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.”
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
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.”
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
