The Christians are reliving the past, the days of Jesus Christ, the times when miracles happened. Jesus died and was resurrected to live forever. The past can be a great inspiration to many and can be quite frightening to some. The past could be a milestone, a reference point to mark where we have come from and where we should be going into the future.
Last week Hsien Loong was warning the people that if we don’t buck up, we could return to the past, to the 60s. In this sense, the past is something we do not want to revisit.
What were some of the memories of the 60s that are still lingering in our thoughts? Renting a place to sleep, to get married, to set up homes, is a common thing then. The citizens were so comfortable living and sharing with strangers in little rooms, sharing kitchens and toilet facilities. The toilets at home are like public toilets, just as dirty, with no ownership and untidy housemates.
And of course the rooms were small and crammed. A 600 sq ft unit could be shared by 3 or 4 families. Each family of 4 or 8 or more could be squeezed into a single room.
Car ownership was a great status symbol, a social class to be aspired to. There were TV serials just on the theme of car ownership class and how this became the divide of society.
And there were latch key children, with both parents at work and the children given the house key to return to an empty nest. Life was tough and everyone was working hard. The good thing then was the hope and aspirations, the attainable hopes and aspirations for the ordinary folks to own their cars and their flats. And upgrading to bigger and bigger units of flats or private properties were a way of life. Everyone was improving their lives. This latter part, of living their dreams and attaining them quite easily, kept the people happy and focussed on the good life ahead.
In many ways we are already revisiting the 60s in some areas. It is not that we are going backward. We are already there. We are in the process of going full circle. Singaporeans are encouraged to share their flats to strangers and turning their toilets into public toilets, for an income. The new flats are getting smaller and smaller, and with shoe box flats being brandished as the next good thing, more will have to live in them, as owners and not tenants.
The latch key syndrome has not gone away, only the parents. In the 60s, the parents were in Jurong or working somewhere in the island. Today the parents of these latch key children are further away, overseas.
Another 5 years will be all it takes for car ownership to become another new privilege class. Many would have to abandon their dreams of owning a car. Many will live their lives without being able to buy a car while many will be owning 5, 10 or 20 cars.
The upgrading ethos will still carry on. Many will still aspire to upgrade, from a 1000 sq ft HDB flat to a 600 sq ft private flat that costs a million. And their life style will improve with the millionaires living next door. And hopefully no need to turn their toilets into public toilets by subletting to strangers.
The dreams of being rich and owning properties will always be there. There will be those who will become doctors, lawyers, politicians, top civil servants, and be able to afford the rich life of the talented. Many have made it and the reward is more than worth it…if they made it. But many will return to the 60s to live their dreams that will no longer be that easy to attain. It is not a matter of whether they will return to the 60s, they will, many will.
Some of the women folks may end up as maids if they are not careful, and have irons on their faces or falling off while cleaning windows.
The oldies then fared better than those today. Maybe they died earlier. Many could live off their pensions and faded away. Today, the oldies are richer, with plenty of savings in their CPF, but still have to work till they die.
4/07/2012
4/06/2012
TRE banning redbean from accessing
Hi TRE, what is happening? I tried to access your site for some reading this morning and found my IP being banned. While your site is reposting my articles, I have rarely made any comments on your site, maybe not more than 5 in all, and all neutral comments, if I can remember.
Must be something funny right? April 1st is more than a week past. You don't have a change of editorial team or administrator for your site I hope.
Must be something funny right? April 1st is more than a week past. You don't have a change of editorial team or administrator for your site I hope.
The Hougang by election court case
The case filed by Madam Vellama Muthu in court for a ruling on when a by election should be held is being challenged vigorously by the Attorney General’s Chambers. The AGC is appealing against Judge Pillai’s ruling for a hearing next week to determine what should be done in view of an MP vacating his seat. The judge has found that there is a prima facie case to have the case heard.
What is the issue of this case? Is it a case of a political party taking a position which other political party disagree. Or is it a case of the people against the govt or the law of the country? If it is the former, where the ruling party is seen as not observing the law of the country, would it then be expected that the ruling party be defending its position?
Or is this a case against the state that the AGC has to come out to take a stand to defend the law? It should be the case if the law is clear. What is now unclear is that the law is apparently vague in the calling of a by election and a case has been filed to have a clear interpretation of the law by the court. Should not this be a good thing, to have a clear position and nobody can then quibble over it? Maybe the AGC’s position is that the law is clear and no need for further interpretation.
What is the best thing to happen? Throw the case out and not wanting to know the court’s ruling and interpretation on what the law really should be?
What is the issue of this case? Is it a case of a political party taking a position which other political party disagree. Or is it a case of the people against the govt or the law of the country? If it is the former, where the ruling party is seen as not observing the law of the country, would it then be expected that the ruling party be defending its position?
Or is this a case against the state that the AGC has to come out to take a stand to defend the law? It should be the case if the law is clear. What is now unclear is that the law is apparently vague in the calling of a by election and a case has been filed to have a clear interpretation of the law by the court. Should not this be a good thing, to have a clear position and nobody can then quibble over it? Maybe the AGC’s position is that the law is clear and no need for further interpretation.
What is the best thing to happen? Throw the case out and not wanting to know the court’s ruling and interpretation on what the law really should be?
4/05/2012
The con game in the world of high finance
The international finance industry is rotting to the core. The revelation by the Goldman Sach executive provided a small glimpse to the crimes being committed in the industry. The fund managers are no longer making money from the market for their clients. They could not. The whole financial industry, including the stock markets, has been redesigned to sell worthless papers and financial products at the expense of genuine stocks. Companies listing their shares in the markets too are getting wiser and no longer value the net worth of their shares. Everyone is trading for quick profit with no regards to fundamentals.
When fund managers find it impossible to make money from trading stocks, they ended up violating one of the major regulations of trading, churning client’s money and making money from the clients instead. Everyone, fund managers and stock exchanges, are trying to keep one step ahead of the competition by running faster while the bridge behind is falling off. And they think they are safe while those who move slower fall off and were swallowed by the bottomless pit below.
The only hope by the funds or exchange administrators is to be the last man standing. But then they forgot that the bridge is still collapsing and the last man will still have to fall in too. The fundamentals of stock tradings when there is real value in stocks and shares of companies have been forgotten. Today the trading is done on fictitious paper creations instead and destroying the values of stocks. Billions and trillions of dollars are piled up on worthless papers instead of real stocks just like the days of Lehman Brothers and toxic notes. Values are being created by shifting and printing of these papers. This paper game will have to come to an end sooner or later.
All the top talents are so deep in the pool of shit that they no longer see further than the tips of their noses. And they keep trying to be clever by trying to be creative and innovative, to stay ahead of a falling bridge.
The collapse of the American and European economies and finances was not due to their inability to produce but through their cleverness in over producing, by printing money for themselves, with no real value added. Asset enhancement, asset swaps, paper swaps, borrowing and endless credits, and buying worthless pieces of papers, etc etc, become an unproductive computer game.
The real producers of values are in manufacturing and farming and their true values have been ignored and even sneered at for the pittance they got for their labour. The smart asses need not produce anything but rewarding themselves with millions and billions by financial engineering. And they think the game will go on and on.
The real stuff, the real producers of goods and services, will survive and outlive the fictitious producers of paper wealth that will come to nothing. It sounds so clever for an asset to be traded hundreds of times it original value. It sounded so clever to buy some papers and sell them at hundreds of times their original values. Where is the real value added? If there is none there is none and the gain is pure fiction.
Try to think what Tharman said, ‘We cannot just be a society of insurance agents, real estate agents and bankers and office workers.’ The best of the American talents are in Wall Street writing paper moneys to make millions and billions without being productive. And we want to go down the same road with everyone paying themselves in millions without producing even a grain of rice.
When fund managers find it impossible to make money from trading stocks, they ended up violating one of the major regulations of trading, churning client’s money and making money from the clients instead. Everyone, fund managers and stock exchanges, are trying to keep one step ahead of the competition by running faster while the bridge behind is falling off. And they think they are safe while those who move slower fall off and were swallowed by the bottomless pit below.
The only hope by the funds or exchange administrators is to be the last man standing. But then they forgot that the bridge is still collapsing and the last man will still have to fall in too. The fundamentals of stock tradings when there is real value in stocks and shares of companies have been forgotten. Today the trading is done on fictitious paper creations instead and destroying the values of stocks. Billions and trillions of dollars are piled up on worthless papers instead of real stocks just like the days of Lehman Brothers and toxic notes. Values are being created by shifting and printing of these papers. This paper game will have to come to an end sooner or later.
All the top talents are so deep in the pool of shit that they no longer see further than the tips of their noses. And they keep trying to be clever by trying to be creative and innovative, to stay ahead of a falling bridge.
The collapse of the American and European economies and finances was not due to their inability to produce but through their cleverness in over producing, by printing money for themselves, with no real value added. Asset enhancement, asset swaps, paper swaps, borrowing and endless credits, and buying worthless pieces of papers, etc etc, become an unproductive computer game.
The real producers of values are in manufacturing and farming and their true values have been ignored and even sneered at for the pittance they got for their labour. The smart asses need not produce anything but rewarding themselves with millions and billions by financial engineering. And they think the game will go on and on.
The real stuff, the real producers of goods and services, will survive and outlive the fictitious producers of paper wealth that will come to nothing. It sounds so clever for an asset to be traded hundreds of times it original value. It sounded so clever to buy some papers and sell them at hundreds of times their original values. Where is the real value added? If there is none there is none and the gain is pure fiction.
Try to think what Tharman said, ‘We cannot just be a society of insurance agents, real estate agents and bankers and office workers.’ The best of the American talents are in Wall Street writing paper moneys to make millions and billions without being productive. And we want to go down the same road with everyone paying themselves in millions without producing even a grain of rice.
Asean disarming the Number One Gangster
Asean has proven that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward. Interference in other country’s internal affair through threats, sanctions, and regime change are not acceptable and will do more harm than good. Myanmar is a feather in the cap for Asean and the Way of Asean.
What has the Number One International Gangster achieved in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and those countries that it invaded? Nothing except bloodshed and destruction. And it is still gearing up to invade more countries with Iran and North Korea on the list, and with new troops being deployed in the Asia Pacific region.
What Asean has done in Myanmar is the best proof to the world that the way of the Gangster is not the way and unacceptable. Now, would the Gangster and all the small gangsters stop bullying the weaker countries and lift their sanctions on Myanmar?
What is surprising is for Asean to make a statement against the North Korean’s launch of its satellite. What has that got to do with Asean? Is not Asean trying to interfere in another country’s domestic affair, particularly a country that is so remote from Asean in all counts? Or is Asean’s arm been twisted that it has so say something or else? It is a pity that Asean has to cower under a foreign big power’s pressure to mess around with another country’s peaceful pursuit to send a satellite into space.
What has the Number One International Gangster achieved in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and those countries that it invaded? Nothing except bloodshed and destruction. And it is still gearing up to invade more countries with Iran and North Korea on the list, and with new troops being deployed in the Asia Pacific region.
What Asean has done in Myanmar is the best proof to the world that the way of the Gangster is not the way and unacceptable. Now, would the Gangster and all the small gangsters stop bullying the weaker countries and lift their sanctions on Myanmar?
What is surprising is for Asean to make a statement against the North Korean’s launch of its satellite. What has that got to do with Asean? Is not Asean trying to interfere in another country’s domestic affair, particularly a country that is so remote from Asean in all counts? Or is Asean’s arm been twisted that it has so say something or else? It is a pity that Asean has to cower under a foreign big power’s pressure to mess around with another country’s peaceful pursuit to send a satellite into space.
Accountability and conceitedness
I have written about how 44 men could change your lives or destroy them in an earlier post. In ancient history, countries or states were owned by kings and emperors who conveniently spread the myth that they were the sons of heavens and given the mandate to rule. Then, one man or one family ruled the country. We are slightly better off in having 44 men or women to rule us.
What the 44 men or women forgot is that their mandate is now from the people and for a term of 5 years, and subject to the people’s approval. What happened here is an unnatural development where the govt think that they really have the mandate of heaven for life. This allows them to think that they can do anything they want without having to consult the people. They know best and have the authority to rule the people.
The other myth is the myth of govt. Even the 44 men or women are a myth. The major decisions were not done by the govt or the 44 men or women. They are made by a few men or may be less. And these few individuals were conceited enough, with the arrogance of knowing it all, or with the mandate of heaven, to do as they please.
And they would tell the people in the face, we are in charge and we will be accountable and responsible for the decisions made. The question is who do they think they are? How accountable can they be and how responsible can they be? What accountability or responsibility if a bad decision is going to impact on several millions of lives and for generations to come. And some decisions may even lead to the downfall of a county? Can a few individuals shoulder such responsibility and accountability? What could they do? Make a public apology or cry over the TV?
Decisions like bringing in millions of foreigners and giving away citizenships freely should not be made by a few individuals or even a ruling govt. It must seek the consent of the people, the millions of people that share this country. Decisions to keep the people’s money in the CPF for whatever reasons cannot be made by a few individuals. It is not their money. Such decisions must have the consent of the owners of the money. Then the selling of properties to foreigners and driving up property prices to become more affordable?
There are many decisions that have very serious consequences on many people and should not be made by just a few individuals. The people own this country and must have a say, not a once in 5 years say, not signing a once in 5 year blank cheque.
Tharman has put in succinctly by saying that the govt is too much in the people’s face. ‘We took our incumbency too much for granted in the past and we were also too much in your face. The solution would be for the PAP to engage with the people “a lot more”, take nothing for granted and win Singaporeans over by giving them more say, he said.’
Hsien Loong has also spoke in the same vein yesterday. Is this going to be real, a real change? Or would it be another aspiration, another wayang? Would the govt seriously consult the people on major decisions that would affect country and people? The people will no longer keep quiet when their lives are seriously affected. The people want a big say in major policies affecting them, not the say or decision of a few arrogant men or women who think too highly of themselves.
What the 44 men or women forgot is that their mandate is now from the people and for a term of 5 years, and subject to the people’s approval. What happened here is an unnatural development where the govt think that they really have the mandate of heaven for life. This allows them to think that they can do anything they want without having to consult the people. They know best and have the authority to rule the people.
The other myth is the myth of govt. Even the 44 men or women are a myth. The major decisions were not done by the govt or the 44 men or women. They are made by a few men or may be less. And these few individuals were conceited enough, with the arrogance of knowing it all, or with the mandate of heaven, to do as they please.
And they would tell the people in the face, we are in charge and we will be accountable and responsible for the decisions made. The question is who do they think they are? How accountable can they be and how responsible can they be? What accountability or responsibility if a bad decision is going to impact on several millions of lives and for generations to come. And some decisions may even lead to the downfall of a county? Can a few individuals shoulder such responsibility and accountability? What could they do? Make a public apology or cry over the TV?
Decisions like bringing in millions of foreigners and giving away citizenships freely should not be made by a few individuals or even a ruling govt. It must seek the consent of the people, the millions of people that share this country. Decisions to keep the people’s money in the CPF for whatever reasons cannot be made by a few individuals. It is not their money. Such decisions must have the consent of the owners of the money. Then the selling of properties to foreigners and driving up property prices to become more affordable?
There are many decisions that have very serious consequences on many people and should not be made by just a few individuals. The people own this country and must have a say, not a once in 5 years say, not signing a once in 5 year blank cheque.
Tharman has put in succinctly by saying that the govt is too much in the people’s face. ‘We took our incumbency too much for granted in the past and we were also too much in your face. The solution would be for the PAP to engage with the people “a lot more”, take nothing for granted and win Singaporeans over by giving them more say, he said.’
Hsien Loong has also spoke in the same vein yesterday. Is this going to be real, a real change? Or would it be another aspiration, another wayang? Would the govt seriously consult the people on major decisions that would affect country and people? The people will no longer keep quiet when their lives are seriously affected. The people want a big say in major policies affecting them, not the say or decision of a few arrogant men or women who think too highly of themselves.
4/04/2012
TRE under attack
Looks like Temasek Review Emeritus is under attack again. Unable to read any article posted there.
What the rich do with their wealth?
We are the third richest country in the world according to Forbes on a per capita income basis. This means real money on the head of every Singaporean. And it could be more if we have not imported and bloated up our population with foreigners. But never mind, we are still very rich and should make full use of our money to create a utopian Singapore. How and what is a Utopian Singapore?
My idea of a Utopian Singapore is one that Singaporeans do not need to work any more, or at least no need to work till they die. The third richest country in the world working its citizens to death! Can you believe it? Singaporeans only need to enjoy life, go to school to study anything they want. Go to learn arts and sports and study the sciences for fun. Why not, with the kind of money we have?
We have plenty of money and we can use the money to hire really talented people to create and make more money for us. We can pay for the lower skill people to do manual jobs and the higher skill people to make money. We pay them to do everything for us, but most important thing is to make us richer. Why aren’t we doing this? Aren’t we spending millions and millions to the most talented to make money for us? Or are we spending millions and millions on the most talented to make us work for them? If this is the case, then something is very wrong somewhere. The formula is wrong. The outcome is wrong. There is no need for Singaporeans, the third richest people in the world, to work and to work to death.
What is all the wealth for when we cannot enjoy them, and worst, to scrimp and pinch and to work and work. It is just not right. Our super talents must think smart and do the right things, and think of better ways to make Singaporeans live a richer life with all the wealth we got in our country.
Look, this is nothing new and nothing difficult. Many of the rich here and everywhere are doing just that, living off their wealth, managing their wealth, without the need to work. We can transform our wealth at the national level and make all Singaporeans as wealthy owners of our national wealth, and live a life of plenty, and no need to work. Any Singaporean who wants to work is to work for his own enjoyment, personal satisfaction, like the rich and super rich. That is the goal.
The present situation is not that of a rich country but a country with so much wealth and benefiting a small elite and so called super talented foreigners. There are still too many people not living well and many are just making ends meet. Is our wealth fictitious or not properly directed to benefit the people? Giving the extremely poor a few hundred bucks monthly is not sharing of the country’s wealth.
Think of a new formula, a nation of wealthy Singaporeans, no work, all play. And making the talented people work for us. For paying them so well, they better give us good returns for what they are worth. We pay them to work for us. Why are we paying so much and not getting the return to make everyone live better and still got to work to death?
The third richest country must be a happy country with the people really feeling rich, not poor. We must be able to fund our people in education, the unfortunate and the aged. The only thing that we are funding is the hoards of foreign students. And we are running charity shows after charity shows to raise funds for the less fortunate. How can that be?
The rich in our midst don’t live a life begging for charity. Neither do they need to work to death. Maybe it is all a dream and so is my utopia. Some thing is just not right.
My idea of a Utopian Singapore is one that Singaporeans do not need to work any more, or at least no need to work till they die. The third richest country in the world working its citizens to death! Can you believe it? Singaporeans only need to enjoy life, go to school to study anything they want. Go to learn arts and sports and study the sciences for fun. Why not, with the kind of money we have?
We have plenty of money and we can use the money to hire really talented people to create and make more money for us. We can pay for the lower skill people to do manual jobs and the higher skill people to make money. We pay them to do everything for us, but most important thing is to make us richer. Why aren’t we doing this? Aren’t we spending millions and millions to the most talented to make money for us? Or are we spending millions and millions on the most talented to make us work for them? If this is the case, then something is very wrong somewhere. The formula is wrong. The outcome is wrong. There is no need for Singaporeans, the third richest people in the world, to work and to work to death.
What is all the wealth for when we cannot enjoy them, and worst, to scrimp and pinch and to work and work. It is just not right. Our super talents must think smart and do the right things, and think of better ways to make Singaporeans live a richer life with all the wealth we got in our country.
Look, this is nothing new and nothing difficult. Many of the rich here and everywhere are doing just that, living off their wealth, managing their wealth, without the need to work. We can transform our wealth at the national level and make all Singaporeans as wealthy owners of our national wealth, and live a life of plenty, and no need to work. Any Singaporean who wants to work is to work for his own enjoyment, personal satisfaction, like the rich and super rich. That is the goal.
The present situation is not that of a rich country but a country with so much wealth and benefiting a small elite and so called super talented foreigners. There are still too many people not living well and many are just making ends meet. Is our wealth fictitious or not properly directed to benefit the people? Giving the extremely poor a few hundred bucks monthly is not sharing of the country’s wealth.
Think of a new formula, a nation of wealthy Singaporeans, no work, all play. And making the talented people work for us. For paying them so well, they better give us good returns for what they are worth. We pay them to work for us. Why are we paying so much and not getting the return to make everyone live better and still got to work to death?
The third richest country must be a happy country with the people really feeling rich, not poor. We must be able to fund our people in education, the unfortunate and the aged. The only thing that we are funding is the hoards of foreign students. And we are running charity shows after charity shows to raise funds for the less fortunate. How can that be?
The rich in our midst don’t live a life begging for charity. Neither do they need to work to death. Maybe it is all a dream and so is my utopia. Some thing is just not right.
Temasek has discovered the magic formula
Temasek Holding is selling its Indonesian Bank Danamon stake to DBS Bank for $9.1b. It was reported that it paid $365m in 2005 for a 51% stake in Danamon. It has subsequently increased its stake. The cost of the additional stake was not disclosed but the $9.1b would definitely give it a substantial return on its investment. This is the kind of ‘bee tang’ transaction that every fund manager is looking forward to. One cannot be helped but to say that Temasek must be laughing to the bank, to DBS Bank actually, when the sale would give it an additional 439 million of new DBS shares. This would raise its stake in DBS from 29.5% to 40.4%. It is really a deal made in heaven.
The best part of the deal, DBS Bank is so happy paying a premium of 56.3% over last month’s market price. What a win win situation, with buyer and seller happy like fart. DBS will now be the 5th largest bank in Indonesia and a foothold in the hottest emerging market.
Temasek should try to duplicate this formula by buying more bank stakes from emerging countries and resell it to DBS Bank. DBS too should try to buy bank stocks from Temasek instead of other sources and not to repeat the same deal as Dao Heng which it was not too happy with.
The partnership between Temasek Holding and DBS Bank is unbeateable. And the formula is not easy to duplicate. The bottom line of Temasek will get a big boost with this sale.
The best part of the deal, DBS Bank is so happy paying a premium of 56.3% over last month’s market price. What a win win situation, with buyer and seller happy like fart. DBS will now be the 5th largest bank in Indonesia and a foothold in the hottest emerging market.
Temasek should try to duplicate this formula by buying more bank stakes from emerging countries and resell it to DBS Bank. DBS too should try to buy bank stocks from Temasek instead of other sources and not to repeat the same deal as Dao Heng which it was not too happy with.
The partnership between Temasek Holding and DBS Bank is unbeateable. And the formula is not easy to duplicate. The bottom line of Temasek will get a big boost with this sale.
4/03/2012
60 men and a minor, a call girl
"The men include a senior banker, a company director, a senior vice-president of
a private company, lawyers, a senior police officer, a primary school principal who is married with a child as well as a scholarship recipient." - The New Paper Report
It is a simple straight forward case of committing a crime under the law of the land, having sex with a minor. But it is not to be so as the luminaries involved could be like the sky opening up. The appointments said that these are senior men in high offices and many could be very well known or related to the very well known or to families of very well known.
Now there will be many red faces and embarrassing moments for many that are related in one way or another. It is going to be very tricky how to handle a situation like this. In Diary of a Singaporean Mind, the views were quite diverse. Some wanting the law to be applied whether it is one man, one unknown man, or so many important people. The law must be fair and square. No one is above the law. Some were more compassionate and understanding and the fear the consequences on the lives of these dignitaries.
I am not any wiser either. There is the consideration of a law for everyone, king and commoners. There is the compassion and the also the sympathy for the violators. Some may not think so.
The human nature, the urge and the lust for the opposite sex, or just for the thrills of having sex, can be a very strong pull for men to err on the wrong side of the law. To err is human. What is surprising is that these are very senior and serious people. Is it the fault of human nature, or is it the failings of an individual, a character flaw, or something that is so irresistible that they are helpless and willingly committed such an act? Would these people be able to think rationally that the obsession is irreprehensible that they should pull themselves away from it?
Looking at drug addictions, the obsessive urge of paedophiles, the temptations seem irresistible. The psychiatrists could interpret these as abnormal behavior, a flaw in the personality, a mental disorder. 60 men are going to face the music one way or another. Given the seniority of their appointments, not thinking, unthinking or a moment of folly is not going to win any grounds. It is going to be real tough on every one of them.
I am not passing any judgement as I am no god or immortals. I am just an ordinary man that could also fall victim to all kinds of temptation as well. When this case goes to court, it is going to bring down the roof. The jaws will drop.
a private company, lawyers, a senior police officer, a primary school principal who is married with a child as well as a scholarship recipient." - The New Paper Report
It is a simple straight forward case of committing a crime under the law of the land, having sex with a minor. But it is not to be so as the luminaries involved could be like the sky opening up. The appointments said that these are senior men in high offices and many could be very well known or related to the very well known or to families of very well known.
Now there will be many red faces and embarrassing moments for many that are related in one way or another. It is going to be very tricky how to handle a situation like this. In Diary of a Singaporean Mind, the views were quite diverse. Some wanting the law to be applied whether it is one man, one unknown man, or so many important people. The law must be fair and square. No one is above the law. Some were more compassionate and understanding and the fear the consequences on the lives of these dignitaries.
I am not any wiser either. There is the consideration of a law for everyone, king and commoners. There is the compassion and the also the sympathy for the violators. Some may not think so.
The human nature, the urge and the lust for the opposite sex, or just for the thrills of having sex, can be a very strong pull for men to err on the wrong side of the law. To err is human. What is surprising is that these are very senior and serious people. Is it the fault of human nature, or is it the failings of an individual, a character flaw, or something that is so irresistible that they are helpless and willingly committed such an act? Would these people be able to think rationally that the obsession is irreprehensible that they should pull themselves away from it?
Looking at drug addictions, the obsessive urge of paedophiles, the temptations seem irresistible. The psychiatrists could interpret these as abnormal behavior, a flaw in the personality, a mental disorder. 60 men are going to face the music one way or another. Given the seniority of their appointments, not thinking, unthinking or a moment of folly is not going to win any grounds. It is going to be real tough on every one of them.
I am not passing any judgement as I am no god or immortals. I am just an ordinary man that could also fall victim to all kinds of temptation as well. When this case goes to court, it is going to bring down the roof. The jaws will drop.
The lynching of Shimun Lai
Below are some of the 114 comments posted in www.temasekimes.wordpress.com in the thread ‘Shimun Lai apologises…’ The commentators are angry, furious and not forgiving her. Her apology apparently did not go down well on those she had offended. This is how serious a snide remark can cause in a multi racial society. Everyone must be extra sensitive in what they are saying, blogging, tweeting or posting in their facebooks. Your good friend could send the message out and it can go viral very quickly.
I am reminded of the US and the KKK and how vicious they were in lynching their victims on racial grounds. I am not sure what kind of punishment should be dealt to Shimun Lai before her offended victims could cool off. Lynching her is out of question. And the case is not really serious enough for the police to prosecute her in court. Neither would it be serious enough to sack her from the polytechnic. She has apologised, her polytechnic has reprimanded her.
She did said something disgusting for sure. Would those demanding for her blood like to visit 3in1kopitiam and take those saying 100 times more disgusting things than Shimun Lai to task as well? There is a time for forgiveness and the viciousness shown can turn ugly and hypocritical when overdone.
Do we want a society where every little offence will be reported to the police and demanding prosecution or hanging? I know of a neighbour complaining about the neighbour’s plants. The neighbour did not want to aggravate the situation and did not complain for all the incense dust that had fallen on their clothings and at their doorstep by the complaining neighbour’s incense sticks hanging at his door. And this makes the complaining neighbour think he is an angel, doing no wrong.
The Shimun Lai episode, not much different from Sun Xu’s case, demonstrated that there will be individuals in the midst that could utter strong words without thinking, especially among the young. But these are isolated cases. Racism has not taken root here and will not be allowed to do so as the majority are sensible and sensitive people. The govt and the law will not allow it to be so.
Viknesh Venga said
March 27, 2012 at 2:40 pm
say sorry for what? we are hoping u will get a serious punishment u sick racists ! lets hope u get expelled and a major fine .. this will send out a message to the rest . there is no place for racism in our society.
Reply
o
Ravin Ramakrishnan said
March 27, 2012 at 3:32 pm
does she think that a simple apology actually suffices?!?! sth so foul and insensitive is seen as sth so trivial.. if we get angry over that PRC calling us a dog, what about our own locals?!?!
Reply
o
Vasellia Subhash said
March 27, 2012 at 5:16 pm
She likens us to dogs, expects us to be segregated from society by suggesting that we be isolated in a separate train cabin and the PAP MP expects us to merely move on? She highlighted the fact that her account was locked. She’s only sorry she got caught. It’s very disheartening to be subjects of mockery on repeated occasions. The idea behind this is not an eye for an eye but more of creating a widespread caution to those who instigate racial unrest. Of course, the future will meet more people who test racial fragility but this incident will better equip others who want to stand up against the types of Shimun Lai.
Reply
Yiling said
March 27, 2012 at 5:50 pm
This whole saga is over-exaggerated and everyone is making snide remarks over the mistake she has made as though they’ve never made racist comments before. What she is said is indeed demeaning and she is already facing the consequences for that. But the fact that everyone is adding fuel to fire as though they’ve never made racist remarks before is equally atrocious. This incident serves as a lesson learnt for everyone to not make racist comments especially so on the internet, but that doesn’t mean that it will ease any racist sentiments in them.
Vasellia Subhash said
March 27, 2012 at 11:38 pm
This is the voice of a community; a community that is part of the four main races in this multicultural island-state. How is the voice of a community an exaggeration to you? Can you not sense the pent-up frustration? It’s collective, really. And, I find a pressing need to clarify this. No one is trying to saint himself by declaring that he has not passed a racist remark before. People make jokes; people mock. It is part of the human psyche to be critical. But, most of us practise responsibility and respect on where and how we express our thoughts/ideas. It is easy to misinterprete her intentions on a social network giant such as Twitter. We judge her based on her statements (a highly enraged one laden with profanities, while at that) It’s inevitable; don’t question.
2.
Alex Wong said
March 27, 2012 at 4:11 pm
https://www.facebook.com/shimunxz?ref=ts
Reply
3.
charan said
March 27, 2012 at 4:15 pm
I doubt if she’s real Singaporean or PRC..!!
Reply
o
Bernard Wang said
March 27, 2012 at 9:10 pm
How about Malaysian?
There are after all thousands of Malaysian students studying for free in Singapore.
Reply
4.
Geetha said
March 27, 2012 at 4:18 pm
My question would be deriving from the PAP MP’s comment. The person who made such a racial comment is not a child who does not know right from wrong. She is a capable young woman who can qualify to be a PRC in Singapore, who is smart enough to get into a course in our local polytechnic. So to say that she apologizes n we should just let it be is an insult to our intelligence. Would it be a same reaction if an Indian PRC had made an exact comment on our Chinese PRCs? I’m not saying that we have punish this girl. But such incidents are happening too often. We need to make an example for future generations to understand that it is totally unacceptable to demean any race in our country. At the end of the day we need each other, & we are Singaporeans.
Reply
o
Hari said
March 27, 2012 at 9:04 pm
well according to the MP, we can make remarks and say sorry. Everyone will forgive and move on.
Reply
Roy said
March 27, 2012 at 11:30 pm
well said
o
Viknesh G S said
March 28, 2012 at 12:13 am
Exactly.You’ve got to love how there are double standards.Time to leave the country guys.
Reply
SIM said
March 29, 2012 at 6:47 am
Goodbye!
5.
SarasJeeva said
March 27, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Just because the derogatory comment was targeted at the minority race “we should accept it graciously and move on” huh? Wow.. Democracy indeed. It’s really disgusting that a harsher punishment is not being issued to her which will set an example to the rest to think twice before posting a racist remark anywhere. Don’t tell me she’s just going to be counselled cos she’s not a 5 yr old.
Reply
6.
spotlessleopard said
March 27, 2012 at 4:28 pm
All racist should be punished regardless of Nationality….it is appropriate to note that “Classcism” by measure of WEALTH and POWER is however encouraged….the Class divide is widening at an alarming rate.
Reply
7.
Kamal said
March 27, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Wondering If This Was an Indian Girl Talking Bad About Indians Will MP. Lim Tell This Same Think??
Reply
o
Kamal said
March 27, 2012 at 4:41 pm
*About Other Races in Singapore.
Reply
8.
Kamal said
March 27, 2012 at 4:48 pm
I’m Sorry Let Me Post it another One More Time Because of the typo in my previous comment:
I was Wondering if Only it was an indian Girl who posted Racist Remarks about The Chinese or any other Community Will MP Lim Biow Chuan Say the Same thing..
“we should accept it graciously and all of us should move on.”
I Truthful Hate this Words From You Sir.
I am reminded of the US and the KKK and how vicious they were in lynching their victims on racial grounds. I am not sure what kind of punishment should be dealt to Shimun Lai before her offended victims could cool off. Lynching her is out of question. And the case is not really serious enough for the police to prosecute her in court. Neither would it be serious enough to sack her from the polytechnic. She has apologised, her polytechnic has reprimanded her.
She did said something disgusting for sure. Would those demanding for her blood like to visit 3in1kopitiam and take those saying 100 times more disgusting things than Shimun Lai to task as well? There is a time for forgiveness and the viciousness shown can turn ugly and hypocritical when overdone.
Do we want a society where every little offence will be reported to the police and demanding prosecution or hanging? I know of a neighbour complaining about the neighbour’s plants. The neighbour did not want to aggravate the situation and did not complain for all the incense dust that had fallen on their clothings and at their doorstep by the complaining neighbour’s incense sticks hanging at his door. And this makes the complaining neighbour think he is an angel, doing no wrong.
The Shimun Lai episode, not much different from Sun Xu’s case, demonstrated that there will be individuals in the midst that could utter strong words without thinking, especially among the young. But these are isolated cases. Racism has not taken root here and will not be allowed to do so as the majority are sensible and sensitive people. The govt and the law will not allow it to be so.
Viknesh Venga said
March 27, 2012 at 2:40 pm
say sorry for what? we are hoping u will get a serious punishment u sick racists ! lets hope u get expelled and a major fine .. this will send out a message to the rest . there is no place for racism in our society.
Reply
o
Ravin Ramakrishnan said
March 27, 2012 at 3:32 pm
does she think that a simple apology actually suffices?!?! sth so foul and insensitive is seen as sth so trivial.. if we get angry over that PRC calling us a dog, what about our own locals?!?!
Reply
o
Vasellia Subhash said
March 27, 2012 at 5:16 pm
She likens us to dogs, expects us to be segregated from society by suggesting that we be isolated in a separate train cabin and the PAP MP expects us to merely move on? She highlighted the fact that her account was locked. She’s only sorry she got caught. It’s very disheartening to be subjects of mockery on repeated occasions. The idea behind this is not an eye for an eye but more of creating a widespread caution to those who instigate racial unrest. Of course, the future will meet more people who test racial fragility but this incident will better equip others who want to stand up against the types of Shimun Lai.
Reply
Yiling said
March 27, 2012 at 5:50 pm
This whole saga is over-exaggerated and everyone is making snide remarks over the mistake she has made as though they’ve never made racist comments before. What she is said is indeed demeaning and she is already facing the consequences for that. But the fact that everyone is adding fuel to fire as though they’ve never made racist remarks before is equally atrocious. This incident serves as a lesson learnt for everyone to not make racist comments especially so on the internet, but that doesn’t mean that it will ease any racist sentiments in them.
Vasellia Subhash said
March 27, 2012 at 11:38 pm
This is the voice of a community; a community that is part of the four main races in this multicultural island-state. How is the voice of a community an exaggeration to you? Can you not sense the pent-up frustration? It’s collective, really. And, I find a pressing need to clarify this. No one is trying to saint himself by declaring that he has not passed a racist remark before. People make jokes; people mock. It is part of the human psyche to be critical. But, most of us practise responsibility and respect on where and how we express our thoughts/ideas. It is easy to misinterprete her intentions on a social network giant such as Twitter. We judge her based on her statements (a highly enraged one laden with profanities, while at that) It’s inevitable; don’t question.
2.
Alex Wong said
March 27, 2012 at 4:11 pm
https://www.facebook.com/shimunxz?ref=ts
Reply
3.
charan said
March 27, 2012 at 4:15 pm
I doubt if she’s real Singaporean or PRC..!!
Reply
o
Bernard Wang said
March 27, 2012 at 9:10 pm
How about Malaysian?
There are after all thousands of Malaysian students studying for free in Singapore.
Reply
4.
Geetha said
March 27, 2012 at 4:18 pm
My question would be deriving from the PAP MP’s comment. The person who made such a racial comment is not a child who does not know right from wrong. She is a capable young woman who can qualify to be a PRC in Singapore, who is smart enough to get into a course in our local polytechnic. So to say that she apologizes n we should just let it be is an insult to our intelligence. Would it be a same reaction if an Indian PRC had made an exact comment on our Chinese PRCs? I’m not saying that we have punish this girl. But such incidents are happening too often. We need to make an example for future generations to understand that it is totally unacceptable to demean any race in our country. At the end of the day we need each other, & we are Singaporeans.
Reply
o
Hari said
March 27, 2012 at 9:04 pm
well according to the MP, we can make remarks and say sorry. Everyone will forgive and move on.
Reply
Roy said
March 27, 2012 at 11:30 pm
well said
o
Viknesh G S said
March 28, 2012 at 12:13 am
Exactly.You’ve got to love how there are double standards.Time to leave the country guys.
Reply
SIM said
March 29, 2012 at 6:47 am
Goodbye!
5.
SarasJeeva said
March 27, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Just because the derogatory comment was targeted at the minority race “we should accept it graciously and move on” huh? Wow.. Democracy indeed. It’s really disgusting that a harsher punishment is not being issued to her which will set an example to the rest to think twice before posting a racist remark anywhere. Don’t tell me she’s just going to be counselled cos she’s not a 5 yr old.
Reply
6.
spotlessleopard said
March 27, 2012 at 4:28 pm
All racist should be punished regardless of Nationality….it is appropriate to note that “Classcism” by measure of WEALTH and POWER is however encouraged….the Class divide is widening at an alarming rate.
Reply
7.
Kamal said
March 27, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Wondering If This Was an Indian Girl Talking Bad About Indians Will MP. Lim Tell This Same Think??
Reply
o
Kamal said
March 27, 2012 at 4:41 pm
*About Other Races in Singapore.
Reply
8.
Kamal said
March 27, 2012 at 4:48 pm
I’m Sorry Let Me Post it another One More Time Because of the typo in my previous comment:
I was Wondering if Only it was an indian Girl who posted Racist Remarks about The Chinese or any other Community Will MP Lim Biow Chuan Say the Same thing..
“we should accept it graciously and all of us should move on.”
I Truthful Hate this Words From You Sir.
Hoaxsters should be dealt with by the law
The rumours and alleged attempts to kidnap children have hit the main media today. Police have conducted their investigations and 5 people have been hauled up for spreading hoaxes about the kidnapping. Police confirmed that till do date no children have been kidnapped.
The ST reported 6 cases under investigations and two have been confirmed as hoaxes. The other four are still under investigations and police are calling for more information on the cases of alleged abductions. Those with information should contact the police directly.
In the meantime parents should still be very careful and keep a watchful eye on their children. Don’t let them out of sight. Though no children has been kidnapped, the alleged attempts are still under investigation and could prove to be real. Until the investigations are over, it is better to be on the alert. The police have not confirmed that the alleged attempts were hoaxes or not real. No kidnap does not mean no attempts. The latter is waiting for confirmation.
The ST reported 6 cases under investigations and two have been confirmed as hoaxes. The other four are still under investigations and police are calling for more information on the cases of alleged abductions. Those with information should contact the police directly.
In the meantime parents should still be very careful and keep a watchful eye on their children. Don’t let them out of sight. Though no children has been kidnapped, the alleged attempts are still under investigation and could prove to be real. Until the investigations are over, it is better to be on the alert. The police have not confirmed that the alleged attempts were hoaxes or not real. No kidnap does not mean no attempts. The latter is waiting for confirmation.
Have no fear, or Fear Not
The appointment of Davinder Singh to the board of SGX has become a controversial issue with professionals commenting on the righteousness of the act itself. Davinder has since been redesignated as a ‘non independent director’ from an independent director. Still some are still arguing that there is a conflict of interest and it is just not the right thing to do. Narayana Narayana wrote an article following Prof Mak Yuen Teen on the same subject. In this latest article dated April 1 to the Business Times, Narayana quoted 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes' or in modern parlance, Who will guard the guards themselves? I think he deliberately chose April 1 which is very meaningful.
The flogging of this matter boils down to a deep seated suspicion that people who are connected by some relationship should not be involved in fiduciary duties that might lead to a conflict of interest. And the assumption is that human beans are fallible and can be tempted as they are not godly. So it is best that such relationship should not be allowed to exist, to free the individuals from committing acts that could lead to unpleasantness. Even if they were to act righteously and honourably, sometimes little mistakes happened and finger pointing is easy, one plus one equals two. Thus it is prudent and advisable that no one be allowed into such a sticky situation to be compromised through no fault of theirs.
Why put oneself in such a precarious situation when anything wrong can be used as evidence to say ‘I told you so.’ It is like the Chinese saying, ‘Jumping into the Yellow River would not be able to wash away the accusation.’ The wise will not put themselves in such situation and waiting to be persecuted in a matter of time. Only the reckless will think it is okay, beyond reproach.
Such thinking or logics are only wise to the lay people. When one is above the law, when one is in a station that is unquestionable, such considerations are often unnecessary. Eminent lawyer like Davinder Singh has everything in the world, and his reputation is worth his weight in gold. He is absolutely trustworthy and would not compromise himself or act in such a way that would lend his name into ill repute. He is a rare breed of individuals that have attained such infallible credentials.
There have been many similar situations like this and nothing untoward has happened. This only proves that if you have the right people, the honest and highly reputable people, you can trust them not to do anything silly. They will uphold their names and reputation and will not cross the line to get themselves into shitty situation.
The call for caution in the Davinder Singh’s appointment is thus unnecessary. No amount of regulations or law can prevent a crook to be crooked. But for honest and upright men and women, you don’t need any law or regulations to keep them straight. 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes’ is only relevant and applicable to the common folks that are weak in spirit and will easily crumble by the temptation of man.
Have faith, fear not, trust me.
Just an after thought. We have this brilliant policy of paying people enough to prevent them from corruption. We can actually extend this policy to prevent people from committing crime by paying them for what they want to stop committing crimes. Just set up a crime prevention fund and allow these potential criminals to draw or demand the amount they need to stay away from crime. We could become the first crime free country in the world, without policing.
The flogging of this matter boils down to a deep seated suspicion that people who are connected by some relationship should not be involved in fiduciary duties that might lead to a conflict of interest. And the assumption is that human beans are fallible and can be tempted as they are not godly. So it is best that such relationship should not be allowed to exist, to free the individuals from committing acts that could lead to unpleasantness. Even if they were to act righteously and honourably, sometimes little mistakes happened and finger pointing is easy, one plus one equals two. Thus it is prudent and advisable that no one be allowed into such a sticky situation to be compromised through no fault of theirs.
Why put oneself in such a precarious situation when anything wrong can be used as evidence to say ‘I told you so.’ It is like the Chinese saying, ‘Jumping into the Yellow River would not be able to wash away the accusation.’ The wise will not put themselves in such situation and waiting to be persecuted in a matter of time. Only the reckless will think it is okay, beyond reproach.
Such thinking or logics are only wise to the lay people. When one is above the law, when one is in a station that is unquestionable, such considerations are often unnecessary. Eminent lawyer like Davinder Singh has everything in the world, and his reputation is worth his weight in gold. He is absolutely trustworthy and would not compromise himself or act in such a way that would lend his name into ill repute. He is a rare breed of individuals that have attained such infallible credentials.
There have been many similar situations like this and nothing untoward has happened. This only proves that if you have the right people, the honest and highly reputable people, you can trust them not to do anything silly. They will uphold their names and reputation and will not cross the line to get themselves into shitty situation.
The call for caution in the Davinder Singh’s appointment is thus unnecessary. No amount of regulations or law can prevent a crook to be crooked. But for honest and upright men and women, you don’t need any law or regulations to keep them straight. 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes’ is only relevant and applicable to the common folks that are weak in spirit and will easily crumble by the temptation of man.
Have faith, fear not, trust me.
Just an after thought. We have this brilliant policy of paying people enough to prevent them from corruption. We can actually extend this policy to prevent people from committing crime by paying them for what they want to stop committing crimes. Just set up a crime prevention fund and allow these potential criminals to draw or demand the amount they need to stay away from crime. We could become the first crime free country in the world, without policing.
4/02/2012
Uproar in the Sports fraternity
Leadership renewal is the way to go and no one is allowed to hold office for more than two terms. And the local talents are crying foul. There are just not enough talents to round. Wrong, there are plenty of talents to go round. And if the locals are not coming forward there are many foreign talents available and eagerly waiting to fill their shoes.
Unlike the political leadership when foreign talents are not allowed to participate unless they change to pink ICs, why would people want to hold on to their leadership position forever? They can still be helping the sports if they have the passion to serve. Just create some advisory titles or senior this or grandmaster that and they can be in for life. There is no money there.
If these passionate souls want to serve for life, try politics. In politics, there is real and genuine short of talents and they can be in politics till they kick the bucket. Politics is a life long thing, with good money and pension to go with. Why would they want to serve in sports organizations when there is no money?
Passion for the sports! Oh, I can accept that. Idealism and good aspirations, and definitely a lot of sacrifice, spending own money and time. Good people but must give way to new leaders. Hopefully not tin cans. Those sports leaders with their experience and commitments, should seriously join some political parties and stand for political office. And maybe when elected to Parliament, they can change the policies that they think are not the right thing to do. One thing for sure, no two term problem. Can stay as long as they want.
Unlike the political leadership when foreign talents are not allowed to participate unless they change to pink ICs, why would people want to hold on to their leadership position forever? They can still be helping the sports if they have the passion to serve. Just create some advisory titles or senior this or grandmaster that and they can be in for life. There is no money there.
If these passionate souls want to serve for life, try politics. In politics, there is real and genuine short of talents and they can be in politics till they kick the bucket. Politics is a life long thing, with good money and pension to go with. Why would they want to serve in sports organizations when there is no money?
Passion for the sports! Oh, I can accept that. Idealism and good aspirations, and definitely a lot of sacrifice, spending own money and time. Good people but must give way to new leaders. Hopefully not tin cans. Those sports leaders with their experience and commitments, should seriously join some political parties and stand for political office. And maybe when elected to Parliament, they can change the policies that they think are not the right thing to do. One thing for sure, no two term problem. Can stay as long as they want.
The good life taking shape in paradise
A 3 rm flat at 635 sq ft or the size of 5 car parks and costing nearly a million dollars hits the front page of ST. This is smaller than a 3 rm HDB flat. But this is quality living for Sinkies. Sinkies just need a little getting use to, and if the media or some clever people were to tell them this is quality living, they will soon believe it. And soon a long queue will be formed for such quality flats. And a lot of talented ideas were incorporated into the shoe boxes to make sure that the quality of life will not be affected. The higher price is for the ingenius ideas that were built into the box.
And buying a car is out of question with all the money ploughed into such quality flats. The new mantra, small is good. Car ownership is bad. Public transport is cool. Or let’s return to the old practice of car pooling.
I am going to work with my architect friends to design tube living. The Sinkies only need a place to slot his body in and nothing else. No need to accumulate all the junks to fill a big flat. Tube living is the future, very futuristic. Pay a couple of movie stars to slip into one of the tubes and Sinkies will believe that it is cool.
Each HDB room size could easily slot in a dozen tubes each with individualized temperature control and personalized pee pot. The pee pots can be decorated with anything, pop star photos etc. And there is no fear for lack of space for leisure. More quality parks will be built for those living in tubes or shoe boxes. Back to the 50s and 60s they were called cubicles. Come to think of it, instead of calling it tubes which will waste a lot of space, design them like elongated cubes or cubics.
Cubicle living can take on a quality form and style. Cubic living can be the new way forward. The cubes need not be much bigger than a kennel. And because of its size and weight, it can be moved around to be nearer to their pet dogs as well. Then no one can accuse them of ill treating the dogs. Put the cubes beside the kennels and share the meals. Great bonding between human beans and dogs or between dogs and dogs.
And buying a car is out of question with all the money ploughed into such quality flats. The new mantra, small is good. Car ownership is bad. Public transport is cool. Or let’s return to the old practice of car pooling.
I am going to work with my architect friends to design tube living. The Sinkies only need a place to slot his body in and nothing else. No need to accumulate all the junks to fill a big flat. Tube living is the future, very futuristic. Pay a couple of movie stars to slip into one of the tubes and Sinkies will believe that it is cool.
Each HDB room size could easily slot in a dozen tubes each with individualized temperature control and personalized pee pot. The pee pots can be decorated with anything, pop star photos etc. And there is no fear for lack of space for leisure. More quality parks will be built for those living in tubes or shoe boxes. Back to the 50s and 60s they were called cubicles. Come to think of it, instead of calling it tubes which will waste a lot of space, design them like elongated cubes or cubics.
Cubicle living can take on a quality form and style. Cubic living can be the new way forward. The cubes need not be much bigger than a kennel. And because of its size and weight, it can be moved around to be nearer to their pet dogs as well. Then no one can accuse them of ill treating the dogs. Put the cubes beside the kennels and share the meals. Great bonding between human beans and dogs or between dogs and dogs.
April 1 price hike in electricity
SP Services has increased electricity tariff by 4.3% to a new high of 28.78 cents per kWh. It is all due to higher fuel and gas prices. Can’t be helped.
Chan Chun Sing’s Lanfang Republic
‘Was it because over time, they have degenerated into different groups fighting only for their own interests?
Was it because the society was broken when those who have and those who can, did not take care enough for those who have-nots or cannot.
Was it that the leaders and the people did not share the same values any more? Maybe it was all these and more.’
This is a paragraph taken from Chan Chun Sing’s famous speech to PAP’s stalwarts before the last GE. He was telling the story of the Lanfang Republic in 18 century West Kalimantan and questioned why a flourishing little state failed to exist beyond a 100 years. And he threw up the few questions as the probable cause of the demise of Lanfang.
He was relating to the Lanfang state that shared many similarities with our little island and how this island state could avoid the pitfalls of Lanfang. Would this island state still be around in 100 years? Or is it facing the same set of problems, self interest, inter group fighting, disconnect between the rich and poor, and leaders not sharing the same values as the people?
Our income gap is the widest in the world, and infighting is starting to show. Not sure about self interest. The disconnect and different values are glaring. The people are to survive on peanuts while leaders find it tough to live on $50k pm income. And praising the people’s ability to buy a 2 rm flat with $1000 pm income only highlighted the disparity and divide. The people and the leaders are having different dreams.
What I can say is don’t worry. We are different, or at least we are very different in that we have the best talents to rule the country. And we are depending on the number One superpower to be our guardian angel instead of a declining power. And no other power is more powerful than our guardian angel. We are safe. The people with $1k income and 2 rm flats are equally happy with the quality living. The leaders may be a bit unhappy with $50k income but bearable. We will survive pass 100 years.
We also have the advantage of more foreign talents to take over the country from the lesser talented locals. The island will exist forever. Wan sui, wan sui, wan wan sui.
Was it because the society was broken when those who have and those who can, did not take care enough for those who have-nots or cannot.
Was it that the leaders and the people did not share the same values any more? Maybe it was all these and more.’
This is a paragraph taken from Chan Chun Sing’s famous speech to PAP’s stalwarts before the last GE. He was telling the story of the Lanfang Republic in 18 century West Kalimantan and questioned why a flourishing little state failed to exist beyond a 100 years. And he threw up the few questions as the probable cause of the demise of Lanfang.
He was relating to the Lanfang state that shared many similarities with our little island and how this island state could avoid the pitfalls of Lanfang. Would this island state still be around in 100 years? Or is it facing the same set of problems, self interest, inter group fighting, disconnect between the rich and poor, and leaders not sharing the same values as the people?
Our income gap is the widest in the world, and infighting is starting to show. Not sure about self interest. The disconnect and different values are glaring. The people are to survive on peanuts while leaders find it tough to live on $50k pm income. And praising the people’s ability to buy a 2 rm flat with $1000 pm income only highlighted the disparity and divide. The people and the leaders are having different dreams.
What I can say is don’t worry. We are different, or at least we are very different in that we have the best talents to rule the country. And we are depending on the number One superpower to be our guardian angel instead of a declining power. And no other power is more powerful than our guardian angel. We are safe. The people with $1k income and 2 rm flats are equally happy with the quality living. The leaders may be a bit unhappy with $50k income but bearable. We will survive pass 100 years.
We also have the advantage of more foreign talents to take over the country from the lesser talented locals. The island will exist forever. Wan sui, wan sui, wan wan sui.
4/01/2012
Not seeing the woods but crying over the trees
Cherian George continues with the episode of smelly bodies and Shimun Lai in the ST today. He also recalled the unfortunate UOB dinner and dance incident when a little mimicry with no bad intention or could be seen as flattery was accused of racism. And the cry for the lynching of Shimun Lai has still not subsided while the real issue that led to the outburst was brushed aside completely.
Cherian George also acknowledges the issue of bad body odour in Indians though it is not the case. Everyone, I say everyone, smells if not wash properly. This has nothing to do with race though some are prone to smell differently depending on their diet and the environment, and of course social habits and standard of personal hygiene.
The crux of the matter is that smelling bad is offensive. And in a highly congested city, in the jam packed trains and buses, my god, pray you don’t have to be squeezed in between a couple of smelly bodies. This is no laughing matter. Imagine the smell could hit you 2 metres away and one is less than a face away.
Why is there no follow up as to how to minimise this social problem? Shall the society or the commuters just accept that smelly bodies are one of those things and have to live with them? Graciousness, first world? Can something be done to minimise this unpleasant encounters by commuters?
No one will welcome a smelly person into their midst or into their homes. It is to the disadvantage of those who smell to find themselves being ostracised. There have been many encounters in working environment in Raffles Place and Shenton Way as well and not only in the dirty construction or sewage industries.
My simple suggestion is to educate the affected to wash and clean more often. And washing and taking a bath first thing in the morning is a must and could help quite a lot. It is unfair to blame others for being rude when one walks around carrying and sharing the bad odour and expecting people to live with it. There is no need to spend a lot of money to keep clean and don’t smell. There is no need to pour a bottle of armour or scented water on one’s body. Just keep it wash and clean.
Or shall everyone just shut up and pretend the problem is not there and when one comes along, pinched the nose and give the person a dirty look? The smelly problem is there and is not going away by pretending it is not there. The lynching of Shimun Lai will not solve the problem. It only encourages the smelly to think it is alright to smell wherever they go. Just don’t talk about it.
Anyone thinking of a solution or wanting a solution other than crying father and crying mother?
Cherian George also acknowledges the issue of bad body odour in Indians though it is not the case. Everyone, I say everyone, smells if not wash properly. This has nothing to do with race though some are prone to smell differently depending on their diet and the environment, and of course social habits and standard of personal hygiene.
The crux of the matter is that smelling bad is offensive. And in a highly congested city, in the jam packed trains and buses, my god, pray you don’t have to be squeezed in between a couple of smelly bodies. This is no laughing matter. Imagine the smell could hit you 2 metres away and one is less than a face away.
Why is there no follow up as to how to minimise this social problem? Shall the society or the commuters just accept that smelly bodies are one of those things and have to live with them? Graciousness, first world? Can something be done to minimise this unpleasant encounters by commuters?
No one will welcome a smelly person into their midst or into their homes. It is to the disadvantage of those who smell to find themselves being ostracised. There have been many encounters in working environment in Raffles Place and Shenton Way as well and not only in the dirty construction or sewage industries.
My simple suggestion is to educate the affected to wash and clean more often. And washing and taking a bath first thing in the morning is a must and could help quite a lot. It is unfair to blame others for being rude when one walks around carrying and sharing the bad odour and expecting people to live with it. There is no need to spend a lot of money to keep clean and don’t smell. There is no need to pour a bottle of armour or scented water on one’s body. Just keep it wash and clean.
Or shall everyone just shut up and pretend the problem is not there and when one comes along, pinched the nose and give the person a dirty look? The smelly problem is there and is not going away by pretending it is not there. The lynching of Shimun Lai will not solve the problem. It only encourages the smelly to think it is alright to smell wherever they go. Just don’t talk about it.
Anyone thinking of a solution or wanting a solution other than crying father and crying mother?
3/31/2012
The injustice against our own citizens
There are still some Singaporeans questioning why PRs do not want to become citizens. The underlying assumption is that if PRs want to be citizens, we should quickly embrace them as citizens. This is a dangerous thought.
We do not need more citizens. We only need more heads to contribute to the economy and the CPF, just like we need more babies. PRs can remain as PRs and should remain as PRs. Citizenship must be closely guarded and issue only to deserving ones.
Many PRs chose not to be citizens for obvious reasons. And even having to serve NS is likely to be a waste of time and effort as their hearts are not here. Would they stay and defend this country in a war? The employment pass holders and work permit holders need not bother. There is no reason for them to die for this country.
Our citizenship comes with many privileges and should be as citizens should be treated thus. Citizens must be treated differently from PRs and others, and should not be disadvantaged. The privileges of citizenships are gradually returning to the citizens. A PR that turns citizens will immediately have a windfall. Buying HDB flats means savings of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars immediately and may profit more if they eventually sell out, and sell out the citizenship. Then there are all the ‘subsidies’ in education and medical benefits, and the national bonuses. To the lesser foreign talents, the reward is very substantial, enough to make them rich should they choose to return to their previous country after a few years.
The injustice done to Singaporean citizens is the denial by govt policies to buy a HDB flat, the biggest investment of any individual. Many citizens are deprived of this privilege while new citizens could benefit from it over night. How more silly can it be? This is the thoughtless policy that should be struck out immediately. The true blue citizens are still suffering from such a flawed policy and treated worst than new citizens.
Would the govt think that this is wrong and focus on doing the right thing, and remove this injustice against its very own citizens immediately? Or should the govt continue to do the wrong and claiming that it is right, to do the right thing? Maybe they are so talented that they could not see the wrong in this unjust policy.
We do not need more citizens. We only need more heads to contribute to the economy and the CPF, just like we need more babies. PRs can remain as PRs and should remain as PRs. Citizenship must be closely guarded and issue only to deserving ones.
Many PRs chose not to be citizens for obvious reasons. And even having to serve NS is likely to be a waste of time and effort as their hearts are not here. Would they stay and defend this country in a war? The employment pass holders and work permit holders need not bother. There is no reason for them to die for this country.
Our citizenship comes with many privileges and should be as citizens should be treated thus. Citizens must be treated differently from PRs and others, and should not be disadvantaged. The privileges of citizenships are gradually returning to the citizens. A PR that turns citizens will immediately have a windfall. Buying HDB flats means savings of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars immediately and may profit more if they eventually sell out, and sell out the citizenship. Then there are all the ‘subsidies’ in education and medical benefits, and the national bonuses. To the lesser foreign talents, the reward is very substantial, enough to make them rich should they choose to return to their previous country after a few years.
The injustice done to Singaporean citizens is the denial by govt policies to buy a HDB flat, the biggest investment of any individual. Many citizens are deprived of this privilege while new citizens could benefit from it over night. How more silly can it be? This is the thoughtless policy that should be struck out immediately. The true blue citizens are still suffering from such a flawed policy and treated worst than new citizens.
Would the govt think that this is wrong and focus on doing the right thing, and remove this injustice against its very own citizens immediately? Or should the govt continue to do the wrong and claiming that it is right, to do the right thing? Maybe they are so talented that they could not see the wrong in this unjust policy.
The history of Malaya and Singapore is full of rubbish interpretation
The latest drama of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore was replayed by a school teacher, Malcolm Tan of Chung Cheng High School. He rushed into the class in full Japanese uniform and samurai sword to a stunned class of secondary 2 students. It was a novel and interesting way of teaching history.
This was followed by a letter in the ST forum by Liew Khai Kuin asking for a more balance understanding of the goodness of the Japanese people. He was looking at the good and kind Japanese fallen victims to an act of God, the tsunami and their own nuclear bomb in the name of nuclear energy. He never suffer under the hands of Japanese beasts.
History must be told fairly, and the goodness and badness of war and the barbaric acts of human beasts must be enacted and not erased from the history books. I am not sure if Malcolm told the story of Japanese soldiers cutting sugar canes at an angle and throwing babies into the air to fall back on the sharp end of the sugar canes, like meat on skewers. The meat was live babies. This was recounted by a Filipino soldier in a documentary on the survivors of the Second World War in the Philippines. And the atrocities on women and children in all the countries the good and kind Japanese committed, gorging out unborn babies, were they fiction or unfit to be told?
And the factual accuracy of the heroism of the war was twisted by every side to glorify their own interests. In 1940s, Malaya and Singapore were not countries but colonies of the British Empire. The people did not even know that these were their countries. Can’t blame them. They were stateless, owned the British Empire. And rightly many go on as normal, nothing to defend. Singapore and Malaya were not their countries.
As for citizenships, the locals probably didn’t know what that word meant. For the Indians and Chinese, the Indians were also subjects of the British Empire, the Chinese were Chinese and their country was China, being invaded by the Japanese. It would be foolish for those without a nationality to be defending what was not theirs. At that point in time, Malaya and Singapore belonged to the British. Anyone thinking of claiming the two pieces of land as their own? If they did, why didn’t they take up arms to defend their countries? The fact was that they were in a state of limbo, stateless. Only the migrant Chinese had a country of their own in China.
It is foolish thinking expecting anyone defending British colonies other than the British themselves. But the British scooted, yes scooted, when the Japanese came. And Malaya and Singapore became Japanese territories, conquered land! No owners to defend them. What citizenship? No, Japanese subjects, all the residents became conquered people.
How to write about stories of heroism, nationalism and defending a country when there was no country to talk of and no citizenship or nationalities to be proud of? But historians bungled everything together as if there were an independent state of Malaya and Singapore and nationalities like Malayans and Singaporeans. The state of Malaya only existed in 1957, and Singapore in 1959 as a self ruled state but still under the British rule.
Who was there as citizens of Malaya and Singapore to defend these states? Or why should they be defending the land when they were not even citizens? For the residents of Malaya and Singapore in 1945, what would they be defending, their countries, their nations or the British Empire? The best thing to do is not to defend anything as there was nothing to defend. Many of the locals did that. None of their business. The British got their Empire and colonies to defend but they too chose to scoot. Funny isn’t it?
Today we have a country we called our own. We are Singaporeans and would defend this island as our own. We must not be confused by the fact that there was no country called Singapore and any misgivings about Singaporeans not defending Singapore can only come from a twisted mind. Such distorted perception of history is warped.
This was followed by a letter in the ST forum by Liew Khai Kuin asking for a more balance understanding of the goodness of the Japanese people. He was looking at the good and kind Japanese fallen victims to an act of God, the tsunami and their own nuclear bomb in the name of nuclear energy. He never suffer under the hands of Japanese beasts.
History must be told fairly, and the goodness and badness of war and the barbaric acts of human beasts must be enacted and not erased from the history books. I am not sure if Malcolm told the story of Japanese soldiers cutting sugar canes at an angle and throwing babies into the air to fall back on the sharp end of the sugar canes, like meat on skewers. The meat was live babies. This was recounted by a Filipino soldier in a documentary on the survivors of the Second World War in the Philippines. And the atrocities on women and children in all the countries the good and kind Japanese committed, gorging out unborn babies, were they fiction or unfit to be told?
And the factual accuracy of the heroism of the war was twisted by every side to glorify their own interests. In 1940s, Malaya and Singapore were not countries but colonies of the British Empire. The people did not even know that these were their countries. Can’t blame them. They were stateless, owned the British Empire. And rightly many go on as normal, nothing to defend. Singapore and Malaya were not their countries.
As for citizenships, the locals probably didn’t know what that word meant. For the Indians and Chinese, the Indians were also subjects of the British Empire, the Chinese were Chinese and their country was China, being invaded by the Japanese. It would be foolish for those without a nationality to be defending what was not theirs. At that point in time, Malaya and Singapore belonged to the British. Anyone thinking of claiming the two pieces of land as their own? If they did, why didn’t they take up arms to defend their countries? The fact was that they were in a state of limbo, stateless. Only the migrant Chinese had a country of their own in China.
It is foolish thinking expecting anyone defending British colonies other than the British themselves. But the British scooted, yes scooted, when the Japanese came. And Malaya and Singapore became Japanese territories, conquered land! No owners to defend them. What citizenship? No, Japanese subjects, all the residents became conquered people.
How to write about stories of heroism, nationalism and defending a country when there was no country to talk of and no citizenship or nationalities to be proud of? But historians bungled everything together as if there were an independent state of Malaya and Singapore and nationalities like Malayans and Singaporeans. The state of Malaya only existed in 1957, and Singapore in 1959 as a self ruled state but still under the British rule.
Who was there as citizens of Malaya and Singapore to defend these states? Or why should they be defending the land when they were not even citizens? For the residents of Malaya and Singapore in 1945, what would they be defending, their countries, their nations or the British Empire? The best thing to do is not to defend anything as there was nothing to defend. Many of the locals did that. None of their business. The British got their Empire and colonies to defend but they too chose to scoot. Funny isn’t it?
Today we have a country we called our own. We are Singaporeans and would defend this island as our own. We must not be confused by the fact that there was no country called Singapore and any misgivings about Singaporeans not defending Singapore can only come from a twisted mind. Such distorted perception of history is warped.
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