Why no interest in Jasmine Revolution?

Peh Shing Huei, ST’s China Bureau Chief interviewed several Chinese and was disappointed that most were just not interested in the call for a Jasmine Revolution in China. In a way a revolution is fun, as long as it is happening in someone else country, and other people’s blood are flowing. Many anglophiles and western biased Chinese analysts would love to have a Jasmine Revolution in China. For the ethnic western journalists, no need to say, for a China in disarray is a good thing. Why would the Chinese want a revolution at this point in time when China is on a roll? China has risen like a phoenix from the ashes. Yes there are problems, but the problems are miniscule given the enormity of the problems when China was a poverty stricken state when being a Chinese was a shame. During those dark days, many Chinese probably wished they were not born and wanted to be Europeans. Some Chinese today still want to be Europeans. But the number is dwindling. There is great pride in China and in being Chinese. China and the Chinese are positioned to upstage the Americans in a matter of time. Why would the Chinese want to kill this golden opportunity, to turn their country upside down, and to be conquered and treated like pariahs by the westerners one more time? No doubt there are still some silly Chinese who had a few hamburgers too many and think that China should succumb to western pressure and be a failed state. They are praying everyday for it to happen. The Chinese in China must not make the same mistake and destroy what their govt has done over the last 40 years. They have done everything right with some exceptions which are more of failings of individuals rather than the govt. Would the Chinese be stupid enough to listen to silly overseas and local Chinese who advocate them to destroy what they have built today? If China would to be messed up today, it will never be able to stand up again for another century. And some of the western minded Chinese will be most happy. And they will call themselves John Smith wherever they go and proudly announce that they don’t understand a word of Chinese. And being Chinese would once again be a shame.

Dictatorship of a political party

A dictator controls everything in a country, the people, resources, finances, power and ideas. A political party can also behave like a dictator, controlling everything in a country. Have we reached such a state? I was reading Tharman’s reply to Low Thia Khiang in Parliament and I came away with the feeling that everything he said was true, right and the best for Singapore. He and his team had thought through everything in detail and came out with the best solution available. ‘There is more than enough for lower and middle income households in the Grow and Share package in this year’s Budget to tide over this period of high inflation.’ Period. Believe it or not, agree with it or not, like it or not, that’s it. That’s the final answer. ‘A retired couple is likely to see their costs of living increase by $400 this year….A three generation middle income household’s living expenditure for the year is estimated to rise by $1,850….’ Undisputed hard numbers and hard truths. And the GST issue… The current system is the best. The other variations, permutations, modifications, are either not effective, bad or too difficult to implement. GST is not regressive taxation. Next please. And despite all the questions and questions, the answers given by Tharman are all the answers that will be given, and that’s it. The party has all the correct and perfect answers and solutions to all problems. Do we need another alternative party or alternative voice? As for the dictatorship of the party, we are not there yet. At least there are some who acknowledged that they did not have the monopoly of ideas. They only have all the answers.

Like a prostitute

This is exactly what a truly free economy is like. Offer to anyone who has the money to pay for it, citizen or non citizen, good or bad person, no question ask as long as the party is willing to pay. The door is always open, and so are the legs. There is no consideration about right and wrong, about morals, obligations, loyalty and responsibility. A prostitute is only responsible to provide a service to satisfy the customer and collect her keeps. Period. Please don’t ask the prostitute to be nice. A prostitute is only nice to the one with the dole and for the moment. Do not bother about charity from the prostitute. Her mind set is that if she can offer or sacrifice herself, everything, pride and dignity, to earn that dollar, you better take care of yourself. Can prostitution be an honourable alternative for the viability of a state? I mean figuratively of course. Is our country just another prostitute?

Tampines uncut

Tampines GRC is one of the few that were left practically unchanged in the redrawing of boundaries. Might as well since any redrawing does not give the PAP any advantage over the opposition, be it Tampines or anywhere else. However, Tampines presents a very interesting case for speculations given the opposition’s assessment that it is one of the very likely GRC to fall. Then why is Tampines left uncut? Would it also be that Mah Bow Tan will still helm the GRC in the no horse run race? Assuming that it is a win or lose situation, what does it mean? One possibility is that the housing problem is already resolved by all the remedial accelerated housing programmes. The house hunters, especially the first time owners, must have been appeased and their housing needs taken care of. So it would not be an election issue any more. Tampines is safe. Another possibility is that Tampines will be the sacrificial lamb. Well, if the reading is that some GRCs will fall, might as well let Tampines go without too much hustle to redraw the boundaries. It is already too far gone. Let there be no complains from the opposition that its boundaries were redrawn to protect the ruling party’s interest. It looks like a pretty fair proposition, boundaries intact and the GRC team intact, maybe with one or two changes for renewal. And Mah Bow Tan is going to dig in and defend his turf like a man. My guess is that Tampines will go to the opposition unless they fumble again in the last minute and got themselves disqualified. Pray no such idiots surface to overturn the apple cart. Why am I feeling so nervy that this is gonna happen?

WE, the People of Singapore….

The PAP’s election campaign is on. And it is there to tell the people how good the party is, how well and how much they have done for Singapore, and how good is the caliber of their candidates. This must be expected as all political parties will want to blow their own trumpets. And, if the PAP has its way, it will want the people to vote all 87 PAP candidates to Parliament. They are saying it all for their own good. The opposition will also sing their own songs, on how they could contribute to the country when elected. They will tell the electorate how important it is for the opposition to be represented in Parliament to speak for the people, to speak and to offer an alternative voice. All the reasoning has been rehashed over the years, over every election. What else is new? What is new or can be new is ‘We, the Citizens of Singapore…’ Yes, we, the people of this country must know what is good for us. Every political party will be thinking of what is good for themselves first and then the people. We, the people of Singapore, must think for our own interest first and foremost. Only WE, the people of Singapore…. will know what is good for us, not someone says so. All the political parties have their own agendas and think of themselves as first. We, the people of Singapore… better do some thinking now, and do what is right and good for us. Yes, US, and not other people or political parties, US, and vote wisely, for our own good. Don’t believe anyone telling you that they are doing it for your own good. We know, and have bad experiences, many bad experiences, when people tell US that they are doing it for our own good. We are the people of this country and must decide what is good for this country and for US and our children. The election is for the people to elect who the people think can serve them better. Let’s make it happen.