Interview with Abdul Malik twisted by ST to become propaganda for Workers’ Party
September 2nd, 2010 | 
Author: A seemingly straight-forward email interview with YOG critic Mr Abdul Malik somehow got “morphed” along the way by the Straits Times to become subtle propaganda for the PAP’s “approved” opposition party – the Workers’ Party.
Mr Abdul Malik made the international headlines when he was arrested by the Singapore police for “inciting violence and public disorder” with a comment he posted on Facebook criticizing Dr Vivian Balakrishnan over his handling of the YOG.
Below is a snapshot of the original comment posted by Mr Malik who got him into trouble with the police:
He was arrested at his workplace by three plain-clothes police officers from Bedok Police Division whose Commander is DAC Teo Chun Ching and Head Investigator is DSP Goh Tat Boon.
The controversial case made the international headlines, sparking a huge outcry among Singaporeans who were appalled at the inability of the police to differentiate between a metaphor and a genuine threat.
Jeremy Au Yong from Straits Times had conducted a lengthy email interview with Mr Abdul Malik, but only a small portion of it was published in his article “Anti-YOG man may stand in GE” today with the rest of it being devoted to promoting the Workers’ Party.
For some strange reasons, Mr Au Yong chose to seek the views of WP Youth Wing President Koh Choon Yong on the use of Facebook for political outreach which is completely irrelevant to the subject in discussion.
Even if it is warranted, Mr Au Yong should have contacted the Young Democrats since Mr Abdul Malik has submitted an application to join them.
He also gave free publicity to a hitherto unknown ”commentary” website founded by three WP Youth members which again is quite off the tangent.
Netizens should be extremely wary of any opposition parties or socio-political blogs which are endorsed by the Straits Times either covertly or overtly as it will not give them positive coverage without a hidden agenda.
The WP has been promoted by the mainstream media as a “credible opposition” because its MPs and members almost never confront the PAP on important national issues which would have exposed its inadequacies, and double up to serve its political interest by masquerading Singapore as a “democracy” to the world instead, thereby sparing the PAP regime the agony of being classified as a one-party totalitarian state along the likes of North Korea, China and Burma.
WP Organizing Secretary and CEC member Yaw Shin Leong is a fervent PAP supporter who voted for PAP MP Teo Ho Pin in the 2006 election. Its two MPs in Parliament are as good as “sitting ducks” as they are reluctant to take the PAP to task for its actions.
When asked by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament two years ago if Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng should resign over the escape of Mas Selamat, WP Secretary-General and MP Mr Low Thia Kiang was stunned into silence and dared not even mutter a single word.
With the elections around the corner, the PAP and its propaganda mouthpiece are using the same old “constructive opposition” hogwash to define “acceptable” ways of “opposing” (them) and to split and weaken the opposition camp again.
Remember – the critic exists to criticize and the opposition exists to oppose. The entity “constructive opposition” is a figment of the PAP’s imagination and any political parties which profess itself as such is no more but its proxy like the many so-called “democratic” parties under the patronage of China’s Communist Party and Russia’s United Russia Party.
* A full and unedited transcript of Mr Malik’s email interview with Mr Au Yong from Straits Times is available on our site at: http://www.tremeritus.com/2010/09/02/abdul-maliks-email-interview-with-straits-times/
Related articles:
>> Transcript of Abdul Malik’s interview with Straits Times
>> Abdul Malik apologizes to Vivian Balakrishnan
>> Abdul Malik: My thoughts on the YOG games
>> Dr Vivian: I don’t care about arrest of YOG critic
>> Arrest of YOG critic to squash dissent failed miserably
>> Character assassination by Straits Times against YOG critic
>> Netizens voice support for arrested YOG critic Abdul Malik
>> Outcry among Singaporeans at arrest of YOG critic
>> Singapore police put YOG on world map
>> Did Dr Vivian lodge police report against YOG critic?
>> YOG critic arrested by Singapore police
>> Participant of “I hate YOG” Facebook arrested by police
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Posted in Editorial
Hmm..I am not so sure … Let me observe and I will let you know.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but he got criminal record, can stand in GE meh?
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since chiam see tong and low thia kiang have been in parliament for so many years and never a worthwhile squeak emanated from them; i say we give the independents and the reform party a chance this time.
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I learnt a new word today. “measured approach.” I dont exactly know what this word means. But I think it is best if we all adopt a measured approach.
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The author seems too quick in judging WP in this case without much substantiating information or facts. I remember some time back, attention was given to SDP (under CST). Based on one article, is it fair to condemn WP like that? I hope to read more balanced and factual articles in future or the credibility of TR will go down.
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The Workers’ Party is a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT over the years. They just lack the guts & “fire” in their belly as politicians. Disappointed indeed!
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whatever, WP is still opposition. So long as opposition win can liao although it is obviously the ‘weaker opposition’ compared to SDP
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRxrziOlhsY&feature=related
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so now TR is mopping down WP if favor our their preferred SDP.
LOL
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WP have been quiet and seems to be getting comfortable with PAP’s agendas’ and the salaries i guess. I hope this is not going to be the case of Chiam’s party. We need as many as possible, outspoken candidates to push PAP to a corner i9n the next GE and future of Singapore. WP and Chiam will not ever have a chance to increase their respective seats in parliment.
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Barrick,it’s not my usual style to let people down.
but plaese go and fly a kite or go bootlicking if you have nothing worthy to say here.
if you consider yourself a sinkie,i would expect you to behave like one.
if you are not,ten shut up!
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Why is it that we seem surprised by the antics of the ST.
As everybody knows..the lap dog ST is the governments propaganda machine.
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I read TR everyday and I like it. What I don’t like is when it attacks other opposition party.
Remember: the common enemy is the PAP. Remember please.
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Now TR is reporting!!
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@Editorial
Your intellectual honesty in publicising this article is doubtful and questionable. You are twisting and turning the facts to rationale the arrest of Abdul Malik to mislead the TR readers. You have to write honestly! Abdul Malik was NOT arrested for “posting on Facebook criticizing Dr Vivian Balakrishnan over his handling of the YOG.” The Police press release alleged that Abdul Malik was arrested for writing on his Facebook “THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO BURN VIVIEN BALAKRISHNAN AND THE PAP!!!!!” to incite violence and public disorder. If the Police press release is wrong, why did’nt TR take up the issue to challenge the Police?
If what you state in your editorial is true, all the TR readers posting anti-YOG messages and criticising Dr Vivien Balakrishnan handling of YOG matters during the past fortnight would be arrested by Police now. Why none of them had been arrested to date for posting criticism against YOG and the Minister except Abdul Malik? Can you substantiate to TR readers of what you have written is correct or true to inform all the anti-YOG and anti-Minister critics that they are liable to be arrested by Police anytime from now?
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wats the point of this article. WP bashing or ST bashing. i said before, this abdul malik joining SDP is a bad move by SDP. if this guy stands for election, SDP will get another bashing. they will character assasinate this guy. i don’t think SDP that stupid right?… sometimes you tend to wonder
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LOL…I could not believe my eyes…I begining to have this sinking feeling that TR is attacking anyone but SDP. Why? Ask the people on the streets, which opposition party is more credible, see if SDP will come up. Did not TR recently boasted that ST or another so called state sponsored media quoting and giving credit to TR for some report? So we should beware of TR according to this article’s logic?
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If those who are old enough to remember how one of their candidates “TANG” almost win the CHENG SAN GRC. That was the most talk about election and this “TANG” belong to WP. I beleive people in Hougang residents knows what they are voting for all these years. If some of you could remember how Low & Sylvia actually challenge Lao lee to suit him? Let’s not discredit them and i am sure they are the rational type that does not want to win the battle and loose the war.
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Well the message is getting clearer. There are no people elected president or opposition. The changes required now is not election but return the rights of freedom of choice.
Meritocracy fundamentals believe is choice of the fittest but now the process has deviated because the fittest is now being killed by majority daft with physical power.
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Meritocracy itself is not a form of government, but rather an ideology
It is often the case that meritocracy itself is confused as a type of government, rather than correctly as a methodology or factor used in or for, the appointment of individuals to government.
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TR, if you keep insisting to follow this current twisted way of political propaganda, even against other like-minded oppositions, I would think that people will stop supporting your soon; and that is for the exact same reasons why people are looking for alternative news. If the views are so swayed towards certain manner, as Straits Times is, you will lose your credibility and viewer ship eventually.
From the time you started (yes started) until now, I have seen a dramatic rise in sensationalize news, as akin to tabloid, in the way headlines are being reported now. I can also tell that you have been stepping down on SDA and WP with frequent broadcasted dmging articles on them, so much so that I wonder whether you are PAP funded media whose job is to destroy the last 2 reminding opposition leaders. If you are not, and is indeed working closely with SDP, I would think that you need to inform you sponsors to really start opening their eyes.
In short,
1) go back to the original way of providing alternative factual news for Singaporeans.
2) do not descend to ST equivalent of sensationalist reporting.
3) Stop stepping on other political parties. We need to unite now against PAP and by constantly stepping on them aint gonna help SG 1 bit.
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@Songsonggoboonlay
That’s the problem with TR. At times, they come up with excellent analytical articles. Most of the time, the articles are full of rhetoric that seem to pander to a lot of people reading TR. The sensationalist articles tend to generate so much more comments compared to the better ones that are more factual but perhaps too intellectual for Singaporeans.
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It is sad and pathetic to see the Workers’s Party which was at one time led by the fiery David Marshall and later by the explosive and very determined J.B. Jeyaretnam now being led by a mouse called Low Thia Khiang.
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Lion Roar,
you finish? LOL
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It is quite obvious that this Shitty Times journalist is “trying to create discord” amongst Oppo voters….Tear you guys to smaller,splitup votes…some in the end…NO OPPO Politician..WP, SDP, or NDP…etc…or only Win “kacang puteh ” vote…and Pappy..though “reduced vote”…still “Hold Majority”.
Please guys…Shitty Times Ppl have a “hidden agenda” ..afterall their whose DOGs and PETs ????
Think about it ???
Lets get re-united ….Best of all OPPO can jus form a “UNITED FRONT”. Win “Majority” at all ends first..kick Pappy out !
Lets be focused…first step…UNITE as ONE.
Target..Kick Pappy Out !
Next step..i after “Kicking Pappy out”…then tok later and splitup shares lor!
Remember…main focused must be “UNITED”..you split, have too many OPPO Parties…you may NOT ACHIEVED your aim of “Booting” Pappy OUT!!!
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Like I say..this time..Malik is wrong..his head is beginning to swell.
He needs to be advised and alerted.
If I am him, I will not even entertained Shitty Times !!!
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I continue to be “amazed” by some Singaporean OPPOs here ?
Guys, pse ,pse…we have to be more “Calm” and act more “intelligently”.
Remember your target is Pappy, not WPs or any other.
Remember, Shitty Times is Pappy Dog.
Whatever Pappy talks or shhit or whatever Shitty Times split …there is a “Motive” behind…never good for the Ordinaries, but out to ” tear us” apart.
Stay focused and United. Do not jus “fire the first savor against any of your allies ,as you like …pse, diplomatic , and smart..always ask..what is Shitty times “benefitting” from this ?
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Simple watching of the political scene will shed light that the Opps are unlikely to be united to make much headway into Parliament, let alone kicking the pappy out into street. Another new oppos party has just been registered to contest the election. The TR is promoting an Opps party which many of them do not share the same political sentiment. What next? The GE can be anytime soon as contractors are busily installing the necessary logistics while the Opps parties are busily promoting their own respective agendas running down on one another without any unity in sight. Sigh!
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yes
the opps are easily defeated
if u know how the PAP mafia organization and infrastructure.
u know you are not fighting a fleet
a armada
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Who cares about WP? I’m not bothered.
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IMPRESSION I GET IS THAT LTK BECAME MP TO ATTEND FUNERALS
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St.com is crap. Enough said. Charge me for amateur news? No thanks,
Which international paper will print about an editor getting married?
Pls
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It is true that “the critic exists to criticize and the opposition exists to oppose” but it has to be on the right track and the right cause. Do you want a chaotic parliament like in Taiwan whereby politicians hurl abusive words, beat up one another or throw chairs? Or one that sleeps during a parliamentary session as in the Japanese Diet? WP LTK should have responded and make motion for Minister WKS to resign but will this really solve the problem or endanger our country’s internal security issues? The opposition’s role is not just to criticize but also to check balance as well to ensure our voice is heard. Making noise won’t do much but becomes an empty vessel. The author brought up some points which I hope there are sufficient evidence to backup his statements. In any case, hope readers take his words with a pinch of salt and digest with intellect. Singapore needs credible and constructive oppositions. We don’t need incredible and destructive opinions to destroy the Peace and Harmony we have built, as One United Nation, regardless of political stand.
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Surprise a number fairly eccentric statements on this one figure folks have definitely little or nothing more advantageous to do.
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