Kishore Mahbubani – Telling the unpleasant truth is hard to do

When Singapore was beating its gongs and blowing its trumpets during the South China Sea claims by the Philippines and screaming that the fake Tribunal was ‘UN backed’ and China must obey or be seen as not abiding by the rule of law, I thought Kishore would say something to cool down the hot heads in the Foreign Ministry and the Rajaratnam School of International Relations. He did not.
 
Perhaps he was still recovering from his ops. Or maybe he was just folding his arms and standing by the ring side, telling himself it was better for the hot heads to learn the lesson the hard way. Subsequently the teacher did deliver the lesson. Whether the hot heads have learnt anything, this I am not too sure, and I think not likely though they kept a very low profile for a while, probably gagged from doing more damage to Singapore China relations.
 
Finally after a long wait, Kishore opened up. The School of Lee Kuan Yew did not share the youthful or naïve enthusiasm of the Rajaratnam School. You see, today information is everywhere, knowledge is everywhere, at the finger tips. There is no need to go to the library and bury oneself in tomes of literature to gather knowledge and information. The difference between two persons having the same store of knowledge is the wisdom in understanding, interpreting and applying the knowledge. That separates the boys from the men.
 
When there is an eclipse of the moon, some will take out their gongs and drums and beat to their hearts content for the moon to reappear. The wise and knowing will just wait for the truth to show up. Everyone is concerned, but beating the drums and gongs like crazy would not help but to make one looked crazy in this modern world.
 
What Kishore said is the hard truth, the painful truth, but the stubborn and arrogant would not want to understand. It is difficult and painful to be told of the unpleasant truth. Singapore was what it was during the time of LKY, being a big mouth in everything, was not because Singapore was principled or strong, but because of LKY. He was the senior statesman that achieved a lot in his life time. He was the oracle, the Jedi master that green political leaders would come to beg for some pieces of enlightenment. He could say anything he want and they would defer to him. Singapore’s politicians then rode on his coat tail to talk big. Now he is gone. No one could fit that shoe and think he could talk like LKY and people around the world would listen to. 

Some arrogant nuts would think otherwise, that they are as clever and influential as LKY and demand respect from leaders of the world, to listen to their cocky stories.
It is painful to delve further into this silly mindset that Singapore must blow its trumpets and beat its gongs on grounds of principles. Kishore reminded the hot heads that Singapore went against its principles to join the Americans to invade Iraq without the consent of the UN. Why, to serve Singapore’s interest, to join the world’s number one bully to invade a smaller country and think it was safe to do so? Kishore was warning the hot heads that Qatar too did the same only to be turned against and dropped by the Americans.
 
Yes, Singapore was not a tame dog to the Americans. Would it sound better being the barking dog, the attack dog of the Americans? Singapore could talk big during the time of LKY on two important factors. One is the LKY dominant presence. The second was to be in the American camp with the Americans standing behind it. Today LKY is gone. Singapore still can talk big with the Americans standing behind. But be careful. This big bully has many interests and should its other interests rule to favour others more than Singapore, than it is going to screw Singapore in the back.
 
Oops, I think everyone has been chirping that there is no permanent friend but permanent interests. Is this so difficult to understand? Should Singapore throw everything into a relationship and cut all other options loose, and keep shouting and bragging about its ability to punch above its weight with a big bully standing behind, or standing on the shoulders of the big bully? Isn’t this dangerous, like riding a tiger and unable to dismount? Is this good for a small state?
 
The contest for wisdom, not ideas, between the Lee Kuan Yew School and the Rajaratnam School has started. If the latter has its way, we can expect to hear more shouting by Singapore and China would not be too nice to Singapore again. If the former’s wisdom rules, then the hot heads would be kept in a tight leash, not allowed to bark crazily thinking that the more they shout, that only they have principles and others did not, it is ok, that Singapore may be small, but Singapore can punch above its weight, with big bully around to protect Singapore.
 
I think the Rajaratnam School would triumph in this match as they have more hot heads and is better at shouting down their opponents. Kishore is going to be alone in the Lee Kuan Yew School as no one would have the dare to shout back except to apologise for Kishore’s excesses in his ideas.
 
China, please respect Singapore’s principles, abide by the rule of law and listen carefully to what Singapore is going to say about the South China Sea, all over again.
 
PS. Would Singapore be able to punch above its weight, to talk big and loud without the Americans standing at the back?

The story of loyalty in Red Dot

Until the death of LKY in 2015, loyalty in Singapore is synonymous with LKY. From the politicians, party stalwarts and the common people in the streets, loyalty means loyalty to LKY. The final show of loyalty was the last day of his funeral. No Singaporean leader has ever come close to the kind of relationship and intimacy between LKY and the masses at large. There was a bond between him and many people out there, young and old.
 
During the GE, this loyalty to LKY was somewhat transferred or inherited by Hsien Loong and the PAP as LKY’s party. Loyalty to LKY, to PAP and to Hsien Loong was never tested or challenged till the current feud between the siblings. There was no occasion to choose loyalty to who. With Hsien Yang and Wei Ling taking sides against Hsien Loong, this loyalty is now in question. Would the loyalty to LKY be just to Hsien Loong or would there be people who would split this loyalty equally among the children of LKY, 1/3 each?
 
The loyalty to LKY has never been questioned or doubted at least among the PAP members and among the MPs and ministers. This appears to be cracking and apparently some PAP politicians have openly threw stones at LKY, showing scant respect to him while defending his son Hsien Loong and attacking Hsien Yang and Wei Ling. There is a new loyalty to Hsien Loong. There is no indication that these people care two hoots about their loyalties to LKY or even gave it a second thought. LKY is history and there is a new loyalty to pledge to.
 
There is also the loyalty to Chok Tong. Chok Tong is still around and kicking on the side line. I think some must be quite close to Chok Tong and were beneficiaries and recipients of Chok Tong’s generosity and largesse and would be loyal to him especially when LKY is no longer in the equation.
 
Another element is the DPMs or senior PAP ministers. Do they have their own following and loyal supporters within the party or in the masses? This has never been an issue so far but when the moment comes when people and party members are faced with a choice, put in a position to make a choice, would the splintered loyalties to the different leaders become an influential factor in the fate of Hsien Loong or the next PAP leader? Or would they play down their loyalties to other individuals, suppressed them in favour of one leader like during LKY’s era and pledge their loyalties to Hsien Loong?
 
Would the different loyalties be fractious enough to pose a challenge to Hsien Loong’s position as the undisputed leader of the PAP or would the present fracas throw up a new leader to challenge Hsien Loong’s leadership? Is his command and control of the PAP as dominant as his father LKY and continue to rule unchallenged at least for some time to come?

The price of filial piety - $24m or $36m

There have been many guesses as to how much Hsien Yang paid Hsien Loong for the property at 38 Oxley Road. All that was known was that he paid at market price plus 50% or 150% of the market value of the property of about 12,000 sq ft. Some have made an estimate of $2,000 per sq ft for the land or approximately $24m. This is how the $24m number is being tossed around.
 
Why did Hsien Yang want to pay so much for this piece of property? For all we know or read, he wanted to fulfill his father’s last wish, that is to demolish the property when Wei Ling decided not to stay in the house. As simple as that. Of course some people have made many other inferences of his motive and intention, like he wants to build a multi storey condo on it and make a big profit from this deal. Hsien Yang has disputed this by saying he has offered to turn the property into a memorial garden for Lee Kuan Yew.
 
Both Hsien Yang and Wei Ling are fighting very hard to want to grant their father and mother their last wish, to demolish this house. This kind of filial piety is normally immeasurable. But in this case, at least one can put a monetary number to it as the minimum value of filial piety. It is $24m or $36m, a handsome sum they have paid, or Hsien Yang had paid, as a filial son.
 
How many people can afford or willing to pay so much money to show how much they respect and love their parents? Filial piety does not come cheap. It is rare that one can attach a value to it. This is the least Hsien Yang has paid.

The price I paid for the house was simply a price I paid to ensure my father’s wishes are honoured' Lee Hsien Yang

Singapore idol takes a beating

Barely two years after his departure from the face of Singapore and

Singapore’s political scene, this issue suddenly surfaced overnight. No one

would expect anyone to be attacking or deriding this famous founding father

of Singapore, to be brazenly attacking him personally as a person so soon

after his death, and so soon even when his party is still in absolute power

and his son is the unchallenged PM of the island. This is surprising to

everyone, even to his own party members and to the cabinet and the MPs. Who

in his right mind would dare to attack or throw negative comments at LKY

when his son is still the PM of the island?

Unfortunately this unpleasant truth is now out in the open, in the main

media and in social media. People on both sides of the political divide are

not holding their punches and are embolden by the fact that PAP ministers

are also in the game, attacking or ridiculing LKY as a man with many flaws,

unthinking or unclear in his thinking or maybe senile if not wishy washy.

What is more unexpected is that despite of all the things thrown at LKY,

only Hsien Yang and Wei Ling have stood up to defend their father and

hitting out at those saying bad things about their father. What is more

surprising is that no one on the PAP side thinks it a responsibility to

stand up to stop the barbs hurled at LKY. No minister has done so, no MP

has done so, no old or senior PAP stalwart has done so. It is like anyone

is free to do so, at your own time, your own target, fire.

So many are taking pot shots at LKY and it is not funny anymore. Poor

thing.

Are there anyone out there, within the PAP or in the public, in the civil

service, people who were beneficiaries of LKY’s policies and decisions, be

willing to stand up to defend this man they once revered and cried for?

No, no?

Anyone wants to defend kong kong? Defending kong kong is an honourable

thing to do. Never mind if the politicians are keeping mum. He is not their

kong kong after all.

3rd of July - A day of infamy...or honour?

4th of July is the American Independence Day, a day for celebration. 3rd of July would become a very important day for Singapore and Singaporeans. On this day, Hsien Loong would be defending his integrity in Parliament, defending his position on his father's last wish, and defending the allegations by his brother and sister on the abuse of power or corruption of power. And all the MPs would be there to defend him or challenge him. No, they are there not to simply ask question. At the end of the session there is likely to be a vote of confidence on Hsien Loong's integrity and leadership as the Prime Minister.

All 81 PAP MPs are expected to vote for Hsien Loong and all 6 WP's MPs would vote against him should a vote of confidence is called no matter if the whip is lifted. No need to guess further. There could be a few votes less for Hsien Loong should a few think it wise to go to the toilet or to be on urgent leave on that day.

What would these PAP MPs be voting for? No need to ask the this question on the WP MPs. Would they be voting for honour, honesty, integrity, moral righteousness or loyalty to Hsien Loong and the PAP? Or would they be voting for the good of Singapore, Singapore's reputation as an honest and rule of law country, a country free from corruption of power and money?

On 3rd of July, all the PAP MPs must cast their vote and it will reveal what they are really made of, what they stood for, what is important to them and what is not. Not only that Hsien Loong's integrity would be called to question, every PAP MP's integrity and honour would be called to question. And they would be making a point in Parliament when they vote, of who and what they are.

On 3rd of July, the people will be watching very carefully on what the MPs said and do, on whether they deserve the respect and continue support of the people, their voters and the people of Singapore. 3rd of July would be the day to test the mettle of the PAP MPs. Abstain from voting is not an option, you are in or out.

I remember the day when at the peak of his career, Mahathir thought he was indispensable, told his ministers and MPs in Parliament that he would step down thinking that they would go down on their knees to beg him to stay on. Never would he expect that they were waiting just for that day and for him to say he would want to step down. Without missing a beat, his ministers quickly cut in to thank him for his good deeds and regretted that he was stepping down but reluctantly accepted his stepping down. They gave Mahathir no chance to retract from what he said. It was over. This must have caught Mahathir with his pants down. He could not turn around to say he was joking or did not mean what he said, and wanted to stay on as the PM. He sealed his own fate himself.

Would there be a similar moment on 3 Jul when Hsien Loong called for a vote of confidence believing that he would get 100% support from the PAP camp but to his horror, 70% voted no confidence in him as the PM? This of course is like the sun rising from the West, not in Singapore. But should such an event happen on 3 Jul, Hsien Loong could end up like Mahathir, unable to stay on as the PM. It would be a self designed bloodless coup and Singapore would have a new PM. OK, OK, don't bet on it that such a thing would ever happen in Singapore. In Singapore everything is carefully planned and under control. Oops, don’t remind me of the MRT. This is just a wild, wild thought, too much hallucination perhaps… TGIF.