Double Standards
Oh the saga of MP Seng Han Tong who got attacked by ex-cabby driver and got set on fire. I'm appalled of course, because to set someone on fire is a hideos act. And the poor duno-which organisation's chairman who tried to put out the fire but ended up getting the fire on himself.It is tragic to be so insecure in Singapore. No matter who, minister of parliament or not. Even if it had been some heavily-in-debt ah pek who got arson-ed, it's tragic.
But this is not what I want to talk about. Seriously, the government really has double standards for them and peasants like us. Senior Minister of State (Information, Communications and the Arts) Lui Tuck Yew scolded the whole online spheres for their their lack of self-regulation, hence allowing unkind and even evil remarks to be made by bloggers/commenters/anyone at all against Seng Han Tong. “[T]he vast majority were unhelpful, a significant number were unkind, a small number were downright outrageous" said he, and "It is a squandered opportunity for a higher degree of self-regulation. It would have been an example of the genesis, of the first steps, towards a more responsible, greater, self-regulatory regime.”
I definitely find people who touted MP Seng's tragedy as "deserving" absolutely revolting. But is it not hilarious that Lui Tuck Yew only came out to admonish the netsphere when an MP is the target of unkind comments?
I knew the unkindess of the internet long ago, right about when I boycotted Stomp for being downright stupid and childish, and - I won't be surprise - perhaps ruining other people's lives by posting untrue or exaggerated photographs and commentaries in Singapore Seen. Not to mention their encouragement of cowardice by allow people to snap passengers who don't give up seats, or put legs on seats, or whatever other stupid-as-poop things, hence relieving them the responsibilities of actually going up and telling people themselves. Seriously, sometimes the "culprit" in questions are old ladies or uncles, whom, for goodness sake, came from a culture vastly different than ours, and how intolerant are the young generations nowadays that they have to embarrass old folks for their "unmannered" behaviour? Mind you, if not for their hard work building Singapore up, you wouldn't have had the education you had and been so much more "cultured" than they are.
Phew! I digressed. Tons of steam accumulated for months.
As I was saying, internet is as internet is. Unkind remarks, or even downright childish and an embarrassment to nature have been floating around since the internet boom. But I guess R-Ad Lui couldn't be bothered since peasants can be picked on, humiliated online, and still go on with their pathetic little peasantry, but kings and princes must never be touched, or a rebellion would be triggered, a racial riot will ensue, and terrorists will bomb us, and whatever apocolyptic scenario he (and they) can pull out of their backside.
I don't condone the netizen's inflamatory remarks. My heart goes out to the burnt MP and Chairman for what has been done to them. But please, show that we are democratic and Singaporeans are at least equally human by scolding the net for reasons more than that which concerns your fellow princes.
For a better written post on this matter read here. http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=2162