<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><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>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Apr-3 8:45 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> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>31071.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>MP Lim Biow Chuan – Apology Gone?
April 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under Letters, Opinion
Leave a comment
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/04/04/mp-lim-biow-chuan-apology-gone/
Dear MP Lim Biow Chuan,
I am writing in with regards to the comment that you had made on 7 March 2010, which was published in Shin Min Daily and highlighted extensively on internet portals andnetworking sites.
With all due respect, I am appalled as well as disappointed that such a remark was made by yourself to the media (Shin Min Daily) that is considered to be insensitive and also callous. Being a lawyer yourself, it is no secret by now that all it needs is just one word for you to win or lose a case. It does not matter whether you converse in English, Chinese or even Malay – I believe that the jist of what you had said is reflected properly and correctly in the statement that you had made.
It also worries me and the residents that you are in our GRC riding on the success that SM Goh had created in our constituency for God Knows How Many Years. This is because, over the years, with the kind of candidates and MP that are introduced to our GRC, you are easily the worst of the lot.
In addition, allow me to ask you a few questions pertaining to the comments made barely a month ago:
Weak in Mandarin as an excuse of convenience:
Mr Lim, allow me to quote (and not mis-quote) you that you had made and found on here which states that “…ableto connect with them (people in HDB) quite easily and can converse with them in simple Mandarin or Hokkien”. However, now you are stating that you are weak in Mandarin and do not understand the question that the reporter had asked you.
MP Lim, how is it then possible to simply push everything away with a simple notion that it is a case of ‘lost in translation’? Are you then also implying, along the same lines, that when residents looked for you during ‘Meet the People Session’, you do not really know what they see you for, as your ‘Mandarin is weak’. It is a total contradiction to what you had written in 2006, either that or something happen to your command in Mandarin suddenly.
Clarification on Facebook:
Whilst many people are now more IT-savvy and using “Facebook” as a tool of communication, do you not think that making a so-called ‘clarification’ is not enough when your comments are published on Shin Min Daily (paper publication) and not on Facebook?
Alas, Mr Lim, you went on record to state that Shin Min Daily had published a clarification but what readers read was actually a separate comment that you made with regards to another question posed. In addtion, the comments that were published was a exact translation of what you had posted on your Facebook account and letter to one Ms Jessica Tan. It is also noteworthy that the article was in no way said to be a clarification over the previous comments (7 March 2010) that was published.
Thus, based on your reliance of Facebook to make supposed clarifications, are we then expect to log in to Facebook as and when you make callous comments to look out for clarifications? In addition, would you base your campaign in the next election solely on the platform of online media, especially Facebook. Since your account is ‘private’ and only viewable by people who are your ‘friends’, who would then be able to see any clarifications that you had made?
Humility of a Man not Evident:
You brought in your religion to speak, just like you did in your pre-election brochure. I believe that Christianity preach about being ‘humble’ and ’seeking forgiveness when one is wrong’. However, I find it very hard to identify the basic fundamentals of Christianity with a ‘Christian Leader’ like yourself. Mr Lim, or rather Christian Leader Lim Biow Chuan, the Bible told us explicitly that ‘we are
responsible for what we do and say’ but you are a total contrast of this belief.
No words of apology or remorse and instead, what we get is actually more defiance in the statements that you made on your Facebook and reply to a lady who had questioned you. What good is a man who do not apologize for the mistakes that he had made and ‘move on’? Christian Leader Lim, is this the way that you ‘connect with your residents’ on the same light.
A good leader is one who acknowledges his mistake, seek forgiveness and then move on. Look at John Cheng aka Ah Nam, after realising that he had made a callous comment that almost identical to the nature of the comment that you made, he issued and apology to ‘anyone who felt offended by the statement’. In this sense, Ah Nam is more ‘chrisitan-like’ than you – and he is no leader.
Defamation Suit:
If all else fails, and you feel aggrieved over the ‘mis-quote’ of Shin Min Daily and the reporter who asked you the ‘killer-question’, then why did you not sue the relevant parties just like how your colleagues with ‘good career development’ did to The Tribune Herald and got back $160,000 in compensation? Mr Lim, with all respect, do you not think that sueing Shin Min Daily is ‘unavoidable’ then?
From this fracas, you come to me as a man who is very proud – and to a certain extent arrogant – and refuse to admit your mistake – just like any lawyers. You also seem to take the easy way out and keep mum when you realise that you are heading the wrong path.
Thus, as a voter, where is the confidence level that I would have of you? I would be really afraid that whatever issues that are raised up to you would turn on ‘deaf ears’ – just like what Mr Lim Swee Say said. You may even chide me for being a ‘complainer’ when you wrote on the Brochure that you are “…able to empathize easily with people from a poorer economic background because of my personal experiences as a fruit seller’s son throughout my younger days.”
MP Lim Biow Chuan, I hope that you are able to at least stand out, apologize and seek forgiveness – just like any good Christians would. Else, you can forget about having my votes – come Election Day, if I ever have the chance to.
To end off, I quote you “I try my best to assist where I can so that I can help them the way other people have helped my parents and I to improve our lives.” Thus, I believe that you can assist me now by clarifying once and for all – with remorse, no less – on your stand and the actual happenings pertaining to the comment that you had made on 7 March 2010.
Jason Koh
Resident of Marine Parade GRC
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April 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under Letters, Opinion
Leave a comment
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/04/04/mp-lim-biow-chuan-apology-gone/
Dear MP Lim Biow Chuan,
I am writing in with regards to the comment that you had made on 7 March 2010, which was published in Shin Min Daily and highlighted extensively on internet portals andnetworking sites.
With all due respect, I am appalled as well as disappointed that such a remark was made by yourself to the media (Shin Min Daily) that is considered to be insensitive and also callous. Being a lawyer yourself, it is no secret by now that all it needs is just one word for you to win or lose a case. It does not matter whether you converse in English, Chinese or even Malay – I believe that the jist of what you had said is reflected properly and correctly in the statement that you had made.
It also worries me and the residents that you are in our GRC riding on the success that SM Goh had created in our constituency for God Knows How Many Years. This is because, over the years, with the kind of candidates and MP that are introduced to our GRC, you are easily the worst of the lot.
In addition, allow me to ask you a few questions pertaining to the comments made barely a month ago:
Weak in Mandarin as an excuse of convenience:
Mr Lim, allow me to quote (and not mis-quote) you that you had made and found on here which states that “…ableto connect with them (people in HDB) quite easily and can converse with them in simple Mandarin or Hokkien”. However, now you are stating that you are weak in Mandarin and do not understand the question that the reporter had asked you.
MP Lim, how is it then possible to simply push everything away with a simple notion that it is a case of ‘lost in translation’? Are you then also implying, along the same lines, that when residents looked for you during ‘Meet the People Session’, you do not really know what they see you for, as your ‘Mandarin is weak’. It is a total contradiction to what you had written in 2006, either that or something happen to your command in Mandarin suddenly.
Clarification on Facebook:
Whilst many people are now more IT-savvy and using “Facebook” as a tool of communication, do you not think that making a so-called ‘clarification’ is not enough when your comments are published on Shin Min Daily (paper publication) and not on Facebook?
Alas, Mr Lim, you went on record to state that Shin Min Daily had published a clarification but what readers read was actually a separate comment that you made with regards to another question posed. In addtion, the comments that were published was a exact translation of what you had posted on your Facebook account and letter to one Ms Jessica Tan. It is also noteworthy that the article was in no way said to be a clarification over the previous comments (7 March 2010) that was published.
Thus, based on your reliance of Facebook to make supposed clarifications, are we then expect to log in to Facebook as and when you make callous comments to look out for clarifications? In addition, would you base your campaign in the next election solely on the platform of online media, especially Facebook. Since your account is ‘private’ and only viewable by people who are your ‘friends’, who would then be able to see any clarifications that you had made?
Humility of a Man not Evident:
You brought in your religion to speak, just like you did in your pre-election brochure. I believe that Christianity preach about being ‘humble’ and ’seeking forgiveness when one is wrong’. However, I find it very hard to identify the basic fundamentals of Christianity with a ‘Christian Leader’ like yourself. Mr Lim, or rather Christian Leader Lim Biow Chuan, the Bible told us explicitly that ‘we are
responsible for what we do and say’ but you are a total contrast of this belief.
No words of apology or remorse and instead, what we get is actually more defiance in the statements that you made on your Facebook and reply to a lady who had questioned you. What good is a man who do not apologize for the mistakes that he had made and ‘move on’? Christian Leader Lim, is this the way that you ‘connect with your residents’ on the same light.
A good leader is one who acknowledges his mistake, seek forgiveness and then move on. Look at John Cheng aka Ah Nam, after realising that he had made a callous comment that almost identical to the nature of the comment that you made, he issued and apology to ‘anyone who felt offended by the statement’. In this sense, Ah Nam is more ‘chrisitan-like’ than you – and he is no leader.
Defamation Suit:
If all else fails, and you feel aggrieved over the ‘mis-quote’ of Shin Min Daily and the reporter who asked you the ‘killer-question’, then why did you not sue the relevant parties just like how your colleagues with ‘good career development’ did to The Tribune Herald and got back $160,000 in compensation? Mr Lim, with all respect, do you not think that sueing Shin Min Daily is ‘unavoidable’ then?
From this fracas, you come to me as a man who is very proud – and to a certain extent arrogant – and refuse to admit your mistake – just like any lawyers. You also seem to take the easy way out and keep mum when you realise that you are heading the wrong path.
Thus, as a voter, where is the confidence level that I would have of you? I would be really afraid that whatever issues that are raised up to you would turn on ‘deaf ears’ – just like what Mr Lim Swee Say said. You may even chide me for being a ‘complainer’ when you wrote on the Brochure that you are “…able to empathize easily with people from a poorer economic background because of my personal experiences as a fruit seller’s son throughout my younger days.”
MP Lim Biow Chuan, I hope that you are able to at least stand out, apologize and seek forgiveness – just like any good Christians would. Else, you can forget about having my votes – come Election Day, if I ever have the chance to.
To end off, I quote you “I try my best to assist where I can so that I can help them the way other people have helped my parents and I to improve our lives.” Thus, I believe that you can assist me now by clarifying once and for all – with remorse, no less – on your stand and the actual happenings pertaining to the comment that you had made on 7 March 2010.
Jason Koh
Resident of Marine Parade GRC
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