Subsidies are like crutches, for the richest people in the world

More subsidies, more subsidies, as if the govt is the Santa Claus. Oops, no, not the Santa Claus but the rich man doing charity and those stretching out their hands must feel grateful to this demi god. Without this demi god there will be no subsidies and the cost of everything will be unaffordable. So the grateful citizens that need subsidies will be forever grateful that the demi god is around. And this group of grateful will stretch from the low income to the middle income. This is a lot of grateful people.

Really, subsidies are like lelong sales. Price marked up exponentially only to give an equally big discount for the recipients to think they are getting a good deal. For that, they may even be cheated as the cost could be much lower and the price could be much lower too. If the prices are not marked up so high, there is no need for subsidies at all. It is all a matter of packaging. What really is important is the bottom line, what the people have to pay for it.

The other negative aspect of subsidies is that the recipients are portrayed as helpless, dependencies, desperadoes and needing charity, needing handouts. When or if the price is priced correctly, there is no need to queue for handouts. The dignity of the recipients will not be thrashed. Why make people go and beg for subsidies?

There are better ways to bring down the cost of operators or service providers without having to make the recipients queuing up for it, submit their particulars to plea for help. Things can be done much simply and respecting the pride and dignity of the recipients.

The proposed babies and parenthood scheme will eventually be eroded and the fees be raised by the operators to near the same level, with subsidies. The calibration to fine tune the handouts according to level of income is a very tedious and embarrassing affair, micro managing the life of people. The govt could work out the subsidies with operators and service providers, controlling their fees by giving more subsidies to more reasonably priced services while the upmarket brand be given less or no subsidies.

Still this is not the best option. It will, yes, become another crutch mentality thing. Making babies, bringing up babies must depend on govt subsidies! Why no one is talking about crutch mentality anymore?

Sinkies have become a people living on crutches, on govt handouts, despite being millionaires, multi millionaires or half a millionaires. Weird isn’t it? The richest people in the world but needing govt subsidies in almost everything to get by!

Punggol East – So far very tame, very civilised

For the watchers of this by election who expect a lot of fire and storm, it must be a big disappointment. So far everything appears to be very mild and tame. There were great expectations given the indiscretion of the ex MP who was also the ex Speaker of Parliament. Many could remember the fire and ferocity of the attack by the ruling party against the WP then in Hougang. All the big guns were firing in full force and the WP was finding no place to hide. It was shame, shame and shame all round. It was high morality against individual failings and indiscretion. It was monks and priests against sinners.

In this case all the shame, shame and shame somehow disappeared. There was a lack of viciousness from the WP side. Even the name Michael Palmer was not even mentioned, I think, forgive me if I am wrong on this, but I wasn’t following the rally speeches closely. I can only feel the kindness and the politeness in the whole tussle from all quarters. My respect to the honourable men and women in the opposition for not spreading the swill and shit out into the open for airing.

And even the AIM saga that was a time bomb waiting to explode but got defused. Or was it that no one is willing to light the fuse? Minus all the drama and fiery speeches, this is really like a tea party. Perhaps the politicians have matured and are less quarrelsome and less vicious. No longer behaving like little school boys or ruffians picking up on petty quarrels to look saintly. And this is good.

Well, who shall we thank for for such a civilized election campaign? Could it be a repeat of another Hougang dirty saga if the fallen MP was an opposition party MP? Would the niceties be exchanged for ‘please tell, please come clean’ for all to see who is cleaner or whiter than white? Thank God that things did not go down the longkang way. And no opposition speakers claimed or peddled to be men and women of high morals or of religious pedigree. And they still maintain a very respectable decorum and conduct while pitching for support from the voters without trying to tarnish or destroy anyone for personal flaws.

What more is there to say?

Obama's inaugural speech " sheer rhetoric" . BY Linh Dinh

Obama’s inaugural speech ‘sheer rhetoric’     Written by  LINH  DINH

Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:47AM

U.S. President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech was a “sheer rhetoric,” which many Americans know that “the situation is much different,” an analyst said.  

“In his inaugural speech, Obama said a decade of war is now ending and that the U.S. will walk to resolve future crises peacefully, but that is all rhetoric,” author and activist Linh Dinh told Press TV’s U.S. Desk on Tuesday.

“Because Obama is starting new wars, you know it is the attack on Libya and the hell that he is creating in Syria is entirely instigated by the United States, and he’s now provoking China.” he added. “The Prime Minister of Japan is visiting Washington DC next month, and this man is quite literally a nutcase. He is a very dangerous man. He denies that Japanese troops committed atrocities during World War II. He denies there were comfort women, that is, sex slaves, Korean sex slaves, during World War II, so he is the new Japanese prime minister, and he is an ally in the US provocation of China, so that’s another crisis that the US is starting, and why is the US doing that? It’s because the USS thrives in the war business. That’s the only business it has left.”

After taking his second inaugural oath of office in front of the Capitol building on Monday, Obama declared misleadingly that “a decade of war is now ending,” while pledging to maintain America’s superpower status through a global military presence.

“America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation,” Obama said in his speech.

Jonathan Tan - The AIM saga taking the spotlight again


The internet is buzzing again with more disclosures of the AIM saga. Someone has disclosed an ex staff of NCS, Jonathan Tan, posting his achievements that included his work with the Town Councils amounting to $30m and a software licence fee of $5m. (S$30 million deal with Singapore Town Council. Software license at S$5 million. This is found in his Linkedin page). How are these numbers related to the cost of developing the Town Council Management System is going to be interesting. The $30m could include hardware and software development and the $5m could be a one time license fee, or would the Town Council be required to pay more license fee for continuous used are not clear.

Some netizens are already screaming their heads off by assuming that the management system costs $30m and being sold for $140,000. On face value it looks quite ugly. But given proper and creative accounting, everything will be in order. There will be fair wear and tear and a large portion could go to hardware and equipment.

There is this thing called depreciation or writing down of goodwill. So if all these have been written off as goodwill or depreciation, there is no value left to the software. And those who think that a $30m system selling at $140,000 will incur a big loss will be mistaken. When the residual value is 0, the $140,000 will become pure profit. Yes, selling the software for any amount is profit.

You may choose to disagree with my ingenious reasoning and explanation.

When the govt starts to throw money…

The latest babies and families $2b package is another of the govt’s way to throw money at the people. This is not a bad thing and the people welcome it. What I think the govt should take heed is that before they start to throw money, please be reminded that the money is from the people, it comes from the people. And if not enough, the govt will introduce more direct or indirect taxes on the people. The people will ultimately foot the bill and some will benefit some will not, some will benefit more and some less. What the govt should also be mindful is who the money is given to.

The unequal distribution of the country’s wealth could become unacceptable and a big problem when some recipients are deemed as undeserving of the handouts or should not benefit fully from such programmes. What some Sinkies have in mind are the direct beneficiaries of such govt schemes especially when they are new citizens. Giving new citizens equal rights and opportunities as a citizen is not an issue per se. What is troubling citizens is the throwing of money from the public coffers to new citizens. There are many schemes, from housing to education and medicare when being a citizen could mean a lot of savings and may even lead to a lot of instant monetary gains.

New citizens receive immediate monetary profits in housing when they are eligible ot buy direct from HDB while some Sinkies are not even allowed to, in education fee subsidies, in subsidies for public hospitals, educational opportunities etc etc. Should new citizens be entitled to such monetary rewards almost immediately when they become a citizen? A new citizen could reap hundreds or tens of thousands of dollars by simply becoming a citizen and scoot off when it is time to trade in the profits.

The latest $2b package would likewise benefit the new citizens most. Should new citizens qualify for such monetary or money equivalent benefits like all citizens? Should not there be a qualifying period to phase in govt benefits and subsidies for new citizens? Could there be a gradation of benefits in relations to how long a new citizen has been here? Why should new citizens be eligible or be entitled to financial reward when they have not done much in this island?

What do you think?

More schemes, more conditions for babies and housing

All the rules and restrictive conditions are simply unnecessary when the fundamentals are right. Today the govt is rolling out another $2 billion package to stimulate more births and more babies. It also tweaked the conditions for housing priorities.

All these are reactive policies, measures that try to patch holes caused by bad policies and assumptions. Why is the govt now so desperate for Sinkies to have more babies when all it needs is to import more fully grown adults, immediately productive? Why are the people not having more babies in the first place? What kind of life will our children lead when everyone is just an economic digit and each one will contribute to buy a million dollar pigeon hole and keep several hundred thousand dollars in the CPF dunno for who to use?

Then the housing fiasco that is going to balloon into the biggest monster Sinkies have to live with and many will have to suffer for the 99 year lease pigeon hole and paying for the main part of their lives. A 3,500 sq ft landed property can be had for $400k just across the causeway. Sinkies are going to live and work for the pigeon holes over their heads. And they cannot afford to stop work, both must work to pay for it. How to make babies and look after babies? No sweat, hire foreign maids and the babies will grow up speaking and behaving like FTs and can blend with FTs easier.

Why has the housing problem reach such a scale? And the tweakings and the conditions, are they really helping when all the govt needs to do is to do away with most of them and just simply build for the Sinkies. A caution here. Don’t turn every foreigner into a new Sinkie to add to the demand and the problem. The solution is so simple and no need more complex rules and conditions to confuse everyone without solving but adding to the problem.

Punggol East – What if the PAP loses?

At this point in time, the PAP and WP are looking quite evenly matched and it could be anyone’s game. If the PAP were to win this election, it would just be another by election and all things return to its normal state of affair. A new face just got elected to replace another PAP MP.

What if the PAP loses and WP wins another seat? There are many things to read into such an eventuality. Firstly, it is another chip off the PAP’s fortress. It would add another opposition party into parliament. What I think would be of greater significance will be the perception of the voters and future of the political scene. Would this win by the WP be seen a milestone of sort that will chart the direction of the next GE?

From the opposition camp, it will be a comforting assurance that things are looking brighter, that the PAP is no longer the party to watch. It will definitely be encouraging for those wanting to join the opposition in the next round. It will be much easier for the opposition parties to recruit more supporters and potential candidates.

On the other hand, those thinking of saying yes after being invited for tea could have second thought. When such a well qualified professional with all the potential to be an office holder could lose to an average Singaporean from the opposition camp, it must mean something. It would be a reminder of Chiam See Tong’s less than pristine academic papers beating an elite, the best of the best that the PAP could find.

The myth that a highly qualified candidate donning the PAP’s white and badge is a sure win formula will be just a myth. It is something else that is the deciding factor. PAP brand, high and impeccable qualifications, big potential, all the praises from the ministers and even the PM would mean nothing now.

What is this new element that will henceforth decide the fate of an election? What is apparent is that it is not about the candidate as long as the candidate is good enough, decent and willing to serve the people. Then could it be the party, PAP or WP? Or could it be the ruling party and any opposition party?

Or could it be the policies, the more good years that are being rejected by the people, that the people want change and the PAP brand is no longer what the people want? It may be a combination of many factors for the people to want a change, a breath of fresh air. The old formula and the old policies are no longer workable. The people have lost faith in a party that has lost its bearing and leading the people and country down the wrong path. This would prove very difficult and costly for the PAP to make a comeback.

Many will be wondering. Many academics will be thinking. Many strategists will be asking and wanting to know why, and to make new prescriptions. All will be back to the drawing board, to do some deep thinking, to seek enlightenment and hopefully a new way forward.

Yes, a resounding victory for the WP would send many reeling into disbelief.

Hsun Tze on The Evil Empire 's war plan against China

	HsunTze	2013-01-21 15:19
	"The region welcomes the US if it acts as a peacemaker, not if it acts as a provocateur". China seems to give the USA a lot of face saying the above. When has this ugly wasp ever been a true peacemaker? The Global Tyrant had been digging up places for meddling and causing instability to gain advantage and for own selfish interest. In Korea it was not peacemaking. It was using its military and allies to divide the peninsula for a future agenda. In Vietnam, it lied to attack the North so that it get a unified but pro USA regime but unfortunately it miscalculated and had to run from the fight. If I continue with other incidences, I would be writing the sad history of the world and the USA would still be the wasp that people despise. I believe that there is one special set agenda that all US President will undertake to carry out (probably written in the constitution or in the handbook for Presidents). Was it why GWBush had said that "if you are not with us you are against us" and the agenda is to dislodge all not in the US good list, starting with the lesser nations. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya were the recent entities removed and replaced by pro US regimes. The USA eyes are now on Iran and DPRK for now. Interestingly, China gets into the picture and the USA seems to be gearing to have a go at China. I believe the USA is now weighing the pros and cons and does not want to miscalculate or it may find itself going down much faster than later. In a way it is very busy with its internal woes and potentially irreversible debt throes. I have that feeling that the Obama warmongering machine is calculating whether to go along the righteous route to gain credibility and dignity as well as have a new restart OR to go for war to get out of the quicksand Yes, the USA may want to risk third world war to dig a way out of its own blues. So it is never ever in the interest of Japan? Japan interest? Japan actually has no right to China's Diaoyu Dao just as the USA has no bloody right to hand over adminstration rights to Japan. The USA would have to respect that MIGHT IS NEVER RIGHT. The evil nation had done just that when it arrogantly and unilaterally handed over control to Japan and it was bilaterally arranged without the participation of the rightful owner who protested the bloody action. Just as Japan, the other evil has still not shown true remorse over its brutality in the past, the even greater evil USA has not shown moral and credibility to reverse its wrongs like the handling of the Diaoyu Dao issue nor of the other blunders and evil deeds done after the war. Are the USA, Europe and Japan having such irreversible woes because they all did good things for the world? Of course the USA still has influence in the world and why not with such message as "If you are not with us you are against us" and those lowly dog nations obeyed with tails between the legs. Though there are growing signs of the USA imploding, the country is still the most powerful nation on Earth and such countries like Vietnam and Philippines whimper like little dogs in the presence of the patriach dog of the pack. Take a look at Japan's Abe. His first wish was to go meet with the master Obama and other master Hillary Clinton (may be to say Sayonara to her). Hmmm, the Japanese side surely will be missing the grand matriach when she finally departs from the scene. Yes, to Abe's dismay and surely displeasure his trip was postponed to next month andthe able nationalistic leader had to go to Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia instead. Wow, did they really welcome him with open wide arms and say yess yess, Nippon, we support you? Of course diplomatic protocal must be given and that was what Abe got. How can ASEAN and Asia allow the running lackey of the USA come to cause more division? And the Japanese have been running around, here and there to try to gather more support for its case on the dispute and yet if you hear right, Japan had said there was no dispute. Do you guys see the hyprocrisy here? When you put two nations with double speak and hypocrisy together what do you get? Double whammy. Vietnam, Philippines, ROK and Japan are getting along very fine with the USA but the most pariah Asian of the lot is Japan. Why? simple. Japan is the first and so far only country to be slammed by Nukes with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of casualties. Who did that? its great friend the USA. Japan's economy was then the 2nd largest but was never allowed to grow to surpass that of the USA. Why? The USA pulls the strings and Japan has no chance at all to do its best. It has to listen to the master USA. Japan had thought the USA would help it stay at number two but alas, China caught up and took over and never looked back again. Wow, with all the things spoken about China taking over the number one place causes panic in the USA and that is the reason why we see the USA instigating or making irresponsible moves to try to prevent China from gaining that position. Is it possible without going to war? China's peaceful rise seems impossible to stop unless the USA goes to war with China. If China is stopped this way will the USA get to get out of the woes and grow??? This must be the catch 22 situation in the US think tank's minds bursting without solutions in mind. That may be why some people in the USA have gone crazy and shooting at kids. In this modern age and time, going to all out war is crazy and thinking about doing it is also mad. I know my beautiful China is a responsible country but as for the USA, I have reserves. It is already a war monger, it needs to have conflicts to feed its oversized military which itself has some weird tendencies too. The US national debt is almost touching the sky and no sign of improvement. Yet the people are not ready to save and go for austerity and the leaders just cannot cope in the normal way. They do not know what is hunger, what it is like without a roof and all they know is about their rights and those stipulated in the constitution one of which is to keep guns. Phew, as we get to learn more of the USA the more worrisome it gets. The USA is about to crack like a volcanoe about to erupt. You now see steam or smoke rising here and there. Well, time will tell. Yes, yes yes, time will always tell. Meanwhile my beloved China, just get our PLA all equiped and prepare for possible combat duties. We cannot be with them so we will be seen as against them. WE MUST WIN THIS CHESS GAME.
	Concerned	2013-01-21 11:42
	China should avoid any war now but instead deploy it's economic might to bring Japan's ALREADY fragile economy to its knees by economic sanctions and boycotts if Japan won't come to the negotiating table over the Diaoyu islands dispute. Japan's National debts is already about 25 times the government's tax revenue. And 21% of Japan's total exports go to China. Printing more yen won't help as inflation will rise to beyond the 2% that Abe wants. It's like fighting fire with gasoline. Japan is totally vulnerable if China decides to slow down trade with it through sanctions and boycott. If the US intervenes then sell all the nearly US$1 Trillion US Treasury bonds and other US dollar assets China hold in one fell swoop to buy gold and silver and precipitate the crash of the US dollar and Wall Street.

British em,pire manipulates situations to wage global wars . By Mike Bilington

Sunday Jan 13, 201304:04 PM GMT



British empire manipulates situations to wage global wars: Mike Billington
Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:15PM GMT





Interview with Mike Billington


View of London and of Obama and not necessarily the US military by the
way; is that they need a war, they need a war especially with Russia
and China to prevent an alliance of the Russians, the Chinese and the
US, which is the only alliance that could break the power of a
London-based financial empire.”
Related Viewpoints:

    Jewish Mafia tied to death of America

A prominent analyst tells Press TV that the London-based empire is
after waging war between the US on one side and Russia and China and
other Asian nations on the other side to maintain its financial power.


The US’ arms sales to China’s and North Korea’s neighbors appear set
for significant growth amid regional security jitters. Washington’s
provocative decision comes as territorial disputes between China and
Japan over a disputed group of islands in the East China Sea are
raging. Meanwhile China’s Foreign Ministry has warned about
infringement of its sovereignty by Japan with regards to the islands.

Press TV has conducted an interview with Mike Billington, wit the
Executive Intelligence Review from Arlington to shed more light on the
issue at hand. Billington is joined by two additional guests on Press
TV’s News Analysis program: Chris Bambery, political commentator from
London and Linh Dinh, writer and political analyst from Philadelphia.
What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Mike Billington, our guests have mentioned the US in a
number of occasions so let me introduce the US in this scenario. It
just came out last week, US arms sales to Asia set to boom, that is
what the headline read. White House to boost security partners armed
might, economic rewards for the US to lead to enough US sales in South
and East Asia to more than off set a slowdown the European
arms-buying.

I mean how do you see that? Is not the US in a sense fanning a rise of
militarism in the region? And on the other hand why does not the US
want to enforce diplomacy between the two countries?

Billington: Well, I think that you have to look at to this
historically first of all. That you are dealing here with a classic
British policy.

Remember that the British successfully manipulated Japan into
launching two world wars. One, when they went to war with China over
Korea in 1894 which led ultimately into World War I, and then in the
1930’s when British and their allies in the US around JP Morgan and
his friends financed and pushed Japan into the Manchurian invasion and
what ultimately led to World War II.

And it is certainly the hope of Wall Street and London and Obama, the
puppet to the Wall Street-London crowd, that they can push Japan into
a confrontation with China now, whose purpose is to break up any
alliance between the United States and China and with Russia as well.

    Keep in mind that we are in the midst of the biggest financial
breakdown crisis in the history. The entire European and American
financial system is bankrupt, they are printing money at unprecedented
rates, creating a hyperinflation and the view of London and of Obama
and not necessarily the US military by the way; is that they need a
war, they need a war especially with Russia and China to prevent an
alliance of the Russians, the Chinese and the US, which is the only
alliance that could break the power of a London-based financial
empire, which is now in the state of total collapse, and replace it
with a development-oriented creditary system.


Now the view from London, as you know, from the economists in the
Financial Times is that they are going to be successful in
manipulating this war calling the new Japanese government of Shinzo
Abe, rightwing, anti-China and so forth.

I do not believe that. I think that it is possible but it is highly
unlikely. Remember that this entire incident was started by Mr.
Ishihara, the former mayor of Tokyo, a British asset who views Russia
and China as Japan’s enemies, who wants nuclear weapons to counter
them and who intervened here, in a peaceful situation to buy these
islands; the government then foolishly, under the previous government,
stepped in and had them nationalized, but it was Ishihara, a puppet of
this global financial crowd, who launched this confrontation,
precisely to stir up this confrontation with China and to try to drive
the United States into a confrontation with China, which
unfortunately, this idiot president that we have here in Washington
[President Obama] is following London on every step, pushing for an
encirclement of China as he is with an encirclement of Russia with ABM
systems and military policies in Syria and Iran, which are aimed at
provoking a war with Russia, a war that will likely be thermonuclear.

Press TV: Mike Billington, let us cut away the fluff here. If you were
to give us a timeline in terms of a confrontation that may occur; how
quickly do you think that this may happen? Given the fact that I would
think that the US also needs to ..., well they have said, the Pentagon
Chief, Leon Panetta, defense policy in the region calls for the US
military to expend military-to-military relationships well beyond the
traditional treaty allies.

He is referring, I assume, to the Association of South East Asian
Nations [ASEAN]. So what about looking at it in terms of Taiwan?

Billington: Not only the South East Asian Nations [ASEAN], the irony
here is that the US military headed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Dempsey are probably the leading force that can prevent this
war.

They do not agree with Obama, they do not agree with Wall Street or
the city of London and your previous speaker [Chris Bambery] who
identified the London-Wall Street axis is exactly right.

    This does not serve British interest, it does not serve the
American interest as nations. It serves the interests of the empire,
the financial institutional empire, which has always been historically
known as the British Empire or the Venetian Empire but the timeline is
extremely short because we are looking at a situation where if Obama
continues with his colonial regime change policy with Tony Blair and
Cameron backing it up full steam by launching a war against Syria or
perhaps even before Syria Iran; this will provoke a war with Russia.

    This could be literally in weeks and if it becomes a war it is
going to be a thermonuclear war and if it is a war with Russia, the
likelihood is that they will immediately be at war with Russia and
China.


So it is in that light that you see the placing of these X-band radar
systems, second one in Japan and the one that they plan to put in the
Philippines. The upgrading of the ABM systems and a ring around China,
claiming falsely that this is a defense against North Korea just as
they claim falsely in Europe that the ABM systems are [in] response to
Iran, when in fact those systems have only one purpose which is to
prevent a counterstrike from Russia or from China and therefore it is
very serious strategic threat to both Russia and China.

So we are sitting on the brink. If this president, Obama, is not
removed through impeachment or through forcing him to resign now, on
the grounds of his very, very serious crimes in Libya, in allying
himself with the al-Qaeda forces in Syria and in Libya; removed and
prevented from pushing this imperial British line of warfare, so that
we can get down to the busin bess of the implementing of a new world
financial system around the Bretton wood’s approach with a
Glass-Steagall [Act] so that we can begin working with our true
allies, Russia and China as great nations, with whom we can work to
develop the world, as Franklin Roosevelt [32nd President of the United
States] wanted to do and as the best of the US military leadership and
intelligence leadership wants to do.

This is not American interest that are pursuing this insane war policy
nor the hyperinflationary bailout of the British-American banking
system.

This is an empire, which is the enemy of the Americans as much as it
is an enemy of the British people and China and Russia. This is what
is at stake and it is very, very short-term. This could be literally
any day or any week if these wars are kicked off through an attack on
Syria or Iran or perhaps, even to start in Asia as it has [had] in the
past.

7 million population a working target

The news were splashed across the main media that the mass rapid transport system would be further enhanced with a couple more lines across the island, the Cross Island Line and the Jurong Region Line, plus the extension of a few other lines in progress. What are these expansion and upgrading for? Are they being developed to ease the problems of public transportation today or are them meant to cope with a bigger population in the future?

A White Paper would be discussed for a population of 7m, not 6.5m. Is this the main reason for the big news on the future MRT lines? If this is it, then the congestion and all the problems the commuters are facing today will become a matter of normal discomfort and commuting using public transportation. The commuters just need to get used to them. Nothing much is likely to change if the population is to hit 7m. And the 7m million is not going to be the final stop.

When 7m is hit, and the economy stagnates, the call for an increase in population to stimulate growth will become another no choice option. Sinkies need to prepare for 10m or more people in this island, to build more flats and other supporting facilities, roads and to sell more COEs.

Japan, revival of the monstrous barbaric Imperial Power

Japan is trying to revive its role as the number one military power in Asia. It is talking about rearming itself, about militarism, about war. It has just completed a tour of Southeast Asian countries, visiting countries that it thinks will support its militarization and military role in the region. It visited the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar to drum up support to be the top military power and leader in the region, to take on China in a war if needed. These countries are expected to support a neo militant Japan, as the cronies of a new Japanese Imperialism.

The irony of it all is that all these countries were victims of Japanese aggression, conquered and colonized by the Japanese, and ruled by the Japanese during the Second World War. Now the Japanese want these countries to come under its influence once again, willingly, and to fight China, the biggest investors and the biggest market for their exports.

Are the Japanese in delusion, that these countries are blind or crazy? Some are, for short term benefits and interests. What would the leader of Asean, Indonesia, do with the flirtation of Japan? Should Asian countries welcome the return of this evil and barbaric power? Are the memories of the suffering from the Japanese Imperial Army so easily forgotten?

People’s Power in Sin City

People’s Power has been an alluring phenomenon around the world since the days of President Aquino. The People’s Power swept her to the Presidency of the Philippines, to overthrow the Marcos family. People’s Power has filled the streets of other Asian and African countries where people took to the streets in demonstrations against their govts. The Arabs have had their Arab Springs. The Hongkies, Taiwanese and the Malaysians have had their mass demonstrations. Even in PRC, mass demonstrations are quite common.

In Sin City, you are not going to see such a public outcry against the govt. The laws forbid it. 4 persons together in a public area is illegal assembly except when approved like in Hong Lim Park. The only public demonstration of a similar nature was the spontaneous celebration of the by election victory in the last Hougang election.

Would there be a surge of People’s Power in Sin City in the same mould as those happening around the world? It is not going to be under the present govt and legal constraints. The kind of People’s Power that is showing signs of life is likely to be of a different nature. It would be the voices of the people, to be heard and listen to. We have just witnessed a nascent stage of People’s Power last week when strong views of the netizens were recognized and acted upon by a political party, the SDP.

The SDP was quite adamant to throw in the gauntlet in the by election. The voices of netizens were loud and clear, get out or you will be history. Much as SDP would like to contest the by election, rational voices in the party understood the ground sentiment and voted against those who wanted to join in a multi corner by election that would spoil the chances of the opposition parties. Yes, the voices of the people, the voices of reasons are echoing loud and clear. Dismiss them at your own peril.

The same voice was and is very harsh on the Presidential candidates that led to a candidate that most did not favour while the favourite candidate was ousted. The people were angry and still harping on the missed chances. They find it very difficult to forgive and would take every opportunity to lambast those they felt have cheated them of the right to choose their President.

The Sinkies have found a new power tool to let their voices heard and be taken seriously. They will not walk down the roads to confront the forces of power. But that did not stop them from telling the power of the day, the political leadership of what they want. This is a new kind of People’s Power in Sin City. And this Power is going to be stronger and louder by the day. The Sinkies have found their way, a measured and effective way to be heard and to be noticed and be taken seriously. The people matter and the Power is with the people.

Listen to the voices of the people or court your own doomsday.

RAR art in Chinese ink style - Untitled

This is a piece of rar art done in Chinese ink style. It is untitled.

Diaoyu/Senkaku, the gloves are off

The latest official statement by Hillary Clinton telling China to respect the islands as under Japanese administration is as good as an open declaration of hostility towards China. The deceit and treachery of the Americans over the last 60 years is finally out in the open. It was the Americans that handed the Chinese islands to the Japanese and claiming neutrality. China was not able to do much then as it was a very weak nation in all fronts. China today is no longer the weak and bankrupt country that can be kicked around and be the victim of gunboat diplomacy. China is very capable and able to defend its own national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China will show its middle finger to the Americans and will go all out to reclaim its territories lost during its dark days as a poor and military weak nation.

The Japanese have been escalating the tension in the island dispute. It started by nationalising the islands as if they belonged to Japan and wanting to create a fait accompli. The old China could not do anything to respond to such aggressive acts. Not today, when China could run all over Japan if hostility starts. The Japanese still think it is the unchallenged military power of the past and China is a minnow, waiting to be invaded again by Japan. They used their patrol craft to harass Chinese civilian ships in the area, scrambled fighter jets to threaten Chinese civilian aircraft. China is responding might for might, with every escalation made by the Japanese, the Chinese is returning the courtesy. China is also scrambling its fighter jets to meet the Japanese. If the Japanese continue to raise the tension level, it is only a matter of time before hostility breaks out.

In the meantime Japan is visiting some Southeast Asian countries that it once conquered and colonised, to ask for support against China. It wants to involve its ex colonies, the countries it plundered and looted, the people it raped and killed, to come to its assistance in its fight against China, for wanting to keep a piece of war loot belong to China. Some of the silly ex colonies have received their ex colonial masters with open arms. Are they serious in wanting to be on the side of the barbaric colonial master in a matter that does not concern them?

The Evil Empire has made its hostile intention very clear. And China cannot back down anymore. The stage is set for a military confrontation in East China Sea.

Meritocracy with no respect for citizenship

We have seen how meritocracy in some sports have led to the replacement of citizens by foreigners, with the foreigners making a very good income paid by tax payers’ money. We have seen how the rich from all over the world are allowed here to speculate, they called in investment, in properties and making money from the daft Sinkies. We have seen how foreigners claiming to be foreign talents coming here to take away good jobs from the citizens.

This kind of mentality, translated to govt policies, is as good as amounting to a selling out of the people’s interests. Ordinary citizens can be mercenary, but not the govt. There is statehood and nationhood to consider. This country belongs to the people and their children, not to any foreigner. The govt has a responsibility to care for the citizens and their children. The govt owes nothing to the well being of foreigners. There cannot be a simple trade off on the basis of merits and put our citizen’s interests away while benefiting the foreigners.

A closer analogy will be parents love, commitment and loyalty to their children. No matter how dull or physically disadvantaged are the children, the parents would always put the interests of their children first. They would never bring in clever and smart children into their homes and kick out their children or lock them up in the storeroom.

If this treacherous trend and policy is not stopped, Sinkies will eventually find themselves as the Dalits in their won country, as the untouchable class. And foreigners will be here to master over them and kick them around. And there will be no turning back, just like the Dalits in India. The Dalits will be condemned for generations till eternity. We cannot afford to allow this to happen to our citizens and their children.

Put a stop to the foreign talent policy that is anti citizen’s interests. The citizen’s interests must come first. This country belongs to the citizens. We must take care of our own citizens, our own children and their children.

Kenneth Jeyaretnam attacks WP

‘Reform Party Chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam has launched a tirade against the Workers Party (WP) for not doing anything for Punggol East residents’. This is quoted from an Editorial in TRE.

Kenneth has a double first from Cambridge, so he must have a very intelligent mind. So, why is he attacking the WP and not the PAP? I think the reason is simple, he must have thought that the WP is the front runner and he is competing with the front runner in the election. Only by beating the front runner can he win the contest. He cannot be attacking a loser to be the next best loser in the contest. That would be quite a silly thing to do.

Given that Kenneth is an intelligent man, he must have read the situation very well. He claimed that he had done more for Punggol East than the WP and had raised the stalled renovation work at Riverdale Plaza and the WP had not done so. What could the WP do when it is not the MP of the constituency, not the ruling govt, not the

Town Council? The best the WP could do is to kpkb just like he had done and that is about it. It is the job and responsibility of the MP and Town Council to get the job done. Why didn’t Kenneth attack the PAP for the stalled renovation work?

Maybe he already knew that the PAP will lose this by election. So there is no need to waste time pulling the PAP down. It is a contest between Kenneth’s Reform Party and the Workers Party.  I hope this is true. But I am no double first so I am unable to see the picture as clearly as Kenneth. PAP sure lose this time if Kenneth is right.

The voters could see more of Kenneth going after the WP. But Low Thia Kiang is likely to ignore him as his target is the PAP. So the WP would be attacking the PAP in full force and allowing the RP to attack them on the flank. Hope Low Thia Kiang is right and the attack by the RP will not cause any dent to his campaign.

COE and high property prices are daylight robbery

Why must Sinkies pay $100k for a piece of paper to buy a car? Why are public flats built by the govt using public funds, using govt land or land acquired at the price of peanuts be priced like freehold landed properties? When a flat can be had for $200k or less, why should it be costing $600k or $1m?

Sinkies are being robbed just to own a car or a roof over their heads. And it is not going to get cheaper. Why? Are Sinkies willing to live with this kind of daylight robbery? Who are the beneficiaries of these robberies? Is it a good thing, a good govt policy?

The biggest angst is that many of the beneficiaries or profiteers, some called them investors, are foreigners, PRs etc. And the silly victims are the poor Sinkies. The Sinkies have no choice but to buy a roof over their heads. Why are Sinkies been put into such a lose lose situation? Who causes these financial burdens to be loaded onto the Sinkies, the citizens of the country while foreigners laughed all the way to the banks?

Chee Hian: Govt delivering GE promises

In his first battle cry for Punggol East, Chee Hian was reminding the voters of the PAP’s promises in the last GE, in housing, transport, education and health care. He forgot to mention about population increase and the influx of foreigners. But what were these promises? Housing prices have shot through the roof. A huge bubble has formed though no one dares to call it a bubble. Transportation, is it getting better or getting worst? Education, my view is that it is a very subjective issue and its consequences would only be felt in the long run. The immediate pain is the high cost of education in the tertiary level. Health care is great, super great. We are having the best health care in the world. But many would be patients fear using it as it will bankrupt the average Sinkies in double quick time. It is better to go to the sinsehs or self medicate, or leave it to nature to take its natural course.

The biggest bugbear is definitely housing. Boon Wan has quoted another 200,000 units of housing being available in 2016. He is claiming credit for building more flats. In the first place who screwed up the housing issue for the citizens? We do not need a govt to screw up things and then telling the people it is going to fix it and claiming credit for it.

The 200,000 units are too late, and many Sinkies have already been screwed. And the 200,000 units would not be enough if the foreigners keep coming in and are allowed to keep buying and buying, be it private or HDB flats. The foreigners have unlimited funds and are here to make money from the Sinkies that needed a roof over their heads. This is elementary. When every joker foreigner or speculator makes money from properties, it means some pathetic Sinkies would be the ultimate victims, having to pay ever higher and higher prices for something that need not cost so much.

The market forces theory is a big farce. It is govt policy, not market forces that drove up property prices. And as long as the demand from foreigners is not stopped, building another 1 million units would still not be enough. Get it?

Punggol East – A by election PAP cannot afford to lose

The PAP is looking like a party on the decline. It has gone past its golden years when support from the people could be more or less guaranteed. This support has been quite badly eroded over the last few years and it is now clinging onto the hard core supporters and party members to keep it going. The unhappiness against the party could be seen in the last few election results.

Starting from the 2011 GE, it was the first time the PAP lost a GRC and a couple of ministers in one go. If this was not enough, the Presidential Election saw its sponsored candidate winning by a whisker and could have lost if there were less candidates in the foray.

Next came the by election in Hougang when the WP was in a defensive mode. The indiscretion of its MP Yaw Shin Leong, who eventually resigned, was a great opportunity for the PAP to retake the ward. It could not do so and the more than 60% votes for the WP was a very significant statement that the support is for the WP or the opposition.

Now the PAP is presenting the opposition a chance to take away another ward for the same reason. In Hougang, the indiscretion was to the WP’s disadvantage. In Punggol East, the indiscretion is to the PAP’s disadvantage. And there are several other very serious issues that the PAP has to answer and would not be able to answer

Losing Punggol East would be a serious matter, it would be like the confirmation of a trend that the PAP is on its decline. It would be saying that it could retake Hougang but unable to do so. And it is now unable to even defend its position in Punggol East. Losing Punggol East is going to create a very serious impact on the fate of the PAP in the next GE. PAP would have to win to hold on to its political fortune. Otherwise it will see its fortune being chipped away, a piece at a time. And there could be another few by elections on the way before the next GE if the wheel of fortune is to dictate the end of the PAP. PAP must win this by election.

Punggol East – What the voters want

All the candidates will be telling the voters that they are there to serve them. And this is likely to be the first and last time some candidates will be saying this. Once elected to the parliament, some may start to behave as masters and regard the voters as their servants. The master will tell the servants what is good for them, and if the servants don’t like it, just too bad. Wait for the next GE or by election and this lie will be repeated. Vote for me, I am here to serve you.

Even in my blog, often we blogged about asking the govt for help, to look into issues that affected the people badly. Some bloggers would be so cynical and obnoxiously frank to say it was a waste of time. The govt was there to serve themselves, not the people. Don’t waste time, don’t kpkb. The people deserve the govt they elected. I cannot disagree with such truism.

The people deserve the govt they elected. So the Punggol East voters would have to think very carefully who they are electing to represent them in parliament. There are many local and national issues that are affecting the people’s life adversely. Would the elected MP be there to speak up for the people or would they be defending the govt’s policies because they belong to the govt and the ruling party? Or would they be speaking against the opposition for raising the people’s concern and problems in parliament?

No matter what a candidate is promising now, that he is independent and has an independent mind, there is always a whip to make him or her toe the line. When the whip is in force, every MP of the particular party would be kuai kuai speaking for the party and vote for the party even if the bill or policy is not good for the people, even if they personally are not in favour of the bill or policy. They can only speak for the people, defend the people’s interests and vote for policies that favour the people if the policies so happen to be for the people.

How many of the candidates will be there in parliament, representing the people’s interests first and party interests second? How many will be in parliament to represent party interests first and people’s interests second?

What has the A Team been doing?

In the last election, the PAP was touting that it had the best A Team and not enough to form a B Team. The A Team is the best, to solve all the problems for the country and people.

How many problems have they solved or how many problems have they created. Which is which? Have they solved the high population problem or created it? Have they solved the high property prices or created it? Have they solved the transportation problem or created it? Have they solved the high cost of living or created it? Have they solved the baby problem or created it? Have they solved the high medical fee problem and shortage of medical professionals or created it?

What do you think?

Punggol East- How the cards are stacked?

Koh Poh Koon is every inch a super talent. His credential is impeccable. He looks a fairly decent chap and could be ministerial material too. And he has the backing of the ruling party and the whole machinery to support his quest to be the next MP. And there is the whole gang of ministers and top talents rooting for him. Would this be enough for Koh Poh Koon to win this election?

Lee Li Lian does not have the string of top notch qualifications to back her up. She is a member of a small opposition party and would definitely lack the resources of the ruling party, but adequate to put up a decent challenge for the job. She has walked the ground, the voters there had given her 41% in the last GE. Would this still be the case or could she add in a few more percentages to tip the scale?

What about the negative parts? The PAP camp would have to face the embarrassing story of Michael Palmer and to explain why they had led the voters down, for troubling them with this by election. This one is going to be sticky and a lot of emotions and subjectivity will be attached to it. The other big issue that the PAP cannot run away from is the AIM saga. This is a very dirty can of worm. And the opposition parties are going to extract every little piece of morsel from it. Not easy to ‘siam’ this one no matter how.

Then there is the whole load of cost of living issues, from influx of foreigners to housing, cars, medical, education, GST, COE, transportation, all providing the opposition a lot of ammunition to fire at the PAP.

What about the weaknesses of WP? It would have to do with her less than sparkling degrees and appointments. She would be more ordinary, more like everyone in Punggol East. She did not have anything to brag about, not even poverty or richest. She is just a person that the people would have to decide whether she is good enough to represent them in Parliament. Of course she would have all the time to do so, may be even resigning to be a full time MP.

The two candidates are stacked in the same way as in Hougang. A brilliant star against an ordinary person. The Hougangkias did not vote for a super talent. They were contented to put Png Eng Huat to Parliament against all odds. In Hougang, the WP was on the defensive with the same problem as PAP in the Michael Palmer affair. The WP was in a much weaker position than in Punggol East.

The additional minus factor against the WP must be the presence of two other contestants. Though they are not seen to receive much support from the voters in this election, but every vote counts. They could take away the few critical votes needed for the WP to unseat the PAP. This could be the most serious factor in this election against the WP. Would the voters cast all their votes for the two major party candidates and reduce the spoilt votes or votes going to the two spoilers? If the voters are clear in what they want, then Lee Li Lian of WP could stand a chance to do an upset. If too much votes are wasted on the two spoilers, then it looks like the PAP will have a better chance to winning. There is no doubt that the two spoilers’ votes will play a major part in the final outcome of this by election.

Punggol East, 4 corner or 2 corner fight?

It is now confirmed that four candidates have submitted their nomination papers and accepted for the by election. Koh Poh Koon(PAP), Lee Li Lian(WP), Kenneth Jeyaretnam(RP), and Desmond Lim(SDA) will be standing for their respective party. Somehow I still look at this as a straight fight between PAP and WP. As for the other two, very likely both will lose their deposits, $16k!
This looks set for an exciting battle with the individual candidate’s credentials being less of an issue as they are all reasonably qualified professionals. The main issue is really more of a battle against the PAP and the side issues will be what had happened recently in the constituency and of course AIM. The latter will be high on the list of the opposition camp to take a good dig at the ruling party.

I am wondering whether there will be any turnout or how small the turnouts will be for the rallies of RP and SDA when the main contestants will be slogging it out in centre court.

How many dirty linens will be aired this time?

Punggol East – A straight fight

By now everyone would have known that the SDP has withdrawn from the by election. This is the best news yet for people who want a straight fight between the PAP and the WP. And yes, it will be a straight fight. No? You mean there are two other possible parties like the SDA and the Reform Party standing as well? Are you sure they are political parties and are you sure they will make any difference? I am quite sure both will lose their deposits if they dare to stay on to fight. Anyway, they are inconsequential, just some side shows that no one needs to pay any attention to.

The SDP could pull in some serious number of votes that will weaken the chance of the WP. That is what the SDP could do if they contest the by election. But it would not be like winning a battle to lose a war. SDP will not win this battle and their participation will cause them the war in 2016 as well. It is better to save the money for the war that is coming. The decision to withdraw will put the SDP in a better state comes the GE. Thanks to their Central Committee, they have saved themselves from a major disaster that would have finished their chances in 2016.

While the whole picture of the by election has changed, the biggest winner is the cyber citizens. They have put enough pressure on the SDP to withdraw. And this is through a concerted effort of reasons and logic that convinced the SDP that going against them would be a great folly. Internet has never been such a powerful and persuasive tool in any general election. In this instance, the persistence of netizens and their forceful logic have forced the SDP to do the rightful. The internet is real and the voice of the internet is immediate, and to be ignored at their own peril. Without the internet, such vital feedback would not come about. The SDP took heed to save an otherwise embarrassing and costly by election.

The other internet brigade has also been very active trying to throw reasons into disarray and advocating a multi corner fight, appealing to the egos of individuals in political parties to try their luck. If this disinformation prevails, a multi corner fight would be inevitable. It seems that the people could not be easily swayed and those trying to support a multi corner fight had lost. Though there were a lot of contradicting views, the stronger view of reasons emerged to rule the day.

What the internet could do, the power of the internet, is much more superior to the main media. The internet penetration is much wider than the main media in a political situation like this. The main media would not be able to do what the internet could do, fresh and constant news or views straight out of the oven. The internet is now a game changer and no amount of internet brigades could distort the picture and the views of an enlightened population of netizens.

Should the WP win this by election, it has the internet to thank for. At least a multi corner fight has been avoided. No need to waste time on the jokers that are willing to throw away $16,000. The voters are smart enough to dismiss them as rubbish. Maybe by the end of the day, both could also withdraw.

Chee Soon Juan the new Zhuge Liang

Chee Soon Juan said he knew that his proposal would be rebuffed by the WP. And he sent his proposals to the WP three times and was rebuffed three times. This was similar to Liu Bei visiting Zhuge Liang three times in order to show his sincerity. Liu Bei’s sincerity was accepted and Zhuge Liang went on to serve him. In Chee’s case, the WP did not accept him.

The brilliance of Chee is shown in this instance in that he knew well in advance that he would be rebuffed. I think not many people are so talented to know of the future, of an act and its consequences. ‘We knew all along…’ So why would he go on and on to send the proposals to WP? To show his sincerity not to the WP but to the voters that he had tried and was sincere to want to negotiate with the WP in a win-win-win situation? One thing for sure, to the WP, his proposal was a lose-lose-lose all the way. I think this part Chee did not know.

Now maybe Chee could tell us if he knows what would be the result should the SDP contest this by election. He must know too, I think. And since he is going to send in the SDP candidate, very likely he would have known that the SDP would win. Otherwise there is no point wasting so much time and effort, and maybe even losing the deposit.

Is the SDP’s plan to contest this election a win-win-win-win-win for all the candidates?

Should GST be removed from medical bills?

The GST is a very insensitive and blunt tool to collect taxes for the govt. But this does not necessarily mean that it has to be blunt and crude and all inclusive. The GST can be fine tuned in many ways to be more humane, compassionate and merciful in its application. Those who choose to support a one size fits all GST are just not willing to be flexible and can even be very mean or even wicked to take this kind of position.

One very glaring example of the inhumane application of GST is medical bills. The taxpayers are already sick, some very sick, some dying, and the Govt thinks it is alright to charge them GST. And the more serious is the illness, the more expensive is the medical bill, the greater will the sick have to pay for GST. A $1m medical bill will fetch a $70k GST or a half a million dollar bill will be $35k in GST. Is this the proper and morally right thing to do, to feast on the sick and the very sick?

Then the taxes on essential items like food and essential services. Maybe using more electricity or water would not make people squirm when they have to pay GST on them. What about food, like rice, sugar and salt? What about milk powder for the babies and baby food, when babies are so precious and so costly to bring up? Baby food is by no means cheap and the added GST is no small sum. The Govt’s explanation is that it could redistribute the GST collected to the needies. What a big bull. The amount collected could be the same tax the needies paid as GST. Or many could have fallen through the net and did not get any rebates from the Govt. Some would not qualify because of the stringent criteria when they really need it. The returning of GST to benefit the poor is a very grey area and the efficiency of seeing those who need the handouts is often found wanting.

There are many specific goods and services that GST could be refined and targeted. The rich that are willing to splurge on their elaborate funeral expenses needless to say would not mind paying GST for them. But why are the small people who just want to pay for the last rite with their little money or borrowed money made to pay GST? May be the service providers are GST exempt and we do not know.

There is no excuse to treat GST like a big wet blanket. It must be trimmed to fit some clear cut cases like medical and essential goods and services. Super talented millionaire ministers and civil servants would have no problems coming up with an acceptable and equitable and flexible GST policy on what need not be taxed.

Lee Li Lian to represent WP in Punggol East

Lee Li Lian was the candidate for Punggol East in the last GE and garnered 41% against Michael Palmer. She is now standing again to take on Koh Poh Koon in the by election. It must be a tough decision for WP but a very sensible one. She had walked the ground and is not new to the voters. She only needs a 5% swing to win this race.

And this is a very critical by election for both the WP and PAP. It will signal where the wind will blow in the next GE.

Punggol East – The battle of internet

Two more days to nomination day and internet is in a flurry of activities. The Opposition camp, particularly those that wanted a multi corner fight to undermine WP’s chances are getting a bollocking from the netizens. Nothing much heard in the main media on this matter. And now with straw poll an offence, no one is going to know what is the true ground feel.

Then there is the internet brigade in full force charging around everywhere trying to support a multi corner fight. Some specifically support one or another opposition party to compete against the WP. This gives the impression that having a multi corner fight is perfectly ok. It could also be read by the shallow minded opposition candidates that the ground is really rooting for them to come forward. And it looks like they are taking the bait, that they have supporters urging them on.

So it is likely that there will be at least a 3 corner fight. Luckily the thinking one like Benjamin Pwee has withdrawn, knowing what the odds are and the real situation on the ground. We need more sensible opposition leaders like Benjamin and those in NSP and SPP to hold the fort with the WP to launch a serious assault on the invincible fortress.

The voters must also read the mess of information and misinformation in the internet carefully and not be misled.

Another gang rape in India

While the sensational brutal rape and murder trial is still going on, another 6 men gang rapists were caught in the act. And this is definitely not the only case as many were not reported. How many of these women have fallen victims to such heinous crime by animals walking on two legs whose animal lust cannot be restrained?

What were more disgusting were the comments by religious leaders and politicians that it was all the fault of the women. They were blaming the women for their dressing, short skirts, and their flirtation with the men. The women were bringing rape upon themselves. It seemed that it was perfectly alright for the men to rape the women, to release their lust on them. This is only natural if one is to know that a few hundred politicians have been charged for similar offences and still being voted into parliament.

The sexual urge is not limited to the poor and hungry but also to the rich and powerful. India needs a revolution to rid such medieval thinking and primate instinct. But it is easier said than done. The men will keep on lusting after the women as objects of desire, to be taken and even beaten to death.

Would this kind of thinking take root in Sin City with so many foreigners here? I know that this is a touchy subject.

PS: The mother of the dead victim wanted all the rapist to be hanged.

Mass opposition rally in Kuala Lumpur

Hundreds of thousands of supporters turned out at the rally organised by Pakatan Rakyat alliance led by Anwar Ibrahim. It was the biggest political rally in recent time by an opposition party and approved by the police or UMNO led govt. Najib can take credit for this liberalisation of the political scene.

What was equally remarkable was that it was a very peaceful rally without violence. Credit must also go to Anwar and his supporters. Now the big question, why was there no violence? Why was there always violence when the police were around? Get the picture? Could it be a possibility that the cause of violence in mass rally is actually the police? Or could it be that the violence was initiated by outside forces that wanted to make the rally promoters and supporters look bad, as the cause of violence?

Who are the real provocateurs that caused violence in mass rallies? The truth is best explained why yesterday’s rally was all calm. The provocateurs were reigned in and not allowed to cause violence to give the police a chance to attack the peaceful demonstrators. This is a possible theory.

Punggol East, a case of wild ambition and rash men

The by election in Punggol East was meant to be a serious and well considered affair. The residents will have to decide to elect a representative to parliament. There was a certain understanding based on past practices and agreements of the opposition camp that it would be a WP contest against the PAP. Everyone has that kind of expectation. What has happened is something that is shocking beyond belief, that it is like a mad movie from some third world country, with every bum thinking that it is party time, and everyone wants to be invited.

We would expect the potential candidates, those aspiring to be national leaders, to be calm, cool and calculative, men of depth, of wisdom, to think about this matter seriously before they make any move or statement to contest the election. Other than SPP and NSP, two parties that are looking sensible and looking more sensible than before when other parties are looking not only foolish but moronic. We have heard of the two bizarre proposals by SDP and Reform Party to WP that they want a piece of the cake, with heads I win tail you lose terms. And they seriously believed that it is a fair and good deal.

What are these two parties thinking in the first place? Do they really think they are so important, so relevant and have the support of the people that they could dictate their wills on the most credible opposition party, making one sided demands as being fair to all?  This thinking is at party level. The comments by the potential candidates from these parties are equally clueless. They are all ready to charge over the cliff. Do they really think they have any ounce of chances to win against the ruling party in a multi corner fight? And these are supposed to be sensible and intelligent men, to lead the people and to represent the people’s interests. Can the people support such men when they are coming across as reckless and mindless individuals with only wild ambition in between their ears? They are just there to tikam tikam, even knowing that their chances of success are as good as zero. They simply don’t care. Can such men be reliable and dependable to make reasonable and logical decisions when needed to when voted into parliament? Or would they also adopt the same tikam tikam mentality on national issues?

The frightening part is that these men could not see their own folly, and they are strutting around like gladiators, so proud and happy that they are the best to offer to the voters. Can they be taken seriously? The people of Punggol East, and the people of this country deserve better and more sensible men to represent them in parliament and as national leaders. If what is happening is going to turn to reality, that wild and reckless men with little brains are going to be elected to parliament, then the people really deserve to be screwed. But this need not be the case as the voters today are not as daft as the pretentious politicians to be. Just because fools and idiots joined a political party and have the money to lose, it does not mean that the people will be as foolish as them.

It is really an eye opener to see the true persons behind the hustling and the quality of their thinking. I should say the lack of quality in their thoughts. Even before the real hustling has started, it is looking so disappointing. Every one is nothing but a joke.

Punggol East and the lunatic fringe

The three letters sent by SDP and its contents are out in the media. The SDP called it a win win win proposal. They believe it in. They believe that it is a brilliant proposal. I think only lunatics will believe so. It is right that the WP ignored this madness completely and not to waste time on something that bothers on pomposity and self delusion. It is simply rash thinking bordering on hallucination. I could add a few more silly comments about this proposal. It is frightening that the SDP think it is their best shot, a work of genius. With this proposal I think SDP has written itself into history. I don’t anyone will take this party seriously any more. SDP has nothing to prove anymore.

In the last GE there was a certain understanding, a common purpose, to get more opposition party candidates into parliament. And they worked at their very best to prevent a three corner fight. The opposition parties were praised for doing just that.

In the Punggol East by election, it is now about helping the PAP to get its candidate into parliament. The opposition parties are trying their level best to prevent the WP candidate from getting into parliament.

In an article written by Kor Kian Beng, a News Analyst from ST yesterday, he floated the idea that the opposition parties are wary that the WP will be getting too popular and strong for their own good. They need to bring down WP or hold it back so that they too would stand a better chance in the GE. Now they fear the WP more than the PAP.

This I think is a tongue in cheek comment. The opposition parties, other than the WP, could not even get themselves elected. What is there to fear the WP? They need to make themselves credible and elected first before thinking of undermining other opposition parties. Maybe Kor Kian Beng is right. The mentality of the opposition parties is just so shallow that they could not see anything further than the tip of their noses. So, in this by election, the target is the WP. Bring down WP at all cost.

What a hilarious bunch of clowns!

Property curbs to prevent a balloon

We all heard it last night. The Govt is introducing its seventh cooling measures to curb a runaway property market that is getting out of control. The details are in the media and I would not want to repeat them here. What was astonishing is that it took six cooling measures and nothing seemed to work. If the six measures were ideas from some third world half baked govts, I can understand. But there were carefully crafted by super talents that are being paid in the millions and they did not work, failed to work! And now the seventh measures touted as the harshest. Really? Is it going to work?

The best part is that the Govt still think that there is no bubble yet. And these measures are still timely to prevent a bubble from forming. According the Tharman, the prices are running ahead of fundamentals. This must be a great revelation.

Both Tharman and Boon Wan appeared together to meet the Press. It used to be just Boon Wan alone and he was always full of confidence, the man in charge, the problem solver. He volunteered to take over this office from Mah Bow Tan.

Last night Boon Wan was a shadow of himself, looking haggard and depressed. What did that tell? Was Boon Wan finding that he had ran out of ideas or was it that he thought nothing needed to be done as his six cooling measures were good enough. And he was depressed because the DPM had told him off, and the DPM was taking charge of the problem, to deal with the problem in a targeted and more effective way. There was no doubt that the property prices are now in high heavens and intoxicating. The prices are at very dangerous level now and a collapse is not only imminent, natural and very painful, but will hurt many people. And since Boon Wan is unable to deal with it, Tharman had to come in to show some leadership and mean business.

My feeling is that Boon Wan has let the prices gone too wild and it is beyond his control, and serious damage has been done. A lot of money has been sucked into properties and pray that there is no crash or many would have to jump off their million or multi million dollar apartments when that day comes.

Tharman is now in charge. Let’s see if he could do better, or is it too late as the ginny has bolted out of the bottle.

COE and population growth

The number of cars allowed on our roads is reaching its limits. The capacity of our trains is also reaching its limits and showing increasing signs of breaking down.  No? How much more can be built to cater to public transport infrastructure without bursting the national purse or causing the commuters an arm or a leg? Private transport is now like a highway robber demanding a hundred thousand just for a pass. And the Govt claims there is no other way. The roads are congested, there is just not enough land to build more roads. Oh, can build one more level of roads over existing roads. Sure, how much and where is the money coming from?

There is no need to engage a foreign consultant or even a professor from the universities to confirm that there is just no more elbow room to move around. And LTA is shrinking the number of COEs available by the days. It has to, a necessary and tough decision. Of course if we have not flooded the city with so many people and build up every little nooks and corners, we may not be in the current fix.

What about another 700,000 in the pipeline waiting to join us? How is this going to affect our infrastructure, housing and roads? Is it a good thing, and is it avoidable or do we have to face more stringent measures once they are here and what are the reasons, got no choice? The choice is now, to stop more people coming in. I will touch on the property bubble in another post.

Terra Nullius and the South China Sea

The concept of terra nullius was quite a natural law in the days of yore and the world was sparsely inhabited. The original man just moved around and lived wherever they set foot on. They behaved like the animals, marked their territories they were able to control by might. This concept took a big change when the Western Empires set out to claim the world. Stamford Raffles founded Singapore. Columbus founded North America and so on and on. The Europeans totally ignored what terra nullius was all about. The natives were transparent. And if they put up a fight, they would be terminated. Anyone heard of what happened to the North American natives? They used to call them Red Indians. And Africa was there to grab, the natives were not recognized as the finders. And the European started to invent their laws, interpret their laws to their advantage. The land, terra nullius, was applicable as long as the natives could not define statehood in the European context. They took both north and south America, Africa, India, South East Asia and Australia and New Zealand and many islands far and wide in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Now, what is so outrageous or ambitious about China claiming a little piece of the South China Sea in the name of terra nullius when the Europeans had claimed the whole world? And finder’s keepers was the first right of mankind. The islands were found by China centuries back when the South East Asian countries were only rowing in sampans and little craft that would not float when a few kilometers out in the South China Seas. Only the fleet of China ships could sail and visit these little islands in the South China Seas and thus claiming ownerships on the ground of terra nullius. Pedra Branca too was a case of terra nullius. Imagine these little rocks were only a few kilometers out in the sea and the natives did not even know of their existence. How would they know of the existences of the rocks and little islands in the middle of the South China Seas? Not only they did not know, when China was marking these islands and landing in them, the natives in South East Asia were not even recognizable states in the European context. When did they become independent nation states? 1940s, 1950s? Hey many of us are even older than these South East Asian states.

China has to claim them and hold on to them before the Americans and now the Indians move in for the spoils. Any weakness in China and reluctance to wield the big stick will see the islands going to the next most powerful military state. So, what should China do? Allow everyone to claim a piece of its islands like the European powers claiming a part of China in the 19th Century?

Punggol East welcomes MP Koh Poh Koon

In the event of a 3-corner or 5-corner fight, the outcome needs no guessing. For an opposition party to win in a multi corner contest is like a one in a millionth chance. Though the result is as good as a foregone conclusion, the possibility of an upset is still there no matter how slim. Taking the rational and objective view, the PAP should win hands down just with its core 40% support, or even 35% at worst. It is as good as a walkover with the opposition parties thinking and believing that they were really in the race. Koh Poh Koon is as good as the new MP for Punggol East.

The interesting thing is if there is an upset. If against all odds, the WP wins, I am ruling out the rest as they are in no position to do better than the WP based on their track records, what will be the implications? For one, it will propel WP to the status as the party to win the next GE. To win in a multi corner fight against the PAP is no mean feat. It will also be a message to the other parties that they were just a bunch of jokers and may no longer be taken seriously in the GE. It will also send a loud message to the PAP that its days are numbered. I don’t believe SDP is serious to want to negotiate with WP to give way or go into a multi corner race. It will completely destroy the SDP for good, especially Chee Soon Juan. It will also send a loud signal to the professionals waiting on the sideline that the WP is the party to be with. It will also send a signal to those still wanting to join the PAP bandwagon to rethink, should they join a sinking ship.

This is going to be the kind of thinking should the WP win a multi corner contest. The whole political landscape will change in favour of the WP. It will be the dragon slayer and the party in waiting to govern the country.

What if, after all the hustling, it ends up with a straight fight and WP wins? This scenario is less dramatic as the outcome could be expected. At most it will be a small dent to the PAP’s armour and another pawn for the WP. In the bigger picture, it will show a PAP that is losing its ground and is likely to lose more ground in the next GE. As for the rest of the political parties, they will look pretty good as serious contenders that would not mess their chances when offered, not reckless but disciplined enough to make compromises and bid their turns. They will likely to gain more goodwill and a better image from the voters. They will be taken more seriously for acting responsibly.

How this game of political chess is being played is still anyone’s guess. Is it a well planned and orchestrated game being engineered by a Zhuge Liang or just an ordinary game of wild chances is still unknown. It can be either. The people will not just be watching the PAP but all the opposition parties as well, to measure them up. The opposition parties were seen as reasonable and respectable parties in the Hougang by election. Would they confirm this impression, or would they show hand to tell the voters that they are just a bunch of bankrupt jokers and cannot be depended on to run the country?