• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Engaging Singaporeans in new media: focus on the issues

by onlinecitizen
28/03/2010
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0

By Leong Sze Hian

This article has been updated with an edited version.

During a recent REACH forum, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that feedback obtained online needs to be assessed “critically and carefully”, and that it is easy to mount online campaigns. [1]

Citing the leadership tussle by Singapore women’s group AWARE last year, Mr Lee noted that he had received numerous emails from opposing camps, but many of the messages were identical and had obviously been copied from a template. He raised this example as an instance not of independent feedback, but of an organized campaign designed to compel the government to act in a certain way.

But is this really as nefarious as implied by Mr Lee?

There is a natural tendency for people who believe strongly in an issue to create a particular template for supporters to use in lobbying the government toward their cause. In fact, this is common practice in countries like the United States, where special interest groups would ask their constituents to send similarly phrased letters to their congressmen expressing the group’s stand on a certain issue.

Using a pre-designed template rather than writing a personal letter from scratch may seem like a lazy way out, but it is a convenient tool for supporters of a particular campaign or cause who are unable to express themselves well in writing but who also want to join in and get a slice of the action.

In short, when people use a template, it does not necessarily mean they don’t care, or are merely displaying a herd mentality. The government therefore should not be overly distracted from the issues at hand simply because there are people doing this.

I agree with Mr Lee’s statement that “the government cannot make decisions simply based on the volume of emails supporting or opposing a particular situation”.

The government should rightfully make decisions based on the merits of the issue, instead of the volume of emails received.

Mr Lee also said that the government must also be cautious of what’s called “Astroturfing” campaigns, in which groups fake identities and orchestrate online movements.

He went on to cite another example – the presence of recent emails circulating, criticising the government on property prices. Mr Lee said upon verifying the emails, the names, phone and even IC numbers attached turned out to be fake, and concluded that the campaign had been a covert attempt to pressure the government for personal benefits.

I would like to ask Mr Lee: exactly how many names and phone numbers were found to be fake? 1? 10? 100? 1000?

People using fake identities are inevitable in the online world where, due to oppressive government action, many individuals are still operating in a climate of fear.

Can you blame people for hiding behind pseudonyms, when the government repeatedly sues for defamation?

Perhaps the Reporters Without Borders Open Letter to the PM (“Media watchdog calls for halt to libel actions”, ST, Mar 27), and the recent successful defamation suit awarding US$114,000 against the International Herald Tribune (IHT) speak for themselves in this regard.

I think common sense will tell us that someone who circulates an email criticising the government on property prices may be quite reluctant to use his or her real name or phone number.

What we need is to do more to help allay the fear of expressing oneself freely. Isn’t this one of the fundamental reasons why we have channels like REACH in the first place?

To encourage true feedback and criticism, the people must not be fearful of expressing themselves freely.

Maybe the editors and writers of theconlinecitizen are arguably the exception rather than the norm in the Singapore online sphere, in having real faces in our numerous past public events, names and contacts.

My stand is the government should focus on the problems and challenges confronting Singaporeans rather than becoming distracted by so-called Astroturfing campaigns and using that as an excuse to avoid addressing the underlying issues.

For example, after all the widespread debate, analysis, commentary and feedback on the issue of property prices, how has the government responded to the concerns raised? Have they done an adequate job addressing the needs, fears, and aspirations of the younger generation? Or have they consigned these to mere Astroturfing campaigns that deserve no further consideration?

I support the Government’s stand that it should not be pressured by online campaigns that are manifestly a covert attempt by special interest groups at pressuring the government for personal gain which does not represent the interests of Singaporeans in general.

However, when the issues raised have the potential to affect the livelihood or standard of living of a significant number of Singaporeans, the government should take a more nuanced approach and not merely sweep such campaigns under the carpet.

In other words, focus on the message and the issue, regardless of the perceived intent or motive of the sender, whether fake or otherwise.

In the final analysis, isn’t this perhaps the best way to engage Singaporeans in the new media?

P.S. Anyone who reads this is welcome to circulate it with your real name and phone number!

__________________________

References:

[1] Channel News Asia, “PM Lee on govt’s approach in engaging S’poreans in new media”, 27 March 2010.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000
AFP

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000

07/02/2023
Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats
Housing

Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats

07/02/2023
Jamus Lim: House prices are too High
Politics

Jamus Lim: House prices are too High

07/02/2023
Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with
Opinion

Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with

07/02/2023
Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth
Singapore

Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth

07/02/2023
国会内庆妇女节 女议员获赠鲜花
Labour

15 companies barred from hiring new foreign employees after serious safety lapse found at worksite

07/02/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000

Rescuers battle cold as Turkey-Syria quake toll hits 5,000

07/02/2023
Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats

Hazel Poa proposes singles be allowed to buy 3-room HDB flats

07/02/2023
Jamus Lim: House prices are too High

Jamus Lim: House prices are too High

07/02/2023
Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with

Ministers get away with excuses that ordinary citizens cannot hope to get away with

07/02/2023
Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth

Commemorative coin, exhibitions and various activities to mark 100th anniversary of Lee Kuan Yew’s birth

07/02/2023
国会内庆妇女节 女议员获赠鲜花

15 companies barred from hiring new foreign employees after serious safety lapse found at worksite

07/02/2023
Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

India’s Adani Enterprises shares rocket 20%, trading suspended

07/02/2023
China’s Baidu says developing AI chatbot

China’s Baidu says developing AI chatbot

07/02/2023

Trending posts

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
108

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
48

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

No response from Josephine Teo on whether Mediacorp has been instructed to stop coverage of SMT circulation scandal

No response from Josephine Teo over alleged blackout of coverage by Mediacorp over SMT circulation scandal

by Terry Xu
06/02/2023
12

...

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

Japanese-Canadian junior high school girl breaks national record with 3km in 9:02 mins

“I want my normal life back,” Sherry Drury withdraws from National Junior High School Tournament due to overheated public attention

by Yee Loon
06/02/2023
3

...

March 2010
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Feb   Apr »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz