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From our Correspondent Acting Minister for Information, Communication and Arts Rear-Admiral Lui Tuck Yew had high praises for the Singapore media during a dialogue with members of the Singapore Press Club. Mr Lui said: "Unlike some foreign newspapers, the media here in Singapore has not gone for aggressive journalism; they have not gone for aggressive campaigning. "They have taken the position that they will investigate thoroughly before they publish," he added. Given the fact that the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) has a complete monopoly in Singapore with no competitors at all, it is natural that Singapore journalists do not need to be "aggressive" unlike the cut-throat media industry in the west. Since SPH is controlled by the ruling party, its journalists will have to be extremely careful when they write artices about government leaders and policies which explains why they need to conduct a "thorough investigation" before they can publish anything. Mr Lui also revealed that the Nielsen media index of 2008 showed that 75% of people polled selected newspapers as their preferred source of news. He praised the Singapore media for "holding its ground as the dominant source of information, despite developments in the new media scene." Again, this is not surprising as there is currently no news sites with a sizable readership in the mould of Malaysiakini to compete against them. When Malaysiakini was first founded in 1996 by journalist Steven Gan, it has a small readership of only a few hundreds limited largely to Kuala Lumpur. After its founders registered a company - Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd to run the site professionally on a full-time basis, it is able to recruit young, budding journalists into its fold. 10 years later, Malaysiakini is the 16th most visited site in Malaysia and has a higher online readership than the government-controlled New Straits Times and The Star. Though the new media is still unable to compete with the mainstream media at this stage, it is only a matter of time that somebody set up a "Malaysiakini" to challenge SPH's dominance in the industry. Singapore has a much higher internet penetration than Malaysia. If Malaysiakini can succeed there, why not Singaporekini? Mr Lui should realize that the world is moving towards greater media liberalization. It is both fruitless and silly to continue to exert control over the media in this age and time. Related articles: >> Mourning 25 years of the demise of a free and independent press by Eugene Yeo >> Why there is no “Malaysiakini” in Singapore by Fang Zhi Yuan and Lim Siow Kuan EDITORS’ NOTE: [If you like our work and would like to support us, please transfer your donations via paypal to our account ([email protected]). Any amount will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!] Join our tweet at: http://www.twitter.com/temasekreview  Read More →

By Lim Siow Kuan, Malaysia Correspondent During a ceremah at Ipoh last Saturday, PKR leader and ex-MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng described his experience at the recently concluded Permatang Pasir by-election: "I was at Permatang Pasir helping with the by-election and it was so amazing, so overwhelming to see the crowd come together....It was so heart-warming to see people of different races actually sitting together and getting along - they all want change." Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng was the most senior figure from the Barisan Nasional to cross over the opposition PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) led by former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of late. During the function earlier, a total of 600 applications for PKR memberships, signed by Barisan Nasional members, were handed over to Anwar. Of the lot, at least 400 are from MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) including a former deputy division chairman, scores of central delegates, division party post holders and members. Barisan component party Gerakan was the first to suffer from the opposition's stunning success at the last elections with senior party leaders led by ex-Vice President Dr Toh Kin Woon leading the exodus. With MCA embroiled in a bitter power tussle between its President Ong Tee Keat and his deputy Chua Soi Lek, more disillusioned MCA members will be contemplating joining PKR in due course. MCA is a pale shadow of its former self since losing the support of the Chinese community which has since swung strongly to the side of the opposition. The Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) is also a beneficiary of MCA's internal problems. However, more and more Chinese are seeing PKR as an attractive alternative. Being a relatively young party, they will have the opportunity to play a significant role in building it up unlike the 40 year old DAP which is led by entrenched leaders like Lim Kit Siang and his son Lim Guan Eng. PRK's multi-racial message may be the way to go in the future as race barriers are gradually broken down among Malaysians especially those living in the urban areas. The Malaysian Chinese are hedging their bets on a Malay Prime Minister like Anwar who will take care of their interests. His message of replacing the race-based NEP with a needs-based social welfare programme resonate with many Chinese who are finding themselves marginalized under an increasingly raciast and Islamist administration. Race-based parties like UMNO, MCA and MIC are becoming obsolete and irrelevant in this new political landscape. With PKR and its Pakatan Rakyat allies on the ascendency, Malaysia is poised for a change in government by the next election or the election after next and PKR will play a pivotal role in keeping the fragile coalition together.  Read More →

作者:冀居·谢 【I】    《白衣人》这本书，唯一没有行动党色彩的地方就是书名，因为来自网络的谑称。 【II】    李光耀， 我看到死都不会明白“无为”的意思，他说：“ 当时的总理吴作栋告诉我，新加坡报业控股正在撰写一本关于人民行动党的书，我告诉他报业控股应该把它写成新加坡的故事，呈现政治斗争中各方的看法。如果它 包含所有意见——不论是支持或反对行动党，将成为引人入胜的读物。他向当时的报业控股英文／马来文报集团总编辑张业成建议，他们应该组成一支写作和研究小 组，采访行动党的对手、阅读行动党领导人和反对党人的口述历史，来陈述造就今天的新加坡的事件。……报业控股把初稿给我看，让我提出意见。我指出一些我觉 得是事实的错误，但叫他们接受或只记述我的不同回忆。这是他们的书，不是行动党的书。”——如果报业控股奉命行事，到头来还是奉命文学。 【III】    李光耀说：“这些揭露显示，林清祥虽然否认是共产党人，却的确同地下共产党人（方壮璧）有接触，并同支持共产党的左翼行动党立法议员合作，尝试在1961年推翻行动党政府。如果他当时成功了，新加坡的前途将会很不一样。”——其实他自己本人也承认跟方壮璧多次见面，那又怎么讲呢？李光耀一直要把行动党成立初期的党内派系斗争说是马共在背后操纵的结果，今天这种说法更是甚嚣尘上，当然是“事出有因，查无实据”的疑案。 李光耀说：“当时，我只能猜测对手在考虑和计划什么行动来摧毁我们。书里的许多记述是我首次读到的。他们可能没有透露一切，也可能为了后世而粉饰他们的说法。”——没错，新加坡近代史很多是这个paranoia（偏执狂）左右的，难道他不也是“之一”吗？ 别的 不说，就出席《白衣人》首发会的那些losers来说吧，方水双、多米尼克·普都遮里、陈世鉴、刘彼得、林清如、何佩珠、张福元、王清杉等，甚至把那些死 去的用“观落阴”找上来问，有哪一个亲口说过他们就是马共，或者马共同路人没有？看来共产党统一阵线、左派、同情者、同路人这是都是胜利者自由心证划分过 去的结果。 【IV】周殊钦兴奋地说：“执政了50年的人民行动党的历史，终于由党外的人撰写并出版。但是，这究竟是历史的终结还是起点，而当年的左派政治领袖又是否就此得到‘平反’，不同的人却有不同的看法。” 行动党的历史很多是报业控股属下的媒体天天在写，包括这本《白衣人》，这个“终于由党外的人撰写并出版”多少有些吊诡。另，莘莘学子读的教科书，把行动党政府吹嘘得天上有地下无，也拿人家韩国流浪汉睡地铁站的照片来为执政党脸上贴金，这个教育部课程发展署也不算党外吗？ 【V】这是一本上头授意的“政治宣导”，并不是正统历史研究，而首发会上高调的表演，什么“重要的是很多当事人都出席了今天的盛会，一起拍照甚至握手，这等于为上一代的历史斗争写下了完结篇”，指挥棒还是恭恭敬敬交到李资政手上，陪客倒是请来不少，看来只是个中场，后面的重头戏将会是什么呢？只好关注Akan Datang了。 【VI】    由早报首席翻译叶琦保翻译的李光耀《白衣人》序，实在是“直译”得厉害，拘束得紧： 1、我阅读了麦克斯·哈斯丁对二次世界大战在欧洲的最后一年的动人描述。 2、在另一个经过佐证的1964年的陈述，…… 3、作者为自50年代，一班从英国回来的学生构思了一个新社会主义政党后发生的事件，描绘了完整的画面。 4、我清楚的记得1955至1975的早年时期。一系列紧张和惊心动魄的危机在我的脑海留下不可磨灭的记忆。 5、他们得到一个时常躲在暗处，并不时给他们指示的残酷地下组织的支持。 6、我们克服了因军事开销而丧失的20％国内生产总值，和支援或为军队服务的超过5万个本地工作的逆境。 7、我们必须让每个人学习英文以便有共同的语言。不过，所有人也必须学习各自的母语，以保留他们的自尊和避免丧失自身的文化。——学习英语是为了各族制造一个“共同语言”，这也是个崭新的说法。既然马来语被定为“国语”，为什么没有往这个方向努力呢？ 8、这些刻苦的努力并没有成为新闻。 摘自大马论坛  Read More →