The courts of public opinion

 

The rich and power seek justice in the courts of law. They have the money to hire the most expensive and eminent legal experts to bring them the justice they can afford to pay for. Often the loser lost without a fight as they cannot pay for the fight.

The courts of public opinion is a less defined and big grey area. No one can buy justice in the courts of public opinion as opinion is free and the judges are numerous. Everyone has an opinion, rightly or wrongly, fair or unfair, biased or bigoted, but they all have something to say on an issue. And there are many courts of public opinion on a case, some will favour while some will go against the defendant under scrutiny. And one does not need to commit a crime or do anything to be sentenced in the courts of public opinion.

SR Nathan, the immediate past President is awarded the highest honour of the country, the Order of Temasek First Class. This is a very rare honour that is reserved for a very few and very distinguished individuals. Nathan is now among seven who were deemed fit enough to be decorated with this honour.

While this is something that anyone would feel greatly honoured as a life time achievement, what Nathan did not bargain for is to be hauled into the courts of public opinion. In the main media it was a story of great achievements and accolades for a man of distinction, with many great stories to tell of the man. In another court of public opinion in cyberspace, the story is quite contrary and ugly. Being bestowed such an honour is like being set up for scorn. The commentaries were anything but pleasant. Many were questioning what he had done that was so deserving of such an honour. The criticisms and berating were very subjective, very personal and very uncomplimentary.

The courts of public opinion can be very unforgiving especially the wrong ones. Many luminaries may hesitate to even think of accepting great honours and awards and be praised publicly when the courts of public opinions could disfigure all they have achieved and cast smears and doubts, and disparaging dismissed all the good things that were said. Instead of being affirmed and praised, the experience can be quite humiliating and uncomforting.

The courts of public opinion are never just or fair, more like kangaroo courts. It is a bane to any public figure made to stand in such a court to be demolished and diminished. No amount of money can buy the best legal brains to earn a favourable judgement in these kangaroo courts. No matter how high is the office, how powerful is the defendant, there is no defence against the scorn of public opinion if one is undeserving or has a tinge of grey in a white slate.

The world has since become more grey than merely white and black.

Hsien Loong is going to build a fair and just society for Sinkies

I know this is a motherhood statement but what is wrong with it? It sounded like the PAP is running an election campaign and this is the key slogan for the party. It can also sound like the PAP has just formed the govt and is promising the people that this was what it wanted to do for the people. Wait a minute, this is our 48^th National Day and the PAP has been running the country for the past 47 years and has just started to want to do this. What had it been doing all these years, building an unfair and unjust society? Should we say that it is better late than never, and Sinkies can be hopeful that going forward they can expect a fairer and just society? The worrisome part is that the Govt either does not know that it has built an unfair and unjust society or it has been doing so thinking it is ok.

And the PAP is going to ensure that every Sinkie will have a home when it did not bother, to have a stake in this country now when it was not important. Obviously there are Sinkies that have no home and no stake in this country. It cannot be like, how can Sinkies have no home and no stake in this country in the first place? Then what are these Sinkies doing NS for and what will they be defending, other people’s homes and other people’s stake, foreigners’ homes and foreigners’ stakes?

The high cost of living, high cost of medical care, the high cost of everything, the govt is going to tackle them all. Sounds good, really. The govt will be solving all these problems.  What sounds not so good or unpleasantly funny is that why and how did all these happen? Would it not be better if the govt did not allow all these to happen in the first place, nipped them in the bud like it always said? Would it be better if the govt and those who are responsible did not allow these problems to become problems to the people in the first place? What is the meaning of proactive?

And there are problems of public transport, problems of unemployment, problems of too many foreigners and many others. Who are the twits that created all these problems for the govt to take care of? Who are they that are giving so many problems to Hsien Loong and causing him many sleepless nights trying to solve so many problems at the same time? These must be people who are doing Hsien Loong in, right? I hope they are not being awarded any National Day honours for creating all these problems.

As the PM, his job is really tough, with so many people undermining him by making all the wrong decisions and policies and making him responsible for cleaning the shit. Hsien Loong should rightly deserve the highest National Day Award, the Order of Temasek(First Class) for cleaning shit and not blaming anyone for it. Why no one recommends him for the highest National Day Award?

The Revengeful Japs never forget US nuclear bombing of Japan and will definitely return the same favour to US some day in future

The revengeful Japs will never forget US nuclear bombing of Japan and will definitely return the same favour to US some day in future.

The launching of Japs new aircraft carrier on 6th August is a bad omen for America. It is a veiled threat that they meant to take  nuclear revenge against US some day in future.

Why is US coddling the Japs and inciting them to create trouble in the East China Sea against China? After an era of Western and Japanese domination and imperialism during the last one hundred and fifty years China was left crippled with lost of huge territories of land to invading Western countries and Japan and with her economy in shambles , China was critically weak and despised by the invaders. That was the time Japan thought it could invade and dominate China totally. But with intense patriotism the Chinese under the leadership of Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou En Lai and the Peoples' Liberation Army fought bravely against the Japs and defeated them. However , when the Japs attacked America's Pearl Harbour , they stirred the hornets' nest and brought the Americans into the war against the Japs. With America's atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the Japanese war of aggression against China was brought to a stop. The Japs have always blamed America for destroying their only chance of invading and subjugating China not forgetting that even without America's nuclear bombing of Japan , China would definitely and ultimately defeat the Japs and drive them out of China. However, the revengeful Japs in launching the new aircraft carrier on the 68th Anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Tuesday 6th of August is not a co-incident but is meant to carry out a clear signal and reminder to US that Japan will definitely take revenge on that infamy incident against US some day in future and in the same nuclear manner. Thus America should take the warning seriously and stop supporting and rearming an evil monster in the making. America should not side with the Japs but let China have a free hand this time round to deal with the Japs so that the Chinese can teach these Japs a fatal lesson once and for all and make sure  that they will never rise up again to give trouble to the world.

Southernglory1

My National Day Message

The Singapore, our country, is there for ‘US’ to make. The “US’ are Singaporeans, not PRs, the people that made this country what it is today and will continue to make this country a liveable place for our children for generations to come.

Our Singapore, our country, its fate, what it should be, must by decided by ‘US’ and not by a few individuals who think they know best and what is good for ‘US’.

The Singaporeans must make this country and govt to serve the interests of ‘US’ the citizens foremost. And we can be generous and charitable to foreigners who come here to visit or to work. It must not be the other way, when we are second to foreigners and PRs and have to depend on their generosity and charity. The foreigners and PRs are here because we have built such a great city for them to live their dreams and make a good living. We allowed them, we gave them the opportunity, not the other way. While doing this, we must not sacrifice or compromise the well beings of our citizens to the extend that they become jobless and have to scrape for a living, with low paying and unwanted jobs, with no job security while having to cope with extremely high cost of everything.

We must be the owners, we are the owners of our country. We must be in charge and not foreigners in charge. The foreigners, including the PRs, are here with our consent and approval, enjoying our kindness at our discretion. The Singaporeans, the ‘US’, must not be dependent and at the mercy of foreigners for jobs and our well being. We are the host and they the guests. This must be the permanent formula and the host must not be elbowed out by the guests.

I wish all Singaporeans a happy National Day fills with hopes of a better tomorrow, for all Singaporeans and their children.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

I just came back after spending the nearly the whole day out and cannot miss the well and colourfully dressed Muslim brothers and sisters everywhere. There is one place they are missing though, the foodcourts. But that is understandable as they will be having their feasts at home with their families and friends.

I was at this foodcourt and the only people I saw were mainly Chinese, some Indians and some foreigners. Having the Indians and Malays all eating together in the foodcourts was nothing unusual as they are part and parcel of this country, they are a part of every Singaporean. Now the foreigners are also becoming a part of us as well. Their presence cannot be missed.

Today I really felt something missing, without the signs and presence of Malays among the customers. It would likely be the same for a Chinese or Indian festival with the particular tribe making the missing act.

Once again, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

A single swallow justification

Now that the Hair for Hope event in support of the Children’s Cancer Foundation that led to the punishment of 2 girl students by their principal is water under the bridge, I would like to revisit the thinking behind the incident that let to the fiasco and public outrage. I quote the Principal Marion Tan “Can you imagine if I were to say yes, I’d have everybody coming to school with a bald head. Sometimes it’s a fad, so they would take advantage of the situation.”

She has her point in that the girls did promise to put on wigs if they participated in the event. And if she was in the army, the girls would jolly well wear the wigs as promised. That is how the army works, regimentation, and an order is an order. In this case, the demand for such an undertaking by the principal is misplaced as it showed a lack of understanding and appreciation of the Hair for Hope event. It is all about empathy and compassion for those cancer patients that have to go through the painful chemotherapy and the undesirable consequence of a bald head.

Let me return to the quoted statement above. This is like the proverbial saying a swallow does not make a summer but many would insist otherwise. And this is the thinking of the people in authority. They cannot release the CPF savings to the people caused some DOM had squandered all their monies on mei meis, or some have gone to the casinos. So it is best that the money be all locked up. Imagine if the govt would to say yes, every retiree would take out their money and feed the mei meis and the casinos. Jiat lat, all would end up with no money the next day and crying to the govt for charity.

The same justification for not allowing people with higher income to use lower class hospital wards with higher subsidies. If one is allowed, all the rich people will opt for C class wards, maybe people living in the Istana would also do so. Think HDB too, if one is allowed to buy smaller flats, all would want to buy smaller flats.

What kind of mentality is that? Do the people making decisions up there really believe in this logic? The stupid ones do, I am sure. The smart ones are only using this flawed logic for their own convenience and to serve their agenda and whatever schemes they are brewing. They are too smart to think that this is logical thinking.

Don’t take a swallow and claim that it is summer. Don’t think that seeing an albino crow and conclude that all the crows are white. Can this episode be a lesson to the policymakers to fine tune their thinking? Fat hope, this is a golden rule to rule the people and take advantage of the people, for their ignorance and passiveness towards authority. The authority is always right and always logical in their reasoning. Tio boh?

I remember, if we were to give the people a drumstick they will demand for the whole chicken, or something like that. Where got exception one?

Two National Day Celebrations

This National Day is special in the sense that there will be two celebrations held about the same time and within the same vicinity. One has a theme, Many stories, One Singapore and the other, Reclaiming Singapore for Singaporeans. The first, the official celebration organized by the Govt, will be held at the Marina Bay with much fanfare and all the pomp and pageantry, a great festivity for all, Singaporeans and foreigners. At least a hundred thousand spectators will be there, watching the parade and performances and a grand display of fireworks to end the night.

Reclaiming Singapore for Singaporeans will be held a short distance away at the Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park. There will likely be a smaller gathering of mainly Singaporeans to celebrate the National Day organized by Singaporeans with no official budget to give it the glamour and colours of a joyous event. They will celebrate the National Day in a solemn low key way, more in spirit as true blue Singaporeans, to remember the days gone by, the great but forgotten Singaporeans that contributed to the success story of this little island. They will remember what it was like when the island residents were mainly Singaporeans, like a bigger kampong of people who lived together for a long time and knew each and every one in the kampongs.

Amidst this little celebration there will also be a tinge of sadness, of the days gone by, the buildings and places that were lost forever, of the unrecognized and fallen heroes that were cast aside by the furious pace of development and change. There will be remembrance, there will be praises and regrets, but it will still be a National Day celebration by the original Singaporeans, the pioneers who built this nation and their loved ones.

Happy National Day to all Singaporeans.