What’s happening?

Chok Tong made an announcement that in future ministers can only serve two terms to make way for new talents. The only exception is that PMs may be allowed to stay longer. To me this is funny indeed. Many countries would want to limit the Number One executive’s term to two terms for obvious reasons. Here, uniquely Singapore, the Number One executive can go on and on while the minister’s terms are limited. This funny thing does not stop here. When asked about Chok Tong’s remark, Kan Seng said, ‘That’s his opinion and we’ll leave it at that.’ You see how funny this latter remark is? Was Chok Tong giving a hint of the party’s position on self renewal or was he making a personal remark that has not been approved by the party? What was Kan Seng trying to say, or what was Chok Tong trying to say?

Are we ready to move from third world to first world?

No, I did not make a false statement. In politics we are still in the third world, with third word antics and third world mentality. A one party dominant political system cannot be first world. Ya? so what should a first world political system be, bi party or multi party? Believers of a one party dominant state will definitely disagree with my statement. The one party system, a dictatorship of a party, is good, effective and has served us well. No need to change when it is not broken, just carry on. What about the drawbacks and the danger when it turns bad? I say when and not if. It is the nature of things that all things will turn bad. Sometimes it could already be bad but because of incremental decay, it may not be apparent. A manufacturer of nuclear plants, or an advocate of nuclear plants, will swear that nuclear energy is safe and the way to go. They know the danger and what will be the consequence of a mishap. Their only solution is that they will do everything possible to prevent it but knowing deep down that a mishap can and will happen. This same argument is applicable to those who flaunt the virtues of a one party system and not telling how bad it could be when the time comes. And they will assure you that they will do all they can to prevent it from happening. Can the words of man be trusted? Just wait till their vital interests are at risk, and the bestest of man will turn to a mean beast. There is no need for a mature polity to be controlled by an absolute majority with few or no alternate voices. A 60% or 70% majority is more than sufficient for a ruling govt to run its agenda and policies smoothly. This is the same as a $1m or $2m salary is more than enough to live very comfortably. What is important, in the long run, is the nurturing of an alternative party to be there, speaking for the people and to moderate the extreme policies of the ruling party. Not everything the ruling party did is right or good for the people. It will be good at times and for some people at times. Some people will be adversely affected by any policy. In the absence of an alternative voice for the people, things can be slippery. NCMP, NMP or alternative voice in the ruling party? Stop dreaming.

Kathakali Cultural Dance

A Kathakali dancer with a woman devotee kneeling in front of him and making an offering.

A sad accident

Foreign student fainted and fell into the MRT tracks and both her legs were run over by the train. She has been here only a few weeks and wanted to learn English. Now she is going to live her life without her legs. Some are angry why there are no dividing screens to prevent people falling into the tracks. I ask, why can’t the trains slow down as they approach the station to a more reasonable speed to allow the driver to slam on his brakes in an emergency? Why didn’t the driver stop in time? I have seen many crazy drivers coming to a screeching halt at traffic junctions even when they knew that the lights are red from a distance. Is it such a big hustle to slow down the trains? If they can go down to a speed enough for emergency brakes, you don’t even need the expensive dividing screens. Oh ya, the whole system will slow down and people will kpkb. As I have suggested, the trains can go on a higher speed in between stations to catch up for lost time. Ok, I am ignorant of how the train operates. Maybe it cannot be done and need a $6 billion system to improve it. It may be difficult to stop in time when someone intends on suicide and time it at such that the train is near enough before taking the plunge. In normal accidents, there could be some time interval to see the impending accident. Anyway, the best solution is to stop operating the trains. _________________

Only 20% wants to emigrate

A survey by the Institute of Policy Studies found that only 1 in 5 of the Gen Y wants to emigrate from their home country, called Singapore. Only 20%, why so little? My God, if 20% of China or India’s population would want to emigrate, that would be more than 200m from each country. And won’t it be surprising that a world class country has so many of its future leaders wanting to quit? The biggest communist country and the biggest third world democracy may not have so many citizens wanting to quit. How’s that for comparison? And one of the reasons quoted for living is stifling? Mentally or physically? Wait till we have 6m or 10m population then we will know what stifling means. But by then the state would have convinced the people that stifling is progress and the only way for growth. And the people will get use to it and probably adjust their waistline to be trimmer, so that there will be more space when travelling in public transport. Don’t worry, 20% only, too little. If one member in every household wants to emigrate and they said only, it cannot be serious lah.