Wei Kiat's Blog: Shu Min's dad makes an "Apology"

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Wee Siew Kim apologises for remarks
By Ken Kwek

MP WEE Siew Kim has said sorry for remarks he and his 18-year-old daughter, Shu Min, made about Singaporeans who worry about jobs.

In a statement issued to The Straits Times last night, he apologised for the comments he made in an earlier interview on his daughter's criticism of another blogger, Mr Derek Wee, 35, on her Internet journal.

'We both apologise to the people whom we have offended, and especially Mr Derek Wee,' the MP said.

Miss Wee, a Raffles Junior College (RJC) student, had last week called Mr Derek Wee 'old' and 'undermotivated' after he wrote in his blog that the Government should try to be more understanding of Singaporeans' employment woes.

Many on the Internet slammed her for her remarks. She subsequently shut down her blog and was later counselled by her tutor at RJC.

In an interview with The Straits Times published on Tuesday, her father tried to smooth things over by acknowledging that she had used insensitive language.

However, he said he stood by his daughter's 'basic point', saying well-educated Singaporeans such as Mr Derek Wee should 'get on with the challenges in life' rather than complain to the Government about them. 'I think if you cut through the insensitivity of the language, her basic point is reasonable*,' he had said.

'Some people cannot take the brutal truth and that sort of language, so she ought to learn from it,' he added.

The MP's comments drew further criticism, especially online.

Yesterday, in his apology, he said: 'I should not have said what I did about people's inability to take the brutal truth and strong language.**'

*What if the "challenges in life" were beyond what certain groups of people in Singapore could handle?
**What should you have said instead? It is of course easy to regret whatever you said because it caused a backlash against yourself. Saying something, and then saying that you regret what you said earlier, is akin to not saying anything at all.

His complete "apology":

'I AM sorry that my statements carried in The Straits Times of Oct 24 offended some readers.

I should not have said what I did about people's inability to take the brutal truth and strong language.

I have also counselled my daughter Shu Min. She is fully aware and remorseful over her tone, insensitivity and lack of empathy.

I have advised her to learn from this.

We both apologise to the people whom we have offended, and especially Mr Derek Wee.'

Seriously, making a half-hearted statement like that will only draw more fire.

How come Gomez apologise cannot, he apologise can?

Links:
Essay: Life will kick you in the balls
To Wee Wee
Shu Min's Dad made an "Apology"
Wee Shu Min in the News!
Wee Shu Min's Apology
The Original Entry

posted by Wicked at 9:11 AM |

cynicole says
the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree
10/26/2006 4:16 PM

Charissa says
Haha... you have a point there about Gomez case where PAP said,"say sorry cannot, must explain!"
Comparatively, Singaporeans are being very kind to them now. They just want Mr Wee to apologise for the ideas behind her statements. However, after 2 public apologies, he still has not apologise for it!
We are not even demanding him to explain for his daughter actions and him standing behind her ideas!
10/26/2006 10:05 PM

anibodi says
His second "apology" still falls short of the items called and regret and repentence.

If a highly educated MP still does not know how to make a proper public apology, let me show him an example:

"We, the Wee Siew Kim Family, father and daughter, do sincerely and unreservedly apologise to all those whom we have agrieved, offended or outraged through our callous and insensitive remarks and utterances made on two instances (specify the dates and location).
We truely regret for what we have done and promise that we will never do it again. Please forgive us and accept our sincere and unreserved apologies."

Would that sound better?
Would that then appease and cool down the atmosphere and recover part of the damage done?
10/27/2006 2:31 AM

Wicked says
Maybe he should write a third apology? LOL
10/27/2006 2:36 AM

maxonlife says
I think I accept the apology but I sincerely think that he should be standing firm on his party's stance of:

"Say sorry also must explain"
10/27/2006 9:55 AM

Jose Luis Fabiano says
actually this is a tactic to retain their standing.you ain't talking about an irate blogger who has nothing much to do,but a family whose 2 memebers are the creme de la creme of the society.I would have accepted their apology anyway given that they are trying to cut their damage without doing any more damage on their own
10/27/2006 12:50 PM

Chaar says
Singapore needs a superhero.
10/27/2006 2:48 PM

soojenn says
Give it a break.. everyone is entitled to their view. No apologies is necessary. The view may be blunt and in sensitive, but it is still a veiw. Don't crucify Shu Min just because her father is a MP.
10/30/2006 4:48 AM

AC says
Shu Min is entitled to her views. The rest of the world is entitled to their views and responses too.

What is unacceptable, is the father's response. He can neither plea the lack of maturity or exposure - his agreement with the content of Shu Min's comments showed the flaws in his character that is most unfitting for a person holding a seat in the parliament.

No apologies are needed? Then why is he coming out to apologize not once but twice?
10/30/2006 4:52 PM

_CK_ says
Perhaps, da party tat he stands for now understand wat has happened in de last election.
11/09/2006 7:04 PM

coo1J4m says
Being netrual on MS Wee’s remarks/insults, i belief its the society (SG) we are living in that shapes our behavior and perception.
Ms Wee emphasize the ‘cracks’ we are facing in SG-The dysfunction of meritocracy

Lets assume that she is a daughter of an average Sgporean family,
-say middle or working class.
-Or worst still, social exclusion (like the man who committed sucide by jumping into the MRT track)
- A traditional patriarchy family
And some other factors which i prefer not to list it out!!!
Would she still be that successful (RJC, Havard, Schloarship, awards...ETC)?

Apply the same Qs to all of us here, be honest and ask yourself this
-How many of us actually think that our success (high education, good salary job, status) are plainly based on our hard work and intelligence?
To those who answer 'yes', have you ever consider the above factors (Top of the page) that could have played an important role in determine your life's success in society beside hard work and intelligence?

Take this recent case of the poor chap who committed suicide in the MRT station: What would happen to his kids if they did not receive donations from the public. What would be the opportunities in life for them? Will hard work n intelligence simply be enough for both of them to achieve success in life? I would say very low. They haf probs attending to their basic needs what else could matters for them beside worrying abt tml lunch n dinner.

Hard work and efforts = success is the statements made by those who are winners or in power (to some extend its how the mass media influences us to belief that society is based on such notions). Have you plp think abt the losers and what made them losers? Is it simply that they lack the efforts, intelligence n motivations, similar to the winners, to progress?
Meritocracy, in my point of view, would only recreate social inequalities generations after generations-the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer. Unless the riches and middle-class are aware of the existence less privilege members in our society, thus, giving them the required help and aid in order for them to be more equal and able to compete for resources. (Like the public donations given to the deceased’s family for example)
11/10/2006 3:21 AM

Jack says
I seriously doubt Mr Wee will be in the next elections for AMK GRC
12/22/2006 11:36 PM

Anonymous says
ths is really a plain reflection of snobbish elitists
1/18/2007 5:38 PM

Thierry Henry says
But sorry also must explain.

Mr Brown must create a podcast on this issue.
1/18/2007 6:16 PM

Anonymous says
WP will win the next election while Mr and Ms Wee will go and eat shit
1/18/2007 6:19 PM