Amos Yee – Making a mountain from a mole hill

Not say I want to say, I think it is unwise to pursue this Amos Yee’s case from the start. It was a video clip, people would have a good laugh and passé. To make this into a case and now snowballing into a monster would extract a heavy political price pay in an election year. I am saying this from the political perspective. It would definitely be an election issue for sure. No amount of damage control can help now. Many people are watching this episode but not saying anything but forming a lot of impressions about it. Only hope the damage is not too serious.
 
And there is another joker who taught it wise to attack Amos Yee outside the court and had his picture taken by so many cameras. What is going on? Hope this joker is a lone wolf and this is a lone wolf incident. Whatever, the perceptions and the court of public opinion is going to be very noisy and not very good for publicity. People tend to put one and one together to get two. It is a PR disaster.
 
Oh, it is reported that Shanmugam is visiting the Vatican City and even meeting Pope Francis. Good for him to get some divine blessing for Singapore. A little enlightenment from the Holy See would be useful and beneficial to Sin City. He should take the opportunity to get a shower of holy water for a good cleansing on behalf of Singapore.
And don’t forget to ask for blessing in front of Prophet Amos in the Vatican.
 
Literary there is now a mountain of issues coming out from a mole hill, something that could be avoided, with a little good communication, yes, didn’t they know good communication can move mountains? Didn’t they say that?
 
God bless. Good timing.

Singapore an education hub compromised

The Singapore Brand and the education hub Singapore is promoting for quality education would be the first victim if degree mills are going to be widespread and accepted without any disapproval shown by the authority. An education hub is all about quality of education and integrity of the institutions and the degree or diploma awarded. No legitimate students looking for quality education and a reputable degree would sign up with a degree mill or come to Singapore’s education hub if the image of degree mills and fake degrees become the norm here.
 
Degree mills and fake degrees will undermine and compromise the institutions of learning here. They will make a mockery of acquiring a good degree from a reputable institution and render them useless or a waste of time. Why waste time and money when a fake will do to get a good job?
 
How could the existence of good quality education and reputable universities exist side by side with fake degrees and degree mills? How could the authority tolerate the flaunting of fake degrees from degree mills and treating them lightly, like no issue and expect some respect for the graduates of legitimate universities?
 
What is the message? On one hand we are promoting quality education. On the other hand we are turning a blind eye to fake degrees and degree mills. Are the institutions of higher learning going to protest when their students are raped openly by the holders of fake degrees and losing out to them in employment opportunities? Do these institutions see the damage done to the value of their degrees and to their graduates?
 
The issue of fake degrees and degree mills has wider implications and consequences not only to the institutions of learning and the Singapore Brand. It will have negative effects on the education industry and the education hub that we are promoting here, to invite foreign students to study here, to grow an industry and revenue for the country.
 
Let me contribute a little to the degree mills. I am going to register for a few Ph Ds. My wall is quite empty and I need a few decorative pieces on it. Better than expensive paintings. Collecting degree mill Ph Ds can be an interesting and cheap hobby. I swear I will not put them in my resume. It is just a past time, a hobby.
 
PS. The Oregon state had named 6 institutions in Singapore offering unaccredited qualifications:
 
1. Cranston University
2. Templeton University
3. Trident University of Technology
4. Vancouver University Worldwide
5. Westmore University
6. Lee Community College
 
ST reported that Vancouver University Worldwide, which was ordered to be shut by the Canadian government in 2007, had been offering its courses in Singapore for several years.
 
(This is posted in an editorial in TRE)

Amos Yee - Identity of attacker not disclosed

Many people are demanding that the police release the photo and identity of the man that attacked Amos Yee out the court house. You can sense the anger and suspicion of the people wanting to know who this man is, how he looks like, where he lives, his family and background that brought about this attack. Nearly a week has passed and the police are not revealing anything.

Those people demanding to know who this man is must look at things from another angle. The police must have learnt a lesson in the Amos Yee case. When Amos Yee was under police custody, handcuffed and shackled, he was safe. I remember many years ago the police handcuffed a photographer photographing the flood in Bukit Timah for his own safety. It is getting to make sense, safety in police custody.

Amos Yee would have been safe under police custody and if his photos and identity were not disclosed. When the masses are braying for his blood, letting him walk around unescorted had proven to be the wrong thing. Also, with his photos everywhere, he could be identified easily. Unfortunately Amos Yee took the safety of our streets for granted and forgot that low crime does not mean no crime. And there are bound to be extremists, the loose ones, hiding somewhere waiting to strike.

This could be a possible reason why the assailant’s identity and photo are not in the newspaper. It would be very embarrassing if there is a repeat incident when this assailant is assaulted outside the court house. Protecting the identity of criminals may be a new practice to be adopted in view of what could happen to such people when there is an unrestrained mob out there with different ideas. Ya, the man may be a violator of the law, he still needs to be protected and not exposed to danger in the public.

And it may be a good thing that Amos is back in custody for his own safety. Amos, please do not opt for bail. It is definitely safer for you under the protection of the police. Now, would his attacker be produced in court wearing a hood for his own safety?

My reasoning ok or not?

When the people turn against the cops

The frequency and repetition of cop violence against the black Americans continue unabated. With the adverse publicity and seemingly some justice brought against rogue cops for killing black Americans, unarmed, boys, or in police custody, it was thought that such unjust acts would be put to a stop. Apparently no, the cops are continuing with their violence against the black Americans. There are deep seated reasons to treat the blacks that way. But when law enforcement officers took the law into their own hands, like virtuous killings, it is as good as the good cops turning against the people they are supposed to protect.
 
When the cops turned against the people, when the people see the cops as enemy, it is not going to be pretty. The law, the govt, the police, cannot be seen to be against the people, turning against the people. The situation in the USA has reached a critical point and someone posted this in TRE,
 
‘Apparently, this woman made a threatening post in her Facebook:
 
All black people should rise up and shoot at every white cop in the nation starting now…
and she ends with “Death to all white cops nationwide”.’
 
The FBI jumped into action and the woman arrested. But this did not solve anything. The distrust and hatred for the police would not go away and more shooting and killing of cops are going to happen. There are more reports of cops being shot without any provocations or warnings. The safest place for the cops is now the police station. Patrolling the streets would expose them to life threatening danger, the hunter is now the hunted. They brought it upon themselves.
 
It is so sad that the law is seen as anti people, the police turning against the people, that the people no longer trust the law and the police. Abuse of authority, of the law, against the people, can come in any form. Once the trust is gone, and when the people are hurt and felt they are the victims of the law, betray by the people they trusted to protect them, to uphold justice and the law, they will rise to challenge the law. In the case of the US, they are shooting at the law.
 
When the people turn against the police it is about the end of the police and the govt.

In praise of LKY – The table turns

Singaporeans mourned LKY for one whole week and listened to praises of him for the same whole week as well. The glory and achievements of LKY and his PAP must be music to the ears of the govt and supporters of PAP. Many were saying that these were good news and would be in PAP’s favour in the GE. Some were asking for a GE to be held quickly to capitalize on the goodwill, good perception and good emotions generated by the week of mourning and media blitz, In praise of LKY.
 
It is barely a month and in normal circumstances the goodwill and sympathy should last much longer and still be in time to give the PAP a lift in the next GE. What had happened over the last few weeks has instead turned the table against the PAP. The sentiments, in the social media, do not bode well for the PAP. One week of praising LKY is turning into weeks of kpkb against Hsien Loong’s leadership. Ok, this is not happening in the main media and may not be cause for undue alarm. Just read the few comments here that I reposted from a post in the TRE written by a Phillip Ang titled, ‘PM’s May Day speech shows he cares not for SG workers’.
 
There are more than 40 comments to this thread that were generally very negative about Hsien Loong. Fortunately this is likely to be a minority view in the social media and would not affect the votes much in the GE. If such negativity is prevalent among the people, the next GE would be a tough time for Hsien Loong and his PAP. Just ignore this as noise from the lunatic fringe.
 
The majority of the people is still positive about Hsien Loong’s leadership and will vote for the PAP. This is the view from the other side of the coin.
 
• Please Forgive LHL:
May 3, 2015 at 7:21 pm (Quote)
Dear Phillip,
Please forgive L*L He is, as we all now know, a complete washed-out, an idiot who is totally incapable of taking the country forward and has to rely on self-praise and his dead father’s achievement, if any, to win votes.
Rating: +88 (from 88 votes)
 
• Chris K:
May 3, 2015 at 7:58 pm (Quote)
It is better for him to step aside and for the Lee family to be consigned to the dustbin of history. This nation needs to change underlying socio-economic-political framework to ensure Mr. Tharman’s “new normal” is a good quality and prosperous normal.A man who keeps harping back to the father has an Oedipus complex, his inner conflicts comes out in more than his fair share of the Freudian slip. Such a man cannot be counted upon to lead this nation – it is even dangerous to leave him still in charge.
Rating: +63 (from 65 votes)
 
• CPF how?:
May 3, 2015 at 7:59 pm (Quote)
Already cannot return all our CPF at 55, talk about what leadership?
Rating: +62 (from 62 votes)
 
• Truth:
May 3, 2015 at 8:03 pm (Quote)
Instilling fear in people to overcome own fear. No one is indispensable. The world will not come to an end with the ouster of a few undeserving politicians. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.
Rating: +53 (from 53 votes)
 
• LIONS:
May 3, 2015 at 8:14 pm (Quote)
Whatever it is,a PRO-ALIEN ANTI-SGS politician should not be allowed to lead the nation.
Allowing it is daft.
Rating: +39 (from 39 votes)
 
• George02:
May 3, 2015 at 8:31 pm (Quote)
The problem we are now facing is not only that he has not care for workers.
There are so many issues arising since he came on board.
Sigh…. as time goes by….everybody will know this will be the ultimate outcome if you came to power not by meritocracy but because your father put you in that position. No more hiding once your father is gone. Maybe this coming GE (without the old man)is really a real fight unlike previous walkover.
Singaporeans will have a hard lesson learnt if they do not put in their brain and heart to exercise their due diligence to chose a capable leader. Choosing someone that really understand the ground and desire to serve Singapore just like the old gen leaders irregardless of party affiliation.
Maybe many years from now, we may also find out the truth on what is really the agenda behind those that were locked behind bars without trial. Are these men fighting for their own interest or for the better good of Singapore?
Rating: +26 (from 26 votes)
 
• opposition dude:
May 3, 2015 at 8:37 pm (Quote)
All that goondu Loong has said isn’t wrong, the only thing that is up for debate is whether PAP are still the ones to bring the country forward and keep it going.
Going by what we have seen in this election cycle alone, PAP can’t even keep its statutory boards straight let alone bringing the country forward and keeping it going.
Rating: +24 (from 24 votes)
 
• oxygen:
May 3, 2015 at 8:57 pm (Quote)
GOOD, INDULGING IN SELF-PRAISE tells us he is weak and vulnerable. He is worried sick about the possible annihilation of his Ministers in the GRCs wipe out in the next election.
AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR – knock out as many Ministers in GRCs as possible in the next GE and reduce PAP into a minority in Parliament even if it is still the largest single party.
He will then have to negotiate with opposition parties from a position of begging weakness and submission.
Rating: +27 (from 27 votes)
 
• Dear Leader:
May 3, 2015 at 10:15 pm (Quote)
Today you talk talk we don’t understand. First, why you still insist on flooding our Island home with more outsiders? Second, why so many incidents happening but you and your team could not protect your citizens from insults and abuses? Third, more and more PMETs are unemployed despite having multiple real degrees (not fake) but you still welcome outsiders of funny background and take away citizen jobs. Hopefully you look at these before you ask citizen workers to work harder because we are already the most hard-working workers in the world – love bfear working hours and our salaries are peanuts compared with you and your team-members.
Rating: +13 (from 15 votes)