Singapore bought Australian land for military training

I read this in the statestimesreview. ‘Singapore is paying S$2.34 billion to Australia to rent over 200,000 hectares – the size of 4 Singapore land mass – in Townsville North Queensland for 25 years to test long-range missiles. The lucrative deal signed in October is however blocked by local farmers who refuse to sell their land.’

I must say this is any time a better decision than buying 12 F35s for about the same amount of money, 200,000 hectares or 4 times the size of Singapore or about 1 cent per sq ft.  How would anyone think of spending $2.34 billion for 12 toys that could go kaput anytime and could be stored in a hangar half the size of a football field?

Singapore should negotiate for longer tenure, maybe 99 years, then we can have a small population of soldier boys and their families living in Australia to relieve the lost of land that would be built to house more foreigners.  But our crazy policy of wasting land to sell to more foreigners, we have depleted whatever land for military use, to house our soldiers and military hardware.  We have no room for our boys to defend our country.  By the time they get back home with their hardware the island would have fallen, taken over. How can a country have its soldiers all overseas leaving a token force on home ground? Though the solution of acquiring land in Australia may not be ideal, as least it is a way out until the sickos understand what they are doing to our little island and why building and building more flats to be filled with more foreign bodies is a khong cum thing to do.

This temporary solution buys us 25 years of time and not to be held hostage or at ransom should countries hosting our facilities decided to up the rentals/usage of their land annually. And hope also there is no threats of war during this period. But 25 years is a flash in the pan and the problem arises again, just like our water agreements with Malaysia. When the landlord decides to up the fees or to kick our soldier boys out, then what, just like when we hit 6.9m or 10m, then what?

The solution must be more permanent and sustainable. Reclaiming land to bring in more bodies is like filling water in a pail full of holes and will lead to very serious problems in the long run, with more heads, more consumption but producing nothing, limited land, resources, water, energy, how could this be allowed to go on and on? It is a foolish formula, a game that fools will play and think they could get a way with it. But the fools need not have to answer for it as they would be long dead when the roof starts falling down.

Know the limitations of our land and resources and work within these limits is the only way to go.

US plot to oust Duterte - Regime change in the Philippines

John Kerry told the Philippines that the Americans respect their sovereignty and the democratic choice of the people of Philippines in selecting their leaders. Now the Philippines have exposed a plot to overthrow their President Duterte by the US and quoting a former American Ambassador Philip Goldberg to be behind it with documents as proof. The Americans are denying this allegation.

Who do you think is telling the truth, the Americans or the Filipinos? Do the Americans have any reason to want to throw out Duterte? Do the Americans have records of doing such darn things? Who is infamous for regime change?

This is what the Filipinos are saying and I quote from an Agencies’ article appearing in the Today paper on 29 Dec 16, ‘In the alleged plan, Mr Goldberg had noted that deposing Mr Duterte would be a challenge for the opposition. He encouraged support for the opposition through aids and grants, and to sow discontent among Duterte’s supporters….called for stoking public dissatisfaction with Mr Duterte over unfulfilled election promises, isolating the Philippines from the rest of the Association of South east Asian Nations (Asean) by extending military assistance to member countries except the Philippines, and/or through economic “blackmail” that aims to limit trade by some Asean member countries with the Philippines.’

With so much detail, are the Filipinos fabricating false information? You be the judge.  The info also revealed that the Americans are in control of Asean and could turn Asean against the Philippines, or at least some Asean states against the Philippines. So there you go, the friendliest and all goodness Evil Empire is doing what it knows best, regime change, interfering in the domestic affairs of small countries. Hope the terminating of Duterte is not in their cards.

Duterte, be very careful with the white angels around you. Little brown brothers are easily manipulated to serve the interests of the Evil Empire. With such good friend, the Philippines and Asean member states do not need enemies anymore.

Terrex Incident – What a lonely feeling

When Aquino was provoking China with his kangaroo court rulings on the SCS island claims, Singapore was quite vocal about Asean unity, that Asean should stand together as a grouping and take a common stand. Singapore’s policy is for a united Asean to face external threats and issues. Singapore’s support for Aquino’s claim on Chinese islands need no further elaboration. Several Asean countries too were behind the Aquino govt, including Vietnam and Malaysia, both claimant countries. Japan and the USA and the western countries too were parroting that the kangaroo court rulings were legal and binding. These supports gave the Aquino govt a false sense of victory, that the western world was behind the Filipino claims. There was strength in numbers. At least Aquino did not feel alone.

Singapore is now having a little problem with China, a good friend according to Vivian Balakrishnan who said he could sleep well over the Terrex Incident.  More than a month has passed and the armoured personnel carriers are still in Hong Kong with no further news. The Hong Kong/China side was silent and no one knows how long this matter would drag.

What is surprising is that no country, or at least that was what I have read in the media, has come out in support of the Singapore govt, to give encouragement and moral support to Singapore, a show or unity and solidarity. No Asean state has spoken out on the issue in favour of Singapore or to put pressure on China. Where is the Asean unity and solidarity? Anyone thinking he is the leader of Asean and mustering the Asean states to go against China? Should not one or two Asean countries be calling for Asean countries to unite behind Singapore? There was or were leaders herding the Asean states against China in the SCS claims and the kangaroo court rulings. Where have they gone to? Maybe the Terrex Incident is a different issue that does not need Asean unity or Asean to front out for Singapore, to speak for Singapore, to put pressure on China.

What about the USA and Japan, staunch allies and friends of Singapore? Did they say anything and give some moral encouragement? Are the Americans and Japanese going to sail their navies into Hong Kong as a show of force? Did any of these big powers make presentation to China to help out Singapore?

Somehow I got this lonely feeling that Singapore is in this all alone. Where are Singapore’s friends? Where are the western media that thought it was their responsibility to lambast China on the SCS island dispute and daily blasted at China on the side of the Aquino govt? The western media have been exceptionally quiet about the Terrex Incident. It is all Singapore’s problem. Or all of them think Singapore can handle this alone. Maybe they believe Singapore govt can punch above its weight and Hong Kong/China would soon return the armoured personnel carriers without undue delay, without the need for them to blow their trumpets?

Is Singapore being left on the lurch, alone, to deal with the problem? Have they abandoned Singapore? What a lonely feeling. A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is a time when Singapore needs all its friends to stand up or to speak up, and the voices of the western media to blow up the issue.

Are you lonesome tonight? Oh, what a lonely feeling.

President elect Trump & Peter Navarro have sinister motives in accusing China of unfair trade.

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President elect Trump and Peter Narvarro have sinister motives in accusing China of Unfair Trade.

First let's examine America as a country of its history. Before 4th July, 1775, there was not even a country called US to speak of. The whole of North America belongs to several native American tribes numbering several millions of them. Then in 1600s with the arrival of the aggressive French and British invaders native America soon lost its peace and tranquility. France and England fought for total control of the North American continent. England emerged victorious and became the only supreme European power to rule the land. The native Americans fought bravely against the British invaders hoping to evict them from the continent. Soon they found out fighting the Europeans with bow and arrows and wooden spears were no match against ther enemies' guns and cannons. The natives were mercilessly slaughtered and as time rolled by it became an almost complete genocide.

With being the only supreme and sole conqueror of the continent England was free to encourage millions of British and later other white Europeans to emigrate to North America.. The conquest of North America by England through force of arms and military might had rendered British and European rule illegitimate.

By the 1700s there were over one hundred million British and other white European settlers in the land. In 1770s many British settlers were dissatisfied with strong arm rule from London. They agitated for self rule and independence. Thus in the war of independence they prevailed and on 4th July, 1775 the revolutionaries declared independence of a new country US which then comprised the thirteen states of about six hundred thousand square miles fronting the Atlantic Ocean.

The large remaining areas from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and north of Mexican California were still under direct British rule. However the British did give the various native tribes some sort of self-government in the central plains and west of the continent up to the coast of the Pacific Ocean

The native self governing states were not to last long when the US of the breakaway thirteen states decided to march west and conquer all of them. Though the natives fought hard and bravely against the invading US army it was inconsequential. The white Americans of US were even more wanton and brutal than the British in the killings and slaughter of the natives. It was a case of the worst and most brutal genocide of natives that ever occurred.By the turn of 1890s not more than ten or twenty thousand native Americans were left out of the original native population of about eighty-five millions.

Thus the present US is an illegitimate country built on brutal genocide of the entire natives of the American continent and subsequently the brutal use of enslavements of negro slaves from Africa to provide the toil and free labour for its development. Its railways and other infrastructures were built on exploited Chinese labours in the 1800s to 1880s.

Now let's examine American present perspective in its norms of behaviour and conduct in international affairs especially vis-a-vis China. There is no doubt US is an illegitimate country built on terrorism and its conduct has never shown it as otherwise. It is very bellicose and gingoistic throughout its barbaric history. US is even more evil than you think. US organizes and trains different groups of Islamic terrorist organizations like the Taliban, Alqaeda, Isis and many others and release them to create choas, instability and civil strives in countries US decides to overthrow a regime or governments which it considers unfriendly and not toeing US dictates. In short USA was, is and will continue to be the world's biggest and most evil terrorist country.

At present in the economics, politics and military America , more than any other country has built up colossusly to awe and threaten the whole world. And yet to the Anglo-Saxon Americans everything is never enough unless its ultimate objective of world hegemony is achieved.

The tremendous wealth of USA does not benefit the vast majority of Americans but only the one percent of the elites ruling class encompassing the bankers, stock brokers, business tycoons, hierachy of top politicians, and top military personnels in the Pentagon and CIA as well as perhaps about ten percent of the middle class. The whole country is actually controlled by a handful of top notch crooks, rogues and scoundrels in the powerful demonic organisation of the Anglo-Saxon Jewish Zionist cabal under the centralise Rothschilds Illuminati and Free Masons absolute total control.

President Donald Trump is a member of this group. He is blaming China for all the ills of America, He and Navarro claim that half of USA deficit is caused by China's unfair trade with America. He and Navarro accuse China of manipulating the Chinese Yuan and subsidising exports.

China's trade with other countries and USA is based on the rules and regulations of the World Trade Organisation in which both USA and China are members. China's international trade has so far benefitted all other countries including USA. No one has ever complained against China of unfair trade except USA. The fact is that America's businessmen and industrialists take advantage of China's vast pools of cheap labour, so they shifted their productions to China to enhance their high profits.

As an example a pair of Nike shoes make in China may comprise labour cost of say $2, materials $3 and overheads like transport and production cost $3, making a total cost of $8 for a pair of Shoes. The American company sells the shoes in China for around $25 and in USA and other countries for around $45. Obviously the company makes such huge unthink of profits, will it want to move out of China. In the meantime US government gains by taxing on the shoes

The colossal profit of goods make in China by American businessmen goes back to the company and USA and benefits American consumers. If at all the pair of shoes were to be made in USA the cost price per pair would be in the region of about $80 to $100 per pair. Then American consumers may have to pay $150 to $200 per pair. Thus America, from the company to the people and the state benefit all round from manuafacturing their products in China. Therefore this shows what Donald Trump and Navarro is talking is absolutely utter rubbish and mischievous. When they are unable to compete with China in fair trade they utter frivolities in such hues and cries.

However the tremendous profits make by American companies do not so much as benefitting the people, the employees because it is creamed off by the greedy and rapacious directors and CEOs of the listed companies who never hesitate to pay themselves sinful salaries and perks worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.

Therefore it is really wrong and mischievous for Trump and Navarro and the American politicians to blame China for all its economic ills. They are just trying to pull the wool over the American peoples' eyes for all the greed and extreme corruption of their ruling elites , the crooks, rogues and scoundrels in the Apex of society. Just imagine how Trump himself managed to avoid paying tax of hundreds of millions of dollars for many years though his company is valued at several billion dollars worth.

Trump and Navarro are great liars and conmen to accuse China of manipulating its currency and foreign exchange. The value of the Chinese Yuan depends on market forces independent of Chinese control . On the other hand US rigged the value of the American dollar to swindle the whole world . Whether it is pushing the dollar up or down it intends to profit both ways depending on the appropriate situation beneficial to US.

America has a total debt of about twenty-one trillion dollars comprising both internal and external debt. Its currency is a fiduciary issue with no tangible intrinsic backing by gold or resources. How then can US now push the dollar to such high value except to con and cheat other countries of their foreign exchange and to do damage to their economies. Third world countries who succumbed to America's currency rigging and foreign exchange manipulation and who are induced to borrow and owe America huge debts are subjected to US control and blackmail. As an example US will demand the installation of military bases in third world countries which can't pay off their debts to US.

Trump and Navarro may think they can play dirty with China. They may be shocked their evil schemings may rebounce back on USA .

Southernglory1

Wednesday,28th December,2016

The world must set the agenda, not the Americans

The Americans with the help of biased western media, have been setting the agenda and the unthinking and mindless world just gobbled them up as the right and proper thing or message. The Chinese are moving missiles into the SCS and this is bad. The Americans have 400 bases surrounding China and the western media did not utter a whimper. The Americans are sending their THAAD missiles to South Korea, this too is a normal and acceptable thing, just like the nuclear bases in Okinawa, in Guam, in the Marshalls, in Diego Garcia.

And Kim Jung Un is a mad man, not George Bush, not Tony Blair, not Hillary or Obama that set the Middle East ablaze, killings millions of Arabs in the process. And I quote a few paragraphs from Andre Vitchek,

'In New York City and Paris, in Buenos Aires and Hong Kong, the then consensus was almost unanimous: “Chavez was a vulgar populist, a demagogue, a military strongman, and potentially a ‘dangerous dictator’”.

In South Korea and the UK, in Qatar and Turkey, people who could hardly place Venezuela on the world map, were expressing their ‘strong opinions’, mocking and smearing the man who would later be revered as a Latin American hero. Even many of those who would usually ‘distrust’ mainstream media were then clearly convinced about the sinister nature of the Process and the ‘Bolivarian Revolution’.

History repeats itself.

Now President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines is demonized and ‘mistrusted’, ridiculed and dismissed as a demagogue, condemned as a rough element, mocked as a buffoon.

In his own country he is enjoying the highest popularity rating of any president in its history: at least well over 70 percent, but often even over 80 percent.'

Now they are getting the UN to conduct investigation against Duterte for murder. When is the world going to pursue the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and the killing of Saddam Hussein by the Americans under false fabricated charges of possession of WMD? When is the world going to prosecute Bush and Blair for these killings and also the killings of Libyan and Muammar Gaddafi?

Why is the UN thinking it is the right thing to investigate Duterte but not Bush and Blair? By setting the UN on a wild goose chase it makes the world body forgot about the crimes against humanity of Bush and Blair. Russia and China and other nations in the UN must not let this crime against the Arabs and Arab nations go unpunished. They must set the agenda, grab the UN by the collar to press charges against these two criminals and their accomplices for genocide and the invasion of nation states under flimsy and false charges.

There many crimes and despicable things being committed by the US and the western nations that should be brought up against them, charge them, make them answer for their crimes and violations. The rest of the world must take the initiative to set the world agenda against the Americans and the west and their crimes.

Would Asean be united behind Duterte against the attacks by the Americans and the west?

Medishield Life and CPF Life, profit making schemes?

I have raised this point many times and if I am not mistaken, no one thinks this is important enough to be raised in Parliament. I have read Leong Sze Hian post in TRE where he quoted the data from the media that since 2002, $90m was paid out under the Eldershield scheme. And his estimate on the premium collected was $3 billion. No need to think too hard to see the billions collected in excess. Where do these billions go to? Why are the billions not returned to the contributors to reduce their premiums?

Now we also have Medishield Life and CPF Life and the sum of premiums collected is mind boggling. And how much is being paid out and how much is the excess, the equivalent of profits being kept by the govt from these schemes? Why is so much money kept as profit, making profit from the people when the two schemes are basically for protection and not meant to be profit making? I am saying, that these are not profit making schemes as the people do not expect the govt to turn these compulsory schemes into profit making schemes. It is morally not right, ethically not right for the govt to implement compulsory insurance schemes with profit making in mind.

Would the govt want to clarify on these schemes, whether they are profit making schemes and if not, explain to the people how the excess billions are being used to benefit the people, to reduce the premiums paid, not to be used for some other things unrelated.

The MPs, forget about the PAP MPs, but the opposition MPs should ask this simple question, are the Medishield Life and CPF Life insurance schemes meant to be profit making and if yes, they must oppose this motive. Asking question and getting an answer is not the end. When the answer tells a bad story, they must demand that the moral of the story be changed to be morally and ethically right, not legally right.

How many of you think there is nothing wrong for the Medishield Life and CPF Life Schemes to be profit making schemes? Is profit making the main objective, and acceptable even if it is incidental?  How could the govt make profits from such insurance schemes? I stand corrected if the govt clarifies that these are not profit making schemes and the excess billions collected will be returned to the people to lower the premiums paid like what similar schemes in mature countries are doing.

PS. If these two schemes become profit making schemes, the people's life savings in the CPF will be in jeopardy.
   

Japan is cooked

This is the link to the full documentary of John Pilger's The Coming War with China, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kyM8uQQc_w, you would have to copy/paste this link to watch the documentary. Watch this in conjunction with this article I have written to get a real feel of the impending destruction of Japan should war starts between the USA and China.

Japan will be the first country to be cooked in the event of a war between the US and China or Russia. The simple reason is that Japan has been turned into the front line of defence and offence for the Americans. The Americans have more than 100 military bases and more than 50,000 soldiers in Japan alone to defend America and to launch attacks against China or Russia. The American troops in Japan has nothing to do with the North Koreans. The Japanese Self Defence Force is more than able to deal with the North Koreans.

What would the military strategists in China or Russia do when they know that the American forces in Japan would be the first to be used to attack them? The answer is so obvious. They cannot allow these bases to operate at their doorsteps to launch attacks against their mainland in China or Russia. The military strategists would ensure that all these bases would be taken out at the first sign of hostility. The outcry of 1000 missiles aiming at Taiwan was a PR exercise but not real. There will be missiles aimed at Taiwan, but China does not need to do that for obvious reasons. Taiwan is insignificant and incapable of doing real damage to China.

In the case of Japan, the danger of an American strike is formidable. The fire power of the American bases is incomprehensible, with nuclear weapons hidden under secrecy though official claimed to be not there. There will be several thousand missiles both from China and Russia and North Korea aiming at all the military bases in Japan, Americans and Japanese, for sure. And these are priority targets number one. And for safe measures, all the civilian airports and sea ports would also be targeted as they could be used for the military in times of war.  So, to say a few thousand missiles aiming at Japan is not unreal.

Did Japan ask for it? I doubt the proud and nationalistic Japanese would want any American bases in their soil in breach of their sovereignty and humiliating their national pride. Japan is more than able to defend itself. It was a superpower in WW2, overrunning the whole of Asia and SE Asia. They do not need to be protected by the Americans. The Americans just imposed their will on the Japanese, demanding to have their soldiers in Japan, as front line troops against China and Russia. Japan's national security just got compromised for the interest of the Americans defending their empire.

Japan not only took on the Americans but declared war on the world. What is this nonsense that Japan needs to be protected by the Americans and with more than 100 military bases in Japan alone? The South Koreans are in the same fate. They too would be cooked in the first sign of war with the Americans.

Would Trump do the inevitable, by demanding for a ransom to station troops in Japan and Abe simply said Japan could not pay and please Americans go home? Trump's ignorance of geopolitics would be a gift for Japan to break free from the clutches of the Americans. When come to the push, Trump may have to pull back all the American troops if Japan refuses to pay, and with the Japanese smiling behind his back. Japan would then achieve real independence and no longer be a semi colony of the American Empire, to be first to fall when the Empire declares war on China or Russia.

This is a round of poker game between Abe, the nationalist and imperialist that want Japan to be great again, as an independent nation and Trump who also wants to make America great again but not as an Empire. Who would be forced to show hand and be cleaned off his chips on the table?

No normal growth for Singapore economy

There is this article in the TRE by a blogger called 'Jialut Liao' with the title 'Singapore economy will never have growth again'. Let me quote the first paragraph.

The economics headlines for Singapore have been bad. The predictions for 2017 are gloomy. Still… i have this nagging feeling that we are not getting the full picture ( or our Gov is not telling the whole truth)....

I agree that we are not getting the full picture and the govt is not telling the whole truth. So let me enlighten the readers on the whole truth and the exceptional strength of our economy. Look at the positives, the most important point is that Singapore has an exceptional govt, some called it abnormal govt because they were paid abnormally. But this is really Singapore's trump card, all the aces in the hand. Our govt are made up of very exceptionally talented men and women and they are worth every cent they are being paid. And everyone is paid more than the President of the USA, including junior ministers. If you care to dig deeper, many ordinary MPs are also earning more than the President of the USA. And if you know their real take home pay, you will faint, shock to know how talented they are. This is the quality and depth of talents that Singapore has.

With this exceptional and abnormal govt, you cannot expect normal growth but exceptional and abnormal growth for Singapore. I am sure with this little truth all Singaporeans can now sleep in peace. The ministers can.

And this is not all, we have the best of everything, the best school system and universities that always produced straight As students and no failures or unmentionable small number of failures. In other words our education system has no wastage, producing the best workers and most employable workers in the world. We even have excess of these talents to spread to the world. And this is real serious, the most talented and productive workers that are in demand all over the world, maybe not here.

We have the best infrastructure, public services, hospitals, transportation, best and most efficient sea port and airport. We have the best shopping centres and food paradise. Singapore has everything good here, everything is happening in Singapore. And we can splurge on anything we want, F1, Youth Olympic, miracle gardens, paying hundreds of millions for foreigners to run our top universities, maybe spend a few billions to buy F35s, the most expensive warplanes in the world. Singapore could just stop splurging on these luxuries and fantasies, it could easily save hundreds of millions for abnormal growth.

The slight slow down in the economy has nothing to worry about. We have millions of cheap labour from the neighbouring countries that came here to create more jobs for Singaporeans. And if the economy expands, we can import more, and the economy is expanding and our target is 6.9m and more, some say 10m. We have not reached our full potential yet. Singapore can sign more CECAs to bring in more talents to boost the economy. We still have a lot of land to build flats and shopping centres and food courts. If need be we can have a few more casinos.

Wait for the completion of the 4th and 5th international airports, the Jewel, and the world's biggest port in Tuas. I could go on and on. Singapore's advantages and strength are unlimited. And if things need a little boosts, just raise the salaries of the leaders to spur them to work even harder and max their super talented skills.

Yes, with exceptional and abnormal talents in charge, Singapore will not have normal growth, but exceptional and abnormal growth. Maybe there will be more 15% GDP growth. And I have not spoken about our secret weapon, the huge reserves that are being invested wisely in everything all over the world, zealously guarded by the most talented president in the world, and giving abnormal returns annually, I think better than Warren Buffet's fund.

Sleep well Singaporeans, you are in good hands. Don't listen to rumours and doomsayers.

Obama's Christmas present for the PLO

After years of protecting the Israelis and giving them a licence to kill and do anything they want against the Palestinians, Obama decided to stop the blank cheque for violence and crimes against the Palestinians. Despite the protest and pressure from Israel and Donald Trump, the Nobel Peace Prize winner gave the Palestinians a last minute Christmas present in his dying days in the White House. Obama ordered his US representative in the Security Council to abstain instead of casting its veto power to block the resolution to stop the Israelis from occupying territories seized from the Palestinians. While the fools in the UN and the rest of the world clapped as if God has turned the Americans into angels for Christmas, the Americans have been the devil behind all the Israeli acts and killings against the Palestinians for decades. And this small act could be the flash in the pan from the man know as the flash in the pan. All things would be back to normal when Trump sits in the White House and no resolution against the Israelis would be passed in the UN as before.

The resolution was unanimously passed by the remaining 14 Security Council members ordering Israel to return the occupied land to the Palestinian but in reality would be just another pyrrhic victory or paper victory at most. Israel immediately condemned the resolution and would not abide by it. And who is there to implement the resolution if the US act dumb? No country in the world would be able to evict the Israelis from the occupied Palestinian land and it is as good as an empty victory and Obama knew that this is just another American farce.

The UN Security Council resolution is not only legal and binding, it is a ruling from the world body, unlike the NOT UN backed Tribunal in The Hague. The rulings on the South China Sea by the kangaroo court in The Hague was anything but legal and binding compare to the UN resolution. So, would there be countries carrying a loudspeaker to tell the Israelis to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions?

This UN resolution is vital to the interest of small states that need the protection of the UN or they could lose their territories through conquest and occupation by foreign military forces. Small countries must stand up to defend this rulings for their own good. Aggressive military forces like the Israelis and the Americans must be made to obey the rule of law. Supporting this ruling is supporting a sound principle that would protect the interest of small states.

Merry Christmas to the Palestinians and everyone celebrating Christmas in this small state that needs the protection of the rule of law and high principles of international relations.

Let me start by asking the Israelis to abide by the UN Security Council resolution that is legal and binding. The Israelis must follow the rule of law.

Honour is priceless

I wanted to take a dig at Donald Trump and his appointees for diminishing their dignity by accepting incredibly low monetary rewards when they take up their posts on 20 Jan 17. Trump has declined his presidential salary which understandably is worth less than a peanut and instead opt to take a token pay of US$1. Some may find this action stupid, demeaning and insulting the great office of the Presidency of the USA. How can the responsibility and power of the highest and most important office in the world be worth US$1, or how could Donald Trump be worth US$1? He is worth even less than our cleaners. What kind of dignity is he going to garner, what kind of respect is he going to get when he met up with other heads of state and govt or with business leaders that earn in the millions? would Trump feel undignified, ashamed of his low pay, a meagre US$1? I am so tempted to buy him kopi if he visits Singapore. Poor chap, how could he afford Starbucks?

And his team of cabinet secretaries are mostly billionaires and multimillionaires. Take the CEO of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson who has accepted the post of Secretary of State, our equivalent of Foreign Minister. Tillerson is being paid tens of milllions by Exxon but would suffer a huge pay cut in his new appointment, maybe getting something less than US$200k! He is just as insane as Trump to give up his millions, like all the other milllionaire appointees, to become political leaders. Why would these men and women willingly and honourably accept such a huge pay cut without claiming how much they have to sacrifice for the country? And they would have to face greater challenges in their new jobs, one of which is how to adjust their lifestyle with so little pay, how their family members would have to suffer for their bad decisions.

The only answer that I can think of is the silly concept of honour. These men and women are going to serve their country and see that as a great honour that is worth more than anything in monetary terms. Honour is priceless, even if they have to lose a lot of dignity for have a low pay. Yes, honour to some people may be just a useless aspiration that would not bring food on the table. But to these men and women, honour is everything they live for. They would not be caught talking foolishly about how great a sacrifice they have made for the loss of their income, ie money.

Honour cannot be measured by money alone. Honour is simply honour, priceless. It is something that either you have it or you don't. Which is more important, priceless honour or dignity that can be bought by money?

Shall I say dignity is more important than honour?

China - From friend to foe

Lee Kuan Yew spent half his lifetime building, cultivating and developed a special relationship with China. It took less than two years of his passing and China is now more a foe than a friend. Dunno who to thank for this sorry state of affair. It is definitely not Singapore's fault, not the MFA's fault, Singapore has done nothing to China or against China to cause this. Vivian could even said he can sleep well, with no prick of conscience. Not sure about Hsien Loong but he has been very happy going about doing his things without having to say a word about the deteriorating relationship with China.

This is a queer case of stupidity in diplmacy. It is either the Chinese are so stupid that they are angry with Singapore when Singapore did not do anything to badmouth China, to hurt China or to undermine China's core interests. Or the Singapore side is so stupid that they have done all the things against the interests of China but has no clue that they were against China. The latter is really quite frightening. It is worst than the Emperor and his new clothes. It is someone having diarrhoea without knowing it and happily walking around with the stench of shit but could not smell a thing.

The Terrex Incident has just started and who knows how long it will be dragged on and how serious it could turn out when more things were revealed. And before one could say let's move on, 20 DBS staff in Hong Kong have been arrested for breaches to good conduct and banking practices. They have violated the law for releasing confidential data of their clients. Has this got anything to do with the declining relations with China? Or is it just a coincidence, nothing to worry about. No one needs to lose any sleep.

The special relationship and access Lee Kuan Yew had with China is now passe. And it also means the special relationship Singapore enjoyed with China is also history. No western leaders would not be able to call on the Oracle to learn a few wisdom in dealing with China. Out line to China is cut, dead, no one is going to pick up the phone on the China end.

How did we do it so quickly after one and a half years after Lee Kuan Yew's death? All his good work and effort have gone to waste. There is no turning back, at least not under this govt. Singapore still thinking it can ride on the Chinese growth engine, to bid for projects in the OBOR big scheme of things? Would any minister think he or she would be invited to Beijing after this diplomacy mess?

Life goes on, nothing really happened, Singapore is still China's good friend or China is still Singapore's good friend. Singapore did not poke at China. Either the Chinese are so dumb that they did not know they were being poked or the people doing the poking are so daft that they did not know they were poking and poking at China. What insanity!

The vicious cycle of the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed

Singapore has had 50 years of good fortune, with good leaders in the past planting the right trees to provide shade and bearing fruits for today's generation to benefit. The regional countries were not so fortunate and many of their people were unemployed or underemployed, ie unemployable for one reason or another. But they were lucky that they saw a rainbow with a pot of gold at the other end. And the rainbows all ended up in Singapore.

 

So all the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed took a flight to find their rainbow's ends and came to Singapore. The Singapore govt was and is very generous and employed all the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed of neighbouring and far off countries. Millions of jobs were given to these unemployable, underemployed and unemployed.

 

What the govt did not plan for is the creation of a Singaporean class of unemployable, underemployed and unemployed in the process. As time goes by, with the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed of other countries flooding here, the number of Singaporean unemployable, underemployed and unemployed increases proportionally. So the govt do the same thing, tell the Singaporean unemployable, underemployed and unemployed to go overseas to look for jobs like the foreign unemployable, underemployed and unemployed did by coming here. The solution looks so simple and neat. The unemployable, underemployed and unemployed can easily go overseas to find better employment and Singaporean unemployable, underemployed and unemployed should do the same and should not have any problem.

 

Unfortunately things are not that simple and straight forward. There are many obvious reasons, the govts of other countries are not so talented to know that foreign talents are good for them and their economies. They also did not have so many jobs to offer to the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed from Singapore, and they have many other good reasons not to do so.

 

So, while Singapore happily goes about hiring the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed of other countries, the Singaporean unemployable, underemployed and unemployed, though much more talented and well qualified and full of experience have no takers. The end result, Singapore ended up employing other countries' unemployable, underemployed and unemployed, but no one wants to employ Singapore's unemployable, underemployed and unemployed.

 

It was supposed to be a virtuous cycle, we take other countries' unemployable, underemployed and unemployed and other countries should be taking our unemployable, underemployed and unemployed. The realities did not turn out the way it was expected. If it does, it would just be a vicious cycle where we give better paying jobs, good jobs to the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed of other countries and do not mind them giving lower paying jobs to our unemployable, underemployed and unemployed. The end result is that it is a one way traffic. Singapore ended up providing all the good and high paying jobs to foreigners that were unemployable, underemployed and unemployed in their countries, but not to Singaporeans. The unemployable, underemployed and unemployed did not end up with anything but remain the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed Singaporeans..

 

A vicious cycle where Singapore exchanges its unemployable, underemployed and unemployed for the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed of other countries is already bad enough. Now it is worse, the other countries did not want our unemployable, underemployed and unemployed.

 

What a sick joke. And Singapore even prepares and trains its unemployable, underemployed and unemployed to accept lower paying jobs, lower level jobs, and cheap currencies and a less hospitable environment and lower quality of life style to work overseas, to replace the unemployable, underemployed and unemployed who came to Singapore to work in better paying jobs, strong currency and a better environment and better quality of life.

 

Whose silly formula is this? Or whose clever idea is this?

Duterte calling the American’s bluff

Pay us if you want American forces on our land. This is what Duterte told the Americans. This man is proving to be the smartest of all the Asean leaders. He could see how valuable a military base in the Philippines is to the Americans. The Americans are desperate to want bases for their soldiers to extend the reach of the Empire and making turning countries into semi colonies of the Empire. They need bases everywhere for the Empire. It has nothing to do with maintaining peace or protecting the countries where the bases are located, it is to protect the American Empire.

Now Duterte is telling the Americans, you want to station American soldiers and military hardware in the Philippines, you pay!  See, who needs who more? This was reported in Channel News Asia,

‘Hours after threatening to scrap the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States after the US-led Millennium Challenge Corp. deferred voting on its assistance to the Philippines, President Duterte imposed one condition on Washington if it would want the deal retained.

“You want to come back here? You pay us. You want bases here? Pay us. Transaction tayo, pera-pera na lang tayo, mabuti pa (Let’s enter into a transaction. Let’s make it all about money. We would be better off like that),” Duterte said in a speech delivered in General Santos City on Saturday night.

“There are no wars right now, why would I allow you here? You want to create World War III? If you do that, if all the nuclear explosives are really (used), this planet won’t be around tomorrow. It’s the end for all of us, so why would we pick a fight with anybody?” he added….’

 

But many silly Asean countries still believe that they need the Americans more and are begging the Americans to station their bases here and are willing to pay for it. And the naïve Donald Trump is going to ask all the countries having American military bases to pay for it? What a stupid joke. The Japanese and South Koreans would be most happy to get rid of the American soldiers and bases in their soil and free themselves from being the semi colonies of the USA.

 

Donald, please do the Japanese and South Koreans a favour, tell them to pay up and they would say, ‘So vely solee, we no pay, Yankees go home preeze.’

 

The Americans still wanting to con the stupid Asians that they needed to provide bases for the Americans, and the Asians must pay for the protection? Isn’t there enough proof that whenever and wherever the Americans are present there will be trouble, there will be wars, the Americans will raise tension, create instability, agitate and provoke wars. They will label another country as the evil one, provoke that country with threats of invasion, called war games, and telling the silly Asian countries that that country is a threat when that country reacts to American provocation?

 

Should Singapore be asking the Americans to pay for having access to base facilities here? Oops, they offer us training facilities too. Samula. In the case of the Philippines, the Americans would be on their knees begging Duterte to let them stay. And soon it would be the same in Japan and South Korea, please let our American soldiers and weapons stay in your land, we need to protect our Empire!

 

Who needs who more? Who is the stupid one, providing military bases for the Americans to protect the American Empire and paying for it? And also making enemies of countries that are enemies of the Americans.

 

In one stroke, Duterte has removed the blinkers from daft Asian leaders to see clearly a simple truth, that they were conned by the Americans without knowing what is happening. The devil started all the trouble, raise tension and then walk in as the protector to lower tension and maintain peace. Then they take control, take charge of everything including having their military bases in Asian countries. They write the rules and dictate everything, who is good, who is bad, which regime should be changed.

PS. My apologies for spending so much time on international issues but they are current and needed to be addressed. I have several local articles that I have held back but would post them asap.

China steals drone? What did the Americans and Europeans steal?

Trump has been trumping about China stealing an American drone in the South China Sea. Wow, he is standing on high moral ground, on strong legal grounds. How could anyone or China defend such an attack? China stealing an American drone, even used for espionage or collection of intelligence data, would be hard to justify or prove in The Hague Tribunal. China is now looking very bad in the eyes of the world.  Hishammuddin, the Malaysia Defence Minister is very worked up. He wants Asean to unite to confront China and the USA. Asean is very powerful when united. Dunno if other little USAs dare to open their big mouths again. But all the little USAs would be smiling, the Americans putting the Chinese in a spot.

Does anyone ever ask what did the Americans steal from the native Red Indians? If you do not know your history, the white Americans were originally from Europe, landed in the American continent and stole the whole continent from the native Red Indians.  But they need not have to explain or defend that as there was a Papal Bull issued from the Vatican called the Doctrine of Christian Discovery in which the native Red Indians, being non Christians, have no right to their land and the Europeans had been given the right by the white God to steal their land. Oops, cannot say steal. They just came and took the land.

And this same formula was used for the Europeans to steal the land of all the natives around the world and many of these former colonized natives are now little USAs, forgotten that once their land were stolen from them by the Europeans. Even today, many of these lands are still stolen and not return to the natives.

But do not underestimate Trump. He is a smart alec. He knew his history. So he generously told the Chinese to keep the drone the Chinese stole. Wow, the thief can keep the stolen property!  If not how, would Trump and the white Americans return the continent they stole from the native Red Indians? Would the Europeans return the land they stole from the natives around the world? Would the European colonialists returned all the loot they stole from the colonized people? Would the Queen of England return the golf ball size diamond to India? Would the British, Americans and all the Europeans return all the treasures and wealth they stole from their former colonies?

You see, while Trump point the finger at China for stealing an American drone, he quickly covered his backside by saying no need to return cause he remembered they stole the continent of North America from the Red Indians, and no need to return also. What about Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries still being stolen? What about the islands they stole like Diego Garcia, the Marshalls, Guam and Hawaii? Would the Americans return them? By the way, China did not steal the drone. It was a suspicious object in the sea and posed a hazard to shipping. After identifying it, China is returning the drone to the US.

What is a drone compares to all the land mass and wealth stolen by Trump’s forefathers and the forefathers of the European colonialists?

PS. Does Hishammuddin remember what the British stole from Malaysia, then known as Malaya and the Straits Settlements and Sarawak and North Borneo?