GE – Freak or no freak?

Tham Yuen C picked up the discussion on the freak election revisited by Ho Kwon Ping in his article in the Sunday Times yesterday. Many people thought Ho Kwon Ping was being polite and saying the right thing. Tham Yuen C spoke to several academics to feel the pulse once again. Tan Ern Ser, Viswa Sadasivan, Pauline Straughan and Bilveer Singh were all consulted on their views on this freak issue. Wondering if they were as polite as Ho Kwon Ping, but all agreed that a freak is unlikely. But they qualified themselves by saying that under certain conditions, though a freak is very unlikely, could still not be ruled out.

Tan Ern Ser said PAP would do everything possible and would adopt policies that are sustainable to stay in power. He even suggested that PAP would win by default as the ageing population would not want change. Sadasivan read that the ground was a lot sweeter than before but cautioned whether the changes in PAP policies were due to seeing the light or a matter of survival. Pauline Straughan was more hopeful that the PAP would continue on its momentum to talk to the people and to keep talking to the people, then the next election would not be shocking, like a freak election. The PAP would still win unless it does something spectacularly unpopular. The idea of PAP doing some, thing silly to lose its legitimacy, like rampant corruption, is unlikely. Bilveer Singh added that the electorates were sensible people and would not allow a freak to happen. All in, they agreed that PAP would still win but at most losing some popularity vote.

Based on the comments of these experts, all things are normal and PAP would be in power for the next 10 to 15 years as forecasted by Ho Kwon Ping. But would PAP do something spectacularly unpopular to do itself in, like not holding to the one goal lead but went for an all out and reckless persecution of opposing views? They are now tweaking many policies and the CPF sacred cow is not being spared. The only danger is that the above comments become positive feedback and give the PAP a false sense of confidence to continue with what it has been doing, more tough or hard headed policies, and the same tactics of fixing the opposition and dissenting voices.

There are signs of panic and strange behaviours from the PAP and its apparachiks. The most obvious is the relentless effort in charging of Roy and Hui Hui. Would the PAP read the kpkbs in social media and kopitiams as noises from the lunatic fringe or would they take it seriously as feedbacks from the ground up? Would PAP continue to deal with oppositions and opposing views like in the past and think it can get away with it? Or would the PAP take heed from these feedbacks that the old way of tackling dissent cannot work anymore and if pushed through in a high handed manner may lead to the freak election result being prematurely brought forward instead of another 10 or 15 years?

There is now a confluence of factors and events emerging in the political theatre that could make the freak come true. Smaller and less spectacular events, but cumulated, could be that something that is spectacularly unpopular. Maybe the PAP is so confident that nothing has changed and the next GE is already in the bag for another 2 or 3 terms, and it can do as it has always done before and swing the sledgehammer freely at anyone in its path. Can the PAP continue to do unpopular things? Would a few careless straws, added together, break the camel’s back?

What do you think?

Kopi Level - Yellow

Democracy 2014 – Hong Kong Chapter.

By MIKOspace

What Hong Kong Protests Taught Hong Kong, China and The World.

Democracy is Not Easy.  It is learnt only through failures and errors.  The Lessons are perpetual with endless emergence of newer Lessons.

After nearly 5 weeks of “pro”-Democracy sit-downs, disruptions and infringements of the natural “democratic” rights of other Hong Kongers, the protesting crowd simply fizzled and dissolved as it depleted itself of non-existent political sustenance, as well as the folding goodwill shelter of Democracy’s Umbrella.

It became blatantly clear that in spite of increasing thousands of nightly cheering spectators and bystanders, the HK student protestors were UNABLE to establish a connection with the larger HK Community to develop a critical collective identity for sustainable political action to obtain the greatest good for the largest number.

In the end, the HK Students and their political and financial supporters were exposed to be just another noisy and mischievous rabble that were merely opinionated with deep prejudices but no convictions; and that while they had energetic determination, they did not possess any credible political will because they, albeit a tiny group, had only wanted for themselves instead of incorporating the greater good that the vast majority of other Hong Kongers may prefer.  Democracy is for the Whole and not just for a few persons in Society, no matter how vocal and destructive the few may demonstrate. 

The Absence of a Collective Hong Kong Identity further explained the failure of HK student protestors to establish a connection through their protests with the vast majority of other Hong Kongers. They occupied, stood and sat ALONE on major public roads, property and space, becoming increasingly an unnecessary nuisance to fellow Hong Kongers who rightfully demanded the legitimate return of their shared “public space” so rudely expropriated weeks earlier by the students for purposes which were never articulated in the language and terms of the public good. 

The Protestors’ insensitivity to the growing economic plight of their fellow Hong Kongers betrayed the fragile absence of the perequisite social norms of trust and reciprocity necessary to promote civic co-operation in a Democracy.  There were no shared bonds of affiliation and trust between the Protestors and other members of Hong Kong society.

Hong Kong politics is NOT about Beijing vs Democracy. Hong Kongers, have to choose between its future as a prosperous Chinese city vs being an unstable anti-China bastion. 

Kopi Level - Yellow

Read the Full Article:

Democracy 2014 - Hong Kong Chapter

55 – The age of Insanity

A research paper from the trash bin came to me for my reading on a Sunday morning. Its title, ’55 – The age of Insanity’, is quite mysterious and provocative. It has a list of professors and doctors attached as co contributors to the article. The main author apparently is a young genius but his name, like the rest, has been erased from the paper and I could only briefly make up the initial Dr AS. Even the institution has been struck out from this mysterious paper from the trash bin.

The theme of this paper is about a defective gene PME55 found in true blue Singaporeans born after the war, ie the post war babies or baby boomers. This gene is practically non existent among the generations before the war. The effect of this gene is that it will be activated at the biological age of 55 and anyone with such a defective gene would be morphed into a new person minus all the skills, knowledge and experience of life. It is like a Trojan Horse virus that wiped out the memory and turned the brain into a clean brain or ‘unprogrammed’ brain with no user software inside.

At the critical age of 55, whole generation of true blue Singaporeans would suddenly turned into walking zombies. They could not perform the jobs they were doing yesterday, become completely useless. Regardless of their professions, they will be immediately terminated for the good of the organisations and quickly bungled out of their jobs. And these people, mostly PMEs, because of their blank brains, did not know what is happening to them due to their reduced mental ability. So they left their jobs as a matter of fact and retired from life, neither happy or unhappy and not knowing why.

Some may find jobs that are more suitable to their lower mental ability. According to the paper, the best jobs that are suitable for people affected by PME55 are security guards and taxi drivers. Some may not even be suitable for such jobs and will be retired permanently. No employer would want them. Those who could still find some brain cells tickling could be retrained, put on courses to re-educate them with simple knowledge for some low level jobs. This is about the best that can be done to people affected by this disease.

There are also changes to the characters of these sick people. There will be personality changes. From being highly respected individuals in positions of authority, responsibility, ability and trustworthiness, some would become philanderers, some amorous, some gamblers and some will simply not be able to manage their money and their lives.

The govt knew about this disease. The employers too knew about this. Anyone who knows about this defective gene and its effect will be able to understand what is going on in this city state. Govt policies like retirement age, CPF minimum sums, training programmes, not wasting resources to provide tertiary education to these people, influx of foreign talents, reversed mortgage, annuities etc etc begin to make sense. They are answers and solutions to PME55. Even employment policies are adjusted to take care of PME55.

Fortunately or unfortunately not many people knew about this defective gene and could not understand why certain policies and things are happening in the way they are happening. The defective gene is a state secret. Perhaps that is the reason why the paper was not published and ended up in a thrash bin.

The good thing, the govt is coming out with a slew of policies to take care of the true blue generations of Singaporeans with this gene. Their life savings are protected. There are strict rules against them going to the casinos. There is the Pioneer Generation Package to take care of them too. New manual jobs that are less demanding and taxing on their blank brain cells are created for them so that they can continue to work if they want to enjoy their dignity. Their retirements have been carefully planned to ensure that all their financial needs are well taken care of. They have nothing to worry about even if they lose their jobs at 55. The country will continue to prosper with their replacement from overseas to support them.

In the research papers, the pages on recommendations were all blanks. But now the picture is clearer. Though the recommendations may be missing, the knowledge of the existence of this defective gene clears all the doubts about why things are happening the way it is. There is a new urgency to replace the population with new migrants that don’t have this defective gene that will self destruct true blue Singaporeans at 55.

I am going throw this piece of paper back into the trash bin. No one should be reading it. It is a national secret of this unique city state. Time for kopi.

 Kopi Level -  Yellow

When the dogs forgot that they are dogs

Darkness wrote this story about his Doberman that he brought up from a pup. The Doberman was his best pal and he treated it like a close friend and they had a special relationship, fully confident and trusting each other. One day the dog growled at him for no reason while he was feeding the dog.

This was unacceptable behavior. A dog must never ever think that it could growl at the master. A dog must not be allowed to think it can decide and take matters into his own hand. It could bite if the owner is not careful. You just do not know what is in the mind of a dog. The first sign of disobedience is a signal that the dog could just act and behave like dogs do, and the master could lose control.

He did the right thing. He gave the dog away for his own safety.

The lesson to learn is that when dogs are let loose in the cyberspace, they must still behave like dogs and not to exceed their authority to go wild and bite recklessly at anyone. Once a dog starts to think it can behave wildly like a dog in the wild, it must be taken out, put on a muzzle at least, or like Darkness, put away for good.

Dogs cannot be allowed to run wild and do as they pleased. The master must always be in control, not the dogs. Dogs will always be dogs and will behave like dogs. They are not human and will not have the good qualities of being human. They can be vile.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Sim Lim Square – Singapore’s Wild Wild West for shopping experience

A woman who bought an over-priced phone at Sim Lim Square demanded a refund and was given a bag full of $1,010 coins.

The woman, Miss Zhou, bought an iPhone 6 Plus for $1,600. She was shocked when the shop demanded that she pay another $2,400 for a two year insurance for the phone. You only get this in some unique shops in Singapore.

The shop, Mobile Air, was only willing to give her a $1,000 refund. The Small Claims Tribunal ordered the shop to refund Miss Zhou $1,010.

Miss Zhou was given the money in a bag full of coins. The bag was thrown onto the floor and the shop staff embarrassed her with nasty remarks when she was picking up the coins.

This is the kind of shopping experience one could enjoy from some shops in Sim Lim Square. The Tourist Board should promote this as a new exciting and unforgettable shopping adventure in Singapore’s Wild Wild West shopping centre where anything goes. There is no overcharging of course and no crime committed. Shoppers visiting the centre would have a memorable trip and a memory they would not forget, and will remember the exciting Singapore for a life time.

The full story of Miss Zhou is covered in a number of articles posted in The Real Singapore.

Kopi Level - Green