9 Nov 2005
Straits Times Forum

3. Press freedom? I would choose S'pore anytime

I refer to the letter, 'Press-freedom ranking Why need for concern' (ST Nov 5), by Mr Leong Chee Tung.

Mr Leong thinks Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong downplayed the significance and methodology of the press-freedom survey while highlighting other surveys in which Singapore did well.

I agree fully with SM Goh's observation that it has not been proven that having more press freedom would result in a clean and efficient government or economic freedom and prosperity.

Let us look at those countries ranked above Singapore. I find it much more disturbing to note that most of them did not manage to break free from the grip of corruption and improve the lives of their people over the last 40 years.

Yes, the Press Freedom Index constructed by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RWB) applies the same criteria and yardsticks in compiling the ranking of the 167 countries. Yes, we even ranked behind Sudan (133rd) and Afghanistan (125th). However, in compiling the index RWB missed out the most important ingredient that makes Singapore tick: The Government's political will to ensure multiracial and multi-religious harmony.

The Government's zero-tolerance policy on corruption and its relentless efforts to create wealth for the people through rigorous economic development have brought Singapore from Third World to First World in just over 40 years.

If RWB included conflicts between ethnic groups as one of the criteria, the ranking of Singapore would be different.

Let us also look at press freedom from another angle. If a country is bogged down by power struggles between various ethnic groups, constant conflict among political parties, corruption and flare-ups among religious factions, does it help its people to have press freedom?

We should never forget that a fair and responsible press in a multiracial country is key to maintaining harmony and ensuring economic development and prosperity.

An irresponsible free press can spark chaos, violence and conflicts, leading to untold miseries for the people. This kind of freedom is too high a price to pay for developing countries. We certainly do not want this.

I would rather live in Singapore, ranked 140th in RWB's international ranking of press freedom, than in a country which ranked 125th but is devastated by internal wars, riven by factional divisions and plagued by foreign intervention.

Paul Chan Poh Hoi

I've never seen a better letter-writer in my entire life. Kudos to him for missing the point entirely :O