Yours Toothfully (ad space for sale)

So what’s new? “Remi Ong” (should be Remy Ong) is currently the most searched words on google.sg. The former national bowler is now the talk of the town, having killed a dog in what seemed like a hit-and-run accident in which his car number plate somehow got dislodged. Did he return to the scene to retrieve his number plate? Or was he genuinely concerned about what he might have hit? It’s tough explaining to a cynical public. And it’s so difficult to be celebrity or to hold high office these days. I don’t think our teachers, school principals and police chiefs are becoming less upright people. It’s just that the detection and whistle-blowing has gone high tech. The moment you make a mistake or reveal some imperfections, the whole world will know and vilify you for it. Is there any way we can manage this sort of bad news going viral?

No sooner had Yawning Bread received a warning letter from Mr Shanmugam’s lawyers, the editor of Temasek Review Emeritus received his warning letter from our Prime Minister. Toothfully, I don’t quite like TRE, but I admire and try to emulate the attitude in Voltaire’s famous statement: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”. Sadly, I believe that the folks at The Online Citizen would be watching their mailboxes very closely these days. It could be their turn any moment now.

For a moment after the last General Elections, it seemed that the authoritarian system is losing its grip on media influence. What we’ve seen in the last few weeks is a strong retaliation. Our mainstream media played paparazzi and generated a stir which ousted a politician in the opposition camp. Threats of lawsuits prevented the alternative media from exposing “rumours” on the other side. More threats of lawsuits are warning blogs, forums and social media to be ready to back up their claims and insinuations. Are we seeing a return to the “old normal”?

That’s a dreadful possibility. I believe that Singaporeans, especially those with families, are still very kiasu, kiasi and gian png. I’m only kiasi. But that’s bad enough. We’ll all be back to reading Xiaxue’s and Steven Lim’s blogs with Xiaxue telling anybody who criticises any public policies to get out of Singapore and Steven Lim taking his shirt off and dedicating a song to some statesman.

Another possibility is that these sites may go underground. With the internet, even exiles and fugitives can connect with us. It may not be the same and it may not have any effect in Parliament, but at least, it’s a way to keep our critical minds alive. I keep telling people that Singapore had talent. Good examples include Boey Kim Cheng and the late Goh Poh Seng. They’ve left Singapore because they couldn’t be themselves when they were here. They often lamented that nothing has changed in Singapore. Perhaps that’s still the case here. Ironically, our former PM, SM and MM once said that we need the creativity of mavericks. His exact words: “Your workforce must have the cohesiveness, but to make the big leap forward, you need your mavericks, your geniuses, your people who can think outside the box.” Well, we did have those mavericks, but how or why did we lose them?

Finally, (and I think that’s what all these threats are hoping to achieve), suppressing accusations will somehow keep a lid on public resentment. And toothfully I think it might work. The way emotions and opinions go on the internet, people tend to jump on the bandwagon and get that sense of belonging. The “encouraging” results in the last General Elections have emboldened many people to show their frustrations. The bandwagon gathers momentum as more people jump on it. Those under fire feel that they need to stop this beast before it causes any more damage. Firing warning shots may be adequate to frighten people into joining the “Movement”. Will we regress back to the old normal? Or will the silenced sentiments deliver a shock in 2016 elections?