8/16/2008

Myth 187 - The Opposition will destroy the country

Anwar Ibrahim will destroy Malaysia. A Jihad has been called to defeat him. He is a monster and that is what the Malaysian ruling party would want the Malaysians to believe. We are also hearing similar calls at home. The opposition will destroy the country. When the opposition comes into power, Singapore will be finished in a matter of a few years. This is what the Messiah of Doom is saying. How many believe in the Messiah? For what I can remember, Singapore prospers and is what it is today because our forefathers voted in an opposition. And the opposition was not a monster or irresponsible people. They were men and women committed to build a better nation for all Singaporeans. For the believers of the Messiah of Doom, they must believe in a few assumptions. One, the opposition are evil men out to destroy the country. Two, the electorates are fools and reckless and will vote fools and reckless people to govern them. Three, what we see is what we get, and what we are seeing of the opposition are not very encouraging. Four, when in power, the opposition will sack all the able civil servants and bring in a team of retards to help them plunder the country. I think it is very unkind to make assumptions that the opposition leaders are evil men who have nothing better to do than to scheme to destroy the country. And it is also very insulting to belittle the electorate to think that they are unthinking and foolish enough to vote any joker to Parliament. If that notion is true, then all the elections in the past years was a joke and jokers were voted to Parliament by a foolish electorate. The electorate are no fools and will use their vote wisely. When the time comes for them to vote in an opposition, it will mean that the opposition has put up good and decent people to be elected. What we are seeing is only a temporary state of things. The few opposition leaders we are seeing is not a good example of the things to come. And when good opposition candidates are voted to govern the country, you can bet that they will be reasonable and able people and will be supported by all the talents in the civil service and all sectors of the society. We cannot simply dismiss the opposition as irresponsible adventurers who are out to destroy the country. The future of every country is in the opposition, just like when our forefathers voted in the opposition to bring us to what we are today.

8/15/2008

NMP taking the lead

Loh Choon Yong and Professor Thio Li-ann are tabling a motion in Parliament to debate on the issue of a by election, a need triggered by the demise of Ong Chit Choon, MP in a GRC. What is surprising is not that such a motion was initiated by the NMPs, but the law that needs to be discussed and amended. Which law? 'Under the current Act, no writ shall be issued unless all members of a GRC vacate their seats. The Act does not provide any timeframe for a by election to be called, merely stating that the President shall issue any writ and stipulating hwo far in advance Nomination Day should be scheduled.' I quote from today. The ridiculous nature of this law is evident for all to see. How could this be our law? Why does it take so long to be noticed and to be raised? Or how did it become our law? This is an example of why checks and balances are necessary and important to ensure that our laws are fair and equitable. But again fair according to who, equitable according to who? These are subjective stuff and to those who passed this law, it is very equitable and very fair, and good for the country. Let's see if Loo and Thio could get this law amended and be prepared to hear some gems coming from Parliament in the defence of this law.

More changes in mindset

The new mission of education, according to Eng Hen, is 'imparting values by engaging a more questioning young generation, while keeping them rooted to Singapore.' The message is loud and clear. Any jokers going into cyberspace forums or blogs and telling people not to kpkb, not to question, not to think, or get out, better read this message again. For I will report them to Eng Hen: ) Today's young are expected to be questioning. So those who were brought up in the era of not questioning should retune their frequencies and start thinking. Thinking is now expected. My god. Masters student Wilson Tan was doubtful if this is possible. With people questioning more, it will lead them to demand for more space, freedom and autonomy. How to reconcile these expectations in an authoritarian state when authority must be obeyed, people must not be seen or heard? Eng Hen disputed Wilson's comment that we are 'a bit stifling.' It is only a perception. Really? How many of you think that it is only a perception and not the reality? And who causes this perception, who causes a few generations of Singaporeans ended up as unthinking and fear of thinking or questioning? Would this new quest to engage the young into thinking and questioning be real? Can we simply tell the young that they should start to do this in schools when the whole system is proclaimed as authoritarian and authoritarianism is the new model for economic progress?

8/14/2008

The end of wedding dinners

This tradition of holding wedding dinner in posh hotels is coming to an end, at least for the average Singaporeans. The rich can continue to have their expensive and once in a life time wedding, and ensuring that every wedding dinner is different and memorable. But with the kind of pricing and the hongpao that must be appropriate, the guests will find it quite unaffordable. A $400 hongpao for a couple is getting to be the norm. And in hot or favourite months, one can easily receive two or more invitations. This is going to be a big financial burden to bear for many who are trying to make ends meet. A time will come when invitation to a wedding dinner will not longer be welcomed and be frown upon. And do not be surprised when one of these days the invitation will be thrown back in the face of the bride and groom. It could be seen as a kind of social extortion. We need to look for a cheaper and reasonable alternative. The church wedding, the void deck wedding or maybe a buffet lunch wedding may become more practical. Brides and grooms beware. Your invitation may become offensive.

Top rated men and top team

LKY said we have a Division One team in charge. And the team is made up of top rated men and women. The best surgeons, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, architects, men at the top of their profession. Is this what a top political leadership team should be? Or can top professional skills be translated into passion and caring for the people, to uplift the quality of lives of the people? Is a top medical man or legal man automatically becomes a good political leader? Yes, we have the best brains, academically and professionally, from the various professions. Sometimes I got this feeling that they are better off remaining in their own profession and making themselves rich and contributing more in an area that they are excellent in. We not only need top talents, but we need top talents that are willing to serve and not self serving. I am not saying that our top talents are self serving. I am saying that national leaders are best when they are more selfless and put more priority into serving the people. I think it is safer to claim at this point that our leaders are all selfless and the people's welfare is their top priority. But as we go down the road this may not be the case. We have seen this blind worship of talents becoming a virtue here. Talents are embraced like gods or idols, even if they are found to have serious character flaws, cheats, or plunderers of public funds. When the society or people can no longer see more than one metre ahead and do not place much importance to integrity and high morals, where else can we go? Soon we will be clamouring for cheats to be Prime Ministers. No sweat as long as they are talented. No need to fear a third division team to destroy the country. A Division One team with one or two cheats could do more harm than a weak team.