When Goh Keng Swee made his visits to army camps, he was every impressed
with the neatness and vastness of the camps. There was plenty of space
for the soldier boys during his days. There were also plenty of greens.
Being an economist, he could not tolerate waste. He saw the open space
and wanted them to be productive and useful. He gave it some thoughts
and came up with the idea of papaya trees. Papaya trees are hardy and
need little space to grow and to bear fruits. The soldier boys would
have free papayas for desert. And no space would be wasted.
The idea was about thrift and about not wasting precious land. Though
his idea might have some conflicts with the army regime, but what was
important then was the kind of thinking in the heads of national
leaders.
Today, the new thinking will scoff at his suggestion. Why waste the
effort of the soldiers. You want papaya is it? Go and buy lah. Money is
not an issue. How much would a papaya cost? $2? Knn, we gave hundreds of
millions or billions to foreigners also never bat an eyelid. We are
going to give the IMF another few hundred millions and it is only sup
sup suey. I am not sure this is an annual or one time one contribution.
We have plenty of money and thrift is no longer relevant today. It even
sounds silly.
Would anyone during Keng Swee’s time dare to throw parties after parties
using public fund? Today it is tens of millions for each party and we
are going to party and party without a care on how much we will be
spending. How much did the govt spent for the YOG? Does it matter? Does
it matter if an MP ask for a few dollars more to help the poor? Sure
matter. It is a matter of principle. We cannot encourage a crutch
mentality. We cannot have an entitlement mentality. It is not the amount
of money, it is a matter of doing the right thing or wrong thing.
During Keng Swee’s time thrift was the right thing. Today, spending
generously is the right thing. We have so much money if don’t spend,
keep for what, for when? Time has changed and what was right in the past
is wrong today. When ‘oo lui lang’ talking the logic is different.
1/28/2014
What is a rogue govt?
The term rogue govt has been used many times to warn Sinkies that the
good life they are having will be history if a rogue govt comes to
power. What exactly is a rogue govt? Is it a govt that is corrupt? Is it
a govt that betrays the people? Is it a govt that have failed or flawed
policies? Is it a govt that throws money away freely to foreigners?
I think everyone will have some views on what constitutes a bad govt. It would be nice to have a simple definition so that everyone understands what is a rogue govt. Without an understanding of the term, even when a rogue appears and stands right in front of you, behaving like a rogue, no one will recognize it.
On the other hand, a rogue govt may not think that it is a rogue govt. It may be doing a lot of things that are rogue in nature but so deluded to think they were good. Some rogues may honestly and sincerely think that they are angels. Of course most rogues will know they are rogues but would put on a pretense to continue to take advantage of their victims.
Do we know what is a rogue govt? This is very important. We must know what a devil looks like to be aware and to chase the devil away. If we fail to see a devil or a rogue, we may invite him home and got screwed without knowing, and still be very grateful thinking we are sleeping with an angel.
Kopi level - Green
I think everyone will have some views on what constitutes a bad govt. It would be nice to have a simple definition so that everyone understands what is a rogue govt. Without an understanding of the term, even when a rogue appears and stands right in front of you, behaving like a rogue, no one will recognize it.
On the other hand, a rogue govt may not think that it is a rogue govt. It may be doing a lot of things that are rogue in nature but so deluded to think they were good. Some rogues may honestly and sincerely think that they are angels. Of course most rogues will know they are rogues but would put on a pretense to continue to take advantage of their victims.
Do we know what is a rogue govt? This is very important. We must know what a devil looks like to be aware and to chase the devil away. If we fail to see a devil or a rogue, we may invite him home and got screwed without knowing, and still be very grateful thinking we are sleeping with an angel.
Kopi level - Green
1/27/2014
Be kind to William Wan
The Secretary General of the Singapore Kindness Movement spoke to
Sinkies to show some kindness to foreigners like Anton Casey and was
slammed harder than Anton by the Sinkies.
I am thinking of calling Sinkies to be kind to Willaim Wan with due respect to his appointment as the Sec Gen of SKM. Would I get slammed by the Sinkies as well? I think I better not try to be kind for the wrong reason or when the mood of the people is very unforgiving at the moment.
I rather call on William Wan to show some kindness to the poor student that was charged in court and fine $400 by SMRT. Or was it by LTA? Or was it fined by the court? William could make amends and show some real kindness that would be appreciated by the Sinkies like this case. Let’s see if he can get the SMRT and the court to erase this bad memory in the life of the poor student so that he/she need not carry this millstone on the neck for life.
A conviction is the court of law is a very serious stigma for anyone. It is an over killed over a minor infringement.
Please show some kindness to the poor student first and I will be the first to show a lot of kindness to William Wan and would write an article to plead for him if he could help this poor student. And also the driver and the bus assistant that were beaten up by the mob in Little India surely deserved some kindness too. Why should a foreigner deserve so much kindness for spitting at Sinkies and our Sinkies don’t deserve any?
Since we are in midst of a Kindness Campaign, would any kind MP or Minister be moved enough to look into this poor student’s case and give him/her a clean start in life? If none can do it or want to do it, can the PM ask for a Presidential pardon on her behalf?
I am thinking of calling Sinkies to be kind to Willaim Wan with due respect to his appointment as the Sec Gen of SKM. Would I get slammed by the Sinkies as well? I think I better not try to be kind for the wrong reason or when the mood of the people is very unforgiving at the moment.
I rather call on William Wan to show some kindness to the poor student that was charged in court and fine $400 by SMRT. Or was it by LTA? Or was it fined by the court? William could make amends and show some real kindness that would be appreciated by the Sinkies like this case. Let’s see if he can get the SMRT and the court to erase this bad memory in the life of the poor student so that he/she need not carry this millstone on the neck for life.
A conviction is the court of law is a very serious stigma for anyone. It is an over killed over a minor infringement.
Please show some kindness to the poor student first and I will be the first to show a lot of kindness to William Wan and would write an article to plead for him if he could help this poor student. And also the driver and the bus assistant that were beaten up by the mob in Little India surely deserved some kindness too. Why should a foreigner deserve so much kindness for spitting at Sinkies and our Sinkies don’t deserve any?
Since we are in midst of a Kindness Campaign, would any kind MP or Minister be moved enough to look into this poor student’s case and give him/her a clean start in life? If none can do it or want to do it, can the PM ask for a Presidential pardon on her behalf?
1914-2014, Hitler-Shinzo Abe
China is fuming mad with Shinzo Abe’s comparison of the new geopolitical
situation in Asia today as similar to that of 1914 with the rise of
militarism. A more appropriate comparison would be the similarities
between what Abe is doing and that of Hitler prior to the WW2.
Abe and his hawkish ministers and a new consciousness among the Japanese to want to revive their military past as the number One military power in Asia, are all eager to change history and a return of Imperial Japan. Abe’s agenda is crystal clear and what he wants cannot be concealed by his lies about peace in Asia. He is rewriting the history of Japan’s aggression in Asia, he is rearming Japan, he is challenging China and Korea. He is tearing into bits the Pacifist Constitution imposed on Japan by the Americans and now with the Americans encouraging him to do so as a pawn to contain a rising China.
In the course of merely a year, Abe has acted in all ways aggressively and provocatively against its neighbours, claiming islands, scrambling fighter aircraft and naval craft in an offensive manner, challenging the rights of its neighbours to their territorial airspace. He did not mince any words about containing China and even war with China.
Abe is now launching a diplomatic offensive to form military alliances with regional countries to gang up against China. The new reality is that things are not quite the same today. Asia does not have a number of small nations to be invaded like Europe in the early 1900s. The Koreans would not allow Japan to repeat its colonisation of their country. China could simply sit on Japan and shit would literally ooze out from its orifices. India is a super power in her own right and would not be led by the nose by a smaller regional power like Japan.
Further south, Vietnam and the Philippines know that taking on China is futile and it would be to their advantage to grow and prosper together in peace. Maybe the shallow minded Pinoys would be willing partner to the American pivot and join hands with the Japanese to form a military alliance to take on China. That is about the best that Abe can ever achieve.
The rest of Asia would not be so silly to want to go to war with Japan and fight for the Japanese to ruin their economies. And with the memories of an aggressive and vicious Japanese army plundering through their countries, looting and raping their people, it is unlikely that they want it to be repeated or to be ruled or led by the Japanese.
The aggressive moves of Abe must be stopped just like Nazi Hitler. Europe failed because of their appeasement policy towards Hitler and paid a heavy price for it. Asia would have to pay a similar price if they did not stop this crazy imperialist Japanese PM from running wild. Hitler was defeated. Imperial Japan was defeated. Abe can never ever think that he could do anything better with the new geopolitical situation in Asia. The people that would suffer most would be the neutral Japanese. Any attempt by Abe to commit aggression against its neighbours would see Japan invaded for sure and the big cities in ruins.
The Asian states would have to stop this Japanese madness or stay clear and remain neutral. The Japanese people too must come to their senses to avoid a war with its neighbours even if they think they have the mighty Americans on their side. Japan will be the battle ground, the front line, the war zone should war breaks out. They must not ever dream of invading China or Korea or any of the Asian states like before. It is a foolish dream and a very destructive one, of self destruction.
Would the Japanese want to give China a chance to burn Japan?
Abe and his hawkish ministers and a new consciousness among the Japanese to want to revive their military past as the number One military power in Asia, are all eager to change history and a return of Imperial Japan. Abe’s agenda is crystal clear and what he wants cannot be concealed by his lies about peace in Asia. He is rewriting the history of Japan’s aggression in Asia, he is rearming Japan, he is challenging China and Korea. He is tearing into bits the Pacifist Constitution imposed on Japan by the Americans and now with the Americans encouraging him to do so as a pawn to contain a rising China.
In the course of merely a year, Abe has acted in all ways aggressively and provocatively against its neighbours, claiming islands, scrambling fighter aircraft and naval craft in an offensive manner, challenging the rights of its neighbours to their territorial airspace. He did not mince any words about containing China and even war with China.
Abe is now launching a diplomatic offensive to form military alliances with regional countries to gang up against China. The new reality is that things are not quite the same today. Asia does not have a number of small nations to be invaded like Europe in the early 1900s. The Koreans would not allow Japan to repeat its colonisation of their country. China could simply sit on Japan and shit would literally ooze out from its orifices. India is a super power in her own right and would not be led by the nose by a smaller regional power like Japan.
Further south, Vietnam and the Philippines know that taking on China is futile and it would be to their advantage to grow and prosper together in peace. Maybe the shallow minded Pinoys would be willing partner to the American pivot and join hands with the Japanese to form a military alliance to take on China. That is about the best that Abe can ever achieve.
The rest of Asia would not be so silly to want to go to war with Japan and fight for the Japanese to ruin their economies. And with the memories of an aggressive and vicious Japanese army plundering through their countries, looting and raping their people, it is unlikely that they want it to be repeated or to be ruled or led by the Japanese.
The aggressive moves of Abe must be stopped just like Nazi Hitler. Europe failed because of their appeasement policy towards Hitler and paid a heavy price for it. Asia would have to pay a similar price if they did not stop this crazy imperialist Japanese PM from running wild. Hitler was defeated. Imperial Japan was defeated. Abe can never ever think that he could do anything better with the new geopolitical situation in Asia. The people that would suffer most would be the neutral Japanese. Any attempt by Abe to commit aggression against its neighbours would see Japan invaded for sure and the big cities in ruins.
The Asian states would have to stop this Japanese madness or stay clear and remain neutral. The Japanese people too must come to their senses to avoid a war with its neighbours even if they think they have the mighty Americans on their side. Japan will be the battle ground, the front line, the war zone should war breaks out. They must not ever dream of invading China or Korea or any of the Asian states like before. It is a foolish dream and a very destructive one, of self destruction.
Would the Japanese want to give China a chance to burn Japan?
Anton’s gone, but read the warning signs
If this is what things are going to be, the signs are in the ST forum
pages. They chose their articles and letters very carefully and one must
read the hidden messages that are being communicated.
Two letters in the Today paper in the Voices column are asking the authority to come down hard on Sinkies that spoke out against foreigners. This is what a June Cheah-Nicholas wrote, quoting a Devadas Krishnadas, ‘If it is seditious for foreigners to provoke disharmony with the locals, then it is equally seditious for locals to provoke disharmony with foreigners here’.
Another letter by a Darius Lee, ‘While Mr Casey did not commit a crime, threats to him or his family are criminal offences. Under the Penal Code, whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation, property or family commits criminal intimidation. To be fair and consistent, the same standards should apply to everyone. The authorities should act against those who threatened Mr Casey, especially those who threatened his family.’
Sedition is indeed a very serious crime. Many times more serious than insulting Sinkies for sure. And criminal intimidation is just as serious, or at least more serious than beating a taxi driver. The latter, the law will just ask you to take up a civil suit against the basher.
Now that Casey has ran away for safety in Perth, it is time to go after the daft Sinkies. Cane a few so that they will not be rude to foreigners. So Sinkies who are blacklisted, better do an escape from paradise to join Casey in Perth before the dragnet closes in. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Two letters in the Today paper in the Voices column are asking the authority to come down hard on Sinkies that spoke out against foreigners. This is what a June Cheah-Nicholas wrote, quoting a Devadas Krishnadas, ‘If it is seditious for foreigners to provoke disharmony with the locals, then it is equally seditious for locals to provoke disharmony with foreigners here’.
Another letter by a Darius Lee, ‘While Mr Casey did not commit a crime, threats to him or his family are criminal offences. Under the Penal Code, whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation, property or family commits criminal intimidation. To be fair and consistent, the same standards should apply to everyone. The authorities should act against those who threatened Mr Casey, especially those who threatened his family.’
Sedition is indeed a very serious crime. Many times more serious than insulting Sinkies for sure. And criminal intimidation is just as serious, or at least more serious than beating a taxi driver. The latter, the law will just ask you to take up a civil suit against the basher.
Now that Casey has ran away for safety in Perth, it is time to go after the daft Sinkies. Cane a few so that they will not be rude to foreigners. So Sinkies who are blacklisted, better do an escape from paradise to join Casey in Perth before the dragnet closes in. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)