Myth 165 - Inferior genes

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

Run for your life

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

Myth 164

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

Mr Tan or Mr Kow?

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

The biggest street protest in Singapore

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