kill the messenger, we're Singaporeans

A caption from the 144th ranking press about the government proposed amendment to the Film Act:

"Under proposed amendments to the Films Act, live film recordings of election rallies, public speeches or processions, as well as anniversary celebration videos by political parties will not be considered as party political films."

drum roll..."BUT THE EVENTS BEING FILMED MUST FIRST BE HELD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW."

That means films such as this may be passed.

But films such as this maybe illegal. (For your information this man is now a member of parliament)

This sadly reminds me of those kungfu martial arts movies that the Emperor upon hearing some bad news from a messenger, ordered the guards to chop off the head of the messenger.

So now for filmmakers or video journalists like us we can only film those ra-ra events like politicians kissing babies, shaking hands or youth groups dress up in some weird costumes for national day parade.

But if we choose to record events of some people (especially this chap) holding a protest, we may get ourselves prosecuted for publicizing such incidents.

Of course one of their rationale is that they link the Mumbai terrorist attack where journalist are unwittingly giving information to terrorist holding up in hotels... but man i think they are seriously way off the mark unless I am wrong, that psychopaths who practiced civil disobedience are terrorists too.

One man's meat is another man's poison, good news to some are bad news to others... for instance, if someone managed to record and uploaded a video of a man pushing an old lady down the stairs in an attempt to steal her belongings, does society blame the videographer that it may generate copycat crimes or that people would appreciate the video and warn their old relatives to be more careful.

I just wondered if Burma enact such a similar law prior to the saffron revolution, will the world ever get to see the junta's brutality of dealing with "illegal" protest such as this and this

Hopefully filmmakers and journalists can escape such fate.

For more information, please refer to our deputy chief executive officer of One Nation Under the Film Act.