Saturday, July 19, 2014

Clear As Mud

Following Yaacob Ibrahim’s once-in-50-years' rescinding of a decision to pulp 3 children books, National Library Board (NLB) CEO Elaine Ng held a media briefing (18 Jul) to further “clarify” NLB’s position on the sacrilegious issue of destroying literature.

“Many objected to the idea that books will be pulped. As book lovers ourselves, we understand the reaction. We do not want to be viewed as destroying books.” However, NLB will still be remembered in history for doing so - one of the books, "Who’s In My Family?", has been eradicated.  Last we heard, a replacement copy has not been purchased to be shelved in the adult section.

The minister wrote that "Who’s in My Family" had already been disposed of as the title had been reviewed earlier. Guess what, the MDA has also reviewed the Archie comic and deemed it definitely non pro-family material, whatever that means. Ng explained, "We bought it before the MDA guideline came into place. But that rule only applies to booksellers." One government, two sets of rules, sounds remarkably like a plagiarisation of the comic's tagline, "Two worlds, two loves, two destinies". Sweet.

The only clear message that seems to transcend the tangled mess is that two individuals, one minister and one chief executive officer, are trembling at the very thought of their high paying jobs being pulped.

12 comments:

  1. Their high paying jobs pulped? No chance of that happening. They never make mistakes. It is only that they could have communicated better. Or it is your perception which could easily be corrected like short-sightedness. Take today's headline in the ST - One in 2 backs NLB's decision, says Govt poll. That is the correct way to interpret the statistic. Not they way you complainers want to read it - 1 in 2 oppose NLB's decision.

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  2. "And Tango Makes Three". But it takes two to tango, not three. Eh, Minister Yaacob and CEO Ng? With the mess you have created, let's hope this is your Last Tango in Singapore.

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    1. "It takes two to tango": Both parties involved in a situation or argument are equally responsible for it.

      Talk about censorship, in 1972 (Minister Yaacob was still a wet-behind-the-ears 17 years old then), there was a movie called "Last Tango In Paris", directed by Oscar winner Bernardo Bertolucci, which shocked conservative mores with it's sexual content (tame by today's standards), and was banned in Singapore.

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  3. These 2 people are spineless.
    They flip and they flop and they U-turn.

    It's time to change the Leedershit.

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  4. At least Archie acknowledges the presence of the elephant in the room.

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  5. Think most Sinkies have forgotten that Ex Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong had declared that the Homosexuals are not discriminated. And that they are allowed to work in the Civil Services. And there were, are gossips of top guys in Civil Services as well as Semi/Quasi Government Organizations. The Leadership has shown itself to be very accomodating to LGBTs.
    How come NLB is getting so work up?

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  6. "How come NLB is getting so work up?"
    - trying to win the LGBT vote for the PAPigs?

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  7. Divide and conquer works wonders for the pap, and I think they just found several dividing topics to win 2016 GE. Strategy got MBT and WKS's imprints all over it. Old fart is at least correct to have faith in their slyness. People of 5ft no inches are indeed smarter.

    Noticed none of the alternative parties have spoken out loudly, at least they see the big picture. But poor red dotters and all the bloggers have already got their orgasmic highs sucking on on the LGBT issue as if their lives depend more on their sexual preferences than CPF: dumb sheeple deserves nothing more than a papig garmen.

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    1. absolutely.

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    2. /// People of 5ft no inches are indeed smarter. ///

      Not smarter - just craftier.

      Napoleon complex.

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  8. Whoever came up with that descriptive verb of these books being " pulped" may want to use an alternative which maybe more accurate : being " incinerated" or " flamed" or " burnt" !
    Whatever .

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  9. Just shows the stupidity of the top men/women in Govt and our public institutions.
    if indeed every book need to display the right or 'approved' values, then just about every other book won't get passed the censors.
    What difference are we then different from the Talebans?

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