15 July 2006

Even Indonesia Has Got The Idea. How Backward Singapore is.

ST July 15, 2006
Minister engages citizens on blog

INDONESIAN Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono has started his own weblog.

Mr Juwono, who received his doctoral degree from London School of Economics, made his first posting in May on www.juwonosudarsono.com.

He wrote about the birth of his granddaughter Vanya on May 25.

The blog, run by one of Mr Juwono's two sons, is creating a buzz in Indonesia and many bloggers, mostly young people, have lauded his weblog, reported the Jakarta Post.

Personal notes aside, Mr Juwono has also posted a note titled Military Businesses And The Reform Process. In it, he rebuts the Human Rights Watch report, issued last month, on the human price of the Indonesian military's economic activities.

Observers say that by engaging his detractors on the Internet, the Indonesian minister is presenting himself as an open person, willing to discuss issues he cares about. -- JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Well, if Singapore ministers started blogging, I know what would happen. On a typical morning, Lee Boon Yang would sit at his computer, read the comments on his blog and say:
    "Okay, let's see. HEY! That's a non-constructive, cynical comment by Gayle Goh. That's not allowed. [presses Delete]. Look over there, Mr Brown made another funny comment! Terrible ... [presses Delete] Next comment by Yawning Bread, hmmm, he's championing an issue [presses Delete]. Here's Mr Wang highlighting another problem, but where's his solution? [presses Delete]. And this Xenoboy talking about PAP again, obviously a partisan player [presses Delete].

    Hey, Bhavani .... I got an idea. Why don't I just disable the Comments function?"

censorship

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21 comments:

Wolfgang said...

Hahahahaha... you just hit the nail on the head with this. :)

Monkey said...

wow im envious of indonesia now :x how progressive is that!

on another note, what a way to start my day with your lil "a day in the life of a sg minister blog" lol :P thanks mrwang :)

moomooman said...

Wang, you are getting funnier.

Anonymous said...

I think this is unfair to our ministers.

You can't really blog when you don't have opinions on everything and anything but the official opinion on everything and anything. It's kinda of ridiclous to expect Yes-men/women to do anything outside the official line.

We must have more faith, maybe we will see a government blog in time and .....in Stomp. But I doubt it, coz I don't think they have anything interesting or even different to say. It's like hearing the news, in fact the daily news is a form of government blog.

Anonymous said...

So true!

Those MIW are really quite the limit. Once, I was speaking to one of them in a social function. Knowing that he has a child, so I thought I'll stick to safe issues like commenting on how parenting has been tougher in these modern times. Before you know it, he spent the whole night defending the various MOE policies and baby bonus etc

I mean, get a life, twit! It's after 5 and you can stop being a government mouthpiece, you know.

So, in the end, I told him I am not particularly interested in government policies but I do wish for a more mature government that rules with wisdom and compassion. The wisdom not to apply the same laws for all situations and the compassion to grant exceptions where needed. Such qualities will definitely make the Government more likeable.

Unfortunately, many incidents still tell me that the government has yet to mature while its people has.

With the recent MB debacle and their response, I don't think they really need any conversation from us.

They simply love their own monologue too much.

Dr Oz bloke said...

I for one think that the PAP is scared.

MB, the internet chatter etc.....it's making them nervous. Which is why they react in this manner.

It usually hurts most when the tirades have truths behind them.

That's what's happening and the PAP is concerned.

It is fortunate or unfortunate (depending on which side you are on)that they are responding to this challenge in this manner.

Anonymous said...

Our MP can't blog. Blog will shorten their career or put them into early retirement.

Even can blog, it end up like this:

13July2007:
Praise LKY for his smartness and guidance that Singapore is so clean and safe even now.

14July2007:
Praise the lord for our PM who give the public progress package that help the poor. God bless him.

15July2007:
Our government is the most efficient government in the world. Where other country riot over globlization, we successfully educated and convinced the public that it is our best interest to keep up with price rise. Thank for the public support.


So man, such a hypercite and superficial blog by MP in Singapore. Yes, this is probably what you read in MP blog.
Singapore GOV's blog will get the number 1 award in blog top 10 award.
The number 1 in bullshiting and hypercrite award.

I rather they just keep their huge salary just keep their bloody mouth shut.

xenoboysg said...

They're blogging in the Straits Times, Today and CNA. Can't you see?

Anonymous said...

Our ministers don't have any sense of humour or interpersonal skills. They're like pre-programmed radios blaring out the same party music.. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a lift with them, let alone read their blogs.

le radical galoisien said...

The PAP is really distanced from the youth. They have no conception of what blogging truly is at all, or user-based internet (Web 2.0). They're still stuck in first generation internet conceptions, and the government websites read like a corporate website.

I would be really delighted if a PAP member set up a blog (with comments) because it would mean active response.

This year's NDP is getting really quite desperate. They even show how much more distanced they are getting when they explicitly "try to reach out" by emphasising they're going to have rock bands this year.

In any case, the difference with such a blog is that they will address us directly, in front of the public, and if they give unsatisfactory answers, we can hound them for it. You can't do that in a newspaper. Although, if they engage in comment censorship like so described by Mr. Wang, then they might as well forget it.

Anonymous said...

Of course they blog. They just don't put humor into their offline blogs. and yes...they don't ever enable the comments function.

Anonymous said...

haha but i dun think any of you is going to migrate to indonesia, right? if u want to see singapore MP blog, you can check this out:
http://teohopin.blogspot.com/
I am not sure of the content of the indonesian blog. anything like this?

Anonymous said...

Mr Wang, you are getting humourous and I am worried for you. Humour is not allowed in Singapore. Prison got no broadband. :(

wert said...

I agree.
This article distorted truth.

Singapore Ministers had been blogging since the begining of time. In addition, they are very regular and diligent bloggers. Furthermore, they are of a higher standards, objective and responsible.

They don't merely blogged in English but all official languages in Singapore. They have Chinese, Malay and Tamil blogs.

Anonymous said...

Hi there Sam here A New Blog awards 2006 Categories@ www.sgfriends.net has been setup all are invited:) Thanks 4 the support!

Anonymous said...

anonymous of Saturday, July 15, 2006 12:15:14 PM wrote:

"I think this is unfair to our ministers."

"We must have more faith, maybe we will see a government blog in time and .....in Stomp."

I think you are a running dog. Now go away.

Anonymous said...

"...he spent the whole night defending the various MOE policies and baby bonus.."
Reminds me of the time when we engaged in a light banter about how some Singaporeans are lazy to walk, and someone mentioned Buangkok. Mr Wong launched into defensive mode, and went ballistic about insufficient riderships, operating costs, etc. It was very obvious Buangkok is still a thorn in the MIW's flesh.

Anonymous said...

I visited Mr Teo's blogsite.

I won't call that a blog lah.

More like advertising and endorsements.

Proves most of you are right. Our MPs are not that great in the opinions and analysis department.

They are better at shaking hands and kissing babies type of jobs.

LOL

le radical galoisien said...

I have a disdain for most ministers because I rarely know what they truly think, besides spouting out the Party Whip.

On the other hand, it's much easier to realise how Jeyaratnam thinks, or how CSJ thinks.

We know what LKY and LSL thinks, and everyone seems to be spouting out what they say.

Kuasikaan (the one who Gayle Goh mentioned) goes a bit up on my list because he was not restricted in his opinion. Unfortunately he doesn't keep a blog.

Anonymous said...

Ah brave Kausikan!

I like him too. Wished we could hear more about his population theories.

Maybe he is now very pre-occupied with finding solutions to why old and useless Singapoeans don't conveniently die off?

Or is his job still intact? maybe a hefty cut in this year's bonus. Probably get a miserable 6 and not 9 month bonus.

Nevertheless, I would vote him the civil servant with the most contribution in 2006 in the area of enlightening deluded Singaporeans.

He is truly the champion of free speech in Singapore. Direct and concise, no satire and no parody. What a breath of fresh air...

Rani said...

Another Indonesian parlemanterian / former minister started to blog. And he does respond to comment! I can't believe it. And just like a trend, typically those politicians ask young people to help them set the blog. In the case of Juwono, it was his son. In the case of Sarwono, it was a young person hired to set up a blog.c