Singapore’s media ranking – 149th

Singapore hits record low in World Press Freedom Index ranking
'Singapore fell 14 places to a record low of 149th position from the previous 135th position in terms of press freedom index in the latest annual ranking by Reporters Without Borders (RWB) [Link].

It is Singapore’s worst ranking since the index was established in 2002.

Singapore is even behind countries like Ethiopia (137th), Tunisia (138th), Oman (141st), Congo (142nd), Cambodia (143rd) and Russia (148th)….'

Now, what is this Reporters Without Borders or RWB? How could they ranked

Singapore’s award winning media in the company of countries like Ethiopia, Tunisia, Oman, Congo etc etc? Does RWB know that Singapore is a First World country, rule of law, and one of the most open society in the Free World?

This ranking of 149th is very disrespectful of Singapore even if there are still 20 or 30 countries ranking lower than us. Our people are free to read all the news in the world and can tell the difference between craps and truths. Even if craps are printed, the readers will know they are craps, so does not make any difference really. It would be different in closed countries when the citizens only read state media and knowing one side of the story. In our case, telling lies is simply naïve and easily exposed and sneered at by the well educated and well informed readers.

RWB should take this into account when rating our official media. And don’t forget, many of our reporters are foreigners or new citizens. So they cannot be as blind as daft Singaporeans. And our official media also reposted many great and highly rated articles from the New York Times, Washington Posts, from Reuters, AP, AFP etc especially those on China and North Korea. The writers of these articles were often renowned academics from the West. With such great names from the Free World, how can our media not be free and get a better ranking?

Or they may want our editors to be westerners to gain more credibility and score more points. This ranking could be a subtle pressure for our local media to recruit and pay westerners to be our journalists and editors. CNA has already taken the first step to have anchor programme host from the West, a kind of compromise to allow westerners reporting and commenting on Asian news and Asian affairs. It used to be the locals reporting on their national issues to give the local flavor. Maybe in order to sell, western flavor is still important. And we have quite a number of western journalists too, but apparently must be too small to gain more recognition and a higher ranking.

Like the university ranking system, the ranking system for the Press by RWB can also be gamed, and spending some money could get us to a better ranking. We should aim to be in the top 10. It would be money well spent, if money can do the trick. Money can do wonders.

Sino Indian border tension – The self deluding Indian Govt

Sino Indian border tension heightened with claims by the Indian Govt of Chinese border guards crossing to Indian territories. And both sides sent troops to boost up their defences. Last heard, both sides have withdrawn troops and tension has cooled. Both India and China have disputed claims along their borders. Thanks to the British colonial empire that took liberty as the colonial power of the day to draw their own maps. They drew the whole of India as part of the British Empire, including Pakistan, East and West, many parts of Africa, Middle East, SE Asian and the rest of the world. And along the Sino Indian border, the British did the same, writing Chinese territories as part of the British Empire. And when they gave independence to India, they gave the same British map to the Indian Govt who now claimed that those lands too were Indian land. This is the source of the Sino Indian border dispute. Indian conveniently assumed that what the British took, they too could take or inherit.

What is hilarious is the regular drumming up of fear by the Indian Govt, echoed by the western powers, that China is an expansionist power and covet Indian territories, the disputed territories, and would invade India.

The truth is that since the communist took power in China, they have respected all treaties, including unequal treaties signed during the years of the weak Qing Dynasty. They kept to their words and did not use force to retake their territories like Macau and Hongkong, which they could take back any time before the lease forced upon a weak China. They have yet to take back Diaoyu Islands, a war loot signed away when China was defeated by Japan in a naval battle in 1894. And in the case of border dispute with India, China has not resorted to force to take back its land.

In the 1962 Sino Indian border war, it was India that attempted to seize the disputed territories by force. After losing that war, the Indians have been rewriting their history to sell the story that it was China that invaded India. The facts were as clear as daylight. After the incursion by India, China suffered initial losses which was natural for a country that was hit unprepared. This was the first proof that India was prepared for the war and took the initiative, the element of surprise. A China that was preparing to attack India would not have suffered that kind of losses.

China mounted a counter attack and chased the invading forces all the way to the outskirt of New Delhi. The supremacy of the PLA was unquestionable and the ability or lack of ability of the Indian Army was infamous. The Indian Army simply capitulated. China could take over all the disputed territories it claimed then, open a few more fronts to take over every piece of land it wanted. It did not and withdrew to the earlier disputed border. An aggressive invader would not do such a polite thing. Its policy of not using force to retake its lost territories was consistent as the consequences of such an act would mean perpetual war and hostility with India at the border, just like Israel taking over Palestinian land, the West Banks and Gaza. China seeks to negotiate for a peaceful settlement of the border dispute. Taking them back by means of war, by military force is not an acceptable solution.

The noises made by the Indian Govt then and now are not only mischievous but naiveity. China had all the chances to take over the disputed land many times over. Why would China want to do it now and start a war with India? It is childish diplomacy on the part of India, making childish pranks daily drumming the fear of a Chinese invasion. China is not the USA.

The recent China Japan tension at the Diaoyu Islands is another example. Deng Xiaoping has set aside the island problem with earlier Japanese leaders not to do anything to force a settlement. China is prepared to leave the disputed islands to posterity, to the far future as it is not something that is easy to resolve without going to war. The Japanese were the ones that created this recent tension by pushing the Chinese to react. The Japanese created the farce of buying the islands from another Japanese to create a fait accompli situation. China had no choice but to interrupt this ruse. And Japan is continuing to raise tension by tough talks of force. China could overrun Japan tomorrow if needed. Japan’s cockiness will be their wrong doings.

India better stop talking foolishly to try to raise tension at the Sino Indian border and let the status quo remain. It is better for the two giants to be friendly neighbours and live in peace than to bicker and raise hostility.

Anwar Ibrahim and the Malaysian GE 2013

There were many significant changes to the Malaysian politics during this GE. One of the major developments is the recognition and resurgence of non Malays and their votes. Anwar Ibrahim has pulled the most unlikely combination of DAP and PAS together again to be part of the Pakatan Rakyat. This time the coalition is warmer and more accommodating.

On the side of BN, this is the first time since the racist politics of Mahathir, that BN warmly courted the votes of the non Malays. There was much lesser racist rhetoric from UMNO leaders against the non Malays and about Melayu Ketuanan. UMNO has abandoned a lot of its Malay supremacist politics, coming out to win the non Malay votes. Though not every UMNO leader was supportive of this change, it seemed that Najib was able to bring them together for his One Malaysia formula.

At the rakyat level, the election results were proof that the people of all races were voting for parties and change. The multi racial support for PR candidates was manifested in Malay candidates particularly from PAS being elected in predominantly Chinese constituents and Chinese candidates being elected in Malay majority constituents. This is a much welcomed sign of progress being made by the Malaysian rakyat, that they would no longer be moved by racist politics.

This did not mean that racist politics have been uprooted. Many were still voting on racial lines. But many Malay and non Malay BN supporters were also voting for Najib’s One Malaysia policy. Otherwise BN would not be able to continue as the next govt. BN cannot win the election strictly on the support of a Malay based voters. Many of the Malay voters have moved over to support PR.

The other major shift was that Chinese votes that were for MCA had gone to DAP. MCA is at the verge of becoming history. Gerakan is history. DAP has taken over as the main Chinese based party. BN is left with an ineffective and baseless MCA and other non Malay parties.

All in all, the voting was much lesser on racial lines, more for a more inclusive Malaysia both envisaged by PR and the BN. And if Najib has his way, the new Malaysian govt is likely to be less divided on racial issues and would be pushing for a more Malaysian Malaysia. It has to go that way if it wants to prevent losing more seats to PR in the next GE. PR’s brand and goals of a more inclusive Malaysia is striking the right cord among the rakyat of all races. Najib and BN has no choice or it would only have to count on the remaining Malay votes. It is also the first time that an UMNO leader made a call for reconciliation after a GE, a gesture that reflects a more conciliatory politics of convergence than division.

The other unfortunate development of this GE is Anwar Ibrahim. He failed again in his bid to be the Malaysian PM. In all counts, Anwar could have been the PM long ago. He was the Dep PM under Mahathir and was groomed to be his successor. He fell out of favour and suffered the most brutal and serious violation any Malaysian leader had ever received. He was charged for sodomy, locked up in prison, beaten up by the Police Chief while under custody, suffered physical, mental and emotional assault that could break down any ordinary man.

Anwar was no ordinary man or politician. He was a self made man, a self made leader. He rose to national leadership on his own steam. He is articulate, an intellectual with few equals among the Malaysian leadership, a natural leader and very charismatic. He came out of prison and no one could imagine that he could still garner the support of his followers and believers to fight his way back to Parliament after what Mahathir had dealt him. He was finished, but no. He is the proverbial phoenix that rose from the ashes.

This GE was his swan song, his call. All the predictions gave him a very good chance of leading his coalition to power. It seemed that he was cheated once more. A cruel fate, a cruel twist that deprived this man from his rightful place as the PM of Malaysia.

Anwar Ibrahim was and is the most unfairly treated and victimised Malaysian leader in its history. He has everything in him to beat his competition hands down. He overcame so many odds and harsh obstacles put in his way. Unfortunately fate was not on his side. Inshallah, he may still have one more chance in 5 years time when he just hit 70. Would it be too late? Would Anwar get what he deserves, to lead his country and people as the future PM of Malaysia? He paid a very heavy price to be one, robbed of the premiership by Mahathir and more or less ‘cheated’ again in this election. His PM dream is still an elusive dream that is getting more difficult to realise with the passing of time. So close yet so far. Life has been very cruel to this man. That’s all I can say of Anwar Ibrahim.

I will belanjar him kopi if I meet him.

The capture of tax haven Ireland: "the bankers, hedge funds got virtually everything they wanted"

The capture of tax haven Ireland: "the bankers, hedge funds got virtually everything they wanted"

Cross-posted from the Treasure Islands blog

‘The Financial Times is carrying an important and fascinating story about the tax haven of Ireland. It focuses on a particular issue which is dear to my heart, and the subject of a whole chapter of Treasure Islands.

This is, at heart, a story about how small financial centres become entirely 'captured' by financial services interests, with the deliberate removal of democratic checks and balances and carte blanche given to financial services interests to write laws in secret. This is exactly why I call offshore the 'smoke-filled room,' where gentleman arrange the world's financial affairs over cognac and cigars....

“The bankers and hedge fund industry got virtually everything they asked for while the public got hit with a number of austerity measures”.

There you have it...The last sentence epitomises the captured financial state. ...

Now take a look at what happened in Cyprus. The very same phenomenon, in different form. It's just the same in Jersey. And in Delaware. And the same, in more diluted forms, in Switzerland, the United States, and the UK.

This is what's happening, all over the world. Anyone wanting to understand the offshore phenomenon needs to understand: this is what it is all about.’

Posted in Tax Justice Network.

The power of bankers and hedge funds to control financial centres is not new. They have even controlled the operations of stock markets around the world. They determine how stock markets should be run, the rules and operating systems.

Stock markets that are modelled around New York Exchange have similar features that were dictated by the bankers and hedge funds to give them undue and unfair advantages over the innocent investors.

The main features that change the game plan of stock markets are as follows:

1. They demanded the Exchanges to allow them to plug in their super computers to the Exchange’s trading system to have privy information of the ‘buys and sells’ in the market and use their computers to compute and take the best positions against other innocent traders.

2. They insisted that the trading bits be downsized to the smallest unit possible to enable them to trade in big volumes and ensure profits by simply scalping the system.

3. They insisted that commission will be neglible for them to make profits while normal traders could not do so. They mostly trade at minimal charges or no charges at all.

4. They made Exchanges to invest in high speed super computers to match their super computers while normal traders were trading manually at snail pace.

5. They made Exchanges to provide large scrip lending facilities for them to cover their big short positions when they sell down the market for profits.

6. They made exchanges run continuously without lunch breaks to facilitate their computer trading.

7. They made HFT legal when it is illegal, HFT is basically front running.

8. Above all, they made unfair trading activities legal when they are against the laws of securities trading.

9. And together with bankers, they create high risk and toxic products in derivatives and made them legal for sale and tradings. Derivatives are a big financial nuclear bomb that is waiting to blow up the western financial system.



Charlie Munger, the right hand man of Warren Buffett, has openly denounced the bankers as cheats, cannot be trusted, and needed to be reined in before they blow the whole financial system up. And while all the Exchanges were coerced to allow HFT knowing that it is illegal, it needs a brave man like Munger to call a spade a spade, that HFT is illegal. And this is not the only thing that is illegal in the finance and securities industry. When the bandits or robbers are dictating the law, dictating how the system should be played, and the law is either on their side or simply helpless to touch them, the exploitation will continue till it blows up on its own face.

How and what should govts do to bring an end to such criminal activities in the finance and securities industry? Not doing anything will make govts accomplices to these horrendous crimes against the innocent traders and investors. Who is robbing the people? Would the Americans start to clean up their house and set the standard for the rest of the world? If the Americans continue to allow the bankers and hedge funds to cheat the main street, the rest of the world will just follow this fraudulent system blindling, thinking that since the Americans are doing it, it must be ok.

Khaw Boon Wan discourages ITE and polytechnic graduates from pursuing university degree

Finally some wisdom and hard truths from Boon Wan. Our university education is anything but cheap, and 3 to 4 years to waste. So what if our universities are among the best, among the highest ranked, when the graduates have difficulties finding jobs or uncompetitive to third world graduates? The reality is that the piece of paper must be useful and wanted. There is no point even if one gets a degree from Harvard or Cambridge if the employers prefer one from Sungei Road University.

I still recommend that for those who want to secure a good job with a tertiary education to send their children overseas, to India as the top designation. For those who want an easier degree, maybe the Philippines. And for those who want a degree immediate, without have to go through the mills, there are degree mills to issue the degrees.

Singaporeans must act smart, street smart, not book smart. Go and get a degree from universities that are preferred by the employers, employers who believe that those universities are really good. Forget about all the claims and rankings. There are gimmicks, academic. And of course, a polytechnic diploma is much better. At least there is lesser competition with the FTs. The PMET level of jobs are the exclusive market for FTs. Singaporeans are better advised not to compete in those levels or are likely to end up as taxi drivers, with degrees.