Shanmugam peeved at Singapore media’s pathetic rankings on the World Press Freedom Index
October 27th, 2009 | 
Author: From our Correspondent
Singapore’s Law Minister K Shanmugam had lashed out at what he perceived as an “unfair”assessment of the Singapore media’s pathetic ranking on the world press freedom index conducted annually by respected international media watchdog Reporters without Borders.
At the Opening of the seasonal meeting of the New York state bar association International Section, Mr. Shanmugam addressed the perception American newspapers portray of Singapore being “a repressive, state that controls the people’s thoughts” and “unfairly target the press”.
He referred to the Press Freedom Index compiled by the organization Reporters without Borders – which placed Singapore 144th out of 173 countries on press freedom in 2008 below Ethiopia, Sudan, Kazahkstan, Venezuela, Guinea, Haiti.
Mr Shanmugam describe the rankings as “quite absurd and divorced from reality”:
“My point is not that we are in any way inherently superior to them – the question is whether a truly objective assessment will give us such a ranking,” he added.
This year Singapore was ranked 133rd out of 175 countries below Kenya – which saw riots following a disputed election – and Congo – which continues to struggle with the aftermath of an armed conflict that has claimed more than 5 million lives.
The index reflects the degree of freedom that journalists and news organizations enjoy in each country, and the efforts made by the authorities to respect and ensure respect for this freedom.
It is assessed using a questionnaire of 40 criteria to assess the state of press freedom in each country including every kind of violation directly affecting journalists (murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats) and news organizations (censorship, confiscation of newspaper issues, searches and harassment).
Instead of ranting at the rankings, Mr Shanmugam should seriously reflect on why the Singapore media has acquired such an unsavory reputation in the international arena and Singapore journalists are a laughing stock among fellow professionals elsewhere.
There is no free or independent press in Singapore. All the major publications are controlled by one single media company – the Singapore Press Holdings whose current Chairman is a former PAP minister Dr Tony Tan.
Some of the senior journalists in the Straits Times are actually former security officers from the Home Affairs Ministry, the most famous (or infamous) of whom is Straits Times Senior Correspondent Chua Lee Hoong who was a former ISD officer and now an assistant director of the Home Affairs Ministry (Source: yeocheowtong.com)
Chua once “diagnosed” opposition leader Dr Chee Soon Juan to be suffering from a “narcissitic personality disorder” from afar though she is not a qualified psychiatrist.
The compliant and sycophantic Singapore media is a well-known propagandist mouthpiece of the ruling party. Government leaders and PAP MPs are often portrayed as saints who can do no wrong while opposition politicians and candidates are widely demonized as crankpots, fraudsters and traitors out to subvert the state.
The online media is heavily scrutinized by the police as well leading to self-censorship among the country’s bloggers. One American blogger, Gopalan Nair was jailed for three months last year for “insulting” a Singapore judge.
Singapore’s leaders continue to make use defamation lawsuits to silence the foreign media, the latest victims being Wall Street Journal and Far Eastern Economic Review.
Mr Shanmugam claimed that “the press is not used to this anywhere else in the world and “they don’t like it one bit”.” He forgot to mention that Singapore is the only country in the world where foreign papers can be sued pretty easily for defamation. Not even China’s leaders, who bear the brunt of criticism from the foreign media, have taken them to court.
Given the Singapore media’s dismal track record and lack of any improvements in terms of journalistic freedom, integrity and independence over the past one year, it is “quite absurd and divorced from reality” that it is now ranked 11 positions higher than its 144th ranking last year.
Related articles:
>> Correcting Shanmugam’s misperception that Singapore is a “stable democracy”
>> Chief Justice on independence of Singapore judiciary
>> Temasek Review writes to Reporters without Borders
>> Singapore Media climbs to 11 places to 133th position on 2009 world press freedom index
>> Press world freedom index 2009
Posted in Editorial
To the PAP government, only those ranking and benchmark in favour of them are fair !!!
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He has to defend mm lky team legacy. What can we expect from him?
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I’m afraid to take sides with you!
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The truth hurts doesn’t it? Journalism is just prostitution in sg, prostitution of the conscience in silencing the voice of suffering singaporeans.
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In this cyberspace age, anyone can see and realistically compare the differences between local media and foreign publications on the net.
The difference of rigour is telling.
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seriously, anybody wanting to have a credible career in journalism should avoid sph like a plague. and you wonder why are there so many “quitters” every year.
singapore is the only country i know that doesn’t value its citizens, and the buck stops with the current government, PAP.
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Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! What a shame.
Mr. Shanmugam, like all the PAP cronies, is living in denial.
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The usual denial mode of PAP.
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Unfair? Hardly so, considering the numerous ‘nation building’ processes undertaken by Singapore’s media/press. All paid cheerleaders and sychophants of the incumbent government. Or, in David Marshall’s more robust description, ‘running dogs and poor prostitutes’.
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//Mr Shanmugam describe the rankings as “quite absurd and divorced from reality”:
“My point is not that we are in any way inherently superior to them – the question is whether a truly objective assessment will give us such a ranking,” he added.//
I agree. Sinkapoor should be 144 + 11 = #155
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Based on the 40 criteria, I am surprised Singapore is not placed lower than 133rd.
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Well i can only like what you said when some among us were made to be out of job.
FAIR COMPETITION means FAIR REPORTING
AND FAIR REPORTING GETS THE ACCOLADE!
let ST and its ‘TALENTS’ search their souls?
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I am glad that despite their protestations to the contrary, Singapore’s pathetic ranking on the World Press Freedom Index is really bothering them. If it makes Mr Shanmugam hot under the collar then international media watchdog Reporters without Borders must be doing a good job.
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Reporters Without Borders = Low Press Freedom
International Bar Association = No Independant Judiciary
Need I say more?
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@Christopher
Hey,how about amending what you said to ’sinagpore is the only country that says FOREIGN TALENTS ARE BETTER’?
i wonder how at a later stage when the current FTs become citizens,how will they in turn feel when they get slighted
by the government by replacing them with newer FTs?
Hey,USA never HARP on the true talents that flock to their
country nor do their “publicly” and repeatedly disgrace their
citizens as “not enough local talents”.
That’s why only truly SMART people flock THERE!!!
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Perhaps Mr. Shanmugam might be able to shed some light into why foreign news agency (Reuters, Wall Street Journal) are the first to report about Temasek and GIC lost investment instead of Singapore’s very own reputable The Straits Times?
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The PAPies are fighting a losing battle. They are on their way out. Singaporeans are fed up of their leadership. Many Singaporeans are now blogging and posting comments on foreign websites about how repressive things are here.
While they managed to pull the wool over people’s eyes in the past about how bad things are here, the advent of new media allows Singaporeans to inform the outside world how unhappy and miserable we are, living under some of the most harshest and restrictive laws in the world.
The influence of the Shitty Times is slowly but surely being diminished.
And that is a good thing.
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A PAP stooge like Shanmugam ought to focus on how best his govt can help the prostitutes in the MSM improve their ranking instead of being in denial mode.
For a start Shanmugam should go all out to lobby his PAP govt to end the pimps-prostitutes relationship with the msm.
After that Shanmugam and his fellow PAP MPs must stop letting themselves be treated like stooges by the old fart and famiLee.
Having said that, I doubt running dogs can change for the better. LOL
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I wonder if Singapore is ready for ultra new stations like http://www.wnd.com (World Net Daily) and Fox News then?
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Ca shanmugam respond to the IBA report on singapore first?
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“We have no problems with tough debate, criticism of policies.”
– K Shanmugam, 26 Oct 2009.
K Shanmugam,
As the minister for law and the second minister for home affairs, I find it unusual that you are so forward with your comment on the issues of another ministry, MICA. Be that as it may, you are certainly entitled to your opinion.
However, I suspect you are NOT going to find many adherents who deem that the World Press Freedom Index to be “quite absurd and divorced from reality”. Do you have any evidence to back your claim or have you just sullied the good name of the Reporters without Borders?
Can you even convince ANYONE that the Newspapers and Printing Presses Act, the Film Act, the Defamation Act and the Internal Security Act have not been abused to mute the media (both domestic and foreign) and hence contributed in no small part to Singapore’s dismal standing in the World Press Freedom Index?
Indeed, when you decide that you are able to provide a proper rebuttal of the litany of abuses as documented in the 2008 IBAHRI report, I will take you more seriously.
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Actually I would also like to see TR point out in what way we are worse off then No. 132 and 131 as well. IN that way we will know if the ranking is indeed fair.
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Hahaha! Hee Hee Hee, Ho ho ho, HAR HAR HAR !! Kee Kee kee !! Ooooh hahahaha, HEEE hahaha!! OOOHHH hahahaha, Weee hahaha, WAH LAO eh!! you mean he really said that !? REALLY !!? O my GOSH!!! REALLLY? I can’t beleive it !! REALLY !? Tell me you’re joking..now who it really IS MIND boggling!! Whose opinion did he say was “quite absurd and divorced from reality” ?? Oh MAN… this is like one of those Seinfel comodies!!!
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Eh, Sorry to say, it’s like the home minister being described in a blog called “NIAMAH!” google :
“Noordin could have been rehabilitated” … really funny too!
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“It is assessed using a questionnaire of 40 criteria to assess the state of press freedom in each country including every kind of violation directly affecting journalists (murders, imprisonment, physical attacks and threats) and news organizations (censorship, confiscation of newspaper issues, searches and harassment).”
At least the criteria used from Reporters Without Borders are fairer than the ones that is used to access the ranking of town councils.
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Self-denial at its best!
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BLIND “elite” LEADING THE DEAF
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Youtube – One Nation Under Lee (video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17qhGIwyGj0
Tells all……
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doesn’t tat feels great to having to b able to be in NY city having a jab at democracy acrimonously for the “inbalanced” view others have.
doesn’t tat feels great to having to b able to say all those things in NY city without feel of being sued, for name pple as cronies such as Richard Yong.
oh gosh… why must he use “divorce”? tat must b so personal for him to make such a strong statement.
gosh..don’t take it too hard. it’s just numb3rs..
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“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” Abraham Lincoln
Give it up. Singapore is a very repressive state. The world knows it. Quit the charade. Singapore comes after North Korea in being the most repressive country in the world.
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A rude awakening or a state of denial? They are still in the latter state. Frankly, all can see but only themselves. Hiding behind all their legal screens, does not make it any less apparent what they are trying to achieve.
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If TR had registered itself as a publishing paper, it might have ranked better than Shitty Times, no doubt.
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Democracy is humiliated by “Tyrannist And Whore”
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Yous wrote “singapore is the only country i know that doesn’t value its citizens…”…
No… singapore IS NOT THE ONLY country that doesn’t VALUE it’s citizens…
“singapore papgahMENt IS and they just do it so differently by NOT literally bludgeoning us to death like in Mynmmar… and…
so IS PAP in LKY and with his legacy some kind of a ‘blatant Bohemian’ species of MANKIND all dressed as MIW???…
Am sure Mr. Law Minister… NDM… ‘Aged’ Minister in PMO… NTUC SG… ‘white elephant’ MP… will all be BeFUDdled by the words just above???… Very Much Doubt that they are sphisticated enuff to understand such wordings yah!!!…
“christopher on Tue, 27th Oct 2009 9:09 pm
seriously, anybody wanting to have a credible career in journalism should avoid sph like a plague. and you wonder why are there so many “quitters” every year.
singapore is the only country i know that doesn’t value its citizens, and the buck stops with the current government, PAP.”
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The grave beckons. It is too late to do your laundry now.
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“quite absurd and divorced from reality”-What reality?
Singapore has been in this sad position for decades.You
mean all the while you didn’t know? or you have just got up
from a deep slumber! Only now you are trying to wayang by
pulling your hair and jumping up and down and declare to the world that it’s not real? Come on get real yourself
what ever you said will not change one iota of the fact that
we are at the low end of the ranking.If it were the other way round, say we are placed No. 1,I am very sure you will
blow your trumpet loud and clear, all the way back from US to Singapore!!
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I think I saw these quotes on SG forum. I really like them when taken together!
- “An informed citizenry is the bulwark of a democracy.”
- “Those who sacrifice freedom for safety deserves neither.”
- ” Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”
- “When the government fears the people, there is liberty; When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”
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To add insult to injury, PAP even planted spy cam (many of them) around the small Hong Lim Park. That alone is quite telling of why Singapore freedom is ranked so pathetically among other countries. Shanmugam is just afraid to face the truth squarely and look like a joke trying to fight for better ranking which Singapore doesn’t deserve. If PAP kept using the words “No basis” to deny their loopholes, than what basis do they have to argue that Singapore has more press freedom? Can opposition distribute their newsletter like what “TODAY” – owned by pap – did publicly on almost all MRT stations? If yes, than you have basis to argue Singapore has press freedom, if No than Shanmugam has better “SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!!”
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lol. What goes around comes around.
Darkness (2009)
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When Shanmugam came out with the move on law which one person protest is illegal did he said it’s unfair to the citizens? Now he’s crying the ranking of local press being unfair?
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A wise leader upon receiving negative feedback will reflect deeply and may even consider looking deeper into the processes and systems under his roof to better improve it.
But what does this fellow do?
He launches an irrational tirade against the forces of common sense and he expects the thinking folk to stand by him.
I dont think life can ever be so simple. Maybe it is that simple if you are running a teh tarik or barber shop underneath a tree.
You reap what you sow.
Darkness 2009
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I’m surprised he didnt use the phrase “Nevermind the World Press Freedom Index…”
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The October issue Her World features MP Lim Hwee Hua, and on this is what was printed (Her World or rather she quoted) “You can’t be a leader if you are self-centered” from MP Lim….almost feeling like puking when I read this :LOL
In one previous Her World (or maybe was CLEO), dated few months back where they featured 50 guys for their achievements or something like this. Teo Ser (un)Luck(y) was also one of them and I remember vividly the writer mentioned him in the same breath with Obama (who was also one of the 50 featured by the way), something like “Is this our own Obama”. This one I feel more like puking :LOL
Of all people comparing him with Obama?? 1st, he doesn’t have the charisma like Obama, 2nd, he definitely don’t have the eloquence like Obama and the list go on.
After reading such articles from Her World, I am now more convince (like what I heard from others before), it is just another trash magazine. Only useful to pass time when I am having my haircut!!
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If you read one of today’s HK paper. One of their MP was saying this about Donald Tsang (who was lashing out at the local media there for accusing him) “Those in power must be able to accept queries from the media and not to accuse them lightly”
http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20091028/00174_001.html
This accepting media queries will never happen here as SPH is not an objective media and the current dministration unfortunately are not able to accept queries with grace.
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My point is not that we are in any way inherently superior to them – the question is whether a truly objective assessment will give us such a ranking,”
Please sue him for defamation for questioning the objectivity of the report.
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people, dun trust the word of an adulterer … according to my friend who is familiar with the matter, Shanmugam cheated on his ex-wife by committing adultery before he divorced her and got married to the mistress who is now his current wife
if he can cheat on someone he vowed to share wealth and woe with, he certainly would not think twice about cheating on the people of spore
men are pigs *oink*
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@stacy
woah really! i didn’t know … how come PAP always say that leaders must have integrity but then they chose an adulterer to become their LAW MINISTER somemore
is he going to make adultery illegal? what hypocrisy! or maybe he’s gonna come up with new law to make adultery compulsory so that he can feel less guilty haha
i certainly do not see what a lady would admire in a hypocrite like him … plus he’s so freaking ugly
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It’s time some idiot comes out to say:
“We will agree to disagree, so let’s move on….”
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Even accept some differential comments about them…
Are just people who love themself so much… THAT THEy MUST PORTRAY THEMSELVES AS “PERFECT”… IS THERE SUCH AN animal???…
OOpS… I mean such a A human being???…
For he who s “PERFECT”… MUST BE ALMIGHTY GOD???…
BUT then IS THERE such a thing as a thing AS a ‘perfect human being”… if there is…
Then all MIW & WIW MUST BE LAUGHING the moment they were born!!!… And…
What would anyone think of such a baby???… “Seow” OR “MAD” OR “CRAZY”… WHY???…
Simply because ALL BABIES CRY… the very moment they are born… and when they don’t… their gynae WILL SURELY slap them on their buttocks till they BELCH OUT CRYING!!!…
Perhaps many of those MIW & WIW were TICKLED PINK by their gynaes till their FIRST SOUNDS were GIGGLES YaH!!!…
That is why… Singapore is “UNIGUELY Singapooreee because of MIW & WIW!!!…
There’s THE LEGACY of White over GIGGLES thereafter EH!!!…
Did you see how gLEEfulLY someone just received a lifetime achievement awards on the other side of the world… and for what was done here!!!…
AND WITHOUT ANY HUMILTY… AS NO MENTION AT ALL OF DR. GOH KENG SWEE… ET CETERA… ET CETERA… ET CETERA… x XXXXXX FORMER Parliamentarian now in retirement or etrenal slumber!!!…
There ALSO lies the “mystery” of our 1ST-WORLD & uniguely singKApoore too!!!
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If a person likens self and portrays self TO BE PERFECT… then THAT person BETTER BE!!! ESP… when such a person loves to dress in white once a year at the NDP!!!…
And so… does it MEANS that they CAN BE as imperfect as they wish to be for the rest of the 364 days???…
FOR BRAGGING about creating self-perfection image to contrast that no one else is!!!… meaning…
they are the only perfect things in an imperfect world… or what???… LOL at their HYPOCRACIES guys!!!… to be what IS IMPOSSIBLE… And…
Aren’t they not EVEN MORE Image Conscious then “Sexy” Hollywood female stars who flaunt their ‘gears’!!!… LOLLLLLL
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“The question is whether a truly objective assessment will give us such a ranking.”
That is ridiculous! Who in the world takes an examination, gets dismal results, and then calls this proof that it is the examination is not objective? This only happens if one is truly deluded into believing that he must always be right and the best, and any suggestion otherwise is a lie.
Vote them out! They insult our intelligence.
And oh, I remember that the PAP took great pains to defame a certain former president as a womanizer (and then deprived him of a state funeral afterward). This is outrageous.
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You know something funny, the PAP likes to tell us that a massive foreign ‘talents’ influx is neccesary for the survival for our country. We need to face up to the competition and thus become better.
But I guess the same doesn’t apply to politics or anything to do with governance.
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