Continued from Covid-19, The Long And Winding Road ! -- Part I
This installment shall continued with the groups after The Government and The Doctor that helped steering Singapore Covid-19 pandemic situation into "the long and winding road" path.
The Journalists
Singapore's journalism is a monopolize business, with one and only one newspaper publishing company (referring to both offline and online press) it can't help but to say there isn't much alternative views from journalists. In fact in 2021, Singapore's ranking in World Press Freedom has dropped to an all time low of 160 out of 180. No prize will be rewarded if the ranking shall continue to drop in the future. With globally fighting against fake news, rationally the nation press should and would be the most reliable source of information for anyone to turn to. Coupling with the low World Press Freedom ranking, one no need a rocket science brain will know how easily it can be manipulated to serve one's propaganda. Failing to provide unbiased, objective but instead lopsided views, opinions, reports and analysis will have quite a substantial impact on the path in which Singapore Covid-19 has chosen in the pandemic. Ask anyone on the street about the nation press, the words or phrases "biased", "lopsided" and "government controlled" would be the most common answers you can get.
Since the start of the pandemic last year till present, rarely found a coverage, views, opinions and reports that were not in line with the Government's narrative. Even at times doubts and uncertainty arose, they failed to exercise their rights as a journalists to raise the issue.
"Do not wear mask if one is not sick" and "it is not worse than SARS" were the 2 prominent examples in the early phase of the pandemic last year. With little known of the virus, the Government and experts view on the above were largely published without questioning. Now, both of those were totally wrong. The early warning sign (seriousness of the virus) from China's Government action of locking down Wuhan city and Hubei province also failed to prompt them to raise the concern was the Government's action not proactive enough at that time.
When the Government adopted the mRNA vaccine in the nation vaccination programme, from then on reports, news and opinions from vaccine were mostly lopsided in favor of the mRNA vaccine. Publishing news on both the mRNA and non mRNA vaccines were nothing but following a designated template. For the mRNA vaccine, positive news were fast and prompt to put it up so as the negative news on the non mRNA. As for the negative and positive news on the mRNA and non mRNA vaccines respectively, it will be either slowed or totally ignored.
Personal opinions from the journalist were rarely opposite of the Government's narrative. Take the case of vaccination in the time when the Government was pushing to get more people vaccinated. A lighting quick opinion of why not make the vaccine compulsory was put up. With the fact that the vaccine still not largely tested of any possible long term side effects, even scientists couldn't even put their neck down the chopping board to claim a negative ascertain, this type of message contributes nothing constructive as a whole.
When the Government kept on flip flopping on its measures, the journalists at best were to look up the so-called experts that only serve to defense the actions but were never question was there something wrong in the decision making. Average Joe on the street can even tell something wrong with the decision and yet they couldn't ?
Even as of present when daily infected number hitting more than 3000 cases with death being reported almost everyday despite having a population rate of more than 80% vaccinated (one of the highest in the world at the moment), healthcare system feeling the stress and yet all they could do is just to initiate a support campaign for the overworked healthcare workers. With clear cut evidence that the system has led to the status of the healthcare system, they surrender their rights to question the Government.
Given the benefit of doubts there are still journalists who posses the right work ethic, this pandemic definitely brings out the black sheep in the industry. These selective few (in particular health correspondents) with obvious not being objective and unbiased are none other than politically poisoned -- past, present, future. These impacts if said don't help Singapore Covid-19 situation moving into the "long and winding road" path is unbelievable.
握笔如持剑，文字极尖锐
挥之讨公正，出于圣心也
生怀邪念者，执意助政治
The Influencers
This group of people usually characterized by their status (very commonly self-proclaimed success), wealth (mostly well off), education background (mostly highly educated from well known university) and their circle of network. They could be politician, direct connect of politician, businessman, professional or even celebrity. They are at best ride on their social influences to propagate the Government's propaganda or rebut any negatives of the Government. Smartly and skilfully crafted message with selective data and information dug out from the internet was used to support the fact is the norm for them. With the vast social network they have, these messages can be relaid by their followers from one to another through social media in the shortest possible of times and thus achieving their objective.
Take the case of the vaccine. With the government adopted the mRNA vaccine, they were quick to dig out data comparing the effectiveness and efficacy between the mRNA and the non mRNA vaccine. They however, omitted the fact that the trial population (gender, age group, background of the person, etc) were not the same and there is no common basis to make a conclusive comparison. When the mRNA vaccine was found to be ineffective in preventing infection, they quickly changed the focus to still able to prevent severity. In fact, at that point of time the non mRNA vaccine was the most administrated globally and hardly any concrete data to demonstrate those can't prevent severity. When data showed that the effectiveness of the mRNA vaccine waned till 40% after 6 months, vaccine maker pushing for booster shot and those non mRNA vaccine was in not such a good position anymore, they found no way to hot sell the story anymore.
Prior to the delta variant hitting Singapore, citizens urged the government to shut the border to high risk nation in particular India when it was being hit by the variant massively, the government deflected to Singapore cannot shut all borders forever. These influencers again quick to the block echoing the government's view. They could even brilliantly explained how closing borders could affect the economy when the fact was Singapore just need to shut the border to the high risk nations. Moreover, with their education background and work experiences, they are all capable of contributing solutions to close the border to high risk nations without completely hurting the economy. Economy is not controlled by a binary switch which can only be opened or closed. There are ways, policies and measures to cautiously open and close without to the extreme. Neither any of these influencers bother to contribute any solutions when they clearly know that.
When the pandemic situation in Singapore took a turn to the wrong side, they will just dig out statistic of those countries that did even poorly than Singapore to justify the Government is still doing a good job. For countries (or places) that fare better than Singapore (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia, etc), those statistic will never appear in their book.
When the mediocre doctor and expert started to labeled unvaccinated elderly being selfish and hostage to the population, these influencers were at their act again. This time a celebrity just single out these elderly without even bother to find out the true reason for them not taking the vaccine. Some could be due to underlying medical conditions which disallow them to do so, some were adverse of the side effects and awaiting for a safer vaccine, which you can't fault them. Perhaps, a small faction is truly what they've described. However, that doesn't warrant these influencers to 一竹竿打翻一船人. Now, with daily death of infected elderly regardless of vaccination status lately, can you still claim these unvaxx elderly being selfish and as a hostage to others ?
With globally recommending booster shot for those vulnerable, am waiting for these influencers to surface to hot sell the idea again. However, they forget that booster shot just increase the quantity of the antibodies and not improving the quality of the vaccine. Few months later unless the virus has lose its contagiousness, the booster shot effect again will wane off and another booster shot will be called for.
These influencers more often being caught start counting the chicken before they are being hatched. For them, the philosophical of psychology "when thou manipulate the psychology of others to achieve thine objective, they will get back to thee eventually" will apply. That's the law of nature !
The Selective Joe
The Selective Joe are mostly the average people on the street. They can be easily spotted at the Facebook comment section of The Strait Times page and online forums. Sometime, they will also appear in the Strait Times forum section. Their understanding, reasoning, analyzing and logic always fall only to the level of what they want to believe in. They refuse to move beyond that as it will totally contradict their belief.
Take the case of the effectiveness and efficacy of the mRNA vaccine. When concrete data suggested that the vaccine can't totally prevent infection and transmission, despite knowing the effect wane to as low as 40% after 6 months, they will just dig out data and charts to show the death rate is still lower with the vaccine to convince doubters about the usefulness of the vaccine. Their level of analyzing and logic will just stop there. They refuse to think beyond that with more of the population being infected and seeking medical attention, the healthcare system can become overload and indirectly causing more fatality. A typical trademark for this group is they will just use simple and short sentence like "go read up" to silent the doubters. Do they themselves really fully understand the subject is largely questionable.
To the topics that the nation must open up the borders and not closed for economic reason, they just aligned their belief perfectly with the government. They could talk in such arrogance way to those suggesting temporary lockdown to contain the infection that these people don't really understand the economic impact of such an action. They could even bring out quotes from those influencers to support their claim without even bother to understand are those correct rationally. In actual fact, afraid, they are the one themselves who don't really understand. Opening and closing of an economy is not a binary switch which you can either open or close only. Policies, measures, methods or strategies can be tailored to either biased toward more economic benefits or prioritize citizens' life instead and at the same time keep the economy running. Just look at Hong Kong, having the same open economy model as Singapore, they are able to control the domestic cases very well and still get the economy running.
When others criticized or complained about the flip flopping, start-stop measures of the government, they will jump into the defence of the government with this type of trademark -- "as if you can do a better job". However, they forget nothing is perfect, even government can make mistake. If the people in the government doesn't have the solution doesn't mean no other people or other group can't have. Won't be surprised they are the actual one without any solutions.
When the government and experts started to zero in on the unvaccinated including discriminating measures in the name of protecting them, they will join in in support of it without even bother to question is that the correct way. Again their typical trademark of short and simple sentence -- "it is to protect the unvaccinated".
When the government decided on the "endemic" route and despite the start-stop measures we've observed lately, these people will jump in to urge the government to have that iron fist in them to carry on and not flip flopping. They will never question are those actions really the correct one. Should those are the wrong one keep pushing ahead will do more damage instead.
These people very often repeat or quote from the government or the influencers to justify they are standing in the correct side but forever never question is that the correct one. They are the one that keep supporting and cheering on the government to carry on in the "long and winding road" path regretfully.
The Final Thoughts
The nation now is experiencing daily death of elderly regardless of vaccination status. Though majority of them have underlying medical conditions which in a way lead to the death but that shouldn't use as an excuse. If the pandemic was controlled appropriately not to the extend of getting more 3000 cases daily, these elderly might still have some more years to live by. These elderly are not just any tom, dick and harry. They are the one born in the 30s and 40s that worked hard, put their trust and faith in LKY and his peers to build up the nation to what it is today. If you asked them has the LKY led system ever fail them, they might have a few complains here and there due to the sometimes hash policies by LKY but they can still proudly tell you the answer is ZERO. Now, coming from the same political party, this is the first and also the last time (for those who have passed away) that the system fails them. Those born in the 50s to 70s should know as these elderly are their parents who everyday went to work before sunrise and only came home after sunset. They rarely have a day rest or times to spend with their children and now it is the actions of these people that fail them. They worked their blood and sweat out in their younger days so that the future generation can have a better life but just to see :-
The million-dollar ministers who can afford to pay up in full cash a condominium for their children while ordinary people have to service a 30-years mortgage fail them with the system
The expert who own a clinic of his own labeled them selfish if they refused to be vaccinated
The foreign expert who since day 1 yet to give some good advices singled out them as being hostage to others if they refused to be vaccinated
The doctor in the medical school who feel like in cloud nine when students greet him as professor suggesting refusing to pay for the treatment cost should they are unvaccinated
The doctors that choose to be mediocre only know how to show data in defence of the government's action but never grow the backbone to speak up even if the healthcare system is inching toward breaking point
The politically poisoned journalist totally surrender the rights to question the system that fail them
The self proclaimed successful influencers did nothing constructive but just start counting the chicken before they are hatched
The selective joe who live in comfort like a pseudo rich only know how to point finger at them as if they are the sole cause of the present situation
The discriminating measures in the name of protecting them were put on them should they chose not to be vaccinated
The death of these elderly, do these people have any 恻隐之心 to feel sorry and responsible for it or the life of these elderly is just a statistic ?
The nation has the choice to either walk the "long and straight path" or the "long and winding road" in this Covid-19 pandemic after containing the foreign worker dormitory outbreak last year. The over-confident, incompetent and mistakenly taking the vaccine as the light to end it guided the nation into the "long and winding road" instead.
The "long and straight path" is not something impossible or difficult to achieve, all it needs is patience and cautions at every little steps. Managed and contained the domestic cases well to the extend the people could live with just a little restriction like mask wearing only to enable the domestic economy running. With the domestic economy as a cushion, the nation can then take a small step to open up the economy, wait for stabilization then open up a bit more. This is to ensure that if the timing for that small little step is wrong, swift actions should be able to prevent another uncontrollable outbreak. Don't even need to resort to discriminating measures at all. The "long and winding road" on the contrary did more damage as the flip-flop, start-stop measures only made the people confuse, made the businesses difficult to plan ahead to survive.
Courage is needed to make the correct choice. This is not just ordinary courage but the 大勇 in 儒学之勇. With this, one is not afraid to admit the mistakes instead of making excuse for it. With this, one is not afraid to backtrack if something goes wrong instead of keep bulldozing ahead hoping it will turn out right eventually. We have quite a few of the 1st generation leaders having it, we still can find a few in the 2nd generation of the leaders. Come the 3rd generation of leaders, after searching high and low, regrettably we can't find any. This proves that 大勇 cannot be inherited. Now, for the 4th generation of leaders, you jolly well spend those times in more productive things than trying to find it on them. 大勇 they don't have, 小勇 they have plenty and that explained why instead of admitting to the mistakes, they just blame everything under the sun except themselves for it.
Be it the "long and winding road" or the "long and straight path", given times, the whole pandemic will eventually come to a stop, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but the underlying shall be different. In the "long and straight path", we overcome the virus with our actions and determinations. As for the "long and winding road", the virus runs its full course until its 3 stages (entry, genome replication, exit) cannot prolong any more when it has infected most of the population, run out of hosts to carry on as the naturalized immunity gained from the population forming the barrier. This is exactly what happened in the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. The medically trained doctors should know but do they dare to single out so as to risk jeopardize the chance of getting a national award for toeing the line with the government ?
Do think twice at the end of the pandemic when the government trying to claim credit for it. Is it their actions that lead to it or is it the brainless virus that defeats the one with the brain that has a degree in economy and MBA from prestige university ?
柏杨写了一本丑陋的中国人，Covid-19却写了一篇丑陋的新加坡人
The above was written in Covid-19, An Opportunity To .............., dated 15th Apr 2020.
The initial underestimate and self praised of being well prepared for the pandemic
The oversight of the foreign workers' dormitory outbreak instead used hindsight as an excuse for it
The data oriented to the extend of lacking the instinct to be proactive in slowing to close border to high risk nations
The over-confident on the vaccine in believing in herd immunity but ended the vaccine effect can only last 6 months and herd immunity is an impossible
Gave them the data but interpret like an economists when the pandemic is clearly a science
The self-belief of "endemic" but ended up with all the flip flopping and start-stop measures
When things go against them, put the blame on the unvaccinated instead
Discriminating measures just to pile up pressure on the population to get vaccinated to achieve their target but in reality vaccinated can't stop the transmission
Continue the discriminating measures further when things don't go along with their narrative
Mediocre experts that since day 1 yet to put up some good advices for the pandemic and yet believe they are not wrong
Doctors and healthcare workers inching toward healthcare system breaking point don't even have the backbone to question the system but instead blame the population for it
Journalists give up their rights and chose the path to be politically poisoned
The nonconstructive influencers only know how to add support to the government even if it is moving towards the wrong direction
The blinded selective joe just refuse to fault the government and instead blame everything under the sun
With all these people, how is it not true the above statement on 丑陋的新加坡人.
the Wong, the Ong, the Gan, the Lee, the Chan, the Yong
the Fisher, the Leong, the Mak, the Cook, the Lye, the Ooi
the Salma, the Fernandez
the Ho, the Em Lee
the Jerome, the Akmal, the Meng Tat, the 秋燕, the Lisa, the Lilian, the Kwok Weng, the Maydeline, and so forth
History will never forget and forgive these people !
Singapore Covid-19
主将无能垮三军
左士缺策只砸钱
右士辱人自被辱
左象无计只会泣
右象理人理出祸
左马略识色不分
右马讲据终慢拍
小卒仗权乱闹事
大敌当前夸本领
火烧眉头方才悟
城门紧闭称闭窗
高傲自大多借口
知错不认真懦夫
领导者最佳战友
为何小红点缺乏
是否无勇气拥有
是否缺远见拥有
是否不知怎拥有
还是不想去拥有
