THE blog is called 'It's where we talk'. But is walking the talk becoming too time-consuming?

Known as the P65 blog, it began as an effort by the younger PAP Members of Parliament (MPs) to engage Internet-savvy Singaporeans who get most of their information online, and who are more comfortable airing or sharing their views in cyberspace.

Why P65? Because those MPs represent the post-65ers who were born after Singapore's independence.

The blog made its debut in October 2006.

The idea behind the blog may never have been more relevant than now, following the significant impact by bloggers on the outcome of Malaysia's general elections last month.

The elections marked the rise and reach of Malaysia's online community, which contributed to the ruling party's loss of its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time since 1969.

While the political landscape is somewhat different here, engaging the young online remains critical.

There were no rules on how often P65 MPs were expected to blog or what they would comment on.

But from some of the entries, it seems that at least half of them are not embracing this tool of communication.

Only about half of the 12 MPs updated their blogs regularly in the past year. And for some who did, the posts were mostly a reproduction of their parliamentary speeches.

Two of the 12 MPs have not blogged since posting their Parliament opening speech in November 2006.

For at least two others, their last entries were reproductions of their speeches in last year's Budget debate.

Could the lack of 'talk' be why the P65 blog may not be as widely known ashoped?

Eighty out of the 100 local youth polled by TheNew Paper did not know about the P65 blog.

Even fewer had checked it out.

Institute of Policy Studies' senior research fellow Tan Tarn How noted: 'Some of the indicators of its effectiveness are how much it achieves its aims. Is it discussed among the young people? Does it get them interested in politics? Does its content get passed round via e-mail?'

He said that the idea of a blog to engage the young is good. But, he added: 'Blogs must be sustained - updated regularly and engaged with the intended audience.

'On those two counts, this blog is not that successful.'

MP Baey Yam Keng, who is one of the more regular P65 bloggers with at least an entry almost every month, said: 'When we started off about 1 1/2 years back, my wishful thinking was that since there are 12 of us, we would each blog once every 12 days. But since then, everyone has taken to it differently. To each his own.'

Since last May, there has been between one and four entries a month.

Last month, when many were tied up with the Budget debate, there was not a single posting.

Compare this with the month when the blog was launched: 32 entries by the 12 MPs.

Mr Baey explained that the blog is not meant to be a burden on MPs who have to juggle work and family as well as grassroots and political engagements.

He said the blog allows him to share his own opinions on current affairs, and to hear others' views.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck, one of the more regular bloggers on P65, defended the blog, saying it has reached out to the youth.

Through his interaction online, he said, he got three young people to volunteer at meet-the-people sessions.

'They were not politically inclined. But we had an exchange of comments. Then they sent a message to me saying they wanted to volunteer, to help.'

Another P65 MP, Dr Lim Wee Kiak, who blogs regularly, except for a three-month hiatus recently due to an increase in workload, said: 'Through my previous blogs, I found good alternative views and suggestions to public issues and policies.

'I have even incorporated some of those views and suggestions in my parliamentary speeches.'

P65 MP Lam Pin Min, whose entries are quite personal, said: 'I get encouragement from Singaporeans at times, and this has been quite inspiring.'

If the blog is serving its purposes for some, and there has been some interest in the blogosphere, can or should more be done?

Dr Lam admitted that finding time to reflect on events and his feelings and then write about it takes some effort.

Mr Baey said that it also takes time to respond to netizens' comments.

Dr Fatimah Lateef, whose last blog was her Committee of Supply debate speech in March last year, said that there are many other ways to reach out, such as through dialogues and forums and the usual block visits.

She said: 'I think MPs have to be versatile and use all channels of communications. Not all 12 of us have to blog all the time. Those with the flair and keen interest can take it on more often, while the rest still contribute.'

MP Hri Kumar said: 'While a blog is one of the many mediums of interaction available, I personally find face-to-face discussions more effective for points to be conveyed both ways, and that there are many opportunities for such discussions.

SOME E-MAIL DIRECTLY

'Further, I have made known to my residents my personal e-mail address, and many have taken the opportunity to write directly to me to raise issues.'

MP Christopher de Souza agreed: 'Nothing beats face-to-face interaction since there are nuances and concerns that can be understood when physically speaking and listening to a person.'

Still, he acknowledged that one should not 'underestimate cyber-communication'.

Mr Teo is optimistic.

He said: 'Every time we blog, it meets our original intent.'

He said that if they had wanted to make the blog popular, they would have discussed controversial topics.

'But what we want to do is to be real. To let them know who we are, know what we think. We just want to share about ourselves, and our views.'