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heteroglossia's review
5.0
This book is a compilation of essays, podcasts, survey results around topics identified as key concerns of Singaporeans, the most frequently cited being the toxic politics of the current government. Some topics covered include gerrymandering (which I now better understand), data privacy (really enlightening read—The fact that the laws are more about facilitating the capturing of data instead of actually protecting it), healthcare, the climate crisis and more.
Some things that made my jaw drop (aside from excerpts pictured) (1) how PAP insists that endangered animals in Singapore are "normal jungle fowls" when people were upset about them being culled (what's the use of truth if they can just bend it like this) (2) Singapore is heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world while also having refineries here of the biggest corporate emitters (like Chevron, Exxon, etc). (3) The Elections Department is part of the Prime Minister's Office instead of being independent like in other democratic countries (4) In 1977 PAP slashed state grant to the HDB by more than half, which led to rise in cost of HDB flats and higher CPF withdrawals to meet the cost. & more!!
Recently, PJ Thum was questioned for 4.5 hours by Police as New Naratif was alleged by the Singapore Elections Department to have broken the Parliamentary Elections Act by boosting Facebook posts with elections-related content during the 2020 GE. Calvin Cheng also posted elections related content and boosted them on Facebook. AsiaOne had 150 boosted election-related posts. But they don't seem to have been called up for questioning!
During a panel some months back I recommended New Naratif because they are an important site and movement building meaningful understanding and solidarity with our regional SEA neighbours, something severely lacking in a country conditioned to think of ourselves cocikly as exceptional.
Some things that made my jaw drop (aside from excerpts pictured) (1) how PAP insists that endangered animals in Singapore are "normal jungle fowls" when people were upset about them being culled (what's the use of truth if they can just bend it like this) (2) Singapore is heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world while also having refineries here of the biggest corporate emitters (like Chevron, Exxon, etc). (3) The Elections Department is part of the Prime Minister's Office instead of being independent like in other democratic countries (4) In 1977 PAP slashed state grant to the HDB by more than half, which led to rise in cost of HDB flats and higher CPF withdrawals to meet the cost. & more!!
Recently, PJ Thum was questioned for 4.5 hours by Police as New Naratif was alleged by the Singapore Elections Department to have broken the Parliamentary Elections Act by boosting Facebook posts with elections-related content during the 2020 GE. Calvin Cheng also posted elections related content and boosted them on Facebook. AsiaOne had 150 boosted election-related posts. But they don't seem to have been called up for questioning!
During a panel some months back I recommended New Naratif because they are an important site and movement building meaningful understanding and solidarity with our regional SEA neighbours, something severely lacking in a country conditioned to think of ourselves cocikly as exceptional.
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