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Updated on July 28, 2018 at 4:57 am
by Benjamin Cheah
Today is a firs day. The first time I visited a gathering of the People 's Action Party (PAP) as a reporter. The first time I saw my MP and my former MPs. The first time, I asked them questions
The first time I was shunned by a minister
Dr. Ahmad bin Mohd Magad, Teo Chee Hean and Michael Palmer honored tonight's rally . During the rally, Palmer said in his speech that the PAP would lead improvement projects in the region where he was elected. After the rally, he descended from the platform to greet his supporters, shaking hands through a security fence. My photographer, Kirsten Han, and I went to kick him.
Kirsten met him first. She asked, "Mr. Palmer, we would like to ask you a question."
A PAP volunteer burst in, tapping Palmer on the arm. She said something like "It's time to take pictures".
Palmer nodded and turned away. In fact, he diverted Kirsten's entire upper body. In body language theory, this means that he is actively trying to avoid it.
He did not go to take pictures. On the contrary. He stood there, shaking the hand of some other residents and ostentatiously avoiding Kirsten
I approached him and used my trump.
"Mr Palmer, I live here and I have a question for you."
I live here. Three magic words. He turned his whole body to face me and smiled.
He did not walk to me, though. He did not extend his hand. He stayed at a distance from me.
"Hi, how're you calling?", He asked.
"Benjamin," I say. "I have a question for you."
He continued to smile and nodded. I leaned forward against the barricade. My voice tends to be rather sweet and sharp, and I wanted to make sure that he could hear me.
"If the opposition was elected in Punggol East, would the PAP continue to upgrade its plans?"
He replied, "The opposition would take over the city council." The implication was that the opposition would implement its upgrade plans instead of the PAPs.
I nodded and said, "Thank you."
Kirsten steps in "Will the government provide funding for the upgrade?"
Palmer turned to her, still smiling. "Funds for local upgrade projects will be controlled by City Council."
The questions we asked were not particularly controversial. This was one of many questions that the opposition had asked the PAP. The PAP had historically linked the promises of improved projects to votes: send the PAP back to Parliament, and your riding will be inundated with improvements. On the other hand, vote for the opposition, and the government will redefine priorities to the constituencies that supported the party. The residents of Potong Pasir and Hougang have always received the lowest priority for financing modernization projects because they have continued to make opposition MPs in Parliament. In addition, the Palmer campaign seemed entirely based on promises of project improvement when he was elected. It was a point of friction raised by every opposition party in every rally that I covered. Clarification, or at least comment, on this issue would help voters decide who to vote for.
Kirsten thanked him, and the PAP volunteer took him away. I wanted to confirm if that was the PAP's official position, so I approached Teo Chee Hean. He shook hands with other supporters and posed for photos. I approached him and said, "Mr. Teo, I live here and I have a question for you."
He nodded, keeping his smile intact. "What is your name?"
"I'm Benjamin Cheah, and I'm from The Online Citizen."
"Where do you live?"
I pointed in the proper direction. "Over there."
"Where are you from?"
"The Online Citizen."
"Thank you for identifying yourself."
He turned around and walked away
"Mr Teo!" I shouted
He kept walking
This is the first time I see Teo Chee Hean in flesh and The same man who was the minister anchored in my RCMP from 2006 to 2011. When the electoral boundaries were redrawn earlier this year, Punggol East was separated from Pasir Ris-Punggol RCMP. the apartment in which I lived for five years became part of the Punggol East constituency. "During Palmer's speech, Palmer said that the Pasir Ris-Punggol town had directed Punggol East, and that if the people of Pasir Ris -Punggol and Punggol East made the PAP in power, this arrangement would continue.This actually makes Teo my future and current future MP
If anybody had the right to ask him a question, it would be me. A former resident of the constituency he represented and a current resident of one Recall that he had helped to direct.
First impressions matter. It's the first time I've seen Michael Palmer since I moved here in 2006. It seemed to me that he was avoiding Kirsten. He did not avoid me – and earlier in the rally, the speakers congratulated him for listening to the residents and worked hard to solve their problems. I think that he answered my question simply to preserve his reputation.
First impressions matter. This is the first time I meet Teo Chee Hean since I moved here in 2006. He avoided me as soon as I said I was in COT. It does not matter if I live in the area; the words & # 39; The Online Citizen & # 39; seemed to repel him like a shadow fleeing the light. And the words "Thank you for identifying yourself" have very sinister connotations.
Like, "Thanks for identifying yourself, this saves us from tracking ourselves."
Like, "Thanks for identifying yourself, the police will come for you soon."
Like, "Thank you for We will send you a letter very soon. "
This is Singapore, after all. The Homeland Security Act empowers the state to detain anyone with impunity. The ISA was used to destroy Barisan Socialis, the most powerful opposition party in Singapore's history, and arrest 22 Catholic socialist workers for leading a "Marxist conspiracy." The People's Action Party also likes to sue people who have "defamed" the members of the government. Words like "Thank you for identifying", seen in this historical context, look like a thinly veiled threat.
Earlier today, Mr. Goh Chok Tong said, "When you go to COT, just make sure that this site is an anti-establishment site. "OCD is not an anti-establishment site.COT has never been anti-establishment.TOC has always been pro-Singapore.The mission of TOC has always been to tell the story of Ordinary Singaporeans These stories – homelessness, abuse of foreign workers, poverty, censorship, human rights – have been closely linked to government policies.The lives of ordinary people are inextricably linked to the policy of the government in power If policies fail, people suffer, people suffer, then something must have gone wrong, OCD tried to find out what had gone wrong, and did so. that is why TOC seems critical of the government.
Teo and Palmer might be under the command not to talk to OCD. Maybe the PAP thinks we're going to tweak everything for the holiday to be This is not the job of OCD, TOC's job is to make it count Elections Candidates and parties will rise and fall in the eyes of our readers with their strengths and weaknesses. Our job is simply to make sure our readers get a complete picture. Nothing more than that.
In evading my question, Teo made a serious insult to TOC. He insulted the professionalism of TOC. He insulted the ability of OCD. He insulted the integrity of OCD.
And he insulted me. East Punggol resident, formerly Pasir Ris-Punggol East
Teo Chee Hean is not a mere deputy. He is both Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister. He does not just represent people in his riding. It represents the interests of all Singaporeans. As Defense Minister, he prepares the armed forces for war and peace, and directs the military to help friends and deter enemies. As deputy prime minister, he is Singapore's second politician. All it does is carry the weight of the nation and the power of the state. What he did could well be seen as the official position of the government on The Online Citizen, and citizen journalism
Does he say the government refuses to recognize OCD? Does he say that the government refuses to hire people who criticize them? Is he saying that the government will continue to ignore citizen journalists, bloggers and activists? Does he say that the government will not listen to people? This is so that his action will be seen in the eyes of our readers.
A member is supposed to listen to people. He is supposed to answer people's questions about local and national issues. It is the link between the people and the state.
Palmer answered TOC's questions, but only after he established his reputation and only after I was identified as a resident. Teo did not even wait for me to ask. Palmer only listened to a resident. Teo failed to listen to me and failed to answer my questions about local and national issues.
They failed at work.
I came to the rally as a journalist. I came to report everything that happened. I did not come to destroy the PAP's reputation. I did not come to hide the truth. I came to tell the truth
And I left the rally as a journalist
I am a journalist, and that is the truth.
.
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