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Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Sat, 05 Aug 2017 10:33 am
by Mad Scientist
To All
I have been send a PM by this person. I am calling him out in the open and beware.
Sorry I don't share my toys. Go and play yourself
microscopic wrote:Hi there, I'm a journalist with The Straits Times. We might be interested to work on a feature about NS defaulters, those that might be willing to share their stories with us. Do you know of any? Please let me know, thanks!
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Sat, 05 Aug 2017 1:27 pm
by ecureilx
Mad Scientist wrote:To All
I have been send a PM by this person. I am calling him out in the open and beware.
Sorry I don't share my toys. Go and play yourself
microscopic wrote:Hi there, I'm a journalist with The Straits Times. We might be interested to work on a feature about NS defaulters, those that might be willing to share their stories with us. Do you know of any? Please let me know, thanks!
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Sat, 05 Aug 2017 4:58 pm
by sundaymorningstaple
Thanks, MS. Oddly, I've not yet received one. Appreciate the heads-up!
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Sun, 06 Aug 2017 6:53 pm
by PNGMK
While I admire his enthusiasm I think we all know how poorly journalistic sources are protected in Singapore.
To Microscopic; you can find these guys in Johor quite easily. Go and ask around - I've run into about 6 without even trying over the years.
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 2:34 am
by Strong Eagle
In defense of microscopic, he was clear about who he represents... much better than some of the anonymous stuff in the past.
But, I agree with PNGMK... NS defaulters who might want to speak should maintain anonymity, just in case.
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 9:49 am
by PNGMK
Strong Eagle wrote:In defense of microscopic, he was clear about who he represents... much better than some of the anonymous stuff in the past.
But, I agree with PNGMK... NS defaulters who might want to speak should maintain anonymity, just in case.
True true. The ones I have met seem to use BS names any ways (Abdullah bin abdullah).
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 10:48 am
by microscopic
Hi all, just to clarify matters, I'm doing this clear and in the open, and as mentioned above, I've identified the organisation I represent from the start. If there is anyone who is willing to share their story of how they defaulted on NS, please contact me. This would be completely voluntary and dependent on whether they would be willing to speak with the media, how much they're willing to reveal and if they want their side of the story heard, with absolutely no compulsion. There would be no story if they are not willing to share. Requests for anonymity will be respected.
@PNGMK, thanks for the tips.
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 11:18 am
by ecureilx
microscopic wrote:Hi all, just to clarify matters, I'm doing this clear and in the open, and as mentioned above, I've identified the organisation I represent from the start. If there is anyone who is willing to share their story of how they defaulted on NS, please contact me. This would be completely voluntary and dependent on whether they would be willing to speak with the media, how much they're willing to reveal and if they want their side of the story heard, with absolutely no compulsion. There would be no story if they are not willing to share. Requests for anonymity will be respected.
@PNGMK, thanks for the tips.
Honestly, Confidentiality Guaranteed ????
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 11:26 am
by PNGMK
The ones I've met have usually been ok talking about it and have been in Malaysia. They have been working in menial jobs (resorts guards etc) and are pissed off with the situation as they are not afforded the full rights of a Malaysian and have zero access to support from Singapore. It's been - in my opinion - an ill advised decision they made in their youth and deeply regret as adults. None of them have presented as conscientious objectors. They end up land locked in Malaysia because they cannot (for obvious reasons) front up at the Singapore embassy for a new passport. Marriage and children just add to the drama and anguish - tie in ageing parents and it's a nightmare.
I have a good friend who did abscond for four years from NS in Australia and came back to face the music. Do you want me to ask him if he wants to tell his story?
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 6:15 pm
by taxico
what's the point? no matter how compelling, speaking to ST will not enlighten any singaporean nor result in any policy change.
at the end of the day, the moral of the story will still be (the government line)... "we dare you to!"
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Mon, 07 Aug 2017 10:22 pm
by PNGMK
taxico wrote:what's the point? no matter how compelling, speaking to ST will not enlighten any singaporean nor result in any policy change.
at the end of the day, the moral of the story will still be (the government line)... "we dare you to!"
Human interest stories sell. Look at how long that god awful self absorbed imbecile Sumiko Tan dominated the paper for - writing about nothing except herself.
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Tue, 08 Aug 2017 11:57 am
by microscopic
@PNGMK, thanks.
You're right that it's a human interest story. If there's some way to flesh out some of the difficult experiences they have to go through because of some mistake that resulted in them defaulting, I think ppl would be interested to read about it
@taxico, thanks for your opinion.
I'm not optimistic any story will result in policy change either, but if showing the defaulters' side of the story can change one or two minds and get ppl talking about it, it's still something good
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Tue, 08 Aug 2017 2:02 pm
by ecureilx
microscopic wrote:I'm not optimistic any story will result in policy change either, but if showing the defaulters' side of the story can change one or two minds and get ppl talking about it, it's still something good
I am no fortune teller, but I can say, as much as there is no chance of removing Death Penalty for Drugs, so will it be for NS Defaulters.
Agreed, your story will be good to read ...
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Wed, 09 Aug 2017 6:47 pm
by taxico
microscopic wrote:...if showing the defaulters' side of the story can change one or two minds and get ppl talking about it, it's still something good
good for you, good for ST, good for your readers or good for the people that are stuck overseas?
i opine that if public awareness were lower, the penalties may not have increased.
there is no way in hell "ppl talking about it" will result in anything good.
dare i say you're asking to slap the hands that (will) feed you.
no other way to spin it.
Re: Forewarned is Foreamed
Posted: Wed, 09 Aug 2017 9:35 pm
by PNGMK
Taxico has a point - the famous pianist case and then some more recent cases really caused an uproar in the public which the media fed into.