Evilness in this world can come from men and women in white, wearing a
halo over their heads and claiming to be doing the right thing and the
good thing. The Rohingyas are victims of these men and women in white
robes. They are being herded back to be raped, beaten, slaughtered and
butchered by their ‘host’ country.
No, the Myanmese are not the evil ones. They are doing what is needed to
rid their country of a people that don’t belong, cannot belong and
cannot get along with the rest of the Myanmese. The Rohingyas have no
place in Myanmar. Their religion and way of life are acrimonious and in
conflict with the Myanmese. They were not supposed to be there but due
to political reasons and persecution.
The Rohingyas are not to be blamed. The Myanmese are not to be blamed.
Both of victims of the people in white robes. The ultimate reason for a
long and endearing peace without more discrimination and bloodshed is to
separate the two people that are as good as oil and fire. Put them
together and they would burn and self destruct.
Why is it that the people in white robes, the so called angels of peace,
the ‘good’ people, the caring and compassionate people, insist of
shafting the Rohingyas into Myanmar to be discriminated, attacked and
killed, and not to countries that have similar religion and way of life,
with people that would accept them and willing to live with them? Why
aren’t Bangladesh be taking back and resettle the Rohingyas in its own
land when they would blend and mixed with the same people and live as
one people?
Resettling the Rohingyas in Myanmar is like resettling the Jews in
Israel, a cancer to the Myanmar that would fester and grow over time and
would invite more cruelties and atrocities between the two people. The
solution for a better life for the Rohingyas is not in Myanmar. The
Rohingyas know this and refused to go back to Myanmar where tragedies
would be repeated on them and their children and the children of their
children.
For God’s sake, for goodness sake, shoot the men and women in white
first, for insisting in prolonging and perpetuating this tragedy on the
Rohingyas. Their fake solution is no solution. Their intention is evil
to the core. They are planting the seed of hate in Myanmar for Myanmar
to be engulfed in racial conflict and strife forever. The Rohingyas are
their pawns to cripple and destroy Myanmar. The Rohingyas can be killed,
discriminated and suffered in Myanmar is non issue as long as they
achieved their goal to bog down Myanmar in perpetual war with the
Rohingyas.
If the world wants to save the Rohingyas, the last place to put them in
is Myanmar. We are all witnesses to the evilness premediated by the men
and women in white robes in sentencing the Rohingyas to an endless
torture, suffering, tragedy and painful death.
Evilness has its root it fake good intention in the guise of human rights.
8/22/2019
Singapore Masters Athletics (SMA) suspended by Singapore Athletics (SA)
There was a petition launched recently to check on some violations by SMA and also a letter to Grace Fu on the same matter. The petition garnered more than 1352 signatures from the small community of masters athletes, including support from more than 10 local clubs and members and supporters from regional masters clubs.
The appeal letter to Grace Fu also triggered SA to conduct an investigation that led to the suspension of SMA from all activities except the ongoing registration of masters athletes participating in the Asian Masters Meet in Kuching in the first week of December. SMA is expected to explain its case to SA including submission of club meeting minutes, election of members etc etc as a follow up to the investigation.
The issues that led to the petition and letter to Grace Fu include:
1. Compulsory centralized training for masters athletes
2. Staying in the same hotel and spouses not allowed to accompany the athletes
3. PRs not allowed to participate (Note: this point was not in the letter to the minister)
4. Qualifying times/marks. Masters athletes that did not meet these criteria not allowed to participate
5. Masters athletes would also be judged on their attitude, character and behavior to represent Singapore
These criteria are new and not imposed by the World Masters Athletics, WMA and Asia Masters Athletics, AMA but unilaterally set by SMA.
SMA is one of more than 10 local athletic clubs that have masters membership. The biggest masters club in terms of paid membership is SMTFA. SMTFA is also the first masters club formed in Singapore. Most of the clubs are unhappy with SMA for unilaterally setting the above rules and criteria without consulting them, and furious as the rules are unnecessary and violate the ethos of WMA, AMA and the objectives of masters athletes, ie maximum participation from masters athletes including fellowship and camaraderie with their spouses.
The most critical issue is centralized training for masters athletes to raise standards of participation and to dismiss masters meets as a fun event. Masters athletes are seniors in age, and many very senior in their professions. And given the law of nature, many would have some medical conditions and in worse case scenarios some are in worse shape than para athletes. Just to be able to compete at their age and condition is already a great achievement. Pulling the ageing body to train is itself a heavy task, when the heart is willing but the body unwilling.
The standard of competition is still very high among the masters athletes at international levels, ie regional and world meets. A notable example is Bill Collins who did 12.2 sec for 100m at age 66 after recovering from muscle atrophy. Not many young men can clock this kind of time. The national, regional and world competitions on their own would set the standards of participation at a very high level, not simply for fun as the laymen would think.
Like the marathon, many would just want to compete for personal satisfaction, to have done that. I have seen uncles and aunties in their 80s and 90s struggling to compete in 5km and 10km walk. Even in their own time is no mean feat. Our local hero, uncle Kor Hong Fatt is 87 and still walking and winning gold medals, despite having gone through some serious medical conditions.
Do not dismiss masters athletes as being there for fun. Participating in masters athletic competition for personal satisfaction and goals is very trying and demands a lot of training and discipline. Try running 100m at 100 years old. Many are already struggling to keep fit in their 60s.
Masters athletic competition is real competition, keeping fit and also about making friends and having a little fun. Any seniors who think this is child play, having fun, should try to drag themselves to the track and do some running, jumping or throwing to see how they fare and whether their ageing bodies can take it.
All the masters clubs and masters athletes are hoping that at the end of this unhappy saga, more will be done for masters athletes, better organization and understanding, recognition and support from the govt, to promote healthy lifestyle and healthy living for senior citizens, tangible support like those given to para athletes, not just lip service. There are more than half a million seniors wanting to live life longer and healthier and to support ActiveSg activities.
It is high time the govt recognizes the needs of senior citizens and put the money where their mouth is.
With so many masters athletes clubs here, no one club should be allowed to set their agenda without consulting other clubs and to discriminate against other clubs especially in participation and representing Singapore in international meets.
PS. Below are a few comments from a post in TOC on the suspension of SMA by SA.
"The man at the centre of the SMA controversy, its Deputy President Mr Samuel Veera Singaram told the Straits Times that he was taken by surprise by the suspension....
Mr Singaram is, unfortunately, no stranger to controversy.
He is known to have created issues when he was with Singapore Swimming Association as a technical official.
He was also jailed in 1994 for criminal breach of trust and cheating when he was a manager of the Sembawang Sports Club."
Just a legal question, can a person that has been jailed for CBT be allowed to hold office in a public club and also involved in fund raising and financial matters of a club?
8/21/2019
CPF contributions to go up – huat ah!
The good news in Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally is a slew of increases
in CPF contributions for the seniors. CPF contributions for all
employees 55 years and above will go up. Employers will contribute a bit
more, and employees also will contribute a bit more. As an example in
thenewpaper, ‘For someone who was 55 in January this year and earns
$3,000, both he and his employer contribute 13 per cent or $390 a month
to his CPF savings. In January 2021, the contribution rates for each
such party would go up to 14 per or $420 a month. That works out to $360
more in contributions each per year for employer and employee.’
CPF would be getting another $720 from each account of employees who are 55 year and above. How much more would be added to the CPF Board and to the national reserves? According to thenewpaper article, there are now about 450,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above and this would double to 900,000 by 2030. My estimate is that there are 30,000 in each age group, so taking age 55 to age 70, an equivalent of 15 years, this group would have 450,000 heads. At 60 percent employed, it would come to 270,000 employee/accounts. And at $720 more per employee per year, savings in the CPF would be bloated by $194.4m annually.
While the seniors are happy with the higher contributions, presumably it would benefit them with more zeros in their CPF statements, who is the real or biggest beneficiary?
CPF Board huat ah! The national reserves, huat ah! Uncles and aunties, huat ah! Uncles and aunties can now smile bigger looking at their CPF statements, so much money there.
This is another win, win and win solution. You say smart or not? All winners, no losers. The employers contribute one additional percent from their payroll. The employees take home one per cent less from their pay check. But overall the employees’ CPF savings get fatter, get richer. And the Hsien Loong said no funny schemes to raise withdrawal age or retention of CPF monies…at least for now. Not sure in the future some smart alecs would say CPF got a lot of money, lets think of some compulsory schemes to take some more money from the CPF members.
PS. The new CPF contribution rates take effect on 1 Jan 2021.
CPF would be getting another $720 from each account of employees who are 55 year and above. How much more would be added to the CPF Board and to the national reserves? According to thenewpaper article, there are now about 450,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above and this would double to 900,000 by 2030. My estimate is that there are 30,000 in each age group, so taking age 55 to age 70, an equivalent of 15 years, this group would have 450,000 heads. At 60 percent employed, it would come to 270,000 employee/accounts. And at $720 more per employee per year, savings in the CPF would be bloated by $194.4m annually.
While the seniors are happy with the higher contributions, presumably it would benefit them with more zeros in their CPF statements, who is the real or biggest beneficiary?
CPF Board huat ah! The national reserves, huat ah! Uncles and aunties, huat ah! Uncles and aunties can now smile bigger looking at their CPF statements, so much money there.
This is another win, win and win solution. You say smart or not? All winners, no losers. The employers contribute one additional percent from their payroll. The employees take home one per cent less from their pay check. But overall the employees’ CPF savings get fatter, get richer. And the Hsien Loong said no funny schemes to raise withdrawal age or retention of CPF monies…at least for now. Not sure in the future some smart alecs would say CPF got a lot of money, lets think of some compulsory schemes to take some more money from the CPF members.
PS. The new CPF contribution rates take effect on 1 Jan 2021.
8/20/2019
Singapore caught between the US and China
Linette Lai, political correspondent, posted an article in thenewpaper
on Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally speech on relations with the US and
China. Below are a few points on the article.
Hsien Loong emphasized that ‘We must always be principle in our approach, and not swayed by emotions…When we agree with either major power, we will do so. When we cannot, we must maintain and explain our stand.’ This looks very simple and straight forward, a matter of principle. Unfortunately it is very hard to put to practice when the evil American Empire is violating all international rules and laws and fabricating fake news and false flag incidents to provoke and incite wars, conduct regime change and imposed unilateral sanctions like a terrorist against its chosen enemies. How could Singapore slitter through the American treachery without being entangled and looked like another evil little USA?
Relations with China is complicated by our Chinese majority with Singapore suffering from the hangover that it cannot be seen to be too close to China and offend the neighbouring countries, sensitive to domestic racial minorities and the Americans for being so. ‘If we support China, the US and other countries may think we do so because we are a majority-Chinese country and therefore accede to China.’ This view was in vogue in the days of Cold War rhetoric and propaganda when China was the enemy.
This legacy of the past when China was smeared as the devil, the threat to the region by the Americans and the West and gobbled up by the silly neighbouring countries as the unquestioned truth is becoming less credible given a stronger Chinese involvement in international affairs except for the incalcitrants that would not change the anti China programme implanted in their heads after a life time of reading American and western propaganda against China.
If Singapore is true in maintaining a principle position and relation with China, then there is nothing to fear. The Cold War mentality is over. The anglophile mentality is losing its grip. China is not the devil made out to be by the West. Singapore must be brave and strong enough to take its stand for or against China based on principles and not on fear and deference to the irrational emotions of its neighbours and the evil Americans and their anti China agenda.
Singapore is still beholden to the Americans if you understand what this meant. ‘The US is a major security partner, he said, noting that Singapore buys advanced military equipment from the US, trains with its troops and cooperates with its troops and cooperates with it on counter terrorism. (Why not the US be beholden to Singapore for allowing it to base its military forces in this strategic region to protect American hegemony?) On the economic front, the value and scale of US companies’ investments in Singapore outstrip those of any other country.’ So, would this position change when Chinese investments outstrip those of the Americans one day and Singapore be free from getting its armed twisted by the Americans and flirted with the Americans in regime change?
Unlikely. ‘We hope the US will continue to remain engaged in the Asia Pacific, and continue to safeguard regional peace and stability.’ This can be read by China as anti China, and American presence to safeguard the American Empire and hegemony and to cause instability for the interest of the American Empire… This ensures the security and prosperity of the whole region.’ Or to ensure the security and prosperity of the American Empire. Singapore has this blind spot about the Americans and could not see the evilness and mischiefs the Americans are doing in the region and the world. This position of Singapore is by choice.
If Singapore continues to take this position, it cannot blame others for seeing Singapore as the little USA and Singapore may have to pay a heavy price one day for siding with the Americans while proclaiming that it wants to be friends to both the US and China. Singapore cannot be neutral in its relations with the US and China as the US regards China as enemy. The same dilemma is affecting India and Pakistan’s relations with the US and China. Both want to have good relations with both but unable to do so.
Can Singapore do it, be friends to both the US and China without offending either one of them, without compromising its positions by siding with one against another? Singapore may want to have the cake and eat it but not so easy. And this would be more difficult if you have a foreign minister that is an anglophile, pro West and anti China. We have seen how disastrous the result would be when this happened.
Hsien Loong emphasized that ‘We must always be principle in our approach, and not swayed by emotions…When we agree with either major power, we will do so. When we cannot, we must maintain and explain our stand.’ This looks very simple and straight forward, a matter of principle. Unfortunately it is very hard to put to practice when the evil American Empire is violating all international rules and laws and fabricating fake news and false flag incidents to provoke and incite wars, conduct regime change and imposed unilateral sanctions like a terrorist against its chosen enemies. How could Singapore slitter through the American treachery without being entangled and looked like another evil little USA?
Relations with China is complicated by our Chinese majority with Singapore suffering from the hangover that it cannot be seen to be too close to China and offend the neighbouring countries, sensitive to domestic racial minorities and the Americans for being so. ‘If we support China, the US and other countries may think we do so because we are a majority-Chinese country and therefore accede to China.’ This view was in vogue in the days of Cold War rhetoric and propaganda when China was the enemy.
This legacy of the past when China was smeared as the devil, the threat to the region by the Americans and the West and gobbled up by the silly neighbouring countries as the unquestioned truth is becoming less credible given a stronger Chinese involvement in international affairs except for the incalcitrants that would not change the anti China programme implanted in their heads after a life time of reading American and western propaganda against China.
If Singapore is true in maintaining a principle position and relation with China, then there is nothing to fear. The Cold War mentality is over. The anglophile mentality is losing its grip. China is not the devil made out to be by the West. Singapore must be brave and strong enough to take its stand for or against China based on principles and not on fear and deference to the irrational emotions of its neighbours and the evil Americans and their anti China agenda.
Singapore is still beholden to the Americans if you understand what this meant. ‘The US is a major security partner, he said, noting that Singapore buys advanced military equipment from the US, trains with its troops and cooperates with its troops and cooperates with it on counter terrorism. (Why not the US be beholden to Singapore for allowing it to base its military forces in this strategic region to protect American hegemony?) On the economic front, the value and scale of US companies’ investments in Singapore outstrip those of any other country.’ So, would this position change when Chinese investments outstrip those of the Americans one day and Singapore be free from getting its armed twisted by the Americans and flirted with the Americans in regime change?
Unlikely. ‘We hope the US will continue to remain engaged in the Asia Pacific, and continue to safeguard regional peace and stability.’ This can be read by China as anti China, and American presence to safeguard the American Empire and hegemony and to cause instability for the interest of the American Empire… This ensures the security and prosperity of the whole region.’ Or to ensure the security and prosperity of the American Empire. Singapore has this blind spot about the Americans and could not see the evilness and mischiefs the Americans are doing in the region and the world. This position of Singapore is by choice.
If Singapore continues to take this position, it cannot blame others for seeing Singapore as the little USA and Singapore may have to pay a heavy price one day for siding with the Americans while proclaiming that it wants to be friends to both the US and China. Singapore cannot be neutral in its relations with the US and China as the US regards China as enemy. The same dilemma is affecting India and Pakistan’s relations with the US and China. Both want to have good relations with both but unable to do so.
Can Singapore do it, be friends to both the US and China without offending either one of them, without compromising its positions by siding with one against another? Singapore may want to have the cake and eat it but not so easy. And this would be more difficult if you have a foreign minister that is an anglophile, pro West and anti China. We have seen how disastrous the result would be when this happened.
8/19/2019
Hsien Loong's National Day Rally- Protecting people's livelihood
Two points were quite new in this rally other than climate change. One is lowering education cost for Singaporeans and the second, concern of workers who want to work longer with longer lifespan.
The lowering of education cost is not something new as it has been flogged like a dead horse for the last couple of decades with the govt turning a deaf ear and chose to throw more money, in the billions to educate children of foreigners. The numbers kept piling up and the Education Minister must be quite embarrassed reading the numbers in Parliament, hundreds of millions every year, and double the amount in the last couple of decades at the expense of Singaporean children in education. But I am wrong, for the govt said all the money spent on foreign children, including university places for foreigners were not done at the expense of Singapore children. No Singapore children has lost out, lost their university place because of the foreign students paid to study here. OK, I admit I am wrong, no point arguing about it as the coin has two sides and I and many Singaporeans are looking at the wrong side.
Hsien Loong in his rally speech has made right this annual grouse by lowering university and polytechnic tuition fees quite considerably especially in medicine. Students now need to pay only $5000 a year instead of &29,000 to $35,000. And poly students could pay as low as $150 per year. These are good news to the students and their parents. And to make it sweeter and to show that the govt is not wayanging, it takes immediate effect in the next academic year and for existing students unlike past policies that would take place a year later. The kpkb against the grotesque sum given to foreign children may not elicit any response from the govt, or meant nothing to the govt, nor affect a govt that would do the right thing by being deaf. But this change in govt policy should help many families in lowering their financial burden paying for their children's education.
DBS the best bank in the world
The next important point is working longer for Singaporeans that are living longer. DBS was singled for praise for job restructuring and reskilling to enable its employees to work in new jobs and to work longer. Piyush Gupta was in the audience and beaming with pride for the good job done.
The best bank in the world is not for nothing if it does not show care and concern for its workers. Not sure if this include its business partners and agents that lost their livelihood in DBS's restructuring exercise to make the bank trimmer and more efficient. DBS has a big reputation as a national bank, a national icon and cannot do otherwise. Everyone is watching DBS, including Hsien Loong on how DBS contributes positively to create employment in Singapore not just for foreigners but also for Singaporeans and not to destroy their livelihood.
The govt has taken the initiative to increase retirement and reemployment age and raising CPF for senior employees. This is a key message in this year's National Day Rally, providing employment for as long as possible for Singaporeans that want to work longer, not terminating their employment prematurely and killing their livelihood. As the population ages and with more living longer, building and protecting their nest egg is vital if the seniors are to enjoy a life of financial independence and to live with dignity.
Every employer especially GLCs and ministries would have to take note of this policy mission and not to put Hsien Loong in an embarrassing position by acting contrary.
The lowering of education cost is not something new as it has been flogged like a dead horse for the last couple of decades with the govt turning a deaf ear and chose to throw more money, in the billions to educate children of foreigners. The numbers kept piling up and the Education Minister must be quite embarrassed reading the numbers in Parliament, hundreds of millions every year, and double the amount in the last couple of decades at the expense of Singaporean children in education. But I am wrong, for the govt said all the money spent on foreign children, including university places for foreigners were not done at the expense of Singapore children. No Singapore children has lost out, lost their university place because of the foreign students paid to study here. OK, I admit I am wrong, no point arguing about it as the coin has two sides and I and many Singaporeans are looking at the wrong side.
Hsien Loong in his rally speech has made right this annual grouse by lowering university and polytechnic tuition fees quite considerably especially in medicine. Students now need to pay only $5000 a year instead of &29,000 to $35,000. And poly students could pay as low as $150 per year. These are good news to the students and their parents. And to make it sweeter and to show that the govt is not wayanging, it takes immediate effect in the next academic year and for existing students unlike past policies that would take place a year later. The kpkb against the grotesque sum given to foreign children may not elicit any response from the govt, or meant nothing to the govt, nor affect a govt that would do the right thing by being deaf. But this change in govt policy should help many families in lowering their financial burden paying for their children's education.
DBS the best bank in the world
The next important point is working longer for Singaporeans that are living longer. DBS was singled for praise for job restructuring and reskilling to enable its employees to work in new jobs and to work longer. Piyush Gupta was in the audience and beaming with pride for the good job done.
The best bank in the world is not for nothing if it does not show care and concern for its workers. Not sure if this include its business partners and agents that lost their livelihood in DBS's restructuring exercise to make the bank trimmer and more efficient. DBS has a big reputation as a national bank, a national icon and cannot do otherwise. Everyone is watching DBS, including Hsien Loong on how DBS contributes positively to create employment in Singapore not just for foreigners but also for Singaporeans and not to destroy their livelihood.
The govt has taken the initiative to increase retirement and reemployment age and raising CPF for senior employees. This is a key message in this year's National Day Rally, providing employment for as long as possible for Singaporeans that want to work longer, not terminating their employment prematurely and killing their livelihood. As the population ages and with more living longer, building and protecting their nest egg is vital if the seniors are to enjoy a life of financial independence and to live with dignity.
Every employer especially GLCs and ministries would have to take note of this policy mission and not to put Hsien Loong in an embarrassing position by acting contrary.
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