SMRT driver bashing – The other untold story

Untold may not be the right word as the story was told many times over several months, but no one wants to hear them. This untold and embarrassing story is starting to reappear to shed light on the plight of the SMRT drivers. One was jailed, 29 repatriated and 5 charged in court. The story in the media so far was all about the trouble makers, the SMRT drivers. And they were duly punished with many Sinkies throwing more vitriol at them.

Desmond Kuek has conducted an internal investigation on how the strike came about and commented that it could be avoided if the management was more “sensitive, attentive and responsive” to the problems the workers had brought up. Disciplinary action would be taken against those who allowed the drivers’ grievance to escalate to become a work stoppage. The drivers would not have been charged, jailed, repatriated and lost their jobs. The strike would not have occurred to embarrass the govt and the trade union. Relations with the Chinese Govt would not have been affected.

Since his last comment that there were many problems in the organisation, a witch hunt could be next and many skeletons are likely to be dragged out of the cupboard. But most important of all, the truth shall prevail and the drivers would be seen in a different light, that they could be victims of mismanagement and neglect.

Shine the light and brighten up the dark patches and return justice to those that had been wronged. SMRT would no longer need to say we are sorry, it should not have happen, we will make sure it will not happen again. ‘We are sorry for the inconvenience caused’.

Punggol East - A scramble for the spoils?

I wrote about the congregation of the vultures awaiting the ageing lion to fall. Every vulture is hungry and wanting to have its share of the meal. Would there be a mad scramble for the carcass or would each take its turn for a bite of the morsel? If they do it in an orderly manner, each will have their fill and more could come their way. If they go on a mad rush, the dying lion could walk away to live another day.

Lina Chiam of SPP, Hazel Poa of NSP have spoken. They would not be engaged in the foray in Punggol East. They would wait their turn as it was a battle field of WP and SDA in the last election. This sets up a gentleman's agreement on the pecking order in the opposition camp for the rest to follow. Would the others abide by this protocol, or would they defy the existing order and behave like when fools rush in?

Some parties are taking an ambivalent position at the moment with reservation that they could jump into the fray. Some quarters are openly encouraging all the opposition parties, or some parties to move in, 3 corners or many corners fight is irrelevant. Their intent could be simply a genuine interest in wanting their perceived favoured party to have a go at this seat. For some, the intent is nothing to hide, to agitate the opposition parties to strangle themselves and deprive themselves from a good fight.

The memory of the last Presidential Election is still vivid in the minds of the electorate. Some are cursing at the missed opportunities for their chosen candidate. Some are cursing at the spoilers. Would there be spoilers in the making, for whatever queer or make belief justifications, that they must be in the ring to split the votes of the opposition?

In a straight fight like Hougang, the chances of victory against the ruling party has been proven to be very high. So, would Punggol East be another Hougang or another multi corner fight that makes the opposition parties look like a bunch of unthinking and selfish hyenas, and ended with nothing and losing their credibility, and be the cursed of the electorate?

Should there be a multi party contest, the electorate could still be the deciding factor. They could despatch the spoilers into shame and losing their deposits as well. The electorate are no longer easily conned and a spoiler will be seen as a spoiler and will not be getting much sympathy votes. They would be rudely dismissed and their intent exposed.

Punggol East is staged like the last fort, the last resistance. Should Punggol East fall this time, the writings will be on the wall. There will be no stopping of the tide and a tsunami may follow suit to clear up everything in the way.

Hougang was  a watershed. Punggol East could be the Waterloo. Would there be spoilers to throw shit in to muddy the water?

China and Japan gearing up to defend disputed islands

On the anniversary of the Nanking Massacre, China flew a civilian aircraft over the Diaoyu Islands snatched away by Japan after it was defeated in a war in 1894. This flight over Diaoyu is symbolic and a message to Japan that China is not going to let Japan to continue to think that it could seize Diaoyu Islands from China for good.

Japan reacted in the most aggressive manner by scrambling 8 F15s in a show of force to defend its claim on the islands. There was no engagement with the Chinese surveillance twin prob aircraft. China responded by making a statement that the aircraft was in Chinese airspace and had all the rights to be there. Japanese leaders were up in arms, revealing their cleverly concealed military past, each one raring to go to war. The nationalistic and militant voices in Japan are near hysteric.

China will only react in the same pitch and as robustly as the Japanese. China must have been preparing for this day to come, having tested Japanese intent that they would not return the islands without a fight. The stage is set for a military confrontation for the recapture of Diaoyu Islands. The national pride and interest of China, for losing a war and losing its territories will mean that China will go all the way to reclaim the islands. The next time China would also scramble their fighters to face the Japanese fighters.

Japan is equally adamant to keep the war loot. They think they are able to defeat the new China again and with the backing of the Americans. This is World War 3 and no laughing matter. The launching of the North Korean satellite is an affirmation that the North Koreans will present the Japanese and the Americans with a new factor to consider in case hostility breaks out. The dark horse is South Korea. Would it join the Japan/America alliance to take on China and North Korea, with the Russians in the background, or would it do a surprise by taking side with their northern brothers to avenge the years of colonization and humiliation and brutality under Japanese rule?

Whatever the position of the two Koreans, a war between China and Japan is inevitable unless the Japanese are willing to return Diaoyu Island to China. This is basic Chinese position, the reclamation of territories lost during the years of weaknesses and humiliation. They would take on the Japanese come what may.

PAP under siege

The opposition parties are hovering over Punggol East like vultures sensing the presence of a carcass for a good meal. It is not the case of a prize possession that belongs to the ruling party anymore. Thanks for the generosity of Michael Palmer, it is like a well timed Christmas present. But the ruling party is not going to give it away so easily. They know that the opposition parties are ready to snatch it away and it has to hold on to it tightly.

This is the state of the political game today. Gone were the days when the ruling party will strut around taking every loose seat available with great confidence. It was chionh all the way. The game has changed and it is a case of trying desperately to hang on to whatever it got. And the opposition parties are closing in for the kill every time a little gazelle breakaway from the herd. It is quite helpless. It will be taken away to fill the hunger of the hunters.

The ruling party is under siege and weakening in all fronts. There is no one in the party that could command the awe inspiring presence and leadership to win a single seat or even a GRC today. The last GE has exposed the weaknesses of the ruling party and the infallibility of every minister. Every one of them looks lame. And the last few batches of MPs were found to be wanting in many ways and many would not be able to hold on their own in a contest, without the GRC. Many were outright failures in the eyes of the people and many voters have regretted their decisions in the last GE. It is that bad.

The strength of the ruling part was in their pro people policies. These have done well for many years but strains are showing. Good policies are turning bad and unsustainable, like a big rock pushed up the mountain, the weight bearing gets heavier by the day and waiting to roll down, crushing everyone and everything below. Come to think of it, every policy is about to come tumbling down. Cannot think of any that is good or barely good today.

In the absence of good men and women, in the absence of good and pro people policies that are sustainable, what else is there for the ruling party to offer the people to keep them in power? This by election is only to confirm the hard truth that it is game over.

Maybe I am too pessimistic. Maybe the people are still strongly behind the ruling party. The joyous and buoyant celebration and the confidence shown in the last party conference told a different story. The party is on a roll. Everyone was looking so well and wealthy. The party will go on and on. The truth will be seen in the decision to hold or not to hold a by election. A party that is confident of winning will have no apprehension of taking the bull by the horns and will call a by election without hesitation. Any wishy washy excuses will be a sign of weakness, a party under siege, having little confidence in holding on to the seat in Punggol East. The siege mentality is all there for everyone to see.

A little decency from the workers

A fallen angel getting a little support from the workers. That was about the only silver lining in the latest episode of personal indiscretion. Instead of laughing their heads off, instead of grabbing the opportunity to twist the dagger deeper to extract more pain, to hear the scream, to make it hurt, it was just a polite admonishment. There was no need to go further than this to shower praises for being honourable and for being a good and clever boy. That would smell too much of hypocrisy.

The elite have something to learn from the workers, if nothing to learn about good manners, at least some decency of not kicking someone when he is down. It is a nasty but pleasant surprise that the once mighty elite, with halos on each and everyone’s head, once were standing on the high pedestal of moral righteousness and scream, on your knees, scoundrels, infidels and all. Bow your heads in shame for your disgraceful acts and conducts.

Where are the angels? Aren’t they going to put on their halos to pronounce in their haughty arrogance, that man must not sin, that angels are pristine and would not be tarnished by temptations.

The workers are more down to earth, knowing that all man will sin in times of weaknesses and should not be too harsh in their judgement against those that have fell victims to temptations. Workers are in many ways behaving like angels. Would angels then be more like workers and seek a new balance, a new ethos of kindness, sincerity and politeness, in acts and in words?

It is a painful lesson to learn from. Do not jump the gun.