AEC, looking forward to it

The Asean Economic Community is shaping up nicely behind closed doors. We can expect the borders to become more porous with lesser restrictions to travel and work within the Asean countries. The impact could be tremendous but like the impact of 6.9m, no one is particularly interested to tell the public how it would affect their livelihood. The most immediate impact would be out entry points when a normal half an hour wait may now take half a day to cross if all the Asean workers are marching to Sin City. Come to think of it, the checks on security threat could come in very handy and we have plenty of practices to regulate the flow of traffic at the checkpoints.

What I am looking forward to is actually the exchanges of personnel at the top levels, not the PMETs. If we could exchange govt leaders and pick the best for our city, it would be real nice. Top on my list is Yingluck. It would be so nice to see her in Parliament as our PM. Attendance would be perfect and the galleries will be full. You may even have to queue for a gallery ticket months ahead just to have a seat at the gallery. And the MPs would be asking a lot of questions and trying their very best to impress her with their wits. No more absentees or too busy with their private commitments.

The other top seat that needs a change of personality is the Presidency. We need a strong and powerful dare devil to be our President. The best candidate is Aquino of the Philippines. He is the only President in the world that dared to tell China that it is preparing its military forces to fight with China. This kind of bravery is rare and if we can have him, no one would dare to tell him it would take 56 man years to come up with a report. And being paid in the millions, the jobs must be more than just shaking hands with visitors to the Istana and kissing babies. Not to forget, Aquino can stand in for the Pinoy President when the Pinoys here celebrate their Independence Day, so convenient.

Aung San Suu Kyi could be another good choice but her kind of values on happiness may not go down well with our money minded populace. We don’t believe in happiness. We only believe in money, money and more money.

The Malaysian Home Minister Hamidi would be a good choice for our Home Ministry. We would not have anymore Mas Selamat problems or Malaysians gate crashing through out check points. But what impressed me about Hamidi was his comment on the fair treatment of minorities during Obama’s visit. When asked if Malaysia was fair in its affirmative policies to the bumiputras he quoted the examples in the US to support his case. The US also has affirmative policies for the minorities. So there is nothing wrong for Malaysia to have affirmative policies for the majorities.

Wish he can be our Home Affairs Minister and introduce affirmative policies for the majorities here.

His comrades Hishamuddin would be a good one for Transport Minister. He is so experienced in handling the media and with so frequent breakdowns in our trains, he would be like fish in water, holding press conferences daily like a cake walk. He will definitely enjoy his job here and we can have free publicity to the whole world.

It would be a tough choice to swap our Foreign Minister with Natalegawa of Indonesia. Between him and Shanmugam, close fight. The only reason to replace him with Shanmugam is the cost. If we pay him half of what we are paying Shanmugam he will be so happy that he would not hesitate to take up citizenship here and may promise that his sons will do NS. He can also tell his generals not to anyhow name their warships. Diplomacy is key man.

From Vietnam we could have a war veteran as our Defence Minister, someone that have really gone to war and seen what was like fighting in the battlefields. That would would be real stuff, not paper generals.

As for environment, media, housing, I think we can stick to our own talented ministers. Oh, I nearly forgot, Health Ministry needs a helping hand. The Malaysian Health Minister Subramaniam is doing a hell of a good job producing local doctors at about 500/600 a year. That kind of experience is very good for us. We must produce more local doctors to meet the demands of the AEC. But more important is the free health care for the citizens. We would not be complaining if he introduced a flat fee of $5 per visit for outpatients, medicine included. That would be real nice.

I think the number of changes is about right. We need to keep some ministries for our locals to helm. Cannot give all positions to foreign talents, Singaporeans and locals must come first. Hope AEC would not put too many of out ministers out of job, being replaced by foreign talents.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Two possible Manifestos for the GE

This could be the platform for the next GE.

Vote for my party for more population and more growth.

Vote for my party for higher minimum sums in your CPF.

Vote for my party for more foreigners to create more jobs for Sinkies.

Vote for my party to serve super talents, and prepare to pay them more.

Vote for my party to have no ending tenure in political office.

Vote for my party to have more quality medical care from foreign talents at affordable fees.

Vote for my party to have affordable public housing.

Vote for my party to defend and die for your country but not allowed to buy public housing.

Vote for my party to be your own boss, like driving your own taxis.

Another possible Manifesto

Vote for my party to put a stop to population growth by importing foreigners.

Vote for my party to half the pay of ministers.

Vote for my party to have really affordable public housing, not market pricing.

Vote for my party so that every Singapore will be eligible to buy public flats.

Vote for my party to bring down the cost of medicare.

Vote for my party so that PMETs will not be replaced by foreigners.

Vote for my party so PMETs no need to drive taxis but by choice.

Vote for my party to bring down cost of living.

Vote for my party to limit political office to two terms.

Obama has removed his mask

After all the pretensions that the USA was not trying to contain China or trying to form a military alliance against China, the latest trip by Obama said it all. It was all about containing China and supporting its allies to challenge China’s rise as a superpower. 

Obama has removed his mask to show what this trip was all about.

China better stop fooling around with Obama and start to take Obama and the Americans as what they really are. All the niceties to appease the Americans, to cajole them even to the extent of strangling the North Koreans to please the Americans are futile. It is now serious business and China is best to strengthen its military alliances with the North Koreans and the Russians to take on the American alliance head on. The responses can be calibrated and need not be military. It can be economic and political in nature.  China must use its economic and political leverage to squeeze the Americans where it hurts. China must come out openly and positively in support of Russia and North Korea like the Americans supporting its allies. Doing otherwise would undermine its own position with Russia and North Korea.

In the case of dealings with the Japanese and the Pinoys, China must be prepared to play hardball as hardball will be what these two countries would want to play. China has to gear up for more provocations by Japan and the Philippines in the seas around the disputed islands. The military wargame has been set on play mode and the level of play will escalate to higher levels by the Americans and their allies.

China cannot avoid an open conflict with Japan and the Philippines and it better make its stand clear that it would take them head on if provoked. Only then would the two take China seriously and be more circumspect in their devious military schemes. Whatever, the Evil Empire would be there to pull the strings.

What American pivot? It is naked American military expansion and aggression in Asia. It is all about confronting China militarily. China needs not be polite with nice words and simply stands up to the Americans. That is the only thing the Americans understand. If China, India and Russia would to stand up to this bully, it would be the end of Pax Americana. China and Russia must go all out, openly, in support of North Korea, Iran and Syria and all the countries being condemned by the Americans. The Americans are gearing up for a fight and there is no where to run.

Kopi Level - Green

Leon Perera and Firuz Khan for WP

Two big names were on the Workers’ Party list of candidates for the GE. Leon Perera, 44 and Firuz Khan, 48, are two good catch that would do a lot of good to the WP. This is only the beginning and if they could present another 10 or so such candidates before the GE, the WP is in serious business. With more professionals joining the party, it means that the party is able to attract serious minded people to join its rank to challenge the ruling party.
 
If the other opposition parties could also do the same and attract similarly qualified candidates, the battle ground is going to change dramatically this time round. And the voters cannot complain of not having any choice. Those who had been voting for the ruling party out of no good choice but wanting to vote otherwise would now have no problems making their choices.
 
It is now very interesting to see how many more professionals the opposition parties could bring out this time to give the PAP a run for the money. Could we see a real battle in the making and not another round of walkovers or underweights bashing against the PAP machine? I think it is going to be exciting.

PS. Perera has a double first class from Oxford. He was a former head of an EDB division, a high flyer in his own right. He is now CEO of Spire Research and Consulting.  Firuz is in the banking and retail industry and a council member of WP's Youth Wing.

Labour Day Protest – Protect the Singaporean Workers

Gilbert Goh is holding a Labour Day Protest tomorrow, 1 May, at Hong Lim from 4pm to 7pm. According to him this year’s theme is Protect The Singaporean Workers. In his message on this protest he said, ‘We will also publicly shamed companies on that day which have a history of errant discriminatory employment records.’
 
The main issues undoubtedly will be ‘the influx of foreigners who have robbed us of our rice bowl, the lack of proper representation when there is a contractual dispute with the employer and the perpetually-low wages which ensure that Singaporeans continue to struggle in our small city state crippled by ever-rising cost of living.’
 
Gilbert also wants to ‘remind all our participants that this is a protest and not a rally or picnic – we need you to come prepared to shout and raise your fist at the errant pro-employer policies of our government.
 
Don’t bring your picnic mat or sun glasses but do bring along your voice and anger so that we will roar together as one body and that people’s power will be on show for one more time!’
 
Gilbert needs all the support the people can give him by being there. It would be a big let down if after working so hard over the years and the turnout is poor. Would Singaporeans be motivated and inspired by the work of this lone soldier soldiering tirelessly to promote their interest and the well being of all Singaporeans and march with him?

PS. Please note that there is another protest rally on 3 May at 3pm at Hong Lim led by Leong Sze Hian.

In celebration of the Indian elites

Never in the history of Singapore has the Indian community been so prominent as the ruling elite of this island. The era when Indian elites were the most prominent was during the early days of independence when we inherited the whole govt and bureaucracy from the colonial govt. In those days, the govt and civil servants were either British, Eurasians or Indians. Their commonality was the English Language. The colonial govt used English as the language of officialdom.
 
The Chinese and Malays were less familiar with the language with the Chinese mainly educated in Chinese medium schools. Only the babas who had been here longer would be educated in the English medium, but not really of great proficiency. The Chinese were mainly in commerce and trading or in small businesses, in a world of their own, with the lower sector contributing to the labour force.
 
The prominence of the Indian elites was in a way third grade, with the British occupying all the top jobs, the Eurasians having the leftovers and the Indians the crumbs. Still, being chief clerks in the Her Majesty’s Service was big deal in those days.
 
When we were given Independence, many of the top civil service jobs automatically went to the Eurasians and the Indians. They were the educated elites. Chinese educated elites only came into the picture later. Gradually over time the other races also graduated from the English stream, with graduates from the University of Singapore being available to the civil service and govt. The spread was more reflective of the composition of the races with meritocracy as a pillar for attaining high office.
 
Today, the fruit of meritocracy has ripen and we are seeing the best of the races rising to high positions in govt and the civil service. And the Indians have proven to be exceptionally talented, and surpassing the achievements of the early Indian pioneers. In Finance, we had an Indian Finance Minister who is also a Deputy PM and touted to be the next PM. The MAS is also headed by an Indian elite and the top national bank is also helmed by an Indian, albeit a new citizen. And not to forget, the Indian elites are helming most of the foreign banks in the island.
 
In the Ministry of Law we have an Indian Law Minister, an Indian Chief Justice, and now an Indian Attorney General. It would be full house if the Solicitor General is also an Indian elite.
 
Kudos to the Indian community for producing so many top ministers and civil servants at the same time. Kudos to our meritocratic system for being colour blind and allowing the best of talents regardless of race to rise to the top of their profession. Soon it will be regardless of nationality.
 
This is a golden era for the Indian community.
 
Oh, before I forget, with the Oracle in his twilight moments, the only thinker left in the island is also an Indian elite. All this can only be attributed to the wisdom of Hsien Loong. He has surpassed Chok Tong and LKY as the best PM the island ever had, at least in promoting meritocracy regardless of race and nationality. He cannot be accused of being partial to the Chinese or discriminating against the minority races.

Kopi Level - Green

USA signing another defence pact

Signing military pact is about the only thing left that the Americans can do well. It has nothing else to offer to the world except military might, the ability to incite and start wars, to intimidate, to threaten and conduct regime change. It has been doing this since the end of WW2, professing peace but starting wars and conducting wars across the world.
 
Yesterday it signed another defence pact with Manila and officially claiming that ti was not meant to contain China but knowing very well why Manila needs this military pact to back its outrageous and foolish behaviour against China. Obama also cited US defence treaty to defend Japanese territories, including territories in dispute or not part of Japan. For all intent and purposes, no one is believing what the Americans are saying and everyone is very clear the intent behind all these military pacts. Do not be surprised if a proposal for another military pact with Malaysia was on the table during Obama’s meeting with Najib.
 
China is furious and justifiably so. The military pact with Manila would simply embolden Aquino to be more reckless to take on China in the South China Sea. This military pact would only raise tension and the likelihood of a military confrontation between China and the Philippines.
 
China should not waste its time trying to be diplomatic to assuage the Americans from supporting the Pinoys. That is their intent and they will go all out to encourage the Pinoys to provoke the Chinese in the disputed islands. Both the Japanese and the Pinoys have the Americans behind them and would be more trigger happy to harass and attack the Chinese ships in the disputed seas. Regional tensions would only increase with the Americans claiming right of action to defend their military allies.
 
Did the Red Indians say white men spoke with fork tongue, or should it be changed to black men speak with fork tongue? With a bankrupt economy, the Americans have nothing left to offer except weapons of war.