Faisal Wali wrote: Cherian George, Stop Pontificating

In his reply to the pontification by Cherian George that netizens need a code of conduct, Faisal quoted him as saying this, ‘Cherian wrote that the kampong spirit that we Singaporeans are cultivating is kay-pohish petty-mindedness, a small-town mentality that tells us that no event is too trivial to turn into a national issue.’

Hmmm, kampong spirit is small town mentality and pettiness. Now who in the right mind would want to promote such pettiness as a way of life for Sinkies? I fully agree with Cherian that if kampong spirit is all about small people and petty mindedness it is better to dump them into the dustbin man. Or would any super talent think that kampong spirit is something worthy to preserve, or think that kampong spirit is more than pettiness?

Anyway I walked up Mount Faber last night hoping that God would show himself and give me 10 tablets. Then I can command the sinners to obey me and abide by what I think they can or cannot do. I am the messenger of god. And I know what is best for the sinners. Even if god did not issue me his commandments, I will know what they are. Prostrate before me, for I am the one to tell thee on what is good for you.

The escalating fear of foreign intervention in our way of life.

‘AMRITSAR: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has marked an inquiry into complaints and allegations that Sikh prison inmates in Singapore are being forced to cut their hair against the community's 'maryada' (code of conduct).


The takht has acted upon complaints filed by Madan Mohan Singh, a social activist, who works for a Singapore-based anti-narcotics association.


Madan Mohan Singh had urged the Akal Takht to issue directives on the issue so the Sikhs of Singapore could take up the matter with the Singapore government and prevent further "humiliation of Sikh jail inmates."


He alleged on Monday that despite prison directives on regular hair grooming, the jail authorities in Singapore cut head and facial hair of Sikh jail inmates if they were found to be involved in taking drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol.


Singapore's ministry of home affairs had also conducted an investigation after Madan Mohan Singh had raised the issue.


The Sikh Advisory Board (SAB), the highest council of Sikh affairs in Singapore, had wrongly advised the Singapore government by labeling Sikh inmates as non-practicing and non-traditional, he added.


"The SAB has misrepresented the Sikhs in Singapore by condoning and accepting the sacrilegious act of cutting a Sikh's hair by a government department. In doing so, it has underestimated the hurt feelings of the community," said Madan Mohan Singh. –Times of India

The more foreigners we took and issued them with pink ICs, the more pain we will get if we allowed them to impose their wills onto our system. The foreigners, the greater their numbers, are likely to make increasing demands for the system to accept and adapt to their ways of life, culture and religion. The Govt must make its stand very clear now that foreigners coming here and given citizenship must accept our way of life, social norms and our laws. They must adapt, integrate and change to fit into our system and not the other way around.

In the above case, it is not a matter of whether the Sikh Advisory Board made the right and wrong advice. It is a case of foreign agencies thinking that they have a right to impose their whims and fancies on our Govt and our way of life. And our dull Govt may have to act to answer to all kinds of frivolous demands, trying to explain or adjust or appease foreign agencies.

Now there is an organization from India demanding our Govt to answer to them. What next, from Italy, the Philippines, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, China or where else demanding that their citizens or believers be treated according to what they wanted and deemed fit.

Hey, we are a sovereign country and not answerable to any foreign agencies. And any foreigners taking up citizenship here better behave and accept what we are or else piss off. The Govt has to make this stand very clear to all foreigners before giving them the pink IC, and to all govts or non govt agencies to stay clear of our domestic affairs. We are not any country’s colony and answerable to no other countries, powers or what shit they think they are. We don’t even have to do anything when outside agencies make ridiculous and unjustifiable demands on our system, sovereign and constitutional rights.

Racist beaten by Chinaman victim

Finally one daft Sinkie stood up to the racists. Alexander Lincoln Chew Yew Wah was taunted and insulted by a Briton, Richard Jonathan Mills, in a members only club in Robertson Quay. He was insulted by the Briton with the third most racist act of the white Europeans centuries ago. Basically the Briton called him a laundryman and told him to go back to his laundry shop in China.

For the ignorant and uninitiated, the Chinamen of old that went to work in the US, and probably in many European countries, most ended up as laundrymen and cooks. The Americans had a racist law that forbade Asians from taking up jobs in other professions. They were only allowed to work as labourers in the construction of the American railroads and yes, cooks and laundrymen. Shit if the same law is applied here, many of us too would be cooks and laundrymen and no dignity to talk about.

Imagine in the 21st century you still have assholes taunting Chinaman, and thinking that Sinkies are Chinamen, with this age old racist taunt. Can’t blame the Briton as all Chinese Sinkies still looked like Chinamen even after they dyed their hair blond or called themselves Alexander Lincolns. It is written all over the face and body that Chinese Sinkies are still Chinese in racial origin.

The must audacious thing for this Briton to do was to taunt Chinese in Sinkie land when the Chinese are a majority. This is racism and arrogance to the first degree. Maybe he still thinks Britain is still the colonial power and all the Chinese here are fit only to be cooks and laundrymen.

I salute Chew Yew Wah for standing up to the racist and bashed him up even when the racist is a much bigger man. Daft and silly Sinkies must stand up to be a man when people spit at them and not be like Ah Q. Otherwise all the foreigners will just go on taunting and insulting them and even beating them up in their own country. And home is no longer safe for Sinkies.

For those ignorant and daft Sinkies, stereotyping Chinese as cooks and laundrymen is definitely derogatory and of very bad taste.

Sandwiched class needs more govt help

A Lim Wan Keng wrote in the ST forum today asking for changes to the stupid and outrageous HDB income ceilings that put many genuine home buyers in a fixed. With inflation running like a wild horse, many middle income earners would quite easily exceed the $12k ceiling. And the prices of HDB DBSS and exec condominiums are not cheap either. Why is this ceiling still in place when it is as obsolete as the thinking of its originator? Haven’t the message sank in that it is and was not affordable though some jokers insisted that it was?

Lim Wan Keng’s case, family growing but income exceeded ceiling and cannot upgrade to exec condominium, and not rich enough to be robbed by the private developers. This is the kind of fix the pro active, thinking and caring govt is placing on its citizens.

But she should count herself lucky as she already owned a HDB. What about those for some reasons like getting married late and found their income exceeded the ceiling and don’t even qualify as first timers? All inclusive society, no one is left out, every first timer will be able to buy a HDB. My stinking foot!

And there are many who have bought twice from the HDB and wanted to upgrade or downgrade as their needs have changed, or finances have changed. No way. After two bites of the cheery, that’s it. It is such thickness in the head that makes life very difficult for the Sinkies. With a lifespan of 70 to 80 years or more, the needs for housing will change. Two times are definitely inadequate and the buyers would be stuck in a shitty situation except those who could upgrade. If they are in some financial binds and need to sell, they will be in bigger shit.

Then there are those divorcees or from broken families. It is their faults huh? What is inclusiveness and caring all about?

Would there be a change in mindset and silly rules and regulations made by silly people be thrown into the dustbins? As for the too rich for HDB and too poor for private properties, vote for a change of govt if they want a policy change. There is no way for stubborn mules to change their mindset. There is no way to talk to the arrogance of power, or deaf frogs who think they are so right.

Don’t give the dumb craps that too many are waiting in the queue. Just go and build for the people. A roof over the people’s head is of utmost importance. Don’t give the excuse of the speculators making lesser profits. Make it clear that public housing’s main purpose is a home for every Sinkie. Profit is secondary and good if there is and good if there isn’t. Let the speculators go and speculate in the private sector.

Let all Sinkies be allowed to buy and own a public flat and also allowed to speculate in the private property sector. One as a home for all time, one to get rich if possible. Don’t mix the two. They can co exist. Do not force the young people into big debts by forcing them to buy private.

Singapore’s money stashed in Swiss Banks

How much money did Singaporeans stashed away in the safe haven in Switzerland? According to Swiss banking data, foreign money deposited in Swiss Banks amounted to 1.53 trillion Swiss Francs or about US$1.6 trillion. Of these, UK has a 20% share or about 300b Swiss Franc followed by US at 18%. This is followed by Germany, France, Hongkong and Japan with Singapore at 14th position. Singapore is ahead of countries like Australia, Italy, Netherland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE and even India. The latter is ranked 55th .

How much is the net amount Singaporeans hid away in Swiss Banks for safety reasons and who are the real owners? A ballpark figure could be in the region of US$50b to US$100b. This is no small change for a small little island, standing way above the heads of bigger countries like Australia and the oil rich Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Interesting numbers to ponder over, the whys and the whos.