Unwise, Why So?

"If you are politically aware, the votes would have been much wiser," maintained LKY at a dialogue with the students at NTU. His opinion I guess is that everyone that votes for the oppoisiton is naive and I believe many PAP supporters think so too. He also described what it takes to be politically aware, "To be aware of the political situation in Singapore, you have to be aware of the political divide, the way the economy is going, what opportunities there are for different groups of people." In my opinion, the point he missed out is that we have to CULTIVATE such awareness that he so precisely described.

Wikileaks On Singapore have disclosed a situation whereby younger SPH journalists are disillusioned in reporting local news and are clamouring for the positions of overseas correspondents where there is significantly less restrictions and more freedom in reporting. Below is an extract from the leaked cable:

"Singapore journalists say they are increasingly frustrated with GOS-imposed limits on their domestic reporting. Political leaders put pressure on the Straits Times (ST) staff to ensure that the paper's domestic coverage follows the government line. Reporters say they are eager to produce more investigative and critical reporting,but they are stifled by editors who have been groomed to tow the line. Some reporters seek an outlet for their journalistic passions by serving as overseas correspondents,where ST allows reporters much greater latitude..." No wonder young readers scoff at ST and obtain news online from other sources.

I just listened to a public lecture by Ed Balls at London School of Economics where he challenged George Osborne(Chancellor of the Exchequer)'s draconian measures to cut UK deficit and offered advice to modify the strategies. Ed Balls is the Shadow Chancellor (lead economic spokesman for the Opposition) of the Labour Party. What impresses me is the free dialogue with the press, students and public with a diverse audience both supporting and contending his views as well as that of Osborne's. Are the Brits born discerning than Singaporeans? No, there are brought up in an environment where alternative views are easily available in the 10 London Newspapers and 68 regional dailies and are thus trained to think.

Back home one may discount and mock at the economic strategies put forth by our own opposition parties just before the election, but it is at least a beginning. LKY's scorn is like a parent mocking at a child learning to ride a bike. The child gave up and never learnt how to bike. The paraent then labels the child as stupid!