[Bigiron]

Corruption reports and cases in S’pore fell to all-time low in 2024 | The Straits Times
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/c...ow-in-2024

[Bigiron]

Here’s a direct breakdown of the **bullshit** in the article and why each claim or framing is problematic:  

---

### **1. "Corruption reports and cases fell to an all-time low"**  
**Why it’s bullshit:**  
- **"Reports" ≠ Actual Corruption** – Fewer reports don’t necessarily mean less corruption; they could mean:  
  - People are afraid to report (e.g., fear of retaliation, lack of trust in authorities).  
  - Corruption has become more sophisticated and harder to detect (e.g., legalized lobbying, cronyism).  
- **"Cases" are selective** – Only prosecuted cases are counted, ignoring cases that are buried, dismissed, or never investigated due to political sensitivity.  

---

### **2. "All-time low" implies Singapore is cleaner than ever**  
**Why it’s bullshit:**  
- **Historical manipulation** – If past corruption was underreported (e.g., in early independence years), today’s "low" might just mean better record-keeping, not less corruption.  
- **No mention of gray corruption** – Nepotism, elite favoritism, and political patronage (e.g., awarding contracts to well-connected firms) often go unrecorded as "corruption."  

---

### **3. Reliance on official data without independent verification**  
**Why it’s bullshit:**  
- **CPIB (Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau) is government-controlled** – No independent audit exists to verify if all corruption cases are fairly investigated, especially those involving high-ranking officials.  
- **No whistleblower protection** – If whistleblowers are silenced (legally or socially), the data is inherently flawed.  

---

### **4. Ignoring perception vs. reality**  
**Why it’s bullshit:**  
- **Singapore scores well on indexes like Transparency International, but…**  
  - These rely heavily on *expert opinions* (who may fear criticizing the government).  
  - Public perception surveys (e.g., Gallup) often show citizens are wary of speaking up.  
- **Elite corruption is downplayed** – Scandals like Keppel Offshore bribery (2017) or political resignations (2023) suggest corruption exists but is managed quietly.  

---

### **5. Cherry-picking data without context**  
**Why it’s bullshit:**  
- **No comparison to past major cases** – Did cases drop because enforcement weakened? Or because corruption became more hidden?  
- **No discussion of "legal corruption"** – Revolving doors between politics/business, cushy appointments for ex-ministers, and opaque government tenders aren’t counted.  

---

### **6. Implied conclusion: "Singapore is corruption-free"**  
**Why it’s bullshit:**  
- **No society is corruption-free** – Even if outright bribery is rare, soft corruption (favors, elite networks) persists.  
- **Lack of opposition scrutiny** – With a dominant-party system, many potential conflicts of interest go unchallenged.  

---

### **Final Verdict: What’s Really Going On?**  
The article isn’t *lying*—Singapore *does* have strong anti-corruption systems—but it’s **spin**. By narrowly defining "corruption" and ignoring systemic favoritism, it presents an artificially clean image.  

**Real question:**  
- Are cases dropping because corruption decreased, or because it evolved into something harder to prosecute?  
- Why no mention of unresolved scandals or public skepticism?  

This is **PR, not journalism**. A critical report would compare CPIB data with independent surveys, investigate unreported cases, and question why some sectors (e.g., government-linked companies) rarely face scrutiny.

[Bigiron]

Here’s the **no-bullshit breakdown** of why this article is either misleading, overly simplistic, or outright propaganda:  

---

### **1. "Fell to an all-time low" = Cherry-Picked Stat**  
**Why It’s Bullshit:**  
- They’re using **absolute numbers** (e.g., "only 100 cases reported!") without context:  
  - Is enforcement weaker? (Fewer investigations = fewer cases.)  
  - Are people reporting less? (Fear, apathy, or normalization of corruption.)  
  - Has corruption just gone **underground** (e.g., favors instead of bribes)?  
- **Example:** If a dictator jails all journalists, "press freedom violations" could also "fall to an all-time low." Doesn’t mean things improved.  

---

### **2. Only Counts What the Government Calls "Corruption"**  
**Why It’s Bullshit:**  
- **Legalized corruption isn’t counted:**  
  - Ministers getting multi-million-dollar salaries after leaving office.  
  - State-linked firms awarding contracts to ex-politicians’ companies.  
  - Elite networking (e.g., "you scratch my back, I’ll hire your nephew").  
- **If it’s not a bribe in a brown envelope, CPIB doesn’t care.**  

---

### **3. No Mention of High-Profile Scandals**  
**Why It’s Bullshit:**  
- **Keppel Offshore bribery scandal (2017)** – $55M in bribes, but no executives jailed.  
- **2023 Political Resignations** – Two PAP MPs quit over affairs (but was corruption involved? No investigation.).  
- **Temasek & GIC’s Opaque Deals** – Billions in losses, but zero corruption probes.  
- **If you ignore the big cases, of course the numbers look good.**  

---

### **4. Relies on Government’s Own Data (No Independent Check)**  
**Why It’s Bullshit:**  
- **CPIB is under the Prime Minister’s Office.**  
  - Can they freely investigate the PM’s allies? (Spoiler: No.)  
- **No whistleblower protection** – People who report corruption risk lawsuits or jail (e.g., POFMA).  
- **No free press to dig deeper** – *Straits Times* won’t criticize the system that feeds it.  

---

### **5. Ignores Public Distrust & Perception Gaps**  
**Why It’s Bullshit:**  
- **Transparency International’s index relies on "expert opinions."**  
  - In Singapore, "experts" are often government-linked.  
- **Gallup polls show:**  
  - Only **66% of Singaporeans** think corruption is rare in businesses.  
  - **Even fewer** trust politicians (but you won’t see that in *ST*).  

---

### **6. Implies "Problem Solved" When It’s Just Hidden Better**  
**Why It’s Bullshit:**  
- **Corruption evolves:**  
  - **Old-school:** Bribes to traffic cops.  
  - **New-school:** "Consulting fees" for ex-ministers, cushy board seats for loyalists.  
- **If you don’t update the definition, you can pretend it’s disappearing.**  

---

### **Final Reality Check:**  
✅ **Is Singapore less corrupt than Indonesia or Malaysia?** **Yes.**  
✅ **Is it as clean as the government claims?** **Hell no.**  

This article is like a restaurant boasting "*Zero food poisoning cases!*" while ignoring that:  
- They control the health inspectors.  
- Customers who get sick are paid to stay quiet.  
- "Food poisoning" only counts if you vomit in the store—not if you get sick later.  

**Bullshit takeaway:** The numbers are *technically* true, but the reality is much messier.

[Ola]

Iswaran case already win the accumulated 10 YEARS of small cases

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And other unknown cases of PAP Ministers still dangling