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