The Hsien Loong shocker

Did anyone of you hear what Hsien Loong said in his National Day Rally last night? It was a shocker alright. More space for political participation. Outdoor demonstration allowed at Hong Lim. Liberalisation of the internet for political campaigns and factual movie scripts. This is a big move definitely. The devil is in the implementation of this change. Would it be just a motherhood statement or is it real? It must be as this is broadcast over the TV and in the papers as well. I was getting worried a few weeks back when Chua Lee Hoong was trumpeting that our authoritarian system is the alternative model to the liberal western model. I thought we are heading that way. And when Ho Peng Kee still insisted that anyone who wanted to participate in political discourse must get into the political arena, things looked grim. Would Ho Peng Kee and his men go around cyberspace asking bloggers if they are poets, philosophers or public intellectuals, or else join a political party? Did Ho Peng Kee got Hsien Loong's message? Or would people and kids be rounded up for putting up white elephants or selling white elephant T shirts? The reality and perception must be in sync, and the reality speaks louder if it is different from the perception or publicly announced govt policies. If things are what Hsien Loong had said, we are marching into a new revolution, a New Age of Internet. And every blogger is a pioneer and active participant in this revolution. And we should be proud of ourselves to be in this movement. Over the last couple of years the govt must be monitoring very closely the happenings in cyberspace. And they must find some comfort that cyberspace could self regulate, and there are decent and passionate bloggers who are airing their views, disagreeing with policies, but all for the betterment of the country and people. Cyberspace is not just rubbish and rogues and scoundrels who abuse their freedom of expression to attack people recklessly. Mysingaporenews and redbeanforum have played a small and significant part in proving that discussion of political and national issues can be conducted rationally and sensibly. We have been in existence for quite sometime and no one has come knocking at our doors in the middle of the night. We should continue to say our piece in the way we are doing, kpkb if necessary, to get our views heard. 90,000 hits a month, that can translate into a substantial number of people reading our news. And they will pass it to their friends and their friends to their friends. It is a communicating process that cannot be under estimated. Keep posting fellow bloggers. Hsien Loong has given the green light. And if Ho Peng Kee ask if you are a poet, philosopher or public intellectual, tell him to see Hsien Loong for the answer.

Where is robertteh?

He is the most prolific forumer in YPAP forum. For several weeks, he has disappeared totally, just like Matilah Singapura in mysingaporenews. What happens, what can happen to him to keep him away from posting? Matilah may have been finished off in Soi Cowboy in Bangkok, or kidnapped by his lovely companions. Both can be a possibility in such popular tourist hangouts. As for robertteh, the only possibility is that he is sick, so sick that he could not post any more. Cyberspace has lost two veterans. Good grief!

Don't get carried away.

'We want to (continue) developing talent, be it local or foreign. One way is to get kids started playing at the kindergartens.' Lee Bee Wah So we got our silver medal. We had our fun and the opportunity to cheer and clap and shout. Now the hilarious moment is over, we should take stock and ask ourselves, 'Is it worth it?' To be able to answer this question, we need to know how much public money is being spent for that medal? This is not like keeping up with the Joneses next door. To do that you are spending your own money. But we are talking about spending millions of public money in the quest for an illusion. Fun to have. But always remember the price and how the money could be channelled for more meaningful things. When we are prepare to mean test our people for hospital admission and not prepared to provide more C class beds, should we be spending so much money to nurture foreign talents to win medals? Spending on our own sons and daughters is an acceptable thing. Spending a small sum of money for a little fun is also acceptable. Just don't get carried away.

The dangers of insensitivity

This is the title of an article by Julie Chia on the Chinatown complex. She was talking about implementing safety measures without sensitivity and this may affect the disabled being help. I would like to borrow her title to talk about the mean thing. Mean testing is being introduced after all. No matter how well meaning, subjecting a fellow citizen to mean testing is cruel, disgraceful and insensitive. Why would a govt think that it is so necessary, that there is no better way out and will implement mean testing on its people? Is this the best solution from our supertalents? If this is, then we need to double the pay and look for better talents. The principle that I am against is that the strong, rich and powerful think that it is ok, acceptable, reasonable, to subject the poor and less able to a demeaning test of his personal wealth, his confidentiality and little self worth. All these are put onto the table to be viewed and study by people with their nose in the air. Huh, this is what this bugger is and has! So pathetic. What a loser! Historically, the rich, the powerful, and the rulers, will gradually degenerate to a state when they no longer empathise with the less fortunate. To them, they are above all these and not affected by it. The poor bugger has no sense of pride or shame, no dignity. And it is ok to line them up and strip them of everything for all to see. Anyone who thinks that mean testing is acceptable and well meaning should not spout the word compassion any more. Let the word compassion be thrown into the dustbin. There must be better ways than mean testing. When the rulers think that mean testing is not mean, we are going down. We have taken the first step down this road. More things will be found befitting for mean testing. It has been suggested that buying HDB flats should be considered for mean testing. What else? Anything that has an element of subsidy should qualify for mean testing. School fees should be the next candidate.

Notable quote by Ho Peng Kee

'Citizens wishing to participate in the public discourse are free to enter politics and fight for their convictions, or to stay outside the ring as 'poets, philosophers and public intellectuals'. Ho Peng Kee I can call myself a poet, but I can't write poems. Can I call myself a philosopher? Hmmm, better don't delude myself. How about public intellectuals instead of private intellectuals? What's the dif? Who dares to call himself an intellectual? I will be content with the 4th P, just simply 'people.' Can the people of a country participate in public discourse without entering politics? I think in a democracy this is the right of a citizen, the people of a country to discuss matters that affect them and their lives. In an authoritarian state, the people are expected to shut up and just obey. So, if the people indulge in public discourse, are they committing a crime here? Looks like so leh, according to this interpretation. It only permits 3 types of people to talk cock. How many people qualify as poets, philosophers and public intellectuals here and can be given licence in public discourse? Who says we can speak freely and those who think otherwise are having a wrong perception?