Taxi driving, the last bastion for Singaporeans gone to foreigners

Jehangir Ibrahim wrote an article in the TRE on the lost of this exclusive vocation that used to be the preserve of Singaporeans. It used to be the choice of last resort for PMETs being replaced by foreigners.  Only Singaporeans were allowed to be taxi drivers. This is no more. Any foreigner can become a taxi driver.  The PMETs will now have to compete with foreigners again and are likely to lose out. There will be no more jobs for them if they lose this last vocation for self employment. This is what Jahangir wrote:

‘It was announced in Parliament yesterday that Uber, Grab or other transport app drivers will be regulated soon. Like taxi drivers, they will need to get a taxi vocational licence and be subjected to the various LTA taxi regulations.

There is no minimum age as long as the drivers held a Class 3/3A driving licence for at least two years.

But the biggest caveat is, both PRs and work permit holders can now apply….

Previously, only Singaporeans can drive taxi as can be seen in LTA website.. Only Singaporeans above 30 years old can drive one: It was announced in Parliament yesterday that Uber, Grab or other transport app drivers will be

• You must be at least 30 years old;
• You must be a Singapore Citizen holding a pink NRIC;
• You must have a valid Class 3/3A Singapore driving licence for a continuous period of at least one year at the point of application; and
• You must be able to speak and read basic English.’

I would not be too worried about the ex PMETs getting more competition from the foreigners. They are capable of looking after themselves, and hopefully bringing enough food to put on the table. I hope.

I have this aching concern for our women folks especially the young girls. How can any govt be so thoughtless to allow foreigners, with nothing to hold on them, with nothing to lose, with no records of their character and past, to drive our women folks around, and our young children, boys and girls? Getting into a taxi is like walking into a trap and become the prey and victim of the taxi drivers that harbor ill intent. Our women folks will be at the mercy of these foreigners. Are the well being of our women folks, our children, so cheap?

Singaporeans have been so accustomed to security and safety and take these for granted. How is this foreign element, foreigners allowed to drive taxis, to drive our women folks and children around change their lives? Very safe, nothing will happen to them? Not to worry?

My goodness, I thought only the masses are daft. I cannot expect those making such decisions and policies are more daft, putting our women folks and young children to unnecessary and unacceptable risk.

For those who think is kpkb, is unwarranted, so be it.  Any crime against our women folks and children due to this policy is the work of those who allowed it and those who condoned it.

I am just saying my peace as a concerned grandparent. I disagree with putting our women folks and children to unnecessary and unacceptable risk to their personal safety, at the mercy of unknown foreigners.

Stupidity has no cure.

Trump - The biggest Cock of the Year

Why should a cock be called a rooster? The Year of the Cock should be called the Year of the Cock, not the Rooster. The Chinese version is simple and clear. It is called simply 鸡年,and it is a 公鸡 or cock. 鸡年 has always been the Year of the Cock, never the Year of the Hen or 母鸡. Look at all the pictures used to welcome the Year of the Cock will remove all doubts that it could be anything else. What is a rooster but a cock.

Now is the third day of the Chinese New Year and there is no need to stay on the side of niceties. Would it be strange to call Donald Trump the biggest rooster? It sure sounds funny. Donald Trump has emerged as the biggest Cock of the Year, or perhaps the century. Less than one week in office and he has behaved every inch like a cock. His entrance into the White House is the prelude to the Year of the Cock. The Cock is ruling in the White House.

One thing positive about this Cock is that he keeps to his promises, at least so far. He has written off the TPP, the pact that Obama wanted to use to make Americans great by containing China and ruling the western Pacific. But nothing beats Trump's ruling on closing the door to Muslim/ISIS immigrants. Without consulting any agency, without coordinating with the immigration office and countries around the world, without informing the airlines and other modes of transportation that were bringing the immigrants into America, he announced his edict in his White House office like an Emperor. This is like throwing a spanner into the spokes of immigration procedures. People entering the USA or hoping to enter the USA were slammed by the door. No entry even if they hold valid travel documents and the Green Cards issued by the Americans.

Though he directly banned 6 Muslim countries in the Middle East, apparently citizens of Europe of Muslim origins were also affected. Protests were every where, in the USA and across the world. Muslim countries were furious. Airports were jammed and in a mess. Trump said everything went on smoothly. Commonsense would tell you with such a short notice, with the world and the US immigration officers still not knowing what happened, how could it go smoothly.

But that was the Cock of the Year crowing. Trump is not the only cock caught up in this ruse. There were many silly cocks wanting to enter the USA but were unable to. So how did the cocks respond? This is unAmerican! How silly. This is the real Americans. They have been like that since the days they invaded North America, murdered the native Red Indians, hunted the Africans as slaves, passed racist legislations and practised racism for centuries, and bullying and manipulating the Arabs and Muslims to kill each other, labelling any country that they opposed as dangerous except themselves. This is American Exceptionalism. And this Cock of the Year will carry this Exceptionalism further. He may even legalised the Ku Klux Klan and honour his grandfather who was a leader of such a gang.

Welcome to the Year of the Cock. There will be more cocks crowing and more cock up events for sure.

Iron Rice Bowl Shield

I have an inspiration. I am inspired by a dream, perhaps a hallucination while meditating. I saw an elderly carrying a shield. The shield was so heavy that it was weighing down on him. He was breathless. And there were angels around him adding more shields on top of him. If they kept on adding shields on this elderly, he would definitely be crushed to death. But the funny thing was that the angels were all smiling. They quipped, the shields were there to protect the elderly, to protect the elderly. The angels were all hearts, to care for the elderly.

Now I got the point. This inspires me to think about another shield, called Iron Rice Bowl Shield. You see, the pioneer generation people have lived through and seen through many happenings in life. Kopi used to be 10c a cuppa. Now $1.10. Go to Starbucks or CoffeeBean it could be $6. A buffet lunch used to be $15. Now it could be $100 or more than $200 per head, just for lunch.

What I am driving at is inflation. Many of the elderly need help to protect them from this inflation beast. If not their CPF savings of a few hundred thousand dollars or a few thousand dollars could end up worthless, like banana currencies. The elderly need kind hearted people to think for them, to plan for them, so that they can continue to enjoy their 3 meals through their golden years. They could not think for themselves.

Here comes my Iron Rice Bowl Shield. Make this a compulsory scheme like all the other schemes. It is for the good of the elderly. Tell them it is free and they will be very happy to join. No need cash, just deduct from their CPF savings. Free!

And give them choices. The basic scheme is called Iron Rice Bowl Economy. Under this scheme the elderly can eat at any hawker stall for the rest of their life, free, no need to pay. They will be issued with a Iron Rice Bowl Economy card. Just show the card and they can eat anything in the hawker centre for free. Perhaps can called the card the Compassion Card.

For those who were once from the middle class, they can opt for the Iron Rice Bowl Premium card. Holders of this card can eat in any foodcourt, also for free, for as long as they live. The ultimate lcard will be the Iron Rice Bowl Luxury card. This is like the platinum card. Holders of this card can eat in any restaurant for free also, and for the rest of their lives.

This Iron Rice Bowl Shield scheme will remove the element of inflation and all the elderly would be able to live without worries on their 3 meals. See how caring and proactive I am. I think for the elderly, I plan for them, to take care of them. OK, I am also an elderly, so I have vested interest in this scheme. I confess. I take care of the elderly to take care of my own rice bowl. So convenient, so simple and so generous and kind and compassionate. My heart is gold.

Ok, there are some fine prints in the scheme. The elderly would by then all be ‘lau kok kok’, not many teeth left. And their appetite would not be too good. So they would not be eating too much. Many would pass away before they can use their Iron Rice Bowl cards. And there are also Exclusion Clauses like no guarantee there will be hawker centres or food courts or restaurants near the homes of the elderly. And there is no guarantee on the quality and quantity of the food. And the ‘lau kok kok’ must find their own way to the hawker centres, foodcourts and restaurants. No home delivery. Only self service.

Other than these few exceptions and exclusion clauses, the scheme is just fine. There is just a little hitch. How to get this to Parliament and get it passed as a compulsory scheme to help the elderly? I know once it gets into Parliament, sure to get passed. This is a very thoughtful scheme. Maybe I should get someone from the majority party in Parliament to propose this and get it passed. If not it would be such a waste. The elderly ‘lau kok kok’ would not be able to enjoy and appreciate this great scheme of mine. And I too would not be able to benefit from it.

Anyone want to help to get this Iron Rice Bowl Shield passed and become a compulsory scheme for the ‘lau kok kok’ that cannot think or no energy to think any more, given up? I promise if this scheme is passed I will think of many more shields or schemes for the good of the ‘lau kok kok’ and to make their CPF savings work for them, make every cent works for them. Every scheme or shield would be free of course, just deduct from their CPF savings. Why not, after all CPF is not their money what?

Just give you a peep to the schemes or shields that I have in mind. CPF Protector Shield, to protect the CPF savings, Golden Farewell Shield, to cover all funeral expenses, Lau kok kok Charity Shield, to donate the money in the minimum sums that the lau kok kok left behind.

What do you think? I caring or not?

The Americans setting bad examples for China to follow

At the lecture in Harvard, Kishore warned the Americans not to set bad examples that would let China to follow, what the Americans can do, China also can, when the Americans can break all the rules and protocols, why not China. And the Americans have been setting many very bad examples and practices that China would do exactly and tell the Americans that they were just following the precedents set by the Americans.
 
The spying of other countries, flying spy planes, drones in the sky and under the sea, by the Americans all over the world, in the coastal waters of other countries, violating the territorial integrity of these countries, like what were happening in the South China Sea and East China Sea would be what the Chinese would do to the Americans one day.
 
The Americans were screaming out their lungs in the seizure of the spy drone in the SCS by China and making an ugly scene out of it. This was what China was expecting and wanting the whole world to know what the Americans are doing and what the Americans are claiming as rightful, permissible under international law. Soon China will be sending its drones and spy planes all over the seas around Diego Garcia, Guam, the Marshall Islands and around Hawaii, claiming that the Americans said these are permissible things under international law and under freedom of navigation and the Americans have no reason to object or protest.
 
There are many other offensive and unpalatable things that the Americans are doing and China would be exposing them one by one, like the drone incident to draw out American protest and to be used as precedents and justifications for China to do the same to the Americans when the time comes.
 
The Americans are setting all the bad examples and practices as a hegemonic Empire thinking and claiming American Exceptionalism as the unquestioned and unchallenged Number One super power. The Americans would be tying their hands and looking silly when the Chinese let them have a taste of their bitter medicine, their bad behavior. Just keep doing silly things and the ball will come around.

PS. I have several articles written and ready to post over the holiday. So no sweat. And a Happy Chinese New to everyone.

Terrex – The end of a drama all for nothing

All the chest thumpings and megaphone yellings ended up all for nothing. It was simply a commercial affair and Hong Kong was just following its law, abiding by its law and going through the due process of its law. Now that the investigation is over, the Terrexes would be returned according to Hong Kong law. Now everyone can have a really good sleep with no nightmares.

Eng Hen is going to celebrate ‘chap goh meh’ with the 9 terrexes, just perfect for a table of ten, including Eng Hen. On the surface this seems to be what the case was all about. Singapore China relations remains intact, China and Singapore are still good friends. So everything back to normal, Singapore can continue with
Starlight in Taiwan.  The One China Policy is also a non issue. Now the loose cannons can continue with their anti China antics and more anti China articles can appear in the media again. Dunno can still tell China to abide by international law, abide by the kangaroo court rulings on Chinese islands and protect freedom of navigation in the SCS or not?

It was all a bad dream and nothing more. All worked up for nothing.

The whole issue got nothing to do with Singapore or the Singapore govt. Hong Kong may take criminal actions against someone, and that someone or organization is surely not Singapore. Thank you Hong Kong, for abiding by the rule of law, some people were worried that you would misbehave and trample the rule of law. Singapore should have faith in the Hong Kong govt from the start that it would be duly and legally handled by the almost same laws that the two cities have in common.  Hong Kong is lucky, if not returned, maybe the next step will see Hong Kong at the ‘UN backed’ Tribunal at The Hague with our world best lawyers handling the case. Or a Japanese would be there to handpick the lawyers for Singapore if Hong Kong refused to attend.

Time to forget the incident and celebrate Chinese New Year.

America will become great again not through wars but by doing the following things right

Trump and America must be brave enough to recognise the fact that USA is inherently wicked historically and must be willing and sincere in amending its wild and savage hawkish traits of aggression and invasion of other countries. USA must first and foremost denounce and renounce its practices of the insidious militant doctrines of aggression which have through centuries caused great suffering and death to millions of people of other countries attacked and invaded by US. America must openly and publicly announce they will no longer practise the ( 1 ) Doctrines of Christian Discovery, ( 2 ) The Doctrine of Manifest Destiny, ( 3 ) The Doctrine of American Exceptionalism and ( 4 ) Neo-Conservatives principles of Wars of Aggression.

US must sincerely atone for its never ending massacre and genocide of Native Americans and build a cenotaph in every one of the fifty states in memory and honour of the memory of millions of Native Americans both men, women and children who died a wanton death at the merciless guns and cannons of the ravaging invading savage white invaders from Europe.

US must also apologise to the lynching and killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent defenseless African Americans and likewise set up memorial halls in all the fifty states in honour and memory of the unfortunate dead

Next US need to sincerely apologise to the Chinese Americans whose ancestors came to help and build and develop America's infrasstructures like railways,roads and mines but were later mercilessly slaughtered and lynched by savage white ruffians on countless occasions with the connivance of US government.

Last but not least US must sincerely apologise and show contrition to the merciless and endless slaughter of Mexican Americans. US must atone for its past injustice to the Mexicans by building a Mexican American National Park with a cenotaph in the centre of the park in all the fifty states in memory of those unjustly killed.

America must practise what it propounded regarding human rights and democracy. US government must grant the right of native Americans to a separate independent Native American state. Likewise it must also grant the rights of African Americans and Mexican Americans to have their own independent states and nationhood.

US must also apologise to the natives of Hawaii for its massacre of hundreds of thousands of Hawaiians who resisted American invasion in the 1890s to 1905. US must renounce its illegal and illegitimate annexation of Hawaii and forthwith promise to acquiesce to the desire of native Hawaiians for their independence. In the same manner US must renounce its occupation of Guam and grant the people of Guam its independence. US must surrender Puerto Rico and Diego Garcia to the original inhabitants .

Lastly US must return all the lands it had illegally and illegitimately taken from Mexico from 1840s to 1890s. The lands taken from Mexico through military might include the states of Texas, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California. Trump does not need to build the illegal great wall and US can save billions of dollars if it just give back to Mexico her former territories.

US must stop cheating and defrauding other countries through manipulating the deceitful US petrol dollar. This US petrol dollar should be more appropriately called the dirt dollar as it is no longer backed by oil or any other resources.US just print any amount of paper money and using it to exchange for other countries solid intrinsic assets.These fiduciary issues are used to cheat other countries of their wealth and resources.

US must stop manipulating the world's stock markets through the cheating process of derivative trading and using the immense power of the hedge funds to wipe out other countries finance and economy. The CEOs and directors of big American stock markets and banks like J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and others reward themselves with hundreds of millions of dollars annually. But when their operations in the derivative and hedge funds go awry resulting in steep losses of billions of dollars they still pay themselves the same millions for it is always the company ending in bearing the losses.In other words the share holders, the ordinary men in the streets will ultimately have to bear the losses. Criminal wrongdoings by CEOs and directors of banks and big business are never penalised and brought to justice.

American banks and huge American concerns must stop money laundering at the expense of third world countries.These American companies and banks will always work hand in glove with corrupted third world government presidents and ministers in taking unnecessary huge loans of billions of dollars for purported big projects usually exaggerated hundred of times its worth. Loan money usually flow back to US companies which operate the projects while the president and local elites get huge side benefits worth millions of dollars. In the meantime the huge loans is intentionally used to bankrupt the borrowing country which is then obliged to follow American dictates and requirements. The few local elites become rich while the people and the country remain poor at the demand and calling of the American government which always demand the use of military bases and buying of American military weapons as well as obliged to support America whenever required and demanded.

If Donald Trump and the American government can sincerely and faithfully carry out the above stated objectives it will enhance the good image of America and make America a great nation again.

The United Nations must oversee that US grant independence to the native Americans, the African Americans and the Mexican Americans as well as independence for Hawaii and Guam.

Failing to carry out the above stated objectives will make Trump's calling to make America great hollow.

Southernglory1

Friday, 27th January,2017

Asean unity is important to all Asean states

Singapore has been shouting and screaming its heads off in every occasion and opportunity to tell the Asean members that the unity of Asean is vital for the survival of small states. Somehow this seems to be like a lone voice in the wilderness. I have yet to hear another Asean country head coming out to echo this same concern. China is dividing up the Asean countries. So, why aren’t the other Asean countries panicking and shouting back at China for doing so? The fear of a disunited Asean seems to be the concern only of Singapore. Or at least none of the Asean country is voicing this fear. Why?

Is it that the other Asean states are not small states but big states or mid size states and so did not share the same fear as a small state like Singapore? The next smallest state in Asean must be Brunei, though its physical size is also much bigger than Singapore. Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and the rest of the Asean states are not small states. This could be one of the reasons why they are not joining Singapore as the chorus boys and girls to hype this fear of a disunited Asean.

A corollary to this point is that these are bigger countries, or at least some, have aspirations to be regional powers or leaders in the region, leaders of Asean. How would they take it when a little red dot keeps climbing on top of them to shout to the world as if Singapore is the leader of Asean? Would they feel embarrass or feel that Singapore is usurping their roles as the natural leaders of Asean and thus feel offended. Could this be the reason why they refused to join in the shouting game as if the one that shouts the loudest is the leader and let Singapore shout for as loud and as long as it wants, alone, a voice in the wilderness?

Is Singapore sensitive to the aspirations of the regional powers, the bigger states in Asean to let them take the leadership role instead of trying to be the leader, acting as the leader, trying to call the shot and to set the agenda? Has Singapore really taken a look at what it is doing and whether the other Asean states are behind Singapore? Maybe they also share the same concerns of Singapore but just did not like to be led by Singapore and thus just keep quiet and refuse to say anything?

Maybe it would be wiser for Singapore to share and communicate more with the other Asean states, say its peace behind closed doors and let the bigger boys to front out, to take the lead and still getting the message across if the intent is to get the message across like in the NAM. It is good to know one’s own place and not to be ‘boh tua boh suay’ even among equals technically. The leaders and people of Asean too have their pride and do not want a little red dot to lead them around, acting like the top dog of Asean. Got to be sensitive I think.

What do you think? Would the Asean leaders fall in and allow Singapore to lead them in the charge in the international stage using Asean as a vehicle?

Trump's dangerous posture towards China will hasten USA decline

Trump has appointed a cohort of likeminded anti-China characters in his cabinet. They have singled out China as the main enemy to be destroyed. It is wild dreams if they think they can destroy China like the way they destroyed and decimated the eighty-five million native Americans in the north American continent now illegally occupy by the invading whites from Europe.

The white Americans had since the end of the Second World War in 1945 destroyed many small and medium sized countries after labelling them as enemies of America. The inherently evil white Americans need to constantly pick countries which do not toe the American dictates as enemies for various illogical motives. These countries are scapegoats for America's ills and setbacks. Other countries are always picked as posting a danger to American security though they know they themselves are always posting great insecurity to other countries. This manipulation and misrepresent dangers serve to advance the American agenda of world domination and hegemony.

Trump and his gang of rogues try to pose China as an external threat and implies a possibility of war with China just to consolidate power and distract the American people and the world of their evil doings and deep corruptions. Trump and his cabinet of billionaires either pay no tax or very little tax which is not commensurate with their vast wealth and extensive range of business. They and the one percent American elites, the robber barons who control and rule America have impoverished the ordinary 99% percent ordinary Americans by robbing the state coffers through evading taxes.

Trump and Rex Tillerson and the American ruling robber barons including the high officers in CIA and The Pentagon have for years been eyeing at the rich oil and gas resources below the South China Sea and the East China Sea. They want America to possess and take full control of both regions so that they can enrich themselves by exploiting these resources. Once they are in control of the regions all the countries in the periphery will be under American yoke and mercy. They will plunge South China Sea regions into choas and destability and cause great suffering to the people just as they have been doing in the Middle East.

They know it is a dangerous game to tackle both Russia and China at the same time. Therefore Trump pretentiously extended an olive wreath and a love potion to Putin of Russia. Putin must be smart and wise enough not to take the lethal bait and and fall into the trap of this American trachery .If America succeeds in taking China down it will certainly be emboldened to attack Russia in future.

Of course it is not going to be easy for savage America to attack China without hurting itself deadly for China is also a formidable nuclear power.

Trump and his cabinet of hostile warmongers must not indulge with wild dreams unless they want to destroy America and the World.

Southernglory 1

Wednesday,25th January,2017

Surbana Jurong – Termination, Dismissal or Retrenchment?

The terminating of 54 staff, I presume are Singaporeans, just one week before the Chinese New Year is very badly executed. Some are calling this act as callous, lack of compassion, inconsiderate, heartless and right down insensitive. The 54 staff, assuming many will be celebrating Chinese New Year, will not be celebrating and their families as well. What a cruel timing!

The social media is angry. Many are questioning if this is actually a retrenchment in disguise to avoid paying retrenchment benefits. The case is now being handled by the MOM.

From a HR perspective, the first question arising is the termination, a management right to terminate employees without reason, just like an employee’s right to resign without the need for any reason, or is this something else? The media reported that Surbana Jurong said the employees were terminated for poor performance. This immediately raises a red flag in HR practices.

Before an employee is terminated for bad performance, it is only fair that the employee would be put on notice that his performance is unsatisfactory. The management is duty bound to inform an employee that his performance is not acceptable and given a chance to explain and to improve. This is not only proper but also ethically and morally a right thing to do. Employers cannot sack an employee overnight, like springing a surprise, without letting the employee know that his performance is a problem and a sacking is on the card if he does not improve.

Has Surbana Jurong management done the due diligence and process to talk to the employees, counsel the employees, telling them of their shortfalls, how to improve to meet management’s expectation and to buck up? In all good HR practices, the employees must be given a chance to know what is coming, to know that they must improve and sacking is ultimately done if the employees still did not improve after counseling and warnings by the management.

Another point to clarify, what were the performance records of the sacked employees? Were they good, satisfactory or consistently bad? If the sacked employees had been consistently bad, then management would have a better case of sacking them, but still must go through the due process of trying to get the employees to improve prior to their sacking. Were the employees given any warning letters earlier?

I did not have full details of the employees’ performance and unable to comment on whether the sacking is properly conducted. One thing for sure, once the management confirmed that the employees were terminated due to performance, it is dismissal or termination due to bad performance. There is thus a requirement to go through the whole process of counseling and warning letters etc before the firing. This is not only good HR practice, it is also a requirement by MOM and ethical and humanly to do so.

As a govt linked company, Surbana Jurong and all GLCs have a responsibility to set a good example, to follow good HR practices for others to follow.

Good and bad economies

Singapore's economy is doing well. I think the official stats is that Singapore will grow by 2.5%. Well after all we are a mature economy and 2.5% is good, really good.

The American economy is doing better at 1.5% growth. It is a more mature economy than Singapore, so 1.5% is as good as excellent. Some of the Asean economies are having 5% to 7% growth and are considered so so as they are developing economies.

The more horrifying economy in Asia is China. It is fumbling with only 6.8% growth. At the rate it is going China's economy will crash or go into recession in the view of all the western analysts and anti China reporters. That is how bad the Chinese economy is growing, only 6.8%. If only China is growing at 1.5% or 2.5% maybe the western analsyts would then conclude that the Chinese economy is sound and as good as the American’s and better than no growth Europe, and sustainable.

China is a third world country so it is natural to have high growth rate. But falling from two digit growth to 6.8% is really bad. Never mind if it is the second largest economy in the world. Never mind if the IMF or World Bank has elevated the Chinese economy to the top spot in terms of purchasing power. China is a developing economy, a third world country. Nevermind that this third world country is sending out more than 100 million tourists travelling around the world and reputed to be big spenders picking up expensive branded goods like toys. How could a third world country send out 100m rich tourists annually to travel around the world is really puzzling.

What does a 6.8% growth mean to a US$13 trillion economy? A 10% growth would mean a growth of US$1.3 trillion annually. A 6.8% growth would mean the economy grows by US$900 billion annually. Just to compare for size, Singapore's economy is around $400 billion. This means the Chinese economy is growing two Singapore's economy every year. And that is bad, terribly bad. Got it?

There are countries that are in the third world but kept bragging about being in the first world or coming soon. There are countries that are already in the first world but refused to be so labelled and insisted to be developing countries. Is China a fumbling third world developing country and heading towards destruction and oblivion with a 6.8% growth? Even at 6% growth, China will be growing like US$700 billion annually. Is that bad, really bad, really in trouble? Don’t try to think if you can’t.

 

In the world of delusion, you can believe in whatever made beliefs you choose to believe in. China is predicted to overtake the American economy by year 2025. Those who want to believe in a China heading towards destruction need not have to believe in this prediction by the World Bank or was it the IMF? Just take it as a fallacy.

6.8% bad, 2.5% good, 1.5% excellent!

Stupidity has no cure. Ignorance is no blessing.

The Chinese economy is crashing, crashing, is crashing….The world is coming to an end, the end is near, believe me.

Ong Ye Kung – Multi party system not for us

This is the headline in The New Paper. The Today paper has this at the front page, ‘Multi party political system could ruin Singapore, Ong Ye Kung.’ I am a greenhorn in politics, coz I have never been a politician, so I am not sure what the ‘us’ meant. Who is this ‘us’? Multi party system not for us?

I disagree with the one party system is good for ‘us’ as I have a better system for Singapore, better than a one party ‘democratic’ system. I have Plato the Greek philosopher to back me up. It is a kingdom, a state ruled by a philosopher king. A king ruling a state, even not a philosopher, is half way there. A single party ‘democratic’ system does not have a king so not good according to Plato.

Ok, I can write a hundred books on the weaknesses and demerits of a kingship. But I am selling the kingship idea so I must ignore these bad things about the kingship and tell you only the good stuff. Please don’t say I am biased. If I am selling the one party idea I will say the same thing and don’t say the bad things.  I am just trying to be honest, by telling things that I want you to know, the good stuff and not the bad stuff.

Why is a kingship or kingdom good for Singapore? I won’t use the word ‘us’ as ‘us’ can mean only a small group of elites. The problem of most political systems is the politicians. Politicians tend to fight for their own interests. In a democracy, one party or multi parties, they would still face the problems of infighting, fearing that they would be voted out or be ousted by a conspiracy. They would always be on guard, or trying to fix other politicians so that they would not be fixed in the end. By so doing they would be spending more time politicking than trying to work for the good of the people.

In a kingship, the king will be very secured, life time hereditary position, so no fear of be ousted by voting, maybe a coup. The king, being secure, would then appoint the best jesters to work for him. King needs jesters to humour him. But he would also have many good ministers appointed by him and no one can accuse a king for nepotism or cronyism. That is what kingship is all about.

A king would write the pay check for the politicians and would not allow the politicians to write their own paychecks. The king would also check on the politicians and would not allow the politicians to check themselves.

See, so many good points in a kingship that could prevent the problems of a single party ‘democracy’ already.  Basically the king rules over the politicians and would behead any politician that is corrupt, so no need to pay million dollar salaries. I could go on and on about the goodness of a kingship especially for a small country like Singapore.

And Singapore is ideal for a kingdom. We have already developed an aristocratic class here, the natural aristocrats can assume their roles as lords, dukes, counts and of course as kings, princes and princesses. No need to hunt for such noble men and women. To turn this island into a kingdom is a piece of cake.

Yes my Lord, I am your humble subject. God bless the king. For those who love the English can look no further when we have our own king or queen and can sing God Save the king/queen with gusto.

And the children in schools can read all about the handsome princes and their white horses, not the kind in NS, and the beautiful princesses every day. So beautiful, full of enchanted stories for bed side stories too.

The crumbling credibility of western media

Many English educated Singaporeans and Asians used to swear that western media are authoritative, objective, credible and unbiased in their news reporting. Names like the New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, CNN, etc etc were held in high regards and must read to get to the truth. They say, no lies no print. The rise of Donald Trump, the revelations by Wikileaks and Snowden, must have broken this myth that western media are worth reading and trusting.

The credibility of western media is crumbling to bits except in the heads of the stupid Asians that refused to believe that they have been fed a lift time of lies and western propaganda. Now the most powerful man in the world, Trump, is rubbishing all the western media and all his intelligence agencies as liars, telling untruth, biased reports and fake news. Still refuse to accept this hard truth?

Trump only believes in his twitting as they came out direct from his mouth, no editing or misquoting. This is about the only truth he could get. Look at his barrage at the media for reporting that only a small crowd turned out at his inauguration.  Trump claimed that there were millions out there but the media was mis reporting. Who is telling the truth?

In the Today paper on 23 Jan 17, the front page photograph of the turnout at the White House was big. But the inside pages printed two photographs trying to prove that Trump was lying and the media was telling the truth. Yes, the picture of the turnout for Trump was not even a tenth that of Obama’s. And the media said the photos did not lie. Photographic evidence! This reminds me of the reported numbers of the Hong Lim crowd during the Population White Paper protest. Who got the numbers right, who was reporting the truth?

Coming back to the two photographs, first impression said the media was right, Trump was wrong. How many agree to this conclusion? I agree that the photographs were telling the truth, but a selective truth. Ask, when was the photographs taken? Could it be that the Trump photograph was taken early in the day before the full crowd was there, thus the picture looked less than half empty? When were the photographs taken is crucial to tell the truth. The media is using photographs taken at different time to disparage Trump. A cheap trick, like they used age old photographs to show famine and poverty in North Korea.

I took many photographs at the Hong Lim Population White Paper protest. And I could show you an empty field, half empty field and a fully occupied field, depending on what time I took the pictures.

Get the message? What is the truth, who is telling the truth? How reliable is the media and their reporting? You decide for yourself. Still stubbornly or stupidly want to believe that western media are telling the truth, authoritative and credible?

Trump is attacking them for spreading misinformation and lies. New York Times reported this, ‘I have a running war with the media, Mr. Trump said. They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth…’ It is your choice to believe in them.

Would the WOGs adoration for anything western continue unabated, untarnished and continue to go down on their knees to worship the western media as their God that could do no wrong and unblemished by the recent revelations?

Singapore’s competitive edge

PM Lee: “We are already competing with Malaysia in terms of ports and it boils down to who can run a port better and more efficiently.”

This has been our strength, the key factor that propelled Singapore to the First World and became the jewel of South East Asia. It is the quality of our work force, their training and education, their work attitude and efficiency, the best workers in the region. These are the factors that made the difference over our competitors.

Can Singapore remain as competitive among our neighbours? Can Singapore be more efficient in the running of our ports and airports and other industries? Yes, we can, if we continue to produce the best Singaporeans that our system has been producing, our schools and universities producing the graduates needed by the industries. Is this happening, or we are producing mismatched graduates, duds that are not even good enough compared to Third World graduates?

Are you asking me? Who has been lamenting that our system is not producing the right type of work force with the right skills for the right jobs? You got the cheek to say this?

Can we compete with the Malaysians and Indonesians, with the Pinoys or the Indians, if we hire these same people to run our ports and airports and systems? Would we still have the advantage over them when we are using the same kind of workers, with the same DNAs, and worst, employing the workers that are the unemployed, unemployable and underemployed in their own countries? How can we be more competitive when we are replacing our highly regarded and efficient Singaporeans with the rejects, the unwanted from our neighbouring countries to run our organizations and systems? We want to compete with our neighbours with their Third World quality workers?

Can anyone miss the joke? The joke is on us, Singaporeans. We have forgotten what made us great and better than our neighbours. It was our workforce.  Now we are dying to bring in their half baked workers and claimed that they are better than our Singaporeans and want to be more competitive. Is this the reason why things are starting to break down?

It is unbelieveable! Stupidity cannot be cured.

In praise of Fools

Many people have used the phrase 'Stupidity has no cure'. And I have used it many times, just can't resist it when there are so many stupids around screaming from their shit holes. A new way of dealing with the stupids and the fools is to agree with them. It is pointless to reason with them as they are beyond reasons. So in this piece I will fully agree with the fools on what is more sticky and hard in their heads.

The USA is a benign and peace loving super power. And here are the facts that the fools believed in as their justifications..

1. In the last 30 years they have engaged in more than 30 wars, and wasting US$14 trillion dollars on wars.

2. They invaded Iraq, Libya and Syria, under fabricated info or false premises.

3. They murdered two Arab Presidents, Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein.

4. They are still fighting wars in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and several countries in the Middle East.

5. The grow, breed and feed rebels and terrorist organisations all over the world.

6. They built 1,000 military bases with offensive weapons of wars the fools believed are for peace.

7. They have 4,000 military bases in the USA, also for peace.

8. They have the biggest nuclear arsenal in the world that could destroy the earth many times over, but for peace of course.

9. They have 10 aircraft carrier groups armed with hundreds of offensive aircraft and nuclear weapons, for peace too.

10. They have military forces, special forces, some in civilians all over the world training and feeding terrorist groups and organisations.

11. Their military budget is US$600 billions annually, for peace.

12. They formed military alliance everywhere.

13. They conduct provocative war games at the door of countries they labelled as unfriendly or hostile.

14. They called names and branded countries as evil, aggressive, expansionist except themselves.

15. They arbitrarily imposed sanctions, blockades and arrested ships of other nations in international waters and called for freedom of navigation.

16. They placed offensive military weapons and soldiers at the borders of other countries.

17. They threatened smaller countries with wars and regime change.

18. For many decades they have been assassinating heads of states and govts with their covert operations all over the world.

19. They are the biggest arms merchants, selling arms everywhere by provoking and raising tensions for that purpose.

20. They are the biggest smugglers and traders of drugs.

21. They are the biggest money launderers.

22. They committed the most crimes against humanity all over the world.

And they are the most peaceful, friendly and benign super power that only the fools could believe in. Please do not disagree with the believers of these myths. The facts are indisputable. Please do not dispute these myths that the American Empire is the most peace living Empire in the world. Please beg them to come and protect you and maintain peace. Please beg them to come to Asia to balance against the China, to the Americans and the fools, are the most dangerous rising power, not now but tomorrow.

China is belligerent, aggressive and waiting to conquer and rule the world. If only China could match what the Americans did above, then China may qualify and be seen as peace loving, peaceful. Alas, China can never match what the Americans have and had done over the last 70 years. So China is bad and the USA is good.

Amen. God is so loving and kind. Let's bow and praise God.

PS. Many American intellectuals and righteous Americans have seen through these myths and are denouncing and rejecting this evil Empire. They have set up their own news platforms to educate the American public and the rest of the world, to remove their blinkers and stupidity, to see the real and ugly American Empire.

Prime Minister's Speech Singaporeans waiting for...in the future

    To the people of Singapore.

    We, the citizens of Singapore, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people. Together, we will determine the course of Singaporeans and Singapore, for many, many years to come. We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.


    Today has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another - but we are transferring power from the government and giving it back to you, the people.

    For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Singapore flourished - but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered - but the jobs left, and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.

    Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in prosperity, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our island.

    That all changes - starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you. It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across Singapore. This is your day. This is your celebration. And this Singapore, your country.

    What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. Today will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

    Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the millions to become part of a historic movement Singaporeans have never seen before. At the centre of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

    Singaporeans want great schools for their children, safe neighbourhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are the just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public.

    But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our HDB estates; factories are no more; an education system, flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge.

    This carnage stops right here and stops right now. We are one nation - and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.

    The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Singaporeans.

    For many decades, we've enriched foreigners at the expense of Singaporeans; subsidised the defence of our country while allowing for the very sad depletion of our NS men; we've defended our borders while refusing to defend our citizens; and spent billions of dollars overseas on military training but no place for our soldiers at home.

    We've made foreigners rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our people have dissipated over the horizon. One by one our citizens lost their jobs and left our shores, with not even a thought about the families that were left behind. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed to the foreigners and across the world. But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future.

    We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every HDB estate, in every home, and in every office of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only Singaporean First, Singapore First.
    Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit Singaporean workers and Singaporean families.

    We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

    I will fight for you with every breath in my body - and I will never, ever let you down.

    Singaporeans will start winning again, winning like never before. We will bring back our jobs. We will protect our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

    We will get our people off of welfare and back to work - rebuilding our country with Singaporean hands and Singaporean labour. We will follow two simple rules: Buy Singapore and hire Singaporeans.

    We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example - we will shine - for everyone to follow.

    At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the citizens of Singapore, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.

    We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. When Singapore is united, Singapore is totally unstoppable.

    There should be no fear - we are protected, and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we will be protected by our Government.

    Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger. In Singapore, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving. We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action - constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

    The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action. Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of Singaporeans. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

    We stand at the birth of a new millennium, to free us from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

    A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

    It is time to remember that whether we are black or brown or yellow, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great Singaporean Flag.

    And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Red Hill or the plains of Bukit Timah, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams.
    So to all Singaporeans, in every estate near and far, small and large, from Tuas to Changi, and from Woodlands to Tanjong Pagar, hear these words:

    You will never be ignored again.

    Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams, will define our Singaporean destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

    Together, we will make Singapore strong again.
    We will make Singaporeans wealthy again.
    We will make Singapore proud again.
    We will make Singapore safe again.
    And, yes, together, we will make Singapore great again.

    Thank you, Singaporeans. Thank you. God bless Singapore.

    Future Prime Minister
    Republic of Singapore


Acknowledgement: The above is a plagiarised speech of Donald Trump that is an inspiration to the American people and is something that Singaporeans would look forward to hear some time in the future. Special thanks and appreciation to President Donald Trump for borrowing his ideas and words.

Davos – Changing roles of the good guys and the villians

The world is under threat. Free trade and globalization under threat. And out came Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in Davos  to speak up in defence of free trade and against protectionism. Trump’s America are going to raise trade barriers and protectionism, threatening the very institutions the Americans were championing in the last 7 decades. China benefited from the existing world order but Trump is out to dismantle it, claiming that the Americans are losers and he needs to make America great again by breaking down the global system that was built by the Americans.
 
China is protesting and leading the world leaders to tell the Americans and Europeans that free trade and globalization are good for them and they cannot run away from them.  Xi Jinping promised that China would keep its economy open to the world.  Klaus Schwab, executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, WEF, hailed Xi’s key note speech, as a ‘very important speech at a historic time’.  The free world of the West returning to isolation is raising fears of trade wars.
 
Joe Biden in his dying days as the Vice President of the USA, joined Xi Jinping to call for the preservation of free trade and globalization. His last few words before his expiry as Vice President spoke volumes on the dire consequences when Trump moves into the White House.
 
What is happening? Where would Singapore stand now, siding with its old allies that are now against globalization and free trade or standing on the side of China to promote free trade and globalization?
 
What if the USA raises trade barriers against Singapore imports? What if both China and USA closes their doors to Singapore? Would Singapore take its principled stand on free trade and globalization and joined the Philippines and Malaysia to be on the side of China against the anti free trade and pro protectionism Trump America?

How poor or how rich are Singaporeans?

Leong Sze Hian quoted some numbers from the MOM. Let me quote below:

Median gross income of all employed residents (excluding employer CPF) is much lower?

However, if you look at the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Yearbook of Manpower Statistics 2016 – the median gross income of all employed residents (excluding employer CPF) is much lower, at $3,125.

407,400 earn less than $1,500?

There were 407,400 residents (about 19.4 per cent of the total workforce of $2.1 million) whose median gross income was less than $1,500 monthly.

After CPF = less than $1,200?

If we deduct the maximum employee CPF contribution of 20 per cent – the net take-home pay may be less than $1,200.

Arguably, most of the 407,400 people with take-home pay of less than $1,200 may be struggling to make ends meet.

47,000 earn less than $500?

I am stunned by a few numbers from the above stats. 407,400 or 19.4 per cent of the residents earned less than $1,500.  This is not much different from the pay of our top cleaning supervisors. My God, so many earned the same salary as cleaners! And after less CPF, the take come salary is only $1,200, the salary of ordinary cleaners.

This is jiat lat man. How to survive in this most expensive city in the world, or among the top few most expensive cities in the world? But there is one comfort, the govt has made home ownership so cheap. With $1,000 they can buy a 2 rm flat to stay. At least this is a consoling point, got a roof over the heads. Not sure how much left for food and other necessities.

But aren’t Singaporeans the richest people in Asia? Very high income, asset rich, highest quality of life. Putting the two together, this must be another Singapore miracle. Earning less than $1,500 and can afford to live well in one of the most expensive cities in the world when some complained that their family life would be affected if they did not earn more than millions in annual income. I really respect and admire those earning less than $1,500 pm and living well. I am still wondering how they could do it? They must be switching to eating fish when meat becomes too expensive.

Duterte telling Abe go fly kite

Abe went to the Philippines and wanted to sell submarines and missiles to Duterte.  Yasay said the submarines too expensive and politely turned down the offer. Duterte simply told Abe no one is going to attack the Philippines. No need for the missiles. Philippines do not want a Third World War on its islands.

This is a piece of wisdom that Duterte could teach the rest of the stupid Asean countries. Why keep on buying weapons and pay hard currencies for war machine just because the Americans hyped that China and North Korea are going to attack them? The sillies and unthinking in little Red Dot believe in these threats whole heartedly and everyday worrying that China and North Korea are going to attack the Red Dot. Go look at all the countries neighbouring China, anyone worrying about China attacking them? The only country that is claiming that and building ICBMs is India, just like the West, hyping that China is planning to invade India when China was there and pulled back without staying a day longer after they defeated the Indian Army in the 1962 border war. What, China want to attack or invade India? What for?

This is the 21^st Century. Conquering or invading another country is no longer acceptable, permissible or the thing to do. Colonialism is no longer feasible as the Americans have proven many times, that they could not conquer and rule a country by force anymore.  But the Americans have not learnt their lessons well and still stationing Americans troops all over the world thinking of war.

Who would be the most likely aggressor country to conduct and engage in wars? China, Russia or America? Who have military bases and troops all over the world? The Americans have been accusing Russia, China and North Korea as the threat to peace when the real threat to world peace are the Americans. They are the trigger happy gangsters that have been engaging and still engaging in wars everywhere.

China going to attack Singapore, North Korea going to attack Singapore or the Philippines? Stupidity has no cure. Let Duterte teach them how to think clearly. Duterte is going to send all the American troops back to the USA. The American troops are in the Philippines to defend against who, or to hold on to the Philippines as a semi colony, like Japan and South Korea? Die die also would not leave.

The Americans are hyping all the threats to frighten the silly Asian countries to allow them to station their troops in their countries as semi colonies of the American Empire, to control them and to buy more American weapons.  Can understand that?

Stupidity has no cure.

PS. The Philippines filed a mild protest to China for putting anti aircraft and anti missile weapons in the SCS islands. The Americans were hoping to drive a wedge in the warming relations between the Philippines and China. The Pinoys are not stupid. These are defensive weapons, not offensive weapons like aircraft carriers, tanks and nuclear bombers. They would only be used against anyone who intrudes into Chinese territorial waters to challenge the Chinese. And the likely intruders would be the Americans or maybe the Japs and the little sheriff in Australia.

The defensive weapons are not to attack the Philippines, but to defend Chinese islands. What is there to protest?

$12 million for Korean comfort women, debt settled

Abe is insisting that the South Koreans removed the statue of a comfort woman placed in front of the Japanese embassy in South Korea. The Koreans cannot remind themselves of this insulting crime against their women but the Japanese can continue to remind themselves of their war criminal heroes in Yasukuni Shrine when Japanese leaders regularly went there to pay homage, respect and to honour these war criminals.

And this is what Abe said, ‘Japan has already paid 1 billion yen($12 million) as we sincerely fulfilled our obligation. This statement by Abe is belittling the Koreans even more and a new insult to them as a people.  I think it is now South Korea’s turn to show sincerity in an unwavering manner.’  Why were the South Koreans furious and wanted the statue to be there again when it was removed earlier. They were provoked by Japanese ministers visiting the Yasukuni Shrine to honour the criminals that abused the comfort women. But the Japanese would not want to understand this. Now Abe is accusing the South Koreans of insincerity.

Mind you, the $12 million was what the Japanese believed is the worth of the hundreds of thousands of South Korean women forced to be prostitutes to satisfy the sex starved Japanese soldiers that invaded their countries. And the payment was not to repay a debt but just an obligation! What, an obligation?

The Japanese and the Abes all thinks alike, that the abuses and crimes against the South Koreans can be repaid by a few million dollars. The insults, the humiliation, the rape and looting of both Koreas are nothing. The payment of a few million dollars, oops, not payment, but some handouts are just obligations that they owed to the Koreans.

Can this man be trusted? Is this man, Abe, and the Japanese be trusted and are they honourable people? After what they had done to the Koreans and the rest of Asia, no remorse, no repentence. They believed that they have paid for their crimes. Maybe some quarters in Singapore would think it is over, water under the bridge, and even think the Japanese are honourable and trustworthy people.

How many here believe so? How many believe that the rape and insult and humiliation of the South Korean comfort women is worth only $12 million dollar, debt settled?

Unlike SE Asian countries, the Koreans are not going to forget the invasion, colonization and humiliation of their country and people so easily. The rootless people of SE Asia would not mind the massacres of their forefathers as they could not see any link to their past. They have no past, no cultural roots to look back to.

Jennifer Granholm – Ignorance is no blessing

The ex governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, has told Trump to look at Singapore as a role model for creating jobs. As they said, ignorance is bliss but not when national policies affecting the livelihood of Americans are concerned. The recommendation by Jennifer to use Singapore as a role model is at best out of ignorance, a lot of superficialities, and at worst, shallowness.

The situation and conditions in Singapore are so far from what she thinks they are. She came to the conclusion by talking to a few ‘business roundtable of CEOs’ that recommended Singapore to her. I would agree if I were an American or foreign CEO looking for a job in Singapore. The point is that Singapore is so lack of top talents that anything that walks on two legs, and is foreign, is good to become CEOs in Singapore. And many foreigners are enjoying this fascination and attention in Singapore.  The Pinkerton Syndrome is thriving today with renewed enthusiasm in the heads of boys and girls in charge. It is thus only natural that Singapore is a goldmine to these CEOs.

The realities in Singapore are very different. Other than the silly obsession with anything western or foreign, Singapore is creating good jobs for foreigners to the tune of more than half a million managerial, executive and professional positions but with its own people increasingly losing their jobs, especially the Singaporean PMETs to foreigners. The myth that foreigners are here to create jobs for Singaporeans is receiving all the cynical comments by the thousands of Singaporeans losing their jobs and ended up as taxi drivers.

Is this what the Americans want? Is this what Trump wants, bringing in more foreigners to replace Americans and making more Americans losing their jobs?  Didn’t Jennifer know that Trump rose to the Presidency promising not to bring in more foreigners and to create jobs for Americans? Is she recommending to Trump to follow Singapore, to bring in more foreigners to take jobs from citizens?

A little knowledge is dangerous. This is a case of superficiality out of ignorance and talking to the wrong messengers. Trump would blow his top if this recommendation is put up to him, together with TPP is good for the Americans.

PS. This Jennifer should note that Singapore created more than half a million good jobs for foreigners. How many good jobs did foreigners create for Singapore, or causing more Singaporeans to lose their jobs?

Mahathir playing the race card again

The racist politics of Malaysia today has it origin in Mahathir. When racism or whatever serves his interest, Mahathir will take it to the extreme. Today he is stirring racist hate again, this time attacking Najib and the Sultan of Johore. Investment by China is bad, Chinese investment is bad. He has set up another party and wondering how many non Malays would join his party or form a coalition with him to take on Najib by playing with the race card all over again.

The Sultan of Johore is not going to allow Mahathir to stir anti Chinese sentiment in Johore. The Chinese are pouring money into Malaysia to the tune of hundreds of billions. It is not just benefitting Johore alone, Selangor, Malacca, Pahang, Trengganu and Kelantan are all beneficiaries to foreign Chinese investments, all negotiated fairly between Malaysia and China, unlike the days of colonialism when the British put a gun at the sultans and said, sign here.

Malaysia is enjoying an economic boom it has not seen before. No western countries or Arab countries are willing to invest that kind of money in Malaysia like the Chinese did. There is no gun boat diplomacy, no coercion, strictly business. But Mahathir is angry because the investment is from China.

What Mahathir is doing is like what Sultan Ibrahim said, ‘this is a clear case of economic sabotage and racial instigating…If investors wish to pump money into Johor Baru, do we say “no, no, if you are from China, you cannot come”…Dr Mahathir thinks it is easy to play up race because these investors happen to be from China. This is utterly disgusting”’.

The realities of today is that every country is now independent and is best placed to seek investments and negotiate the best deals they could get, unlike the days of colonialism when all deals favoured the colonial masters. Every economic and commercial deal is sealed when both parties agreed to the terms that they deemed are favourable to them. No more one sided colonial terms. Najib and the Sultan would not allow that to happen.

Oh, some unthinking western cronies would blindly agree with Mahathir, anything Chinese is bad, must bring in the western companies to balance the Chinese investments. What about the days when all investments were British, why no calls for Asian investments to balance western investments? And what if no western company is interested, no Arab company is interested, wait for the coconut to fall? Investors with the money will go wherever they are welcomed. Every country is putting up their best terms to attract foreign investors.

The world today is different. Every country, every leader would want the best for his country and would get the best deals for his country. No leaders would sell out their countries to foreign interests or to sell out the interests of their people to foreigners. Najib and Sultan Ibrahim are smart enough to get the best deals for Malaysia and Johore. Mahathir is only stirring shit and will stir all kinds of shit for his personal agenda.

The USA must start to behave as a responsible stakeholder

No more regime change, no more proxy wars, no more invasion of countries, no more support for terrorist organizations, cut down on nuclear weapons, stop inciting and provoking wars to sell more weapons. Stop building military bases every where, stop building military alliances, these are the things the Americans are doing irresponsibly and contributing to a more dangerous world.

It is time the United Nations start to behave as a responsible world organization of peace and to rein in this evil Empire from threatening the world with its military might, with its nuclear arsenals of more than 7,000 nuclear warheads and its more than 10 carrier groups armed with nuclear weapons.

What is the purpose of having more than 7,000 nuclear warheads and building more nuclear warheads? What are the Americans up to, what are their intentions to have so many nuclear warheads, and building more? For peace, for aggression, or for the destruction of Mother Earth? When is the United Nations going to table a resolution to curb the wildness of this evil Empire from possessing more nuclear weapons and aircraft carriers to threaten the world? When is the United Nations going to condemn this evil Empire for conducting regime change, for invading small nations, for threatening small countries recklessly with false and fake excuses? Or the UN is only good at bullying small countries or at the behest of the US to attack small countries?

The United Nations must give notice to this evil Empire that it should stop building military bases around the world, close down existing military bases to make this world more peaceful and stable. The world will be a more peaceful place without the evil Empire labeling countries as enemies, as hostile, as belligerent when the one that is hostile and belligerent and the enemy of the world is the evil Empire. It is so used to tell the world which country is bad, evil, and to sanction or threaten those countries so branded by the evil Empire, to even attack them.

The countries of the world, the United Nations, must stand up to the evil ways of the evil Empire, charge its evil leaders for war crimes, for crimes against humanity. The evil Empire must not be allowed to get away from its evil acts, from its crimes against humanity with impunity.

The United Nations should push for sanctions against the evil Empire for supporting and funding terrorist organizations, for threatening to use force against small countries, to disarm and destroy its nuclear arsenals. Obama talked about a world free from nuclear weapons but approved and committed more trillions of American dollars to build more nuclear weapons.

What nonsense, what hypocrisy!!!

The world would be a safer place with no nuclear weapons. Why is the United Nations condoning the Americans and on the side of the evil Empire in imposing sanctions on Iran and North Korea that possessed only a handful of nuclear weapons but did not have the ability to deliver them but keep quiet and allowed the Americans to hoard the biggest nuclear arsenal in the world, that could destroy the world many times over?

This is hypocrisy at the highest level. The United Nations must take the evil Empire to task, to rein in its warmongering activities around the world, to denounce and condemn the evil Empire for conducting wars, for being trigger happy, for killing millions of innocent people every where.

My ranting would not do any good, but at least it tells the world the whole truth, honest and truthful, not dishonest politicking. The world must face the truth, the reality, that the evil Empire with its hoards of nuclear weapons and aircraft carrier groups are threatening world peace and the destruction of civilization. The American Empire today is not for peace but for world hegemony, world domination, existing for the sake of the Empire and would do anything to any country that shows sign of taking a chip off the Empire. The American Empire is behaving exactly as the evil Empire in the Star Wars series.

UN Resolution and the Rule of Law

The UN recently passed a resolution telling the Israelis to vacate the occupied land belonging to the Palestinians. The US abstained and the resolution was passed by 14 votes to nil. Now, is this resolution now a law, an international law, a law passed by the UN?

This resolution is not the so called ‘UN backed’ ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague that acted more like a kangaroo court. This is the UN itself passing the resolution. This resolution has very serious implications for small states. It is about the rule of law and about the UN passing laws to protect the interests of small states.

The Israeli govt is opposing this resolution and declared that they would not abide by it. The USA is also not going to abide by it and its congress is going to rule against it, to throw it out. The USA and Israel are not going to abide by a UN resolution or law. They are not going to follow international law, they are not going to abide by the rule of law.

What would Singapore govt’s position be on this? Would Singapore shout at the USA and Israel to abide by the rule of law, by the UN resolution? What is our principled position on this? If Singapore finds the rulings of the arbitration court, a NOT UN backed organization so important, would a UN resolution be even more important to uphold?

Or would Singapore compromise its principles and look the other way because USA and Israel are our close allies?