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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - More antiSinkee activities from FAP@PAP</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>Fkapore <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Apr-12 3:36 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 2) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>31613.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Astoturfing by Straits Times to promote “integration” between Singaporeans and Indian expats
April 12th, 2010 |
Author: admin
Written by Our Correspondent
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong lashed out at the new media lately for “astroturfing” by conducting fake online campaigns to pressure his administration into making certain policy changes to serve their own vested interests.
Little is it known to him that the state media has been “astroturfing” on a daily basis to generate an erroneous impression of the reality on the ground which may lull policy-makers into a dull sense of complacency.
Living up to its reputation as the “nation-building” press, the Straits Times published an article today with the most misleading title – “S’poreans and Indian expats bond at event.” to portray a picture of harmony between Singaporeans and the new citizens.
The event was organised by the Indian Women’s Association (IWA) – a non-profit organisation open to both local and foreign women with Indian origins – and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Council.
According to the Straits Times, $15,000 was spent on the event with some “support” from the National Integration Council. The one-day Harmony and Integration Carnival was held at Queenstown Community Centre. Half the booths are manned by Indian new citizens and PRs.
The exact source of funding was not revealed though it may come from the mega $10-million dollar Community Integration Fund unveiled by the PAP last year to make the new immigrants feel welcomed and accepted in Singapore.
The fund has since been tapped on by various PAP grassroots organizations to organize free language courses, buffet meals, and cultural events, including a “Water Festival” held by Bukit Batok grassroots organizations to enable Singaporeans to show their “respect” for foreigners, in the words of PAP MP Grace Fu.
The Straits Times claimed that the “strong” turnout at the event showed that the PAP’s “integration” efforts are working, but only manage to interview one Indian expatriate Ms Kulkarni who was trying her hand wrapping popiah at a booth set up by her Chinese “friends”.
“It is fun wrapping popiah. I plan to buy popiah skin to make my own soon,” she was quoted as saying in the Straits Times.
How a single event involving more immigrants than locals can be construed as successful in promoting “integration” between Singaporeans and Indian expatriates is anybody’s guess.
The Straits Times should reveal the numbers of Singaporeans and Indian expatriates attending the event and the percentage of grassroots leaders and PAP members among the local participants.
In stark contrast to the Straits Times’ euphoria, the reality is quite different on the ground. Indian expatriates are becoming increasingly unwelcomed even among Singapore Indians, especially in cyberspace.
The PAP has been actively recruiting Indian new citizens and PRs to spear-head its propaganda machinery on the internet.
One of them is the infamous Indian new citizen Sinha Shekhar who sparked a massive outcry in cyberspace lately by describing PAP critics as “dogs”:
[Source: YPAP Facebook]
To add insult to the injury, Mr Sinha was awarded given an “Outstanding Contributors’ award” by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at a REACH Forum recently for the regularity of his contributions.
Mr Sinha is currently the Head of Rehabilitation of Thye Hua Kwan Hospital.
With more new citizens like Mr Sinha being “integrated” by the PAP, it stands a good chance of perpetuating its political hegemony forever using taxpayers’ monies.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Written by Our Correspondent
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong lashed out at the new media lately for “astroturfing” by conducting fake online campaigns to pressure his administration into making certain policy changes to serve their own vested interests.
Little is it known to him that the state media has been “astroturfing” on a daily basis to generate an erroneous impression of the reality on the ground which may lull policy-makers into a dull sense of complacency.
Living up to its reputation as the “nation-building” press, the Straits Times published an article today with the most misleading title – “S’poreans and Indian expats bond at event.” to portray a picture of harmony between Singaporeans and the new citizens.
The event was organised by the Indian Women’s Association (IWA) – a non-profit organisation open to both local and foreign women with Indian origins – and the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Council.
According to the Straits Times, $15,000 was spent on the event with some “support” from the National Integration Council. The one-day Harmony and Integration Carnival was held at Queenstown Community Centre. Half the booths are manned by Indian new citizens and PRs.
The exact source of funding was not revealed though it may come from the mega $10-million dollar Community Integration Fund unveiled by the PAP last year to make the new immigrants feel welcomed and accepted in Singapore.
The fund has since been tapped on by various PAP grassroots organizations to organize free language courses, buffet meals, and cultural events, including a “Water Festival” held by Bukit Batok grassroots organizations to enable Singaporeans to show their “respect” for foreigners, in the words of PAP MP Grace Fu.
The Straits Times claimed that the “strong” turnout at the event showed that the PAP’s “integration” efforts are working, but only manage to interview one Indian expatriate Ms Kulkarni who was trying her hand wrapping popiah at a booth set up by her Chinese “friends”.
“It is fun wrapping popiah. I plan to buy popiah skin to make my own soon,” she was quoted as saying in the Straits Times.
How a single event involving more immigrants than locals can be construed as successful in promoting “integration” between Singaporeans and Indian expatriates is anybody’s guess.
The Straits Times should reveal the numbers of Singaporeans and Indian expatriates attending the event and the percentage of grassroots leaders and PAP members among the local participants.
In stark contrast to the Straits Times’ euphoria, the reality is quite different on the ground. Indian expatriates are becoming increasingly unwelcomed even among Singapore Indians, especially in cyberspace.
The PAP has been actively recruiting Indian new citizens and PRs to spear-head its propaganda machinery on the internet.
One of them is the infamous Indian new citizen Sinha Shekhar who sparked a massive outcry in cyberspace lately by describing PAP critics as “dogs”:
[Source: YPAP Facebook]
To add insult to the injury, Mr Sinha was awarded given an “Outstanding Contributors’ award” by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at a REACH Forum recently for the regularity of his contributions.
Mr Sinha is currently the Head of Rehabilitation of Thye Hua Kwan Hospital.
With more new citizens like Mr Sinha being “integrated” by the PAP, it stands a good chance of perpetuating its political hegemony forever using taxpayers’ monies.
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