Trackback from Mr Wang: "My comment wasn't allowed to appear on the P65 blog.":

So I left a comment, saying "This is what I think" and posting two links to two old posts on my blog: to this and this... My comment wasn't allowed to appear on the P65 blog....

Trackback from Michael Palmer's response (in comments section of Mr Wang's blog):

When I saw your comment containing links, I must have assumed that it was another spam advertisement.

I invite you to repost your comment with links or with the text in full. I will post it. Once again, my apologies....

Trackback from Rambling Librarian: Yet another missed opportunity to be on BlogTV.SG :

Rambling Librarian gives an entire different set of reasons why he did not turn up...

Trackback from George Yeo: BlogTV Experience:

From George Yeo's perspective...

Trackback from Singapore Angle Perspectives: A Teaser to "Big Boys Blogging":

But this much I will say: there was a somewhat surprising comment from George Yeo during the BlogTV.SG interview and I am pretty curious to see whether it will be aired in the final version....

Trackback from "Big Boys Blogging" at Brewerkz:

To be honest, I think that the discussion before and after the actual event was actually more interesting than during the discussion because of the camera and lights. ...

Trackback from Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You:

two issues here: one, talking about the blogosphere in the mainstream media (MSM), which has been cautiously disparaging of 'the new media' at best ... And two, the opportunity of having a face-to-face conversation with a Cabinet minister....

Trackback from Kway Teow Man: On Happiness, Expectations and Freedom of Expression:

Moral of the story: if people want to give up their right to speak, then please dun complain got no chance to talk. :-P...

Trackback from Think Happiness: Employers & Blogs:

A public servant recently wrote about how he chose not to be featured on television with another higher ranking servant of the people. One reason he cited was the absence of guidelines by his own employer on blogging. ...

i agree, mr wang copped out, the blogosphere is merely a tool for conversation. An otherwise imperfect substitute for real-world interaction and conversation. much as some readers may not realise it, he shoudl realise the root of his popularity stemmed from the need for readers to want to be heard. now that there is a chance for mr wang to interact with george yeo, an erstwhile subject of his blogging topics, he chose to spurn the chance. This runs counter to what blogging is really about.

He should do better to come clean with his readers if he has decided definitively to stop representing their voices through his blog.

Bjorn, while Mr Wang may be popular, he is not an elected representative and does not represent anyone but himself. If Mr Wang's readers want to be heard, they can post comments in the MP's blogs or make the appropriate choice in an election ballot.

Sometimes, it should be recognised that blogging is a tool that allows bloggers to voice their opinions under the cover of anonymity. Not need to reveal identity, like Gayle, to justify a voice or opinion. The discussion issue should be more relevant than the personality. Nobody should be force to contribute to a discussion or, worse, to represent his/her readers!

There is no "copped out" because Mr Wang is not obligated to do anything (note: it is an invitation, but a summons to court).

note: it is an invitation, but a summons to court

Sorry, I meant "it is an invitation, not a summons to court".

The Internet is a more powerful medium with wider reach than traditional MSM newspapers. That alone makes it a far more superior and legitimate tool in terms of efficiency, in disseminating uncensored information to the masses and level of transparency as well as fair play.

Anonymity is a non-issue. In fact, it is essential in encouraging more to participate in discourse and speak the truth without fear of backlash. Isn't that more desirable than politically correct feedback?

If anonymity is taboo, then why do voters vote anonymously in such important events like elections? Or perhaps, that isn't really the case?

Why does meaningful exchange between netizens and the establishment have to be restricted to MSM? Why can't George Yeo answer questions from a blog of his own, for instance? He blogs anyway. MSM viewers can log on to view anytime they are interested. Why do they bother to have a p65 blog to reach out to netizens?

Is the blogosphere not a legitimate means? Otherwise they shouldn't be blogging at all. Or are they afraid of venturing into a turf where they do not have an advantage over?

if pap really wants to engage with ppl on the ground... is conversation with the blogger the right way?

this is merely using the young and the naive as a platform to gain more political points..

there is a distinct different on pretending to listen and wanting to listen...

Singaporeans can tell the difference. And the more pretense, the more they detest the pretenders.

I am surprised the brightest in the service do not realize that.

To the Anonymous Coward* on 7 January, 2007 - 9:06pm,

i did not say Mr Wang is akin to an elected representative. And who are we to kid ourselves that if Mr Wang's readers want to make themselves heard, they will take the trouble to go to the boring blogs of the MPs and offer their opinions? Its simply inconvenient and impractical for lack of compelling content for the nature of this online platform. And lets not even mention the once-every-4-years election. Some are deprived of the privilege to vote for more reasons u and i know.

But I do not say Mr Wang has an obligation to his readers to go talk to George Yeo. As you shrewedly pointed out, it is not a summons to court. I agree. He should have the right to refuse. He can choose to reply in whatever way he deems fit. But before we label those who attended the BlogTv interview in any demeaning terms, we also have to understand why it is beneficial to talk face-to-face about real issues. Yes, the mass media might censor it, so what? Mr Wang might have a chance to better understand the other side's perspective and contribute more to his readers in future posts. This is much better than Mr Wang second-guessing George Yeo's thinking and motivations and cast suspicions over certain future ill-communicated policies in an "echo-chamber" on his blog in future.

To the Anonymous Coward of 7 January, 2007 - 10:52pm,

the issue of anonymity has its limits. True it does encourage more to speak without the fear of backlash, but it also gives an explicit licence to noisemakers who simply want to rant. Anonymity is desirable in this sense but hardly essential. I think if we insist in anonymity as an essential issue, it merely harks back to the level of trust we have in our elected government, which, going by your argument, is none. Sad fact but i agree with that.

Don't worry about noisemakers. With so many pairs of eyes, ears and mouths, the are bound to be surfaced as falsehood, malice, crooks etc. The truth always prevails when there is transparency and efficient dissemination of information. The only ones who are afraid of noisemakers are likely the ones who have reasons to worry about being exposed or losing advantages of sorts. That is the beauty of the Internet.

Trackback from e pur si muove:

This must be why Gayle doesn’t get it: she doesn’t realize that she and Mr Wang are thinking at cross-purposes here....

Trackback from e pur si muove:

This must be why Gayle doesn’t get it: she doesn’t realize that she and Mr Wang are thinking at cross-purposes here....

Just finished watching the show online at BlogTV.sg. With due respect to the bloggers who appeared together with George Yeo, I'd say, what's new? Besides standard answers and small talk, it's more like a PR tool.

I don't see how appearing on the show could make any difference or help in bridging the so called divide and not participating could widen it when most of the time he talked about himself and repeated the standard party lines. Hey, I am more interested in why GST should be raised and how decisions on Shin Corp deal were made than whether his kids read his blog.

It is interesting to note that GY actually said there was a certain democracy in the blogosphere, whatever that meant. As for censorship, there is nothing to censor because there was nothing controversial at all.