Related Article: http://therealsingapore.com/content/singa-kindness-mascot-resignation-letter-publicity-stun
Background information on the people behind the Singapore "Kindness" movement (SKM) and the Singa Kindness Mascot.
*More information can be found on Kindness.sg
Patron
The Patron of the Movement is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Adviser
Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, is the Adviser to the Movement. He guides the activities of the SKM Council.
SKM Council & Secretariat
The SKM is managed by the SKM Council, chaired by Mr Koh Poh Tiong, Vice-Chairman of the Ezra Group, and comprises a maximum of 27 members from educational institutions and private organisations.
Immediately after the publicity stun issued by The Singapore Kindness Movement (Kindness.sg) to promote censorship of the Internet, the government mouthpiece media SPH immediately produced a response "letter" as a joke to the "resignation" of the Singa Kindness Mascot.
Below is the full letter published by Singapore Press Holdings subsidary Singapolitics:
Dear Singa,
It has come to our attention that you have just left your long-time position as the mascot for kindness and may therefore be open to new opportunities in the job market.
It our pleasure to offer you, Singa, a job at Singapolitics.
We understand you mentioned the need for a long break but we feel there is a certain synergy between our brands. We are big believers in re-employment and the value of older workers (Not that we want to be discourteous and imply anything about your age, but you have been at your job longer than Sir Alex Ferguson.)
That you are a local icon is also a big plus given the country’s longstanding push to promote things that are uniquely Singaporean.
We can sit down and discuss the details later, assuming you can talk and have simply chosen to be silent out of courtesy.
Your job role at the start will simply to be the “Singa” of “Singapolitics” after which we will see how best we can work together.
You will be compensated fairly though it would not be polite to discuss money so early in the game, right?
And while we are certainly eager to have you on board, there are one or two concerns that we would like to clear up as well.
First, of course, is what are the circumstances surrounding your very sudden decision to resign?
We have read your resignation letter several times and we cannot help but detect a sense of bitterness and resentment in your tone. It’s as if you are resigning in a huff rather than making a calm decision to part ways in the name of public interest.
What was it that pushed you over the edge? Was it something someone said on Facebook? Was it the graffiti on the Cenotaph?
You are right to say that we aren’t a gracious society yet, but isn’t this more an indication that the job is not done, rather than a sign that it is time to give up?
Also, it seems like you have left no time for your employers to seek a replacement. That just doesn’t seem very polite for a Courtesy Lion.
The second concern revolves around authenticity. There have been many suggestions since you issued your resignation letter that this was simply a publicity stunt.
Some are saying that you actually have no intention of resigning and are simply doing this for attention. Many expect you to be back at your job in a matter of weeks. So far, we have heard nothing from you to deny such allegations.
Now, we are aware that this would not be the first time that such a publicity stunt has been pulled.
But we feel that a mascot of your standing and heritage should not allow yourself to be so cavalier with your image.
You are no normal mascot, you are Singa. Everyone knows you. Can you imagine how disappointing it would be for everyone to discover that they were misled by a Courtesy Lion who is acting out (literally) a hissy fit?
Like you said, we all have to be responsible for our actions.
I am sure you have very good explanations and we look forward to hearing them when you become part of the Singapolitics family.
Hear from you soon.
Your friend,
Singapolitics
It looks like the government and the mainstream media is really desperate in trying all kinds of method to restrict and censor the Internet Community. What do you think?