Daily Lessons from Life 20 February 2012 - TRE editor 'sorry for causing unnecessary duress' to PM Lee

"TRE editor 'sorry for causing unnecessary duress' to PM Lee - AsiaOne 20 Feb 2012

The editors of the TR Emeritus (TRE) sociopolitical website have been served a lawyer's letter by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for carrying a post alleging cronyism in Madam Ho Ching's appointment as head of Temasek Holdings.

The Straits Times reported that TRE editors have been asked to removed the post, post an apology by Feb 24 which must remain on the website for the same number of days the offending post had been, as well as give a written confirmation by Feb 23 that they would comply.

The post, published on Feb 16, has since been taken down as of 10pm last night. Madam Ho is PM Lee's wife.

The five-page lawyer's letter said that Madam Ho's appointment as head of Temasek in May 2002 was based 'on merit and through proper process' and that this 'is publicly known'.

In the letter, Mr Singh also detailed that it was Mr S Dhanabalan, the chairman of the investment company's board of directors, who first decided that Madam Ho was the right person for the job, and approached Mr Lee in August 2001 to broach the subject.

But Mr Lee and then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong were both uncomfortable with the idea.

In November 2001, Mr Dhanabalan again raised the subject as he felt that Madam Ho was still the most suitable person, and modified the proposal, such that he would chair Temasek's executive committee and that Madam Ho would report directly to him.

Mr Singh also noted that Madam Ho's appointment had to be approved by the President, and that Mr Dhanabalan said in an interview with in June 2002 that her appointment had nothing to do with her family's connections."

Well, social media has its responsibility. Any unsubstantiated claims will need to be prepared to be challenged and face the consequence if the just laws are brought upon them.

Lessons for me are:

1. there are certain things that appeared to be not right. But yet, things are not what they seemed to be. The truth may not be as imaginative as someone made it out to be;

2. the process of appointing Mdm Ho to the position mentioned may not be a public knowledge as it is just another hiring process by a government organization. However, her appointment definitely is very public as it is a very important position overseeing a vast national money and investment. However, without any proof to back up the insinuation of cronynism, the claim cannot stand to challenge. As in the case now taken up be PM Lee. This case should serve notice to anyone who want to post something in the cyberspace without any substantiation that they will be held accountable. This can only be a healthy development. We want social media freedom with responsibility;

3. the fact that PM Lee only instructed his lawyer(s) to ask TRE editor to retract and apologize for the wrong insinuation shows that he is ready to let social media the freedom it craves while sending the signals that the authors and publishers must also be truthful and must be ready to be challenged and take responsibility for any dire consequence.

May this healthy trend continue as Singapore needs a social media that is fair and just while voicing any ills of society that might have slipped the radar screen of the government and opposition parties. This can only be good for Singapore.