We are the best

The best students in our schools are placed on the through train Integrated Programme(IP). And the very best took the new subject Knowledge and Inquiry(KI) in place of their GP. This KI is of a higher level and more difficult. So is the IP programme which is designed to prepare students for tough university education. How can those overseas universities refused to accept our best students that have IP and KI? Those universities who don't are going to lose out as they will not have our best with them. Tell them good riddance. We will find places for our best and brightest students in other universities that are willing to accept them. And I also heard that some universities insist that our best students must also have 'O' level results. Why? Can they accept that our students without 'O' level results are actually our cream? Maybe our MOE can issue a testimonial to these students to vouch that they are great academic material. Would these overseas institutions still ignore their top grades and insist on their 'O' level? We are first world country, not third world where the grades can be manufactured. We have good quality control system and very strict professional standards. In the meantime, for those students who may not gain a place in these foreign universities, don't worry, we will find a way. Just pray that everything will be alright.

Notable quotes by LKY

"To be the prime minister, you don't have to know every instrument, but you got to recognise, ah, he's a good violinist, he'll be the first violinist, he'll be the double bass. He will play the viola, he will have the trumpet, he will do the drums. Then you coordinate them and then you have great music. And if you already have a great orchestra, you can put a dummy there and you still got great music." Lee Kuan Yew

Aga aga can liao

Literally translated, it means guess work also can do. Gone were the days when we pride ourselves to do things correctly, accurately, professionally and anything that is hapzardly done is frown upon. We are the best and we will not accept slipshod work. What has mean testing becoming to? Get some simple data so that it is easy to handle, not accurate never mind, aga aga also can. Too detail, too tedious, too complicate, too problematical. Wah lan eh. Like that also can.

Caregivers getting notice in Parliament

The issue of caregivers getting some recognisation was discussed in Parliament. Boon Heng would need more time to study the implications before deciding on how to deal with them. Caregivers now only refer to those looking after the sick and aged. What about the young? There are many obvious cases of working couples with young children that need someone to look after. At the same time all the housewives are encouraged to rejoin the industry. The logical choice is to hire a maid. A better and more reliable choice is to get the grandmas, grandpas, sisters or brothers to look after the children. It is more pro family values to depend on relatives than to hire a maid. No doubt this role of mending the young is part and parcel of family life, the alternatives are there for the caregivers of the young to seek a more rewarding jobs than to stay at home. In this materialistic world, the more we need to look at those who choose to stay at home to look after the young and their love ones. This is not an issue for the minister looking after the aged. He has his hands full. Maybe another minister can take a look at it.

Mas Selamat Kastari can survive for a long time

Survival experts claimed that Mas Selamat could survive a long time in our forest reserves on fruits and small animals. That's not very comforting. It is almost one week. Think he might find the wild fruits and wildlife taste pretty jerlat by now. A pot of hot lemak curry and fried chicken might be heavenly to him. It might be a good idea to place a nice food spread on the fringe of the forest. Anyone know what is his favourite food? Easier than searching for him in the thick forests. : ) I got this funny feeling that while the commotion is all in the nature reserves and parks, he could be watching television somewhere in the comfort of civilisation.

Never mind rising rentals...

Singapore voted best city to live in for expats inspite of complains by locals of rising costs and housing. Looks like the increasing cost is not a problem to the foreign talents. Time to raise rentals higher as the foreigners don't mind. I think the foreign students also won't mind. After all Singapore is still cheaper than other western countries and these students are probably quite rich. And for those who aren't, they are probably recipients of scholarships. High prices good. High rentals must also be good. They are paying for quality.

Returning some petrol tax dollars to consumers

If I am not mistaken the petrol tax is based on a fixed percentage of the petrol price. The price has gone up from around $1.80 or less to above $2.00 on average recently. This means that petrol tax collected will proportionally increase by about 10%. Would be nice if the tax can be adjusted downwards just a little to keep petrol price from running away. Transportation cost for all goods and services will go up accordingly if petrol price is allowed to go up unchecked. The repercussion is very pervasive. I already hear people saying 'Fat Hope' that petrol tax will be reduced. Don't ever dream of it. High petrol price is due to external factors beyond our control.

Hong Lim Speakers Corner

There were new calls to revive and promote the Speakers Corner. It is obvious that the corner is dying like the bubble tea shops. It was a flash in the pan excitement. So some people are trying to make this corner a lively place for talking cock again. I believe that the Speakers Corner should be left as it is, as the Symbol of Free Speech that is uniquely Singapore. A speaker's stand should be erected in the park, like the one Stamford Raffles is standing on. And on the stand should be inscribed the history of free speech in Singapore. It can start something like this. Long long ago, freedom of speech was very important in Singapore. And the govt contributed this park for the citizens to express themselves freely. This speaker's stand was also erected to allow the speakers to stand above the crowd to speak. Long queue of speakers took turns to speak to a park packed with spirited Singaporeans. Over the years the people got richer and more contented with their lives and found speaking in the Speakers Corner a waste of time. Slowly they abandoned the park. They have more important things to do, like making more money, than wasting time here. Today, the Speakers Corner is a monument and symbol of the history of freedom of speech given to the people. At the bottom it may include a postscript saying Singaporeans choose to stay at home as transportation cost is too high to get to the Speakers Corner. And on the reverse side of the speaker's stand the whole procedure on application for a permit to speak in the Speakers Corner can also be inscribed. This will make it easy for anyone to know how to go about applying for a permit. The place can then be promoted as a tourist attraction.

Looking for signs of progress?

After so many signs of decline, including the latest spectacle that made us infamous the world over, I am hoping for some signs of progress. Catching Mas Selamat is not one. He must be caught. I am looking at all the great works done by Boon Wan and Eng Hen on providing something for the Singaporeans when the grow old or get seriously ill. The effort is tremendous. The execution poor and the result unpromising. It would be a very different picture if what they have proposed and recommended are explained and offered to the people. Lay everything on the table and tell them, we have done our homework, these are the options available, and everyone feel free to make their own choice. The people are not stupid or stubborn or mad. They will analyse all the options and alternatives and many will make wise decisions for themselves. And they will say thank you to the two gentlemen for telling them the problems in advance and offering them alternative solutions. Their hard work and effort will be much appreciated. And both gentlemen will be seen as good ministers who are toiling for the people. Would they still insist that the people must be compelled to do what they think best and, instead of praise, receive brickbats in return? Why the stubborness to dictate to the people and not to talk to the people and treat the people as reasonable thinking people? Offering the people options and choices is the way forward, the signs of progress of a nation and its people. We have to depart from the ways of old. Those were days when the people were mostly illiterates. We need to believe in the new people of today, that they are capable of making logical choices that are good for themselves.

Questioning the local msm

www.littlespeck.com posted an article by Cherian George questioning a lapse in the reporting of local msm on the Great Escape from Paradise. To Cherian's horror, he discovered that there were no reports or questions asked on how Mas Selamat Kastari escape. In Cherian's opinion, this is something basic that all readers would want to know. He was disappointed of course. But he must understand. Professional journalists and reporters have to be professional and accurate in their reportings. They must gather the data, scrutinise them carefully before putting them on print. This takes time. The bloggers and cyberspace warriors can just point and shoot. So everyone is shooting in all directions. Some hit, some miss. The msm cannot anyhow shoot and miss. Very malu ok. So got to be patient and wait. Maybe when the report from the independent inquiry board comes out, we will have 6 pages of articles on how the escape took place in the msm. In the mean time create your own news and fantasies and enjoy. The internet is one up definitely. The internet is here to stay.

Universities pursuing students

We want you! This is the message going out to all students. The universities are rolling out a full marketing and promotion plan to attract students to their faculties with clever PR and promotion material. I wonder how much it costs to do all these? And the question is, 'Is it necessary?' Are the universities recruiting employees to run a factory or business? Why the aggressive promotion to enlist students? Income? Revenue? Are the universities commercial institutions, running a business? One can expect the private schools to do such things as every student means money to them. For state universities, whose roles are to teach and produce trained graduates, why behaving like MacDonald or Bugger King? The employers need to recruit the best and compete for the best. And there are only 3 of them to choose from. Universities need to do that as well? Why can't the universities just do their job in education and let their products speak for them? They are their own monuments of excellence, together with their alumi. The students should be running to them because they are good. It is another thing to run after students to tell them that they are good. When you have to do that, you have lost. Education shall not fall prey to marketing gimmicks. Education is serious stuff. Education as a business is another animal altogether. They exist to make money. Education and quality of education are incidental. They may even compromise to bring in revenue. Does RI or Hwa Chong need to go chasing for good students? Or are they thinking of doing so?

3 flawed concepts as policies

3 obviously flawed concepts are now national policies. The Longetivity Annuities/CPF Life and Mean Testing both go against the grain of thrift and private properties. They were conceived with your money in mind and to compel the people to spend them against their will. They also go against the principle of letting the people be more self reliance and be responsible for their own lives. Longetivity Annuities, now repacked as CPF Life, are based on the assumptions that people will live to 85 and more and have no money or means to look after themselves. The result is an insurance scheme that only helps those who may not need to be helped and left out those that need to be help. Mean Testing if not properly executed is better not done at all. Everyone, every individual, has his own peculiar problems. It cuts through religious, social and cultural values. You can't tell someone that his $10k income is good enough and his 10 wives and 20 children are his problem. Doing a proper mean testing requires a lot of time and resources. To oversimplify it is a waste of time and effort as all the errors and exceptions will creep in. Is the effort worth it to do a half baked job to catch a few prudent individuals who may have some money but not millions that cannot be spent away? The assumptions that people earning $4k, $5k or $6k, can afford to pay more is grossly flawed. How many people with this kind of income are able to pay a $50k hospital bill? More subsidies are provided in the budget. So? The subsidies to be collected back by the hospitals as income and even profit and the medical fees keep going up. Lack of doctors and overworked doctors! Whose fault? What kind of planning has caused us to reach such a pathetic state? We also have shortage of lawyers. Why? What is the third flawed concept? Medisave. It is a scheme that guarantees one thing. Many people will die without touching the money. Some may use a little and a small group will deplete it. Then people will laugh, 'What is $30K? What's the big deal?' Yes, it is not even near a peanut. But to many, this is a money that is their life fortune. Money that they can use to live a bit more decently and even pampered themselves a little. Alas, they are not going to touch it in their life time. Is it cruel to deprive these hard life buggers from their little nest eggs in the name of 'It is for their own good?' We will not micro manage the people's life. Is this the tooth?

The burden of high salaries

All the hype about paying high salaries to supertalents is now taking a knock. There have been many strong views and attacks on Kan Seng since the disappearing of the Jedi or JI. And if one looks at the reasonings behind it, it is all linked to the high ministerial salaries. They are demanding for greater accountability and responsibility commensurate with the high salaries. Would these people be less harsh on Kan Seng if he is not getting this kind of salary? When high salaries are equated with high talent and ability, the expectation becomes very high as well. You said you are damn good and deserve that high salary, then you better peform and prove that you are worth the money. And when you fumbled, the people is going to come after you. Indeed the high salary, high talent, high expectation formula is becoming a double edged sword. I think the people will be much more kinder and forgiving if the salary is not tagged to high talent and ability. Are these people justified in their expectation and can demand for the axe to fall if it is not met?

It's an exercise...Want to know more?

Let me speculate on this theory with more clues that I have gathered from the msm. Don't take it seriously. This is an exercise too, for those who want to see it this way. And those who want to see it from another perspective can also try to collect their own evidence to support their case. 1. We are famous for being professional and meticulous to the point that nothing can go wrong. And for a highly dangerous prisoner, fat hope that he can fly out from the detention centre. 2. There is a physical breach! Ridiculous suggestion. It is as good as saying our men are sleeping on the job. Unikely. 3. They took 4 hours to release the news. Another sign that there is no need to hurry. 4. The information were in drips and draps and not very accurate. Execise material. 5. Kan Seng was seen on TV smiling. A big giveaway. 6. Search was only on one part of the island around Whitley area. Why only one part and the MacRitchie part not touched on the first day? A bit of artificiality here. 7. Sniffer dogs are now in use, after several days. Why not the first day? 8. Interpol was informed also after a couple of days. Probably no need to tell them but on second thought. 9. After so many days, still searching from one park to another, assuming that he can only hide in parks. Why not HDB or housing estate as the first day? Going into housing estates will be troublesome as it will get the people all excited and difficult to coordinate. In the parks and reserves, like exercise grounds. 10. More information are given after a few days, like computer games. As one advances into the game, more information will be provided to lead the players along. 11. No need to put up monetary rewards for a Most Wanted Man. 12. No condemnation from the US or our neighbours. Now this part is very interesting. I am exhausting my possible clues. 13. Hsien Loong hasn't spoken on this I think. No need to make him comment on an exercise I think these should be enough to build a case that it is an exercise.

The most realistic exercise

Let me just speculate a little on this great escape. At the end of the day it could be the most realistic exercise any country could have conducted. Given the fact that he is a little lame, tagged, and in a small and high tech island where cctv and satellite technology are being harnassed to the fullest, even a mosquito can be tracked and monitored. He will be caught of course. The rewards, the whole system being tested to the fullest. The people becoming fully aware of the threat of terrorism and would not take it for granted. Civil Defence and people's participation and involvement also tested. It is a very worthwhile exercise with everything being controlled and closely monitored while Mas Selamat Kastari thought he was on the run. And they may even be rewarded with all the attempts and contacts that Mas tried in the wilderness. Who would have the last laugh? Don't take things at face value in the city of possibilities. And they don't have to admit it publicly that it was afterall a well coordinated exercise.

He's still here!

This is the most positive and assuring statement coming out from the police. They even confirmed that he was not limping as was previously reported. The limp is only noticeable when he runs. And he could jump start cars easily. Hope he could find a car in the jungle. Hi elle, there have been many conspiracy theories around this escape. It is something that no one believe will happen here. In our neighbouring countries such escapes are expected and occurred quite frequently. Not in the red dot. Now that they are so sure that he is here, you can bet on it that he will be captured. Unless this 'he's still here' is just another guess.

Calling Kan Seng to resign

I have read many postings in cyberspace and msm calling for Kan Sing to take the rap and to resign. That may be tough as we have limited talents and we cannot afford to lose a good minister like him. I am sure that he will gain from the experience and make sure that such things will not happen again. Things could be worst without him. Every talent, especially supertalents, must be treasured. We have been kind to those talents in NKF saga, so we can be kind to those in this case. The people must be gracious and support those who are working very hard to keep this paradise safe and sound. Oops, many are not going to agree with me. That's normal. : )

Favourite wallpaper in mobile phones

Linkin Park, Beckham, F5, Sun Yanzi? Or is it Rain or Jacky Cheung? Who's face would be loaded in the mobile phones of thousands or millions of subscribers? Who is the most recognisable face in paradise and even the world today? Step aside George Bush or Barack Obama. No fight. Today we have a new celebrity, an instant fame. Infamous to be exact. For the PR and commercial organisations, an instanty recognisable face will sell anything. Even aunties and uncles will recognise this face, more famous than the male lead in Winter Sonata. I think he needs a manager right now, or many people are looking for him to be his manager. If Edison Chen is welcomed in Hollywood, Mas Selamat Kastari would be in Hollywood with a bigger appearance fee, and Bollywood, Hongkong Movie Town, and an instant hit in the Middle East. If he is smart enough he should walk out from his hideout somewhere in Caldecott Hill, probably disguising and lookinng like one of the newsreaders, say thank you for all the publicity, denounced whatever he was thought to be, and live the life of a celebrity, rich and famous.

$2000 Reward for lost poodle

The owner was distraught after losing her pet poodle. The poodle was so important to her that she is losing sleep and not eating well. She has combed every corner of her neighbourhood but still no sign of her dear poodle. Finally she decided to cough up $2000 as a reward to anyone who finds the poodle. She knew that there is no free lunch. Why would people run around looking for her poodle for free? I am planning to visit nature today. I have Sungei Buloh, Pierce Reservoir, MacRitchie and Bukit Timah nature reserves in mind. Maybe Labrador Park as well. And I will be on the look out for the poodle. I may chance upon seeing it and pocket $2000. That would save to pay for my petrol and time. Money sure is a great motivator especially for something so valuable and important. And I am planning to go to Ubin and Sentosa next week for a try. Maybe the zoo and birdpark as well. Now why would I want to go to the zoo and the birdpark to search for a poodle, and the islands as well? The monetary reward of course.

The Great Escape from Paradise

Jack Neo better find this fella fast before Steven Spielberg finds him and spiel the beans. Mas Kastari's story is going to be worth millions in Hollywood. He can retire in riches for life. No need to go back to lead the life as a terrorist or fugitive. This story sure beats that of Tok the child murderer or Tan Wah Piow's escape.