11/24/2005

singapore has resurrected an australian hero

drug trafficker nguyen tuong van is the latest australian hero, with compliments from singapore. probably his photo will grace the cover of the times magazine or all the popular magazines in australia. the australians may even build a monument in his honour, dying for australia. australian drug traffickers are now world famous. the australian people are all behind them, in the courts of singapore and jakarta. soon the world will get used to australian faces as synonymous to the new breed of drug traffickers. the world may see a new version of opium war between australia and indonesia. hail to the great australian empire!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

During the Asian battles with the Japanese, I vividly recall a chapter that a small bunch of Aussie troops (about 2000) fought bravely down to the last man in such skill and courage that it won the respect of the Japanese foes.

That drew my most sincere respect towards the Australians.

It may not be known, but Australians and SE Asians do have such a subtle connections in the tide of happenings that goodwill between Singapore and Australia must be upheld at all cost.

It might not have occured to them, and Singaporeans, Australians, although are whites and sometimes anti-outsiders, are meant to be ally to us and is an important entity in our region/neighbourhood.

We should acede to their request because we should not hurt our good relationship because of a criminal's life...

But that is provided that Australia can provide us an assurance that in doing so would not let the world think that anybody can smuggle drugs under the blessings of another nation, especially when Australia is not a dishonorable nation sheltering vices and thugs...

In a way, Australia should understand that Singapore perceives Australia as a well-run entity upholding good values and is a good ally. And there is no need to go wild all over due to a criminal.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

between the two countries there are more than enough mutual interests to let a criminal to mess up the relationship. howard's government is now undersieged by a vocal public supported by the media and with the opposition party trying to score some points.

they have to appear to do enough to fight for the man's life. they have done their job and things will have to take its natural course.

there is no way that the singapore govt can cave in to the australian demands without losing its credibility. it will hurt many people and countries should the decision be reversed. and the australia shall understand that no country will surrender their sovereign rights to some vocal protest unless there is a valid reason to do so. at the moment there isn't any.

to reverse this decision will see the singapore facing an endless strings of demands from foreign govt in the future. this is a road that they cannot afford to take. if lky could turn down suharto, and hanged two indonesians, how could they not hang a drug trafficker? we live by the rule of law.

Anonymous said...

The crucial part is this case is allowed by Howard on an 'anti-death' (anti-humane) motion instead of protray or countering so that Australian image cannot be tarnished by a political move to harbor a thug/smuggler.

But here, it depends on whether Howard sees it professionally political enough to do it cos if the Australians are nationalistic enough after years of good nation building, this won't be hard to understand that it is picturing Australia as unreasonable and problematic in such workings as much as if our great government has virtually little hope dealing with Durai and such but can go all the way kissing Elfred's life on his Education, NS, career, and even marriage.

What should be done, the Australians cannot do. What should not be, they are making all the noise. But here, what are they telling the world?

They fought bravely. Their ancestors left such legend behind that gain such respect from myself... but I find this generation throwing those honor down the drain by refusing to think.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

every issue you will find supporters and those who are against it. it is unfortunate for the aussies to miss the point and try to make a criminal a rallying cause.


howard is a politician and has to play to the gallery. he could not behave like our politicians and say game over, lets move on.

that is australian political culture.

Anonymous said...

I have to frankly disagree with that. Mr Howard is not only a politician, he's heading a government.

If going with the crowd without thinking is what's expected, then he shouldn't be a leader, heading Australia, he should just be another helpless follower.

Everywhere is the same for politics. A political leader who simply follow the ass of some culture changing nothing that should be changed, protecting nothing that should be protected is just wasting everybody's time.

People said Singaporeans are fools. So, should our political leaders ensure Singaporeans remain fools in the eyes of others? Is this conforming to reality or being realistic politically?

Now what should Mr Howard be doing in this case? And he's going to meet other world leaders in (eg) summits when he cannot even handle such a minor internal issue of his charge and wanna make it an issue concerning sovereignty?

Well?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

in politics, sometimes the leader leads and people follows. sometimes it is the other way.

no fixed rules on this. in this particular issue, the sentiment is quite strong and howard has to be careful not to ignore the noise.

Anonymous said...

I was expressing my deepest disgust with a mainland colleague's comment about Singaporeans are uncompetitive and hence cannot make it as the mainlanders in Singapore.

A HUGE bunch of craps claiming we rely on parents and the state where we can't even locate a job!

Her looking down on locals is impressive. Totally unreasonable.

How in the f**k people don't wanna be independent!?

What f##k offering these foreigners opporturities (to look down on locals)?

We have our own internal problems whereby even the top can't even realise the huge unhappiness down here, and don't realise how to understand why.

This Howard ignore all the right noise and chap all the right ones. A perfect case of incompetent leadership he'd choose to show.

We have so much problems in Singapore, I hope our leaders realise they can't be as incompetent as such.

And yet, sovereignty becomes an issue!? Actually, it's outright Australia's internal problem. Singapore should keep quiet and proceed to liaise with Australia on the basis that their government calm/handle their people, not Singapore explaining and trying to convince Australians.

Perfect political issue about international relations. Sovereignty in this case should be the last single entity to be brought up. The reason is this, if such tiny thing can threaten/affect/brought upon soevereignty concern, then what about other more important issues?

Besides, it's plain clear Mr Howard's going to be the one to restrain those movements. If he can't, either he'd invade Singapore or all nations Australians protest against and go the Australian way, or simply tell the world he's prepare to retire.

It's as the debate on Local Poor with huge assets. It's a very stupid thing to do. Very pointless. This protest shouldn't be international level, this debate on poors' asset is pointless cos it's obvious poor is poor.

Anonymous said...

I ain't going to Australia...

It's as if jumping out of one hole into another.