Yes sir. I am jumping into the foray with my two cents worth on the inflammatory remarks made by Senior Minister of State Lui Tuck Yew in Parliament about the state of self-regulation on the Internet.

From The Straits Times:

WHEN MP Seng Han Thong was set on fire by a Yio Chu Kang resident last month, he drew many online attacks that were vicious.

Some were ‘downright outrageous’, said Senior Minister of State (Information, Communications and the Arts) Lui Tuck Yew in Parliament yesterday.

He was referring to postings that included statements saying Mr Seng deserved to be assaulted and a list of 10 things he should ‘be thankful for’ in spite of being attacked.

But instead of silencing these attackers, the online community largely bit their tongue.

The tepid response of netizens to the nasty comments disappointed Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui, who said it was ‘quite apparent the Internet is not an effective self-regulated regime as some may have touted it to be’.

RADM Lui was replying to Ms Penny Low (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), who had asked for his views on netizens’ response to the physical attack on Mr Seng, MP for Yio Chu Kang.

He said: ‘I do not think the community itself has done enough to rebut some of these unhelpful comments delivered by fellow netizens.

‘It is a squandered opportunity for a higher degree of self-regulation.It would have been an example of the genesis, of the first steps, towards a more responsible, greater, self-regulatory regime.

‘But many of those responses were not rebutted or answered, and I think it is not healthy for some of this to remain on the Net unchallenged, unquestioned and unanswered.’

RADM Lui also urged netizens to do more to define acceptable online conduct.

I argue that the Government should be thankful for the lack of governance on the Internet. Why? Because it is only through the Internet that nameless and anonymous Singaporeans can voice their unhappy feelings about the state of governance in Singapore. And it is precisely through lack of governance that the Government leaders who usually have their heads up in the clouds, can learn about how regular Singaporeans feel.

Instead of lamenting about and asking why netizens are not ‘rebutting’ the ‘unhelpful comments’ made about MP Seng Han Thong’s precadiament, RADM Lui would have been better off asking himself or his fellow MPs, “Why are the majority of netizens not sympathetic towards MP Seng – is it because of widespread resentment about MPs and government policies, or is that the majority of online Singaporeans have no morals or compassion, and are mean, deceitful and simply put, horrible people?”

Or is RADM telling Singaporeans that everyone should feel sympathy for MP Seng just because he personally feels that way? What moral authority has he got to have expectations that people think and behave in his preferred way?

Having said that, I must say that I personally do sympathize with MP Seng. Whether or not he done a good job as MP, I don’t think any person should be subject to that kind of grevious attack… expect for criminals like murderers and rapists.

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