A chapter closed, a new chapter begins

Singapore marks today as the end of an era dominated by the presence of LKY. Singapore will celebrate SG50 in honour of him in August. He left his mark and it is a deserving ending to a good time, to the golden years. What is left for Singapore is to wish that the next 50 years will be just as golden but not like the phrase ‘all that glitters is not gold’.
 
On the other side of the causeway there is also a new beginning. The Sultan of Johore will be crowned today and there will be a grand celebration in a different way. And a day prior to his coronation, the Sultan has invited our PM to visit him and have tea and decide on ways to go forward for the good of people from both sides of the causeway.
Singaporeans should be grateful that the Sultan of Johore is building new residential estates for Singaporeans to escape from the exorbitant prices of homes in the city state. Where on earth can you find a head of state from a neighbouring country doing just that? It is a very generous gesture that Singaporeans should take note of and reciprocate. Just hope the federal govt will not levy more taxes and impose more rules that make buying homes and living in Johore less attractive and not worth the trouble. Putting that aside, Singapore and Johore can build a symbiotic relationship for the benefits of both states and their people. Ya, win win for all.
 
There is a breath of fresh air in the new Sultan. He is pro development and pro good Singapore Johore relations. He can see how both sides can reap all the rewards in moving ahead together, with more cooperation instead of unproductive bickerings.
 
A new era has dawned on both sides of the causeway starting on 23 Mar 15 with promises of more golden years if both sides are positive, say and do all the right things. The sun is shining bright after a long and wet downpour last night. Good signs for a fresh new start.

Lee Kuan Yew – 1923 to 2015

Another titan of post war 20th Century departs early this morning, at 3.18am official time. Not many of these giants of the late 20th Century are left now. After LKY perhaps only Kissinger is the one left alone to hold the fort in an era of great changes to rebuild nations after WW2, the struggles for independence and economic reconstruction and growth. And there was the big contest between the forces of West against Communism, the Cold War and détente and the rise of China. These were the events that consumed much of the time and life of the titans of the post war years as the 20th Century gave way to the 21st.
 
LKY and Kissinger were two of the men that were thickly involved in the happenings of world politics involving China and the USA. Now only one is left standing. The departure of LKY will put an end to an era with the final curtains drawing to a close, and a new beginning in Singapore. Before the new pages are filled, world leaders would descend upon this little island paradise to show their respect to one of the last few movers and shakers of the 20th century.
 
The SG50 Celebration will go on as planned without the architect that makes it possible. He would not be there to soak in the atmosphere like he used to do in every National Day Parade. There would probably be a minute of silence in his memory. After the party is over, it will be a real new beginning, the dawn of a new era for Singapore, a Southeast Asia without the shadow Lee Kuan Yew. And world leaders may not be seen at the Istana that often, looking for the oracle to see into the future and to be enlightened by a dose of his wisdom.
 
There is a lightness in the air, when dust returns to dust. The city state will take one week to mourn the departure of its first Prime Minister, the man credited to be the founder of modern Singapore.

SG50 - One suggestion to keep Singaporeans home

Halimah had made a plea for Singaporeans to stay home to celebrate the SG50 National Day. Knowing how practical Singaporeans are and what a great opportunity to have a very long weekend to get away, the call must be in vain. Shouldn’t have declared 7^th Aug a holiday. Not thinking surely.

The latest from the grapevine, overseas tours are 700% overbooked. Now, how many Singaporeans would be left behind to attend the National Day Celebration, this would now be a serious issue. But not to worry as the seats can always be given to foreigners, especially the foreign workers who have no where else to go. The ICA can even set up a few tables to offer instant citizenship application if the 6.9 million target is falling behind.

It would not be funny if the seats are half empty at the Marina Bay platform. It would not be funny if the SG50 Celebration is celebrated by foreigners instead and all the money spent to make the foreigners have a good time while the citizens are all overseas.

Quick, quick, come up with a solution or alternative plan. The Celebration must go on. The holiday cannot be cancelled. So how? How to keep the Singaporeans in the island short of closing down all the exit points for a week?

Let me offer a solution. Hold the GE on 7 Aug. And since voting is compulsory, they would have to cancel their holiday trips. Would they? Some would say who cares, my holiday more important. But there is a risk as the more wealthy and thus more pro establishment would be away leaving the ‘money not enough’ at home to vote. And you can guess who they will vote for. This is no good.

Anyway, just a suggestion only mah. Who is the smart ass who suggested that 7Aug should be a public holiday? Not the President for sure. He simply announced it.

To forgive or not to forgive?

This has become a major topic for discussion in the social media. Many are cursing and swearing. Many are asking for forgiveness. There is this assumption that something wrong and bad was done and it is the time to forgive.

There are many questions to ask and many issues to be discussed. In the first place, did the person ask to be forgiven? Two, did the person admit any wrong or guilt? Let’s put aside the victims of the wrongs and how adversely they were affected, how they had suffered. Such calls for forgiveness are not something new. This expectation of forgiving has been repeated over and over again, at the level of ordinary beans, among friends that became enemies, within families, business people, colleagues and in political struggle for power.

The people that committed wrongs against their victims did not know that one day they would have to face the consequences or the maker.  Of course this cannot be true with some exceptions. They knew exactly what they were doing, wrongs against people, rivals in business, family members and friends. People cheated, lied, fabricated stories, fixing other people, all in the course of winning or to gain something. We are seeing it happening everyday, not necessary among the average daft but people who are very clever, too clever for their own good. They knew what they were doing.

Do these people deserve to be forgiven when their time comes when they are on their deathbeds? As we are talking at this very moment, many are still committing their wicked acts and deeds. They did not care.  They did not want to apologies or to forgive.  So are they deserving to be forgiven? They only think of their own interests, their benefits. What is going to happen to their victims and rivals is not a concern.

Under such situations, is there a need to ask for forgiveness for the person that committed wrongs? Look at the wicked things people are doing, and knowing very well that they have done wrongs, and are continuing to do wrongs, do they deserve forgiveness? Do they care if they are forgiven? Why don’t they stop their wicked deeds now and forgiveness would not be an issue when their time comes to go home to where they came from?

Some may even laugh at the daft for forgiving them and call them silly. I screwed you so bad and I did not ask for forgiveness and you stupidly think you are so graceful and kind to want to forgive! How stupid can you be? You deserved to be screwed a hundred times over. And I will repeat it all over again if I have the chance to do it again. Would there be such people and is forgiveness the right thing to do?

What do you think?

Police – No offence to distribute flyers by PAP activists

It is reported in the media today that the distribution of flyers by PAP activists ‘urging residents to quiz their Workers’ Party (WP) Members of Parliament over the accounting and corporate governance lapses committed  by the Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC)’ is not an offence.  ‘The distribution of flyers in itself is not an offence in Singapore.’ By ruling that there is no offence in the flyers of PAP activitists, it also means that the content in this is ‘no offence’ too.

Let’s be clear that there are two elements here, the distribution of flyers and the content. The first part is a clear cut thing. The second part can be a bit dicey and subject to different interpretations. For instance there is another flyer put up by Roy Ngerng in his blog and reposted in TRE urging the people to quiz the govt on improper governance and lost of more than $100b by GIC and Temasek. Roy is asking the people to make copies of the flyer for distribution to the people. The distribution of this flyer is definitely not an offence. What about its content?

Would the distribution of Roy’s flyers be an offence? What do you think?