Animals left imprints on the hearts

10 Feb, the Mypaper devoted one full page to the animals that made the news last year with the heading, ‘Stories that left paw prints on hearts’. They were heart wrenching articles for people who felt deeply on the plight of cats and dogs that fell victims to the cruelties of human beans. These were yesteryear news.

Would the paper be writing about Benjamin Lim next year, the boy that made the news and breaking many people’s hearts? Would people remember Benjamin’s haunting last words, ‘They said I am guilty, so I am guilty lor’ to his mother? Would anyone remember Benjamin’s last meal, a cold bun he took for breakfast and no lunch?

Benjamin left with an empty stomach, no lunch, no water, devastated, did not know what was going to happen to him, a lonely boy left to fend for himself, without his papa and mama or an adult beside him to lend him some psychological support unlike the students of Tanjong Katong Primary. The last moments of Benjamin’s life were a terribly sad one. If only someone was there to hold his hand, put an arm around his shoulder and tell him, it’s ok, not to worry.

No words can give meaning to the torment going through this poor boy’s head. He faced the cruel world of adults all by himself. He cried in silence, waiting for help that was not there and ending it was the only choice he could think of.

RIP Benjamin. Your last words would be remembered deeply in the heats of many. Many would live in regret with the thought of the last cold bun you had in the last day of your life.

It is unlikely that anyone or any media will remember you like they remember the cats and dogs. You are also not in the news today, except in the social media. Would there be a One Cold Bun Day to remember you?

Benjamin Lim is a taboo name and not to be spoken for now.

USA – The menace in the South China Sea

The American again flew two B52 bombers over the Chinese islands in the South China Sea yesterday and all China did was to protest. This is making China looking helpless in the eyes of the international community and especially Asean countries that would think China is ripe for the whacking. China has not learnt the lesson from the Japanese invasion. Weakness is an invitation for war. The Japanese saw the weakness in Manchu China and invaded. The Americans are seeing the same weakness in China and getting bolder and are tempted to push China out of the South China Sea, even to attack China.

 

China has no choice. The policy of restraint advocated by Deng Xiaoping is not longer working in the face of a hostile aggressor like the Americans. Either China stands up and face the Americans squarely or be bullied and loses all respect in the eyes of Asean and the world. It would lead to the scattering of support and friendly countries to the American camp.

 

Though war is bad for China and it is trying its best to avoid an open conflict, China cannot keep sitting still and do nothing to the provocations. Even lame Australia thinks it is up to it to challenge China by trying to act as a deputy sheriff as well. There are many ways to deal with the Americans without going to war. There are economic, political and financial tools to apply the pressure where it hurts. There are many areas that China need not cooperate with the Americans where it matters most to the Americans. Let the North Koreans and the Iranian thump their chests at the Americans.  China can work more closely with the Russians in Syria by contributing to the war effort on the side of Assad and the Russians.  China can also support the indigenous people of North America and champion their cause to reclaim their land in the UN. Beat the drum hard in the UN and let it be heard. Keep the occupation of stolen land issue alive.

 

China must take the initiative, go on the offensive instead of sitting there and waiting for the Americans to come kicking down their door. No need to engage in military warfare unless forced to. Fight the Americans in areas that they are weak and sensitive about, hit them where it hurts.

 

Not doing anything is not an option.  The Syrian conflict is a good start to keep the Americans busy with American troops on the ground to drain their military resources and bog them down in an area away from China. Putin is doing a great job and if China can give him a helping hand, that would keep the Americans very busy there and got no time to provoke another theatre of war and create mischief in the South China Sea.

 

Give full support to the North Koreans and back them up. Do not be forced to act against the North Koreans to benefit the Americans. China must take the side of the North Koreans or lose an ally to benefit the Americans.

 

Remember, the Americans are broke and cannot sustain their military operations overseas for long. The Americans are upping their pressure, encouraging the Japanese, the Pinoys and the Indians to send their military ships to patrol the South China Sea. These provocative acts must be stopped before it got too big to manage and war becomes unavoidable.

Constitutional Commission for the Elected President appointed

Hsien Loong has appointed a Constitutional Commission to relook at the Elected President Scheme. The 9 members of the commission are:

• Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
• Justice Tay Yong Kwang, Judge, Supreme Court
• Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman, Public Service Commission
• Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Member, Presidential Council for Minority Rights
• Professor Chan Heng Chee, Chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design
• Mr Chua Thian Poh, Chairman and CEO, Ho Bee Land
• Mr Philip Ng, CEO, Far East Organization
• Mr Peter Seah, Chairman, DBS Bank
• Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman and CEO, Venture Corporation 

The terms of reference of the Commission include the qualifying process and the eligibility criteria for the Presidency candidates, the framework governing the exercise of the President’s custodial powers, including whether the views of the Council of Presidential Advisers can be given more weight, and recommendations to ensure that minorities have the chance to be periodically elected to the Office of the President.

The big question is whether these eminent men and woman will look at the Constitutional right of every citizen to be eligible as a candidate for the Presidency and the right to elect a president of their choice and not to elect one from a pre selected few candidates that belonged to the rich and powerful class of citizens and chosen by the natural aristocrats. It is not in the terms of reference of the Commission to look into and to protect these rights of the people. In this city, if it is not spoken specifically, it will not be addressed, just like the U turn sign. Only got U turn sign then can make U turn.

Why should the rich and powerful decide the first cut, have the first call on who is eligible and qualified to be a presidential candidate by virtue of his wealth and status in society, the natural aristocrat class, and not by virtue of his fundamental right as a citizen of this country, regardless of race, language and religion, money and social status? Is there a special class of citizens that have a special right to be qualified to be a presidential candidate and other classes of citizens do not have this right?

Is the right of the citizens protected by the Constitution or would this right be legislated away? Some are born more equal than others in this democratic society based on justice and equality?

Any MP, NCMP or politician thinks he/she has something to say about this? Or they know that they should not be saying anything at all, not the right thing to say, not the right time to open their mouths? It will be just another fait accompli by default? The non 'natural aristocrats', ie the commoners, are unfit to be president of the country? No right to be the Elected President of the country, a position with no executive power and not much different from being a ceremonial president? The only condition that rules out an American from running for the President of the USA, the most powerful man in the world, is to be born in the USA. Why is there a need to disqualify 99% of the population on the mythical notion of rogue potential? Commoners are more likely to be rogues and the natural aristocrats are not? Please do not insult the integrity of the commoners. They are the ones that elected the ruling party to power.

Whose interest would the changes in the Elected President Scheme served?

Four legs are good, two legs are better!

Age and Citizenship requirements - US Constitution, Article II, Section 1

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

Turning a Japanese lie into a glorious truth

How many of you heard of the Japanese Scientific Study on the whales? To conduct this Scientific Study, the Japanese must killed a few hundred whales every year and this will go on and on for perpetuity. How many did not know what this is all about?

Today a more serious lie is being used to justify the remilitarization of Japan.  Let me quote this Kyodo News report printed in the Today paper on 4 Feb 16.

‘Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday advocated amending par tof the war renouncing Article 9 of the country’s Constitution, saying there is a contradiction between the existence of the Self Defence Forces (SDF) article that stipulates japan never maintains land, sea and air forces…..Abe called for amendments of the second paragraph of the article that reads, “Land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained”…Abe told the House of Representatives Budget Committee…that “some parts (of it) do not fit into (the realities of) the current period”.

There is the view that (Japan should) address the situation in which 70 per cent of constitutional scholars suspect the SDF is in violation of the Constitution,” he said. “Given the view that we should change this with our own hands, the LDP has announced a draft revised Constitution.”’

They developed and built the SDF to be the biggest fighting force over so many years and today they said they suspect they were violating the pacifist Constitution. So instead of going back to the Constitution, they are going to amend the Constitution to fit the reality.

See how deceitful are the Japanese? Honourable samurai, warrior’s code? They created lies that were so huge that nothing can hide the lies any more. So conveniently they officially sanctioned the lies to quash the suspicion.

And the Americans are fully behind this big lie to the extent that they are compromising the safety of Americans by not talking about the Fukushima lie. The deadly radioactive material are still leaking and spreading across the Pacific Ocean to the east of North America. The Americans are now exposed to the radioactive contamination in their food chain but the American govt is keeping mum, not to offend their military partner to extend their world hegemony.

Anyone believe that the nuclear leak in Fukushima has been contained and now harmless?

New York Times endorses American presidential candidates

‘NEW YORK: The New York Times on Saturday (Jan 30) endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination and Ohio Governor John Kasich for that of the Republicans….

The Times editorial board opted for a front-runner and a moderate underdog in endorsing Clinton for the Democrats and Kasich for the Republicans.

"Voters have the chance to choose one of the most broadly and deeply qualified presidential candidates in modern history," the newspaper said of Clinton, a former secretary of state, senator from New York and First Lady….

The Times credited Sanders with generating enthusiasm among Democratic voters, but in the end, it said, he "does not have the breadth of experience or policy ideas that Mrs Clinton offers."…

In assessing the Republican candidates, The Times appeared to have settled on Kasich through a process of elimination.

It rejected Donald Trump, who has dominated the Republican race thus far, as a populist "who invents his positions as he goes along." "Mr Trump has neither experience in nor interest in learning about national security, defence or global trade," it said….’

Would out local media be so bold or be allowed to endorse any presidential candidates in the PE, if there is going to be one? It is just unthinkable that the media will be given such a free hand.  On second thought they had actually been doing so without openly saying so, I think.  The local media would not dare to say they endorse so and so as the Elected President for sure.

There is another interesting angle to look at the US Presidential Election and the comments on endorsement by the NYT. It was based on the experience of the candidates.  This reminds me of the great number of very experience politicians in this island that would definitely be chosen by the NYT if they are Americans by birth. We have so many talented politicians with better qualities than Hillary or John Kasich, with a string of straight As that would make George Bush Jr blushed.

Unfortunately the American Constitution forbid any Tom, Dick and Harry that were not born in the US to become their President. Otherwise we could export our talents to the US to vie for the crown of the President of the USA. Then again, the pay may not be attractive enough to lure our political talents away. The only attraction is the use of Air Force One. At the pay the US President is getting, the Americans would never smell the goodness of our politicians. They would just give it a miss, not in the USA, not anywhere in this world, except Sin City that could afford to pay for such exquisite talents.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump can feel safe that they would not have to face the best of the best in their Presidential Election. Whew.