A little wisdom from the wise ones

For many years many people were wondering why the stock exchange of a financial centre, aspiring to be the top financial centre is Asia, is allowed to go on a self destruct mode. Don’t agree? The SGX is in the pink of health? Again, I love to resurrect George Yeo’s famous comment, what you see from the outside, everything is so perfect but is not real. Some would say the stock exchange is doing fine, damn bloody fine, with the latest technology, the most expensive computers, the newest tricks in play, and a top foreign talent in charge, things must only go right. Or maybe I quote another eminent, look at the long run, the pains today would be worth it, like how we suffered in the early years of nation building and being rewarded today. Everything will be fine in the long run. It is all in the schemes of things.

All those who are in the stock market business know very well that the market has collapsed. And no one knows why or wants to know why. The broking houses are encouraging their clients to trade in foreign markets, not to touch this dying market of inactivity. It is like a cemetery in the day. I too have been scratching my head wanting to know why. And when the experts also claimed that they are clueless, paid millions to be clueless, you should know why.

I raised a few obvious observations. I was told that they knew what they were doing. I did not get that. Few day’s back, met a businessman who spoke the simple plain truth. When they do not want your business, it means there are vested interests involved and there is no need to hit your head against the wall. Go around it, yes, like trading in other markets. The various parts of wisdom are coming together and making sense now. And this morning a blogger put in this comment in my blog, ‘RB, u smoke some pot is it. What inquisition? No way they do lar why slap your cheeks for what? Tio Bo?’

It makes good sense, the situation is getting clearer. The people may be screaming their lungs out crying foul. But nothing will be done. No way. Just to mention a few, the influx of half bakes and fake foreigners to replace Singaporeans, you really think they don’t know? Why is there inaction? The CPF issue, high cost of living issue, the wasting of public funds on scholarships for foreigners, the replacing of the academics in the academia with foreigners etc etc. You think they don’t know, they are stupid?

And Zuraidah Ibrahim in her morning article said scholars are not smart. I must say I totally disagree with her. The scholars are damn smart. They know exactly what they are doing, and what they would not do or should not do.  The only problem is that the laypeople did not know what is their agenda?  They have their agenda that may be different from what the people want, or they have different priorities. It is not nice to say they have vested interests.

Mao Zedong was not an exceptionally brilliant man. He was a librarian. Ok, this is subjective as a person without a string of degrees from the best universities and branded as a scholar can also be very brilliant. Mao Zedong, despite many huge errors he committed in his last few years as a ruler, is still revered and highly respected as the founder of modern China. Some outsiders like to condemn him as a murderer and the obstacle to China’s modernisation. The Chinese people know best. They are the beneficiaries of what Mao Zedong did for them and for China. It is a long story.

Would our elite, the smart scholars, please don’t be dismissive to say they are not smart, be revered and respected by the generations to come? Or would they be condemned for selling out the country and people? Only history will judge them. There is one big difference between Mao Zedong and our elite. Mao was doing what he did for China and the Chinese people. There were some exceptions, he is not immortal. Oops, our elites are also doing everything for Singapore and the Singaporeans. You can have your contrary opinions.

Why is Singapore heading in a direction that the people are so exasperated and very angry about? Is it that the people are stupid, or is there something else? Why are the smart elite allowing the country to slide down a slippery road of no return? Of course they did not think so, like the CPF thing and the influx of foreigners thing, it is all good for the people and country. Have faith.

What would the wise ones said?

Kopi Level - Green