[Ifroham4]

I don't think Pritam expected it nor knows about it but he seemed to have undermined the PM's and PAP's carefully choreographed attempt to secure a stake in the online world. The event at the Istana seemed to backfired in an unexpected way. It is now the talk amongst the PAP political circles. Apparently Shanmuham's trial attempt to convert an online blogger has reaped results and with that PM decided to go the full hog.

Background:
Blogger met Shanmugam in June this year and wrote an article which is this http://gintai.wordpress.com/2012/06/...-shanmugam-sc/
Apparently they have been monitoring his blog to see if it worked. I have not followed his blog as I only heard about this today but it seemed to worked and thus the desire to rope in more bloggers who without realising it would become at least passive supporters of the PAP. Anyway its an Asian trait not to comment negatively after having accepted hospitality from the man himself. At least some will swing across, other will tone down and the remaining will remain with what they started.

And the man who ran this interesting campaign is ex-president's son who is now the Propaganda chief for Singapore Inc.

The Pritam Online Incident
I did not pay much attention and there is already an active thread in this forum, It is common knowledge that under LTK, WP has shied away from online political engagement. To the extent they saw the exit of 2 candidates as a result of it after the 2006 elections. Well no one expected an MP let alone a WP MP to go online and start what was a hilarious typical Singapore incident including settlement talk, making up over makan and drinks. It was obviously not planned neither was the fish that took the bait. And the fish was Andrew, the man who was engaged contractually by the same outfit that runs the Propaganda Unit.

I guess everyone will now be watching the Istana 27.

[softy54534]

Whatever it is,it is a good thing as it wakes up the WP to know that their hand -off internet attitude due mainly to some ex-WP members such as Goh meng Seng is wrong and out dated,they should thank the unnamed ex-president's son who is now the Propaganda chief for Singapore Inc for this,or else they will have no chance to turn the table on PAP comes 2016.

[Big A]

I too am glad that this has opened the blogspace considerably. An MP speaking his mind is always good and at the level that most Singaporeans can understand has to be even better. I am Andrew will not engage in this manner if it involved a stuffy shirt PAP MP.

[tgs]

Andrew is the one that has gained much from this episode. His job is to create news or to tell news the way he sees it. Seasonal or not he has been quite consistent in his mannerisms and to whom he shows homage towards.

This entire episode reminds me of why the Americans went into Afghanistan and Iraq and that is to battle with the terrorists there to tie them down, to limit their time and resources to venture into America or Europe to create terrorists acts. What is happening now is that the alternative parties are seen as fighting it out in cyberspace for political space and somehow this supposed to be good. But all this while the most impactfull media, the mainstream media remains untouched and unchallenged and this is how the PAPzis will like things to continue for as long as they are in power.

The alternative parties have to fight in parliament for an alternative mainstream media and the people will have to support them.

[LottiFurmann]

An MP speaking his mind is always good and at the level that most Singaporeans can understand has to be even better.

As long as the MP, in this case Pritam, does not come across as gaffe prone and loose mouth. If this continues repeatedly, I am afraid he may.

[HedgeYourBets]

Pritam should do a topper and invite 30 bloggers to his housewarming party.

[Slonopotam845]

Pritam should do a topper and invite 30 bloggers to his housewarming party.

This is an excellent idea. In fact WP should invite all bloggers to a conference and makan session to seek their wisdom on how to penetrate cyberspace effectively and how to beat the mainstream media.

[HedgeYourBets]

As long as the MP, in this case Pritam, does not come across as gaffe prone and loose mouth. If this continues repeatedly, I am afraid he may.

pritam did look petty in his exchange with andrew. he recovered well tho with that make out make up. the question is what ltk thinks as he is a stickler for party discilpine. already pritam made wp look bad with his plagiarism. now with some small hoohaa with a co-opted blogger.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

I don't think Pritam expected it nor knows about it but he seemed to have undermined the PM's and PAP's carefully choreographed attempt to secure a stake in the online world. The event at the Istana seemed to backfired in an unexpected way. It is now the talk amongst the PAP political circles. Apparently Shanmuham's trial attempt to convert an online blogger has reaped results and with that PM decided to go the full hog.

Background:
Blogger met Shanmugam in June this year and wrote an article which is this http://gintai.wordpress.com/2012/06/...-shanmugam-sc/
Apparently they have been monitoring his blog to see if it worked. I have not followed his blog as I only heard about this today but it seemed to worked and thus the desire to rope in more bloggers who without realising it would become at least passive supporters of the PAP. Anyway its an Asian trait not to comment negatively after having accepted hospitality from the man himself. At least some will swing across, other will tone down and the remaining will remain with what they started.

for better or for worse, any blogger approached by pap is now seen as tainted. regardless if true or not. so if the pap is smart, they start talking to anyone and everyone esp those they think are rebel blogger scum lol

[Lillie_Steins]

Someone who heretofore spoken in a very forceful and matured manner at rallies suddenly showed his immature and juvenile side when engaging Andrew on Facebook. Which is the real Pritam?

I too am glad that this has opened the blogspace considerably. An MP speaking his mind is always good and at the level that most Singaporeans can understand has to be even better. I am Andrew will not engage in this manner if it involved a stuffy shirt PAP MP.

[Beerinkol]

pritam did look petty in his exchange with andrew. he recovered well tho with that make out make up. the question is what ltk thinks as he is a stickler for party discilpine. already pritam made wp look bad with his plagiarism. now with some small hoohaa with a co-opted blogger.

The debate was not a wrong one to enter into and it is good for a WP MP to realize WP needs to catch up on social media. No dispute on this.

The 2 killer points were alleging AL's PAP links and casting asperions on Publichouse's actual funding. These were unnecessary.

[Lt_Apple]

The debate was not a wrong one to enter into and it is good for a WP MP to realize WP needs to catch up on social media. No dispute on this.

The 2 killer points were alleging AL's PAP links and casting asperions on Publichouse's actual funding. These were unnecessary.

I think the debate was a waste of time and was intended so by AH rather than Pritam. My understanding was that AH started acting in an accusing manner without merit. I also believe that it is perfectly fine that Pritam asks AH about his PAP, WP, SDP or any other political links past and present. Publichouse's funding should also be taken into account because all these allow everyone and not just Pritam to understand AH's terms of engagement. Everyone knows Pritam's political links and to a certain extent how he earns his keep so why should AH's be kept a secret? It doesn't make sense. If AH wants to blog then so be it but once he attacks an MP ferociously then it is fine that the MP asks him these questions and also for others to know.

AH doesn't have to answer if he thinks he doesn't want to but it is perfectly fine that Pritam asks these very relevant questions for himself and for others that read AH's blogs.

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

pritam should do a Diner en Bleu.

depending on how it goes, WP, not AL has more to lose.

[Peptobismol]

Andrew Loh is a fool who thought he could be a countervoice to moderate people like Pritam, but unfortunately his pig-headedness backfired on him.

I used to think it was just childishness but now I realize its a case of Jiak Liao Bee.

[tgs]

Publichouse's funding should also be taken into account because all these allow everyone and not just Pritam to understand AH's terms of engagement. Everyone knows Pritam's political links and to a certain extent how he earns his keep so why should AH's be kept a secret? It doesn't make sense. If AH wants to blog then so be it but once he attacks an MP ferociously then it is fine that the MP asks him these questions and also for others to know.

Is Andrew still getting a monthly "research" stipend from IPS? Because none of my kakis know why one blogger out of a whole bunch was on the receiving end and how long it will continue.

[NeroASERCH]

Is Andrew still getting a monthly "research" stipend from IPS? Because none of my kakis know why one blogger out of a whole bunch was on the receiving end and how long it will continue.

AH will have to answer this question himself. There those that know the answer. I myself do not know him so I'm just a spectator in all of this.

[Paul Bunyan]

This is an excellent idea. In fact WP should invite all bloggers to a conference and makan session to seek their wisdom on how to penetrate cyberspace effectively and how to beat the mainstream media.

I imagine it would be quite a party with old friends like Xia suay, Bryani Ti, Dr Josie Ong and Richer One.

[doctorzlo]

Please lah, you are just too hard to cover up WP's inadequacy by trying to blame their internet close door policy to me! Chia Tilik left WP also, due to the way it controls expression of views. WP's decision to go on internet close door policy has totally nothing to do with me. In fact, I was advocating an opening up, stating the obvious fact that almost 80% of new members back in 2006 actually knew WP from the internet.

Pritam's problem is neither surprising nor avoidable. When you only allow members to talk and write anonymously on the internet, you will only breed irresponsible expression thinking that nobody really know you under the false sense of identity security. You can see pretty well what is going on here in this forum. The modus operandi is pretty obvious and similar to what WP people are doing here in this and other forums as well as FB. If there are people who put up criticisms on WP, even if they are opposition supporters or even member, the standard SOP is to doubt their position. If there are relevant events or things or eve LIES, they will throw at them. I have seen to much of these nonsenses around here. Thus, it is not surprising on what Pritam did what he did, putting up subtle insinuations on Andrew Loh's affiliations when he couldn't answer him or defend his previous stand. This is just the modus operandi shared among WP people. Nothing new here. This grows from the false sense of identity security that breeds irresponsible expressions.

Don't try to blame me for anything and everything that could make you feel disappointed about WP. It just happens because its just karma.

Goh Meng Seng

P.S. Most people think that the only way not to make mistake, is not to do anything at all or just go anonymous, anyhow do also can. That's the wrong attitude. The only way not to make mistake in future is to learn from mistakes and experiences, instead of using methods that would breed irresponsible behavior instead.

Whatever it is,it is a good thing as it wakes up the WP to know that their hand -off internet attitude due mainly to some ex-WP members such as Goh meng Seng is wrong and out dated,they should thank the unnamed ex-president's son who is now the Propaganda chief for Singapore Inc for this,or else they will have no chance to turn the table on PAP comes 2016.

[doctorzlo]

...

Oh sorry, I forgot about neutral political observer Gurmit Seng.

How's your Hougang post-BE analysis coming along?

[Slonopotam845]

@Goh Meng Seng,

Thank you for kind message.
now I shall wait for lawyer Pritam Singh to reply to you if he is really interested.