Singapore: Towards deNationalisation

Singapore is a unique country that is not a country, a nation that is not a nation. While many countries have developed themselves into distinct nations with distinct people and culture, Singapore is in a reverse process. We seem to have abandoned the path most travelled by young and old nations, to build a country into a nation of people, proud of what they are, their distinct and unique culture.

Singapore is in a process of deNationalisation. We have gone through a 40 year process of nation building when the people were talked and educated about nationhood, about being Singaporean, about defending the country, about us as a new people of a new nation. We were progressing quite well and could be a nation today, when the citizens are proud of what and who we are, that we are a successful and rich nation with our own people, our distinct culture and way of life.

Did we fail in this process and a new philosopher has taken the people along a new ideology of no nation, no nationals, but just an economic organisation where anyone with some merits or ability is welcomed to reside in the island? Our citizenship is given away freely, our national identity prostituted and bastardised by new residents and ever changing and evolving. Our national identity is in a constant state of flux, and we do not know where we are going or what we will become, maybe a vague idea of being international citizens, or citizens of the world, but no country?

Our national mantra, or just mantra without the adjective of national, is survival of the fittest regardless of creed, colour or country of origin. We sell our citizenship, we sell our little piece of land, we sell our strategic assets, we sell our jobs and people to foreigners with no qualms of what the consequences will be when everything is sold. The next thing we will be selling our parents and children and wives, if they make economic cents. Nationalism and citizens of a nation have lost their meanings.

Singapore is pioneering a new paradigm of deNationalisation, without borders, without citizens, everyone a resident for only one reason, economic well being. No sentiments, no emotions, no roots, everyone be proud of being a migrant and be prepared to be migrants again in someone’s country when everything is sold and gone, including their rights as citizens. Citizens that cannot contribute better than foreigners are best discarded in favour of the latter. There is no need for frivolous ideas of nationalism, patriotism, loyalty or defending the country, for there is no country or nation to defend and be loyal to. Such ideas are just silly aspirations of medieval people. Clinging on them is meaningless and has little economic values.

This deNationalisation process has been gaining momentum in recent years without much fanfare or any official pronouncement of its existence. Perhaps it is just an unconscious outcome of years of pragmatism that is stretched to become another animal of different stripes and colours. Was there an originator of this trend, or it just happens, just like the population explosion over the last 10 years and the ballooning of property prices due a grave shortage in supply and an overflow of demand? No one knows a shit how it happened or had an inkling that it is happening.

Why is there a need to call ourselves Singaporeans? ‘Sinkies’ is any time more appropriate in all aspects. The bottom line of such a philosophy is all about self and self interest above all interests. And the idea of country or nation is simply superfluous, a meaningless attachment. The next thing to be sold away will be the soldiers and all the weapons and equipment of wars when there is nothing left to defend for. DeNationalisation will eventually lead to no nation, just a corporation run and own by a few elites.

More pictures from Hong Lim

Me and a couple of friends.

FreeMyInternet Protest at Hong Lim

The protest organised by TOC got on to a slow start. At 4pm when I arrived, there were about 200 to 300 people around. This was what many had expected for this event. As the clock ticked away, more and more people streamed in and to my pleasant surprise, there were around 2,000 people at the Park. And we had a bright sunny day as contrast to the earlier two protests that were wet and all umbrellas.

Amazing, and more amazing, many were of the younger set, and several of the speakers too were from the younger generation. This is most encouraging, seeing the young people showing more interests in how this country should move forward.  Below are some photos taken at Hong Lim that will give a better description of what happened there this afternoon.

PS. I left a bit early as my legs were weakening after two hours of standing and walking around. And I missed a few speakers at the end, including the one from Leong Sze Hian. Just listen to the youtube. Quite interesting.

Andrew Loh of PublicHouse, the MC for the event.

Ravi Philemon, one of the speakers

Richard Wan of TRE

Roy Ngerng from the HeartTruth

Choo Zheng Xi from TOC, a promising young lawyer

I missed out his name. Was it Rafi? He spoke in Malay and English.

Dow up 207 points

Dow was up 207 points while most European bourses rallied. And the whole of last week all the bourses, including Asian bourses were sold down to recent lows amidst fear of an economic Armageddon. Fed is cutting down on buying bonds and a financial crisis is over the horizon, all the funds are selling and getting out of equities.

In Singapore, all the gains in the last 6 months were wiped out in less than two weeks. What the hell is going on? Everything is like doomsday! Fear is everywhere.

And Dow rallied, Europe rallied yesterday as if everything is fine, the sun is shining again. The fundamentals were wrong for a week and right overnight with nothing changes. Asian bourses would follow and rally on Monday.

Who do you think is benefiting from the swing? Who is wiser or smarter?

A govt that does not need to listen to the people

There is another protest gearing up this evening at the Hong Lim Park at 4pm. This time the issue is about freedom of expression that is seen as being threatened by the new regulations on social media sites. Though the Govt in the name of two ministers have spoken to assure the netizens that there is nothing to it, that the Govt has no intent to gag the internet community, no one believes it to be so except for a few you know who. The fact that the new regulation is so loosely drafted to cover everything under the sky, the fear is there that it can always be used to clamp down on bloggers at the most critical time when needed.

So the bloggers and the internet community are up in arms, calling for a protest in Hong Lim, the safest little corner in Singapore where one can think he is safe from harassment and can speak freely, even against the Govt. Many speakers have been lined up to express their misgivings. So what? What will be the likely outcome?

From the experience of the two recent protests against the unpopular and unacceptable Population White Paper, the ending will be just the same. You can have 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 people turning up, nothing will come out of it. You can have another 10 protests, nothing will change. When the Govt has made up its mind on what it wants to do, that is final. The fate of a 6.9m population is closed. And the fate of this new regulation is just as good as closed.

A minister, Swee Say, even proudly commented that when the Govt decided that something is right it will just do it, and they will even acted like deaf frogs. They will ignore the noises, especially from the lunatic fringe, and do what is right. And the Govt is absolutely confident that the noise will subside after a few dins. And the Govt knows for sure that it will be re elected in the next GE come what may. This is the precedent being set, the way the electorate will behave and it will not change.

This is a Govt that knows the people very well. There are many grievances and unhappiness among the people caused by Govt policies. But comes election time, it will all be the same over and over again. This Govt knows that it does not need to listen to the people and knows what is best for the people and the results will show.

The day when this Govt listens to the people will be the day it loses power. That would be the day when it no longer has all the right solutions from all the super talents in the ranks and has to accept the insane suggestions and views of the daft Singaporeans. For the time being, the Singaporeans can go protest and protest, for a little fun and letting off a little steam on the generosity of the Govt.