The unpredictable weather in Singapore Malaysia relations

The two states enjoyed about the finest relations since 1965 when Singapore went on an independent path as a new nation. Relations under Mahathir was hot and cold but never reach the climax like the last couple of years when Hsien Loong and Najib were like abang adek as they waltzed under the spot light beaming happily like a marriage made in heaven.
 
Everyone was hoping that this marriage would last a bit longer or as long as possible and more deals could be signed in a win win arrangement. The thorny and near impossible agreement on the Malayan Railway land and line came to an amicable solution that surprised everyone but to the annoyance of Mahathir. Maybe this is unforgiveable in a way.
 
The 1MDB is everything that was needed to launch a coup against Najib and everything appears on tender hook. Najib is fighting for his life to stay on as the PM with open revolt among the top UMNO leadership. And this has forced Najib to call an ultimatum, to be with him or against him, the latter to resign from his cabinet immediate.
 
The wily Malaysian politicians did not disappoint and back off from the affront by Najib. No one throw in his letter. The most vocal of his critics must have been taken aback. Show hand time, but no one dares to. Hishammuddin, his cousin, was quoted to demand three conditions to support him. He has since came out to deny the statement and said there was no rift in the UMNO leadership. His strongest critics kept quiet. The consequence of such an act could mean a political eclipse as to be outside of the ruling party would not guarantee a return to the govt. It could mean time in the wilderness, and sleeping with Mahathir in his dying days. They are too clever and too crafty to sign their death warrants when things are still so uncertain.
 
Najib has won be calling the bluff for the moment. Crossing the line means no return. It is better to be safe than to be sorry. But this is not the end and Najib’s victory may be shortlived. A lot of under table dealings are going on and the schemers are working doubly hard to convince the challengers to Najib’s leadership to take a stand, to force an issue, to win more converts to the side of the coup leaders.
 
There is danger and Najib could wake up tomorrow with the whole cabinet turning against him and that would put an end to the warm relationship with Singapore. And many mega projects would be at stake. Some would be shelved or renegotiated with the new power brokers. Some of the dead projects in the junk yard would be revived. The crooked bridge would be top on the list if Mahathir’s camp won. And cold wind will start to blow from the North.
 
How much time is left before things take a turn for the worse? My recent trip across the Causeway saw a huge reclamation project on the eastern side of the connect right next to the Causeway. The Malaysians have filled it up practically up to the middle of the Causeway and it would only need the Singapore side to do likewise to bring the two land mass together as one. And if this is extended to both sides of the Causeway, both states would be joined together like inseparable twins and there will be no longer any need for the crooked bridge to come alive again.
 
Would there be enough time to strengthen the relations between the two sides with a joint land mass through reclamation before the weather turns foul and having to say good bye to Najib and to face the bitter cold North wind again?

Lese majeste in Sin City

Lawrence Wong is sounding out a proposal to pass an equivalent of the lese majeste law in the republic and this has raised some eyebrows. Lese majeste is only applicable in a kingdom where there is a living king and it is just rude and disloyal to talk bad about a monarch. There will be no such law in Sin City for sure. This is a republic and there is no king to be loyal and be obedient to. But there is likely to be something similar in form to protect the name of the founding father, to prevent it from being abused, misused, or from profiteering like turning it into a brand for commercial merchandise. It used to be just an imagination but it is becoming true when many loyal believers would buy anything with a name on it, called branded product. Now brands YSL, FCUK etc will have a challenger in LKY.
 
Is this a bad thing for business or for people in love with the founding father? Or should a royalty be paid for the use of the name or for loving the founding father? I thought it would be such a great honour to have the name boldly and openly in display on goods and products or on the chest of everyone? Can it be about royalties that such a law is needed?
 
On the other extreme, the name could be used in very bad form for very unpleasant reasons by very horrible people. This should be protected, the question is how? Some may wonder why there is a need to protect the name of a founding father that is well loved by the people. All founding fathers are well respected and loved by the people. The thought of messing around with the name of a founding father is never heard of.
 
This must be another Uniquely Singapore thing, that the name of a founding father needs protection. Does it make any sense? Is this another case of putting up a target to be knocked down or shot at and needing protection so that it would not be knocked down or shot at? Singaporeans have this bad habit of craving for anything that the govt banned, like books, comics and movies and also chewing gum. Banning the use of LKY will only up the interest of the mob mentality.
 
The thought of the need of such a law says that something is not right about the whole thing. Or this could be another one of those Singaporean traits, kiasu. Better be safe than be sorry. What else need to be protected? I can understand if Hsien Loong needs more body guards after the disclosure of himself being a target to terrorists. Who else needs protection?

Swee Say – No U turn on foreign worker policy

Swee Say is really on the ball. One month in the job he is already like a fish in the water. He held a press conference and used charts to brief the media in details on the policies of MOM. And he stressed that there will be no U turn on the curb on foreign workers. The cap would still be on to ensure that there will be a Singaporean core in the workforce. Building a Singaporean core of workers is important or we would end up with more foreign workers than Singaporean workers. That is bad.
 
See any change? Under Chuan Jin, the focus was on building up a Singaporean core of PMETs if I am not mistaken. Or at least Tharman was talking about building a Singaporean core of finance talents for top management. Even if the plan is for Singaporeans to be top management material in 30 years time, it is still a plan, better than nothing.
 
What is this Singaporean core of workers so that more Singaporeans can become workers? Would Swee Say be interested in a Singaporean core of PMETs? Is there a change in policy focus that we want to have more Singaporeans as workers? Is this a good thing? Are we telling Singaporeans to aspire to be workers because the govt wants to have more Singaporeans as workers?
 
Is this part of the plan to tell Singaporeans university education is not necessary as there will now be more worker’s jobs for them? Maybe we need to wait a bit longer for him to tweak the Fair Compensation Framework to favour our PMETs.

Amos Yee – How to cleanse this ‘devil’?

Putting him in jail wlll not save him. He is too evil, incorrigible and needs tougher measures if he is to be saved. A minimum of 18 months of reformative training under some angels is the least that is needed to save this bad boy. Heard they are considering 30 months of reformative training to be effective. The good hearted people are overstressing themselves to find a solution to save this boy from the devil. No stone will be left unturned to save him. You cannot blame them from trying.
 
I would like to make a suggestion. How about exorcising him? Get a priest to work on him, pull out the oldest scriptures on exorcism, get the most powerful priest to drive the devil out of him. The bathing of flower water would definitely not work on this bad boy. He is not a pagan or idol worshipper. Otherwise it would be quite easy. After bathing with flower water, let him drink a glass of water soaked with the ashes of burnt yellow charm paper. That would work.
 
Please do not suggest burning him on a stake. That would be too harsh. Like his lawyer Alfred Dodwell said, reformative training would be ‘disproportionate to the offence in question.’ So how, imprisonment would not work, long reformative training inappropriate and burning him on a stake surely cannot. What about water treating or water dunking? Anyone want to suggest bomoh?
 
It is very tough and unappreciated trying to save such a bad boy with a devil in him. Anyone got better ideas to save Amos the bad boy? Amos Yee is so lucky to be receiving so much attention from good hearted people. Be grateful and be thankful, and the best part, all free, no need to pay.
 
Amos Yee, why are you so difficult? You are making so many people worrying for you, trying to save you from the dark side. All because of you, so many people have to work extra hard when they could be spending time on other more important matters.

The Americans claiming the whole of South China Sea

Everyone is flabbergasted that China is claiming a large part of the South China Sea. The other littoral states are also in the rush to claim as much as they could. The South China Sea islands were uninhabited and for a long time, virgin land, terra nullius. Under historical precedence, such islands are finder’s keepers. What is so wrong about that? Whoever found it first earns the right to ownership.
 
Compare this to the European way of gunboat diplomacy, ‘I came, I saw and I conquered’ or I planted my flag and the land belonged to my king or queen. Who cares whether the land was already occupied by the natives. What natives, no natives. Natives did not count. And today, these natives are asking the Europeans to take sides with them to claim no man’s land, the very intruders that colonized them against their will, with the barrel of the gun.
 
Again, what is so great about China claiming the whole of South China Sea when the Americans are claiming all the oceans, including the South China Sea? No, the daft did not see that. The daft did not know the Americans are claiming the whole of South China Sea and the whole world. The Americans are here with all their warship and telling everyone to stop reclamation or else.
 
Who the Americans think they are? They own the South China Sea and everyone must obey their dictates? When the Americans told the countries making claims to the islands to stop reclamation and other activities, it is as good as saying, ‘Look, you silly asses, these islands and the whole South China Sea belong to the USA, the Empire. And the Empire is saying, stop your activities, we are taking charge of these islands and the South China Sea. They belong to US.’
 
Can the daft see this? The Americans are claiming everything, more than what China has claimed, and what the other states are claiming. They are the de facto owner. And on what basis are the Americans claiming the South China Sea? The big gun of course! Might is right, and with might, the Americans can claim everything and threaten anyone disobeying or going against them.
 
Step aside, all you daft, the South China Sea belongs to the Americans. They are taking over. They are sending in their ships and aircraft to patrol the Sea, Get it? Let me put it in simple English. While the owner of the house is shouting at the neighbor next door, a big bully has moved in and is taking over the whole neighbourhood without them knowing. And they are so happy believing the big bully is there to help them. The Americans agitated the silly countries to quarrel with China, to claim China’s islands. And when they started to quarrel among themselves, the Americans walked in as the policeman to tell everyone to get lost.
 
The daft countries would always be ruled if they did not know what is happening, what is the big picture. For playing the silly games of claiming other people’s land, they are going to lose everything, including what they have. The Empire is here to take over and to rule. And they are here on the invitation of Asean states.