here i am sitting here in the study room alone. its 18 degrees cold n everyone seems to have gone back to their rooms to sleep or mind their own things.
its been 6 months since i've been in byron bay. i guess i'm pretty much well adjusted to the life here already and made some really good friends. went out a couple of times to the local clubs n bars several times n we've had some really good laughs n all.
was pleasantly surprised to know that a few of them wanted to nominate me as the new campus prefect after the previous one left. i didn't get the job as it seems like the management took matters into their own hands n elected one themselves, even when they posted a notice saying that elections would be held in a week's time. doesn't really matter whether i get the job or not but the fact that a scottish dude, 1 austrian, 1 german gal, a swedish guy & new zealand dude wanted to nominate me is like a very nice gesture of thumbs up. thanks guys... ;)
so, when i come back home, i can....:
-get a job(for sure)
-release my own solo album(KIV)
-start buying pedals to build my pedalboard
i have never been outspoken with regards to my views on the government. but recently, i have had to do some research for a 10 minute presentation on my chosen topic, which is censorship in the creative media industry. i have narrowed it down to my home country naturally and the facts i have dug up have left me with nothing but disgust.
the government has had a tight rein over wat is being said or done in any form of media. be it film, music, art or even plays, wat is considered taboo or not in favour of the government's policies would most likely be strongly clamped down. anything they deem a threat to the country's social order and national stability would have to go. you know wat? thats gotta be one of the most hypocritical things that a government, who so boldy proclaims itself as a pro-globalisation nation and budding centre for the arts, can ever do.
Film: everyone knows about royston tan's 15. it has travelled overseas and won more awards n credibility than any other locally made film in probably, ever? but when the time came to welcome back the film into the arms of its countryman, over more than 20 cuts were made to the film. why? because it was an HONEST film.
the government probably crapped in its pants when they found out that the film contained references to gang names and depicted homosexual undertones and self-infliction of wounds. "oh no, other countries will think that our country is crawling with these hooligans. SNIP." well, it was screened uncut everywhere but home. has anyone changed their perceptions? i don't think so.
INTERNET:porn, gay porn. which is the lesser evil? 2 websites were victims to the control n censorship enforced by the government. 'Fluffboy' was banned cuz they couldn't trace the owner of the site. however, 'sgboy' was fined $5000 cuz they managed to trace the owner, due to it being registered on a local server. but the irony is that if the gv was so uptight on gay porn, they couldn't worked their ass a little harder to trace out 'Fluffboy' as it has alot more explicit content than 'sgboy', where there was no explicit content of sorts. just a forum for gays to hang out.
lets refresh this a little. its bad to have any form of homosexually based websites related to singapore, regardless of explicity, but its perfectly fine to have a site like sammyboy, with content based on the country worthy of any hardcore site, still running?
ARTS/PLAYS: practically any performance that had content dealing with the hanging of shanmugam murugesu was butchered off. even a foregin arts student studying at laselle, whose painting was based on the recent hanging of nguyen tuong van, had to have the artwork removed prior to its exhibition. in any case, how often did u see or hear any coverage on the debate of the hanging at home? it was practically on the news(tv and radio) every single day in australia. that's local government censorship for you.
my arguments may seem flawed to you but trust me, do your own research and dig up the facts. i can't believe i've been living in a country where its claim of achieving to be a global arts centre has so much bullshit stuffed in its ass. they can't even bring themselves to support local talent to the very best. wat the hell is that?
the only reason why i would continue to live there is for my family and friends. NOTHING else. so, to the government, ballz to you and your ideals.
