It was a piece of gloomy news that Kishore is retiring from his mentor’s
namesake LKY School of Public Policy in yesterday’s media. I look at
this development with a lot of misgivings. Kishore is just touching 70,
at his prime for an academic and many good years to come. In the
academia, people grew with age and experience. Many of more senior age
are still plodding along well and good, but not many are of his caliber.
Like him or disagree with him, Kishore is an independent thinker, a very
rare specie in an island where everyone thinks he is an angmo
descendant after years of being fed with a western diet and believing
that hamburger is good for him, his daily bread. Many of these pseudo
Asian intellects are veneer thin western droids manufactured and made in
the USA and thinking exactly like replicas of little USAs.
The departure of Kishore will lead to a vacuum that is difficult to fill
but will be filled as they, as usual, would go around the world looking
for another foreign talent to shit over the locals, oops, I mean
Singaporeans. Is there anymore Singaporeans left that could think
independently as an Asian? Many would think very carefully what they are
going to say to be politically correct.
How many Singaporeans could have the honour of being invited to address
American Ivy League universities? How many Singaporeans could sit in the
same forum panel to discuss world issues with the best in the world
without fumbling like a school boy?
Kishore is one of the brightest academics and thinkers that we have
produced, of the LKY era. He was LKY’s favourite showman. Now that the
LKY era has been eclipsed so would those that rose with that man. With
Kishore passing on, not many of the pioneers of his stature would be
left standing. And who is there to fill the void? I don’t see anyone
filling his shoe and yes, better look for another foreigner of unknown
background but a string of glittering degrees from God knows where
waiting to be discovered as another fraud.
The grass is greener over the other side. There is novelty in
foreigners, many passing off as young genius in the eyes of the gullible
and naïve red dot that don’t believe in its own people.
With his experience and reputation, I don’t think Kishore is going to
fade away just yet. There will be others that would appreciate his
thoughts and ideas. Singapore’s loss is another’s gain. Another case of
exchanging our talent with foreign duds is in the making.
Did someone said Singapore is getting dirtier? Must be the rubbish that are being welcome here.
11/07/2017
Asean countries should trade less with China to avoid dependency
In an article by a Sulaiman Daub posted in the mothership.sg, he
advocated that Asean countries should trade less with China to avoid a
dependency relationship with China and came under the influence of
China. In his piece he quoted this,
'In a paper published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), academic Sanchita Bandu Das argues that China is using its growing economic strength to advance its political agenda in Southeast Asia, including its strong position on South China Sea issues and negotiating for the use of Chinese technology, supplies and workers for China-financed infrastructure projects.'
The same article also mentioned 'white elephant' projects initiated by China like the BRI, ports in Sri Lanka and highways in East Malaysia. There is some logic to this kind of thinking. And there are alternatives to just trading and depending on China for infrastructure building. The assumption is that the govts of these countries engaging in trades with China and with China making more profits are daft, especially those that joined the BRI, built ports and highway that are white elephants and have no or little benefits to their countries. I would not try to argue on behalf of these govts and leave it to them to justify their 'stupid' actions.
While trade in these cases favoured China, it is true that these countries need not continue trading with China. They can choose to trade with Japan and the West. But if the products from these countries are too expensive and they could not afford them, they can always look to India for Make in India products. I think these products, if available, would be much cheaper than China's and would be a good substitute. India could replace China to build highways, ports, high speed trains and mobile phones etc.
As for infrastructure projects like the ports in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan govt can send trade delegations to Europe, USA or Japan to invite them to build instead of China. Oh, England is a good candidate too, the former colonial master that looted the island but forgot to build a decent port like what the Chinese are building for the Sri Lankans. Likewise countries in land locked Central Asia can follow this option or dispense with the 'white elephant' projects since they are white elephants and remain isolated and cut off from the maritime trade routes..
Actually the Americans are having the biggest trade deficit with China compares with the Asean states. The big question, why would the Americans continue to buy China and not buy European or Japanese products or the cheaper Indian products? The Americans cannot be so stupid right? And this applies to more than half of the world that chose China as their number one or number two trading partner despite the trade deficits. Stupid or what?
China, unlike the colonial masters that came to rob and loot these former colonised countries with gunboats, negotiates and trades with these ex colonies on a willing buyer willing seller basis. No guns pointing at their heads. If the govts of these countries, given all the options available, they are not stupid for sure, still choose to trade with China, there must be some logic to it.
I would like to see these 'disadvantaged ex colonies' steering away from trading with China and choose to buy more expensive products from the West and Japan or cheaper products from India. That is only logical when they put everything under the microscope to compare prices and benefits.
Who is the idiot?
PS. The Indians have conceded that the Chinese are making products that are cheaper than the Indians in India. Even the Indian gods are made in China.
'In a paper published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), academic Sanchita Bandu Das argues that China is using its growing economic strength to advance its political agenda in Southeast Asia, including its strong position on South China Sea issues and negotiating for the use of Chinese technology, supplies and workers for China-financed infrastructure projects.'
The same article also mentioned 'white elephant' projects initiated by China like the BRI, ports in Sri Lanka and highways in East Malaysia. There is some logic to this kind of thinking. And there are alternatives to just trading and depending on China for infrastructure building. The assumption is that the govts of these countries engaging in trades with China and with China making more profits are daft, especially those that joined the BRI, built ports and highway that are white elephants and have no or little benefits to their countries. I would not try to argue on behalf of these govts and leave it to them to justify their 'stupid' actions.
While trade in these cases favoured China, it is true that these countries need not continue trading with China. They can choose to trade with Japan and the West. But if the products from these countries are too expensive and they could not afford them, they can always look to India for Make in India products. I think these products, if available, would be much cheaper than China's and would be a good substitute. India could replace China to build highways, ports, high speed trains and mobile phones etc.
As for infrastructure projects like the ports in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan govt can send trade delegations to Europe, USA or Japan to invite them to build instead of China. Oh, England is a good candidate too, the former colonial master that looted the island but forgot to build a decent port like what the Chinese are building for the Sri Lankans. Likewise countries in land locked Central Asia can follow this option or dispense with the 'white elephant' projects since they are white elephants and remain isolated and cut off from the maritime trade routes..
Actually the Americans are having the biggest trade deficit with China compares with the Asean states. The big question, why would the Americans continue to buy China and not buy European or Japanese products or the cheaper Indian products? The Americans cannot be so stupid right? And this applies to more than half of the world that chose China as their number one or number two trading partner despite the trade deficits. Stupid or what?
China, unlike the colonial masters that came to rob and loot these former colonised countries with gunboats, negotiates and trades with these ex colonies on a willing buyer willing seller basis. No guns pointing at their heads. If the govts of these countries, given all the options available, they are not stupid for sure, still choose to trade with China, there must be some logic to it.
I would like to see these 'disadvantaged ex colonies' steering away from trading with China and choose to buy more expensive products from the West and Japan or cheaper products from India. That is only logical when they put everything under the microscope to compare prices and benefits.
Who is the idiot?
PS. The Indians have conceded that the Chinese are making products that are cheaper than the Indians in India. Even the Indian gods are made in China.
11/06/2017
Hsien Loong hearing voices
Hsien Loong said he often heard voices of LKY, words of wisdom that he
could rely upon to make political decisions. Could not remember what he
heard but he quoted something, was it about the Elected President?
Anyway, LKY said a lot of things and many are still relevant and
applicable but many are obsolete or irrelevant in today's context. For
instance his advice on taking up a govt scholarship to pursue a degree
and subsequently join the civil service or PAP, I mean politics as a
career. I can't disagree with him on this then as this was and still is
the shortest and quickest and most assured road to instant multi
millionaire for a young man without much working experience in the
commercial world, without having to work to produce something of value.
I said I disagree on this is as many ministers have openly spoken out against having a degree while some even said a degree is really useless. It is skills that are more important. Fake degrees also never mind as long as people think you have the skills. Degrees cannot be eaten. So if degree is not important, what is the point of being a scholar? However some would say a scholar with a degree is different from a non scholar without a degree. Ok, I can accept that. The instant millionaire route is still relevant but for how long?
Now where was I? Oops, I was talking about Hsien Loong hearing voices. I think he did not hear this from LKY, and I quote, “Everything works, whether its water, electricity, gas, telephone, telexes, it just has to work. If it doesn’t work, I want to know why, and if I am not satisfied, and I often was not, the chief goes, and I have to find another chief. Firing the chief is very simple.“
LKY also used to say this proudly, ‘in Singapore, when you push a button, it works’. That was his Singapore. Can't say this about the SMRT today. In the latter it is more like every time a button is pushed, nothing works. The faults plaguing the SMRT are like a daily affair and if there is no fault in one day, it is a pleasant exception. This is Hsien Loong's Singapore, not LKY's Singapore.
Why did I bring this up? It is in everyone's lip, the amnesty offered by Desmond Kuek to his staff to own up for non compliance, non performance or even dereliction of duty. This is the first time such an idea is being used in Singapore, pardon first for non performance or violation of standard operating procedure, deceit, and talk later. You can imagine the kind of aghast and the shock waves spreading across the island.
There is a disbelief that Singapore's work ethics has degenerated to this level. Hsien Loong probably did not hear this in his head. LKY must be fuming if he is alive. This is not the Singapore he created or at least at one time during his watch.
LKY better makes his voice heard to make things better. How many CEOs would have lost their jobs in SMRT if he was in charge? Nowadays quite senang. Fingers point here point there and point everywhere. Definitely not my problem, OPP is other people's problem. Not bad for collecting millions every year with no accountability
Latest heard that Desmond Kuek’s amnesty bore immediate result. Several staff had owned up and they were duly sacked despite the condition that no punishment would be meted out. This part a bit grey and people could interpret it either way. Yes, no punishment, just leave. Some would argue that sacking is a punishment. The union would have ‘one head two big’, scratching on how to tackle this new development.
I said I disagree on this is as many ministers have openly spoken out against having a degree while some even said a degree is really useless. It is skills that are more important. Fake degrees also never mind as long as people think you have the skills. Degrees cannot be eaten. So if degree is not important, what is the point of being a scholar? However some would say a scholar with a degree is different from a non scholar without a degree. Ok, I can accept that. The instant millionaire route is still relevant but for how long?
Now where was I? Oops, I was talking about Hsien Loong hearing voices. I think he did not hear this from LKY, and I quote, “Everything works, whether its water, electricity, gas, telephone, telexes, it just has to work. If it doesn’t work, I want to know why, and if I am not satisfied, and I often was not, the chief goes, and I have to find another chief. Firing the chief is very simple.“
LKY also used to say this proudly, ‘in Singapore, when you push a button, it works’. That was his Singapore. Can't say this about the SMRT today. In the latter it is more like every time a button is pushed, nothing works. The faults plaguing the SMRT are like a daily affair and if there is no fault in one day, it is a pleasant exception. This is Hsien Loong's Singapore, not LKY's Singapore.
Why did I bring this up? It is in everyone's lip, the amnesty offered by Desmond Kuek to his staff to own up for non compliance, non performance or even dereliction of duty. This is the first time such an idea is being used in Singapore, pardon first for non performance or violation of standard operating procedure, deceit, and talk later. You can imagine the kind of aghast and the shock waves spreading across the island.
There is a disbelief that Singapore's work ethics has degenerated to this level. Hsien Loong probably did not hear this in his head. LKY must be fuming if he is alive. This is not the Singapore he created or at least at one time during his watch.
LKY better makes his voice heard to make things better. How many CEOs would have lost their jobs in SMRT if he was in charge? Nowadays quite senang. Fingers point here point there and point everywhere. Definitely not my problem, OPP is other people's problem. Not bad for collecting millions every year with no accountability
Latest heard that Desmond Kuek’s amnesty bore immediate result. Several staff had owned up and they were duly sacked despite the condition that no punishment would be meted out. This part a bit grey and people could interpret it either way. Yes, no punishment, just leave. Some would argue that sacking is a punishment. The union would have ‘one head two big’, scratching on how to tackle this new development.
11/05/2017
The faces of Rugao 国强民安
The faces of Rugao 国强民安
I spent a week in Rugao, Jiangsu, a 3rd or 4th tier city about 200 km northwest of Shanghai participating in the 20th Asian Masters Athletics Championship. I went there with a simple expectation, other than trying to get into the finals of the 100m event for the 65-69 age group, to take some good photos of historical architecture, of a China before development wipes away all that was there in the past. I lugged along my SLR, which I normally don’t especially when I was there to run and not sightseeing. It was a piece of baggage that I would have to bear with for the whole trip.
I did not get to see what I would want to see in Rugao, a city famous for having the most centenarians alive in China. We arrived at Rugao nearly midnight and the first sight of Rugao was in the morning, from the window of Wenfeng City Hotel. There, right in front of me were rows and rows of neatly built and good quality low rise homes of pretty recent origin. And there were many high rise condomium rising in the distance. The streets were landscaped and manicured and not much different from Singapore.
The infrastructure of Rugao was everything a modern city could look for, not a small, tired, rundown 3rd tier city away from the futuristic coastal cities. I managed to sneak away into the villages and along the way the sight was of newly built farmers' homes, built just behind the small living quarters of the past. The few remnants of the past that were still standing have been rebuilt and served the owners in their bigger homes as storerooms or garages.
The only pieces of the past left in Rugao were the mansion of Mo Biqiang and Dong Xiaowan and a well preserved patched of low ancient houses right in the heart of the city. These houses still served as living quarters to some residents and small commercial enterprises. The mansion and the houses were some 400 years old and stood there to remind the people of the way of life of their forebears.
What really impressed me was the sight of the people of Rugao. The people were pretty well off, well heeled, living in good quality homes and looking very contented with their lives. The children, the youth and the young were a pleasant surprise. They were all at the stadium during the Opening Ceremony for the Asian Masters. Some were there to perform, some were there as spectators to this international events. And the unpredictable happened, the sky opened up, and everyone was wet. But the youth and children came well prepared, with a thin transparent raincoat over their costumes and their latest trendy wear.
The rain did not dampen their free spirit. They ran, but to the stadium, not away. They were there to celebrate a big international event, to welcome the visitors to their home town. What was written all over their faces was a future of hope, confidence and well being. Their innocence, their free spirit, their laughter, there was not a hint of fear or uncertainties in them, as they celebrated life. For over 200 years, the children of China had never slept well or eaten well. (两百多年,中国儿女,没有一天睡的好,吃的饱). The youth then never knew what was growing up like as children. They did not have that luxury. Those days are history, not to happen again. The faces of the Rugao children today are the faces of joy, of a happy young people living for now and for a better tomorrow as young people should.
China today has reached a point where the people could live life, enjoy peace and be themselves without a worry. Such a privilege only comes about when the country is strong and prosperous and well managed. It is like the saying, 国强民安. The children and youth of Rugao are a manifestation of the children and youth of China today, living in a time when security and prosperity are a new normal. To live a happy and cheerful life of plenty, being young and enjoying growing up as children and young adults (无忧无愁) shielded from the vagaries of life, with a bright and secure future that a strong and prosperous China has bestowed upon them. The children and youth of Rugao and all over China are the new China, a people blessed to live a life never the same as the parents and grand parents of old China. This is the new China and the China Dream.
Below are some pictures of the children of Rugao.
I spent a week in Rugao, Jiangsu, a 3rd or 4th tier city about 200 km northwest of Shanghai participating in the 20th Asian Masters Athletics Championship. I went there with a simple expectation, other than trying to get into the finals of the 100m event for the 65-69 age group, to take some good photos of historical architecture, of a China before development wipes away all that was there in the past. I lugged along my SLR, which I normally don’t especially when I was there to run and not sightseeing. It was a piece of baggage that I would have to bear with for the whole trip.
I did not get to see what I would want to see in Rugao, a city famous for having the most centenarians alive in China. We arrived at Rugao nearly midnight and the first sight of Rugao was in the morning, from the window of Wenfeng City Hotel. There, right in front of me were rows and rows of neatly built and good quality low rise homes of pretty recent origin. And there were many high rise condomium rising in the distance. The streets were landscaped and manicured and not much different from Singapore.
The infrastructure of Rugao was everything a modern city could look for, not a small, tired, rundown 3rd tier city away from the futuristic coastal cities. I managed to sneak away into the villages and along the way the sight was of newly built farmers' homes, built just behind the small living quarters of the past. The few remnants of the past that were still standing have been rebuilt and served the owners in their bigger homes as storerooms or garages.
The only pieces of the past left in Rugao were the mansion of Mo Biqiang and Dong Xiaowan and a well preserved patched of low ancient houses right in the heart of the city. These houses still served as living quarters to some residents and small commercial enterprises. The mansion and the houses were some 400 years old and stood there to remind the people of the way of life of their forebears.
What really impressed me was the sight of the people of Rugao. The people were pretty well off, well heeled, living in good quality homes and looking very contented with their lives. The children, the youth and the young were a pleasant surprise. They were all at the stadium during the Opening Ceremony for the Asian Masters. Some were there to perform, some were there as spectators to this international events. And the unpredictable happened, the sky opened up, and everyone was wet. But the youth and children came well prepared, with a thin transparent raincoat over their costumes and their latest trendy wear.
The rain did not dampen their free spirit. They ran, but to the stadium, not away. They were there to celebrate a big international event, to welcome the visitors to their home town. What was written all over their faces was a future of hope, confidence and well being. Their innocence, their free spirit, their laughter, there was not a hint of fear or uncertainties in them, as they celebrated life. For over 200 years, the children of China had never slept well or eaten well. (两百多年,中国儿女,没有一天睡的好,吃的饱). The youth then never knew what was growing up like as children. They did not have that luxury. Those days are history, not to happen again. The faces of the Rugao children today are the faces of joy, of a happy young people living for now and for a better tomorrow as young people should.
China today has reached a point where the people could live life, enjoy peace and be themselves without a worry. Such a privilege only comes about when the country is strong and prosperous and well managed. It is like the saying, 国强民安. The children and youth of Rugao are a manifestation of the children and youth of China today, living in a time when security and prosperity are a new normal. To live a happy and cheerful life of plenty, being young and enjoying growing up as children and young adults (无忧无愁) shielded from the vagaries of life, with a bright and secure future that a strong and prosperous China has bestowed upon them. The children and youth of Rugao and all over China are the new China, a people blessed to live a life never the same as the parents and grand parents of old China. This is the new China and the China Dream.
Below are some pictures of the children of Rugao.
11/04/2017
Singaporeans should venture abroad, Singapore too small 猛龙过江 or 小虫过江
This seems to be a favourite mantra to the elite. Singapore business
must go overseas, NTUC training our retrenched PMETs to go overseas to
work. Superficially this sounds logical. Singapore is indeed too small
for our growing companies and they need to spread their wings abroad to
grow.
What these talkers did not say or ask is that many third world companies are flooding into Singapore to do roaring businesses. And all the unemployed third world workers are rushing here to take up jobs, steal jobs from Singaporeans and with many queuing to come in.
While the elites are calling Singaporeans and Singapore companies to go overseas, they did not mind the foreigners to come in and replace the Singaporeans and Singapore companies here. Is there anything wrong with this situation?
Why are Singaporeans encouraged/forced to go overseas and their places at home being taken over by hungry foreigners? What is the long term effect and damages to this country and people?
Yes, we are going to be replaced by foreigners, our country and homes, jobs, our govt and commercial institutions, schools, universities etc etc and even the ministries and govt.
Unfortunately our schools do not teach the meanings of nationhood and what it will be like if we lose our country and become boat people, being kicked out of our own country by inviting too many foreigners here and they have a different agenda of their own, to take over everything we have built.
This is the consequence of not knowing that we are a nation, a country and this is our country, not a piece of land belonging to everyone.
Still thinking of leaving your homes and leaving your country to the foreigners? Should not we be securing our home base first with Singaporeans and then go overseas?
PS. If Singaporeans unable to find jobs here, would they be able to compete overseas? Maybe for low paying jobs.
What these talkers did not say or ask is that many third world companies are flooding into Singapore to do roaring businesses. And all the unemployed third world workers are rushing here to take up jobs, steal jobs from Singaporeans and with many queuing to come in.
While the elites are calling Singaporeans and Singapore companies to go overseas, they did not mind the foreigners to come in and replace the Singaporeans and Singapore companies here. Is there anything wrong with this situation?
Why are Singaporeans encouraged/forced to go overseas and their places at home being taken over by hungry foreigners? What is the long term effect and damages to this country and people?
Yes, we are going to be replaced by foreigners, our country and homes, jobs, our govt and commercial institutions, schools, universities etc etc and even the ministries and govt.
Unfortunately our schools do not teach the meanings of nationhood and what it will be like if we lose our country and become boat people, being kicked out of our own country by inviting too many foreigners here and they have a different agenda of their own, to take over everything we have built.
This is the consequence of not knowing that we are a nation, a country and this is our country, not a piece of land belonging to everyone.
Still thinking of leaving your homes and leaving your country to the foreigners? Should not we be securing our home base first with Singaporeans and then go overseas?
PS. If Singaporeans unable to find jobs here, would they be able to compete overseas? Maybe for low paying jobs.
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