Stop this gutter level of arguing over the SCS issue

I FOUND it shocking for this respected paper that a column — written by its newly appointed executive editor, Chin Wong — has gone to the gutter level of discourse over an important national issue: our disputes with China over control of South China Sea areas. I don't know where he got the temerity to accuse me and others who have not toed the US anti-China line of being mercenaries paid by Beijing to disseminate our views.

He has been able to do this in an underhanded manner through his column's writing style, which has long been banned in serious journalism and used only in spoofs and comedy skits. This consists of fictional conversations that put words in the mouths of people who are not named but are quite easily identified by readers or the audience.