Fandi, the Singapore Boy made good

They wrote him off. He went away to fulfill the prophecy that a prophet has no place in his home town. He became a foreign talent away from home where he was appreciated. They did not give him much of a chance either. He is from a city without talent. And many still appreciate and think that foreign talents from Europe and the Americas are better.
 
Fortunately someone was stricken by guilt or felt that Fand is the best we have and deserved a second chance. There were lots of critics and disbelievers in Fandi. Should have another foreign coach if we are going to do well. Should have more foreign players if we are going to do well. And you can imagine the moral of this Singapore Boy and his charge..
 
He soldiers on quietly in his Fandi style. He let his legs do the talking. Fandi is back in the headlines. He has brought back the Malaysian FA Cup with his charge, the LionsXII. We are champions again and Fandi has done it again. Who says we need to do a global search for another foreign talent?
 
If we don’t believe in out own talents, if we keep throwing away good money to foreigners, when will our locals be given a chance to grow and make a name for themselves? We will be forever looking up to foreigners, for foreigners, even to be conned by fakes.
 
It is so pathetic. First Word daft that don’t believe in themselves but in trash? Would this mindset be changed and we start to grow our own timber? Well done Fandi. You have proven yourself and proved them wrong.

Double confirm, Singapore has no talent

After the SGX announced the resignation of its CEO, Magnus Bocker, it immediately announced that it was going global to search for a replacement. The speed in the announcement said many things. One thing for sure, they have not considered anyone internally or might have considered in those few hours that no one was good enough. And there is no succession planning, or it could be a case of starting to plan now and the new local CEO would be ready in 30 years time. They may be looking at the universities to recruit the young graduates to put into their succession plans.
 
‘Last week, the media reported that SportsHub has started a global search for a new CEO. SportsHub said that it was part of its “succession planning”.
 
SportsHub chairman Mark Woodhams told TODAY last Friday (22 May) that Mr Philippe Collin-Delavaud, the current SportsHub CEO, would remain in his post “until well after the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games” copied from TRE
 
The search for another foreigner to be the CEO of the Sports Hub is a double confirmation that Singapore really has no talent for anything except politicians. Our politicians are world class, world best, unbeatable, at least when pay is concerned. Never mind if they have to go to 3rd World countries or little villages to learn from some village chieftains about how to run a country or ministry where the joker is paid not even a day of their pay.
 
Singapore is one of the top cosmopolitan countries in the whole world. This means that the talents in the city must be as good as those in the top cities of the world. I bet you the next CEO is likely to come from some remote corners of the the world that may not even have seen a sports stadium of international standard, or be a young punk that have left school 10 years ago, but because he is a foreigner, he is deemed to be good and talented. Or maybe our graduates that went to the same foreign universities were taught a different syllabus from them.
 
Would this new CEO be from some countryside countries like New Zealand, South Africa, or from some American or European little towns of hill billies, or from great and cosmospolitan cities like Mumbai? A top world class city did not have the talent to manage world class facilities but talents from little towns or 3rd World slum cities have such talents with the relevant experiences, the skills set to do so? I bet some would not even have sat on a new modern toilet seat and did not even know how to flush it.

PRs are not citizens

Over the weekend the citizens were greeted by news of govt handouts, goodies and great discounts for the senior citizens. While the welfare state was a taboo topic in the past, the high cost of living, the premature termination of employment and the post retirement lifespan of 20 to 30 years will take a toll on the seniors with no escape. Without an income, with insufficient savings, only the super rich can live without worries that their savings would last them a good 30 years and ride the waves of inflation. Many would have no choice but to look towards the govt for handouts and subsidies. The conditions for a welfare state have been created and a welfare state is inevitable. Without govt handouts, life is not going to be affordable for the jobless seniors and retirees, and can be very miserable.
 
The goodies that were announced would be most welcome. But there is a sour taste in this deal with the inclusion of PRs. Who is a PR? What is a PR? A PR is definitely not a citizen, without the obligations of a citizen, can come a go, and will go when the going is not to their expectations. In a country where national service is a big responsibility to the citizens, and a big handicap, a PR becomes a preferred choice for many to enjoy the good life, the good jobs here without having to pay for their security and the needs of a nation. And now, PRs are accorded the same privileges, perks and handouts from a bizarre govt that treats them like citizens. What is going on?
 
PRs in most cases are economic refugees. They are here because things are good and betterer for them than in their countries or in other countries, or they could not go to betterer countries and this is the best for them. Many came with a simple goal, to get a good job, make as much money as they could, and would eventually go home or go somewhere else. They have no intent to be citizens and to share the obligations and responsibilities of the citizens.
 
There are those who genuinely want to be citizens, some fair weather citizens, but not given the citizenship for good reasons, that they are not people we want to be citizens.
 
Why are PRs given all the perks and privileges and handouts when they are already having a good deal here? No PRs coming here expects the govt to throw goodies at them. They know that they do not qualify, not eligible, not entitle to such goods that are reserved for citizens, the privileges of being citizens, and for paying a heavy price in our case, for being citizens. Why is the govt so willing to share the nation’s wealth with the PRs? The country does not owe anything to the PRs. If any, it is the PRs that owe it to us, to repay their debt of gratitude for being allowed here to work and to many, to go home rich.
 
Or is it that spending OPM is easy. Not my money, so can anyhow give. And in the case of PRs, no need even to ask. And some cocky PRs even think that they deserved all the privileges given to the citizens, because they got this crazy idea planted in their heads by crazy people that they are here to help the daft Sinkies to a good life. Many of these PRs would have no where to go, no country would want them, would want to give them good jobs and a good life. And many were here with fake qualifications.
 
What is worst, they are now getting this entitlement mentality. They are entitled to the perks and privileges like the citizens. And without having to be citizens to enjoy them, where is the pull to make them into citizens? They are having the best of both worlds. Such freebies are in a way encouraging them not to become citizens.
 
No, they are here to help the daft Sinkies and giving them some perks is only right and proper. In fact they should be given more and treated betterer than the daft citizens? So, being PRs have special privileges and entitlements? No need to be daft citizens.

Hi guys, I am back/
My apologies for not being able to post over the last two days. Sneaked in a post on Friday before leaving to enjoy a little Malaysian hospitality while I still can and before Najib and his challengers declared open warfare. Some opportunists could divert the attention elsewhere to create public disorder and keep everyone out of the country.

I am still a bit tired but still in excellent health. I will just make a quick post and get some rest before I post again tomorrow.

Oh, my book is almost completed and may be able to send to the printer before next weekend.

Cheers.

A degree course for politician wannabes – Lesson 6

Politicians to be must prepare for the day they get elected and enter Parliament as the people’s representatives or members of parliament. And they must anticipate the hustling and elbowing in parliament, the booing, the sneering and the jeering from MPs of the opposite camp. They need to be properly trained to survive parliament sessions, know how to ask questions, how to apply for leave, know how to go to the toilet at strategic moments when they are called to cast their votes. A very fine art of being an MP is how to sleep in parliament without being seen to be sleeping or be caught by the camera. In the army the soldiers learn how to sleep while standing at senang diri or sedia.
 
There are many things to learn for politician wannabes. There is one very important skills set that parliamentarians must possess, the ability to cut opposition MPs to pieces by glaring. Several parliamentarians have developed this to an art, the acme of killing by staring. When they stand up, pause and deliver the cold steely stare, the opposition MPs will shrivel in their seats, probably wetting their pants. This is fine art, a skill to cut down your opponent without saying a word.
 
Not anyone can impart this skill and a politician wannabe must go to the caves to hunt for a Yoda and call him master to learn the art. It is a survival skill set in parliament.

GE 2015/16 – What would be Chok Tong’s role

The GE is imminent. Many would be wondering what would be Chok Tong’s role this time. Would he still be the goal keeper or would he be history? He is still the most senior member of the PAP team, a very durable politician. He still carries a lot of weight and the Emeritus title. He should be good enough to carry a GRC and Marine Parade would be lighter this time without Nicole Seah staring down at him. Maybe without Nicole Seah PAP may not see the need for this heavyweight to give its team the needed ballast.

Chok Tong is the last of the second generation PAP leaders still in play. Would PAP still need a veteran to hold the fort? At 75, he is still very young, 20 years younger than the oracle and the most senior of the PAP team. It is a case of young but not young, old but not old, to let go or not to let go.

What about Chok Tong’s personal plan? Is he looking for a well deserved retirement and live happily ever after, spending time with his grandchildren? Or is he another LKY, that working is fun and enjoyable, especially as a senior statesman and with all the trimmings of power and glory? What would Chok Tong want? Does he have unfulfilled dreams like building smart cities in India or making CECA more attractive?

Would Hsien Loong be calling the shot and making the final call?  How would the voters see Chok Tong? Would he be tasked to mentor his young talents or have the young talents all grown up and not needing him anymore?

The oracle’s office in the Istana is still vacant and waiting for another deserving occupant, and who else is more deserving other than Chok Tong the Emeritus Minister?