**Disclaimer: This entry is purely for reading pleasure and the writer has no intentions to promote any ideas of such that might lead to any misconceptions. The writer has also no intentions to offence anyone from any races and he has no political agenda or whatsoever. The writer wishes to state that he,
1. is not a racist;
2. is not a human rights activist;
3. is not a pro political revolutionary extremist;
and 4. is not ANTI PAP so to speak.
Read from yesterday's news that another guy was charged for writing insensitive racist remarks aganist the malays on his blog. He was the 3rd guy to be charged in the same week. Under the Religious and Racial Harmony Act passed in 1990, anyone charged with such would face a fine of 5000 bucks or an imprisonment of up to 3 years. Its definitely not worth the try in my perspective.
Just last friday, during my SG Society Tutorial, we had a debate on whether Singapore is a Racially Harmonious Society. I am on the proposition during that tutorial but in fact I would beg to differ. Points raised during class and my own opinions are to controversial to be posted up here. I might be the next one to get my ass busted if I do so.
I mused. If one is to blog racial insults against the other races under the law, then if I were to blog insults against people from my same race, would I be apprehended under the same Act? Well, pardon my ignorance, someone by enlighten me.
I was reading another news article a few days back, it spoke of blogging with a political agenda. It raised the controversy of blogging to expression ones' political point of view and blogging to solicite votes.
With our president just swore into office, broadcasted on the same day, at the same time as of the Finals of Project Superstars, viewership couldnt beat that of the superstars. Digression, with the president swore in, general elections are on the way. The talk of the methods of soliciting votes are inevitable amongst parties. No doubt, these parties and nominees are guided under stringent regulations and are scrutinised on their methology, the idea that the blog can be used as a mean to soliciting votes with thought provoking entries that can sway voters is in the loophole of all the regulations. In fact when we look at the picture as a whole, the ones that are really scrutinising the other parties are the PAP themselves.
Bloggin political opinions lie in the grayarea, one can never really define expression of personal opinion and blogging with a politcal motive. The government are thinking of enacting laws to restrictions of blogging politcal opionions, and discussions are going on. But by doing so, wouldn't they government be going back to where they started? They went a long way in making Singapore a more open society.
So in the event that, I just atttended a Rally and was very much motivated by the rally, so I went home and started blogging about the different policies introduced and how much impressed I was, would all these be considered expressing my personal views or would it be thought otherwise. Personally I feel that, the rally you atttended is a PAP one, then it would be a case of expression of personal views, but if its a rally from any oppo. parties then it would b e otherwise. Such naive perceptions of politics you might think I have, but well, thats pretty much how things go about in SG.
To reinterate my point, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that we all have "the right to freedom of opinion and expression" and it also states that "no person has the right to destroy and of these rights and freedom". Singapore is a democratic state and we abide by HumanRights as drafted out by the UN. Contradicting Irony. Of course, nobody is denying our rights, restricted rights I would say.
Interestingly, I am thinking that if the bill enacted against blogging of political opinions is passed, what if a minor failing to know of such act, start blogging politically. In this case, my definition of a minor would be those below the age of 12. If one were to browse through blogs these days, he won't be surprised to see a great deal of primary school kids blogging. Would the minor be apprehended under this act or would it be the fault of the parents who should have known better and taught the child to only blog good about the PAP. Anyway it would be quite senseless to say that a child's blog has got an political agenda unless of course it has been manipulated. Well, there will always be a grayarea so to speak.
Well, the above stated are just speculations of my own, who says they are going to pass the bill anyway. Furthermore, I think Singaporean has got more brains than to believe whatever they read off the blog when it comes to choosing their political leaders. A blog in the academic sense is an unreliable source of infomation. Well, if you are sick, would you consult a doctor or would you browse through the blogs for information for remedies? Your answer proved my point. So whats the point of restriction anymore? Are the PAP too afraid to lose it votes? Are they afraid that 40years of a single party governance too much for the people? Or are they just afraid to lose power so to speak?
Since they law has not been enacted, so this is still a legal entry. I am not brushing my ass against any law here but, if you do not hear from my anymore, then ISD might have got the better of me.
A simple act like blogging has implicated so many unintended consequences in the sociological perspective. What is becoming of this society?
Later...