If you hadn’t heard, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan wrote a lengthy Facebook post yesterday on what he thought about the Singaporean government’s attitude toward gaming.

In the post, he referred to their attitude as “schizophrenic” and called the government not to be a “Jon Snow”. He cited the censorship of two games – Mass Effect and Counter Strike, as a telling sign on the government’s willingness to “arbitrarily ban” video games.

Most interesting was a prediction in his Facebook post. Based on what he read from the article, Mr Tan believed that the government would be doing something soon for Pokemon GO in particular.

Naturally, many news media outlets reported on the vocal CEO’s comments. Some even went so far as to quote his comments as being disparaging to the Singaporean government. This prompted him to write another Facebook post to clarify his position:

“I’m generally happy with how the Singapore govt runs things – I think they’ve done a great job in general actually – but that doesn’t mean I’m going to suck it up when they suggest inane things like monitoring or censoring games.”

That should be the same for everyone else. Just because someone speaks out against something doesn’t mean they are unhappy or ungrateful for everything. It simply means that there’s a place that can be changed to improve the whole situation.

Currently, knee-jerk comments on current events often gain so much momentum that it becomes public opinion – and that’s just sad.

Why are anti-government sentiments still being thrown into the mix of complex, well-formed arguments about trying to manage and possibly regulate a fledgling industry in Singapore? Development-wise, Singapore is no powerhouse in gaming, and our consumer market isn’t exactly huge.

My conversations with the guys from game developers Witching Hour Studios and Sparkjumpers often share the same concern areas: not enough talent, not enough support. It’s unfortunate that Singapore’s gaming industry has yet to bloom, given that it is currently flourishing in other countries.

Like what Mr. Tan is suggesting, consumers are responsible for their choices. Instead of simply shifting responsibility to the government, people should start talking and start taking ownership of what they will, and are, consuming.

Read also: Fans eager for launch of Pokemon Go here, but trespassers beware

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Pokemon Go fever

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Reuters, AFP

A six-month pilot scheme is under way to see if the wait at bus stops can be made cooler and more comfortable for commuters, even in Singapore’s sweltering heat.

Since last month, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been testing out the use of electric fans at five bus stops, and is studying the feasibility of installing them at others, The Straits Times has learnt.

“The fans aim to improve ventilation at the bus stops and provide commuters who are waiting for their buses a reprieve from the heat,” an LTA spokesman said in response to queries.

Commuters can activate the fans using switches, and the devices will be powered to run for 15 minutes at a time.

The bus stops with the fans can be found along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, near Ang Mo Kio MRT station; Block 270, Bukit Panjang Road; Serangoon Road near Tekka Centre; Block 302, Tampines Avenue 2; and Tiong Bahru Road, near Tiong Bahru Plaza.

These bus stops were chosen for the pilot because of the higher levels of commuter traffic.

Bus stops of different heights were also taken into consideration, to test different types of fans, the LTA said.

For example, at the high-roofed bus shelter along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, bladed oscillating fans are mounted on pillars to provide more coverage, while at the low-roofed bus stop in Tiong Bahru, linear-type fans are used instead.

The LTA said the trial will be evaluated based on commuters’ feedback on the effectiveness of the fans.

The electric fans are part of the authority’s ongoing efforts to improve the commuter experience at bus stops. In January, another trial was launched to improve the display of arrival timing boards, through the use of electronic paper (e-paper) technology.

Such technology, which mimics the appearance of ink on paper – similar to e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle – is being tested out at information boards at 11 bus stops.

As for the fans, commuters interviewed said they provide a welcome respite during the hot weather, or when the bus stops are crowded during peak periods.

Madam Mary Goh, 60, a retiree, also pointed out that letting commuters decide when to switch on the fans is a good idea.

“It will help save electricity, especially when there are fewer people at the bus stop, like during the night,” she said in Mandarin.

But polytechnic student Awad Ruzaini, 18, suggested automating the process.

“Instead of switches, how about sensors which can detect people at the bus stops, so the fans turn on automatically,” he said.

This article was first published on July 26, 2016.
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