West should work with China

Updated: 2012-11-16 08:04

( China Daily)

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China is the most successful country led by a communist party to have given most of its people economic security and happiness, says an article by Eberhard Sandschneider, director of German Council on Foreign Relations. Excerpts:
China will gradually transform its economic strength into political and military influence, which will shake the West's feeling of superiority. Although the West knows China's stability is in line with its interests, it is yet to find the right strategy to deal or coexist with China. The West's containment and mollification policies reflect its lack of confidence, and are doomed to fail.
The West has no choice but to join hands with China to solve global issues and make global policies.

I believe my CPF saving is enough

I believed that my CPF saving would be enough for my retirement. That was 40 years ago. And honestly, with so much put aside into my CPF account, how could I doubt that it would not be enough? Sure must be enough. What happened? Is it enough? What do you think? So the young people are told today that their CPF savings will be enough. 40 years later, would they still believe that their CPF savings would be enough for their retirement? How many of you believe so? I guarantee you it will not be enough 40 years later. No need to bet. I would not be around to answer. So would the people telling you it would be enough. Heh heh.

Something to learn from the PRC

The stereotype, fed with a daily dosage of bacon and hamburgers would frown on everything Chinese or China. This ancient country has gone down the sewers for several centuries and were in the worst stage of decay with maggots all over and left to die. It died but like the proverbial phoenix, rose from the dust to become a strong and self reliant nation when the people are well fed, have jobs and are proud to be Chinese again. Like it or not, they are happily feeding 1.3b people and with excess to spare and with a national reserves exceeding US$2 trillion. Spit at them, curse them if you like, they did not come to this point in their history by being stupid and daft. And what they have achieved is no accident and no fluke. And the odds stacked against them by the western powers were enormous. They have overcome without relying on foreign talents. The recent change of leadership in China is something that the West hoped will fail, with bloodshed and all that jazz of fierce infighting, instability and China about to break up, rioting and martial law and everything bad that they could dream up. All hogwash from the western academics and high brow analysts and institutions of great fame. Hu Jintao relinquished his leadership to Xi Jinping unceremoniously without a hitch except for all the hue and cry and insinuations in the West. A new team of younger leaders have taken over the rein to run the country for another ten years. The Chinese leadership renewal system has been put in place since the era of Deng Xiaoping. There will be juggling for position of power but all within the rules of the system. Younger leaders are put up to replace their predecessors and no one is allowed to entrench his position for life. Two terms and off you go to make way for new blood. The quiet and unassuming Hu Jintao did one more feat this time. He even relinquished the powerful PLA position to his successor, Xi Jinping. This is unprecedented and a show of confidence and trust that the new man is not only good for the job but his complete trust in him. And it also sends a signal that he is not going to stick around to mess around and hang on to power. This is a clinically efficient, no nonsense and great leader China has ever produced. No great speeches like Obama, but cool and purposeful in what he is tasked to do, and delivered. In fact the few leaders since Deng were all very able and selfless leaders that saw the rise of China from strength to strength. It is time like this, when a country needs good, able and selfless leaders, they came to serve and leave when the time comes for them to leave, gracefully and with full honour and respect from the people. They left behind a vibrant economy for their successors to continue to bring the country to a higher level. Great leaders are difficult to come by. Great leaders need not look suave like actors from Hollywood. It is real substance that counts. Hu Jintao handed a China that is economically, military and strategically sound and well placed to a younger man to continue with the good work done by him and his predecessors. This is something that we can learn from China.

The Govt cannot be sued?

In the latest incidents when two NSmen were killed while on training, someone pointed out that Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister, said that the SAF/Mindef or the Govt cannot be sued for such accidents. In these two cases, both victims lost their lives because of breaches in safety procedures, which meant the incidents were more than just accidents. There were negligent or misconduct or serious violations of protocols involved. Is it therefore true that the Govt/Mindef/SAF cannot be sued for such incidents when they are more than accidents? I also read that though the officers involved could be court martialed, the police are also investigating and may commence to prosecute the officers involved. Does this mean that only the officers can be sued but not the organisation or Mindef/Govt? Aren’t the officers appointed by Mindef/Govt and the latter should be ultimately responsible for the officers’ conduct or wrongdoings? If Mindef/Govt is not responsible, does it mean that if the officers were found guilty, it is only between the officers and the victims to settle their grievance and compensation? Also, the NSmen are conscripted by law, by Mindef/Govt for national service and their welfare and well being must be the responsibility of Mindef/Govt? I think there must be a miscommunication or misquote of what Eng Hen had said. It is, from a layman’s understanding, that Mindef/Govt must be ultimately responsible for what happened to NSmen under its authority and administration. And that the people could seek redress and justice from the Govt in cases of injury or death and compensation.. It is frightening to know, if it is true, that Mindef/Govt is not responsible for the death of NSmen in active service. Where is the responsibility, who is responsible and where should the buck stop? Anyone can enlighten on the legal responsibility of Mindef/Govt when NSmen are injured or killed in active service? Responsibility and accountability are key to the actions and performance of an organisation. If an organisation is not accountable for any mishap or wrongdoing, you can expect that only lip service would be rendered at best. Only when someone’s head is on the chopping block would real actions be taken to be tip top and zero tolerance for accidents and negligence or failure to perform.

Unnecessary death of NSmen

In Parliament yesterday, Eng Hen spoke about the death of two NSmen while under training. Pte Dominique Lee died from inhaling smokes from smoke grenades. Third Sergeant Tan Mou Sheng was pinned down by a jeep. Both accidents were unnecessary and caused by lapses in safety procedures. “Any commander who ignores safety regulations, whether wilfully or negligently, puts his soldiers at risk and is not fit for command,” said Dr Ng. “These two deaths could have been avoided if safety instructions had been followed”. Is that all Eng Hen could say? How much compensation is enough to the parents of these young NSmen for the loss and grief of their precious sons? No amount is enough for such unnecessary death. Mindef was not born yesterday. The SAF is a highly professional army with more than 50 years of history and training accidents to remind and caution every officer in the field not to make silly mistakes. And silly mistakes are still being made with the lost of lives. Unbelieveable! Unacceptable. What is in it for the NSmen to risk their lives for? Relating the account of Pte Lee's mother, Felicia Seah, when the death was told to her was heart wrenching. The Minister should be on his knees to beg for forgiveness. This is not a case of sorry not enough. Explanation also not enough.