10/14/2013

Traitor and betrayal are loose words

Lately the words like traitor and betrayal have been loosely popping out from people’s lips and also in social media. Anyone that has said things or done things that are perceived to be unfavourable to the citizens or country will be slammed with such a tag. It is not nice to be branded with such a title and neither is it good.
 

In the past, politicians too have been called traitors or for betraying their parties by speaking out against party policies or interests. Such hateful comments are not good for the victims and also reflected badly on the people who mouthed them. You don’t simply call another person a traitor or for betraying country and people loosely like some assholes accusing people of racism or xenophobia.
 

With the internet allowing more freedom of speech, oops, I forgot the govt also has to be merciful for this right of expression, more things will be said and more people are likely to be stuck by such wicked labels.
 

Ngiam Tong Dow has become the latest victim. Some has said it openly, some implied, some might said it behind closed doors. Ngiam Tong Dow was an establishment man. He held the highest office in the civil service, a top notch civil servant that rubbed shoulders with the power holders. He walked the corridors of power.
 

His latest revelation of some of the inner thoughts of our leaders and the antics of politicians and civil servants are not being taken lightly. It is very serious matter for telling ‘state secrets’ that were once privy only to the inner circle. Ngiam has in some ways retracted what he had said. Whether he regretted or not is a separate issue. It was a very uncomfortable confrontation and a very uncomfortable Ngiam. He spoke and looked like he was chastised.
 

Was Ngiam also been called a traitor, or for betraying the establishment for saying his piece? Or has he been accused of biting the hands that fed him? There is a conflict of loyalty and obedience. Should Ngiam value the interest of the country and people more than the interest of the party and establishment? Or did he betray anyone or any interest group?
 

Ngiam was first and foremost a civil servant, someone who is paid by taxpayers’ money. He was not paid by someone’s Ah Kong’s money. He pledged loyalty to the country. If what he said were for the good of country and people, he cannot be a traitor or be accused of betraying the people or country, or can he? Who is to judge him and to accuse him of such deeds if any? On what basis?
 

Even if there is a conflict of interests between country/people and party/govt, the former shall override the latter. The interest of people and country must supercede all sectarian and party interests. I hope no one will dare to cast such blemishes on anyone who speaks up for the good of country and nation, and people. Tio boh?

PS; Patriots and loyal citizens sound better and more appropriate. Tio boh?

40 comments:

  1. Talk no use. Comment no use. Ngiam should try to become a leader of a party that can contest 100% seats at the next election.

    Only then will 60% respect such a party and vote for it. Then Ngiam can become the PM. Then got use, tio bo?



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  2. Ngiam should have kept his mouth shut.

    If not, at least he should have praised the PAP as a competent govt, like what Low Thia Khiang did.

    And some more Low Thia Khiang is leader of the strongest opposition party! Who is Ngiam? Not even a opposition member, let alone a leader. Any different from RB, in this regard?


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  3. By eating back his own words, I have lost my respect for him.

    I will not listen anymore to what he said in future.

    And definitely not even vote for him, even if he become opposition candidate.

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  4. will mr ngiam be the same mr ngiam after this episode.....

    will he go up to 'liang san' to join other heros......

    will mr ngiam stands
    for next president election on his own or....

    will pap present mr ngiam as their preferred president candidate.....

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  5. @ anon 9.43 am: // Talk no use. Comment no use. Ngiam should try to become a leader of a party that can contest 100% seats at the next election.

    Only then will 60% respect such a party and vote for it. Then Ngiam can become the PM. Then got use, tio bo? //



    Tiok!

    Very Tiok!

    Jing Jia Tiok!

    Very the Tiok Tiok!

    Anyone of the calibre or near there is likely galvanise huge support and backing from the masses.

    This is sthg that Loong chong "elites" would not like to see happen and quite unnlikely to happen lah!

    Odds is probably "1 in 5.5 million".

    If happen means kanna Toto Hong Bao 1st prize S$10 million plus liao! :))))))

    Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!

    Another "Santa Claus" coming, this time to "patronise" sinkies ....... ?

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  6. Lao Ren Yuan ResidentOctober 14, 2013 10:32 am

    Ha Ha, he went up the mountain and came down a changed man.

    Either he met the devil or the angel depending on how you look at it.

    Either way, he should just keep his mouth shut, enjoy his retirement, prune and smell his roses and watch his grandchildren grow up.

    All the best to him. He tried to make a difference but...........

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  7. I'm sure big boss told him, "Wait i cut your pension than you know." They can always dig up his past and also cook up something."

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  8. Ngiam's original comments were his impressions of the present vs the past. Not being able to provide evidence to back up some of his points on the present doesn't mean they are not true, considering that he still gets inside info through his ex-colleagues.

    His retraction to say the least double-confirms that truth hurts so much for the power that be to influence him to DO SO OR ELSE. Ngiam under the circumstances had no choice but to do so as others before him had done too to live and fight another day - ie retract.

    The bottomline is that, truth be told, the retraction actually reinforces his first comments on how pathetic things are today in the G's leadership. He is not alone on what he had first commented.

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    Replies
    1. What's there to be present in the meetings to have evidence???

      People not blond can see and feeled the difference of the past and present crop of cabinet ministers.

      Comparing heaven to earth (hell)

      Delete
  9. The real traitors are the ones who are resistent to the necessary changes which must be made for the good future of the cuntree.

    Singapore is too awesome to go to waste by ways of outmoded neurotic ideas which are more the products of xenophobic emotion than evidence-based argument.

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  10. What did you runaway? Quitter!

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  11. Unsure the reason for changing his version, but I will taken the very first story as true story!

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  12. Run away? Of course not. Why? Singapore very awesome...people are beaking their legs trying to emigrate here. It is a high demand place.

    I am enjoyibg the lush surroundings of Tanglin. I had breakfast at a delightful little cafe in Tudor Court, and then did a pleasent walk to the cafe strip in Dempsey Road for late morning meeting via a slow detour thru the absolutely gorgeous Botanical Gardens.

    Sure, emigrate from Singapore if youy are so inclined, but keep that pink NRIC bro'. Run away from Singapore? Nuts lah. That would be self sabotage. It is so easy to make money in Singapore, plus the taxes are low. Some more got plenty of nice pussy to bang. And you can get rolling drunk and be SAFE.

    Awesome city lah. Only idiots quit this place.

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  13. By speaking out against the govt, I do not see Ngiam as a traitor. He did not betray his country or the people.

    By mass importing millions of foreigner into our country to replace the aging citizen, the govt has betrayed the people and the country.

    Ngiam is like a typical senior civil servants - strong on words but weak on deeds.

    He lack the courage of conviction to be a strong leader.

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  14. I don't know why Ngiam wanted to comment negatively about PAP govt in the first place.

    To what effect?

    He think he can change PAP? He is no blogger like RB, and did not the join opposition.

    Anyway, after this episode, I also don't want to hear from him anymore.



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  15. He is no blogger like RB,...
    Anon October 14, 2013 2:49 pm

    Even blogger like RB so what? Can change PAP meh?

    Even Gilbert go Hong Lim Park under hot sun so many times also cannot change, let alone go online.

    Just look at the turnout on 5th October, you know Sinkies even lost interest in Hong Lim Park already.

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  16. Haha, you joker. You want to change the govt by being a blogger? Siow.

    Blogging is for entertainment like what Matilah said, and some free kopi also. And sometimes let go a few farts to release the pent up gas.

    If you don't have any expectation you don't get frustrated when things did not go your way.

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  17. Mr Bean you old wolf you :-)

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  18. botanical gardens my arse. matilah is slogging at the lowest ranking university in australia, teaching dumb students who can't get into the other 30 universities down under.

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  19. Emotical Admirer (─‿‿─)October 14, 2013 3:46 pm

    @ anon 3.30 pm// Mr Bean you old wolf you :-) //


    Ms Anon 3.30 pm you old foxy you :-)

    ;)

    (∩_∩)

    ---------Oooo---
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    ------------)--/----
    ------------(_/-
    ----oooO----
    ----(---)----
    -----\--(--
    ------\_)-
    -----------Oooo---
    -----------(----)---
    ------------)--/----
    ------------(_/-
    ----oooO----
    ----(---)----
    -----\--(--
    ------\_)-


    (✿◠‿◠)


    (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


    ≧◉◡◉≦

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  20. Actually, if you analyze NTD's "apology", you would see that he has learned from the govt on how to apologize without really apologizing.

    He said that he had not attended any of LHL's cabinet meetings and so it was UNFAIR for him to conclude that the ministers dare not speak up. Nothing said about those yes men/women.

    Reminds me of the incidence when Winston Churchill was censured because he had said that half of the members of this house (meaning the British Parliament) are idiots or drunkard good-for-nothings (or words to that effect). He was asked to apologize and retract his statement. He stood up and apologized by saying "OK, I was wrong, half of the members are not idiots."

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  21. Hi Emotical Admirer, you are so clever. I will be your admirer too. Now, how do you know Anon 3:30 is a Ms?

    And The, you know what the lawyers did in court? They would say the darnest thing for the judge to over rule and to tell the jury to ignore what was said.

    I have a challenger as an old fox: )

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  22. @338:

    I don't have to slog in Arse-trailer any more, unlike my younger "immigrant" days 25 or so years ago.

    During Asian Currency Crisis 1997 and SARs 2002-2003 everybody's backside tear, sell their houses cheap cheap. Like I said, I like to buy cheap cheap, and I will bargain to make it even cheaper (i.e. I take advantage of the situation. Psychology lah). If you are in distress and need to sell your valuables to get much needed cash, I am your friend :-)

    So now everything is super duper high, and I am not at all worried. Just waiting for another big crash which will wipe people out like a deadly epidemic. Then I buy cheap cheap again.

    As for Australian university: dun waste your time lah. Study in the USA -- still the best place for education and opportunity, provided you include ASIA in your plans.

    Like most people, I am tunes to the universal radio station : WII FM aka "What's In It For Me?" aka self interest, profit opportunity, no profit, no point. To benefit from a cuntree, you must know how to EXPLOIT opportunities, or create situations you can EXPLOIT to gain a nice self-centered PROFIT. I am in Singapore because I can EXPLOIT situations for personal gain. Similarly, I live in Arse Traier to EXPLOIT the quirks in their systems, again for my own selfish personal gain. No, I don't do favours. I also do not consider myself "compassionate".

    Most people think this kin of attitude is "evil" or "toxic", and I am here to tell you they are wrong, and probably jealous. We all have one life, and perhaps not 100% choice and control, but enough autonomy and independence to make something and enhance value -- without going "Tolong tolong" to the govt or some religious authority for "help" in every little insignificant problem.

    That's why I think Singapore ROCKS. I meet so many people who think along the same lines as I do -- both local and foreign, and all in the PRIVATE SECTOR (where the fun and profit is).

    Many of us (local and foreign) are here for merely fun and profit. Shocking? Get used to it. Face the painful truth. We are not "patriots". We are here for self interest. But self interest has a way of making sure the place really is STABLE. That's why you have a stable government, stable economy, stable society -- all because of SELF INTEREST -- call it kia su or due diligence...the same thing..

    There are very few places in the world you can have both. Singapore has a great business environment to make your pile...and it has clubs like Pangaea at Marina Bay Sands to spend it all on high-maintenance, super-expensive and mouth-watering women...but you'll have a rocking awesome time, and when you grow old, you'll have fond memories of your younger days spent in pleasure instead of working like a fucking slave ;-)

    At the end of the day, no one gives a shit about protests at Hong Lim. The action is in being a success in this meritocracy, and being able to afford to live well because:

    Living well IS the best revenge!

    Got hard truths?

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  23. You thinking being patriot or citizen no need to think self interest?

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  24. Yep, being patriots and citizens are also about protecting their self interests and protecting what they have from being sold out for the self interests of those socalled you know what and you know who.

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  25. Breaking news
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-12/indian-nationals-court-abduction-sexual-assault-charges/5018450?section=act

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  26. Was Ngiam Tong Dow speaking truthfully?
    And the people mentioned by Ngiam - If you have done nothing wrong ... then why are you so scared that the whole world knows?

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  27. It's pretty interesting here, specially when u get mat all hot up, all his words becomes colourfull, can't help poking him now and then.

    I actually went matilah hunting just now, couldn't find any bald headed funt, lets have wine if you're still in town, red bean you are invited as well....demsey road is it?

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  28. matilah is not at dempsey now. it is still term time where he's at. you might find him at dempsey during the christmas break or in march next year. anyway you wouldn't want to meet him, he'll bore you to death and he can be quite dangerous. he has mild schizophrenia and a black belt: a deadly combination.

    Here's a little present for Matilah. A quote from Kung Fu Monkey: Ephemera 2009 (7) by John Rogers:

    There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs, dwarfs and elves.

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  29. 'Living well is the best revenge'

    What revenge does one that goes with the flow have with anyone?

    Somewhere and somehow, one got lost in the plot..

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  30. Mr Ngiam Tong Dow will have music sooner or later.
    The System does provide some predictability in the Way the People operate.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Let's Go For It With No Looking Back AnymoreOctober 15, 2013 6:55 am

    @ anon 14 oct 9.43 am
    " Only then will 60% respect such a party and vote for it. Then Ngiam can become the PM. Then got use, tio bo? "

    Actually, a deeper analysis might reveal that the real support among voters could be far less than 60%. Why?

    This 60% figure basically is 'boosted" by some wards where the opposition candidates are at best a last minute " make shift " outfit hastily assembled or fairly weak candidates. As such, obviously the support at wards such as AMK, Jurong, Pasir Ris, etc are near the 70%. Assuming better slates were assembled, likely the support level probably would witness a drop of 10-15% in such wards.

    It is possible that the number of good quality candidates might increase by at least 50% in the near future. Assuming the papayas quality remains the same ( which has a possibility of dropping given many with some conscience likely hesitate to join their ranks ), then there is big chance that the support probably is going to be below 50%.

    Some are still doubtful about this scenario but at this point, the conclusion probably has been tilted in favour of the deserving side.

    This time round, last min handing out of " sweets " and " candy bars " may not work anymore.

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  32. My reading is that the picture is not very pretty for the ruling party. The result of the next GE is going to be good at all.

    There are so many failed policies and unhappiness that would be played to the fullest in the election rally run up for sure. What you are seeing is only the tip of an iceberg of discontent.

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  33. Don't Live In FallacyOctober 15, 2013 8:33 am

    Actually relying on so called best talents money can buy globally to formulate policies and packaging may only works on some occasions.

    It is insane to think money can buy good policies generally and governance climate. Talents that money can buy arguably belong to the private sector. It is motivated by profit motives, material wants and cravings which global talents have a chance to succeed. Running a political system is a ball game whereby another big part of the outcome is not and cannot be decided via paying big bucks for the best available global talents.

    It is probably a mystery that some rulers don't see this logic and reality and still continue to pay big bucks for so called global best talents. How would such people know what the masses are thinking?

    It is no wonders that some off springs of many elites chose to stay on overseas after finishing their studies. Coming back may mean being end up paying the price for some of the deeds of their forebears if the rising tide sweeps away existing powers.

    Obviously, it is not difficult to see this potential eventuality.

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  34. Agree. In the commercial world, the motive or goal is singular, profit. In govt, profit cannot be the only goal. There are many other goals to take into consideration.

    A govt runs like the private sector on profit alone, is easy to run, but will fail, definitely, as many things are contrary to profit and opposed to profit. There must be a great balancing act between profit and the good life for the people.

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  35. Revenge? Has this guy done someone wrong? Gulity complex big time. Man.

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  36. His long winded defense and boastful self justifications, it is more like persecution complex...BIG time.

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  37. And by capping it with the grotesque salary only make things look so ridiculous and obscene.

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  38. Some folks are born to be traitor and betrayor just like it is their nature.
    Such folks are incapable of regret, correction, repentence and remorse.
    Swear and curse have no effect on their conscience.

    patriot

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    ReplyDelete