Friday, September 30, 2005
Thoughts before the break
In approximately three hours’ time, I’ll be flying off. It has been a relief for me to take a week’s long break from the confines of the army. It just makes me wonder years later, when we are all working, how are we going to plan our holidays as a family, as a self, or as a group? I nearly didn’t get to go because my superior was rather reluctant to let me go, with the usual excuse that any superior would give as ‘you are needed’. Well, I just had to override him by going to the higher boss (let’s say, the branch head). Not a very nice thing though, but my colleagues are looking at my disappearance with envy (and you might even say, disgust).
I’m not going to tell you all where exactly in Malaysia I’m going to. I hope that when I return (or if I can use the internet in the hotel), find an opportunity to blog. If such a chance arises, you’d see a very different style of blogging. Travel-blogging is something that intrigues me, however, it requires a very combined effort of pictures and words to have an effect on the reader. Now, I don’t even know what to give to my colleagues when I return. Now I wonder what my faithful readers will be thinking about.
Anyway, I find myself watching the television more often. The inter-varsity debates and the premiere of the Amazing Race Family Edition are one of my most favourites. I’ve always attributed my interest in English debate back in secondary school and JC, ironically, to Chinese debate! Ask any man on the street about their perception of debate they get, and if the small minority that could answer this question, I guess would mention the inter-varsity debates rather than the Bridging Minds Debate. I remember watching these Chinese university students sparring since young, and given my rather abysmal competency with the Chinese language, I sort of envied them for their style and their impromptu responses. It was how recently, in the latest debate, how they debated over whether society should be made up of specialists or generalists. Watching the debates, I now realize why when we debate in English, this motion definitely wouldn’t make sense. The way the proposition and the opposition thrashed got their arguments thrashed and the way they lose focus of their parameters and definitions nearly made the debate a joke. (which explains why the floor just kept on laughing) I think the only debater with some sense was the Taiwanese Hwang Chih-Chung. You’ve to watch him to speak to know why. I think he can be my idol.
However, I’m still interested in debate, again thanks to the Chinese debates. Somehow, the progressive level of fire with regards to the format of the Chinese debates seems much more pleasant than the English ones. At least, you do not get distracted by the nasty POIs. In addition, the interrogation and the free-flow round give you more room to do the specific roles of rebutting and case building. What I only pity about the Chinese debates is, they seem to focus rather on societal issues like social privacy, education, while not venturing into the areas like the environment, international law, genetics and so on… With more Western universities taking part in the inter-varsity debates, this joint initiative by CCTV and Mediacorp could even challenge the English World Schools in terms of media dominance and influence…
Well that’s all now…. I’d talk about the Amazing Race Family Edition another time, since making a conclusion after just one leg may not be a very accurate reflection of the race’s radical swing in its eighth season. I know many of you may be disappointed that this race may not go beyond the US, but we have to consider the safety of the minor participants. In addition, this race is unique in history as it’s brings the relationship level to greater heights, from a couple to that of a family. We’re watching how the American family lives; we’re seeing them trying to show that they’re living out the ‘American Dream’. Hence, the best place to see how American families live out the ‘American Dream’ is none other than their own home country! I hope we viewers take this opportunity to understand the US better from the domestic perspective! I think America without its hawkish attitude (like being the superpower) is a completely different America, and this is what this current race is trying to highlight to us, of course, in a unique way.
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zeligdhilee breaking the MUSIC.
15:13
15:13
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Questions from Rita
This week, I really have nothing to talk about. Hurricane Rita was thankfully not as wrathful as we all expected, but at least we do not see the "Ugly American" that we law saw during Katrina. However, the sad thing that we still saw during Rita was the piling of highways with thousands of cars, where the people had to brave the sweltering heat while being stranded on the highway. Perhaps the Rita evacuation exposes another big issue that these Texans are: The Materialistic American, or the Inefficient American?
I ever read in a book in Kinokuniya that American wealth used to be defined in terms of material wealth, where if you own a nice house with a car then you're the satiated American. Linking this to the Rita evacuation, it seems that Texans just cannot forego their material possessions (ie. their car) as they flee. They're very lucky that Rita was not at full force. What if Rita attacked and flooded the highways? What if torrential rains caused a multi-pile accident along the highway? The consequences would be unimaginable, if not as serious as Katrina! If they had sacrificed their cars for buses, the evacuation would defintely be much faster and more lives could have been saved. (Given that many stayed behind, put off by the massive jams north.)
In addition, where is the US Air Force when they could serve best in such evacuations! Why are they not airlifting the Texans? Are they too bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan to even help their own civilians? I think this is one of the slowest evacuations the world has ever seen, yet it could have been the swiftest evacuations possible in history! Nevertheless, it's time that the Americans learn to cherish life more than their material possessions, and it is time that the Americans learn to settle their own house right.... In addition, this can be a very good lessons for we Singaporeans who love the 5Cs so much... I wonder if such a calamity hits our country, are we going to flee using cars, or not going to flee at all just because we can't bear to give up the 5Cs....
A/N: I'll be on overseas leave from Friday 30 Sep to Thursday Oct 6. It's time that I take a break from the damned army.
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zeligdhilee breaking the MUSIC.
13:10
13:10
Sunday, September 18, 2005
The real message for Singaporean bloggers (part 2)
The PM has spoken. He had his voice made known as well. He said that the government would use all means to clamp down on all seditious comments in Singapore’s blogosphere. Now we bloggers write in fear. I have the feeling that policemen will come marching to my house and arrest me. So, it is no wonder why multiple charges are made against the three bloggers as an individual. I’m wondering how many SAF bloggers have been charged and sent to DB for writing unsuitable comments in their blogs before civilians get charged in the High Court. (I wonder if such SAF bloggers are given ST or GCM. Someone from Provost please share it with me and my faithful readers.) It is very easy for bloggers to suffer from multiple charges then. If he is a civil servant, he would also be subject to the Official Secrets Act if he leaks out classified information. If he is a member of the SAF, military law will come into place.
I just took up some time to read up the Sedition Act, the Official Secrets Act and the SAF Act on the internet. Let’s take a look at the third paragraph in the Sedition Act which talks about seditious tendencies.….
3. —(1) A seditious tendency is a tendency —
- to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government;
(b) to excite the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure in Singapore, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;
I wonder why this clause comes under the Sedition Act when provision can be made under other laws (eg. The Riot Act).
(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Singapore;
Remember the case of a society organising a concert in the memory of a drug trafficker went to the gallows? The concert had one simple message and that it was in these advocates’ view that the death penalty should be abolished. Since these advocates had ‘excited disaffection’ against the trafficker’s death sentence, ie. the ‘administration of justice’, then why were they not clamped down, and the concert allowed to carry on in the first place?
(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore;
I think all of us should be charged because one can never be happy with the government in one way or another, and hence voicing our grievances to our MPs and the press (as they are also ‘citizens’) is wrong.
(e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore
The three bloggers were charged under this definition for committing a seditious offence. Enough said.
And then, when you go on to read the second sub-paragraph in paragraph three,
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any act, speech, words, publication or other thing shall not be deemed to be seditious by reason only that it has a tendency —
(a) to show that the Government has been misled or mistaken in any of its measures;
(b) to point out errors or defects in the Government or the Constitution as by law established or in legislation or in the administration of justice with a view to the remedying of such errors or defects;
(c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore; or
(d) to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will and enmity between different races or classes of the population of Singapore,
So this entire paragraph would have contradicted (3-1-a, b, c and d) since most Singaporeans are of sound mind of resorting to protests or violence of seeking redress. So JBJ and Chee Soon Juan, and all the websites like Yawning Bread and singabloodypore.blogspot.com, which largely contains constructive yet radical remarks are legal. We can also conclude that we can make anti-PAP criticisms, since we’re telling the PAP government the above-mentioned paragraph. The OB markers we should be concerned about is of race and religion. Politics is somewhat okay (or not).
Now we look on to the fourth paragraph on offences:
Offences.4. —(1) Any person who —
(a) does or attempts to do, or makes any preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do, any act which has or which would, if done, have a seditious tendency;
(b) utters any seditious words;
(Be careful when you talk in the coffeeshop, cos “Big Brother” is watching you. )
(c) prints, publishes, sells, offers for sale, distributes or reproduces any seditious publication; or
(The bloggers were convicted of such an offence under this clause.)
(d) imports any seditious publication,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction for a first offence to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both, and, for a subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years; and any seditious publication found in the possession of that person or used in evidence at his trial shall be forfeited and may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the court directs.
(2) Any person who without lawful excuse has in his possession any seditious publication shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction for a first offence to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 18 months or to both, and, for a subsequent offence, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years, and such publication shall be forfeited and may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the court directs.
Read the rest of the Act with regards to evidence and search warrants. In the first place,
Evidence.6. —(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Evidence Act, no person shall be convicted of an offence under section 4 on the uncorroborated testimony of one witness.
How are we going to prosecute the bloggers? I just can’t wait for the trial to start. I wonder who will be the prosecution witnesses. I am more interested in the background of the prosecution witnesses, for it can easily affect the degree of guilt the three bloggers possess.
Nevertheless, I am most concerned about the last paragraph of the Sedition Act, which calls into concern the defending rights of the three bloggers:
Arrest without warrant.11. Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person found committing or reasonably suspected of committing or of having committed or of attempting to commit or of procuring or abetting any person to commit any offence under this Act or reasonably suspected of the unlawful possession of any thing liable to forfeiture thereunder.
Even for the most horrible cases like murder, an arrest warrant is issued once the murderer’s identity is ascertained. At the bare minimum, the murderer is ‘detained’ to ‘assist in the investigation’. This means that the police given too much authority to arrest errant bloggers even before proper interrogation is conducted when ‘being detained’. Thankfully, the government is reviewing the law to make it adaptable to the online world which is still a minor relief, for I feel that the penalties are unusually harsh (such as up to three years’ jail), even though I feel that the fine of up to $5000 is reasonable if you look at it as a compensation for the offended parties.
Well, I wonder if such blogs require disclaimers and warnings similar to pornographic and violence-related websites. In addition, I wonder whether it would be acceptable under Singapore law to make the website immune from checks if it has a warning message. In reality, disclaimers would be pointless under Singapore law, as the government feels that the publisher should still be punished no matter what kind of passwords he places. (The PSC scholar-blogger password-protected his blog but he was not spared the media backlash.) Like what I’ve said in my previous article, we bloggers should be sensitive to our invisible audience, and that we must be cautious when making comments about race and religion. If you are a SAF servicemen like myself, be careful about discussing military stuff here. I do not even know if Restricted content are permissible to be published in blogs, since views and comments about military training are usually classified ‘Restricted’. Perhaps, we should just take the cue from MINDEF’s Public Affairs Department (PAFF), that if anything that military news that is publised in miw.com.sg, the MINDEF website, Pioneer magazine or the civilian news are permissible to be discussed and analyzed in greater depth in our blog. Have a happy yet safe blogging experience!
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zeligdhilee breaking the MUSIC.
20:21
20:21
Thursday, September 15, 2005
The real message for Singaporean bloggers
Things just seem to simmer by as we see another gruesome body-parts case as well as bloggers hauled up to court over racist remarks made in their blogs. If you ask me what I feel about this incident, I would just say that in the real world, free speech is a utopian ideal. The other three estates have often tainted the sanctity of the Fourth Estate, and this is indeed a sad reality. This incident is just one unfortunate ordeal for the bloggers.
There may be laws against sedition, but it can never be enforced and put into proper practice. Singapore has one of the highest concentration of internet users (and bloggers), and hence it would be very hard to monitor all the comments that Singaporeans make with regards to anything. This case only hit the front page because of a civic-minded internet user who exposed the bloggers’ deeds on a web forum. Again, civic-minded users are even more of a rarity than errant and irresponsible bloggers given the apathetic attitude of Singaporeans from the cyberspace point of view. In addition, OB markers that the government now set are now rendered useless. Look out. Look at the websites like Yawning Bread, Singapore Window, Sintercom, Think Centre and much more. The internet has made Singapore more than a little red dot. It has emboldened its citizens to be vocal and outspoken.
Unfortunately, we see our dirty laundry being exposed to the world. We are telling the world that we have racial prejudices that are hidden in our hearts despite being widely recognized by the international community as one of the most racially and religiously tolerant societies in the world (other than Switzerland). We are telling the world that we have a government that acts like a “Big Brother”. We are telling the world that our freedom of speech is a sham.
Two years back, Vivian Balakrishnan said during a dialogue session in my alma mater that the banning the website Playboy.com (and 249 others) was a ‘symbolic’ move. The government did it to tell the world a simple message that it does not encourage its citizens to embrace pornography, and also the need to control the access of content which could be racially and religiously intolerant to our cosmopolitan yet fragile society. Likewise, I expect the penalty imposed on the two bloggers to be harsh, with its justification as that as ‘symbolic’ so as to send the message to we Singaporean bloggers that we have to cautious about the what we write in our blogs. This is not about getting charged and condemned due to sedition. This is about how one’s words can indirectly affect the social stability of our country which might have a significant effect on our social and internal security. You don’t need to be a high-profile blogger. You don’t need to be identify yourself in your blog. Words are words, and words itself can be very potent.
I guess that the government knows that it cannot catch all the errant bloggers who make scandalous, libellous or seditious remarks in the online world. It would take away the already scarce and precious resources of agencies like ISD and MSD which could be better utilised in more important tasks like combating external and internal threats like terrorism. Nevertheless, the message that we should all take into reflection as we blog is that you can “do anything you like but don’t get caught”.
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zeligdhilee breaking the MUSIC.
21:34
21:34
Saturday, September 10, 2005
The Ugly American continued...
Hey everyone….. I didn’t know that Hurricane Katrina sought of attracted readers like you to make such ‘contentious’ responses. At least it dispels my thought that army or university sought of make everyone apathetic of such crises. By the way, look at the front page of the The Economist. That says it all about my previous article. Well Dan, can you say that the people were not warned? Unlike 9/11, the people knew it was coming. The government knew it was coming. The people were poor and reluctant to leave knew it was coming anyway. However, the government were not responsive enough! Unlike 9/11 where America unite to assist in New York's recovery, what do we have here? I think Bush just got his priorities wrong. I just have too many things on his plate and now the plates his juggling are breaking. I guess how the White House is like as seen in this picture below. After all, disasters either give a ruling party a landslide victory or a crushing defeat in the upcoming elections. Next year's mid-term elections will be enough to see the political consequences of Katrina that we do not need to consider 2008's presidential elections. After all, Americans have a rather short term memory. 9/11 wasn't the agenda for 2004.
Well Dan, I still feel that this disaster has shown the "Ugly American" to a large extent. You can speak about 'natural human reaction', and I can agree from the victims' point of view. However, that does not hold from the government's and the military's point of view; as clearly reflected by their slow response to deal with the crisis. You have policemen resigning. You have the military being helpless. America now has to depend on foreign aid, much an irony that they're being one of the most developed countries with lots of reserves. So, when the blood of both sides boil to the extent that tempers flair and bullets are shot, here's what we have in the end, from the apathetic point of view:
The Ugly American. (or rather, the Stubborn American.) Enough said.
P/S: I don't think we need the Phillipine opposition to deseat Arroyo should a typhoon hits Phillipines. We just need 'People Power', but not the typical kind of 'People Power' we saw that ousted Marcos and Estrada; which were rather restricted to Manila. Imagine the whole of Phillipines exploding. I think the opposition will be surprised, just as Lenin and Sun Yat Sen were when revolutions exploded in their home countries when they were in exile overseas.
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zeligdhilee breaking the MUSIC.
12:45
12:45
Sunday, September 04, 2005
The Ugly American
Hey there….. This is my first post using Microsoft Word as a proxy, which was just offered by blogger.com. Well I do not know how it’d turn out in the end but never mind. At least I would be more aware of the spelling and grammar changes that I’ve made, considering that there’re some readers out where who are very sensitive to my language mistakes.
Hurricane Katrina was an utter shock for faraway viewers like me. This was much more worse than all the typhoons and tropical storms that slam East Asia and the Caribbeans seasonally. I was deeply aghast to see that anarchy is reigning in a state where it was supposedly the world’s most liberal democracies. In addition, I’m disgusted by the attitude of everyone involved, being the relief forces and the victims. The very human nature of these people following a natural disaster has turned demonic. Such kind of heinous actions apparently did not usually surface after such disasters. Such a human nature did not reveal after the Boxing Day Tsunami. Looting, criticisms, anarchy, lawsuits and so on, all showing the ‘Ugly American’, as well as tarnishing the ‘Compassionate American’ image that they had painstakingly earned when involved in the relief operations following last year’s tsunami.
I don’t see Acehnese, Sri Lankans, Indians or Thais cursing their government following the tsunami. It could be very easy for the armies of Indonesia and Sri Lanka to attack and discredit the LTTE and GAM following the tsunami. When the LTTE offered to cooperate with the government in relief efforts, the Singhalese government refused, and even undermined the relief efforts. Yet the Tamils did not go looting around. They stood on their own two feet. Meanwhile in Aceh, the people (including the Indonesian Army and GAM) appreciated the relief efforts by the various countries (which also included Singapore’s Ops Flying Eagle initiative) and are indeed on a slow yet steady and optimistic path towards rebuilding their lives. (As GAM and TNI have agreed to a indefinite ceasefire)
Unfortunately, we see Americans taking advantage of their ‘freedom of speech’ in playing the blame game. The federal and local governments are shifting the blame on one another. The Senators and Congressmen are busily cursing the White House. The soldiers and cops are busily pushing their relief responsibilities between each other instead of realistically doing something to ease the suffering of everyone. The international community see America degrade into one of the most barbarous states the world has ever seen. Environmentalists are cursing about poor river management while economists are busily plotting their curves under Keynes’ belief that “in the long run, we are all dead”. However, do we see Sociologists measuring the level of human trauma?
The sad side of such disasters is that too much cursing and swearing is made that we humans neglect the ‘soft’ impact which in reality are also as important as the ‘hard’ impact like the physical and environmental devastation. Can someone please concoct some love potions, Felix Felicis, Draughts of Living Peace so as to help relief the sufferings and heal scars of the people of New Orleans??
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zeligdhilee breaking the MUSIC.
21:21
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