"Because bloggers answer to no one, they need not worry if their dispatches cause the chairman of the board of General Motors to stop talking to the publisher—or placing ads. Their independence gives them a subversive strength, one that undermines the cozy relationship the press has with its corporate cousins and government. The unmediated nature of blogs, which frightens so many professional journalists, is really a plus. With so many bloggers writing outside the bounds of authority, they've become impossible to silence or censor and their provocations help keep the national debate going at full tilt."
Blog Title/URL: Alfian’s Secret Wank Shed- http://alfian.diaryland.com
Blogger’s Name: Alfian bin Sa’at
Blogger’s Occupation: Citizen Blog
Blogger’s DOB: 16th March 2001
Technorati Rank: Does not recognize this blog but states 98 links to this URL
There is a perception that getting involved in Singapore politics will get you into trouble. Which is why most most bloggers who talk about local politics hide behind the cloak of anonymity, such as the much acclaimed, Mr Brown. He is not the first. A handful had started penning their views online earlier. An Internet search threw up blogs such as ‘Singabloodypore’, ‘Xeno Boy’ and ‘Vox Leo’. Political watchers and bloggers expect more to sprout up.
Allow me to introduce my adopted blogger for this week’s assignment. Alfian Sa’at is a poet and writer whose pet topics include freedom of expression and Malay rights. He is more known for his literary accolades rather than an esteemed blogger. Unlike most local political bloggers, his profile is easily traceable. Born on 18th July 1977, Alfian bin Sa'at was educated in Tampines Primary School, Raffles Institution, Raffles Junior College and the National University of Singapore.He was the Chairman of Raffles Players Drama Society in RI and RJC, where he received the Kripalani Award for Outstanding Contribution to Creative Arts. He is currently the resident playwright of the theatre group, W!ld Rice Productions.
I must admit I am a green thumb to Singapore politics much less political themed blogs. My first foray to politics only began last year during my virgin vote in my constituency in the General Elections 2006. Researching for local political blogs on the search engine threw plenty of links at me. I skimmed through a lot of them and changed my mind about 3 times before deciding on Alfian’s Secret Wank Shed.
I loved how he was not hiding behind a pseudonym. Not that I have anything against those with nicknames but I personally felt it takes someone with balls of steel to comment on half of the things he mentioned in his blog. Very much like Catherine Lim, the literary success known for her very public jabs at the Singapore government, Alfian Sa’at has written and spoken about many things that a mere mortal (read: moral coward) like myself dared not write nor speak. But what sets his works from other blogs I have come across is that what he had written is important and pertinent to Singaporean, especially if they are young and Malays. As far as I know, there are no other writers in Singapore who are vocal enough to voice out about the adversity faced by the Singaporean Malays. What makes his blog such an attractive read to his entries most were his candid take on gahmen masked artfully under his skill for the language. The fact that he writes particularly about the gripes faced by a Singaporean Malay strikes a chord with me.
To address the question, “Do blogs allow for greater democracy in Singapore?”
Habermas develops the normative notion of the public sphere as a part of social life where citizens can exchange views on matters of importance to the common good, so that public opinion can be formed. This public sphere comes into being when people gather to discuss issues of political concern. (Thornton, 2002)
In Singapore, there is the much talked about “climate of fear” that the government can clamp down anytime. There have actually been very few instances of arbitrary clamping down yet the fear persists and thus, a lot of people in Singapore, including bloggers, self-censor to some extent. With the passage of time, there is increasing confidence that freedom of speech on the Internet is pretty wide.
Positive developments in the new media are expected to continue in 2007, barring any major government crackdown. As more Singaporeans from all backgrounds take to reading, writing and commenting on blogs, online forums, podcasts and vodcasts, the diversity of views on the Internet will also increase. (Giam, 2006) If you can’t beat them, join them. Which is exactly what the Singapore govenrment has done.
The architecture of political blogs allow a lone voice to seek out others and together, they make a unison so loud, Golliath cannot ignore it for long.
References:
Thornton, A. (2002, October). Does Internet Create Democracy. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from <http://www.zip.com.au/~athornto/thesis_2002_alinta_thornton.doc>
Giam, Gerald (2006). "Review- The politics of Singapore's new media in 2006." Retrieved March 24, 2007 from <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2006/12/31/review-the-politics-of-singapores-new-media-in-2006>
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