Dismantling the myths of the PAP system
February 18th, 2009 | 
Author: By Fang Zhi Yuan
For far too long, the autocratic regime and its sycophantic mouthpiece have dominated political discourse in Singapore. They have been the ones to set the agenda for the populace to believe in with no questions asked.
In the face of the worst economic recession Singapore has ever experienced, let us revisit the myths which has been propagated and perpetuated about the necessity and merits of the “PAP system” of governance in order for them to maintain their political hegemony.
The 5 myths below have been often repeated ad nauseaum till they are deeply etched in the collective consciousness of Singaporeans:
1. Singaporeans owe a debt to Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP from transforming Singapore from a third to first world country.
2. Singapore needs to open its doors to the global economy in order to enjoy years of uninterrupted economic growth.
3. Singapore cannot afford to spend more to help needy Singaporeans to prevent going down the slippery slope of welfare.
4. Singapore needs a strong one-party state to ensure social stability and economic progress.
5. Only the PAP knows how to govern the nation. The opposition is irresponsible and will fritter away our precious reserves by the billions if they were to come to power one day.
Now let us dissect and dismantle the myths one by one.
1. With due respect to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, he has put together a capable and formidable team in the early years of Singapore’s independence to kickstart our economy, but he can hardly take the credit all by himself.
The true architect of Singapore’s success story is Albert Winsemius, a Dutch economist who was a long-term Chief economic adviser to Singapore from 1961 to 1984, playing a major role in the formulation of Singapore’s national economic development strategy.
With his help, Singapore attracted big oil companies like Shell and Esso to establish refineries here. In the 1970s, Singapore was upgrading its industrial capacity to use higher technological methods, including electronics. He personally went to persuade large Dutch electronics companies like Philips to set up production plants in Singapore.
He also proposed that Singapore could be developed as a financial centre, as well as an international centre for air traffic and sea transport. Over the next twenty years, these predictions proved to be accurate.
Singapore also owed its success to the PAP Old Guards like Mr Goh Keng Swee, Mr Toh Chin Chye, Mr E W Barker, Mr Ong Pang Boon and Mr Hon Sui Sen who were Lee’s “lieutanents” in office and a docile, sensible, hardworking and thrifty citizenry willing to work hard and save up for the sake of the next generation.
Under British colonial rule, Singapore is already a major trading entrepot in the region by virtue of its unbeatable strategic position at the tip of the Malay Peninsula thereby giving it leverage to control shipping traffic passing through the Straits of Malacca, one of the busiest sea lanes in the world.
To attribute Singapore’s success over the years solely to Mr Lee Kuan Kew is not only a travesty of truth and justice, but an insult to our pioneers and ordinary Singaporeans on the streets who have given their sweats, blood and tears to build our nation to where it is today.
2. As a small island with no natural resources, we are heavily dependent on external trade for our survival and prosperity. It is true especially in the early years when political stability, social cohesion and economic openness are key factors propelling us ahead of our competitors.
However, our vulnerabilities become clearly exposed now in the current global economic turmoil when Singapore becomes the first country in Asia to slip into recession and is poised to be one of the worst performing economies in the near future.
Singapore will be more resilient if we have a higher domestic consumption, a more diversified economy and vibrant home-grown enterprises to cushion the fallout from the loss in exports and trade.
The deficiencies of our economic model are caused by the narrow mindset and myopic view adopted by the PAP to pursue growth at all costs in the shortest possible time.
Our domestic consumption is low compared to other developed Asian economies because of high cost of public housing and ordinary living, a mandatory pension scheme requiring citizens to contribute 20% of their monthly salary to it and relatively low wages kept depressed by the influx of cheaper foreign workers.
Our economy is heavily focused on a few “winners” like the manufacturing and electronics sectors in the past, the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry now and the gaming industry in the future.
Gigantic state-linked companies such as DBS, Capitaland and NTUC are squeezing the life out of local startups and enterprises with their virtual monopoly over the economy rendering them both unimaginative and uncompetitive.
We have already moved past the initial stages of developing our then labor-intensive fledging economy and we need to rethink our current economic blueprint now in order to compete on a different level with other developed countries where creativity, passion, entrepreneurship and a willingness to take calculated risks are essential and pivotal qualities for success in a new world order.
3. Under the combined propaganda machinery of the PAP and SPH, “welfare” has become a dirty word in official parlance. We have been told repeatedly to be self-reliant and not to depend on the government for cash handouts, but isn’t it the responsibility of the incumbent government of the day to care for the people who voted for them into power in the first place ?
The welfare system of Western countries have often been used by the regime to obsfuscate the issue. It is both irrational and unreasonable to equate “welfare” for Singaporeans to the promotion of a welfare state. Singaporeans do not expect the government to support them for the rest of their lives after retirement.
All we ask for is for the government to make the present living conditions more bearable for us by reducing the cost of living and to be more generous with the distribution of aid to needy and vulnerable Singaporeans.
We do not expect the regime to be as generous as the Hong Kong government to give its elderly citizens a monthly allowance amounting to 80% of their last drawn pay. Much more can be done to alleviate the hardship and suffering of our senior citizens who have contributed to the nation-building process during their productive years.
The Singapore government is filthy rich by first world standards. It is not as if it is a pauper, why is it so stingy in rendering financial assistance to the poor ? Would it rather spend billion of dollars to bail out distressed banks which went eventually to lining the pockets of its rich executives or help its own citizens ?
4. In the early years of Singapore’s nationhood, a strong government is crucial to bring about political stability and social harmony so that we can focus on developing the economy to uplift the lives of our people.
The regime has conveniently corrupted the definition of a “strong” government with that of a one-party state. A strong government can exist in the presence of a sizable opposition in Parliament to check on the ruling party while a one-party state though appearing “strong” on the surface, has inherent deficiencies caused by the over-concentrating of power in the hands of a few.
The only reason why the regime appears strong on the outside is that the key decision makers belong no more to an inner clique of a particular family of which even ordinary MPs without any portfolios are excluded. Only one center of power exists to give the orders, the rest simply follow behind like blind sheeps thereby giving the facade of a clear sense of direction and purpose in the formulation and implementation of policies.
The Finance Minister Mr Tharman gave Singaporeans a glimpse of how the PAP system worked when he remarked in Parliament in response to an opposition MP’s question that they work on a system based on “trust”. What was not mentioned is how much trust he has in the system itself. Is it a 100% trust ? Ask yourself whether you ever trust anybody in your life including yourself completely without any doubts.
A self-serving totalitarian state which do not hesitate to make use of the police and media to suppress dissenting voices from its own people is not a strong government. On the contrary, it is a weak government precisely because it is unable to stand up to external challenges and defeat them based on its own strengths and merits alone without resorting to foul play.
A strong government is one which can face up to the challenge of any opposition without resorting to ‘fixing’ them. A strong government is one which is fully accountable to the people and is not afraid of being scrutinized. A strong government does not hide things from the people and is completely honest, transparent and above board. A strong government does not make use of state instruments like the police and media to suppress political dissent because it knows it owes its power to the people who voted for it. And lastly, a strong government does not sue its critics to silence them because it has faith in its own ability to win them over by their reasoning and argument. By these 5 counts, the PAP does not qualify to be a strong government. It is no more than a weak, pathetic and cowardly bully which makes use of its position as the incumbent to quash its political opponents.
History have shown us that such “strong” states like the U.S.S.R and Nazi Germany did not last long while others like South Korea and Taiwan only manage to avert a similiar implosion like the former by making a peaceful transition to democracy.
If a one party state has worked for Singapore in the past, that’s because it has only benefitted a small of group of people with links to the regime. It is not going to work now and in the future where a rapid changing geo-political landscape will require a diversity of ideas and views to cope and tackle the problems which may surface . A one party state stifles creativity, innovation and passion in the population and will ruin us politically, socially and economically in the long run.
Can we expect the regime to check on itself ? Time and time again, we have been proven otherwise. There is a serious lack of accountability and transparency from the Singapore government in spite of its frequent lame attempts to ingratiate itself with these attributes as defining yardsticks for its rule.
5. As the present financial turmoil has shown us, we do not need a profligate opposition to fritter away our precious reserves. A substantial proportion of it is already missing. I guess most Singaporeans would prefer the sum of $58 billion lost by Temasek to be spent on helping the poor and needy rather than go to make a few hundred millionaires out of Merrill Lynch’s employees.
What we really need is not the empty promises made by the PAP to safeguard our reserves, but a proper calibrated system of checks and balances to guide the modus operandi of the government and a real opposition in Parliament to ensure accountability and transparency from the government.
The regime’s glaring deficiencies is exposed for all to see with its inept handling of the Temasek fiasco. We are talking about the loss of $58 billion dollars and more of our reserves and not a single question is asked in Parliament. The perpetuator of this disaster did not have to face the music and the state media even have the gall to suggest she ran for political office in the future !
In other developed countries, an independent Commission of Inquiry will be called immediately to probe into the loss. The regime will never risk eroding further whatever little public trust and confidence they have left by revealing the full extent of losses incurred by Temasek and GIC because it has been using the reserves all along to frighten Singaporeans from voting the opposition into power.
The myths of the PAP system are fast being dismantled on a daily basis with alternative news sources from the internet. Even the mainstream media is finding hard to spin fairy tales on behalf of the regime without appearing ludicrous itself. The regime can continue to believe in its own propaganda, but less and less Singaporeans, especially the young are taken in by them.
Eventually, Singaporeans will become so averse to the one-sided reports carried by the mainstream media that they will be completely switched off, preferring to read only what they want to read on the internet even though its factual accuracy cannot be independently verified and that will finally send the myths of the PAP system into their death throes.
Posted in Opinion
Excellent article and very honest too !
Best Regards
Dr Syed Alwi
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Hi Zhiyuan, Eugene,
I really enjoy reading your commentaries notwithstanding some grammatical or spelling mistakes here and there. For the most parts, you guys have been very sharp and spot-on in your observations.
However, in order to rival TOC as the de rigueur political website; perhaps you could invest more efforts in proof-reading your articles to ensure a higher professionalism.
For example, you guys love to use the word “sycophantic”. However, it jars me that it is consistently misspelt as “syncophantic”. There’s no such word as “syncophantic” in the dictionary.
Hope you take my constructive criticism in good faith.
Looking forward to more great articles from you guys!
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Hi BL,
Thanks for your feedback. We welcome you and all our readers to proof-read our articles and to point out our errors. We are really severely constrained in terms of manpower and time to update this blog daily due to our work committments, will greatly appreciate more guest writers to join our team, especially students !
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On top of these, to recoup loss of investment, the gov start bigtime to screw the citizen ahead of schedule.
How about mention the latest change to CPF’s $20,000 to $30,000 in May2009 to lock down your money.
http://mycpf.cpf.gov.sg/CPF/Templates/SubPage_Template.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fMembers%2fGen-Info%2fCPFChanges%2fCPFChanges_2009%2ehtm&NRNODEGUID=%7b25C0FD1C-930F-4685-96D9-E12858D3C6C8%7d&NRCACHEHINT=Guest#CPFIS
How about introducing CPF life when there is no refund of the remaining upon the death ?
Oh… there will much more “Screw the citizens” schemes coming along. My smell sensor has always been as sharp as the mouse that bark at the cat.
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A great leader knows how to delegate. In the early stages of his career he was one. He surrounded himself with all these patriots whose only concerns were that Singapore survived and become a GREAT city state. They left the politics to him. Unfortunately, as time went on, he starts to believe in his own greatness and as there stalwarts went away, he surrounds himself with people who were afraid to say NO to him.
Also, the policy of granting all of these scholarships and bonding to govt service for 10 years or so, stifle creativity and do not encourage innovation. These Civil servants, do not or are not willing to trade in their highly coverted Iron Rice Bowl for the unknown.
Unless something changes within the next decade, Singapore will be the ones left behind in Asia.
Remember, CHANGE may not be always good, but must be done in order to survive.
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There’s lesser in term of contents and purposes, but more in stlye and forms.
In blogospheres there’s no need for fidelity to truth and affinity to political parties, particularly oppositions is so evident. These are opposition political domain,apparently.
Or are unwittingly being used as foils for desperate opposition party/ies?
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Hi Eugene/Zhiyuan,
Glad you took my feedback positively.
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Quite a few grammatical errors in this article. Chaps, got to tighten the belt buckle!
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WELL DONE, ZHIYUAN AND EUGENE!
I agree with BL and Dr Syed Alwi—-both of you have put up intelligent and good articles like this one. If you have ability, energy and integrity, I hope you will stand for election one day. But don’t go the way of Dr Chee Soon Juan. Go the way of people like Mr Tan Kin Lian, MP Low Thia Khiang, Ms Sylvia Lim.
PAP leaders will appreciate such Opposition figures. I should know, because before the last GE, I had scribbled to PM Lee a note that even if the PAP was perfect, I still wanted an Opposition, as I said it would be good for his reputation too, as I said it would not look good and natural to have 100% PAP. But the Opposition must be a good one, of course. Otherwise better not to have any Opposition!
And it was very gracious of PM Lee to tell the electorate in his Election Rally speech in UOL Square, that he had heard the voice of the people wanting an Opposition, and he acccepted that. So let it be known that what he had said that day had come from me, in particular.
On the other hand, I don’t think there had even been any occasion where PAP leader(s) had claimed they were perfect. But I give PAP leaders very high marks that they did try, and are still trying, to do their best. So no one should use the perfection yardstick to judge or hammer them. This is unfair. For when people like you become the government, there will still be a lot of noise from people who oppose. Such is the inescapable fact of life.
So we must debate and criticise on issues for solutions and attack problems facing our society and country; not going for the jugulars of our leaders, and failing to attack the problems threatening us. We must also never forget to ask ourselves, “What if I and my friends are in the government? Could I do just as well or even better?”
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WHAT’S HAPPENING, ADMIN?
What happened to my article “WELL DONE, ZHIYUAN AND EUGENE!” Why are you deleting it? Why is it that when others praise you, you accept their praises. But when I praise both of you, you are not happy just because I had critical remarks about Dr Chee?
In fact in the past, I had written to Dr Chee that I respected his self-sacrificing spirit and courage—giving up his cushy Universtiy lecturer job to join the rough and tumble of Opposition politics. How many would want to make such a great sacrifice?
Unfortunately, he was too proud to accept the good counsel of good people like Dr Wong Wee Nam, and from me (a non-party do-gooder), and got himself caught in the thickets. He is simply too smart for his own good and safety. So sad that it should be this way for him!
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Yah, you are putting it back—my article “WELL DONE, ZHI YUAN AND EUGENE!” Thanks! May God bless you, Sir!
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A good article describing the current situation in Singapore.
After Goh C.T.’tookover’ from Lee K.Y. and with the passing of the 1st generation PAP ministers, the PAP is totally governed by Lee K.Y. and is totally different from the PAP of the old guards.
He has put in place a team of people whose loyalty is to him and not the people of Singapore. PAP is the proverbial rooster who reckons its crow is responsible for the rising of the sun –without the PAP, S’pore would be really backward. Nothing could be further from the truth. Equivalent countries like Taiwan and HK are doing better than S’pore in many areas.
Thanks to the internet many have completely stopped reading SPH newspapers which constantly spew out half-truths and PAP propaganda.
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Chee Soon Juan is a better Christian (who stands and fight for righteousness) than Oh Tham Eng who sounds a self-righteous man.
Mr. (Ms.) Oh, go join the PAP.
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if only this kind of incisive article can reach a wider audience to counter the pervasive brain-washing the MSM do daily in strong doses…sigh
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Years ago, in a lunchtime election speech to a downtown crowd, opposition candidate, Francis Seow described Goh C.T. as being a “POLITICAL EUNUCH IN EMPEROR LEE’S COURT.’
Was that fair comment?
Thanks.
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Hi yogalhor,
We have no affliation to any opposition parties.
May we ask you a question: will you give the opposition a chance if they are able to field credible candidates ?
Have you ever wondered both the PAP and the opposition have difficulties attracting good quality leaders into its ranks ?
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Want wider audience? Email the URL to your pals. Print it for your uncles and aunties. Help to translate it to Chinese, Tamil etc.
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Chee S.J a selfless man?
As far as I have seen, his political mission insofar has seemed to be a personal vendetta against member/s of the ruling party.
I understand he was sacked from his job with a government ministry for some improper practice. And ever since he has been using his party machinery to obtain public sympathies to support his war of revenge.
Even from this blog-site, it can be seen that there are the very few disaffected Singaporeans who are willing to take up any banner so long as it does not bear a crescent and 5 stars.
And in a multi-racial, religious enitity as this, I personally feel that religious beliefs need not be seen to be used to carry or quatify one’s perceptions. I have no qualms with any religion; its a personal practice of people who have crossed over from the common place of man, beyond reason and perception into a realm of God; a very peresonal experience and one that cannot be understood subjectively. So in a common sphere like this, may it better be not said. No belligerence intended.
Thanks.
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Hi sicktothebones,
Let’s not pin any false hopes on the MSM which is paid for by the MIWs to be their propaganda machine.
We have to depend on ourselves to educate our fellow countrymen. As the Malaysian bloggers have shown us, it is possible to beat the MSM at their own game once you have a sizable readership.
For a start, please help us forward our site to everybody you know.
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I will always vote on party-line; the party that I feel is the most qualified to serve soceity.
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[...] – This lush garden within: The beginning of decline in PAP’s popularity? – Wayang Party Club: Dismantling the myths of the PAP system – ringisei: The PAP does not pander to business – Singaporean Skeptic: Good deeds are seldom [...]
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“We have to depend on ourselves to educate our fellow countrymen. As the Malaysian bloggers have shown us, it is possible to beat the MSM at their own game once you have a sizable readership.”
It is not the quantity of people who matters, but the quality.
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“IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER IT IS A BLACK OR A WHITE CAT, SO LONG AS IT CATCHES MICE”
Thanks “On Oh Tham Eng” for you comment. But please use another pseudo-name, without incorporating my name in your pseudo-name.
May I clarify that I am not in a contest with Dr Chee Soon Juan to be “Who is the better Christian?” Let God decides on that. Where appropriate, I try to let people know why I take a certain stand—from the perspective of the goodness of the Quran and Buddhist teachings too (though I am a Christian) so that I can shed more light on certain issues where secularistic views are inadequate and deficient.
I love secularism too, where and when it can provide solutions; not when it creates more problems, such as intellectual arrogance and when it provides the basis for one’s bad behavior (which was rampant in the Seng Han Thong saga).
In Seng Han Thong’s 2006 problem with cabby Mr Koo Tong Huat, though I am a Christian, it was through the perspective of the goodness of the Muslim’s Quran that helped Mr Seng to analyse for the best solution in that problem.. It was not my fault that Buddhist man Mr Seng HT chose to be swayed by my Quranic approach to help him solve it, for which Mr Koo Tong Huat said he was very grateful.
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Correction:
“….so that wayangparty website will become the place where people choose to go to look for facts, truths…”, not “their website is the place where people chose to go to look for facts”
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Dear admin,
At 2:24PM today, I posted “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER IT IS A BLACK OR A WHITE CAT, SO LONG AS IT CATCHES MICE”. Then you removed it.
After you have evaluated my post, please put it back, because whatever I wrote there are true. I hope you will not delete it just because I had again talked about Dr Chee.
I wrote it to respond to “On Oh Tham Eng” for writing that I was being self-righteous, and to the effect that I was competing with Dr Chee to be the better Christian than him.
Thanks.
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I am looking at the long term future of Singapore.
Look, we have moved being manufacturing to the high tech manufacturing (micropolis) to a IT hub to a Bio Science Hub to a service industry to a financial hub. Looking at the strategies that the SG gov have taken to bring prosperity to the countries, we can conclude that whatever we can do, other can do better or faster. (Good thing Malaysia is badly managed compared to us) Manufacturing is now China, IT belongs to India, Finance will be dead for the next few years. As a service industry, we currently lack customer to service. Donald Trump gaming industry just went bottom up meaning casinos, which were suppose to be recession proof are dying. How will SG casino survive? Furthermore, this fishy business of Sands stopping all their projects in the world including Macau to continue to build in SG is very super fishy. Think about it, if you can build a casino in SG and Macau, where would you build? Macau, cause there are more customers from China and its a proven gambling heaven. Why would you build in SG? So all signs are pointing to a fact that SG is heading for some very big storms and I cant see any light at the end of the tunnel. Anyone can help?
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PLEASE PRAY FOR A BREATH-TAKING EVENT TO HAPPEN
For the convenience of readers of my post above, I hereby paste the thread (with some alteration) on a possible way Dr Chee could re-invent himself—from being Singapore’s chief rebel to becoming its great saint. I know it is wishful thinking. But we can still pray for it to happen, okay? And when it happens, it will be a breath-taking event for sure!
———————————————————————
A reprint from another thread:
“THINKING THE UNTHINKABLE
Sad that Mdm Ho Ching is stepping down from being CEO of Temasek, and will be without a job soon. And elsewhere, things are very dismal too. Japan, for one, is experienceing its worst ever recession since the end of WW 11.
Poor Mdm Ho Ching! She must have been suffering many sleepless nights these recent months. She is otherwise a very nice, capable and intelligent woman, with a very high EQ. But no matter what, people will associate her with these gargantuan losses. It is so-called “paper losses”. But given the very bad shape of the world’s economy now, no one is feeling comforted.
On the other hand, Dr Chee Soon Juan has lost almost all his reputation too. If only he had listened to good advice from people like me, he would have spared himself and his family the agonies he brought upon them.
So we have two prominent people who have lost their reputation—one for the wrong reasons; the other, due to the unexpected turn of the US, and hence the world’s, economy, which is also impacting Singapore so badly. So Mdm Ho Ching will soon be jobless once she steps down, while Dr Chee has long being jobless. So let’s try to think the unthinkable.
I think both can reinvent themselves if they can come together to do non-political charities. With her great ability and her high EQ, Mdm Ho Ching can plunge herself into a leading role as the Mother of Singapore Charities. Let her then call out to Dr Chee to join her in this noble venture—to help out the suffering Singaporeans. I feel Dr Chee should quit politics entirely and leave it to people like Mr Low Thia Khiang, Ms Sylvia Lim. He isn’t contributing anything, but just messing around.
As he likes to see himself in noble light, going into charity work, together with Mdm Ho Ching, will send an amazing and extremely powerful signal as to how Singapore can tough it out for the deepening recession. I’m sure some would be so nearly shocked to death too if this could happen.
With the situation worsening everyday, the harassed PM Lee and his team would need more people to bring hope and succour to the despairing Singaporeans, who are otherwise quite longsuffering and dutiful.
And once the situation improves, Singapore’s Mother of Charities can quickly launch out to countries like China, preferably with PM Wen Jiabao still the premier there. Premier Wen is another inspiring leader. May God give him long life!
In this way, both Mdm Ho Ching and Dr Chee can redeem their battered reputation and do something that God will be very pleased with too. For Mdm Ho, with her restored reputation and the strong support from Singaporeans who will then be so inspired by her great success as Mother of Singapore’s charities, she can aspire to be the first woman president of Singapore one day!
For Dr Chee, he can then have a well-paying job to support his family in his new role as Singapore’s great saint. Then he will no longer need to use his children for political gains. I feel political activism is not God’s will for him.
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I like this article. It presented a broad range of arguments and questions which articulated clearly the thoughts and sentiments on the ground.
I will be coming here more often.
cheers
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Tham Eng wrote: “I gave Dr Chee a pinyinised New Testament Bible for his children, so that they could have an easier time learning Mandarin, and SIMULTANEOUSLY LEARNING WHOLESOME SPIRITUAL VALUES [emphasis added].”
Now, Tham Eng how do you know that Dr. Chee hasn’t wholesome spiritual values? The news we get about Chee is from the Straits Times and PAP controlled media which put him in a bad light and which also denies him the right of reply.
Please stop confusing religion with politics, we don’t need a Christian Taliban.
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This is by far the best article I have read in many years. well done and compliments.
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Good job on debunking the myths propping up the status quo. I think this article is both factual and balanced, however, we do all know that the main job of hegemons is to self themselves first before serving the interests of the people they govern.
Though I would like to see a vibrant discerning political culture that is the hallmark of all progressive societies, I wonder whether what is holding us back is the government or the people. On the whole, I’m not sure that a generation of Singaporeans are willing to take responsibility for the collective decisions of governance, or for the outcomes of the decisions. Moreover, if you overlay the demographics of our country and chosen industrial architecture and future of our country, you’ll realise that they’re basically incompatible. The political base is mostly conservative and old, the economic production base is educated, young, mobile, and increasingly foreign. So who’s interest do we cater to?
As such, I’m not sure pure westphalian democracy is the answer either, given the geopolitical realities of our time.
It’ll probably get worse before it gets better….buckle up for the ride folks! And keep ‘em comin’!
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Hey you block some people from posting comments! I used my old nick and also email address and I cannot put up comments cos I keep getting directed to http://www.hostican.com.
WAH PIANGZ this kind of website also got.
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{“Whattamess”wrote on Thu, 19th Feb 2009 9:48 pm:.
Hey you block some people from posting comments! I used my old nick and also email address and I cannot put up comments cos I keep getting directed to http://www.hostican.com.
WAH PIANGZ this kind of website also got.}
No lah, “Whattamess”. The traffic must be very heavy when “hortican.com” webpage pops up before your face. I am now more familiar accessing wayangparty.com. Just be patient and try again. It is prime-time, you know. All the best, chap!
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Hi Whattamess,
That’s because there is too much traffic coming to our site at the same time and the server is overloaded.
Try again a minute later and you should be able to access.
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It’s time that we have a bigger opposition party presence in the Parliament !
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{“To Oh Tham Eng, the confused and self-righteous” wrote on 19/2/09 9:00 pm:
Tham Eng wrote: “I gave Dr Chee a pinyinised New Testament Bible for his children, so that they could have an easier time learning Mandarin, and SIMULTANEOUSLY LEARNING WHOLESOME SPIRITUAL VALUES [emphasis added].”
Now, Tham Eng how do you know that Dr. Chee hasn’t wholesome spiritual values? The news we get about Chee is from the Straits Times and PAP controlled media which put him in a bad light and also denies him the right of reply. Please stop confusing religion with politics, we don’t need a Christian Taliban.}
THE ANTIDOTE FOR A CLOSED MIND, CONFUSION AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Hi, “..confused and self-righteous”.
No where did I write or say that Dr Chee does not have wholesome spiritual values. It cost me more than $21 buying that pinyinised Bible for him, that’s why I couldn’t afford to buy one for many other people. And I am still learning spiritual values.
I believe in life-long learning, and the Bible meets very well my needs to learn. How about you? So I will never be taking myself off from my learning curve—learning from you, my Bible, the Quran and books of other religions too, beside secular reading materials.
Please stop showing to others how confused you are. I would be grateful if you can write and post knowledgeably and factually, and desist from making wild, baseless and irrelevant comments and accusation. I had met Dr Chee a few times in Toa Payoh Stadium jogging, talking, asking, updating, advising and debating with him. I also know where he lives as I live some distance from him. Have you been jogging with him too?
And I have been praying for him and his loved ones. If you really care for him, have you been doing the same? God can do all things, if we allow Him to.
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Oh Tham Eng wrote about Dr. Chee, “Unfortunately, he was too proud to accept the good counsel of good people like Dr Wong Wee Nam, and from me (a non-party do-gooder), and got himself caught in the thickets.”
So if only Dr. Chee would only HUMBLE himself and listen to the wisdom and advice (good counsel) of Oh Tham Eng, he (Chee) would not be getting into trouble.
What a self-righteous pharisee this Oh Tham Eng !!!
OTE wrote, “And it was very gracious of PM Lee to tell the electorate in his Election Rally speech in UOL Square, that he had heard the voice of the people wanting an Opposition, and he acccepted that. So let it be known that what he had said that day had come from me, in particular.”
So Tham Eng now claims that it was because of him that PM Lee realises that people want an opposition. A rather silly thing to say.
Now if the people of Singapore did not want any opposition would they have voted JB Jeyaratnam in 1981?
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I am highly sceptical of faith worn on the sleeves, and acts of faith that are seemingly sanctimonious.
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Hi “…confused, self-righteous pharrisee”!
You are right to say that it was a rather silly thing for me or for anyone to claim that he/she was the one to have influenced “PM Lee to realise that people want an opposition.” No where in any of my posts did I make this silly claim that I WAS THE ONE who did it! I am very sure many did too. I was just one of the many.
I hope this clarification will help. Anyway, thanks for taking the trouble to respond. God bless!
{“…the confused, self-righteous pharisee” wrote on 20/2/09 at 2:16 AM:
Oh Tham Eng wrote about Dr. Chee, “Unfortunately, he was too proud to accept the good counsel of good people like Dr Wong Wee Nam, and from me (a non-party do-gooder), and got himself caught in the thickets.”
So if only Dr. Chee would only HUMBLE himself and listen to the wisdom and advice (good counsel) of Oh Tham Eng, he (Chee) would not be getting into trouble.
What a self-righteous pharisee this Oh Tham Eng !!!
OTE wrote, “And it was very gracious of PM Lee to tell the electorate in his Election Rally speech in UOL Square, that he had heard the voice of the people wanting an Opposition, and he acccepted that. So let it be known that what he had said that day had come from me, in particular.”
So Tham Eng now claims that it was because of him that PM Lee realises that people want an opposition. A rather silly thing to say.
Now if the people of Singapore did not want any opposition would they have voted JB Jeyaratnam in 1981?}
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{“yogalhor” wrote on 20/2/09 at 10:18 am: I am highly sceptical of faith worn on the sleeves, and acts of faith that are seemingly sanctimonious.}
RIGHT—SINCERITY, NOT SANCTIMONY
You are right, “yogalhor”, even for those with a strong faith in secularism. We must always be mindful of this to avoid being the object of what you have so well pointed out that we should not be.
Again, the golden rule is: “It doesn’t matter whether the cat is white or black, so long as it catches mice.” Deng Xiaoping.
So any belief system must be subscribed to for its ability and potential to benefit us—morally, spiritually and intellectually—to make us into a better person.
For “At the end of the day, life is about helping one another to make for a better world.” (re: from the wise Buddhist MOH Mr Khaw Boon Wan’s letter to me dated 6/7/05 letter). I don’t think he was being sanctimonious. Right, “yogalhor”?
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[...] Original link [...]
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O.T.E. has attempted to be eloquent but been largely ambivalent.
I have not alluded myself to any philosophy sage or fool so I cannot agree to be consigned to any self-rebuke if I may.
I was merely trying to get you find a more suitable pulpit to gild your soul. And I firmly disagree with you about loving one another in the public life. It does not work; its unreal, absurd and dangerous as it leads to vague sentimentalism. The only sound state of social behaviour we can hope for is tolerance, perhaps a very dull virtue but thats all we can hope for, even with divine intervention, i.e. if you are an O.T.E alike.
Thanks.
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And Q.T.E. you cited your letter to PM Lee, Khaw Boon Wah’s letter to you and your hands in the salvation of Chee S.J. rtc..
These are all very Christian, very self-elevating, very typical of Christians may I say…
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IT WORKS—REPEATEDLY, SIR!
Hi “yogalhor”!
If your secularism works, bring it on! “It doesn’t matter whether it is a black or a white cat so long as it catches mice.” And if you think Deng Xiaoping is a Christian, then you are a poorly-read person.
And why should you think that sharing the thoughts of our wise Buddhist MOH Khaw Boon Wan should not be allowed here, when what he wrote to me on 6/7/05 made so much sense? “At the end of the day, life is about helping one another to make for a better world.” (I concede that lately, he had made a controversial statement. But his intention was good).
Meet me in Toa Payoh HUB for lunch, will you, sir? And I can show you copious copies of documents how it has worked repeatedly! You shouldn’t be under-rating yourself, and getting to be so intolerant of others—even suggesting that I quit from here for another “pulpit”, when I am never asking for you or anyone to quit. Amazing that just a simple question “Right, yogalhor?” in my previous post can make you go almost apoplectic? Is this your upside down way of showing your [great] tolerance you boasted you have, sir?
Why do you think I should clear off to another “pulpit” just for speaking the truths, and nothing but the truths—to share how we can learn and help each other to be good or better citizens? Why do you think I should not believe in Mr Khaw Boon Wan’s belief that, ‘Yes, we can!’, but should believe in you, that you can’t/are unable do this or that? Or suggesting that I/we can never learn anything good from you? In that case, why are you in this web-page if you have nothing good for us to read or learn from, “yogalhor”?
Please write coherently, will you, sir?
{“yogalhor” wrote on 20/2/09 at 7:51 pm: O.T.E. has attempted to be eloquent but been largely ambivalent. I have not alluded myself to any philosophy sage or fool so I cannot agree to be consigned to any self-rebuke if I may.
I was merely trying to get you find a more suitable pulpit to gild your soul. And I firmly disagree with you about loving one another in the public life. It does not work; its unreal, absurd and dangerous as it leads to vague sentimentalism. The only sound state of social behaviour we can hope for is tolerance, perhaps a very dull virtue but thats all we can hope for, even with divine intervention, i.e. if you are an O.T.E alike. Thanks.}
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You go catch your rats. I’ve had enough of gibberish sermons.
Good luck. And I don’t find rats appetizing so am declining your lunch offer.
Thank you.
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@ Oh Tham Eng,
don’t you think praising Ho Ching to ‘heavens’ in your sermon
is laughable…..in your own words, great ability and very high EQ !
recall Ho Ching making public statements to defend the ‘infamous’ NKF TT Durai ? incidently Ho Ching has yet to
retract her statements…..very high EQ indeed !
isn’t Ho Ching’s appointment as CEO of Temasek a serious conflict of interest ? show me which country has such an arrangement of father, son and daughter-in-law !
recall the loss of $600M incurred with Micropolis ?
examine Ho Ching’s qualificationss again….is her masters in engineering + working experience in Mindef a resume that indicates financial intelligence ?
what about the $58Billion losses ?
recall Ho Ching’s “no regrets” ?
Isn’t it laughable to lavish praise on Ho Ching as having “great ability and very high EQ” ?
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WE ARE LIVING IN APOCALYPTIC TIMES, SIR!
Hi!
What you wrote makes sense, of course, because my memories are still fresh. Would you therefore allow me to say that you have high IQ too? And with a high EQ to boot?
Yes, I remember Ho Ching making statement on NKF’s Durai, which she should not have made on hindsight. Durai was once my hero too. But he trusted the expertise of renown Indian astrologers more than anything else. If he had not been cheated by that Indian IT expert-cum-entrepreneur from India (who had a Muslim name which I could not recall now), his fall from grace and honour would not have been happened. It pained my heart that it was so precipitous and startling.
Well, Dr Chee is another person with great abilities and very high IQ but, sadly, low EQ. I should know as I had talked and debated with him. I am still praying for him as I am for PM’s sister Dr Lee Wei Ling (a woman with a heart of gold). I do hope you are doing the same, as Dr Chee’s problem is beyond what any of us can do to help him. Only God can. I pity his children and dear wife who have to suffer with him. In my good sense, I would never have wanted to do and say those kind of things that he did. I trust God and will try to do His will for my own safety and for the good of others (as my way to spread God’s goodness to all around).
Please understand that I was just trying to be helpful and thinking of the unthinkable—to brainstorm on the way(s) where both Ho Ching and Dr Chee could come together to mutually help themselves to redeem and to rebuilt their battered reputation. If you or anyone netzen have better ideas, please post them in the blog for us to evaluate.
There is so much to gain for Singapore and for themselves (Dr Chee & Ho Ching) if we can encourage and help them to help each other in the way I had suggested. I already knew I would appear to many of you to be rather weird—for daring to think aloud such unthinkable thoughs. So I would be grateful if you can appreciate that I am just a man who is trying to spread goodwill and encouragement to others who need them, sir/Ms!
After all, even if I fail, I don’t think I will lose anything for trying to encourage or help others to help themselves. But I will pray that I can succeed with those unthinkable thoughts. So can you and other netizens pray for me too that I will succeed, sir/Ms?
Please do not also forget that we are living in apocalyptic! times!
“$multi million loyalty” wrote on Sun, 22/2/09 1:22 pm:
@ Oh Tham Eng,
don’t you think praising Ho Ching to ‘heavens’ in your sermon
is laughable…..in your own words, great ability and very high EQ !
recall Ho Ching making public statements to defend the ‘infamous’ NKF TT Durai ? incidently Ho Ching has yet to
retract her statements…..very high EQ indeed !
isn’t Ho Ching’s appointment as CEO of Temasek a serious conflict of interest ? show me which country has such an arrangement of father, son and daughter-in-law !
recall the loss of $600M incurred with Micropolis ?
examine Ho Ching’s qualificationss again….is her masters in engineering + working experience in Mindef a resume that indicates financial intelligence ?
what about the $58Billion losses ?
recall Ho Ching’s “no regrets” ?
Isn’t it laughable to lavish praise on Ho Ching as having “great ability and very high EQ” ?
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Hi Admin!
At 1:14PM today 23/2/09, I replied to the above posted on 22/2/09 at 1:22PM. But you have deleted it and have not allowed my reponse. Why, sir?
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Hi Tham Eng,
There was a repetition and we deleted the duplicate post. Please chaeck again.
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Hi Admin,
You deleted the wrong one. The second copy is slightly better than the first. So sorry to bother you; but if you could remove this and put in place the second one, I would be very grateful, sir.
God bless!
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Hi Tham Eng,
Pls repost again, we have problems distinguishing your threads from one another, they all look the same.
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Never mind. It is not a big thing. Thanks so much, sir!
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Your article contains both subjective as well as objective points. I wish to address only one specific point – the extent of losses that fell upon Temasek’s investment. Investors across the board spectrum (corporate, huge pension-funds,sovereign wealth funds, wealthy individuals and large family estates of all stripes) were not spared in the current financial debacle. So none is spared. Temasek’s present woes are not unique. A more objective analysis would have been to measure how much of their past profits were lost. As well, investment is long term, and it would be myopic to draw conclusions based on the present unprecedented economic global malaise. Even Warren Buffet has lost over 25% of his wealth.
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Thanks for the great article!
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{Eugene Yeo, Chief Editor wrote on 24/2/09: “…On the contrary, netizens have been threatened publicly by a police inspector and a minister of prosecution should they cross the OB marker in their online postings.
A Hitler spoof on Ho Ching was taken down by Youtube mysteriously though replicas of other non-related topics are still circulating around. An ex-Singapore citizen Gopalan Nair was jailed for three months last year for making a comment on his post which would not have raised any eyebrows in other first world countries … }
NOT TO WORRY TO MUCH ABOUT PM LEE, MR EUGENE YEO!
Dear Mr Eugene Yeo:
Please do not worry unduly about PM Lee. He is trying hard to be our good leader. And what he said yesterday 23/2/09 about what went on in blogosphere made a lot of sense to me—about relaxing rules there. To be fair to you, your blog wayangparty is not as bad as I had earlier thought it was, and one day I will put in some good words for you to the authorities to tell them why I think so.
You just need to be ratonal, truthful and factual, even-handed and open-minded, as I have noticed you people are from my side. Keep it up, sir! If you make mistakes and are pointed out, please make self-corrections to preserve your honour and integrity.
You mentioned about a police officer coming in to warn rumour-mongers in the Seng Han Thong saga. But he (AC Wong Hong Guan, Director of Operations) was doing the right thing, and should be duly commended for doing so. I was so pleased he came in to advise all the ignorant rumour-mongers to stop their rumour-mongering.
I was about to write to the Commander of Kampong Java NPC DSP Loke to advise the police to so something like that, as my way to help ignorant rumour-mongers avoid getting into troubles with the police. DSP Loke knew what I have been doing over the years and had visited my home on 12/12/08 to commend and encourage me to carry on with my good deeds to help people and with helpful ideas to the authorities on many matters—such as what I had done on 21/8/06 to help both MP Seng and cabby Koo Tong Huat in their legal problems, way before MP Seng was again assaulted. This time he was badly burnt.
Since I was the do-gooder who had helped out in MP Seng’s earlier problem in 2006, not the PAP leaders manipulating matters to make themselves looked nice to the people, I would be the best person to do the explanation in his recent problem. I was so sad he was so badly burnt.
And then my rightly-disappointed MP RADM Lui Tck Yew came in to talk about the matter in Parliament because he (and as well as Opposition MPs) knew the facts—what I had done to help MP Seng in 2006 long before the tragic incident happened. (I had also helped jobless and hardship cases too).
RADM Lui had said he wasn’t advocating any clamp-down on netizens. So I earnestly and humbly covert your understanding and of those netizens reading your blogs on this matter not to speculate anymore on it. Good citizenship is about good people like you and me trying out to do our part to help build a gracious and caring society for ourselves; not about the heavy-handedness of the government out to squelch the rights and freedom of our people to express themselves. If indeed the government is truly gulty of this, then we should rise up to advise them accordingly, as behooved our duties as Singapore’s good citizens.
As regarding the Hitler spoof of Mdm Ho Ching, any one lampooning others in that manner is being extremely distasteful and offensaive, unless the person being lampooned is such a Hitler or an Idi Amin or a Saddam Hussein, etc, in whose hands were soaked the blood of millions of the innocent they had mercilessly slaughtered.
God bless!
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John Tan:
“Even Warren Buffet has lost over 25% of his wealth.”
Warren Buffet is being paid USD$100,000 per year (yes, per year, NOT month). How much is the Temasek CEO being paid?
Warren Buffett wisely avoided investing in banking stocks. In fact, when asked why he did not invest in those banks togather with the SWFs (he revealed that many of the banks had approached him to invest), he replied that it’s exactly because the banks were not able to sell the shares locally (read; nobody in the US wanted to buy their worthless shares) in the US, that’s why they needed to sell their shares to some foreign investors. The truth is, many of these banks r technically bankrupt & their share prices are not not expected to have any meaningful rebound.
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{“Sink-A-Poor” wrote on 24/2/09 at 5:02PM: John Tan:
“Even Warren Buffet has lost over 25% of his wealth.”
Warren Buffet is being paid USD$100,000 per year (yes, per year, NOT month). How much is the Temasek CEO being paid?
Warren Buffett wisely avoided investing in banking stocks. In fact, when asked why …..he replied….because the banks were not able to sell the shares locally (read; nobody in the US wanted to buy their worthless shares) in the US, that’s why they needed to sell their shares to some foreign investors. The truth is, many of these banks r technically bankrupt & their share prices are not not expected to have any meaningful rebound.}
This is interesting, “Sink-A-Poor”. Sad that our leaders did not investigate the reasons why investor guru Warren Buffet’s
avoided bank shares. But one is also wiser on hindsight! How tragic!!
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Corrected post. Sorry:-
{”Sink-A-Poor” wrote on 24/2/09 at 5:02PM: John Tan:
“Even Warren Buffet has lost over 25% of his wealth.”
Warren Buffet is being paid USD$100,000 per year (yes, per year, NOT month). How much is the Temasek CEO being paid?
Warren Buffett wisely avoided investing in banking stocks. In fact, when asked why …..he replied….because the banks were not able to sell the shares locally (read; nobody in the US wanted to buy their worthless shares) in the US, that’s why they needed to sell their shares to some foreign investors. The truth is, many of these banks r technically bankrupt & their share prices are not not expected to have any meaningful rebound.}
This is interesting, “Sink-A-Poor”. Sad that our leaders did not investigate the reasons why investment guru Warren Buffet avoided bank shares. But one is always wiser on hindsight! How tragic!!
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“LIVE AS FREE MEN, YET WITHOUT USING YOUR FREEDOM AS A LICENSE/PRETEXT FOR EVIL” 1 Peter 2:16
Dear Mr Kelvin Tan:
I beg for your pardon to state that you have just written a very bad article. You are simply barking up the wrong tree.
RADM Lui was correct to rue the lack of self-policing in blogosphere in Parliament. Indeed you are the one who “betrayed [a patent] lack of understanding of [how the] Internet” should work, not RADM Lui. It is not true that “only opinions he finds agreeable are allowed”, as you allege. RADM Lui in fact would be failing in his duty if he had not raised the matter you complained about in Parliament, something you seemed to prefer he kept quiet when he had seen something that was so patently wrong?
Is this what you wish to tell us what you would do? When you see something seriously wrong happening in our society, you would just keep quiet? Or worst still, you would side with the wrong doers and defend their rights to do wrong or evil? Is this your upside-down way to champion truth, justice and human rights so that lies, misinformation, unfounded rumors and wild speculations should control us and be the swill our people should be fed with? If not, can you please write coherently in future articles? Thank you.
That is why I have to put up this post. It is also my humble attempt to answer the question you have posed: “Who determines what is right or wrong, brilliant or ridiculous, is subjective…?”
On Mr Seng Han Thong’s matter (though it may not be in other matters), I humbly submit that I am the one qualified to determine what is right or wrong, brilliant or ridiculous, truthful or baseless rumors. Why? Because I had also put up lengthy posts to explanation in places like wayangparty.com. So evidently you have failed to read my posts such as the one entitled: “I did it in 2006, not the PAP leaders out to make themselves look magnanimous.”
If I had not posted, then of course you are correct to say that it is within the constitutional rights of our citizens and netizens to be able to ask questions and speak freely their opinion on the Seng Han Thong saga. I concede it was perfectly logical and legitimate to say and believe that there must be something wrong with MP Seng Hang Thong; otherwise, why would another ex-cabby want to assault him? Why couldn’t it be another MP to be assaulted? Why must it be HIM AGAIN? Therefore, it is logical to believe that he MUST have been an uncaring and an unpopular MP.
And of course the police couldn’t come in then to stop our people from holding such legitimate opinion and making such conjectures. They were absolutely plausible. So it would be a gross violation of our constitutional rights to free expression if the police were to come in and haul them to court for criminal prosecutions if those people did not desist from making such speculations and conspiracies.
So netizens like you should not be blamed for their ignorance as none of you was in possession of the facts and documents of what had transpired in 2006. RADM Lui was, as he is my MP and I had given him a copy of my 21 August 2006 letter to Mr Seng Han Thong as well as documents on unrelated matters which God had favored me to do to help others in need/troubles.
If you love truths and justice, I wish to invite you for a lunch treat in Toa Payoh HUB so that I can get to know you better and hand over and explain those documents to you. I would love sharing with you how you too can play a more effective role as a more caring and responsible citizen. Would that be okay with you, sir?
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“One is always wiser on hindsight.”
But WB is hardly the only one who avoided investing in banks early in the crisis (he did invest in Goldman Sachs & Wells Fargo later on, for gd reasons, but not in those troubled banks).
When the sg SWF 1st started buying the banking shares, investment guru, Mr Jims Rogers, went on tv to say that he felt sad for sg coz “they r going to lose money”.
Economist Nouriel Roubini & investment manager Peter Schiff warned about the crisis long before it happened. In fact, Peter Schiff wrote a book: “Crash Proof: How To Profit From The Coming Economic Collapse” which was published 6 mths before the 1st sign of subprime crisis.
So, it’s a myth that “No one could have seen it coming”.
Bottom line is, a money manager worth his salt would have seen it coming & would have avoided investing in bankrupt institutions.
One can be pretty wise on foresight too.
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ANOTHER GOOD POST IN WAYANGPARTY.COM
Thanks for putting up another good post, “Sink-A-Poor”. You seem to be a very knowledgeable person. Keep them coming, sir!
I have to agree with you. That’s why I had said Mdm Ho Ching’s reputation was all gone. So there is a need for her to re-invent herself. Bad idea that she should go into politics. She is not an ordinary person; she is in a class of her own. She is PM Lee’s dear wife!
I hope she can seriously consider my earlier suggestion in my post “Thinking the Unthinkable” once she steps down from Temasek, and call up Dr Chee Soon Juan to launch out together with her into non-political philanthropy. PM Lee now needs a lot of able, passionate and talented people to help him provide succor and encouragement for the suffering, struggling and despairing Singaporeans. But she can take a break first to recuperate.
It will be to the good of Singapore and to both their battered reputation if what I have suggested can be taken up, first by Mdm Ho Ching, and then by Dr Chee. The latter shouldn’t be messing around to no end in his meaningless and mis-directed political activism. Life is too short to be wasted in this way. And he must not forget that he has three children to think of too!
My suggestion would be so very much better than for him leading disgruntled Singaporeans to rock our endangered speedboat. We must all close ranks to help bale out the water coming in to sink us in Singapore Inc, or we will all have to perish into treacherous waters.
May God be merciful!
(“Sink-A-Poor” wrote on Wed, 25th Feb 2009 at 6:53 am:
“One is always wiser on hindsight.”
But WB is hardly the only one who avoided investing in banks early in the crisis……. (he did invest in Goldman Sachs & Wells Fargo later on, for gd reasons, but not in those troubled banks).
When the sg SWF 1st started buying the banking shares, investment guru, Mr Jims Rogers, went on tv to say that he felt sad for sg coz “they r going to lose money”.
Economist Nouriel Roubini & investment manager Peter Schiff warned about the crisis long before it happened. In fact, Peter Schiff wrote a book: “Crash Proof: How To Profit From The Coming Economic Collapse” which was published 6 mths before the 1st sign of subprime crisis.
So, it’s a myth that “No one could have seen it coming”.
Bottom line is, a money manager worth his salt would have seen it coming & would have avoided investing in bankrupt institutions. One can be pretty wise on foresight too.}
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(“yogalhor” wrote on Wed, 25th Feb 2009 at 10:02 am: OTE, I am short for time now. Your article if it could be qualified to be called such is simply, baloney, hot-air and circular reasoning. Its not my blogsite and there’s no regulation that forbids even delusional thinking.
I will try find some time to detail the contradictions in your post as I feel a riposte is necessary not just because of your feebleness of thought, ignorance and self-righteousness, but also because your lack of perspective did not deter you from serving undiluted comments, a typical attitude of the rash and impetuous. Been trying to figure out where youre at and where you were trying to go to…with the “article” route-less runaway-train….}
SOMEONE IS GOING APOPLECTIC AGAIN—FOR STRANGE REASONS!
“Yogalhor” seems to be going apoplectic again—-this terribly intolerant and upside-down secularist. Earlier he did so because he was unwilling to accept and appeared to be upset with my citation of Deng Xiaoping’s aphorism: “It doesn’t matter whether it is a white or black cat so long as it catches mice.” I had pointed out to him that if he thought Deng Xiaoping was a Christian, then he (“yogalhor”) must be a poorly-read man.
That seemed to set him off into another bout of apoplexy, and he hit back at me as being “gibberish” without showing evidence how I was (in his post above on 21/2/09 at 5:03 am)! And now he says I am suffering from delusion and feebleness of thoughts, etc. Sadly, mindlessly flaming others seems to be all that “yogalhor” knows about debating with others!
Well, there is a parallel nugget of practical wisdom from our Apostle Paul. He wants Christians to be open-minded and to have an eclectic mindset. Unfortunately, not all Christians take his advice. “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, honourable,just, pure, lovely, gracious, if there is any excellence [from secularists, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc], or anything worthy of praise, think [learn and/or meditate] about these things….and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8 And this is something I hope my fellow netizens in this blog will also subscribe to for our mutual edification.
Therefore, I would like to thank Mr “yogalhor” in anticipation of his kind intention to lecture me as I am always willing to learn something from others—hopefully, something good as I am open to the possibility that I may be less educated than he. This is something I will always want to do till I conk out from this world—to consider others wiser and better than myself so that I can be motivated to learn something good from them.
On the other hand, no one should expect me to learn idiot things from others. Why should I as I was born a human being “for a reason”, not a cockroach or a rat? (re from the Buddhistic wisdom of MOH Khaw Boon Wan).
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{Eugene wrote on Wed, 25th Feb 2009 4:46 pm:
Hi Auntie,
Thanks for your feedback. Sorry I forgot to insert a caveat here: issues on race, language and religion are kept out of bounds on this site if you do realize and that’s why moderation is still required. Other than these topics, nothing else is taboo.
We expect our readers to keep a certain degree of decorum here. Vulgarities and insults hurled at us are permitted, but not to any other persons.
As for your comment that I am a one man prolific writer, I beg to differ. This blog is not run by one man, but by a team of writers. In fact, the Brotherhood has just joined us as guest writers and you will reading articles by them here from tomorrow onwards.
Please highlight any particular sentence above in which it can be misconstrued as “an incitement to violence.”
Eugene}
YOU PEOPLE ARE VERY GOOD, EUGENE!
You really deserve the good words from others. From my side, you have shown good discrimination and intelligence in your moderation by allowing for religious mention in my posts, so long as the goodness of various religions is brought in for enlightenment and solution; not to cause conflicts and more problems.
If secularism is good and helpful, it should remain. But it should not be allowed to breed intolerance or be allowed to squelch out other helpful belief systems in our socio-political discourse. The golden rule to apply in your moderation is secularist Deng Xiaoping’s aphorism: “It does not matter whether the cat is black or white so long as it catches mice.” And this is a delightful definition for eclecticism, sir!
For your information, when I wrote to Mr Seng Han Thong on 21/8/06 to help him and cabby Mr Koo Tong Huat resolve their problems, I went in and successfully swayed him to look from the religious point of view. Though I am a Christian, I deliberately went in from the viewpoint of the goodness of the Quran in An-Naml 27:19, Al-Hujurut 49:13 and Fussilat 41:34, as I need to consistently show to the Muslims how and why they can and must show equal faith in the goodness of their Quran—-to solve big problems in life; and not mindlessly express their faith in the questionable teachings of the same Quran to create troubles for themselves and for others.
Otherwise, Islamic terrorism can never be effectively countered. In the process, I succeeded to help solve some very big and some small problems in our country, such as helping MP Ms Lee Bee Wah and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan resolve their great table-tennis controversy last year. It was simply amazing that I was a one-man show. All praises be given to God! Ameen!!
Singapore is too small and vulnerable for religion-inspired disputes. And I am so grateful that you are such a wise man; you have manifested such high level of understanding and maturity. That’s why I will one day put up some good words to the authorities for you people, that you people are indeed very good. If not for your wise moderation, I wouldn’t also have succeeded to post some good remarks about Mdm Ho Ching and RADM Lui, etc, that’s for sure! It is my prayer that out of the great distress in such terrible times like this, both Mdm Ho Ching and Dr Chee can see something in common to draw them together. It will be a terrific inspiration for all of us if this could happen—for humanity’s and Singapore’s greater cause. Yes, I am a dreamer. But I have an excellent track record to show that it is attainable, if God can bring it to pass.
Keep up your good works, sir! God bless!!
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Myths or Facts???!!!!
1. Singaporeans owe a debt to Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP from transforming Singapore from a third to first world country.
I dun think MM Lee ever personally claimed that Singaporeans owe him a debt?! It’s others who tout that n gave him n the PAP that credits! Btw, isnt it a fact that we were transformed from a 3rd world into the 1st within an unbelievably short span of time! Unbelievable even to the most optimistic of economists, planners n soothsayers! It’s pertinent that in discussing n/or arguing this issue, always remember! Singapore started off barren, is still barren today n will eternally be barren, unless one fine morning someone or esp u, Mr Fang, wakes up n find that ‘black gold’ is oozing out from yr garden or backyard or in some remote off shore islands!!
Facts r facts! The future is not for all to see. But history n statistics dun lie n r we so blind that we cant even look back n see our past, n her amazingly unbelievable transformation, never mind we cant our future!
I must agree that not all PAP policies or “LKY’s” policies, s some cynics may wanna put a crooked twists to it, benefitted all singaporeans! It possibly can’t! Perhaps Mr Fang’s history n background r different from majority of laymen singaporeans!
If one’s ancestral land had been acquired by the govt at ‘give-away’ prices, then i can empathise with such. But for the majority of then poor, landless n homeless singaporeans who now enjoy modern facilities, amenities n sanitations n have a roof over yr head, beneficiaries of the Land Acquisition Acts, courtesy of PAP or LKY, then what’s yr beef??? Dun be ungrateful n gripe for sake of griping n be influenced without a mind of yr own!!! Of course, if Mr Fang’s ancestors or family had suffered such fate of massive land losses, i empathise with u but like most landless singaporeans, i cant empathise with n share yr disdain for LKY n the PAP!!! On the contrary, i m grateful to him n his policies!!!
For rest of singaporean readers of this discussion, i implore u to look back into our past, compare with our present so s to be influenced rightly s we move into our common future n destinies!!!
If there’s any debt owed to anyone, its a ‘mutual debt’! We owe it to, YES! LKY n PAP for her achievements n miraculous transformation of not just singapore but the lives n livelihoods of her citizens from early back-waters std to current near first world’s. N LKY n PAP in turn owe it to us for voting them in again n again n giving them the ‘POSSIBILITIES OF CONTINUITY’ to pursue n acheive the results of their policies!
From bucket systems n black colored water in the seletar river, i now see fishes n other life forms in the same river. I now do not have to suffer the stench of the nite soil man who came religiously same time every day to clear’ u know what’!
Myths or Facts!!!! It’s all up to individual experiences n backgrounds n i strongly believe that majority of singaporeans then were poor, uneducated, unenlightened, uninitiated, unworldly-wise to question the same ‘masters of transformation’ of their’s n their ancestors’ fates!!!
Myths, if u r a chronic or unenlightened cynics! Facts, well if only one chooses to look at things objectively n in perspectives n not be influenced without a mind of their own!
2. Singapore needs to open its doors to the global economy in order to enjoy years of uninterrupted economic growth.
We benefited from decades of this same open door policy! Even b4 globalisation was a common term, our early leaders already embraced such policies, albeit in much smaller scales! But of course, s in life in general, the same luxuries once lost could end up s the same reasons for miseries! One cant have the cake n eat it. The investments one plough into may rake in profits. Likewise the same investments if fail to take off will equally be the same reason for losses!! This is not rocket science, not even complex economics, but simply life’s equation of pluses n minuses. Is that so difficult to understand???
Or perhaps, LKY n the early PAP pioneers could have adopted Myanmar’s or Nepal’s polcies of closed doors n see what has happened n where have their citizens ended up in n with???
Giant India for many decades believe that their critical masses was big enough markets for their own survival! Ditto giant china! Look back n see just s many years of losses n stagnations!!!
In this globalised n inter-connected world, no man is an island! No country is absolutely economically sovereign!! Unless of course the ppl r happy to be locked in, just like Myanmars! But r they???
We enjoyed the sweet fruits of open doors successes for many decades. Till now, nay a sound made! Now, for once we face some obstacles n instead of closing ranks, suddenly many soothsayers appear to take credits!!!
One of the greatest statesman of the last century once proferred, ‘if one opens the window to take in the fresh air, one must also contend with the mossies, crawlies, insects n foul air that may also fly or seep in. But if one is afraid of all these n continues to close one’s windows to deny self of that fresh air, then eventually one will suffocate, (perhaps to their own demise)’. How one deals with the ‘uninvited guests’ is the challenge!
Open or close doors policies, one can argue till the cows come home n there will always be supporters n believers against detractors n cynics!!! Both have their consequences!
3. Singapore cannot afford to spend more to help needy Singaporeans to prevent going down the slippery slope of welfare.
Of course eternally barren singapore can afford to spend more to help the needy. Without nothing underground other than non recycle-able corpses in chua chu kang, lim chu kang n mandai, who foots the bills???? Again one cant have the cake n eat it. One cant demand the govt do so for his old age n yet when economically active refuse to chip in or expects his children n the next gen to chip in. The money has to come from somewhere, somehow, someone!!!!!
There have been enough empirical evidences of such failures in all countries who went down that road. Many find themselves impossible to make an u-turn. Proven failures formula n u r some still harping for such formulae???
The wise man learns from his own mistakes!
The wiser man learns from other’s mistakes!
The wisest man makes no mistakes!
Fools never learn!!!
What r we???
That said, i can only say the govt can be more generous tho!
4. Singapore needs a strong one-party state to ensure social stability and economic progress.
We cant even form a complete homogeneous singaporean team of orchestra, what more viable politicians or leaders!
I m not a PAP sycophant or blind supporters!!! But where r my choices n alternatives??? With that clownish Chee? Or the never say die Chiam? One needs a team, not one man show, to run even a company, more so a country!
Do we see another viable team or alternatives??? Trust mine, my children’s n the country’s destinies to that clown chee???
PAP is not perfect!!! They have fair shares of blunders n mistakes, no doubt abt that. But in assessing results, the bottom line is the deciding factor, the pluses against the minuses. Now again that;s not rocket science n is it so difficult to fathom???
Till we build up our critical masses n throw up more choices, no party is gonna sing songs for their opposition. Put the SDP in power today n they will sing the same song that only they can govern singapore. R we so foolish n simpleton to expect political parties to vouch for their opponents??? Dun make my toes laugh!!!
Bottom line is what current choices do we have? Wud the PAP be voted in again n again if they had not delivered. They had ‘paid their debt’ to us by delivering, well till now of course. We have also paid our ‘debt’ to their performance n for keeping their promises by voting them in again n again.
This ‘political debt’ is a two-way relationship!
PM Lee is on his own. He n team is not gonna get my vote or voted in based on his father;s or SM Goh’s past performances. He will be judged on his won merits.
By all means, if he doesnt deliver, pls vote in clownish chee or persistent chiam or iron lady in waiting sylvia or whoever is waiting on the sidelines n lets see the further transformation of singapore n her citizens, for better or for worse, n let history be the judge!
We will either live to regret our actions or live to regret for believing in PAP for so many decades n not voting them out sooner. We live by our own decisions. Thats the beauty of DEMOCRACY!
5. Only the PAP knows how to govern the nation. The opposition is irresponsible and will fritter away our precious reserves by the billions if they were to come to power one day.
With the dearth of capabilities in the current opposition, n under the democratic systems of 1 man 1 vote every 4 years, of course one can choose to gamble with ones destiny!!!
Will the opposition fritter away our reserves? Well thats hypothetical. Not frittering is one thing! Not able to grow is quite another!!!! There will always be believers n supporters n detractors n cynics in both!
Do they have a capable team, not just one or even 2 persons in plce to deliver better than the PAP???
Lets go back in time….if only…..
When singapore first became independent, the masses consisted of mostly coolies, uneducated, unenlightened, poors, landless, homeless, divided by race, religion n diversities!!!
Whatever little n few talents there were then were already drafted into the civil svc, not enough to get the whole machinery running. Ignorance of our ancestors n parents’ gen were the order of the day then.
If only LKY n PAP then had not been so ’stupid’ but had embarked on the same course s many of our neighbors n putting in n entrenching a system to enrich themselves n that of their descendents, n not plough back so much money into our reserves n embarked on educating the population (schooling is a must), the citizenry at large today will still be none the wiser, s in many countries ard the world, n we will largely still be poor, unhoused, living in slumps, bucket systems, etc etc etc, the scary list of undevelopment goes on n on n on…..
Y did they so stupidly build up the reserves into the 3rd or 4th largest after china japan n mayb taiwan (?). Y didnt they build up their own nest eggs n then retire to some far away land n allow the ppl n country to rot. Our ancestors were so uneducated then to even know how to question or detect such indiscreet self enriching acts!!!
If only LKY n PAP had been so selfish n corrupted, if only they had not educated the population to this extent s to now bite back n start questioning the hands that helped them…if only they had come to be known s ‘10%’ men or whatever figures, s some neighboring leaders r renowned for….
PAP painstakingly built up our current reserves over the decades since independence. They have the right to be protective over it. If ever the opposition comes to power, they did not in any way built towards this accumulation of reserves to this extent, they dun have the right, the stature, the moral authority to spend money saved by others. Build themselves n spend s they like during their terms of office. The money belongs to the ppl of singapore, not the opposition, neither the PAP!
This protective instinct of wealth happens even to families n companies, what more a nation!!!
From backwaters, we now enjoy the enviable posn of being the 2nd highest per capita income in Asia, after japan, n one of the highest in the world. This is not by fluke or by chance, but by choice, painstaking choices, decided n led by the PAP n yes LKY!!
Now, relatively well endowed singaporeans, any beef with that?Or of course, under the democratic systems, pls gamble with yrs n yr next gen’s destinies at the ballot box.
Till we have another viable team, not jsut a few individuals in the opposition, n with their proven tracked records, which PM Lee must continue to further prove themselves, singaporeans still have a choice, ‘Hobson’s choice’, that is!
Let me end by quoting this, ‘yin shui yeow si yuan’.
For many singaporeans of today, from where we n our forefathes came from, whenever we drink water, pls dun forget its source!
How many of us today got our jobs thro our own merits, n not cos our sisters, or even mothers gotta sleep with someone or somebody. How many of us gotta to bribe our way thro to get the job u r holding on to now.
I m in the service industry. I walked into the interview, with my own merits n credits, got this job 31 years ago, got promoted thro the years n none of my beautiful sisters had to sleep with anyone!!
One very beautiful n sexy girlfriend of one of my friends of one of our northerly neighbor had to sleep with a general for one of her brother to get a job which hes still holding on now? How many more times she had to sleep with someone for him to get promoted? I dunno n i didnt dare or even wanna know cos it disgusts me to the core of my bones. But it makes me so appreciative of my own fate!
Thanks to LKY n the PAP!!!
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WAH LAU, “CHAI”—YOUR COMMENT IS SUPER LONG!
Anyway, thanks for taking the trouble to compose such a long comment. Credit goes to wayangparty admin to allow you to post such a long one. So nice of admin! Keep them coming, if you got the time to churn out more, “Chai”!
I like the balanced way you wrote, like “LKY n PAP in turn owe it to us for voting them in again n again n giving them the ‘POSSIBILITIES OF CONTINUITY’ to pursue n achieve the results of their policies!”.
Then we can be ‘LucKY’ most of the time. But let no one be too hasty to pass judgment for the current difficulties now afflicting Singapore and the whole world. God willing, MM Lee will have the last laugh some years from now.
Pastor Rony Tan of Lighthouse Evangelism also wanted Singaporeans not to forget this—that “Government includes those run by Chiam See Tong and Low Thia Khiang, not just the PAP”. So we must give Government our best prayers and support whenever and wherever we can.
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{“Chai” wrote on Sun, 1st Mar 2009 1:59 pm: …its a ‘mutual debt’! We owe it to, YES! LKY n PAP for her achievements n miraculous transformation of not just singapore but the lives n livelihoods of her citizens from early back-waters std to current near first world’s. N LKY n PAP in turn owe it to us for voting them in again n again n giving them the ‘POSSIBILITIES OF CONTINUITY’ to pursue n achieve the results of their policies!…..
“PM Lee is on his own. He n team is not gonna get my vote or voted in based on his father;s or SM Goh’s past performances. He will be judged on his won merits.”}
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Ya, I believe in this too. And PM Lee has proven himself, not only to be a very capable leader, but one who is very friendly and caring. But he is unable to do everything for us. We have to help him build for us a Singapore where her people are caring, helpful, hardworking, God-fearing and purposeful.
The big difference between PM Lee and Dr Chee is that PM Lee is open to what people say of him and his government, and try to improve where they can. In other words, PM Lee has humility. But Dr Chee is too clever for his own good and safety. He needs to learn from others, and take note of what God and other people have to say of him.
But don’t write off Dr Chee yet. Pray for his epiphany and for God to bless and guide him and his loved ones too, please! God is always forgiving and loving. 1 John 1:9.
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{“…The wise man learns from his own mistakes!
The wiser man learns from other’s mistakes!
The wisest man makes no mistakes!
Fools never learn!!!…”}
Good one, “Chai”. I like it. Keep them coming!
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{“…PAP is not perfect!!! They have fair shares of blunders n mistakes, no doubt abt that. But in assessing results, the bottom line is the deciding factor, the pluses against the minuses. Now again that’s not rocket science n is it so difficult to fathom???…”}
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They never make any claim to perfection. So we must not judge what they never claim to be; but on how much they have achieved what they aspire for—to help and care for our people and country.
Remember, it is never God’s will that we leave everything to our leaders, and we just sit back and complain, and always look for something to make ourselves unhappy. We must not forget to count our blessings too, and thank God for them.
So “Inspire me, Lord, to be thankful to Thee for Thy favours to me and my parents to do good deeds which will please Thee. Admit me, through Thy mercy, to be among Thy righteous.” An-Naml 27:19. “For the noblest in God’s sight is he/she who is the most righteous.” Al-Hujurut 49:13.
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Hi Mr Oh.
Thank u for yr fair comments on my balanced comments. Yes my posting was long for 1 simple reason. I dun have the power of the language to be concise n precise. With this handicap, i’d rather err on safe side n be more, rather than under, elaborate, lest i be misunderstood or my points not clear enough!
The differenc btw PM Lee n Dr Chee is more than just humility. Substance, integrity, capabilities, leadership qualities, political acumen, etc…He just proved that he never had n will never have all these! Academic achievements r no guarantee of performances, esp in politics!
With due respects, perhaps we ought to lve God outa this humanly discussions. Btw Dr Chee will never get to hear what God has to say of him. How cud he or anyone else on earth?
PM Lee is more than just smart! The other is smart by half, for his own good n those ard him!!! See how n what miseries he had brought upon his sister n others???
With due respects to Pastor Rony Tan too. Yes govt includes both opposition members. But to govern means to come up with policies n ideas to improve the ppl n the countries destinies n well being, n not just being in govt.
Being a member of the govt is not governing! To govern entails more than just ‘a membership’! Just s leadership is not a position, being elected in govt is equally just another position, not indication(s) of one’s performances! But kudos to them, they have thus far been not the destructive kinda opposition, tho not exactly constructive either!
Yes lets pray for the govt n singaporeans that LKY n PAP can n will get us outa this ‘tsunamical rut’! But did God also say that He only helps those who help themselves first, countries n nations included?!
LucKY? LUCK alone didnt bring us n singapore to where we r today, several hiccups along the way included! Yes we were LucKY to have LKY take first charge of singapore in our infancy years! If only….
So stop blaming him n PAP for our current fate. It’s beyond anyone’s control n wildest guess, more so a small world dependent nation like singpore. Lets close ranks now n help us n singapore outa this rut before God can help us.
For one to be appreciative of our fate n destinies, well ‘U’ have to first ‘C’ the constraints vis-a-vis our achievements, then only can one appreciate what LKY did for us, L-uc’KY’!
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Chai, you mentioned that “PM Lee is more than smart.” Please give concrete evidences.
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[...] (Original article by Fang Zhi Yuan here) [...]
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Good Day.
“1. Singaporeans owe a debt to Lee Kuan Yew and the PAP from transforming Singapore from a third to first world country.”
Is it a Myth or a Fact?
Let me see, if you call MM Lee the Legend of Singapore, put his face in the SGD note, erect his statue next to Stamford Raffles, I am ok with that. Although my endorsement worth 2 cents, I think he earned his reputation long ago.
I respect MM Lee for what he had done for Singapore, for more, for less, for the past foundation laid down and for even for now amid an economic dow(n)turn.
I will have to omit the future and leave it to God.
If I say that poorer(not poverty) is better, many may stone me.
Anyway, this forum exist because MM Lee and his PAP existed first.
I sincerely believe to discredit MM Lee’s contribution to this country is (purposely left blank).
He can go around the world, talk in seminars and be earning millions of dollars, sadly to the skeptical minds, is true.
“If not for $$, for what?”
If you are the person who ask this same question, you belong to the 95% of us who put $$ in the first place to fuel our motivation. I believe that only motivated people can work.
MM Lee is very proud of Singapore and at the same time, worried. He is worried if future leaders can take up this challenge to place “Singapore first” and $$ as a secondary motivationl factor.
He compromised to lure talents onboard with $CEOs$ pay checks rather than a shared vision. It is to me and me alone, a last resort, a pill hard to swallow. But the irony of a person who dedicated his whole life with integrity to anti-corruption but endorsed multi-million pay packages and bonuses for his ministers does bewilders me for a very long time. I sincerely have to say “I don’t know” here too.
However, he must have also knew the fact that “how much a person can spend in his lifetime?” Most of the ministers contribute alot to medical institutes here in their later years because of the accumulation of stress in office.(But George Yeo is different, he is always smiling)
The younger leaders in Singapore do not give me the feeling that they will be as selfless as our pioneers. Their motivational factor/s are very diversified. However, all of them consiously know that they need to get the job done.
But even when there is a black-out in parliament, no younger minister dare to light a candle when MM Lee is in the house.
Now that, may be a problem.
To work with a charismatic leader like MM Lee requires a big heart and also bigger feet than ordinary.
I think we all know that murmuring, grumbling, slanders, groundless complaints had never solve problems in history.
That is why I enjoyed reading some contributing solutions raised from this website, it is a jibe at the PAP, it is contribution nonetheless.
Learning from history is good, it equips us and makes us think of the future we wish to have by looking at the past. Unfortunately, Singapore has a rather short history. The word “Romans” and “Singaporeans” are separated by 2,000 years. There is not much Singlish literature to fall back to. It was a giant jig-saw puzzle in the beginning.
Nevertheless, we are talking abt current affairs when we talk abt governing a country. The cruel fact is that it is an ever changing world.
Plan-Do-Check-Action / Very short given time is the new formula.
A country which is critically limited in her resources, we are all onboard a 5-star liferaft to be exact.
When we leave Singapore and landed ashore on a foreign country, we are rich refugees.
No doubt, I respected his contribution and self scrifices he made along the way from our independence till now.
Myth or Fact, you decide.
Ok, now you can stone me.
Cheers
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To Maxonlife:
You got to be kidding.
That whole post was a joke.
It is like saying LKY is god and he built everything in Singapore.
And he also pays you for it.
I don’t know about you.
I work for it and am not compensated well.
I think the HKongers have it better.
More money
more life
and I never hear them thanking their politicians.
Sigh.
Another repressed joker…
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Hi Allan P
U want me to give concrete egs of PM Lee being smarter than smart? I m puzzled! PM Lee did not just appear on the political scene yesterday. Neither did he become PM overnight. He’s been ard politically since 1984, rising thro the ranks. He’s listed by renowned figures ard the world s one among few others ‘must speak to’ brains, not just in SIN, but also ard this region!
Concrete egs? Certain things which r ‘intangibles’ n not concrete or tangible r far more valuable than tangibles! If u still cant see or feel them by now, then chances r u never will n will always find yr own egs to negate the argument. Lets just lve it s it is that u see none, but i see n feel many!
To Maxonlife.
Whether to cast a statue or a bust to commemorate MM Lee, or to put his image onto our currencies or built a road or building or name our future airport after him, these r things MM Lee do not relish in. He had said that many many times n i dun think its false modesty that made him say that. But if anyone were to do it in respects, honor n memories of him, then its not his doing. It’s those who live after him n for reasons a.m. that the gratefuls do it. I anticipate his critics will have a field day ‘attacking’ him for that, even in death, when this comes to fruition one day!
MM Lee the Legend of SIN? More than that. He’s the ‘Father of Modern Singapore’!!!! His legacy is not just the successful n modern SIN he’s successfully handed over to future Singaporeans, transformed from backwater third world into modern first world in a miraculous less than one generation!!! His legacies is not just the physical transformation of SIN, but also transcends to the political cultures of peaceful n planned succession of governance, incorruptibility, integrity, accountability, stability etc. These r things which many of us have taken for granted n even think it’s life’s natural state of affairs! Now these r intangibles which r far more valuable than the tangible appreciation of SIN currencies or other tangibles brought about by these intangibles!
His legacies transcends beyond just a statue or a bust or a building or an airport! His footprints can be seen n felt in every nook n corner of SIN, i.e. if one chooses not to have selective memories losses or selective blindness!
Those who suggest that his motivation in speaking at seminars is for $$$ massively insult the man n his integrity! If $$$ were his motivation, he ought to have started accumulating from the very first day he took charge of a then largely uneducated, unworldly wise, unenlightened citizenry! From then to now, instead of from backwater third world nation to first, we would have gone further down the gutter, n only he n his croonies would be the only ones to elevate themselves from third to first, silently n quietly, perhaps long retired in a far away land!!! A man of his stature n experiences, his motivation is sharing his knowledge, experiences n transforming not just ppls lives but that of other nations, if possible!
Bitter pill to swallow for offering millions to politicians of today. Right or wrong, the argument goes on till the cows come home. Ans to that is to be a ‘realist’ or an ‘idealist’?
Another formula. Get paid transparently, never mind the sums r ’sinful’ to critics! Or be paid transparently low n appear holy n selfless, but accumulate ‘un-transparently’ countless times more under the table! Do we need look any farther for concete proofs of this??? COMMON SENSE esp in this part of the world! But alas! I have come to realise that common sense r not so common in many common ppl in this no more common world!
No younger ministers dare even light a candle when there’s a black out with MM in the house? Is this a figment of yr own imaginative fears or the same common fears of many common ppl commonly planted into themselves? If no one wants to (not dare to) light up in a black out with MM’s presence, it;s cos they see ‘light’ thro him, not fears, in him! I sense there r many perceived fears of the great man, fears either imagined or self fulfilled by many fearful ppl who may be so fearful that one fine day, they fear even their own shadows!
Now, the problem lies not with MM’s presence or reputation which precedes him wherever he goes. The problem lies with ppl with imagined fears of their own.
To work with a charismatic great man like MM Lee requires not just a big heart n big feet (whatever for big feet), but a pure heart with best of intentions to better the lives of the ppl n the lot of the country n also a pair of fast hands n legs to get things going fast n a nimble mind to think n act fast. YES! This i would agree. He’s impatient for success n results n suffers no tomfooleries!
N to anonymous. MM Lee aint no construction worker nor contractor to build everything in SIN all by himself, single handedly. It’s metaphorically speaking, not literally! N MM is definitely not God. Neither did he or maxonlife or anyone ever claimed that? He’s not even an immortal. But to equally many who has lived under his transformation of the country n livelihood, he will be an ‘immortal’ in their eternal memories n gratitude!
Compare not yr pay with others or esp MM Lee. Different types of work, even same type of work but different outputs, hence different return values (or pay). To demand the same would be to cry for return of ‘communism’! Hong Kongers better lot? More money, more life? Heard of their less habitable space, dirty roads n urine infested back lanes, cramped flats (we r comparing the commoners here, not the Li Ka Shings or Shaws, etc), unsafe alleys? The triads there laugh at ours over here. They jeer at ours for still using parangs n knives! They have graduated to machine guns n other more lethal weapons!
N of course, we never hear them thanking their politicians. Simply cos they have not done anything worthwhile to be thankful for la.
The grass is ever so greener on the other side! But no one will tell u the foul smell of the manure over there. Neither can one over other side smell them!
We often hear this advice. Be satisfied with what we have! Sure formula for perpetual dissatisfaction n eternal unhappiness! Fact is, one can never be satisfied with what one already has! What one seldom hears or never heard of, ‘be satisfied with what we dun have’!
He who can achieve the latter will achieve perpetual satisfaction n eternal inner peace n happiness!
Gotta stop here or Mr Oh will complain again that i very lor so!
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During the good years, PAP claimed that they were responsible for bringing prosperity to Singapore and hence deserved the staggering multi-million salaries.
When the financial crisis hit, Singapore is the FIRST Asian economy to be hit.
It is currently still the Asian economy which is predicted to be the hardest hit by this recession.
Lee Kuan Yew claimed in 2006/2007 that Singapore was entering a ‘Golden Age’.
LKY claimed in 2007 that Singapore will not be affected by the sub prime crisis as Singapore is now buffeted by China and India.
LKY now claims that this recession will last till 2011 at the least. Would you believe what he said?
Go tally up the total salaries paid to the cabinet minister in just 1 year and compare it to the TOTAL grants given to the poor and low income earners.
There is no justification for a public servant like the PM, SM and MM in Singapore who are supposed to be serving the people of Singapore to be EACH paid more than the combined salaries of both the PM of Great Britain and the President of USA.
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Mr Chan. It was the same formula of open economy n being plugged into the global economy due our small population base, limited local opportunities, etc that brought us decades of growth which in turn transformed us from 3rd world into 1st in less than one generation! Now that the world is in a recession, obviously that same formula which was our ‘asset’ would equally become our ‘liabilities’!
We cant have the cake n eat it. We cant on one hand demand a successful ‘elixir’ that prolongs one’s life, n if one day scientists n doctors discover it’s toxic, we expect it not to affect us adversely. That same ‘elixir’ would have brought one certain benefits, n if hidden toxins or poisons were not discovered, then obviously one would have to suffer its adverse effects, known or unknown!
Decades of growth with that formula n now problems occur due same formula n we forget the pluses of the past n start crying for blood! How the govt handles n manages the problem n ‘tweaks’ the formula n position ourselves for future growths n successes is the challenge! We need to close ranks now, s ONE PEOPLE ONE NATION, ONE PROBLEM ONE HEART, to tackle this tsunami n get over it! How the govt handles this problem will determine their Fate at the next ballot box!
Of course, we wouldnt have had this tsunami sweep us under our feet if only we had taken an ‘inclusive’ approach like Myanmar, ‘reclusive’ N. Korea, once ’stagnant’ giant India, once ‘invisible’ giant China, etc. But then again, we ought not be entitled to decades of growth that we had enjoyed with that formula!
Start off with a piece of blank paper Mr Chan. Start off from 9Aug 1965, the day we gained independence, n finish off today. List the pluses against the minuses. Dun just harp on the hiccups of minuses here n there n form yr conclusion n pronounce yr verdict! This is not rocket science, not even algebra, not even complex accounting, but simple arithmatics!!!
MM Lee is NOT God! Nor has he claimed to be!! Nor has anyone proclaim him to be one! It’s ppl who demands that of him! He’s a victim of his own success! So successful that he cant n is not allowed to commit any mistakes!!!
He’s a God sent to barren Singapore!!! From swamp lands, from nothing, from massive unemployments or no employment, from homelessness, from no natural resources, from no clean n potable drinking water, etc etc n the lists go on n on….to what we have today. Many other countries’ citizens dream to have him, but only we have him. Only Singapore, by God’s will, deserve to have him.
Lets not eat n enjoy the sweet fruits but curse the seeds!
Yes i remember he did say that we were entering a ‘Golden Age’. That was b4 the waves of destructions from the financial tsunami swept across the globe! Just an eg of what i mentioned above. MM Lee is not even allowed to predict wrongly!!!! Who forsaw this tsunami??? Even the gurus n experts in knowledge-centred USA n around the world didnt n couldnt forsee it! If they could, then this wouldnt have happened! Hindsight is always perfect eyesight n always correct! Foresight is not always correct but cannot be always or most of the time wrong esp for one in leadership position.
To be exemplary is one thing. To be perfect is quite another! Pls dun expect perfection outa anyone, more so MM Lee!
‘I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I wont presume to probe into the faults of others.’-Mahatma Gandhi!
God never made human beings to be perfect!
N yes, it’s predicted that SIN would be the hardest hit of all SE Asian economies. It doesnt take a genius to understand n accept this fact. We r one of the most, if not the most, open economy n most plugged into the world. Our trade n business partners ard the world r all badly affected! What do we expect? To enjoy the sweet fruits of partnerships in good times but expect to be cushioned from its ill effects in bad times? How the govt manages this is the 64k question n lets just wait n see if PM Lee n his team can meet this challenge head on? No PMs, no Ministers, no govt ard the world forsaw this! Yet i dun remember reading any other country blaming their govt s much s we singaporeans do! A victim of our very own past successes!!! PAP cannot s much s even hiccup, what more falter!
I cannot remember if MM Lee indeed said SIN will not be affected by the sub prime. It must be early days then when he said that. Based on info one has at a certain moment, right or wrong, adequate or otherwise, then one says things based on the info one has. Wrongly informed or misinformed? Even govt ard the world then didnt see this tsunami coming. Dun expect qualities beyond human beings outa MM Lee!
N yes, we were n will be buffeted by the 2 giants, tsunami or no tsunami! However, the success of the buffeting will have to depend on the 2 giants own growth n successes. If they grow, we ride on their wave of successes. If they falter, then how can others grow without being affected? Then the govt will have to look for other formulae! But s it is n looking forward, the 2 giants hve awaken n it will be stupidity at its epitome if they work towards failure! Obviously they will wanna grow n succeed n in today’s business context, one has not gone into real business if one doesnt do business with the 2 giants! More so barren SIN, again with our limited resources n opportunities! Perhaps we would have been a happier lot if SIN had taken an ‘inclusive’ approach like Myanmar? A bit of imagination will do the job here!
SALARIES! If only MM Lee or science could clone or social engineer another crop of pioneers like Messrs Goh Keng Swees, Toh Chin Chyes, Lim Kim Sans, Rajaratnams, Hon Sui Sens, etc etc, who were forced by circumstances to take up the national cudgel then! If only u or we could find ppl like a.m. for MM Lee n PAP. The circumstances then were radically different from now, again we r victims of our own successes now!
Name a reasonable salary or range u think they deserve? The CEO of just a property devt company just got abt S$20 mln on top of his monthly. The CEO of an IT company gets millions every year s bonus on top of his monthly! There r many other ’sinfully’ excessively paid local ceos. The CEO of our local transport company gets also millions. If they falter or fail, only a few thousand ppl suffer. But if the govt fails, millions or the whole country suffers!!!! Even those CEOs mentioned above need the govt to put in the right policies for them to be able to succeed. Is this so difficult to understand at all. An i/c of just a company gets millions n not many bat an eyelid! The cabinet’s total salaries added up together is barely equaly to just one CEO! N they r in charge of the country’s n every citizens’ destinies, including corporate destinies runned by these ’sinfully’ paid CEOs! Where’s our balanced perspectives when we complain abt our minsters’s salaries!
What other perks n remunerations these Heads of States u mentioned get during n after office?
Btw there’s already a formula pegged against a group of professionals to determine the salaries of our ministers. It fluctuates according to market forces.
How much do u or other critics out there think our ministers deserve to be paid? Name a figure! Many if not most of our ministeres will command much more worrying over just a company’s fate than the whole country’s!
Maybe 10k a month, since its supposed to be ’serving the country’ n patriotism ought to override other factors. Just 10k n no ‘under table perks’ or ‘unknowns’!
Any takers out there???
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Admin,
I find the way the Bible quotes are used both blasphemous and profane. Please remove all of them.
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[...] Debunking the myths of the PAP system by Fang Zhi [...]
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