Blogger Mr Brown Gets Support.
If there is any equivalent to the story of David and Goliath in the present time at Singapore, then 36-year-old Lee Kin Mun, aka Mr Brown, is immensely qualified to be the frontrunner for the title of the former.
The suspension of his weekly newspaper column, after the government criticised his latest satirical piece about high living costs, has earned the ire of a public which normally won't bat an eye at this sort of government impatience and high-handedness. What prompted the government to react so strongly was nothing but some light-hearted fingering of the situation in Singapore in his article, "Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!"
Lee probably underestimated the tolerance level of this sombre regime and is now paying the price. Even in that notorious outpost of official intolerance, China, such a petty response to a citizen's jibe would not have occurred. Singapore therefore proudly ranks along with North Korea and half a dozen other despotic nations at the bottom of the pit of intolerant dictatorships.
About 30 odd supporters gathered outside City Hall subway station in silent protest at the suspension. That's the best that can be expected from the citizens of a country ruled by a hidebound PAP. More than that and you can be prepared for the same type of brutish response much to your detriment.
So Mr Brown has been made an example of; where does that leave the rest of the bloggers there? Of course Singapore's restrictions on political discussions in blogs and websites is well known to them. And apart form being circumspect in their posts all they can hope for is, when age and time take their toll and yet a new generation of leaders is ushered in at some distant future, perhaps a present-day blogger may be part of the authority which will decide on opening up genuinely free and lively discussion. The moribund state of today's Singapore may yet yield to the energizing optimism of youth, and the blogging community of the future may indulge in their passion with unfettered brio.
The suspension of his weekly newspaper column, after the government criticised his latest satirical piece about high living costs, has earned the ire of a public which normally won't bat an eye at this sort of government impatience and high-handedness. What prompted the government to react so strongly was nothing but some light-hearted fingering of the situation in Singapore in his article, "Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!"
Lee probably underestimated the tolerance level of this sombre regime and is now paying the price. Even in that notorious outpost of official intolerance, China, such a petty response to a citizen's jibe would not have occurred. Singapore therefore proudly ranks along with North Korea and half a dozen other despotic nations at the bottom of the pit of intolerant dictatorships.
About 30 odd supporters gathered outside City Hall subway station in silent protest at the suspension. That's the best that can be expected from the citizens of a country ruled by a hidebound PAP. More than that and you can be prepared for the same type of brutish response much to your detriment.
So Mr Brown has been made an example of; where does that leave the rest of the bloggers there? Of course Singapore's restrictions on political discussions in blogs and websites is well known to them. And apart form being circumspect in their posts all they can hope for is, when age and time take their toll and yet a new generation of leaders is ushered in at some distant future, perhaps a present-day blogger may be part of the authority which will decide on opening up genuinely free and lively discussion. The moribund state of today's Singapore may yet yield to the energizing optimism of youth, and the blogging community of the future may indulge in their passion with unfettered brio.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/10/2006 01:59:00 PM
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