GE2015 – Triumph versus Despair 塞翁失马，焉知非福

The PAP and its supporters had cause for celebration with the shocking victory in the GE 2015 results. On the other side of the fence there was shock, despair and hopelessness. Not even the most optimistic supporter or analyst of the PAP camp could envisage the kind of success and margin of wins. 10% swing, many winning more than 70% of the votes, closing in to the 80%, taking one SMC back, not losing new GRC and almost taking back Aljunied, were too good to be true.

Contrary, it was a debilitating blow to the opposition camp and those expecting a further weakening of the PAP’s grip onto power and the impending loss of at least one more GRC to the opposition. The shock wave was too shocking for anyone to bear. There was an unusual quietness on the morning of 12 Sep. You could see it on the faces of many citizens. They were lifeless, something really horrible had happened the night before and no one was in the mood to talk about it.

The contrasting mood could not be missed by anyone. The GE and its results were furthest from anyone’s lips. They were in no mood for anything and talking about the GE was the last thing in their minds. All the hopes and expectations of a rubbing for the PAP camp and the resurgence of new faces from the opposition camp in parliament went up in smoke.

What should the PAP read of this unusual reception of its stunning landslide victory?  They have won 70% of the popular votes is the truth. No one can deny that. But why the gloom and doom among the electorate? No doubt the PAP would be gloating, the best result ever happened and it was the sign of a better future for the people and country. SG100 would be good, can only be good, with the majority of the people putting the cross of approval on the PAP’s box.

To many, the GE was a non event, did it happen, was there a GE? Life goes on as if nothing had happened. This must be the strangest thing to happen after the routing of the opposition camp. The absence of people on the streets in celebration and the joy of a hard fought victory were not there.

What is happening? The people in despair, the losers, must be in the minority, 30% or lesser. Why is the mood of despair and despondency so infectious, spreading across the population even into the victor’s camp?

I am still trying to figure out this phenomenon of a victory without the spirit of joy and jubilation. All those who were talking to me excitedly before the GE were wearing  a face of stony silence, still in a state of shock I supposed. Maybe I am just paranoid, seeing things that no one is seeing. Can anyone explain this? Is it real or am I imagining, that everyone is celebrating except me, and jumping in joy,  I am the odd man out? Must be another uniquely Singapore thing.

Shinzo Abe’s mischievous intent

The Japanese govt is on the verge of passing the new security Bills to allow Japan to go to war. Abe and his supporters’ reasoning, China is getting stronger and more aggressive, it is thus necessary to rescind the pacifist Constitution so that Japan can now go to war with China. Is this reasoning real, valid, logical and sound?

The pacifist Constitution does not prevent Japan from building its so called ‘Defence Force’ to the current size that is second only to China but an even match in terms of technology and weaponry. The pacifist Constitution does not prevent Japan from defending itself against any attack by China or any country. The right and ability to defend Japan against a foreign invasion are never compromised under the pacifist Constitution.  In addition, Japan is protected by the American nuclear umbrella and defence treaty that should China or any country attempts to attack Japan, the Americans would be obliged to come in to defend Japan. China or any country is no match to the Americans and would be naïve to conduct such a grave act. Japan’s national security is never threatened under the pacifist Constitution. The Americans have all the reasons to want to stop China from attacking Japan in their own interest.

What is changed with the new security Bills is that Japan can now go to war anywhere in the pretext of defending an ally. In other words, Japan wants the right to go to war again, to conduct wars like it did in the past, not the quoted threat from China. The new security Bills will put Japan on the same war path as Imperial Japan, to be another aggressive country that would resort to war as another form of diplomacy.

The pacifist Constitution forbids Japan to send it soldiers to fight outside Japa when it is none of Japan’s busines. This is the intent and the motive of Abe’s new security Bills, that Japan will be like the Americans, free to go to war with any country under whatever excuses and pretexts. The blood of a warlike and aggressive people is showing itself in Abe and his supporters.  Japan wants to go to war, wants to conduct and engage in wars of aggression.

Are Singaporeans still migrants?

Are Singaporeans still considered as migrants? The next question, do they still think they don’t deserve to be owners of this island and willingly giving it away to foreigners? If Singaporeans today still think that they are migrants and do not own this country, they are a shame to their forefathers for giving them this island only to be taken away from them without resistance.

Are Singaporeans that daft to give their countries away just because they were told they were descendants of migrants and foreigners who are more talented than them should own this island, because Singaporeans are daft?

Why are foreigners given pink ICs so freely and given the right to take over their island home? Do the Singaporeans have a say in this? Do the Singaporeans think they should have a say to say No? Do Singaporeans think it is so easy to own a piece of island they can call home? Think how many Europeans died killing millions of Red Indians to call North America and Canada their homes? Think how the Australians and New Zealanders got to own their countries and called the new land home, I mean the European Australians and New Zealanders?

Think how difficult it was for the colonized countries in Africa and Asia and other parts of the world to take back their countries and fought for Independence? Look at how difficult it is for China to hang on to their claims to little pieces of rocks in the South China as their territories? Look at how the other Asean countries are trying to counter claim for these islands?

Are we giving our island home away to foreigners willingly, with our consent, or with ignorance? Do Singaporeans only regret when they are chased out of this island before they wake up to their stupidity? The signs are all there, foreigners coming to replace them in good jobs, to beat them, to fight for places in schools for their children, to gang up to discriminate against Singaporeans. And Singaporeans are so lame, not doing anything. Some foreigners even openly claimed to want to take over the island and chase Singaporeans out of the island.

Do Singaporeans understand what the meaning of country and home, your own country, your own home? Would Singaporeans have to fight for their independence from foreigners again? Would they stand a chance or would it be too late when that day comes? 

Singaporeans today take it for granted that this will be their home and their country. They take it so lightly even with half the populations making up of foreigners. Have they ever thought what would it be like when they become an absolute minority and with foreigners seizing power and taking control of their country and their lives?

No, it would not happen? It happened several times in the past. Not to happen again? Singaporeans better wake up, stand up and stop any govt from giving their country away to foreigners without a fight. The mindsets of the foreigners are not as naïve as the silly Singaporeans. The way they are protecting their own kind to exclude Singaporeans in jobs in a sign of worse to come. They are not as generous, magnanimous as the daft Singaporeans who stupidly think the foreigners would think and behave just like them, share their country, homes, jobs and wives. The foreigners would take everything and kick the Singaporeans out of the equation.

What do you think?

Tharman – Theoretically will never become the PM

In my pre GE article I put up a scenario that if the opposition could win 30 seats, there is this remote possibility of Tharman making a move to unseat Hsien Loong to become the first Indian PM of Singapore. That scenario is based on the assumptions that Tharman has an ambition to be a PM, that he would not be a PM as long as Hsien Loong is around and in the pecking order there is Chee Hean above him. In order for him to become a PM, he has to engineer a split in the PAP at its weakest moment, that is when its popularity is at its ebb when the opposition could win 30 seats. When that happened, Tharman would have a bigger bargaining power if he could win 20 or so PAP MPs to his side. He could then ask Hsien Loong to step down or he would take the break away group to form a coalition govt with the 30 opposition MPs.

With the landslide victory, the situation is totally changed. Hsien Loong has received the best endorsement he ever had, with a 70% popular vote and wining another seat from the WP. Also, the winning margins were huge and WP nearly lost Aljunied. With this convincing win, Hsien Loong’s position is strongly entrenched. No one can ever think of removing him. A split within the PAP is now even more remote.

Hsien Loong would be very comfortable sitting through this term for the next 5 year. By then Tharman would also be in his mid 60s, would be considered too old to be a PM and a younger PM would be in line should Hsien Loong decided to vacate the premiership. He could go one for another term.

Under the present scenario, there is no way for Tharman to be the first Indian PM of Singapore short of a miracle. Maybe that is the destiny of Tharman. Sorry Tharman, tan ku ku.

Malaysia red shirt protest rally

Yesterday Malaysia celebrated Malaysia Day in a different manner. A group of Malays donning on red shirts and calling themselves the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu took to the streets to assert Malay dominance in Malaysia. They wanted the minority races to know that they are guests to the country, there are only allowed to live in Malaysia under the grace and generosity of the Malays. Malaysia belongs to the Malays.

The protest rally came about in response to an earlier rally a month ago called Bersih 4 calling for a clean govt after the 1MDB incident. Though that protest was attended by all the races, including Mahathir Mohammed and Muhyiddin, and the issue was corruption, it has been interpreted or turned into a racial issue. It becomes a Chinese and Indian insult to the Malays and Islam and Malay dominance in Malaysia.

The protest march in the centre of Kuala Lumpur was intended to move through the Chinese majority districts and Bukit Bintang where past racial riots were at its worst. It was a show of force to intimidate the Chinese and other minority races not to trifle or insult the Malays. How the Bersih 4 protest against corruption can become an insult and challenge to Malay rights, dominance and Islam is only a matter of politicking. And the protest was very real, tension very high, fear was everywhere. The threats of another racial riots and bloodbath were clear and imminent. Credits should go to the police to keep the protestors under control and not to break into another killing field. Businesses in the district were at a stand still, all shops closed.

The Sultan of Johore has taken a very strong stand against promoters of hatred and instability. He warned anyone trying to do it in Johore that he would deal with the agitator personally.  ‘Anyone who creates disharmony and spreads hatred here by promoting racism, will have to deal with me personally.  Take this as a warning. This is not the stone age, do not be ungrateful – the Malays, Chinese and Indians all played their part. Johor Darul Ta’zim is home to the Malays, Chinese and Indians; they are Bangsa Johor.’

Looking from across the Causeway, Singaporeans must be very grateful that we don’t have to face such threats and tension every now and then. The non Malay Malaysians must take this incident very seriously as to how far they could go. Race and religion are highly sensitive issues that can be hijacked and turned into an inflammable political issue. All Singaporeans must also not to take the good inter racial relations for granted. New citizens must also take note of the effort the govt and Singaporeans have put in to keep racial and religious harmony as a top priority agenda in this city state. The govt also must take note that keeping 4 major ethnic communities living peacefully is not an easy task. To add into this mixed pot with more diverse ethnic groups from all over the world would risk creating more troubles down the road.

Singapore is good as it is. Tempering with the concoction that has stabilized over the years by adding more inflammable mixes into it would ensure a very unstable future. Don’t be stupid to think that race and religion are so easy to handle and manage. They are age old ingredients for wars among people, ageless.

The new political profiles of Singaporeans

With the experience and hindsight of this GE I would like to re classify the Singaporeans into 6 categories. The Seniors, the Young, the New Citizens, Thinking adults, the Fun Loving and the Ideal Singaporeans.

The Seniors, this group is quite easy to please. Look at their vulnerabilities and you can actually understand the kind of stimuli they would react to. Not much thinking required. They are old, unemployed and without an income, what can you expect them to do when they have little or no savings? They have returned to Maslow’s first level of needs, to survive, food and shelter. Yes, throw them the meat or crumbs and they would chase for it. The Pioneer Generation Package is the perfect gift and motivating factor to this group of Singaporeans. Throw in Medishield Life and a quarterly stipend from Silver Support Scheme for life and you have them sewn up in the bag.

The Young is not too difficult to please either. Tell them a good story and a good ending and throw them a big party and promise them a great future, a futuristic Singapore where they can indulge in Star Wars contraptions and romance. They love a good adventure of modern gadgetry and living in space or underground. These are the generations of Sci fi and wi fi and a good lie. The SG50 party was enough to win them over. They would be looking for the good life in the future.

The New Citizens. This group is easy to please too. Coming from little villages of poorly managed and disorganized and dysfunctional societies, and countries when nothing works, when living is to rough it out with nature and garbage, this island is paradise to them, where they can make their dreams come true and be clean, everything is clean and orderly in this island. Our streets are cleaner than their homes. Our shopping malls and MRT stations are more comfortable than the best homes in their villages. They will die to come here. Being here is already a great incentive and reason to die for. Oh, there is also the super rich in this group too, running away from high taxation, why not, and can throw their weights and punches around too.

The fourth group is thinks a bit and always doubting when snake oil salesmen went on their rounds saying every will be fine, especially in the long run. This group consists of the cynics, those that would not take things at face value, not easily persuaded or conned, but always doubtful and never satisfied with the status quo. This group would always be the minority and odd man out, and could simply be ignored. They are too small and inconsequential. Often their stories of a bad endings were ignored. Many would eventually flee the island. Oops, I mean migrated, not as quitters I hope. They are the pain in the arse type, very hard to please.

The Fun Loving. This group can be seen during the GE hustings, attending rallies after rallies, for fun. They just enjoyed the speeches and theatres as entertainment. They are harmless and without depth. These are superficial people that have nothing better to do than to attend political rallies to amuse themselves. They are the ‘chiat par’ and nothing to do type, like the socialites in the aristocracy but belonging to the middle class, not the elite class.

And there is a final group, the Ideal Singaporeans. This group, not sure how big, can think and understand what they want. They want a govt made up of politicians that are honest, men and women of impeccable integrity, no ‘how seow’ type of politicians, serious talks, and very intelligent, and would not indulge in mud slinging or underhand tactics. These are people who understand logic and good reasons and will vote for good people and good govt. Not every citizen is thinking and intelligent like this group though all thinks they could think and reason like this group of Ideal Singaporeans.

So, which group do you belong to?

How relevant is international experience?

‘Mr Chan said companies which set up headquarters in Singapore look for people who know the regional market in Southeast Asia and can connect with the international market as well.

"They need teams of people who have the global and regional perspective. They don't care whether it's a Singaporean or non-Singaporean, that's the blunt truth, they only care about whether their team has the global perspective," noted Mr Chan, secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).’

The above is quoted from an ST article dated 27 Jul 15.

I think this is a practical advice, go for your overseas exposure to earn that spur to compete with foreigners in Singapore. Without the international exposure, you don’t stand a chance against the 3^rd World villagers that came here to work and claimed Singapore as an international experience. To these villagers, Singapore  is big city and they can go around flashing their working experience here. Does working in Singapore for Singaporeans mean anything? Or does an American or British who had worked in New York or London meant so much difference from Singaporeans working in Singapore? Would someone from Mumbai, Manila or Shanghai coming to Singapore be more advantageous because they already got experience in their home countries but no experience here?

What if a Singaporean is working in a local firm or MNC whose business is local, in Singapore, like a ‘chai tow kuey’ company or kopitiam? What about local banks/businesses when the operation is all local with local clients? Do they need international experience like working in London and New York? Must a Singaporean seeking a job in a local bank whose business is here needs to compete with a foreigner, like a New Yorker or Londoner, and lost out because they had worked in the two big cities and coming to work in a local bank here, whose business is here? Would he also lose out to someone from Mumbai, Manila or Shanghai? Is local knowledge and experience more important for working here?

I am just asking questions about this very important criterion called international experience as a badge of honour and a rite of passage. A MNC operating here, doing business here, would it be more advantages for the organisation to employ Singaporeans with local knowledge? What is the relevance of working experience in New York and London, when the businesses and customers are Singapore and Singaporeans? What is the advantage if he comes from Mumbai, Manila or Shanghai?

Actually I dunno the answer. I only hear people said got international experience must be good.  Do we need our politicians to work in London and New York or for that matter in Jakarta or Medan to make him a better politician? At one time everyone said must have a MBA then good. Does an organisation need to hire an MBA to run his ‘chai tow kuey’ or kopitiam store?

Please enlighten me? If international experience is that important, we better recruit our politicians from New York and London.

By the way, when all the talents are coming here to make their fortunes, why are we telling our PMEs to go overseas to make their rupees and rupiahs? And why are we issuing so many employment agency licenses to foreigners to bring in foreigners to work here and putting our Singaporeans at their mercy? Our country, jobs in our country, Singaporeans need to beg foreigners running recruiting agencies for job placements and allowing foreigners to tell the Singaporeans that they preferred to bring in foreigners, because foreigners best and Singaporeans no skill sets?