Impressive!

I am impressed. First we have the Tony Tan and Hazel Poa, then Benjamin Pwee, Vincent Wijesingha. And then standing ovation when Chen Show Mao appeared. And look who's entering the arena, Tan Jee Say and Ang Yong Guan. And all these, not discounting the pathfinders like Sylvia Lim, Goh Meng Seng, Gerald Giam, they all add up to quite a bit of weight to the pioneer and veteran fighters of Chiam, Low and the other opposition leaders. One thing that stands out, the new candidates are standing head to head with the PAP slate. But the most startling of all is Nicole Seah. At 24 she seems young, but not when she speaks. She is every inch a mature and able politician in the way she carries herself and how she handles the press. I am impressed. When you have a good candidate, it shows. No one is questioning her on her maturity though she is only 24. It is not just age. You have it or you don't.

The timing of heaven

When a big storm is brewing, or when a natural disaster is about to hit the shore, all the creatures in the wild, big and small, will get the first signal to evacuate. The timing of heaven is obvious to those recipients who are meant to receive the signal of a major change. Throughout our 40 odd years of existence, other than the founding years, never has there been a time when so many talents are standing up as if someone has blown a whistle. They came from thousands of miles away, they sprouted out from under the carpet, sprang out of cupboards, they came out of retirement, from the most unexpected quarters, all heeding a call for change. They are not the only one that is answering to this call, everyone can sense that change is coming and many are standing up to make the change. Everyone in cyberspace is contributing in his little way towards this change. Even the often reticent and fearful aunties and uncles in the kopitiams and markets are making the change. They are stretching their hands out to greet the opposition party candidates. The days of fear and shunning the opposition parties were gone. There is a new kind of exuberance. The recent barrage of failures after failures, against all the big talks about being pro active, about thinking and planning ahead and about preventing problems from taking root seem so defeating. Can the high cost of living be arrested earlier, can the high influx of foreigners be prevented, can the high housing prices and housing problems be foreseen? Can more be done to make public transportation more efficient, can the escalating medical cost be prevented? The answer is either one in 50 years or due to external forces. Nothing can be prevented or anticipated even by supertalents with super salary. The worst part is that many of the problems created are claimed to be good for the people. The influx of foreigners are good, the high property prices are good, the high medical fees are good, after all you can’t get world class medical services for free. High GST is also good. Is there anything that is not good? High population density? High salary in public offices? If these problems are regarded as good, don’t expect them to go away. They will be fed to become bigger. The heaven has signal for change. The timing is just about right. And the forces for change are all ready to effect the change. Even the ruling party is contributing positively to the impending change either intentionally or unintentionally.

Grotto Art 2

Another of my cave paintings with the figurines of children and women sketched on the cave walls. The texture of the wall is also very interesting. Click the Art of RAR image on top right of page for more photo paintings.

Can we survive without huge influx of FTs?

The FT is good mantra is being sung daily. FT good, FT is indispensable, FT is our saviour. If we keep on singing this mantra, soon we will have nightmares on FTs. We are not talking about the natural movement of people across borders to work and play. This trend has been going on for ages without much of a hiccup except in racist countries when some people of different colours are barred. Today we are faced with a different kind of problem, a conscious and meticulous design to flood the country with foreigners, claiming that without them the country will not be able to continue to grow at a rapid pace. This calling for more and more foreigners is getting to a point of madness. Of course the madmen would not admit that it is madness. With all due respect to all the super great FTs in our shores and those who were appointed to high offices due to their merits, I would like to ask a simple question, ‘Can an organisation be run just as efficiently with a Singaporean in charge instead of a FT?’ Take the case of the Health Ministry, would the health services collapse, or all systems failed to work if a Singaporean is made the Health Minister? Or would DBS do less well if it was not managed by FTs? Stretch this further, will those govt ministries or GLCs be worst than what they are today if Singaporeans were to be in charge instead of FTs? If the answer is yes, then we better bring in more foreigners quickly. If the answer is no, that these organisations will just run as before, could be better, then someone must be lying through the skin of his teeth. I bet there are many Singaporeans that are worthy to feel these positions. These are high value positions need not necessarily go to FTs if Singaporeans can do the job equally well. If Singaporeans cannot do them, we have a very serious problem in paying super salary to super local talents. They must be all overpaid, all rubbish, that they can’t do these jobs and only foreigners can. Am I talking rubbish or the people are being fed with rubbish? We have thousands of our best talents trained locally and in the best universities overseas, and all proven to be duds. Believe me, it is true. That is why the panic button is pressed for more FTs.

The Ten Commandments of Sin

1. Thou shalt believe in one god 2. Thou shalt believe in one party 3. Thou shalt not steal when being paid very well 4. Thou shalt not begrudge other people’s big salary 5. Thou shalt not kill but anything else ok 6. Thou shalt believe that some are more equal than others 7. Thou shalt believe that what you saved is not your money 8. Thou shalt not have doubts in god's words. 9. Thou shalt believe that your country is a hotel 10. Thou shalt believe that foreigners are your saviour

What is my motive?

I have proven myself to be one of the top legal eagles in the world. I am well regarded in the USA and in China, Hongkong and Taiwan. I have made my millions and I could go on making millions as a foreign talent in the US, China or any where in the world. I am following the advice of our MM, to venture abroad when our talents are well appreciated and in demand. I can consider myself as a successful Singaporeans in every way. I have made my money. Money is no longer important to me. I am looking for a higher calling. I am coming home to serve my country and my people, on my own volition. I am coming home, to give back to society, to my country who have given me so much in my younger days, good schools, good education and a good place where I grew up and made many friends. For what I am going to do, I have no chance of making the kind of money I am getting if I were to stay overseas. And I may not even be given a chance to serve the people if they do not want me. There is not only no guarantee that I will be given a chance to serve, I may face a lot of obstacles in my path. For a start, people may question my motivation, as if I am eyeing for the multi million dollar income. I can tell to go to hell. I have all the money that I need and I have proven that I can make more. And if money is all I wanted, it will be better for me to continue to do what I am doing in Shanghai or in New York or London. But home is where I choose to be. I am bringing my family home, to grow my family and serve my people. Serving my people is a higher calling than just making more money. What I will be getting as an allowance is really peanuts, without being rude. Some of my friends think I am crazy, a successful world class lawyer, and I give up all that to come home to be questioned on my integrity, my sense of duty, with my family and private life being displayed in the open for people to rubbish. I also know how brutal and unforgiving the politics of my country is from the experience of my predecessors. I must say that I am a bit disappointed. But I also believe that the people will understand what I can do for them, to work for them and the country. I believe the people have the wisdom to know what is real and what is unreal. I will let the people judge me for what I am. If the people want me, I am willing to serve them at the best of my ability. I am offering my service to the people and the country. I shall let the people decide. PS. This is just what I would like to hear from Chen Show Mao. He comes forward without the need to be invited. He has the passion to want to serve. And he knows that losing can mean total destruction of his life and career, even his family. No secure and comforting coat tail to hang on. The risk is just unacceptable to many good people to want to come forward. What more do we want from him? And what is the motive of people asking for his motive?

Who is raiding our reserves?

Worker’s Party wants to reduce the cost of public housing and is accused of trying to raid the reserves. When Chiam See Tong asked for a chicken wing for the people he was accused of trying to kill the golden goose. Now the people not only have a chicken wing, some have two chicken wings, and some two chicken wings plus two drumsticks. Who is feeding our reserves and who is raiding the reserves?

Political self gratification

What is political self gratification? It is not much different from masturbation. Just imagine whatever that is pleasurable and masturbate on it, work on it I mean. One way is to think that you are the best talent in the world and the people must pay you whatever is your price, be it $3m, $5m or $10m. The thought of it is enough to get wet. And to really be paid that kind of money, now that is political self gratification at its best. Then you tell the people that what you have done is the best in their interest, like enhancing the value of their assets. Disregard those that have to pay more and more to chase the asset balloon. If they cannot afford it, just ask them to lower their expectations, from 4 rm to 3 rm to 2 rm. And you know the people just cannot do anything about it. Damn gratifying. They still have to come begging for more. It can be better by telling the people that they have to live with your logic, like it or not. Tell them that you are not going to build flats like cars in the show room for sale. They have to put in their orders, then only will you throw a tender and let the developers sweat it out in the next 3 or 4 years. Then tell the dumb asses that it is their fault for not planning when to get married and when to want to buy a flat. If this is not gratifying what else is? Comes election, throw them a slate of candidates and tell them these are the best talents you can find even if the talents are no better than their next door neighbours. And if the opposition comes up with candidates that are as qualified as yours or better, just question their motives. Your candidates did not have any motives. Or tell them the motives of your candidates are all honourable, to serve the people. Oh yes, tell the peasants that you are their servants, to serve them. After the election you can continue to rule them for the next 4 or 5 years. Screwing peasants must be great fun. Tell them to work hard, be cheap, be better and faster, tighten their belts when things are not looking good, and threaten them that without you their standard of living will go down, their property values will drop, and they may end up as maids in foreign countries. Isn’t that gratifying telling them that you are their servant? I must confess that I have no motive writing this. I am just getting a little self gratification. I am wet already.

Brazillian Road Festival

A procession of colourfully dressed performers on a road festival in Brazil. Click on Art of RAR image on top right for more paintings.

One casualty before the GE

Temasek Review has been down for a couple of days. It announced that it will not be in business in July. We are now still in April. Does anyone know the reason why Temasek Review is down and out? It can’t be the GE and that someone thinks that it is a threat and blocks it from broadcasting. It will be a sad day for the internet if it is so. Maybe the fear of the internet is true. Is this the beginning of a clamp down prior to the GE? How many will still be broadcasting throughout the GE? The humble internet is growing in importance to compete against the main media in the coverage of socio political news. And in the GE, its role is all cut out, to ensure a more level playing field for all parties. The opposition parties do not have the privilege of a friendly media covering and presenting their side of the story in a better light. With the internet, they practically have their own reporters and broadcasters to say what they really want to say. Then there is this dirty tactic that some like to used to attack their opponents, peeping into candidate’s key hole, sneaking in to find juicy news, digging out candidates history or things like candidates digging their noses and wearing pink panties. When candidates run foul, play foul, the internet could make it into an issue to embarrass the trespassers, to shame them for hitting below the belt, even to question their integrity and suitability to run for political office. This is the least the alternative media can do, to be the watchdog for fair play. The dirty game is just starting and more can happen without the internet to check such abuses. Let this game be a fairer game, a decent game and the better and more deserving man or woman be elected to Parliament. And let the punks be made known as punks. This is what citizen journalism is all about.

A bad feeling

Chen Show Mao spent 40 of his 50 years out of Singapore. There is this rumour that he may be disqualified to stand for election under the 10 year residency condition. The public data that I have gathered is that he came to Singapore in 1972, completed his primary, secondary and A level in 1979. This is followed by 2 ½ years of NS. He graduated from Harvard in 1986. From these data, the number is scary. Assuming that he continued to work outside of Singapore after graduation, and he started in Harvard in 1983, probably he will be safe. But if one is to take a fine comb and go through the days he was out of Singapore on holidays etc, it can be very dicey. This case his passport will be a key document, to count the number of days he spent in Singapore to make up for the 10 years requirement. And the number of days he returned to see his parents will be very crucial. Who will be tasked to do the checking? The WP better starts the checking to provide all supporting documents for this case. Will he be disqualified? Let’s hope that this is a false alarm.

Three tsunamis after the GE

Someone said the Worker's Party did not know that the tsunami is coming. Would there really be a tsunami? For the moment there is a calm before the storm. For 13 GEs, there were no storms to talk about after the GE. There were a couple of afternoon showers that were regarded as bad and shocking, like a little flooding in Orchard Road. The coming GE is the 14th GE. 14 is never a good number to those who believe in fengshui. Could there be a storm after the GE? What could be worst than a storm, more like a tsunami? As in all democratic elections, the people, the 'masters' of the country, shall decide. Three frightening results can actually happen. No one can really throw them out as rubbish, impossible. The first shock could be Chok Tong losing his Marine Parade GRC. The second shock, LKY and Tanjong Pagar go down. And the shock of all shocks, Hsien Loong loses Ang Mo Kio to a team of young turks. If any of these three events were to happen, it could rightly be called a political tsunami. And if all three were to happen, it will be a triple whammy. The falling of a few ministers and their GRCs is now more of a reality and can be expected. Nothing earth shattering. Are the people prepared for such a tsunami? No way, impossible! Is there such a thing as impossible in a free and open democratic election?

For goodness sake!

LKY just announced that he is standing for the next GE. Unbelieveable, but what to do? It is either both he and Chok Tong retire or both should stand. They have become inseparable twins. That is the political situation today. For if both were to retire, the supremacy of the PAP will be greatly compromised. The opposition will score when there is no goalkeeper between the poles. He is still needed to keep the party together I supposed.

Singaporean FT no good, foreign FTs betterer

Chen Show Mao was and is a Singaporean, studied here, served his NS before venturing abroad to make his mark. He is the role model for Singaporeans who want to make it good in the international scene, to compete with the best in the world and to be recognized as one of the best. He has returned home to want to serve the country in Parliament. His absence from the country is now frowned upon as a misgiving. Instead, foreign talents that took up citizenships here, did not do NS, are preferred as more desirable candidates to assume political office. Is this how we should treat our very own citizens, our very own talents vis a vis foreign talents? If this is the mentality, Singaporean talents better think twice before taking up that offer to work overseas. When you return home to roost, you will be watched with suspicion, that you are a lesser Singaporean than a new citizen. Your motives will be questioned. On the other hand the motives of new citizens are honourable or must be honourable. When we question our own sons for their motives for returning home, something is seriously wrong, insanity. When we don’t trust our own children but someone who just walked in and be easily convinced by this Ginny comes lately, what are we telling our children? Yes, foreign talents are better than our own children. Instead of challenging him on what or how he could contribute to the country, his integrity and ‘motives’ are now the subject of scrutiny. Basically, it becomes an assault on his character, and all because he went to find his fortune as a Singapore foreign talent.

National Service being insulted

In a brief few days, the national institution of NS has been insulted over and over again by people who are pleasantly disposed to FTs and new citizens. And this hurts, it hurts very badly to all NS men and ex NS men. The years of sacrifice that they gave to the country now seems meaningless. In just a few days, NS is no longer as important as it was. The rite of passage for all young Singaporeans is being brushed aside as something lesser, as little as any economic activity. For a start, a doctor claimed that his role as a doctor to treat his patients is as good as doing national service. This has infuriated many Singaporeans, especially the doctors that served as MOs. They must be wondering why are they so stupid when by the nature of their job, they are now doing national service. So what the heck, to don on the uniform for 2 to 3 years, and with reservist liabilities for another 20 plus years, when they don’t really need to? And for new citizens who have not don on the uniform, they can be found to be more deserving to be political masters of the country. Is that insulting? Now another one is saying that all kinds of activities in the country that benefits the country is as good as doing NS. Foreigners/PRs/new citizens who are contributing to the economy of the country, never mind if they did or did not serve NS, also can. I think he got a point. Our forefathers were immigrants and did not do NS also. So new talents, do or no do NS, same as our forefathers, immigrants. Immigrants have privileges too. Citizens? As an ex NS man, I am pissed off by the degrading of National Service as something as common as any economic activity. The amount of trouble and inconveniences to the NS men and their families, and their careers, are now being pooh pooh as just another mundane economic activity.

The proof in black and white

The main media is facing another challenge, its credibility to tell the truth. Forumers used to send in their letters to the main media, which often will be edited for clarity, grammar, correctness, errors or statistics accuracy, or whatever agenda the editor wants to push through. Whatever that is done to their article, there is nothing much that the letter writer can do. They can complain for inaccuracies and sometimes these could be righted at the pleasure of the editor. There could be many cases where the edited letter could come out differently and that’s it, printed as the view of the letter writer. This kind of things is going to change for good. Letter writers can now post their original letters in cyberspace forums to redeem the integrity of their letters. They can post both letters, original and edited copies, in the internet. This means that if the editor is having a different perspective or with a different intent, it will be captured in black and white. If such examples are repeated often enough, the editor or the media it represents is going to have its credibility and integrity aired in public. The power of the new media is unstoppable, and in good hands, can bring about a more truthful picture of events around the world. Old media beware. The days of tyranny of the old media is over. Their monopoly of news and information is compromised and news presented to the public cannot be the same again.

Two pleasant developments over the weekend

The PAP unveiled its manifesto. The only big change actually was what Hsien Loong said. The govt is the servant of the people and not the master of the people. I know that many people must have fell off their chairs hearing this. I know that many would not believe a wee bit by what was said and what was real. It is still a major change, or at worst, an aspiration, and idealistic state that will never exist in realpolitik. How could rulers who have been behaving like masters change overnight to act like servants? ‘Peasants Sir, please tell us what you need or what you want, Sir. We are at your service and at your command, Sir.’ Some have been gloating how great were their policies and what a great job they have done despite the people spitting behind their back. Actually the people are spitting at them openly, in cyberspace. Then there are the deaf frogs who think they know best and will not listen to the peasants and will do what they think are best for the peasants. Then there are those that carry a cane around. Is the cane meant for the peasants to cane them or the other way? The only two servants have gone. They have been serving the people but never got the chance to be masters. They tried very hard in Potong Pasir and Hougang. Good bye servants. The other pleasant development came from the opposition camp. One by one they are withdrawing from 3 corner fights. Finally they have woken up from their silly ideas. What would the electorate think if they insist in 3 corner fights among themselves? A bunch of crazy, unthinking and conceited fools? Why would the electorate vote for lunatics who just want to stand for election, to fight among themselves and knowing very well that by doing so they will simply lose? It only shows how silly they are, and why would the electorate want to give the vote to them? Well, at least over the weekend they are standing up to tell the electorate that they are not that silly after all. And they will plan and coordinate their positions rationally, logically, objectively and not indulge in naïve adventurism. If they can do that, their chances will be much better. At least the people will have more confidence in them. I am crossing my fingers that this election is different and ethos has changed for the better. But the truth will only be seen when the battle begins.

Going to school

Papa and mama sending their son off to school. The boy, wearing a baseball head and with head looking down, looks very dejected. And he carries a big school bag on his back. More pics click www.artofrar.blogspot.com on the right.

The real cause of high HDB prices

Lucky Tan in his article in Diary of a Singaporean Mind pointed to the land price as the heart of the housing issue. There are some truths to that. But the real cost of high housing price is simply the cost of 2 plates of char kway teow. Don’t be deceived by the simplicity of the char kway teow argument. In fact, the high cost of living in this island is caused by the 2 additional plates of char kway teow. How many more plates of char kway teow are needed to pay for the President, the ministers and the whole cohort of politicians? They add up my friends. And to justify the grotesques income of the politicians, they have to make it seems palatable and reasonable by inflating the whole civil service salaries. And these are justified by the high salaries of GLCs which are further justified by the top earners in the private sectors. Suddenly the 2 plates of char kway teow are not enough. Down the line many many mouths need more than 2 plates of char kway teow. The bottom line is that many thousands of millions of char kway teow are needed now. And where to find such money to pay for all the char kway teow? Char Kway teow don’t come free too. Who is paying for the char kway teow? And for every 2 plates of char kway teow added to one key appointment holders, millions of additional char kway teow are needed. Please, no more 2 plates of char kway teow only.

Cages for MRT stations

The recent tragic case of a promising Thai student falling into the MRT track and losing both her legs must have made many people thinking. How to prevent such accidents from happening in an area that apparently is having an unusual number of such accidents. They are preventable of course, or could be greatly reduced. The artistically attractive and high tech barriers that have been erected in some stations seem to be the solution to such problems. They are expensive and require high technical and engineering skills to instal them, and the poor commuters will eventually have to pay for them. The costs could come in tens or hundreds of millions if maintenance and service and replacement are included. Funny thing is that many must have seen railways running through the centre of a market, or people living a few feet from operational railway lines and nothing of such happens to the residents. Is it a miracle, that there is an invisible hand preventing accidents from happening in such a dangerous situation? There are many kinds of people who will end up in the tracks, intentionally, by mischief or by accident. There are the suicide squad that comes with one purpose, to jump when the train is approaching. There are the real suicide bombers that will blow themselves up and the trains in the same time. Then the mischievious kids and their pranks, and the normal accidents like the school girl, falling for some unexpected reasons. The high tech barriers cannot do the job properly against people who are bent on jumping on the tracks, even with CCTV cameras. You would need to put all the commuters into a cage if absolute safety is needed. Also, the expensive high tech system is superfluous, overkilled, and a big waste of money. It is like, since the commuters are crying for safety, give it to them at whatever cost, and make them happy, and make them pay. To prevent simple accidents like people falling into the tracks without intending so, a simpler barrier could do the job just as effective as the high tech barrier. A railing like those in high rise flats, maybe double layer of railings could do the job just as fine. Low cost, easy to instal and minimal maintenance. What is it so difficult to put up simple railings, couple with a few measures of a pair of watchful eyes through CCTVs, alert staff and alert drivers?