For those who have, more shall be given to them

Christians must be quietly smiling at this quote. This has been spoken by God a few thousand years back and they know. The truth of the statement is there for all to see. The rich shall get richer is the natural law of God. With their wealth, the rich could only multiply them at much faster rate than those who are struggling to earn their money through muscles. How easy it is to buy a property at $1m and loo behold, two years down the road it becomes $1.5m, reaping a profit of $500k. This amount may take a worker a life time to earn but would be spent everyday leaving him with nothing to spare. Many folks are earning tens or hundreds of thousands without have to exercise the muscles of their limbs. See how comfortable they are to write that cheque for the $60k COE or the $500k down payment for the landed property! On the other hand the losers are complaining about kopi going to cost 20c more per cuppa! For those who have, more shall be given goes further than this. Some of those who have tens of millions, hundreds of millions, will still be given millions without having to work, in the form of pensions or gratuities, when they don’t need a single cent more to live in the lap of luxury. There are many such lucky people around whose lives are so blessed. But God is cheeky and cynical too. He also said, ‘The meek shall inherit the earth.’ Of course he is joking. How could that be when those who have shall have more and those who don’t have shall have less? The message to the meek is simply, fat hope. The meek shall always live on hope while they live a wasted life of not enough. That is the painful truth of life. No escape.

Thomas Friedman singing praises for the American Empire

He lamented what a world would be if America could not project power the way it has in an article in the ST today. He said ‘your’ kids won’t grow up in a different America but will grow up in a different world. Die, American kids are going to get walloped if America could not wallop the rest of the world. He is worried that American kids would not be able to push everyone around. He fears a China and the likes of Julian Assange, who could carry as much weight as America. He fears a multi polar world that would not benefit the American kids that much but also the kids of other countries, notably other powers like China, India, Brazil, Russia and the Europeans. And that is simply bad. He was disgusted that China could exercise so much power to keep countries from attending the circus in Norway when Liu Xiaobo was the celebrated clown for the day, and in the company of greater clowns. And China could do it without the use of the aircraft carriers and fighter bombers, but just simple economic power. And he called this an act of perversity, that China is equated as a failed state abusing its new found power, irresponsible is the word. What about America forcing its allies to go to war in Iraq and other theatres of war, in a Coalition of the Unwiling? The American allies have no choice but being muscled in to kill people, invade countries, execute regime change, and be accomplices to the infamous Guantanamo Camp where freedom and human rights were never heard of. And these were the acts of the Evil Empire which he approved of. America is exceedingly responsible as a super power in doing all these things. Make a comparison between China exercising its economic power in not attending a circus and America exercising its military power in commiting acts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Which is more IRRESPONSIBLE, and more oppressive, abominable? How long and how much more must Asians be preached with such sermons from the West, particularly from the Americans, whose only concern is for their own good. What is good to the Americans, and cruel to others, is still good. What is not good to the Americans, no matter how civil, is not good. Should the world continue to live with such condescending American logic?

A return to govt service

The privatisation of hospitals, public transportation and housing is starting to show how serious this mistake is. Essential services cannot be left to the free market to determine how much the consumers should pay. The market forces, if only it is real, is only concerned with profits, and profits and nothing else. The only principle that governs private business is how much the consumer is willing to pay or how much the seller of services and products can squeeze out from the consumers. As long as there are consumers able to pay, it is affordable, at least to those who can afford to pay. A $100k COE is affordable to the one who can afford it. A $1m 3 rm flat is affordable if there are people who are willing to pay for it. Resources, limited resources, are allocated according to what the market dictates, as being the most efficient and effective. Really? However, for sure, resources will not be allocated to those who need it most if they cannot afford to pay. And the haughty and cocky explanation is that one has to pay for it at market determined price.. If one cannot afford it, go for substitutions, downgrade, or tighten the belt. At the bottom of it all, if one cannot afford to pay, one does not deserve anything, even goods at inflated prices.. To overcome such inequalities, to the rich and powerful these are not inequalities, there are govts, not necessarily socialists, who would want to intervene to better allocate the resources to the needy. I would like to make a call for essential services to be returned to the govt, place under the charge of the public sector. My reservation is that govt services are run by incompetents and any services they provide will be inefficient and ineffective. If this assumption that public servants are all incompetents and useless, which was the justification for privatisation, then it is like the frying pan and the deep blue sea. This is a strange phenomenon as our govt services are staffed by the best talents in the island. As economic system approaches the end of the capitalist road, the communists will say, I told you so. The capitalist road will lead to its own destruction and a revolution of the under class is the natural anti thesis.

Singapore in a state of siege or self denial?

Through WikiLeaks we must have offended many countries in Asean and Asia. From India and Myanmar through Thailand and Japan, from China and North Korea in the north and down south to Malaysia and Taiwan in the East, they cannot be too pleased with what we said about them. George Yeo said that these were just cocktail gossips, not worth bothering about, should not be troubled by them. Our relations with the countries affected would not be affected. That is our version of how WikiLeaks affect us and our friends. What are our blastered friends thinking now? Would they regard the WikiLeaks in the way we do and dismiss them as nothing serious, or nothing that they will lose any sleep for? If they do, then it is just like a tropical thunderstorm that would not last more than an hour. The weather will be fine again. What if the affected countries are seething in rage? Would they, could they or should they? Would there be any consequences? So far only Malaysia has openly displayed their displeasure and, thankfully, no stone throwing across from the causeway. Our improving relations have bore fruits. The silence from the other capitals is quite uncharacteristic of what could be expected. Is the reticence real or several protest notes are already on the tables of George Yeo and Hsien Loong? It has been rumoured that LKY is going to make a comment on the WikiLeaks’ exposure on Singapore. Is this an indication that we are already in a state of siege and a response or an apology is in the cards? Singapore has been hit in the most unexpected manner at a most inappropriate time. All systems were go for the coming general election. A slate of wonderful things are lined up with nice happenings that would make the govt look good are waiting to be rolled out. Now out of the blue, the govt is in a damage control mode. The WikiLeaks is more than just an embarrassment and irritation. It has given the election campaign cart a big jolt when things were just getting comfortable. Maybe I am drawing too much inference from nothing. Maybe there is really nothing to it and things are as normal as before. I can be dense at times.

A few pictures of ION in Orchard Rd

It is never too late when JUSTICE begs to be heard!

Europe urged to recognise slavery as crime Tue, May 04, 2010 AFP PARIS - Historians and anti-racism campaigners are to urge the countries that oversaw and profited from the Atlantic slave trade to recognise it as a crime against humanity, opening the way for reparations. Next week, activists are to send a letter to the leaders of Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain asking them to recognise the trade as an historic injustice a century and a half after it ended. They have already convinced France to do so. Click here to find out more!Click here to find out more! The European Memorial Foundation for the Slave Trade will launch the appeal at the French Senate on May 10, backed by the French historian Louis Sala-Molins and John Franklin from the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. "There are several reasons for this, including its symbolic value, to restore the memory of this crime against humanity," Karfa Diallo, chairman of the foundation, told AFP. "There's also a question, shall we say, of justice," he said....

Good grades equal to nerds

Reading the article by Sandra Davie in the ST today, I can’t help but come to the conclusion that students who did well in tests and examinations, with good grades, are all nerds and lack creativity. Also they often do not do well in life. This is the biggest problem in Singapore’s education system. Though we bragged about how world class it is, how other countries are copying our teaching material, and how our students are able to score straight As everywhere, even winning international competitions, in Science, Maths, General Knowledge and also in Law, don’t expect much from them when they grow up. All these will come to nothing as they enter the adult world. Many are destined to fail or become underachievers in real life. Then where can we find all the creative and innovative people in Singapore? One sure place not to find them is the elite schools. Try the kitchens, the football fields, the night clubs, the world of the celebrities, there must be many creative and successful people in these fields. We need more Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, failure academically but big success in life. Personally I doubt they will not be able to score straight As if they wanted to. This is the secret to creativity and success. We should throw out our top students half way through universities and give them a job in the industries. That is the sure way to trigger their creativity and later be successful innovators and inventors. There is no need for elite schools and top universities as their products will only be so so. Parents of children who did not do well in schools must be relieved that their children will be the ones with more creativity and be more successful in life later. This is about the only piece of good news from the article.

Talking about insensitivity

Bilahari Kausikan, the Permanent Secretary of MFA, is reported to be leading a delegation to KL to discuss the final phase of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station land swap deal. Bilahari’s name is also in the lips of many Malaysians for what was reported in American diplomatic sting operations and leaked by WikiLeaks. His views and comments on Malaysia and Malaysian leadership were anything but complimentary. And if there is anything that the Malaysians would want to do with him, it is best not mentioned. For Singapore to send Bilahari to KL for such an important meeting so soon after the WikiLeaks revelation can be seen as being confident that Malaysia and Malaysians will be able to put them aside and negotiate professionally and objectively. It also rule up the discomfort by individuals that often behave strangely because of their own personalities and the baggage they carried with them. These must be the assessment from the Singapore side. Let’s hope the assessment is right and the negotiation goes well under Bilahari’s leadership. His diplomatic skills will be put to a tough test. I am just wondering what he will say to the Malaysians to appease them and be on top of the problem. People have been complaining that Singapore and Singaporeans are arrogant and insensitive. I say no, Singapore and Singaporeans are not arrogant and insensitive. They are just very arrogant and very insensitive. But I think I may be wrong. I really hope so.

Bilahari leading high power delegation to KL

The Star, 14 December 2010 SINGAPORE’S most senior Foreign Ministry official Bilahari Kausikan is heading for Kuala Lumpur on Dec 22 as a leader of a delegation to discuss KTM Berhad’s land swap deal in Singapore agreed in May by the Prime Ministers of the two countries.... This is going to be an interesting meeting for Bilahari. The Malaysians may want to feast him with durians after what he had said about their leadership.

A good piece of advice from ST

The ST Editorial commented on China’s Nobel prize anger as overdone. It said no need to be like that lah. For a great nation that is confident of itself, it should just simply ignored the little country called Norway and its award of the prize to Liu Xiaobo. I also agree. Why get so work up by a silly bunch of people in the Nobel Peace Prize Committee? The same piece of advice is relevant to the WikiLeaks fiasco. All the great nations that are confident of themselves should simply ignore all the leaks even if they embarrassed them. Treat them as some rubbish coming out from small people and ignore them. Then peace and calm shall return to the whole world. And the Americans will find that their effort in throwing a spanner into the world of diplomacy an effort in vain. Great and confident nations should be able to see through the evil scheme and remain calm, not to be provoked into making the situation any worst. Are there any great and confident nations out there that will take this advice seriously?

Good names for MRT stations

We have Phoenix, Petir and Pending in the Bukit Panjang LRT line. We are going to have Kadaloor, Coral Edge and Riviera in Sengkang. The ST asked whether these names ring a bell. I heard a thud. Maybe I shall offer a few nice sounding names that will ring a bell. Obama ok? Harry Potter should definitely ring a bell if Obama doesn’t. Mickey Mouse will be music to the children. Buckingham Palace, this should sound glorifying. Pavarotti is another excellent name for a train station. ‘You have arrived at Pavarotti Station.’ OK, OK, I got carried away a bit. Do we have a basis in selecting names for MRT stations? Old landmarks are acceptable. Honouring our historical personalities is also OK. But how to relate to Devan Nair Station in Sengkang? Did Devan lived there before, his birth place, or any institution or landmark that reminds people of him there? A better way out is to hold a naming contest. But don’t engage the professional agencies. They will charge a million bucks for a name. Get the people to suggest and the winners be awarded with a prizes. $1000 for each station name accepted. There will be many participants and the involvement of the people will make them feel proud and comfy with the names they have chosen. Let me guess what the people will choose. The kids will like Valkrie, Ironman or Spiderman. The youth would love to call the station Angelina Jolie or Christie Chung. Who are they anyway? The aunties would be crazy with names like Baey Yong Joon. But those aunties in the grassroot organizations would probably vote in favour of Lim Sway Say or Lim Boon Heng. The well heeled and well travelled may want things like Metzingen, Baden Baden, Marienplatz or something like that. Come to think of it, finding a good name for a station is not easy huh. Better leave it to the supertalents and live with Kadaloor, Coral Edge and Riviera. Never mind if they don’t ring a bell. One final attempt, Timbuktu!

American allies forced to show hands

What WikiLeaks said about Singaporean leaders? Hmmm, I declared that I am a Singaporean and I must always say good things about my country and our leaders. It is tough to say not so nice things about them. I can’t call them sneaky or that they have said stupid things. It is very difficult to say it in a diplomatic way that will come out as reasonable and acceptable to the readers after what the Americans have leaked on them. The hallmark of Singapore is all about standing on high moral grounds. Be responsible and respectable in what we say and do. WikiLeaks destroyed all that. Or the Americans destroyed all that. George Yeo was embarrassed and his peers in the other countries may not want to talk to him anymore. If they do, it will be about playing golf or food and wine. He has to, after seeing the horror of the information being pasted on the pages of our own media. There is no where to hide. It is everywhere in the internet for all to see. And more dirty laundry will be aired. Perhaps George Yeo may want to despatch a special envoy to all the countries we called friends and explain to them that the bad things we said about them in confidence must be respected. They are not supposed to know. Let’s put all this aside and move on. After all, if not taken out of context the vulgar comments meant well. Back at MFA he may want to issue a new directive, that we should not bad mouth any country or their leaders even when spoken in confidence. We must expect that they will be leaked to compromise our relations with our friends. And the red flag must be flown once we have to talk to the American diplomats. They are so dangerous that with them as friends we don’t need enemies anymore. And tell Tommy and Bilahari and whoever, no need to explain what they have said. It would only make things worst. Keeping quiet is the best thing to do now. Better, dig a hole in the ground and bury their heads in it. It is a very painful lesson to be learnt at this stage of their lives, to be betrayed by their trusted friends in America. Do we still have any friends left? Can leaders of other countries trust us anymore? What WikiLeaks have done is to stop the gossipings and bad mouthing behind the backs of other countries. And Singapore not only has a swelled head and ego to match in dispensing political wisdom, now has two swelled black eyes to complete the image.

The US attacks its allies

The US has launched the most massive and destructive attack on its allies through the WilkiLeaks. It has created an ill feeling throughout the whole diplomatic community. No one is spared. OK, not really. A few of the US core allies are practically free from any embarrassing leaks. Those that suffered the most from the leaks are peripheral allies or allies that attempt to balance their relationship between the US and China. Countries like Singapore, even Australia, will be fixed very nicely and will suffer an unkind fate for being an American ally. They will have a hard time trying to appease China and to mend their relationship. It will never be the same again. The party that benefited most from the fracas is the US of course. Countries that fell victims should return the American kindness by having their own version of WikiLeaks and see how red the faces of the Americans will be. For the time being the Americans must be having a good laugh at the silly political leaders that were foolish enough to have confidence in the Americans and that the Americans will not compromise them at any cost. They are now left to lick their own wounds. They are simply dispensable. Could the leak be prevented? Why were there no leaks from other countries? Were the security systems of other countries more superior than the Americans? It cannot be, the US is the most sophisticate military power and guarding their own electronic/cable communications with all kinds of complicated codes, cannot be easily penetrated. And their CIAs and all the intelligent agencies are world best. How could the leak have gone to far and so big? It will be ridiculous to think that the Chinese communication security system is far more superior to the Americans. Or for that matter, Singapore or any third world countries. Let’s have a few leaks on what the Americans say to their allies, to the Israelis, Japanese and South Koreans, or to Saudi Arabia, or to the European nations. The attack on its allies through WikiLeaks is a precedent that the Americans have set and they will have to pay for it. They cannot get away Scot free from this kind of black operations. For one, they have proven to be unreliable and dangerous as an ally. They cannot be trusted.

Red passport in danger

Philippine airport police nabs Singaporean national for carrying shabu Inquirer.net, 10 Dec 2010 MANILA, Philippines--A Singaporean national was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 Thursday for allegedly sneaking illegal drugs into the country, police said on Friday. Soa K.H., 36, had just arrived from Thailand via the Thai Airways Flight TG-620 when airport authorities arrested him before 2 p.m., according to a report from the police's National Operations Center. Singaporean arrested at NAIA for shabu possession - GMANews.TV Posted by admin at Friday, December 10, 2010 0 comments Singaporean nabbed in Johor for drug trafficking Malaysia Star, 10 Dec 2010 JOHOR BARU: Police have busted a drug trafficking syndicate with the arrest of three people including a Singaporean and seizure of more than RM271,000 worth of syabu and Eramin 5 pills. Johor Police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said police officers from the State Narcotics Department raided a house in Taman Setia Tropika following a tip-off at 3.30am on Dec 6 .... Above are Singaporeans making headlines for the wrong stuff. The squeaky clean Singaporean image is taking a bashing around the world. My red passport was a cherished and respectable document that could whisk me through many international airports with accorded respect from the immigration authorities. The citizens of less dignified countries looked in awe at the power of our red passport. At the rate Singaporeans are hitting the headlines for drug traffickings and other crimes, it would not be long when holders of our red passports would have to join the long queue to be thoroughly search, like high suspects for crimes. We are progressing in the wrong fields.

The paranoid obsession of North Korea

North Korea and the Kim family have become our public enemy number one if we go by the amount of hate reports on them as an indicator. We have almost daily angry reports of how bad the country has been managed by a family of irrational, naïve and incompetent family who are still living in the forgotten era of the past. They are expected to throw tantrums, wanting to show their manhood, provocative of their neighbours to prove their worthiness and never grow up. The picture painted of the North Koreans is just the reversed of the fairy tale existence of handsome princes and princesses of the European genre, prince charmings, no matter how dull they were and princesses that really look no better than our Ah Lians and with a brain to match. There is a stable of local and foreign talents masquerading as serious analysts and reporters pushing out vile and childish stories about North Korea and shafting them down the throat of the innocent and ignorant public. As days go by, one wonders whether it is the North Koreans that are immature and obnoxious or it is the reporters/analysts that churned out garbage at their expense. The other interesting question is why the obsession and hatred of the North Koreans that have really nothing to do with us nor affect our existence in anyway. The Korean waves that our youth and aunties are embracing originate from the South. Maybe there is nothing harmless to write about locally and hacking at a distant isolated country is the second best thing to do. Or is there a dark agenda to the whole episode? It resembles a kind of political evangelism.

Modern day pirates, slave traders and drug peddlers

They used to make it big time catching slaves and trading them for profit. The same group was also active in piracy along the coast of Africa, but not of the Somali kind. They were Europeans. Some went further to China to push drugs, selling opium to the stupid Chinamen. And many built huge mansions in England, Europe and America from their lucrative businesses. Brown University was named after a slave trader. Jardines, Mathesons, Brooklyns, Rockefellers, Rothschild and what else, were all infamous and even became conglomerates. They were the heroes of the crowns and were knighted as members of their empires. There were no moral issues, no righteousness, no fair play, no wrong, all for good and clean profits. And they became respectable gentlemen and nobilities. And they got to be addressed as Sir. The modern pirates, drug peddlers and slave traders are also in respectable industries and professions. The finance industry is infested with these great gentlemen and talents. They pushed toxic notes, toxic bonds and improvised all kinds of rules and regulations and gaming of all kinds, to fleece the unwary and the weary, the innocent and ignorant and the not so well connected. And the modern day robbers, pirates and drug peddlers would also be knighted, respectable, and would build mansions all over the world, hop and sail in their private jets and yachts. And there is also no need to be woolly about morality, about fair play and about righteousness. These are only the concerns for the losers to cry over with, after they were fleeced.

China should raise the Korean tension issue in the UN

While the belligerent parties are bent on provoking the North Koreans with more war games in the Yellow Sea and the borders of North Korea, and calling the North Koreans provocative, China should not keep quiet and let the unjust blame game to go on. China must name the gangsters as they are and bring the matter to the UN to let the world community knows who are the real provocateurs. China cannot afford to be on the defensive and allow the US to put the blame on her when the US is the real culprit in the whole crisis. The american deception and ill intent to raise tension in the Korean Peninsula must be revealed for all to see. One simple resolution that the UN can adopt is to stop all parties from conducting war games in the Yellow Sea and 200km from the Korean borders. This alone should be good enough to lower the tension in the peninsula. If not, the belligerent countries will continue to carry their big guns to threaten North Korea. In addition, China shall call for a thorough investigation on the blowing up of Choenan and find who is the real murderer of the South Korean seamen. This incident must not be forgotten and laid to rest without giving justice to the dead men and their families. It must be pursued rigorously. Otherwise more innocent people would be killed with more of such incidents to raise tension and war between the two Koreans will be repeated. The two Koreans too must support such an investigation, and avoid conducting war games to provoke one another.

Another isolated youth slashing incident

A 23 year old was slashed in Yishun for asking a group of teenagers for his lost mobile phone. The youngest of the slashers was only 13. They attacked the 23 year old with parangs and leaving him bleeding with many cuts. He was lucky to be alive. This must be another isolated incident involving wayward youths. I don’t think they are gang members, just nice little neighbourhood kids on an outing together. The only difference today is that kids don’t only carry mobile phones only. They also tucked a parang in their waist pouch. And they are willing to wield the parangs and chop anyone when confronted. This is how far our society has progressed. We have upgraded our communications skill, from talking to arguing to quarrelling and now to slashing. And the fashion gadgets the kids are attaching to their bodies include tattoos and parangs, not 3 inch jack knives or pen knives. Any slashing incident is just a once in 50 year affair. And our nice neighbourhood kids will not be involved in any gangland warfare. Maybe a little staring incident now and then. Nothing to worry about. Singapore is still a very safe city.

In praise of Greed

68 medical specialists left the public sector to go into private practice. And the lure is a ten fold increase in income. Current income of public sector specialists ranges from $12k to $60k pm or $160k to three quarter of a million as compare to a million to 5 million in the private sector. And with COE hitting the $100k mark soon, these poor doctors would not be able to buy a decent car to drive. Nothing is wrong with the specialists wanting to earn a few millions a year. What is fearful is that the next round of salary increment in the public sector for medical specialists would push medical fees out into deep space. But that is the price to pay for a booming economy when there is so much money to be made and with a price tag of a few millions for anything as only small change. The way it is going, all the specialists should soon end up in the private sector, and more private hospitals can be built to reap more profits from this life and death business. The public sector can never hope to compete with the private sector on money alone. If they do, it will create a continuous domino theory with every other professional expecting to earn more than the doctors, starting with the politicians. We now have a great trend going in the property sectors when everything is for sale for more profits. And the foreigners are not short of cash with liquidity flooding the world’s financial system. The Chinese, the Indians, the Europeans and Americans are all pouring their petty cash here to sweep up every available property left. The recent announcement of Caldecott Hill being available for good residential properties could see more being built and sold off. And the GDP numbers are going to look very good indeed. Everything is for sale, for profit and for money. For those who fall into the CBF category of workers, tighten your seat belt and trouser’s belt. The ride is going to be exhilarating. We are in the best of time of our economic boom. The big cars are selling fast even with $60k for a piece of COE. The good times are here.

Responsibilities of Stock Exchanges

Goh Eng Yeow wrote an article in the ST on 6 Dec expressing concern on the role of high speed trading and the interests of small traders. High speed trading as an instrument used by big funds to take advantage of sophisticated computer technology is giving the funds an unfair advantage against the small traders. With the aid of high speed computers, the fund is able to tap into the system to know the queues of buy and sell and more, and could then come to a quick decision to buy and sell to its favour. When funds are trading in a big way, high volume and high speed, against the small investors or the rest of the investors, the losers are obvious. What then is the position of the stock exchanges on this new development? There are some fundamental responsibilities and roles which the stock exchanges are governed by its own regulations to uphold and to protect investors. Among these are: 1. Provide a level playing field. With the participation of high speed trading, is the playing field level? Is there an unfair advantage in favour of high speed traders? 2. Churning is against the regulations of stock exchanges. 3. Buying and selling without change of ownership is a violation of stock exchange regulations. 4. Buying and selling and creating a false market through such actions is also a violation of stock exchange regulations. 5. Is the trading of big funds transparent to the small investors when transparency is a hallmark of a proper stock exchange? How could stock exchanges protect the interests of investors and maintain the integrity of the system without compromising on its own regulatory role with the introduction of high speed trading? Is there a problem here?