The rice is cooked, we have a new Elected President in the Istana. And he is still getting his millions as salary. All the controversies raised during the election for the new EP were somehow forgotten, as usual. The heat is gone. This is very typical of Singaporeans when the pain is not enough. They only kpkb for the moment and then resigned to the fait accompli.
We just conducted a poll and 40% of the respondents wanted the EP to be abolished. Another 40% didn’t mind having the office of the Presidency but wanted a ceremonial one that does not come with the outrageous multi million dollar salary.
This is the feedback of the people who bothered to take a stand. Would the govt take this feedback seriously and cancel the EP office, replace it with a ceremonial one? The sample size of the poll may be small, but I think it is quite representative of the views of the population. The govt may want to conduct a bigger poll to get a confirmation that this is what the people want and not what the govt wants for the Presidency.
This is feedback too.
9/27/2011
The safest Singapore bank
I would put UOB as the safest Singapore bank for one simple reason. It is managed by the real owner. You can’t imagine the real owner selling away its family jewel. It is possible only if a prodigal son appears on the scene. Not likely at the moment.
The risk of UOB going the way of Barings or UBS is much lesser. There is ownership. In the case of banks managed by professional managers, you would not know when they will strike a deal or did a Nick Leeson and the bank will be gone.
In today’s world, where integrity and trustworthiness can be bought by money, it is always the price to pay. The old virtues of righteousness, honesty, loyalty and yes, integrity and trustworthiness, are good to have ideals. Not meant to be taken seriously by those who are too smart. When they are too smart, the only interest is their own pockets.
In every commercial deal someone will be taking a cut. The bigger the deal the more attractive will be the cut. The Chairman or directors would also be in the game for the cut. When the new ethos is every man for himself, all institutions and organizations managed by clever professional managers are at risk.
When countries can be sold, what is so special about banks or sovereign funds when they are managed not by the true owners but by professional managers who owe no loyalty to the organization except to themselves? Most of the big international banks and MNCs are now in the hands of professional managers with the minority shareholders not knowing what is happening and still very trusting of the management.
What is so special about Singapore and Singapore govt owned organizations when they are managed by professional managers who owe no loyalty to the country? Who is there to guard against professional theft or adventurism when UBS too can do nothing about it?
Nothing beats the real owner sitting in management and watching his own money carefully. The day UOB goes the way of being run by professional managers, without the owners in control, I will withdraw my view that it is the safest bank.
The risk of UOB going the way of Barings or UBS is much lesser. There is ownership. In the case of banks managed by professional managers, you would not know when they will strike a deal or did a Nick Leeson and the bank will be gone.
In today’s world, where integrity and trustworthiness can be bought by money, it is always the price to pay. The old virtues of righteousness, honesty, loyalty and yes, integrity and trustworthiness, are good to have ideals. Not meant to be taken seriously by those who are too smart. When they are too smart, the only interest is their own pockets.
In every commercial deal someone will be taking a cut. The bigger the deal the more attractive will be the cut. The Chairman or directors would also be in the game for the cut. When the new ethos is every man for himself, all institutions and organizations managed by clever professional managers are at risk.
When countries can be sold, what is so special about banks or sovereign funds when they are managed not by the true owners but by professional managers who owe no loyalty to the organization except to themselves? Most of the big international banks and MNCs are now in the hands of professional managers with the minority shareholders not knowing what is happening and still very trusting of the management.
What is so special about Singapore and Singapore govt owned organizations when they are managed by professional managers who owe no loyalty to the country? Who is there to guard against professional theft or adventurism when UBS too can do nothing about it?
Nothing beats the real owner sitting in management and watching his own money carefully. The day UOB goes the way of being run by professional managers, without the owners in control, I will withdraw my view that it is the safest bank.
Milestones of Communism
In 1978, Deng Xiao Ping visited Singapore and started an economic reform in the vein of capitalism. White cat black cat never mind as long as it catches mice. 1978 possibly marked the end of Communism except in name in China. In 1981, Deng Xiao Ping also ordered the closure of the Malayan Revolutionary Radio broadcasting to Malaysia and Singapore.
Govt to govt relationship between Singapore and China was on the mend and improving by leaps and bounds. Communism was as good as dead as an alternative govt or for exporting revolution by the 1980s when Gorbache’s glasnost and petroiska led to the break up of the Soviet Union.
This is not true in Singapore as a small group of young men and women were plotting a Marxist revolution by infiltrating into the Catholic Church. Obviously they could not be gaining any support from China as Deng Xiao Ping would not allow it or his relationship with LKY would be over. Could this Marxist Group be supported by the Russians or the Communist Party of Malaya(CPM)? With Gorbachev in charge, Russia was in a different kind of revolution, opening up to the West. The CPM was dormant since the silencing of its radio broadcast. In 1989 they signed a peace accord with Malaysia and officially ended their fight for Communism and a Malayan state.
The Marxist Group in Singapore was arrested in 1987 under Operation Spectrum for plotting to overturn the govt by force. Their existence was proof that there must be another revolutionary organization supporting the Marxist movement. They could not be supported by China or Russia or the CPM. Unfortunately, after Operation Spectrum there was no further news of the organization that was behind this Marxist Group for armed revolution in Singapore. It must have gone into hiding. As long as they are not flushed out, the danger is still there.
The 16 arrested could not be a meaningful force to take down the govt on their own or by a revolution. Not by any imagination. They didn’t look that able against an efficient ruling govt and a well equipped armed force. My theory is that they were not supported by the Communist giants but a more powerful force. Who and where is this force that is behind them? They are called Marxists, not Communists, for Communism’s platform of violent overthrow of govts was long a spent force. By the late 1980s, who cared about Communism? Perhaps the origin of this force could be from the dark side.
Govt to govt relationship between Singapore and China was on the mend and improving by leaps and bounds. Communism was as good as dead as an alternative govt or for exporting revolution by the 1980s when Gorbache’s glasnost and petroiska led to the break up of the Soviet Union.
This is not true in Singapore as a small group of young men and women were plotting a Marxist revolution by infiltrating into the Catholic Church. Obviously they could not be gaining any support from China as Deng Xiao Ping would not allow it or his relationship with LKY would be over. Could this Marxist Group be supported by the Russians or the Communist Party of Malaya(CPM)? With Gorbachev in charge, Russia was in a different kind of revolution, opening up to the West. The CPM was dormant since the silencing of its radio broadcast. In 1989 they signed a peace accord with Malaysia and officially ended their fight for Communism and a Malayan state.
The Marxist Group in Singapore was arrested in 1987 under Operation Spectrum for plotting to overturn the govt by force. Their existence was proof that there must be another revolutionary organization supporting the Marxist movement. They could not be supported by China or Russia or the CPM. Unfortunately, after Operation Spectrum there was no further news of the organization that was behind this Marxist Group for armed revolution in Singapore. It must have gone into hiding. As long as they are not flushed out, the danger is still there.
The 16 arrested could not be a meaningful force to take down the govt on their own or by a revolution. Not by any imagination. They didn’t look that able against an efficient ruling govt and a well equipped armed force. My theory is that they were not supported by the Communist giants but a more powerful force. Who and where is this force that is behind them? They are called Marxists, not Communists, for Communism’s platform of violent overthrow of govts was long a spent force. By the late 1980s, who cared about Communism? Perhaps the origin of this force could be from the dark side.
9/26/2011
The Halloween Horror that would not go away
One week after the cancellation, and the horror is still haunting everyone. The Halloween Horror is turning out to be the horror of all horror stories. Isabella Loh could have not asked for more. She is made of the same kind of steel like all Singaporean leaders, dare to make the difference, to make tough decisions that are good for the people. Halloween is bad for family values and comes at a bad time when the country is promoting wholesome family and more children. Can’t imagine the harm it will cause to children by the devils that Halloween is all about. Really frightening.
This really takes too long to happen. Commercialism and playing with the devil, both rolling into one in the Halloween Horror. It must be stopped, sooner or later. It is simply bad influence. Hurrah, finally someone has the conviction and gumption to put an end to this twin terror.
Now that the ball has started rolling, let’s look at all the events and festivities that are associated with the devil, commercialised, and unwholesome. While one is now canned, let’s canned all of them once and for all. Now where to start? The two casinos! Wait a minute, they are not casinos in the first place, and they are family oriented resorts, with many wholesome activities for the families. Just leave them alone. And there is nothing devilish in them.
What about those devil worshipping commercialised events and festivals? There must be plenty of them. Uh huh, don’t you dare! Let’s start with something safer and more manageable. No more horror movies. That should be easy. Is Harry Porter and his adventures horror movies or devil related? Difficult to say I think. What about MediaCorp programmes, there must be some that are devil related or about the devil, I am sure.
This really takes too long to happen. Commercialism and playing with the devil, both rolling into one in the Halloween Horror. It must be stopped, sooner or later. It is simply bad influence. Hurrah, finally someone has the conviction and gumption to put an end to this twin terror.
Now that the ball has started rolling, let’s look at all the events and festivities that are associated with the devil, commercialised, and unwholesome. While one is now canned, let’s canned all of them once and for all. Now where to start? The two casinos! Wait a minute, they are not casinos in the first place, and they are family oriented resorts, with many wholesome activities for the families. Just leave them alone. And there is nothing devilish in them.
What about those devil worshipping commercialised events and festivals? There must be plenty of them. Uh huh, don’t you dare! Let’s start with something safer and more manageable. No more horror movies. That should be easy. Is Harry Porter and his adventures horror movies or devil related? Difficult to say I think. What about MediaCorp programmes, there must be some that are devil related or about the devil, I am sure.
A sheepish smile
That is all I can afford when I read about big burly Caucasians beating up local girls. One girl was slammed against the bus door for talking too loudly, in the opinion of the Caucasian and annoying him. Another woman got her windscreen smashed for honking at another Caucasian man who cut into her path abruptly.
What to do? It happened. Reminds me of colonial Singapore or South Africa. The sheepish Singaporeans deserve every bit of it for worshipping foreign gods. Even the Chinese hawkers have no qualms or reservation to beat up Singaporeans in broad daylight.
Singaporeans have their jobs taken over by foreigners for their own good. Without the foreigners, they will all go hungry and their women will become maids. Better count their blessings and don’t make too much of an issue when foreigners throw them a few punches or knock the daylight out of them.
Got money, go and pay for a lawyer and take the offender to court. If no money, just shut up, or like me, smile sheepishly. It could be worst.
In the olden days, they came with their warships and killed the men, took the women and the country as theirs.
I just need to be extra careful in the presence of foreigners.
What to do? It happened. Reminds me of colonial Singapore or South Africa. The sheepish Singaporeans deserve every bit of it for worshipping foreign gods. Even the Chinese hawkers have no qualms or reservation to beat up Singaporeans in broad daylight.
Singaporeans have their jobs taken over by foreigners for their own good. Without the foreigners, they will all go hungry and their women will become maids. Better count their blessings and don’t make too much of an issue when foreigners throw them a few punches or knock the daylight out of them.
Got money, go and pay for a lawyer and take the offender to court. If no money, just shut up, or like me, smile sheepishly. It could be worst.
In the olden days, they came with their warships and killed the men, took the women and the country as theirs.
I just need to be extra careful in the presence of foreigners.
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