Blogs to fill the gap

Marina Mahathir said that as long as there is a gap between what needs to be reported in the msm but not reported, the gap will be filled by blogs or the internet. True, many things have been first reported in the net and then followed up by the msm when it is already out in the open. There is now a credibility gap between the ugly tooth and the truth which needs to be addressed by the msm but conveniently left open. So here comes the net, to fill the gap. This role has been cut out for bloggers and forumers to play. It is a very decisive role to reveal the ugly tooth.

Corporate Governance in Sports

We have dealt with and the msm has reported extensively on the misdeeds arising from lack of corporate governance in the commercial world. And this has been extended to a few prominent and infamous cases in charitable organisations. And the bad thing is that we are only dealing with the tip of an enormous iceberg. Before we forget, there have been many complaints and rumours circulating in the sports fraternity. Biasness, discriminations, cheating, collusion, favouritism, etc etc have been floating in the grapevines. Many of these cases were outright cheating and abuse of power, misplaced trust and misappropriation of public fund to serve personal objectives. Anyone looking into this industry? Sports is all about uprightness, competition, fighting spirit, honour and sacrifice, to achieve glory in the most sportsman like manner. Are our sports organisations living up to these virtues? What kind of corporate governance are there to ensure fair play, recruiting sportsmen and sportswomen to represent the country based simply on merit? There are many who are tempted to become whistle blowers and this could be very embarrassing. Or maybe all our sports organisations are paragons of virtues, clean and untainted, and are models for all to follow. But I have heard and felt the tremors.

Myth 165 - Inferior genes

Inferior genes There is this myth that is being perpetuated as the tooth in the north and to some extend in this little red dot, that the genes of some racial groups are more inferior to others. So one can blame on their genes and continue to wallow in self pity or just demand to be given handouts and a piece of paper chopped with a degree without working for it. The top PSLE student today is Natash Nabila Muhamad. A 12 year old girl from St Hilda Primary School who scored a record 294 points and 4 A stars. This is the first time this score has been hit. Her mother, Zaharah Othman, is a homemaker and her father, Muhamad, is a technician. Bet you she did not received the best that an average normal Singaporean family received in terms of tuition and all the accessory aids. But she topped her cohort of 49,817, including many foreigners from China and India. If Natasha can do it, so can the rest. Don't blame it on your genes. That is a lousy and stupid excuse. It is hard work and a little intelligence. And for those who still think they are born naturally stupid, they can live on in their own stupid ways.

Run for your life

I was in the train this morning. Then I caugh a whiff of it. It was smelly. Something akin to smelly salted fish. I held on to where I stood. It hit me again. Then one local woman made her move and went to stand 5m away And the train kept moving. The smell kept knocking at me now and then. I looked around. Everyone was so innocent. I knew where it came from. After another two stations, another local woman also made her rude gesture by walking away, another 5m. Singaporeans are being forced to appear rude to foreigners. Foreigners, please pass the word around that Singaporeans do not want to be rude to them. Please tell them to wash and wash and wash till the smell go away. Then we can sit side by side happily.

Myth 164

Singaporeans not ready for Non Chinese PM I read an article by Zuraida Ibrahim over the weekend on the prospect of a non Chinese PM. It was once said that Singaporeans were still not ready to accept a non Chinese as a PM. But according to Zuraida's survey, it seems that the people are not really against such an idea. Then she questioned whether it is because it was a survey and the respondents were just being polite. Look at the appointment or election of the President who is/was not a Chinese. Was there any objection to it? It is obvious that a non Chinese President is never an issue. So should a non Chinese PM be an issue? There are two aspects to it. Until it is proven otherwise, no one really knows whether the general electorate will accept a non Chinese PM. The other point is that if you have a good non Chinese PM candidate who can win over the support of the Chinese majority, why not? From this angle, it could all boil down to the candidate himself. There is no law to forbid a non Chinese to become a PM here. With time, and a suitable candidate appearing, it can happen.

Mr Tan or Mr Kow?

Gloria Arroyo Puts question mark on Charter Unless Suu Kyi is freed, it'd be diffiult to get Philippine Congress ratify it. The Australian. Nov 21, 2007 By Mark Dodd Singapore - PHILIPPINES President Gloria Arroyo has threatened to derail a landmark ASEAN charter promoting human rights and democracy throughout Southeast Asia less than 24 hours after its signing, by demanding Burma releases opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.... " The ASEAN leaders had a full and open discussion on the Myanmar issue at our informal working dinner," said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. " Prime Minister Thein Sein of Myanmar made clear that the situation was a domestic Myanmar affair and that Myanmar is fully capable of handling the situation by itself. " He (Sein) emphasised that Professor Gambari should report only to the UN Security Council and not to ASEAN or the East Asia Summit." Mr Loong said ASEAN leaders agreed to respect the Burmese request but, as ASEAN chair, Singapore would facilitate Mr Gambari's meeting with "interested parties". I copied the above from littlespeck.com. I always feel very disgusted when professional western journalists, and sometimes Singaporean journalists, addressed Chinese Singaporeans the wrong way round. Who is Mr Loong anyway? I expect professional journalists to display some professionalism and respect when quoting the names of political leaders. It is expected of them to be correct in at least the simple courtesy of addressing another person correctly. Or is it another form of cultural superiority or cultural sabotaged? It looks deliberate to me. This journalist cannot be living in the outback and did not hear of a Mr Lee or two Mr Lees in Singapore. He is no crocodile Dundee. He is a journalist.

The biggest street protest in Singapore

Singapore had experienced the biggest street protest for at least a few decades. Orchard Road was a sea of red last night. Protesters, mainly Myanmese, took to the street after UN Special Envoy Gambari's briefing to the East Asia Summit was called off. And all 35 of them flooded Orchard Road. It was a sight to behold. Quite frightening.

Grateful to CPI numbers

Singaporeans should be grateful that the CPI only registered a 2% increase in inflation. For this number is used to increase bus fare. Looi Teck Soon from PTC has explained that the 1.8% increase in bus fare is determined by the CPI. If the CPI was higher, then the increase will be proportionately higher. Next year's CPI is likely to be 4-5%. So commuters must be mentally prepared for a similar increase in bus fares. But they could pray that the CPI number is lower. I am also praying for that. Never mind if a bowl of wantan mee is up by 20%. Just keep the CPI number low.

The obnoxious Singaporeans!

A few days back there was a letter in Today written by a FT complaining about the rude and unfriendly behaviour of Singaporeans towards foreigners. One example which he pointed out was how Singaporeans distanced themselves from foreigners in the MRT. Many Singaporeans deliberately kept a distance from foreigners. And this makes the foreigners feel unwelcomed. Singaporeans should change their attitude towards foreigners and show some kindness and friendliness towards them. And they can start by not walking away from foreigners or move off from a seat when a foreigner sits next to them. It is very rude to just walk away. I was in the train yesterday. After a day in the office, I was so happy to find a seat. Before I could settle down on the seat a foreigner came to sit next to me. And before his back touched the seat, I scrambled off to a far distance. What, I had done the rudest thing to a foreigner! I wanted to rest my legs and the seat badly. But I had to give it up and stood for the whole journey. My alternative was to bear with the offensive and repulsive body odour which hit me even before he sat down. I could not bear it for the whole journey. Actually Singaporeans are very kind. A rude Singaporeans could have scolded the foreigner for not washing and bad personal hygiene. And yes, I would still keep my distance from foreigners, or locals, if the body odour is foul.

Inflation this year is 2%

This is the official projection. What a nice number when GST is up by 2%. With this kind of figure, Singaporeans should breathe easier as their cost of living is only up marginally. And with say a 5% or 10% increase in income, they are actually better off than last year. And they must not forget that the increase in GST has been given back to them and they will continue to get the adjustment for a period of 5 years. Come to think of it, the 2% inflation is fully absorbed. Not bad.

Life as a footballer

Life can be a breeze as a footballer. I mean a leisure footballer. One can just play football as a hobby, watch football and live football just to enjoy what one likes most. And this is despite whatever income one is getting. It is a different kind of happiness, and very healthy as well. A lot of fresh air and sunshine. A lot of sweat and perspiration, laughter and excitement. And friends. There is no need for snobbish pursuits like attending concerts or poisoning one's body with drugs and alcohol. They called it fine wine or brandy. The danger of this kind of free and easy living is that these people can be easily manipulated. Someone will tell them how come others are living in big mansions and flying all over the whole for their holidays. And that life is unfair to them. These people can easily be worked up emotionally and run wild. They will forget that it is a lifestyle choice, that they have taken a path of pleasure and lesser stress. That they play and had played since they were school children. No need to sweat and be stressed by the system. Life as a leisure footballer can be fun as a lifestyle choice.

Why is the taxi fare system so wrong?

Everything in the system is wrong. Even the piecemeal recommendation is wrong. And everyone is crying foul. How could this be when we have the brightest brains managing the system. Or we don't have the brightest brains doing it and need to transfer some of the brightest brains to look at the system? Hey, we are spending millions on salaries and this is the easiest thing to do and the commuters should not have to suffer from a faulty and ineffective system. It is so messy that you need to carry a calculator or a computer to keep tap with how the system works. And to talk above reviewing the system now is a sure sign that it is not working. What is happening?

Life in the 50s and 60s

We were poor, terribly poor. We tightened belt everyday, living a day at a time. We ate things as substitution from those we could not afford. Instead of milk powder, we had condensed milk and of the cheapest brand, the General. Rice was the poorest quality. Our clothings were branded, like Moon Rabbit, Good Morning, Sea Gull and Double Happiness. We don't used hand washing solution or washing powder. A bar of multipurpose Sunlight soap will do for everything, wash hair, wash face and body, wash clothing, was bowls and pans. And we rented out every rooms to strangers. We welcomed strangers into our homes and shared everything, toilet and living rooms with them, cooked in the same kitchen, no privacy, no fear of security etc. We are going down that path today. It is progress, the Singapore way. We are better off today, huh?

Exchanging places

The Goh Poh Seng case is an example of how Singaporeans are exchanging places with foreigners, forced by circumstances to leave their homes, and their places taken up by foreigners. And the speed of this exchange is getting faster today when Singaporeans are leaving home to find employment elsewhere because they can't find it at home. And jobs at home go to foreigners. And this is considered a good thing. Goh Poh Seng belongs to a generation of Singaporeans who thinks and writes about Singapore. They did that because they cared, they were concerned and involved in the affairs of Singapore and its people. But it was a time when alternative and deviant views were not tolerated. And that mentality has resulted in what it is today, an apathetic society. Even when the country is flooded with foreigners, when Singaporeans are becoming a minority in their own home, do not raise an eyebrow. On the other hand, another line is being pushed that all these changes are good and necessary. And the masses just live and mind their own business. No one really care. So no one really want to talk about it and let children run the country. And what are their interests? Sports medals, bar top dancing, discos and pubs and high living. If we cannot find people with the passion and commitment to this country, to love this country and want to see it grow and become better for its own people, we are going to be an extinct race in no time. There will be Singaporeans, all new and manufactured overseas. The original Singaporeans, where would they be? The song that Singaporeans today are no difference from the new Singaporeans, all were migrants, is a dangerous song to sing. We are giving up our homes to strangers who carry a new piece of paper and called themselves Singaporeans. And we believe that this is good for us.

Talks and more talks

Parliament debated quite a bit on the high cost of living. Debated or talking cock, I could not see any difference from what was happening in the kopitiam and cyberspace. All talks and no action. The closest to doing something to minimise the pain of inflation is the call to substitute what one is used to now with cheaper stuff. That is perhaps the only thing actionable that came out of Parliament. Yesterday I briefly saw a statement flashing past the TV screen on being kind by Vivian Balakrishnan. Yes, that is the right thing to say. Let's show a little kindness to the less fortunate. But to many successful people, what is the sweat all about? Use the car less, plan your route, product substitution, buy kopi from kopitiams that did not raise the 20c cuppa, etc etc. What the heck, everything is still cheap and affordable. And some quarters even called for taxi fares to double or triple to make taxis more easily available instead of the current hide and seek game. So, where is the problem of rising cost when people are willing to pay so much more, even for the use of taxis?

Celebrating Singaporean - Goh Poh Seng

Goh Poh Seng a cultural medallion recipient I read with a little sadness, the anticipated return of one of our cultural and artistic pioneers later this month. Goh Poh Seng was in the thick of the infant art scene within our shore. He was everywhere when arts and culture was sprouting up and breathing on this infertile ground. I remember his jazz cafe lounge where one could have a drink and participate in poetry or music, in a warm, joyous and uninhibited atmosphere. Imagine that this kind of activities were frown upon! What kind of mentality was there, then? Unfortunately that could be one of the key reasons why he had to leave this island that he called home. The air then was stale and suffocating. Breathing was difficult for artists like him. He left on self exiled to Canada where the cold artic air were fresher and allows him to live a freer life, unrestrained, undisturbed and nothing to fear. But he was disturbed, emotionally, and spiritually till these days. He has finally taken steps to come to terms with the past and is willing to walk down memory lane, to meet new and old friends once more, in the island he called home, once. Actually, he left, but never leaves....

Myth 163

Singaporean inflation Why are people grumbling about inflation? This is the biggest myth. Singaporeans are all coping very well. If it is troubling Singaporeans, then we will have street protest and other forms of demonstration. The fact that all is peace and quiet is a testimony to our well managed economy. Many have been living in abundance all these years and at the worst would only need to adjust their lifestyles a little. Maybe for those who are going for annual holidays, they can consider nearer destinations or make one or two trips lesser. Everything is well.

The greatest compassion

Having been talking about the plight of the less fortunate, how to make their lives less miserable, it may be all a mistake. The greatest love or compassion is to make these people understand their pathetic situation. And how to do that? Start by kicking their arses. Scold them, humiliate them, be cruel to them, don't help them, no donations and charity, make them stand on their own two feet. Let them know that if they are not going to help themselves they will have to face their own consequences. Yes, tell them the brutal truth and let them know it. That is true compassion.

Celebrating Singaporean - Dr Hui Kok Pheng

Singaporean doctor answered SMS call and rushed to KL to save life of 17 yr old Foo Chuan Wing who was in the ICU suffering from lung infection. And he charged only a fraction of the market rate for his service which was actually an out of the normal call of duty. I think money was never in his mind except to help save the boy.

Resign if the cost of living is not brought down!

That was what the Taiwanese PM was told. That was how serious their parliament viewed the issue of cost of living as it affects the majority of the electorate. It will be politically incorrect or suicidal for any MP to ask the PM to resign because the cost of living cannot be brought down. It will be an easier and pleasant ride to pretend that the cost of living is not a problem, or simply ignore it and talk about gay and something else. What I hope to see is for an honourable and gutsy MP who is passionate enough about the issue to stand up and say, 'I will resign if the cost of living is not brought down.' Now, that would not be too offensive and would be more palatable to hear. At least more meaningful than about discipline children.