Roy Ngerng was sacked by TTSH

Roy Ngerng the blogger that is being sued by the PM Hsien Loong was sacked from his job at Tan Tock Seng Hospital yesterday. He should have seen this coming. His sacking was a matter of time. The reasons, using office hours to advance his social cause that were not within the scope of his work, and worse, engaging in anti govt activities. He had breached the civil service code of conduct and his terms of employment. TTSH may be a private govt hospital but if I am not mistaken, is still run administratively like a civil service set up.
 
There is nothing wrong with his sacking. And there is nothing wrong with the PM suing him for defamation. The funny thing is that there is a foul smell in the air. There is unease and eyes are rolling all over like something is not right. Unfortunately everything is right, everything is in accordance with rules and procedures and the law, just like the high ministerial pay and all the political appointments. Everything is done legally and no one can find any fault with them.
 
Like George Yeo said, everything is so perfect, so right and so proper. Roy Ngerng would just have to find another job that allows him to do what he is doing and to wait for his defamation case in court.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Hsien Loong versus Roy Ngerng, a case he cannot lose

After Roy Ngerng’s apology to Hsien Loong and his withdrawal of some posts in his blog, the defamation suit is now in court pending a hearing in July. This is becoming a case where Hsien Loong cannot lose and it would be a matter of how much would the damages be for tarnishing his reputation.
 
The big question in everyone’s mind, and in Hsien Loong’s as well, is whether he wants to pursue and win this case. It is a no brainer to ask when a victory in court is a near certainty for the plaintiff to want to back out and withdraw the charge. Exactly, and it is exactly why everyone is asking. A legal victory in this case could end up as a hollow victory. It is the consequence of a political repercussion that would be troubling Hsien Loong as a politician. He has to seriously consider how this victory would play on his chances and the votes for the PAP in the next GE.
 
The spontaneous,unconditional and unquestioned support of the people in rushing to Roy Ngerng’s aid, to hand money to him to fight this defamation suit must mean something to Hsien Loong and the PAP. The protest rally at Hong Lim and the high turnout out in Singapore’s context must also be telling Hsien Loong something.
 
There is a message. The people are not happy with the defamation suit. The people are not happy with the govt’s handling of the CPF savings. The people are behind Roy Ngerng even if it is only 40%. How many votes will be converted as a result of this defamation suit is still everyone’s guess. It would definitely cost Hsien Loong and the PAP some votes, and the fear is that it would be enough to tip the scale. Many seats were decided by a 10% winning margin or less.
 
Would it make any difference if Hsien Loong shows some magnanimity and generosity to Roy Ngerng and call off the suit? What is the difference if suit is allowed to proceed or to stop it now? It is no longer a legal issue. It is politics, it is constructive versus destructive politics. It is not Hsien Loong versus Roy Ngerng, It is more than that. It is Hsien Loong versus the people. It is PAP versus the people. It is about the nature of politics and whether this will change as the country moves forward, or it is more of the same, the same politics of Sue.

Kopi Level - Green

India to boost trade with China

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting India with a big bag of proposals to improve trade between the world’s two most populous countries. Unlike the Americans and the Japanese, wherever the Chinese go, they will end up signing trade pacts while the Americans and Japanese would be signing military pacts.
China India trade has a lot of room to grow if both countries put their minds to it. The problem with improving relations between the countries lies in India’s self delusion of a China coveting Indian territories. This myth has been created since the Sino India border war and bred bitterness in mindset of the Indian population and politicians. India must face the truth and realities of its relations with China to go forward.
 
Historically, India and China has never invaded each other or had wars with each other in the name of conquest. The Sino Indian border war was India’s own doing when it attempted to seize Chinese territories with its go east policy under Nehru. The disastrous defeat by the Chinese PLA resulted not only in shame but turned into hatred for China to hide the real cause of the war.
 
That war also proved that China had no intent to seize any Indian territory or to settle the border dispute by force. China voluntary withdrew from India and returned to the original position at the border till today. There were still some border skirmishes and India is totally to blame for their adventurism. The fear of a Chinese invasion is hogwash, a political stance to create an enemy out of China. China would not have withdrawn after the 1962 border war if that was China’s intent.
 
Other than the overhyped border dispute and blaming China, India is fully engaged in hosting the Tibetan separatist movements in India and supporting the Dalai Lama in his secessionist plan. This is not going to be good for relations with China but the Chinese have been playing down this role of India in interfering with China’s domestic affairs to avoid further tension between the two states.
 
India should erase the China threat myth and reduce its support of the Tibetan movements and move forward in a big way for trade and economic growth with China. There is nothing to gain to live in a self deluded myth and to agitate, harbour and support separatist movements in India against China. In today’s geopolitics, wars of conquest for territorial gains are no longer a viable option. There is great potential for India and China to grow and prosper together and live harmoniously as two great neigbours. There is no China threat against India in imagination and in reality as such an attempt would only lead the two countries to endless strife and economic ruins. The relationship between the two countries should be economic prosperity for both and the uplifting of the lives of more than 2 billion people in the two countries. Indulging in talks of war is a foolish and wasteful activity that is best set aside when there is so much to be gained in productive economic activities.
 
Would India and China take a different and new path towards economic growth and not to follow the western craze for war, threats of war and living in the fear of war? Would India remove the China bogeyman and stop allowing the West to use this excuse to drive a wedge between the two Asian powers?

Kopi Level - Green

Singapore’s changing political landscape– From ‘boh tak cheh’ to fallen talents

It is quite unbelieveable today for a barber or ‘chee cheong fan’ hawker to stand for election in a GE. That was how we started in those days. But in those days, where many were illiterate, received very low education, the lack of education of the politicians was not a measure of their intellect. Many were highly intelligent individuals though uneducated or educated only up to primary school level. And they were elected as the people’s representatives to Parliament. The people believed and trusted them to be good enough to be in the Govt.
 
As we progressed, more tertiary educated and professionals stepped forward to join political parties. They were the elite of the time when less than 3 per cent of each cohort of students made it to university. Tertiary graduates from the universities and polytechnics were hard to come by.
 
Then we progressed further, scholars were touted as the best talents for govt. Successful professionals were proclaimed as super talents. And we needed super talents to raise the quality of govt. And super talents must also be paid like super talents. And there were very high expectations from the super talents.
 
It did not take long before the super talent myth was deflated. We are all witness to what the super talents could do and how many became mediocre in politics though they were tops in their professions. It came so sudden, the stark reality that super talents are not really super talents when come to serving the people and working for the interests of the people. They looked like fish out of water in politics.
 
The grand slam came in two by elections in Hougang and Punggol East. The rest is history. Super talents are out. The people want leaders with a heart and not just exceptional academic talents. And too clever politicians may be too clever for their own good and not good for the people.
 
From moving away from the ‘boh tak cheh’ politicians, the people are now moving away from the super talent politicians. Just give us some good men and women. No need to be outstandingly clever in academics or making millions in their professions. Good honest and decent men and women that think first of the people are more desirable than super talents that worried more about how many more millions they should be getting for their big sacrifice. These people are too busy with their jobs, making really good money, would they have time to roll up their sleeves, to dirty their hands on minor and mundane little problems of the people?

Kopi Level - Green

Half a thousand

Forty years ago, this guy walked into a bank to get a car loan. The bank officer asked for his salary. ‘Half a thousand!’, he replied confidently. In those days, a Morris Minor cost about $5,000, no need COE. Practically every young army officer could afford a car and a flat after working for less than 3 years. And many were non graduates, O and A levels were the norm. And they were quite comfortable with half a thousand, and getting a one thousand dollar salary, or four figure, was a statement of having arrived for the young men.
 
How many could afford to buy a car today with a $3,000 income? And how many could afford a HDB flat with a single income? Oops, I am wrong on this. Sorry, a $1,000 income is enough to buy a flat.
 
Those were the days when half a thousand could get one quite far, dating the girl next door, going for joy ride with a brand new car with not a concern for the cost of petrol. ‘Chiat hong’ was fun, a leisurely drive around the island with girl friend or family was having a good time. Life might be simpler then, and the stress level was pretty low.
 
Today the people are richer. ‘What is ten million’ is often uttered by the super rich. Life is really good. Don’t ever tell anyone your income is half a thousand. An uneducated cleaner is already earning a four figure income. Half a thousand is below poverty line. A two thousand household income is likely to be below poverty line too.

Kopi Level - Green