Has the PAP Internet Brigade lost its teeth?
Written by Ng E-Jay
11 January 2009
The Government has responded to recommendations made by the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media (AIMS) on addressing the legal and regulatory issues associated with the Internet and New Media. The Government’s response was summarized in a speech made by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA), at a media conference held on the morning of Fri, 09 Jan. The Government’s detailed response is uploaded here.
With regards to the Government’s response on the topic of e-engagement, my first reaction, albeit a little tongue-in-cheek, is: “Has the PAP Internet Brigade lost its teeth?”
I am referring specifically to the Government’s rejection of AIMS’ recommendation that it engage voices outside of Government platforms in explaining its views and defending its policies.
The detailed response released by the Government states: “Firstly, it is not practical or feasible to respond to all blogs or forum postings. Fragmentation on the Internet has made it challenging for Governments to communicate effectively with the masses in the same way as is possible with traditional media … … The Government will require a huge amount of resources to e-engage on a multitude of online platforms. This would not be realistic or efficient.”
This stand is in contrast to the points raised in a Straits Times article entitled “PAP moves to counter criticism of party, Govt in cyberspace” published on 03 Feb 2007. This article reveals that “The People’s Action Party (PAP) is mounting a quiet counter-insurgency against its online critics … (by having its) members going into Internet forums and blogs to rebut anti-establishment views and putting up postings anonymously.”
According to MP Baey Yam Keng, who was supposed to co-head one of the two subcommittees of the PAP’s “new media” committee, “It was necessary for the PAP to have a voice in cyberspace as there were few in the online community who were pro-establishment.”
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew (Minister of State for Education) at a PAP party conference in Dec 2006 “called on younger activists to put up views to moderate the vitriol and balance the skewed comments on the Internet.”
When this Straits Times article was first published, it sparked a mini-furore in cyberspace, with bloggers, forummers and other netizens saying that the article confirmed the existence of a “PAP Internet Brigade” consisting of members who go around spreading Government propaganda under anonymous nicks.
This so-called “PAP Internet Brigade” was also accused of creating multiple monikers in various internet forums such as the once-popular Sammyboy Alfresco Coffeeshop forum and disrupting threads critical of the PAP by engaging in flame wars, personal attacks, defamatory statements, and impersonations.
But regardless of whether this “PAP Internet Brigade” really carried out such nefarious activities, the latest statement released by MICA tells us that the Government appears to have had a change of heart regarding its strategy of engaging critics online through blogs and forums. The Government has now decided to “channel its resources to the dedicated REACH portal for e-engagement”.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no indication whether PAP members really engaged critics in blogs and forums on a regular basis.
The numerous flame wars and personal attacks initiated against Opposition supporters, in particular supporters of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and Dr Chee Soon Juan, has left many convinced that the “PAP Internet Brigade” has left its footprint on cyberspace.
However, given that bloggers and forummers are still actively criticizing PAP policies online and challenging the system of Government more than ever, one wonders if the PAP Brigade, if such existed in the first place, has been effective at all. Furthermore, given the apparent U-turn in the Government’s policy of engaging Singaporeans through forums and blogs not under its purview, it is perhaps time to question if the PAP Brigade has lost its teeth.
The writeup by MICA states: “not all bloggers welcomed the Government’s voice on their private blogs, while others simply attack the Government for the sake of venting their frustrations.”
Well, I for one would most certainly welcome PAP members to engage me in the Comments Section of my blog postings.
Furthermore, I criticize the Government because there are real issues out there affecting the livelihood as well as the rights of Singaporeans. I have had more than my fair share of frustrations vented at me in online forums, some of them even from supporters of other Opposition parties, but these are part and parcel of free speech.
If there is much frustration being directed at the Government, perhaps it is time for Ministers and PAP MPs to step down from their ivory towers and look beyond their $100,000 per month, $200,000 per month salaries and understand the hardships faced by the working class.
Written by Ng E-Jay
11 January 2009
The Government has responded to recommendations made by the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media (AIMS) on addressing the legal and regulatory issues associated with the Internet and New Media. The Government’s response was summarized in a speech made by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts (MICA), at a media conference held on the morning of Fri, 09 Jan. The Government’s detailed response is uploaded here.
With regards to the Government’s response on the topic of e-engagement, my first reaction, albeit a little tongue-in-cheek, is: “Has the PAP Internet Brigade lost its teeth?”
I am referring specifically to the Government’s rejection of AIMS’ recommendation that it engage voices outside of Government platforms in explaining its views and defending its policies.
The detailed response released by the Government states: “Firstly, it is not practical or feasible to respond to all blogs or forum postings. Fragmentation on the Internet has made it challenging for Governments to communicate effectively with the masses in the same way as is possible with traditional media … … The Government will require a huge amount of resources to e-engage on a multitude of online platforms. This would not be realistic or efficient.”
This stand is in contrast to the points raised in a Straits Times article entitled “PAP moves to counter criticism of party, Govt in cyberspace” published on 03 Feb 2007. This article reveals that “The People’s Action Party (PAP) is mounting a quiet counter-insurgency against its online critics … (by having its) members going into Internet forums and blogs to rebut anti-establishment views and putting up postings anonymously.”
According to MP Baey Yam Keng, who was supposed to co-head one of the two subcommittees of the PAP’s “new media” committee, “It was necessary for the PAP to have a voice in cyberspace as there were few in the online community who were pro-establishment.”
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew (Minister of State for Education) at a PAP party conference in Dec 2006 “called on younger activists to put up views to moderate the vitriol and balance the skewed comments on the Internet.”
When this Straits Times article was first published, it sparked a mini-furore in cyberspace, with bloggers, forummers and other netizens saying that the article confirmed the existence of a “PAP Internet Brigade” consisting of members who go around spreading Government propaganda under anonymous nicks.
This so-called “PAP Internet Brigade” was also accused of creating multiple monikers in various internet forums such as the once-popular Sammyboy Alfresco Coffeeshop forum and disrupting threads critical of the PAP by engaging in flame wars, personal attacks, defamatory statements, and impersonations.
But regardless of whether this “PAP Internet Brigade” really carried out such nefarious activities, the latest statement released by MICA tells us that the Government appears to have had a change of heart regarding its strategy of engaging critics online through blogs and forums. The Government has now decided to “channel its resources to the dedicated REACH portal for e-engagement”.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no indication whether PAP members really engaged critics in blogs and forums on a regular basis.
The numerous flame wars and personal attacks initiated against Opposition supporters, in particular supporters of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and Dr Chee Soon Juan, has left many convinced that the “PAP Internet Brigade” has left its footprint on cyberspace.
However, given that bloggers and forummers are still actively criticizing PAP policies online and challenging the system of Government more than ever, one wonders if the PAP Brigade, if such existed in the first place, has been effective at all. Furthermore, given the apparent U-turn in the Government’s policy of engaging Singaporeans through forums and blogs not under its purview, it is perhaps time to question if the PAP Brigade has lost its teeth.
The writeup by MICA states: “not all bloggers welcomed the Government’s voice on their private blogs, while others simply attack the Government for the sake of venting their frustrations.”
Well, I for one would most certainly welcome PAP members to engage me in the Comments Section of my blog postings.
Furthermore, I criticize the Government because there are real issues out there affecting the livelihood as well as the rights of Singaporeans. I have had more than my fair share of frustrations vented at me in online forums, some of them even from supporters of other Opposition parties, but these are part and parcel of free speech.
If there is much frustration being directed at the Government, perhaps it is time for Ministers and PAP MPs to step down from their ivory towers and look beyond their $100,000 per month, $200,000 per month salaries and understand the hardships faced by the working class.
