|
Self-Censorship: Singapore’s Shame (2nd edition) – with double the SHAME |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 |
|
It has been ten years since I wrote and self-published Self-Censorship: Singapore`s Shame in 1999. Then in 1999, I printed 1000 copies and then soon after in two months another 2000 as demand was quick and brisk. Self-Censorship: Singapore`s Shame has been out of stock for quite a few years now. All copies have since been sold out, mostly through local bookshops, in spite of the initial (pardon the pun), self-censorship.
Connected to the book was the founding of the Think Centre. The aim then was to create political awareness but the Think Centre now is not even a shadow of its old self. It has been unable to hold its own as a multi-partisan political NGO in Singapore and in this regard has succumbed to the offline pressures of non-partisanship. It has gone off tangent to its original purpose and aims and it being occupied by those who should have made way for new comers years ago. Given the hegemony and longevity of the one-party state, the time has come to move beyond awareness to political advocacy in Singapore. A renewal of approach and a re-think of strategy is simultaneously also needed. Thus, in this context we have to ask, has self-censorship disappeared, decreased or evolved into something else in Singapore? From my observation, self-censorship still remains thick and active in Singapore’s political landscape. What I have discovered vividly since, is its active presence in local academia, very wide spread in main stream civil society and even among some individuals in opposition parties. Even with the arrival of the internet self-censorship has not dissipated much. Unless writing under the cover of anonymity, most public online expressions continue to practice self-censorship. Has there been no improvement since 10 years ago? Well, there has certainly been some improvement to state the obvious. There have been more individuals who are publicly stating and acting on their political claims and the internet has to some extent widened their platform to do so. In this new environment what then is the way forward? For a start a re-write. In my most recent trip to Singapore, I picked a spare copy of Self-Censorship: Singapore`s Shame from a friend (don’t have any copies with me anymore) and popped down to the Bras Basah Complex to make a digital copy of the text (save time re-typing the whole lot). I am going to spend the next 3 to 6 months working on a modest revision of the text taking in inputs and feedback as I go along. I will also be thinking about what is next for civil society in the political front in Singapore. It is important if we want to succeed that such an initiative or organization is well managed and run by individuals who are clearly aware that in even politics, professionalism and commitment to deliverables are important qualities to determine success. In the 2nd edition of Self-Censorship: Singapore’s Shame, I hope to be plainer speaking and promise you, the reader, double the SHAME!
» No Comments
There are no comments up to now.
» Post Comment
|
