SM Goh says newspaper report on MP Fatimah Lateef inaccurate

[SIFU]

<<<SINGAPORE : Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said a March 21 newspaper report suggesting that Dr Fatimah Lateef, an MP of Marine Parade GRC, had some trouble connecting with management members of Chinese temples in her ward was inaccurate.

The report in The Straits Times had quoted an anonymous People's Action Party (PAP) cadre as saying this had arisen over issues such as the granting of permits for the holding of events like deities' birthday celebrations.

The anonymous quote went on to say that "this could be to the detriment of her standing with residents who are Buddhists or Taoists."

Mr Goh said: "I do not like the inaccuracy because it suggested that a minority community MP, a Malay MP, could not reach out to the Chinese temple people, (and) the hint that maybe, she, as a Muslim, did not want to reach out to these people. That is the implication.

"The suggestion that a minority MP could be biased against others who don't believe in your own religion is, I think, a very serious one. I do not think the reporter or the journalist writing it realised the implication - a Malay MP could not reach out to the Chinese. I think that is very bad for the PAP. Fortunately, that is not true, so better put it right."

Mr Goh also took issue with the fact that the quote was anonymous. He said when someone is quoted on such a statement, the name must be given, because while the person may be giving his or her impression on the matter, there was also the likelihood that it was a mischievous observation.

The lack of a name, he said, prevented the verification of the truth. Mr Goh also said the reporter did not verify the statement with grassroots leaders or himself – the minister-in-charge of Marine Parade GRC.

He felt The Straits Times should correct this wrong perception of what Dr Fatimah has been doing. - CNA /ls >>>

i am sure if there is someone praising fatimah, lau goh will not say anonymous praise no count

 

[Singapaporean]

Maybe Dr Fatimah should SUE the LEEporter to clear her name

"In Singapore...the leaders must either sue to clear their names and be prepared to be cross examined in open court, or allow the lies to stand unchallenged and the public to believe that the defamations are true."

 

[commoner]

wooden goh oi,

leeporter info inaccurate or tell lies?

go and sue the leeporter, wait become like peanut durai again and your wife will make a booboo again,,,, now you can be replaced anytime now, with jayakumar a SM same ass you,,,,,

must make noise, make noise now because you may not be around in the next GE

 

[saratogas]

I don't understand, there is so many MPs in one GRC why die die must get a Muslim Malay Lady MP to handle the Temple people? I thought she (minority MP) is to serve the interest of Malays as Malay representative? Err... use people's strength and skill not terkan.

 

[Nice-Gook]

I don't understand, there is so many MPs in one GRC why die die must get a Muslim Malay Lady MP to handle the Temple people? I thought she (minority MP) is to serve the interest of Malays as Malay representative? Err... use people's strength and skill not terkan.

<style></style>Something fishy.The PAP controlled media writes something and PAP debunks it.What a wayang !

 

[commoner]

temples are particularly sensitive subjects and must be handled with care one,,,,,

few erections ago, must move the Old Fart's ass to Nee Soon or something like that to defuse a potentially PAP PRs diaster,,,,,,

We have GRC with minority so everybody can be represented, and ask a Muslim MP to handle temple affairs,,,,, Wood head means wood head, no wonder going to be replaced by a keling

 

[Ah Guan]

temples are particularly sensitive subjects and must be handled with care one,,,,,

few erections ago, must move the Old Fart's ass to Nee Soon or something like that to defuse a potentially PAP PRs diaster,,,,,,

I remember they say it's Ho Ching's brother who cocked up this one

Wood head means wood head, no wonder going to be replaced by a keling

You referring to TT Durai? HAhahahaha

 

[commoner]

but anyway, Fatimah did not become MP by merit, she has to come by back door way, riding the coat-tails of Wood Head GRC, cannot perform who to blame? Blame leeporter? Blame media?

Wood Head has himself to blame,,,,

He also claimed the leeporter no verify with him or grassroot leaders,,,, if it is true, will he allow it to be printed? i know although shitty times is 154th, leeporter i hope has more dignity in their job.

The anon PAP Cadre is probably a grassroot leader really pissed with her work.....

or maybe Shitty Times anyhow print is it?

Hope he lost support and the next GE because of the temple and chinese community...

 

[SIFU]

see the similarities

 

[SIFU]

i could swear they are siblings..

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

Perhaps fishy smalltime politics going on between pap cadre and MP Fatimah

The anon PAP Cadre is probably a grassroot leader really pissed with her work.....

or maybe Shitty Times anyhow print is it?

...

 

[LonewolfAlfa]

i could swear they are siblings..

hilarious! hahah!

 

[Nice-Gook]

<style></style>Will someone please verify this.Is this doctor MP the sister of the former political speech writer for wooden Goh?...the same person who is married to the CNA headhancho-a Chinese.If that is true this MP doctor has multi racial background and very close to wooden Goh.The very reason to suspect something fishy.

 

[halsey02]

hilarious! hahah!

Alfred E Neuman...& Fatimah from the same ancestry tree..Darwin was right! one from four legs to upright two, to the other from upright two legs to four...a regression

 

[Seee3]

I remember they say it's Ho Ching's brother who cocked up this one



You referring to TT Durai? HAhahahaha

That guy can't be her brother. If his name is Ho Peng, then you are correct.

 

[Einfield]

Perhaps fishy smalltime politics going on between pap cadre and MP Fatimah

They should identify this Cadre, he is the real evil behind all this as he use race and religion conflict as a weapon to achieve his objective.

If anyone should be charge under sedition act, it should be this guy.


But hey he's a PAP Cadre, who dare to touch him??

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

SM Goh’s misdirected attack on the press
Friday, 27 March 2009, 2:13 am | 1,720 views
Choo Zheng Xi / Editor-in-Chief

In an article in Monday’s Straits Times entitled, “Report Card on Class of 2006”, journalist Li Xueying previewed the newest batch of PAP MPs. One particular quote regarding the grassroots work of Member of Parliament in Marine Parade GRC, Dr Fatimah Lateef, (right) has been given undue national prominence, by none other than Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong himself.

In her article, Xueying wrote about the observation of an anonymous People’s Action Party (PAP) cadre:

“At the grassroots level, though, a party cadre observes that she (Dr Fatimah) has had some trouble connecting with the Chinese temples in her ward over issues such as the granting of permits for the holding of events like gods’ birthday celebrations.

‘This could be to the detriment of her standing with residents who are Buddhists or Taoists,’ he says.”


In comments to Channelnewsasia (CNA) on 26 March, SM Goh said:

“I do not like the inaccuracy because it suggested that a minority community MP, a Malay MP, could not reach out to the Chinese temple people, (and) the hint that maybe, she, as a Muslim, did not want to reach out to these people. That is the implication.”

He further went on to criticize the fact that the quote was anonymous:

“He said when someone is quoted on such a statement, the name must be given, because while the person may be giving his or her impression on the matter, there was also the likelihood that it was a mischievous observation.” (From CNA report)


Bullying the press

Source confidentiality is not inaccuracy. It is one tool journalists use to obtain information that may be of public interest: otherwise, the source in question might not speak at all. An inaccuracy would mean that the source in question was misquoted, or quoted grossly out of context.

It is understandable that Xueying would grant the source confidentiality at this source’s request: a party cadre is no ordinary grassroots member of the PAP. Cadres hold the right to vote for the Party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). Source confidentiality does not mean a complete lack of journalistic accountability: Xueying has to account for the source’s identity and the quote’s veracity to her editor, and can be ordered to reveal the source in the event of a court case.

SM Goh’s use of the word “inaccuracy” unjustifiably puts the journalist’s professional credibility in question.

Contrary to criticism, such journalism needs to be encouraged. It is seldom that the public is privy to such frank comments about the PAP, and it is all the more impressive if the quote is obtained from no less than a PAP cadre. Reporters should not be bullied into shying away from obtaining sensitive quotes like these, and forced to write rosy reports about the PAP.

Scratching an open wound

SM Goh’s ire would be more constructively directed at the backbiting occurring in his grassroots organizations. The mischief he is imputing to the comment is no fault of the reporter: it was a quote sourced from a party cadre in his grassroots organization.

If this whole fracas is blown out of proportion, SM Goh would be firmly responsible for the fallout. What might have been an honest assessment of Dr Fatimah’s shortcomings has been given sinister undertones by SM Goh in his attempt to bully the press.

These dark imputations will now come home to roost where they belong: in his grassroots organization, not on the press.

 

[takcheksian]

I am very amused!

Leeporter and PAPtimes quote PAP cadre versus Woody. And Woody is getting another SM to rival his power. Is it part of an internal power struggle in PAP?

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

I am very amused!

Leeporter and PAPtimes quote PAP cadre versus Woody. And Woody is getting another SM to rival his power. Is it part of an internal power struggle in PAP?

Wooden's days were always numbered. The next GE is about SG without the old evil one. Because the evil one will not last AFTER the next GE.

Wooden has to go and they will push him onto the presidency, which is what they will do and what he expects anyway. Don't worry for the wooden. He warmed the chair long enough to fuck up a few generations of SGs. Heech, even his wife sacrificed for the nation!

 

[PAPsupporter]

I think our great SM Goh is right. A person making such quote and verdict should be responsible for whatever he/she have said. If the claims are misleading or distorted, it will affect the image and reputation of oneself.