When a country is well governed...

Japan is perhaps the best model of a country that is very well governed, putting aside whatever idealism about a perfect political philosophy and system. The best characteristics to observe are the quality of life and the way the people go about living their lives, in contentment, in self fulfilment of individual pursuits, in being able to be the best one can be, on his own, without help and no charities. Everytime when the msm flashes on its front page about how much subsidies or handouts the govt is giving to the people, it is a sure sign of regression, a mismanagement of resources. The bigger the handouts and subsidies, the bigger the mistakes in the accumulation and allocation of funds. For when efficiently managed, there should be no necessity to over collect and ended up with over giving, or the need to give. Something is wrong in the process. Then the fad or misplaced zeal to run charity shows and set up charity organisations. These are all bad signs that things are not well. For when the people are able to take care of themselves, there is no need for charity. Charity is actually a disguised form of begging, an act that demeans the recipients. The charity mindset is something that we must erase from our memory. Charity is bad. Charity is only a last resort. It is shameful to celebrate or praise charity. It honours or give a sense of well being to the givers and tears down at the pride and dignity of the receivers. The more charity organisations we have, the more charity shows we organised to raise funds to be charitable, the greater is our failure as a society. I don't think we hear much or see much of charitable activities and charity shows in Japan. I don't hear the Japanese govt spending its time accumulating money and setting up all kinds of organisations to help their poor, or to provide all kinds of handouts and subsidies at the scale and frequency that we are doing. The subsidies are more in areas of economic activities, trade protectionism, etc, but not directly to give to the people. When we have reached a state when there is no need for subsidies, no need for charities, and people willing pay for what they need, and their taxes, then we have arrived. For the moment, we are living like the days of Jesus when he was the saviour, performing miracles to spread the loaves and fishes to the hungry and poor. And the poor could not look after themselves and will be eternally grateful and dependent on the miracle bread, and eternal bondage to the giver.

Celebrating Singaporeans - Stand by your man.

Many people did not know who she is. Many would not want to know her or speak to her. And in the list of honours for National Day, her name will be missing. This is a mother of two children who has given up the a normal and comfortable lifestyle of an academic and bring up children in a family friendly environment. She stood by her husband, no matter what his beliefs and pursuits, and soldiers on in virtual disgrace and humiliation, to stand by her man. These are virtues that not many women are prepared to live by in this materialistic world when success is measured in how much is the man's pay packet. Dr Huang Chih Mei is the wife of the infamous leader of an opposition party, Dr Chee Soon Juan. The latter's political experience and antics have made life very uneasy and uncomfortable for many, and was at the wrong end of the political justice. He has been named with all kinds of unfavourable and undescribable adjectives. He has been tarred, feathered and paraded on the pages of the msm. He has lost a decent and respectable lifestyle and the opportunity to bring up a family like any high income earners in paradise. This role is now left to this dutiful and loyal wife. Under many circumstances a weaker woman would have bowed out and take on a new life. Huang Chih Mei did not, and strive along despite the many material and financial disadvantages, and social ostracisation as well. Her qualities as a woman, a wife and a mother, are all that family virtues can ask for. And if anyone is deserving of an honour during the National Day, she deserves to be one. She is not in politics though her husband is. She confines her roles as the other significant half of the family.

More handouts coming!

With the Malaysian upping their petrol price, everything that we buy from Malaysia must go up. It is the natural way of things. It is definitely beyond our control. What is within our control is more handouts as all our food from Malaysia will be that much more costly. Holy mother, where are you? Holy mother, we need you!

Letter by Huang Chih Mei

Below is a letter by Huang Chih Mei, wife of Chee Soon Juan which I copied from Sammyboy.com. I am not sure if it is printed in our msm. If does give a different and personal perspective from the family angle of how a family has to cope with the political wrangling and spillover effects. Singapore, my home too Friday, 06 June 2008 Dr Chee's children visiting their grannies in TaiwanHuang Chih Mei We were on our flight back to Singapore from Taiwan. I picked up a complimentary copy of the Straits Times before boarding the plane. My eldest daughter glanced at the front page and read out loudly, "Papa, 12 days; Korkor, 10 days...are they going to jail, again?" I quickly surveyed those fellow passengers nearby, no one seemed to raise an eyebrow. I presumed they were either tourists or Singaporeans who were not quite on the radar of this island's political watch. For me, I was apprehensive that we were just in time to send them off to prison the next day. Our kids are great, especially the eldest one who was born when her father was in jail. My then gynecologist was a bit fazed for a moment after sewing me up and looking for the new father for the customary congratulations. He ended up shaking my hand. We have our kids late, but we always feel thankful that they came at the right time – just when things are getting more difficult and challenging for us, they are best in keeping things in perspective for us. Several years ago, we met Malaysia's DAP politician Lim Guan Eng and his wife Betty when they were invited to speak at a public forum organised by the Open Singapore Centre. During our private conversation, Mr Lim mentioned that their young kids were told that "papa went to work" when he was jailed for 18 months. Subsequently, their children were frighten and didn't want him to leave the house whenever he told them he was going to work. We didn't have kids then, but I sort of learned that it's better to tell children the truth although they might not fully understand why. Most parents will naturally think of what they can best provide for their own children. But we never know where life will bring us or what fate might deal with our dearest in future. To impart them a positive attitude and right values would go a long way than giving them things material. Our children are involved in some of their father's activities and they are familiar and comfortable with the people who participate in these activities, too. Apparently, they come to know that these are decent and interesting people to be around and there's nothing sinister or needed to be fearful about. Our youngest boy always enjoys "going to the democracy place to light candles". In Singapore, these are certainly rare occasions that not every child gets to experience. Before I embarked on my Ph.D. program in the U.S. decades ago, I was rather hesitant and uncertain about the prospect of continuing my miserable student life for a few more years in a totally different university located up north that the weather can get really icy cold in winter. That was about the same time I met my future husband. He was all very encouraging and saying things such as "you've got to have dreams in your life." - the kinds of words we frequently wrote for our composition class in school but we don't actually believe in them. I couldn't help to take a second look at him. In deed, I had my share of middle class prejudice such as that I would have readily agreed with the opinion that those who cannot provide for their own children financially should not have more than what they can afford. To respect each individual's reproduction rights is just one of the things I have learned over the years. With a life partner of beliefs, I am glad to be exposed to pluralistic ideas as well as humanitarian values and become a more sensible person. The fact that I am from Taiwan, another Asian country with its own authoritarian past, has somehow equipped me with the ability to empathise with the present Singapore and continue to be hopeful about its future. What we are going through right now is certainly not the best arrangement, but I always believe that the process itself is as significant as its final destination, because often times our best human qualities are redeemed through these unenviable tasks and challenges. It has become increasingly clear to me that my own destiny and the wellbeing of my family are closely tied to Singapore's political development. To me, it's very important to see Singapore democratised soon. Dr Huang Chih Mei, Dr Chee Soon Juan's wife, has promised herself to write something every time he goes to jail.

Sedition Acts

When you are not seditious when discussing sensitive racial, religious or political issues. The Acts have provisions to allow discussion of such subjects provided the intent is not to incite, cause hatred and stir up the emotions of the people leading to violence, anti govt activities etc. Para 2 below provides for discussions if the intent of the discussions is to alleviate misunderstanding, reduces differences, to improve or to point out errors etc without doing the above. 3. —(1) A seditious tendency is a tendency — (a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government; (b) to excite the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure in Singapore, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established; (c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Singapore; (d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore; (e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), any act, speech, words, publication or other thing shall not be deemed to be seditious by reason only that it has a tendency — (a) to show that the Government has been misled or mistaken in any of its measures; (b) to point out errors or defects in the Government or the Constitution as by law established or in legislation or in the administration of justice with a view to the remedying of such errors or defects; (c) to persuade the citizens of Singapore or the residents in Singapore to attempt to procure by lawful means the alteration of any matter in Singapore; or (d) to point out, with a view to their removal, any matters producing or having a tendency to produce feelings of ill-will and enmity between different races or classes of the population of Singapore, if such act, speech, words, publication or other thing has not otherwise in fact a seditious tendency.