PAP MP for Tampines GRC Baey Yam Keng may be working as a professional in a Public Relations firm, but his latest misjudgment of public sentiments has led to an ongoing PR nightmare even as he desperately tried ways and means to salvage the situation arising over his interviews with the media on the Sun Xu saga.
Instead of condemning Sun for his verbal insults on Singaporeans right from the beginning, Mr Baey made a terrible mistake in trying to appear ‘reasonable’ and ‘rational’ by urging Singaporeans to ‘reflect’ on themselves.
After realizing his faux paus, he tried next to ‘clarify’ his stance by posting an explanation on Facebook which only gives his detractors more ‘ammunition’ to attack him, exacerbated by an unfortunate interview with Yahoo News which gleefully portrayed him as an ardent supporter of MOE’s much criticized policy on giving out scholarships to foreigners with the misleading headline – ‘Scholarships should be given based on merit, not nationality.’
To give credit to him, Mr Baey did spot his error and tried to rectify it with yet another posting on Facebook to clarify his earlier statement by putting up a rather unconvincing explanation that Singaporeans should be given the scholarships if they are equally as good as the foreigners, which as usual only triggers more angry responses from irate netizens scattered with a few sympathetic voices.
Lawrence Pek asked Mr Baey not to think and analyze too much:
“MP Baey – I can excuse the *censored**censored**censored**censored**censored* young man – only 25, young and foolish but I cannot excuse you for what you have said. I was and still speechless when I heard and saw your comments. PLEASE DO NOT ANALYSE AND THINK TOO MUCH – A foreigner just called your fellow people, yes – your people – a DOG. You are still thinking about policies and making general statements ? I give up on you.”
Bean Ho Leng was spot on:
“ Tried to warn u about the overwhelming perception that govt is too pro-foreigner and the severe backlash to massive and superfast influx of mid-level PMETs who are taking away jobs we Spreans can do. Worse it is so easy to justify employing their own kind from own country – Pinoys, Indians, PRCs. Unfortunately your remarks + clarifications give precisely the fodder for these tsunami emotions to unleash. That comment about you being born in year of dog didn’t come off too well either. Mr Baey.”
Thomas Quek has simple advice for Mr Baey:
“@Baey, I believe you are now in a situation of “越瞄越黑“。Good luck in your “damage control”…as the Chinese saying goes…“祸从口出”。(‘trouble arises from the mouth)”
Despite being ‘lynched’ by an angry online mob, Mr Baey did however manage to win from grudging respect from some netizens over the dignified manner in which he has conducted himself with Raymond Huang reminding Mr Baey’s critics that they should be thankful that he is willing to engage them unlike some MP who ran away without a word, in snide reference to ex-WP MP Yaw Shin Leong who has literally ‘vanished into thin air.’
Meanwhile, the chorus of voices asking Sun Xu’s scholarship to be revoked is growing with more than 600 ‘likes’ on the Facebook page calling for NUS to do so.
http://temasektimes.wordpress.com/2...ry-netizens-flock-to-lampoon-him-on-facebook/
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