Five days before Singapore celebrates its National Day on 9 Aug, two
ground breaking events hit Singapore on Friday. The first was the PNG of
Professor Huang Jing of the LKY School of Public Policies headed by
Kishore Mahbubani. Huang Jin and his wife Shirley Yang had their PR
status cancelled and banned from entering Singapore for life on charges
of trying to influence Singapore's foreign policies by working with
foreign intelligent services and govts.
The second ground breaking event was the AG's decision to charge Li
Sheng Wu for contempt of court for his facebook posting commenting that
the Singapore court is pliant.
In Huang Jing's case an unknown superpower was hinted to be behind his
actions. There are two big superpowers that are likely to be associated
with this case, the USA or China. Huang Jing and wife are US PRs. But he
is said to be pro China in his writings. The guess is that the power to
be behind him is either the USA or China. What is important here is
that Singapore is living up to its principles of not allowing any
country or superpower to influence its policies or be pressured to bend
its policies. In this case Huang Jing is representing a powerful country
to influence Singapore's foreign policy. Does his expulsion got to do
with another power pressuring Singapore to expel him?
The expulsion of Huang Jin and wife is a hardening of Singapore's
position against the superpower behind Huang Jin, be it the USA or
China. And Singapore is prepared to take on the superpower come what may
to establish its principled position and to protect its national
interest. The price is high for making this tough decision and there
will be consequences. It is kind of calling a spade a spade, no more
disguises and innuendoes. You are enemy. And the enemy is exposed and
embarrassed and the ball is in the enemy's court now.
The case against Li Sheng Wu is bridge burning, a declaration of war
with Lee Hsien Yang and family. Li Sheng Wu is no sibling, one
generation down the road. Taking him to court is different from taking
siblings to court. But nonetheless he is family and Hsien Yang and Wei
Ling would take this as open warfare, everything goes. The truce has
been broken. The family feud is alive and burning.
Li Sheng Wu has said that he would not return to Singapore to face
charges. It is as good as self imposed exile, like his parents. Would he
be applying for political asylum like Amos Yee? The only thing to
remember this young man for his brief moments in the annals of
Singapore's history are these words spoken in his eulogies for his
grandfather.
'It is often said that my grandfather built great institutions for
Singapore. But what is an institution? It is a way of doing things
that outlives the one who builds it. A strong institution is robust, it
is persistent. It does not depend precariously on individual
personalities. It places the rule of law above the rule of man. And
that is the sacrifice of being a builder of institutions. To build
institutions is to cede power – is to create a system that will not
forever rely on you. That this occasion passes without disorder or
uncertainty shows that he succeeded in this task. We are bereft at his
passing, but we are not afraid. The pillars that he built stand strong,
the foundations that he dug run deep.'
It is ironic and sad that he has to run away from his grandfather's
institutions and the home he grew up with and full of fond memories.
8/06/2017
8/05/2017
Tit for Tat against the Americans
In a tit for tat reaction against American sanctions and expulsion of
its diplomats, Russia has ordered hundreds of American diplomats out of
its Embassy in Russia. Below is a report in Channel News Asia.
'MOSCOW: Russia on Friday ordered the United States to cut hundreds of diplomatic staff in retaliation for a new round of U.S. sanctions, and said it was seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties. Moscow's decision, which had echoes of the Cold War, was announced by the Foreign Ministry a day after the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved new sanctions on Russia. The legislation was in part a response to conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and to further punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea in 2014.'
The rest of the world must not let the world's number outlaw to dictate to them, setting the agenda of confrontation, sanctions and threats. The BRICS nations and the smaller countries in the UN must do the same, hit back at the Americans when they throw bricks at them. Do not be bullied by this outlaw forever. It is time to set the agenda instead of being led by the nose and be constantly threatened by this big bully.
It is time to stop this outlaw from ruling the world and bully the rest of the world. They are creating troubles all over the world to incite unrest and wars. They are in Venezuela, in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Korean Peninsula, in the South China Sea, in the Philippines, in Malaysia and more. All the troubles in the world is the credit of this outlaw.
Russia should also freeze the assets of American companies to tell the outlaw that what it can do, Russia can do also. Other countries should do likewise. Malaysia, what are you waiting?
This tit for tat diplomacy can now be played by every country. You make the first move, you tit and they will tat. Countries that are not careful would see themselves embroiled in bigger problems and wars. With the Russians forming a military alliance with China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan, there will now be many more ICBMs aiming at the American homeland. America would be a waste land should a nuclear war breaks out. So would be its closed allies like Japan and South Korea. Once an ICBM is fired, all would be fired with no time to loose. Any country that hesitated would have no chance to fire their ICBMs and would be turned into Stone Age.
This is a zero sum game when the end result is a big zero for all the nuclear powers.
'MOSCOW: Russia on Friday ordered the United States to cut hundreds of diplomatic staff in retaliation for a new round of U.S. sanctions, and said it was seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties. Moscow's decision, which had echoes of the Cold War, was announced by the Foreign Ministry a day after the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved new sanctions on Russia. The legislation was in part a response to conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and to further punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea in 2014.'
The rest of the world must not let the world's number outlaw to dictate to them, setting the agenda of confrontation, sanctions and threats. The BRICS nations and the smaller countries in the UN must do the same, hit back at the Americans when they throw bricks at them. Do not be bullied by this outlaw forever. It is time to set the agenda instead of being led by the nose and be constantly threatened by this big bully.
It is time to stop this outlaw from ruling the world and bully the rest of the world. They are creating troubles all over the world to incite unrest and wars. They are in Venezuela, in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Korean Peninsula, in the South China Sea, in the Philippines, in Malaysia and more. All the troubles in the world is the credit of this outlaw.
Russia should also freeze the assets of American companies to tell the outlaw that what it can do, Russia can do also. Other countries should do likewise. Malaysia, what are you waiting?
This tit for tat diplomacy can now be played by every country. You make the first move, you tit and they will tat. Countries that are not careful would see themselves embroiled in bigger problems and wars. With the Russians forming a military alliance with China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan, there will now be many more ICBMs aiming at the American homeland. America would be a waste land should a nuclear war breaks out. So would be its closed allies like Japan and South Korea. Once an ICBM is fired, all would be fired with no time to loose. Any country that hesitated would have no chance to fire their ICBMs and would be turned into Stone Age.
This is a zero sum game when the end result is a big zero for all the nuclear powers.
8/04/2017
PAP’s standard on impropriety
Chok Tong’s famous quote that any PAP minister or MP that were accused
of impropriety or misconduct must clear his name by suing the accuser or
the accusation be deemed to be true. In today’s media, Hsien Loong has
added a condition to Chok Tong’s standard of impropriety by saying that
any minister accused of improper conduct must clear his name publicly. I
quote, ‘Any minster accused of improper conduct must clear his name
publicly and “should not allow the allegations to fester and affect the
reputation of the Govt.”’
Notice the missing part about suing the accuser. Hsien Loong added, ‘if the allegation is serious, he would expect the minister to take court action for defamation, “unless there are other special considerations….He may also need to render account in Parliament, particularly if the matter concerns his discharge of public duties and is of public interest. These are not mutually exclusive options. In all cases, there must be public accounting.”’
Here is the difference in the two positions. The second position of Hsien Loong is that suing may not be necessary, but public accounting is mandatory with or without suing. His justification or exceptions for not suing is that the party could be family, siblings and may besmirched their parents’ names, and the process may take years , creating distraction and distress to Singaporeans.
Of course Hsien Loong is referring to Lee Kuan Yew’s reputation. The question is whether this ruling is applicable to other ministers and MPs as their parents were not Lee Kuan Yew or Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. Would the ministers and MPs quote this as the new standard and they need not sue their family or siblings when they were accused of impropriety or this is only applicable to Hsien Loong’s case? My reading is that this is for general application to all ministers and MPs or else it would be too stark an exception that would not look too good. It can’t be an exception just for himself.
Also, ministers and MPs that are being accused by their family or siblings could clear their names in Parliament, a public accounting without being sued. Is this the new standard for PAP ministers and MPs to abide by? Also, does it mean that should Hsien Loong’s siblings continue to make allegations against him and immunized from being sued?
Notice the missing part about suing the accuser. Hsien Loong added, ‘if the allegation is serious, he would expect the minister to take court action for defamation, “unless there are other special considerations….He may also need to render account in Parliament, particularly if the matter concerns his discharge of public duties and is of public interest. These are not mutually exclusive options. In all cases, there must be public accounting.”’
Here is the difference in the two positions. The second position of Hsien Loong is that suing may not be necessary, but public accounting is mandatory with or without suing. His justification or exceptions for not suing is that the party could be family, siblings and may besmirched their parents’ names, and the process may take years , creating distraction and distress to Singaporeans.
Of course Hsien Loong is referring to Lee Kuan Yew’s reputation. The question is whether this ruling is applicable to other ministers and MPs as their parents were not Lee Kuan Yew or Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. Would the ministers and MPs quote this as the new standard and they need not sue their family or siblings when they were accused of impropriety or this is only applicable to Hsien Loong’s case? My reading is that this is for general application to all ministers and MPs or else it would be too stark an exception that would not look too good. It can’t be an exception just for himself.
Also, ministers and MPs that are being accused by their family or siblings could clear their names in Parliament, a public accounting without being sued. Is this the new standard for PAP ministers and MPs to abide by? Also, does it mean that should Hsien Loong’s siblings continue to make allegations against him and immunized from being sued?
8/03/2017
The replacement of Singaporeans is complete
The new Singaporeans are so beautiful. Singapore will be a much more beautiful place without the ugly old Singaporeans. Nice.
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