Temasek Review’s “letters” section fast becoming a forum of choice for Singaporeans
August 29th, 2010 | 
Author: The Temasek Review’s “letters” section is fast becoming a forum of choice for Singaporeans to express their views uncensored.
In the last few weeks, we have seen an increase in the number of letters contributed by our readers for publication from an average of once per day to three daily.
One key reason for its growing popularity lie in the fact that we almost never censor or moderate them.
Most of the letters are published in in their original form saved for some minor corrections in grammatical and spelling errors, including those which are critical of us.
Such a liberal editorial policy is almost unheard of in Singapore, even in the alternative media.
Unlike the Straits Times which demands forum writers to pen down their names, NRIC and contact numbers, we accept letters from anonymous sources as well though we will prefer writers to leave us a name to add credibility.
Given the repressive state of affairs in Singapore, we do understand why most Singaporeans are reluctant to use their names when criticizing the government, especially civil servants out of fear of being “black-marked” for life.
It is difficult to strike an ideal balance between credibility and confidentiality and since we have opt for the latter, we urge our readers to exercise their own discretion when reading letters written by external authors.
Please feel free to share your innermost views, thoughts and feelings with fellow Singaporeans. With our growing readership, you can be assured that your voice will be heard and will have an impact.
Your identity will be kept strictly confidential and we will never reveal it to a third party and your email will be permanently deleted 24 hours after the publication of your letter.
Lastly, due to the large number of emails we receive from our readers daily, we may not be able to reply to every single one of them. If we have missed out your letter, please resend it to us again.
Thanks everybody for your kind support in our endeavor to be the uncensored voice of Singaporeans in Singapore.
Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.
Posted in Editorial
Thanks to TR, I now see Singapore in a whole new perspective. No matter what party rules this fine country, the people will and should have the freedom to voice/share their thoughts, good, bad or ugly. Let true democracy prevail for the good of all. Thank you Temasek Review.
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The Abdul Malik incident and the whole YOG episode show that the press situation today is very different from 10 years ago; today it is easy to publish your views on the web, but generally, moderate views dont receive much attention while extremist and unserious views get free play. The difference with Temasek is that you have a large readership, so that even moderate views appearing here gets some wide hearing.
In the same vein, SPH published material are more likely to get read by more people and its controllers make sure the material serve their approved purpose. However, if Singapore Inc wishes to continue to rely on its PR machines to maintain the authoritative news source status in today’s situation,, they would have to diversify – They need to provide more outlet for alternative views within the system, e.g., by having a range of columnists covering a whole spectrum of standpoints. That is, various moderate views should all be bundled in the Singapore Inc public voice so that they get greater exposure, to combat the eye catching extreme views that float around on the web.
Though Temasek Review does not have the income and editorial manpower that SPH has, it to do the same in a limited way, say by having a panel of bloggers of its own choice. Readers then have access to both a diverse set of knowledgeable comments about current events and unmoderated/uncensored views from a wider set of people.
I also feel compelled to say something about Vivian Balakrishnan. He has taken most of the heat generated over YOG and I find the bashing he received quite excessive. While my acquaintance with him was limited to two email exchanges and one face to face meeting in I think 2002, I had a good impression of him; he struck me as sincere and dedicated, with both admiration and reservation about the Singapore “system” and its creators.
Afterwards, I myself took little interest in news about his part in cat culling during SARS, casinos, YOG, etc, but of course got bombarded with information all the same. Given the way the “system” operates, I dont think one can credit a single person for success or blame him for failure. However, in the general scheme of things, Success has many parents but Failure is an orphan, and someone gets to hold the baby. That’s the way life goes.
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Ya, I have actually noticed that ST db forum is fast becoming a “Ghost Town” .
And yes, sensitive/touchy subjects which are likely to attract “negative” comments have now been “avoided” from being created into a db Thread…in other words…can read the news…but cannot comment.
More like “I want you to read this message…but I am sorry ,I cannot hear you ( deaf )..jus like a certain Deaf Frog.
That is FMII Class 90.5 -alright !
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I wonder if Dr VB reads this website ? From his comment about Malik, I tend to think he is “basking” in his own fb,flooded with “praise”.
When I saw him commenting on ” Winning or losing in this election depends on ability of party to find successors..bla…bla..”, I now seriously am convince that this Guy, too is deaf and has Mental Block.
He jus don’t get it ? I have followed Papee for 50 yrs diligently supporting them,(then), and now I am even prepare to vote for Malik or similar in. ( that is if there is no walkover )
And he(VB) is still( insisting)…preaching and singing his own song.
Sad indeed !
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You guys deletes srticles critical of TR ???
Dude, that is not in the spirit of free speech. If TR wants to be credible, you have got to take it both ways…. publish them, let the readers decide.
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I wonder how true is this???
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@Papsmear: “And yes, sensitive/touchy subjects which are likely to attract “negative” comments have now been “avoided” from being created into a db Thread…in other words…can read the news…but cannot comment.”
Yes, notice it quite some time ago. This is another evidence of SPH selectively trying to control public opinions on a piece of news. Those bodohs never thought that people simply migrate to somewhere else to the Net to talk about it, further affecting SPH’s own online readership! LOL!
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Indeed, TR is the ONLY forum for the uncensored real voice of Singaporeans!!
What TR needs to watch-out for though is the potential for infiltration and astroturfing by the establishment to ruin a good thing.
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Sooner or later TR will be attacked by the Pigs. They will use their usually tactics by getting a group of running dogs attacking this forum with their pro Pigs comments, flooded it with useless comments. Fortunately, this time most of us the true blue Singaporeans know their doggy style and many pple can spot them easily.
We must be united, tell your friends especially your PARENTS AND YOUR GRAND PARENTS the true situation,
” THE GOV IS PRO FT THEY PLAN TO DELUTE OUR VOTES BY GETTING MORE FOREIGNERS IN TO HELP THEM IN POWER.
THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT WE THE TRUE CITIZENS OF SINGAPORE THAT SERVE 2YEARS 6MONTHS OF NS 10 YEARS OF RESEVIST NOW OUT OF JOBS OR GETTING A THIRD WORLD PAY LIVING IN FIRST WORLD COST OF LIVING WITH MPS PAY OF MILLIONS
SOME EVEN BULLY BY FTS, IF WE DONT VOTE THESE PIGS OUT THIS TIME WE ARE MAKING OUR OWN CHILDREN OUR GRAND CHILDREN INTO SLAVE SERVING THE FTS VERY IN NEAR FUTURE. WE HAVE OUR BIRTH RIGHTS HERE
WE END UP TODAY IS DUE TO WE STUPID SINGAPOREAN GIVING THE PIGS TOO MUCH POWER TO THAT BECOME CORRUPTED ..
TELL YOUR PARENTS AND THOSE THAT CAN NOT GO ONLINE ABOUT THE TRUTH, DO NOT TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THIS TIME..
THERE WILL BE NOT NEXT TIME FOR US …..
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For those who are afraid to voice up …you can use website like
http://www.shownoip.com
to hide your IP so that nobody can nail you down.
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In not hiding my true identity in comment pages like this, I must be asking for it from The Straits Times. Yuppies & newbies so dependent on ST-publicity to further their business & career will obviously think me stupid. I’d like to think there’s a wonderful one-upman method to my ‘madness’ in ‘doing myself in’. Not only am I being un-Singaporean by exposing my true identity while making un-PC comments (anything un-Singaporean is a gem worth more than a loot in the bank!), I love the sound of myself saying: They hate me, they really hate me. Yes, indeed, even reaction from the high-&-mighty Straits Times has to be on my terms! (I have learned well from ST having absolute-last-say on any matter.) At this point of my life & career, I am really delighted that I am not with the Singapore mainstream. I think it’s called ‘think-out-of-the-box’, and it’s not for mere lip-service at that! Egotistically yours then, I live a subliminal performance-art life. I don’t know how to thank you enough, Straits Times, for making me so… uniquely unique! Pardon me if I’m loving myself to death, the way you love sucking up to your Govt-bosses… for your own good (no less). Oh, and if you think me mainstream in being Chris Ho… well, that’s not me. That’s Chris Ho. See, I even learned well about being win-win in defining who I am.. for my own benefit; though you’d probably choose to call it survival. Looks like we have survived The Straits Times! Thank God for the Internet. There’s simply no turning back now.
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@FTssshit….
Totally agree…. the PAPies are not interested in TRUE BLUE Singaporean as they are aware of their BS all these years losing billions and knows for a fact come this GE they are going to see the results change. YOG total failure for a 387 million dollars bill. Many Homeless Singaporean going through a very difficult time are ignored and sudsidised HDB flats have a 2 years waiting list, can’t image Government not building rental scheme flats for them. With money spent on YO’G’s 2 weeks event they should have built flats instead… PAP is a Total failure. No Future in Singapore for the next generation, evrything will go up except our salary.
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We need TR
Let’s work together for common goal.
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I’ve met Dr Vivian in person during his walk-abouts in Bt Panjang and he comes across as a humble and down to earth person. I never had the chance to meet any other MP in all my years staying there (since 1988!) so IMHO, that’s a positive change.
There are always two sides to a coin.
Yes, there are many cheesed off Singaporeans but there are also those lurkers and watchers still on the fence.
If any change is going to happen, it has to be from the people themselves. Let me ask, what have you done for your community as an individual? And for your country? In terms of positive contribution?
How many of us actually want to do that and can do that given all of us chasing to pay bills and distracted by the immediate wants and needs?
Why do we have the mentality that the government should have the onus of making everything right? What has happened to personal responsibility?
Blindly voting in the opposition is not the solution.
However, letting thing stay this way is also not viable.
Classic catch-22?
The solution is to get off our asses and make ourselves heard. Not just online, but join forces in our RCs to make our voices heard.
Too many people are afraid to voice our their comments due to fear of repercussions.
Why not show that you can contribute to your community then voice out the concerns constructively and like educated adults?
By educated adults, you don’t have to have a degree or doctorate, you just need to have mutual respect and courtesy for one another.
If there’s a screaming idiot in the streets for whatever reason, wouldn’t everyone around just give a wide berth to that crazy person?
I’ve been following all the articles in TR and it’s been an eye opener. It’s great to have an alternative uncensored avenue to everyone to decide for themselves. However, I’ve not seen many comments that will help instead of inflame.
I’m hoping to show by example,(as a neutral bystander, true blue Singaporean) that more of us will post in a way that will lead to dialog rather than inflaming others further.
Ask what you can do for your country, not what your country can do for you. (However, the country must take care of their own, especially Children and Old Folks)
Majulah Singapura!
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I ask the editor : can we trust a site so seemingly biased and ready to flare up and target people at a personal level as shown in past articles?
Temasek Review simply doesn’t inspire confidence from its past records. It’s too biased and the editors/correspondents easily spin out of control.
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@Chai Tow Kueh — I think you misunderstood the article. TR is saying that they *do* publish letters regardless of whether they are critical of TR. They don’t alter the letters except for minor grammar & spelling amendments.
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i wonder if TR were to apply for a print media license will TR be able to get it? is the local MSM license fully taken up or still open for any taker? won’t it be great if we have a TR newspaper.
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@FTssshit:
August 29, 2010 at 11:15 am
Sooner or later TR will be attacked by the Pigs. They will use their usually tactics by getting a group of running dogs attacking this forum with their pro Pigs comments, flooded it with useless comments. Fortunately, this time most of us the true blue Singaporeans know their doggy style and many pple can spot them easily.
We must be united, tell your friends especially your PARENTS AND YOUR GRAND PARENTS the true situation,
” THE GOV IS PRO FT THEY PLAN TO DELUTE OUR VOTES BY GETTING MORE FOREIGNERS IN TO HELP THEM IN POWER.
THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT WE THE TRUE CITIZENS OF SINGAPORE THAT SERVE 2YEARS 6MONTHS OF NS 10 YEARS OF RESEVIST NOW OUT OF JOBS OR GETTING A THIRD WORLD PAY LIVING IN FIRST WORLD COST OF LIVING WITH MPS PAY OF MILLIONS
SOME EVEN BULLY BY FTS, IF WE DONT VOTE THESE PIGS OUT THIS TIME WE ARE MAKING OUR OWN CHILDREN OUR GRAND CHILDREN INTO SLAVE SERVING THE FTS VERY IN NEAR FUTURE. WE HAVE OUR BIRTH RIGHTS HERE
WE END UP TODAY IS DUE TO WE STUPID SINGAPOREAN GIVING THE PIGS TOO MUCH POWER TO THAT BECOME CORRUPTED ..
TELL YOUR PARENTS AND THOSE THAT CAN NOT GO ONLINE ABOUT THE TRUTH, DO NOT TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE THIS TIME..
THERE WILL BE NOT NEXT TIME FOR US …..
————————————————————–
Bro,……100% agree with you!!
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@just me:
August 29, 2010 at 3:43 pm
I ask the editor : can we trust a site so seemingly biased and ready to flare up and target people at a personal level as shown in past articles?
Temasek Review simply doesn’t inspire confidence from its past records. It’s too biased and the editors/correspondents easily spin out of control.
———————————————-
Haha….have you heard the saying ” Like the Pot calling the Kettle black “..??
Your comments are a big joke…what about the Straits Times? Not Biased? Not ’spin out of control’ ?
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@SG Ghost:
August 29, 2010 at 5:00 pm
i wonder if TR were to apply for a print media license will TR be able to get it? is the local MSM license fully taken up or still open for any taker? won’t it be great if we have a TR newspaper.
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For that to happen, we need to have changes in the Media Act..
Which can only be enacted in Parliment
Which can only happen if we have more opposition in Parliment
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Ok..Ok..we know YOG cost some close to 400 million…
What benefit will this YOG bring to this country that will justify this hugh amount?
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“Voicing is not unpatriotic; it is our duty”
but you got to do it with dignity, uprighteousness, fairness..dont just anyhow say.
and definitely not those nonsensical…burn this and that..it certainly if taken word for word does sound offensive even if he does not meant it..
Dr. Vivian is a humble man,and no doubt the games is a success but i do agree 387m for the games is too expensive. We should put that to better use.
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AMX-13:
August 29, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Your logic is a much bigger joke than mine.
“There’s another site as extreme, biased and likes to attack other people personally just like TR, so people should have confidence to trust TR.”
What sort of logic is that? Rubbish.
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Aiyoh, TR is now the de-facto site to know the TRUTH about the state of affairs on controversial local stuff. Yahoo News and Google News quote comments and write-ups from TR quite frequently. If that is not a major leg up on compliment and credibility, I dunno what is. Amusingly, I fear for Yahoo and Google cos they are very daring indeed to pally with TR. Don’t expect MSN to join-they are a big MIW suck-up.
Most Singaporeans already know the stench of our gah-men but never had any real access to the inside details before to enable anyone to share views and dissent but TR made this possible now through its courage and internet. Not only do we now know how criminally incorrigible the MIW gah-men is, but never in the annals and history of world politics has any one encountered a government anywhere anytime that would BETRAY its own citizens to displace votes to secure power and bankrupt the country through massive reckless expenditures. These are very very serious unprecedented crimes of TREASON against the Singapore people and State, punishable by Mandatory Death Penalty in any nation. Since the heartless MIW loves to dish out MDP so much, they must be made to taste their own injustice too.
Thanks TR. Stay B-G-Lan (vigilant) for overfed pigs rallying their burnt roasted pork army of “servants” to sabo you. The Gods are with you.
Lim Pei Eat Burnt Pork Swee Swee and then Spit out-Pui, has spoken
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it is good and encouraging to see TR solidly evolving as a credible alternative to ST.
I hope that TR will continue to be as transparent and open so that more and more singaporeans and others would come here to share and exchange views.
i wish TR success.
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Limiting comments to 400 characters is not a wise move.
The wise move is to have free flow and the editor has the final say to edit or not edit it before approving and accepting the comment.
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Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
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this site rocks, keep it coming.
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