Temasek Review writes to Reporters without Borders seeking explanation on Singapore media’s 133th ranking
October 28th, 2009 | 
Author: The Temasek Review has sent an email to Reporters without Borders seeking an explanation for the Singapore media’s dismal ranking of 133 out of 175 countries on its world press freedom index.
Dear eminent editors of Reporters without Borders,
We are from Temasek Review, an online newspaper in Singapore.(www.temasekreview.com)
We understand that RSF has recently ranked the Singapore media 133th on the world press freedom index, up 11 places from its 144th position in 2008.
However, the Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam described your ranking as “absurd and quite divorced for reality” at the opening address of the New York State Bar Association meeting held in Singapore from 26 to 29 October 2009.
This is what he said as reported by the Straits Times:
“Singapore Law Minister Shanmugan questioned Singapore’s low rating by Reporters Without Borders, a French-based group which puts out an annual press freedom ranking.
Singapore ranked 144 out of 173 countries last year – below Ethiopia, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Guinea and Haiti, among others – but moved up in this year’s list, released last week.
Citing a press report on Guinea which said soldiers gunned gunned down over 150 pro-democracy protesters last month, and that opposition leaders were locked up, and women were raped on the streets, he said: ‘We are apparently below Guinea on press freedom.
‘This year, we have behaved better – so we moved up to rank 133, below Kenya, which saw riots following a disputed election, Congo, which continues to struggle with the aftermath of an armed conflict that has claimed more than five million lives, Venezuela, and so on.
‘But we are ranked above North Korea and Eritrea.’
The Singapore media is trying its best to portray your ranking as one-sided, biased and unfair.
I feel an official response from RSF is needed to protect its international reputation.
Why is Singapore ranked below Guinea, Kenya and Congo? We could not find any explanation on the RSF’s site.
Will you be keen to provide us with more details on how you arrive at the ranking?
Posted in Snippets
9 Responses to “Temasek Review writes to Reporters without Borders seeking explanation on Singapore media’s 133th ranking”
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Good move.
Don’t be surprise if RSF came back with a reply they made a mistake in the ranking and that Singapore should have been ranked 155 instead…
i.e down 11 placing instead of up 11 placing.
A pro-PAP clerk in RSF office admitted the guilt and was sacked for manipulating the numbers.
You asked for it Shanmugam..
.. and can now expect a ‘higher’ ranking for Singapore in next year’s RSF report.
Maybe you guys should read this first:
http://journalism.sg/2009/10/28/why-rsfs-press-freedom-index-is-flawed-%e2%80%93-and-why-it-works/
TR, you must have made a mistake by contacting Reporters without Borders. When they visit your website, they will think Singapore has a lot of political freedom and we are free to say anything we want.
How like that, you are shooting at your own feet.
Alas!this is what i mean by ‘FAIR AND SQUARE”!
the TRUTH is there for all of us…search for it!
sporeans, you should be grateful that we rank above north korea … remember 50 years ago your parents got no food to eat and your father had to share trousers with his colleague
pop the champagne and yell “woohoo, we beat north korea!!!”
//ilovesingapore
No wonder!
Dear TR
think perhaps you should also consider to write to all
opposition parties to remind them to stand as one voice rather
than acting individualistiically as in previous elections!
it is no mere feat but if “you” want singaporeans to stand as one for “you” guys,you got to put your act togather.
why don’t learn from past mistakes,they have cost alot to you-your efforts and sacrifices and that of your families and true friends and supporters.
i think that if you water down in sincerity and in the spirit of true humility and service(to the people) and not for self-glorifications or vindications(pardon me if am too presumptuos),the people can better learn to apprecaite the true meaning of a credible opposition that ultimately could
contribute to the betterment of theirs and their childrens’ and children’s children livelihood and for the genuine long-term inetrest of our tiny one-resource(human capital) country.
why don’t we learn from the USA,GERMAN,or UK experience?
though many times bigger in size,populations,economies and other aspects of human concerns,they basically have two(2) very
credible and rational dominant political parties which mostly
alternate to rule their respective nations depending on the relevance they have for their peoples.
such a scenario improves governance and yet,do not generate any
untoward and wasteful hostilities that can be seen in other models.
if going into politics is for generating self worth(including monetary),i think the better option would be to emulate what a BUFFETT would opt for,that is,business.
the basis for leading nations should be for the nations and their peoples,not for self-inetrest.
i humbly thank you and hope something more meaningful can come out of the impending election.
//ilovesingapore
yeah, that would improve our ranking by 1 place?
//pap stooge
Why should we be grateful when HK ranks much higher than us and its citizens makes monies faster than us and we started out the same? And they didn’t have PAP.
“TR, you must have made a mistake by contacting Reporters without Borders. When they visit your website, they will think Singapore has a lot of political freedom and we are free to say anything we want.
How like that, you are shooting at your own feet.”
your statement is wrong. Temasek Review is not belonged to Govt. It’s belonged to freedom internet. So you should not compare an apple to orange.