China and US initiatives in the world stage

The creation of AIIB is fresh on everyone’s mind as a major initiative from China, often accused of not doing its part and responsibility to play a bigger role in the world stage. And when it is doing exactly what the Americans demanded it to do, the Americans throw all kinds of brass tacks on its path and put up a Berlin Wall to prevent American allies from joining. Many Asian countries would benefit greatly from this initiative to obtain cheap loans for their nation’s infrastructure developments.
 
Another major Chinese initiative is the two prong Silk Road to promote trade in Asia, one overland and one through the oceans. The infrastructure development that goes with it and the facilitation of trades can only be good for Asia and the world.
 
The other Chinese initiatives like liberalizing the renminbi as an alternative world currency against the highly dangerous greenbacks with the Americans printing them like toilet papers to exchange for goods and services from the hardworking people across the world. And China is also offering an alternative lesser manipulation and HFT/computer free stock broking system to the world against the highly manipulated and flawed western system originating from New York and London.
 
These are not counting the cheaply prized products that China is selling to the world to benefit the whole world without having to pay a hand or leg for consumer products.
In the meantime what are the Americans doing? What are the American initiatives? Signing defence pacts, renewing defence agreements, pivot to Asia to rebalance is military and political dominance. Even the Trans Pacific Pact, supposedly a trade pact, is described by the new Defence Secretary as an aircraft carrier.
 
In his first visit to Asia, Ashton Carter is bragging about how powerful is the American military forces and where the Americans are spending their monies, and let me quote an AGENCIES’s report today, ‘But Mr Carter appeared to relish it, claiming that “passing the TPP is as important to me as another aircraft carrier”….the Obama Administration is opening a new phase of its strategic “rebalance “ towards Asia and the Pacific by investing in high end weapons such as a new long range stealth bomber, long range anti ship cruise missile, rapid runway repair and refreshing its defence alliance with Japan….”the rebalance is working”, citing the deployment to Asia of advanced weapons systems such as Virginia class fast attack submarines, missile defences and F22 fighters and rotations of US Marines form Okinawa, Japan, to the Japanese mainland, Guam and Australia.’
 
Now, who is promoting trade and economic growth and who is preparing for war and warmongering? According to Washington and the western media, China is the aggressive country with belligerent intent and the Americans and their allies are the peaceful ones, the peace loving ones. One is sending out a whole list of economic and trade development initiatives and the other is preparing for war, sending out all its military weapons and forces and beefing up on military alliances.
 
What should you believe? Got to thank the AGENCIES’s reports for showing the hypocrisy and cynicism of the American ‘peaceful’ intent in Asia in its pivot and rebalancing in Asia.
 
PS: Why is the TPP an aircraft carrier? And the Americans are accusing the China of causing an arms race and raising tension in Asia.

Edz Ello – A deeper understanding of the case

There are 2 million foreigners here, mostly working and enjoying jobs and income they can never think of if they were to remain in their home countries. Aren’t they grateful? They live in the comfort and security of a clean and green cosmopolitan city with all the trappings of modern day comfort instead of the villages and the slums they were used to at home, except for those from the developed western countries. The hospitality extended to them, the kindness and generosity shown to them by the Singaporeans and govt are what we called in the uniform services, ‘beyond the call of duty’. Many will go home very rich, feeding their families very well and providing a better life simply because of their employment in the city state.
 
Have the Singaporeans been unkind to the foreigners? And if you hear the complaints of PMETs being sacked and discriminated by foreigners into losing their jobs and ended up as taxi drivers and security guards, nevermind if some idiots think it is untrue, a misunderstanding, some foreigners even ganged up to bully the locals, it is the foreigners that are being unkind to the daft Sinkies in the home country of the Sinkies. Can you beat that?
 
Now this is what this Ello wrote in his facebook., ‘, ‘In Jan 2, Ello allegedly called Singaporeans “loosers” and vowed to “evict” them from their country. He prayed that “disastors” would strike Singapore and “more Singaporeans will die” and he would celebrate. The post ended with “Pinoy better and stronger than Stinkaporeans”. He also allegedly commented in another post that evening that he would “kick out all Singaporeans” and this country will be a new “Filipino state”.’
 
Can you detect the hatred, the unhappiness, the anger, the contempt against his host, the Singaporeans and country that offered him very good job and very good pay? How widespread is this anti Singaporean disease among the foreigners? What have the Singaporeans done to deserve this kind of hate speech? The govt and ministers and MPs are bending backwards, going about everywhere using public fund to organize functions to feast the foreigners, telling the daft Sinkies to embrace them while many Sinkies lost their jobs to them, their parents were made redundant by them, some being raped or molested by these foreigners, some were beaten up for their pleasure.
 
What is going on? How serious are the foreigners against the Singaporeans? Singaporean xenophobic or foreigners anti Singaporeans? Singaporeans do not deserve to be hated by these foreigners. If the anti Singaporean feeling is so widespread, should the govt need a rethink on how they treat the foreigners, to limit the number of foreigners here, that in spite of being so kind and generous to them, they hate us more? Or is it because some fools have been praising these ungrateful foreigners sky high that the foreigners really believe that they are here to help the daft Sinkies and daft Sinkies should be grateful to them instead, and it is their right to be contemptuous to the daft Sinkies? And since the Sinkies are so daft, they should take over the country, chase out the daft and useless Sinkies?
 
Why is the govt throwing away billions to these foreigners, giving them good jobs and good pay, even scholarships aplenty and depriving the children of citizens of them, only for them to hate the Singaporeans? The thinking and feeling of this Ello is not an isolated case. Check out Anton Casey and all the Sinkie bashers.
 
Should Singaporeans continue to be nice to the foreigners, hold parties for them, integrate with them, embrace them and make them feel at home here?
 
What do you think? I recommend the ministries do a serious study on this very serious matter of having so many unhappy and ungrateful foreigners here. But if daft Sinkies are to be grateful to them, then there is no need for any study. Just tell the daft Sinkies to open their legs to the foreigners that are here.
 
PS: Rotten Papayas (a blogger in TRE) asked how about the Pinoy with the ‘moniker “Topher Yakuza” who threatened to kill all Singaporeans who go to the Philippines. He said, “fxxk you all Singaporeans, go to philippines and I will kill u all.” He went on to label Singaporeans as faggots’.

Cabinet changes – Read the tea leaves

Masagos Zulkifli is promoted to full minister in the PMO. There is no doubt that this is a promotion. Then there were a few changes with Lui Tuck Yew taking up a second appointment as Second Minister for Defence. This must be a promotion I supposed, for a job well done as Transport Minister. The perceived future PM Chan Chun Sing is moving to NTUC as Minister without Portfolio in the PMO. Not sure what does this mean, a promotion, demotion or lateral transfer. His Social and Family ministry is to be taken over by the Chuan Jin, the Minister of Manpower. Is Chuan Jin being given a lighter job after sweating it out in the hot MOM for 3 years, presumably MSF is more social and about family matters, about carrying and kissing babies. What is surprising is for Lim Swee Say to move to MOM, a full ministry after being Minister without Portfolio and doing very well there. He has made many indications to step down and this appointment does not seem like he is stepping down.
 
Political observers and analysts would be scratching their heads trying to make meanings out of this shift when election is just around the corner. Do the changes indicate anything about the GE? The promotion of Masagos is clearly perceived as pandering for the Malay votes. What is the story of giving Lui Tuck Yew the Second Minister appointment? Grooming him for bigger responsibilities because he did a damn good job in transport?
 
What about Chan Chun Sing’s move to NTUC, a plan to expose him to the ground to get to know the biggest workers movement to prepare him for the PM’s post? The puzzling move is for Chuan Jin to take over the MSF, a relatively light weight ministry unless this is the seat for the grooming of future PMs like Chun Sing, following the path of Chun Sing as the next in line. Just watch if Chuan Jin would subsequently take over the NTUC position as the career development path of a future PM to be.
 
Anyone could see a bigger and clearer picture of what this is all about? One thing for sure, salary increases and higher cost of govt. It is so shiok to promote more ministers to make them happy using OPM. How many ministers are in the PMO?

China MUST not go down the path of self destruction

When I read about China offering Shanghai and Hongkong as the alternative international stock exchanges to the world without HFT/computer trading and massive manipulation, I was pleased that China has found a way from the decadent and corrupt exchanges of the western model. The western model of stock exchanges and financial systems are not sustainable, operating under rules and systems that are worst than the casinos, fraudulent, unfair and designed to cheat the innocent masses.

I was shock to read in the local media that China is going to allow the banks to buy over security brokerages and licenced to trade in the exchanges. And they know what this means, the strong will get stronger and the weak gets weaker. The banks, with their financial muscles, will edge out every other player and expedite the early demise of the stock exchange industry. If China cannot see what would happen to their thriving stock markets that are relatively free from HFT and massive speculations by the big funds, they should look at the state of health of the Singapore stock market. It is dying, in a state of denial, and no one knows how to save it but pretending that it is doing fine, very fine.

China must not allow the banks to buy over the brokerages to indulge in unfair trading in the stock market. China must resist this move and not be pressurised to conform to a fraudulent stock market/financial system designed by the West. Their stock markets are healthy and doing well. Do not be deceived by the snake oil sellers and take the slippery path to self destruction. The banks must be kept out of the stock market, to do banking and not speculations and trading equities, writing derivatives and selling derivatives based on equities.

China beware, and know what you are in for. Do not be misled by the snake oil sellers and the blind. Do not fall into a trap and commit the same mistakes as Singapore and unable to unwind without killing the stock market. Sit tight and watch how the western modelled stock exchanges collapse in due course, in the next few years. Do not be conned to join the bandwagon of destruction!

Just look at what is happening at the Hong Kong Exchange and what is happening to the Singapore Exchange over the last few days or months. You want Hong Kong to be in the same deplorable and pathetic state of dying and fading into oblivion?

Orang Melayu – Old ties that bind

The one week of state funeral was best remembered by the passing of a political giant of an era and the outpouring of sadness by people at home and those abroad. Many foreign leaders were here on their personal capacity or representing their respective govts to pay their last respect to the man lying in state. While everyone was immersed in the solemn and somber mood of the moment, a sense of warmth permeated the air in an unusual way that many would have missed, gone unnoticed and forgotten.
 
The spirit and graciousness of the Orang Melayu of the region was at its best. The Sultan of Brunei and several members of his family were here, including many govt officials not reported, to show their respect to a man whose relationship with the palace were built over two generations as family friends. The bond was strong and lasting and valued by both families and people.
 
From the south, the Sukarnos, the Suhartos and the Yudhoyonos were all here. And so were the Jokowis and many present and past govt officials. They remembered the deeds of the man that was in the midst of interstate rivalry and friendship. They remembered him dearly and fondly as a good friend.
 
More remarkable were the leaders and royalties from the north. The love hate relationship between Malaysia and Singapore, between LKY and their leaders, the quarrels and bickering and at times personal acrimonies were set aside. With the passing of the man, the hatchet was buried, but more. The warmth relationship cultivated over the decades surfaced. At the end of the day, they were all like kampong boys growing up together, playing together and fighting over everything. But they were still childhood friends of the same kampong.
 
The Agung was here and so were the royalties. And the newly crowned Sultan of Johore was here, one day after his coronation, putting aside his busy schedule to show his respect to the man with many ups and downs in the relationship between the two states. Najib was here and so were Daim and many old friends and political foes.
 
The one that was dearly missed was Mahathir. The Malaysians expected him to come, no matter how bitter he fought with LKY, it was the man that he knew and worked with, like him or not was a separate matter. Mahathir missed the chance to show the world how big a man he could be. Abdul Samad, a very senior Malaysian politician of the same vintage was seen on Malaysian news chastising Mahathir for his lack of graciousness. He even reprimanded him for his slowness in coming out with his eulogy for LKY. There are times when personal rivalry should give way, take a back seat, to allow the warmth of human relationship to triumph.
 
The Orang Melayu of the region were extremely gracious and warmth and added a great sense of dignity to the occasion, to bid farewell to a kampong boy they knew a life time. Without the politicking and agitating, the Orang Melayu could make great friends that would last a life time.
 
The passing of the man they called friend and at times loved to hate marked a new chapter in the relationship of the people in the region. Hopefully the new leaders and future leaders could pick up a few goodness in being friends and political foes and graciousness while locked in political differences and rivalry. There is a man behind all the politicking, and there is friendship to be made and cherished, in the spirit of the Orang Melayu.

PS: There were signs of regret in Mahathir for the things he did to the man and he came close to saying sorry for the riots when Singapore was in Malaysia. There was an admission of guilt for the incident, a kind of telling the man, ok we did it. Let bygones be bygones. He must have deemed it necessary to set the record straight and close the chapter of finger pointing on who caused the riots.