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The damn solutions

It has been recognised and acknowledged as a natural truth that today’s solution is tomorrow’s problem. And we have many examples of our great solutions that have turned bad, turning into big problems and liabilities. The most commonly quoted solution of the past that has created many deep seated problems today must be the Stop At Two policy. We are now suffering from its consequences today, some 40 odd years later. When it was introduced, the problems it was trying to solve was serious, a growing jobless population and an economy that could not create the jobs to meet the demand. And further harsh and ruthless followup measures and policies were added to reinforced the Stop At Two policy, like no priority for school places for the third child, ligation, abortion, fines etc etc. Some of the victims of these policies are still feeling very angry with what they had to go through.

We have in the course of the last 40 years introduced many policies that were good in the beginning but starting to turn foul or becoming a problem today. The CPF schemes and its related schemes, housing allocation policy, pricing and asset enhancement policies, are now hounding down on the govt.

High economic growth, high inflation and high ministerial salaries are now a burden to the govt. And of course the high population and high influx of foreigners, high prices of car ownership policies, high medical costs and a long list of other policies that are causing the govt to have ‘one head and growing twice as big’.

And we are still pushing for high economic growth and high population growth. This is very troubling. The problems of yesterday’s solutions are being repeated with the same zeal to implement new policies and solutions. They only think about how good the solution is without bothering to look at how bad it can become. If they have the foresight, to think ahead a little more, many of today’s problems would have not happened or would be lesser and not so severe.

Yes, economic growth is important and growing a bigger population is a must for economic growth. If only economic policy is so simple. Again they are not looking at the consequences and problems from these solutions. Did they know, did they bother, did they think about them, talk about them, or they simply do not want to talk about them and do not want to think about them. Tomorrow’s problems are best left to tomorrow’s leaders to deal with, and tomorrow’s people to live with.

Just announced a few day’s ago that they have a new logo for the Army Volunteer’s Corp. Another nice creation. Did they think about the problems and consequences? Every solution and policy is a double edged sword. The frightening thing it seems, they are only interested in hearing the good stuff. No one wants to know about the bad stuff or want to tell the people about the bad stuff. They are OPP, Other People’s Problems.

Is this the way to go? You want economic growth you must want big population? You want a strong defence force, you must want volunteers to carry arms. They are inseparable, just as inseparable as every solution comes with its associated problems. You cannot have your cake and eat it. The govt has to be seriously looking at the problems that can come about with their solutions. They cannot runaway from them.  The Volunteer’s Corp is a very dangerous animal that is being created if any jokers, citizens or not, can join. It can turn into an enemy of the people. Would the terrorists be eyeing it as their training ground?

Where is the solution should the Volunteers Corp turns bad? Where are the solutions to problems caused by high economic growth and high population growth? No, no problems?

Kopi Level - Red

The pictures that tell the mood at HLP

This was the moment Teo Ser Luck was mobbed by his fans/protesters as he started his round. Notice the boy sitting in the foreground, oblivious of what was going on? What did it say?

Ser Luck doing his round. Notice how calm and comfortable he was?

These two pics of children dancing were taken a few minutes after the 'heckling' incident. Anything unusual? Any tension?

This is the famous mound of Hong Lim. Speakers need not bring their own stools or boxes to stand on like in Hyde Park.

These 3 pics are the friendly protesters demanding for the return of their CPF money. There were more younger people coming to join them. Would these people heckle the children?

Is America ready to be Number Two

This was the topic for discussion in the CNA programme Perspective hosted by Teymoor Nabili on  prime time 3 Oct 14. The panel guests included two American dons, Prof Thomas Magnanti and Assoc Prof John Donaldson, the American Ambassador Kirk Wagar and Manu Bhaskaran, a CEO of a consultancy. This is a good programme to watch not so much as to the subject matter but the temperature generated and how sensitive the subject was to the American dignitaries present. Watch the repeats on CNA

From the very beginning the position of the Americans was clear. Teymoor used the Great Roman Empire as an example of everything that goes up must come down.  He hit a wall. No such thing as America being Number Two to a rising China. Even if China becomes the biggest economy, so what? What they avoided saying was that they carried the big guns and could turn the table anytime they like it and China would be history. That’s the message.

It is interesting to watch the nuances and the body language of the American panellists, especially the Ambassador. I could not believe that an academic discussion on an ‘iffy’ question could cause so much uneasiness and sensitivity. And Teymoor, one of the best presenters you can find, was doing his best to balance the tension and you could sense that he too was affected by it. But being an old hand and very adept at what he was doing, he did manage to control the situation very well without upsetting anyone, but still not able to hide the discomfort in him.

The topic was about a hypothetical case in the future, what if the economic statistics are correct and China surpasses America and becomes Number One economically, or the Number One superpower. Of course everyone can dispute on the definition of what Number One means as the overwhelming American military might is unquestionable for a long time to come. The American economy could slow down, but the American expenditure on military would always be maintained to keep this pole position unchallenged and unsurpassed. To the Americans, this is a non issue. They would ensure it would not happen.

Who would ever think of the Soviet Union being what it is today? Who would ever imagine, even 30 years ago, that China could transform itself from a poor backward communist state to challenge the Americans for the pole position in international affairs? Some crystal ball gazers would say that the rise of China is inevitable, like the fall of Singapore as equally inevitable. The chips are all in place for the rise of China and the fall of Singapore. Somehow everything is in place not by intent but it just happened.

Whether China would overtake America as Number One is a moot point as no one would agree with the definition. But the rise of China as a superpower, as an economically and technologically successful nation is on the card.

And it is best not to discuss such a topic with the Americans. It rubs the wrong way and nerves are extra sensitive, like special needs children.  America will never be Number Two! China can never dream of being Number One. No way, not in the near future, not in the distant future.

PS. The Chinese were given a pleasant surprised when they were shoved up the be the Number Two when the Soviet Union self destruct. They too could not believe that they could be Number Two so fast, without any effort on their own.

Kopi Level - Yellow

My proposed rules and regulations for protest rallies

Given the fiasco that happened on 27 Sep 14 at Hong Lim Speakers Corner, a site specially designated for free speech and public protest, ‘the protesters’ overall conduct was so egregiously bad that a few would think the public censure that followed was overdone’, I quote the ST editorial today, new rules and regulations must be introduced. I may further add, protesters must behave better, behave decently, not to shout, not to disturb the peace, not to look like thugs and gangsters, not to….I can go on and on. Basically, protesters in a public protest must conform to some expectations of decency by the decent and nice people.

Given these as the back drop and the expectations, I would like to offer some suggestions as to how a public protest rally should be like and how the protesters should behave. The authority may be pleased to take liberty to borrow my suggestions for future rallies in Hong Lim Park.

Not in any order of merit or importance, I will just rattle it off the hip, no need to think too much. Like the American cowboys, just shoot first and think later. It is easier that way.

Ok, first thing to do, protesters must bring along a decibel meter to measure the din they are making. What for? They must not be insensitive to the other park users, like special needs children, like babies in the prams, like senior citizens playing chess or having a snooze. Let the authority come out with the exact decibel they can make and the type of loudspeakers that are allowed henceforth.

The protesters must also bring along measuring tapes to mark the distance they should keep away from the other park users, and pay special attention to special needs children. These children like the Park very much for its special ambience and the heat. For this group, the distance must be double than the normal for other normal children.

Whatever the protesters do, they must not appear to be heckling anyone in the park, especially special needs children that happened to be there. Just because the Park has been specially approved by Parliament for protesting and demonstration, it does not mean that they can anyhow behave like protesters do. For this matter, it is good that they bring along their own video recorder to record the event in case there is a dispute as to them getting too close to the special needs children, ‘heckling’ them or disrupting their activities. This is for the own good of the protesters as people who were not at the scene may have the wrong impression and anyhow accused them of misconduct later.

Protesters are allowed only to march in rows of twos, not too many as it would look very rowdy. Look at how nice school children walked in schools?  If they could hold hands, that would be nice. This is the standard that the protesters should try to emulate. And yes, wear clean and nice clothing to look smart and not like hooligans and gangsters. Wear a badge if possible to read ‘I am a protester’ so that people can identify who you really are.

And when the protesters are protesting, please, put on a smile on your face. Don’t look so grumpy, so fierce, like gangsters. The authorities or public may think you are thugs and, yes, gangsters. Now that is really bad publicity and bad image if photographs or videos of them were to be flashed in the media.

And when the police or authority demands for their identification, please do not argue or be rude. Be polite, just hand over your identification papers and all will be fine. And don’t demand from the police or authority for their identification papers. That is outright rudeness. In this exceptional city, anyone who come to you and tell you they are the police or the authority, they must be real. No cheats or thugs would dare to impersonate the police or authority. So there is no need to go through that hassling.

And another thing, when the protesters go marching around the Park, please show some courtesy and friendliness and stop to shake hands with whoever is present for goodwill. Oh, an exception, perhaps this should be avoided when approaching special needs children as they may be too sensitive and can get frightened by the protesters. Be extra sensitive and mindful of the people there and shout only when you are at a safe distance from them.

If protesters are to follow the above suggestions, I think everything will be alright even if there are other events in the Park. And how can I miss this, please double confirm with the authorities your designated area so that you do not encroach into other people’s areas. In the past this was not required, but after the 27 Sep pathetic incident, this is necessary. All future applications will have designated areas allocated to them in advance, not last minute to avoid a clash or conflict by encroachment.

Basket, why I spent so much time, thinking so hard, for all these suggestions and not getting paid a single cent for them?

Kopi Level - Yellow