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3/24/2009
A Govt in a Forbidden City
Over the years we have seen more liberalisation in the economy and financial industry. The reverse is true after new and more stringent laws were enacted yesterday on Film Acts and Control of Public Demonstration, in the political arena.
Why is there a need to keep increasing govt control of the people and public demonstration? Is there a perception that there will be more demonstrations and the demonstrations will become more serious? The new laws point to such a scenario or perception. Will we see more barriers be erected around the Govt or Parliament House and the Istana? Would these eventually lead to a physical wall around them and even guns and barb wires?
A govt that keeps protecting itself from the people, and barricading itself behind laws and walls will end up holing itself inside a forbidden city. When such an eventuality becomes a reality, it is a sign that the govt is no longer with the people. It will be a govt that is afraid of the people. And the fact is that no govt can hide itself behind high walls and barricades even protected with guns.
The most powerful wall that can protect and safeguard a govt is the Wall of Hearts and Souls of the people. Such an invisible wall does not divide but protects the govt by the people. It is not a govt against the people but a govt with the people. In the past, our ministers could walk around and mingle with the people freely.
Today, the body guards are everywhere, shoving and pushing the people with their hostile looks, very familiar with the outings of a triad boss. And even ordinary MPs are being threatened by the people and attacked by the people.
How and when have we reached this state of being when ministers and MPs are afraid of the people? They are the representatives of the people, elected to look after the people and should be loved and respected by the people. Why the protection, news laws to control the people, dishing out freedom to the people as if the freedom of the people is for the govt to give? Who is the govt representing? Who elects the govt?
Where are we heading?
'They are the representatives of the people, elected to look after the people and should be loved and respected by the people'
ReplyDeleteIs that the brutal truth? I believe more than half of them are not elected and went in by the back door.
As for love and respect, they are earned and does not come with the job and position.
Lost Citizen
Mr Redbean;
ReplyDeletethe Government is creating more jobs when they employ more security men. The same goes to building barricades, protective walls etc. That said, must agree that security men need not look so ferocious. No reason why they cannot look gentle though need not be friendly looking.
Our leaders are much feared by the citizens and I do believe many avoid going into their paths. Those attacks that happened to the leaders are signs of desperations, I do not believed the attackerswished to get into troubles. They simply lost their senses.
Respects must be earned, however disrespects and hatred are similarly induce by ones' deeds
Good points. Excellent post. The pap Leegime has lost the plot and is clinging on to power through skillful manipulation of FEAR. Very negative way to run a country.That is why despite our economic advancements we are so backward in so many other areas like creativity of our people, social grace of our people. Time for real CHANGE.
ReplyDeleteMight they not be preparing for the day when the MM leaves the scene permanently and they foresee mobs roaming the streets in celebration of their new found freedom?
ReplyDeleteWould there soon be a law passed to issue personal weapons to all govt MPs in case they have to defend themselves?
Such scenarios are a logical what's next in the way the govt seems to see things!
"How and when have we reached this state of being when ministers and MPs are afraid of the people?"
ReplyDeleteI assume this is a rhetorical question ... but in case it isn't: This is of course natural in a system where you are not really free to choose your leaders.
simple answer:
ReplyDeletebecause their heart are not with the people.
and people are starting to realise it.
redbeans - good country is prepared for mob, when it starts, not you or me can control mob. They can practice and practice for that one day -see it in positive lights. It for the mob.
ReplyDeleteNo ,government dont fear the people. Government worry there is no good real ppl running when mob starts.
Having said, scholars are paid to be on the ball and do thier job. Scholar taking extra precautions is good for country. Unless they starts suppressing individual freedom; distorting truths; constant liars; runing dog for a few individuals or advancing one man's quest or self-interest.
When mob starts, the city can be ruin in a sohrt time. Right for govt to harness up. See it in positive light.
The biggest threat are not the physical barricades erected. It is when press are suppressed, reporters are muffled. When ST are run like a govt agency, it is a threat.
ReplyDeleteThere are no news in ST. ST is dead?. Car reviews are on Porches or etc - its like drugs, makes you dream. Who cares if Fandi wife falls down (front page) when billions are lost or old man/woman are hungry on the streets; when a student's effort goes unnoticed.
When Town council money are spent to sensational and advance an aspiring model's career like some trash magazine. When govt agency starts giving free paid overseas trips to select few. When all these waste goes unnoticed by ST and when press lost is teeth, the physical barriers were erected by constituents who voted them to put it up. Strange but true, the stronger the hands of the oppressors, the more the constituents loved them.
Latest ST front page - thumb tacks on bicycle wheel plus picture. Can you beat it you need to pay those blokes in ST thousand of dollars in monthly salaries to report such trash. This is the real barriers.
Were you referring to the Last Emperor in Forbidden City? Thousands of years of history were lost along with it - in such times it more like billions of dollars lost. Money lost not a big do, just money.
ReplyDeleteSigns of time is up. He was an advocate on letting young ones lead - look around you now - where are the young ones?
It tough for the Emperor.
actually i am worried that they are building more barriers to keep a distance from the people. we are a very small country and we should be very close, between people and govt. building barriers is bad.
ReplyDeletethe people in govt are people who live next door to the people. and after an election, they may no longer be in govt and be people again. we should maintain the closeness between people and govt rather than two separate class of people, the ruler and the ruled.
as for TOM, it is an inspiration to me. it always provoke me into thinking what to write.
Just a ? Have you seen the posse of gun-toting security men who surround the US president, wherever he goes? And isn't the US, "the land of the free and the brave"?
ReplyDeletehi auntielucia,
ReplyDeletewelcome to the blog.
i agree with your observation. but we are different. we are family, all singaporeans.
the us president is the world's biggest gangster. he has been going around starting wars and killing innocent people.
no comparison. actually we are stil very safe. many of the ministers and mps can just walk anywhere alone and people will acknowledge them and shake their hands. we are a civilised society, very law abiding.
and our politicians are not gangsters.
Acknowledging them and shaking their hands doesn't mean anything. SM said so when he toured Hougang during the last election. The sincerity wasn't there. It was artificial.
ReplyDeleteTalking about love and respect reminds me of the late President Wee Kim Wee. I do not know him personally, but he certainly was loved and respected, even though Singaporeans knew he was appointed by the regime itself.
So, it is not correct to say that anyone connected with the regime had been given the cold shoulder and treated at arms length by Singaporeans. Singaporeans can see, feel and judge. The late President Wee was sincere, humble and could feel the pulse of the common people. That was his strength which enabled him to bond with the people.
We also had great respect for the late Yusoff Ishak, Dr. Benjamin Sheares, David Marshall and also Ong Teng Cheong for his tenacity.
But now the bond and trust between ruled and rulers in Singapore seems to be growing ever wider. Why and what will this lead to?
Why is it that in China the leaders are gaining more respect from the Chinese population? They must be doing something right.
Lost Citizen
over there, i was told the leaders put the image of themselves as servants to the people, the people are the masters.
ReplyDeletethey have reformed and transformed very quicky, hence personal freedom there today is better than most countries. many of the traditional customs still practised over here, they are already non existent in china. compared to them, we are slower by alot.
china deserves the pole position and adulation, the unprecendented way they thrusted into the limelight from dirt poverty, needless to say the chinese leaders are more brillant and imaginative than any other. they have achieved more, are humble. that they are being paid a fraction of ours continues to puzzle me.
great observation. it is moving forward while we are moving backward, politically.
ReplyDeletewhat u said is not without merits, but our elites seemed blinded to this. if they wanted to remain in the comfort zone, it is only human nature. that we are better off than naypyidaw or pyongyang must be the ultimate confirmation bias for them.
ReplyDeleteChina is obviously leaving Sinkapore way behind. I visited Shanghai's stock market in 2001 and was shocked to see old ah pek and ah sohs playing shares real time directly from the computers provided by their govt at their Stock Exchange.
ReplyDeleteSinkaporeans today are still depending on the teletext mode to read the prices and using phones to call their brokers to trade at our Stock Exchange!
Yes, we can console ourselves that politically though we may be in the league of the North Korean Regime and the Burmese Junta, at least we are still ahead of them.
Uncle Luna.
hi uncle luna,
ReplyDeletewelcome to the blog. actually we also have computer terminals in broking houses for ah peks and ah mahs to key in their orders. but our ah peks and ah mahs are either too computer illiterate to do it or too rich that they prefer the convenience of a phone call. no need to get to a computer, switch it on, hunt for the counter to check prices, and then try to key in the order.
the big investors will not use go online to trade.