"TODAY" is free-distributed daily newspaper in Singapore.
Generally in Singapore, "TODAY" and "Straits times", charged newspaper, are representative newspapers. For me, naturally "TODAY" is more familiar one. That is not only because it's just free but because it's better qualified newspaper than I expected.
Anyhow the press is under goverment control, which is one of culture shocks for me. So they've never been dealing with sensitive issues. Instead, I feel like that they try to deal with each topic in depth and variously overall.
As somehow a different subject, there is an interesting story I experienced.
Aganist my question of " what do you think about the regulating speech?",
one Singaporean replied to me that he think that's why Singapore become a developed country compared to other countries around and even in Asia. To sum up his point, the criticism without an alternative hampers developement.
I think, it is too absurd that someone who doesn't have a solution can't say anything.
Criticism has value as itself because it can keep it open that there could exist another better idea.
Anyway, since Singapore is rolling along well, there is nothing to say about that.
2 comments:
Hi Rebekah,
This is a very nice blog you have here. Also, I really like the photograph on the home page. It is very interesting and sensuous.
Yes, our press is government-controlled. There are advantages and disadvantages to that, I suppose. Democracy and freedom of expression are good to a certain extent, but often when people have too much of freedom, life becomes very chaotic. If everyone can express their opinion so freely, it doesn't necessarily improve the quality of life because many people's opinions, as we know, are just rubbish.
In Singapore, our system works on the basis, I think, that we put the most intelligent and talented people in charge and then leave the running of the country to them. Of course criticism is allowed but not too much, or else it will impede the government from doing its work effectively.
Our system has indeed made Singapore very successful, but I acknowledge that there are some problems with it. One is that Singaporeans become much too dependent on the government for many things, and sometimes fail to think and reason for themselves.
- Steven Ooi
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