Just to what extent will our state papers go to, to propagandize our world class government? I think many of us feel more than appalled... simply disgusted at publishing untruths..... to mislead Singaporeans. Is there even media freedom or are we fed with the things our dear leaders want us to read?
ST apologizes to Dr William Tan for LYING and PUBLICIZING his non-existent illness
From The Newsroom Team
On 10 May 2009, the Sunday Times published an article claiming that well-known paraplegic Dr William Tan had myelogenous leukaemia (AML), the same illness that killed DBS Group Holdings chief Richard Stanley last month:
“The Sunday Times understands that Dr Tan, who was diagnosed with the blood cancer last month, has been discharged from the National University Hospital. He was not contactable yesterday.” (read report here)
One would have thought that the Sunday Times must have concrete proof of Dr Tan’s illness before publishing it since it was unable to contact him in person to corroborate the claim.
However, it turned out that Dr Tan did not have AML.
An angry Dr Tan wrote in to the Straits Times today lambasting it for the inaccuracy and demanding a public apology:
“The Sunday Times reported me as having acute myelogenous leukaemia or AML (’Paraplegic adventurer battling leukaemia’). I do not have AML….. I am requesting a public apology as the irresponsible reporting has raised concerns and confusion among friends, loved ones and family.” (read letter here)
The Straits Times duly did so: “We apologise to Dr Tan and his family for the error.”
In the first place, Dr Tan’s illness is a confidential matter and should not be publicized on a national paper at all no matter how newsworthy it is.
The Sunday Times has breached the confidentiality of Dr Tan and has grossly misrepresentated the facts without substantiating them.
In fact, this is only one of the many instances which the state media has been caught lying and it is allowed to get away with impunity in most cases.
Let us quote a few recent examples:
1. On 2 March 2009, the Straits Times reported that NTU student David Widjaja had committed suicide by plunging to his death after stabbing his NTU professor. Subsequent testimonies given by David’s friends and tutors revealed many glaring inconsistencies. A coroner’s inquiry will be convened later in the month to further investigate the matter.
2. On 5 March 2009, the Straits Times and a host of other papers claimed that SAF medical officer Dr Allan Ooi committed suicide due to depression, relationship problems and indulgence in computer games. It turned out that his main grouse was against his employer for not allowing him to break off his bond.
3. The Straits Times boasted that ISD gave the “crucial lead” which enabled the Malaysian Special Branch to capture Mas Selamat Kasteri. According to Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Hishammudin Hussein, this lead was given by the Indonesian authorities as part of a collaboration between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
A virtual monopoly in the market has caused the state media to become complacent and slack, leading to fast deteriorating journalistic standards.
Unlike the Sunday Times, we will never publish such a story without solid documentary evidence to back us up not withstanding the fact that a personal and private matter of an individual should never be revealed to the public.
The state media has reached a new low in terms of professionalism, integrity and credibility. “Journalist” is too honorific a term to describe the gang of shenanigans prancing the hallways of SPH. A more apt title for more will be “state ***porters”.
http://wayangparty.com/?p=9191
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