Najib negotiating for his exit?

I read a long report painting a very bleak picture of Najib’s political career and his impending exile but no country wanting to have him or to have anything to do with him. The report even mentioned his in laws in Kazakhstan had turned him down. I forgot the source of this report but it seemed so real, with suggestions that all the crimes of Najib are already on the AG’s table and waiting to be submitted to the court together with Najib in the dock.

In the media yesterday, Najib was all very well, seeking an audience with the Agung to remove the Chief Minister of Kedah who is none other than his nemesis’ son in Muhkriz Mahathir.  It was not Najib moving out but the Mahathir’s son, the last of Mahathir’s shadow in Malaysian politics. Najib is still on top of things and in full control of the mess he is in.

This political intrique is getting more interesting everyday. How could Najib being accused of so many wrongdoings and by the most powerful man in Malaysia even out of office, is still standing and kicking around, and kicking asses? In his heydays, a whisper from Mahathir would send everyone flying and the victims kissing dust. Why is it so difficult for Mahathir to remove Najib despite all the evidence he and his men had in their hands? And why is Najib getting stronger by the days and appearing to be the winner in this zero sum game?

Is it the Rosmah factor? Everyone has heard of how powerful Rosmah is and the infamous rumour of her dabbling with the occults. How much truth is there that the occults could have such a powerful influence in the politics and staying power of a PM painted into a corner?

Or are the days of the Mahathirs coming to an end? Could the past excesses of Mahathir be the main factor of his undoings, that the palaces are now more inclined to favour Najib than the man that clipped their wings and now it is pay back time for Mahathir? The ruthless and arrogant disregard of the dignity of royalties, no matter how well meaning, would still be regarded as an affront and an act of disrespect and insubordination. Now Mahathir is not going to get the support that he desperately wants from the Agung and the royal houses. It is game over for Mahathir. No matter what sins Mahathir wants to pin on Najib, no sin is greater than the sin of trampling on the dignity and power of the royal houses.

Now, who is fighting for his life, Najib or Muhkriz and Mahathir? The victor is not going to be kind to the loser this time as the stakes are really high and any softness could prove fatal in a rebound. Who shall walk again and who shall be in exile? The verdict would be out very soon.

The Empire taking over Asean

Emperor Obama has sent a Special Envoy, John Kerry to Asean ordering Asean states to gang up against China or else… This is the main message of John Kerry’s visit.  This is an ultimatum. Little countries in Asean better take note of this Imperial Edict. Refusal to obey shall be in vain.  Obedience will be rewarded by a sumptuous feast hosted by the Emperor himself in a Special Summit in Feb 15 and 16 in California. What would happen at the Special Summit if the Asean leaders refused to gang up to go against China?  Instead of a feast, the leaders may be served cold turkey and a lecture on either ‘you are with us or against us’.

The Special Envoy also brought another message for China. Take tough actions against North Korea, or else…. Would China take the order of the Emperor meekly or would China show John Kerry the middle finger?

Both Asean and China are now put on the spot. The Emperor has commanded and acquiescence is mandatory. Would Asean surrender its neutrality and freedom to decide its own policies, or would Asean be cowered and shivering in fear?

What would happen to Asean if they decide to disobey? What would happen to China if it also decides to disobey the Emperor? The message of the Emperor is clear. China and Asean must come under the rule of the Empire. They have no choice, just like in the Star Wars movies.  You shall obey or be destroyed.

Welcome to the Empire and welcome the Emperor. Neutrality is not allowed. There is only one empire and that is the American Empire.

Elected President – The first LKY legacy to fall

There is an article by a Cynical Investor in the TRE titled ‘Wanted President – Must not embarrassed the PAP’. In the article the author quoted the finest thinker in Singapore in Kishore Mahbubani raising the issue of electing a rogue President that would make life difficult for a good govt. I will not discuss why it should not be the other way, ie, a good elected President making life difficult for a rogue govt. In Kishore’s argument, probably the same thinking as the power of the day, this concept of an elected President has outlived its usefulness and must be discarded for good, and be discarded quickly before the next election is due for another elected President.

 

How could a care taker govt, some said a ‘jaga’ president, that hardly had any power other than the so called power of the second key to open the nation’s reserves, be able to make things difficult for an incumbent govt?  A ruling govt could easily get rid of a rogue govt when it is confirmed that a rogue is in the Istana.  Luckily we don’t have that experience since 1969. Why is this fear being raised at this time when no rogue president has been elected? How is it possible to elect a rogue president when the criteria to be even qualified to stand for election is so stringent and all holes covered?

 

But that is not the point. The very thought of removing this Elected Presidency is akin to heresy. Do those people objecting to this concept of an Elected President know whose idea it was? Are they going to tear away such a great idea before his body turn to dust? This thought is simply unfilial and disrespectful. Don’t even think about it. This is a legacy of LKY. Are the people objecting to the Elected Presidency saying or thinking that they are smarter than LKY, that they can throw away his great idea and legacy so callously?  It is so easy to create fear, fabricate fear, like the Americans creating fear everywhere to incite wars and sell weapons.

 

Why don’t they say the current political system could risk the daft electorate voting a rogue govt into power and that the system must also be changed? And if a rogue govt comes into power, it is imaginable that it would put many behind bars. Now, would that be dangerous, more dangerous than a rogue and one man president?

 

Let’s see who is arrogant and disrespectful enough to destroy the legacy of the father of modern Singapore.

The number of Singaporean Ah Qs growing

For those who are unfamiliar with this Ah Q character in Lu Xun’s political satire, Ah Q is the epitome of poverty but in a state of denial and trying to justify every failure and misfortune in his life as something good, to comfort himself and to minimize the pain. What is happening today in Sin City is that more and more Ah Qs are appearing and trying to make the best out of a bad situation by comforting themselves that it is good, or it will be good in the long run.

The media have been making many complementary statements about how good life is and how good cycling is. ‘Bold moves for car lite Singapore in the offing’ wow great stuff!  ‘Cycling as a viable commuting choice lauded’, another great stuff as if the people really love cycling and are throwing the burden of their cursed cars away.  Everyone is so happy about having more cycling lanes to make cycling more convenient and to throw away their dreams of car ownership. Car lite cities make for a better quality of life. Boon Wan was quoted saying, ‘There is a growing consensus among developed cities that few cars mean less traffic, congestion, less air and noise pollution and more land for public spaces and amenities.’ Or more land to build more flats to bring in more migrants?

Let me recall a statement by a Chinese missile scientist, Qian Xueshen when he tried to convince his good friend, a nuclear scientist, to help to detonate the first nuclear bomb in China. The latter did not want to as nuclear bombs are weapons of mass destruction. Qian told him that having the bomb and not using it was different from not having the bomb altogether. This, in the current context, is like having a car and not wanting to use against not able to own a car and has no choice but to cycle. For the cycling enthusiasts, cycling is a choice and their bicycles can cost several thousands. They cycle for fun, not because they must, not because they could not afford a car. Many would be having a big car in their garages.

While the rich car owners are trying their best to con the daft to abandon their cars, the daft are behaving like Ah Qs, swallowing the lie totally. And now the Ah Qs are even convincing themselves that cycling is a better quality of life. In Lu Xun’s Ah Q, he was a victim of circumstances, and had no choice. Poverty was his life and he had to try to live his dastardly poor life the best he could. He had to convince himself that life was not so miserable to carry on living.

The Singapore Ah Qs could not think and allowed the rich to con them that no car is good. And stupidly they believe so, giving up the dreams and aspirations to want a better life with the comfort of car ownership and cycling for fun on weekends. They could not see the difference between having a car and not using it and not able to own a car and have to cycle everywhere.

Which Ah Q is dafter? In the 60s and 70s, the poor commie country called China was filled with bicycles on the roads.  We used to sneer at their poverty, car less society due to being poor. Today they are all craving to own cars, for a better quality of life. The Singaporean Ah Qs will soon be shouting cars are bad, bicycles are good. Rich commies are bad, poor capitalists are good. Or cars are good, bicycles are betterer.

What about those who need a car for the old, the sick, the young and for the barang barang they must bring along in the course of doing their little businesses? How are they to get by without a car or a car that cost more than a hundred thousand of big Singapore dollars?

Francis Seow – The good, bad and ugly, they all shall pass away

These few years, and the next few years, we are likely to see the last few remnants of the pioneer generations kissing the dust. No one can escape this force of nature. Everyone shall decay and turn to dust. Whether they be rich or poor, acquired mountains of fortune or lived their last days as paltry recluses, good riddance.

Francis Seow had a meteoric rise to the cream of our history, to be there, but not there. His flash of success was clipped by his detention and humiliation in the cells of Mount Pleasant. He had gave the Singaporeans a glimpse of what actually happened behind those walls in the tranquil setting of a verdant forest in the most prestigious and expensive ground in this most expensive city state.

Francis Seow’s exile and eclipse from the corridors of power would be what Singaporeans remember him most, a victim of the politics of an era, hopefully never to be repeated again. The two camps would have different ways to commemorate his passing away and that is expected.  You would not hear good words from one camp or negative words from the other.

Our history, or modern history under the PAP, written and approved by the PAP, is only 60 years. What would our history be in another generation when memories of all the key players and their direct beneficiaries and victims have gone cold?  For the moment, the good, bad and ugly are well documented by official memoirs and the media. Would their places be switched when the powers change hands in the future? Would our history be told differently and the villains and heroes be named differently?

Now, who is next to join the list of has beens, came and left and turned to dust.?