National Day Rally Speech informative but...

National Day Rally speech informative and entertaining, but the post-rally media-blitz….

About National Day Rally Speech

Our Prime Minister Lee’s speech last weekend was informative and in parts entertaining. I do not regret watching the whole speech as it included various topics of crucial importance, eg population policies, that all of us have to ponder on.

To me, whether the PM’s mee-siam should contain “harm” (vernacular term for cockles), is a personal choice and I will not dwell unnecessarily on it.

About Post-rally media-blitz

The MainStream Media (henceforth called MSM) seems to have gone on a frantic post-rally blitzkrieg, the likes of which has not been seen since the May elections. I am not the only one who has noticed this phenomenon ( refer http://singaporegovt.blogspot.com/)

Most independent observers could easily have mistaken all these media activities as “hard-sell” tactics more suitable for the market place. Apparently, the MSM does not know the word “subtle”.

There is only so much that even the most fervent enthusiasts can take. Is there a need to serialize the speech day after day? In this day of the internet, anyone can download the complete speech in various websites (click here-http://www.channelnewsasia.com/nationalday/rally/english.htm)

Or even watch the unabridged and uncensored video here http://www.channelnewsasia.com/nationalday/rally/video.htm

Diversity of views may help dispel skeptics

From the MSM (from reading/seeing/hearing) ,it seems that PM has carried the ground so well and his arguments so convincing that there is near unanimity about all the important and often controversial policies. Do all the academics/NGO’s/thinktanks/ ordinary folks have no views which are at odds with the official line?

The skeptics will suggest that alternative views have been omitted in this over-enthusiastic attempt by the media “bosses” to depict a semblance of unequivocal support for the government's position.This is not necessarily healthy in the long run.

Diversity of views is vital for our nation’s development. Does it not make sense that only when differing views are exchanged freely then some true consensus can perhaps emerge?

The danger would be that if the only feedback received by the leadership are ones favorable to itself, they might start to believe all these as the truth. They might as well surround themselves with “yes men”.And the day may come ( in the future, perhaps under a different leadership) when no one would bother to stand up to say, “The emperor does not wear clothes”- if the leader then is indeed not wearing clothes.

Of course the “The emperor’s clothes” is a tale every child has learnt in school and is just a metaphor not to be taken literally.

From what I have seen these past few days,the MSM is doing all of us a disservice.

Cheers

Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan

Addendum:

For the convenience of lazy surfers, I have linked some bloggers' views about the NDR 2006 , for your perusal.

Needless to say, by listing the links, it does not imply that I endorse their views.

As we say here, it's their own "pasar" ( meaning.. those guys are on their own..)

1. Sgpatriot (Gerald Giam)
2. Littlespeck.com ( Seah Chiang Nee's site)
3. Mr.Wang Bakes Good Karma (Mr.Wang.. who else (sheesh.. eyes rolling up!!))
4. Yawningbread.com ( Alex Au- so famous he does not need introducing)
5. Xenoboy ( I really don't know who he/she is.. honest! ... but he is very sharp)

Enjoy!