What's MDA actually up to?

Just as I feel it was shrewd not to keep this blog private, it is wise to also read MDA clarification under pressure from content creating netizens. It is also interesting to watch MDA which in my view on balance is more clueless than tuned in guiding our local Internet activities. For once unlike the Pop. White Paper I must commend them for not trying to talk knowledgeably. On the other hand they must be disappointed how little trust they are getting from socio-political websites producers and bloggers.

Locals must not forget that this is Singapore! In media matters we run a very different system from the rest of the world. How we rank in press freedoms by benchmarks that is not sensitive to local conditions don't matter. We were the first to sue a foreign publication where others either had to live with or ban them. Locals must also be cognizant that the PAP dominates Parliament. If there is a need to burn this seven points and start over, they could and would. I think for those like me who were never in the media business you can do no worse than read and understand Cheong Yip Seng's OB Markers.

There is no need to add further to the flood of words. Time will tell who is right and this time I think the MDA will have the last laugh. Meanwhile the rest of us can wait for the ripper and somehow will modify our behavior such that the hooded creature will not choose us. Some like Alex Au, I can't help but will be in a pickle with the authorities again.

I actually find it refreshing that MDA is not afraid to look bad or dumb learning how to deal with such matters so publicly. Just as well they have also wisely except for the minister himself not put faces to this new regulation. Now if the government is like one of my former bosses who doesn't bat an eyelid asking stupid questions in order to learn and understand as quickly as possible. I must welcome such gumption.

What's MDA doing? They are just trying and not shy to publicly make mistakes learning how to do their job better. I am giving Yaacob the provisional thumbs up for this one because it is not over yet. It is refreshing to be able to do this for a minister when I had been so severely critical of most of them.

Update: 8:45pm

This is quoting the minister out of context because he went on to define what 'right thing' is - the full facts of a reported event.

He and his colleagues have a simplistic concept of what truth is. Partly because they want their version to be the 'right' version. But what is right and what is reality? We are getting into philosophy. This is not the place for discussing this.

These ministers better learn all these quickly or we are going to hit the glass ceiling of generating the next generation of economic goods and services pretty soon. In fact we should be there already but we have been failing and clinging on to old products and services which only remain competitive by cutting prices....most voters wouldn't care about Internet freedoms, they will care about your government ability to deliver, which is tied back without negotiation how you are clued in about the Internet.

Update: 9:15pm

Even ZDNet is onto this. This is a IT media organization. I used to voraciously read the PC Magazine they put out. I still remember it cost $15.40 - very ex. Now if this product and tech oriented media cared to report this, who else isn't?

Because of the way the MDA and Yacoob have responded, they better get ready to look really incompetent to the international media and readers. It's unfortunate some will associate this as a fiasco like the Pop. White Paper. Myself I am prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt. Smart people, in fact anyone boning up on something they know very little always don't look very smart. Recall how LKY embarrassed himself learning to make speeches in Hokkien in the early days.