Hri Kumar doesn’t get it… He doesn’t know what ‘netizens’ want.
Isn’t it obvious? They don’t want her to be jailed!
That’s their first desire.
Second, they don’t think what she did was vandalism, at least when compared to Michael Fay or Oliver Fricker. They may be wrong on this, at least in law, but there is a lot of sentimentality and support for her.
Mr Kumar says it is not for the police to decide what is art and what is vandalism, that the police’s job is just to enforce the law as it stands, and leave the judgements to the Court, which can decide to aware a lenient sentence if they view it as not a serious offence.
That is only partially true. The police, in consultation with the AG’s Chambers, can and do have prosecutorial discretion. They can decide not to press charges, or to prosecute under a different charge, or even to just give a “stern warning”, depending on the public interest.
So it’s wrong to say everything is up to the Court.
Third, I think this shows Mr Kumar’s continued inability to understand netizens’ sentiments. That does not bode well for him as a politician. If he doesn’t know the online sentiment, the least he could do is just shut up, like virtually all other elected MP’s.
Political Writings 
Is this disinformation or misinformation????
Who? Me? Hri Kumar?
http://www.monkeymask.org/2012/06/where-art-goes-to-die/
Is typical of a lawyer-trained politician. Everything has to be spelled out, and everything is black and white in their world. The more they speak, the more disconnect you know the MIW are.
Keep your coins, we want change!
We should have several ‘graffiti zones’ approved for artistic expressions.
You don’t need to apply for permit or committee’s approval. That’s just crab and bullshit.
When an artist’s ideas flow, they want to just act spontaneously.
The only rules stipulated are : – no hate/racial/religious or cultural slurs are allowed.
Other than that, be it sticker, stencils, pains whatever medium is free for their use.
No need to paint-brush over or clean up too. Any successive artists who dislike the previous works will automatically erase it or overwrite the previous artworks. It should be as organic as possible. And definitely NO CCTVs!!
If any artists violated the acts, the authority can always take it back/shut it down. So out of considerations for majority, the art community should exercise their own discretions.
How many derelict buildings or walls can you find for such purposes? Live a little Singaporeans!
The word is “crap,” not “crab”…
What a silly post.
First, if you read the postings on the net, you will realise that there are at least several sides in this debate, those who want her let off, those who say she deserves to be punished for vandalism and those who say this is a grey area. You speak of ‘netizens” as if they have only one voice, when there are a whole spectrum of views out there. The problem with people like you is that you are only interested in reading and writing about one side, and so your minds remain under-developed.
Second, and more interesting is your call for Hri Kumar to “shut up”. So he, and other politicians, cannot express a view unless it agrees with yours? Who is being the Nazi?
The fact that you claim to represent what “netizens” and the “public” want or think only shows your arrogance and how out of touch you are yourself.”
I see you haven’t drilled a hole in your head yet. If you haven’t read what Hri Kumar wrote, there’s no value in your comments.
I have. See? You always assume you know everything. Why don’t you offer something constructive for a change – tell us how you would like the law changed. Let’s see whether you get it.
Comments suggest otherwise. Have you drilled a hole in your skull? If not, I’m not wasting my time writing anything for you. Did that the last round, wasted my time.
Apparently when PW doesn’t agree with the other side, it means your brain is shut down i.e.” under-developed”. Kinda the pot calling the kettle black isn’t it?
Think the skull is too thick, even a drill won’t work. Best to send a team into Thomson Constituency for 2016 to hammer the crap out of them.
You have no context at all to make such comments.
I only have these to say to those who argued the following : –
1) Art is art, crime is crime. Crime is distinctive and very clear-cut…. Art on the other hand is subjective.
Given all that debate and various positions taken (largely for/against/middle-of-road) goes to show this is not very clear cut isn’t it? The fact that there are so many subjective views, shows that it is in the “Art camp”, or might I say – grey areas.
2) I don’t find it stifling (to be an artist) in Singapore. It’s not a situation where it is very rigid here. Those who find it stifling are not creative enough.
Dude – an adequate swimmer will be happy staying in the children’s or shallow pool; a strong swimmer will be happy to venture into an olympics size deep pool; and the strongest swimmer will no doubt wants to venture into the ocean. Just because you are happy within your confining space, doesn’t mean all artists should fall in the same turf as you. Each artist has to search their own horizon for their personal creativity to flow. To judge that one is not creative, is like telling the strongest swimmer who wants/can swim in the ocean a lousy swimmer. Simply preposterous.