Thio Shen Yi - A rare breed

In a rare public display of criticism, outgoing Law Society President Thio Shen Yi said that his clash with Law Minister K Shanmugam over a case where police intimidation led to a suicide of a 14-year-old boy, was a  badge of honour....

“If Benjamin had a lawyer present to give advice during the course of the (police) interview, would things have turned out differently? We will never have certainty, but it is not impossible to imagine a different outcome, and if that is possible, then one more question: How then should we act?”

Law Minister K Shanmugam was enraged by the Law Society President’s comments and threatened that his comments may amount to Contempt of Court:

“His statements imply that Benjamin killed himself because of police intimidation. Where the police are wrong, we must and will take action. But we should not allow deliberate, dishonest attacks.”

The Law Minister also slammed online news site TheOnline Citizen for fabricating “deliberate falsehoods to tar the police”.

The government’s state coroner absolved the Singapore Police of all responsibilities over the boy’s suicide and even praised the police and school’s measures taken “commendable”....'

The above was posted in the statestimesreview. Now that the case is closed, would a discussion on the above statement be a contempt of court? How many of you agree with Thio Shen Yi's comment that if Benjamin had a lawyer, the outcome would be different? How many of you think his statement amounted to contempt of court?

My view is standard. I always agree with the govt, especially the Law Minister. When he said contempt of court, be very mindful that he is right. But is does not mean that I agree with the govt or the law minister.

Anyway, I like this man, Thio Shen Yi. You don't find such individuals in the little Red Dot any more, or rarely. I have written a post titled, 'The silence of the intelligentsia' and had posted it earlier. That might explain why I like Thio Shen Yi. I hope saying I like this man does not amount to contempt of court or any funny or contorted or distorted interpretations. Such individuals are admirable in a city devoid of free thinking intelligentsia.

‘PM’s gaffe is a case of bad diplomacy’

‘PM’s gaffe is a case of bad diplomacy’

The above is the title of an article posted by a ‘Apologise’ in TRE. I quote a paragraph from the article on the PM’s gaffe and Apologise’s position on the PM’s position as not reflective of the general population.

‘Regardless of our individual positions on the South China Sea dispute, we feel that our PM’s gaffe is a case of bad diplomacy because China did nothing to Singapore to warrant such a response. We categorically state that his remarks does not represent all Singaporeans. We feel that by making those remarks, he is acting against our interest and his actions puts in jeopardy our warm and stable relationship with China that former Prime Ministers, including the father of our current PM, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew helped cultivate over the years. Its understandable for China’s leaders to feel annoyed. We would like PM Lee to apologise to China and help restore our peaceful relationship, while supporting Singapore’s call for the speedy and safe return of our property.’

There are strong sentiments in the social media that were not favourable to what Hsien Loong had been saying on the SCS and relations with China. I once mentioned about the dichotomy in views and perceptions between Channel 5 and Channel 8 Singaporeans. The two groups are as far apart and divided in their views, aspiration, taste and likes and dislikes that no one should simply take them for granted as a homogenous group.  When reading the English media, there is this audacity among the Channel 5 that they represent the Channel 8 people and can speak on behalf of them. The truth is far from it. Channel 5 people must not think that they represent the Channel 8 people and that their views are the dominant views.  In reality, at this point in time, the Channel 8 people are the majority in absolute numbers.

Hsien Loong, though coming from Catholic High background, is more a Channel 5 than a Channel 8 type.  His world views and cultural biases are thus more western than eastern and his preferences and affections are quite obvious. His latest comment that there is no ‘middle kingdom’ came as a surprise as he jolly well knows what that word mean in Chinese even if he is more Channel 5. China written in Chinese is zhong guo or 中国。Yes, 中国 means exactly what it is, Middle Kingdom. What he said about being no middle kingdom can be interpreted differently by the Channel 8 people and some may not take it lightly.

Perhaps Vivian can explain that Hsien Loong spoke in his private capacity as an ordinary citizen and not as a PM. That may appease some of the Channel 8 people if they did not know what it means by saying there is no middle kingdom.

Is this a gaffe? Whatever, there is no need to demand an apology, especially from our PM. No need to be so childish, everything also demand an apology. It would be quite embarrassing if our PM actually said sorry and China came back saying sorry must also explain.

The situation is bad enough, it is water under the bridge. Let's move on. It is easy for me to say it but would be good if China is to say it, let's move on.

John Pilger - The Coming War on China

Let me thank Lycurgus80ofSparta for this lead on this coming movie by John Pilger, The Coming War on China. You can view a 12 minute interview by Afshin Rattani with Pilger at this link,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG7Bve0baPo

I strongly recommend everyone to spend 12 minutes to listen to Pilger about his movie based on the real situation surrounding the American pivot to Asia and the biggest and most dangerous build up of American military power in history around China, with more than 400 military bases in a tightening noose to contain and strangle China. And this is the best kept secret of the Americans and the western media, keeping a tight lip over this build up but screaming that China is building 2 or 3 airstrips in the islands in the South China Sea as a threat to the world. This is western hypocrisy at its peak but daft Asians would buy it as a natural development and a right for the Americans to have 400+ military bases surrounding China but China cannot have a few air strips in the South China Sea.

Listen to what Pilger said carefully, at the misinformation, the blackout and the hypocrisy of the Americans. Get some insight into the 32 military installations in Okinawa and the secret nuclear complex in Marshall Islands aimed at China. In the event of a war, Okinawa would be sunk and the innocent Okinawans would be buried with it as the sacrificial lamb just like the South Koreans in Cheju Island, another American military base.
Learn the truth about the real provocateurs of a nuclear war and how China has to react, to raise its nuclear alert state from normal to the highest alert in the face of this serious American encirclement and nuclear threat. Learn what the Americans are doing to contain China, to blockage China etc etc.

Look out for this coming movie just before Christmas, to be screen around the world and to be enlightened by the truth of what is going on around Asia and be well informed.

Thanks again Lycurgus80.

Redbean

Terrex Incident – The art of interrogation

The Singapore team met up with the Hong Kong authority over the Terrex Incident for 3 times, each lasting about 6 to 7 hours. The time is about right, could be longer, for such interrogation or investigation, or shall I call it meeting? With the wealth of experience learnt in Singapore, hopefully the team went there were well prepared, at least they should be in thick clothing in case the Hong Kong authority turned on the aircon to the fullest. Luckily the meetings were held during the day and not drag on to the wee hours of the morning. And they were not stripped to their underwear.

Altogether 19 hours have been clocked in the 3 interrogations or meetings and nothing came out of it. Maybe this is the norm and the Singapore team should be prepared for another 20 meetings or interrogation sessions before they could see some light in the darkened and cold meeting rooms.

I am not sure if the Singapore team brought along their lawyers to protect their legal rights. At least the lawyers could insist on food and drinks be provided or they be allowed to bring in their own food. Such long hours of interrogation or meetings can be very taxing on the side that is not the authority. The advantage is definitely on the authority side, the side that could set the temperature, set the tone, prolong or call off the meeting or interrogation as and when they like.

I could not believe that such a straight forward case of filing proper documents could take so long and yet nothing is resolved. Maybe the authority is just being the authority, just wanting to drag on and on and on. This is a common practice I think. The side that is not the authority would just have to bear with it.

The next step could be site visiting. The authority may want to bring the whole team to visit the site, open and inspect everything, including the canvas covering the vehicles. They may want to take some back for sampling test for dangerous chemicals or drugs. I just can’t imagine what the authority is capable of doing in cases like this when they are going to exercise their full rights and privileges being the authority.

The poor Singapore team is going to have a rough time, I think. And now is December. Better send them more warm clothing.

Pearl Harbour – The unremorseful Japanese

December 8, 1941, Japan conducted a sneaky attack against the American Pacific in Pearl Harbour, sinking almost every ship that was in the harbor.  Today, a Japanese is commanding the American Pacific Fleet. And there is another Japanese commanding the Japan Self Defense Force. And to mark the day of infamy, Japanese Prime Minister Abe finally paid a visit to the site of horror where thousands of innocent Americans were murdered in cold blood without knowing what hit them. Abe was not there to say sorry, to apologise for the dastardly attack against the Americans but just to commemorate the incident. Remorseful?

The Japanese have not heeded the lessons of Pearl Harbour. They are not remorseful and so were Abe and his ministers. They did not regret the death and destruction they caused to the Americans and the victims in Asia and South East Asia. In an article by a Kuni Miyake, a former diplomat, in the Today paper, he got the cheek to title it ‘China should heed the lessons of Pearl Harbour’. He did not think Japan should heed this lesson except regretting on the ‘hubris and miscalculation that led to the attack’, not the shameful and vicious killings of innocents in Pearl Harbour and Asia. Japan is rearming to the hilt, tore away their pacifist constitution and is ready to conduct wars once again.

Japan does not heed the lessons of Pearl Harbour.  China must. China must prepare for another ‘Pearl Harbour’ by the sneaky Japanese against Chinese ports and naval fleets. The Japanese have arrogantly returned to their Pearl Harbour days and mentality, eager to engage in wars. The Japanese so called Self Defense Force is as big, or even bigger than their WW2 fleet and the largest in Asia, second only to China.

When would Japan learn the lessons of Pearl Harbour? Is Japan waiting for a Pearl Harbour on Yokohama or one of its harbours before it learns its lesson not to conduct wars, not to engage in wars? Japan must know that the next lessons would be the end of Japan if it dares to conduct another war of aggression against is neighbours or against the Americans.

Would Japan learn the lessons of Pearl Harbour before it is too late? Neigh, they think they could conquer the world one more time.

PS. Is this Japanese warning and threatening China that Japan would do a Pearl Harbour on China?