Killing Fields – Where are the good men?

Marina Mahathir wrote an article in the mypaper on 11 Mar titled ‘Evil wins when good men do nothing’. She referred to the days of the genocide in Kampuchea under the Khmer Rouge when millions were killed by the regime of Pol Pot. The question is that why were there no good men to stop the killings. It is easier said then done when the regime were dominated by people of the same mindset, same indoctrination, same motives and aspiration.

Why was this applicable to Malaysia today? The recent politics in Malaysia and the several unnatural deaths that occurred must be the reason why she raised this issue. But she acknowledged that ‘Malaysia was no where near these sort of brutalities. But it is easy to slip into a subtler version of the mindset without noticing…The use of the media to propagate discriminatory stories and untruths about people is becoming the norm.’

Singapore is definitely even further than the case like in Malaysia. We are no where near Malaysia as for now, even with the high profile deaths of children and young NSmen.  Some may say it starts off very innocently and like oppression, soon people will get use to it and become very comfortable with the new norms.

Singapore is different. Look at the noise made in Parliament about the death of Benjamin? The silence is so loud. Singapore has no shortage of good men and women. They are all sitting in Parliament. They would even cry over cruelties to dogs and cats. One animal lover even got handpicked to become an MP. That is how much we treasure life, the lives of animals. The politicians care!

Singapore is a caring society, all inclusive, inclusive of animals. We will never become a Killing Field. Marina Mahathir is very worried about the emerging Killing Fields in Malaysia.

Heaven opens the way for the SDP

Hard work, perseverance, dedication and the passion to want to serve the people will be rewarded. For that is what the SDP has been doing. And heaven got eyes and has finally relented to let the SDP take a first step into Parliament. Before I sell my koyok on why the SDP is deserving of a seat in Parliament, let me sing a few praises for the immortals as well.

It is very tough to be an immortal in Sin City. Heard of the temptation of Jesus? When you are a super talent, all goodness, honourable, powerful, very rich, and very good looking, very caring, very kind and helpful to the people, and especially when one is an immortal on earth, you will stand out as very attractive and likeable, and the opposite sex would only fall all over you, helplessly. Be kind to them when they could not resist the attractiveness of the immortals. They are just weak human beans. It is tough for humans to resist the temptation of the flesh. It is even tougher for immortals to do so when temptation is everywhere. Do not blame both the human beans and immortals for giving in to temptation.  It is easy for human beans to fall and even for immortals to fall. It is a miracle that so many immortals are able to stay clean and not fallen to the same weaknesses of human beans.

Let me get back to serious business. The hard work and good will of the SDP are starting to pay back. Many opposition parties are getting itchy again and the devils will not hide the horns on their foreheads. The devils will appear to do the damage they are supposed to do. That is the job of the devil. Itchy the opposition camp may be, but there must be some honour, some discipline and reciprocity, and of course no more stupidity, opportunistic and irresponsibility. Everyone in the opposition camp must remember the gracious withdrawal of the SDP in the Punggol East by election to avoid a fight with the WP.  Also the withdrawal of the WP from Potong Pasir. Two others stupidly went in only to be mauled in Punggol East.

The Bukit Batok by election under the existing understanding in the opposition camp will go to the SDP. They fought there in the last GE and thus has the first right of refusal. Any opposition party wanting to come in will be a sign of bad faith, dishonourable, spoiler and would not be forgiven.  And SDP is the only opposition party that did not fold up and went to sleep after the last GE. They continue to speak up for the people and this would put them in a good stead in the eyes of the voters. The SGP is not a fly by night party, but here to stay, with the people.

Now it is up to the SDP to put up their best candidate for this opening. Be very sure the PAP would put up their very best immortal or super talent to want to retain this seat. The SDP cannot be slipshod in the selection of their candidate and only the very best would do. It is either Chee Soon Juan or Paul Tambyah to take up this fight.

This is a by election for the PAP to lose, like in Punggol East. And it could be a repeat of Punggol East with spoilers coming in to try to mess things up, but will be mauled and sent to the sewers if they do so.

The SDP has been rewarded with a penalty to convert. Send in the best forward to do a clean job with this gift from heaven.  Heaven has finally smiled at Chee Soon Juan, the man that deserves more than anyone to be in Parliament.. 

Has the govt forgotten the meaning of National Service?

The death of Dominique Lee and the revelation of a law that said SAF soldiers cannot be sued for negligence in the course of duty for tort even causing the death of NSmen is very disturbing indeed. Has the govt forgotten the meaning of National Service? The govt is conscripting the sons of Singapore citizens to be trained to defend this country, to die for this country in the defence of this country, not to die because someone is negligent and irresponsible, or doing something rash or stupid.

The govt and the SAF owe every NSman and their family an unqualified duty to ensure that the NSmen are in good and safe hands, in responsible hands, that the people looking after them, training them and leading them to war, are professionally trained, responsible and NOT negligent in the conduct of their responsibility. The last part is the least that the govt and the SAF must do, to make sure that no one is negligent or thinks he can be negligent and get away with it when the lives of NSmen is at stake.

The NSmen did not volunteer for National Service. They are not professional soldiers, ‘tan chiak peng’, who joined the SAF for a salary. They are conscripted and paid a miserly allowance for their service at the prime of their lives. The govt and the SAF must take absolute care to see to it that negligence is not to be condoned. The parents brought up their sons for 18 years. Do return their sons healthy and alive at the end of their NS. Accidents cannot be prevented, but negligence can and cannot be encouraged or protected.

A law that said negligence cannot be sued is like protecting people who are negligent and that negligence is acceptable. Negligence is UNACCEPTABLE. Not in a NS military organization when young people are conscripted by law to serve. A law that protects negligence has no place in a NS army. It compromises the safety of the NSmen. The rationale for such a law is unbelieveable! It cannot be justified under any ground.

The sons of our citizens deserve better protection from the state, from the SAF. They did not ask to be NSmen. Don’t forget this.

In memory of Dominique Sarron Lee and Benjamin Lim 13 Mar 16 (Sunday 6 pm) Hong Lim Park

Parents with children are encouraged to show up this Sunday at Hong Lim Park to support the parents of Dominique Sarron Lee and Benjamin Lim. Gilbert Goh has finally got a last minute permit for this event to speak about the ordeals and the pains the parents of these two boys are going through and would have to live with them for the rest of their living daylight.

The event is primarily to voice the concerns of Singaporeans and parents for the safety of young children and NS men, to create awareness and to tell the govt that more must be done, urgently for the sake of our children and to protect their lives while in NS or in police custody and investigation.

The event, In memory of Dominique Lee and Benjamin Lim

Sunday 13 Mar 16

Hong Lim Park

6 pm

More Questions on LTA’s Wrongful Tesla Decision

Mystery Deepens in Singapore’s War on the Tesla All-Electric Vehicle

By Michael Heng@MIKOspace

More questions emerged even as the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) attempted to explain further its decision to impose a S$15,000 carbon tax surcharge on a Tesla pure electric vehicle (EV) which emits no CO2 from its non-existent exhaust. 

The LTA claimed to have relied on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) R101 standards. UNECE told a Singapore news agency that Singapore is not one of the contracting parties to the 1958 Agreement which ratifies the harmonisation of vehicle regulations.  In any case, the UNECE R101 standards do not have any provisions to measure non-existent carbon emission of all-electric vehicle like the Tesla Model S.   

The news agency quoted Mr Jean Rodriguez the UNECE Information Chief that the “LTA appears to have applied UNECE R101 correctly when assessing the carbon emission of a used Tesla Model S recently”.  Yet, the only R101 protocol pertaining to pure electric vehicles only specifies the way to measure the energy consumption of the vehicle or “tank-to-wheel”.  The alleged statement by Chief Rodrigeuz would thus “appear” disingenuous since it is inconsistent with the capability of his R101 Standards.

At best, the LTA could only apply R101 Annex No: 7 which describes the “Method of measuring the electric energy consumption of (pure battery-operated electric) vehicles”. 

It is however unknown whether VICOM, the Singapore vehicle inspection company, has been assessed to have the necessary equipment and has actually been certified by UNECE to conduct the R101 tests so as to make the relevant valid computations.

Chief Rodrigeuz also further pointed out that Singapore LTA appears to be the only national regulator to have included power grid emission into the evaluation of electric vehicles’ (EVs) carbon footprint.  What this means is that the LTA had acted arbitrarily when factoring in the power grid emission without scientific support from any international authoritative test or quality standards.

From the determination of electric energy consumption to the attribution of carbon emissions by the Tesla EV would require the LTA to adopt a series of assumptions not hitherto supported by any international protocol or quality standards. The results are understandably dubious and questionable.  For example, the LTA claimed to have calculated that the electric energy consumption of the imported used Tesla car to be 444Wh/km, and translated that to the equivalent of 222g/km of CO2 after factoring a grid emission factor of 0.5 CO2/Wh.

Actually, the official Singapore’s Grid Emission Factor is about 0.43g CO2/Wh not 0.5 g.  And the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had recommended electric energy consumption of almost half of 444Wh/km for city driving.

Now we know a little more how LTA determined and subjected the Tesla EV to the resultant C3 S$15,000 carbon tax surcharge band under its Singapore's Carbon Emission-based Vehicle (CEV) Scheme, thus placing the Tesla all-Electric Vehicle with non-EV car models like the Mazda 8, Land Rover Freelander, Lexus RX270 and Maserati Ghibli. 

In other words, the LTA has deemed the Tesla Model S pure electric vehicle to be as polluting as the other fossil-fuel vehicle addicts.

Seriously, LTA? This would of course make Singapore a laughing stock in the world of sustainable energy and sustainable electric mobility. 

This incident with the Tesla EV severely tested the capability of our fossil-fuel based authorities and the limits of fossil-fuel vehicle regulations.  We are found seriously wanting and in need of fundamental change in our mindsets, policies and practices.

In the final analysis, the LTA has actually made a decision error in the Tesla EV case.  It failed to apply and follow its own definition and policy.  The LTA has already defined carbon emissions explicitly in its CEV Scheme as “the release of carbon dioxide from the use of a vehicle” and it “measures … the weight of carbon dioxide (CO2) released for every kilometre that the vehicle is driven”.   

It is thus disingenuous to compound its error by confusing sustainability-minded motorists with references to irrelevant and non-universal variables and factors.   Singapore’s reputation as a leader and active warrior against climate change by making fossil fuel history has been damaged by this incident.  Let’s restore our reputation for political leadership and hard-headed decision-making.