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In another time James Gomez would have been locked up in Singapore's version of Kamunting to be heard of, maybe 25 years from now!...So tell your friend to thank his lucky stars that there has been some improvement. All that has happened is the whole government machinery working overtime to show video footage of his actions, being dared by old man LKY and being taunted by his little boy LHL. That is not too bad a start for a new politician I would say! And by the way Jeff, a bit of a correction on your heading. Should be "My friend, James Gomez, who Harry Lee calls a liar". Not whom! (If and when you do change it..just edit this part out!)

Now I know what james gomez looks like. He was caught red handed by the cctv footage and his integrity is at stake. Good luck to him.

man! jeff you are not too photogenic. having you next to gomez in the photo makes him look good.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/207083/1/.html

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 07 May 2006 2149 hrs

WP's Gomez detained over Elections Department complaint

By Rita Zahara/Johnson Choo/Valarie Tan/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : James Gomez, the man at the centre of a controversy with the Elections Department over a minority candidate certificate, has been detained by police.

In a statement, police said they were investigating after receiving a complaint against Mr Gomez from the Elections Department.

Mr Gomez was stopped at Changi Airport on Sunday afternoon and prevented from leaving for Sweden.

Channel NewsAsia understands his passport and boarding pass have been confiscated.

Mr Gomez was taken to the Police Cantonment Complex at 4pm to have his statement taken.

During the hustings, Mr Gomez was embroiled in a controversy over his application for a minority candidate certificate.

He claimed to have submitted an application at the Elections Department, but security camera footage showed otherwise.

People's Action Party leaders later accused Mr Gomez of trying to discredit the Elections Department by claiming its staff had misplaced his form.

In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng had charged that Mr Gomez stage-managed the entire episode from the start.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew called Mr Gomez a liar, a charge he repeated on Sunday before police confirmed they had detained the Workers' Party candidate.

Said Mr Lee, "When I call a man openly, you're a liar, you're dishonest, and you do not dare to sue me, there's something basically wrong. And I will repeat it anywhere and you can't go and say, oh, I have apologised; let's move on. Can you commit a dishonourable -- maybe even one which is against the law -- an illegal act and say, let's move on because I've apologised? You may move on but you're going to move on out of politics in time."

Mr Lee said that whether other Workers' Party members connived at Mr Gomez's doings was a matter still to be determined.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was asked to comment on Mr Gomez's detention during his victory parade in Ang Mo Kio.

Mr Lee said he was not aware of what had happened, since the Elections Department filed a police report against Mr Gomez.

He said the matter was now in the hands of police.

At about 8pm, Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim and the party's defeated candidate in Ang Mo Kio GRC, Lee Wai Leng, were seen entering the police headquarters.

It is believed they are helping with investigations. - CNA /ct

This story was printed from channelnewsasia.com
Title : Government to review media policies for next GE
Date : 31 May 2006 2012 hrs (SST)
URL : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/211309/1/.html

SINGAPORE: The Government will review the way it manages new media such as the Internet and podcasts and work towards a 'lighter touch' in the next general election, said Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang.

But it will not take a completely hands-off approach either.

Dr Lee also called on users to be responsible.

Speaking at the annual PR Academy Conference, Dr Lee said the Government recognises that Singaporeans will be even more net-savvy in 5 years, and changes can be expected in time for the next General Election.

"We will review our policies on the Internet and new media during the election period bearing in mind the changes that are taking place. Moving forward, we will consider how to better embrace these changes so that by the next GE, we may be able to adopt a lighter touch approach during the election period," said Mr Lee.

Later Dr Lee elaborated that the largely "free-for-all new media" environment is here to stay.

He added, "We accept the new media; that it's going to be a free-for-all. You can expect a more lively vibrant new media environment particularly during election period. Going forward, we will have to make efforts to engage these people, efforts to accomodate alternative platforms to air their views and we will look at how this can be catered to from now till next GE. It's too early now to say specifically what we will do. We need to study the plans, what's do-able in light of technological changes."

This move was welcomed by bloggers and media watchers.

"There's no choice, you have to have a light touch. It's like frying 'ikan bilis', if not, you break the whole thing itself, so need for a light touch. New media is like that as well, because it's people, people sentiments, communities are created through SMS and other telephonies, so these groups will always come, start, disband with ease," said Basskaran Nair, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

"When you show you have a light touch, people are less likely to be fearful, less likely to do extreme stuff. If you clamp down, only 2 things will happen - people shut up or they go the other extreme and fight back and you don't want that kind of reaction. If you go for people with a sledgehammer, they will carry a sledgehammer back at you, that's unnecessary. A light touch is a healthy level of tolerance and give and take will strengthen," said blogger Lee Kin Mun, also known as "Mr Brown".

Blogger Benjamin Lee, known as "Mr Miyagi", said, "I would like to see government agencies start some blogs and for civil servants to actually start their own blogs, comment actively on public forums that are so active on the Internet. If you're talking about how people say it's not a balanced Internet, why so pro-opposition or anti-government - that can be addressed if people in the government engage."

During the conference, Dr Lee also defended the Government's 'cautious' approach during the recent GE, adding that no action will be taken against anyone over contents put up online.

He also reminded users that responsible blogging will lead to more informed debate in cyberspace.

"Some level of responsibility will enhance the quality of debate. At the end of the day, what do we want? We want informed debate, we want people to be more aware. That's very much part of a participatory democracy. If you're not informed, you can't take part, if misinformed or worse ill-informed, you are not making a valid contribution in the context of cyberspace and with the rapid development of the new media, having a sense of responsibility and interest to participate from a well informed objective, perspective is a good development," said Dr Lee.

While the new media has the potential to enlighten and educate, rumours and distortions can also be easily posted online to cause confusion and misunderstanding.

So Dr Lee said the challenge is to derive the most benefit from the new media without its pitfalls. - CNA /dt

Full text of Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang's speech

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/annex/060531_leeboonyang.htm

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2006/05/pr_academy_conf.html

Wednesday, May 31, 2006
PR Academy Conference on TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTFURIWcfkk

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2006/05/live_again_from.html

Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Live again from the PR Academy Conference

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2006/05/live_from_pr_ac.html

Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Live from an PR Academy event

____________________________

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/121731print.asp

A keen eye on GE bloggers, but touch gets lighter

Thursday • June 1, 2006

Loh Chee Kong
cheekong@newstoday.com.sg

NOT a single blogger faces any Government action for postings during the recent General Election and yes, even the Minister for Information, Communications and The Arts enjoyed the popular podcast that spoofed the James Gomez saga.

In fact the Government, which placed restrictions on online political content, will review its policies and could adopt "a lighter touch" during the next election, said Dr Lee Boon Yang. Nonetheless, he felt that policing of new media such as podcasts was necessary "to keep the electoral process on an even keel".

At the annual PR Academy conference yesterday, Dr Lee told reporters: "We have no cause to take any action on anybody … You don't go around with a heavy hammer knocking everybody, just for the slightest infringement. We look at the consequences and we look at the intent."

Conceding that the jury is still out on whether the Government was right in its cautious approach, Dr Lee said: "While podcasts and videocasts for political advertisements were disallowed during the election period, political parties were able to make their presence felt in cyberspace by making good use of their websites to publicise their programmes. This was on top of the ample coverage given by the mainstream media."

He said that during his campaigning, a friend sent him the podcast created by bloggers mr brown and Mr Miyagi that poked fun at the James Gomez incident. "I enjoyed it too and had a good laugh," said Dr Lee.

Calling it symptomatic of the Internet, he added: "I must congratulate mr brown … for his funny and clever work … (but) while podcasts can be very entertaining, it would be dangerous if important decisions such as electing representatives to Parliament were based on which side can make the most funny video or podcast." While he accepted the argument that a free flow of information would allow people to form their own opinion, Dr Lee said it was valid only if the information was reliable and accurate.

"I think those of you who are familiar with the Internet would agree that there are many people who use their websites and blogs to put out malicious and false information in order to further their own agendas. It may not be easy to sort out the enlightening from the confusing which ought to be destined for the trash can."

Among the malicious postings there were those that claimed that Mr Zaqy Mohamad was selected as a new People's Action Party candidate only because he was a nephew of the Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi. In fact, the two are not related.

Said Dr Lee: "Such stories might be completely untrue but how do we rebut it on the Internet and get a correction carried on hundreds of blogs, bulletins and chatrooms which rapidly propagated such lies?"

Nonetheless, Dr Lee said the Government fully understood the mood among the youth who see blogging as their right.

"We have adopted a light touch approach in dealing with the everyday use of the Internet. We will continue to do so and accept that the Internet and new media will remain largely a free-for-all. However during the election period when such free-for-all may result in undesirable situations, we cannot take a completely hands-off approach."

During the recent GE, the Singapore Democratic Party was the only one served a notice to take down a podcast. No action was taken against anyone else. But while there may be a loosening on the political front, no one who causes racial tension will be spared.

"The Government will not compromise its position," said Dr Lee. "We will not risk the precious racial and religious harmony which underpins Singapore's stability and progress."