网络上的“反对党情结”

(2006-05-20)

By Chua Chim Kang

　　早在2000年底，时任总理的吴作栋就说，2006/7年的大选将是新加坡政治历史上的一个新的分水岭。

　　回头看这次大选，的确具有多重分水岭的意义。

　　从执政者的角度，分水岭指的是一个全新而强大的领导层，全权治理新加坡。此外，选民人口当中，约六成在国家独立前出生，其余四成则在1965年后出世，也是分水岭。

　　行动党这回推出的24名新人当中，一半是在独立后出世，同样是跨世代的布局。工人党以“不怕死”的年轻新人为主，挑战三个集选区，落败但成绩不俗，也算是二水中分白鹭洲。

　　从选民角度看，大选的另一个分水岭作用，是电脑科技发挥的网络效应。科技和创意在选举期间发挥了影响力，政党和传统媒体似乎没有很好地感受到，但显然经此一役，新科技成了左右选举动向的媒体分水岭。

　　相对于新媒体的作用和内容，民众一般对传统媒体四平八稳的表现感到不足。这是因为通过网络上快速、无远弗届和匿名遮荫的方便，电邮、播客和部落格发挥极强的渗透影响力，新新人类和电脑族看到了不同于过去的选举情况。

　　对年纪大的选民，这一次选举的气氛比过去几届更开放，感觉上也更公平。一些过去不敢投反对票的恐惧心理，似乎也消淡不少。

　　然而，对在一些第一次投票的年轻选民而言，觉得选举期间主流媒体的报道仍不够平衡，甚至觉得偏袒执政党，因此网络公民自觉有一种播放“真相”的使命。通过互联网，在反对党群众大会结束当晚，部落格就可以读到出席者的感想，也有照片和演讲录音，很有现场感。

　　部落格取代过去咖啡店时评，成了这一次选举的另类意见平台。由于执政党候选人和助选员的言论基本上在主流媒体都可以看到，因此网上流传的更多是关于反对党的种种看法。

　　这一次网上铺天盖地把反对党当潮流时尚谈论的前提是，反对党候选人素质不低，特别是工人党的年轻新候选人，不论在履历资格、政见看法，不同于过去反对党人的形象，予人清新、正面的印象。

　　一般相信，网络力量不会毫不理性鼓动。网民看到反对党推出具质感的候选人，对照行动党候选人的相对稳重却显得刻板印象，加上对行动党某些竞选手法的不认同，因而充分利用网络空间，形成流行。

　　随新世代选民汇成主流，网络力量在下一届大选势必发挥更多更大作用，也提供更大议论空间。

　　传统媒体和执政党要如何应对网络上的“反对党情结”，并且反过来创造对自己有利的局面，从此刻起必须积极思考应变。如果继续走夜路吹口哨，低估看不到的暗潮，那么传统的政治景观将真的会很不同。

·作者是将于6月1日发行的免费华文报《我报》副总编辑。

"Obsession" with the opposition on the Net

The 2006 General Election would be a new watershed in Singapore's political history, so said then prime minister Goh Chok Tong at the end of 2000.

Looking back at the just-concluded GE, it is indeed a watershed in more ways than one.

From the ruling party's perspective, it means a new and strong leadership will be fully responsible for governing Singapore.

Besides, about 60 per cent of voters in this election were born before Independence while the rest are post-65ers.

Of the slate of 24 new candidates unveiled by the People's Action Party, half were born after 1965. In other words, the new faces represent both the older and younger generations of Singaporeans.

The opposition Workers' Party fielded mainly young candidates who are "not afraid to die" to contest in three Group Representation Constituencies. They lost but put up a credible performance by securing a good overall percentage of votes.

From the voters' point of view, the role of the Internet in the election can also be seen as a turning point.

The influence of technology and creativity during the hustings may not have been felt strongly by the political parties or traditional media.

But to the latter, the phenomenon can also be considered a watershed in that it will, in future, face more challenges from the new technology which can have a major impact on elections.

Compared to the functions and contents of the Internet as a new medium, the usually cautious traditional media is no longer adequate in the eyes of many.

Through the fast and limitless reach and the convenience of anonymity in cyberspace, e-mail, podcasts and blogs have displayed tremendous influence, allowing Genext, or the younger generation and computer geeks to witness election campaigning in a way that is different from previous elections.

For older voters, the feeling is that this election was more open and also fairer. The fear of voting for the opposition had also diminished.

The perception of some young first-time voters, however, is that coverage by the mainstream media was less than balanced and tended to favour the ruling party. Hence the sense of mission among some netizens to report the "truth".

On the same night that an opposition rally ended, one could read blogs that come complete with comments of spectators, photographs and recording of the speeches made. One could "virtually" be there, so to speak.

Blogs have replaced coffeeshop talk to become the platform for alternative voices in this election.

As the views of the ruling party's candidates and party leaders who helped them canvass for votes were readily available in mainstream media, what was circulating in cyberspace tended to be opinions and comments on the opposition.

The better quality of the opposition candidates this time round is the key reason why they have become the talk of the Internet.

　　This is especially true for the young candidates of Workers' Party who, with their professional qualifications and political views, presented a refreshing and positive image that is very different from their predecessors.

It is generally believed that the power of the Internet will not be used irrationally. Netizens appeared more taken with the improved quality of the opposition candidates than with PAP candidates who are earnest but seem to be in the same mould. Besides, they also disagreed with some of the PAP's election tactics. These prompted them to make full use of cyberspace and create waves of interest in it.

When the younger generation of voters becomes more dominant, the power of the Internet will be even more evident in the next election and it will provide greater space for discussion and debate.

Traditional media and the ruling party must start thinking seriously about how to counter the "obsession" with the opposition on the Internet and create conditions favourable for themselves.

The political landscape that we are familiar with might really change if they continue to be complacent and underestimate undercurrents which may not be obvious.

The writer is Associate Editor of My Paper, a free Chinese newspaper to be launched on June 1. Translated by Yap Gee Poh.

《联合早报》