Celebrating Singaporean - David Marshall

David Marshall, Singapore's First Chief Minister Many good things have been written about David Marshall in the Straits Times today. Kishore Mahbubani summed it up in a few words, 'a remarkably good and decent human being.' He came into politics and fought like a gentleman. When he lost and became the opposition, he formed his party and accepted the rules of the game, the change of political power graciously. He did not manipulate the system or amend the constitution to make it difficult for opposition parties to challenge him. Or maybe he did not stay long enough. He quit his post, he resigned when he failed to deliver his promise. Some have called him naive politically, but that is why he is still regarded as a good and decent man. A respectable politician is hardly a term that people used but is being applied to David Marshall very appropriately. How many politicians could leave a legacy of respectability when they lost power? Maybe it is all history. It was a time when goodness, honour, selflessness, serving people and country were virtues that people truly believe in. Today many of these so called virtues are uttered freely without any sincerity nor intention to uphold them. Some even sneer at such naive concepts or ideals. David Marshall will be remembered in our history as a good man.

For UMNO, volunteerism is long gone

This statement came from Zainon Ahmad, political editor of the English daily The Sun. He added that UMNO candidates lost the election simply because the supporters were clamouring for their share of the loot. If the money is not coming down to them, they stopped working. The UMNO supporters have viewed the candidates as all for themselves and struggling to amass wealth. It is all money politics for personal wealth. And this kind of culture will bring down any party in any country. It is all a matter of timing. Are we heading in the same direction? Some will say no with eyes wide shut. Some will argue that we have good honest men that came out to serve the country for noble reasons. And the people know that and can see that, and are indebted to our honest and honourable leaders. Of course there are others who stubbornly disagree. And of course many do not know which is which.

Close ranks to catch Mas Selamat

Paul Jacob in today's Straits Times talked about all the noises in cyberspace and the call for heads to roll. Then he concluded by saying that all must close ranks to capture Mas Selamat. He failed to understand why there are so much noise in the first place. And many also failed to understand or refused to understand why people are angry. It all boils down to the two opposing principles and the polarisation of the super talents on one side and the general masses on the other. I think people are really pissed off by all the harping of how great super talents were and how much money they must get for them to work and be committed to serve the country. And many are just saying quietly, prove me your worth, that they deserve the money paid. And any fiasco will be waved around as a mockery of the super talent and super pay ideology. The more people praised the great super talents, and the bigger is their insatiable appetite to be paid more, the more intolerant will be of their mistakes. And outrageous mistakes will naturally receive the full attention of the disgrunted. The cyberspace will bury them with all their mockeries and innuendoes.

Singapore delegates visit US to learn about poverty

Singapore delegation visits Marshall to discuss poverty issues Thursday, March 13, 2008 By RACHEL HARPER/Staff writer Nine representatives from Singapore visited Missouri Valley Community Action Agency in Marshall Tuesday, March 11, to learn new and creative ways to address poverty. "We are extremely pleased you decided to come to Missouri, we are still flabbergasted," said Missouri Association for Community Action (MACA) Executive Director Elaine West. "We hope this will be a beneficial experience for you and us." I copy the above from Sammyboy.com. Singapore is really going places. We went to Japan to learn how to look after our aged. Now we are in America to learn how to look after our poor. We will definitely be better off in looking after these two groups of people.

Improving public transport - Taxi bus

The bus and MRT system will now be boosted with a taxi-bus system. Taxis will now operate more like buses and MRT with designated stops to pick up and unload passengers. Maybe the next step is to charge taxi fares according to the number of taxi stops and have regulated taxi routes. I hope the little convenience which used to differentiate taxis from buses and MRT, like bringing passengers to their doorstep, will not be missed. And for the lost of such a convenience, taxi fare can be lowered to meet the new level of service.