Uniquely Singapore – or another fiasco?

There are more than 2m foreigners in the island of 3.5m population. Several hundred thousands of these foreigners from half past six countries and half past six universities are gainfully employed, happily employed, replacing the supposedly better qualified Singaporeans in their jobs. And the Singaporeans, the experienced and well qualified, the young graduates, are crying for jobs. They are unemployable, underemployed, they are mismatched!

 

And all we heard of is that it is all because of mismatch. And these jobless
Singaporeans are told to go overseas to find their rainbows. Not in Singapore. They are mismatched, they are misfits in their own countries. Their hundreds of thousands dollar education and degrees are useless, cannot eat, cannot find a job. They are only good enough to compete overseas, forget about in the US and Europe if they can’t even find a job in home town, unable to compete with half past six degree foreigners. They should go to third world countries to sell their skills and earn cheap currencies. And don’t think of coming back, don’t think of earning and saving enough to be able to survive back home. The cheap currencies they earned will become cheaper when brought home to spend in the world’s most expensive city. They are failures in Singapore and how could they expect the third world countries to hire them and pay them well? Even if they wanted to, they could not afford to.

Singapore is not for Singaporeans. Singaporeans are only good enough to work in third world countries. And the govt knows that and are helping them with a lot of courses and training programmes to equip them to survive in third world countries. Probably they will teach them how to lower their expectations, how to live life in a third world countries, how to get use to third world standard of living, how to tighten their belts.

Singapore is good only for foreigners, especially those from third world countries. These are the highly skilled and trained talents Singapore needs, with half past six degrees. Though they came from half past six universities, they have no mismatch problems. They matched beautifully with the needs of this first world city. The proof, a few hundred thousands of them are already here, employed in jobs that mismatched Singaporeans cannot do.

Did anyone say Uniquely Singapore? With so many silly mismatched PMETs, what more proof is needed to confirm that Singaporeans are daft? The daft Singaporeans don’t even know why they are unemployable, why they became mismatched, misfits. The only thing they know, is that they are told that this is the reason. And everyone accepts this silly reason with no further question asked. Several hundred thousands of half past six foreigners are fit, not mismatched and taking over the jobs of the misfit Singaporeans. To laugh or to cry?

 

And we are boasting about having three of the world’s best universities run by foreigners, the bulk of the academic staff and administrative staff is foreigners. I am waiting for the Parliament to be taken over by foreigners and pronouncing that Singaporeans are misfits to be in Parliament and should go elsewhere to live. This is only a matter of time.

Where is the real mismatch?

My adventure into alien territory

It took me a long time to decide on this adventure, to venture into alien territory on a Saturday morning. I have never done this for decades and whatever memories of this place were from the time when I was a kid. Finally, with much reluctance, I bravely trotted into this corner of Singapore that I have never treaded for a long time.

I arrived just about a quarter to 10 in the morning. I was a bit lost with the geography of the land and had to ask to get to where I want to be. I was shown this queue machine and got my Q number.  There were quite a lot of people and also ample staff to guide the new visitors like me. I waited for 10 minutes before my Q number flashed on the big screens. I registered and the customer relations officer was all helpful and friendly. What a pleasant start on this adventure. She even explained to me the procedure to save waiting time. I could make an appointment from home by logging into the system. She apologetically said I would have to for an hour before my appointment for just walking in.
To me, recollecting on my childhood experience, an hour of waiting was fair game. I went for coffee and still had a lot to time to take a look at the waiting area and the Q numbers called. Wow, another 100 numbers ahead of me.  Now how to kill one hour of time doing nothing? Ok, visited the restroom. My, another big surprise, spanking clean, dry and odourless, as good as home. Because it was so comfortable, because I had one hour to spare, I took my time. I thought I had more than half an hour and strolled out casually only to find I just missed my turn. Spoke to the customer relations officer and she took up my case and yes, I was called immediately to see the doctor.

I have this blurring or clouding of vision on one eye for a couple of years.  After the preliminaries he asked which hospital would I want to get the cataract done. I told him to get me the cheapest. He broke into laughter. Ok, the most convenient is Ng Teng Fong Hospital. What about the fees? Not to worry, they charged the same rate. It was a quick appointment. And I also asked for some medicine for my flu and cough. All over in less than 5 minutes.

I went to the Pharmacy and collected my medicine in less than 5 minutes and happily wanted to leave the place. Then I remembered her saying to go to the counter behind. Oops, I got to pay for my medicine. I could have just gone home without knowing that I got to pay for it.

At the payment counter the cashier said three eightty five. I said, uh, so expensive. She was apologetic and explained that I had two kinds of medicine. Ok, gave her $10 and got my change of $6.15. There was GST but absorbed by the govt, ie not GST.

My next stop was for an appointment for my ops. The cashier said go to counter 10 and press 3 on the machine. A bit puzzled but just did as told. Found the counter, found the machine, and yes there was a button for 3. Press it and was wondering what’s next. Oh, a Q number.  That was wbat the button 3 was for. Took the Q number and wait. This time waited for 15 minutes, the longest wait in the whole process.

When my turn came, the customer relations officer entered my particulars and said Ng Teng Fong Hospital would contact me for the appointment. And that’s it, all over in less than an hour, without making an appointment in advance.

This was my adventure to a Polyclinic on a Saturday morning. It was simply not the same as decades ago when waiting time was long and waiting unnecessarily was the norm.  Everything was so organized and befitting for a first world experience. I could not find any fault with the organization, the set up and the staff. It was clockwork precision, too efficient that I almost missed my appointment when I thought I would have an hour to wait but actually half an hour.

Every staff was professional and courteous, and, you don’t believe this… I thought I was entering alien land, at least that was what I was told. If I am not mistaken, all the staff, including the doctor, was Singaporean. At least their names and the way they sounded when they spoke. No aliens!
Whoever reinvented the Polyclinics, the organization, the processes and procedures, and the staff operating them, one could not ask for better. This is the standard to be copied by all the ministries.  My adventure was in a way a very pleasant experience and a very comfortable one, for $3.85, inclusive of consultation and medicine.

This is my Singapore, the Singapore Singaporeans are proud to call home, the efficiency and quality of service that made Singapore a hallmark and model for the rest of the world.

Please keep Singapore this way. I must say I was happily surprised that the Polyclinics are still Singaporean territory and in tip top condition.

Asean – The Obama foul up

Asean was originally an organization built by its founding fathers to be a neutral and independent regional organization free of big power interference. Over the years, willingly or otherwise, some members started to lean closer with the Americans, even signing military alliances to be part of the American Empire. Though Asean still maintained its neutrality, and the American allies played their American card close to their chest, gradually the mask came off, and they openly took sides with the Americans and fronting up for American interests. On the Chinese camp, a couple of new Asean countries joined the organization wearing their historical ties with China on their chests.

The expansion of Asean also led to the transformation of Asean with two opposing camps and allies strutting around with pride that they are allies of big powers. The veneer thin Asean neutrality was history and no longer touted as the key principle of what Asean stood for. The myth of a neutral Asean, built on the cardinal principle of neutrality has become bullshit.

As recently as the beginning of the year, the Americans were boasting about their pivot to Asia, a veiled expansionist move to stay in Asia by relocating their military hardware into the region. This move was generally supported by some Asean countries, namely Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore and to a certain extent Thailand. The rest of the Asean states were neutral except for Laos and Cambodia that were traditionally China’s close neigbours. Asean totally ignored the interest of Indonesia as the big brother and brought in a monster to rule the region, making Indonesia looking like a part of the Empire.

Obama was riding high and American projection of military power in Southeast Asia was as good as done with the Philippines and a few hardcore Asean states openly and covertly egging the Americans to stay in the region. Obama had 5 aces in his hand in Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. And the Americans agitated the SCS dispute to its full advantage, encouraging these countries to confront China and to make counter claims on Chinese islands.

All this is history. The aces in Obama’s hand have turned to 2s. The Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand have switched sides. They refused to provoke China on the SCS claims, choosing to court China for economic development and trade and opting to talk and negotiate with China for a peaceful solution. The tension and threats of war in the South China Sea fizzled out. Obama is now left with only Vietnam and Singapore as the two aces in his hand.

China on the contrary have turned around and now holding 5 aces in Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia with the rest of Asean states remaining neutral other than Vietnam and Singapore.  Vietnam is looking like making a U turn as well with China waving the carrots of more trade and economic development, with no interference in their domestic affairs.

Obama’s hand is now weak, as weak as his last few days in Office. There is an Asean Revolution against the Americans. The stoking of tension and probability of war in the region failed. What Ash Carter said about isolating China has backfired. It is the USA being isolated and the last nail onto this coffin would be the killing of the TPP, the futile American attempt to isolate China.

Bye bye America. Or as Duterte has said, America, you lost. Southeast Asia would not be dragged into a war and turmoil at the will of the Americans. The Asean leaders are not that stupid (there are exceptions) to be at the becks and calls of the Americans to destroy their countries and the lives of their people. They want peace and progress for their people, not war, not death and destruction.

The American nightmare is just beginning.

PS. Happy Deepavali to all our Indian brothers and sisters.

The Asean Revolution

The Duterte Revolution in the Philippines has set about a rethinking of the Philippines history, the colonization and massacres of Pinoys and the pathetic state of the economy under so called American aid, and the unending rebellion in the South the Americans claimed to be quelling but instead fuelling and financing. The Pinoys have woken up to their sorry state of affair after more 100 years of American domination. The Philippines are one of the poorest and least developed Asean countries and still dependent on foreign aid, ie American junks and crumbs and expected to be grateful.

Look at Indonesia and Malaysia and Thailand, all three economies have surged past the Philippines in economic growth and have higher quality of lives for their people. But the Revolution in Asean did not start in the Philippines. The Asean Revolution started a few months prior to Duterte’s ascendency as the President of Philippines, right in the heart of Malaysia!

Unbelieveable, but the Chinese are moving into Malaysia in a very big way. Duterte was successful to clinch $24 billion of contracts for the Philippines in 4 days, a very good result. The Malaysians have an earlier start. 4 major projects in Malaysia, some started a few years earlier, are worth at least $100b, from the Forest City in South West Johore, the Greenland development in Johore Bahru, the megacity in KL that would be the new transportation hub for high speed trains linking to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar and onwards to China and Europe, and the newly commissioned Malaysia China Kelatan Industrial Park. 

Malaysia is getting an economic boost from the Chinese investment and would take off way ahead of Indonesia and the Philippines.  If you have not heard about it, the Chinese have started production of high speed trains from their factory in KL in preparation for the building of the high speed trains in Malaysia.  Najib is visiting China to raise Malaysia China relations to a new height.

What is happening in Malaysia could be the things that the Philippines could also be expecting in the Duterte Revolution. Philippines could go the same path as Malaysia, for economic growth and development and not be made the quarrelsome barking dog of the Americans, everyday dying to fight a war, raising and provoking tensions in a conflict that it can never win except to drain its limited resources, the lost of more Pinoy lives and forever be dependent on the Americans to dole them with junks and crumbs. What are the Americans offering, more military training to fight a green monster, selling of weapons and stoking rebel activities in the South.

With Malaysia taking the lead, showing the way, the Thais and the Philippines tagging along, Asean is going to see rapid economic development and growth while the world economy goes on a downward swing. Singapore got to be very careful not to lose out in this Chinese stimulus and miss the train, literary and otherwise. Yes, if the high speed train linking to China and Europe just ends in KL, KL will be the new transportation hub, replacing Singapore or at least taking away half of the transportation and logistic business.  With all the goods between Europe and China travelling by train, by passing Singapore, you can expect a drop of 50% of sea traffic calling at Tuas. Oh, before I forget, Thailand would be the biggest land transportion hub in Southeast Asia with high speed trains linking to China, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

The Asean Revolution has started and hundreds of billions will be injected into the Asean economies to drive the needed growth to keep Asean countries afloat in a world economy shrouded by dark clouds and uncertainties. The poor Americans did not have the money to finance such huge projects at an international scale. Worst, they could not think of it, unable to conceptualise such an intercontinental idea and lost the initiative to the Chinese. They forgot that money can be made in other economic enterprises other than inciting wars and selling weapons.

Duterte making the Americans in panic mode

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Duterte's Independent Foreign Policy Not Subject To USA Dictates

Duterte's Independent Foreign Policy Not Subject to USA Dictates.

Duterte"s visit to China brought positive results. China agrees to help Philippines build mega infrastructure projects like roads, railways, ports, airports and many other good deals.China  will also help Philippines in its fight against drug traffickers and in building drug rehabilitation centres. Philippines need to turn to China for help because USA did nothing to elevate Philippines development even after almost a century of its rigid colonial rule . The Philippinos must now fully support Predsident Duterte and ensure the country is no more subservient to America as a subservient little brown brother. America will definitely try to sabotage the badly needed infrastructure projects from taking root and prevent China's aid from taking a foothold in the country through the use of legal loopholes and other pretexts and arm twist Philippines law makers to overturn Duterte's independent foreign policy.

The Philippines had been invaded three times by foreign powers. First it was invaded by the Spanish in the 17th Century. Then in 1898 USA booted out the Spaniards and ruled the Philippines until the late 1940s.  Finally during the Second World War, the Philippines was invaded by the Japanese with tragic consequences for the Philippinos. Now the Americans and the Japs are colluding again to bring the Philippines into bondage into America's New World Order of a One World Government under USA full control and total hegemony. The Philippines should be wary of the Americans and the Japanese and not fall into their traps.


The Philippinos must come down hard on USA and its CIA and Pentagon operatives and on its influence in the mass media as well as its insidious influence in the judiciary, senate and congress . Duterte must destroy CIA's hidden underworld operatives where it is allied with gang leaders trafficking in drugs and  as hitmen for CIA assassination purpose. Also many of the drug traffickers are under the CIA's payroll. Thus is there any wonder why America is dead against Duterte's war against drug traffickers? CIA is the world's biggest Drug Lords and is making billions of dollars from drug trafficking.

USA will never leave the Philippines alone because it is of great importance geostrategically and is used  as a lynchpin to American evil scheme of pivoting to Asia to create choas, destability and wars and to contain China's peaceful development. The Philippines must be prepared to bravely and strongly resist America's interference in her internal affairs and trample on her sovereignty.

CIA will use its underlings and 5th columns in the country to block Duterte's independent foreign policy not subjecting to USA dictates and coercion.Duterte must quickly nib this problem in the bud. To delay putting away the 5th column and CIA's agents can be disastrous to Duterte's government and administration.

In 1898 USA invaded the Philippines . It was able to bring the Philippines under US bondage only after it had killed and massacred a few hundred thousand patriotic resistant fighters. America's intention has always been to keep an independent Philippines weak and poor so that it will forever be subservient to US control and dictates and accede to US demands like allowing US to build military bases in the Philippines.

US interferes in every Philippines administration and ensure that  a weak central government will never be able to carry out reforms essential for the development of the country. It frequently tramples and violates Philippines sovereignty with impunity. Below is what one of former Philippines president , Mr Estrada bemoaned of US travesty of Philippines sovereignty. The remarks are lifted from China's Global

"October 23, 2016 at 12:01 am, Manila Standard

"FORMER President Joseph “Erap” Estrada backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to separate foreign policy from the United States, saying it is high time the US government be stopped from its meddling in the country’s internal affairs. But the 79-year-old Estrada, who was ousted from office in 2001, feared that Duterte’s unpopular pronouncements might have severe consequences, such as his possible removal from office similar to what he had experienced in 2001.

The former leader recalled that when he was president, the US government would always try to coax him into doing what they want, like when US Defense Secretary William Cohen wrote him demanding a stop to Estrada’s “all-out war” against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which was believed to be behind several terror attacks.

“They meddled in my fight with the MILF. They stopped me,” said Estrada, who is now on his second term as mayor of Manila. “When they suddenly removed me, they neglected the MILF which continued in their bombings,” he pointed out. “Just because the US is helping us [through official aid] that does not mean they can meddle in our internal problems. We are a sovereign country. We have our own Constitution,” Estrada said. “President Duterte’s action is right. Why are they meddling?” he added, referring to the US.

Asked if he supports Duterte’s move to realign the Philippines with China, Estrada replied: “Yes. Because China doesn’t meddle with us, with our independence.”

Estrada said he understands where Duterte is coming from when he announced the country’s “separation” from the US. “I feel what President Duterte is feeling.” He stressed it was a difficult decision for the President, one that might expose him to political risks such as the US moving to oust him from office. “That is my fear because they did that to me,” Estrada said."

There is thus always a peril to friendship with the Evil Empire, USA. President Duterte is visiting Japan this week for three days from 25th to 27th October. US will pressure Abe, the Japanese warmonger PM to persuade Duterte to make an about turn in Philippines relation with China and force Duterte to get back into the warmongering American-Japanese alliance . The Japs are pledging Duterte 48 million dollars in aid as compare to China's 24 billion dollars  to build the philippines infrastructures like roads, railways, ports, airports and power stations and a further huge sum for Duterte's war on drug traffickers and for building drug rehabilitation centres.

The Philippines must be able to strongly and bravely tell the two trouble makers the Japs and the Americans to get lost and to respect the Philippines independence and sovereignty.

Southernglory1

Wednesday, 26th October,2016Duterte's

Did Shanmugam make a police report against The Statestimes?

I thought I read and heard that he made a police report.  And that was the right thing to do, a marker on what is permissible or not permissible in social media. Two mornings ago the ST said he did not. I quote, ‘At a personal level, I don’t need to file a police complaint.’ The ST further reported, ‘The Straits Times understands that no police report had been lodged as of last night.’  I think I must have some hearing problem or dementia. I thought I heard it on the news that Shanmugam made a police report. Now this, see, what we heard or think we heard, may not be the truth. If in doubt, check with the ST for the official version in black and white. Then no more dispute.

There is another issue? Are the Eurasians lumped together under the category of Indian?  Someone posted this in TRE and I wrote a piece on it saying that it would be another worm if it is true. I asked for confirmation if this is true but no one came forward and the question was left unanswered.  This Shanmugam outburst against The Statestimes gives an opportunity for this issue to be cleared once and for all. In his defence, Shanmugam said he did not say it in the forum at the Institute of Policy Studies where he was quoted to have said so and more, that ‘Indians outnumbered Eurasians 20 to 1. So it makes it difficult for (there to be) an Eurasian president.’ The allegation was even more convincing when it quoted, ‘when the President of the Eurasian Association of Singapore, (Mr) Benett Theseira, criticized the definition of Eurasian in the candidacy regulations.’

All these are ‘outright falsehood)’.And here is Shanmugam’s facebook post. ‘All of this is completely false.  During my session which lasted 90 minutes, I said nothing of the sort attributed to me, about Eurasians.’ So all is false, he did not say what he was attributed to have said. Now it seems quite clear, or is that so, that the Eurasians are not lumped under the category of Indian?

Shanmugam said he did not say what he was alleged to have said. It would be good if he could just say the Eurasians are not lumped in the Indian category. Short and sharp and would have dispel all the malicious rumours floating around.  Would there be an official statement on this crucial point as it is very important to the Eurasian community.  Or would it be like the CPF is not your money statement in Parliament and no one bothered to say it is or it is not?

The other big question, how could the allegation be so specific, that the name of the Eurasian President was even used to make it more real. Funny isn’t it, we have all the media at our disposal and a small factual thing like this could go so distorted that the people have to try to read in between the line to guess what is the truth?

From Shanmugam’s reply, the Eurasians are not lumped in the Indian category. That is how I read it. Anyone still think this is confusing and needs a clear and unconfusing reply so that no one misunderstood what is the truth and what is falsehood?

Anyone read the report in the media about this?

Duterte must take precaution to pre-empt assassination by CIA

Duterte must take precaution to pre-empt assassination by CIA

CIA is notorious for carrying out regime change and countless strings of assassinations of foreign heads of governments, informers and whistle blowers against CIA underworld clandestine activities since the end of Second World in 1945. CIA carries out both covert and overt evil activities in all foreign countries whether friendly or unfriendly to USA. Its modus-operandi includes secret activities through its agents working as USA diplomatic staff with diplomatic immunity, local drug and narcotic cartels as its allies and other local gang leaders under its payroll. Very often the intended CIA victim appeared to die mysteriously though often the dirty unseen hands of CIA were found to be behind the killings. CIA and other high USA government officials in the administration including the Pentagon and Washington are the biggest drug lords in the world. They control international drug trafficking which includes opium, heroin, cocaine and ice. CIA runs its own secret laboratories in manuafacturing heroin and processing cocaine and uses its own transport planes with search immunity from USA customs and other law enforcement authorities like FBI and DEA. The Philippinos should have no doubt that CIA controls all the highly profitable drug trade and trafficking in the Philippines and therefore they are vehemently opposed to President Duterte's fierce war on drugs. CIA and the Pentagon with Washington behind use the humongous profits from drug trafficking in financing wars everywhere in the Middle East, South America, Africa and in Asia. CIA and the American administration are merchants of death . The Philippines and other countries have a duty and obligation to stop the American merchants of death from  destroying this planet earth. To pre-empt from being assassinated by CIA agents it is imperative for Duterte to quickly carry out certain  course of actions. Philippines must restrict the number of USA diplomatic staff in its embassy to the bearest minimum. It must close down all USA's military attaches and CIA offices as well as all American NGOs in the country. Duterte must retire all senior military and police officers who have close connections with CIA or transfer them to civillian departments under close watch. Duterte must keep the movements of CIA agents and American embassy staff under close watch especially when they go out of Manila to the provinces. It is imperative that Philippines abrogate all military treaties with USA which were signed under dubious conditions by the previous Aquino administration. It must close down all American military bases in the country to prevent USA from initiating wild ventures that may embroil the Philippines in an unwanted and unnecessary war against a third country. USA and its close poodle ally Japan are war mongering countries. They post a great danger to the Philippines and other Asian countries. Both USA and Japan are a liability to the Philippines.. Southernglory1 Tuesday, 25th October, 2016 Click here to Reply or Forward 17.05 GB (81%) of 21 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 0 minutes ago Details

SGX, where got elephant in the room?

Goh Eng Yeow wrote a piece titled ‘SGX, where have all the investors gone?’ in the ST on 24 Oct. This is a surprising question to ask today as if it just happened. Remember all the good news when Bockers came on board, that with all the foreign big players, including the algo traders, liquidity would be all time high and broking houses could expect to do great business. He even invested $250m on a new high speed super computer for SGX to prepare for the big volume of trading transactions that it was supposed to handle. There were great promises of a highly strung stock exchange and smiling faces every where.

What is happening today, broking houses trying to break even, remisiers quitting the business, unable to chalk up even commission to pay for overheads, and the dearth of investors?  And the best part, no one knows what is wrong with the stock market.  Everyone in a state of denial. Everything is fine, just fine, nothing to worry about. This is the new normal. 

What is happening, what is happening? Now who is asking what is happening, everything is fine, really, tomorrow will be better. We have seen worst, went through many crises, not to worry, SGX shall overcome.

This is what Goh Eng Yeow concluded in his piece, ‘No doubt it is now also facing big challenges in finding new ways to draw back the investing crowd.  But I have no doubt that it will persevere and succeed.  That must be the fervent hope of remisiers sitting out the trading drought.’ I would like to type HOPE in big capital letters. Not to worry, after the darkest night, the sun will surely rise.

Did anyone see the elephant in the room? No, the market is weak because of external factors, the world economy is slowing, China is slowing down, and what else? Still in a state of denial, refusing to see the elephant? This time the crisis is for real. No amount of monkeying around will do any good until the elephant is removed.

How about having more courses, diplomas, degrees, master degrees and Ph Ds for stock brokings? When we have so well trained and qualified remisiers to help investors to trade, definitely the market will boom. Let’s train more Ph D remisiers. It will sure help, if not improving the liquidity, at least the remisiers can print Ph Ds in their name cards and call themselves investment specialists. Never mind if they are still earning less than $2000 a month.

Any suckers want to acquire a Ph D or Masters degree in stockbroking? Plenty of courses available, to earn $2,000 pm or less.

Labelling President Duterte's wisdom and strategy for Survival as " Duterte's personal game" is downright insulting.

I refer to "Today's Paper" where a miscreant writer from one of Singapore's institute of higher learnings and foreign affairs was being rude and insulting to label President Duterte's wisdom of trying to do what is good for Philippines and its people as "personal game". Calling President Duterte's wisdom and strategy for Philippine's survival as "Duterte's personal game" is horrendous and is not only an insult to President Duterte's dignity, integrity and self respect but also a desperate contemptible attempt to denigrate the intelligence of the Philippinos.

Let the unashamed faceless writer beware that President Duterte knows what he is doing is good for his country and his people  and he does not need to play political game to gain recognition and reward  ( which his predecessor was a suspect  )  from Philippines former evil colonial master, USA.

If the writer has any sense of propriety he should now show contrition and unreservely apologise to President Duterte and the Philippines countrymen for his uncalled for rude and insidious remark.

He should be booted out of Singapore for the good of Asean countries less he and his likes ( and there are many foreign intellectuals attached to Singapore institutes of higher learnings ) bring harm to the region through writing and spouting bias propaganda as little USAs and as mouth piece for USA propaganda machine.

Southernglory 1

Monday, 24th October,2016

Duterte: America has lost

Duterte said this in Beijing, ‘Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also, America has lost. America has lost a 70 year ally in the Philippines to China. 

The USA has been crooning the 70 years of dominating the Philippines as a smaller member of the military alliance as ‘rich people to people ties, including a vibrant Filipino American diaspora, and a long list of shared security interests.’ They did not want to remind the Pinoys that the relations went back even further, to 1898 when they invaded and colonized the Philippines and the massacres of the Pinoys by the Americans. …We also remain one of the Philippines’ strongest economic partners, the current stock of US foreign direct investment stands above US$4.7b’.

The 4 day visit by Duterte to Beijing has led to US$13.5b of agreement signed between the two countries with more to come. And it revives the centuries old relationship between the two countries and the people to people ties built over the past with more than 2m Pinoys with Chinese ancestry and many millions more with Chinese blood in them.

After all these years of manipulation, coercion and behind the door arm twisting, all the American effort and scheming came to nought on 20 Oct 16.  The US$30m spent on the farcical kangaroo court proceedings and rulings went up in smoke. Would the Americans now send the bills to the Pinoys?  All the cloak and dagger hustling behind closed doors in Asean minister meetings to fix China with the Pinoys as the point man now looked so ludicrous. It fell flat.

As they said, man proposed God disposed. Someone up there just said enough is enough and the chapter of American conspiracy to divide the Asean states against China must come to an end. The most crucial piece of pawn in the American game plan, the Philippines, called out. And Duterte even suggested an alliance with Russia and China, and to tell Putin ‘that there are three of us against the world – China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.’

The changing dynamics of the Asia Pacific balance of power would look very different going forward. What would the Americans be thinking of doing? Brewing a military coup against Duterte or an assassination bullet? Would there be more punitive measures against the Philippines or more carrots, like throwing a few antique museum pieces as gifts to the poor brown brothers’ navy for Christmas?

The whole initiative to the new development came out of the blue, in one man, in Rodrigo Duterte. He wrote the script and played the key role to change the course of history of the Asia Pacific region. Now this is powerful.

The American camp is in total disarray, not knowing what happened or what hit them. Obama, you still there? Abe, where are you? More joint naval patrols, freedom of navigation in the South China Sea without the approval of China and the Philippines?

To quote Foreign Secretary Yasay, ‘The US Philippines alliance is the most profound and problematic institutional manifestation of this colonial legacy of arrested development…The US held on to invisible chains that reined us in towards dependency and submission as little brown brothers not capable of true independence and freedom.’

Red Arrows over Marina Bay

Some of the pics I took of the Red Arrows on 18 Oct from the Marina Barrage. Quite a brief display with three passes and all over in 15 minutes. The Brits could put on a better show to show that they still have it as a former world power. The few hundred photographers braving the hot tropical sun with a bright sunny day did not have their fill and were somewhat disappointed as they knew the Red Arrows could show off a bit more.

China misunderstand Singapore? Really?

Tommy Koh wrote a piece titled ‘What China misunderstands Singapore’ in the ST on 21 Oct 16. Before dealing with the content of what he said, let me just take a broad view of what the article is trying to say. My first point, is the author assuming that the Chinese are not that clever and did not understand what Singapore is all about? If that is the case maybe Singapore can loan one of its super talented diplomats to help the Chinese understand Singapore.  Even our journalists and political thinkers are all full of themselves and wanting to teach the Chinese how to run their country.

Oh, they did not know that Singapore is a multi racial country and is in the middle of a sea of Muslim states and have different kinds of problems and issues to think about. They did not understand or got no intelligence to understand that Singapore needs the Americans to use might is right to protect Singapore from its neigbours if they turned hostile.

Ok, let me deal with the straw men that were raised to be shot down.  I would not deal with every little piece of thing the author said but just a few pertinent points for discussion. The Chinese, because Singapore has a Chinese majority country, ‘has given rise to unreasonable expectations on the part of China towards Singapore’. Now what are these unreasonable expectations and why are these unreasonable? ‘They feel that since Singaporeans are fellow Chinese, we should have a better understanding of China’s policies than other Asean countries. They also expect Singapore to support China’s policies.’ The first expectation, a better understanding of China’s policies, unreasonable? Even without the Chinese majority, any foreign officer or leader in charge of foreign affairs are expected to try to have a better understanding of the policies of big powers. Whether he/she agrees is another thing. It will only be an issue when taking a position. What is so unreasonable about a better understanding of another country’s position?

The second expectation, Singapore to support China’s policies. This would be unreasonable when the policies are against the interest of Singapore.  And if it is a case of a tussle between two super powers, it would be unreasonable for China to expect Singapore to support China against another superpower. Likewise it would be unreasonable for Singapore to support another super power against China. Ok, this part is only true if Singapore really wants to be neutral. See, we can see clearly why China is unreasonable but blind to our own unreasonableness. Oh, I forgot, we support US position, or not really support US position, is because we are supporting principles, supporting international laws, supporting freedom of navigation, and these seemed to be the same as what the US is supporting, so we are not supporting the US against China, we are not unreasonable. My eyeballs are rolling. To say this kind of argument is clever is as good as saying snake oil salesmen are very clever.
I do not want to rehash why the kangaroo court is not UN backed and is not about international law or freedom of navigation is affected or someone is more principled and someone is not.

How many reasonable people, principled people, really believe, honestly believe, that the kangaroo court, the way it was set up and the way judgement was passed, is about international law, upholding international law and about principles, justice and fair play?

I will touch on the other 3 ‘misunderstandings’ if I feel exasperated enough to touch on them later, one at a time.

A kangaroo court is a kangaroo court, UN backed or not UN backed. And this kangaroo court was definitely not UN backed.  And its decision was nothing binding and nothing about international law. It abused international law by its rubbish interpretation of reefs and islands. Not all international judges are intelligent and the kangaroo court is a good example to prove how silly these people can be.

AHPETC saga is ongoing – What is the point?

I don’t know and don’t really care. Any impact on the parties involved, on the residents managed by the town council? Plenty! The WP would be so tied up with the ongoings that not only they would be so frustrated, agitated but also got no time for anything else. They would be spending a lot of their time and energy answering to the other party and trying to take defensive measures, preparing and wondering what would be next coming. The other party has all the resources to sit on the matter, keep digging, keep asking, till the cow comes home, or till the next GE, hopefully the WP would be no more.

What about cost? How many man hours, how many professional hours would be charged to the affair? And who would be paying for it? The WP or the residents?

I hope the charges and fees would not be coming out from the residents, from their fees and charges paid to the town council, from the reserves in the town council. But I think it would come from the residents as the WP are managing the town council and the people’s fund and any cost would likely be paid officially from the town council fund as they are working in the official capacity as town council management..

As the unending saga continues, like the fairy tales of the unending story, would the town council be bankrupt at the end of the story? If so, who should be responsible for this sorry state of affair? Never mind the incapacitating of the WP, with little time left to perform their duty as town council managers and as MPs in Parliament. Tsk, tsk, tsk….

Stupidity has no cure

Whenever Xi Jinping goes on a foreign state visit, he would bring along an entourage of businessmen and agreements to be signed for infrastructure developments, trade deals and a suitcase of cash to fund the deals. Many developing countries are eagerly hoping for a visit by President like waiting for a Santa Claus in Christmas. And they would not be disappointed.

Duterte of the Philippines just did the reverse. He brought a team of businessmen to visit Xi Jinping. This is like if the Mohammed does not visit the mountain, the mountain will go to Mohammed. And the results are likely to be the same. Duterte is going to return to the Philippines with a bag of goodies for his people. There will be many trade deals and infrastructure development projects. He wants a few railway lines for the Philippines and would not be disappointed. If he wants ports, industrial projects, new cities, all he has to do is asked.

When the Obama goes visiting, he would bring along his generals and also an entourage of business honchos.  And he would be very generous to sell military weapons, guns, missiles, tanks, fighter aircraft, battle ships, drones, anything that can be used for wars. And in return he would want the countries he visited to sign military alliances with the Americans, to provide military bases for the Americans.

And the unthinking will be screaming their lungs out, the Chinese President is expansionist and planning to start a war of conquest. The Chinese President is coercing the other countries to take advantage of them, to exploit their natural resources. The Chinese are belligerent and waiting to start wars. Just you wait, just you wait, they are coming to attack you and to rob your country to build a Chinese Empire.

Oh, the Americans are peace loving countries. They sell weapons to countries for peace, so that they can live in peace. They sign military alliances to protect these countries from their enemies. They did not have enemies but once they signed the agreements, the enemies of the Americans would become their enemies. And they must provide land for the American Empire to station their soldiers and war machine.  No, the Americans are not taking control of their countries, the Americans are not their colonial masters, just the Emperor of the American Empire and these countries signing the military alliances just become part of the American Empire and now have enemies to fight for.

The Americans are all for peace, very peace loving people. When they conduct regime change like the invasion of Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan, they are there to fight terrorists or rogue regimes, to protect the people of those countries.

Yeah, yeah, the Americans are for peace, the Chinese are for war. The Chinese are coming. Never mind if the Americans are already in their countries with their soldiers and military bases as the new masters.

Stupidity has no cure.

Below are quotes from Duterte, ‘The Asian giant was “good”, …It has never invaded a piece of my country all these generations….During the Cold War, China was portrayed as the bad guy, …And all of these years, what we have read in our books in school was all propaganda produced by the West.’

Remove your blinkers and compare facts against fiction, for goodness sake, and stop being stupid. We must know our own history, write our own history, know our own truths.

Father of American Rocketry

The Chinese have just sent two astronauts to their space station for a 30 day experiment. Everyone is taking this event as a non event. No one stop to think how the rocket will fly when it is slotted to fly. The Chinese rockets just fly every time they were launched. It is a non event, yes, it is taken for granted that all Chinese rockets will fly as expected.

The North Koreans have been trying to master this craft and have quite a number of successes. But not every North Korean rocket flies as expected. Quite a number would not make it. The South Koreans are still unable to send a rocket flying to space. The Japanese are more successful but still have no confidence to send their astronauts up in their own rockets.

The Indians too is advancing in this field, launching satellites and would soon be sending their astronauts to space. The Russians are still ahead, steadily sending their astronauts to their space station when needed.

Where are the Americans? Never heard of the NASA sending their astronauts to their space station anymore. The last heard, they hitched a ride on a Russian rocket. What happened to the American space programme? Shelved? Mothballed?

Yes, the Americans have shelved their space programme for the time being but not giving up.  The American space programme budget is US40b compares to the Chinese US$13b.  But they are unable to fly their rockets for the time being. The last few they launched flew for a few minutes and went boomed, killing all the astronauts in them. The Americans did not seem to have confidence in their rockets any more.

Ever since they exchanged the Father of American Rocketry for a few American prisoners in China in the 1950s, they were unable to improve on their rocket technology.  The rocket technology that works is in China, was brought to China inside the head of America’s Father of Rocketry, Qian Xueshen.  The Americans would have to find another scientist to help them build rockets that can fly and not go kaboomed on launched. Launching rockets safely into space is now second nature to the Chinese space programme while the Americans still did not have a clue how to get this right.

Qian Xueshen is also the Father of China’s rocketry and space programme. He made it all happened, built a strong foundation for China to take the leap forward in space technology and exploration.

Singapore’s PMs growing in stature and power

Sunday 16 Oct there was an article in the Sunday Times by a Chong Zi Liang on 'Spore's foreign policy in a challenging world'. What was written in the two page centre spread was nothing that we do not know. The only thing that gave me a leg up was the quotes of three PMs, one after another, on how Singapore should conduct its foreign policy as a small state. Let me just quote them and show the difference in the thinking and greatness of the 3 PMs and how their views changed over time.

Lee Kuan Yew said:

'Singapore has to take the world as it is. It is too small to change it. But we can try to maximise the space we have to manoeuvre among the big 'trees' in the region.  That has been our approach and we will have to be nimble and resourceful to be able to continue doing so.'

LKY understood that we were a small state and we were price takers of sort. We had to accept the world and to adapt to the world, not to be too swell headed to think we could change the world. We must adapt and try to make the best of the situation by playing along.

Goh Chok Tong said:

'Singapore is a small country, but we do not drift aimlessly. We are not a piece of flotsam.  We have a definite place in the world, and a definite view of life, and of what is right and wrong.

Whether it is 1985 or 1998, I expect that we will be guided by the same basic philosophy that every country, big or small, has a right to be itself. It has a right to live, a right to its own way of life.

From this philosophy springs our foreign policy and our defence policy.  We will be friends with anyone who wishes to be friends with us.  We are not, and will not, be aligned with any bloc, though our ties are closer with the West than with the Communist bloc of countries.'

So you see, Chok Tong is more garang. We would not simply be price takers. We want to be ourself, choose our friends but be friends to everyone who wants to be our friend but not aligned to anyone. But he clarified that we would be a bit closer to the West. Neutrality was still important though a little leaning to the West.

Lee Hsien Loong said:

'Upholding international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes is a vital interest for a small country like Singapore....Nevertheless, Singapore must support and strive for a rules base international order.  We have to depend on words and treaties.  They mean everything to us.  We cannot afford to have international relations work on the basis that might is right. If rules do not matter, then small countries like Singapore have no chance of survival.'

Now can you see the changes? LKY talked about accepting the world as it was and tried to manoeuvre to maximise to our advantage. Chok Tong in a way also accept that fact but would be friends to everyone that is friendly, but slightly aligned to the West. But he still did not dare to think he could change the world to like Singapore.

What is Hsien Loong's position? Upholding international law is a very forceful statement. Singapore now wants to uphold international law, not accepting it as a price taker. Singapore would not accept might is right. Another very powerful statement, meaning Singapore would stand up to it or something like that. Don't push Singapore, we would not allow it.

So, how to fight might is right? Singapore would depend on words and treaties, or military alliances I supposed? Correct me if I did not get this right. The basic position, Singapore would not take things lying down. Singapore will fight for its rights and its principles. You have heard it.

My conclusion, among the 3 PMs, LKY is the weakest. Chok Tong tried to take a firmer middle path. Hsien Loong no doubt is the strongest of the three PMs. He is confident to take on the world, take on any superpowers, to uphold international law and principles. And he would align himself with treaties, no more neutrality or not aligning with any super powers.

Singapore finally has a very strong PM, a strong leader to take on the world, to fight and defend its interests and principles. Singaporeans should be very proud of Hsien Loong, for having the guts to stand up to any country, big or small, on grounds of international laws and principles. His father and Chok Tong both did not have the wherewithal to stand up to big powers. Now you are seeing the real powerful Singapore punching above its weight. Go back and read the news and the comments by our diplomats and you will see how firm and steady they are in defending the interests of small states, defending international laws and principles against unprincipled countries that don't respect international laws.

Singapore has arrived, and Hsien Loong is the One. The strongest of the 3 PMs we have so far. He is now a more powerful statesman than LKY and Chok Tong. Singaporeans got something new to be proud of. Singapore is now an international player that would take a stand, not just a little red dot trying to walk the tight rope. You can expect our diplomats to go around thumping their chests be it China, Russia or regional powers like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand or the Philippines to uphold international laws, freedom of navigation and to protect Asean unity.

Lim Swee Say – Job mismatch a serious problem

In an article in the Today paper on 11 Oct titled ‘Govt paints dire picture of mismatch between jobs and skills’, ‘…Lim Swee Say cautioned that the low jobs growth could persist and Singapore faces the prospect of rising unemployment if it does not minimize the job skills mismatch and strive for quality economic growth. With the number of locals seeking work far outstripping the number of jobs added by “many things” last year, Mr Lim stressed the need to “maximise the connectivity between job opportunities and job seekers.”’

What is the problem? Mismatch of job and job seekers? Why mismatch? Aren’t the job seekers the products of world best universities, top, top universities? Why got mismatch? Whose fault is it if top, top universities produced graduates that could not match the job opportunities in the market?

Why are the products from Indian universities got no problem with job mismatch? Should not the MPs raise this question in Parliament? Should not the MP recommend the closing down of our world best universities that are producing graduates that could not fit into the market, mismatch? Should not the MPs recommend that we send our young to be educated in Indian universities so that they would not be mismatched and be employable in our job market?

Who is at fault? Who is in charge and responsible for producing graduates that are needed in the market? No is one responsible? No one responsible for our world best university education with world best fees and ended up mismatched?

What is happening? Just shout job mismatch and no not my problem any more. Surely someone must answer to this fiasco. So much money wasted and so much time wasted and our young graduates at a lost, mismatch after spending all those years in the world’s best universities run by the best foreigners money can buy? Should someone be held responsible for ruining the lives of our young graduates, for ruining the hopes of their parents?

Massacre of Native American Indians by European Invaders And by USA. PART 4

Massacre of Native American Indians by European Invaders and by USA.                 PART     4

The decimation of native American Indians was the result of European conquerors' deliberate policy of subjugation and extermination. The European conquerors' brutality was a reflection of the ruthlessness with which white men waged wars in all parts of the world. It was also white men's conviction that natives were savages who should be treated as subhuman. However, ironically the natives of America had highly developed societies just as those natives in Australia, New Zealand  and Africa have. These cultured native societies post a threat to the white men's ambition of conquest and subjugation. Therefore it was common for the British, French, Spanish and Portuguese invaders to raze cities, destroy temples, monuments as well as records and documents. They systematically killed Indian warriors, Indian chiefs and priests and the elites. Eventually the white invaders were able to destroy established Indian communities in North America as well as the empires of Mexico and South America.

In 1632 the British  attacked and invaded Indian territories in Pensylvania, Delaware and Virginia. In 1634 they invaded Maryland and Massacred most of the natives to forestall resistance. In 1644 there was an Indian uprising but it was brutally put down and the result of it was that the Indians had to cede more territories in the West to the British.

There was no limit to British aggression. The march to the West continued with more natives killed when they resisted. White immigrants were encouraged from England and Europe to come to America.

In1675 English settlers encroached on native lands in Massachusetts. The Wampanoags , natives of Massachusetts resisted. The British attacked them with full force and started the Wampanoags war.  The British recruited rival tribes the Mohawks to attack the Wampanoags. Thousands of natives were killed both by the British  and by inter tribes mutual attacks as instigated by the British. British settlements quickly extended to both north and south of Virginia and thus the new states Carolina and Georgia were founded. As more new lands were robbed from the native Indians, England encouraged mass immigration of whites from all over Europe. These newcomers were just as ruthless in replacing and suppressing the Indians. Before long there were millions of white settlers in America. They extended their territories to the land of the Iroquois tribes in the Great Lakes, and Ohio in the 1770s. The Iroquois tribes consisted of five Indian nations via the Mohawks, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga and Oneida. They formed a united confederacy to fight the British and the French invasion. They were sorely defeated and their people were massacred in thousands by the British and the French.

In 1763, to avoid costly wars against native Indians England forbade white settlers from encroaching Indian lands beyond the Rocky Mountains through a proclamation. ( NB: England needed the money for the Anglo British - French war in India ). This was ignored by white settlers who continued to advance westward through the might of their guns and canons. Therefore wars continued between the natives and the whites. The Indian tribes of the Cherokees and others were united under the leader Pontiac to resist the whites. But the resistance failed to stop the whites advance and so millions of new white immigrants were able to march West to illegally occupy Indian territories.

After the War of Independence in 1775 the extreme hostile policy of USA government towards the natives encouraged white settlers to grab native lands indiscriminately and they became even more violent towards the natives in their westward march. They totally ignored the rights and interests of the Indians and treated them with contempt. Thus the fate of the native Indians was sealed with the formation of the United States of America which was even more cruel, ruthless and brutal  towards the native Indians than the British.

USA adopted a policy of contempt of native Americans as subhuman and openly declared that the natives do not deserve to inherit the rich resourceful lands of America. Therefore they have no scruples in carrying out systematic killings, genocide and total extermination of the native Indians.

The whole scenario was a spectacle of European savages destroying established societies in America. It was a case of might is right, a skewed mangle thought of barbaric Europeans in which USA is still adopting and practising without restraint and without consideration to the principle of human rights and democracy of other peoples. USA frequent talk and advocacy  of human rights and democracy is crap cheap and is used as a cover to camouflage its evil intent and ambition of stirring trouble, dissension, choas, destability and conflicts among other countries with the objective of eventually taking over  these countries  under its total control and hegemony.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
USA is now using the same satanic traits of aggression and conquests in the Middle East where their avaricious greed for Arab oil and gas result in the destruction of Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan with Iran in the pipe line earmark for attack any time in the future.

It is the bounded duty of every other country to stop facist USA objective of subjugating the whole world under USA New World Order of One World Government under USA total control and complete hegemony. Failing to do so will result in the enslavement of all countries and civilise peoples by the facist Evil Empire, USA

Southernglory1

17th October, 2016

Wow, wow wee, Singapore is going from Sin City to Sex City

Sex, sex, sex. Sex is everywhere. Yes, this is no bluff. The message is clear, go and have sex anywhere, anyhow, whenever you like, it is good.  But remember to make more babies. This is the talk of the town. And don’t worry about pre marital sex, not to worry about being married or not yet married, just go have sex.

Wow, where am I, in planet Venus with Goddess Venus spreading love everywhere? Love is in the air in Sin City. Oops, now called Sex City.

Whatever Josephine Teo was saying, it is creating a happy storm I supposed. I like it. She is saying it the way it should be spoken, no holds bar. Why not, this is the 21st century.  No more pretences, no more inhibitions, no need to be shy lah. You want sex, go have it. Sex is fun.

With this new mantra, maybe no need to import more foreigners and we could produce enough babies for the 6.9m population.
Anyone needs help?

Oh, what am I talking about? Go read the happenings in TRE about how good and how fun it is to have sex : ) You would not find such glitzy news in the main media. Now you know why the main media is losing readership. But yes, it is also reported in the main stream media and also picked up by foreign media.

PS. God of Gambling, where are you? Why are you not telling everyone to go and gamble, in the casinos, in the 4D/Toto booths and online? Sex and gambling are a great combination for an exciting place. Don’t think so? Who is the God of Gambling, we are waiting for your permission to gamble everywhere, in small places also ok, hopefully with OPM.

Singapore China relations – Open split?

The verbal war between Singapore and China does not seem to subside and Singapore is upping the ante with another article by Kwa Chong Guan belabouring the point that China has been pressuring Singapore and ‘to influence and shape the opinions and actions of Chinese Singaporeans’. In his article appearing in the Today paper on 14 Oct titled ‘China’s unrealistic expectations of overseas Chinese’, Kwa Chong Guan traced the history of Chinese involvement in the MCP’s fight for the independence of Malaya and Singapore and the subversive role in local trade unions and political movements of the past.
 
Kwa Chong Guan made it very clear that ‘the Straits born Chinese, who did not think of themselves as huaqiao and did not identify with China’ did not agree with the strategies of the MCP. He then went on to relate to the MCP activities of early Malaya and Singapore days culminating in the Non Aligned Movement spat as another of ‘China’s attempt to shape the opinions and interests of the Chinese community in Singapore about Chinese interests’. Kwa drew a clear distinction in the modern Singaporeans and the Singaporeans of yore, that the new Singaporeans have no special affinity to China like their forefathers.
The new Singaporean entrepreneurs investing in China did not go there because of the historical attachment to China but purely based on ‘hard business investment’.  They did their investments not depending on ‘guan xi’, in other words, Singaporeans are principled, abiding by international laws when doing business in China and would not want to be treated differently. Kwa also emphasized that ‘Singapore…has to stand firm against demands by the ancestral homelands of Singapore’s diverse ethnic communities for their loyalty.’
As Singapore keeps on harping on the Chinese govt making demands on Singapore on racial affinity, how would this affect Singapore’s relations and investments in China? Would the trips by Hsien Loong to the USA, Japan, India and Australia have anything to do with the open split between Singapore and China? Is Singapore telling China to lay off and Singapore has other alternatives to invest, in the US, Japan, India and Australia and Singapore and China can go their separate ways henceforth?
The regular display of unhappiness by Singapore seems to be an official position, no longer someone speaking on his personal capacity. And most of the speakers airing this dispute hailed from one school of thought, the Rajaratnam School of International Studies. The notables making tough and flamboyant speeches on the SCS and demanding China to respect the ‘UN backed’ Hague rulings all came from this School.
The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policies has been quite silent on this spat. Maybe they are dealing more with local policies and issues and not international matters.  With the tempo of this spat gaining strength, it would be interesting if Lee Kuan Yew is still around and whether he would be wearing his favourite Chinese jacket during important official functions with great pride. Or would he be returning to his suit and tie to show a change in policies to be less dependent on China and more cosiness with the West
 
Lee Kuan Yew was a straits born and every inch a baba. As he grew up he rejected the name Harry Lee given to him by his grandfather. He did not name Hsien Loong and Hsien Yang and Wei Ling with English names like Peter, Simon or Jane. He also sent them to Chinese schools. What did all these said of this straits born Chinese? He was not the banana that one encounters in the island. He was not the typical straits borns. The straits borns are not a homogenous group. There will be the bananas that think highly of everything western, there will be those that are proud of their ancient civilisation.
 
And how would those wanting to be friendly to China be belittled as unacceptable? Being friendly to China is not the same as being a traitor to Singapore, going against the interests of Singapore and Singaporeans. The New Zealanders, Australians and many white colonised countries did not feel ashamed to be pro America because they were whites. Why should straits born Chinese feel ashamed to be friendly to China if they did not compromise Singapore's interests?
 
This episode is really Singapore punching above its weight, taking on China head on, demanding China to obey The Hague rulings, to obey international laws,  to protect freedom of navigation and to be principled, as if China is doing and acting to the contrary. Needless to say, diplomatically, it is rubbing China up the wrong side and the open spat would not go away just because Singapore is punching above its weight.
 
Where would all this lead to in Sino Singapore relations?