Despite what people may like you to believe, doing a PhD, or a DPhil as Oxford quaintly calls it, in UK is not a leisurely occupation. However, I must admit it is light-years away from the hectic undergraduate regime. I have always been hyperactive even as an undergraduate in NUS, and taking on the editing of the Speakers' Platform is not entirely out of character.
The idea for the Speakers' Platform was first mooted by me when I volunteered help out with the Singapore Electronic Forum earlier in March this year. I have often pointed out that the discussions on the internet, especially on soc.culture.singapore (s.c.s.) is dangerously becoming self-indulgent and inaccurate. It was getting pretty difficult to sieve out proven facts and informed arguments from the deluge of unsubstantiated rumours and wild speculations. Part of the problem stem from the fact that there was virtually no input from a section of the Singapore population that had expert knowledge.
It was clear from the beginning that no amount of cajoling or persuasion would bring senior civil servants or professionals to participate directly on s.c.s. Frankly, which country's government official would participate on an unmoderated forum on the internet today?
I personally feel that it is important that these groups of people should be actively involved in worthwhile discussions on the internet. Their input and insights are invaluable, and channelled properly, they will complement the spontaneity and frankness on s.c.s. On the other hand, it is also important to show the rest of Singapore that the internet can be used as a communication tool to reach out to a wide spectrum of Singaporeans with internet access. Nothing could be more important than to dispel the misconception that the internet is an anarchaic and corrupting entity.
The initiation and the management of discussions that are presented on the Speakers' Platform took considerable preparation and effort. For example, the first discussion on the topic of the internet took nearly a month of communications by email to complete. But it was all worthed it, for the discussions and interviews are getting the attention of many Singaporeans who were otherwise skeptical of the value of the internet.
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I have been called a variety of names since I started posting on the s.c.s. folder. They ranged from the mild rebuke; numbskull to the more vitriolic nationalistic LKY wannabe and other unmentionables. I have been bracing myself for an onslaught of abuse ever since Speakers' Platform came on line and I was not disappointed. At least the publications were being read.
It is true that we have to be careful as to what we print on the web site. The care is in ensuring that there is a certain standard of accuracy and integrity. Care is taken to ensure that we are not used by either the ruling party nor the opposition cause to further their political agenda. We are interested in reflecting the views of Singaporeans on Singaporean matters and that is the bottomline.
There is an increasing tendency among Singaporeans to take a very binary view of politics in Singapore; You are either a 'syncophantic pro-PAP' supporter or a fist-in-the-air opposition worshipper. Coupled with an irrational paranoia about 'Big Brother' pervasive control, things can reach often comical proportions. For the record, SInterCom is not connected to the YPAP in any way. I think this fact is pretty obvious if anyone has been on the internet for some time.
Recently, we were charged to be 'syncopantic pro-PAP do-gooders' for presenting discussions and interviews doctored to make the opposition political party look bad. It may be worthwhile to note that all interviews presented on the Platform were vetted and approved by the interviewees before they were published. As for the charge of making them 'look bad', I think it is quite hilarious given the circumstances.
Apparently, our crime was to publish articles which do not conform to the complainant's idea of a discussions with 'like-minded' Singaporeans. I am rather flattered by this actually. Indeed, you have my word that I will try my very best to ensure that 'like-minded'ness will be banished from my web site and that there is a healthy dose of differing views.
Editor: Thong Wei 30/10/95
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