Monday, August 05, 2013

Bad Editorial Practices by TRE

This is another response to TRE and I hope it will be the last.

First of all, I thank TRE for putting up my article. However, I think TRE is intellectually dishonest in two instances:

1) TRE has yet again, divert the REAL issue from my original title "Political Offensive Against Pan-Opposition Movement" to this present title "Goh Meng Seng: I'm not Anti-WP. It is apparently another attempt of Trolling and I am really very disappointed with TRE. We have been attacking SPH reporters about certain reports but the truth is, it was always the editors who change the titles of these reports deliberately to slant focus and even edit their reporting in a skewed manner. This is bad editorial practice and I regret that TRE has learned from SPH editors as well.

2) TRE claimed that it has just merely put up my posting from the forum for all to see but the truth is, they were taken out of context and worst, only two out of quite a few postings are posted to portray a slanted perspective with the Trolling intent. Someone has already pointed out this point in his comment on the said article. Half truth is no truth. Here again, a usual bad reporting practice learned from SPH as well. I do not think it is anything FAIR by reporting selectively and asked readers to form their own opinion from these slanted presentation.

As for the many disparaging comments posted on here on TRE, it is regrettable that most are made without even reading carefully what has been written and it is also apparent that they have been largely misled by the slanted title TRE has chosen to replace mine.

It is also disheartening to see some die hard opposition supporters/WP people to use such a language against those who they disagree with, even going to the extend of cursing me to die early. I am not perturbed by such cursing but I guess these people are abusing their Freedom of Speech and Expression in which Pan-opposition movement has fought very hard for it.

To put it bluntly, even hardcore PAP IB doesn't use such curse openly against opposition members. If you want Freedom of Speech, you must first learn to respect other people's right to express themselves freely even though you may disagree with it.

Last but not least, for those who cannot comprehend exactly what is going on, nope, I have no interests in meddling nor interfering in Sylvia Lim's love life. It is none of my business, really. I could only wish her good luck and happiness. I was just commenting on the way Sylvia Lim handled the press on this matter which puts herself in a very dangerously vulnerable position politically. Whether you take this as "advice" or not, I am really not bothered but it puts WP and the whole Pan-opposition movement at risk again.

It is also a good lesson to be learned by younger opposition members. Don't ever feel compelled to reply to reporters about your love life if it is just a normal relationship (i.e. not a scandalous adultery or such). They should protect you as a public figure if they truly love you.

Goh Meng Seng

No comments: