Smear campaign against “new ugly Singaporeans”: Is YPAP fighting back?
January 26th, 2010 | 
Author: OPINION
After being caught with its pants down, is YPAP going to strike back with another smear campaign against its online critics?
The Straits Times Forum gave prominent coverage to a blatantly biased, inaccurate and one-sided article by a “Keith Gerard Tan” lampooning Singapore netizens critical of the PAP as being the new breed of “ugly Singaporeans.” (read letter here)
While there is no evidence of Mr Tan being a card-carrying member of the PAP, the extreme views espoused by him bears uncanny similarities to those harbored by some YPAP members and supporters as evidenced by their remarks made on the YPAP Facebook.
Mr Tan wrote that it is worrying to see netizens hiding behind the anonymity of the Net and post comments that reek of prejudice, racism and envy.
“For instance, it is virtually unavoidable these days to read anti-migrant comments online. These netizens flood message boards with anti-foreign worker vitriol that degenerates into childish name calling and personal attacks on those who are courageous enough to defend foreign workers,” he added.
Mr Tan should have quoted a few examples from some blogs and forums to substantiate his claims and to allow the public to judge for themselves if these comments are indeed “racist” and “prejudiced” instead of making such a sweeping statement which does little justice to both his letter and the Straits Times Forum.
Why is the immigration issue such a hot topic nowadays? Why are netizens protesting so vehemently against the policy?
The outpouring of frustration, resentment and grievances in cyberspace is an indication that there is a rising number of Singaporeans who are unhappy with the pro-foreigner policies of the ruling party and feel they are not getting a fair deal from their own government.
The role of the elected government of the day is to take care of its own citizens first. While it is undeniable that Singapore does need immigrants, the policies should be fine-tuned to ensure that locals do not lose out in the process.
There is some element of truth in the online postings of netizens as corroborated by an authoritative report by Wall Street Journal lately which described in vivid detail the negative impact of the relentless influx of foreigners in recent years on Singaporeans unacknowledged by the PAP – leading to a drop in wages of ordinary workers, increase in cost of living, especially that of public housing, decrease in labor productivity and overall decline in the standard of living.
Singapore has been welcoming immigrants since the 1980s and 1990s from Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but Singaporeans have never exhibited so much negative sentiments towards the newcomers. Surely there must be something wrong with the government’s immigration policies which have provoked such massive public discontent and disaffection.
Mr Tan should have looked at the root cause of the problem and not the symptoms alone. Some netizens are behaving as such precisely because they feel marginalized in their own country and these concerns, anxieties and fears are not unfounded.
In the second part of his forgettable letter, Mr Tan quoted the example of the Eric How saga to take pot shots at netizens for launching a “witch hunt” against the YPAP:
“Another example: The Eric How controversy, in which an inflammatory Facebook diatribe by an unidentified individual who called himself Eric How and claimed to be a member of Young PAP triggered a witch hunt. As a result, two other people named Eric How were caught in the crossfire of postings about the issue.”
Had Mr Tan been following the saga judiciously on the new media, he would have realized that there was no impersonation or identity theft in the first place.
The “Eric How” who posted those disparaging remarks about netizens on the YPAP Facebook on 1 January 2010 exists in real life. He had posted his particulars on his Facebook before it was deleted after the controversy erupted.
There are many “Eric Hows” in Singapore and they can be posting comments on Facebook at the same time using their accounts which can be easily differentiated by their IDs on their “profile” section.
Any sensible person with a modicum of common sense would simply clarify the matter on his Facebook or lodge a formal complaint to Facebook and close the case.
The fact that the two “Eric Hows” had made police reports separately over such a trivial matter and to blow it up in the press is a reflection on their and the PAP’s ignorance of the new media where such mistaken identities are pretty common.
In fact, the entire fracas smacked of an orchestrated damage control exercise to salvage the battled reputation of the YPAP which has been coming under increasing pressure from netizens over the callous behavior of its members such as Sear Hock Rong.
Unfortunately, the majority of the online community do not buy their story and YPAP Chairman Teo Ser Luck is made to look like an idiot by asking one of the Eric Hows to make a police report when there is absolutely no need to do so.
Mr Tan ended his letter by expressing his concerns about this new “breed” of Singaporeans:
“Those in this new breed of Ugly Singaporean worry me because they suggest a sense that beneath a placid exterior lurks a collective subconscious that is intolerant, mean and narrow-minded.”
Upon closer examination, this new breed of “Singaporeans” are largely the result of the repressive political system being promulgated by the PAP.
Because Singaporeans have no where else to express their disagreement, unhappiness and anger with the ruling party, they have no choice but to keep their feelings bottled up deep inside which over time becomes “mutated” as outright fury.
Many netizens are afraid of blogging openly using their identities in real life out of fear of being detained under the draconian Internal Security Act or sued for defamation by the litigious PAP.
In countries where the mainstream media allows a diversity of views to be expressed, such “radical” views are seldom encountered in cyberspace as there is a middle ground to accommodate opinions from both sides of the political divide.
All the flow of information in the public domain in Singapore is strictly controlled by the mainstream media which in turn is nothing more than a mouthpiece of the ruling party.
Genuine concerns and criticisms of Singaporeans are often stone-walled while no efforts are spared to portray the PAP in the best possible light though it is becoming quite obvious that it has committed many policy mistakes in the last few years which has caused an inordinate amount of suffering to ordinary Singaporeans.
Under such circumstances, it is natural to expect netizens to adopt a “hardline” approach against the PAP in cyberspace.
The “witch-hunt” against the YPAP over the Eric How fiasco has valid grounds even if the “Eric How” turns out to be an impostor which is very unlikely.
When the offensive remarks were first posted on the YPAP Facebook on 1 January 2010, no PAP member stepped forward to condemn “Eric How”. In fact, they even rallied to his side.
Neither Teo Ser Luck or Zaqy Mohamad bothered to denounce them and they only did so three weeks later after the negative publicity has snowballed into a PR disaster for the PAP.
Are they implying that they were in full agreement with the remarks for three weeks from 1 January to 22 January?
If Mr Tan is familiar with Singapore’s blogosphere, he would realize that such “ugly Singaporeans” form the majority of the netizens in Singapore.
He can take a tour of SPH-owned STOMP and Hardwarezone forums as well as 3in1kopitiam and Sgforums to feel the pulse of Singaporeans there.
Unfortunately, Mr Tan’s unhelpful letter is only going to antagonize netizens further thereby heightening hostilities between them and the establishment.
The real “ugly Singaporeans” are not those who speak the truth behind the anonymity of the internet, but people like Mr Tan who choose to defend the indefensible and go against the tide of public opinion.
No matter what the YPAP tries to say or do now, they are not going to win back lost support from the online community who are ready to show them what they are capable of with the votes in their hands in the next general election.
Posted in Opinion
51 Responses to “Smear campaign against “new ugly Singaporeans”: Is YPAP fighting back?”
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YPAP is damaging PAP
and YPAP should be stopped..
anyone sent this article to Straitstimes? Lets see whether this will be published
To : Kieth Gerard Tan
HOW about writing about the ‘ugly’ MPs who dont help their resdents.
Some examples here. Read posting on 26 Jan 1.39pm
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/01/26/pm-lee-now-says-degrees-not-as-important-after-former-govt-scholars-join-opposition/
It is strange that some selfish rude greedy half-baked elites are going around smearing their countrymen.
I can understand if outsiders misconstue us as ‘UGLY’ but for people who conisder themselves to be singaporeans to pass such remarks which inevitably include themselves-unless they are confused now and believe they are also foreigners-is to me rather idiotic.
In any case,if we are ‘ugly’ for posting truths on this TR,how about those who groped ladies publicly and delayed a busload of passengers when they were in the wrong in the first place?
Save your stupid comments for your ownselves and your children for they must be like you!
any ST owned forum also has the same kind of ppl there talking abt the same kind of things. maybe keith should direct his anger towards them too?
Keith is self-righteous. Let’s clap for him. Not.
internet age is too big for china communist to full control. Lky team know it long ago. that is why they try censorship hoping to slow the voice in internet. But they cant stop it. if our king can live forever. he will never let his family down.
The GOOD BAD & “UGLY” exists on both sides of the fence TR should take it as a compliment that it is being acknowledged as compared to most other personal & political BLOGS better known for its one sided bias views.
The ONUS is on TR to be TRULY CREDIBLE to draw the intellectuals & literati to read contribute and comment.I for one never more than glance and move on with the BIAS and personal BLOGS except for a few personal ones like Cathrine Lim.
To use Keith Gerard Tan’s own words, he is the ONE who is intolerant, mean and narrow-minded! Diversity of views are very important for a democratic country. Oh wait a minute.. I forgot..Spore is NOT a democratic country as our PAP rulers are very similar to Communist leadership.
Keith gerad tan how much you are paid for sucking up to the traitor pap crony, these asshole dont work and live with foregner
Tr,well spoken.
“Mr Tan wrote that it is worrying to see netizens hiding behind the anonymity of the Net and post comments that reek of prejudice, racism and envy.”
There are more other “worrying” things than What Mr Tan worrying now.
I would classify his letter as “vitriol”…
Ugliness exists so blatantly in so many places.
And yet Keith Gerard deliberately chose to focus on the ‘ugliness’ of Internet postings, disregarding the beautiful.
This speaks a lot about this Keith.
Obviously he has not yet realized the real beauty of the Internet. To call him a “pea-brain” is not being too much.
Haha, the Ugly Singaporean wrote an article about nobody else except himself, and SPH use it to make propaganda.
To : Keith Gerard Tan
U so ‘concerned’ about ugly Singaporean.
HOW about writing about the ‘ugly’ Singaporean MPs who dont help their resdents.
Some examples here. Read posting on 26 Jan 1.39pm
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/01/26/pm-lee-now-says-degrees-not-as-important-after-former-govt-scholars-join-opposition/
I wont defend the few bad foreigners from those who criticise them for anti-social behaviour.
And I definitely will not defend the administration who let a large amount of foreigners in, whatever purpose that may be, at the loss of our own countrymen.
But I WILL defend all foreigners from those who attack them simply because of what they are.
Be rational. Don’t be prejudiced.
Against the squeaky-clean white-washed controlled media out there, TR reeks like a smelly sock.
I love smelly socks.
Keep up the good work!
Dear PAP ,
We already lost 60% hope on you and if YPAP continues , We might as well vote the oppositions .
Cheers
A group of old citizens who voted for PAP for past 30 years
if you can’t beat them, confuse them.
.
Tis the UGLY STUPID gahmen that make us the ugly singaporean!
Yaawwwwwwwn. Next PAP monger please. Can anyone write a decent article in the forum page. First there’s the MFA letter about the government’s reasoning for their paltry contribution, my answer to that is……so. People are dying, we are a first world country, so they say, should be able to give more than S50K. Heck a kid in the UK raised £70 by himself for the effort. So who’s the narrow-minded one here. So please get off that pedestal and look around before I get up there and put my boot up your narrow hole.
Keith Gerard Tan is probably one of the many MIW ghost writers.
By his logic, we can also say that ST is one-sided in their reporting.
Smack of elitism!!
YPAP should screen its ranks and not allow immature children to join.
It’s strange, when you key in ERIC HOW in facebook, there’s not one but at least 50+ Eric How listed. So how come YPAP Chairman Teo Ser Luck managed to zero in on a particular Eric How & asked him to lodge a complaint?
The one who was corresponding had a merc picture as a profile. Hmmm..
Next, there are many Chinese singaporeans who are against the influx of foreigners which includes the PRC’s. So how does that make them a racist? I don’t hear chinese complaining about the indian FT’s only but includes all the FT’s. Likewise even the Indian singaporeans have commented on the indian FT’s. You’re calling them a racist when their jobs are in jeopardy because these FT’s come in as wholesale and are settling for lower paid salaries?
And prejudice and envy????????? of whom? People of no talent getting citizenship and we’re envious? Yeah right. I’m so envious of these low class arrogant so called FT’s that i want to put my finger down my throat and throw up.
TR good job! Many of us have voiced our opinion on facebook too! Our profiles which includes our photos are there for view. So, Keith Gerard Tan, do not make sweeping statements that we are behind the keyboard & being anonymous. Post your article on your site & see for yourself how many netizens dare to give their honest feedbacks at your face. Answer them then. Do not be a coward writing to ST, knowing for fact that ST would not print our views but only pro-PAP.
Its true we are a ugly breed of Singaporeans that breath the ugly truth on the ground…..Emperors new clothes syndrome ?
Hi Keith Gerard Tan,
Nobody is that stupid enough to listen to your one sided Cxxk story. Anybody can easily access to blogs and forums to judge for themselves if you are talking cxxk.
Agree with Keith…we have a bunch of ugly, and may I also add, coward Singaporeans who are only capable of hiding behind pseudonyms to attack others…but dare not to come out publicly to face them!
Personally, I would think that the whole “Eric How” fiasco was just a scam being concocted by TR to get more readers and to instigate them against the government, but we have gullible (but highly coward) people who will believe in it…
The Internet is truly the ‘Saviour’ for all good people who love the truth, and the most precious gift Divine Love can give to mankind since the dawn of time on this small planet.
The existence of the Internet is itself a living miracle, a science-fiction of yesterday.
All mankind need to kneel and thank Divine Love for such a precious gift.
Remember the story “Emperor without clothes”
The inner circle says only what they want the emperor to hear, guess in this case they must be giving feedback to MM, SM and PM that their immigration policy is working like clockwork with full support from the masses, the citizens all love the new imported FT/FW/PR/New citizens.
Carry on doing this my clowns, no worries it wont hurt at least not until the day the ballot papers are counted.
To blast at the cries from the ground just shows how dumb and out of touch the Young and Old Papayas have become. Regardless the ground has clearly spoken whether you want to listen or not is entirely up to you.
Online is our base ground,just try fighting and soon they will realize it is impossible to win us.
Haha, YPAP have a bunch of clowns.
Calling for all NUS, NTU, SMU, SIM undergraduate to engage in meaningful politics discussions. Lets us make a change to strengthen the viewpoints of the transparent truths. Condemn those liars!
the greatest issue here is the difference between the “have” and the “have not”. the YPAP probably consist of people with successful background and life is also probably a bed of rose for them. it seem to them the system work out perfectly for them. Little do they know, some might probably enjoyed some form of white horse treatment throughout their life in education system or national service.
the rest of the commoner, we fight through our survival and see the ugly side of singapore. we voice out day and night on all the injustice but former group doesnt seem to see the problem at all. at least in their circle, they dont see it at all.
now, the issue is whether which group are the majority and this would probably determine the outcome of election. but again, if another round of ang bao is given out just before election, i think most of the citizens would vote them in again.
Oh dear, why are we called UGLY when we are just trying to give feedbacks? The only fault I could think of is probably the way we are sending the messages across. Not everyone is able to write some nice, sugar-coated suggestions & I guess sometimes emotion will take over our senses.
I remember CSJ once shouted at GCT & demanded to know what happened to our $5 billion dollars during one of those walkabouts; the next thing we know is CSJ is been branded as a gangster!! Oh come on, just cos he shouted doesnt mean he’s some underground triad leader! Perhaps, he just need to attend some classes on social grace, that’s all!! The media killed CSJ on that & totally forgotten to ask GCT where, indeed, is the money or is there really a $5 billion dollar loan to the Indonesian government!
When we give feedbacks, we are complain kings. Sigh……pls stop calling your fellow Singapore UGLY!
Some people are just too “nuah”. CSJ a gangster? Laughing Out Loud.
I can just imagine these dainties literally peeing in their pants or fainting if they were to merely SEE one in real life such as the infamous executed One Eyed Dragon. Dont forget that the people of Singapore are “sheep”.
this government simply could not take feedback and criticisms of ANY KIND. so what if its prejudice, racism and envy? it is still feedback! try reading socio-political blogs elsewhere in the world and realise this is chicken feet.
they should not waste time analysing the new ugly singaporean. they should instead ask – why are they behaving like this in the first place? what’s driving their prejudice, racism and envy.
duh.
First, we are lazy, then we are sheep and donkey, now we are ugly. *shakes head*
If there is one ‘ugly Singaporean’ role model, it is the father of Singapore himself; LKY.
Have you seen him apologise or show any graciousness to anyone?; his statement that he would bring a KNUCKLE DUSTER to dear gentle Catherine Lim because of her column critical of Goh Chok Tong and the PAP is an utter act of boorishness.
As someone said it shows a lack of good breeding. If Singaporean youngs are like this, they are simply emulating the good leader; the only one they ever had!
“prejudice, racism and envy”
Self-comfort for the PAP. Or do I need to paraphrase this literal translation of Mandarin?
But please go ahead with your self-delusion. PAP’s arrogant incompetence has been laid bare for all to see. You Mu Gong Du.
“his statement that he would bring a KNUCKLE DUSTER to dear gentle Catherine Lim”
How old was LKY when he made this remark?
If only LKY were to have such sentiments in WWII…
xxxzzzxxx,
If I remember correctly CSJ accused GCT of loaning that money to Suharto not the Indonesia government.
Think that it is this theatrics that put off most Singaporeans, if he had presented it in a more conserved manner and focused on the $5B rather than Suharto he might have gotten a different support level from the masses.
are they referring to PAP trolls? I see a lot of them on lucky tan’s http://www.singaporemind.blogspot.com. nowadays…
Isn’t that bribery?
What happened to the loan?
Definitely its impossible for Suharto or the government to repay back such amount.
Those who had businesses with indonesia (not forgetting China too) knows that there is no business without bribery.
The real cowards are the PAP government who hang on to power with their political chicanery such as GRCs, bankrupting opposition members or shutting them up, one-sided state media, ISD detentions, etc. These are the real cowards.
What more we have generals, rear admirals, etc in the government. How do they get their rank if they are such cowards?
Instead of being upfront with the people, they increased their own salaries to indecent levels without the agreement of the people which they should have obtained by declaring this in their manifesto in the last election. Instead they went by the backdoor and rewarded themselves with this kind of salaries, which make them the laughing stock of all right minded governments in the world. This is a cowardly act.
” if he had presented it in a more conserved manner and focused on the $5B rather than Suharto he might have gotten a different support level from the masses.”
Why should you not focus on Suharto ? If you talk about money, those PAP clowns will tell you it is about investment and purely about investment, but when you talk about Suharto, it is about corruption, nepotism and favouritism. It is not the investment that is problematic but it is who you put into investment that is problematic.
Give you a example:
If I take your money and tell you I’m going to invest your $100,000 into a project, will you agree based purely on your investment ROI or do you perform due diligent check on track record of the project implementer ? If they are corrupted, do you think you will fund the project ?
Now, does that wakeup on the reason why our clowns keep losing big sum of money over investment that they dim they invest purely for investment purpose, while closing eyes to those people running the investment. Did you not know about the case of Merill Lynch where SIN gov blindly throw dumb money for the CEO and his cronies to buy expensive stuff ?
http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/01/22/2009-01-22_former_merrill_lynch_ceo_john_thain_resi.html
http://www.sg-house.com/classifieds/non-property-investment/1231490-singapores-temasek-confirms-merrill-lynch-stake.html
Why the fuck old fart talk about
“Mr Lee said: “Yes, there was corruption. Yes, he gave favours to his family and his friends. But there was real growth and real progress. I think the people of Indonesia are lucky. They had a general in charge, had a team of competent administrators – including a very good team of economists to build up the country.””
http://theindonesiandream.wordpress.com/2008/01/13/lee-kuan-yew-suhartos-not-getting-the-recognition-he-deserves/
You can judge how much corruption the Lee imperial family is doing to SINland the same way as Suharto.
The corruption is done in different way as long as the objective is reached.
” if he had presented it in a more conserved manner and focused on the $5B rather than Suharto he might have gotten a different support level from the masses.”
And did you not see the similarity where in Suharto, the government is Suharto, and Suharto is the government, and the same thing happen to our old FART…
If you still don’t then you deserve to have the oppressive and corrupted gov.
To: Mr. Keith Gerard Tan
In terms of the UGLIEST SINGAPOREANS, I have to put you right at the top of the list by smearing the netizens with such blatantly biased, inaccurate and one-sided article in spite of knowing what the truth is. Do you not feel small and ashamed of yourself? I feel sorry for you but I have to tell you that I am totally disappointed with you!
I give up on you!
It’s such a pity that Dr. Chee sufferred by being ignored by so many people just because of that single outburst when he was younger. Other than that single incident, Dr. Chee is always a very polished and sensible person.
He is definitely not like those individuals who on numerous occasions talk in a thug-gist manner, like a big time thug, and go around bullying people who are weaker.
I think this article is very badly written. Without proof, nothing is. And if the two innocent parties did lodge a police report, it is their own judgement. And why do the pple resort to harassing others on the fb?
@Teo Eng Hock who said: Personally, I would think that the whole “Eric How” fiasco was just a scam being concocted by TR to get more readers and to instigate them against the government, but we have gullible (but highly coward) people who will believe in it…
Do you know why TR allowed YOUR idiotic post to pass moderation and be posted? Its people like you that pissed people like me off and therefore more and many will come forward and screw you upside down, hence more traffic, you pathetic idiot!
Instead of allowing you to flame TR, TR have actually in reverse used you to their advantage. Now, who is the bigger idiot?
Next time idiots like you want to try to ’support’ PAPies, think again!
To: Teo Eng Hock on Wed, 27th Jan 2010 6:50 am
Open up your mind Mr Teo Eng Hock. Readers here are able to judge and discern the right and wrong. You are just a puppet because you are empty up there!