2/27/2017

‘We need a new govt’

This one not I say one. I received so many of such comments from all over. Some said this has been said many times and many years ago but nothing happened. To me this is surprising, not because it is being said but why it needs to be said. The people are all for the govt, behind the govt. Look at the result in the last GE and also the by election, all for the PAP. Then why is there this kind of talk about changing the govt, about the need for a new govt?

Didn’t the Singaporeans know that they have the best govt in the world, the most talented of talents in the govt, the most selfless, self sacrificing people working and serving them and everyday thinking of how to help them to improve their lives even if Singaporeans did not ask for it? Not only that, these are the most clever men and women that money can buy, most honest too and definitely incorruptible. Where else can one find such a fine collection of men and women who risk their lives, sacrificing the quality of life of their families just to serve the people for a few million dollars when they could make many more millions in the private sector?

After deep thoughts I finally concluded that the problem is that the daft sinkies are unable to appreciate what the govt is doing for them and did not know their blessings. The daft sinkies cannot comprehend what is good and an incorruptible govt made up of very clever men and women and very honest too. Maybe the daft sinkies are looking for less clever men and women, or not so honest men and women so that they don’t have to pay so much for the quality. Not too clever men would not think of being paid in the millions.

A good example of how honest and clever the men and women in the govt is the way they are telling the people about the need to increase water charges. They said the price of water has not been increased for the last 17 years which is a fact. No bluff one. Ok they did not say the cost of water from Malaysia did not increase for the last 50 years but the people did not ask so cannot blame them. Then again, the cost of water has risen with the growing population and the 13 or so reservoirs would not be enough. To keep up with a growing population, maybe 6.9m or 10m, more desalination plants must be built. And this is not only fact but innovation or a forward looking strategy for survival. A govt of not so clever men and women would not know how to solve the problem of shortage of water for a big population.

Oh, the people also did not ask how many kinds of taxes have been added to the water bills though the price has remained unchanged. What are the taxes? Water borne fees, water conservation fees and GST. How much would these add up to the cost of water or price of water? Water borne fee is 28% for households and 48% for business use, water conservation tax is 30% and there is a 7% GST. How much would these add up to?

Someone has worked this out and I reproduced the numbers. I am not sure of its accuracy but it would give a good idea of how much the total price of water the people would have to pay despite no increase in price in the last 17 years. Assuming all these taxes are not there, the price of water would remain the same for the last 17 years, if one is paying $50 then, one would still be paying $50 now.

The picture is different if the taxes are added. The example worked out is as below.  Assuming a $50 water usage bill. Add 28% for water borne fee or +$14, and another 30% for water conservation tax ie +$15 and another 7% or $3.50 for GST, the total bill will become $82.50. What so much? Tiok or not? No increase in water charges for 17 years but the amount to be paid is $82.50 instead of $50?  I think my computation is not very right. Someone please correct for me.

Now the numbers given to me on the 30% increase by Heng Swee Kiat are like this.

$50 plus 30% will be $50 + $15=$65. Add 28%($18.20) water borne fee, add 30%($19.50) for water conservation, the total bill will become $102.70. Now add 7% for GST or another $7.19, the grand total for a $50 bill today will become $109.89. And this is for household consumption. For commercial use, the water borne fee is 48% instead of 28%. How many percent more is that?

The important thing is that the govt is telling the truth. No one is telling lies. The only lie would be the numbers given to me if they are proven untruth or incorrect.

Now back to the call for a new govt. Yes, perhaps a new govt that is not too clever would be good for Singapore. They would not know how to increase water bills without increasing the price of water for 17 years. They would also not dare to ask to be paid in the millions and pretend that they are also very clever. Not so clever govt also has its own blessings I supposed.

Come to think of it this is quite a logical deduction and a good call for a new govt, one that is not too clever.

What do you think?

PS. The above discourse did not take into consideration the increase in SC&C and electricity charges. Now you know how important it is to be earning million dollar salaries, can twiddle thumbs and talk cock when such increases are no more than spare change. Don’t have to worry about got increase or no increase in water charges.

66 comments:

Anonymous said...

sg 56 th yrs.mayb things will get better.

Anonymous said...

I thought sg is located along

1deg middle of earth?y 365days

WINTER 1?

Anonymous said...

Tomorrow if the PAP says air will be chargable, because of blah blah blah, the people (include me i guess)will 乖乖pay up. I was really shocked when ST ran an article announcing that shop owners would take the 33% water price hike "in their stride".FAKE NEWS FAKE GOVERNMENT FAKE LEADERS

Anonymous said...

Why Redbean always kpkb in the morning? Some good news please. Sarcasm aside, we do have the best government in the region. Redbean always try his best to degrade and pour scorn on the good deeds of our government. Try and be a little positive and not see the cup as half empty. Unlike Redbean I am very serious in saying the pAP government has always been good for the Singaporeans. Period.

Anonymous said...

The old covenant between rulers and people is a vicious circle of an abusive relationship driven by pure lusts. Lusts in the form of consumption, aestheticism and the pride and glory of wisdom.

Everything that you lust for, the government is delightfully delivering and with pride too

Both will lead the way to the ultimate doom and stupidity of humanity or your humanity.

Anonymous said...

Redbean, actually Sinkieland no need a garmen at all (also no say I say one)..after the first gen of pioneers garmen there isn't a need for garmen, everything can be automated & run robotically with computer programs to run it...wat u need r programmers ( u see even our PeeAyam & DeePeeAm also computer science trained with major in Maths & econs)..see no need a garmen but just programmers ( that's why PeeAyam think bout smart nation, smart gen..who knows 'smart waters' , 'smart HDB ' & smart lifts with autonomous maintenance or no need to maintain at all, no need Leedership renewal but just programs upgrade)..how bout PeeAyam renewal ? No need at all ( it is cyborg which runs 4ever, & 4ever with u, 4u ..no need elections at all too ...this is gen Z++ a nation of X men & women)

Anonymous said...

Many will grey miserably and already happening and glossed over by the powers.

The testimonies of this Govt is many wasted lives expressing gratitude for crumbs.

And the preachers keep telling lies and the devotees keep paying tithes or taxes till they die of beholding heavenly bliss in paradise hereafter

Anonymous said...

At the end of your hard labor, what do you get?
Rot in your hdb while your children work even harder for crumbs to be like you?

That's the legacy of the wisdom of the old man.

Anonymous said...

Continue to bleed for the good life of the elite and righteous fuckers!

You believe in them because they are your idols

Anonymous said...


hahaha.....

pap is too BIG to fail now.......

at next GE pap is expected to get 80%......

is like that.......

people will just kpkb n kpkb.......

when come to voting...........pap........

tell me.....how to fail.......

dont hope dont hope.........


Anonymous said...

Your Mother send you to school to be like them, you motherfuckers.

Anonymous said...

You go to school for what?

To VOTE PAP lah, you stupid.

How not to end up with "good people" as your govt!

Anonymous said...

You go to school to study how to serve mammon.

Your kids become Lawyers, Doctors and businessman for mammon.

Mammon says to them...well done good and faithful servants, come come and indulge in your millions I gave you for the sky is the limit

Can the world be a better place under Pay And Pay to Mammon?

PAP leaders are in denial

Anonymous said...

Aung Juan Soon Chee? He can't even win a by election (and due to PAP fault some more) against a PAP minority candidate in a Chinese majority SMC!

Hainan Ah Kor? Despite Oxford grad credentials and ex senior civil servant, he got only 22% votes! So not only lost but lost badly and getting worse each time he contested!

Teochew Ah Hia? Aiyo, he not only said WP not ready to be govt but even praised PAP as a competent govt some more! Then like that why should voters vote for him or WP? No wonder he nearly lost! His Hougang magic no more lah.

As for the rest, aiyo, the less said the better.

Anonymous said...

PAP leaders took millions in blood money. Oppositions too.

How to believe them?

Anonymous said...

Talk cock sing song and PAP in power till sinkies rot like fine wine

Anonymous said...

All hail PAP, they are he best.

RB is right. Sin is a paradise. Look around you. Nice Pigeon holes and lots of clean green grass for you to eat.

New water plenty to drink too

Anonymous said...

Oppositions( another word for present garbagemen ) will send you to the same school to teach you how to serve them, you bunch of farking idiots.

Anonymous said...

You very proud your children score Ass in school is it?

Anonymous said...

You want to succeed in gahmen you have to begin with education lah, you morons

But smart sinkies find nothing wrong with education so long as they end up with jobs.

So you slave for bureaucracies ( to keep elite in power) and some get richly rewarded while many die hoping to strike lottery.

Anonymous said...

In other countries, if the govt is really bad and for some reasons cannot be voted out in elections, the people will start a revolution to overthrow the govt. Kpkb no use.

In Sinkieland, even with legal protests allowed by PAP in Hong Lim Park, Sinkies also not interested.

No wonder PAP not scared of Sinkies one! If I were Ah Loong, I will be tempted to even increase water price by 100% and more salary increase for ministers!

AhKong65 said...

Tell that to the DICK HEAD and PAUL LAMPERT Matilah $ingapura , he still thinks that Singapore Taxes is LOW and should increase more .


In the previous article from Red Bean Mr Chua >>Higher taxes no problem , just think positive .
<< Matilah Singapura said<< Kani nah , more KPKB over nothing<<

<<So Singapore.....count your lucky stars lah<< and he thinks that the increases in water , carpark , S&CC , electricity , healthcare costs medishield premiums are NOTHING....go check your DICK HEAD lah.
Matilah Singapura and don't use your Australia standard to compare with Singapore . If you are so supportive of all these increases....then come back to Singapore for GOOD lah . Don't sit on the fencing in Australia and looking at Singaporeans bitting the bullet on these unfair and uncall-for increases and talk BIRD LANGUAGE. And I repeat....go fly your kite and OUTSIDER smoke cigar and the facts is you are considered a QUITTER an "OUTSIDER" to Singapore......our beloved country .

You think you are smarter than Mr Chua....redbean talk SENSE and you talk NONSENSE boy .

Anonymous said...

The world can never be a better place if we reward and look up to "smart and able people"

Fact is, no one look up to idiots so most will end up with a one way ticket to hell!

Anonymous said...

Daft sg r being charged for cheating in

Skill future fun.a present day bear trap.

Anonymous said...

Fools keep talking about vote to deceive the people

Anonymous said...

70% have given the government to do whatever the government thinks is good for Singaporeans. Live with it. Please stop this constant kpkb. If you think the government is wrong then go through the official channels and voice your opinion. This is after all a democratic country and there are proper channels to voice your concerns. It is pointless to be on social media and kpkb all the time. Be constructive and not just complain constantly. It get a little boring and it serves no purpose.

Anonymous said...

Everyday, constantly bombarded with messages on how to be successful.

Be a successful idiot lah

Anonymous said...

"70% have given the government to do whatever the government thinks is good for Singaporeans. Live with it. Please stop this constant kpkb. If you think the government is wrong then go through the official channels and voice your opinion. This is after all a democratic country and there are proper channels to voice your concerns. It is pointless to be on social media and kpkb all the time. Be constructive and not just complain constantly. It get a little boring and it serves no purpose."

See or not? This is what education does to your brain.

Sounds so right but full of cock

Anonymous said...

Even the $500 Skillsfuture credit Sinkies also want to cheat.

It shows that things are really bad for those Sinkies money no enough. Maybe since Sep 2015, such Sinkies are still a minority, 30% or less.

Anonymous said...

This cock is paid to write what he is writing here. Only if he is really what he is and not hiding behind a nick.

Anonymous said...

"The centre, a partnership between the Health Ministry, Tsao Foundation and Whampoa’s grassroots organisations, features a clinic, day care centre and services that help the elderly and their caregivers manage chronic health conditions and emotional needs.

Speaking yesterday at the official re-opening of Whampoa Community Club (CC), where the centre is located, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong cited the neighbourhood as an example of how an ageing population can be supported by a “community of care”."

See or not? Sounds so right again but full of cock.

Ask.. more and more rely on community services or charities good or bad?

That's not caring for people. The aging retards(growing in numbers) is a result of decades of economic and social abuses.

On the surface, it deceptively shows care but ignore the "carer" who made retards out of people

Anonymous said...

The Reality Of Having Dictators Who Are Too Smart

All dictators care about is how to consolidate their power and build up their empire and stay in power for as long as possible. If not possible, they will make it possible through all sorts of means, designs, schemes, etc. Some dicatators, who are not so smart, make use of physical threats, such as mass-killings, assassinations, murders - for which ultimately, they themselves might be taken to task by International Tribunals, like Saddam Hussein.

Some dictators, who are smart, make use of the law, rules, regulations and policies to entrap, ensnare, encapsulate, eliminate, exterminate and/or incarcerate their opponents and dissenters. They operate within the Constitution and the Laws of the Land, which are actually created by them to suit them. In this way, they are protected by the Constitution and the Laws. Therefore, nobody can bring them to task to answer for their crimes against humanity.

Some even smarter dictators, project themselves as 'Father' or 'Mother' of their country and their people. Initially, they will try to impress upon their citizens that whatever they do are for them, for their well-being, for the country's future, their children's future. They will make use of flowery speeches to con their citizens into believing that the government is a good, clean and upright government that truly cares for its people. At the same time, they will also take over full control of the media, the 5th estate, through all sorts of excuses disguised as "good for the country" or "for your future" and turn it into their main propaganda outreach machine.

Some very smart and cunning dictators, will in addition to the above, also conscript the citizens into the military, police, civil organisations in order to condition them into mentally-retarded "Yes Sir!" order-taking robots, who will willingly do anything their "Sir" tell them to do. In their education non-system system, they will make use of the schools and institutions of learning to brain-wash their young citizens and feed them with a twisted national history with a false national pledge, using Confucius tactics to submit, supress, subjucate and turn them into subservient and compliant idiots, and make them unfits and misfits for the jobs generated in the commercial and business world, so that these dictators can import unlimited numbers of foreigners and aliens from 3rd world countries to replace, misplace and displace the local citizens of their good, lucrative and high-paying jobs.

The local citizens will then have to suck their thumbs and scratch their balls everyday and night and wonder why they are themselves so useless and daft. Resign to their own fate, they blame their own uselessness and keep depending upon their government to throw some bits and pieces of goodies to them every year. They keep voting for the same dictatorial and con-men govt without realising that they have been conned year after year. They continue to think that their government is World-Best.

Idiotic brains are worst than brain-dead zombies. They are not only pathetic and tragic, they are not worth your compassion and sympathy. Their only remedy is to return to the Syonan or Syokan Period and get screwed everyday by the Japs.

Idiotically and comically tragic!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
You very proud your children score Ass in school is it?

February 27, 2017 10:07 am

OF COURSE!

Anonymous said...

I am not very sure if Lky or his son LHL is to be called a "dictator". Historically and up to date ALL "dictators" physically KILL their opponents. Think Stalin, hitler, idi amin, jongUn kim et al. So LKYLHL antics like locking up chiatyepoh for 25 years, or teosohlung or amosyee, not pakai one. From the international political understanding it is not warranted to call them "dictators". I heard of another term "Strongman", but it sounds weird.

Anonymous said...

"To keep up with a growing population, maybe 6.9m or 10m, more desalination plants must be built."
"strategy for survival"

This is what i said: vote for opposition. In 2020GE if readers fail in attempt to vote for opposition, their children s future will be closer to those living in Lebanon and Syria. Lebanon was destroyed by "refugees" of their similar kind muslims. Lebanon was a financial hub. Syria was similar. In Europe, UK is to stop refugees or immigrants next month March when Article 50 is triggered.

Heng ah said he was said for countries looking "inwards". It is not to feel sad that way in my view. Singaporeans are to feel sad to have voted for a bunch of elites only know few things:
build flats by snatching lands, sell lands to make profit, increase taxes to make profits, use cpf to gamble on shares.

The most difficult jobs that gks did was to create jobs. This is something this bunch of elites scared to yell about. They never create any industries worth mentioning except hdb, which is out dated as the whole world are doing it better. I have lived in other countries, never heard of lifts went free fall down or went sudden high speed up. That is heard here. Hdb is out dated.

Cannot create jobs for own citizens and want to sell condos to foreigners to make money. Will these foreigners turn criminals some days when their own saving run out? 7 millions and 10 millions, readers be very careful about this plan.

Why need a new team? The old refuse to go is a big problem. They want the free fall money monthly, looking at the statements and smile to pass days. But children s future income are at higher difficulty if these old refuse to go yet have no new idea and energy to innovate. What is the consequence?

The consequence to feed these old hacks to play with time is bankruptcy. Boss bankrupt, employee bankrupt too. The cost is high up to the nose, pass the neck. If boss cannot survive the high cost on rental, water, electricity, coe all controlled by the elites, they shut the businesses. Mei cho liao. Many have done this. Lose money. Where can employees find income?

7 millions and 10 millions population to create the future Lebanon in the backyard of Malaysia, will only ask Malaysia to take over eventually, may be by force. That is the future. The elites have a lots of millions dollars, their sons daughters grand sons grand daughters all does not need to work.

But please voters, they increase the costs on fellow voters, voters must feed their old folks and young children without savings. If they still refuse to vote opposition to get rid of this bunch of elites living in heaven, these voters are suicidal voting for future death of Singapore, turn it into Lebanon. The elites overall, are unable to contain cost of living. Overall are unable to create good income for NS men.
They have proven that. They must not be voted in again in 2020GE. Change the team. Plant it in mind now.

Anonymous said...

The Man of Sin is also the strong man. The old man is also the strong man. The strong man is also the old man

Anonymous said...

The leaders have nothing to offer except to make money. They need more money, they tax you more or train(invest) you to be better cows.

Anonymous said...

Same almost everywhere because S. A. Tan is the ultimate ruler

patriot said...


Over 4000 cheated on the $500 Skill Future Fund.
Who are the Cheaters?
Those who utilized the Fund
or
those young canvassers that
cornered the Elderlies at the Markets and Elsewhere?

There were many crazy schemes rolled out by so-called born aristocrat and talent. The Daft Sinkies took the Bait, Hook, Sinker, Line and even the Rod.
Now some ended facing criminal charges for cheating a few Sin dollars.
How silly!

l am worry.
Worry that crazy and mad policies may cause some Sinkies to go berserk and do the untinkable.
lt appears to me that there are more elderlies roaming around aimlessly. Many seem homeless.

Think many Sinkies are been driven up the Wall.


patriot



Anonymous said...

We are not complaining...just stating the facts

Anonymous said...

Watching Rome falls

Anonymous said...

Five years later (2022), PAP will say the water tax rate has not increased for many years, and they will increase the water tax rate.

Ten years later, PAP will say the price of water has not been changed for 10 years since 2017, and they will increase the price of water.

Fifteen years later, PAP will say the water tax rate has not increased for 10 years (from 2022), and they will increase the water tax rate.

Twenty year later, . . . .

Anonymous said...

"Anyway if you want cheap water, electricity & gas prices, then go live in the US or M'sia.

February 27, 2017 11:34 am"

I wan to live in either US or M sia. U teach the readers how to be citizens there. Every body wan to know and do it.

If u cannot even do it, u are worst than those complaining. At least complaining can increase opposition votes. U are like stone talking. Cannot move.

Anonymous said...

Good Reasons for voting Opposition
---------------------------------
1. Abolish National Service
2. Return our CPF money back at age 55 years old as promised
3. HDB flats do not belong to Singaporeans.
4. More jobs for Singaporeans
5. Stop Immigration
6. No more white elephant projects like Formula One and Youth Olympics.

Please help me add to the list.

Anonymous said...

"Anyway if you want cheap water, electricity & gas prices, then go live in the US or M'sia.
February 27, 2017 11:34 am"

WRONG!
If you want cheap water, electricity & gas prices, then VOTE OPPOSITION in GE 2020.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I just deleted the comments of the irritating cockroach. No need to waste time reading stupidity.

Please go somewhere to share with people of your kind.

Anonymous said...

Uncle RB, me very worried bout u bcos of the titled " We need a new govt.."
It's a sensitive topic, me scared u gonna invited by the blue men & women to Limkopi & they say u r walking in a fine line of the sedition rule. Although Long Gor can say that a leader need to accept criticism & sometimes made mistakes, me doubt many who oppose him will put behind the bar. RB me really admire ur courage & hope u be ok.--from a Kiasi netizen.

Anonymous said...

During election, we are saying the same thing - keep the current govt or replace it with new govt.

Unfortunately,the democratic process position the rulers and people into sellers and buyers or pimps and prostitutes.

Anonymous said...

WA....first time hear our PeeAyam can sing nusery song (besides a joker) Long Ger singing ” ..ba ba black shit ..have u any woo..Yes Sir ..Yes Sir ..3 bags fools …One 4 my master ..&One 4 the damn …one for that Little Boy who lives down the Lame…”..if there is another Sinkieland Got Talent show--he would be the Champion..
PeeAyam said he dun wan Yes man yet many r "Yes Sir.." ( bcos of million dollar salary, slaves to their master)

Anonymous said...

Since it is no longer possible to vote out the PAP government;
- I suggest we vote Opposition just for fun

Anonymous said...

Live in Sin, dies in Sin

patriot said...

Which stupid oppies wanna

take over the Shits created

by the Pappies?


patriot


b said...

Running any country is like running a farm. To understand politicians, just understand those pigs.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7.13pm

Let that Long fellow gonna sing “BA Ba Black Sheep” song Lah.
Chui gong lan par song la..
One of this day when that fainting spell hit him again, it will be “Humpty Dumpty..had a great fall..”

Anonymous said...

//Which stupid oppies wanna takeover the Shits created by PAPies?//
Who in the right frame of mind would wanto take this shits ? Even Teo Chew Ah Hia also no wan la. The one got guts is Aung Juan Soon Chee but he can't even win a chee-BE election, how to takeover Papies?
The possibly of internal conflict within the whites Papies might be possible in time to come, a power struggle of Papies internal affairs causing some breakaway to from new leadership or even party & come to oppose the ruling whites (an event of the 60s GE a repeat episode of some barisan national alike) ..Papies systems need a reboot like that of the US GE to reset or restore Sinkieland better its life again.

Anonymous said...

Lee Hsien Loong: Leaders must accept criticisms, reject yes-men like me

http://statestimesreview.com/2017/02/26/lee-hsien-loong-leaders-must-accept-criticisms-reject-yes-men-like-me/
................................

So who do you think can criticize LHL better?
President Tan Cheng Bock or President Halimah ??

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Problem 1 with Singaporeans: They are generally not people of ACTION. That is why they need to vote in people who have the word "action" in the name of the organisation---I'm referring to, of course the evil PAP!

✹ The govt. is made up of people from the same stock of people who choose the govt, elect them into office, and consenting to sacrifice "tax money" to pay for those state offices. The govt and YOU---sama sama lah!🙄🙄

➤➤ The people currently in govt. are the best the particular society of citizens can muster. Sorry, you fuckers have hit a wall lah.

✣ However, sometimes, the people in office loose their mojo and like everything else in life which slacks off or decreases in effectiveness, needs to be changed...

...BUT you are still going to choose from the same societal pool of suitable candidates, and you are not going to "do better" than the people you pick.😜

People think that changing govt will "solve all the problems"😂🤣😂🤣 Aiyoh, comedy lah...

OK, now to address "buay tahan" Angry AhKong65, who is obviously English-challenged (probably not his first language) and writes responses to me like a cry-baby, instead of a man, who one would think after doing NS will have balls, a smidgen of intelligence and the emotional wherewithal to muster a better rejoinder to me.

Apparently not. 😂 AhKong65 is a shining example of why free speech cannot possibly work in Singapore. As soon as someone doesn't like what you say/ write...they just attack you, instead of attacking your arguments.

Anyway, taxes are LOW in Singapore. Which makes Singapore one of the most competitive places to be to do stuff. ☛NOTE➽➽ The Cuntry has a competitive environment. However "success" is not automatic. People actually have to do work and create things.

...but sad fact is too many ⚠️ Lazy Loser Locals Singaporeans ⚠️ (L3SG---my new abbreviation for these assholes) are to passive to TAKE ADVANTAGE of the wonderful opportunities available to those who dare to try. Sad, so sad....😢😥

Funny thing about AhKOng65 and his ilk---they call me a "quitter" or an "outsider", yet I'm one motherfucker who is CONSTANTLY telling everyone how fucking AWESOME Singapore is.

Like I said to those folks---go and enrol for remedial English comprehension class lah.

Probably a good idea for you fuckers to get off the blogs too. The internet has many other things for you to do, like play games and enjoy porn.🤡

Anonymous said...

Reality vs Fake News and False Hopes - Part 12

Who Is The Real Devil? - Part 1

The following is a blog post written by Mr Wang Says So on 15 Aug 08. It is very insightful. I thought of sharing with you guys because eight years have past since I read Mr Wong's blog post, and this question of who is the real devil still keep surfacing in my mind.

WILLAM GOLDING was a Nobel Prize-winning author. His most famous work is Lord of the Flies, a novel which I studied for my GCE O-level Literature exams many years ago. The title is actually a reference to the Hebrew name Beelzebub (literally, "god of the fly", "Lord of Flies"), a name sometimes used as a synonym for Satan.

The book is really quite fascinating. It is a study of the human psyche, and it stares straight into the face of evil inside us. I cannot do justice to the book's rich complexity in one short blog post, but let me try anyway.

The plot goes like this. After a plane crash, a large group of schoolboys are stranded on a beautiful deserted island. None of them are hurt, and none of them are in danger. There is more than enough food, water and shelter on the island for them to survive indefinitely.

The boys quickly organise themselves. They appoint leaders, set rules for themselves and work together to build shelters and gather food. In effect, they become a microcosm of our larger human society. You look at the boys and you can see how human civilisation operates (and this is precisely what Golding intended, for his novel is allegorical).

What happens next? Well, the boys could have led a peaceful, harmonious existence on an island paradise. In fact, they initially do. However, things quickly break down. A power struggle breaks out between the two oldest boys - Ralph, who is strong and genuinely good-hearted, and Jack, who is just as strong, but utterly ruthless and power-hungry.

At first the boys elect Ralph as their leader. But Jack steadily gains power. Eventually, Jack takes complete control and under his leadership, the entire group of boys degenerate into barbaric savagery. Two boys are murdered and Ralph himself is hunted down like a wild pig to be slaughtered.

How did Jack do it? How did he seize power? Essentially he played on the boys' fears. He told them that somewhere on the island, there lived a fearsome "beast". According to Jack, this "beast" was ferocious, it was no ordinary animal, it was a kind of monster and it was hungry. It hated the boys and was out to hunt them down and kill them.

And the only way for the boys to escape the "beast" and survive was to accept Jack as their leader. For Jack was the strongest, the smartest, the best hunter. Jack would know what to do. If only the boys would obey Jack and pledge allegiance to him, then Jack would be able to defend them against their enemy.

Most of the boys were duped. In fact they obeyed Jack so unquestioningly that they would commit murder, upon his command. And that was how Jack gained power.

Of course, the truth was that there was no "beast". It was merely a fiction, a myth, a frightening story that Jack steadily built up over time, by playing on the boys' collective fear of the dark. In psychological terms, the "beast" was nothing more than an external projection of the boys' irrational inner fears. It was through Jack's skilful manipulations that the imaginary "beast" was magnified into huge proportions.


Anonymous said...

Reality vs Fake News and False Hopes - Part 12

Who Is The Real Devil? Part 2

Of course, the truth was that there was no "beast". It was merely a fiction, a myth, a frightening story that Jack steadily built up over time, by playing on the boys' collective fear of the dark. In psychological terms, the "beast" was nothing more than an external projection of the boys' irrational inner fears. It was through Jack's skilful manipulations that the imaginary "beast" was magnified into huge proportions.

Why am I writing about the Lord of the Flies today? Two decades have passed since I first read that stunningly insightful book. Yet up to today, events in Singapore still periodically remind me of that novel. Most recently, we see media reports like these:

There is a conspiracy to do us in, says MM Lee
Minister Mentor rebuts human rights groups' criticism of Singapore
by Sue-ann Chia (ST, 12 Jul 08)

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew last night dismissed human rights organisations' criticisms of Singapore's style of governance, saying that they were trying to 'do us in'.

In a robust rebuttal of these groups' assertions that Singapore is not a liberal democracy, he said that they had never run a country and did not know what was needed to make Singapore tick.

'There is a conspiracy to do us in. Why?... They see us as a threat,' said Mr Lee at an hour-long dialogue during the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner ....

Why they hate Singapore:
Western detractors are getting the jitters as others copy our model
by Chua Lee Hoong (ST, 9 Aug 08)

Singapore is small enough to be a suburb in Beijing, but it has something in common with the mammoth People's Republic. The little red dot and Red China are both countries the West loves to hate.

There are those who wish bad things to happen to the Beijing Olympics. Likewise, there are those who have had it in for the Lion City for years ....

Do "they" really hate us? Is anyone really out to "do us in"? Is there really a "conspiracy" going on?

And if so ....... whose conspiracy is it? Ask yourself that.


Today, the beast/devil has taken a different form - the form of "Future Economy". So, they have to raise gas, electricity and water prices in order to suck more money out of the masses, to provide for the "Future"!

Whose future?

Anonymous said...

They can't even sort out the present mess. You think they can solve future problems in the present time?

Anonymous said...

@ Dragon Fly

Nice. You express your ideas very well.

Anonymous said...

They can't even sort out the present mess. You think they can solve future problems in the present time?
February 27, 2017 9:41 pm

All of them are just spoilt little boys.
When they were toddlers, their mothers used to hold their penis when they urinated.
Now that they are Ministers, they treat us taxpayers like their mothers.
They expect us to pay more taxes (hold their penis) every time they can't balance their budget.

If they did not waste money on Formula One Night Race, Youth Olympics, never ending HDB estate upgrading projects and God only know what else ... they would have plenty of money left over to return back to us.

Is the above true?
Is the above fair?
Please tell me.

Anonymous said...

Sori,loan shark also not many

To lend me $ for pap.

Anonymous said...

pap serve the peple

Or weasel the peple.

Virgo 49 said...

Dragon Fly.

This is what LKY preached to us Pioneer OLDIES when Singapore became independent.

That's why till today, sinkies still had this fear mentality that they became Kia See, Kia Soo, Kia Cheng Hu and Kia Everything that we even after 50 odd years and National Slavery together still cannot jelled as a
People.

Thinking only PAP can save them from the Beast

Virgo 49 said...

But funny, not many buy KIA vehicles.