Do the Singapore rap
Civil servants are generally staid, conservative and rock-solid people. As a result, they are perceived as being dull, humourless and lacking innovation. Attempts to break the mould, in the interests of making Hong Kong's civil service more approachable and in touch with the needs of the people it serves, have mostly failed. There is hope, though, and it comes from an unlikely source: Singapore.
I recommend that our colourless officials, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen foremost among them, check out a video posted on the internet homepage of the city state's Media Development Authority, the government branch responsible for censorship and promoting the growth of media. In its four minutes and 34 seconds, they will find a valuable lesson.
The offering, that has also found its way to the video-sharing website YouTube, shows the suit-wearing authority's senior management rapping words of wisdom to a hip-hop beat while swinging their hips in time. Their performances are gob-smackingly terrible and the lyrics unimaginative.
Reactions from viewers have been mixed. Many found it cringe-inducing, while a distinct minority have praised it. Recent YouTube postings include: 'What a waste of money'; 'I like it - you need a lot of courage and a young heart to do it'; and 'Amateurish in concept, poorly written and performed.'
Singaporean gay rights advocate Alex Au told me he was 'flabbergasted' when he set eyes on the video. Not being a fan of the authority - it prevented him from putting on public display a collection of his photographs showing same-sex couples kissing - he might be expected to be less than enthusiastic about the statutory body. The authority, he determined, was Orwellian in its outlook and language, and he detailed a list of other decisions to back up his claim, including: banning a video game because of a scene in which a woman and an alien female kiss; the pre-screening of offerings for a poetry reading; and the editing of movies.
Mr Au may be right about the authority being out of step with global practices, but he is not so accurate when it comes to how it uses language, if the video is any guide. From the opening chorus of 'Yes, yes y'all / We don't stop / Get creative, can do, rock on', the conservatively dressed officials show that, although middle-aged, they do have a sense of humour.
You see, what the critics do not understand is that this is not a serious attempt by the authority's senior management to show that they are hip and cool. Rather, it is self-parody.
The authority's communications director, Cassandra Tay, explained that the video had originally been shown at a staff conference in April 'as an informal and light-hearted way to communicate our future directions for the media industry, with the production quality pegged accordingly'. It was so well received that it was screened in the office reception area, and to new staff, and bundled with an interactive annual report.
'We are amazed at the response and pleased that much discussion has been generated, and we hope this will raise greater awareness of Singapore's media industry,' Ms Tay told me.
I venture that the idea has generated far more discussion and achieved its aims much better than the silly effort by InvestHK with its 2005 offering of businessmen dancing on the roof of the HSBC headquarters to the band Queen's hit We Will Rock You. This is one instance where Singapore has got one up on Hong Kong.
The reason has nothing to do with the merits of the Singaporean video. What stands out is the underlying concept of trying a daring and innovative approach.
Rhyming a few words, well or poorly, and then speaking them to a foot-tappable backbeat, is not difficult. Shaking your hips while doing so is a natural instinct.
Singapore has already come up with the idea, so copying it would not be innovative. Nonetheless, our officials have to do something about sprucing up their image and that of our city.
Dare I suggest a break-dancing competition?
Peter Kammerer is the Post's foreign editor
