News blackout on SDP’s economic forum, but full-page report on Chee-Chiam spat 17 years ago
March 29th, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
The Singapore media has imposed a complete news blackout on the economic forum hosted by the Singapore Democratic Party yesterday.
Instead, the Straits Times ran an article on the spat between SDP’s Secretary-General Dr Chee Soon Juan and opposition leader Mr Chiam See Tong which purportedly happened 17 years ago.
Mr Chiam was the former Secretary-General of SDP and left the party under acrimonious circumstances in 1993.
During the public forum held yesterday, SDP leaders took turns to address the economic concerns of Singaporeans such as the issue of foreign workers, income inequality and falling productivity.
SDP’s Assistant Secretary John Tan also spoke at length of the problem of the “non-transparency and the non-accountability of the GIC and Temasek.”
He proposed prohibiting government leaders and their from assuming positions of control at the two corporations and presented the Norwegian model of managing a sovereign wealth fund which is well-managed, transparent and democratic.
GIC and Temasek have under intense public scrutiny of late for losing billions of dollars of the nation’s reserves in failed overseas investments.
There is no opposition in Parliament to hold the ruling party accountable. Neither are there any Singaporeans who dare to criticize their leaders publicly out of fear of be sued for defamation.
Dr Chee ended the forum by reminding the audience that the “SDP’s plan was not a populist one where everything is provided for free by the state and that citizens had to shoulder their share of financial responsibility in order that the system is not unduly burdened by debt.”
Read more about the forum here.
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Posted in Editorial
The Singapore Media also impost a total news black out of my birthday party over the weekend where i invite fellow millionaire, Foyce and David Beckham on my yatch.
I also send a special invite to Mediacorp News but they didn’t turn up.
Celebrating ones birthday is a very important spiritual journe for a singaporean
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That should not comes as a surprise to anyone that the Strait Times chooses it’s new article to protray SDP in a bad and negative light – flogging a dead horse that has been laid to rest 17 years ago.
No wonder the ST is ranked at the bottom for press freedom. Those journalist would covert to flash the news on the papers between Chiam and Chee case do not know that Singaporeans by and large do not really care about their past spats – more concerned about the rising living cost today.
If anything, the ST have done Singaporeans a great disservice by not questioning the policy makers of tough questions such as the FTs issues, rising living cost and falling wages.
Sometimes, I wondered if they get critised by their friends and relatives for those stupid reports that run contrary to ground sentiments (e.g. “Affordable public housing, FTs are not affecting the resale prices, Casinos are good for the country etc…) They must have a conscience right?
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SO you were expecting ST reporters??? get real man…
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The experienced Dr Chee should had known better than to give an interview to the local press and the green horn Mrs Chiam better learn from this episode.
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We PAP are GOD. The others are not. PAP can do whatever we want. We own Singapore. All who do not agree with PAP can go to hell. Yeah!! How I love being a PAP member.
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It is the onus of all OPPOSITION PARTIES to rally under one banner so as not to give others the pleasure of making us all-singaporeans- a mockery.
If the opposition fails to unite,thet only have their pride to blame as the whole true blue citizenry are almost ready to lend full support except for some grassroots stillgnawing away at whatever that is left over.
The “opposition PARTIES” must hence morphe into ‘THE OPPOSITION’!
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i think mrs chiam may be distancing herself away from chee since chee has a really ‘ wonderful’ reputation. seriously if i were to vote for opposition i wont vote for him. he creeps me out when he starts using his monotone voice.
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great samlapdog,
at least you know you are not immortal, will die someday,,,
hope you bring your bungalow and mercs and cash when you go,,,
oh, don’t forget your bank acct, credit cards too………n bling blings..
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I told you so…
Old Media are so extreme in Conservatism (being a Conversative myself) I would not wash my hands together with them.
Can you believe MediaCorps had article a couple of days that Mr Najib Razak is the Mr Obama Barack of asia? Since when Obama had a Mongolian Girlfriend? Since when Najib when to an Indonesia school? Since when Najib had a nuclear arm reducation, had healthcare reform and education loans reforms? Most of the time I don’t understand what they are writting about? such a weird article? It like comparing an Automobile with a Skateboard both having four wheels.
The Striat Times wrote on French Djibril Cisse how to behavior he should himself. Maybe SPH should look at “his own backyard” on our local celebrity caught with pants down, celebrity drunk driving, celebrity high divorce rates
Just like Class 95 motto: Practise selective listening, write only things that play to your advantage
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@Man in Gold – what r u trying to insinuate?
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It is obvious that SDP with such a conprehensive and candid
forum, PAP would have instructed SPH for a news blackout and instead for no better reason published the Chee and Chiam foray to distract people away from the truth.
PAP always has an agenda against Oppositions and for that matter SDP.
Though I did not attend the Forum yesterday, I fully support the contents spoken by the few key speakers including CSJ after reading them in the DEMOCRAT WEBSITE.
PAP has come to a stage where more skeletons are hidden in the closet. WE MUST VOTE THEM OUT SLOWLY BUT SURELY.
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Keeping them honest…
GIC and Temasek Singapore invesment arms, which is Singaporean taxpayers money or maybe they borrow from CPF reserve for invesment. Can Defamation be used? if you are critizing their fiscal policies?
Singaporean should rally themselves and call for the introduction our very own (Freedom Of Speech and Freedom Of Press) protected by the 1st Amendment to the Singapore Constitution.
In that way, we “can obsolete” the outdated Defamation sued
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Everyone will understand the news blackout of the SDP Economics forum.
PAP always employ underhand tactics to discredit and cover up issues popular to the citizens and instead published CHEE AND CHIAM foray which was 17 years ago.
Anyway, thank to the internet and TR and the DOMOCRATS website, many of us can differentiate the true against what PAP is doing lately: all the wrong policies.
We just got to vote them out slowly from the next election.
We have better faith in the oppositions now than the Lee Dynasty of PAP
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Since SPH like to dig out old news, TR should follow suit and report on old news such as articles on PAP MP Teh Cheang Wan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teh_Cheang_Wan
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Goh Chok Tong (The Straits Time, 12 Jan 1998):
Mr Chiam, he added, was no threat but had, in fact, been “good” for the PAP as “without him, it would have been more difficult to destroy (Singapore Democratic Party chief) Chee Soon Juan”.
http://www.singapore-window.org/80112st1.htm
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leesjuanpat, I agree with you,slowly vote pap out.Coming election, SDP will get 38%,next election SDP will get 52%.Out you go pap
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In the past the definition of (Defamation Sued) was “desgin to protected” the victims from slander and hate speech
Today definition of (Defamation Sued) its creation to attacked the victims to compensate for large amount of money design to bankrupt the writers (completely destroy his life for good)
10 cases out of 10 cases, every cases is 100% won. As long as the court case is held in Singapore, they had all won the Defamation for 100% against foreign press, 100% against local press, 100% against political rivals
Unbelieve-able isn’t it !!!!!!!!!!!!
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Keeping them Honest (Part 2)
Maybe it is about time, both local and foreign press, be it Printed Media, Mainstream Media, Online Media rally behind, calling for (United Nation for the protection) against (Defamation Sued) to safeguard newspapers and journalist
In future all (High Level Defamation Sued Cases) against “press media” can be appeal all the way to New York where the court case will be take place over there where a Independence Legal Body will be formed
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I am dissapointed by ST.
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although i’m not a SDP supporter, I’ll give my kudos to SDP. its a good thing SDP (and Dr. Chee), is bringing more discussion out there, and much less antagonistic and confrontational approaches.
great work SDP.
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Paikia 1,
Where are you? Breaking news on all mainstream media, this will put a big smile on your face. China had jail Australian for spying 10yrs in jailed, roughly about 4 dude in the Rio Tinto Case for “Espionage/Spying”
I bet you will said 4 Australian had commited a crime, they deserve the sentence. However, when it comes to American case on “Espionage/Spying” case you think it is dead wrong. Because you are A Racist ????? Double Standard perhaps ???????
What you think if Singapore arrest & excuted Indonesian Commandos for spying and bombing in Shenton Way MacDonald????
I knew it, you are clan. You are no different from KKK, think exactly like a clan. PAP will never groom you, a loose cannon
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Oxford Dictionary should update the definition and the meaning of the word (Defamation Sued)
1) Defamation Sued “a tools to protect” victims from slander
2) Defamation Sued these days had become “A Weapon Of Choice” to destroy his/her life completely, or arm-twisted the company to its knees
Maybe a cap on how much compensation should be awarded, when a guy had to close down his law firm, sell his cars, sell his house, cough out his life saving for a few words he said on the heat of the moment (example Mr Tang Liang Hong during a 1 time off election) it is a nut case
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Shame on SPH
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eh so what so interesting about this news ah? maybe ST can take out the section on wine or soccer to put this in lor
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What is Defamation Sued? really?
To a Liberal Judge or a Conservative Judge you are neither influnce by FEAR or influnce by FAVOUR (textbook knowledge)
1) As the Book, stated in the law the maximum fines allowed is to be carried out is = XX dollars
2) As offender, punishment for slander the maximum charges is = XXXXX dollars
3) As victim, damages to your face and reputation compensation in the amount of = XXXXXXXX dollars
4) As player, can we destroy him? = XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX dollars
Make an educated guess, which would you prefer? Answer: 1
Ah, I see you just made a fine choice
Metallica: Justice For All
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7qOZhKL3wg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzMWoGG0OxQ
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Most Singaporeans are aware of what Dr Chee is like as a public figure in opposition, how he often seem to have overdone things in order to make his viewpoints on politics and government in Singapore. I’m sure most Singaporeans are simply not comfortable with his style of opposition. I’m therefore not the least surprised that the media in Singapore may not consider the economic forum by SDP, which feature Dr Chee as its Secretary General, of any newsworthy interest. But, I’m alarmed that the Temasek Review correspondent should entitled this lack of media coverage as amounting to a news blackout on the SDP forum. I think it’s an attention-grabbing heading that may be simply untrue and misleading.
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What else to expect out of Shameful Times aka Shitty Times!?
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Increasingly, the sanctioned press displays an unabashed propensity to present distorted versions of events to favour the ruling elite. The advent of alternative media platforms has exposed their brand of journalism as riddled with biases and half-truths. Most right-minded Singaporeans take ST reports with a liberal dose of salt. What the papers omit is often as insightful as what is printed. Inane stuff gets passed off as newsworthy, such as the Ris Low saga which is more boring than flogging a dead horse. Nonetheless, newspapers are indispensable: Singaporeans need to peruse the advertisements daily for the best bargains!
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Chee has become personalized with SDP, for good or for bad, but the SPH press is really biased. Maybe Chee should build a talented team and he gives room for their growth
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Why is anyone surprised that the ‘running dogs and poor prostitutes’ of SPH like to dig up dirt on opponents of the Leegime?
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TR article word missing >
“He proposed prohibiting government leaders and their from assuming positions of control at the two corporations”
Missed out the word “family”, should read >
“He proposed prohibiting government leaders and their family
from assuming positions of control at the two corporations”
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Increasingly, the new media displays an unabashed propensity to present distorted versions of events to favour the non-ruling duck. The advent of traditional media platforms has exposed their brand of journalism as riddled with biases and half-truths. Most right-minded Singaporeans take TR reports with a liberal dose of salt. What the blog omit is often as insightful as what is displayed. Inane stuff gets passed off as newsworthy, such as the Ris Low saga which is more boring than flogging a dead horse. Nonetheless, new media are indispensable: Singaporeans need to peruse the article daily for the best entertainment!
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Dr Chee ended the forum by reminding the audience that the “SDP’s plan was not a populist one where everything is provided for free by the state and that citizens had to shoulder their share of financial responsibility in order that the system is not unduly burdened by debt.”
Hey, this line sounds familiar! If one day Dr Chee & SDP is voted in as government, you can be sure this will be the line they use to justify their multi-million-dollar salaries! Whoopee!
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totally disagree with man in gold above. he himself distorts and presents half truths. the main stream media brand of journalism is far worse off than what he accuses the new media of doing. our press freedom rankings continue to remain below most of former communist east europe. Goebbels would be proud of what the ST is producing.
the new media is not only for “best entertainment” – it is becoming an important source of news for many. you can try to belittle the new media, but the trend towards it is inevitable.
only a fool would think otherwise
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Instead of complaining abt the unapologetic biased local media, take a cue from what the govt does to the foreign media e.g. WSJ, FEER etc, where they sue them for libel and cut their circulation in Spore to “punish” them financially for unfavourable reports; just stop subscribing and advertising in these local media publications. As a listed entity, it may no obligation to you to provide accurate and fair reporting, but they do have an obligation to their shareholders. You have an actual choice to voice your unhappiness with your wallet. Exercise that option.
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nstead of complaining abt the unapologetic biased local media, take a cue from what the govt does to the foreign media e.g. WSJ, FEER etc, where they sue them for libel and cut their circulation in Spore to “punish” them financially for unfavourable reports; just stop subscribing and advertising in these local media publications. As a listed entity, it may not be obligated to you to provide accurate and fair reporting, but they do have an obligation to their shareholders. You have an actual choice to voice your unhappiness with your wallet. Exercise that option.
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