“The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open” – Gunter Grass
Are Singaporeans satisfied with the state of Internet regulation as existing?
If not, what changes do we wish to see and how can a bottom-up desire for reform translate into policy review?
Can Singapore afford the political and social costs of free speech? Is there a contradiction between wanting freedom for political speech and controls over social speech? Is technology really in the driver’s seat? Are governments powerless in the face of a global Internet?
Guest speaker:
Mr Arun Mahizhnan, Deputy Director, Institute of Policy Studies
Presentations by members of the Bloggers’ Group for Internet Deregulation
Chaired by Asst Prof Cherian George, Wee Kim Wee School, NTU
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Date: Sat, 21 June 2008
Time: 2.00pm to 5.00pm
Venue: URA Centre, Maxwell Road, Function Hall, Level 5
Admission: Free, RSVP required
Media: Open to reporting
To register (RSVP), please send an empty email to :
irr-singapore-subscribe@googlegroups.com
You will get an email response asking you to confirm your request.
Late notices, if any, will come from the Googlegroup.
“The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open. Agreed. But we have already asked the questions…..and till todate there is NOT even so much as a whimper of a reply….very strange when you really think about it….when you consider, this is a proposal that relates directly to the on going’s in the internet and to netizens.
Yet for some strange and inexplicable reason every attempt is made to ensure the discussion is taken out of the internet so that it may be probed, discussed and even debated by those who have the least qualification to contribute to it’s well being…why?…since when was real gold so afraid of fire?….Excuse me as I may not be as brainy as some of you rocket scientist who may be reading this…but where is the Lan Chaiu discussion here? Can some please tell me?….anyone?….Tolong lah!….as a netizen you really need to consider what these urination experts are really trying to accomplish? Incidentally 9 out of 10 netizens have read this: http://singaporedaily.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/sgdaily-roundup-what%e2%80%99s-hot-in-week-17/#comment-1901 and http://singaporedaily.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/daily-sg-29-apr-2008/#comment-1919 These are the questions. These are the Fact. They will not go away. On record, the citizens have spoken, true to the spirit of Mr Gunter: on record, no attempt has been made to even address them in the internet.
You have to ask yourself why?
My view is simply this. This is an old fashion power grab that is mounted by ONLY a handful of people who have no real stake holding the internet. The net belongs to producers like you and me, not to a bunch of people who have an output of 2 articles per month. Do you know what? I really don’t believe it is even worth engaging them seriously. It’s best, if we all Ignore every single post. Ignore every single statement and Ignore every conclusive decision they may derive at. As a netizen. I and you have a right to say in clear and unequivocal terms; “I HAVE A RIGHT TO IGNORE YOU. DO NOT RECOGNIZE YOUR AUTHORITY OVER ME! I NEVER ONCE GAVE YOU THE MANDATE BY ELECTION OR BY DEFAULT! YOU HAVE NO DOMINION OVER ME!”.
Their action speaks a thousand words my friends. My Bahasa is not very good, but even the Malaysians are calling this the GREAT ‘tak bagi lah’ movement – you really have to ask yourself as netizens whether they are so wrong to do so.”
Make certain this is broadcasted to four corners of the Strangelands – prepare for war!
Darkness 2008
dotseng.wordpress.com 