9/27/2018

American’s white lie in the UN General Assembly

Without blinking an eye, Trump threatens Iran with more sanctions based on these white lies when he spoke at the UN GA in front of leaders of the world.
 

In a REUTERS’ report this was what Trump accused the Iranians of, ‘a “corrupt dictatorship” that is plundering its people to pay for aggression abroad, ….”Iran’s leaders sow chaos, death and destruction,” …”They do not respect their neighbours or borders or the sovereign rights of nations.”’
 

Trump also attacked the legitimate International Criminal Court that is fully backed by the UN a having “no jurisdiction, no legitimacy and no authority” over the Americans. Compare this court to the so called commercial arbitration court in the Hague that was set up unilaterally to hear the South China Sea dispute which the Americans and the silly little USAs claimed was UN backed and its ruling should be followed? Which one is UN backed and which one is not and which one is legitimate and which is not?
 

And think about all the silly Asian and SE Asian countries that willingly accepted the jurisdiction of American courts against their citizens and happily abided by their orders? Think Najib, 1MDB and his luxury yacht? Why would silly Asian and SE Asian countries subject themselves to the rulings to the American courts? Are they American colonies? The Americans have unilaterally imposed their American laws on other countries as if they owned these countries.
 

Coming back to what Trump accused Iran of, were they not exactly what the Americans were doing, ‘sowing chaos, death and destruction, not respecting their neighbours or borders or the sovereign rights of nations?”
 

What gave the Americans the rights to put their soldiers in Iraq, in Syria or in Afghanistan to fight American bred and funded, and trained ‘terrorists’?
 

How many of the leaders in the UN believe in this white American lie spouted by Trump? How many of you believe in this lie of Trump?
 

Would be more proper and appropriate for the UN to ‘ensure the American evil regime changes its behavior and never acquires a nuclear bomb instead of building more powerful and destructive bombs?’ Would it be more opportune for the UN to start to impose sanctions on the Americans for starting wars everywhere, threatening nations with sanctions and wars and supporting and training rebel and terrorist organizations to destabilize legitimate govt and countries?
 

The USA is a peace loving country? How many wars is it fighting today and how many wars it is going to start tomorrow?

On every count it is a rogue country, an Evil Empire.

9/26/2018

Harvesting Peace @ DPRK (North Korea)


A Post-Mission Report

First DPRK Business Mission 2018
18-22 September 2018

At The Dawn of Peace @ DPRK (North Korea)
We were there when peace began in the Korean Peninsula. 

From 18-22 September 2018, invited by the DPRK Committee for the Promotion of International Trade (KOMT) in conjunction with the DPRK Ministry of External Economic Relations (MEER), our 5-day fact-finding Business Mission was designed to empower and facilitate Singapore companies, businesses, investors, CEOs and entrepreneurs to explore and grow market opportunities and possibilities in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.














This historic First Business Mission to DPRK, invited by the DPRK Committee for the Promotion of International Trade (KOMT) in conjunction with the DPRK Ministry of External Economic Relations (MEER), was an exclusive opportunity for discovery and inspiration to uncover and leverage on the diversity that
DPRK can add to the global marketplace of international trade and development.

We returned with a bundle of US$2+ billion worth of investment projects, possible the largest number by any business missions from Singapore to any countries.

We are however prohibited by current sanction laws to secure any of the projects in any formal contractual manner.  In the meantime, potential Korean partners and the participants shall continue to exchange ideas and suggestions on the possible nature and outcome of future project ventures.  The following are some of the investment-ready ventures:

·         Korea International Exhibition and Convention Complex (KIECC) – US$250m
·         30-Storey 5-Star Hotel in the KIECC Complex – US$150m
·         Tourist Bus Station – US$5.55m
·         Petrol Filling Stations – US$2.64m
·         Pelotherapy Clinic – US$1.8m
·         Offshore Seafood Farm – US$2.4m  
·         Seafood Distribution – US$500,000
·         Wonsan-Mt Kumgang Railway Renovation – US$324m
·         Brewery – US$53m
·         Songdowan Hotel Renovation – US$105m
·         Haean Hotel Hotel Renovation – US$25m
·         Mokran Restaurant Renovation – US$2.6m
·         Tanphung Restaurant Renovation – US$700,000
·         Health Service Complex – US$4.55m
·         Department Store Renovation – US$7.4m
·         Wonsan Lighting Apparatus Factory – US$2.75m
·         Wonsan Hotel Facilities Factory – US$2.13m
·         Development of a Singapore Industrial Park – US$600m-US$1billion

The Koreans expressed great interest, enthusiasm and eagerness to work with Singaporeans, whom they regard as the more experienced, modern and knowledgeable alternative to their current abundance of PRC Chinese businessmen already in DPRK.  Indeed, most of our Business Mission participants have richly diverse and vast hands-on business and management experiences in several ASEAN countries, as well as China, Japan, Europe and the USA.        

On 19 September 2018, DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea President Moon Jae-In signed the Pyongyang Declaration which also affirmed their earlier April 2018 Historic Panmunjeom Declaration. Together, they declared to the world to abide thoroughly by and faithfully implement the 2 Agreements and to take practical measures to transform the Korean Peninsula into a land of permanent peace. 












We arrived on the previous day at the modern Pyongyang FNJ Airport in the late afternoon, to be greeted and processed by a smiling and friendly Immigration Officer, and worked our way through Customs after baggage claims.  Modern baggage handling equipment and security screening sensors made for a smooth clearance.  Laptops and mobile phones were also carefully inspected for objectionable pictures and apps. The airport clearance was significantly faster and more efficient than in Beijing, Vietnam, Bangkok and Dubai (recently visited).   

Several senior staff from our Host KOMT warmly welcomed and greeted our arrival as we exit Customs. The 25-min road trip through Pyongyang streets saw many people walking along the roads, while others packed the numerous electric tram buses. There were also many cars, but no traffic jam. Traffic lights and ample road-signs make Pyongyang city indistinguishable from any developed modern metropolis. Many beautiful public parks, with landscaped bushes and flowers have gatherings of people with children and families, exercising or otherwise just resting by themselves or with loved ones.  Also saw so many students in their common sailor-like uniforms (Primary School) and white blouse (shorts)/blue skirt (trousers) co-ordinates for older kids.  The streets and roads were clean and litter-free, unlike some parts of China, Hochiminh city, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and many European cities.
















We finally arrived at the 4+ (but likely 5-star) Potonggong Hotel located beside the famous Potonggang (or Pothong) River which winds itself through Pyongyang City.  Check-in was instantaneous with passports in exchange for room keys.  Well-lighted air-conditioned rooms have bottled water, large beds with clean sheets, clean towels and usual toiletries, shower heads and a bathtub with hot&cold water, bath robes and the indispensable furry slippers.  Tap water is also drinkable.  A kettle with cups and glasses provide abundant water for the unquenchable. The colour TV with remote controls has mostly Chinese channels and also English news channels like Aljazeera and RT.  No BBC or CNN or Fox. Free internet connection is available via an Ethernet box in the room, while WIFI is available at the hotel lobby for just US$1.60 for 10 minutes.  What more can a tired traveller ask for?   
 
Breakfast has everything, ranging from eggs, toasts, noodles, fish, vegetable, rice, soups, milk, juices, coffee/tea … etc like the usual breakfast at any great hotels in the world. 

Investment and Financial Regulatory Framework
The next day, our meeting began with an overview of the financial investment regulatory framework and the applicable laws.  To the potential investor, they have sufficient details and are comprehensible in their English versions.   A complete guide to all the applicable investment laws can be found here.  They addressed the following key concern areas of potential investors:

1)   Types of Enterprises and Foreign Ownership Permitted;
2)   Contract Laws and Related Regulations;
3)   Industrial and Enterprise Dispute Settlements; and
4)   Movement of Funds and Profits Repatriation.

Mission participants were provided with the latest DPRK Investment Guide which detailed over 114-pages with information and address these key concerns of investors.  Their specific applications would however be customised to specific projects.  During discussions, there were sincere assurances of flexible accommodation to the needs of particular investors.  Some specific projects were used as illustrations. 


Wonsan-Mt Kumgang Opportunities
A special treat to the Business Mission was the presentation on Wonsan-Mt. Kumgang International Tourist Zone (“the Zone”) by the Project Director from the Korean Economic Development Agency responsible for its development. The Zone is a massive tourism project around Wonsan, a coastal city about 180 km from Pyongyang City.  It includes the areas of Wonsan, Masikryong Ski Resort, Ullim Falls, Sogwang Temple, Thongchon and Mt. Kumgang and covers an area of some 400 km².  In 2015, DPRK announced plans to invest US$7.8 billion (S$10.6 billion) into the Zone by 2025 with the aim to attract 1 million foreign tourists.  There are more than 30 feasible investment-ready projects ranging from US$50,000 to US$500,000 to US$4-US$100millions.

We have at least 12 feasible investment-ready projects for Singaporean consideration in the post-sanction Wonsan Zone. They include renewable energy eg wind turbines, new hotel developments and renovation of older hotels, repairs and upgrading of a mountain railway system, café and restaurants, petrol service stations, lighting factory, plastic goods factory, seafood restaurant, folk martial art centre, tourist bus station, fish farm, fitness centre and several others.   

The Zone has approximately 140 historical relics, 10 sand beaches, 680 tourist attractions, 4 mineral springs, several bathing resorts and natural lakes and more than 3.3 million tons of mud with therapeutic properties for neuralgia and colitis.


New Exhibition & Convention Centre + Hotel
We visited the 14th Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair in the ultra-modern 
Pyongyang’s Three Revolutions Exhibition Hall.  Just over 320 companies, with many Chinese companies were selling everything from car batteries to "kangaroo essence" health pills. Several other countries are also represented.  For example, a Russian medical technology company is selling heart-beat monitoring wrist watches, and the kangaroo capsules, supposedly good for the health, are being sold by a New Zealand company. Businesses from a few more countries, such as Italy and Cuba, are there seeking business opportunities, but not selling anything. The local products displayed were mostly clothing, traditional medicines, cosmetics, processed foods and beverages. Several DPRK’s main electronics makers also showed off their brands' flat-screen TVs, mobile phones, laptops and tablets.


Daily visitors to the 14th Autumn International Trade Fair exceeded 14,000 and nearly 45,000 during the entire event. The Korean International Exhibition and Convention Company (KIECC) have plans for a new exhibition cum convention complex which includes a 30-storey 5-star international hotel.  It would triple the exhibition area to accommodate 1,200 exhibitors from the current 400 capacity.  The estimated investment in the exhibition hall, without the hotel and convention centre, is US$250 million.  The entire project would likely require an investment of about US$400m-US$500m.    

Negotiations with some Chinese investors were recently terminated by the Chinese. We did not ask for the reason.  The opportunity for a Singapore-KIECC JV hereby presents itself for post-sanction agreement and execution.  The KIECC in fact invites the Singapore DPRK Business Mission to participate in the new IECC project because they knew and have seen Singapore’s experience and management expertise in mounting huge conventions and exhibitions at the Singapore Expo complex and Suntec Convention City Centre. 
















Nampho Development Region - Waudo-Jindo SEZ (JINXIN Park)
We travelled to Nampho, DPRK’s largest port city on the West coast, about 50 km South-West of Pyongyang. Nampho is also the 2nd largest city of DPRK with a population of about 1 million and occupying a land area of 1,280 sqkm.  Nampho Port has deep waters and linked with over a hundred foreign countries and regions, mainly China and ASEAN, for commercial trade.

The Jindo SEZ is a Special Export Processing Zone (SEZ) covering 1.8 km2 and spans part of Jindo-dong, Hwado-ri and Waudo-guyŏk.  It has a Co-operation Period of 50 years.

JINXIN International Industrial Park

During discussions, ideas and suggestions included the possibility of a Jindo-Singapore (JINXIN) International Industrial Park, which may later combine with the Waudo SEZ for about 3 km2 of land.  The land is currently a salt plain, like the original 30 km2 land of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco City (SSTEC). 

The Jinxin International Industrial Park, when realized as a JV with MEER, or other Korean agency when sanctions are eased to permit such JV, could look at the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) as a possible development model.  JINXIN shall however develop our own models with interested investors leveraging on Singapore’s industrial park experiences.















The costs of developing JINXIN have not yet been evaluated.  The removal and replacement of several hundred meters of top soil soaked with brine would add to the initial cost. Land preparation for the small 3 sqkm after that could add investments to perhaps US$200m, assuming the government takes care of the infrastructural work of connecting roads, water, gas and power.  Over time, investments by foreign companies may add several US$ billions once JINXIN is opened for business.  JINXIN may become Singapore’s flagship in DPRK, post-sanctions, in the same way that VSIP was the catalyst for Vietnam’s industrial development since 1996.  

Mangyongdae School Childrens' Palace

The Mangyongdae School Children's Palace (or Mangyongdae School Children's Palace) in Pyongyang is a public facility managed by the Korean Youth Corps in DPRK where children ages 6-17 years old can engage in extra-curricular activities, such as learning music, foreign languages, gymnastic, calligraphy, computing skills and sports.  Established on 2 May 1989, it is the largest of the numerous palaces dedicated to children's after-school activities. It is situated in Kwangbok (Liberation) Street, in the north of Mangyongdae-guyok.

The Mangyongdae School Children's Palace has 120 rooms, a swimming pool, a gymnasium and a 2,000 seat theatre.  It has 5,000 students attending various classes on a 6-monthly cycle.  The classes are free but not every child chooses to enrol.  No compulsion, a few actually dropped out after a couple of months.  Visitors were treated to a concert on a moving stage in the beautiful and spacious theatre.

Juche National Ideology

The tremendous effort and resource commitment to develop core cohorts of Korean youths beginning at 6 years old is clearly a visionary strategic and calculated initiative to create her own future based on its Juche주체ideology and seen in the practice of her unique socialist principles of independence, national economy and self-defence.  “Juche” translates to “self-reliance” in Korean.

And as peace envelops the Korean peninsula, the reality of an independent, self-confident, modernising and prosperous DPRK is already within the sights of this generation.   

The following pictures shall speak for the activities in the Palace.















Ragwon Department Store

Ragwon (Rakwon) Department store is mainly used by foreigners and well-off Koreans. “Ragwon” means “paradise” in Korean.  It is an upscale department store that only accepts western currency in Pyongyang, North Korea.  About 90% of products sold here are foreign products. The Rakwon Department Store tour also breaks from North Korean tourist tradition, as the DPRK’s shopping malls are usually not open to foreign visitors. The agency hopes that, by entering a department store only meant for local people, visitors will learn and understand more about their lives.


Sentosa Business Centre – Singapore’s Beachhead
Dinner on the 3rd Day brought a pleasant surprise.  The restaurant in a 4-storey building also houses a barber shop and hair-salon, massage parlour, 3 types of spa, sauna and a small gym.  In a Conference Room on top floor, we found a Singapore’s very own “Sentosa Business Centre”.  It was intended to be a haven for Singapore businessmen to interact with venture partners.  The Korean General Manager Mdm Ju told us that the building was invested by a Singaporean businessman who was no longer able to be involved personally in the venture due to sanctions and has left it to her management.  















Singapore therefore has already established a beachhead at the Sentosa Business Centre in Pyongyang.  Post-sanctions, Singapore businesses can find ready partners who are Singaporeans already in DPRK, Koreans and other foreigners, at this business club. 

Singapore has only a small window of opportunity to leverage and realise the investment goldmines offered to us as described above.  The future would belong to those who are ready for it, not those who are waiting for the skies to be blue and clearer.      

We departed Pyongyang in an expectant mood, reflecting and contemplating the sea of ready opportunities within our grasp, if not for the sanctions.  The plan is to return soon in March-April 2019 to look deeper into specific investment opportunities to realise and transform them into Singapore’s international competitive advantages and for the benefits of Singaporeans at home.  





Anyone interested in the above projects or be part of the next DPRK expeditions or just interested in DPRK can contact me: miko.heng@gmail.com



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Contemplating on the security risks and threats of having too many foreigners

The full impact of having too many foreigners in a little island with only 3m citizens has yet to be felt by the owners of this island. But all the signs are there and more and more people are feeling the heat but could not do anything about it while the advocates of this policy continue to do as they pleased, to bring in more and more foreigners into a land scarce piece of rock.

I am wondering what would the people responsible for the security and safety and national interest of this island be thinking about this. Would they or have they done a risk analysis on this conscious policy to flood the island with so many foreigners?

The problems or consequences can be viewed from a few perspective.

1. How would so many foreigners affect the country as a whole, the citizens, and what level or percentage would be tolerable and manageable? The problem with this question is that it is complicated by the fact that foreigners could become instant citizens and counted as Singaporeans overnight, or be counted under the gray term called 'locals' and people may be misled to what they are, whether they are ducks or chicken.

2. The same questions can also be viewed at the level of a ministry, stats board, a GLC or corporation or company. What is tolerable, how many are tolerable, and what are the risks?

3. Going down the line, the risks and threats of having too many, how many foreigners, in a dept or section, unit of an organisation? Imagine the damage they could do, unhindered, unchecked, operating without being watched by Singaporeans, to the organisations and country?

4. What about their big presence, absolute majority or dominating majority in highly sensitive depts or units like finance, IT etc where they could cause untold damage and security concern if they turn bad?

5. What kind of security vetting and clearance are done on foreigners holding highly sensitive appointments in the country, ministries, stats boards, GLCs and corporations? Do they go through the same stringent security screening, and being a foreign import, how reliable are the vetting done on them and their backgrounds? There are many non govt corporations that should also require security screening and vetting.

6. Have the over representation of foreigners of untold backgrounds posed a security and safety risk to our country and national interest?

7. Is there anyone or organisation working on this, like the high powered Select Committee on fake news? Which of these poses a higher security and safety risk to the country?

Or is everyone and resources spent on witch hunting on lying academics or the opposition leaders? What are the real security and safety risks facing the nation and people that have been forgotten and letting wrong priorities set the agenda?

9/25/2018

China got no more bullets in trade war with US?

Today the new tariffs on Chinese goods go into effect. Would it change the trade balance between the US and China? Would it make America great again?
 

Some Americans are delirious and crowing that China has no more bullets to fight the Americans after the latest bout of tariff hikes. US raised tariffs on US$200b and China could only raise US$60b. So apparently the China could not raise any more tariffs, as there is no more products to raise tariffs on. This is about all that China is buying from the Americans.
 

Did the American won in this supposed final round? Jack Ma just announced that his promise of creating 1m jobs for the Americans is off, no deal, deal cancelled. Haier, Chinese consumer manufacturer giant that bought over the appliance arm of GE has stopped selling goods made in the USA to China as the tariff has made goods made in America more expensive to export to China. Haier is not the only China manufacturer setting up factories in the USA. And not only that production would be cut down, leading to more job losses, Chinese companies planning to set up factories in the USA, to provide jobs for Americans are hold back their plans. The cancelling of hundreds or thousands of Boeing aircraft would also mean job cuts in Boeing.
 

When the dust finally settles after this brief war initiated by the US, China would have found many substitutes for America produce and goods. The American farmers would have to find another 1.4b market to sell their produce and goods. India is a good potential, provided they have the middle class that can afford expensive American produce and goods. Look at what is happening to the Australians, now crying but no tears left. Trillions of Chinese dollars vanished in the air and now pleading for mercy.
 

China has been responding and retaliating American attacks so far and has not taken the offensive yet. Wait for the next wave when China starts the counter attack. Americans are deluded to think only they can hit others, can start wars against others, can imposed sanctions on others and not the other way. In the phases of war, the one who has the initiative by starting the war always looks good at the beginning of the war. If they cannot defeat the enemy, just like Germany and Japan, and when the counter offensive starts, the table will turn.

9/24/2018

If they repeal S377A

'...prominent Singapore diplomat Professor Tommy Koh responded to Chesterman’s post and called on Singapore’s gay community to band together and challenge Section 377A here.
The veteran diplomat wrote: “I would encourage our gay community to bring a class action to challenge the consitutionality of Section 377A.” When reminded that past legal applications challenging the constitutionality of the law have failed, Prof Koh encouraged from his verified account: “try again”....


Labelling the group calling for change a “growing minority”, the Minister told reporters:
“Singapore…on this issue, it is a deeply split society. The majority oppose to any change to section 377A – they are opposed to removing it. A minority – I have to say, a growing minority – want it to be repealed. The Government is in the middle.
“This issue relates to social mores, values – so can you impose viewpoints on a majority when it so closely relates to a social value system?”'
Is it because LKY is no more around to slap the wrists of natural aristocrats, the cry for the abolition of S377A is gaining support from more and more natural aristocrats.  The one voice that is still hesitating on this change is Shanmugam, quoting the cultural and religious opposition to this change.

By the look of things, and with more heavy weight natural aristocrats lending their weights to repeal this law, it is only a matter of time before it becomes a reality.

I just have one concern. Should they repeal this law, how are children that are not gay or have no homosexual tendency, or even adults, find the protection from the law should they end up as victims of sexual attacks by the gays? No everyone is a gay and enjoy such activities with the same sex, and the majority are not interested in such affairs.

Would there be any law to protect their interest should the govt succumb to the demands to repeal this law? Is the govt responsible for the safety of those that do not subscribe to such activities and fell victim as a result of this change in law? By all means, go change the law if it is so desired, but please ensure that those that need protection from the law would still be protected.

Go and find a lawyer to sue for personal trepassing?