When ‘resident’ is becoming a hideous word

A front page article in the ST today has a heading ‘Singapore residents’ employment rate up’. The article went on to provide figures on the employment rate of residents in various age group and how many oldies and housewives are returning to the job market. I combed through the article and found two words missing, as if it was a deliberate effort not to have them mentioned. Not a word was mentioned of Singaporeans and citizens. What does this mean or what implications are there when it is all about residents and not citizens or Singaporeans? After all the hue and cry over PRs being treated like citizens or getting better privileges than citizens, many new policies were churned out to differentiate the differences between being citizens and non citizens. The citizens were angry that they were taken for granted, like step children and being ill treated. Some of the measures have placated the emotional strain and the lesser economic and social opportunities caused by the presence of residents or primarily PRs.

From the content of the article written and the primacy of the term residents, what is the message? Is this a country where residents and citizens are indistinguishable, to be treated in the same light again? Why is there no mention of the word citizens in the whole article? Is there something about citizens that is unmentionable or unpleasant to be mentioned? Or is it that the people must not know the difference between citizens and residents, that statistics may tell the truth of a picture that the citizens may not be happy about?

The refrain from providing statistics about the welfare and well being of citizens, and the lumping of everything under the cover of ‘residents’ is screaming out loud a message louder than intended. By not saying it has the reverse effect of saying too much. There must be a difference between citizens and residents and in favour of citizens, not the other way. Check out the statistics dished out and figure out why citizens or Singaporeans were never identified separately. A country is primarily for its citizens and not residents only.

China’s response to the US pivot

For the last few decades of its rise as an economic giant, China has adopted a low profile in its relations with its neighbours other than trade and economics. It was always a meek giant, allowing little countries to bully its people. Its fishermen have been arrested by South Korea and Japan, chased away by Japanese coastguards from the Diaoyu group of islands, and Vietnam and the Philippines had on many occasions arrested Chinese fishing men and boats in the Spratleys and the Paracels. Some of the fishing boats were hauled all the way to Manila like little thieves. It was a grand display of power, and humiliating to China.

In spite of all these provocations and harassments, China kept a very low profile, not even diplomatic protest.  It refrained from engaging in any military conflict or confrontation with its neighbours’ hostility. This was be interpreted by some cocky neighbours as a sign of weakness, that China was unable to defend its interests or protect its people. It was also seen as military weakness, that China feared an open conflict with the US. And as long as the US is in the picture, the little pesky countries could run circles against this toothless giant. They aggressively challenged and claimed islands that were historically founded by the China.  

All of these are changing. The most dreaded US 7^th Fleet is no longer a factor in a naval conflict in the East and South China Seas. They have been neutralized by the commissioning of anti ship missiles in China. The playing field is more level and China would no longer hold back to provocations by little pests. Any more signs of weaknesses could see its claims to the South China Sea islands ended under the control of the Americans through their proxies. Also, weakness will only invite war and heighten the risk of war.

China has to stand up as a major military power and shaft its stick up the asses of little pesky countries that think they could rely on the Americans to take on China. It is unavoidable that a conflict with the Americans will come to a head. It is only a matter of time as the US is moving its military machine from the Middle East to the region. In fact taking a strong and firm stand and whipping the asses of the pesky countries would reduce the risk of war with the Americans. Once the little countries know that China will kick their asses and willing to take on the Americans, the nonsense will stop.

China has just done that by authorizing its naval police ships to board and arrest foreign ships violating its territorial integrity. Looks like the first ship to be boarded and haul to Hainan will be the biggest battleship in the Filipino Navy. Let’s see how gungho the Pinoys are to provoke the Chinese and attempt to arrest Chinese fishing boats again.

China will no longer tolerate the aggressive provocations of little countries and must whip them if it is to be taken seriously. There is no other way. The earlier style of diplomacy and appeasement, of avoiding trouble even when her fishing boats and fishermen were harassed and arrested by little countries is over. The little countries must take note of this new position of China. It is only doing what is needed to protect its territories and people like what any country will do. The trouble makers have set fire in China’s courtyards and it must act or get its house burnt.

In Syria the Americans are contemplating on escalating the fight by direct involvement of American forces, just like in Libya. This is how friendly big powers behave and gain respect, and fear. China has to emulate the big powers like the US and tell the little countries not to trifle with her interests and they will get a wallop in the face. Kindness and refrain from retaliation is a bad policy and will be misunderstood for weaknesses and will invite a continuous string of provocations and aggression. China’s tough stand in the South China Sea is to defend its territories from foreign encroachments, to ward off unfriendly and hostile overtures by silly little countries. It is not an act of aggression like what the Americans are doing in the Middle East and contemplating to do in Syria. It is an act of self defence.

The tougher stand will ruffle a lot of feathers as the little countries are used to a submissive giant that would turn the other face. After the initial grumbling they will understand the meaning of correct and proper diplomacy and what is being polite to a gentle giant. Do not cross the line.

Olam did the right thing

Olam is perhaps the first locally listed company that stood up to defend its position in the face of an attack to run down the value of the stock. This has saved many investors from having the value of their investments wiped out over night. Olam’s price is holding steady at 1.55. It could be seeing $1.20 or a run with its value crashing if Olam did not stand up to fight. The act itself is an assurance and affirmation that the management is confident of what they are doing and no hanky panky operations is going on.

And also must thank Temasek for speaking up to in support of Olam. Otherwise, its investment in Olam could also be sold for a song and another big write off. The position of Temasek is very important to hold back local investors from shorting the counter to kill off Olam.

The battle is still not over yet. The selling is still going on. No one really knows who or how many funds are behind the sell down of Olam. It can’t be just computer trading that is putting the pressure on the stock. The final picture is still unclear and this could be a temporary hold fire stage. The collaborators could come out selling again when the coast is clear. They have not show hand yet.

This is frightening, really, please wake up.

“For a member who passed away on or after 1 July 2006 during his/her hospitalisation, he/she can use his/her Medisave savings to pay for the last inpatient hospital bill in full, without being subjected to the existing Medisave withdrawal limits. This is because the need to save for future healthcare needs is no longer relevant”.

The above was quoted in Leong Sze Hian’s article on the ‘Erosion of CPF protection from creditors’ in the TRE. Read the intent and purpose of this change carefully. I swear I will not admit myself to any hospital in my dying days to help them clean up my savings in the Medisave.

No say I never warn you. This is a very brilliant and compassionate and merciful change to help the decease pay for everything he owes to the hospital, to the last cent in his Medisave. He will die a free man, free of his savings in the Medisave, with not debt to the hospital and nothing left for his dependents or children.

A conversation 2000 years ago

It was a mass conversation led by a young man with the poor, the downtrodden, the hopeless, the homeless, the beggars and vagabonds, the lowest rung of the social hierarchy. The conversation was held everywhere and anywhere, from market places to foodcourts and restaurants and to parks and the hills.

The young man looked ordinary, dressed simply. But his father was very rich and very powerful. He openly acknowledged the power of his father and what his father could do. He promised the lost sheep of a paradise in the future. He promised them that life would be very good, a life of abundance and no worries, in the future.

One thing very clear about his conversation, it was all about the future. He even asked them what they wanted for their glorious future. But the poor illiterate homeless and despair were just clueless and just listen to the good news. The young man told them to go and spread the good news around, but no need to enter the homes of the rich and powerful.

As for their immediate problems, no food, no roof, no jobs, these were simply unspoken. And when they were hungry, he took out a piece of bread, broke it down into little crumbs to share with them. And the poor could not be choosy. Any food, any amount, would be a blessing. They thrived on the crumbs offered by the young man. They forgot about their immediate problems. There was a bright future awaiting them. And neither would the young man want to remind them nor would he be able to solve their immediate problems. He was only interested to lead their thoughts to the future that might not come, or at least in the life time of many who were there.

I dunno what happened to the young man or whether the poor and hopeless eventually found a life of abundance. What was good then was the offer of a hope, a better tomorrow, to forget about the dire straits they were in.

Caution. The above story is purely fictional and any similarity or resemblance to anyone, people, things or places is mere a coincidence.