SDP asks for explanation on why it was left out of Talking Point

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Monday, 28 February 2011

Singapore Democrats

The Producer
Talking Points
Channel News Asia

Dear Sir/Madam,

We note that a 'special edition' of Talking Point which aired last night featured representatives of both the ruling and opposition parties where they discussed the upcoming general elections. The parties are the People's Action Party (PAP), the National Solidarity Party (NSP), the Workers' Party (WP) and the Reform Party (RP).

We note also that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) was not invited to the programme. This is not the first time that the SDP has been excluded from Talking Point. In a previous episode the programme also invited the NSP, WP, and RP but kept the SDP out.

It is unfortunate that Channel News Asia (CNA) has chosen to discriminate against the SDP. Given that the station is the only broadcaster in Singapore, it is important that your news organisation discharge its journalistic duties responsibly and in an even-handed manner. The decision to exclude us from the programme smacks of a political agenda in line with that of the PAP's.

We protest such blatant and reprehensible discrimination in the strongest manner possible.

As an active and registered political party in Singapore, we are entitled to an explanation from CNA. As a news outfit funded by the public, CNA has a duty to explain to its viewers why the SDP was left out of the programme.

We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General
Singapore Democratic Party

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Comments (13)

Mon 28 Feb 2011 9:29 AM | crescit - the answer that cee ann aye cannot give

Who speaks most articulately?
Who emanates the most conviction?
Therein lies the answer...

Mon 28 Feb 2011 11:39 AM | Seelan Palay - More answers

Good answers by crescit. Here are some more:

Who has a comprehensive alternative economic programme?
Who has the highest read political party website in Singapore?
Who has a Shadow Budget to match and surpass the PAP's?

And here is an answer from MM Lee:

“If we had considered them serious political figures, we would not have kept them politically alive for so long. We could have bankrupt them earlier.”
- Lee Kuan Yew on political opposition, Straits Times, Sept 14 2003

Mon 28 Feb 2011 1:03 PM | quantum - The Explanation

The reason is simple : The SDP carries with them the real "Hard Truths".

Since the truth will set you free, the slave masters have all the reasons to fear the SDP.

Mon 28 Feb 2011 1:27 PM | | ngejay - VW would have been the most articulate

If Vincent Wijey had been invited to Talking Pt he would have been the most articulate speaker.

Mon 28 Feb 2011 1:43 PM | orange

I also note that SDP also has a relatively high number of Facebook fans, and the highest page traffic of all the political parties in Singapore.

Why then should the party's policies and views be left out of the programme, if the CNA claims to be a respectable channel?

Don't tell me Asian perspective cannot allow for alternate views?

Mon 28 Feb 2011 2:35 PM | 007 Percent GST Bond - Real action, not words alone.

CSJ: "We protest such blatant and reprehensible discrimination in the strongest manner possible."

If it is really "We protest ... in the strongest manner possible.", then put it in real action then.

Mon 28 Feb 2011 2:53 PM | Tan Tai Wei

An "explanation" will, of course, be forthcomimg, like Goh Chok Tong's on the redrawing of election boundaries, when he said "it wasn't crucial".

If not, why spend so much of state money (the high salaries of those who redrew) to redraw, and why the non-transparency by not publishing the rationale of the redrawing?

Mon 28 Feb 2011 3:13 PM | quantum - CNA and TOC

Compare CNA with TOC.

TOC has defnitely done a better job recently in organizing the cross-opposition party talks. Yet TOC is gazetted, but not CNA.

The CNA is but a PAP machinery, and opposition parties invited to drink coffee with it have to thread carefully, in case they are bought over by the PAP and thus lose the support and power of the people.

Mon 28 Feb 2011 3:21 PM | Tan Tai Wei

By the way, they say the oppposition are "duds". And yet, they have felt the need of putting not one but two PAP MPs in the forum, while embargoing SDP.

Now, PAP MPs have been specially chosen, through tea-parties, etc., and yet they feel the need of not one such "specialist" but two, to safeguard against the lesser duds of the opposition, after making sure the great dudd Chee Soon Juan is excluded.

And all this, after Finance Minister himself had appeared, and that after he had had the floor already in Parliament, which had been subsequently widely and comprehensively covered in CNA to the point of boredom, in a program where only safe questioners had been asked to question him.

SDP and Chee should feel flattered, that they have been thought significant enough to be so disregarded in a matter as important as a national election.

Mon 28 Feb 2011 4:40 PM | quantum - SDP is the real deal

Tai Wei:
Agreed. SDP is the real deal.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/the_real_deal

A thing or person which is genuine, authentic, or worthy of serious regard.

Mon 28 Feb 2011 5:28 PM | Prime Citizen

It is very sad for CNA not to include all the political parties in their party of Talking Point. This episode is pointless to review and i will not subscribe to CNA news for this behaviour is unacceptable in our information era, and in our Singapore landscape of political freedom, with or without the ruling party. Remember CNA claimed to feel and report the heart of Asians, but this episode proves CNA is a another liar .

Tue 01 Mar 2011 3:16 PM | sdpbuddy - Be Informed

Dear Brave SDP members,
I salute you for your bravery. Please be careful what you say or do so as not to give an excuse to 'this'
govt to fix you.
I have a suggestion that I hope can assist you in making your website be known to the most number of people.
Why don't you take up a small space at the top right hand corner of the Free newspaper 'Today' that is handed out free at most MRT station.
Your ads need not be lenghthy.
eg. 'GET THE REAL NEWS @ www.yoursdp.org'
Do this till Election day. I hope it does not cost you a lot! Anyway, if you need the xtra money, I'm sure you can appeal to freedom loving Singaporean for
help.
Hope this suggestion will help you circumvent the
'no backbone and balls shivering' mass media.
It's time to vote the PaP OUT!

Tue 01 Mar 2011 4:34 PM | Seelan Palay - To sdpbuddy

All forms of advertisements by political parties on tv, radio, newspapers and magazines are illegal.