Futuristic Train Terminal

Many would think this photo is a screen shot taken from the Star Wars movie or some Sci fi movies coming out from Hollywood. This is real. This is not back from the future or the future. This is the present.

Where would you think this is from? Singapore's Bishan or the Tuas depot of tomorrow? Or is it in Japan, Germany, France or the USA?  Keep guessing.

Many critics or western media will say these trains are good to see but would break apart after two days. Some will say there are made of cheap parts, plastics, cannot move, maybe got horses inside the trains to pull it along.

These are the latest bullet trains from China. They are breaking all the records for speed and safety features. And they have been running for more than a decade. And they have been running from China to Central Asia. They have been operating in Europe, in Africa, and will be running in Indonesia, Thailand and the USA.

How about that, a present from China for Christmas?

Merry Christmas everyone.

Photo credit to China Daily.

Schools raise cut off points for admission

The PSLE result was so good that top secondary schools have to raise their cut off points for admission. Many PSLE graduates were disappointed after doing so well and thinking that they could get admitted only to be thwarted by the new cut off points. And at the other extreme, 7 schools need not raise their points and did not receive enough students to run their classes. Even if they were to lower their cut off points, it would not make any difference. The MOE is now having a different kind of headache on what to do with these schools. Should they be merged or close down?

The exceptionally good results of our students, and kudos to the schools and the teachers, are not a once off phenomenon. The trend has been consistent for the last 4 decades. The funny thing is that we have lost one whole generation of industry leaders. According to the foreign recruiting agents, not Singaporean recruiting agents, we don’t have talents and the only talents they could find are in the 3^rd World villages. And if you want them to do any placement, they will go scouring the little villages where talents are plentiful, especially in banking and finance and also IT, to give you the best. They just can’t find the talents they need from the local cohorts that were famed for their straight As. I dunno what happened to these bright students when they grow up? Becoming part time employees or doing temp jobs?

And the loss of talents is not confined to just IT, banking and finance. It is across the board. Even top postman job must go to foreigners, top gardeners job, top animal keepers jobs, curators of junks, oops I mean antiques,  etc etc must also go to foreigners. And foreign talents are starting to fill the politicial positions as well. That is how good our education system has become. And not a single Singaporean dares to dispute this fact, that we don’t have local talents for top jobs. Maybe in 30 years time. They have just planted the shoots and waiting for the harvest in 30 years time. Yes, in 30 years time we will have local talents for top jobs. Don’t worry.

For those who just completed their PSLE, in 30 years time they will be about 40 years old, just about right. They will be just in time to be the top talents Singapore is waiting for.

Oh, what about the schools that cannot attract students and facing a bleak future of no students? Not to worry. I have several solutions. One simple one is to go to 3^rd World countries and offer them scholarships to pick up the village best to be our future talents. There is only one problem, or maybe not a problem, only a paradox. These village talents will shine if they continue to stay in their village school system and when they graduated, they will be headhunted to be our foreign talents. But if they are to study here, in our world best education system, would they score straight As like our local students but ended up with no talent and unemployable like our local students?

The village talents must think very hard on which is the better system that will bring out their best. From experience and empirical data, it is better that they stayed in the village school system that will turn them into top grade foreign talents for this city state.  And they can say, cheap and good, a cheap education but with excellent results.

What do you think?

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - An Asian tapestry

By Chua Chin Leng (chinadaily.com.cn)Updated: 2015-12-15 14:46

Since its humble beginning as the Shanghai Five, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is growing in stature as a regional political and economic organization.

Created for confidence building measures between Russia, China and the Central Asian states, the SCO has been very successful in reducing regional tension and ensuring peace and stability in Asia. With the growing threats of terrorism, the member states work together to contain the scourge of terrorism spreading into the respective countries.

The original conceptualization of this security organization grew out of a necessity. The plan was to lower tension and to build trust, to provide a formal framework for consultation and cooperation in security matters, it has expanded its role to cooperation and mutual support in the international arena for its member states. The fact that many countries are lining up to join this low key regional organization signifies its recognition and acceptance as a valued organization.

Uzbekistan was added to the original Shanghai Five of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in 2001. This year, India and Pakistan were accepted as the two new members. Many Asian states have applied and been accepted as 'observers' and 'dialogue partners'. The USA also applied to be an observer (a prerequisite to become a full member) but was rejected in 2005.

The security of Asia, to remain as a unified region free from conflict and warfare, depends a great deal to an organization like the SCO. Smaller Asian countries need a security umbrella to protect them from big powers. It is of utmost importance that the SCO sew up this tapestry with more Asian members, to keep them together and not be divided and be at odds with each other. A divided Asia will provide the cracks needed for unfriendly forces to exploit and to engage in sowing conflicts. With more Asian countries showing interest to be a member of SCO, it shows these countries seek peace and stability in Asia. They seek security and protection that the SCO can provide them.

Asia must remain united as a region free from war. The SCO proves to be a dependable and indispensable stabilizing role. They must seize the moment to sew up more Asian states into its tapestry to keep them stitched together as parts of Asia, a united Asia where peace prevails.

The author is a political observer from Singapore.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website.

South China Sea – History versus geography

I normally would not care to comment on what the lunatics said. There was one that posted a comment in the Today forum calling Singapore to take sides with the Americans against China in the South China Sea dispute. He urged Singapore not to remain neutral as neutrality was a sign of appeasement. This kind of thought must come from the same mindset that Singapore could punch above its weight and would make a difference in geopolitical struggle. Many Singaporeans still did not know that standing on the head of a tiger and shouting out loud did not really mean anything as the power came from the tiger and not the mouse.

Another forumer replied in the Today paper calling the one suggesting that Singapore must take sides with the Americans against China as naïve. The naïve in his own way thought he was the judge of the South China Sea dispute and already decided that China was wrong in his deluded mind. No need to ask why he thought he was the one to judge the right or wrong of such a dispute.

The norms of international relations went through many phases starting with historical claims. Every native today claimed ownership of the land on historical grounds. They were the first settlers or founded the land first. Even the Jews were claiming their rights from history to own Israel as a God given land. Removing the historical justification, then all the natives in South East Asia or the whole world would have no rights to their land.

The next unwritten law was conquest. Past civilizations and their empires were decided by conquest. Then you have the Egyptian Empire, the Persian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Greek and Roman Empire also the Chinese Empire. And their territories grew or shrank according to their power and influence.

This was eclipsed by a moderated version of power and conquest in colonialism. The rule then was based on the western version of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery originated from the Vatican. The papal bull proclaimed that all the non Christian land is occupied by sub humans and the Christian Europeans had the right to conquer and seized their lands.

Many countries today were established on the above principles, historical rights, conquest or the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. Anyone wants to rubbish all these precedence and historical claims to start afresh? The law of history, conquest and the Doctrine of Christian Discovery no longer relevant, to be overruled by the new Rule of Law of the Sea based on geography?

The lunatic claimed that geography and the Rule of Law of the Sea now stand supreme and override historical claims, and the claims of conquest and colonialism? Well, in the asylum, the lunatics are the kings and they can claim anything they want.

Singapore to take sides with the Americans to fight the Chinese over claims in the South China Sea that it has nothing to do with? Or Singapore must guarantee freedom of navigation of the high seas and must defend this right. Oh, I see, Singapore can punch above its weight and its voice means a lot and the super powers are trembling when Singapore opens its mouth and decides to take sides.

Committee on the Future Economy of Singapore

A task force has been set up headed by Heng Swee Kiat to look into the future of Singapore’s economy. The Committee has identified five key areas in the development of the Singapore economy. Heng Swee Kiat would have a deputy in S Iswaran. The two will gather a team of 30 experts and professionals from different industries and backgrounds to chart the future of Singapore.

30 years ago Hsien Loong too headed a similar committee to look into the future of Singapore and an appointment of such a nature has very serious implications. In Hsien Loong’s case it was to put on notice that he is the PM in the making and the Committee he sat on would be used to cultivate and build his support base. Heng Swee Kiat is now given the same opportunity to build his base and looking good to be the future PM in the making.

A Committee to look into the economic development of the country is part and parcel of the planning process and also indicates the priorities of the govt. We had seen two decades of growth at all cost and how it has changed the fabric of our society and the demography of the people, now with many new citizens and foreigners.

What is missing till now is the security angle. The security of the country did not seem to warrant any attention other than the doctrine of a strong defence force to thwart a foreign invasion. The danger of bringing in so many foreigners and allowing them to take a controlling stake in many key industries and positions surely must deserve more considerations and raise concerns on the security of the country. How would these new citizens and foreigners impact on our national security, social security and the life of our citizens are serious matters that cannot be left to chance.

Would the govt think it necessary to form a Committee to review the security implications of the liberal and indiscriminate immigration policy? What is the point of economic growth when it ends up with the people losing their jobs, homes and even country to foreigners, to be replaced by foreigners?  What could happen if there is an international crisis, war, etc that calls on the loyalties of the new citizens and PRs and residents in the country to take sides or being exploited or attracted to do damage to the country’s security and other aspects of life and industries in the country?  What would happen if the Committee for economic growth recommends another CECA type of free trade agreements and open the immigration door wider still?

The security people must play a bigger role and a Committee on Security is calling and urgent in view of the immigration policy, the large foreign population and the problems of terrorism all over the world.  We cannot take our national security for granted and hope for the best.

What is Chee Hean doing or thinking as the Coordinating Minister for Defence and National Security? Should he call for the formation of a Committee to look into the security of our country?