China, the student that surpasses the master

With no due disrespect to China, in 1978 when Deng Xiaoping arrived for his state visit, China’s leaders were still caught in an inward looking mindset, wanting to do everything indigenously, to reinvent the wheel of modernization. What Deng saw in Singapore, the transformation of this island into a cosmopolitan city state, must have set him thinking of what China could be. Lee Kuan Yew rightly pointed out to him that what Singapore could do, China could do many times more and better given the same industrious population.

In less than 40 years after Deng opened up China and modeled it after the Singapore of 1978, China has surged ahead in all fields and left Singapore behind like a jaded master. Singapore’s pride in housing is nothing compares to what China has built in the last 3 decades and still building in grander scale. Every Chinese city is transformed into a modern and bigger city, bigger than the island of Singapore. But that is not all, China is the factory of the world, not just producing plastic flowers and earthernware. China is producing everything that the western developed countries are producing and is closing the gaps in high technology and high engineering industries. In 1978, China did not have any of these. Today China is a front runner in high speed trains and giving Japan a run for its money.

I read in the news today that a French company is going to build LNG plants in China. I was a little baffled. Then again, if one is to look at the bigger picture of what is happening in China, this is part of the normal process of learning new technology. Ford, GM. Toyota, Honda and many international brands of heavy equipment manufacturers are setting up operations in China. There is nothing new in having foreign investments and attracting foreign investments into China.

The big difference is that in a few years, China would be producing everything the foreign corporations are producing, with local engineers and technicians, with local brands producing similar but better products at cheaper cost. Chinese brands are starting to appear in the international scene. The Chinese are not reinventing the wheels but hitching a ride, borrowing and copying foreign technology and using indigenous talents and workforce to carve up new markets for themselves.

Creative Technology had many years of head start ahead of the Chinese. But with very little govt support, it is shrinking in market share, in products and recognition. What would local companies like Creative Technology be if the govt had invested fully into them, with finances and local talents? Would our lead in water filtration plants like Hyflux be a household name in the world market if the govt invests heavily into it and be ranked among the Hyundai, Matsushita, Panasonic, Ssangyong etc etc?

The big difference between China and Singapore is that the former believes in its own people and talent and wanting to produce and make products of their own. Singapore only believes in buying, like buying kindergartens. We do not believe in growing our talents and our own industries. We want to buy them and replace our local talents and industries with foreigners and foreign industries. Instead of investing in our own talents other than lip services, and local companies, we went overseas to look for foreign talents and buying failed companies or cheap low tech companies and committing the sin of giving up on our own talents and companies.

China sent out hundreds of thousands of their best to foreign universities to learn and to come home to rebuild their country and industries. What did we do with our talents? Become administrators or politicians or soldiers. And what about the talents needed in the industries? Just buy them, bring them in, open the door in the name of free market and free competition, we don’t need to grow our own timber. We buy and buy but allowed our own timber to go to waste. In another word, we don’t have faith in our own talents, we dismissed our own talent as no talents and covet other people’s talents. But the sadder part, the talents we brought in are in many cases fakes and frauds.

While China leapt forward to take on the world, moving bravely and confidently into the 21^st Century, Singapore is slumbering in the past of 1978. Singapore has stagnated. Our top industries today are in food and services, in hawker food. Our banking and finance industries, IT industries have been overrun by foreigners, taken over by foreigners. Our health industry too has been overtaken by foreigners except for the top end. But this would not be long before foreigners take over the whole industry as well when citizens become a minority.

At least Malaysia is still trying to manufacture a national car. We are now promoting hawker food as the national icon, the industry of the future. And we don’t even know that in a matter of time, the hawker fare would be operated by foreigners as well. Our last bastion is the taxi driving occupation and maybe sublet rooms to the foreigners to make a living.  The plum appointments in the security industry are also filled by foreigners and our local PMETs would only be good to be security guards. Our so called talents would be only good enough as part time workers or working as temp staff.

The future is very bright. For who?

PS. A happy Deepavali to all our Indian brothers and sisters.

Kishore: Let’s nationalise public transport

Wow, Kishore, what are you saying? Don’t you remember all the clever reasonings to privatise public transport into privatized public transport? Shit what am I saying? Isn’t the private public transport a private company listed in the stock exchange? Or is it a public company owned by the govt and that is why a minister is running the show now?

I can still remember vividly that the main reason to privatise the public transport system is that civil servants are duds, inefficient, and only privatization would make public transport efficient. In other words, the talented people are in the private sector. Even a sales girl is good enough to run a public transport system and made good profit. Now a general also can do. If not a minister should do.  Wait a minute, aren’t a general or a minister a public servant, a kind of civil servants that were originally assumed to be less efficient or inefficient?

The call to return public transport to the hands of civil servants must be horrifying. The govt took so much effort to privatise the public transport, how to justify publicise the public transport system? Have the talents to run private public transport gone back to the civil servants, so civil servants are now efficient enough to run publicise public transport system?

If this is the case, then there is good ground to nationalize the private public transport system to make it public public transport system. In the same reasoning, private public hospitals must also be nationalized to be public public hospitals, to be more efficient and not be run to the ground like the private public transport system.

After writing the above, I am thoroughly confused. What is the difference between a private public transport system and a public public transport system in terms of operational efficiency and not breaking down daily?

Perhaps Kishore could explain and share his wisdom on this call.

John Hardings tireless effort to compile the crimes of the Evil Empire

Below are extracts from John Harding’s article posted in his blog(URL at end of article) on the crimes committed by the USA against countries of the world. These are things that the blind believers of the USA refused to see, did not want to know and keep on praising the Evil Empire as the bastion of goodness, of democracy and human rights. The Americans have committed everything under the sky in violation of all the things they said about democracy and human rights. If these facts still cannot erase the fake beliefs that the Evil Empire is anything but goodness, nothing will. The incorrigible and unthinking Afro Asians would continue to want to believe in the Great White God as their saviour, as the saviour of mankind. That is their choice. For the thinking and rational people out there, here is all the proof that you need to change your mind.

Since the end of World War 2, the United States has:

• Attempted to overthrow more than 50 foreign governments, most of which were democratically-elected.
• Dropped bombs on the people of more than 30 countries.
• Attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders.
• Attempted to suppress a populist or nationalist movement in 20 countries.
• Grossly interfered in democratic elections in at least 30 countries.
• Plus … although not easily quantified … more involved in the practice of torture than any other country in the world … for over a century … not just performing the actual torture, but teaching it, providing the manuals, and furnishing the equipment.

Below is an open letter posted by John Harding in the same article of a plea by Jürgen Todenhöfer that laid down the facts in in different way.

 Dear Presidents and Heads of Governments!

Through decades of a policy of war and exploitation you have pushed millions people in the Middle East and Africa into misery. Because of your policies refugees have to flee all over the world. One out every three refugees in Germany comes from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. From Africa comes one out of five refugees.

Your wars are also the cause of global terrorism. Instead of some 100 international terrorists like 15 years ago, we now are faced with more than 100,000 terrorists. Your cynical ruthlessness now strikes back at us like a boomerang.

As usual, you do not even consider to really change your policy. You care only about the symptoms. The security situation gets more dangerous and chaotic by the day. More and more wars, waves of terror and refugee crises will determine the future of our planet.
Even in Europe, the war will one day knock again at Europe’s door. Any businessman that would act like you would be fired or be in prison by now. You are total failures.

The peoples of the Middle East and Africa, whose countries you have destroyed and plundered and the people of Europe, who now accommodate the countless desperate refugees, have to pay a high price for your policies. But you wash your hands of responsibility. You should stand trial in front of the International Criminal Court. And each of your political followers should actually take care of at least 100 refugee families.

Basically, the people of the world should rise up and resist you as the warmongers and exploiters you are. As once Gandhi did it – in nonviolence, in ‘civil disobedience’. We should create new movements and parties. Movements for justice and humanity. Make wars in other countries just as punishable as murder and manslaughter in one’s own country. And you who are responsible for war and exploitation, you should go to hell forever. It is enough! Get lost! The world would be much nicer without you.
 
Jürgen Todenhöfer

http://johnharding.com/2015/11/the-anti-empire-report-140/

Conversations for A Truths-Seeking Purposeful Life

Learning a Life Of True Purpose

By Michael Heng

 

The following Conversations with my good friend, Him, take place in real time over social media:

Him: “U read doctrine of christian discovery?”

Me: “Not yet.” 

Him: “Must read. The source of european domination of afro asia n the americas. They r still trying to hold on to the empire. Forces of history changing. Time to repay their debt of conquest. Europe will fall to the Muslims.” 

Me: “BBC has good stories on Buddha, Confucius & Socrates. Talk further when meet.” 

Him: “Political Science PS 101 : )

Him: “I read the bible many times just to know biblical truths. Even attended alpha course. Not impressed. Only confirms bible has two sides like God has two sides, the good side n the evil side.” 

Me: “Actually, only the Truth and others, but no sides. The pursuit & uncovering of this Absolute Truth is what I am interested in now. Basically, the Truth of Christ points to the other Truths as the Holy Spirit enlightens me.”

Him: “The truth of jesus' teaching is wat he said. 'The secrets to the kingdom of heaven have been given to you.' Unfortunately no one knows wat r these secrets.” 

Me: “Actually, the "kingdom of heaven" is HERE on earth, not somewhere in some future place. Christ said: "It's within you." Elsewhere repeatedly, he said that the "secrets" consist of just "worshipping" God the Creator, and ACTIVELY help the poor, sick, women, widows, children & orphans. Nothing else matters in true & authentic Christianity. All else is fluff & hollow designed to profit the power elite, mostly priests, theologians & lay leaders in the church. The real "Church" composes of INDIVIDUAL Christians & NOT in buildings & institutions. Each Christian is the self-sufficient Church of Jesus Christ. The "authentic" Christian is evidenced by his/her "fruits" of good work in the name of Christ.”

Him: “Doing good is in most religions. Goin to heaven is a different thing altogether.” 

Me: “There is no going anywhere. Here and now is all there is. Doing good & doing right NOW are the only most important things. Cannot worry about the irrelevant "next" life. Just start living this current one right while worshipping God. Let's continue when we meet.”

Him: “U been reading buddhism: )”

Me: “I know Buddhism b4 accepting Christ. We are who we are - all "sinners" before God. Desire, warts and all define mankind. Impossible to suppress or overcome desire. No human effort is effective to make us "good" enough. That is NOT life's purpose or objective. Like it or not, it is to "know the True God and worship Him". Period. Do not fight & kill one another over religion. True religion makes a person "better" than he can ever be as defined by whether his fellow men can "see" Christ in him.”

Him: “What is the common spiritual practice of all religions.”

Me: “All religions prey on fear. Fear of hell, of eternal damnation, of continuous never-ending "punishments" for various human weaknesses & imperfections, of death and of the "end" of this life. That's how "holy men" gain power over devotees. True religion offers real freedom and sense of liberation in the loving forgiving bosom of God. He said: "you have been forgiven of every sin, current & future, AND I, God, will remember them no more". How's that for absolute true freedom!”

Him: “I m looking at meditation as the way to enlightenment. Jesus did the same n spoke abt it many times. Believers dun understand or did not want to understand this most impt part of his teachings. Many parts must hv been edited fr the bible.”

Me: “Meditation as part of the worship of God is indeed Christian practice. Unlike other meditations which recommend "blanking out" or escape the man-made social realities of pain, sickness, crime, poverty and human relationships. More important is to demonstrate God-likeness in our ACTIVE conduct towards humans, animals & climate around us.” 

Me: “Enlightenment" refers to the continuous discovery of the Truths.”

Him: “Not really. Jesus was enlightened the same way as Gautama (Buddha). Both had the same experience, one after 40 days n one after 49 days of meditation.”

Me: “Both shared their "discoveries" of the Truths that they found until their respective deaths. Truths continue to be unfolded to the seekers, meaning those of us who want to pursue them. Buddha's Truths excluded God's role; Christ included the role of the Creator, which to me embraces the "larger" Truth. Christ did not end there - He said his Truth will lead us into "other" Truths. All Truths overlapped, since no one could humanly discover exactly the same amount of knowledge. They merely shared what they believe to be SUFFICIENT for existence in this world. That's why there is consensus on the overlapped common Truths, but considerable diversity and contradictions outside the overlaps. Focus should be on inside the overlapped Truths. The test is whether one is "comfortable" with the unfolding Truths. No need to force others to believe the same; once absolute Freedom is attained in the mind and soul, the believer knows and will adapt physically. He experiences what the bible refers to as the "peace that surpasses all understanding". That I have experienced on some occasions. And that's why I know my God is real.”

Him: “What is truth?” 

Me: “The absolute Truth or Reality is enveloped by onion-like layers of man-made delusions, philosophies, religions, knowledge and superstitious beliefs and practices. It lies at the core. Try taking a large onion and start peeling off its layers one at a time. Imagine the false reality onion which is many thousands time bigger with overlapping layers. What lies at its Core is the answer to your question, which may never be obtained in your lifetime; and neither do u need it in order to live the rest of your life. We can however embark on realistic journeys towards the Core Truths. For me, the Final Truths have to do with worshipping God the Creator; and to Love my fellow men actively as much as I love God and loved ones. These 2 journeys are sufficient endeavors for the rest of my remaining life. I will continue to peel off the "onion-like" layers of false realities in my writings & speeches. 

Him: “The peeling analogy is like knowing ur true self. The part abt loving god n praising god - does god need to b loved n praised when he is everything n needs nothing?”

Me: “Not the Christian God. The Christian God loves being worshipped through praises & thanksgiving music and songs. This is evident throughout the bible. That's why He created human beings to enjoin Him in the celebration of life. Such Godlike human qualities are also in us since He created us in His image as the bible said.

Him: “The christian god is the god of israel. Actually all the assumptions abt god is a human interpretation of wat is god. We live not to love god. We live n we make meanings of our own existence. Is there a purpose n wat is this purpose? To love god, cant b right?”

Me: “God is the God of all He created. Israel did not invent God. God appeared to Abraham, the Father of those referred to later as the Jews. God also appeared to many, many other early and earlier civilizations. But NOT all the early Gods refer to the SAME God the Creator. Many are imposters, who are quickly found out and abandoned. I think if you want to know who is the True God ... Better to discover Him yourself, if serious want to. It's a personal discovery. Different religions have it own "formula". Choose wisely; pray to the True God to guide your choice. 

Him: “I always find this obsession to praise god n love god amusing. It is like a loveless god craving for love n attention. N he is there to meddle with everyone n displeases with man not wanting to know him or to believe him, not to love him. My view, god is too big to indulge in such things. He creates man to know him?”

Me: “Depends on which religion u want to use to talk about God. Again it is not what u think about God that matters, it's what God think about you.” 

Him: “U r saying god is thinking abt everyone n wat each ind thinks abt him?”

Me: “God doesn't think about everyone; He knows each one of us.” 

Him: “Exactly. U r talking abt the all knowing, hv everything n does not need anything. The christians believe they r connected to god n know god while other believers r connected to anything but not god. This is just a belief wld u think so?”

Me: “Yes. That's just Christianity the religion. Others have their own beliefs in their religions; and they shd feel comfortable in those beliefs. No need to argue relative merits ... There are no merits in any religion. Truths are independent of religious and man-made beliefs.”

Him: “I see u r getting closer to the real thing, religion a man made self delusion. God is not confined by any religion: ) i m still asking a lot of questions but no satisfactory answers. Still searching n waiting for the truth whatever that maybe.”

China Taiwan reconciliation – A handshake that was 66 years late

What was meant to be a private meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan turned out to be the main event in President Xi Jinping’s agenda in his official state visit to Singapore. There were many agreements and MOUs to sign at the Istana between Singapore and China, speeches at NUS and other programmes, but all turned out to be sideshows. More than 600 media representatives congregated at the Shangri La Hotel in eager anticipation of something big or at least a historical event would unfold after the meeting and that they would not want to miss it.

China and Taiwan were technically still at war after the KMT govt fled the mainland after a long fought civil war. No peace agreement was signed since that eventful day in 1949 and both sides officially were not on speaking terms, diplomatically. A meeting of the two leaders was undiplomatic despite the strong and multi faceted relations of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. China is the biggest trading partner of Taiwan and the growth engine driving the Taiwanese economy. But the leaders are not meant to be speaking to each other in public or in an official capacity.

Earlier media reports on the meeting between Xi and Ma was also supposed to be a hush hush private affair and no press statement was expected from the meeting. The dramatic turn of events when both leaders appeared and shaking hands in front of the media of the world, giving off their warmest handshake and smiles were signs that the meeting went off very well, at least better than expected.

The 66 years late handshake was followed by a press conference held separately by China and Taiwan. In the case of China, only 3 questions were accepted and the press conference ended quickly. In the case of Taiwan, it was like China acquiescing to Taiwan’s request for more space in the world stage, a full panel of Taiwanese officials led by Ma Ying Jeou faced the media and took more than a dozen questions from the crowded floor.

What was significant in this meeting was the sincerity and accommodating spirits of both sides to move forward and pave the way for closer cooperation and reconciliation. The only principle that China held on and shared by Taiwan is that there is one China as agreed in the 1992 Communique. The mood was positive and earnest and China made several concessions and goodwill gestures to accommodate Taiwan both in creating space and also in welcoming Taiwan to participate in joint ventures and other Chinese initiatives.

China now welcomes Taiwan’s membership in the AIIB that it objected earlier. Taiwan is also welcomed to participate in the New Silk Road project. A hot line would be established for the two sides and more space for Taiwan in the international scene as long as the One China Principle is abided by. The other concerns by Taiwan like interference in Taiwanese Presidential election and Chinese missiles pointing at Taiwan were also addressed. China officially said that it would not interfere in the Presidential Election and that the missiles were not targeted at Taiwan. The missile myth was a mischievous red herring created to stir up fear of China as it was not necessary to point the missiles at any country to mean that it was targeting that country, not forgetting that there are many hostile aircraft carriers at sea.

Ma Ying Jeou got his assurance from China that both sides would pursue peace and stability through negotiation and to cooperate for the future generations of the Chinese civilization on both sides of the Straits. The press conferences were testimonies that both China and Taiwan are positive about moving forward together under the One China Principle. Though reunification was still an issue left to the future generations, there is at least some closure and assurance that there are common grounds and objectives to work together for the good of the Chinese civilization.

China and Taiwan are one family. The two siblings have agreed to remove the hostilities of the past and to sit together for a meal and to work together as members of a family. The cordiality and optimism of both leaders could not be missed by all present at the press conferences and both leaders would return home with a sense of achievement that this is another milestone in the reconciliation process.

It was a story with a good ending.