Umbrage. A feeling that we as humans will tend to feel at some point in our life, be it among our friends or in a public setting.

Reader: I don’t feel that. I don’t even know what is that word. I have been avoiding the news like the plague.

But you’re seeing the word umbrage everywhere, and the man who made the word viral has responded.

What Happened?

In case you had a 3-day cat nap and are confused about this weird new word that everyone is using, here’s a quick recap.

On 6 May, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) announced its plans to transfer its media business to a non-profit entity in a press conference.

Like every press conference, reporters will ask multiple questions. And some of these questions may push one to the edge.

A reporter from CNA asked how SPH’s new media entity will preserve its editorial independence.

That seemed to ruffle SPH CEO Ng Yat Chung’s feathers and he said, “Honestly, I take umbrage at your first question.”

Do note that the question wasn’t directed at Mr Ng, but rather at the Chairman of SPH. Mr Ng had interjected to teach us a new word.

At that moment, the only question in everyone’s mind is, “What’s umbrage?”

That’s where things start to go viral.

What’s Umbrage?

Contrary to popular belief, umbrage isn’t the name of a certain sports brand.

As stated in our previous article, “umbrage” means offence or annoyance, and when one “takes umbrage”, it means they resent something you said, as they perceived it to be a slight or insult.

In the context of the conference, Mr Ng either took offence at or was annoyed by the reporter’s question on editorial independence, which is why he said he “took umbrage”.

Ng Apologised

Yesterday (8 May), Mr Ng issued an apology.

According to ST, Ng said, “I had stood up for SPH Media’s long-cherished editorial integrity and will continue to do so.

“Being a direct and blunt-speaking person, I apologise for any offence I might have caused and regret any distraction from the merits of the proposed restructuring.”

Mr Shanmugam’s Thoughts

Minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam was asked for his thoughts on SPH chief executive Ng Yat Chung’s comments at a press conference.

“Mr Ng’s reaction, and the way he answered the question, I think was very unfortunate,” Mr Shanmugam said. “His outburst can be described in stronger terms, but I want to be careful and understated, because SPH is a listed company, with shareholders, management, and I need to be careful.”

Featured Image: Youtube (Dy Suna)