Has the Singapore Govt gone mad?

An article in the TRE quoted The Telegraph Calcutta with this report, ‘By K P Nayar, New Delhi: The government of Singapore will regulate its citizens’ access to a Madison Square Garden-style reception for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the massive 100,000sqm, column-free arena of Singapore Expo on November 24.’

Why would Singapore allow a foreign leader to stage such a huge rally here? Who is going to foot the bill for crowd control? Would Singapore also allow Xi Jinping to do the same, or Najib or Jokowi or any other foreign leaders after this incident?  What is the Singapore Govt thinking? Is this a proper thing to do? Is this the new normal, for foreign leaders to address their citizens in this hotel? Would there be Indian flags flying all over the venue and turn it into an Indian Independence Day Celebration? Would Aquino also want to have one here since there are so many Pinoys in the hotel? They tried but aborted last year in the face of public outcry.

Even before this event is held, the move to restrict Singapore citizens of Indian origin to attend is receiving criticisms from India and would likely to get the same from the Indian community here. And not to pour cold water on it, what if the crowd turn delirious and rowdy and run wild?

Just thinking, can any national leader come to this hotel to stir nationalism and national pride in a large gathering of their citizens?

What do you think?

Stanchart cutting 15,000 jobs worldwide

Gloom in Stanchart Singapore as the axe is falling in this bank. How many would be axed as a result is still unannounced but fear is across the banking floor.

What is the union going to say? What is MOM going to do? Would this be seen as a good opportunity to save some Singaporean jobs or would Singaporeans to be the first to be axed?

Meritocracy man! Only the meritorious would be retained regardless of nationalities! It would not be Singaporeans be the last to go. Will this be the policy of Stanchart when it starts to wield the axe? Would it end up more Singaporeans be axed and more foreigners be retained?

What do you think?

USA recognises China’s sovereignty of South China Sea islands

The Americans sailed a warship in the South China Sea as close as 12 nm from the Chinese islands. The big news was splashed across all the major western media that the US was bold and big enough to challenge the Chinese in the waters of China. Big deal! The allies especially the Aquino guy was beaming a wide smile from cheek to cheek and telling his fans that the Americans dare. The Americans are not afraid of China and are beating their chests in front of the Chinese.

So what’s next? The Americans announced that they would sail the South China Sea twice in every three months, to exercise the right of freedom of navigation. The Americans will fly and sail anywhere as they like, in international waters. This must make their allies and believers very happy.

What the Americans are not saying but admitting is that the islands in the South China Sea belonged to China and the Americans would respect and not cross the 12 nm territorial waters of China. Period.

Oh, the Americans are also saying they are not recognizing the Chinese islands. That is true only to the extent that they would not cross the 12 nm line, the Americans would not cross the waters around Chinese islands. This must be something that Xi Jinping and Obama had agreed in his recent visit. The Americans can do whatever they like, have wild dances, parties in the South China Sea, but do not cross into China’s territorial waters. Those are off limits. And the Americans were doing just that and Xi Jinping is not saying a word. There was an agreement for a circus performance by the American sailors to entertain the Japanese and the Pinoys and the need for a pyrrhic victory for the American people, particularly the hawks in Washington. We did it, we showed the Chinese our fist. Just don’t go over board.

The other agreement is that China would continue to do what it wants to do in the islands with no interference from the Americans. It was a waltz of two elephants to entertain the little states in the South China Sea. The realities and new status quo, the islands belong to China and also the Americans would be sailing the South China Sea.

What about the countries around the South China Sea? They would have to live with the new realities. Nothing change except a bigger American presence in the region. There is no issue on freedom of navigation. The Americans can sail to any part of the South China Sea as long as they keep out of China’s territorial waters around the islands. And as a side benefit, the frightened Japanese and Pinoys would welcome the Americans to station troops in their countries. Clark and Subic would welcome the Americans back to give a kick start to the Filipino economy.

Singapore Education – There is nothing wrong with it

There is a wise saying, don’t fix it if there is nothing wrong. And that is exactly what is happening to our education system. What is so wrong with our education system that needs fixing? The only thing I can see is that they are trying to do too much with our students, wanting every child to be a superman. Actually more than superman, they want them to be man of steel, can sing and can dance, can be artist, can be engineers or scientists or what not, all rolled into one. And that this not all, they want to be mountain climbers, adventurers, humanitarians and entrepreneurs.  Come off it, ask yourself if you can even be good in two of the items mentioned. What happens is that a child would not have time to be good in anything. But then that is not true either. Our children, the best of the best, are extremely talented in their pursuit of excellence. They know what they want and what matters and would not be made a fool and be misled into doing the unnecessary. Their straight As are not flukes and confirmed by all the best universities in the world.

What then is wrong with our education system and policies? No, there is nothing wrong. It is the reckless and irresponsible policies of hiring rubbish from around the world and calling them talents and treating our children as no talents. How silly can they be? We have the best universities and a no nonsense examination system that would not allow cheatings or buying of fake certificates and degrees, and we go around the world, into little villages and slum cities to dig into their dustbins to pick up the craps, bring them home and call them talents. And we replaced our own talents, strong in the hard disciplines with cheap talkers with fake degrees?

Now there is this myth that is circulating like a bad joke. Singaporeans have no talents, no skill sets, unemployable, not good enough for top management. The best are from unknown village universities. The big question is that no one, not a single turkey in authority, in the govt, in business, in the academia, not a single educator, is brave enough or sensible enough to talk back. No one thinks this nonsensical myth needs to be debunked. No one thinks it is his duty and responsibility to defend our education system, that the products of our education system are genuine, the real mccoys, no bluff, that they are really good stuff. They choose to believe in this myth, that the products of our education system are rubbish, unusable, unemployable.

When the sick jokers from the 3^rd World come here to insult and rubbish our talents, calling the products of our world class education system as duds, while the fakes are brought in to replace them, everyone nods his head like a donkey, like hearing a gospel truth.

Would there be anyone standing up to defend our education system? Would the govt put this right by new policies to ensure our best are employed in good jobs and not be turned into temporary staff or be underemployed?  If the govt also believes in this myth, that we have no talents and the products of our world best education system are duds, no amount of tweaking and magic will be able to make our students better. They are already the best of the best. But we allowed others to put a dounce hat on them and called them no talents.

Did anyone get what I am saying? Did anyone see anything wrong with our education system and policies and the stupidity of our employment policies? If they cannot see anything wrong, they would be barking up the wrong tree, blaming our education system, that the products of our education system are a waste of time and resources.

Who is responsible for this mess and to perpetuate this silly myth at the expense of our citizens and their well being?

GE2015 – Lessons learnt

The biggest lesson learnt from the GE2015 911 effect must be the importance of being relevant as opposition parties to stay in touch with issues and matters that affect the people and their interests. Chee Soon Juan caught the drift and demanded more transparency in accounting to what really happened in the hepatitis C crisis. What happened, when did it happened, who said what and when, who was informed what and when. These simple questions are going to rub some people the wrong way and instead of answering them, may be retorted with more questions or challenges.

Following closely behind the heels of Chee Soon Juan is the WP. WP had for the last few years avoided questioning the govt on current issues and adopted a strategy of looking after their constituents and their backyards. Work the ground real hard to show the people that the WP was very good in municipal affairs.

The result of the GE was punishing in a way. The WP must have done a lot of soul searching to find out what’s wrong and must have concluded that keeping quiet on current and national issues would not do. As politicians they cannot afford to shut up and only open their mouths during a GE.

And there you are, Leon Perera, the second generation leaders that would likely take over from Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim, has changed tack. They are going to speak up and take the bull by the horns. Here is a clip of what Leon Perera said on the hepatitis C crisis.

‘In the case of the Committee of Inquiry into the 15 and 17 Dec 2011 MRT breakdowns and the 8 Dec 2013 Little India Riots, the deliberations of the committee were made public so as to strengthen public confidence in the security and public transport systems respectively. In this case, we recommend that the deliberations of the committee likewise be made public. The Hepatitis C outbreak is at least as grave an incident as the MRT breakdowns and Little India riot, with serious implications for the public confidence of Singaporeans and foreign stake-holders in our vital national institutions. So as to facilitate this and in line with the norms established by the COIs relating to the MRT breakdowns and the Little India riots, we recommend that the current review committee be reconstituted as a Committee of Inquiry (COI) under the Inquiries Act.’

Yes, the new blood in the WP understood what should be done, what the people expected them to do. As opposition politicians, they must engage the ruling party all the way to the next GE on issues that affect the people. There is no running away or walking away if they want to win the hearts and minds of the people. They must continuously be there to speak up for the people, not to wait until the next GE.

The other nonsensical parties also have learnt their lessons. They are nonsensical parties and should just shut up, not be seen and not be heard, and hopefully not be seen and heard again in the next GE.

Tan Jee Say and whatever that is left in the opposition that thinks they are not nonsensical parties must also take the cue and stand up and be counted. Don’t reappear only in the next GE. The battle starts now and either they stay on to fight or take flight.

This is a brave new change in the WP, to stand up to face the music no matter how loud or unpleasant, to fight on, to represent the people and to fight for their well being at all times. To ask unpleasant and uncomfortable questions and not to shy away from a fight is now the new strategy of the WP.