Desmond Kuek, spoke on SMRT issues

It is good that WP has joined in to have a say in the SMRT drivers strike. It also called for fair treatment of workers and decent and living conditions. Apparently no one knew that the PRC workers were having problems in compensation and living in less than decent quarters. The fact that there were admissions to such allegations is proof that things have to be improved. This blind syndrome of seeing but not seeing is becoming a disease affecting Sinkies. It is the consequence of marginable and incremental changes that led to the acceptance of gross indecency without being noticed as the reference point is the last case. It is like earning a million bucks and getting a 5% increment of 50k is nothing without knowing that the starting point was a $50k base salary.

By now it is clear that the main issues to the labour dispute were pay and living conditions. The latter is easier to resolve as workers, especially captains, need to live in conditions befitting of a captain, not a labour camp or abode fit for foreign workers. Good that the SMRT management is looking into the matter now.

As for the compensation, it is not as simple as it looks like. Compensation has to take into account a whole lot of factors, qualification, experience, seniority, performance, allowances, benefits etc etc. And in this case there is another factor of nationality. It is frequently heard that Sinkies are paid much more than foreigners. This could be true and could be a myth. Sinkies too expect to be better rewarded as citizens of the country while foreigners, in this case, even deferred to the privileges of citizens. Only those foolish foreigners working here would think that they should be treated and paid equally as citizens, or even better, as they are here to help the citizens and to provide jobs for the citizens. Where did they get this crazy idea from?

From the numbers available in the papers, it seems that the PRC drivers were paid just as much as the Malaysian drivers but in different combinations. If this is so, then it is a failure on the management to explain the whole compensation package to the PRC drivers. Think communication. They could even offer them the choice of a Malaysian driver’s pay package without the allowances for accommodation and transportation. Are there other benefits that were provided and not computed or explained that were fair or unfair?

There is one very important factor that no one wants to look at and think that if not spoken, it is not there. This reminds me of the Ostrich School of Thought. Many of these workers secured the jobs after paying a hand or a leg to the employment agencies and needed an equitable income to repay the money often paid using borrowings. How would this play up in their minds as to how much they are getting on the job and the debt incurred? This cannot be dismissed off as a non issue. It is a very serious issue that would affect the job performance and mental stress of the drivers. Any driver that thinks he is getting a raw deal will not be giving his best and would end up as a potential problem to the company and even a danger to his passengers and anyone on the road. Management may ignore this, but it is part of the driver’s computation for a decent return for his labour.

There are also obvious differences in terms of employments between permanent employees and contract workers and cannot be simply used to exaggerate the difference as discrimination. The bottom line is that the total package must be equitable and fair to all parties but not necessarily the same. There are elements of just compensation for the job and fringe benefits due to other considerations, like seniority and performance and even cost of living.

In the case of cost of living, paying Sinkies a few dollars more is not positive discrimination as the cost of living is much higher than foreigners. Paying the Sinkies the same as foreigners is really underpaying Sinkies and that is perhaps the main reason why Sinkies are shunning from lower paying jobs. It needs a lot of money to live and survive in this first world city. There are family and social commitments and high cost of everything to pay for.

So, is the compensation package for the PRC drivers really lesser than those of Malaysian drivers and are there genuine and valid justifications for the difference that can be explained to the PRC drivers? If the package is fair, it is then only a matter of being transparent and making the PRC drivers see the fairness of the scheme. Short changing or exploitation of workers, local or foreign, can only work for a while. The truth would soon bear its weight on the culprits of bad HR practices. But don’t always blame the HR practitioners. Often it is top management decision and they were just carrying out the policies from the top. HR professionals should have the gumption to take on management for a fair deal before negotiating with the worker. In reality many would not be able to risk walking out on a job when there is a big mortgage to pay and a family to feed. Management decision is final.

Dumb and daft workers, ignorant and illiterate workers that would blindly accept unfair practices are a thing of the past. But can the management see it, with their super talented team? The reigning philosophy of the day is that workers must be cheaper, better and faster while top management must be paid millions and millions more. Desmond Kuek has been quoted to say this, ‘There are clearly managerial, structural, cultural and systemic issues that need addressing.’ From my experience, management tends to take HR issues for granted and often think they could get away until it is too late. And HR will become the sacrificial lamb.

Picasso and Mother Nature: A piece of rar art

This is a colourful piece of contemporary art painted by Mother Nature.

When ‘resident’ is becoming a hideous word

A front page article in the ST today has a heading ‘Singapore residents’ employment rate up’. The article went on to provide figures on the employment rate of residents in various age group and how many oldies and housewives are returning to the job market. I combed through the article and found two words missing, as if it was a deliberate effort not to have them mentioned. Not a word was mentioned of Singaporeans and citizens. What does this mean or what implications are there when it is all about residents and not citizens or Singaporeans? After all the hue and cry over PRs being treated like citizens or getting better privileges than citizens, many new policies were churned out to differentiate the differences between being citizens and non citizens. The citizens were angry that they were taken for granted, like step children and being ill treated. Some of the measures have placated the emotional strain and the lesser economic and social opportunities caused by the presence of residents or primarily PRs.

From the content of the article written and the primacy of the term residents, what is the message? Is this a country where residents and citizens are indistinguishable, to be treated in the same light again? Why is there no mention of the word citizens in the whole article? Is there something about citizens that is unmentionable or unpleasant to be mentioned? Or is it that the people must not know the difference between citizens and residents, that statistics may tell the truth of a picture that the citizens may not be happy about?

The refrain from providing statistics about the welfare and well being of citizens, and the lumping of everything under the cover of ‘residents’ is screaming out loud a message louder than intended. By not saying it has the reverse effect of saying too much. There must be a difference between citizens and residents and in favour of citizens, not the other way. Check out the statistics dished out and figure out why citizens or Singaporeans were never identified separately. A country is primarily for its citizens and not residents only.

China’s response to the US pivot

For the last few decades of its rise as an economic giant, China has adopted a low profile in its relations with its neighbours other than trade and economics. It was always a meek giant, allowing little countries to bully its people. Its fishermen have been arrested by South Korea and Japan, chased away by Japanese coastguards from the Diaoyu group of islands, and Vietnam and the Philippines had on many occasions arrested Chinese fishing men and boats in the Spratleys and the Paracels. Some of the fishing boats were hauled all the way to Manila like little thieves. It was a grand display of power, and humiliating to China.

In spite of all these provocations and harassments, China kept a very low profile, not even diplomatic protest.  It refrained from engaging in any military conflict or confrontation with its neighbours’ hostility. This was be interpreted by some cocky neighbours as a sign of weakness, that China was unable to defend its interests or protect its people. It was also seen as military weakness, that China feared an open conflict with the US. And as long as the US is in the picture, the little pesky countries could run circles against this toothless giant. They aggressively challenged and claimed islands that were historically founded by the China.  

All of these are changing. The most dreaded US 7^th Fleet is no longer a factor in a naval conflict in the East and South China Seas. They have been neutralized by the commissioning of anti ship missiles in China. The playing field is more level and China would no longer hold back to provocations by little pests. Any more signs of weaknesses could see its claims to the South China Sea islands ended under the control of the Americans through their proxies. Also, weakness will only invite war and heighten the risk of war.

China has to stand up as a major military power and shaft its stick up the asses of little pesky countries that think they could rely on the Americans to take on China. It is unavoidable that a conflict with the Americans will come to a head. It is only a matter of time as the US is moving its military machine from the Middle East to the region. In fact taking a strong and firm stand and whipping the asses of the pesky countries would reduce the risk of war with the Americans. Once the little countries know that China will kick their asses and willing to take on the Americans, the nonsense will stop.

China has just done that by authorizing its naval police ships to board and arrest foreign ships violating its territorial integrity. Looks like the first ship to be boarded and haul to Hainan will be the biggest battleship in the Filipino Navy. Let’s see how gungho the Pinoys are to provoke the Chinese and attempt to arrest Chinese fishing boats again.

China will no longer tolerate the aggressive provocations of little countries and must whip them if it is to be taken seriously. There is no other way. The earlier style of diplomacy and appeasement, of avoiding trouble even when her fishing boats and fishermen were harassed and arrested by little countries is over. The little countries must take note of this new position of China. It is only doing what is needed to protect its territories and people like what any country will do. The trouble makers have set fire in China’s courtyards and it must act or get its house burnt.

In Syria the Americans are contemplating on escalating the fight by direct involvement of American forces, just like in Libya. This is how friendly big powers behave and gain respect, and fear. China has to emulate the big powers like the US and tell the little countries not to trifle with her interests and they will get a wallop in the face. Kindness and refrain from retaliation is a bad policy and will be misunderstood for weaknesses and will invite a continuous string of provocations and aggression. China’s tough stand in the South China Sea is to defend its territories from foreign encroachments, to ward off unfriendly and hostile overtures by silly little countries. It is not an act of aggression like what the Americans are doing in the Middle East and contemplating to do in Syria. It is an act of self defence.

The tougher stand will ruffle a lot of feathers as the little countries are used to a submissive giant that would turn the other face. After the initial grumbling they will understand the meaning of correct and proper diplomacy and what is being polite to a gentle giant. Do not cross the line.

Olam did the right thing

Olam is perhaps the first locally listed company that stood up to defend its position in the face of an attack to run down the value of the stock. This has saved many investors from having the value of their investments wiped out over night. Olam’s price is holding steady at 1.55. It could be seeing $1.20 or a run with its value crashing if Olam did not stand up to fight. The act itself is an assurance and affirmation that the management is confident of what they are doing and no hanky panky operations is going on.

And also must thank Temasek for speaking up to in support of Olam. Otherwise, its investment in Olam could also be sold for a song and another big write off. The position of Temasek is very important to hold back local investors from shorting the counter to kill off Olam.

The battle is still not over yet. The selling is still going on. No one really knows who or how many funds are behind the sell down of Olam. It can’t be just computer trading that is putting the pressure on the stock. The final picture is still unclear and this could be a temporary hold fire stage. The collaborators could come out selling again when the coast is clear. They have not show hand yet.

This is frightening, really, please wake up.

“For a member who passed away on or after 1 July 2006 during his/her hospitalisation, he/she can use his/her Medisave savings to pay for the last inpatient hospital bill in full, without being subjected to the existing Medisave withdrawal limits. This is because the need to save for future healthcare needs is no longer relevant”.

The above was quoted in Leong Sze Hian’s article on the ‘Erosion of CPF protection from creditors’ in the TRE. Read the intent and purpose of this change carefully. I swear I will not admit myself to any hospital in my dying days to help them clean up my savings in the Medisave.

No say I never warn you. This is a very brilliant and compassionate and merciful change to help the decease pay for everything he owes to the hospital, to the last cent in his Medisave. He will die a free man, free of his savings in the Medisave, with not debt to the hospital and nothing left for his dependents or children.

A conversation 2000 years ago

It was a mass conversation led by a young man with the poor, the downtrodden, the hopeless, the homeless, the beggars and vagabonds, the lowest rung of the social hierarchy. The conversation was held everywhere and anywhere, from market places to foodcourts and restaurants and to parks and the hills.

The young man looked ordinary, dressed simply. But his father was very rich and very powerful. He openly acknowledged the power of his father and what his father could do. He promised the lost sheep of a paradise in the future. He promised them that life would be very good, a life of abundance and no worries, in the future.

One thing very clear about his conversation, it was all about the future. He even asked them what they wanted for their glorious future. But the poor illiterate homeless and despair were just clueless and just listen to the good news. The young man told them to go and spread the good news around, but no need to enter the homes of the rich and powerful.

As for their immediate problems, no food, no roof, no jobs, these were simply unspoken. And when they were hungry, he took out a piece of bread, broke it down into little crumbs to share with them. And the poor could not be choosy. Any food, any amount, would be a blessing. They thrived on the crumbs offered by the young man. They forgot about their immediate problems. There was a bright future awaiting them. And neither would the young man want to remind them nor would he be able to solve their immediate problems. He was only interested to lead their thoughts to the future that might not come, or at least in the life time of many who were there.

I dunno what happened to the young man or whether the poor and hopeless eventually found a life of abundance. What was good then was the offer of a hope, a better tomorrow, to forget about the dire straits they were in.

Caution. The above story is purely fictional and any similarity or resemblance to anyone, people, things or places is mere a coincidence.

Miracle Drink: Carrot, Beet Root and Apple

Miracle Drink : Carrot, Beet Root and Apple 

This MIRACLE DRINK has been circulating for a long time long ago. It is worth your while to take note. There is a celebrity Mr. Seto who swears by it. He wants to make it public to draw the attention of people who have cancers.

This is a drink that can protect bad cells forming in your body or it will restrain its growth! Mr. Seto had lung cancer. He was recommended to take this drink by a famous Herbalist from China. He has taken this drink diligently for 3 months and now his health is restored, and he is ready to take a pleasure trip. Thanks to this drink! It does not hurt for you to try.

It is like a Miracle Drink! It is simple. You need one beet root, one carrot and one apple that combine together to make the JUICE !

Wash the above, cut with the skin on into pieces and put them into the juicer and immediately you drink the juice. You can add some lime or lemon for more refreshing taste.

This Miracle Drink will be effective for the following ailments: 

1. Prevent cancer cells to develop. It will restrain cancer cells to grow.
2. Prevent liver, kidney, pancreas disease and it can cure ulcer as well.
3. Strengthen the lung, prevent heart attack and high blood pressure.
4. Strengthen the immune system
5. Good for the eyesight, eliminate red and tired eyes or dry eyes
6. Help to eliminate pain from physical training, muscle ache
7. Detoxify, assist bowel movement, eliminate constipation. Therefore it will make skin healthy & LOOK more radiant. It is God sent for acne problem.
8. Improve bad breath due to indigestion, throat infection,
9. Lessen menstrual pain
10. Assist Hay Fever Sufferer from Hay Fever attack.

There is absolutely no side effect. Highly nutritious and easily absorbed.
Very effective if you need to loose weight.
You will notice your immune system will be improved after 2 week routine.
Please make sure to drink immediately from the juicer for best effect.

WHEN TO DRINK IT;

DRINK IT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH! AFTER ONE HOUR YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST. FOR FAST RESULTS DRINK 2 TIMES A DAY, IN THE MORNING AND BEFORE 5PM in the Afternoon.

YOU WILL NEVER REGRET! IT DOES NOT COST YOU MUCH MONEY! PLEASE CIRCULATE TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Cheers!!  

Sin City has peaked

Sin City has reached new heights in many things and it is looking like hitting its peak. Many things just cannot go up anymore or at its last leg, another last hike and that is about all.

Top on the list is income of political leaders. Raising this will bring about grave consequences or angry disapproval for sure. Housing prices are still going up, but for how long, when the income level is not going up except for those living in the stratosphere? COE and car prices are peaking at the same time.

Population, there are two major school of thoughts. The super talented will tell you that 20m is ‘sup sup suey’. The lay people will not want any of it and rather stay at this level. Unbelieveable that birth rate is at a record low of 1.2 percent and population is growing exponentially. I personally think that the capacity to support people in this piece of rock is reaching its peak and optimum level. Anything more is madness. How many of the unthinking would go along with this madness is frightening.

The talent pool for political office is drying up or peaking as well. Every batch the quality is not getting betterer than the previous batch. And many bright young professionals are not coming home and the talent pool for political office will now have to come from the newly minted citizens whose credentials are suspect, whose certificates and qualifications need to be scan under a microscope.

The land for use is also peaking and the only way out is to demolish and rebuild higher and higher. Roads and rails capacity are also peaking as well. Is there really any more room for growth at the rate the land is being used up?

Even the number of straight A students for PSLE, A and O level are peaking and if not stop, every student will be getting straight As.

Rentals, medical fees, cost of living are also peaking and the strain on the people is showing. Hospital and medical services are at a peak that no one even realized. Someone with a toothache will be given an appointment 6 mths down the road. His immediate pain is hopefully taken care off some time down the road, like Natcon.

MRT capacity is definitely at its peak level. The next challenge is to be as world class as Tokyo in terms of passenger per train car.

The only thing that is not peaking is probably the number of millionaires. There are 800,000 HDB flat dwellers waiting to become millionaires. This would be the last peak I think. Oh, I miss out another major peak, with a lot of room to grow. Don’t forget the minimum sums in the CPF savings. These still got a long way to peak. Did anyone whisper ERPs and GST?

Govt giving HDB dwellers $40 for Xmas

The Govt is so considerate. It is giving 94% of flat dwellers $40 to pay for the increase in property tax. I am so happy, at least for this year. Next yearand many more years will have to pay for the full increase.

I think I am also among the majority who are unhappy with this increase in property tax. The increase is due to the higher rental values HDB flats can fetch. Shit, how many HDB flat dwellers are renting out their flats to be deserving of paying for the higher tax? If I am not mistaken, the bulk of HDB dwellers do not rent out their flats. Why are they paying for some imaginery paper gain that they did not benefit and ended up paying for it?

Should the tax be tweaked to tax on those renting out their flats? Funny leh, why the majority always kenna hit for nothing and expected to be happy because the value of their flats goes up and the rental value also goes up.

Some are now even questioning that as a leasehold properties, with so many restrictions imposed by the real owner of the flats, shouldn’t the HDB be paying the property tax as the ultimate owner? Of course this kind of reasoning is bad as the next level of ultimate owner is the govt and why should the govt pay tax to itself. And the ultimate ultimate owner of the flats is God himself as God owns everything.

What is material is that the benefits of higher rental value is fictitious to many owner occupied HDB flats and is it unfair to make them pay for this paper value. The retirees will be worst hit. The Govt should use the higher rental value to tax on those that are renting out their flats and not those that did not make a cent of out it. Tiok boh? Fair or not? I like to think simple.

The Cantonese have a phrase, 'Bo tin tin fat tat'. In this case is 'Bo tin tin kenna screwed'. While people are happily renting out their flats to make money, the majority of the Sinkies can only put on a silly smile and pay for nothing.

A coalition of forces or an independent attack

When Nick Leeson tried to corner the Nikkei with the war chest of his bank, he believed that his bank was big enough to bank roll him against the small investors. He was successful initially as the rest of the investors were acting alone and lack the fire power to contest him. But when the stakes got too high, the Japanese investors got worried of his position. A crash of Nikkei could bring about a series of events that were difficult to control. The zaibatsu and the big guys gathered together to deal a deadly blow to this young turk acting alone. In unison, they took position against Leeson and the rest is history.

An almost similar picture happened during the Asian financial crisis when the big funds from the west formed an informal coalition to sell down the Hongkong market. HK stock exchange and its financial sector could be ruined if not stopped. The taipans, the HK Govt and the Chinese Govt got together with a bigger war chest to defend the onslaught and the victors were obvious. The western big funds took a rubbing and went back to lick their wounds.

In the local market we are seeing a smaller scale onslaught of a single stock, Olam International. The modus operandi is different. There is a report on the accounting and business practices of Olam put up by Muddy Waters to justify the sell down. The shorting of the stock has been going on for weeks. Olam is resisting and defending its management and business decisions. These have become side issues. The main thrust is the shorting of the stock in the market. At this point in time Olam appears to be losing ground as there is no let up in the selling.

It was reported that 12% of Olam scripts were on loan, probably to parties that were shorting the stocks. Who is going to win this battle of wits or is it a matter of war chest? Muddy Waters on its own could do just so much damage. Could it still be shorting and keep exposing itself to bigger position, alone? Or is it working in coalition with other parties to short down the stock?

At the other side, is Olam buying and supporting its stock value? If Olam is defending its position just by clarifying its management decisions and not buying back its stocks, it is going to be a losing proposition. And working alone to defend a stock without knowing how many parties are in cahoot with Muddy Waters to press down the value of Olam is not going to work.

What are the big funds here doing? Are they shorting the stocks as well or just standing on the sideline waiting to see what happens? How would the crash of Olam, if the shorting continues, affect the general well being of the stock market and the financial system?

The other issues to note, is Olam deserving to be sold down? If there are fraudulent practices, the fate of Olam is as good as sealed. If it is just a management decision, a fair practice, would any party think it is good to prevent a viable company from being destroyed by short sellers?

No one in the market is any wiser except the insiders. Are the local funds and big wigs willing to join force to defend Olam, if they could think of a reason? Or would the big shareholders of Olam get together to defend their investment? Or would they join force with the short sellers and sell down the stock in the quiet hoping to buy back with big profits at lower prices?

Who are the players, the short sellers in this game? In any situation of such a nature, the wolf pack or hyenas would often strike in unison, as a coalition, and the victim would be defenceless on its own. This is the precarious nature of the stock market when funds can move quickly, in tandem to cause destruction of stocks, stock markets or the financial system of a country, particularly the small ones. It is rare to have a repeat of the defence against Nick Leeson or the onslaught of the HKSE by the taipans and the Chinese Govt. Is it fair game, market forces?

Najib kenna stabbed in the back

Must give it to Najib for trying so hard to woo the non Malay voters for the coming GE. He has done many things that were tabooed before, offering concessions to other ethnic interests. I must say that some of the fence sitters were wavering and could be thinking of returning to the BN banner. And even Mahathir said the moment is ripe for a GE. But he qualified that with time down the road, things could change and will change if the election is not called soon.

Unfortunately he has spoken too early. There was a news yesterday that a Chinese hair dressing shop was issued a summon for cutting the hair of a male Chinese by a female Chinese hair dresser. This is the new ‘law’ that the govt is pulling out to impose its value and lifestyle on other ethnic groups. When they don’t do it or cannot do it, other ethnic groups would not be allowed to do so. There is a new ‘law’ that Muslim female hair dressers can only cut the hair of female Muslim customers and male to cut the hair of male customers. Now this is being imposed on the non Muslims.

This hidden and deep seated obsession to impose its religious ethos, values and life prohibitions is going to remind the other ethnic groups of more to come. Would it be extended to no pork, no alcohol, no movies and no whatsoever, no lion dance, no religious parades etc etc?

Did Najib know that this is being done and is undermining his friendly gestures and olive branch to the other ethnic groups? It is interesting to know how the other ethnic groups are thinking now. UMNO will never know the truth, and neither will Najib know the truth until the next GE result is announced.

PS: Just read the paper, Correction, the hair cut summon was issued by PAS in Kelantan and MCA is taking issue with. Still this is something the non Malay parties are very high about. They just did not know when and who is going to up the challenge to see who is more ultra.

11 year old selling CD to pay for eye surgery

I was won over by the bubbly nature of this precocious little girl when she performed at the President’s Charity Show. She was confident, intelligent and very mature for her age. It was so painful to see her living life without sight. She was born with opaque cornea and unable to see.

Yerterday TRE carried an article of adelyn Koh composing songs and selling her CDs to raise fund for her eye operation. It is going to cost her $40k per eye and a total of $80k for both eyes. I wish the hospital could have done it for her for $8. It would be so nice and I will willingly pay for it.

The richest country in the world with the most millionaires per capita, and there is this little girl being left to fend for herself, to raise money on her own, for the badly needed surgery. She had done 4 operations without success. It was reported that she has just operated on one eye and still trying to raise the balance to pay for the next eye.

Wonder how much we paid for the conjoint twins for the operation held here several years back. Is there an eye surgeon willing to do a little charity to charge her less, to give her sight, to live like a normal child? Would the govt….never mind.

Obama's potential opportunities for peace

Obama's potential opportunities for peace
Updated: 2012-11-23 21:30
By Han Dongping ( chinadaily.com.cn)

PART     TWO


It refused to respect the Asian people's desire for freedom from outside interference in their own affairs. More importantly, the role the US chose to play in Asia at the time was destructive rather than constructive, and divisive rather than unifying. It sought to divide in order to gain.

It seems that the Obama administration has not learned a lesson from the failures of past US administrations. It still plans to play a more destructive than constructive role. The rise of China has benefitted the Asian countries, particularly South East Asian Countries tremendously in recent years.

But the US sees the rise of China as a threat, and seeks to check China's rise. Right now, the US has tried to utilize the territorial disputes concerning the South China Sea to stir trouble in the region in order to further its own interests. Some of the countries in the region, driven by short term interests, have welcomed US involvement in these regional disputes. But these countries should be aware of the consequences of serving as someone else's pawn. It is easy to invite the devil into your house but much more difficult to remove him later.

The Asian Countries are beginning to play more significant roles in the world's economy. And this growth will only continue to increase if they learn to peacefully resolve their differences without outside involvement. More importantly, Asian countries should never forget the harm that outsiders have done to them in the past, and they should work hard together to avoid the circumstances in which the outsiders utilize Asian country as pawns for their own gain.

President Obama should not attempt to play a divisive role in Asia. The Asian people have seen enough American wars on their land, and Asian people are still recovering from the destruction American military operations have caused in Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

President Obama promised the American people change during his campaign in 2008. He received the Nobel Peace Prize because of his campaign rhetoric for peace. Instead, his policy of troop surges in Afghanistan disappointed many people both inside and outside the United States.

Yes, President Obama was elected for a second term, but in many ways, that was more on account of the fact that the alternative was far worse, rather than any real satisfaction with the job President Obama had done thus far.

The people in the US want you to be an agent for peace. The people in Asia and in the whole world want the US to be a peaceful and constructive force. Now is President Obama's opportunity to redeem himself and make good on his claims for peace.

The author is a Professor of Warren Wilson College in the US.

Obama's potential opportunities for peace

Obama's potential opportunities for peace
Updated: 2012-11-23 21:30
By Han Dongping ( chinadaily.com.cn)

PART     ONE

Obama's potential opportunities for peaceIn the wake of his successful reelection campaign, President Obama embarked on his trip to South East Asia to attend the Summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations held in Cambodia. Along the way, he visited Thailand, an important ally of the US and also became the first American president in history to visit Myanmar and Cambodia.

The Obama Administration has stated that a return to Asia would be the focus of its foreign policy for some time now. Most world media covering Obama's visit to South East Asia believe that this visit is a significant component of the Obama administration's foreign policy. A Washington Post commentary openly suggested that the objective of Obama's trip was to check China's growing influence in that part of the world.

For the past 60 years, the US has had a very troubled history in Asia and South East Asia. It started in supporting the unpopular nationalist government in the Chinese Civil War. After investing billions of dollars in the unpopular Jiang Family Regime, US foreign policy in China failed miserably when Jiang was kicked out of mainland China in 1949. In order to save its face and to provide a lifeline for the Jiang regime, the US involved itself in the Korean civil war and backed the unpopular and losing South Korean Regime under the mantle of the United Nations.

As the US-led UN forces crossed the 38th parallel and approached the Chinese border, the Chinese Government was forced to send volunteers to Korea in an effort to protect the integrity of its border. Outgunned, the Chinese volunteers, in collaboration with North Korean forces, pushed the US-led UN forces back to the 38th parallel where the civil war started, and forced the US to sign a cease fire. As a matter of fact, the cease fire still stands today in Korea, where the US still maintains close to one hundred military bases.

The US refused to learn its lesson from the Korean War, and soon got itself involved in the internal affairs of Vietnam. It first supported the French in its mission to reclaim its former colony after WWII. When the French were defeated by the North Vietnamese, the Americans took over where the French left off.

Starting from 1954, the US involvement in Vietnam gradually escalated, from sending military advisors to de facto war after falsely claiming that North Vietnam fired at American gunboats in 1964. The US dropped more bombs in Vietnam than all the warring parties combined during WWII, and after spending hundreds of billions of dollars and incurring hundreds of thousands casualties, it still could not have its way in Vietnam. In the end, the US had to leave Vietnam in disgrace and dishonor in 1975.

The US floundered in Asia in the past because of a combination of arrogance toward and ignorance of Asia and Asian people. At the time, it was overconfident from its victory in WWII, and its superpower position in the world with 75 percent of the world's gold, and 50 percent of world GDP.

PRC bus drivers acknowledge citizenship has privileges

The one day strike by the PRC drivers for SMRT buses caused a stir like a storm in a tea cup. It was greeted with cheers when it was announced. It was something that no one thought would happen in this peaceful and richest island in the world. It was more entertaining than anything else and with SMRT involved, gave it a more hilarious twist.

What was the issue for the strike. According to reports, the PRC drivers were unhappy that they were doing the same jobs as Malaysian drivers but were paid less. If this is factually correct, then management would have to answer for it. A word of caution, in such a situation, one must compare apple with apple. Is the nature of work similar? Are seniority and performance factors included? Are the PRC drivers being provided with free or subsidized accommodation that the Malaysian drivers were not? One has to take into account the whole compensation package and other relevant factors into consideration before making a judgement.

One interesting point raised by the PRC drivers is that they don’t mind being paid less than Sinkies, an acknowledgement that this is Sinkie country. And this point is relevant. Citizenship has its advantages. Otherwise might as well throw the piece of paper into the dustbin or flush it down the loo.

Sinkies must know that this is their country and they must not be treated otherwise, to be discriminated or disadvantage in their own countries by foreigners. Any thinking foreigner here must take note that this is Sinkeland and Sinkies must be the top dogs and not the other way. Is this the case? Are companies and organizations discriminating against Sinkies or treating Sinkies unfairly or favouring instead foreigners? I will faint if this is so. But looking at so many public comments praising foreigners, this could be the reality and daft Sinkies dumbly accept this situation as their fate.

Thank you PRC drivers, for reminding the Sinkies that this is their home, their country and they should be treated better than others.

Hidden soldier no move 按兵不动

This seems to be the strategy of the Workers party lately. Though there are many hot issues in the media and social media, in the Natcon, the WP apparently is no where to be seen or heard. I was getting a bit worried about the party and why they were not engaging the people in any way. I thought something untoward could have happened. The only thing I can think of is a deliberate strategy of not wanting to be in the news, play safe or play whatever you like, not to be in any controversy, just look after their constituencies, attend Parliament, and wait for the next GE while consolidating the party administration and position.

This ‘hidden soldier no move’ strategy is a strategy, but by not participating in any issue or conversation, it is kind of like a default to allow other parties to gain ground and presence, and some may even comment negatively that the Party is inactive.

In my view this is not necessarily a good strategy. A political party cannot be cut off from the people by disengaging, by not being involved in public issues, and by being silent. Maybe I am wrong and they have been talking and talking, except not being reported in the media. Whichever or whatever the reasons for this inactivity and reticent, it is not going to be good for the party. The SDP is apparently taking the initiative to champion the causes of the people which is something that the WP should be doing. SDP’s involvement is giving it a very high profile of being in the politics.

With its resources and the number of MPs elected and in Parliament, whatever its strategy, WP cannot afford not to engage and not to be seen and heard. They can’t be adopting this ‘Hidden soldier no move’ strategy for the next 4 years and to lose the ground and the goodwill it has gained since the last GE and by election. It may even become a negative point for the WP as an issue in the GE.

Let’s hope the WP is not facing any problem and thus unable to engage the people more actively and participate in national affairs in a more conspicuous way.

Singapore a model for China to fight corruption

In the latest CNA programme, Perspective, on China, the issue of corruption was thoroughly discussed by an eminent panel of professors that include Tommy Koh, Kishore Mabubani, a James Tang from SMU and a Huang Jing from the LKY School of Public Policy.

The most prominent point in the discussion came from Tommy Koh, that China would not be able to curb corruption like Singapore. He pointed out 3 factors that made Singapore’s fight against corruption a success. One, the rule of law, two, govt leaders that smell clean, and three, a ruthless regime to tackle corruption.

China’s rule of law is always found to be lacking. Did they have any law at all, or is their law fictional? Tommy also brought out the legend of Justice Bao of the Sung Dynasty who was the epitome of law and order many centuries ago. As for Chinese leaders to smell as clean as our leaders, this can only be done if they are paid millions instead of the being paid like impoverish peasants. With their kind of pay, it is just too tempting and natural to be corrupt. A low down Sinkie civil servant would likely be paid more than the President and Prime Minister of China. China should take this advice and pay their top leaders handsomely like Sin so that they would not be tempted to be corrupt. Singapore is the best model to adopt.

As for ruthlessness in tackling corruption, Chinese death penalty cannot be compared to the ruthlessness of the things Singapore had done? Sorry, I missed the points as to what were so ruthless in our regime that make the firing squad looks so tame. I also cannot recall anything that is more ruthless than the death penalty for corruption in Singapore. Or is it that death penalty is not ruthless enough?

I am not up to it intellectually or may not know the workings of our system to suggest what is best for China. I think what Tommy suggested make good sense. China must learn from us if they are thinking of eradicating corruption in the govt, to be corruption free like Sin City.

PG for court hearings

What is the case all about between Ng Boon Gay and Cecilia Sue? Is it a case about promiscuity or about corruption? So far the case is more about detailed sexual acts, explicit, implicit, lewd, perversion, and nearly everything there is to make an X rated movie sell. The corruption part seems to be less important and superficially treated. It is like a violent movie with all the gore and blood with little care to the plot.

I think the censorship board should be called in to snip some of the scenes from being published in the main media or people may think that it is an evening paper or some wanbao.

Should the media also be rated for certain news like PG, under 18, under 16 like in the cinemas or on TV?

My view is that this episode should receive a PG rating at least if reported in the media.

The stupidity of scrip lenders

The lending of shares to short sellers in the stock market was originally a scheme to facilitate error trading by investors. Short selling was also an offence in many stock markets or at least discouraged for obvious reasons. The encouragement by stock exchanges to facilitate scrip lending to sellers who short the market to make a quick profit for the right or wrong reasons is turning into a game of stupidity for the owners of scrips. It also makes the exchanges look just as silly.

Scrip owners or long term investors are encouraged to deposit their scrips or make them available for short term loans in return for a small fee that is nothing more than the prevailing interest rate. To earn such a pittance, the investors risk the value of stocks they are invested in to be driven down to ridiculous level and to suffer heavy losses.

The latest case of Olam International is a glaring example of how stupid this scheme has become and how silly the long term investors were made to look. They were actually helping the short sellers to destroy the value of their investments by lending them scrips to short sell. How could stock exchanges encourage such a scam is unbelieveable.

In a period of 6 months, from mid May to mid November 2012, the number of Olam scrips on loan increased from about 6% to 12%. In the same period, the price of Olam was down from around $2.20 to $$1.70. This is a loss of 50c or more than 20% of the value in May. If 100 million scrips were on loan, it amounts to a loss of $50m. How much could the owners of these 100m scrips get for lending the shares to the short sellers, $500k?

Is this so difficult arithmetic to understand that the scheme is so nonsensical and daft to the long term investors? Scrip lending only makes sense when it is in small numbers and does not affect the price of the shares aversely. It is useful to facilitate the smooth functioning of a stock market. When it is being abused, when it is used to destroy the value of a stocks, why would investors want to participate in such a scam to incur losses? Why would stock exchanges think that this is a good thing to encourage and to make it so convenient to borrow scrips in big amounts to destroy the value of stocks like in the case of Olam?

You don’t need to be a genius to work out the sums and to cry foul. The only people who could benefit from this scheme are the short sellers and long term investors who are also shorting the market to buy them back later. Obviously there are some long term investors with big holdings that would participate in such a scam. In the Olam case, the owner, the biggest holder of the stocks, is crying foul as a huge sum of money has been wiped out from the value of the stock. Olam International, as the major owner, cannot participate in such a scam as it would be questioned and may even be found guilt for insider trading or share manipulation. Other than Muddy Waters, who are the other best scrip lenders that are making a killing in this sell down? Unlikely to be Olam.

This can happen to Olam and any other stocks, the minority shareholders and the owners would be the ultimate losers. The manipulators would be laughing to the banks cause the stock exchanges allow it through the scrip lending scheme and short selling.

In praise of the brilliant policies

Two key issues dominated the Natcon recently. Public housing is still affordable and CPF savings for the young will be enough when they retired. Some could add a third, the PSLE. I fully agree with the survey and comments that public housing is affordable and the CPF savings of the young will definitely be enough when they retired.

The caveats. As long as the repayment term is flexible, as long as the rubber band formula does not snap, public housing is affordable. (My personal definition of affordable is one income and a 20 year repayment at not more than 30% of monthly salary. Sinkies must not blindly subscribe to the deception of a moving reference point that makes the next astronomical number looks like only a small increment. It is a sneaky way of reasoning to make the unreasonable appears reasonable). It is time to put a stop to this unending Natcon that public housing is not affordable. It is affordable! You need proof, well just look at the queue and the happy buyers of every BTO launch. You want real numbers? There was a case where a buyer’s monthly income is only $1,000 and he could buy a 3 rm flat, or was it 4 rm? Then there was this couple who earn less than $12,000 pm and could afford to buy a $1.77m executive condo. These are hard proofs that at both ends, public housing is definitely affordable. Other wise there will be no one buying them. And for those who cannot afford to buy, just too bad, work harder and earn more or lower your expectation, buy within your means. But if you earn more than $12k, buy within your means also, empty your wallet to get a private property. It is prudent to spend every cent you have for a private property.

As for the savings in the CPF, sure, I am 100% sure that the young will have plenty of money in their CPF when they retire. The fear that inflation will eat up everything in the savings and turns the currency into banana notes is unfounded. When inflation goes up, just increase the amount to be saved, to be kept in the minimum sum. So easily done. If inflation goes up by 200%, make sure that the minimum goes up by the same amount or more. By then, if a plate of char kway teow is $1000, no sweat, the minimum sum could be $20m. So much moolah! As long as the minimum sum formula is as elastic as a rubber band, it can be stretched and stretched to accommodate the slack. I would even guarantee that it would be affordable when the young hit retirement age at 80 or 90. There will be plentiful of money in their CPF. Don’t worry about the value of the money. Don’t worry, I won’t be around.

In conclusion, these two topics should cease to be national issues for discussion in the Natcon. Natcon should be used to discuss about happiness, graciousness, kindness, harmony, and how we want the country to be in the future.

In conversation with Mother Nature

This is a new piece that I have created. It is untitled and not in my Exhibition.

In conversation with Mother Nature

We used to be very close to Nature, living off Nature and walking with Nature. Those were the days when people were living on landed properties, be they attap houses, zinc roof wooden huts or simply some mixed mesh of structure to provide shelter, and spent the days in the field, in the sea, farming for a living. The animals, pigs, goats, fowls, cats and dogs lived in close proximity with human beans, sharing the same common space.

In a highly urbanised lifestyle, it is not surprising that many children today did not know what a chicken or duck looks like. Their lives circulate from one concrete building to the next and revolve around modern gadgetry. The only chicken or animal they know are in small pieces on the dinner table. The closest they get to Nature is likely to be a walk in the rain.

I have been in conversation with Nature daily, in a way, through my art. My 7000 pieces of raw images of simply water taken with my camera will keep me busy for years trying to figure out what Nature has imprinted in them. Daily I will work on a few pieces, reviewing and manipulating them for an insight into the thoughts of Nature. Every frame of digital image that looks innocently bland and boring contains a hidden image or message, or many images and messages that are waiting to reveal themselves. Every picture or photopainting that surfaced is the end result of hours of negotiating with Mother Nature, attempting to understand what Mother Nature wants to show to the human world.

I spend many hours daily working with Mother Nature and talking to her, through her works that are deceptively concealed in the unassuming form of reflection and refraction in a pool of water. Sometimes I wonder if it is real, that Mother Nature could be behind all the photopaintings that came forth like a magician and his doves or pulling a rabbit from a hat. Sometimes I wonder if what I finally put into print is the ultimate image that Nature wanted. Sometimes I wonder if there is a message, a hidden message of some kind that Nature wanted to tell us.

Everytime I attempt to look at another perspective, a totally new concept and picture could appear that is entirely different in nature from my earlier interpretation. It is like trying to discover a mystery, to understand Mother Nature through her paintings. Through my photopaintings, Mother Nature is like being there with me, occasionally tipping me off with a little exciting shades and shapes that would lead to more fascinating ways of looking at something so common and unemotional, a reflection or refraction of nothing but light in water. This is going to be a long conversation with Mother Nature and is like an unending journey, as I have only taken my first step, a tip toe, into this wonderland of paintings out of thin air, or simply water.

 

Catching spiders, flying kites and PSLE

While many oldies reminisce daily about the good old days of catching spiders, flying kites and 5 stones, as if these were the greatest things to happen in their lives, and wanting the young of today to share their wonderful amusements of the past, do the young really appreciate or want to appreciate these primitive distractions of days of poverty? Would they care a dime or want to spend a second to ponder what the excitement was about?

What is really in their mind, what is really exciting to them is beyond the grips of the oldies. Their fantasies and passions today are things that were out of this world in the times of the babyboomers, unheard of then and still alien to many of them today. In their lips, in their sleeps, it is things like BoA, EXO K and M, TVXQ, and Shinee. Now what’s that? Not a clue.

These are the young sensations from Korea, the K pop generations. They are in town to perform live at the floating platform in Marina Bay. The young have been queuing 2 fortnights in advance for a front row seat costing many times more than a kite.

These young performers are earning real good money that comes with fame and a big following of fans. They are celebrities in their own right while in their 20s and could be making more money than our scholars. Who cares about PSLE? What is PSLE? Not that they did badly in their school days, but PSLE is almost irrelevant in their success.

Our young are only there to be spectators to their success, to pay to watch them, probably because of PSLE. They have no time, no passion for anything except PSLE while these entertainers are having a ball of a time, travelling the world, wowing their little innocent fans that probably have a few sheets of model answer papers in their bags while at the concert. And in their spare time the Sinkie young were enticed to visit the museums to admire the good old days of their parents, how great a time they had with little beads of seeds, match boxes to hold spiders, catapults, and what primitive little toys.

Why are our young so imprisoned in a small and uncreative world of books and PSLE and ancient toys and not aspiring to be world beaters on their own, to be provocatively creative and exploring the new frontiers like Gangnam or K Pops? If the young Koreans can do it and be such an international success without PSLE, why the obsession for that piece of paper as the end all of living happily and having a good time?

Would our little ones be inspired to new challenges and not be bounded or trapped by the PSLE forever, and complaining about stress that is not worth it? I would suggest that all the parents bring their young to the Marina Bay and see a different facet of life, of living life, of creating something new beyond old mindsets and be emancipated, and to set their young free on a course of discovery and finding new meaning in life.

China's "Positive Influence" on ASEAN growth

China becomes 'positive influence' on ASEAN growth

Updated: 2012-11-06 17:59

( Xinhua)

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VIENTIANE -- With its inevitable rise, China has become a "positive influence" on the economic growth and cooperation of its neighbors in Southeast Asia, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday.
The PM made the remark with a group of foreign correspondents on the sideline of the Ninth Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in the Lao capital Vientiane.
He urged ASEAN countries to actively engage with China. "With its inevitable rise, China can be a positive influence in terms of economic development particularly in this part of world."
As a major global player, China has been providing impetus to the economic development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the bloc's members like Laos is getting a lot of injection of Chinese capital for developing the region's hotspots like the Mekong area, said Najib.
"If you look to this part of the world, they see China as a strong and benign economic force."
As for China's role in facilitating Europe's economic recovery, Najib, who once served as Malaysia's Minister of Finance, said European countries hope that China could rebalance its economy, put less emphasis on export but on boosting domestic demand.
The two-day event, the ASEM Summit, the biggest international conference the country has ever hosted, gathers heads of state, government as well as ministerial officials from its 51 members. Global economy and financial situation top the meeting's agenda.
Within the frameworks of ASEAN, ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, ASEAN Summit, among others, said Najib, there is enough "collective will" to ensure that ASEAN and China could work in a very cooperative way.

Emergence of alternative elite

When a storm is brewing, the little creatures will stir, be they in the sea or on land. They are able to sense the coming of a major climatic change. They are more sensitive than any human made instrument or gadget to detect weather or geological phenomena. A political storm is in the making that will bring about great changes in our national landscape. Some have sensed it coming and have started to rise from their slumber.

The last GE saw the surfacing of many new faces that are professionals in their own right, very credible people, to stand for election as an alternative to the present govt. We are now seeing a continuation of this movement, with more elites standing up to offer alternative views that are equally cogent and coherent and sound. This group comprises mainly the ex civil servants or ex establishment. The latest candidate is in Yeoh Lam Keong, the ex Chief Economist in GIC. He has joined the ranks of Lim Chong Yah, Tommy Koh and Ngiam Tong Dow. The earlier batch of ex’s is already in the political parties, the likes of Tony Tan, Hazel Poa, Benjamin Pwee, Tan Jee Say and Tan Kin Lian.

It is still a trickle and it may not be long before the tap flows at its full capacity. Every notable that stepped forward will be an inspiration for more to follow. They will also beat a path for their peers, friends and fans to walk through.

There were criticisms that many of the ex’s have come out too late, that they should have done so earlier, or said what they are saying now when they were in the establishment. This may be a bit unfair as the situation has changed in the last decade or so. The ruling govt was the darling of the people in the past when the ex’s were in service. The ex’s must have contributed the good stuff and the failing fortune of the ruling party today must be due to the absence of the ex’s in some way.

I have noticed another development, still in its infancy. Some elites in the establishment are appearing to be wavering or feeling uneasy. They are not making their feelings felt too noticeable yet but are starting to question the wisdom of the establishment in a polite way. Some are starting to acknowledge alternative views as sound and reasonable. Maybe they are waiting for the flow and will go with the flow when it changes course.

A more dramatic change will come when the old oak tree falls. That could mark the real change to come when some in political office would stand up to be different, to want to be their own men and women, with a viewpoint of their own that have been suppressed in the name of conformity and party. When this happens, it will be the culmination of all the little changes that have been taking place, to start a new chapter in our political history.

The trickle has started. A tornado can have its origin in the flutter of a butterfly in the Pacific Ocean.

Powdered coffee 'creamer' isn't food, it's processed chemicals

May 6, 2012
(NaturalNews) Every day, millions of Americans add powdered coffee "creamer" products to their morning cups of joe because they falsely believe that these substances are somehow healthier than real cream. But little do they know that most coffee creamer products contain no actual cream,
or food for that matter, as they are really nothing more than a crafty blend of toxic chemicals.

When powdered coffee creamers first came onto the scene back in the 1950s, they actually contained real dehydrated cream and sugar, which made them a convenient, non-perishable source of cream
for coffee. Over time, however, manufacturers began to phase out the cream, and replace it with
things like processed vegetables oils, stabilizers, chemical sweeteners, and other additives that
were less expensive and that more easily dissolved in coffee.

Today, the average canister of so-called "creamer" substitute contains not a trace of actual food,
at least not food in the technical sense of the word. Take the Coffee-Mate brand of coffee creamer,
for instance. The original powder flavor contains corn syrup solids, hydrogenated vegetable oils,
and a handful of stabilizing, emulsifying, and flavoring chemicals (http://www.coffee-mate.com).

Not only is there no "cream" of any kind in Coffee-Mate's Original Powder, but there are also no
natural food ingredients whatsoever. This is why some countries actually require that powdered
coffee additives be called "whiteners" rather than "creamers," since they do not actually contain
any real cream.

Corn syrup solids and hydrogenated oils are highly-toxic 'non-foods'

Though both are derived from real food, corn syrup solids and hydrogenated oils are not technically foods themselves. To produce corn syrup solids, corn kernels are first transformed into corn starch, which is then chemically treated with hydrochloric acid, a highly-corrosive, industrial chemical solution that is also used to make plastic materials. The resulting liquid goo is then processed again and dried to form dried crystals -- delicious, eh?

And hydrogenated oils are produced using a similar chemical process that involves subjecting already heated, pressurized, and highly processed oils to various chemical catalysts and metals such as nickel and platinum that change its density and molecular structure. The final product is the definition of a trans-fat, which are linked to causing heart disease and death (http://www.naturalnews.com/027445_fat_fats_trans.html).

Then, there are ingredients like sodium caseinate, a milk derivative; mono- and diglycerides;
sodium aluminosilicate; and artificial flavor, all of which are non-foods as well. Sodium caseinate,
for instance, is derived from a milk protein known as casein using a chemical extrusion process.
The chemical alteration is so significant that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not even consider the final product to be a dairy product.

And sodium aluminosilicate is an anti-caking, flow agent chemical additive produced specifically for use in processed food items, laundry detergents, and other dry, powdered products. Like its name implies, sodium aluminosilicate contains toxic aluminum, which is linked to organ and tissue damage, bone disorders, gastrointestinal problems, Alzheimer's disease, cell damage, and other problems (http://www.angelfire.com).

If dairy is problematic for your dietary needs but you still want to add creamer to your coffee,
it is important to always read ingredient labels and carefully avoid all powdered creamer products
that contain artificial ingredients.

Some great non-dairy alternatives to conventional creamer products include liquid coconut creamers like those made by So Delicious (http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com), for instance. Fresh coconut cream or milk (http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com) and homemade almond milk (http://georgiapellegrini.com/2012/03/07/recipes/homemade-almond-milk/), are several other useful options as well.

Sources for this article include:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-dairy_creamer
http://www.naturalnews.com/z035784_coffee_creamer_hydrogenated_oils_HFCS.html

Serious, our education is one of the best

I am saying this with all sincerity and seriousness. If one is to look carefully at our education system, it is a very comprehensive system, like a buffet spread to cater for all abilities of students. It is not perfect for sure and can make do with some tweaking and fine tuning. Fine tuning here is used quite appropriately as that is all it needs. Unlike housing when it is totally unaffordable to many and no matter how often and loud one shouts the word affordable, no one believes this crap anymore. The person who is still shouting affordable will end up shouting in the wilderness and totally ignore by the consumers, or at best a lunatic.

Back to the education system. Sin City did not get the recognition as an education hub for nothing. And this reputation is achieved through the good public education system, definitely not because of the private schools. What is disappointing arising from all the hooha is the caving in of the MOE and to think that the system is really flawed when under attack by the parents. The main problem today is unreasonable and illogical expectations of parents of their children and the education system. The outrageous demands of parents, and to a certain extent the super talents, to want a child to be everything, to be good in everything is laughable. No child can be good in everything. Very likely every child can be good in something but no education system can be a straight jacket production line to deliver super intelligent robots out of little children.

The other point that is very subjective is the high expectation and demands made on a 12 year old. I personally think it is too young an age to separate the diamonds from the chaff. This issue could be thoroughly reviewed and better to be delayed by a few more years when a child is more mature mentally and emotionally to face the tough reality of what they are gifted at and what educational route they should embark on. Each will have to find his/her own path to success in life.

The Minister of Education should stand up tall and tell the parents not to make outrageous demands on the system. The current system must not be thrashed around for all the wrong reasons. Some tweaking is necessary as in all systems to keep up with the time and changes and to improve on what was found unsuitable with hindsight. This is a time for a minister to stand his ground and not to wobble at the knees. The education system is on solid ground compares to the failed policy in housing but being stoically and stubbornly defended for all the wrong reasons.

New ethos, In celebration of Mediocrity

A little girl was huddling in the corner of the school hall after the PSLE result was announced. She was looking anything but happy. No one is talking to her or interested in her. Could have failed the exam I supposed. Then a couple approached her, presumably her parents, and looking angry. ‘Why are you standing at the corner alone? Didn’t you do well in the PSLE?’ The little girl started sobbing and shaking her head. She shoved her result slip to her mum who was looking more annoyed by her dismissiveness and lack of confidence.

289! The mother screamed. While everyone was getting the attention of the media and the principal and the school staff and the whole cohort, this little girl was left alone in a corner of her own. No one was supposed to know her, what was her score or her grade. The mother started to wave the result slips, ‘See, see, my daughter is the top student!’ But no one bothered to turn her way. Everyone had been briefed not talk to or about the top student. Even the media refused to interview her. They were happily talking to the number 6 and number 7 students to write an article for the media.

By then the little girl started crying. All the effort to be the top student in the PSLE examination was like a non event. They quietly left the school knowing that they were not welcomed and shunned by everyone.

After decades of meritocrazy, this is the result. Meritocrazy is now an embarrassment for the problems it is causing to other parents and students. Soon this new disease could invade all the institutions in the City. It is like an edict coming down from the Emperor. The President Scholars will not be announced. Classified Top Secret. Cannot tell. Universities and Polytechnics will no longer award Gold Medals and what not to their top students. But the average students will be celebrated as the model students, as role models for all the students. All the students will now be very happy that being average they will be recognized and become celebrities in their own right.

Oh, who is the Prime Minister? Dunno leh. They are not telling now. The newspaper will not carry news on the Prime Minister anymore. Too stressful to know.

PSLE - New school of thought?

The most common reply for not announcing the top students in the PSLE is that it would remove the pressure on parents and children. Why should it be so? I always look at the achievements of these youngsters as a shining light for the rest of the children, that with hard work and some talents, they can aspire to do much better in their examination. I am always impressed by the abilities of these children to do so well in their PSLE. They are real success stories to be told and to be proud of.

The good results of the top students are something admirable, not something to be envious but acceptable in some ways, but definitely not something disgusting, to be ashamed of, to be hidden and not spoken about.

What is important is to educate the parents, to live with what their children can achieve. The important thing is for the children to do their best, and grow up as decent and responsible young people. The grades are just grades and the future of the children is not dependent on these grades alone. There are many avenues to achieve success, to do well in life, to live well. There is a saying, 行行出状元, or every profession will have its star achievers.

This craziness about not publishing names of top students is getting ridiculous, and stupid. Might as well abolish all examinations.

Imagine how good things could have been…without Boon Wan

A total of 27,000 units of BTO flats launched, just building, in 2012 and maybe another 20,000 to be launched in 2013, and the headline in Today paper, ‘Prices to climb despite more HDB flats launched’. And this is after the spate of news of prices shooting to new record highs and after all the fine tuning to prevent it from going through the roof.

On the opposite of the supply side, the demand side was also fine tuned to slow the influx of foreigners a wee bit. And Boon Wan has been telling the people not to worry, the price will be stabilized. Then some were saying that HDB flat owners should not sell as the prices would only go up and up. The resale market is responding as it is, up and up.

Imagine, if the BTO programme was not ramped up, the influx of foreigners was not slowed down, Boon Wan did not come in to fine tune the housing policies, prices would have easily doubled and more millionaires would have been made. 3 rm and 4 rm resale flats would been fetching a million each by now.

Imagine how many more millionaires would there be in Sin City? Half the population of Sinkies would be millionaires by now. Boon Wan should not have put his fingers into such a good thing that is happening in Sin. Now many Sinkie dreams of becoming millionaires by not selling their HDB flats, by not working and just sitting on their HDB flats would have been doomed. And without this asset inflation, how are they going to pay for the world class medical bills and to buy a new car or to retire rich?

Things could have been so much better, Sinkie so much richer, if only Mah Bow Tan remains as the Housing Minister. Many Sinkies must be regretting for missing the golden opportunities and becoming millionaires. In the next GE they will be demonstrating for the return of Mah Bow Tan to continue with his housing policies that made Sinkies instant millionaires.

Now Sinkies have to live with only moderate increases in the value of their properties, but still a consolation as the prices will be up and up but on a slower pace, like doubling every 20 years instead of 10 years.

Boon Wan, look at what you have done to bust the happy dreams of Sinkies? Boon Wan should not have ramped up the BTO programme, then everyone will be shouting, ‘Huat ah, huat ah.’

You can't please everyone. Some like high prices, some like low prices. Some will love Mah Bow Tan and some will love Boon Wan.

What is worth living for?

‘Fun City it isn’t. U.S. pollster Gallup conducts surveys in over 140 countries to compare how people feel about their lives. Singapore ranks as the most emotionless society in the world, behind Georgia, Lithuania, and Russia. Singaporeans are unlikely to report feelings of anger, physical pain, or other negative emotions. They’re not laughing a lot, either. “If you measure Singapore by the traditional indicators, they look like one of the best-run countries in the world,” says Jon Clifton, a Gallup partner in Washington. “But if you look at everything that makes life worth living, they’re not doing so well.”’

The above is a report by the Gallup Poll with comments that there is something really missing here. It is akin to what George Yeo said, ‘Everything looks so perfect…but it is not real.’ The comment by Jon Clifton, ‘…what makes life worth living, they’re not doing so well.’ Now is this serious?

The Sinkies are so happy watching how much their properties are worth as the prices keep going up, and smiling everyday, congratulating themselves that they are becoming millionaires without having to work for it. Isn’t that worth living for?

The Sinkies are driving the finest and most expensive cars in the world. This must be something to be proud of and to live for. One may include the milion and multi million dollar properties and the million dollar views these properties came with. The sights from the balconies are definitely worth living for.

And we have the best education for our children with many scoring straight As until the parents are too shy to talk about. Now the ministry also agrees and will not talk about them. Now what else to live for? Oh yes, we have the best and most expensive govt to live for don’t we? A caring and compassionate govt that will take care of every needs of the Sinkies, from cradle to grave, including the Sinkies’ savings. Sinkies will know that they will all live well and with a lot of money left when they depart from this worth. And at the slightest stir, the govt will quickly jump in to offer help and more schemes and solutions.

There are many more things worth living for, the fantasy land in Orchard Road, Avatar Gardens, beautiful buildings, all glittering in the night sky.

The Gallup Poll is wrong for not being able to see all these.

Ostrich School in Problem Solving

The latest acquisition to the Animal Farm is the ostrich, famous for problem solving skill that the kangaroos, doggies, cows and horses were found to be wanting. This ostrich problem skill is world renowned. It can make all problems vanished instantly…by burying its head in the ground. Unable to see the problems means the problems are no longer there. Problem solved.

Let me try to apply this method to the current PSLE angst of the parents and children and maybe help them to solve all their stress problems. Indirectly it will also help to relieve the problems of those in the MOE and in the govt, without the parents bugging them everyday.

Like all problem solving methodology, the first thing to do is to identify the problems. In this case, the problems are caused by the following.

1. Glorifying the high achievers

2. Creating elite schools

3. Creating elitist Through Stream Process

4. Creating elitist grading system

I believe there are many other sources and causes of stress to the parents and children. Let’s just limit to these 4 to demonstrate how effective the Ostrich Problem Solving Methodology will work.

The authorities should stop reporting and glorifying top students and those that did well in the examinations, starting with PSLE. When parents cannot compare how badly their children have fared in the examination, the stress is no longer there. See, very effective. The problem is gone.

Elite schools with their elitist names is another sore point. Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution! Why is my neighbourhood school named Telok Blangah Secondary School when others are called institutions and with great names attached to them. Easy to deal with this problem. All the schools should now be named after the streets or roads nearby. Raffles should all be called Bishan Primary, Bishan Secondary and Bishan High. Hwa Chong will be renamed Bukit Timah Primary, Bukit Timah Secondary and Bukit Timah High. See, the elitist tag is removed instantly and all the schools now look the same or at least sound the same. This is like leveling the playing field.

The third problem, Through Stream. This is even easier to solve. All students entering a primary school will continue with the same secondary school and proceed to the same high school, eg, Jurong Primary to Jurong Secondary and then to Jurong High. It is a Through Stream, from Primary One to A level. It also saves a lot of hassles and administrative problems.

Finally the elitist grades. All schools are good schools, so all schools shall produce good and excellent students. For this to be believeable, all the students shall receive an excellent grade on completion of the schooling system. The grades to be adopted can be like these, Excellent in Sports, Excellent in Technical, Excellent in Arts, Excellent in Domestic Science, Excellent in Academics. All the students will be very happy, and so will be their parents.

See how effective and easy it is to apply the Ostrich Problem Solving Method to solve such a huge problem that cannot be resolved after so many years. Now no one can see which school is good, which student is good, everything looks the same. A uniform education system when every school looks the same and every student also looks the same. Wait a minute, all the school uniforms must be the same also. Can adopt the Maoist style, dull grey, same dull cuts and with no character. Everyone can blend in and not be noticeable. Very egalitarian. Can send the students to the country side to do farming, very holistic also.

Wow, I am a genius. I am going to write a book on this topic and put it in the Fiction Corner of the Library.