SPH & MediaCorp agree with TOC on crowd size!

And it’s a whooping 2,000++!

Wah lan! Pigs can fly!

I had predicted when I read that TOC reported “Over 2000 are at Hong Lim Park for the protest”, that, “SPH and MediaCorp will report, “Less than 500 turned up at Hong Lim protest”. Err I was wrong: CNA reported “Some 2,000 Singaporeans …”, while ST reported that between 2,000 and 2,500 people turned up.

So why did our constructive, nation-building media report numbers that tally with that of TOC’s, and not come lower? One would have tot that it was in the interest of the perceived PAP-sream media to downplay the extent of the unhappiness. Getting 2,000 to 2,500 S’poreans out at very short notice (less than a week) is a very good achievement, no a great feat, on the part of the organisers. And shows the extent of the unhappiness with Yaacob’s regulation to make sure S’poreans get the “right” facts.

Even the Pinkies only got out 10,000 people partying after a yr’s preparation, free buses, and the promise of the availability of hot, hotdates.

Sorry, back to the consensus (or “right”) numbers.

For starters, TOC really took the trouble to scientifically count the attendance (and not hazard a guess and spinning the issue as I tot it would). According to Ravi Philemon (via Facebook): [F]our people were placed at the four different entrances with people counters (device) to count the number of people streaming into the rally. The number from the four different people counters were tallied together at different times during the protest. According this people counters slightly over 2500 people attended the event, and at the peak, there were 2000 together at the rally.

Also, I’m sure SPH and MediaCorp reporters would have had the benefit of ISD’s or police intelligence’s similar accurate, methodical estimates.

Hence the consensus on the “right” number of attendees. No need to believe that there are journalists and editors sympathetic to the cause of internet freedom.

Wah lan! If pigs can fly, what next? S’poreans protest M’sian, Hongkie style? Or PritamS stops putting his foot in his mouth? After all Auntie is getting garang. No longer being contented to talk to the govt behind closed doors, like PAP MPs.

One thing’s sure, the MDA regulations will not be “tweaked”, in favour of freedom. This is S’pore where one of Harry’s Hard Truth is that the more unpopular a govt measure, the more brownie points a minister and his civil servants get. The more brownie points, the bigger the bonuses, and the ability to buy more $5m-$10m apartments from a TLC.