HongKong - 430,000 protest for one man one vote

The Hongkies were fighting for their rights for one man one vote on the streets. They took this fight very seriously to prevent the gradual erosion of democracy over time by inaction. And this fight is going to be a tough one as the right of one man one vote is a western version of democracy that does not match up well with parent China’s communist system of one man one vote.

Can we learn any lesson from the Hongkies in fighting for our rights? About 5,000 Sinkies turned up at HongLim to stage a protest against the 6.9m population that is seen as suffocating and pressurizing on the limitations of land in the island. The 5,000 was not even a quarter of the 21,000 turnouts for a Gay Party in the same venue.

Mind you, Hong Lim is a safe place designated for such peaceful protest. No one will turn out if it is a street protest like in HongKong. I am quite sure about that. This is best seen by every organizer of events in Hong Lim assuring the people to come as the protest was legal, ie, they would not be arrested. A street protest is illegal, you know what that means.

I think another reason why the number of Sinkies turning up at Hong Lim was so small must be the fact that there are really very few Sinkies left in the island. That must also be the reason why in govt statistics, Sinkies are always lumped together with PRs as locals. I think to really separate the two numbers will scare the wits out of the remaining Sinkies here. How many Sinkies are really left in the island and how many by 2030?

There will be no protest of the size like in HongKong to ever happen here unless it is organized by the Govt of the day, with all the approvals and support, including free meals and free transportation. Maybe there is really no reason important enough for the Sinkies to want to protest as everyone is so happy. Life is only difficult and troublesome when they cannot buy their Hello Kitty toys.

Maybe missing out on Kitty toys could be more nightmarish and a good reason for a big turnout in a street protest. Nothing else could command that kind of emotions and affection.

PS. 17 million Egyptians marched in the streets to demand the resignation of President Morsi. And the march was quite peaceful without rioting. And so was the HongKong protest march, with children and old folks tagging alone.

What is wrong with the $24m Susan Lim charged?

The Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Singapore Medical Council for convicting Susan Lim on professional misconduct, ie over charging her client. Her bill was $24m for half a year’s special care and attention for her royalty client.

Now for the reasons why the three Judges decided that they should go along with the SMC. I quote, ‘the court opined that a doctor has an ethical obligation not to take advantage of his or her patient, whether monetarily or otherwise…In the circumstances, excessive overcharging would be a breach of this ethical obligation,…A doctor’s ethical obligation to charge a fair and reasonable fee for services rendered is not superceded by a valid agreement between the doctor and his or her patient…in the context of disciplinary proceedings against a medical practititioner, ethical obligations are not only procedural but also substantive in nature.’

The whole basis of the Judges’ argument is based on two words, ‘ethical obligation’. Is there any other profession where ethical obligation is just as important and immoral for the profession to violate? I think in sports, the sportsperson can actually demand any amount he wants as long as there are willing buyers to pay for it. Ethical obligation is not an issue like in football, golf or boxing. The sportsman can make tens or hundreds of millions over an hour or a few hours of play time.

I can’t think of any other fields where ethical obligation should be an important consideration and will be upheld by the courts of law. Otherwise many who are pocketing millions should be in court and be put behind bars. But no actually. I don’t think anyone will be put behind bars for just a breach of ethical obligation. Maybe suspended from the profession like suspending a driver from driving, or a fine could be added in.

Striking rich for selling a HDB coffee shop

There is another good piece of news that someone out there has made a fortune through HDB’s generosity. A coffee shop in Hougang is sold for $23.88m! Wow, so easy to make a fortune. Buy a shop from HDB, sit it out and when the time is ripe, sell it and retire rich and happy.

For every one to make it rich this way, someone else must pay for it right? The buyer of the coffee shop, the Broadway Group, is not going to throw the $24m away for nothing. How is the group going to recover the money back and with profits of course?

Your guess is as good as mine. Someone, or many people, will have to pay for the windfall. It has to be. The stall holders are worried that their rent will shoot through the roof through. I say, no worry lah, just past the cost to the consumers mah, easy what.

Singapore soldiers in Afghanistan

‘TRINKOT (WNA, 23 Jun): Maj. Gen. Ravinder Singh, Chief of the Singapore Army, visited Afghanistan yesterday and met with the ISAF leadership and his forces in Uruzgan, the alliance said in a statement

Singh called on Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and expressed his appreciation to ISAF for the support rendered to Singapore troops during their six years in Afghanistan….’

The full article above was posted in TRE and there were some discussions as to where Singapore soldiers were serving in Afghanistan. Some were not comfortable with our involvement in the American affair and feared being dragged into the war of terrorism and becoming a victim by association with the Americans. Some called it a price to pay for the protection the Americans were giving to us and allowed us to live in peace in a region that can become troublesome for all the wrong reasons and for the slightest unseen provocations.

We should be grateful to the Americans for offering us the protective umbrella. The question is how far should we go to reciprocate the goodwill? Would our offer of allowing the Americans to use our military facilities here be good enough for what they did for us? Or must we go so far as to send our soldiers to fight or support the American military adventures everywhere? This contribution to the American adventure is not so safe as it seems as it opens us to attacks by the American enemies as we will be seen as American accomplice participating in the same evil deeds. Our hands are tainted by the blood of the victims of American aggression.

What is the value of our offer of military bases? I think this is not a small matter knowing how important it is to the American to have a friendly and ready base to operate from. We are probably the most dependable ally the Americans can count on in the region. Is this not enough? We are helping the Americans to project their power to protect their interests in the region. This is not a small contribution and in many ways worth much more than dragging us into Afghanistan and compromising our safety and security.

Do we have other options other than the Americans as our protector? Can another superpower offer us the same protection without forcing us into a difficult and dangerous situation? We are serving the American strategic interest with the facilities we offered them. Our participation in Afghanistan is peanuts to the Americans. They don’t really need us there except to implicate us and fix us up, so that we cannot detach ourselves from their bloody acts of war.

Do we have the bargaining power to negotiate with the Americans on how far we should go with them? Do we have an alternative power to replace the Americans without our arms being twisted like what the Americans did to us?

Basically, what choice is there for us? Yes, standing on the head of the Americans means we can talk louder and punch above our weight. Is that worth being compromised in dicey situation that we are in now? If we are not with them we are their enemy!

The Philippines slams China

This piece of news is hot in the media.

‘BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei: The Philippines accused China on Sunday of a "massive" military buildup in the disputed South China Sea, warning at a regional security forum that the Asian giant's tactics were a threat to peace.

The statement by Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario ensured that the growing row over rival claims to the strategically vital and potentially resource-rich sea would again be a key focus of the annual four-day Asia-Pacific talks.... ‘Source. CNA Online.

I think the news should be rewritten as ‘The US accused China of a “massive” military buildup in the disputed South China Sea,... What is real behind this gungho screaming by the Philippines is quite obvious. And read further the message is quite clear. What does the Philippines meant in its warning that ‘China’s tactics were a threat to peace?’ Who is going to disrupt peace or start a war? Yes who, China or someone else?

Could it be the Philippines trying another killing of Taiwanese fisherman act? Would the Philippines dare to re enact that scene with Chinese military boats or ships as the target? What is likely going to happen?

Can anyone imagine the Philippines in their rickety warship firing at the Chinese surveillance ships?

China is not going to let this American lackey to push her around and has sent the first warning as reported by REUTERS. ‘China's state media warned on Saturday that a "counterstrike" against the Philippines was inevitable if it continues to provoke Beijing in the South China Sea, potentially Asia's biggest military troublespot.’

China needs to send a very firm no nonsense message to the Philippines and the Americans. It is prepare to strike if the nonsense is not stopped. Any weakness or backtracking by China would only embolden the Pinoys and the Americans. China has no other option but to dig in and take the provocations by the horns.

Is the Philippines trying to punch above its weight, propped up by the Americans and the Japanese?