Singapore—Melissa Chen found herself in some hot water recently after Mothership pointed out that an article she had written calling out dangerous conditions in China’s wet markets had actually used a photo of a wet market in Singapore.
But according to the writer, the photo in the March 18 article, published in US magazine The Spectator, had been chosen by the editors of the piece.
Ms Chen, who is best known in the country for her part in ensuring that controversial figure Amos Yee obtained political asylum in the United States, has been fending off criticism especially from Singaporeans since then.
But she says that the negative comments are actually misplaced, and claims she has “probably been the most influential spreader about Singapore’s competency in handling of the covid19 outbreak.”
On March 17 she posted a series of tweets outlining what the Government has done against the spread of the coronavirus, including a video clip, shortly under two minutes, that showed life as usual in Singapore. This is in stark contrast to many places in the world that are under strict lock down measures to prevent further spread of the virus.
Her video clip, filmed by Michael Petraeus (the Critical Spectator) has been seen over 2.7 million times, and her successive tweets also received a good number of likes and shares.
Ms Chen tweeted on March 20, “So all the Singaporean hate mail I’m receiving right now is really misplaced. Not only was that article not about Singapore at all, but they’re also attacking someone who’s done more than anyone else to show the world how Singapore has been successful in managing the crisis .”
So all the Singaporean hate mail I'm receiving right now is really misplaced.
Not only was that article not about Singapore at all, but they're also attacking someone who's done more than anyone else to show the world how Singapore has been successful in managing the crisis
— Melissa Chen (@MsMelChen) March 19, 2020
Netizens, including BBC’s Leisha Chi-Santorelli, called her out on the photo in the Spectator article.
Ms Chen answered her, writing,
Hi Leisha,
I'm sure you (as a journalist) know that writers do not pick the headlines for their pieces, nor do they choose the photographs.
Both of these tasks are up to the editor.
I'm sure a generic stock photo of a wet market was used. The location isn't clear to me.
— Melissa Chen (@MsMelChen) March 19, 2020
Nevertheless, the BBC journalist urged Ms Chen to address the issue
Ms Chen added that the same thing had occurred “with the notorious “Sick Man of Asia” fiasco at the Wall Street Journal “that triggered the expulsion of journalists from Beijing,” she told TISG.
And added that she saw nothing wrong with “with the presentation or the headline.”
And for the record, I see nothing wrong with the presentation or the headline.
Let's focus on the content of the article and not the cosmetics?
— Melissa Chen (@MsMelChen) March 19, 2020
But other netizens were clearly unsatisfied with her answer.
/TISG