Thursday, May 18, 2006

The Most Important Success ---- Political Awakening

The Most Important Success ---- Political Awakening

Right after the results were announced on 6 May 2006, one reporter asked me to describe the whole election campaign in one sentence and I gave him just a phrase: “Political Awakening”.

Ironically, we should thank the local media for such massive political awakening process for Singaporeans at large. As I have explained in my post “Why I join WP?”, my own political awakening happened back in 1991 whereby what I have read on NUS BBS with regards to the political rallies held by the alternative parties was so different from what local mass media reports that I decided to visit the Potong Pasir rally held by Chiam See Tong. I was awed by what I saw and politically awaken by my experience. The gross disparity between the reports on local mass media as compared to what actually happened on the ground has convinced me that the local mass media cannot be trusted when it comes to political reporting. The political reality of the biasness sets in. From then on, I volunteer myself to be independent ground reporter of political rallies during the 1997 as well as 2001 GE. I believe that nobody should be deprived of the truth.

While back in 1991, there was hardly any “solid evidence” to be presented on BBS which was basically text based. But in 2006, a digital photo speaks a thousand words. I would like to express my special thanks to Yawning Bread ( http://www.yawningbread.org ) for putting up very good photos and coverage of the rallies. When the following digital photo first appeared on Yawning Bread, there was a massive instant awe in the internet community. The local mass media has avoided reporting on the massive crowd attending our rallies until this photo appears. They knew that they are fighting a losing battle over control of information. Their credibility is at stake if they carry on their old mode of reporting. Thus, interesting enough, we witness a slight change in the print media thereafter.




Photo from Yawning Bread


However, I suspect that massive damage has been done on local mass media and that is basically why more and more people are interested in attending our rallies, to witness for themselves the true happenings instead of relying on the bias reporting on local mass media. One interesting point is that more young people were attending our rallies, even students who are supposed to prepare for their examinations, took the trouble to come to our rallies. They are the internet savvy generations who have experienced early political awakening. One 17 or 18 years old student came to my shop two days after polling day to give me moral support. He has tied our WP wrist band on his backpack, come forward to shake my hand and say, “Well done! Please don't give up!” I was truly touched because when it signifies HOPE for our future as a nation, a HOPE based on more balanced views and sources of information.

I have actually written about the important role of bloggers in this digital age. Bloggers could change the society's information structure and indeed, they are a “threat” to a place where political power is being prolonged by the control of mass media. The local mass media's biggest threat is to have alternative competitive sources of media that could provide reliable information that could be verified independently. In this GE, bloggers at large have successfully contributed to a more open society by challenging local media's credibility, in which, forced them to react accordingly.

On a broader perspective, independent bloggers, with the contrast to local mass media's skewed reporting, have brought upon a massive political awakening process to many people, in particular, the younger Singaporeans. I have been through such awakening process and I understand the disgust one feels when the truth reveals.

The more interesting point of this political awakening process is that it has negated most of the negative impact of James Gomez Saga. Independent views as well as satirical postings or podcasts (like those in Mr. Brown's blog http://www.mrbrown.com ) have somehow derailed PAP's predictable election strategy. So much so that PAP has openly said that the role of internet in this election should be reviewed.

Though there is a massive political awakening in my view, but I must say there are still many people out there who only depend on local mass media as their main source of information. I have noticed that some of those forum letters writing about this GE have a very skewed view. Some have admitted that they form their views only through the TV or newspapers they read. Some claim that opposition parties have not raised any important bread and butter issues or any good suggestions! If they have attended our rallies, they will realize that many of the main hard hitting points of the bread and butter issues (including retirement financing, healthcare cost etc) have been omitted by local mass media reports!
It would mean that there is still much to be done in terms of political awakening; i.e. There aren't enough people awaken.

Goh Meng Seng

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Repression, Sir is a habit that grows. I am told it is like making love-it is always easier the second time! The first time there may be pangs of conscience, a sense of guilt. But once embarked on this course with constant repetition you get more and more brazen in the attack. All you have to do is to dissolve organizations and societies and banish and detain the key political workers in these societies. Then miraculously everything is tranquil on the surface. Then an intimidated press and the government-controlled radio together can regularly sing your praises, and slowly and steadily the people are made to forget the evil things that have already been done, or if these things are referred to again they're conveniently distorted and distorted with impunity, because there will be no opposition to contradict." [Emphases mine]


- Lee Kuan Yew as an opposition PAP member speaking to David Marshall, Singapore Legislative Assembly, Debates, 4 October, 1956

Anonymous said...

What more can I say Mr Goh?
I agree with you totally =)

Anonymous said...

Their credibility is at stake if they carry on their old mode of reporting.

What kind of credibility does our mainstream media still possess? They already have none in my opinion!

Anonymous said...

You have a choice, vote for the Worker's Party!

You have a choice, join the Worker's Party!

You have a choice, serve in Hougang!

You have a choice!

Anonymous said...

but pple of spore hv accepted PAP as the choice of govt. Best reflected in the polls!!

Anonymous said...

What polls? IF SDP didn't contest, WP won more than 40% overall.

If there were no GRC, some of the Alijunied GRC members would have won their seats easily.

I want to ask Mr Goh this question,

Was PM Lee right when he said the 44% of votes were even distributed? OR were there areas that the votes were over 50%? Thanks!

Jackson Tan said...

anonymous #2 (two post above mine):

The fact that the majority voted for the PAP is indeed best reflected in the polls, but the polls does not best reflect the true opinions. Don't forget that elections involve pork barrel politics, gerrymandering and certain ground-softening tactics (like the Progress Package).

Anonymous said...

Pssst:

Someone should print a simple glass cling-on:

"I♥HOUGANG"

distribute it everywhere and see how
many people actually stick it on their
windscreen, windows, office, etc.

It'll raise awareness on the surrounding
beauty of Hougang and its lovely people.

I'm sure it's not illegal
to print tourist stickers, yah?

Although nothing yo do with Goh
Meng Seng or WP here, but I'm sure:

"I♥PotongPasir" sticker will also be a good
tourist promotional gift.

Anonymous said...

The I LOVE HOUGANG and the I LOVE POTONG PASIR decal is a great idea.

PanzerGrenadier said...

I am one of those where GE2006 has made me cross over from being one of the masses of the politically apathetic to one of those who are more aware and interested about political developments in Singapore.

Many pundits have said that WP and the opposition did not gain anything because the number of parliamentary seats won by opposition still remained at 2 (+1 NCMP). However, I share Mr. Goh's view that it is the political awakening that is important. How GE2011 turns out will depend on the battle for the hearts and minds of the younger generation and through them to reach out to their parents, relatives for each to make an informed decision, i.e. if considering what alternative parties can offer vis-a-vis the PAP, they make their decision and not just because they hear the propaganda written or aired by the 140th Ranked Main Stream Media.

Anonymous said...

I have cancelled my subscription to the local media, it may not be significant... but if the 30% who votes for opposition does the same, I am sure they sure will be listening to our voice for fair reporting.