Managed Meritocracy is the way to go

Just like the phrase Guided Democracy, what Singapore needs is Managed Meritocracy and not Meritocrazy as it is being practised. The whole basis of Managed Meritocracy is about country and citizens. The country and citizens must be the main priorities in the practice of meritocracy. It cannot be a blind meritocracy. It cannot be a colourless meritocracy, irrespective of nationalities. It must be a meritocracy with nationality, Singaporeans, sitting on top of the agenda.

An idiotic and mindless meritocrazy that sells out the citizens in favour of foreigners is unacceptable and a betrayal of the citizenry. This point must be foremost in the minds of the leaders. The citizens are the masters of this island and own this place. No one can give their birthrights and privileges to have a good life here to foreigners at their expense.

Any politician that threatens to replace the citizens with foreigners on the ground that the foreigner is ‘better’ than the citizens is standing on weak sand. It cannot be and must not be and must not be allowed to continue. If this kind of argument is the new truth, then it is a matter of time that the whole citizen population would be replaced by foreigners.

What we need is Managed Meritocracy. This is a Meritocracy that places the interest of Singaporeans ahead of foreigners. All things being equal, the Singaporeans must be considered first. Even when things are not equal, especially in top jobs or good jobs, the Singaporeans must still be considered first unless the having of a foreigner is a no choice option, unless the foreigner is going to bring the moon and the stars to put on the table. We know that many foreigners are not able to do so and what they are doing are nothing better than what a citizen can do in their places but still given the jobs. In many cases there is nothing spectacular that the foreigners can do that the Singaporeans cannot do except they looked like our colonial masters or some 3rd world novelties.

For the good of people and nation, Meritocracy must be managed or else it is at best just a dangerous kind of Meritocrazy.

Wisdom in a tricky situation

The blow up on the naming of the Indonesian naval ship was, like many commented, a storm in a tea cup. Was it a tricky situation? I don’t think so. It was unnecessary and a throwing of tantrum at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. We are in a time when relations with our neighbours are extremely good and things can be sorted out over a cup of tea. To raise all the ruckus over this issue is bad judgement. Things have to dealt with wisely, from the right perspective, the right context and the right timing. Beating the drums and thumping the chest are not always the right thing to do.
 
Indonesia is blessed with several wise leaders in Yudhoyono and in Marty Natalegawa. They spoke wisdom. They could behave like young punks and responded with more tantrums as well and the situation could have blown out of proportion with both sides unable to fall back to a conciliatory mood. We benefitted from wise leaders, and this particular incident shows how valuable wise leaders to their countries and how they could affect their neighbours as well.
 
Yudhoyono cautioned against the slippery step of destroying a relationship built over the years without hinting at any signs of retaliation. Marty spoke calmly, like a wise man many times his age on the issue, without ruffling any feathers. That was not his intention. He explained that the naming of the ship was done without malice or ill intent. He needed not have to explain and neither does any other Indonesian leaders. And it would be even more embarrassing for our leaders if they did not back up their aggressive response with another level of provocations. Now Marty has given them an excuse to back down with some dignity. Let’s hope no one is trying another one upmanship to raise the temperature.
 
Thank you Marty. Indonesia and the region are blessed to have wise leaders like you and Yudhoyono in charge. Let’s hope the next president and his team will be as equally wise as your team today. The three candidates of Wiranto, Subianto and Wibowo are technocrats and highly educated and looking in the same mould as Yudhoyono. Indonesia and Asean have benefitted from Yudhoyono’s wise leadership and hopefully this will continue when the baton is passed to another wise leader.

Small minded and mean people aplenty

The Medishield Life Scheme and the Pioneering Generation Package would be in everyone’s lips for a while. Some will be so happy that they have been included in the package, some a disappointed. Some are talking about introducing mean testing like they did in the hospitals. I must say only mean people can think of such a sickening thing. A friend of mine was trying to renew his CHAS card and was subject to a grueling regiment of questions that were as good as stripping him of all dignity as a person, to the extent of wanting to know how many pubic hair is left beneath his underwear. Only people who are wealthy beyond recognition will think it is fun to subject people to mean testing. They said such people have bad hearts.
 
I have a very simple solution to those shit heads. Just let the rich to voluntarily donate their package to charity if they do not need it. It is a very simple unobtrusive and generous gesture, showing a big heart instead of a small and narrow one. If the pioneering generation package is to recognize the contribution of the pioneers, why is this nonsensical objection against the rich? I know many of the rich pioneers are extremely rich and would not need the money. Let them decide what they want to do with the money. It is their prerogative.
 
By the way, do not be happy. The pioneering package is just there to keep the pioneers from being made to pay for the Medishield Life. The money will be credited and then debited, LPPL. They are just being spared from emptying their little savings if they have any. It is not a windfall, not striking lottery and can go to Batam for a fling. Just count yourself lucky for not being put in a very embarrassing financial fix, no money to pay for the hefty premiums when you don’t have an income.
 
Should they be grateful for the kindness and mercy shown? Even before they are on dry ground and some mean people are thinking of dragging a few into deep waters. God bless the mean and mighty. Mercy. These are very kind and good people with very good intention, to commit murders in the name of goodness.

Usman Harun – A call for wise leadership

Chan Chun Sing said that this issue required the presence of wise leadership, for more dialogue to prevent the fanning of a flame, to prevent creating an external issue to divert domestic problems. And Yudhoyono cautioned against over reacting and dragging a good relationship developed over the years back to the past.
 
Both statements are words of caution to warn the young turks from behaving like they are, hot behind the ears. The Indonesians had done something that we cannot agree on and we are reacting. As far as the Indonesians are concerned, this is their domestic matters and who are we to interfere and tell them what to do and what not to do. Now, who is fanning a flame, creating an external problem to divert from domestic issues or over reacting and dragging a good relationship into the past?
 
How significant is the naming of a naval ship after the two terrorists, yes they were terrorists to us but heroes to the Indonesians, compares to the hundreds of thousands killed by the Japanese during their invasion of the island?
 
The laying of the wreath at the two terrorists’ grave by LKY, their equivalent of a hero burial site, our Kranji War Memorial, must have closed the chapter and their act forgiven. Why the big outcry that would lead to nothing but hostility when quiet diplomacy would have been more appropriate in this case? If we can forgive the Japanese, allowed their PM to honour war criminals that they regarded as national heroes without a whimper of protest, what is so different with the naming of a naval craft?
 
Yes, we need wisdom. Where is the wisdom coming from? Are we still searching and waiting for wisdom to appear over the horizon?

Singapore welcomes Japan’s military role?

At the Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Fullerton Forum held on 13 Jan 14, Singapore’s Minister Ng Eng Hen told the Japanese to ‘assure her neighbours as it beefs up military’. Japan is rearming, the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has visited the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japanese militarism, and sending out a message that Japan is proud of its militant past and aggression against East and Southeast Asian countries. The Japanese PM is paying homage and honouring the Japanese soldiers and war criminals who committed brutal and barbaric aggression against Japan’s neighbours in WW2, including colonizing Singapore and brutalizing its population with hundreds of thousands murdered in broad daylight.
 
Only China and the two Koreans were fuming at this act of defiance and treachery by the Japanese PM. The other Asian countries have not breathed a word. Many must have forgotten or forgiven the Japanese for their invasion, looting and bombing and atrocities against their countries.
 
Now Japan is rearming, just like it was before it invaded Asia and SE Asia. Japan’s military strength is second only to China and could easily do a repeat of WW2. No one is protesting except of course China and the Koreas. The rest of the Asian and SE Asian countries do not believe that they would be invaded by Japan again and in a way supported, or tacitly supported the rise of a new militant Japan.
 
Does Singapore also forget what the Japanese did to its people, ruling the island by force and coercion? Does Singapore also support a strong militant Japan that could do another Syonanto? The memories of the vicious Japanese hordes here and the pain they inflicted, the lives they murdered in broad daylight are still vivid to many who are still alive. Many may want to forgive the barbarity of the Japanese, but would we want to encourage another militant Japan?
 
Should the world stop the rearmament of Japan? With the new geopolitical forces in play, with the Americans needing the Japanese to fight a proxy war to contain China, no one, not even the Americans that suffered a Pearl Harbour would mind having a strong military Japan.
 
The forces and factors that could lead to a WW3 are in the making with the tacit approval of all the victims of past Japanese aggression. Japan has dropped its pledge on not going to war. The Pacifist Constitution is being annulled and revamped to allow Japan to conduct wars. Thanks to their American minders who are so happy to have Japan as their top fighting dog. If there is retribution, let’s hope Japan will nuke the USA one day.
 
PS. Why are we reacting so strongly to the Indonesians naming a naval ship after two terrorists who killed 3 people and wound 33 while condoning Japan’s remilitarization and the honouring of war criminals by their Prime Minister in Yasukuni?