"The Government will require a huge amount of resources to e-engage on a multitude of online platforms. This would not be realistic or efficient."

This was the government's response to the recommendations made by the advisory council on the impact of New Media on Society (AIMS) in 2009.

In other words, the government will only engage citizens on policy and national issues in public consultations and forum discussions on the Reach portal, and reply to online letters carried in the online letter forums of the local mainstream media.

Fast forward nine years later and a government Facebook page, Gov.sg, is now commenting like a netizen on socio-political site The Online Citizen's Facebook page.

Perhaps the government was not pleased that TOC accused the Minister of State for Ministry of Communication and Information (MCI) of using "fallacies and inaccuracies" to explain to MP Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) the considerations of not streaming parliament sittings live.

"You said Minister of State Chee Hong Tat was wrong to say that footage of all parliamentary questions and answer sessions are available on CNA’s microsite.

You later amended your story to say that the Q&As are available on the microsite but it does not have the supplementary questions.

The fact is the questions and answers, including the supplementary questions, are available on the microsite."

"You said...you later amended..."

You, you, you. This personal tone seems a departure from regular staid Government communications.

First time Gov.sg has commented on TOC FB

In response to Mothership.sg's queries, Terry Xu, TOC's Chief Editor, said that he believed that it was the first time that Gov.sg Facebook has responded to TOC.

He added that he has not received replies from the Channel NewsAsia (CNA) and the Parliament or the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) about "the missing videos since 2014".

Granted, it is not the first time that a social media platform belonging to the government ministry has commented on a socio-political website's Facebook page.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has also commented on falsehood-peddling website All Singapore Stuff Facebook page to clarify the misconception that a child had been taken away from a parent because of his low income status.

However, this is when one gets a little confused.

On an issue related to the media (live streaming of parliamentary proceedings and CNA's videos), shouldn't the Ministry in charge of the media be responding?

Yup, that will be MCI, MOS Chee's Ministry.

If TOC's assertions are indeed falsehoods, MCI can also use the Factually webpage, a government site that proposes facts.

Because indeed following the Government's response to AIM in 2009, using the Gov.sg to respond in such a personal way, and if maintained on a consistent basis in this new age of fake news, may require a huge amount of resources that would not be realistic or efficient.

Since you're here how about another article:

They say we can buy anything online, so here’s a life-sized gummy snake

Watch out, paper qualifications. Real life experience is coming for you.

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