Singaporean Chinese are different. They are not the same as the China Chinese or the Malaysian Chinese or Taiwan Chinese or any Chinese around the world. But some bear a very dominant trait in hating anything Chinese, dismissing anything Chinese, finding Chinese disgusting and something to be dissociated with. They see China Chinese as the lepers of the world, the rogue nation that meant no good but harm to the world. To this group of Singaporean Chinese, the China Chinese are the pariahs, the untouchables.
They forgot that they are Chinese too. They may call themselves Singaporeans or international citizens, citizens of the world, but they cannot hide the fact that they are the same disgusting Chinese that they detest and hate. There is no ethnic identity or pride in who they really are. They may harbour thoughts of dying their hair blond, bleaching their skin white, and adopt all mannerism of the westerners.
Can anyone be respected when he can’t even respect himself, his own identity and his own ethnicity? Such people will only be regarded as outcasts by their own ethnic groups, and be sneered at by those they hoped to be and wanted to be. The very basis of respectability is to respect yourself, your own ethnicity, be it Malay, Indian, Eurasian or Chinese. Only by respecting self can one earn respect from others.
I am a Singaporean Chinese. I do not hate nor despise the Chinese. Neither do I adore or idolize them. I do not prejudged them. I look at them as another people, to be respected or to be dissociated from, by their acts, by rights or wrongs that they do. Not simply because they are China Chinese. This applies to all other races. The 1.5b people cannot be simply grouped into one, one type, one kind, one behavior, bad and nothing good. They are a sea of humanity, with good and bad and ugly, just like us, just like every ethnic group.
But we have some very different Singaporean Chinese that have stereotyped the China Chinese, China, as simply of one kind, bad, bad intent, bad in everything. How their mindset gets to this level, with deep seated perversion of thoughts and thinking process is difficult to fathom. Our education system does not teach them to hate their ancestors, their breed or their ethnicity. How did they grow up to become thus? Yes, the Singaporean Chinese is different from all other Chinese, but some are much more different. To this group, they take pride in hating China and anything Chinese.
If they cannot see anything good in their own ethnicity, can others see anything good in them?
10/07/2011
10/06/2011
Singapore a big player among the super powers
Yes we punch above our weight. And we must guard our national interest zealously, and speak out against any nation that does anything that will harm our national interest. One particular nation is China. China is growing its military forces to a level that is becoming a threat to us. It is building aircraft carriers too, never mind if their ICBM will wipe us off the face of this earth, and this will undermine the free passage of ships along international waterways. It will be dangerous if they park their aircraft carriers in the South China Sea or in the Straits of Malacca. We must question China’s motive.
We have no problems with the Americans. Our national interests coincide with the Americans. And we are pleased with their military might and military presence. They are here to protect our national interests. The Americans are a benign and friendly superpower. They have military bases everywhere, sailing their naval fleets everywhere, including the South China Sea, all for altruistic reasons, to protect smaller countries against China. Just dunno who America was protecting against before China. What is good for the Americans is good for us. What is good for China may be dangerous to us.
Americans know this and are watching the Chinese like a hawk. The Chinese are now an equal to the American war machine. Even India is concerned. India has historical and territorial disputes with the Chinese. And both are Asian superpowers and are rivals in this sense.
The trouble is that the arrogant Chinese are ignoring even India. They are only running a race with the Americans in their cross hair. They have no time to cast a glance at the Indians. The Indians are inconsequential to them.
But still we must make known our concerns to the Chinese, to make them listen to us. China must consider our national interest in what they do. They better don’t ignore us. Hey China, tell us why you need to build such a big and powerful military force? Tell us, tell us, we want an answer. We need to question you for our national interest.
China, tell us of your intention. Don’t be rude, we are asking you, tell us, tell us…..tell us please….please. Look down here, we are here.
We have no problems with the Americans. Our national interests coincide with the Americans. And we are pleased with their military might and military presence. They are here to protect our national interests. The Americans are a benign and friendly superpower. They have military bases everywhere, sailing their naval fleets everywhere, including the South China Sea, all for altruistic reasons, to protect smaller countries against China. Just dunno who America was protecting against before China. What is good for the Americans is good for us. What is good for China may be dangerous to us.
Americans know this and are watching the Chinese like a hawk. The Chinese are now an equal to the American war machine. Even India is concerned. India has historical and territorial disputes with the Chinese. And both are Asian superpowers and are rivals in this sense.
The trouble is that the arrogant Chinese are ignoring even India. They are only running a race with the Americans in their cross hair. They have no time to cast a glance at the Indians. The Indians are inconsequential to them.
But still we must make known our concerns to the Chinese, to make them listen to us. China must consider our national interest in what they do. They better don’t ignore us. Hey China, tell us why you need to build such a big and powerful military force? Tell us, tell us, we want an answer. We need to question you for our national interest.
China, tell us of your intention. Don’t be rude, we are asking you, tell us, tell us…..tell us please….please. Look down here, we are here.
Continuous good news in the property front
During the last term of Mah Bow Tan, there was continuous good news of property prices and that they were very affordable by the way they computed affordability. When Boon Wan took over, there was continuous good news of property prices too, from building more flats to some changes in HDB policies and priorities for first timers. And the people were equally happy.
Yesterday there were two charts in the media, one on property price index over 11 years and one on HDB resale price index for 5 quarters, 2 from 2010 and 3 from 2011. The first chart showed that property price index was almost flat from 2001 to 2006. Only in 2007 that it started to shoot up and this uptrend has been consistent till today for HDB resale price. What this means is that the prices are still going up at the same pace, no letting up.
From a base of 172 in the 4th quarter of 2011, the HDB resale price index has gone up by 1.6%, 3.1% and 3.8% in the third quarter of 2011. Yes, it is going up, regardless of the number of new flats that Boon Wan is going to build. And the good news is ‘Good progress in meeting flat demand.’ Nothing about the price.
Using the 172 base, HDB resale price till the third quarter has gone up by 15.1 points to 187.1 or 8.8%. By end of the year it could easily cross the 10% mark. Again looking at the first chart, the index was at 150 at end of 2009, or an increase of 37.1 points or 24.7% by the third quarter of 2011. These must also be good news for the property owners. For the buyers or potential buyers, it can also be good news as it means that at whatever price they are going to buy their new flats, they can expect the price to go up by more than 10% per annum or doubling the price in 10 years. In reality, with the compound growth effect, the price could easily double in less than 10 years.
What more good news can one ask for? And better still, with a decreasing lease life but rising prices.
Yesterday there were two charts in the media, one on property price index over 11 years and one on HDB resale price index for 5 quarters, 2 from 2010 and 3 from 2011. The first chart showed that property price index was almost flat from 2001 to 2006. Only in 2007 that it started to shoot up and this uptrend has been consistent till today for HDB resale price. What this means is that the prices are still going up at the same pace, no letting up.
From a base of 172 in the 4th quarter of 2011, the HDB resale price index has gone up by 1.6%, 3.1% and 3.8% in the third quarter of 2011. Yes, it is going up, regardless of the number of new flats that Boon Wan is going to build. And the good news is ‘Good progress in meeting flat demand.’ Nothing about the price.
Using the 172 base, HDB resale price till the third quarter has gone up by 15.1 points to 187.1 or 8.8%. By end of the year it could easily cross the 10% mark. Again looking at the first chart, the index was at 150 at end of 2009, or an increase of 37.1 points or 24.7% by the third quarter of 2011. These must also be good news for the property owners. For the buyers or potential buyers, it can also be good news as it means that at whatever price they are going to buy their new flats, they can expect the price to go up by more than 10% per annum or doubling the price in 10 years. In reality, with the compound growth effect, the price could easily double in less than 10 years.
What more good news can one ask for? And better still, with a decreasing lease life but rising prices.
What’s the message?
I was watching this new police TV serial, EU or Emergency Unit, from Hongkong showing in Channel U. It ended last night. It was about the police against crime and triads. The triads are still there even after 1997. The serial was about the good, the honourable versus the crooked and dishonourable. The young police officers who found taking down drug traffickers and triad bosses a heroic thing to do, despite the low salary and status as police officers. Even the senior officers were devoted to their duties in service to the people, the citizens. There were risks, the young officers went undercover and giving up their lives in the course of duty.
Such admirable traits and values can only be seen in celluloid, not in real life. Hongkong used to be a very corrupt place during the colonial rule. Corruption in the civil service was rampant all the way, particularly the police force, from the little Ah Sirs walking the beat to the angmoh superintendents and higher. Money was spread all round by the triad bosses. Hongkong today is the other extreme. Corruption and triad activities have been brought down to a level unknown in its history.
I think the message of the Hongkong serial, and the MediaCorp, is that there are still idealistic young and old civil servants, and uniformed personnel, who would find duty and honour more important than just money, or to quote David Marshall, the joy and excitement of serving the people and country. The message is timely, as such virtues are now taken very lightly, seen more as desirable and idealistic but not practical in the real world. And those who want to live their lives through such values, good, though privately seen as rather daft. There is a better and real world where money and self interests are everything. Sacrifices and heroics are good to have for other people, but can live without for the practical and smart people. Only fools believe in such ideals and virtues today. The Hongkong serial is pure fiction. Agree?
PS. I think I am continuing my lecture in National Education and conducting the course here.
Such admirable traits and values can only be seen in celluloid, not in real life. Hongkong used to be a very corrupt place during the colonial rule. Corruption in the civil service was rampant all the way, particularly the police force, from the little Ah Sirs walking the beat to the angmoh superintendents and higher. Money was spread all round by the triad bosses. Hongkong today is the other extreme. Corruption and triad activities have been brought down to a level unknown in its history.
I think the message of the Hongkong serial, and the MediaCorp, is that there are still idealistic young and old civil servants, and uniformed personnel, who would find duty and honour more important than just money, or to quote David Marshall, the joy and excitement of serving the people and country. The message is timely, as such virtues are now taken very lightly, seen more as desirable and idealistic but not practical in the real world. And those who want to live their lives through such values, good, though privately seen as rather daft. There is a better and real world where money and self interests are everything. Sacrifices and heroics are good to have for other people, but can live without for the practical and smart people. Only fools believe in such ideals and virtues today. The Hongkong serial is pure fiction. Agree?
PS. I think I am continuing my lecture in National Education and conducting the course here.
10/05/2011
Sushi any one?
Or would you prefer a half inch thick medium rare Kobe beef, where the cows were fed with beer and given massages under the watchful eyes of their caregivers?
There is now a furore over the dolphins in RWS. And many people are crying foul, for keeping free living dolphins in captivity and putting them under a lot of stress with tough trainings to perform acts to please. And RWS has replied that they are committed to marine conservation and research and the knowledge learnt from the captive dolphins would be used to make life better for the dolphins and marine life. Sound convincing?
I think the Japanese were much better in telling the world that their cullings of tunas and whales were strictly for research as well. And they are killing them by the millions annually. And no one says the Japanese were lying. How’s that compare to the 10 or 20 dolphins in RWS that are kicking and swimming and alive? How’s that compare to the hundreds of dolphins in other parks around the world? Sure some will die naturally, in captivity or in the wild. Nothing beats what Nature makes them to be.
The tunas and whales have an easier time. They need not suffer the pain and stress of training and performing to crowds. They just ended at the dinner table. Oh, training and performing are bad for animals. I will support the banning of all animal shows, including circus and dog shows. The owners and trainers thought it was fun and very clever to make the animals do all those tricks. But the animals were also put through many painful and stressful lessons to learn and practice them.
All animals should be free in their natural environment, not in captivity, not in HDB flats. And also not on the dinner table. Now, what am I ranting about? It is all garbled. I also want to save all the animals and the world. Incidentally, I am half vegetarian. I still eat killed animals on alternate days and cooked vegetables for the other days.
There is now a furore over the dolphins in RWS. And many people are crying foul, for keeping free living dolphins in captivity and putting them under a lot of stress with tough trainings to perform acts to please. And RWS has replied that they are committed to marine conservation and research and the knowledge learnt from the captive dolphins would be used to make life better for the dolphins and marine life. Sound convincing?
I think the Japanese were much better in telling the world that their cullings of tunas and whales were strictly for research as well. And they are killing them by the millions annually. And no one says the Japanese were lying. How’s that compare to the 10 or 20 dolphins in RWS that are kicking and swimming and alive? How’s that compare to the hundreds of dolphins in other parks around the world? Sure some will die naturally, in captivity or in the wild. Nothing beats what Nature makes them to be.
The tunas and whales have an easier time. They need not suffer the pain and stress of training and performing to crowds. They just ended at the dinner table. Oh, training and performing are bad for animals. I will support the banning of all animal shows, including circus and dog shows. The owners and trainers thought it was fun and very clever to make the animals do all those tricks. But the animals were also put through many painful and stressful lessons to learn and practice them.
All animals should be free in their natural environment, not in captivity, not in HDB flats. And also not on the dinner table. Now, what am I ranting about? It is all garbled. I also want to save all the animals and the world. Incidentally, I am half vegetarian. I still eat killed animals on alternate days and cooked vegetables for the other days.
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