A medal of contention

Feng Tianwei and the women table tennis players were battling their guts out at the Olympic Games representing Singapore. Feng has won the much awaiting Olympic medal for the country. No one is denying the effort and hardwork the table tennis players have put into the games for the glory of Singapore. Yes, Feng won and another medal from the team event. It is time for celebration to welcome our Olympic medalists home after a victorious outing.

What is unexpected and uncalled are the vibes, anger and unhappiness expressed by some Sinkies. Some said there was nothing to celebrate, some said they were ashamed of the medals, some even worst.

The medals were to do us proud, and to happen just before the National Day is opportune to be a reason to stimulate more patriotism and pride of being Singaporeans. But this is not going to be, at least in a large section of the population. For those who disagree with this buying of foreigners to win sports medals, hope they should not take it out on the players. They are just sports people, playing their sports, their profession. They are not politicians and only doing their job, to make a living. Spare them the personal attacks and let them enjoy the fruit of their labour.

The key issue is the scheme that led to these contentious medals. Is it worth it, to spend so much to bring about a hard fought medal only to be met with so much criticism and division among the people? Is it something the people wanted or something the govt or a few individuals wanted? Or is it a medal that we can do without?

This National Day may be time for reflection on this national glory and the justification for it. A medal for contention in the Olympics or in the world arena is not really the same as a medal of contention among the citizens of a country. I think it is money not worth spending.

Would there be a rethink as to how to continue down this contentious road of division. No need to say it was a mistake. Just do what Boon Wan did on the housing policies. Keep doing what is right and overturn whatever is wrong. He still has a lot of stones unturned as the damage against the people is severe and the lives of many were aversely affected, including delaying marriages and not giving birth to babies. Shit, who wants to make babies when there is no roof over his head? And when is the price of 99 year lease flat coming down? They cannot go up forever as the lease must surely expire. Is this another gimmick, that the price of a 99 year lease flat will continue to appreciate forever?

By the way, spend that kind of money for the medals, is it prudent and spending within our means? I think with so much money around to splash, it is definitely within our means to do so. What about being prudent?

6 Sikhs killed by gunman in Wisconsin

6 Sikhs were shot by a gunman in a temple in Wisconsin on Sunday 5 Aug 12. In the land that prides freedom in anything and everything, freedom to practice religion included, freedom to own guns, hate killings because of skin colour is still common in the USA. Many of the killings and racist bashing of coloured people in the US go unreported. Last month a Sikh taxi driver was beaten and last year 2 Sikhs were shot dead as reported by AFP after this latest shooting.

The hate crimes committed by the white Europeans are pervasive and happened in all continents, in Europe, UK, Australia and New Zealand. It is very rare that hate crimes were committed by coloured people against the white Europeans anywhere. The good thing is that coloured people often regard the white Europeans as gods, as people who championed human rights and equality, and they love and worship them. Unfortunately the white Europeans have this deep seated hatred for coloured people and this would surface at the slightest provocations or irritations. In the US and Europe and many white dominated societies and countries, there exist many extremist racist supremacy groups that are targeting at coloured people.

Let’s hope that the coloured people will take such hate crimes in their stride and live harmoniously with the white extremists in their midst. Don’t antagonize them, integrate with them, try the pacifist way of Gandhi, turn the other cheek, and there shall be peace all round.

But please, don’t call the white European racists. They are the most peace loving people in the world. They only take to shooting or bashing coloured people once in a while, maybe high on drugs or after a movie like Batman. They did not know what they were doing. Make love to them and they will love you in return.

PS. The killer was identified as Wade Michael Page, a war veteran. I am assuming that he is a white American. I may be wrong as I do not think this is an act of a coloured American.

What’s the real problem?

Khaw Boon Wan made the statement that he believed all the first timers who wanted to apply for a BTO flats in non mature estates would have a chance to do so. Is this statement comforting? At first glance it is like saying all those first timers who applied would get their flats, but no. Actually Boon Wan was talking about the chance to apply, nothing about getting the flat. Why is there a need to say this? Any first timer can apply if they have not been kicked out of the system.

This is like saying the NPark needs foldable bikes and foldable bikes are lighter than non foldable bikes. Anyone disagreeing to these statements, or are these the concerns? What are the real issues in both flat applications and the Bromptongate?

What about those first timers that have waited too long because of the cutting down in building flats and ended being kicked out of the scheme when while waiting, their income exceeded HDB? Many young people fell victims to the mismanagement of housing programmes then. They were simply told to empty their savings to buy private.

Now Boon Wan is discouraging them from applying for the 50 year loan gimmick. So what should they do, cannot apply for HDB and not advisable to apply 50 year loan? But the young people don’t really have so much money to splurge. So, would Boon Wan undo the mistakes of his predecessor and allow all the young people that were affected by the arrogant policies to buy a public flat, to be prudent and buy within their means? Just because some jokers said public flats are affordable, so it is affordable? Or just because some jokers decreed that you earn so much you must be able to afford private properties?

What do you think?

After 46 years, still a child

Come next week the nation will be celebrating its 47th birthday as a child that refuses to grow up. The recent bashing of adults for commercial sex which in many mature countries would have brushed aside as a normal human failing and quickly forgotten is a case in point. Why such a big hooha and such a big issue and imprisonment? Are we morally so high up in the clouds that it is necessary to take such a strong view against some indiscretion when no one was hurt in a willing buyer willing seller commercial transaction?

Now we are hearing minister unable to go to sleep because of the bad things being said in the net and children are affected. And there is a need for a code of conduct for bloggers. Is blogging so different from any other pursuits in life that a separate code of conduct is needed? Or is any misconduct that is unacceptable or criminal in blogging not cover by the law? Some terminologies and peculiarities may be new to old verbiage, but these could easily be covered by some amendments to existing legislations and there is really no necessity to reinvent the wheel.

How about a blogging code like the Highway Code and bloggers must sit for a test before being allowed on the net? Come off it. The net is real. This is what the real world is, with a bit of pungent smell now and then, but not life threatening. The life threatening part would definitely be covered by the law and people affected would be protected by the law. The sanitized main media is an artificiality that is good in its own ways like speaking proper English. Speaking Singlish is not an offence. A little indiscretion in the net is a true reflection of life and it is better that children get use to them quickly and grow up quickly. And this growing up process should similarly apply to adults as parents and as regulators.

Is the situation really that bad that a code of conduct is absolutely necessary or is it a case of nothing better to do? What is there that normal ethics and good manners do not prescribe or the law does not cover? There are certainly serious violations in the net, like obviously scam jobs, spamming, spreading viruses etc that should be stopped but everyone closed their eyes so wide that they could not see the harm they are causing. Now we are so worried about what, a little verbal diarrhea, a little vulgarity, a little bullying?

What is the problem that cannot be handled with existing social norms, ethics, morality and the legislation that people are so restless about? Isn’t it time to grow up or nanny is still having an obsessive urge to be over protective? Is this a kind of bipolar disorder or fetish behavior? Do we need COC for cycling in the park or playing football in void decks as well? Or do we need COC for visiting dance halls or discos? These are definitely more dangerous places than visiting the net.

George Lim – SGX/SIAS wrong…

A letter by George Lim the the ST forum warned that it was wrong for SGX and SIAS to encourage the heartlanders to play the stock market. He reckoned that the heartlanders cannot afford to lose compare to the rich. And good shares are beyond them as there are too expensive. And with the rich and well informed also losing in the market, what chance do the heartlanders have to get a decent return in the market?

The first concern is easier to deal with. Just encourage the heartlanders to trade in derivatives. These are cheap and low cost trading instruments for the cheap heartlanders with not much to lose. And all it needs is to educate them on these instruments, hold more talks to equip them to trade effectively and successfully against the proprietary traders and fund managers.

Another area to educate the heartlanders is high speed computer and algo trading. SGX and SIAS may want to make it known to the heartlanders how these two mechanisms work and how they advantage or disadvantage the heartlanders. This is an important disclosure to the innocent heartlanders. They must know who and what their competitors are doing and whether they have a fair chance against the big funds and their trading machines. They must tell the heartlanders that SGX is providing a fair and level playing field for them to trade and their investments are safe in such a safe and fair system.

If I can remember, no one has ever come out to explain how high speed computers and algo trading can affect the small traders. Whose responsibility is it to keep the small investors educated and informed to protect their interests? Or the high speed computers and algo trading are just neutral and innocent mechanism that the small investors have nothing to worry about? In that case, there is no need to keep anyone informed. But if they could be as dangerous as toxic notes and minibonds, then the public and small investors must be duly informed and educated, and caveat emptor will then be more meaningful. Failing to keep the small investors informed of the dangers of these trading mechanisms and to fall back on caveat emptor is unjustifiable and unacceptable.

Have SGX, SIAS and MAS done enough to educate the small investors, particularly the heartlanders before they put their money into the system?