TNP should reveal details about how its journalists are being ‘harassed’

Repost from Temasek Review 23 June 2011
http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/06/23/tnp-should-reveal-details-about-how-its-journalists-are-being-harassed/
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The English tabloid TNP has slumped to a new low by cooking up stories again to smear TRE and Dr Joseph Ong with an utterly deplorable piece on 20 June 2011 insinuating that TRE and Dr Ong were behind the so-called ‘harassment’ of its journalists:

‘Why is TNP the target of online abuse? It started last year, about the time we exposed Dr Joseph Ong Chor Teck’s links to the Temasek Review website. Since then, the paper and a few of its journalists have been the targets of malicious, unsubstantiated and often personal attacks launched by people hiding behind the anonymity of cyberspace.’

Instead of revealing the real reasons behind the public backlash which was sparked off by a series of misleading articles it published in May this year to smear the opposition, TNP conveniently make us a scapegoat to deflect public attention from its own deficiencies.

As TNP has made a very serious allegation against TRE and the netizens, it should reveal more details on how its journalists have been ‘harassed’:

1. The names of the journalists who are being harassed. It is strange that TNP dared not reveal the identities of the journalists who are the subject of ‘online abuse’ by netizens.

2. The date and time which the alleged harassment took place: TNP claimed that the harassment started after it exposed Dr Ong’s links with TR. If that is so, please show us the evidence, i.e. the date and time in which the emails were sent and phone calls made to its journalists harassing them.

3. How are the journalists being ‘harassed’: TNP journalist Bryna Sim had earlier lodged a police report against a netizen Sharon Tan for reposting her phone number from SPH on Facebook. Is this tantamount to harassment?

We challenge TNP journalists to lodge POLICE REPORTS if they are indeed harassed by netizens and let the police investigate the matter instead of making baseless, vile and malicious accusations via subtle innuendoes to smear innocent parties.

TNP’s latest smear article has sparked a massive outroar among netizens with many more joining the boycott to protest against the tabloid’s disgusting brand of ‘gutter journalism’ which is best epitomized by its deputy editor Melvin Singh writing a misleading article on SDP’s Dr Chee Soon Juan leading a non-existent ‘protest march’ after an election rally at Jurong East stadium when he was merely shaking hands with his supporters. (read more here)

He wrote another article a few days later claiming that it was SDP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Michelle Lee who tipped him off about the ‘march’ as she did not want to get into trouble with the law. Ms Lee later denied making such statements to Melvin Singh on her Facebook. (read more here)

Melvin Singh’s blatant lies sparked a massive outcry among netizens calling him to apologize for disseminating falsehoods to smear SDP, but he subsequently issued a statement in The Straits Times proclaiming that he “stand by his story.”

With the credibility of TNP and Melvin Singh hitting a nadir, even his latest smear on Dr Joseph Ong and TRE did not stick and instead generate a public backlash with angry netizens setting up a ‘Petition to remove Melvin Singh as TNP’s editor to call for his sacking. It appears that Melvin Singh is abusing his position as TNP’s deputy editor to further his personal vendetta against Dr Joseph Ong and dragging other innocent TNP journalists down together with him into the gutter.

There are still some credible, respectable and responsible journalists in TNP like veteran Maureen Koh who is more than capable to take over Melvin Singh and salvage the tabloid’s tarnished image. Melvin Singh is NOT INDISPENSABLE to SPH which should act quickly to remove the cancerous ‘tumor’ before further damage is done to its reputation and credibility.

The standard of SPH papers appears to be getting from bad to worse under the leadership of Chairman Dr Tony Tan who has confirmed he will be running for the coming presidential election, especially TNP being headed by Dominic Nathan and Melvin Singh.

Does presidential hopeful Dr Tony Tan endorse such blatant character assassination by TNP?

Netizens can feedback their thoughts about TNP articles directly to SPH at sph@sph.com.sg

Melvin Singh’s contacts as LISTED on SPH websites:

Melvinderpal Singh
Deputy Editor
Office: (65) 6319 5567
Email: melvin@sph.com.sg

Nicole Seah declares statement of account as TNP’s smear campaign flops again

Repost from Temasek Review 20 June 2011
http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/06/20/nicole-seah-declares-statement-of-account-as-tnps-smear-campaign-flops-again/
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Popular young politician Nicole Seah has posted a detailed statement of account of her team’s election expenses in Marine Parade GRC on her Facebook which includes an overview of the campaign expenses incurred over the campaign period as well as the list of donors who donated to her team. (read more here)

Despite the feeble attempts of the state media to derail her fund-raising attempts by casting doubts on its legality, Nicole still managed to raise a total of $46,568.63, more than the initial $35,000 she asked for.

When Nicole started her fund-raising campaign by asking Singaporeans to channel their donations to her personal bank account, the English tabloid The New Paper under its infamous deputy editor Melvin Singh started a smear campaign against her.

In an article published on 21 May 2011, TNP insinuated that Nicole is not raising funds via the ‘proper’ way and even quoted an anonymous netizen as saying that she would ‘run away with the money and leave her party’ which was reproduced in the two Chinese tabloids. (read article here)

TNP’s ‘gutter journalism’ sparked a massive outcry among netizens with many calling on Nicole to sue the lowly tabloid for outright slander and defamation.

Melvin Singh is most remembered for writing a misleading article on SDP’s Dr Chee Soon Juan leading a non-existent ‘protest march’ after an election rally at Jurong East stadium when he was merely shaking hands with his supporters. (read more here)

He wrote another article a few days later claiming that it was SDP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Michelle Lee who tipped him off about the ‘march’ as she did not want to get into trouble with the law. Ms Lee later denied making such statements to Melvin Singh on her Facebook. (read more here)

Melvin Singh’s blatant lies sparked a massive outcry among netizens calling him to apologize for disseminating falsehoods to smear SDP, but he subsequently issued a statement in The Straits Times proclaiming that he “stand by his story.”

A Facebook page was set up calling for a boycott of TNP and has garnered more than 8,100 ‘likes’ so far, more than the number of ‘likes’ on TNP’s official Facebook page itself.

Besides Nicole Seah and Dr Chee, Melvin Singh was also responsible for ’smearing’ Dr Vincent Wijeysingha (SDP), Spencer Ng (NSP) and Chen Show Mao (WP) as well.

Now that the truth is out, Nicole should consider taking legal action against TNP to prevent more innocent patriotic Singaporeans from becoming victims of Melvin Singh’s ‘poisoned pen’.

You can provide your ‘feedback’ to Melvin Singh below:

Melvinderpal Singh
Deputy Editor
Office: (65) 6319 5567
Email: melvin@sph.com.sg

‘Complimentary’ copies of The New Paper being given out FREE as boycott hit sales

Repost from Temasek Review 16 June 2011
http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/06/16/complimentary-copies-of-the-new-paper-being-given-out-free-as-boycott-hit-sales/
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Falling sales of English tabloid The New Paper (TNP) may have caused SPH to give out ‘complimentary’ copies to cut down on the number of unsold copies daily and to ensure the PAP’s propaganda get disseminated to its intended audience.


TR reader Ding Neng spotted copies of TNP being given out to passer-bys outside Amoy Food center yesterday and took a snapshot of one of them with the word ‘complimentary‘ being printed on its top right-hand corner:


Besides the off-peak soccer season, TNP’s sales may be affected by an ongoing boycott called against it by netizens to protest against its ‘gutter journalism’.

On 2 May 2011, TNP Deputy Editor Melvin Singh published a misleading article on SDP’s Dr Chee Soon Juan leading a non-existent ‘protest march’ after an election rally at Jurong East stadium when he was merely shaking hands with his supporters. (read more here)

He wrote another article a few days later claiming that it was SDP candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Michelle Lee who tipped him off about the ‘march’ as she did not want to get into trouble with the law. Ms Lee later denied making such statements to Melvin Singh on her Facebook. (read more here)

Melvin Singh’s blatant lies sparked a massive outcry among netizens calling him to apologize for disseminating falsehoods to smear SDP, but he subsequently issued a statement in The Straits Times proclaiming that he “stand by his story.”

A Facebook page was set up calling for a boycott of TNP and has garnered more than 8,100 ‘likes’ so far, more than the number of ‘likes’ on TNP’s official Facebook page itself.

According to tip-offs we received from readers, Melvin Singh graduated with a diploma in Mass Communications from Ngee Ann polytechnic somewhere in the 1980s after which he joined the Singapore Police Force as an inspector with ‘Delta’ division. He later quit to further his studies before joining Mediacorp as a broadcast journalist after which he was ‘poached’ by TNP to be its deputy editor.

Besides falsifying Dr Chee’s ‘protest march’ Melvin Singh was also responsible for smearing Dr Vincent Wijeysingha (SDP), Spencer Ng (NSP) and Chen Show Mao (WP) as well. He was most remembered for surfing PORN and reproducing baseless pornographic materials from a notorious porn site in a desperate attempt to smear TRE last year which prompted several parents to write in to SPH to complain.

Despite Melvin Singh’s lack of journalistic ethics and questionable character, SPH continues to stand by him and he is expected to receive several months of bonuses this year as a ‘reward’ for his excellent ‘performance’.

TRE calls for the continued BOYCOTT of TNP and its advertisers so long Melvin Singh remains as an employee of SPH. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us if you have any other information about Melvin Singh.

You can provide your ‘feedback’ to Melvin Singh below:

Melvinderpal Singh
Deputy Editor
Office: (65) 6319 5567
Email: melvin@sph.com.sg