Up Close

UP CLOSE takes a behind-the-scenes look at five Cabinet Ministers at work and spends time with them at their regular haunts.

The first 4 episodes let viewers get up close with these Ministers and get to know them better. The series also finds out what these Ministers do to experience up close the lives of the Singaporeans in order to get a taste of the real issues of concern, and see for themselves what truly matters to these people.

The concluding episode of UP CLOSE on Thursday 5 May, 8pm - Up Close with the Prime Minister - features Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a special forum where he engages in a frank discussion with a group of Singaporeans on the Singapore that they want.

Martyn See the maker of Singapore Rebel takes the claim that the above series of programmes does not breech the Films Act to task.

...Interesting that MICA has chosen not to invoke the exemptions provided for in Section 40 of the Films Act but opted instead for Section 33 which allows films relating to "reporting of current events." Does this mean that anyone who wishes to make a documentary about opposition figures can now do so if they follow exactly the same format as 'Up Close?'

2) More than one person has commented to me that 'Singapore Rebel' feels exactly like 'Up Close'. My video does not contain a single mention of Chee Soon Juan's party nor its platforms. Until now, MDA has not told me exactly why 'S'pore Rebel' has been deemed a 'party political film.' The above letter does not bother to disclose the reason either.

3) The police report lodged against MediaCorp for the screening of 'Up Close' includes another documentary, made by Hong Kong-based RTHK and shown on CNA in 2002. Success Stories : Lee Kuan Yew charts the political career of Lee Kuan Yew and contains scenes on the Government's responses to political opponents such as Francis Seow, Tang Liang Hong, JB Jeyaratnam and Chee Soon Juan. Would the Government qualify this documenatary as "non-partisan" and aired "for the purpose of reporting current affairs" as well?

4) Interesting that the above letter has chosen the term "ministers" instead of "PAP ministers" and "non-partisan" rather than "unbiased." Section 33 of the Films Act, for which I am under investigations for, is much broader than that. That MICA has now given the all-clear to Up Close means that the series

to continue reading go to Martyn See's site.

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