Wee Shu-Min violated
Reproduced from The Straits Times.
Teen blogger counselled for her ‘elitist’ remarks
By Ken Kwek
24 October 2006
A TEENAGE blogger has found herself in the soup after comments she made in her online journal were criticised by many Internet users for being insensitive and elitist.
Raffles Junior College student Wee Shu Min, a daughter of MP Wee Siew Kim, sparked a heated debate on the Internet when she derided another blogger, Mr Derek Wee, for his views on the anxieties of Singapore workers.
Both Miss Wee’s father and the principal of RJC told The Straits Times yesterday that she had been counselled for using insensitive language.
Miss Wee, a second-year student on RJC’s Humanities Scholarship Programme, has since shut down her blog and apologised for her comments, though not directly to Mr Derek Wee.
Mr Wee, 35, a Singaporean who works for a multinational corporation, had written in his blog on Oct 12 that he was concerned about competition from foreign talent and the lack of job opportunities for older workers here.
He urged the Government to understand Singaporeans’ plight.
Last Thursday, Miss Wee responded to him on her blog, calling him old and unmotivated and said he was overly reliant on the Government.
In dismissing his views, she wrote:
‘Derek, Derek, Derek darling, how can you expect to have an iron rice bowl or a solid future if you cannot spell?
‘There’s no point in lambasting the Government for making our society one that is, I quote, ‘far too survival of the fittest’… If uncertainty of success offends you so much, you will certainly be poor and miserable.’
She concluded by telling Mr Wee to ‘get out of my elite uncaring face’
Her attack was criticised by hundreds of Internet users, who accused her of being elitist, naive and insensitive to the lives of Singaporeans from humbler backgrounds.
Though she has shut down her blog, her entry has been replicated on many websites and the issue is hotly debated.
Technorati, a website that tracks the activity of blogs, yesterday listed ‘Wee Shu Min’ as its third most frequent search term.
Mr Wee Siew Kim said he stood by his daughter’s ‘basic point’, but added: ‘As a parent, I may not have inculcated the appropriate level of sensitivity, but she has learnt a lesson.’In his statement, RJC principal Winston Hodge said:
‘We are disappointed with Wee Shu Min’s comments on Mr Derek Wee’s posting on the Web. ‘We have counselled Shu Min and have conveyed to her the importance of sensitivity and empathy, qualities that she should have exercised in her response to Mr Wee.
‘We are confident that she has learnt from this experience and will be the wiser for it.’
A lesson learnt, says MP and dad Wee Siew Kim
Esteemed Mr Wee Siew Kim, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC
“What she said did come across as insensitive. The language was stronger than what most people could take.
But she wrote in a private blog and I feel that her privacy has been violated. After all, they were the rantings of an 18-year-old among friends.
I think if you cut through the insensitivity of the language, her basic point is reasonable, that is, that a well-educated university graduate who works for a multinational company should not be bemoaning about the Government and get on with the challenges in life.
Nonetheless, I have counseled her to learn from it. Some people cannot take the brutal truth and that sort of language, so she ought to learn from it.
In our current desire to encourage more debated, especially through the Internet, our comments must be tempered with sensitivity.
I will not gag her, since she’s 18 and should be able to stand by what she says.
The new media of the Internet is such that if you don’t like what she has said, you have the right of rebuttal.
Hopefully, after the discussion, everyone will be the richer for it. As a parent, I may not have inculcated the appropriate level of sensitivity, but she has learnt a lesson, and it’s good that he has learnt it at such an early stage in life.”
LOL
Addendum 1: Some mole more photos of her here if anyone’s interested.
Addendum 2: I love it that you can just change the name field and agree with your own comments.
Addendum 3: More popular than Youtube. WOOT. Google should have bought her for $1.65 billion instead.
Oh so Funny…
Now an MP of the Cabinet is differentiating between private and public…
I thought that time the Govt actually said that even though it’s a “private” blog, it’s a public space and words on it can be held on Court and stuff…?
Very contradicting leh…
So can we really post what we want or not…? Or are we under governmental control…?
“I think if you cut through the insensitivity of the language, her basic point is reasonable, that is, that a well-educated university graduate who works for a multinational company should not be bemoaning about the Government and get on with the challenges in life.”
Huh? First they say they want to engage the people, understand them.
Now they say we should not complain and settle you own problem.
So does that mean their concept of engaging means that we should only tell them the good stuff?
This is like Animal Farm.
Words and context get twisted according to the ruling class’ whims.
A Blog is public if it does not agree with the gahmen view, but on the hand, becomes private if it suits their purpose or a coverup is needed.
When will Singaporeans learn to take control of their lives and their gahmen, and teach them how to behave decently? To begin with, vote out this Wee person from his MP position at the next elections. This will make the PAPpies taste the power of the people.
Hey, young lady (Shu Min) I’m hardpressed to comment that u r a frog residing in a well. not a ordinary well but a “Golden well”.
Come out loud in the Society and the economic enviroment in sg.
U will discover and learn wat is there awaits anyone who joins the work force.
Perhaps then u may hopefully learn how to be humble and shut-up.
My sincere blessings to u.
Best Regards
Kok Peng
i find it disturbing an mp actually said the basic points of her daughter blog make sense. surely he must know there is a flaw when the public react so vehemently.
I was looking forward to reading the MP’s comments on his own daughter when I realised that this piece of news was published. Reading the MP’s comments just made me even more mad. But since he himself think that his daughter’s thinking is right, we should now know why his daughter thinks that way. It is all about the upbringing.
It is really not the daughter’s fault.
Private? I think not - her rant seemed to yearn for public attention.
There’s nobody else to vote for. The only opposition members in Singapore who aren’t obsequious are stripped of their property on trumped-up defamation charges.
Double standards. The peasants in Singapore have been downtrodden for way too long until they don’t even know how or have the means to stage a revolt.
with regards to what Mrs Lim said about upbringing, i do not think that there is anything wrong in bringing up your children telling them that they need to wrok hard and not rely on the government for protection against foreign talent.
Yes! i agree with you Miss Beverly. I think that aside from Wee Shu min’s harsh language and inappropriate tone, her main point is definitely something we as Singaporeans need to ponder over.
What you people don’t understand is that in time to come people like Wee Shu Min, a scholar, will run this country. This is a thought that sends shivers down my spine. If she ends up in the civil service then she better shut her mouth up about being dependent on the government.
that’s the point i am trying to bring across.
A revolt? Shall we?
Wee Shu Min is a damned ugly young lady … I won’t even call her a lady. The word “ugly” i used refers to both her look and mind. She is sick!
Repentance should start from the head.
By now father and daughter should felt enough of the wrong doings they have down to the Society with such illed values.
Perhaps the MP should start by stepping down from his public office. Can’t imagine how else of good value or help can he inpart to his residents at the MTP session with these “illed” values that he holds fast !
官字两个口。。。
Dear people,
It just came to me that her comments are cold, unfeeling, short-sighted in a way, said without processing through the brain and heart and that if she were not the daughter of an MP, she would have sang a different tune. What makes me sad is that her upbringing rather lacks a heart for the people and that MP Wee is actually “leading” the people.. What reflects of her upbringing makes me upset of the kind of leaders we have NOW and in future… Of course not all the MPs are like MP Wee.. But 近朱者赤，近墨者黑.. It’s self-explanatory I guess..
Anything on the WWW that ppl can access and see is no more ‘private’, unless it protected or encryted with a password…
so does that mean anyone can just post some ‘terrible stuff or dangerous info’ on their so called ‘private’ blogs and expected to be exempted from any responsibities regardless of what they post inside???
I think we need a more compassionate and caring society. People like Wee Shu Min are out of touch with society and very sad she is brought up like that. Hope they learn to be better person. I wish they learn to be more generous and kind person.
I hope Wee Shu Min gets raped and dies…I’ll be laughing at her funeral.
I think she and her father are just too full of themselves and have never thought about the underprivelleged people in our country. Makes me wonder if the people “up there” are also like that… OMG i cant imagine what Singapore will be like if we have scholars who will one day be a main figure in the country’s government. Has she ever thought that the money she spends now belongs to the people(rich or poor).
i could only shake my head in disgrace.
but then again, she’s only 18. still “riping”.
however, she wont be able to feel, or to taste the kind of life MOST singaporeans are living in.
so, i hope she’s not going to be part of the political team in the future. her name will be strongly remembered.
even if its 20 years down the road…
I think this is blown out of proportion. I think many of us are so woke up due to she is from RJC or due to her father is a certain MP. However I am concern that as a certain MP to say
“But she wrote in a private blog and I feel that her privacy has been violated.”
Does he have no knowledge of that as a publisher (and as a blogger you are a publisher), you may be faced with situations of legal claims on information that you publish on your blog?
Also if the guy should start a lawsuit, he entitled to the right to defamation of his reputation.
It only then bring to the point of what is the current knowledge level of our MPs in Singapore? Will our beloved country be moving on in the right direction?
Although I felt that whatever said on the blog should be dealt with in this cyberspace. This is so we all have a certain rights to creativity and freedom of speech. But I hope all in the goodwill of commenting on the subject itself than to make personnal attacks.
I will still continue to blog and in god grace, Singapore is moving and led by people of the right knowledge.
Give the girl and her father a break. Isnt what all of you are doing now the same as what was initially argued about? So do you correct a mistake with another one? Let her carry on with her life and hope that this will be one life lesson for her.
The world is made of love hope and peace. Without them you might as well be dead.
That is the issue with our ruling government. I had told my friends long ago. They get a bunch of rich kids from rich familes and throw them into government. How do they ever understand people like us? People whose dad have to work 12 hrs a day to see me thru uni.Screw them all. I am sick of these fools running our country and telling us what to do.
I feel that the young girl is just a spoilt girl who have not seen the world.No point wasting our time with such a person.In my life,i have seen so much of this kind of people.This partly due to our society upbringing.Its our education that makes us this.Please remember that we are forge into who we are by our enviroment.
actually, to come and think of it. what this wee shumin wrote isnt totally wrong.
in general, singaporeans have been complaining about this and that but never really stand up for themselves. perhaps it is time for us to really stand up for ourselves.
what i disagree with this young miss wee is the inappropriate language used. i mean, she must understand the view from mr derek… not all people from older generation have the luxury of going to schools. and how are these group of people going to upgrade their skills when they have the difficulty of feeding their own family and themselves?
hopefully, this ypung miss wee will really learn a lesson from this. it is not about her view. it is ABOUT HER LANGUAGE AND HER LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE REAL SOCIETY.
maybe she shd be stripped off from her status for a month and get to live like a normal girl who comes from an average income family. hahaha….
I think the terrible tone of her reply was uncalled for. Perhaps now the “feeding frenzy” that she is now receiving from everyone reacting is exactly what she wanted?
The point however is poignant. We SHOULD NOT and CANNOT rely on the government for jobs opportunities and for the sustenance of our families as a measure in itself. If we don’t buck up, our companies we work for fold, country loses competitiveness, and Singapore won’t even be a good place to live in.
Change is inevitable. Popular politics might win the battle and win the hearts of people for the here and now but it’s hard decision of today that makes us have a vision for tomorrow.
*sigh* such is life
I’m shocked our top schools actually produced such an insentive kid who doesn’t even know the basics of thinking before you speak. And the best is “our” Mr Wee actually said the blog is a “private” space. If you had not intended for people to read your thoughts, you wouldn’t have have blogged in the first place. Shame on you Mr and Ms Wee!
It’s kind of sad that this if govt is fully aware of what’s going on and yet nothing can be done.
Also sad to know that Elistist = IQ and no EQ. Now i wonder her father who makes the feels daughter remarks is “basic Point” can run an constitution? He’s not meant to help people!!!
‘We are confident that she has learnt from this experience and will be the wiser for it.’ She is an elite, and if she is going to be wiser, wouldnt it mean she will use harsh and bombastic words to laugh at those not so elite?
What is the point to be rule by elitist if they claim they understand our plight and want to help us, only to be laughing at us at the back?
Seriously, we really dont need such people in out parliment, and can you imagine how Singapore will be if these “elites” rule us in future???
It’s so sad to know this.
Im proud of wee shu min, she has the guts to voice out. singapore needs to have more of wee shu min. singaporeans are not allowed to do this and that. Singapore’s government is no different with communism. fuck it. you guys should learn how to think. dun be dogs.
If comment something wrong in the “private blog” and you can just get away with it by saying “I am sorry”, then fine! We can all just put in comments and views on anyone or even the govt but if being accuse then just apologise loh. But pls take note, must be 18yrs old and below… ha
“Private blog being violated”, real funny.. Imagine if you are not “someone” and you put up something “wrong”, you may be sue until you bankrupt loh.. who talks about “private”? Kaoz
Pete wrote:
I hope Wee Shu Min gets raped and dies…I’ll be laughing at her funeral.
Posted on 06-Nov-06 at 11:18 am | Permalink
hello pal, i dun think anyone in the right mind wld want to rape her. just take one look at her bloody “elitist uncaring face” and no more desire liao…
the saddest thing is that why the father say privacy invaded…. is the funniest joke… it really makes me laugh… Over protective of the kid is no good… LOL
All the MPs and gahmen peeps are the same, taking Singaporeans as cash cows and milk till you drop, but pretends to care for the peeps, pls la… I think the pigs can fly before the Paps will really bother with what the peeps feel. You peeps think they care? They (paps) can be so arrogant enug to post it, comment it in public media just because they CAN!!! So what can you do?
Rich becomes richer… Poor becomes poorer..
Vote wisely.
Hohoho, Rich gets richer, Poos gets poorer, and her tits are getting bigger!!
Go check out her photo and the bikini that hugs her boobs so snugly..
The link is just ahead, up somewhere in this page.
What is worse is her father defending her, and with a stupid comment. Blogs are private!!!??? That’s certainly news to me :-))))
Oh well, like father like daughter.
I think that the “elitist” daughter of that MP should learn to be more humble and tactful when she speaks and blogs. The father, as a member of our Govt should educate her daughter more on her manners and the beauty of staying humble and not arrogant, despite coming from a wealthy and “government-linked” family.
I wonder what’s our PM’s viewpoints on this saga. Please, PM Lee, don’t keep quiet on this matter and let the people know what you think of this issue. If not, the gap between the elites & non-elites, the wealthy and the poor will get even wider, adversely affecting the unity of our little nation.
Shu Min’s remarks only reflects someone who in spite of her high education (sorry state of S’pore’s elite education system) has no compassion whatsoever towards the average Singaporean. Her bitchy remarks coming from a famly who’s father is an MP also reflects the kind of elite people that PAP is chosing for govt… I feel so sad and sorry… for all heartlander Singaporeans who have such MPs to represent them.
In the 60s and 70s, we could say that the MPs were representing the people.
From the 80s onwards, the MPs were representing the government.
Now, the MPs are only representing themselves - their own iron rice bowls and their elitist future.
No heartlander Singaporeans should depend on the MPs to represent them.
HAiyo.. Wee Shu Min arh Wee Shu Min…ki jia sai lar lu!