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The Hougang by-election may be over, but its ramifications are still being felt.
Following Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang's criticism of sections of the media at its press conference on Saturday, Lianhe Zaobao and the Straits Times have weighed on the issue.
In a commentary published on Monday, Zaobao editor Goh Sin Teck described Mr Low's remarks as "irresponsible" and "unfair" and said he should not use the media as a "target board".
Mr Goh also questioned why Mr Low only made these accusations after the elections. He noted that the WP had faced questions during the campaign period over party discipline and whether its candidate Png Eng Huat had been upfront about not being selected as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament.
However, the WP chose not to address them and instead levelled accusations at the media.
He also defended the paper's handling of the "Secret Squirrel" episode - where minutes of a WP central executive council meeting were leaked by a source who called itself that - saying it had acted professionally in verifying the facts and had given the WP the chance to respond.
According to Mr Goh, the reporters tried to contact the WP, but its designated spokesperson did not respond. WP chairman Sylvia Lim replied after midnight that the issue would be addressed the next day.
Without any response from the WP, Mr Goh said the newspaper decided to go ahead and publish the story after determining - based on experience - that the minutes were authentic.
- http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120530-0000047/Straits-Times,-Zaobao-challenge-Lows-remarks
Following Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang's criticism of sections of the media at its press conference on Saturday, Lianhe Zaobao and the Straits Times have weighed on the issue.
In a commentary published on Monday, Zaobao editor Goh Sin Teck described Mr Low's remarks as "irresponsible" and "unfair" and said he should not use the media as a "target board".
Mr Goh also questioned why Mr Low only made these accusations after the elections. He noted that the WP had faced questions during the campaign period over party discipline and whether its candidate Png Eng Huat had been upfront about not being selected as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament.
However, the WP chose not to address them and instead levelled accusations at the media.
He also defended the paper's handling of the "Secret Squirrel" episode - where minutes of a WP central executive council meeting were leaked by a source who called itself that - saying it had acted professionally in verifying the facts and had given the WP the chance to respond.
According to Mr Goh, the reporters tried to contact the WP, but its designated spokesperson did not respond. WP chairman Sylvia Lim replied after midnight that the issue would be addressed the next day.
Without any response from the WP, Mr Goh said the newspaper decided to go ahead and publish the story after determining - based on experience - that the minutes were authentic.
- http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120530-0000047/Straits-Times,-Zaobao-challenge-Lows-remarks
