Singapore is cool

Can’t touch this

Journalism.sg has published the transcript of an interview with Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister and still serving ‘Minister Mentor’ of Singapore. Titled ‘What China can learn from our handling of Western media’, it is a thoughtful piece, introduced thusly:

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew says Beijing can learn from Singapore’s approach:

1. Give access to the Western reporters;

2. Don’t over-react to their negative coverage, just deal with them on their own terms, as businesses with bottom lines to protect;

3. Focus on building your reputation among the world’s decision makers, who will see things differently from the Western media. Over time, Singapore’s experience shows, media coverage will get more nuanced and respectful.

Lee does also mention his tendency to sue Western media organizations for libel or apply other commercial pressures when they publish articles he does not like:

So when you write an article with a little sting at the end, which is not true. I claim the right of reply. You have written 5,000 words, I claim 500 words. They refused, and in that case, I will restrict you. I will not block you because you will say I’m afraid of what you said. But I will restrict you and allow the other people, the other subscribers to photostat, fax, and now scan. So now you allow me the right of reply, I get the right of reply, the writer who puts in all these poison barbs no longer appears so smart. You can twist my arm, I’ll wring your neck. So what are the facts? So, now we have reached a certain respect for each other.

Neck wringing — that’s a metaphor that will appeal to China’s media regulators.

And let’s hope the Chinese government does not learn their sense of style from Singapore’s elder statesman, who has this to say:

News gets out: “We are dull.”

Now, we are not dull, we are quite cool. We’re going to have reverse bungee, all-night dining by the river and by the marina, two integrated resorts, Formula One. How do you explain that?

Reverse bungee! How cool is that.