photos 1 of 1
Traffic jam in Singapore.

SINGAPORE: COE premiums for vehicles fell in all categories in the latest tender.

The biggest drop was in the big cars category (above 1,600cc) where the premium fell by S$2,001 to S$55,001.

The COE price in the Open Category dropped by S$1,973 to S$57,100 while that for small cars (1,600cc and below) fell by S$601 to S$43,212.

The premium for goods vehicles and buses slipped S$1,501 to S$28,189.

Motorcycles COE dropped S$44 to S$2,490.

Car dealers say COE prices tend to dip after February. They expect premiums to remain stable until July when the government announces the next COE quota.

- CNA/ir

Rock^Star SG

The Straits Times published a photo of PM Lee surrounded by smiling NUS students at a ministerial forum yesterday to showcase his ‘popularity’ among the youth, but the reality is far from the truth.

According to a NUS student who attended the forum, PM Lee was ‘grilled’ by some students on sensitive questions such as the relentless influx of foreigners, the repressive laws to curtail political freedom, new citizens becoming MPs, the obscene ministerial pay and the political hegemony of the PAP.

“The atmosphere was actually quite tense. Many of us are unhappy with the PAP’s policies such as its indiscriminate intake of foreigners which has depressed our pay. I don’t even dare to dream of getting a job which pays 3k a month when I graduate next year,” quipped Kelvin Low, a third year engineering graduate who attended the forum.

Another engineering student Seah Yin Hwa asked PM Lee if he could pay less taxes and take one or two years off his NS if he supports the PAP’s policies, but was adroitly cut off by the moderator in time to save PM Lee the blushes.

One student asked PM Lee the ‘logic’ behind the PAP fielding new citizens as candidates to which PM Lee gave the standard answer that it’s difficult to find young Singaporeans to join politics.

PM Lee also made use of the forum to take a potshot at the opposition, saying that it is ‘futile’ to join the opposition as there is little they can do with the PAP remaining in power.

The next election may be the last window of opportunity for native Singaporeans to reclaim their nation after which they will surely be relegated to being second class citizens with the hordes of foreigners the repressive PAP regime is mass-importing to replace them.

Rock^Star SG

“If you read something in the Straits Times or on CNA, you must know that it’s real.”

- PM Lee, National Day Rally 2006

“Do you believe everything you read in the Straits Times?”

- PM Lee responding to a student who pointed out that according to the Straits Times, although Singapore is a First World country, it has a Third World wage, at the NUS ministerial Forum on April 7 2011.

Rock^Star SG

Check out this question on why opposition wards get less funds than PAP wards and see the PM's defensive reply.

_______________

No upgrading, so can I pay less tax?

Q: My name is Seah Yin Hwa. I'm a 4th year student, I'm an engineering major from NUS. Just like many people in the audience, I served my national service and when I graduate this year, I'll be paying taxes. But I guess the main difference from everyone over here is that I come from a constituency where the majority of my fellow people decided to pick a Teochew nang that doesn't wear the white uniform. So my question is, basically why are we being penalised for our choice of MP.

Mr Low Thia Kiang -- ST PHOTO: TED CHEN

PM Lee: How are you penalised?

Q: When it comes to upgrading, what is being told to us is that we do not have the funds to actually go ahead with lift upgrading as well as shelters to the bus stops. When I look over across the road to Aljunied GRC, they have everything.

PM Lee: Low Thia Khiang says he has no difficulty funding the lift upgrading programme.

Q: No, my question is ...

PM Lee: Your question is, why is the opposition ward not treated at least as good as and maybe even better than the PAP ward? And the answer is that there has to be a distinction because the PAP wards supported the government and the policies which delivered these good things.

All the basics apply to everybody ? your roads, your trains, your houses, your schools, your hospitals, your security and defence. But the extras which comes down to the upgrading programmes ? it?s a national programme, but between the people who voted and supported the programme and the government, and the people who didn't, I think if we went and put yours before the PAP constituencies, it would be an injustice.

Q: So having said that, can I pay less taxes and maybe take one or two years off my NS?

PM Lee: How shall I put this? If you were on an offshore island and not part of the SAF security defence, such a thing could be imagined. But the SAF, defence, taxes, all the facilities which have been provided, go to everybody. Priority, first and second, who comes first, who has to wait. Somebody has to wait.

Moderator: OK can we have the next question ...

Rock^Star SG

Why Obama paid less than S'pore minister

Q: If I may add on ... It has been shown that US President Barack Obama is actually paid less than a Cabinet minister in Singapore. I'm quite sure we agree that his job is a lot tougher than our Cabinet ministers, being the leader of the free world and all. So if that's the case, how do you justify our ministerial pay being higher than that of Barack Obama?

PM Lee: Well, there are several answers to this. One is that retired US presidents go on book tours. They write books. They are paid $10 million in advance, they get somebody to help them write at home and they make a lecture tour. Every lecture ... their book tour, they make money. Every lecture ? (former US president) Bill Clinton, $100,000 to $200,000 for half an hour. The lecture is more or less the same, whichever one you happen to listen to. But every time you go, he gets paid $100,000 to $200,000.

That's the system. I think that's not a good system for us. We don't want ministers to retire and go on lecture tours. That's point number one.

Point number two, because of the (US) President's pay being set at a level which is not quite right, so all the rest of the civil service and government pay in the American system has to take dressing from there and come down ... And they have a very serious problem because as a result of this, their judges are underpaid, their civil servants are underpaid.

One year, the Chief Justice, Rehnquist, who's died now, wrote his annual judicial report to Congress, and he said to Congress: 'You're going to have a very serious constitutional problem because a senior judge sitting on the bench hearing the case with junior lawyers arguing in front of him is paid less than a junior lawyer on Wall Street. And where do you think the talent will go and what do you think the consequences will be for our system?' So that's their problem, that's not our problem, but I think we should learn from their problems and try and avoid making that kind of mistake.

Rock^Star SG

I havent been reading SHIT TIMES but I bet you the following pics don't appear in there:

Rock^Star SG

Plastic Bag SG

Mediacorp makes me blood boil. Only report footages from PAP rallies. And totally ignores the opposition ones.

Fcukpap SG

wasn't it overly celebrating women as well?

dun we men pay taxes and assume unlimited liabilities of NS?

so women dun celebrate for their sons....what a country...