ST should be lauded and MPs should aim at impartiality

ST should be lauded and MPs should aim at impartiality

I AM writing in response to Tampines GRC MP Sin Boon Ann's speech in Parliament on the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) and The Straits Times (''Intolerance' can bring a nation down', Thursday).

In his speech, Mr Sin took as facts certain allegations from an e-mail message and questioned the integrity of The Straits Times. Mr Sin has since apologised. But his comments bear reflection as they reinforce the need for constant reminders in our secular, multi-religious society that there must be tolerence and restraint, supported by rationality and level-headedness.

Mr Sin accused The Straits Times of being biased. While the paper may have displayed enthusiasm in its reporting, as a newspaper with commercial interests, what it reported was a reflection of its readers' interest. To date, there is no concrete proof of any distortion of facts by The Straits Times.

Mr Sin's view was that the Aware issue was not about religion but about conservatives versus liberals.

As a moderate Singaporean, I do not share his view. Whether religion was involved in this instance is apparent to any reasonable person.

In fact, The Straits Times should be lauded for not fudging the issue as Mr Sin suggested.

I applaud The Straits Times for the courage to uncover an incident of 'steeplejacking' which has a hidden agenda of pushing a single issue that is not necessarily aligned with Singapore's secular political position, nor necessarily shared by Singapore's moderate majority.

We tread on dangerous ground when any one interest group in Singapore professes to represent and speak on behalf of the 'majority' when in fact it does not. And we should be vigilant against such astroturfing (creating a fake grassroots movement in online jargon) behaviour.

It is alarming that, as an MP, Mr Sin calls for objectivity in the press when it seems that he himself is unable to objectively differentiate fact from fiction, examine the matter rationally and instead chooses to defend the actions of one particular group.

Our representatives in Parliament should aim to remain impartial, lead by example and practise what they preach.

In the secular sphere, where there are conflicting views, it is critical that reason must prevail over faith or passion.

Chew Sung Yeow

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