Tuesday, December 9

Ivan Heng - Dangerous for young people to be socially and politically aware??



By Ivan Heng  #FACEBOOK
10122014· Singapore · Edited ·

Frankly, it is shockingly inept, cruel and irresponsible of the MDA to have kept the Dim Sum Dollies waiting until 3 days before their opening to award them a license to perform at the Esplanade. To add insult to injury, the show has been slapped with a NC16 Advisory, advising the public of “socio-political references” in the work.
Harlow? Since when did it become dangerous for young people to be socially and politically aware? This has to do with being conscious and mindful... about what goes on in our nation-city-state - how our country is run, the relationship between the ruler and the ruled, and ultimately, how we all get on with one another. Young people should care about such things because they are the future.
Contrary to what the various Government agencies think, our theatre artists care passionately about what goes on in our society. We have held up a mirror to ourselves, warts and all, for more than three decades now. And I am certain that we are all the better for it as a nation.
Please. Grumpy, angry and stressed-out Singaporeans need satire and laughter. Please. Let the people laugh; if only for catharsis, as a creative outlet, to let off steam - a way of processing the rapid changes in a society we want to call our own.
Please. Let's just rename the MDA the Media REGULATION Authority? To date, MDA has done so very little in the way of developing the potential of our arts community. Rather, it has been a tool for censorship – doling out mind-numbing restrictions to keep a check on the arts.
Well, carry on at your peril. Eventually there will be no more arts to check; and it will be a checkmate for Singapore.
Selena Tan, Pam Oei, Gold Ninetyfm Denisee, Hossan Leong, kudos to you, director Glen Goei, and all at Dream Academy for so valiantly pressing on. I trust this debacle hasn’t dampened your spirits. If anything, take comfort in knowing it will help you sell more tickets. I have no doubt that you will make us all love Singapore a little more. Break a leg.
‪#‎sg50‬ ‪#‎yoursingapore‬ ‪#‎mysingaporetoo‬ ‪#‎historyorHisStory‬ ‪#‎wenotstupid