Singapore’s government-controlled Straits Times just launched a personal attack against vocal Taiwanese reporter Clara Chou, who was recently videoed scolding the Singapore media officers for fixing the questions and answers in an open media enquiry.
In the video Clara Chou was hushed by Singapore reporters which led her to launch a tirade and called for a boycott. The Straits Times featured the 62 year old Taiwanese reporter “Who is Clara Chou?” and begin covering her personal political life.
The Straits Times dug out Clara Chou’s political life pointing out that she turned her back against the KMT party to join the Opposition DPP, and a defamation lawsuit where she lost against Ma Ying Jeou and a rich tycoon in Taiwan.
The Straits Times even went as low as attacking her love life where Clara Chou aborted her baby. Below is the excerpt written by The Straits Times:
“Ms Chou’s personal life was in the headlines in 1998 when she accused her ex-lover Huang Yi-chiao, who was then information director of the Taiwan provincial government, of jilting her after forcing her to abort their baby and seeing someone else behind her back. Mr Huang was demoted over the scandal, according to Taiwanese media.”
Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp ranks 153rd in press accuracy and independence, and are often heavily censored and influenced by the ruling PAP government. According to a revelation by former editors of Straits Times, the PAP government placed importance on strict media control in Singapore.