General heading Childhood Education

“Early childhood leadership certification is needed for preschool teachers to be qualified to be a principal. Even with a degree of early childhood and numerous ten years of experience does not qualify,” said a netizen. “So may I ask what kind of qualifications and pre-experience this general has in regards to early childhood? We are talking of education of your young children…not the army.” 

Meanwhile, Facebook user Catherine Dee asked if “retired generals could stop being allowed to lead ministries,” particularly those they have no experience in. “If the government really has to do this, please start them from the bottom to gain experience and work their way up first rather than dropping them from a helicopter,” she added in a comment liked by over 200 netizens. 

“Why doesn’t the ministry look at promoting someone with understanding, experience and track record in the sector instead of parachuting someone without the relevant experience or knowledge of the ground despite his impressive military credentials?” asked Facebook user Shermin Chen. 

“A military guy in early childhood education…and none of the existing early childhood education personal can take up…seriously…,” added a netizen.  theindependent.sg

BG Tan Chee Wee to be CEO of early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). And this has raised eyebrows in the education industry and parents for obvious reasons.  The objections were understandable. Ask a foreign recruitment agency, they will throw out his application for lack of relevant experience and qualification. The general is so lucky that the govt did not contract the search agencies to go hunting for a foreign talent overseas. It was purely a parachute drop from the sky. Retired generals need not apply for jobs. Jobs would be offered to them, as CEOs here and there.

Look at the positive side, they are lucky that they did not appoint a third world funny graduate with funny experience from a funny university to take over this job, aka fake or cheat. If they did, the children would turn out funny as well, if not illiterate. Be grateful.

Another good thing that may come out from this is that the children will be well prepared for NS, with a good foundation in military jargons and way of life. The children are likely to be tougher than otherwise with boot camps modified as child play.

If one is prepared to look at the good side, there are many. If one is looking from the negative side, there will also be many, just like CECA. You can bet, just like CECA, the govt would have all the good things to say about this appointment.

AUKUS or FAUKUS? Another evil white men's scheme

 The Anglo Saxons still think they could rule the world. The defeats after defeats of the evil mighty American Empire in the hands of militarily weak and poor Asian countries still did not teach them anything. Before the curtain falls in Afghanistan, they are shifting all their attention to the Pacific Ocean with China in their cross hair and the prize of Asean as their new colonies.

What ever AUKUS or FUCKUS, would be no different from the lame QUAD. The result would be the same as in Korea, in Vietnam, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria etc etc. All the military hardware would not win wars except little battles. And to think that the clueless Americans could think that a little Australia could change their fortune in Asia Pacific is pathetic. A mere 22m white men in a stolen piece of land in Asia Pacific to become their new foothold to remain as the hegemon in Asia Pacific? The population of just Malaysia is bigger than Australia, and there are 250m Indonesians next door.

The evil white men is everywhere building military alliances and military bases to control the world, to remain as the white evil Empire. Their fingers are everywhere, in every country, poking here and there. Countries of the world must place more mouse traps, the snapping type, to snap off the itchy white fingers.

Hiding under the names of peace, democracy and human rights, they are inciting wars, agitating for wars, and building military bases, manufacturing weapons, just to have more people killed and more countries destroyed. The Indonesians are worried, and so are the Malaysians. South East Asia aka Asean must remain a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality, not on papers but for real. After the defeat in Vietnam and fleeing, South East Asia was blessed for nearly 40 years of peace, stability and prosperity without the Americans warring in the region. 

The fear now is that peace would turn into war with the evil Americans coming back and with a pseudo Asian country but basically a white Anglo Saxon country in Australia happily playing the role of the front man. Asean countries must be united and resolute in preventing the region from becoming another war zone, another Afghanistan and the Asean countries and economies destroyed and people died and wounded, when the evil white men start another war here.

The whole intent and purpose of the white men are their dominance and their Empire, to rule over the coloured people they regard as subhumans. They are the rulers and coming here to rule.

Not in the 21st century, not when Asians have risen, have stood up, have awaken, and would not be ruled and bullied by the evil white men again.

THE REAL CANCER THAT IS PERMEATING DEEPLY INTO THE SINGAPORE SOCIETY IS ELITISM, NOT RACISM...

 ISN’T A SYSTEM OF CLASS FILTERED BY MERITOCRACY STILL A SYSTEM OF CLASS?

Lord Young (1958) , the man who coined the word meritocracy, clearly understood the real dangers of meritocracy if misused.

Meritocracy, like other man-made ideas such as capitalism and democracy, are dangerous concepts when applied to their extreme ends.

In Singapore, we have witnessed Mr Umbrage who talked down to the reporter, Mr slip-of-the-tongue Minister who called an NMP illiterate and a Senior Minister who sees anyone earning less than S$500,000 per annum mediocre.

What happens in a society when mechanisms of mobility turn into fortresses of privilege?

What happens when meritocrats become insufferably smug, much more so than aristocrats who are measurably humbled by knowing they have achieved advancement quite often not on their own merit but from inheritance?

The carapace of “merit”, Young argued, had only inoculated the winners from shame and reproach.

Put simply, winners of the “merit” game can easily and dangerously be led to believe that their success in life is solely due to themselves and others who fail only have themselves to blame.

This is the meritocracy trap that Singapore has fallen into and a big dose of socialism maybe needed to dig the society out of the deep hole.

RACISM IS THE RED HERRING OF POLITICAL DISTRACTION...

Racism is a political red herring used by the ruling elites to distract from the real issues of inequality, social justice, loss of dignity and self-esteem amongst the commoners, policies that over reward a few and under-compensate the rest on the false narrative that cognitive jobs pay a thousand times more than honest blue-collared jobs.

The hypothesis that minorities will always feel racially discriminated by a majority population is bollocks. Have you ever heard of a minority white Swiss banker, German CEO and British scientist becoming a victim of racism in Singapore?

Why is there no racism amongst the rich, educated and famous people in the world?

Billionaire Oprah is an icon in America, regardless of her race. Will Smith has no problems booking the best restaurants in Beverly Hills at short notice. The mega-rich are colour-blind. And I am also willing to bet that our highly paid MPs, mayors, and ministers of minority races are colour-blind and do not suffer the least from racism too.

Societies divided by class and caste have existed long before societies understood racism. Policies can only get you thus far and beyond which the free and ruthless market takes over.

There may be an EIP system to prevent racial enclaves in the HDB flat allocation system. But has any study been done to investigate elite racial enclaves amongst our privileged new citizens (> 500,000 of them in the last 15-20 years), PRs (>500,000 of them today) and EPs (200,000)?

Many core Singaporeans have served NS and helped built the Singapore of today and by some estimates, more than 100,000 of born and bred locals are now displaced by new Singaporeans, PRs, EPs and SPs. 

Anonymous

Covid19 -Antigen Rapid Test versus Oximeter

 With more people returning to work, there is now a new requirement for workers that have not been vaccinated to perform Antigen Rapid Test (ART) twice a week to check for virus infection. Those vaccinated need not do this presumably they are less likely to be infected. How true is this assumption when on the ground the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated people being infected are just as many, if not more among the vaccinated than the unvaccinated. If this assumption is false, it is like the vaccinated would have a licence to spread the virus and the unvaccinated no such licence. The problem is that this fallacy can lead to complacency and misplaced faith in the vaccines, leading to more infections.

With the data of infection available, both the vaccinated and unvaccinated should also be tested. But this is going to be a very costly exercise both in time and money and wastage. Not everyone can afford the $10 per test ART, twice a week, and the time consuming ritual of testing and disposal of the used test kit.

Why not use the oximeter that we have been issued for this test? This is a much easier and efficient way of testing and can be conducted daily and many times a day at minimal cost and disruption. There will be no need to clear any used material as the oximeter can be used and reused for a long time. The ART kits would lead to a lot of waste to clear.

The advantages of oximeter testing over ART kits are many. As the infection can happen any time, not days in between ART test, daily test and repeated test over a day would be more efficient and effective. As both tests are just indicators and a good guide to the possibility of an infection, using oximeter would definitely be superior than ART test kits. The oxygen level is a good indicator of a person's condition. Maybe oximeter may not detect those asymptomatic cases, but it would be very cost efficient if hundreds of thousands or millions of tests are being conducted on a daily basis.

The MTF should look at the use of oximeters instead of the expensive and cumbersome ART test kits and the need to dispose all the waste material after used. It saves a lot of time and money and no need to worry for supply chain and shortage of supply.

What do you think? Anyone with a 97% oxygen level should be likely to be healthy and free from the virus. Maybe 90% or 95% would be equally good. The experts would know what is the best percentage to accept as a good indicator of being free from the virus.

Super talented Ministers and MPs deserve million dollar pay

 Two weeks ago (25 Jul), Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced his new Cabinet line-up and the other political appointments in his government.

In particular, Member of Parliament for Chua Chu Kang GRC, Low Yen Ling was promoted to Minister of State at the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) as well as at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). She will also remain as Mayor of South West District. There are currently 5 mayors appointed by PM Lee in Singapore.

Concurrently, she has the added responsibility of being the “Coordinator of Mayors”.

PM Lee must have thought highly of Ms Low in order to appoint her to hold 3 concurrent political positions in his government, notwithstanding also making her the “Coordinator of Mayors”.

  

It’s not known how Ms Low would divide her time to manage her 3 political appointments, in addition to her MP job, while trying to take care of her family.

In an interview in 2014, she told the media that the toughest part for her has been sacrificing time with her 2 boys.

 

The above is an old post in TOC but deserving to be read again to tell the story of our super talented ministers in Singapore. Holding 4 or more important official appointments is normal in Singapore. How did these super talented individuals spread their time and attention to such a heavy workload must be the marvel of many people. How many hours do they have to work in a day? These jobs cannot be just for show or really nothing to do, just a title, like a badge of honour. They are full time jobs and each job could actually take the time of one individual 8 hours a day, 7 days a week to work on. But our super talented ministers could handle all 4 jobs and still, in this case, be a mother and a wife.

Maybe there will be MP coordinator for every 10 MPs.

Now you understand why they are deserving of being paid a million dollar. Some of them even have 10 or 20 directorships and other appointments as advisors of clubs, clans, associations etc etc to be added on.

So, please don't be envious of their million dollar salary. They worked very, very hard, including having to attend dinners practically 4 or 5 times a week.  When they sweat, it is oil that is oozing out, not water. So poor things.

Everyone of them is so busy until you lose track of  them or what they are doing, buried in their work. Some even become TV presenters on their own private time, not official time I believe.

Collateral damage of Elitism in Singapore

 This is the COLLATERAL DAMAGE caused by the ruling elites' desire to turbo charge and punch our economy well above our natural weight.

Given that we are a tiny hub city with no natural resources, inflating the economy on “steroids” – huge overflow of multinationals and foreign talent - IS NOT A SIN PER SE.

What is sinful is when the “loot” or the “artificially inflated economic cake” created by multinationals and foreign talents – whom of course will have their generous cut – is reaped by a few elite Singaporeans while leaving the majority of Singaporeans, in particular the old and under-educated ones, to fight over the crumbs.

LKY warned that if we did not vote the PAP, our women would become maids in foreign lands. But instead, we now have 40,000 core Singaporean men driving Grab, 30,000 delivering food, 16,000 driving taxis, 40,000 cleaners and landscape personnel, 30,000 security guards etc. all of whom are lowly paid compared to the imported high-flyers.

Throw in Covid-19 stresses and the mix can become explosive.

Therefore, racism may not be all about elitism but is more likely to be substantially a part of it. The cure for racism is not so different as the cure for elitism. A more egalitarian and a fairer society is a less racist society.

To a large extent, racism is just an excuse or bogeyman used to mask the real problem of elitism, class, and caste.

And in Singapore, how can one not expect to see an elitist pecking ordered society when a certain ruling party MP once said that if a senior bureaucrat is not paid a very high salary, how can she conduct a meeting with a CEO of a corporation who is paid much more?

What a set of bollocks and false narratives.

In Singapore, money has been wrongly and conveniently used as the sole yardstick to measure job responsibility.

By this definition, Jacinda Ardern would not be able to do her job effectively because she is paid much less than many corporate high-flyers and does not live in a "good class bungalow" in New Zealand.

She earns less than $500k per annum and by our Senior Minister's definition, she is supposed to be mediocre. Yet she was voted this year by Fortune magazine as the world's greatest leader, beating all our Singapore leaders by a mile.
In Singapore, the ruling elites have inadvertently created a big elephant in the room known as elitism. The scholarship system worked well at the time when the nation was poor. Today, the same system perpetuates elitism.

Why is there a $2 billion private tuition market if not abundantly explained by an artificially created intellectual arms race?

Therefore real cancer that is permeating deeply into the Singapore society is elitism, not racism.

A highly questionable and gamed meritocratic system, where the top salaries are uncapped and gamed (with obscenely low individual taxes for the million-dollar earners) while the bottom salaries are uplifted in a miserly and calibrated way (all cleaners will eventually earn $2420/-by year 2028!).

So, the government now wishes to conflate elitism, societal stress due to excessive and unfair competition, Covid-19, loss of self-esteem amongst commoners, pretty much everything suffering caused by skewed policies, and conveniently blame it on one single issue, which is racism/xenophobia.

Racism and xenophobia are merely the external manifestation of some FAR DEEPER ROOT CAUSES that the ruling elites are slow to address. 

Anonymous

Covid19 - Man proposes, God disposes 人算不如天算

SINGAPORE — Singapore's current surge in COVID-19 cases came much earlier than authorities had hoped for, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Friday (17 September), a day after the city-state reported 910 new infections – the highest since 1 May last year.

"We had hoped that this transmission wave can come later, maybe at Transition Stage B, but it has presented itself much earlier largely because Delta is so much more infectious," he said during a virtual doorstop interview.

Since 10 August, Singapore is in the first stage – or the Preparatory Stage – of a four-part road map towards endemic COVID-19. This is followed by Transition Stage A, Transition Stage B, and lastly, Covid-19 Resilient Nation.

While this "major wave of transmission" came earlier than expected here, it is inevitable for every country that has decided to live with the virus, said Ong, who is the COVID-19 multi-ministry taskforce co-chair.

"This is almost like a rite of passage before humans and the virus achieve a new equilibrium and things stabilise," he stressed.  Yahoo News

This pandemic is the best example of Nature telling man not to be too smart.  It started with the evil Americans planting the virus in Wuhan, China, part of the sinister scheme to depopulate the world starting with China, a humanly conceived plan to dominate the world by the white men forever. It greatly backfired, when it was supposed to destroy Asians and coloured men but now tearing apart North America and Europe and losing control over it.

Would this pandemic humble the arrogance of man in trying to play God, to manipulate life on earth, to dictate and shape life on earth to their specifications? Not so easy, man. 

Singapore is using the American play book to want to control this virus, oops, to live with the virus after failing to control it. With conflicting interest and challenges, Singapore could choose to control it like China and some countries that had been quite successful in limiting the spread of the virus in the respective countries. Singapore chose the American way, drops its pants and the virus has a free play in all the crevices.  Not every country decides to live with the virus.

Only failed western countries are going own this road.  Singapore chose to go with the loser countries. and thinking that it is smart enough to control and chart its path at its own terms. Singapore is like telling the virus to toe the line and behave accordingly. The virus did not want to have anything to do with the MTF's master plan.

The wave of transmission came too early, unexpected. The virus did not behave like daft Singaporeans, act only when told or programmed by the govt and threw the whole plan into disarray. Now what?

With the earlier complacency and lapses, the Delta variants have walked into quite freely and God knows how widespread they are without full public testing. Now it is like the genie is out of the bottle and like it or not, the virus is going to live among the Singaporeans. The next arrogant expectation that the virus would stop at 2,000 might prove to be a fleeting moment, too good to believe. 

What if the spread goes exponential since no one really knows how widespread is this virus? What happen if it goes to 10,000, 20,000 or more daily and hospitalisation and death become a new normal? Where is the limit to say enough is enough? Is there a possibility of turning back the clock when the number is unbearable?

Even the white gods in USA and Europe are being humbled for thinking this was a child's play. They have everything under control, they could switch on and off as the master mind of this pandemic. And our million dollar super talents outdo the white men to dictate to the virus how to behave and when to behave? 

As it is, all things failed in the West in dealing with this virus. Our immortals still think otherwise. They had it all planned, a 4 part road map now looking like a one path downwards spiral.

CECA Issues: Populist, Xenophobia, Racism OR Existential Issues?

It seems like some PAP millionaire "leeders" are barking very bravely and loudly up the wrong tree. It seems that they are cock-sure that they are right, on the right side and right sight of the people, citizens, breadwinners, voters.

Some gangho and dare devil newbie PAP millionaire 'leeders" seems adamant that barking up the wrong tree by twisting the main rice bowl, bread and butter survival issues that the people are suffering from, as a result of the CECA favouritism to foreigners, is the right approach to tackle this pain in their neck "political" problem.

By stupidly using standard motherhood statements employed by the old guards in the past, such as "populist", "xenophobia" and "racism", they think they can threaten the voters into submission to their will, whims and wiles again?

It will not work this time around.

While old dogs cannot learn new tricks, new and young puppies cannot bark like the old dogs. These young puppies simply do not sound threatening at all. In fact, they sounded so funny, like a squirrel trying to imitate a lion's roar.

This time around, it is definitely not a populist issue, nor xenophobia, nor racism.

It is a bread and butter, survival, life and death issue - an existential issue to the people and the future generations. This is not funny. This is not political even. This is a very serious matter. This is real!

This time around, it is not going to be the PAP fighting any alternative political party or opposition politicians. It is going to be the PAP fighting for its own life and survival against the people's life and survival. Either they get kick out or the voters die of hunger and misery. Simple as that.

This time around, it is going to be the exposure of a group of people (possibly
traitors) who have been in cahoots with foreigners to cause unnecessary and undue sufferings to their own fellow Singaporeans and countrymen, women and children. This is a treachery that has lasted far too long, unnecessarily and undeservedly, which could have been easily avoided long time ago.

It is going to be the Pro-foreigners vs Singaporeans.

It is going to be the millionaires vs the Poor an Commoners.

It is going to be the Elitist Aristocrats vs the Farmers, Peasants and Workers.

It is going to be the Haves vs the Have-Nots.

It is going to be the Power-receiving (Voted) vs the Power-giving (Voters).

It is going to be our own Stupidity vs our own Wisdom!

It is THE Question that needs an Answer:

Shall we survive as a people and country or perish under the hands of some questionable PAP millionaire "leeders" whose primary concerns are their status in life, power over all of us, wealth amassed at taxpayers' expense, and their political longevity?


LIPS Service.

Nuke Cub Deal Could Make Australia 'Potential Target in Nuclear War'

The US, UK and Australia have announced a new alliance named "AUKUS" to target China, and they even made a deal to provide nuclear submarines to Australia. Such a move will potentially make Australia a target of a nuclear strike if a nuclear war breaks out even if Washington said it won't arm Canberra with nuclear weapons, because it's easy for the US to arm Australia with nuclear weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles when Australia has the submarines.

The new alliance of three English-speaking Anglo-Saxon countries is not a surprise as they share closer strategic ties with one another than with other Western countries, and this is why France's deal of submarines was canceled by Australia as Canberra can get the nuclear ones from Washington and London.

The US is using the same approach employed to contain Russia in Europe after the Cold War to contain China in the Asia-Pacific region. Washington is building a NATO-like alliance in the region, with AUKUS at the core, and the US-Japan and US-South Korea alliances surrounding it, and the Quad at the outermost level, because India, not an US ally, can't be trusted by the US.

AUKUS is at the core of the US alliance system to contain China with extreme hostility, and it should not be underestimated. If Donald Trump or a Trump-like president returns to the White House one day, this alliance could bring unpredictable and catastrophic consequences.

The threat and challenge that China is being confronted with are critical and serious. The most shocking and dangerous message about AUKUS is the US and the UK will provide nuclear submarines to Australia. Biden said at the virtual joint press conference with Morrison and Johnson that "we are launching consultations with Australia's acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines for its navy - conventionally armed."

At present, only nuclear-armed states have nuclear submarines, and a nuclear submarine is one tasked to launch a second-round nuclear strike in a nuclear war. So when Australia acquires such weaponry and technology, the country will potentially pose a nuclear threat to other countries, "because it's easy for the US and the UK to deploy nuclear weapons and submarine-launched ballistic missiles on the Australian submarines if they believe it's necessary, and Biden and Morrison's promises of 'not seeking nuclear weapons' are meaningless.

This would make Australia a potential target for a nuclear strike, because nuclear-armed states like China and Russia are directly facing the threat from Australia's nuclear submarines which serve US strategic demands. Beijing and Moscow won't treat Canberra as "an innocent non-nuclear power," but "a US ally which could be armed with nuclear weapons anytime." 

Anonymous

Covid19 - Comparative data on serious illnesses

 

 

The above reports in the Straits Times compare the adverse cases of people vaccinated with Pfizer/Moderna vaccines against those with Sinovac/CoronaVac vaccines.

The suspected adverse reactions of mRNA vaccines were 0.13 percent. The same data for inactivated vaccines was 0.053 percent. What did the data say of the effectiveness of the two types of vaccines in preventing adverse cases? The data is from the most authoritative main media in Singapore, data verified after due diligence by the best reporters, must be real and difficult to dispute.

Which is more effective? Sinovac-Coronavac of course.  Then why are these vaccines excluded from the national emergency scheme and  people vaccinated with these vaccines are discriminated? Why are these vaccines not preferred? Why were there so many reports claiming that mRNA vaccines are more effective when the data said otherwise?

Would someone be coming out to dispute the ST data?

Military Targets on Australian Soil Now In Beijing's Crosshair

If the US and the UK help Australia acquire the cruising capability of nuclear-powered submarines, this will effectively legalize the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines by all countries. This also means the legalization of international export of related technology. As Washington stirs up great power competition, more regions will be involved in rising tensions. Possessing nuclear-powered submarines will become a universal temptation. The world needs to prepare for the arrival of a "nuclear-powered submarine fever."

Australia has turned itself into an adversary of China. It is now escalating its confrontation with China by conducting nuclear-powered submarine patrols that are clearly targeted at China. However, no matter how Australia arms itself, it is still a running dog of the US.

As Australia participates in the US-led strategic siege of China and acts with bravado to show its allegiance to the US, and takes the most prominent position in the US' anti-China strategy, especially by being militarily assertive, then Canberra will most likely become a target of Beijing's countermeasures to send a warning to others. Thus, Australians troops are also most likely to be the first batch of Western soldiers to waste their lives in the South China Sea.

Recently, some in Canberra proposed an Australian missile defense system. Beijing believes this is necessary, because Canberra is intended to send troops to the Taiwan Straits if a war breaks out there. Australian Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs Mike Pezzullo in April warned that "drums of war" were beating in a message to his staff. He said that Australia must be prepared "to send off, yet again, our warriors to fight," according to ABC News. Once the Australian army fights the People's Liberation Army in the Taiwan Straits or the South China Sea, military targets in Australia will inevitably become a target hit by Chinese missiles. Since Australia has become an anti-China spearhead, the country should prepare for the worst. 

Anonymous

CECA Is Indefensible! Period.

The disparity and unfair advantages to the India Indians are so clear and obvious, not only in writing but also in practical terms. It is totally indefensible! Period.

Any minister who attempts to defend it, in any way whatsoever, will just stand out like a sore thumb and looks stupid by unwittingly displaying preconceived bias, in the eyes of the public.

This CECA Pact with India is, in effect, a racist pact, allowing one particular racial ethnic group to dominate and control most of the important and lucrative jobs (217?) in our job markets, in favour of foreigners, against Singaporeans' livelihood and survival interests and the well-being of our future generations.

In addition, it is definitely against the aim of nation-building because it is divisive, disruptive, disingenuous and disharmonious. In fact, it is distrustful and destructive.

It doesn't matter whether the CECA Indians are carelessly, crazily or craftily lumped into a basket of "locals" made up of "rojak" ingredients including residents and citizens, they are factually and practically FOREIGNERS!

If ministers are unable to or refused to distinguish between the two, then something is very wrong with their mental faculties. If that is so, then they are not fit to be the ministers leading us. Therefore, the right thing for them to do is to step aside or retire from their present posts. It does no one any good, including themselves, if they stay on and continue singing for the foreigners' interests against Singaporeans' interests.

It is also a political suicide for the PAP as a political party, in the long run (next two general elections).

The correct remedy to this highly controversial CECA Pact with India is to terminate it immediately and renegotiate a new and more fair and equal trade agreement.

A trade agreement shall not and must not be able to be turned into a political ransom tool for the other party to call the shots over the integrity, security and sovereignty of Singapore and the livelihood and survival of Singaporeans, whether short or long term.


LIPS, At Your Service.

Snippets from Parliament House

What is the most dangerous instrument in Parliament? Hot Mike.

When debating sensitive issues, sensitive mikes would be banned.

A new protocol has been drawn out telling MPs to switch off the mike after speaking. MPs that did not do so would be suspended from attending 3 Parliament sessions.

The whip reported that attendance would drop by 70% because many MPs and ministers would choose not switch off the mike after speaking, ....and opted for serving suspension from attending Parliament sessions.

Sniggering and whispering when a member of the House is speaking is prohibited.

Warning notice... Sniggering and whispering in Parliament can exposed one's character flaw. 

There are illiterates in Parliament, ... from one lousy school. This is a strange revelation as some ministers were quoted to say that all schools in Singapore are good schools. How come got lousy school?

PSP may be putting up a motion to ask the Education Minister to explain this phenomenon.

You want to know the truth, go to listen to Parliament debates. Honourable ministers would not tell lies. Honest.

Covid19 - Why the need for 3 million dollar ministers to be involved in the Task Force?

 An obvious reason for the need of two ministers to be in the Multi Ministry Task Force in tiny teeny wee Singapore is understandable as the pandemic would need the two ministries to coordinate their effort and resources to deal with the problem. Actually more ministries should be in the task force as the problem actually affects the work of many ministries, like Home Affairs, Law, Manpower, Sports etc etc. How many of you think there are other ministries that should also be included?

Maybe should appoint a senior minister or DPM as the Coordinating Minister in charge. This will show to the citizens and the world how serious is Singapore handling this pandemic. One minister is costing at least twice the pay of the President of the USA. 2 ministers will cost 4 times the pay of the President of the USA. 3 will be 6 times the cost. And if one is to understand the philosophy of Singapore, more money means more effective, more quality, then 2 or 3 ministers mean very high quality staff or stuff that would affect the quality of the decisions and the results.

Many people may still be wondering why the need for two ministers when no country in the world would do the same? Perhaps it is the serious nature of the pandemic. So need 2 or 3 ministers to be involved. Perhaps 2 or 3 heads thinking is better than 1 head thinking. Perhaps the ministers are so free, so can afford to have more ministers involved in many affairs since they have time to spare.  Oops, just joking, just joking.  Actually the ministers are very busy and now overworked, having to be arrowed into multi ministries affairs.

But seriously, with 2/3 ministers, the results really show.  See how well they have managed the problem. low number of cases, low number of death, high vaccination rate, can open to allow the people of the world to be here, even from highly infected countries and our numbers for infected cases are still very low. Good value for money.

If Singapore is to get one more minister involved, the results would be even better. No wonder the whole world is praising Singapore for this quality of govt and how Singapore has managed the pandemic. Open legs, ooops, open door policy, Singapore must remain open...to the world, and still manages so low number of infection. 

WHO must send a team here to learn from Singapore. One clear recommendation for the world, get at least two ministers to be involved in a special task force.

What do you think?

PS. 910 cases yesterday. The 2,000 target would be reached very soon.

The CECA Debate In Parliament Separates The Boys From The Real Men

 The 11 hours debate in Parliament that lasted until 12:30 am, past midnight, has brought out the characters of certain PAP MPs and Ministers. The background voices spoke even louder while opposition speakers were speaking. I take off my hat for the two PSP members who stood firm, steady and never loss their cool amidst the coordinated and concerted onslaughts of various PAP heavyweights and jeering jesters of the party in the background.

From YouTube snippets and TodayOnline's report, if you are alert and discerning, you can easily distinguish between the PAP's spoilt brats from the PSP's gentleman and lady.


Read the excerpts from TodayOnline:


"Mr Leong told TODAY that Dr Balakrishnan had indeed called to convey his apology for what was said on a “hot mic”, adding: “I accepted his apology. Let’s put our time to better use for Singapore and Singaporeans.”

He, however, said that he is curious as to who the other persons in the conversation are, and wants to know why they held the institution that he had attended “in contempt”.

PSP secretary-general Francis Yuen made a veiled reference to the incident on Wednesday evening in a Facebook post on PSP’s maiden parliamentary motion.

“Yes, (the motion) may have been rejected by Parliament. But we believe the public knows and understands why we had to table the motion and get this debate going,” Mr Yuen said.

"Unlike some quarters who may find dissenting voices illiterate, we have confidence that our fellow Singaporeans are enlightened and educated, and will not miss the woods for the trees.”

PSP chairman Tan Cheng Bock also weighed in on the matter in another Facebook post.

“Our two NCMPs fought hard. Despite difficult odds, they endured relentless attacks and even disrespectful insults from PAP (People’s Action Party) MPs. Yet with great courage and tenacity, they persevered – and I am very proud of them,” Dr Tan wrote.


Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/vivian-balakrishnan-apologises-leong-mun-wai-after-illiterate-comment-parliament-goes

LIPS

Please do not make contemptuous remarks about others

My apologies for having to activate the moderation function every now and then, especially in the night. I am sure all of you would understand why it is necessary to do so.

This blog and myself have recently been under constant harassment and attack by a mean little guy who have been posting offensive comments, calling people names, and nasty remarks against whoever he disliked. As a result I have chosen to inconvenient everyone once a while by activating the moderation function to prevent this ass from posting his offensive comments here. By now I have a heap of his comments on hold and hope I do not have to use it one day as proof of his mischief and rogue behaviour.

Whatever we post, let's be civil and courteous to one another, treat each other with respect and decorum even if we don't agree with his views. The last thing we should do is to pass ridiculous remarks at another blogger. It may hurt or offend him for a while, but what is important is that it reflects very badly on the one who made the remarks. It also reveals the meanness in the person, his true ugly self that often may be hidden behind the facade of a fake smile and appearance of politeness.

Beware and be warned, whatever you post here would be you yourself telling others about you, about your upbringing, about your true self, about your character, some good, some unpleasant, some obnoxious. Do not let a Freudian Slip gives yourself away.

Your integrity is on display and only you alone can tell people who you really are, by speaking bad about others.

Let's keep this blog civil by being civil, not by pretending to be civil.

Thank you.

Redbean

PS. I confessed I did use foul words now and then but very selectively. Mostly reserved for evil and hypocritical white men that deserved every word I wrote about them. But I would not use it on any decent person even if I disagree with him. This is basic courtesy of an average guy with no pretensions to be seen a priest, to walk around pretending to be a priest.

COVID-19 Singapore: Discrimination Against China's Vaccines Is Too Obvious And Unwise

Whatever the reason/s China's Sinovac and Sinopharm have still been left out of the National Vaccination Program is/are only known to themselves (Singapore COVID-19 Multi-Ministry Task Force). Since the government has not provided any good reason as to why it has stubbornly refused to be fair to those senior citizens who wish to be inoculated with Sinovac or Sinopham, I can only speculate the possible reasons/causes.

There could be several reasons/causes why Singapore government is not using Sinovac and Sinopharm, or any other vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation, other than Pfizer and Moderna. These four are the most likely I think:

1. The Anti-China and Pro-Western political, diplomatic and military standing policies for the past years could have been carried until today, down the four generations of leaders. The continued allowance of the United Kingdom and the United States to make use of Singapore as a military base to operate and show their military muscles in the South China Sea against China's growth and progress, is testimony to this fact.

2. The GIC and Temasek Holdings have invested heavily in Pfizer and Moderna. Therefore, there is a strong inclination and consideration to protect the interests of own investments. Temasek seems to be the key mover and provider of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the National Vaccination Program. To the calculation of the millionaire money-minds, monetary gains is more important than the lives, health and happiness of the older Singaporeans.

3. The Government has probably signed a sales-purchase agreement with Pfizer and Moderna that include a clause that it cannot use vaccines produced by other companies, just like the coffee-shops owners having to sign agreement with the Pepsi company not to sell Coke, or with Yeo's not to sell Pokka drinks. This is actually against the Law, Singapore's own laws on monopoly and unfair trades and International Laws.

4. Behind the scenes, someone very powerful, internally or externally, could have influenced the decision-making process either subtly or indirectly. This possibility cannot be ruled out.

Whatever the reasons known to them, there is no valid reason to discriminate against the older population who only wish to be treated fairly and have safer vaccines that are produced in the traditional way, and proven to be effective in many countries that have used them, especially in China and those countries which are not in the grips of Western powers and influence.

In addition, for the long-term national and security interests of Singapore, it is very unwise to antagonize China in this way. China's leaders may be very diplomatic and nice, but they are not soft and stupid. They can easily see through the poorly veiled hypocrisy in the diplomatic front of Singapore.

Furthermore, treating the older portion of the citizens with discrimination and disdain will not do well for the PAP politically. These oldies are the ones that have supported and voted the PAP into power for the last 56 years. To treat them so unfairly, especially regarding their health choice, is tantamount to being ungrateful and treacherous. Such obvious discrimination and ill-treatment will probably have serious consequences in the next voting season to a certain extent, if not significantly.

It is not too late to make amends. Better late than never. Including the Sinovac and Sinopharm in the National Vaccination Program will not only defuse the unhappiness and anger of the senior citizens and help to reduce the overall number of infections and hospitalizations, but may also be politically sound and wise. It will go a long long way for the economy and political stability of Singapore.

Think again.


LIPS At Your Service.

CECA debate in Parliament - A case of chicken and duck talk

Who is confusing who in Parliament? Shanmugam kept saying that he was confused by Leong Mun Wai's position. Tan Chuan Jin also said the same.

What was PSP's motion? To protect jobs and the livelihood of Singaporeans, aka citizens of Singapore, not foreigners. What was confusing is that the govt side was talking about how well the locals and residents did because of CECA and FTAs. Anyone notice any difference in the two positions?

Locals and residents are not all Singaporeans or citizens. Locals and residents include foreigners that are PRs here.  Not sure if they include EP holders. So, PAP has done very well for the foreigners and some Singaporeans. Not sure more foreigners benefitted from PAP's policy or more Singaporeans aka citizens. There is no attempt to show any statistics to separate Singaporeans/citizens from PRS/foreign citizens. To the govt, they are very happy to lump the two together with Singaporeans. Why?

If PRs/foreign citizens benefitted more, what is there to gloat about?  Did the govt know that it is the Singaporeans/citizens that voted them to be the govt and their primary duty must be to look after the interest and welfare of Singaporeans/citizens? The benefits to locals and residents that are not Singaporeans, not citizens should be incidental and secondary?

It is unfair to Singaporeans/citizens for a govt that repeatedly use the misnomers 'locals and residents' to include foreigners as if they are citizens.

Stop treating locals and residents that are not Singaporeans, not citizens in the same level as Singaporeans and citizens. These foreigners are the responsibility of their respective govts and they have a country to scoot back to when there is a storm in the island.  The Singaporeans have no where else to go and have to stick it out here for good or for back. When they are jobless, sacked, replaced by foreigners, they still have to survive and try to make a living here.  Stop confusing the two into one and the same.  They are not the same, they must not be the same.

The Singaporeans and citizens must be the top priority of a govt elected by the citizens. What the shit talking about non Singaporean locals and residents? If they are the responsibility of the govt, ask them to vote, give them the right to vote them to power.

Quack, quack, quack. Cock, cock, cock.

Covid19 - Why Singapore still refuses to include Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines in the national emergency scheme?

 In the early days of announcement of western and Chinese vaccines, the western pharma companies arrogantly declared that their vaccines were more than 90% efficacy. Chinese pharmas humbly declared their efficacies to be around 70%.  This immediately gave rise to the impression that western pharma vaccines were highly effective compare to Chinese vaccines, on paper and on self proclamation using their own data.

Western pharmas could easily doctored their data to suit their intent and purpose as the trials were conducted by themselves using their own select samples and at full liberty to include or exclude whatever sample, data or results they chose to have. Who was there to check on them to make sure they don't discard what they don't like and include what they chose to include to show a result that was near perfect?

It is like counting of votes, can choose to disqualify or include whatever according to the discretion of the counting officers. 

In China's case, they had to accept whatever data independent countries submitted as the trials were conducted in foreign countries. And some of the anti China countries could mess around with the data, could be bought to make the data less attractive.  China had very little control over the data submitted to them.

And some countries chose to accept these data wholesale, claiming that they did their own checks but no one actually disputed the claims of the pharmas. The data presented by the western and Chinese pharmas were more or less taken as the whole truth. The rest is now history.

Today, with more evidence of the effective of the vaccines on the ground, the Sinovac vaccine has proven to be no less effective than western mRNA vaccines, or at least both were equally ineffective to Delta variant virus. In fact Sinopharm vaccine has proven to be even more effective than the Pfizer, Moderna and Astrazenca vaccines or at least better, not worse off.

With these new evidence, why is the Singapore govt still adamant in not including the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccines in the national emergency scheme? The people that chose not to risk using mRNA vaccines and wanting to use inactivated virus vaccines are getting very angry and suspicious of what is going on and why they are discriminated and forced to pay for non mRNA vaccines.

There are many unpleasant theories and reasoning in the market place about this sordid state of affair. Would the govt ever allow the non mRNA vaccines to be used officially and subsidised by the govt and those choosing these vaccines need not be discriminated and unfairly treated, and hurting their own pockets?

Why is the govt doing this to its own citizens, treating its own citizens so unfairly? Everyone has a right to choose what they would allow to be jabbed into their own body. The least is for the govt to let them have a fair choice and not dictating on the people what to be jabbed.

What do you think?

PS. The lesson of signing the silly CECA that tied the hands and legs and balls to allow Indians to flood this island was not learnt. Looks like there is another silly agreement in the mRNA vaccines that tied hands, legs and balls to prevent the use of Chinese vaccines. Who would be so silly to sign agreements that let the other party to control and limit one's freedom of choice?

Covid19 - The sword of justice, the barometer of truth

 This virus pandemic came at an opportune time when the morality of the human race is spiralling rapidly down the dark hole, when right is wrong and wrong is right, when truth are lies and lies are truth, when good is evil and evil is good. Look at the amount of lies and untruth being spread in the media, coming out of so called national leaders, men and women supposedly of good character but were devils in disguise. Look at the amount of killings and destruction through wars of aggression painted as acts of goodness worthy of being praised and supported. And of evil men and women parading themselves as angels and saviours and passing judgement and punishment on the innocent and hapless.

There is no better time than now for this virus to appear and to spread around the world, and hanging over the heads of everyone like the sword of Damocles, swinging precariously and may drop at any moment. Many of the evil men and women, the fakes and wicked, will fall along the way. Countries led by evil men and women will suffer the same fake. There will be great changes to wipe out the mighty and ruthless that the hapless could not deal with, that the victims of the cruel and wicked shall be given a reprieve when their oppressors were taken down.

All the fakes and evil men and women would be tested and thrown in the cauldron of fire. Evil nations must fall no matter how powerful they are, no matter how they schemed to destroy the weak, no matter how they lied to deceive the gullible. Resistance is futile. The virus would have no mercy to the deceitful and wicked. They cannot run, they cannot hide. This is the moment when the unexpected, the impossible, become possible, when the meek shall triumph and inherit the earth from the strong and powerful.

The truth of the origin of the virus will surface, the truth of the efficacy of the vaccines will be revealed, and the lies of the manufacturers and the powerful will make them look foolish and discredited. Many would be tested by the virus, by how they manage this pandemic, and only the best will survive. Any wrong move or decision using false assumptions, lies or fake science or fabricated data can lead to disaster like what is happening in the USA and several other countries, when the infection is losing control and many are dying. Foolish leaders stubbornly refusing to see the truth and following bad examples will only have themselves to blame when the shit hits the fan. Who can control and manage the pandemic better will live to tell their stories another day. No amount of propaganda and lies can bring back the dead to live another day, to vindicate falsehood as the real thing.

We have a few thrown into the crucible of truth to make life and death decision for the people. They will either be melted away or turned into harden steel of exceptional quality. By the end of the day, the fakes, the inept, the pretenders, would be cast aside and true leaders of men will emerge to lead the country. The virus is the judge and the barometer of truth, but only after many were taken to task, exposed and sacrificed for their incompetence.

There will be a new chapter in history, a new world order. There will be a new Singapore led by the worthy after this trial and tribulation, when lies would not last a single day under the light of truth.

Have faith that this is a time for a reset for a better future for the human beans.

This is now looking like a competition between the foolish and irresponsible way of the West versus the discipline way of the East, between living under falsehood or the truth, between fake vaccines and real vaccines, between choosing to live or choosing to die, between choosing goodness over evil.

Goodness and truth shall triumph over wickedness and evil. This is end days for the perpetrators of lies and evilness.