10/14/2013

Boycott of La Fondue Restaurant

Gilbert Goh of Hong Lim Park fame has called for a boycott of the La Fondue Restaurant for discriminatory advertisement against Singaporeans. The offensive advertisment that let to this boycott is here:

‘HIGH SALARY FOR FILIPINO CHEFS ONLY E PASS, PR AND DP HOLDER

URGENTLY NEEDED CHEFS!!!!...We are currently an all Filipino team at the service and kitchen department….posted by oloresisimoroginald@gmail.com.’
Bloggers are up in arms against such a discriminatory advertisement that came immediately after what MOM had said and specifically told employers to be sensitive and to give the citizens a fair chance in employment. Maybe the restaurant did not read the newspaper or did not know of the MOM’s directive.
 

The next day the CEO of La Fondue, Ravinder Pal, issued a clarification and an apology citing that the management did not know about this and it was the work of an employee and disciplinary action would be taken against him. This did not please the netizens and they are claiming that the apology was not sincere and insulting their intelligence.
 

This is the first time a boycott has been called against a restaurant by the people, a bottom up initiative. And from the angry posts in the internet, it is not going to go down quietly. It is unfortunate that such an incident occurred.
 

While the netizens are angry, they should not lose the plot. The main problem at stake is the good jobs that were taken away by the so called foreign talents at PME level. At the lower level and for jobs that the citizens are not too interested, the reaction should be moderated. The employers need to hire and if the citizens are shunning those jobs, some flexibility must be there for the business to exist and operate. Of course in this case it was the outright discriminatory advertisement that is the main issue. No discriminatory advertisement is allowed under the MOM’s directive. It is against the law.
 

While netizens are right to be angry, let’s focus on the right stuff, the good jobs that PMEs have been discriminated and booted out, replaced by foreigners. This is the crux of the matter. Do not be distracted. Do not lose your focus. Singaporeans want the good jobs.
 

The fact that such a protest came about is telling a story, a new development in the city state. The citizens are getting increasingly aware of their plight, of their ownership of this island. They would not want to be pushed around by foreigners anymore. And the rude foreigners, the beating of citizens by foreigners, only helped to fan the fire. They are claiming their rights as citizens of the island, they are going to reclaim their country. It is a good sign that the citizens have awakened and politicised, and know that they have to fight for their own existence in their homeland.
 

This is the beginning of our version of the Tea Party. The people are standing up for their own rights and well being. They are taking matters into their own hands, a bad sign that says the govt has failed them. When they do, there is nothing to stop them. This is only the first step. This is a concrete action oriented move by Gilbert Goh following up on his PWP protest movement. Gilbert could set up his own team of investigators to expose companies that are guilty of selling out the citizens. He could open an avenue for whistleblowers to go to him or his blog for follow up actions. The whistleblowers can be assured of actions from Gilbert and his team. No lip service.
 

It is action time and more boycotts are likely to be called if the employers continue to flout the employment law and discriminate against Singaporeans. The govt cannot go after the people or Gilbert who are seen as protecting the citizens’ interests. Making things difficult for Gilbert could backfire, as anti Singaporeans.
 

There is a cause, and a champion is born.

10/13/2013

No tarts for me



‘Sir, Mr Lim is sending some tarts to you. Where do you want it delivered?’

‘No, no, no tarts for me. Tell him no. The missus will be angry.’

Many big shots are getting wary and scare of tarts and have given instructions to their secretaries to turn tarts away. And many big institutions have standing instructions not to send tarts to anyone anymore. Tarts are like lepers, to stay away from.

‘But Sir, the tarts are for the missus.’

‘What, what?’

‘It’s pineapple tarts Sir.’

‘Holly shit. That’s even worst. Listen carefully, return all pineapple tarts immediately. They are dangerous, like contrabands.’

It was reported that the tart business has since fallen to an all time low and workers making pineapple tarts have been retrenched. No body wants to be seen with a box of pineapple tarts in gift wraps.

Would you be ashamed if you are overpaid?



This is a loaded question and the answers varies, depending on one’s background, one’s philosophy if there is one, depending on one’s moral standing or one’s ethical standard, or depending on one’s propensity to corrupt, and many other things, including how much one is being paid.

This question has been thrown at many CEOs. Are you overpaid? None of them said they are. Everyone claimed that they are underpaid and could do with a few more millions. It is subjective of course. But when one is overpaid, or grossly overpaid, there is no need to ask the question. One knows and everybody knows.

Now back to the shame question. Could anyone really feel ashame of himself or herself for being overpaid for doing nothing or doing too little, or for being incompetent?  How could anyone be overpaid for doing nothing or sitting down whole day to drink tea and read newspaper? What, the company has too much money to spend? No shareholders to demand an explanation or a sacking? Sure, if it is your grandfather’s company, like the Ah Sia kia. Who is there to say anything? It is his Ah Kong’s money what? Or it is OPM.

Seriously, has there ever been people who are so thick skin, so immoral, so unethical, to collect humongous pay and do practically nothing, and feel right and proud about it? Don’t they have some principles, some sense of right and wrong, that taking so much money is wrong if one is not contributing an equivalent of work for the money taken? Would such people feel any pricks of conscience? Or maybe they don’t have any conscience at all. Heheh, who cares, as long as there are people or organisations willing to stuff money into their pockets, legally of course.

The question in the title of this article is foolish. Shouldn’t be asked at all. I can think of a good answer if asked. ‘If I am being paid that kind of money for doing nothing, then it simply says I am smart and you are daft.’

No sense of guilt. Yes guilt, which implies more than just ethical considerations or shame.

10/12/2013

The New Order

                      The New Order


I have a vision from Heaven. I am told to clear up the shit on Earth. Don't call me a prophet. All past prophets are no better than the ordinary people on earth. They were selfish , conceited and self centred. They eventually cause more trouble on earth through their flawed doctrines. It is no incident that all prophets seem to come from barren lands in the Middle East and not from Greece, India or China. Since ancient times the Middle East were so cursed that the political leaders of the various tribes  had to find ingenuine ways to hookwink and browbeat the people into submission to their rules and  leadership. Whereas in Greece, India and China great philosophers with great morals and ethics with no political ambitions lay down earthly. rules and teachings for people to follow. However the various so called prophets in the Middle East were able to use the psychology of fear of the unknown God to unite the people behind them in their political ambitions to assume great power and control over everybody. Each of these prophets profess a doctrine in the name of his imaginary God which is now wrongly called religion to put fear into the people and thus when the people are in fear of 'God' they can be easily ruled and control. Thus surely trouble ensures when different prophets profess different doctrines and different 'Gods'. As time line goes down the years and centuries these diseases , these doctrines of the prophets of the Middle East  spread to Europe , north Africa and some countries in Asia.

The political leaders of Europe, Turkey and Persia soon found a useful tool in these Middle East militant doctrines -  now called religion. They would adopt it and  make good use or evil use of it to justify their aggression and conquests all in the name of their infallible 'God' . In the course of their conquests millions of innocent lives were taken to justify in the name and the power and the 'Glory' of their supreme 'God' and in honour of their now questionable prophets. Now many of our eyes are open and we now know that these militant doctrines  from the Middle East have caused more deaths, sufferings and disasters than anytime in history both past, present and possibly for sure in future unless citizens of the world wake up from their delirious slumber and throw out these evil  and insidious doctrines down the gutter never to resurface again.

The New Order which I have a vision is too wide a scope to be written in one go. The earthly world in future should be ruled by a council of wise philosophers. The world will be ruled by philosophers as one unitary whole . People will be free to move about and there will be no artificial boundaries and therefore there is no necessity for separate national states or countries. There will be unity in diversity and therefore all different languages will continue to exist except for the adoption of five official languages viz English, Russian, Mandarin, Hindi and Spanish. Rules and laws will be promulgated by the council of philosopher rulers. The council of philosopher rulers will come from different corners of the earth and they will rule for not more than two or three terms of five years each.

There is no need for soldiers for the whole world is now one unitary unit. There is still a need for law encorcement officers like the police to prevent crimes . Every citizen of the world is free to think and believe what he wants to believe but no one is allowed to disseminate his doctrine or force others to believe his insidious and divisive thoughts of the false and fearful concocted "God' or 'Gods'. In other words there will be no more prophets for they are prophets of doom and they cause more trouble to this world . The world has limited resources so no man is allowed to have more than one wife and no single couple is allowed to have more than three children be they all males or females.

Regarding work and occupations, everybody above eighteen has the right to work and be paid a reasonable salary. If you are a businessman there will be rules to see that you do not exploit the people and if you are officers in the government and that includes the council of philosopher rulers you will be paid well enough but the laws will see that you do not abuse your positions and become thieving officers by legalising your illegal , humongous and sinful takings.

Of course there is no Utopia world. But the world will be better without deceitful politicians and government officers who are crooks, scoundrels, charlatans and liars.

Southernglory1

Overseas exposure needed


The advert for a sales representative to sell kueh tutu received 300 applications. Finally after several rounds of intensive interviews the position was offered to the best candidate from Timbuktu. He has a Ph D and international experience. He is everything better than the rest of the applicants, a real talent. How not to employ him?

The mama CEO was furious. She only got ITE certificate. No she was not feeling inferior. She is an entrepreneur and is worth several millions. She does not need to feel insecure. She could buy a few Ph Ds if she needed them to paste on her face to look good.

‘What the hell we need a doctorate for to sell kueh tutu? What the hell is the international experience for when he is to go door to door in HDB estates? We are doing local business and the qualifications and international experience are redundant.’

‘But m’am, the head hunting experts said that we should grab the best talents available. And this one looks so good and so talented than the locals.’

‘Which HR expert told you that?’

“The one I spoke to from the international recruiting agency. He came from Timbukone. He said the foreign talents are sooo good. Don’t let them get away. It is good for the country.’

The boh tak cheh CEO sacked the foreign talent with the Ph D immediately, and the HR too. She said she would take her back and the Ph D candidate in twenty years time when she is going international, but not now. The HR has to go for fear that she would employ a foreign masters graduate to wash dishes as well.