MH370 - Can you believe this?

Aircraft Resembling MH370 Found in Warehouse Belonging to CNN

CASA GRANDE, Az. – DEA agents and sheriff’s deputies with the Pinal County Narcotics Task Force made a startling discovery Tuesday while serving a drug warrant that ended in a botched raid. County officials say a typo on the official search warrant lead law enforcement officers to the wrong location, a warehouse in Casa Grande, where, instead of a methamphetamine operation, they found a Boeing 777 commercial airliner and a sedan.

“Upon entering the premises, Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies observed a large commercial airliner parked in the center of the warehouse,” Pinal County’s Chief Investigator Adam Hutch told reporters. “The aircraft in question is white, with a gray underbelly and features red and blue stripes down the middle of fuselage.” Hutch said the plane’s tail prominently displays the all-too-familiar red and blue logo of Malaysian Airlines. Additionally, its registration number, 9M-MRO, matches that of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014.

“Right now we are trying to determine the origin of this aircraft,” Hutch said, adding that airliner was carrying “less than a quarter tank” of fuel. Public records show the warehouse in question is located on privately owned land in the outskirts of Casa Grande and has been on lease to CNN since March 6, 2014. The twenty-four hour cable news channel declined a request to comment from this reporter but Ted Turner, owner of Turner Broadcasting System Inc, the parent company of CNN, told The New York Times that he found the discovery “very peculiar,” and added, “I have no idea why that would be there.”

During CNN’s The Situation Room Tuesday, Wolf Blitzer was pointedly asked by a guest what his thoughts on the aircraft were. Mr. Blitzer blinked several times while staring into the camera before saying, “I’m sorry, could you repeat that? We seem to be having some issues with the mic.” Blitzer, citing “technical difficulties,” began to tap on his earpiece before removing it entirely to inspect it. He began to blow on the earpiece, presumably to remove dust or hardened ear wax, as the segment cut to an unusually long commercial break....

Full text of the above news can be found at:  http://realnewsrightnow.com/2015/08/05/aircraft-resembling-mh370-found-in-warehouse-belonging-to-cnn/

The Evil American Empire continues to provoke the North Koreans

It was reported that the Americans and South Koreans were conducting a large scale military exercise, the Ulchi Freedom, along the North Korean borders simulating an invasion of North Korea. The number of troops involved, 50,000 South Korean soldiers and 30,000 US soldiers. A military exercise of such a scale is hostile on all counts and the North Koreans had condemned it as ‘Such large scale joint military exercises…are little short of a declaration of a war.’ And the North Koreans are threatening to strike back.

And the silly pro American allies and nations would condemn the North Koreans for reacting and shaking their fists. How biased are the Americans and their allies not to condemn the American provocations but put the blame on the North Koreans as the hostile party? Such exercises are held regularly, several times a year, and are claimed to be peaceful, for defensive purposes.

Imagine if a neighbouring country is conducting such a big scale exercise against another country, with the target country be Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore or the USA, would it be acceptable?

The Evil Empire is doing it with impunity today. Their turn will come when they will be on the receiving end one day. What you throw out will come around. It always happened, only a matter of time.

The world must condemn the real provocateur of aggression, the Evil Empire, for provoking the North Koreans and other countries all over the world. The American people must rise to oppose their evil regime from starting wars every where. If they continue to do so, war will come to America, in American soil, to give the Americans a taste of their own medicine.

PS. Thank God the Koreans are not duped into killing each other.

A contest on who committed the most lapses

GE2015 is looking like a contest to showcase which party committed the most lapses under their watch. For the moment it is looking like a contest between WP and PAP as only these two parties have direct responsibilities over the citizens as their representatives. And also a very important point to note, both parties may have committed lapses, but both did their jobs with good intentions, with very decent and upright people, so no crime has been committed so far.

So far if one is to read the main media the there are more lapses committed by the WP than than the PAP. If one is to read the social media, there are more lapses committed by the PAP than the WP. To be fair, it is necessary to look at both media for a balance picture and I did that and find that the lapses are about equal on both sides.

Let me just list down 10 lapses of the PAP, could be more but it would be too tiresome to belabour the point as both parties committed equal numbers. It can be 10 versus 10 or 20 versus 20 or 100 versus 100.

Ok, here are the 10 lapses of PAP not in any order of merit:

1.     Infrastructure not ready for huge influx of foreigners, train stoppages

2.     Need more transparency to know how Temasek and GIC are doing

3.     Losing the Singaporean core

4.     AGO reports on PA’s grassroot organizations

5.     Not returning the people’s savings as promised

6.     PMETs losing jobs and replaced by foreigners with fake or half past six degrees

7.     Shortage of hospital beds and high medical cost

8.     AIM saga

9.     Spending billions to provide scholarships to foreigners

10.                         Signing of CECA

And here are the 10 lapses of WP, also not in any order of severity.

1.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

2.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

3.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

4.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

5.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

6.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

7.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

8.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

9.     AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

10.                         AHPETC – Cannot manage town council

So the score card is 10 versus 10. The people can now judge the merit of the case and how good the two parties are. I could make it 20 versus 20 if the above is not convincing enough.

Oops, I wrote the above last week. Now there are so many new developments about the AHPETC’s case. The managing agent is found to have made excessive profits or profiteering. And WP has been accused of rewarding their friends and supporters with big contracts to make money. This kind of things never happened in super clean Singapore under the PAP. The PAP never believed in rewarding their friends and supporters or profiteering, let alone collecting more money from the people.

Strange things are happening. How can political parties reward their friends, supporters and kaki lang with contracts and profiteering some more? Ask the PAP, their track record is so clean and perfect. That is why they can stand on high moral grounds to poke at WP. Now on one side we have righteous people, good hearted people, immortals, natural aristocrats and nobles and the ordinary not so rich people on the other side. The good side is pointing the guilty finger at the ordinary people. And according to Vivian Balakrishnan, wealthy people are unlikely to be corrupt even when they worked for free.

So, what do you think?

Has the PAP abandoned Aljunied GRC?

Tharman said the PAP’s team or suicide squad for Aljunied GRC has a fighting chance. Boon Heng also said he is quietly hopeful. These are most uncharacteristic of the PAP. PAP always sent a team to win, the strongest team they could gather. What is this talk about a suicide squad? The team, other than super talented Yeo Guat Kwang, is all newbies. Has PAP running out of talent or ministers, or if not ministers of state, to helm this GRC, the fortress of George Yeo and Lim Hwee Hua?

In 2011, the PAP team had two ministers and a minister in waiting. That was the confidence it had then, and thinking that Ong Ye Kung would get an easy ride into Parliament with George Yeo anchoring the team. Now the strongest candidate is the most industrious MP, famous for the 64 appointments he held in Yeo Guat Kwang.  Yeo Guat Kwang is now the leader and anchor of this suicide team, meaning ‘pau si’ team, to go on a mission and not hoping to come back alive.

What would the people of Aljunied think of this team? Is this the best the PAP can afford or willing to sacrifice to take back Aljunied? Or the PAP has already concluded that there is no point putting in a serious challenge? Or is it that no minister or minister of state would want to risk themselves going to Aljunied?

What about Aljunied voters hoping to be represented by a minister? No minister would want to represent them? Has the PAP abandoned them?

What about the daily barrage at the WP failing to do a good job in running the town council? Does the PAP believe that they have cooked up a convincing case to demolish the WP as incompetent? If so, should not the PAP be confident enough to send in a serious team led by a minister to retake Aljunied?

Maybe they are still hoping for a minister to step forward to lead this team. Boon Heng said the team is still not finalised, meaning it can change. Maybe they are tapping the ground and if the feedback is favourable, they will put in a minister. If not, at most they could lose is their most industrious MP whose defeat would lead to 64 vacancies to be filled, and a few newbies that can be the next batch of nomads in the 2020 GE.

This is the first time in the history of the PAP that they have fielded a team in a GE with the presumption that it would lose. How things have changed and how the fortune of the PAP has changed.

If I read Victor Lye’s comment in the press interview, he did not think so. He took the press to task for calling the WP’s team as heavyweights and the PAP team as lightweight, underdog. Obviously he disagreed. In his view the PAP is a heavyweight team and the WP team is not.

I just got this feeling that the writing is on the wall. Aljunied GRC would remain as the WP’s stronghold after the GE. Maybe they would field Boon Heng on nomination day to make a difference. His highly charged emotion would touch many hearts and win him many votes just like LKY’s tears on Singapore being kicked out of Malaysia. Boon Heng’s tears could have the reversed effect, instead of being kicked out of Aljunied, he could win Aljunied for the PAP just like Hsien Loong did in 2011. Looks like Boon Heng is PAP’s secret weapon for Aljunied. A former minister is still a minister.

SG50 Jubilee currency notes – Once in 50 years!

I went to the bank to exchange my old drippy notes for the crispy Jubllee notes. At the exchange rate of one to one it was a steal. I was so glad to receive the new notes and the two folders that the teller apologetically told me dad a printing error in the name of the President. In the folder it was spelt Yusok Ishak instead of Yusof Ishak. I put on a frown to show my displeasure for receiving the folders with typo errors and then asked the teller if I could exchange it for a new corrected copy. The teller replied that it would take some time but as an interim measure they would be issuing stickers to stick over the error and I could go back to collect them when ready. Quite a clever idea, paste over the error and no one will known.

I pretended to be very disappointed and would come back for the stickers.  Quietly I was telling myself how lucky that I could still get the copies with errors in them. For collectors, such errors are not easy to come by and the value of the folders, not the notes, will fetch a much higher price. And this error is not just a once in 50 year error. It may not happen again with this experience. Next time they would get a computer to double check to make sure there would be no human errors in any issue.

For the collectors, they must thank the MAS for this little miracle to enhance the value of the collection. It is a kind of gift to all Singaporeans, the folders would appreciate in value much more than the notes. Come to think of it this could be a kind of Jubilee present for the people, an intended error.

In the kopitiam I was sitting next to a group of regulars all getting so excited about the Jubilee notes. Everyone was so happy with this windfall.  ‘Mo tin tin fat tat’. More votes for the govt for their ingenuity. Thank you, thank you, they echoed.

Then another regular came running and planted himself on an empty seat, panting and looking all excited. ‘I got the stickers, I got the stickers’, he exclaimed. ‘Oh good, show us, we are dying to see the stickers.’

‘Wait, wait, there is a new sticker for the picture of the President.’

‘What?’ Everyone was taken aback.

“Let me explain. They discovered the picture of the President was wrong. 50 years ago, the President was younger and no moustache. So now they printed new photos of a young President to stick over the old ones, no moustache.’

Wow, this is really ‘bee tang’. Everyone jumped up and started to clap. ‘Huat ah, huat ah.’  Now the notes would surge in value many more times than the covers.

I congratulate myself for queuing for 3 days for the notes. Now I am looking at a small fortune.  5 sets of notes, all got wrong photos of the President.  Thank you, thank you.

PS. Hope the dumb asses don’t accuse me of spreading rumours. I must state in advance here that this is only a joke, not true ok. Can take joke or not?

I worried for the PAP ministers

I am sure all of you have heard what they were saying. Were they coherent? I would not want to be rude to say that they sounded gila or in medical terms more like bi polar. I can’t believe that they are normal for the things they said were simply delusional, and they are the best talents of the country worthy to be paid in the millions, fit to run the country for the next 50 years. My only conclusion is that their drinks must have been spiked.

In the last couple of days you have heard Chok Tong’s famous quip about ‘chasing after meat’ thrown by the opposition parties. The people were furious. We are not animals or dogs. And Vivian’s wisdom quote that people who are working but not asking for incentives are either very wealthy or corrupt. Why would he make such a sweeping statement that could offend so many good people who really do community services out of goodness, not for incentives or money, and definitely not corrupt. And all the not wealthy people working for free must be corrupt or what? Maybe he has never met anyone in his life working for free, to serve the community without being corrupt.

Tharman said his half past six team in Aljunied GRC stands a fighting chance against the heavy weights of the WP. When a PM potential minister like George Yeo plus a minister plus a minister to be, plus a Parliamentary Secretary were not good enough, this team of minnows got a fighting chance? He really believed Singaporeans are so daft?

There were many other funny quotes even from the PM and DPMs that bordered on disbeliefs. But nothing beats Chok Tong’s call for the people to give the PAP a bigger mandate, to do what?

To bring in more foreigners to replace local PMETs?

To sign more CECAs?

To control what the people can read, see or say?

To keep the people’s CPF money longer, forever?

To force the people to buy Medical insurance until they are 110 years old?

To continue to give billions to foreign students in scholarships?

To buy affordable public housing and pay for 30 years at half a million or more?

To pay the ministers millions and the people living from hand to mouth?

To get beaten or bullied, discriminated or replaced by foreigners?

To bring fear back?

To pay millions to the elite?

To increase population to 6.9m, 10m or more?

Does Chok Tong and Hsien Loong really believe that the people are so daft and would vote the PAP to be the govt with a bigger mandate to continue doing the above?

What have they been eating and drinking? I am really worried for them. Or are they suffering from Bi polar Syndrome? They don’t seem to be their normal self and talking incoherently to themselves?

What do you think? Would you give PAP a stronger mandate?

PS. They have ascended to Maslow's 5th Level of Needs. They have surpassed the 4th Level of Self Actualisation. The 5th Level is Self Delusion.

When PAP in minority position

Parliament has been the playground of the PAP for five decades. In Parliament, the PAP rules with absolute majority and the opposition could hardly be seen, heard or noticed. The PAP dominated all debates and any opposition that tried to make a stand would end up as a victim of jeering and sneering and dismissive laughter. The unfortunate ones would either be thumped down or suffered the glare of cold steely stare.

It is a very frightening experience for the opposition candidates in Parliament if they are emotionally unprepared for the ordeal. The sheer majority or the volume of sneering laughter would be enough to cower them into submission. Would the PAP ever be in a position of minority and how would they react?

The NUSS Political Dialogue gave a glimpse of what it would be like to be in the minority for a PAP MP. Sim Ann was the sole representative in a panel with 9 opposition leaders and a clever and mischievous moderator that was friendly to the PAP side but not without needling at the PAP. Actually it was all done with good humour without being offensive and dismissive like in Parliament. The moderator, Viswa, an ex NMP, knew how it felt.  Ooooohh…  He had first hand experience of the most menacing kind. Kishore said Viswa was slapped by the dictator.

With the nine opposition leaders taking their stand against the PAP, and with an audience that acted like the backbenchers of the majority in Parliament, laughing, jeering and sneering, Sim Ann must be feeling how it was like in Parliament for the opposition MPs. It was one against not only 9 opposition leaders but also the gallery. The PAP’s voice was a lonely voice in the crowd and often not well received. At one stage a group broke into loud laughter in the midst of Sim Ann’s commentary that disrupted her composure. ‘What was that, did I make a joke?’ or something like that was her response.

What would it be like if the current situation in Parliament is reversed after the next GE? It could be comical when the cold glare would come from the new ruling govt, accompanied by jeets and sneers. Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim should start to practice this art of killing by staring in Parliament. Jee Say should also learn this trick.

What is Vivian Balakrishnan talking?

Dr Vivian said there are only two kinds of people who would work without incentives – those who are wealthy, and those who are corrupt.

“Don’t be seduced,” he was quoted by the TODAY newspaper as having said. “The danger with elections is it’s an auction. Everybody would promise you the moon. Everybody would say they don’t need pay on the assumption either they don’t need to deliver, or things will go wrong.”

I quoted the above from an article in TOC. Vivian was replying to a question on the $16,000 MP allowance and multimillion dollar minister’s pay.  Two kinds of people would work without incentive, the wealthy or the corrupt. KNN, does it mean that when one is not wealthy one is likely to be corrupt? Oh, he is talking about politicians. So lucky, I thought I will be in the bandwagon of the corrupt since I am not wealthy. So people no need to get angry. He is talking about politicians only. Oops, politicians may want to get angry.

Now who are the politicians that are promising the people the moon? If there are, please don’t trust them. They are like the snake oil sellers. Watch out people, listen to the politicians especially those promising you the moon. Don’t trust them. This is Vivian’s advice.

And this is new. Got politician say they don’t need pay meh? Who, which politician is saying he or she does not need pay?  Lily Neo? I think she doesn’t need pay. Heard that she gave away her MP allowance to the people. So what does it mean? Is she saying she does not need pay?

But I like the assumption part, either they don’t need to deliver or things will go wrong. I will like to promise the people things will be well in 50 years time. Vote for me and see the result in 50 years. Ssssshhh, in 50 years time I will not be around. Heheh, like no need to deliver leh, tiok boh?  Or is it that in 50 year’s time many things that I promised would not happen but I still got paid in the millions? I may promise good things in 50 years time, but not for free hor. I would not say I don’t need pay because I don’t need to deliver in 50 years time. I want my millions now. 50 years time, who cares, I also dunno where I would be.

Oh, if I am paid in the millions, I don’t need anymore incentives. Dunno about you.

Now what was Vivian trying to say? Got corrupt politicians? For the rich and wealthy, safe, would not be corrupt. For the poor ones, very likely, especially when they promised you the more and say no need to be paid. But if they asked to be paid in the millions, also very safe, would not be corrupt.

When our super talent and super wise statesmen dispense their words of wisdom, you must copy it down for your own good. You will get a bit wiser.

GE2015 – Latest surprise!!! 3 Champions in the Reform AMK team

Just heard that Reform Party has confirmed 3 candidates for Ang Mo Kio GRC. They include Roy Ngerng, M Ravi and Gilbert Goh. The names of the other 3 candidates to make up for the 6 member GRC have yet to be announced.

Who are these 3 gladiators in the dragon lair?

Roy Ngerng is the famous champion of CPF money. And for digging too much detail on the flow of the CPF money, he strayed into some sensitive areas and was sued by Hsien Loong for libel. Roy went to the public for financial support and within days nearly $200k was raised from total strangers to pay for his defence.

M Ravi was a human rights lawyer and had fought many high profile cases like the appeal to spare the life of a drug addict, the controversial by election in Punggol East and many other cases that other lawyers shunned. For his high profile work, Ravi had been dragged to court and also had tussles with the Law Society, got his name struck off from his law practice under charges of suffering from bipolar sickness.

The third champion is Gilbert Goh, the owner of Transitioning Org for fighting for the cause of PMETs losing their jobs to foreigners. Singaporeans who lost their jobs or could not find reemployment would go to Gilbert to seek advice and counselling.

It is a strange coincidence to have 3 champions of social issues to come together to contest in Hsien Loong’s GRC. They call this a confluence of events. Now everyone would be eager to know who would be the other 3 candidates to partner the 3 champions in a battle royale in Ang Mo Kio.

Would the 3 champions be able to slay the dragon in the dragon lair? Would Leong Sze Hian and Kenneth Jeyaratnam be in the team? That would be a something to watch.

PS. I did a quick calculation with my abacus. The possible votes going to this team, just on the merits of the 3 champions: 30% of CPF members will support Roy. Ravi will get 10% support from the human rights group and another 20 % from all his relatives in Ang Mo Kio. Gilbert will get 20% from all the PMETs and their families and relatives and friends. After flipping the abacus counters, these added together will be about 25% of the votes in Ang Mo Kio. And add this to the 30% hard core anti PAP voters, wow, 55% in favour of the Reform Party team. What about swing voters?

PS. The other members of the Reform team announced last night are entrepreneur Osman Sualaiman, former banker Jesse Loo and ex NTUC club media producer Siva Chandran.







    

Nicole Seah – I am back

The darling of Marine Parade, Nicole Seah, is back from Thailand to help out in the GE. It is a pleasant surprise for everyone who loves this girl with a heart. Her presence and her positive comments on WP’s candidate He Ting Ru  have already caused a stir and are very encouraging signs that she could be in the WP’s team. Nicole was quick to dismiss the suggestion that she could be a WP candidate citing WP’s stringent criteria on not parachuting superheroes in an election. She also said she would not be running in the GE.

I hope the WP would not be so regimental and to rule out completely the opportunity to put up this hot favourite of the last GE in Marine Parade. Nicole singlehandedly lifted up the NSP team of minnows to give Chok Tong a fright of his life. And surprise of all surprises, Chok Tong would never thought of a return of Nicole Seah and to give Nicole a second chance to take him down in Marine Parade.

The popularity and draw factor of Nicole cannot be underestimated and Low Thia Khiang must be thinking seriously to use this trump card if he wants to win Marine Parade and Nicole is crucial to the WP team contesting there.

The Nicole factor may be the deciding factor in Marine Parade and I believe the voters of Marine Parade would warm up to her and show their support for this girl with a heart of gold. There is a new buzz and a new optimism in Marine Parade and the WP camp.

There you go girl. I really hope Low Thia Khiang would make a rare exception in this case. This is the eastern wind he must be waiting for. With He Ting Ru and Nicole Seah in the bag, WP is getting to look very exciting.

Vote for candidates with good credentials

This seems to be on the minds of many thinking Singaporeans. They want good candidates to serve them in Parliament, no matter which party. How to fault such thinking?  So many candidates, including those of the opposition will be credibility tested, maybe even mentally tested if they could run a town council as a prerequisite to run a govt. This type of things only happen in Uniquely Singapore. Running a town council means can run a country. George Bush ran a football club and was good enough to be Presidente USA. Ronald Reagan was an actor.

Apologies, I got carried away. Where was I? Oh, good candidates. What is a good candidate? A medical degree, a lawyer, a general or a police commissioner or a civil servant or a corporate executive or someone early million dollar salary? Where is the relevance, where is the skill set? Would an animal lover make a good politician to run a govt?

What if a team has all the right qualifications, the good looks, the desired qualities that would make them good enough to run a govt? Ok right?

What if they come from a party with a manifesto that is bad for the country or people? What if, hypothetically, the party boss is a mafia boss or a loan shark or a drug lord incognito, would the credentials and qualifications of the individual candidates be important?

What should the voters be looking for? Should they not also be looking at what the party stands for, what kind of leadership is behind the party and then the individual candidate’s character and qualifications?

A good candidate, a highly qualified candidate, is not the only thing that the voters be looking for. Look at the whole picture before deciding. Do not vote for an angel hired by the devil to show that he has a team of angels when the devil is calling the shot.

The voters must be savvy and street wise, to know what they really want. A very good example is the by election of Punggol  East or for that matter Aljunied GRC. In both instances, there is a bigger objective to determine who they should vote for.

What is the bigger objective in this GE? It is not individual candidates, it is not about municipal matters or about town councils. It is about Singapore and Singaporeans and their well beings. It is not about a 50 year dream and a promise of mansions in the sky. It is about the real things, about the livelihood of the people, now when they are living and trying to survive and make a good life for themselves and their families.

Who cares about 50 years time when one is struggling to live today and putting food on the table tomorrow?  Look at the whole picture and understand what this GE is all about. The voters of Punggol, Hougang and Aljunied GRC were very clear on what they want. 

Do you know what you want and what would you be voting for? A highly qualified candidate with a strong heart? Or a candidate with a good heart in the right place?

Chok Tong is shaping up very well as the new Oracle

After the original Oracle left the scene the last thing people could think of is another Oracle to take his place. That is a very big shoe to fit and fortunately Chok Tong also a very big man, physically, and wears a pair of very big shoes. Just as everyone has given the idea a slip and this great city is going to move on without the Oracle, a new Oracle is easing himself into the chair.

Actually the sign was there just before the announcement of the GE. Chok Tong divulged that some of his friends had been encouraging him to retire while another group was telling him he had many more good years to stay in politics and wanted him to continue to serve the people of Marine Parade. This kind of information is vintage material and often associated with great leaders like the Oracle and Mahathir. There is subtle hint of indispensability and popularity, a leader that the people have grown dear to.

And Chok Tong’s reply was that he would decide if he would stay on or to retire. Another vintage reply like the Oracle and Mahathir. True leaders in charge would decide when to stay or quit in their own terms. Who would dare to tell the Oracle or Mahathir to retire? No big no small. And soon after Chok Tong shared his two hour meeting with Hsien Loong and revealed that Hsien Loong had asked him to stay to stay, maybe to give a bit more ballast to the Marine Parade team. In other words he is indispensable or at least still useful. He decided to stay.

Having secured his position as a candidate for the next GE, Chok Tong is now the most senior statesman in the PAP team, and the most experience. Now is his turn to carry the party along, to share his wisdom and his weight in wherever he is needed. And Chok Tong is finding it a piece of cake to fit into the vacuum left by the Oracle.

In a way he is looking and acting every inch like the Oracle, strutting around like the Oracle. His first piece of advice to his Marine Parade residents is not to be seduced by the WP’s offer to be the checks and balance on the govt. And if the voters are seduced, they would pay a price for it.

Reflect on this for a moment, to the pre GE time in Aljunied GRC. What did the Oracle told the voters there? If I remember it correctly, it was something like the people of Aljunied would repent for the next 5 years if they voted out the PAP team.  Does Chok Tong’s advice to the Marine Parade voters sound similar, instead of repent, he used the word ‘pay a price’? Very Oracle like.

As the senior statesman and party elder, this must be his role as the new Oracle, to give advice, warnings, and maybe a subtle threat to in favour of the party if needed. Yes the PAP has a new Oracle, one that is walking around and throwing his weight around to support the party.

Without FTs our economy will tank – Hsien Loong

In an article in the TRE with the above title, Hsien Loong was quoted to say this, ‘If we close our doors to foreign workers, our economy will tank.’ Is this a myth or is this real? As far as the govt is concerned, this is as real as it gets. No FTs, no open door policy, we will be finished. With this kind of thinking and planning parameters, you can expect the influx of foreigners to continue as long as the PAP is the govt. The question is how many more foreigners? And there will be many reasons for more foreigners.  If the economy expands, there will be cries for more foreign labour. If the economy tanks, there will be more cries for foreigners and population growth to generate economic growth. Either way, the one trick pony can only resort to this trick.

If this trick is the only trick in the books of govts and economists, why wouldn’t other countries jumped into it to generate growth for their people? There are many big and bigger countries that can take in more and more people for growth. Why are these countries and govts refusing to take this path? They cannot be stupid or less clever than our politicians. They must know what this solution entails. They must have seriously deliberated over it and come to the conclusion that this trick will cause more harm than good. Europe is going to pay a price it cannot afford to pay for their silly immigration policies. They are regretting today but too late. It’s a done deal.

What harm? There is nothing harmful in this trick? If it does, the govt will tell the people surely, and unlike Greece, will not hold a referendum to pass the buck to the people. There is absolutely no harm and the deaf frogs knew it is the best solution and the right thing to do. So they will pursue this policy at all cost, like zealots.

Did anyone say taking drugs is bad? Ask the drug addicts and they will tell you there is nothing wrong. Drug is good. Steroid is good.  Ask the drug lords they will tell you taking drugs is like heaven. Where got problem? Where got side effects?

But we are an immigrant country! We are today because our parents were immigrants. If they did not come, we would not be here and there would not be a prosperous Singapore today. Tiok. In the past the policemen wore shorts. In the past Two is Enough. In the past there was no country. The island was more or less seized by the colonialists, like a no man’s land to them. Then the immigrants were imported as labourers to serve the Empire.

Then we got independence. Does anyone know the meaning of independence? Does anyone understand the meaning of the song ‘Home’? This is our Home. This island is no longer a no man’s land. It belongs to us, to every Singaporean, not to everyone from anywhere. We built it from nothing, oops, from a fishing village, to a jewel of the East.

Today everyone wants to come here to make his fortune. There is no objection to that. But be careful. This is our Home. We the Singaporeans own this piece or rock. We welcome foreigners for as long as our existence is not harmed or compromised. When it does, when our well being, our children’s future is in danger, we must say No. We must not sell out or give away our island to foreigners. We earned the right to this island and our children must be the beneficiaries to our hard work. Remember the saying, ‘the pioneers planted the tree, the future generations enjoy the fruits’?

There is just so much foreigners that we can take in. We must never lose our country to foreigners, NOT by giving them pink ICs. This is betrayal of the people, some may want to call it treason, if we ever got booted out from our Home. Do not just blindly fill the country with foreigners without knowing the consequences.

What are the risks? Got harm or no harm?

Population growth is not the only trick to our survival as a country. Period.

Economy will tank? Whose belief is that?

Chok Tong – PAP’s new oracle has spoken

For being in politics for nearly 50 years and at a ripe age of 74, Chok Tong is speaking with wisdom and authority. And for once I can’t really disagree with what he said. What did he say? He is asking the people to give the PAP a strong mandate but conditional. Very wise. If Singaporeans are happy with what the PAP has been doing, has done and want the PAP to continue what it is doing, they must give the PAP a strong mandate. What the PAP has been working so hard over the years for the interests of Singapore is well known and legendary. The CPF, Medishield Life, Population growth, economic growth, more universities and university places, they even solved the housing problems and brought down the cost of living. COE prices also come down recently and prices of train fares were reduced without the people asking for it.

Chok Tong even said that the PAP has been its ‘own check’ and ‘For many years, the PAP was the only party in Parliament. Has the PAP gone corrupt in those years?’ My answer is a definite NO. PAP is NOT corrupt. But Chok Tong should put his ears on the ground to hear the noises. Though PAP is NOT corrupt, the ground noises are anything but NOT corrupt. But of course the daft did not know the truth and anyhow talked. Just a different in perception. These noises would not affect the PAP getting a strong mandate for More Good Years and More of the Same vintage PAP, maybe even the elusive Swiss standard of living.

Here is another interesting quote from Chok Tong reported in the main media. ‘They are seducing the people and if the people are not careful, they get seduced and you know what happens when you are seduced. You will pay a price.’  Immediately there were images of opposition politicians in the campaign rallies dancing on stage and performing strip tease shows to seduce the audience came to mind. But Chok Tong was not saying such crassy stuff. He was referring to the opposition’s call for more checks and balance in Parliament. What for when the integrity of the PAP leaders and MPs are impeccable, they are the best checks and balance on themselves. There is no need for more opposition members in Parliament. Short of saying a one party rule with absolute majority is the best, and I must agree also, PAP is the party that is always doing good for the people and doing self checks. Where on earth can you find such a dream party? It is unreal but it is real, only in Uniquely Singapore. The oracle says so, and the old oracle also said so. These are men of wisdom and words of wisdom. This is actually another miracle that the govt has not announced openly. A national secret.

Let me come back to the issue of seduction. Only daft and gullible people will be seduced by little goodies here and there. The PAP does not believe in small and little goodies. The PAP believe in doing good for the people in a big way, like upgrading programmes, lift upgrading, more playgrounds, more childcare centres, Pioneer Generation Packages, Baby bonuses, more subsidies for housing and everything, and big party bashes, and everything that it can do for the good of the people. Even unpopular policies like more foreign talents to grow the economy, holding back the people’s life savings in the CPF, compulsory Medishield Life etc etc they have no fear of doing when they think are good for the people.

Singaporeans who believe in the PAP as the miracle party that will bring More Good Years for the people and continue with what it is doing, Singaporeans who believe in the wisdoms of the oracles, old and new, must give the PAP a strong mandate, even if all 89 seats in Parliament lagi good. There is no need for checks and balance when you have good leaders with unquestionable integrity doing their own checks and balance. Who says power corrupts? Not in Singapore, the miracle state with miracles happening everyday and everywhere.

This new oracle is speaking in all humbleness. He asked the WP, 'Would that same arrogance be able to replace me and my team in Marine Parade? Let them try.' This is classic humbleness in action.

Celebrating Singaporeans – Tan Boon Hui appointed Asia Society Museum NY

I must congratulate Tan Boon Hui, former Singapore Art Museum(SAM) director on his appointment to the prestigious Asia Society Museum in New York as its new director and also as the vice president for global arts and cultural programmes. This is the type of Singaporean talent that we have and are being hunted by other countries. I am sure he does not need to take the e2i course in NTUC to prepare him for this job.

How did Tan Boon Hui got to be recognized as a global talent? He earned his spurs as assistant chief executive for museums and programmes at the National Heritage Board and from SAM. This is what our country must do, to give opportunities to our own talents to gain the experience before launching them into the international arena. If we don’t give them the opportunity and foolishly hire foreigners to fill top positions, we will never nurture our talents for the international market. I must say NTUC’s intention is good in the e2i, but is this the right thing to do, what credibility or value is added to compete in the international talent pool?

Now have we hired more foreigners to head he NHB and SAM, to train them to be internationally competitive and give a miss to our own talents? Have we been doing this silly foreign talent game in all the industries, particularly in banking and finance and leading to a hollowing of our talents in the industry?

Even an idiot could see the stupidity in the whole process. If we don’t train our own talents, if we don’t give them the opportunity but give them to foreigners, what would be the end result? Oh, we are giving our talents a lot of opportunities of be hawkers and bus captains. My apologies, we are taking good care of our local talents, nurturing them to compete in the world market, sending them out after they get their degree or diploma from e2i.

We are heading in the right direction with such great policies to train our talents or is it training foreign talents to be international talents?

No more Singaporean core? Why? Dunno leh. Oh, oh, we will issue pink ICs to the foreigners and called them Singaporeans and Singapore talents.

More typo errors

There was big embarrassment when the Jubilee Notes were rolled out when a brochure printed the first President's name as Yusok Ishak instead of Yusof Ishak.

Read the first Presidential decree above on the dissolution of Parliament, the one on the right and look at the date carefully. I read it as 29 Aug 15. The one on the right is 25 Aug 15.

Oh the copy in the Straits Times has the correct date. So is the above copy a doctored copy?

What is happening?

PS. Picture credit from TRE.

PAP – We shall run the country

The key agenda for the PAP in this GE is to vote MPs to run councils. It is all about running town councils, and getting people who can run councils to be elected. MPs, like someone commented, should be clearing longkangs and picking leaves and soiled pampers, so that they would not chock up the longkangs and cause pondings. MPs ‘to be’ better get a team of town council managers and contractors ready in case they win the election as this would now be their top priority job, taking care of municipal affairs, make sure the lifts work, the bus services run on time, and the playgrounds and parks are in good conditions for the enjoyment of the residents. Oh, don’t forget to collect the S&CC fees and send legal letters to those who failed to pay up.

If MPs are to do such mundane and routine stuff, do you need super talents to become MPs? Do you need top doctors, lawyers, police commissioners and generals to run town councils? I think Ah Lian and Ah Huat would be more than able to run town councils as long as they don’t try to be clever and start to invest in funny bonds and notes.

Actually this is only half of the story. MPs running town councils is more applicable for opposition MPs. They need to be tested in running town councils first, if passed, then they can think about running the govt. For the time being they can go to Parliament and ask questions. And if too busy with running town council works, can apply leave from Parliament also. Running town councils shall be top priority.

As for the top doctors, lawyers, police commissioners and generals, they would not be running town councils. They would be running the country. The PAP is the ruling govt and they need these top talents to run the govt. No need for them to prove themselves in running town councils. They have the talents to run the country without having to run town councils.

The PAP shall run the country, the opposition MPs shall run the town councils. Full time MPs run town councils.

What do you think?

Time for a little frivolous thought

There is still a bit of time before the pressure of the GE comes to bear for me to indulge in a little frivolous activity, but with a subtle message for the people as well. Before I begin, I would like to quote Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johore. He said, ‘The rakyat (people) today are a generation of smart and learned people who can dissect the information they receive, so please do not take them for fools by feeding them rosy news and information to hide what is really going on.’ This comment is equally applicable in the Singapore context without a word and comma out of place. Yes, Singaporeans are also being fed with misinformation that calling it frivolous is being polite.

While foreigners of undisclosed authenticity, many from dubious universities that are equivalent to junk bonds in the finance world, are touted by the govt as talents, and brought in by plane loads while Singaporeans with their genuine degrees from some of the best universities are condemned as talentless, no skill sets to compete with the fakes and cheats brought into this island.

And they are encouraged to go overseas to compete with the rest of the world’s talent armed with a certificate from the Trade Union to boot. My god, if they can’t make it in home ground against the dirts and shits, can they make it elsewhere? Maybe in some god forsaken places, in some little villages probably.

The second point, knowing that the competition is unfair against crooks and cheats, with many local PMETs dumped or sacked and ended up unemployed or underemployed, instead of protecting their livelihood with legislation like other countries are doing, even the countries of the cheats and fakes are doing it, they are fed with illusions and delusions. Sinaporeans are expected to compete with the fakes and cheats on a level playing field in home ground. How stupid can this be when the foreigners are cheating all the way?

Never mind. Since Singaporeans cannot compete, let’s tell them to try to do good in other trades like hawkers and crane drivers. There is no need for a university education. Tell the Singaporeans that these are great jobs. Set up institutions to produced degrees for hawkers. Now this will serve two purposes, getting a degree and a good job. You can’t beat this kind of ingenuity.

For those PMETs who can’t get a job anymore, tell them it is a very good thing to be their own boss by driving taxis. And they can paste their degrees, masters and PhDs on the back of the driver’s seats to show their passengers, the maids and foreigner workers and the fakes that took their jobs, that they are highly qualified.

Now the latest, brag about how good it is to be bus drivers.  Oops, they called them bus captains! The aspiration for undergrads today is to be bus captains, a dream job. And the qualifications for a bus driver, first get a diploma in molecular science and follow up by a degree. Then go and apply for this dream job, especially the girls. They can drive something since car ownership is out of reach and see the world.  Little bird said many girls are applying to read molecular science in the polytechnics and aspiring to be bus drivers after graduation. Oops, pardon me, I mean bus captains. They have a very bright future ahead of them in their dream job.

How silly has this country become? Is this where you are going? Is this where you are being led to? Is this the future for our young graduates?

You have a last chance to decide your future, your fate, in the GE, in two weeks time. Think very carefully. Read the message of the Sultan of Johore over and over again. It makes sense.

9 -11 is Polling Day

Parliament is dissolved today.
Nomination Day is 1 Sep 15
Polling Day is 11 Sep 15

The 50 year battle has started. 911 it will be, but will it be as monumental as bringing down the Twin Towers in New York?

Would 11 Sep be ground zero for Singapore and pave the way for a new beginning?
Or would it be the same all over?

Singaporeans are eagerly waiting for this day for great change and great expectation.

AHPETC - Aljunied residents elevated to be judges

There were lapses in the AHPETC, just like there were lapses in other town councils and grass root organisations. There was no dishonesty and all were acting on good intention. I thought these would be good enough to say let’s move on, leaving the benefit of the doubt to the individual to decide what he chooses to believe.

The conditions leading to the problems and lapses faced by AHPETC are there for all to see, starting from the handover of accounts, the AIMS saga, the transfer of surplus funds to the reserves and no longer touchable, and the withholding of govt grants etc etc. In the case of other town councils and grassroot organisations, the lapses were from different circumstances, more voluntary in nature with no exciting saga or drama.

For the moment, and likely, for whole election rally period, the AHPETC issues would be on the lips of all PAP politicians and ministers. They are going to drum, WP is bad, WP is bad, WP is bad. Some even gone so low as alleging whether money was lost without any proof or justifications.

The attack against the WP is furious if you read the main media. It is all over the pages daily with very wide and detailed coverage. While the PAP is launching a massive PR exercise against the WP, they forget that the WP MPs are the elected representatives of the people of Aljunied GRC, Punggol and Hougang. They forget that the masters of the AHPETC are the people of the GRC and the two SMCs. Attacking their elected representatives is in a way attacking the people who elected them to Parliament, that the people made a bad choice. WP is bad, PAP is good or better.

The bottom line of the AHPETC saga would end up becoming case of who the respective constituents choose to believe. Would they believe the PAP story that WP is bad, incapable of running a town council, or would they see this as ploy, as a set up by the PAP against the WP? The PAP has presented its case and would continue to hammer their points in till Polling Day. The WP has spoken and laid their cards laid bare on the table. Both sides have spoken.

Now who is going to judge who is right and who is wrong? Not the supreme court judges, not the whole of Singapore, but the residents of AHPETC. They are now the judges to this saga. They will pronounce who is right and who is wrong. This is about the fairest judgement that can come about, a judgement made by more than a hundred thousand residents. They will deliver their verdict on Polling Day.

If WP is booted out, it would mean the PAP has made their case and the residents believe the PAP story. If the WP wins again, it will be a resounding rejection of the PAP story, that the residents believed in their representatives and trusted them and did not find anything wrong with them. The case would be a test of the intelligence of the residents of AHPETC. Are they intelligent enough to sift through the smokes and know what the whole saga is all about?

Is it a case of right versus wrong, a case of wrongdoings, and who is the wrongdoer? Or is it a plain and simple case of political bickering and petty politics?

The people will be the judge in this case. This is as fair as one can get and the losers would be dealt a severe blow for losing the trust of the people. It would be a case when the majority of the people speak in one voice, we don’t trust you, we reject you. It is a mini referendum in a way. The people will deliver the justice against the unjust.

The Koreans on the verge of war

The South Koreans claimed that their soldiers were killed by landmines planted by the North Koreans and blasted their loudspeakers across the border. This led to the North Koreans firing at the South’sloudspeakers, each set consists of 48 big loudspeakers and with 5 or 6 sets in 11 locations facing North Korea claiming to reach a distance of 24 km. Do the South Koreans believe that it is a friendly thing act, blasting propaganda across the border? And with that excuse, the South Koreans fired more artillery across the border.

And the South Koreans blamed the North Koreans for provocations. Who is really provoking who? Who is conducting annual large scale military exercises to simulate an invasion of North Korea? What about regular monthly exercises? What about the loudspeakers and balloons with propaganda to incite rebellion in the North? No, these are not provocations. The provocations came from the North when they reacted  angrily to these initiatives from the South and the Americans.

Come on, who are you kidding? How many more provocations would the South do before the North hits back? The latest crisis has reached danger point and the North Koreans have started to deploy their troops near to the border. And their fleet of submarines have left their bases and their positions unknown and undetectable. With the attack submarines out in the sea, war is imminent.

Since the South Koreans are so eager to have war with the North, the world might as well give them the blessing and encourage them to go to war with the North. After all they have been provoking the North almost daily and preparing for an invasion of the North.

Good luck to the Koreans if they manage to wipe out each other out and leave the Korean peninsula as a war zone, no man’s land, as a buffer between Japan/USA and China. Leave the peninsula as a waste land with no Koreans.

Is that what the South Koreans want? Is that why they are constantly provoking the North to a fight?

Fortunately the North Koreans are more sensible than the South and would not be drawn into a suicidal war to destroy the Koreans as a people. The North has initiated high power talks to defuse the tension. Would the South Koreans be wise enough to back off or would they be ordered by the Americans to take a tougher stand and to provoke the North into an open war? The South Koreans deserve to be annihilated for their provocations. The North Koreans do not deserve that. They have been the victims of the South Koreans and Americans plot to go to war and are avoiding it like crazy.

On the other hand the western media have been on a campaign to paint the North as the provocateurs and the war mongers, the demons, and the South Koreans were the victims and the Americans were the angels.

Go, South Koreans, go and kill all the North Koreans as well as South Koreans. The Americans and the Japanese love that and will be very happy to be on your side, to see the two Koreans kill and destroy each other. Amen.

This Asian tragedy is waiting to happen if the reckless and stupid South Koreans continue to be manipulated by the Americans and Japanese to want to kill their Korean brothers and sisters.

The changing fate of the opposition parties

 

 

The opposition used to be a joke for decades, a fumbling and incompetent group of ‘unripes’ going into the political arena to ‘tikam tikam’ or to make a fool of themselves. And in every election, without fail, they would compete among themselves in multi cornered fights against the ruling party at the peak of its power. Even on a one on one they would barely stand a chance. And they would still go in like a pack of ‘gilas’ to challenge the ruling party. Competing was all they wanted, not winning, and making a fool of themselves was something to be proud of.

 

There were some credible and serious candidates and parties but their credibility and reputation were dragged into the mud when the opposition camps were filled with the unspeakables. Occasionally a couple of opposition candidates could make it to Parliament by sheer will of the people and pernicious personal zeal. For decades, the cries for an opposition representation in Parliament, a greater representation, were there. But the people could not put the cross on the opposition boxes for good reasons. They were not presenting themselves as serious choices.

 

The ruling party’s game plan and how they systematically destroyed any good candidate and opposition party added to the demise of the opposition camp. But still, the biggest enemy of the opposition camp was themselves.

 

Things are changing. The political scene has never been like this before. Thanks to the ruling party and their great plans and great policies that they thought were good for the people and ignoring the people’s objections and pain living with them, more good people have started to move into the opposition camp. The 2011 GE, the by elections and the Presidential Election were clear signals that the people were voting the oppositions. As long as the opposition can produce serious and credible people, they would be in the game.

 

A fortnight ago, the opposition camp did the impossible by coming to an agreement to prevent a 3 corner fight. This has never been possible, but it came at the right time and brought a lot of hope and comfort to the people wanting a strong opposition presence in Parliament. There was opposition unity and the clowns have fled the scene.

 

Unfortunately it was too good to be true. Someone sent in the clowns again and opposition unity was shaken. The open criticism by NSP against WP, which was also part of the unwritten agreement not to bitch at each other, was not well received. The intent to go for a 3 corner fight in MacPherson was a hit below the belt. The agreement in the opposition camp could be torn wide open and a clear break was just a matter of time. Fortunately the other parties hold on to their horses and did not jump at the cue and fall into the trap set.

 

Without anyone breaking ranks, except for NSP, everyone will be watching NSP’s next move very carefully and its intent and motive. They knew that there is a bad apple and the circumstances have forced the bad hats to wriggle out from their holes. The bad hats have unmasked themselves in broad day light and social media followed the lead to dig out more evidence of what was taken for granted, with a pinch of salt.

 

Hazel Poa’s fall out and resignation from the NSP is a good thing. It comes at the right time, still in time for the GE before more damage is done to the opposition camp. The voters are now shown the true picture and hopefully the full picture of the credible opposition parties they should be voting for. There are still some doubts as to which opposition party is real or unreal. But a few parties have stood out as genuine and reliable and would receive the blessing of the voters.

 

WP, SDP, SingFirst, SPP and Reform Party are now in good stead as the opposition parties of choice. They have gained credibility and acceptance from the voters by their actions and their stand. I was at the launch of the SDP new office and could sense a quite confidence in the party and the supporters. And there were many young people coming out to support them. SDP is back as a respectable party with respectable leaders. Chee Soon Juan is no more the leper to fear and to stay away. He has matured and looking every inch an opposition party leader. Then there are Low Thia Khiang and his team, and the newcomer in Jee Say with a strong support base among the professionals. Lina Chiam has also earned her spurs in Parliament as a NCMP with her serious questions.

 

Many good things are happening on the opposition camp. The best thing to happen of course must be the unmasking of the questionable parties representing the opposition camp. This rain has clear the sky and no one can hide or disguise himself as opposition if he is not. The old game plan of confusing the voters in 3 corner fights has fallen through. Things are so much clearer as to who should receive the votes from opposition supporters. 3 corner fights there would be, but the real opposition parties would get all the votes from the voters. The voters would not be deceived and would vote for the opposition parties that count even in a 3 corner fight.

 

The feeling and support for the opposition camp has never been better and focussed. And the choice is clearer and simpler for the voters. No more deceptions and impersonations and misrepresentations.  And with an enlightened voters who would only vote for an opposition party that can win, not like before, vote blindly, this GE is going to be a big battle for or against the two camps, the ruling party or the opposition.

 

It is PAP or the best opposition party. No fakes or imposters or callafares. The winning formula is the Punggol East formula. The voters will vote in the same way and send the spoilers packing and losing their deposits.