Singaporeans complacent?

I get angry when I hear people saying Singaporeans are complacent. They have chosen the best politicians to lead them and given them the best standard of living in Asia after Japan. They have so much faith that they are willing to put all their eggs in one basket and have faith that tomorrow will be better. And they know that everything is in good hands, no need to worry about, no need to question, no need to ask, no need to think, and no need to do anything. The Singaporeans are not complacent. Definitely no. The word stupidity is not in the Singaporean's vocabulary. Ignorance is bliss.

All road signs in Melayu

I drive to Malaysia very frequently for leisure. And I did not have much problems with the road signs. I could make out what they meant most of the time. Only once when I was a little confused when I was in Malacca. I was driving along this road and it seemed that there was no ending to it. I kept turning and turning and I kept hitting Jalan Sehaja. It must be the longest road in Malaysia. The Sunday Times complained about signs that Singaporeans could not read or understand. Well, that's your problem. The roads are in Malaysia and the signs are meant for Malaysians only. And if you want to drive in Malaysia, you better buck up on your Melayu. That is the practical way to do. And Singaporeans being practical, they should not be complaining. In Tokyo I too had no problems reading the signs. Neither do I have problems in the big cities in China. They have signs in English to make it easy on the foreigners. It is their way of saying foreigners are welcomed.

Great place to hunt for politicians

The SICC was in the news recently on issues like who whispered about who and who had married more than once or guilty of bigamy. Today the SCC is in the news, this time about who were overstaying in office. It was reported that President Anwarul Haque, deputy President Leow Kim Liat and games control board Chairman Jurgen Martiens have been in office longer than usual. A member, Teh Leong, is challenging the three on grounds that a Rule 34 allows 'the maximum term of president, dep president, chairman of games control board and finance member is three consecutive years.To be eligible again, an affected office holder has to stand down for at least a year.' Mavis Toh reported that Anwarul has been president since 2001, Leow and Martiens both have been in office for more than three years. It is now a legal tussle and lawyers were engaged to unravel the meaning of Rule 34. The SCC is a microcosm of what Singapore is like. A place with a dearth of political talents and leaders. Given such a serious problem, the Rule 34 has provided for past office holders to stand up for reelection, but for good corporate governance I think, a break of one year is required. In my view, this is all unnecessary. With good and honourable men in charge, there is no need for such provisions. There is a great shortage of such talents and it is better and desirable for them to continue serving for the good of the club for as long as they can. Otherwise, if no other talent is available or willing to stand for office, like Anwarul being elected unopposed, then the club will end up with no leadership. All these rules on one term or two terms should be abolished and amended. The SCC is a club of luminaries and many eminent lawyers and there is no fear of wrongdoings or another NKf.

Public Assistance Allowance up

The govt has brought forward the increase in PA allowance for the needy instead of taking the one year to study the implications of such an increase. We must thank Vivian for short cutting the process and give the additional $40 to the poor recipients. Don't forget the push by Lily Neo for the amount to be raised. Without her, this may not have happened.

Protesters to the Olympic Flame

Dalai Lama is due back in Washington for his briefing and for more instruction from the American Administration on what further steps to be taken. The mastermind is not making it a secret anymore as to who is the boss in this Tibetan violence. And the naive Dalai Lama is painting himself into the corner as the lapdog of the American Administration. At the same time the riots of protesters are lining up the streets in the big cities, clamouring for some publicity and TV coverage while trying to douse the Olympic Flame. I can appreciate the feelings to the Tibetans as a minority group, as other minority groups in every country. Everyone wanted independence or autonomy. The reality of politics and geopolitics will not allow that to happen. Otherwise we will have the disintegration of the USSR in every country's doorstep. Even the USA will not be safe from such forces of self rules and breaking up. In Asia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines are all threatened by such breakups. If this is the precedence to be set, the world will be in turmoil. Many protestors are protesting out of ignorance. The western media say so, the western human rights group says so, the western govts say so, it is fun to join the protestors without knowing what the shit it was all about. No need for any reason or objective reasons to protest. Many are just silly people joining the protest thinking that it is another party, an interesting movement to be in, to be seen in support of a cause. Otherwise their lives will be meaningless. There are suckers born every second.