Tan Lark Sye 陈六使 – Early pioneers

The early history of Singapore did not begin in 1965. Singapore existed long before 1965 and there were many pioneering giants that lived through our history.  Tan Lark Sye was one of the great men that lived among us. His contributions were no lesser than other pioneers whose names were remembered in the street and road names of our city, Boon Lay, Joo Chiat, Kim Cheng, Kim Tian, Nee Soon, Hong Lim etc etc. Many of these were very rich and prominent heads of families, the old rich of Singapore. Not many had contributed as much as Tan Lark Sye especially in the field of education.

Tan Lark Sye was best remembered for founding Nantah or Nanyang University, 南洋大学, and his contribution of $5m to the project. The purchasing power of the $5m is easily in the region of $5b today. And on behalf of the Hokien Huay Kuan, he donated 523 acres of land in Jurong to build Nantah. Nantah was then the only Chinese university in Southeast Asia and played a pivotal role in producing many graduates that came from the neighbouring countries that became prominent business, academics and political leaders in the region.

Tan Lark Sye was a giant of his time. He came to Singapore as a young man of 18 but went on to build a fortune in rubber trading and other industries, probably as rich as Tan Kah Kee, and was the President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of Hokien Huay Kuan and Chairman of Nanyang University’s Executive Committee. His misfortune came when he was stripped of his citizenship for supporting the Barisan Socialis and died stateless.

The Chinese community has not forgotten this man and has honoured him in many ways and telling his stories in the museum that honours the Chinese pioneers in Ee Hoe Hean Club. His contributions in education, donation to the University of Malaya, as the founder of Nantah and as a philanthropist, within and outside Singapore, should deserve more recognition in the annals of our history.

Singapore owes this man a debt of gratitude and it is about time that this man be honoured and given his due respect as one of our great pioneers who once walked among us.  The political bitterness should be left to rest in history. Tan Kah Kee has a MRT station named after him and his statue stands proudly in the Chinese High School. Would a statue of Tan Lark Sye be erected to stand on our soil or a street name after him?

It is a shame that a great man like Tan Lark Sye is only briefly mentioned and remembered in the history of our pioneers. He was a natural leader and could move crowds, and had great influence in the Chinese community, a most feared attribute in politics. The past, present and future alumni of NTU and Nantah were and are what they are today because of this man. He is part of our history, a true son of Singapore. The pioneering spirit of Tan Lark Sye also known as the Spirit of Nantah, and his contributions to Singapore and education cannot be simply forgotten.

Najib versus Mahathir

The battle for supremacy and control of UMNO between Najib and Mahathir is growing with both sides building up their alliances and forces and gearing for a final do or die battle in days to come. Najib the sitting PM and his cousins in Hishammuddin and Hamidi, with the Police Chief and several govt organizations on his side are pitted against Mahathir and the defection members of UMNO plus his former allies whose power and influence have yet to be fully exposed.

The fireworks will start any moment with sparks flying everywhere. This could be the mother of all battles for the control of the Malay ground. Both sides are claiming to be defending the interests of the Malays and would need an enemy to prove their convictions. The events after the Bersih 4 demonstration and the protest by the Red Shirts are frightening examples to send notice to the Chinese and Indian minorities to stay clear of this fight. They must know that it is not their fight and any sign of their involvement will be used as an excuse to direct the fire power in their direction.

The Chinese and Indian minorities are best advised to stay clear of the conflict, disappear if possible and better still to state their non involvement clearly. They just cannot be involved to invite bloodshed on themselves. Do not become the convenient devil for either side. Yes stay out, stay away. It is not their fight. They would not survive when the elephants turn around and trample on them instead.

This is a time when the Chinese and Indian minorities must know their rightful place in the country. It would be plain stupidity to offer themselves again and again as the whipping boy. And this time it is not just whipping. Lives will be lost, homes would be burnt.  Be warned and be wise. Taking any side will bring about their total destruction.

The Royalties are not taking sides. PAS is not taking sides. Would the Chinese and Indians be so dumb to take sides in this tussle for supremacy between the Malay leaders?

We built a Nation

The TV has been broadcasting the history of Singapore during the days of Malaysia and the fallout. There is now an exhibition on the separation from Malaysia with secret files being declassified to trace the events, called the Albatross File. There were letters by LKY, Goh Keng Swee and other ministers being shown to the public for the first time.

‘We built a Nation’ is an appropriate title to recognize and honour the works of these pioneer leaders of our country. As LKY put it, they belonged to a rare breed of people that were founders of countries and nation builders. They took pride in building a country from scratch, creating a nation of people that believed in themselves and took pride in themselves. They were brave men and women that would not say die and slogged to build this country to what it is today.

What would be the next chapter of this nation in the next 50 years? Would the title to celebrate SG100 be, ‘We built a Hotel’? Would there still be a nation left of this country? Would the people still be proud and hard working and be in control and in charge of the country built by the pioneer generation of leaders and people? Or would they be dismissed as losers, working in low level jobs and the country taken over by the foreigners brought in by the leaders today, the likes of Ello Ed Bello?

What would be the fate of Singaporeans in 50 years time? Would the new leaders be celebrating the transformation of a nation to a hotel with no citizens or with the citizens at the lower rung of society scrapping for a living, and new owners taking over this island they now called hotel?

Would anyone remember the founding leaders of this nation and still celebrate them for building a nation? Or would everyone be happily celebrating, ‘We built a hotel’?

Would Singaporeans queue for 10 hours to pay their last respect to Lee Kuan Yew if he and his peers did not build a nation but a hotel instead? Would people lined the streets under torrential rain to say farewell to Lee Kuan Yew if his legacy is a hotel and not a nation?

Ello Ed M Bello jails for 4 months

The Pinoy who insulted and threatened Singaporeans was given a deterrent 4 months jail by District Judge Siva Shanmugam. Though it was meant to be a deterrence and a warning to foreigners not to be naughty in this country, the sentence was far short of the maximum that could be handed down. According to media report, Bellow could be sentenced up to three years and a fine of S$5000 for promoting feelings of ill will and hostility among races. He could also be jailed up to a year and fined S$1000 for giving false information. Looks like the sentence is more like a slap on the wrist and far from being a deterrence.

What did Ello Ed say or do? In his Facebook post, Ello called ‘Singaporeans losers, and said that Filipinos were better and stronger, and would evict Singaporeans from their country as well as take over their jobs, women and future.’ I think he really believed it. And many Pinoys have already been taken over the jobs of Singaporeans.  The Philippines is a very powerful country. Wait for my post on how this Asean superpower is planning to take on China militarily.

Now that Ello has been put behind bars, would this be the end of this anti Singaporeans diatribe? How would the Pinoys feel about daft Sinkies? Would there be protest in the streets of Manila? Would Singaporeans visiting the Philippines be safe? What about the Pinoys here? Do they feel the same as Ello and now harbouring hatred against daft Sinkies? Would they take it out in the homes of Sinkies and their children?

I thought our govt and daft Sinkies were very generous and magnanimous to open our legs to foreigners to come here to work and earning good money. Why are the foreigners, or some of the foreigners, turning against Singaporeans and hating Singaporeans? Why do these foreigners think that they are better and daft Sinkies are really daft and deserved to lose their jobs, their womne and also to lose their country?

What is happening? Don’t these foreigners feel any sense of gratitude for the good jobs we offered them, the good money and the hospitality to welcome them to integrate with us, many given PRs and citizenships? Or do they feel that they are more deserving than the daft Sinkies, the real losers?

FBI investigating into 1MDB

What has FBI got to do with 1MDB? Was Najib’s money in the USA, deposited or withdrawn from an American bank or banks operating in the USA? What jurisdiction does the FBI have on Najib, a Malaysian citizen, a Prime Minister of Malaysia?

Oh, the Empire rules the world and has jurisdiction over everyone in this planet. And when it deems fit, it will investigate the individuals, heads of state or govt at its own discretion. Not an American is a non issue as long as the Empire is in control of the world, everyone in this world is a subject of the Empire.

And if Najib is not careful, as Mahathir said, ‘He could also be arrested if he leaves the country. So he has to remain here, like how he withdrew the passports of some people and barred them from going overseas.’ If this is true, this is serious. Is there a violation of the rights of a citizen of Malaysia, that he can be arrested anywhere outside Malaysia by Interpol, by the Empire?

Can Najib visit Singapore and meet Hsien Loong in Singapore without being arrested?  Poor Najib, now a wanted man by the Empire. Would they sneaked in a hit squad like the way they went after Osama in Pakistan and whisk Najib out of Malaysia to face trial in the USA?

This is looking like a James Bond movie script. Can this be real? If Mahathir said so, if the FBI is involved, can it be otherwise?

Muslim leaders have this penchant to put their monies in American and European banks. They trusted and loved the Americans and Europeans despite so many cases of money and assets being frozen at the slightest excuses. Hope Najib did not put any money in America or in Swiss banks. Swiss banks are also under the control of the Americans and would open up their books and their vaults if the Americans said so.

When would Najib be arrested by the Interpol?