On the Straits Stooge Times:

First of all, I am rather amused with the correspondent’s comment that the attack on Yio Chu Kang MP has drawn many online attacks. I will not nitpick on this, but I politely disagree, as many or few depends on the yardstick used. Personally, I would consider the number of such opinion (i.e. the vicious attacks) to be in the minority when measured against the deafening silence or simple indifference from the majority of the netizens, if not the entire population itself.

I am even more amused with His Excellency, Rear Admirer Admiral Lui’s remarks. How does he define ‘self regulation’ in this case? ‘Self regulation’ as characterised by an uncountable number of flame wars between bloggers and forummers?

Here’s something on this matter perhaps His Excellency should hear about:

A friend of mine found it funny and couldn’t bring himself to sympathise with MP Seng when he read the news, even though he couldn’t bring himself to voice support for the old man who committed the atrocity. Some even felt sorry for the old man, when they heard he might be given a life sentence for his actions and I personally wondered whether some the vicious attacks weren’t in part generated by the very report stating this fact! In fact, even now it is still not clear to us whether he will still be charged for this attack and sentenced severely after he has been remitted to IMH.

On top of that, some simply pointed out that without more details on the matter, one has nothing to stand on to speak up for MP Seng, even though they felt indignant and agreed that no such thing should be committed against any human being. Among some, there is also the considered opinion that ‘there cannot be smoke without fire’ – i.e. they believed there is actually a ‘slim chance’ the old man has good reasons for the attack.

As to my personal opinion, I found no reason to play mata-mata (policeman) and a part in self regulating cyberspace. In fact, I was clearly under the impression that unabated flame wars was the reason why a decade ago, His Excellency George Yeo (is he still BG now?) said that the Internet is so full of rubbish and it is almost like reading graffiti on a wall!

Now, is His Excellency the Grand Rear Admiral Lui faulting some of us for taking your colleague’s words to heart and doing our part by not participating in flame wars? Or are we now to participate in such senseless and rather meaningless endeavors when there are ‘good moral reasons’? Whatever gave His Excellency the idea that mere words (a lot of them, actually) from other netizens will have any effect at all in stopping a vociferous muthafxxka the vicious comments? I suggest His Excellency hire someone to do this if he does not see the futility in doing so.

That’s not forgetting, most net denizens (aka “netizens”) dislike regulation, be it state implemented or even community enforced. While most generally try to abide by a set of socially acceptable net etiquette (aka “netiquette”), much is left to the netizen to ‘police’ himself. There is nothing much anyone of us could do if another netizen is being an irresponsible prick. As much as I would say no to state regulation, I would say no to community regulation or another person attempting to shut me up. Putting myself in another person’s shoes, when I don’t appreciate another self righteous prick enforcing his personal code of behaviour upon me, I don’t expect myself to do the same to another person.

Beyond that, His Excellency the Admiral might want to look at just why the general populace finds less reason to be indignant about the attack on a Member of Parliament compared to that of an old trishaw-man getting bullied by 3 foreigners. Is it because that the populace no longer consider respect a part of the package in view of the salaries of your esteemed colleagues are already earning? Is the numbers in the elections all there is to consider one as ‘having the mandate’?

We Chinese have a saying: 将心比心 [meaning: to treat another person as he treats you]. Perhaps it is time for the Tali-PAP to reflect upon itself whether its ‘heart-ware’ has suffered a catastrophic failure to the point the people no longer respond in kind.

In short, while speaking the truth frankly may be the best option at times, consider how the people would feel hearing it. I am not proposing implement popular policies or running the government gahmen by popularity, but a lot more humility when speaking to the very people who put you in power would go some way in gaining their respect.

Finally, with all due respect, it is my considered opinion that His Excellency will do better pondering about whether the trade off between monetary remuneration and the respect of the people is an acceptable one, instead of talking about how a failure on the part of netizens to self regulate.