The moment is here!

NSP announced to field 30 candidates in the next GE. This is an interesting piece of news. If NSP is confident of the number, then Workers Party and Reform Party could easily attract the same number if not more. And we have another few parties out there to add to the number. If this materialized, then there will be no walkovers anymore. You will have your chance to vote for your future. The moment has come to make your choice wisely. Some mishaps cannot be ruled out like parties disqualifying themselves by slipping on banana skins, or too many opposition candidates competing in the same wards and cancelling their own chances. That will be stupid. The voters can only hope that the petty disagreements among the alternative parties will not be in the way of the bigger mission, to get in as many opposition candidates into Parliament. The best hope is still the dark horse Reform Party. It has a clean slate and led by highly qualified professionals. They could attract equally qualified candidates to join them to present a solid party to the people. My gut feel is that many professionals and qualified people will run this time, sensing that the end is near. May the force be with the people and for the good of the people.

Feeling betrayed

From the conversation of a group of Yuppies, one cannot help but get the sense of betrayal. Yes, they felt being betrayed by their own govt and govt policies. They were young, talented and upwardly mobile, earning good money, too good that it becomes a liability. There are many young professionals who are earning more than $5k pm, some much more. They served their NS diligently and dutifully without expecting anything. It was just a service to the country as expected of every healthy young man. Their sin was not to find a partner and get married sooner. They delayed their matrimonial pursuits to carve a niche in their professions. And when property prices shot through the roof, they found themselves out of the HDB scheme and must pay a robber’s ransom for a small private flat. Some tried, but because of the small supply and slow down in building programme, they ended without a flat, and their salaries exceeded the HDB ceiling. And they are the local talents, the future leaders and captains of their industries. Many ended up renting and paying through their noses because govt policy forbids them from buying HDB. They could buy private but why pay so much for so little? Private properties may be peanuts to some but terribly expensive to the prudent. What would happen to them? Is it unnatural for them to feel betrayed? Where other Singaporeans are given two bites of the cherry, when new citizens are also entitled to two bites of the cherry, why are they not even entitled to one? They are the talented children but feeling unwanted and becoming victims of the system. Is this how we reward our very own children?

Legacy of gunboat diplomacy

The western reporters could only quip that the Chines furore over the Diaoyutai Incident is about face saving. These are the only two words that they knew over the centuries of reporting about China. Other vocabularies include Chinese are inscrutable, good housekeepers, good cook for chop suey and laundrymen. The arrest of the Chinese fishing boat captain by the Japanese in the disputed Diaoyutai Island harks back to the days of Unequal Treaties. The island was wrestled from China at the Treaty of Shimonoseki. China than was a weak nation in the dying days of the Qing Dynasty. It went further down as the Sick Man of Asia after repeated raids and territorial aggression by the Western Powers and Japan. In the days of gunboat diplomacy, might is right. The Japanese told the Chinese then that they deserved to be attacked and defeated because the Chinese were weak. Yes, weakness was sexy and tempting. And Japan and the Western Powers raped and invaded China, and extorted all kinds of war reparations and ceding of Chinese territories and concessions. Diaoyutai was one of the islands ceded to Japan. Taiwan was ruled by Japan for several decades. So was Korea. History has come full circle. The difference is that China has the power of balance in its favour now. Japan may still think that it is a great imperial power and could do what it did to China all over again. It is in for a rude surprise. The Chinese, including the Koreans, are ready to take back whatever they lost to the Japanese during Imperial Japan. The stupid westerners can only think of Chinese face. They refused to acknowledge the days of humiliation, aggression and Unequal Treaties when China had to give up its wealth and land, and islands. Today China is strong enough to stand up to the aggressors and will demand the return of all lands taken from old China. They will do it on the negotiating table and will use the gun only if necessary. Japan want a war with China, with the US backing? The Chinese will meet the Japanese and Americans in the battle field. This time it is not a ragtag army of ill equipped peasant soldiers carrying only rifles and small arms. The Chinese military is in a position to take on the most advanced military power in the world today. Japan is chicken feed. Of course the militant Japanese will think otherwise, that they are capable of invading China once more. They want to return to the days of Imperial glory. The show has just started.

$12b not kid’s play

Two international conglomerates invested in more than $12b in the two integrated resorts with casinos as the major component in their business model. No matter how we tried to deceive ourselves, how to disguise them in all kinds of grandiose terms, the two integrated resorts would never be built without the casinos. And the casino concept was relented, accepted, despite the negative aspects associated with it, for there are many benefits too that would come along. They became operational at a time when the world was hit by a financial crisis and economic slowdown. They brought along a lot of jobs and investments, prior to their openings and after that. And more jobs and business opportunities are opening up because of these two ‘demons’ in the temple of god. Construction industry booms, tourism booms, meetings and conventions, and many supporting businesses sprang up because of them. Many people found jobs. And now because a few children complained, because a few whiter than white or holier than thou voices were raised in the right places, the operators of the casinos and their business partners are troubled, and their business plans and arrangements in disarray, looking so evil. Are we real in curbing the free buses from the hardlands? Do we really believe that stopping the buses will stop hardland gamblers going to the casinos and save these people from the harm of gambling? The only people that will stop going to the resorts/casinos are the occasional gamblers. The serious gamblers will be there. Their lives have changed the moment the govt decided on the casinos. The saving of $2 from free buses are not going to be in the calculations of people intent to gamble. The stopping of the free bus services hurt more of the casual visitors going to the resorts, the families going to the resorts, the retirees who could enjoy a few free rides, the general public who are going to the island or Marina Bay other than the casinos. Gamblers will not be deterred by not having free buses. The $100 levy is already a big deterrent, and the age limit. So what is all the fuss about, and the urgency, as if the sky is falling down if nothing is done, immediately? Hsien Loong is away and may not know what is going on. Would he reverse this panic decision and reinstate the free bus services? He was the one who gave the green light to the casinos. Minor irritations like free buses are not going to look good on him. The two big investors may abide quietly by the sudden change of regulations. What would they be thinking? What would other potential investors be thinking? What kind of place is this paradise? Are there really angels guarding this place and the goody residents sip tea, sing hymns and recite the gospels as past times, and pray to god day in and day out? Isn’t this a fun place, a place of action and excitement, entertainment, boozing and free mating? I have been living in this place all my life and I think the lives of the people are as colourful and complex as any big city, other than a few hypocrites. The sinful and pleasurable activities permeate every level of society for all I know. No? Then I must be imagining. Or I am not AWARE of the good side? The gamblers will still be at the casinos. The brickbats will come from those who want free buses to the resorts. They will be really pissed off by the few holies. Some are asking aloud why should kids decide what is good for them and what is not? Would this result in more anger votes? I am sure there are more humans than holies walking around in paradise.

Cleansing Sin City

Incurring the wrath of god is a bad thing in Sin City. The Sintizens need to be protected from evil and temptations. No one shall tempt the Sintizens into sin. The edict came down swift and fast. Not a moment shall be lost. No buts. Just stop promoting evil. And so the free bus services to the casinos or integrated resorts ceased immediately. No grace period was needed to unwind for a matter so serious as sin. Bus operators, casino operators just have to bear with the edict and take their losses. Free loaders taking the free buses would have to find their way home. If they had no money, thinking that they could take the free buses home, walk or do anything to get home. The decision is not about pragmatism or profit making. It is about goodness versus evil. The bus operators and casino operators losing their investments is of no concern. Now that it is official that gambling is not allowed nor encouraged among Sintizens, especially the hardlanders, I can expect the act of cleansing will go down further to make it real and complete. And it cannot be a half hearted measure or it will look hypocritical. Phase Two could see the eradicating of gambling booths in the hardlands. No more toto, 4D, football bettings, horse racings in the hardlander's neighbourhood. No one shall be allowed to tempt the hardlanders into gambling, all kinds of gambling. Phase Three should see the termination of online trading in shares. This is even worst than going to the casinos. It is bringing the casinos into the homes where adults and children all can play together. I mean gamble together. It is so convenient, free bus or no free bus, gambling is now available in the bed room, living room, study room and even in the toilet. Isn't this disgusting? To be real, to be really caring, to protect the Sintizens from gambling and indulging in sin, Phase Two and Phase Three must be enacted too, as immediate as the termination of free bus services. What about Phase Four, cleansing of Joo Chiat and Geylang? Maybe they are ok, as long as they don't bring the sleaze to the hardlanders. These unthinking hardlanders must be protected. They can't look after themselves and easily succumb to sin and temptation. God bless the citizens of Sin City.