4/21/2011
What is my motive?
I have proven myself to be one of the top legal eagles in the world. I am well regarded in the USA and in China, Hongkong and Taiwan. I have made my millions and I could go on making millions as a foreign talent in the US, China or any where in the world. I am following the advice of our MM, to venture abroad when our talents are well appreciated and in demand. I can consider myself as a successful Singaporeans in every way.
I have made my money. Money is no longer important to me. I am looking for a higher calling. I am coming home to serve my country and my people, on my own volition. I am coming home, to give back to society, to my country who have given me so much in my younger days, good schools, good education and a good place where I grew up and made many friends.
For what I am going to do, I have no chance of making the kind of money I am getting if I were to stay overseas. And I may not even be given a chance to serve the people if they do not want me. There is not only no guarantee that I will be given a chance to serve, I may face a lot of obstacles in my path. For a start, people may question my motivation, as if I am eyeing for the multi million dollar income. I can tell to go to hell. I have all the money that I need and I have proven that I can make more. And if money is all I wanted, it will be better for me to continue to do what I am doing in Shanghai or in New York or London. But home is where I choose to be. I am bringing my family home, to grow my family and serve my people.
Serving my people is a higher calling than just making more money. What I will be getting as an allowance is really peanuts, without being rude. Some of my friends think I am crazy, a successful world class lawyer, and I give up all that to come home to be questioned on my integrity, my sense of duty, with my family and private life being displayed in the open for people to rubbish. I also know how brutal and unforgiving the politics of my country is from the experience of my predecessors.
I must say that I am a bit disappointed. But I also believe that the people will understand what I can do for them, to work for them and the country. I believe the people have the wisdom to know what is real and what is unreal. I will let the people judge me for what I am. If the people want me, I am willing to serve them at the best of my ability. I am offering my service to the people and the country. I shall let the people decide.
PS. This is just what I would like to hear from Chen Show Mao. He comes forward without the need to be invited. He has the passion to want to serve. And he knows that losing can mean total destruction of his life and career, even his family. No secure and comforting coat tail to hang on. The risk is just unacceptable to many good people to want to come forward. What more do we want from him?
And what is the motive of people asking for his motive?
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24 comments:
The way I look at the issue is, had Chen joined the PAP, it would have been a different kettle of fish. They would have praised him to high heaven, used him as an example to show that talents still come home to serve the people. Another great personal sacrifice, they will be touting.
Because Chen choose to be in the opposition camp, and with his talents, they are very afraid of his eventual rise and set an excellent example for even better opposition candidates in the years to come, while the PAP continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel for clones that are hardly doing the country any good.
I pity this country for beating down people who may really want to serve and make a difference, instead of inducting mostly elitist thinkers who understand nothing about issues on the ground and are nothing more than yes-men or women just making up the numbers to bully the opposition.
"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit..." Mr Chen is that grain of wheat who is prepared to die to self and come forward to serve knowing the life ahead could be very tough. What a great Singaporean! Kudos to Mr Chen...you have all my respect!
Hi Daniel, welcome to the blog.
From an observer point of view, like anon has said, Chen's act is a great sacrifice. He has everything and everything to lose. He does not need to come into the fray and risk being destroyed.
Why would he want to do that? It is simply passion. He could just whisper to a few ears and he could be invited for tea. But he does not want to take that road.
He is his own man.
Respect. Yes. His presence has moved the ground.
The way they destroyed those credible opposition candidates able to stand up to them in the early years, and you understand the kind of political system we have and what that is leading us to.
It is just like the hunting and killing that lead to the extinction of some animal species. Do it too relentlessly and we may not be able to find another talented being left who is willing to serve.
The result is what we are seeing now. The talented have been decimated and harassed into giving up. The less talented have to be tempted by massive amounts of money to come forward, and they want guaranteed entrance into Parliament by the easy way, by standing in a GRC on a PAP ticket.
In the end, those that are devoted do not come and those that come are not devoted.
Sad.
Much sacrifice on Chen Show Mao's part.
BUT, to say he has much to lose personally if he is 'disqualified' or lost in the Election is not an accurate interpretation.
For One who's wanted internationally for his talent, pissing him off from the Land is one talent too much to lose. And other similar talents could be just as pissed off with shenanigans in the Leadership.
Does the State wants to drive away the true talents of the Land? Yes, if they are despots.
patriot
Hi Patriot,
There is nothing to do with the state. The state is non animate.
In the eyes of some people, the "problem" with Chen Show Mao is that he did not;
a)first volunteer to work in an "approved and recognized" grassroots organization
b)wait to be "recognized & approved" for his "talents".
c)go through a prescribed "grooming and mentoring" process.
c)Instead, Chen Show Mao used his initiative and ventured out into the world on his own.
Gaining merit and recognition on the international stage.
d)This is not the way talents/elites are discovered in Singapore.
Chen Show Mao is a "black swan" event under our current "talent spotting" system.
I think if Mr Chen joined the PAP, he would be attacked for not being in Singapore most of his life, and people would question his intentions and integrity.
Similarly if Ms Tin had joined the opposition, everyone would say how great it is to have a young woman so dedicated in grassroots work step up and serve the community. They would point to her husband's job and say that the PAP cannot even recruit PM's PPS' wife.
Everyone seems to think that it is tough to put on the uniform of the opposition. It's just as tough if you put on the PAP's uniform. Everyone just "whacks" you and questions every good intention you have.
My point is that going into politics is tough either way. It's not a waltz in the park, and the truth is that there are many crazy people out there. I know that some people vandalised a PCF kindergarten with swear words. It was not a kindergarten used by the PAP branch.
About 10 years ago I used to root for the opposition, but nowadays I am very disillusioned by some opposition supporters and their antics. I have also given PAP a chance, and I will say that the MP that I got to know is a very sincere and honest man. A bit slow in getting things done, but concerned about his constituency.
So I guess you can say that I'm rooting for the PAP to win in this specific constituency. As for my own constituency, I don't think I will vote for the opposition there. RP is not yet ready to be taken seriously.
Go ahead.
What do you get from joining current party in power? More than 3 months of bonus; huge pay increment despite asking everyone else to cut back on salary increment and just concentrate on productivity; $500+ each to buy ergonomic chairs to cushion your ass in the office; huge pay package; say the wrong thing and not be sued but just have explain it off as "tongue in cheek or stand corrected"; if things go wrong or terrorist escapes then just fire someone else cos you're paid salary equivalent to corporate senior management but not the same responsibility as corporate senior management..the list just goes on.
What do you get from joining opposition? Possibility of being sued, made bankrupt, low pay, criticized or questioned by mainstream media for being a foreigner who chose to convert to Citizen and served NS (while mainstream media sang praises to someone who became citizen but don't have to serve NS)..and the list goes on.
So here's the question: What is the real motivation to run as opposition despite all the hardship and setback? Answer: PASSION to be a real Servant who fights for the people, knowing that what you put into is more than the returns that you'll get (with servant pay).
In other words, do we want people who are overpaying themselves, and apparently shirking responsibilities and pushing the blame for mistakes to subordinates, while taking credit where it is not due?
The tactic of explaining away mistakes is becoming habitual and more frequent, while accountability is practically absent and their arrogance getting more pronounced, knowing that they will stay on against all odds.
Knowing that more of those people are being inducted to inherit the cabinet, do we really want more of them? Have we had enough?
It is up to you.
Many PAP members cannot understand why Chen is joining opposition politics. The concept of nation before self and public service without monetary or career benefits is alien to them. A normal person cannot be doing what Chen is doing right? Their leadership set an example and their followers, well, just follow. Chen carried a sg passport since 1986(?) completed his NS without fuss. His parents are here, his friends are here and his family will soon be here. It is reasonable if there is concern about Chen's ability to relate to ordinary singaporeans but in questioning Chen's motivation, the PAP is shooting its own foot as the people start posing the same question of its slate of glass candidates.
thomas
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Even if he does not win,
his presence is already an asset to Spore.
all those buggers high up
in pappyland always ask Sporeans to form networks with PRC etc... but this guy already got all the connections to get things moving. You want to understand the Chinese and how they do business, this is the guy.
What more can I say.
BTW, I saw him taking MRT the other day. You can see picture on WP facebook and TR facebook. He is a humble guy.
Hi modernburrow and thomas, welcome to the blog.
The issue we are discussing is more about ethics and fair play. We must demand that politics be a contest of respectable and honourable people vying for the people’s support to manage the country. We cannot afford to let gangsters, pimps and prostitutes to run the country.
Chok Tong said yesterday that he hoped there will be a clean fight in this GE. Yes, a clean fight, not a dirty fight where everyone starts to throw shit and with shits in their own hands. We shall watch and see which scoundrel starts to behave like scoundrels and broadcast it to everyone, hopefully, the scoundrel will lose his seat and his reputation as an honourable individual.
The attack of Tin originated from a video that put her in a very bad light. Not many would want a cute little girl to be their MP. I hope they could apprehend the culprit and expose him. It is hitting below the belt.
The questioning of Chen’s motive is just as ugly. It insinuates that he has bad intention. Do they mean that all the other candidates have good motives just because they stayed here longer than Chen? By now the people are very clear who has good or bad motives.
Let’s hope that politics can move up to a higher level of play by responsible, honourable and decent people. We cannot have thugs and pimps running the country.
Whenever I read and think about foreigners in Singapore and the feelings of alienation by Singaporeans, I am reminded of a book;
"The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by English historian Edward Gibbon.
Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decline_and_Fall_of_the_Roman_Empire
Excerpts as follows:
"According to Gibbon, the Roman Empire succumbed to barbarian invasions in large part due to the gradual loss of civic virtue among its citizens. They had become weak, outsourcing their duties to defend their Empire to barbarian mercenaries, who then became so numerous and ingrained that they were able to take over the Empire."
Hi Modernburrow, I see you are trying to be objective. I am also trying to be as objective as I can. Good sense must prevail at the end of the day. I hate vulgarities and all kinds of vandalism and name calling.
I too was an ardent supporter of PAP for many years. I have great respect for our early leaders who fought hard for a good life that we can inherit.
Many things have changed in the last 10-15 years. They are fundamental changes and cannot be ignored.
Extremely high salary of cabinet ministers, high HDB prices, overwhelming influx of foreigner workers (not FTs), lack of transparency, lack of political accountability when things fail, political dominance by a single party, consistent elimination of opposition political leaders and intolerance of differing views are fundamental impediments that work against the building of a whole class, democratic society.
I am also aware that there are some good PAP candidates who stood up for the poor and the underprivileged – Dr. Lily Neo and a few others. There are some within the PAP who perhaps have held differing views but because of the party whip they have not been able to do more for the people.
You see, the macro aspect of running this country is certainly far from ideal. It makes no sense to vote in a candidate of that party who subscribes to these ideologies. The party’s manifesto is one thing. You have to see what actually happen during the years when the ruling party carries out their work. Their work bears true testimony of their manifesto not the written ones.
A world class parliamentary system must have an equally world class opposition. There is much a world class opposition can do in parliament – to provide checks and balances and to voice up issues that are otherwise conveniently swept under the carpet, just to name some. We have not come to such a stage in our national development yet. We know competition brings up the best in all of us. The PAP knows this.
So I hope we will not just look at things on a micro scale. Let’s get the big picture correct first.
When someone you don't know gives you a speech and implies that he is on a 'higher calling' to serve -- watch out.
If he adds that 'money is not important to him' -- secure your home and family, and hang onto your wallet. The robbery will be starting soon.
Matila_Singapura, thank you for your wisdom. I had wished you did try to insult this man. He has done nothing wrong yet, why cast such doubt on him?
Daniel:
I have trouble understanding what you are saying..however I will respond.
Mr Chen didn't say 'anything' wrt to this article. It is redbean creating a hypothetical scenario to judge Mr Chen. Mr Chen is of course the one giving this hypothetical speech.
Also, it is a better idea to judge/ doubt/ disagree with a person's claims -- not attack the person himself. i.e. you take the claims made by a person, look for 'evidence' to support their claims, and then call BULLSHIT when you find they are making all sorts of unwarranted and unsubstantiated claims.
Resumes to me are unimpressive. I have never seen a bad resume. Resumes are based on taking every so-called 'success' in life and placing them in a favorable light in order to 'back up' the persons identity. Big fucking deal. Resume is essentially a 'sales pitch'.
Personal attacks on people are not arguments. They are more in the realm of 'entertainment' and therefore more like 'sport'.
Hi Redbean;
Sorry, but ethics and morals in sg elections is an alien concept to me.. I have been attending election rallies back when it was held in the carpark at Raffles Place; nope, no ethics and morals then, non today! A free and fair election in sg has gonr the way of the dodo:-)
thomas
Hi thomas,
Agree. We can only hope that it can be cleaner. And the scoundrels be exposed and be whacked by the netizen soldiers of fair play. Let them be embarrassed.
Dear Mr Chua;
the State is indeed inanimate and possibly claimed by some Singaporeans that It belongs to them. However, it is the duty of the Citizenry to have the State run by members with integrities.
If the citizens remain indifferent to the State Affairs and allow themselves to be led by the noses without questioning the Leadership, the lifeforms in them are no better than woods and stones.
patriot
The time is now. The apathetic and reticent citizens are standing up. Just look at how they stretched their hands for the opposition candidates in the heartland you will know that they are ready to embrace a new era.
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