I am not PRC

I read this article about a Sinkie complaining that a PRC waitress would speak to him in Mandarin for his orders. This is not the first time Sinkies felt offended when spoken to in Mandarin. Am I surprised? Is speaking to another Chinky, oops, I mean Sinkie Chink, in Mandarin an offensive thing? Isn’t Mandarin one of the four official languages of this country?

But I can understand why Sinkie Chink did not like PRC Chink to think that he is also a Chink. There is a difference of course. Sinkie Chinks are westernized, modern, sophisticated, with good manners, unlike PRC Chinks.

I think I have a solution for this agonizing dilemma faced by some Sinkie Chinks. And since it is not possible to ask the Sinkie Chinks to dye his skin white, have his slit eyes rounded, or his flat Chinkie nose sharpened, the next easiest thing to do is to wear a head band to say, ‘I am a Sinkie Chink.’ Then all the PRC Chinks would have no problems telling them apart and may take the hint to speak to them in English, the mother tongue of Sinkie Chinks.

And they should wear the head band overseas too as the PRC Chinks are everywhere, and richer too, driving Ferraris and Lamboghinis in New York and London. The Europeans are finding them so common and so numerous that any Sinkie Chink could be mistaken to be a poorer version of the PRC Chinks. So bring the head bands and wear it everywhere to be noticed and to be known.

When Rome burns

When Rome was burning, Nero was fiddling on the roof. Why was that so? Why did Nero have all the time to play his fiddle when Rome was burning? He had too much time on his hand. He had appointed a cabinet of very talented ministers to run the empire for him. They were the best the empire could find. He was happy and at ease that he had all the able men in his team. And he spent his time in his favourite past time, fiddling on the roof.

Nero presumed that all his ministers were hard at work. So there was nothing to worry about. And that was why he was alone at the top, on the roof. Unfortunately he did not know that his ministers were either busy making themselves richer or on holiday with all the wealth they had accumulated. But aren’t they supposed to do their parts. These were very able and talented men. They knew that they could not do their jobs. They were not trained for them. Some were experts in deciphering the Dead Sea Scroll. How on earth would they be able to know what was happening in defence, in finance, in education? Or how much would a physician know about engineering, trade, building the country’s infrastructure. Because they were smart enough to know of their limitations, they outsourced their jobs to super talents, even imported talents. They had the money to buy the best talents.

So all the ministers needed to do was to buy talents to do their jobs. And they could sing song all day long or go on vacation. The super talents were supposed to know their stuff. Did they? Or were they snake oil sellers? Very likely, for Rome was burning under their charge. Did Nero know, or did the ministers know that Rome was burning? Nero did not. The ministers either did not know, or did want to know, or hoping that the super talents knew their stuff and the fire was temporary. But most chose not to know, making more money was their main preoccupation.

But the citizens knew that Rome was buring. So were the firefighters. Why didn’t the firefighters fight the fire? They were waiting for orders. They were waiting for someone to raise the alarm. No orders, no alarms, no action. And they all sat on their fat arses watching Rome burnt. They were paid handsomely and no need to sweat or work or think, if no one asked them do.

And Rome continued to burn while Nero played his fiddle on the roof, oblivious to what was happening. Everything must be fine as no one was there to tell him.

Would Nero wake up in time to save Rome, to put out the fire? According to history, he did not and Rome was burnt to the ground. Could he have save Rome if he knew that Rome was burning? He might, if he started to ask a few relevant questions, called up his ministers who would question his super talents about what was going on, about the fire. But these might not happen as the ministers knew nothing about what was happening and were fully dependent on the experts who turned out to be snake oil sellers, and who actually started the fire and did not know how to put it out.

Raising the alarm was useless for many reasons. For one, no one was listening, or no one wanted to listen. Everyone chose to hide their heads in the sand, didn’t want to hear, didn’t want to see, didn’t want to know. They all had options to move out of Rome with their wealth, or to rebuild a new Rome after the fire.

There was a fire, and the fire was burning. And everyone was looking the other way, with Nero on the roof top having a blissful time.

PS. Many would be guessing what is this all about? That is a good sign. Those who know will know what I am talking about. Those who don't, never mind, ignorance is bliss. Just hope that Nero knows, or at least interested enough to want to know before it is too late.

Faisal Wali wrote: Cherian George, Stop Pontificating

In his reply to the pontification by Cherian George that netizens need a code of conduct, Faisal quoted him as saying this, ‘Cherian wrote that the kampong spirit that we Singaporeans are cultivating is kay-pohish petty-mindedness, a small-town mentality that tells us that no event is too trivial to turn into a national issue.’

Hmmm, kampong spirit is small town mentality and pettiness. Now who in the right mind would want to promote such pettiness as a way of life for Sinkies? I fully agree with Cherian that if kampong spirit is all about small people and petty mindedness it is better to dump them into the dustbin man. Or would any super talent think that kampong spirit is something worthy to preserve, or think that kampong spirit is more than pettiness?

Anyway I walked up Mount Faber last night hoping that God would show himself and give me 10 tablets. Then I can command the sinners to obey me and abide by what I think they can or cannot do. I am the messenger of god. And I know what is best for the sinners. Even if god did not issue me his commandments, I will know what they are. Prostrate before me, for I am the one to tell thee on what is good for you.

The escalating fear of foreign intervention in our way of life.

‘AMRITSAR: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has marked an inquiry into complaints and allegations that Sikh prison inmates in Singapore are being forced to cut their hair against the community's 'maryada' (code of conduct).


The takht has acted upon complaints filed by Madan Mohan Singh, a social activist, who works for a Singapore-based anti-narcotics association.


Madan Mohan Singh had urged the Akal Takht to issue directives on the issue so the Sikhs of Singapore could take up the matter with the Singapore government and prevent further "humiliation of Sikh jail inmates."


He alleged on Monday that despite prison directives on regular hair grooming, the jail authorities in Singapore cut head and facial hair of Sikh jail inmates if they were found to be involved in taking drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol.


Singapore's ministry of home affairs had also conducted an investigation after Madan Mohan Singh had raised the issue.


The Sikh Advisory Board (SAB), the highest council of Sikh affairs in Singapore, had wrongly advised the Singapore government by labeling Sikh inmates as non-practicing and non-traditional, he added.


"The SAB has misrepresented the Sikhs in Singapore by condoning and accepting the sacrilegious act of cutting a Sikh's hair by a government department. In doing so, it has underestimated the hurt feelings of the community," said Madan Mohan Singh. –Times of India

The more foreigners we took and issued them with pink ICs, the more pain we will get if we allowed them to impose their wills onto our system. The foreigners, the greater their numbers, are likely to make increasing demands for the system to accept and adapt to their ways of life, culture and religion. The Govt must make its stand very clear now that foreigners coming here and given citizenship must accept our way of life, social norms and our laws. They must adapt, integrate and change to fit into our system and not the other way around.

In the above case, it is not a matter of whether the Sikh Advisory Board made the right and wrong advice. It is a case of foreign agencies thinking that they have a right to impose their whims and fancies on our Govt and our way of life. And our dull Govt may have to act to answer to all kinds of frivolous demands, trying to explain or adjust or appease foreign agencies.

Now there is an organization from India demanding our Govt to answer to them. What next, from Italy, the Philippines, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, China or where else demanding that their citizens or believers be treated according to what they wanted and deemed fit.

Hey, we are a sovereign country and not answerable to any foreign agencies. And any foreigners taking up citizenship here better behave and accept what we are or else piss off. The Govt has to make this stand very clear to all foreigners before giving them the pink IC, and to all govts or non govt agencies to stay clear of our domestic affairs. We are not any country’s colony and answerable to no other countries, powers or what shit they think they are. We don’t even have to do anything when outside agencies make ridiculous and unjustifiable demands on our system, sovereign and constitutional rights.

Racist beaten by Chinaman victim

Finally one daft Sinkie stood up to the racists. Alexander Lincoln Chew Yew Wah was taunted and insulted by a Briton, Richard Jonathan Mills, in a members only club in Robertson Quay. He was insulted by the Briton with the third most racist act of the white Europeans centuries ago. Basically the Briton called him a laundryman and told him to go back to his laundry shop in China.

For the ignorant and uninitiated, the Chinamen of old that went to work in the US, and probably in many European countries, most ended up as laundrymen and cooks. The Americans had a racist law that forbade Asians from taking up jobs in other professions. They were only allowed to work as labourers in the construction of the American railroads and yes, cooks and laundrymen. Shit if the same law is applied here, many of us too would be cooks and laundrymen and no dignity to talk about.

Imagine in the 21st century you still have assholes taunting Chinaman, and thinking that Sinkies are Chinamen, with this age old racist taunt. Can’t blame the Briton as all Chinese Sinkies still looked like Chinamen even after they dyed their hair blond or called themselves Alexander Lincolns. It is written all over the face and body that Chinese Sinkies are still Chinese in racial origin.

The must audacious thing for this Briton to do was to taunt Chinese in Sinkie land when the Chinese are a majority. This is racism and arrogance to the first degree. Maybe he still thinks Britain is still the colonial power and all the Chinese here are fit only to be cooks and laundrymen.

I salute Chew Yew Wah for standing up to the racist and bashed him up even when the racist is a much bigger man. Daft and silly Sinkies must stand up to be a man when people spit at them and not be like Ah Q. Otherwise all the foreigners will just go on taunting and insulting them and even beating them up in their own country. And home is no longer safe for Sinkies.

For those ignorant and daft Sinkies, stereotyping Chinese as cooks and laundrymen is definitely derogatory and of very bad taste.

Sandwiched class needs more govt help

A Lim Wan Keng wrote in the ST forum today asking for changes to the stupid and outrageous HDB income ceilings that put many genuine home buyers in a fixed. With inflation running like a wild horse, many middle income earners would quite easily exceed the $12k ceiling. And the prices of HDB DBSS and exec condominiums are not cheap either. Why is this ceiling still in place when it is as obsolete as the thinking of its originator? Haven’t the message sank in that it is and was not affordable though some jokers insisted that it was?

Lim Wan Keng’s case, family growing but income exceeded ceiling and cannot upgrade to exec condominium, and not rich enough to be robbed by the private developers. This is the kind of fix the pro active, thinking and caring govt is placing on its citizens.

But she should count herself lucky as she already owned a HDB. What about those for some reasons like getting married late and found their income exceeded the ceiling and don’t even qualify as first timers? All inclusive society, no one is left out, every first timer will be able to buy a HDB. My stinking foot!

And there are many who have bought twice from the HDB and wanted to upgrade or downgrade as their needs have changed, or finances have changed. No way. After two bites of the cheery, that’s it. It is such thickness in the head that makes life very difficult for the Sinkies. With a lifespan of 70 to 80 years or more, the needs for housing will change. Two times are definitely inadequate and the buyers would be stuck in a shitty situation except those who could upgrade. If they are in some financial binds and need to sell, they will be in bigger shit.

Then there are those divorcees or from broken families. It is their faults huh? What is inclusiveness and caring all about?

Would there be a change in mindset and silly rules and regulations made by silly people be thrown into the dustbins? As for the too rich for HDB and too poor for private properties, vote for a change of govt if they want a policy change. There is no way for stubborn mules to change their mindset. There is no way to talk to the arrogance of power, or deaf frogs who think they are so right.

Don’t give the dumb craps that too many are waiting in the queue. Just go and build for the people. A roof over the people’s head is of utmost importance. Don’t give the excuse of the speculators making lesser profits. Make it clear that public housing’s main purpose is a home for every Sinkie. Profit is secondary and good if there is and good if there isn’t. Let the speculators go and speculate in the private sector.

Let all Sinkies be allowed to buy and own a public flat and also allowed to speculate in the private property sector. One as a home for all time, one to get rich if possible. Don’t mix the two. They can co exist. Do not force the young people into big debts by forcing them to buy private.

Singapore’s money stashed in Swiss Banks

How much money did Singaporeans stashed away in the safe haven in Switzerland? According to Swiss banking data, foreign money deposited in Swiss Banks amounted to 1.53 trillion Swiss Francs or about US$1.6 trillion. Of these, UK has a 20% share or about 300b Swiss Franc followed by US at 18%. This is followed by Germany, France, Hongkong and Japan with Singapore at 14th position. Singapore is ahead of countries like Australia, Italy, Netherland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE and even India. The latter is ranked 55th .

How much is the net amount Singaporeans hid away in Swiss Banks for safety reasons and who are the real owners? A ballpark figure could be in the region of US$50b to US$100b. This is no small change for a small little island, standing way above the heads of bigger countries like Australia and the oil rich Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Interesting numbers to ponder over, the whys and the whos.

Justice for the small Sinkies

The cost of going to court is becoming very prohibitive to many ordinary Sinkies. It can be worst than hospitalization especially when there is no equivalent of the Medisave or the 3Ms to lower the cash outlay. There is a piece of good news announced by Wong Meng Meng, Law Society President, that measures have been taken to allow the average Sinkies to have their legal matters settle through Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as arbitration, mediation and adjudication. Such methods would spare the average Sinkies from expensive legal bills payable to the courts and the learned counsels for their services.

Many minor or frivolous cases have been applied for judicial judgement that were not necessary, and often an abuse of the legal system by parties that have the money to do so and to use the court as their hatchet men. Poor Sinkies who have no money to engage brilliant counsels often have to suffer injustice at the mercy of the rich rogues. And it is this very injustice that the Law Society is trying to prevent, to ensure that all Sinkies could have a fair hearing and justice, and not be deprived of justice because they could not pay for it.

The ADR methods or alternative method to allow petty and frivolous cases to be heard in a manner without prohibitive legal fees is something that is badly needed for the average Sinkies. Maybe appearance in such courts should be made simpler and less costly by not allowing legal counsels to represent their clients. The military has been practicing such a system for ages. The litigants could explain their cases or maybe with the assistant of a court appointed representative if they are unable to do so. Such cases are normally factual in nature and a good judge should be more than adequate to assess the merits of the parties involved.

Such an alternative will free the courts and legal counsels to handle more important legal conflicts and issues. And legal counsels could upgrade themselves to a higher level of litigation instead of petty quarrels between neighbours. It is quite malu for learned counsels to be making their pile from petty quarrels of the small people.

With the opening up of the legal practice and the establishment of an international arbitration centre, legal counsels could have plentiful of meaningful and rewarding cases to handle and need not depend on poor Sinkies to feed their overheads and profits.

There is plenty of money to be made in serious legal disputes. Spare the average Sinkies from hefty legal fees. Spare the courts to deal with legal issues befitting the attention of the judges. Spare the legal counsels to attend to cases that will tax their training in law schools and their understanding of the law, and an improvement in their incomes.

And most important, allow the average Sinkies the right to justice without having to pay an arm or a leg, and preventing the rich rogues to abuse the courts to attack their victims.

Sinkies are getting naughty

Why are there so many skepticism and criticism about the Woffles case? The law is the law. The Law Minister has explained it clearly on the technical aspects of the law and why it was administered that way. The AGC has also done the unusual, to explain the legality and correctness of the law. The Sinkies should be very grateful that the AGC was kind enough to explain the position to show how fair and proper is our legal system. There is absolutely no favouritism or any undoings.

Now, would Sinkies just accept that it is the law, simple and clear, fair and just? How could laypeople question the legality of the law when the two most authoritative person and body in charge with administering justice in the country have already said that it was right and proper? So what if senior counsels also have their doubts?

Sinkies must accept the law of the country. This country is ruled by the rule of law. And when the law says so, it says so. Let’s move on and let the good surgeon go about with his practice to make many more beautiful people happy. And good thing nobody was hurt.

And like all fairy tales, they all lived happily ever after. A happy ending. Won’t that be nice?

Humanitarian and disaster relief centres everywhere

‘Thailand and the United States have agreed to set up a working group to jointly develop a regional humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief training and readiness centre at U-Tapao airport in Rayong.’

The Americans are setting up such centres everywhere in Asia, from Vietnam, Thailand to the Philippines and Singapore, maybe Indonesia and Malaysia next. Such centres are set up wherever American military bases are not present like in South Korea and Japan.

On paper the Americans are spending a lot of money and resources to save the world with such centres. Are these centres really for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief work? Your guess.

The silly rationalisation of Sinkies

At one time they were saying road congestion was good, a sign of progress. Without road congestion, when the roads are wide and empty, it means no progress, not enough cars on the road. So people cannot afford cars. Then the same kind of reasoning was used to show progress in train services. Trains must be crowded, the more crowded the better. Tokyo was then the role model. If trains are not packed enough, something is not right. At least profit is not right. So trains must run packed like sardine. Then we have achieved Tokyo’s train service standard.

And in the same mouthful some would talk about gracious living by taking trains. KNN, how to be gracious when everyone is squeezing with everyone, and pushing and rushing to find a place to sit? Now that is too much of a luxury. Everyone should get use to pushing and squeezing just to board a train, or would have to take the next or the next train.

Now the famous call, small flats are good. It would not lower the quality of life. But it stops short of saying the smaller a flat the better the quality of life. There is no need to move around. Turn your head and there is the tap. Turn the other side and there is the fridge. Turn another way and there is the TV. Turn around and there is the toilet. So convenient. Don’t have to move. Save on energy to get around.

This stupidity made Liew Mun Leong so angry that he made it known that small flats are inhuman. He could never be so right. Just look at the dog and its kennel. It is a dog’s life. Now how can people disagree with the king of property developer? But not to worry. Some will come out with better argument to say Liew Mun Leong is wrong.

Last time 10 or 20 people lived in a single cubicle not bigger than a HDB room also no problem. Today, putting two people in such a room cannot be a problem right? It is very spacious and comfortable, a luxury.

Some will say, last time people lived next to the pigsty also no problem. Why should people be complaining about nursing homes, hospices or foreign worker’s quarters next door? Last time Eve hung a fig leave as her dress.

Sinkies are damn good at self justification or to make silly things sound good or right just to win an argument. $1000 pm can buy a public flat and came out with a lot of statistics to prove it some more. When are they going to prove that a $1m 3rm flat is cheap and good even when the lease is only 30 years? It is going to be if they are going to make expensive public housing more affordable. First cut the size, then extend the repayment period, and next shorten the lease. They make sense and very logical. The flats will only get more affordable.

If a 3 rm flat with a 99 lease is too expensive, shorten the lease and it will become cheaper. A 3 rm flat of 80 sq m is too expensive, build one that is 50 sq m, it will definitely be cheaper.

What else will they be justifying next? More people in the island are good. One can learn to live with people of different cultures without having to fly to their countries and without even having to leave the flat if they are invited to live in the same flat. The life experience will be so much richer, learn different languages, cultures, cooking, and the idiosyncrasies of foreigners. We will be able to understand the people of the whole world better. For what purposes I don’t know. Maybe to become the Secretary General of the UN. The experience will be an asset when apply for such a job. Or as ambassadors of the UN, if they need such people.

Fish and his fishy justice

Fish wrote in his blog about the flaunting of injustice in broad daylight, in an article ‘Forget justice in Singapore.’ Fish is angry when things get fishy.

I would like to calm the Fish down a bit, take a deep breath of water and try to look at things from a different perspective, then everything will be right, nothing fishy, the fishy smell will be gone. Fish should try looking into the fishbowl instead of out of the fishbowl. Sure different one.

Fish main gripe was about raising GST to help the poor. He sincerely, honestly, did not believe that it was so. Let me explain. The poor are in much much better off position here. Look, they can easily buy a flat with $1000 pm income. And they are the most blessed poor in the world, the envy of the world.

Look at the real poor. The real poor are those that did not have enough to spend. It is not how much you earn, but how much is your expense account. I can empathise with those earning $50k pm and finding life very tough, and their quality of life being affected if they earn a bit less. The GST hike is to help these higher income poor. They have big expense account and need the money to live decently.  For the low income poor, a $50 increase in their income could mean a choice of eating in a hawker centre, foodcourt or even restaurant. Of course it is cheapo restaurant lah. For the high income poor, you can’t help them with $50, not enough even for tips.  They really need help.

As for estate duties, it is to help the poor definitely. In every funeral wake, the normal comment about the chap lying in the coffin is ‘poor bugger’. See, the bugger is poor and any help will do. And abolishing estate duties is definitely to help the poor buggers. When does the rich come in? Where got help the rich buggers?

In the Woffles and Charlie Lim case, or the principle and the odd job labourer case, justice have been done, fair and fair.  Law Minister Shamugam already explained the rationale. It is all about the time spread, like HDB flats have not shrunk in size over the last 15 years. Perfectly accurate statement of facts.

No miscarriage of justice lah. Sorry lah Fish. Can you see my point? What the Fish?

Char Kway Teow with egg or eggs

Not a very good choice for breakfast for many. Too much oil and lard and very greasy too. Char kway teow normally comes with one egg. Some customers would ask for two and pay for it. Eggs and sausages are about the most expensive items in a plate of char kway teow. I always have mine with one egg.

The two eggs char kway teow are not normally done. In very rare and unusual cases, char kway teow may come with two eggs without the customer asking for it. This is nothing unusual to the recipient or the char kway teow man. It all depends on who is the customer. And he does not need to ask for it. It is given, freely and happily by the char kway teow man as respect and recognition of the customer.

Some still feel irked by such little favours. What is an egg? How much would it cost? To the favoured customer, he may not even blink an eye if someone were to offer him a million bucks under the table. What is a few million dollars to the rich today? Many are giving millions away for good a cause, like charity or helping a good friend.

An extra egg for a plate of char kway teow still would be seen as not right. It is not the amount that matters. It is the act, the thought of inappropriateness, impropriety. It is like some used to say, a crime is a crime, no matter big or small.

The media is filled with many minor indiscretions which can be easily pooh poohed away. Why make a big issue out of a mole hill? That is not the point. That is exactly the point. In a society that is run by the rule of law, when corruption is unacceptable or thought non existence, minor acts of indiscretion can become a big thing. How can? Why, he very important ah? Who is he or who is he related? Can like that ah? Why poor people cannot leh?

An egg is an egg. Nothing more nothing less. But given in an improper manner it may crack a wall. To say one more egg is okay, within the limits, only makes it more not okay. It makes it look really bad. Amen.

Happy Red Series

This piece is called Eternity. It is one of my Happy Red Collection. A piece of rar art created by Mother Nature using the Art of RAR technique. More rar art pieces can be viewed at www.artofrar.blogspot.com/.

Woff woff….Woffles Wu or Who?

Wah lau eh. Even Hri Kumar, an eminent lawyer and part of the establishment, cannot tahan oredy. Woff, woff, woof, wolf.

Woffles Wu is a nice guy, very talented and doing a good business in making many people look good and happy. The biggest wrong done to him, I think, and many would agree, was to fine him $1000 for what he had done. I am sure Woffles would gladly pay $100k fine and say a big thank you to close the case and everyone say, yes, it is fair, he did wrong and paid for his wrongdoing.

Now the kiss on the wrist is going to cause Woffles more embarrassment as well as the establishment. Everyone is crying foul. It is a big shame indeed. Nothing to do with Woffles. Now he is being dragged deeper into the shit hole.

The precedence set cannot be wished away and were in the papers. Everyone knows what the minimum penalty should be. Luckily no one claimed in mitigation that he is a super talent and should be treated differently or else he will migrate and Singapore will lose him.

Stop telling the people to integrate the foreigners

Enough is enough. This is our country. Foreigners coming here better respect and accept our way of life, and INTEGRATE into our system. What is this shit about Sinkies integrating with foreigners? Are Sinkies supposed to invite the foreigners to screw their arse?

The foreigners are here with our consent and there are conditions attached. They don’t come and give us a list of conditions to accept. They don’t come here to insist that the Sinkies respect their way of life. If they can’t accept or integrate into our system, good riddance. It is unbelieveable that we have developed a first world system to the envy of the world and we are inviting third world people to share this with us and we have to bend backward to stone age and accept their third world culture, uncouth behaviours and way of life. Do they come here to be first world or do they come here to bring us back to the third world?

Are we that daft? Are they here to help us go backwards as well, to accommodate their nonsense that we have given up long ago in the name of progress?

Malaysia lost 40,600 citizens to Singapore

According to Hishamuddin, Malaysia lost 47,769 citizens due to emigration between 2002 to 2012. Of these, 40,624 ended as Singaporeans. In the same period Malaysia received 74,092 applications to be PRs. Thus Malaysia will have a net gain, so nothing to worry about.

This is quite similar to the Singapore situation. Though more Singaporeans are migrating, to cash out or because of their children’s education, many many more foreign talents are queuing up to replace them. Singapore will end up as the net gainer with more talented foreigners coming in to replace the lesser talented Sinkies that left. Singapore must be very happy with this state of affair, a very fair exchange in its favour.

Think Malaysia too will be gaining more foreign talents to replace their unhappy and not so talented citizens that have chosen to move out since they could not make it there. It is a win win situation really. The two countries got to get rid of the people they did not want and got in return talents that they want. And those who left are happier and those who came are even happier.

It saddens me

‘To New Citizen: You may be appreciated PAP for being offered as “New Citizen” but after 10-15 years, you too will be replaced if the PAP still there and will not change its pro-foreigner policy!’

Someone wrote this comment in an article warning that Sinkies would be replaced by foreigners and new citizens too will be replaced when they became Sinkies. He thought this would be a good way to warn foreigners not to become daft Sinkies and fall into the same trap. Now, shall I call this comment daft? No, no need. Sinkies are daft anyway.

The foreigners are not as daft as Sinkies for sure. Not even the masseurs and the hawkers or the foreign workers. They may not received the education we had, but that does not make them stupid. Stupidity is inborn or can be formed by the environment.

Foreigners have their sums all worked out. Take up citizenship, buy a subsidised HDB flat which will appreciate in 5 or 10 years to give a 50% or 100% return on investment. Get a good job and live decently. Enjoy all the benefits and subsidies of citizenship, good medical facilities, schools for children, learn everything they can, and when the price of the flat is good, sell and go home to be a rich man. This is a simple sure win formula. And some daft Sinkies who need a flat, because they have sold theirs, or for whatever stupid policies, not allowed to buy direct from HDB, must pay a ransom to him as profits. Sinkies have limited options. The new citizens have plenty of options to game the system and win/win and win in all counts.

There is no need to strike fear in them not to take up citizenship. The system is so good, so brilliant, designed so perfectly to encourage foreigners to sink root here. And die die they will want to come and become citizens. And when it is time to scoot, their sons too will leave with them and no need to serve NS.

Now who is daft? Sinkies too can scoot and benefit from the system. For the average Sinkies, this is the only way to game the system too. If they don’t, when the leases of their million dollar flats expire, it will be like waking up from a wet dream.

Actually I am very sad reading that advisory statement. It just goes to show that Sinkies are really daft, beyond redemption, and they did not know, thinking that foreigners are daft. The foreigners are laughing all the way to the banks at their expense and stupidity. The foreigners are smart enough to take full advantage of the system but the Sinkies don’t, or can’t.

Singapore encourages more babies

Singapore wants its citizens to produce more babies. The govt will help definitely, in many ways. It discourages sex other than with the spouses. It discourages sex in the outdoors. The children may grow up a bit wild. It discourages sex overseas, especially in Paris, in case the child grows up with expensive taste or wants to be quitters. It definitely frowns on oral sex and makes it a crime. Hopefully this will promote productive sex with babies.

And public flats are very affordable, really. The minister spoke and swore about it many times, and reported in the main media. A Sinkie only needs to earn $1000 pm to buy a 2 rm public housing flat. Where to find such good deals?

And the govt is concerned about the flats becoming too small. One spokesperson even called it inhuman to have flats smaller than 350 sq ft. So 350 sq ft would be it, just about right for raising children. To make this more convincing, there was a documentary on how ingenious a Hongkonger fitted up his 350 sq ft flat for 7 with the most modern gadgetry. Quality living at its best. You must believe!

Many of the spokepersons have already started a talk to the Sinkies campaign on how liveable is a 350 sq ft flat for a small family of 4. And many Sinkies are out defending the merits of such big and comfortable flats. Some spokespersons also went on record that the quality of life would not be affected.

With such authoritative people championing the cause of smaller flats, the Sinkies must be really convinced. They should be, as they are known to be easily convinced. They drink shit water too, when told to. No sweat. Sinkies can go home to multiply happily and help to grow the economy and themselves as well. More head counts mean economically richer, more contributions to the economy.

Don’t worry, 350 sq ft is great living for a small family. Other countries were worst off with smaller space.

Good riddance Manchester United

It must be the happiest news today to know that Manchester United is listing its IPO in the US instead of SGX or HK Exchange. The investors here were saved for once from ploughing their hard earned money into another precarious stock. Let the Americans celebrate this great listing.

The local investors would have to thank SGX or Magnus Bocker for this failed listing here. He has saved the local investors big time this round. His service has been extended for another term and let’s hope he will do more to save the stock market. The scrapping of the lunch break and the carrot of increasing trading volumes and commission has failed quite miserably. Maybe extending the trading hours may improve volumes and commission.

At the way the market is moving, and the pathetic volume and commissions generated, many broking houses will be looking at the retrenchment card soon. Let’s hope Bocker can do something to save the stock market or it will go pissed, like a flat tyre, during his watch. And there will be many red faces with no where to hide. Bocker is going to be the savior of the stock market and the industry, or else many will be retrenched soon.

Europe offers good opportunities for gamblers

The situation in Europe offers great opportunities to throw in big money to bet big time. It is a once in 50 years opportunity, just like the American financial crisis that became an international financial crisis, and too big to fail banks kept falling one by one.

If I have a lot of money, I too would be very eager to pour some into the big hole and hopefully it will reward with several times the value of the chips. I dare say that with a clear conscience because I will be gambling with my own money and losing my own money. I too will encourage anyone with money to lose to try their luck.

But I would strongly advise against such an act if people are taking charge of national reserves that cannot afford to lose. Banks who are custodians to depositors’ money should also tread very carefully and don’t think it is time to gamble with the money held in trust.

Fund managers are no different but they will take the jump. This is a once in a life time opportunity to strike big time and to lose big time. Losing big time is ok as it is other people’s money that they are gambling with. Go fund managers, go, invest everything you got. If win big, one time bonus will be enough to retire for life. If lose, the worst is to lose the job. But that is also secured by a severance package that will be big enough to retire happily. Nothing to lose really, head, fund managers win, tail, fund managers also win. Only the owners of the money risk to lose their life savings. If I am a fund manager, I will be damn garang in times like this.

How to be a millionaire in Sin?

Think Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. No, they are billionaires, wrong role models. In Sin, there are several easy ways to be millionaires, and don’t take the entrepreneur route. That is too difficult and treacherous and many will fail along the way.

One sure and easy way is to buy a public flat and sit on it. No need to work. Just wait, 10 years, 20 years or 30 years. The price will surely go up. It will definitely go above $1m in time. And there is a luxury of 99 years to wait for it to happen.

The other sure way to becoming a millionaire is to be an employee, a civil servant. Many in the Administrative Service are millionaires many times over. And it is sure and fast. Once one reaches a certain level, in the super scale, one could be a millionaire every year on. That is how easy to be a millionaire as a civil servant.

The other route is to be a politician. This one is even more rewarding. Many of the politicians, even MPs, are multi millionaires in their own right. And if one is senior enough, one could retire and continue to receive millionaire income every year, maybe faster than that without having to work.

Why would anyone want to be an entrepreneur when the success rate is so low? Be an employee, a public employee. Or just buy a public housing flat, and it is a matter of time to become a millionaire. One qualification with regards to this type of millionaires. Many are taking public transport to work not by choice but because they could not afford to buy a car. And many are waiting for govt handouts to make ends need. But is it still a very good feeling to know that one is worth a million in asset terms.

Can anyone understand why the queue to be citizens is getting longer?

Elected MP versus rejected MP

Elected MP of Hougang, Png Eng Huat, will have to seek the support and approval from rejected MP, Desmond Choo, for the housing or upgrading programmes for Hougang residents. The former is elected by the ultimate authority of the country, the people, the real owner of the land. The latter is appointed by a political party that happens to be the Govt of the day.

The title of Desmond Choo is grassroot adviser. Is it a part of the govt? Is Desmond Choo an employee of the govt, earning a salary? Why is a grassroot adviser vested with so much authority over a people’s elected representative? Is this the right or correct way of how democracy should be practised?

In a democracy, it is always of the people, by the people and for the people. The Elected MP is of the people, by the people and working for the people. The rejected MP cannot be of the people and by the people. He is an appointee of the govt in a capacity that is neither an employee nor the govt. I am not very familiar with this thing called grassroot adviser. Why must an elected MP, the people’s representative who earns a right to sit in Parliament, have to seek the approval of a grassroot adviser whose authority lies in where?

What is a grassroot leader? An official or unofficial community leader of the people, by the people or appointed by the govt?

This I really cannot understand.

Nathan Tinkler, the foreign talent Singapore needs

At 36, he is the richest Australian below the age of 40. He is making Singapore his home, to be nearer to his customers. He is one of the few real high net worth people after Jim Roger and Eduardo Saverine to make this island home base.

Tinkler was quoted to have told a journalist who approached him for a story, “You’re a f**king deadbeat, people like me don’t bother with f**king you. You climb out of your bed every morning for your pathetic hundred grand a year, good luck.”

For sure the journalist did not get an apology from him. And Reuben Wang should not feel too bad in such company. As long as Tinkler did not shoot at our minister, I think he should be ok. He needs not adapt to anyone. Sinkies better adapt to him. Singapore loves this kind of foreign talent. Ministers, please stay clear of him. He was a coal miner and you should know what coalminers are.

Someone needs to give him a lesson on social etiquette and decorum in the company of our dear leaders. He will have plenty of opportunities to be in their good company, or even be invited to the Istana. Just hold your cool, mate.

One thing, this guy is real. He doesn’t hide his feelings. He is no hypocrite. Matilah will make a good companion for him, same lingo.

Nordic system not good enough

How can the Nordic system be good enough for Sinkies? Sinkies must not be easily satisfied with any system that money can buy. We must demand the best and must expect the best and nothing else.

The Nordic system is good but not good enough. We have the most talented ministers, paid the world’s highest salaries to match their talents, how can they be expected to deliver less? Let’s not insult our talented ministers by asking for half baked system. We can depend on them for the best system the world can ever had.

Sinkies cannot be shortchanged. Every cent we paid must be matched in quality and value. If Sinkies are willing to pay out of this world salary to their political leaders, it will be daft of them to expect anything less than out of this world quality and system.

In another 10 years or 20 years, Sinkies will get the best system money can buy. Just be patient. The Nordic system is nothing.

Fuck you! They cheered

.


Was in this nightspot and in the company of many young and beautiful people with a lot of money to burn. Not Holland V for sure. These were the young and upward mobile people, talented, well educated and enjoying life. But listening to their conversation was quite enlightening. They were fucking and fucking at you know who.

This singles were obviously very angry. Of course they were. Several still did not have a place of their own. Single and too rich and not eligible to buy HDB. One confessed he had quite a bundle in his bank account and could afford a private flat. Then his temper shot up. ‘What the fuck must I pay half a million for a shoe box or a million for a private flat. I served my NS, I am supposed to defend and die for this fucking country. And they refused to sell me a HDB. What am I defending for? I am homeless!’

He had many comrades who were in the same shit, and all started, ‘Fuck you, fuck you.’

Some in the group were married. And they too were shouting in chorus, ‘Fuck you, fuck you.’ For they too were not eligible to buy HDB. Too talented and too high an income for their own good. They were victims of their own success. So what it they had served NS and still needed to do reservists? The new citizens are definitely much better off than them without having to do NS and burdened with a life of reservist liabilities. And fuck you, they all cheered.

I share their grievance. I understood, and feel they have every right to fuck the buggers. The people they are fucking deserved to be fucked. No doubt about it. Not a single shred of doubt.

Hsien Loong’s speech on growth

Hsien Loong’s speech to the Economic Society of Singapore has attracted critics to question some of the premises that he used. One is the soundness of our SWF and the other, the almost flogged to death horse, the need for more immigrants as the only way for growth.

I read Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s comments on how much was really left in our SWF or the possibility that we don’t really have much money in our reserves. To this I have a simple answer. Our reserves or money available for our SWF is unlimited. Our people will contribute in one way or another to ensure that the funds will always have plentiful of money. The supply is unlimited. Even dictators will be envious of our suppliers of money for our SWF. The people are happily providing the money without complaining or without knowing that they are doing so. Thus they did not even bother to know how much is there or not there. The only thing that needs to worry about is whether the people ended with any money for retirement or hospitalization.

As for more people for more growth, I think the people have not been cooperative, or not listening, or at least the Chinese and Indians. They need to support this policy by increasing the number of headcounts per household. They need to multiply more aggressively, even have more spouses if desperate measures are needed. More spouses, more children, instant growth. And if both can’t work, bring in more foreigners into their homes. The growth formula that is applicable to the country must also be applicable to households as well.

The only catch is that if one has two members living in a 1,000 sq ft flat, having four members will reduce the space per head from 500 sq ft to 250 sq ft. And if there are 10 members, each will only have 100 sq ft and this may impact on the quality of life. Then again it may not be so as some are advocating for smaller units. Dogs being quite comfortable in their little kennels are good examples to emulate. If Sinkies can be convinced to think and live like dogs, then space should not be an issue at all. Just a spot to lie down will be more than adequate.

When the Sinkies are conditioned to accept such quality of living, then having 10 member households would be a normal thing and every household will surely enjoy good growth. And if they want continuous growth then they just have to continuously make more babies to increase the number of people per household.

It is such a simple and logical solution and it is exasperating to find Sinkies unable to grasp such beautiful logic. More heads mean more growth, dummy. The farmers used to share this logic in the farms.

Notable quote on Thoughtlessness

The Zen of Thoughtlessnes


Just saw this cartoon strip of a senior monk telling a novice or student monk. ‘I have never met anyone so thoughtless in my life. Keep up the good work.’

And the novice monk replied, ‘Thank you master.’

The rights and wrongs of Reuben Wang

Reuben Wang is the new young sensation after the infamous get out of my elite uncaring face episode. But this time Reuben’s notoriety is about swearing at the DPM. Young people are hot and expressive. It is a kind of language that I too occasionally let go when frustrated by the unrepentant. Using such terminologies are socially incorrect in whatever circumstances, but sometimes they came out spontaneously and there is no other expletives that can replace them in saying what needs to be said. I am not encouraging the young to be so flowery and generous in their verbal expression.

It is the right for anyone to disagree with anyone, even with the govt or the most powerful one. Disagreement is not about being rude or uncourteous or being offensive or even a crime. What is so wrong about saying one disagree with some views or even policies? Unless the turkey thinks that he is damn right and nobody can disagree with his idiocy.

Young people, especially sinkies, must be encouraged to think critically and to disagree when it is right to disagree, when they seriously think that something is just not right. Maybe it is not a matter of right or wrong but a matter of priorities, a matter of values, a matter of interpretations.

No one shall be castigated for disagreeing. The schools have a vital role in not teaching students to conform to authority for the sake of political correctness. This will be the biggest failure of our education process if we do that. And unfortunately we have done that for too long and have sterilized the minds of several generations of unthinking Sinkies.

The inability or fear to question and to disagree is a sickness in our people to the extent that any little disagreement or non acceptance of a dominant idea is taken as a big surprise, a big shock, a no no. Disagreement, in the case of Reuben Wang, could be put forth succinctly, forcefully but with less venom. A little deference is not a bad thing but not be cowed by jokers who demand that everyone must know his place. A bit of decorum and decency is good and would allow a disagreement to be taken and accepted in a more pleasant way. Just disagree if one has do, and there is nothing about being brave or being right or wrong, but don’t give the other an excuse that one is rude. That will distract the whole intention of the disagreement.

As this is exactly what happened to the Reuben case. It is no longer about the whys of his outburst, the reason for his displeasure or anger. It is now about his being socially incorrect, rude and maybe be removed from school. It became a disciplinary issue. What happens to the crux of the discussion? Lost in the milieu of challenging a social norm?

Happy Times are here

Today the ST generously gave space on its front page to Hsien Loong making bak chang and an equally happy Yeo Guat Kwang on his side. You can see that they are genuinely very happy people without a care and living a life of plenty. Swiss standard of living is here.

Back in my mind I was wondering how many Sinkies are enjoying the same kind of lifestyle with the wonderful growth that the country is chalking up all these years. If only more Sinkies can enjoy everyday the way Hsien Loong and his ministers and MPs are enjoying, having simple joy of making bak chang and enjoying every moment of it, the govt would have done it. It will really be a success story to tell the world, that we have achieved in building a country of happy and affluent people.

And he would not need to apologise for doing things wrong and no need to exhort the people on the need for more migrants to shore up the economic growth for the good of the people. Everything will take care of itself if more citizens can flash the same kind of happy smile. What I am seeing is that the happy smiles are on the faces of many foreigners here. Even the grandpas and grandmas of foreign talents strolling in the estates with their grandchildren are looking very contented with their lives here. You can see that they are really enjoying every moment of it like they are in paradise, a place where there is no worries, the good life.

China – What a disappointment!

It is unbelieveable, it is too early to tell, the Chinese must have been tweaking their numbers, and against the analysts of the world, the most intelligent bunch of idiots, China defies all the doomsayers by chalking up another scintillating set of economic numbers. The slump, the hard landing as predicted by these analysts all looked very silly.

Export growth in May over last year went up by a huge 15.3% exceeding or equal the once in 500 years annual GDP growth record held by Singapore last year, at 15%, or was it 15.5%? Imports also soared by 12.1% over last year. And the brilliant analysts with their grand computer assisted formula were expecting a sharp fall, which would lead to job losses and unrest.

There are so many countries with less than 5% growth and many with zero growth rates but with no social unrest. China must be different. A decline in growth from 8.5% to 8% is so terrible and could spell disasters for China. The bankruptcies of Greece, Spain and many European countries are well accepted by their people without serious social unrest. The only countries that would face serious social unrest are those targeted by the West for more military assistance to resist their ruling govts.

The doomsayers are obviously feeling very angry and deeply disappointed. Why is this underdeveloped country with unsophisticated country bumpkins failed to slow down and continue to make them look so clownish? What they also forgot is that a major slowdown will bring down the world’s economy as well. At the moment it is the Chinese economy and some other Asian economies that are propping up the international economy. Without these growing economies, the world would plunge into a major recession and they would not need any analysts and doomsayers anymore. And no more cheap and good Chinese products to lower their cost of living, no more Apple Iphones at affordable prices in the market.

Too early to tell, they echoed. They are still hoping to be right. For that to happen, Europe and America must first go on a tailspin, to cut their demands for Chinese goods before it hits China. And when Europe and America fall flat, China could still rely on its domestic market and other Asian and African markets to grow at 3 to 5% which are very respectable growth numbers during a recession.

And last month's trade surplus for China was $24b! That amount could probably save Greece or Spain.

The spirit of being exciting

The young sinkies are doing everything they could to live an exciting life in the oasis of affluence. They painted themselves, pierced their noses and everywhere in their bodies, boys and girls. They take soap bath on the beach of Sentosa, they experimented with drugs and parties, smoke and drink. They drive fast and fanciful cars.

The adults experimented with the meis meis and young girls, and with professionals as part of their jobs. They tried in Paris, in hotels, in car parks and in HDB flats too.

The oldies try working again, try to get hitch again, try to live young again, try to dance and play. Only problem, no money, no honey, and the joints are not moving.

Funny thing is that I don’t find anything exciting at all. Where is the spirit of excitement? What shall I do on a beautiful Sunday? Maybe should try the casino. That must be the safest place to be without getting into all kinds of trouble with the exciting spirit in living.

Runway 2020 Series

This is my Runway 2020 Series with models in fanciful hairdos and makeups. A piece of rar art created by the Art of RAR Technique. More rar art pieces can be viewed in www.artofrar.blogspot.com/.

What I did to justify my pay

As a photographer or an artist, there is always the moment in time to ask this question, how much to charge for my work. A photograph is a photograph, and so is a painting. They are basically ink on paper. They don’t cost so much.

Why is a Picasso worth several millions? Why is a Munch worth just as much? And why is the work of a new artist worth nothing much more than the ink and paper that he called art?

There are efforts, skills, time and talent elements in them. As for the ancient masters, there is the rarity, cannot get any more. And there is the hype element as well as the fictitious value of investment in rare art pieces.

The value or worth of an artist is debatable and controversial unlike those of a hard working labourer who earns his keep by the number of hours he sweat and muscle on. Then there are the pen pushers or those who use their fingers instead to work. How much is their labour worth?

And there will be those who demand to be paid in the millions. Could they really justify the millions for the daily chores they did? How many workers and employees, including those in top management could really justify the money paid to them? Just tally the things one did in the 8 or 12 hours of a day, half an hour for chit chat, half an hour for shitting, half an hour for tea breaks, one hour for lunch, half an hour reading newspapers and an hour reading reports and correspondence, an hour meeting people and getting to know people, a couple of hours attending meetings, talking cock and so on. How much would that be worthed?

The changing values and meaning of affluence

With increasing affluence, the meaning of good life today is very different from those of yesteryears. There was a time when the goals of life and living were fairly straightforward. Work and acquire enough wealth for a carefree retirement. This would mean a roof over the head and some savings that would last till the end of one’s life, and some children and grand children to share some family warmth and joy.

Many today have achieved this state of financial independence many times over while in their 30s or 40s. They have their dream homes, plenty of cash and could do many things more without having to work till retirement. There are exceptions at the other extremes.

For the successful and those who have acquired enough for their lifetimes or many lifetimes, the meaning of life becomes a pursuit for happiness in their chosen ways. Some choose to continue to acquire more wealth to last another few generations, some choose to make themselves merry.

Front page news in the ST today shows a very jubilant supporter of Holland in the Euro Cup. He decked his balcony with all the colourful banners of the Holland which cost him some small change. You can see that his joy is real. It came from his heart. The past misdeeds of the colonialist were long forgotten. There is a revived pride to be part of the colonial master’s celebration.

ST also gave two full spread to the celebration of the Queen of England’s Diamond Jubilee. Full colour pages must have cost a bomb to put them in our papers. Many former subjects of the British monarch must be reliving their glorious past and good times with memories of the Queen of England. The young fed with fairy tales of kings and queens and handsome princes and beautiful princesses will have their dreams come true with such extravaganzas.

In times like this, when all the material needs are fulfilled, and bloating bank accounts, something seems to be missing. How nice would it be if Singapore is represented in the Euro Cup or whatever Cups so that the Singaporeans can have something really to cheer about, to be part of and to be proud of and to hang colourful banners on their balconies. How nice would it be if the Queen of England is once again our Queen and we can dress up Orchard Road and the whole country to celebrate the event just like we did in 1953. Long live the Queen, and everyone can burst their lungs with God Save the Queen.

We sorely need a football team that can do us proud and give us a reason to cheer and celebrate and spend money wearing their jerseys, the scarves, waving their banners and beating the drums. We need a political figure to enjoy this kind of adulation and deference and an excuse to party, to sing and to dance.

Time to seriously consider spending a couple of billion to own a world class football club. It is a pity that Peter Lim failed or we will have Manchester United at our doorstep to adore and cheer for. It is a pity that we don’t have princes and princesses to make our dreams come true. A monarchy is not really a bad thing, really, when life is aplenty and everyone has all the money and time to look for occasions to celebrate.

We already have mayors, like the Mayor of Nottingham. We can go a few steps further by having dukes and duchess, counts and countesses, and a living king, and then write our own fairy tales for children in schools.

Xenophobic/sinophobic foreign talents

Why are people blaming Sinkies for being xenophobic? Sinkies are the most timid and useless bunch of people around. Small built, specky, inarticulate, dumb and always willing to oblige as foreigner’s punching bag. I just read a taxi driver being beaten unconscious by a Korean passenger he was picking up. What happened to all the macho taxi drivers that think they own the roads, their grandfathers’ roads? This taxi driver was punched unconscious without even knowing how to hit back.

Then those angmohs that attacked another taxi driver in Suntec, and another in Orchard Road. But the most infamous foreigner must be the one at Clementi coffeeshop that beat up a Singaporean couple, including their son, and chased them all the way to the car park for wanting a second helping of chilli sauce.

How many times did anyone hear of Sinkies beating up foreigners? And don’t forget the nepalise gurkhas beating up Sinkies after ogling at the Sinkie’s girlfriend. Then the angmoh cyclist who beat up a Sinkie motorist.

And the slashing of Sinkies in the Kallang area when a bright young student nearly got all his fingers chopped off.

Aren’t these foreigners xenophobic or a better word, sinophobic? The best joke I heard was this Sinkie man got scolded by two nubile PRC women in a train and went gaga. The women chided him as untalented as the reason why they were invited here by the govt to improve the Sinkie genes. And all the useless Sinkies in the train were equally useless as they stood by watching helplessly at the helpless and useless Sinkie man.

What on earth could Sinkies be xenophobic when foreigners feel so comfortable bashing them around and insulting them everywhere? This is the only country in the world that the citizens were proudly presented to foreigners as no talent, and that foreigners came here believing that they are here to help them. And the Sinkies better be grateful and be good or they will deserve a bashing. And of course the bokok Sinkie would be told to take legal action against the talented foreigner who would probably scoot before anything happens. And those who did not scoot, nothing much would happen to them unless the Sinkie got money to bring them to court. Civil matters lah.

Luckily they have scrapped the rugged society campaign. Too much computer games, fighting enemies with the fingers, by pressing buttons. There are many four eye warriors in the computer games arcade shops. Thank God that in modern warfare everything is just push button. If it is street fighting and close combat, our specky boys would kenna jialat jialat. Still garang, want to be xenophobic?

So easy to con the Sinkies

It is so easy to con the Sinkies by the boiling frog technique. Sinkies are very adaptable to pain and soon forget how and where it started, and a little relief will be all they are asking. A good example is like a forum writer to the ST calling for a lower increase in the Minimum Sum to factor in real and relevant inflations and not all inflations. The writer forgot that the Minimum Sum was not supposed to be there in the first place. He also forgot that no one, not even the govt should be allowed to write away their money into Minimum Sum. Now the writer will be feeling so grateful if the amount to be drafted into the Minimum is a bit lesser. Does he know that it is his money in the first place, that he should be the one to decide whether to put money into the minimum sum and how much?

Similar kinds of thinking are applicable in many areas. The huge increase in foreigners, in the millions has been forgotten. Sinkies are happy if the increase is a little lesser.

The COE, which is a flawed and biased system, now between $60k to $80k. Any little fall in the COE price the Sinkies will be celebrating. Likewise public housing price, from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands and now a small decrease in price and Sinkies will be shouting cheap cheap, buy buy. In the first place the price should not be so high by any count.

Another example is that some are so happy that the govt has started to ramp up the building of public flats. In the first place the building programme should not have been so drastically cut to force many Sinkies out of the public housing market, cannot buy because of the delays and the ceilings.

The small incremental technique is so effective in dulling the thinking of daft Sinkies. It is like shifting the goal posts every now and then, a few inches a time and Sinkies could not notice the difference over time. After the goal posts have been shifted by 10 feet, Sinkies will be begging for a one foot reduction and will be so grateful if it is done.

More migrants – The Sinkies are not convinced

With the barrage of ministerial speeches, reports, surveys and what have you, the people are obviously not convinced that the influx of population should continue unabated. There are just too many people on this piece of rock and enough is enough. As the voices of protest gets louder and angrier, what were the response from the govt?

A govt that pledged to listen to the people is expected to really listen, take stock of the people’s unhappiness and do the rightful or needful. The govt also can take the deaf frog attitude and do what it wants according to what it thinks is right, the ‘I know best and no need to talk more’ approach.

What we are seeing is a govt that is growing impatient when persuasion does not work. From trying to coax the Sinkies that more migrants are necessary for the growth of the country and good for the people, it has changed tack. It is now resorting to chastising the people, branding the people as xenophobic, unleashing unjustifiable and unfriendly tirades at the foreigners.

Really? The Sinkies are angry with the foreigners? Nay. They are not angry with the foreigners. That is rubbish. The Sinkies are tolerating the foreigners and knowing that it is not their fault for being here in such big numbers. They are angry with the govt and its policies for allowing so many foreigners here. It is the Sinkies against the govt, not against the foreigners. The foreigners only came under attacked when they misbehaved or broke the law of the country as individuals. There is no xenophobia here.

No one should try to pitch the fight as Sinkies against foreigners. This is just a diversionary tactics. The Sinkies are angry with the policy makers. They are not that daft to pick on the innocent foreigners.

India, where are you going?

India is the next emerging superpower, and deeply entrenched as the number one regional power in the Indian Ocean, unchallenged. It is so disheartening to hear the elation and rejoicing in New Delhi that India was the only country mentioned by the Empire as a crony in its return to the Asia Pacific region. India may now hope to be assigned a more important role by the Emperor.

In this celebration mood, India has even forgotten that the French is claiming to be a power in the Indian Ocean. India would now have to share the Indian Ocean with the French. The Brits would not be too far behind in the return to the East. Welcome Sahib, to the East India Company.

If India is aspiring to be a super power on its own steam, it should rightly stand as tall as the US and not acting as a side kick in the Empire’s scheme of things. And India must not forget that all the cronies of the Empire would have to bloody their hands if they want to remain as a faithful and loyalty poodle. And Afghanistan is waiting for grateful Indian troops to play its role as a willing partner to the killings of the Afghans, and who knows where else later.

Welcome to the dark side, the Emperor said. India should not regret the great opportunity offered. Be very grateful and honoured.

Chew Sutat – The importance of retail investors

Finally a sensible voice from the SGX spoke. A stock market without retail investors is like a bankrupt with no cash. The retail investors provide the life supporting liquidity in a stock market. Getting rid of retail investors is as good as saying goodbye to the big funds and to the stock market. Someone must feed the big funds with profits, and this can only come from the retail investors. For the last decade or so, the big funds are happily sucking away the invested funds of the retail investors to a point that it is critically dangerous, that there will be no retail investors left to keep the market alive.

The pathetic state of the local stock market when the volume generated were mainly from machines and the funds must be telling unless the people in the know choose to put on their blinkers. The pathetic value of many stocks in the main board is another indicator that the market is in the intensive care ward and could go kaput any time.

What is seriously wrong with the market is obvious. It needs to provide a level playing field for big and small investors. The retail investors cannot be victims to unfair practices like trading against machines and computers. These must be removed if the market is not going to die a premature death.

Derivatives or instruments that are pure gambling chips that destroy the value of stocks or against the true value of stocks are also detrimental to the viability of a stock exchange. When healthy companies could helplessly see their stocks being sold down indiscriminately because the funds bid them down through a complex web of derivatives with no regards to the sound fundamental of stocks, it is a very destructive process that must be stopped to save the stocks and markets. When good companies cannot grow the value of their stocks in the market, there is no reason for them to continue listing in the market. Similarly, retail investors cannot continue to plough their money into good stocks for long term investments only to be destroyed by derivative play.

The third point is the uncontrolled influx of unlimited number of stocks in a small market that could not swallow them. To make matters worst, many of the foreign stocks are fly by night stocks and investors have no real recourse to claim back their investments lost through foul play. The exchange has to act responsibility to protect investors and their money by not indiscriminately allowing questionable foreign stocks to be listed here.

Protecting the small retail investors is the key to a healthy and sustainable stock market. The small retail investors must not be left at the mercy of big funds and their destructive machines in an unlevel playing field. Looking at the long term, many serious flaws in the market system and mechanisms must be rectified or else the market is sure to head towards oblivion must quicker than we known. The truth cannot be hidden for too long. It is not only unhealthy, it is sick, very sick.

Would there be strong political will and a little wisdom to make the necessary changes to save the market?

Deep holes, weak leaders

This is the title of Thomas Friedman’s article in the ST today. Let me just do a précis of this article to make sense in the Singaporean context. I would leave out the irrelevant and may alter or substitute a word or phrase here and there to make it more interesting to read.

One of the most troubling features of today’s global economic crisis is the lack of political leadership anywhere. No one has the courage to tell people the truth. And the truth, alas, is that ‘five’ of the pillars of today’s global economy – Europe, America, China and the Arab world – have, each in their own way, squandered huge dividends they enjoyed in recent decades, and how they have to dig out of their respective holes with fewer resources, less time and, almost certainly, more pain.


There is no way out. But, as confronting these hard truths becomes unavoidable, I think we’re likely to see some wild, angry and destabilizing politics that could make the economic recovery even more difficult. Deep holes and weak leaders are a bad combination….


“Someone among the leaders must finally tell the people the truth: This fresh start can only be achieved with a radical first step,” he said….


But the leaders used their surpluses of power and wealth to ignore the United Nations’ Human Rights Report…Instead, they enriched a small slice of their populations and distracted the rest with shiny objects….


“To its credit, it used its huge export dividend to build 21st century infrastructure and to educate its people, creating a rich upper middle class. But the current leadership has not used this surging economic growth to also introduce gradual political reform. Corruption is as bad as ever, institutionalised transparency and the rule of law remain weak and consensual politics nonexistent. If growth slows and incomes widen further, more and more steam will build up in the system with no outlet, which is surely one reason that the country will reach ‘a critical stage.’


So for these countries, in different ways, these have been the years the locusts ate. Getting healthy again will be wrenching for all of us. At a minimum, it would need a sensible plan to fix the economy – which is what people want most and many in the business would surely support it. The country cannot wait until 2016 to do serious policy changes again.

Dr Lim Hock Siew, on the wrong side of history

A man of principle, detained without trial under the ISA for leftist political belief, passed away on 4 June 12 at the age of 82. He could have walked out of prison earlier if he just said he would denounce the use of force to overthrow the govt. He refused on the ground that his detention was unjustified and chose to stand by his principle. He said,

"I am not interested in saving Lee Kuan Yew’s face. This is not a question of pride but of principle. My detention is completely unjustifiable and I will not lift a single finger to help Lee Kuan Yew to justify the unjustifiable. In the light of what you say, is it not very clear that I have lost my freedom all these long and bitter years just to save Lee Kuan Yew’s face? Therefore the PAP regime’s allegation that I am a security risk is a sham cover and a facade to detain me unjustifiably for over nine years."

Dr Lim was also a founding member of the PAP but broke away to join another party, the Barisan Socialist.

A dirty house

When the house is dirty, the cockroaches, ants and flies will make it their homes. They will infest a dirty house to run riots in every nick and corner. They will become irritants to the owners. The owners can start spraying them and see their dead carcasses littering everywhere. But they will not go away. More will return to occupy the dirty house.

A more effective way is to clean the house, put it in order. Get rid of bad habits, dirty habits, disorders, and impose strict discipline and good behavior. When a house is in order, when a house is clean and not shitty, the roaches, rats, flies and ants will find it unsuitable or inhospitable to stay. They will go away naturally and will not reappear.

Buying insecticide spray, swaps, rat poison, roach traps, is only a temporary solution. The real and long lasting solution is to keep the house clean. And gluttony, eating too much and dropping crumbs everywhere, too much unfinished and unable to consume food, too will cause a house to become unhealthy and smelly. That’s when the irritating pests will return to haunt the owner.

Keep the house clean and in good order. And don’t anyhow bring in fair weather friends who are only interested in sponging and feasting in the house and with one foot outside, ready to scoot when the buffet is gone.

After Hougang

With Png Eng Huat secured as the newly elected MP, the WP has started to do what they need to do to serve the Hougang residents and win more hearts for the next GE in 2016. Desmond Choo too would be busy mapping out his strategies to win the Hougang residents to his side, which, given the current development and sentiment, is likely to be a daunting task.

Winning back Hougang is a much smaller issue to the ruling party than the bigger picture of winning the rest of the Sinkies and to remain relevant in 2016. What is the party’s position in the aftermath of the Hougang? What would it be thinking and doing to win back the support it has lost, not only in Hougang but across the island? I think they must know that the ground has shifted. What would the master strategists be plotting after the Hougang fiasco?

The easiest task of all would be to relook at the policies and how they can be tweaked or fine tuned to benefit the original citizens more than new citizens or PRs. The people’s aspirations and expectations are not difficult to match. The people are not asking for the sky. They do not expect money to be thrown at them for their votes. The Hougangkia have made sure that this point was not missed during the by election. The electorate is sensible and is just looking for more favourable and people centric policies. Any attempt to sugar coat or to smooth talk unfavourable policies as favourable policies, like affordability when it is not, would be taking the electorate for granted and would only backfire as in the by election.

Positive actions for concrete positive results would easily win back the fence sitters or those that have switched camps. Many still would not want too big a change. What could be unfortunate would be negative thoughts and negative actions that would only generate more anger and distaste. It is very easy for some to think of how to deal with those that were opposing the party or spoke ills of the party. It is very easy to bring out the hatchet and go hacking away. An ‘inquisition’ will go down very badly and will not work in an increasingly transparent environment.

Like they say, winning a battle only to lose a war, any mis-steps and miscalculations along such line will only lead to more desertion from the ranks and an abandonment of the party. The party cannot afford to create more distrust and bad publicity. The brash tactics of the past belonged to the past and a new strategy of winning the electorate would have to be formulated on the basis of mutual trust, respect and fair play. Are there still elements that think it is still acceptable and doable to return to the old ways?

There are many critical voices in the social media that meant well. Would they be embraced and won over by genuine and good policies with good intentions, or would there be a witch hunt? Witch hunting is as easy as doing the right thing with right policies to better the lives of the people. It is just the other extremity and will have extreme results.

Ironically, the party should thank the critical voices that want the party to do well, to look after the people well. Ironically too, the enemies of the party are the hatchet men that could only think of wielding the choppers to go around slashing indiscriminately. Such negativity will never go unnoticed and will only bring more adverse reactions to the party. The internet can be very unforgiving and transparent, and go viral.

Win the critics and the sceptics by genuine good works and policies, and everything will fall back in place. Dismissing the critics/sceptics and not doing the rightful, and to take on a combative style to deal with everyone as enemies will lead to a sure gone conclusion. The people are not your enemies.

Could we see a renewed party with a conviction and on a constructive path to redeem itself, or a vindictive party on a rampage? Would the party embrace the change, the new normal and take on the new challenge in its stride? The third path is to do nothing and continue with business as usual, as if everything is ok.

What is the intention of the USA?

The Americans and the western powers have been repeatedly asking about the intention of the Chinese growing military power. Does anyone want to ask or want to know the intention of the American’s overpowering military power? Does anyone want to know why are the Americans putting more than 50% of its military forces in the Pacific Ocean region? Does anyone want to know why are American bases scattered all over the eastern Pacific Oceans?

The answer is clear and transparent. America is the Empire and it will rule the countries in the region. And China, being an emerging power, will not be allowed to threaten the American position as the number One power, the Empire. In the recent Shangri La Dialogue, the Americans made it very clear, with no apologies to the Southeast and East Asian countries that they are the boss and no one can do anything about it. The Americans will dictate the terms of engagement and move its military forces into the region and no one can say no.

During the dialogue the Americans revealed their latest warship, a stealth destroyer that can penetrate the Chinese defense system and move into coastal waters to attack China mainland. The American strategy is all about offence, about attacking other countries to show who is the Empire and who rules the earth.

How did the Chinese respond to this new aggressive threat and intent of the American? They will continue to defend their coastal waters, by using fishing boats to block the path of this stealth destroyer. The Chinese strategy and equipment are defensive in nature, against a hostile and aggressive American military that is threatening war and the threats of war to oppress any emerging power that may pose a challenge to its dominance. Chinese fishing boats against the most advance stealth destroyer that will be invisible to radar but not to the naked eyes of fishermen.

In the Asia Security Summit, the host, Asean, was rudely told that the Americans will be here to stay, like it or not. And it will bring its military prowess to support its Empire status in the region. And for all intent and purposes, the Asean countries would want to minimize big power rivalry and tension in the region, and keep all at a distance. The Asean countries also plead that emerging powers big and small shall have room to grow and their interests be recognized. The Americans say, ‘Don’t bet on that, our strategic interest is supreme.’ The French and Canada are also claiming strategic interests in the region. The former even called itself a power of the Indian and Pacific Ocean. India now got another contender as the Indian Ocean’s only regional power.

The moral of the story is, never to invite the wolf for dinner. It would not go away. Is Southeast Asia seeing a resurgent of colonial powers returning to stake a claim in the region, to carve out their sphere of influence? They all claimed to have strategic interests in the region. Do the countries in the region have any strategic interests as well and will these interests be respected?

The best fund manager’s job

The best fund manager is one that can take all his clients’ money to gamble and pay himself crazily when the bet wins, and then can brag to the clients how clever he is. And if loses, never mind, twists the arms of the clients to put in more money and the clients cannot say no.

And better still, no need to show the clients how the fund is performing, just write whatever he wants to tell the clients. Just tell the clients to trust him.

And even better still, no need to refund the clients any money if there is no money in the kitty to refund the clients.

What a wonderful job. No accountability, no transparency, no responsibility and nobody’s money. The money is as good as his to do as he pleases. My dream job.