'Knuckledusters era' over: Former ST editor

[gz0707]

'Knuckledusters era' over: Former ST editor

Cheong Yip Seng launches book which details 'tough treatment' of local media
by Amir Hussain
04:47 AM Oct 20, 2012


SINGAPORE - In 1973, a reporter at the now-defunct New Nation broke a story about how the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) was inviting Malaysians to enlist, with Singapore citizenship as an incentive.

The reporter got the story after spotting a small classified advertisement put up by the SAF in The Straits Times.

On the same day that the story was published, plainclothes police officers turned up at the newsroom and whisked him away for interrogation.

A week later, on a Sunday, the reporter was personally served with an enlistment notice - even though he had completed four years of National Service in the Vigilante Corps.

Detailing the episode in his book OB Markers: The Straits Times Story, former Singapore Press Holdings English and Malay Newspapers Division Editor-in-Chief Cheong Yip Seng said that, until now, the episode was not publicised and was known only to the newsroom, the reporter's family and friends.

The book, which is a memoir of Mr Cheong's 43 years as a newspaperman, was launched yesterday.

Among the chapters is one on the "Knuckledusters Era" of the 1970s where Mr Cheong, 69, recounts the Government's "tough treatment of the Singapore media", including crackdowns on newspapers.

"I have seen newspapers closed when they fell foul of the government, and friends lose their jobs. Journalists have been detained. I did not suffer their fate, but many were the times when I was at the receiving end of Lee Kuan Yew's fury," he writes.

But at the book launch yesterday, Mr Cheong - who is currently a Non-Resident Ambassador to Chile and a newspaper consultant - declared that such days were over.

Saying he does not "see this Government resorting to the Internal Security Act to act against journalists", Mr Cheong said he felt the Government will become "less heavy-handed" over time, and will no longer close down a newspaper.

He noted even its "favourite instrument" of changing editorial leadership in newsrooms will be less effective over time.

A change in the newspaper team, every so often, "to operate in a way that on the one hand makes the Government happy and on the other, protects the credibility and integrity of the newspaper" is impossible, Mr Cheong said, "unless there are so many able journalists out there who could be shipped in and out".

Noting that it is impossible to restrict the flow of information in a modern economy, Mr Cheong said that as Singapore develops, "it is inevitable that the public is going to demand more political space".

Mr Cheong started his journalism career in 1963 as a trainee journalist. He eventually rose to become Editor-in-Chief of SPH's English and Malay Newspapers Division - a position he occupied for 19 years, before retiring in 2006.

Apart from the inside stories on major news events here, the 452-page book also includes details of meetings with Cabinet ministers, a 43-page chapter on former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and Mr Cheong's experience in steering the newsroom in the Internet age.

 

[gz0707]

Has the time arrived where old dogs do not come to lie but instead air their grievances? Or are they preparing a more conservative, middle road to walk, where the dynasty will lose its power over time and they do not want to be dragged down with its weight?

 

[congo9]

Yes, it is impossible to stop the flow of information in modern world. But that does not stop ST from publishing article supporting the ruling party.

 

[noname]

The internet keeps the government and the newspapers in check.

 

[laksaboy]

I'll believe it when SPH and Mediacorp fires all the ex-ISD sycophants and regime cheerleaders and replace them with real journalists.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Only with the end of the Lee Dynasty will all these be truly over

 

[gz0707]

There is a saying - when the rats start jumping, you know the ship is sinking.

 

[tualingong]

How to not fear men and build an empire! I bet LKY gets his inspiration from him!

[video=youtube;xz0ODZiKavs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz0ODZiKavs[/video]

 

[ray_of_hope]

Repression that is increasingly subtle and more sophisticated is, of course, something that is less easy to nail down.

 

[zeddy]

I have seen newspapers closed when they fell foul of the government, and friends lose their jobs. Journalists have been detained. I did not suffer their fate, but many were the times when I was at the receiving end of Lee Kuan Yew's fury," he writes.

Other journalists bravely in defiance went against the Old Man and the PAP.. Thats why they were detained and lost their jobs..

But this shameless duck Cheong Yip Seng gave his backside and throw his dignity away to please his Master LKY even though at times he was at the receiving end of the Old Man's anger..

Thats why he's having a comfortable life now enjoying the fruits of his past labour by being a shameless loyal prostitute to the Royal FamiLEE..

We all know the Royal FamiLEE always treat their loyal prostitutes like Cheong Yip Seng well after their retirements..

Once a PAP prostitute , always a PAP prostitute..

 

[red amoeba]

sorry to say this but i never trust anything that the state media writes. same goes for anyone assoc with it. past or present.

 

[scroobal]

I heard that Ms Chua Lee Hoong is writing a book and she plans to name it - "I was forced to". Her sister is believed to have one called "I was naive". I suggested other titles to make the journey easy for others ;

1. I saw the knuckleduster
2. How I became the knuckleduster
3. When I saw the 6 months bonus.......
4. I recalled the day I first bent down
5. I am coming cleaning
6. Why my children do not disclose their identity
7. My hands were tied.
8. We were misled
9. We thought it was nation building
10. I had elderly parents to look after
11. The editor changed my story
12. The editors kept changing my stories
13. The editors were forced to
14. Our editors had elderly parents too.
15. I was hoping to change it from inside
16. I retired when I found out

 

[scroobal]

CYS is a very skillful and competent individual in that he lasted the longest, carried most influence and a rare few that openly acknowledged that people who join the SPH knew what they were getting into.

It however does not move from the fact that he was in a leadership role in terms of content creation and delivery and sat in the backseat while the editorial agenda was driven by the PAP. The PAP is not the Government. The PAP is not the state either.

His competency is in the area where he was able to display his leadership to a captive staff, convince his himself that his salary was for his role in nation building, and that he fought the good fight.

It no different when the end was near for Hitler, his former fans became his detractors.

CYS is sadly mistaken if he thinks that he sat in editorial leadership to avoid it capitulating in total and that he fought a magnificent rear guard action. He is also sadly mistaken if he thinks he was merely like a doctor duty bound to perform surgery even for the enemies. CYS is also mistaken if he thinks that writing a book and disagreeing with the actions of the PAP absolves him of any wrong-doing. It is no different to a thief who knew exactly what he was doing and then writes a book not to acknowledge the crime but attempting to lessen his culpability.

The fact that SPH is a monopoly is well known. It was never a question of business survival. Money was not a consideration. SPH betrayed a budding nation. It has blood on its hands. 2 generations have gone under because of it.

 

[ray_of_hope]

Has anyone heard the saying within establishment circles that, "The best Singaporean is a Malaysian." CYS hailed from Penang.

 

[scroobal]

The PAP knows full well that it cannot run a press full of state salaried employees even if they graduated from the Ivy leagues with top honours and are the top % of their cohort.

It used the well known and proven intelligence ploy where traitors and informants need to convince themselves that they were doing it for the country. Both the low lifes and the agents handling them know that fooling the conscience was more important than having a purely commercial arrangements. Monetary rewards and invited to corporate events and the ability to walk the corridors of power helps lessen the pain and fool the conscience even more.

And it worked. I have seen the smartest bend over as easily as Changi transvestite. It became became second nature for them.

I have also seen numerous times in this forum where people who met some of these journalist in the course of the latter's work find them different from the rest of SPH. We now even have readers who are fooling themselves.

 

[gz0707]

SPH is making a concerted effort to move into the digital world. However, the digital is a different world and comes with it freedom that was unknown in the all mighty editorial era.

New York Times has acknowledged difficulties in digital era and cannot keep with the fast pace that Twitter audience is engaged with and the increasing role that citizen journalism plays. Newsweek has announced this week the last printed issue will be in December this year. Death of the printed daily can only be delayed so far.

No one from SPH has yet to address these trends publicly except the Code of Conduct nonsense the MIW is trying to use to limit the damage that free sharing information can bring.

 

[scroobal]

Actually the SPH and the PAP was one of the first to recognise the trend and attempted to address it. Bertha Henson who convinced old man to open his family to the press plus Tony Tan campaign PR manager and GIC PR chief Jennifer Lewis all attempted and failed. The Board had to write-off Bertha's financial disaster of a project. The end result is stomp - a standing joke.

That is why they seeded TOC with a gullible few. Private citizens and now taking issues and gathering a following which has superseded the local press. You can actually live in Singapore and be fully engaged without buying anything from SPH or Mediacorp.

If a poll was done now and who they trust more - Yawning Bread or anyone from SPH. It is will be a landslide victory and the winner is obvious.

SPH is a discredited organisation. People would not waste their spit on them.

SPH is making a concerted effort to move into the digital world. However, the digital is a different world and comes with it freedom that was unknown in the all mighty editorial era.

No one from SPH has yet to address these trends publicly except the Code of Conduct nonsense the MIW is trying to use to limit the damage that free sharing information can bring.

 

[scroobal]

Spot on.

The most zealous within a religion would be the converts. Malaysians are now the backbone not in Intelligence or Politics but in stat boards and GLCs. The Govt knows that as long as pro bumi abuses Re in place, they can rely on these converts. The head of legal for GIC is from Johor. That is our a treasure trove. He worked in Lee & Lee so you we know where the links are.

Has anyone heard the saying within establishment circles that, "The best Singaporean is a Malaysian." CYS hailed from Penang.

 

[kingrant]

It's always the guys who are left behind who were doing all the dirty jobs. The ones leaving get the chance to take a potshot at the shit they left behind and deny they actually took part. It's like gang rape - he never took part; he merely watched.

 

[Dinosaur]

But at the book launch yesterday, Mr Cheong - who is currently a Non-Resident Ambassador to Chile and a newspaper consultant - declared that such days were over.

Saying he does not "see this Government resorting to the Internal Security Act to act against journalists", Mr Cheong said he felt the Government will become "less heavy-handed" over time, and will no longer close down a newspaper.

Cheong Yip Seng is not LKY or Pinky. Only the latter two HAVE the authority to declare when those "knuckleduster" days are over.