Singapore—Retired diplomat Bilahari Kausikan, who found himself in trouble concerning remarks he made on Friday (Oct 23) suggesting that Cambodia and Laos be expelled from the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) has dismissed accusations that he is a foreign agent.
He made these remarks at a round table discussion organised by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, saying, “To state things bluntly, I see Cambodia and Laos teetering precariously on the edge…They have some difficult choices to make. And if they should make wrong choices, they will confront ASEAN as a whole with difficult choices. We may have to cut loose the two to save the eight.”
Mr Bilahari emphasised this point further in a Facebook post on Oct 24, writing, “Not imminent or something ASEAN would do lightly or willingly, but if a limb turns gangrenous, amputation may be the only way to save a life.”
On Tuesday (Oct 26), an unsigned letter allegedly from former and current Cambodian diplomats was published in Fresh News, a Cambodian news site, calling Mr Bilahari a person who is “attention-seeking, inconsistent, and incoherent.”
The letter writers called out Mr Bilahari and ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute for pushing the notion that Cambodia is a puppet of China, and questioned whether this is the Singapore Government’s the official position.
“Bilahari and ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute should stop pretending as if they have the monopoly on knowledge and wisdom. [S]peaking of agency, which was the whole gist of Bilahari’s paper, one wonders for which power is he and ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute acting as ‘agents’ for?” the letter reads.
“What we find repulsive is his arrogant and condescending tone, not just about our country, Cambodia, and Laos, but even towards our current Asean leaders, a behaviour unbecoming of a former diplomat. He made a barrage of misleading and flawed claims that are intellectually deceitful and normatively detrimental to the region, especially Asean,” the letter writers added.
Above is from Yahoo News.
Actually I did not want to waste time talking about Bilahari. He is passe, history, irrelevant. Now that this piece of information is everywhere, let's ask a few questions about where he is coming from and his intent and motive. Hopefully this is not Singapore's position as it did not appear in the ST, I think. If it does, it may implicate Singapore as it already implicated ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.
Why would this Bilahari be making such a strong view at this time when the evil Americans are gearing up to start a war with China, with lol Pompeo, Esper and a few others all out to smear and demonise China? Is this part of a coordinated American campaign or just a private individual's view, not related?
The position taken as if he is speaking with some authority in Asean, wanting Asean to sack Laos and Cambodia for being friendly to China, just like Singapore being friendly to the USA, and for letting China build a sea port in Cambodia as an act of a proxy while Singapore offering a military base for American warships as not a proxy, call for a lot of questioning of his intent and where he is coming from.
It would be very unfortunate for an ex govt official to be making such a strong stand, coming out as someone with an agenda and with Singapore being thrust to the forefront of the American's anti China war conspiracy. Would the Singapore govt deem it necessary to dissociate with this man, that he is no longer with the govt and his view does not reflect the govt's thinking?
Bilahari and a few others were very vocal against China during the silly Aquino fake court case in the SC Sea island dispute. That event let to the unfortunate Terrex Incident and souring of relations between China and Singapore. Subsequently nothing more was heard from this gang of four. But it seems that Bilahari is the only one left standing and still spouting his anti China and pro American stand. The others have been made to hold their peace or silenced.
What do you think? Is this undiplomatic outlash good for Sino Singapore relations when a lot is at stake? Singapore is trying to latch on to the Chinese economic growth engine to drive its lethargic economy and cannot afford to have a loose cannon firing at China that could be misinterpreted as the govt's position. Singapore cannot afford to make the same mistake again and ended with another Terrex Incident and flung all its effort to reestablish trust with China into the longkang.
What do you think?
This comment by Gila is a very hostile attack on China and two Asean states. It is a personal view and does not deserve to be called news and a place in the ST. If it did appear, then Singapore would have a lot of explanation to do but China, Laos and Cambodia would never accept it. Even if Singapore were to use the excuse that its arm was twisted by the Americans, it would not go down well with China.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of hostility is uncalled for and unnecessary. It would get Singapore into more trouble with China. Was that the intent of Gila? Sowing discord between Singapore and China and forcing Singapore into the American corner?
Notice Bilahari Kausikan never said anything against INDIA. Why huh?
ReplyDeleteWho is bila, I know him not. Is he representing Singapore, i think not. So don't be fooled by him. He is nothing.
Deletelt
ReplyDeleteshall not surprise anyone if Sg gets amputated and discarded by Asean Members bcos of Gilahari.
The Arrogance of the Sin Regime Members are very glaring and as can be seen at any of the Asean Members Gatherings that Sin Participants were shown cold shoulders. lt was also obvious to most that Sin Rulers fawned with the Strong Nations like the US, China and India. Doubt the Other Asean Members are all comfortable with how Sin behaves.
Anyway,
none of the Asean Members need Sin to survive. On the Contrary, Sin shall atrophy by itself if left to fend for itself. lt has to be very mindful of how it behaves.
ReplyDeleteThis Bidalari Cowshitkan is a very anti-China and Chinese hater who always post damaging articles in the international mass media against China. Also when he delivers public speeches his messages are always laced with poison damaging and detrimental to China and the Chinese people.
For the sake of Singapore's interests and safety and for the sake of ASEAN it is imperative for Singaporeans to press the Singapore government to take action and thoroughly investigate this insane character who could be a paid American CIA agent.
If he is still holding any post in any of Singapore's Institutes of Higher Learnings he should be dismissed immediately before he can further poison the minds of young Singaporeans and ASEAN students who may be studying in these institutes.
Southernglory1
Sunday, 1st November, 2020
Aiyo..government got this type of chap ah.. he probably had a hand in crafting the government's position..if he's caustic now..what was he then?
ReplyDeleteIt has not escaped Beijing's notice that Singapore did not distance itself from what Bilahari said.
ReplyDeleteThe govt should clarify and at same time rein in his IBM shut and not use the excuse of freedom of speech (FOS). We all know total FOS this is hogwash
ReplyDeleteIf you go through his pass rhetorics, he has maligned China, Malaysia and Dr Mahatir to the detriment of our international relations with them.
Notice how the 2 Singapore academics in HK were replaced as webinar speakers by NUS. Do we not see the pressure exerted to exclude them given their not so friendly views on the PAP. Maybe it could the NUS did it on their own initiative to prempt any unhappy consequences with the govt.
The govt should come out and state their stand on this matter like what the Sri lankan foreign minister diplomatically said his country sought friendly relations with ALL countries in reply to fatso Mike Pompeo telling Sri Lanka to distance from China as the latter was a predator. ie the Sri Lankan foreign minister was infact telling fatso to STFU.
So the govt should tell Bilahari to STFU too.
Well from my viewpoint, I think this dude just needed to be sodomized jialat jialat till his ass can't tahan anymore and come to his senses lor
ReplyDeleteLetting someone else express their true opinions - this reminds of the episode when that woman NCMP said in Parliament that CPF money doesn't belong to Singaporeans and the PAP leaders kept quiet.
ReplyDeleteThis is how I see this unwarranted aggression of Bilahari Kausikan against Cambodia, Laos and China:
ReplyDeleteKausikan's attack on Cambodia and Laos was made on 23 Oct. He repeated his attack on 24 Oct. The Cambodians replied on 26 Oct. They waited for 3 days to see whether Singapore government leaders, especially from the PMO or Foreign Ministry, react to Kausikan's stand or not.
Today is 1st Nov. A good 9 days have passed. The Singapore government leaders still keep quiet.
Silence can mean golden but silence also means conscent.
Singapore's government leaders cannot claim innocent that they are not aware of Kausikan's attacks on China, Cambodia and Laos.
The silence from the Foreign Ministry of Singapore is deafeningly and curiously implicit.
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ReplyDeleteSingapore is only interested in trade and investment with China. All other aspects such as geopolitical, international laws and strategic military alignment, Singapore has always been selling the Western and US propaganda. This has been happening even before 1965.
ReplyDeleteTill today, I do not believe that Singapore's independence is genuine. I believe that Singapore has remained an appendix of the British Empire and is also staunchly pro-US. Singapore's actions speak louder than words.
The Chinese in China and Overseas are fully aware of Singapore's stand when it comes to any attack against China and the Chinese people by western powers.
On the same illogical logic propounded by Bilahari Kau-sio-kan, Singapore should also be expelled from ASEAN.
ReplyDeleteChina should take note of this.
Why does the Straits Times call Bilahari as Singapore's ex-top diplomat? In other countries, the top diplomat is the Minister for Foreign Affairs aka Foreign Minister.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all reporters (there are no journalists) and editors at the Straits Times are Intelligence personnel either from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Defence. Even the chief of SPH is an ex-general from the Singapore Armed Forces.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, almost the entire government Machinery today is controlled by pro-India and pro-US people.
The future of Singapore therefore is controlled by those people.
Bola-hairy Kao-sio-kan must have very strong backing from the pro-India faction and also the pro-US faction.
The pro-China faction has been deliberately singled out and attacked regularly without fail. This is because the majority Chinese in Singapore are either apolitical or without spines.
Straited Timers are controlled by the Black Ants.
ReplyDeletePink Loony is also controlled by the biggest Black Ant.
Another maid got acquitted by the High Court after the Lower Court found her guilty of theft and sentenced her to 12 months jail.
ReplyDeleteSomething is not right with the investigations, prosecutions and lower courts' judging.
What has become of Singapore's standard of efficiency and competency?
Could it be due to too much pays and bonuses to Ministers and Top Civil Servants that has caused the inefficiency and incompetence? I would think so.
Taipei, Nov. 1
ReplyDeleteA Chinese military Y-8 aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) Sunday, the 31st Chinese intrusion since Sept. 16, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND).
According to the MND, a Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane flew into the southwest portion of the ADIZ Sunday morning.
In response, the Air Force scrambled aircraft to monitor the Chinese aircraft activity, issuing radio warnings and mobilizing air defense systems, the MND said.
The incident marked the ninth intrusion by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan's ADIZ in eight straight days.
Chinese military planes entered Taiwan's ADIZ or crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on at least 25 days in October
To china, Taiwan's airspace is also Chinese airspace. There is only one China and Taiwan is a part of China, as it has called itself the Republic of China, which means it also belongs to the Chinese people.
China should have an organisation like the CIA to carry out covert operations, regime change and assassinations. This is to follow the Americans' ways of enforcing "democracy" and punishing those who commit "human rights" violations.
ReplyDeleteAnd China should also set up hundreds of military bases around the world and be able to have a rapid response to any part of the world to counter any political and military threats.
Not a single Minister dares to open his mouth to help Singapore government to distance itself from the rabies infected mouth of the American running dog? If LKY was the PM, heads would have rolled within 3 days. Today is already the 10th day.
ReplyDeleteThey probably discussed with Pompeo how to make ASEAN more effective in countering China, and decided first thing they must do is to get rid of Laos and Cambodia.
ReplyDeletePompeo will be very pleased.
Kausikan was a long serving Sin Professional Diplomat. A well travelled and highly treasure diplomat of the Sin Regime for many years. That is probably why he speaks with authority.
ReplyDeleteln some ways, his views are likely sanctioned by the Sin Regime.
I never regard him as someone who speaks with authority. Everytime he opens his big mouth I want to puke. But you are right that what he said was likely to be sanctioned until he over did it during the South China Sea fake tribunal court case and Singapore kena kicked in the butt real hard.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it seems that the Americans are still putting pressure on Singapore to open its big mouth to be the American mouthpiece in Asean, and history is repeating itself. Singapore needs to be whacked a second time, and harder this time for it to wake up and stop being bullied and arm twisted by the Americans.
A fake is always a fake, pretending to be independent, not influenced by big powers but in reality a semi colony of the Americans.
Right, Singapore is in the pocket of the Americans. This is the main reason why Pompeo did not bother to visit Singapore to make his sales pitch for his war plan against China. The Americans have taken Singapore for granted as a crony that would and could not say no to the Americans.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Americans say jump, Singapore would say how high sir? The attack by Kausikan is a clear sign of what is going on behind closed doors.
One cannot keep lying that one is innocent when one is not and keep on repeating the same crime.
ReplyDeleteChina will respond in due course. Just watch. Akan dating.
ReplyDeleteAgree, nothing better to do go to dig China's backside.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the first time and China would not let it go as the suggestion was hostile to China, something that only hate China hate Chinese Americans would say.
Let's see what China would do to him or to Singapore.
The last time was quite similar to this. The gang of four were howling China wanted to split Asean to divide and rule.
ReplyDeleteIf providing military base to foreign powers should be kicked out of Asean, would Singapore be kicked out oso?
ReplyDeletePeople living in glass houses must not throw stones.
A desperate statement forced to put out immediately without thinking of looking into the mirror.
Today, we, as the retired diplomats of the Lao PDR, are writing this open letter to state that we are hurt and offended deep down to the bottom of our hearts by Ambassador Bilahari Kausikan’s article published on the Mothership on Oct 24,2020.
ReplyDeleteThe article, inter-promote the division of Asean as demonstrated by Kausikan’s idea suggesting that Asean might have to cut Laos and Cambodia if they continue to make wrong choices or be led by an external power.
In this context, we want to not only to inform the international community, but also to remind Ambassador Bilahari, that his message is completely short sighted, superficial, distorting and wrongly judged. The Star