The use of “Asian values” by the Singapore government to defend Singapore’s penal system and society at large
December 22nd, 2009 | 
Author: By Dingle Ting
The Singapore government likes to use “Asian values” and “Asian culture” to explain the things that are “uniquely Singapore”. Caning, death sentences, police permits for assembly and speech, harsh penal punishment, a parliament that is one party with about 82 out of 84 MPs from the PAP, and the list goes on and on.
Singaporeans are always told that western liberal democracy do not work well in Singapore because we are Asian. And today, I have read online K. Shanmugam said in the newspapers that liberal democracy leads to slower development and a lower quality of life, with more tensions within our society.
The newspapers are state controlled by the way. No wonder the news are always bright and cheery and the only complaints that get published are those about mrt, buses, and all kinds of minor issues. Publishing them allows the newspaper to say “Look we do publish criticism too alright!” In reality, you will never get an article in the newspaper saying that “PAP’s policy on xxxx is a failure and it doesn’t work at all” which the British, Americans and citizens of the free world receive.
Back to K Shanmugam’s point that liberal democracy leads to lower quality of life and slower development.
Well, I guess liberal democracy does indeed lead to lower quality of life and more tension within society. That is why Europe, North America , Australia and New Zealand all have lower quality of life compared to Singapore. It is also true that liberal democracy leads to slower development which explains why many of these countries have GDP per capita (nominal) that are 10k USD or more than Singapore. These countries are all in chaos and their citizens are suffering indeed.
Perverted versions of democracy such as those in Russia, Malaysia and Singapore lead to higher quality of life. People in these countries are living the high life.
It is also apparent that the Americans, Europeans and Australians are all dying to give up their citizenships for a Singaporean one because Singapore’s system works so much better, or so we are told by the government.
Oh hang on….. it is actually the other way around. Singaporeans are dying to immigrate into Australia, North America and Europe. These countries have a much higher quality of life and lesser tension within society. At my recent class gathering 4 years ago, I found that 40% of my ex classmates are now living in these countries.
Mr K. Shanmugam goes on to say that only the PAP can deliver good governance.
I have no doubt about that Mr K. Shanmugam. I have learnt over my years in Singapore (when I was still in Singapore) that the PAP are god sent. They are men and women of the highest calibre that cannot be found anywhere else in Singapore or the world.
Mr K. Shanmugam then goes on to mention something about younger voters being more educated and demanding liberal democracy. He then goes on to argue that the best systems are those that fit the society they govern.
Firstly, you either have democracy or you do not. What is democracy if it is not liberal? What in the world is a “closed democracy”? It is not democracy at all. Such democracies are pseudo democracies or hybrid regimes. A hybrid regime is what the Economist classifies Singapore as in its 2008 democracy index survey.
Yes, the younger educated voters will demand democracy. You cannot lie and pull wool over their eyes like you can do with the uneducated voters who can hardly string together a proper sentence in English.
The educated voters will be able to discern and make the right decisions. They have seen the world. They know what is right and wrong. They know the best way forward.
The question is, can democracy exist in predominantly Chinese societies? Or is the Singapore government right in saying that as Asians, we do not yearn for democracy and democracy cannot work in Asian/Chinese societies, it is our Asian culture.
The truth is liberal democracy can exist in predominantly Chinese society.
There are only 4 countries in the world that are predominantly Chinese – China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
China is a communistic country, no doubt about it. But look deeper and you would see their citizens are busy immigrating to Europe, North America and even Singapore. I am sure we all have witnessed the growth of the PRC populace in Singapore. Why? They want a better life that is why. They want to enjoy more democracy, more rights. They want to have human dignity.
Hong Kong is now part of China. It is governed under the “one country two systems” rule. Just recently, Hong Kongers took to the streets in hundreds of thousands to march for democracy and universal suffrage.
Hong Kongers are especially critical towards interference from the Chinese government in their territory. In 1997, when Hong Kong was to be handed over to communistic China, Hong Kongers were running all over the world desperate to take up a second citizenship before the handover. Hong Kong politicians were practically begging the British to grant them right of abode in the UK so they can escape communist rule. This goes to show how much Hong Kongers value their democracy and rights.
Taiwan has also showed that democracy can function in a majority Chinese society. The Taiwanese are certainly not western, in fact they don’t even speak English at all yet taiwan has a functioning democracy that ranks 33rd in the world. The Taiwanese refuse to rejoin mainland China for this very reason. They would rather risk open war with China than give up their democracy and rights. In Taiwan, there is a healthy functioning liberal democracy. The people have smiles on their faces.
Taiwan has showed that democracy can function in an Asian or Chinese society. The reality in Hong Kong, China and Singapore has showed that Chinese people year to live free. They yearn to have rights and democracy.
Liberal democracy is hardly a western concept like what Singapore’s government would have us believe. How do you define western in the first place? To define something as western and eastern is very infantile. Each sovereign country has its own culture and language. Even in western Europe alone, each country has a distinct language and culture. A German can hardly understand a British. An American can hardly understand a Taiwanese. Yet they come together in their respect for human rights and democracy.
Even in the UK, they have had a long history of dictatorship under the monarch. They have had a terrible history of human rights abuses and torture. Not unlike Singapore, they used to hang and cane people in their recent history. But do they sit around and say lets continue such practices because it is part of British culture? No. They look forward, they choose to change for the better. They do not choose to say this is the British way of doing things and we must have such a system (dictatorship, caning, hanging, torture machines, taking children from their parents and sending them to far away places) in place to fit our society.
The same goes for the French, Germans, Taiwanese, Japanese, Australians, and every other enlightened nations in the world. They all had histories of human right abuses and torture. They all chose to change things and not wallow in their close mindedness and say, lets continue on as it is part of our culture.
The Singapore government likes to keep saying that this is our “Asian” culture, hence, we have to avoid liberal democracy. Hence, we cane people and hang people. Hence, we use very harsh punishment even for minor criminal offences.
To understand how ridiculous many of the punishments in Singapore are as compared to international standards, I will compare the punishment for some offences in Singapore against Australia.
Petty drug use – In Singapore it is 9 months jail. In Australia, it is a very small fine.
Drug trafficking – In Singapore it is the death penalty. In Australia, it is 6-9 years jail.
Overstaying your work visa for 3 months – In Singapore you will be jailed and caned. Permanent scars will be left on your buttocks. In Australia, they won’t even jail you. They will just invite you for a chat and book you on the next plane home.
Almost every punishment in Singapore is manifestly excessive by international standards to be honest. The punishments DO NOT fit the crimes. Why? Because Singaporean’s have no or little individual rights. That is the truth.
Or if you choose to believe the government, it is due to “Asian values”. No doubt, there are plenty more perverted explanations the government can come up with to pull the wool over your eyes.
So is the Singapore government really a fervent believer in “Asian values” as they would have us believe?
Asian values dictate that you serve public office without wishing for extreme riches, you serve because you want to better society and your country. These are the teachings of Confucius and many Chinese heroes, “Yue Fei” being one of them.
If our MPs truly believe in their own trumpeted version of “Asian values”, why do they raise their salaries into the highest in the world then? The Top 30 highest paid politicians in the world are all from Singapore!
A friend of mine once joked that Chen Shui Bian of Taiwan should not have embezzled 15 million USD. He should have taken a leaf out of Singapore’s book and raised his own salary legally to 3 million USD a year by passing a bill in parliament. Within 5 years, he would have 15 million USD in bank.
Why does the Singapore government honour dictators like “Prime Minister” Thein Sein of Myanmar who plunder and murder their own people by naming flowers after them? (Dendrobium Thein Sein).
In Singapore, the teenage vandal gets caned and jailed while a dictator who subverted the will of democracy in his own country and abused human rights has a flower named after him along with the whole suite of VIP treatment. What a joke.
I can understand a government playing host to Burmese dictators to facilitate talks to advance human rights and help the people of Myanmar. But when a government names flowers in honour of dictators, it disgusts me to no end.
In all other developed countries such as America, Canada, UK, their cabinet ministers have no problem commanding million dollar salaries in the private sector too. But they do not demand million dollar wages as MPs. Why? Because they know it is public service, the spirit is in serving the taxpayers and country, not the tax payers and country serving them.
Also, unlike private sector jobs where you can be sacked at an instant, MPs have security of tenure for half a decade. The fame gained in public service would also provide many lucrative opportunities once one retire from public service. It would be ridiculous to peg public sector MP wages to private sector.
“Asian values” are used by Singapore government when it is convenient and when it advances their agenda. “Asian values” are thrown out the window when it is does not advance their agenda.
I am Chinese too. The Chinese certainly did not invent paper by insisting that their culture is to use stones. The Chinese also did not invent cannons and gunpowder by insisting that their culture is to use wooden arrows.
The bottom line is this – Every improvement in society and science is made by looking forward and not backwards. Yet the Singapore government continues to look backwards and say that “Asian values” dictates Singapore cannot do this or that.
Singapore has shown that the government can build an elaborate system that claims to be “democratic”, yet go against the spirit of democracy by utilising their grip on parliament to amend the constitution and pass numerous laws to severely maim the practice of democracy in reality.
This is the main reason why a multi party parliament and democracy must exist in Singapore.
Democracy exists in Taiwan, that is the reason why Chen Shui Bian couldn’t legally raise his wages to 3 million USD a year even if he wanted to. The parliament in Taiwan, being democratic and multi party would certainly have not accepted such a ridiculous preposition.
When Singapore mentions the words “Asian values” you better run and hide because it is most likely bad news for you. Most of the time, “Asian values” has become nothing more than a code word to take away the citizens’ rights and dignity.
Asian values!
RUN!!!
In my case I have ran all the way to Europe.
Sincerely,
Ding Ting In London
(Proud citizen of the UK now)
EDITORS’ NOTE:
(The above article was sent to us by the author on 20 December 2009 and was published earlier in another blog)
Posted in Opinion
In fact when it comes to anything related to politics, you can bet your last dollar it will be to the advantage to MIW. Lets see, we have the GRC, boundaries review, deposit, etc. They even tried to do a few chances which they backed off as a result of major resistance like more votes for certain people.
So, cooling off day? Whose advantage – just look at history lah.
The end justifies the means for them. Asian values is just a convenient reason which cannot be explained or defined. They will add on selective statistics which tempt wrong conclusion.
Good article. I agree with the views as they make a lot of sense. But beware that the government might sue the author for interfering with their governance since he is not a citizen of Singapore anymore.
Democracy is one of the very reason why we should vote for the opposition and not PAP, so they would lose their seats!
There is nothing wrong with Dingle’s article as he was writing how he feels.The Western values ‘Dangle’ by the west is more to his liking therefore Dingle went for what was ‘Dangled’ by the west.
Singapore being exposed to western culture since colonial times and English being accepted as the norm for communication, draws our English speaking western thinking Singaporeans to countries like Europe,USA,Canada and Australia like bees to honey.
I wish them well should they qualify for migrant status and hope they find the happiness and freedom they are seeking not found in Singapore.
For the less fortunate???(sorry for the punt) who yearns but do not qualify or those who have no yearning of migrating at all,we have nothing besides this little DOT to live our lives for better or for worse.
To live our life base on Asian culture or western culture is not the issue.It is how we live our life that matters MOST.Grant the right of religious freedom,the right of speech without malice or libellist content and a fair playing field base on merit and capabilities according to the Constitution should suffice for ordinary men/women(apologies to those that disagree) in Singapore.
Should others disagree with the current govt.policies or way of governance we have the right to vote them out.That is our fundamental rights.Should we not be able to do so owing to our own incapabilities than lets live and let live till another
time around.
Our little island is too small and vulnerable for the kind of politics and violence found in western culture or those found in Taiwan/Korea and Japan even their cities are larger than our whole NATION.
So please fellow Singaporeans do not let us sink and turn our little Nation into “SINKAPORE” my friends and I, the ah pek and ah soh,from the pre 59′-65′generation
HAVE NO PLACE TO GO OR MIGRATE TO
foreginer in foreign land has no place in singapore politics.
she should better spent time thinking on the european law that sends people to jail for questioning one-sided story of what happen to jews during WW2; ..while at the same time protecting people’s right to draw animal with head-accesory n give it a name of a revered religious leader, as freedom of speech.
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the thing with liberal democracy in angmoh’s country is ..that . . they really believes in it !! (except that there’s NO freedom to question one-sided story of WW2, u go to jail if u even dare to raise the topic).
now, singaporean ..do u really really belives in liberal democracy? ..really? ..seriously? no doubt? …that people has absolute freedom of speech? ..that every citizen has right to protest? …really believe in that?
do u really believe that burmese people has right to ‘peaceful’ protest in orchard road?
how about ‘yellow-shirt’ of thailand? ..what if ‘yellow-shirt’ ‘peacefully’ protest in orchard ..n ‘red-shirt’ protest in bugis? what about indonesian in s’pore (90K maids)? ..what about phillipinos?
how about Gay-rights activists ‘peacefully’ protesting n demanding legalisation of Gay marriage n adoption in singapore?
how about ‘medical marijuana’ supporter?
how about animal rights groups ? (P/S: they usually use naked gals)
how about religious groups preaching their religion on our street?
Does freedom of expression also apply to movie n documentary? ..how about porn industry, then? all angmoh countries allow it.
>> Seriously, do u really really really believe in liberal democracy in its truest essence? really? seriously?
angmoh does! i don’t.
I truely support canning for overstaying in singapore. else more of them will start coming down, not as if we do not have loads of legal ones in singapore already.
I support more than just caning really.
hmm…here are my views..
PeterL,
shouldn’t a big country be harder to manage than a small country?
The bottom line is, even you yourself admit you yearn to migrate lol. why i ask you?
taiwan, korea are not violent at all lor…have you even been there in the first place or are you talking out of your ass?
i feel that it is precisely because people like us cannot migrate thats why singapore needs to have more rights, democracy, freedom etc. if we can migrate like the writer, then it doesn’t matter if i live in china or north korea, i would be out on the next plane anyway.
jiangbao,
congratulation for your third world mentality then.
dioxin,
yes i personally do believe that everyone should have the freedom to protest peacefully within legal limits.
dont talk about protest, the cases you cite about being naked etc obviously are breaking the law even if not protesting..
for example, you walk on the bus , you take off your pants, it’s illegal, you get it?
being naked is obviously breaking the law…actually i have seen animal rights protests in australia… never have i seen anyone naked before…wasted…
i have read the article about hong kong, a small city like singapore, when hundreds of thousands of people protest, the police actually allocated proper route and facillitated them. and hong kong is still running well today depsite thousands of protests in its history?
and what about different religious group preaching religion? in singapore my christian friends always form groups on facebook asking me to join their church? my chinese friends ask me to join their temple during vesak day celebration too? i even see mosques next to churches in singapore at novena? what’s wrong? i am all for religious harmony.
i have been overseas during my in australia and i have seen how peaceful protests can occur properly.
no, australia is not cowboy country. in fact, i felt the quality of life is very much higher than in singapore…there’s freedom. no i never been victim of crime there too, just use some common sense stay away from those “ghettos” you will be fine. i would have stayed if my family was not here. just go there and stay for 6 months, you will get what i mean.
as for ang moh and porn industry… i think even singapore has r21 porn shows so what are you driving at? ban r21 shows in singapore as well? japan also has av industry? thailand also can see those venodors selling some “sexy” videos?
you seem to associate liberal democracy with anarchy for some reason…where people torch everything in their path once they have democracy…you are quite ignorant, you need to travel more.
if you have actually been to some of these countries, you might find that people there treasure their peace and security a lot and would speak out against violence.
also i think you will find that alot of these countries, their “moh” is black in colour not “ang” and in fact many of their citizens are from africa or even china…
Who says Asian societies don’t have gangsters, hooligans and political mafia, nepotism. cronyism, corruptions of all shape and forms and better still described as “poetic subtlety”?
THEY ALL EXIST RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.
NO NEED TO PRETEND AND DENY THESE ‘VIRTUES’ of hypocrisy.
Asian values are “nicely” (aka hypocritcally) best described a “rose by any name” when that phrase is DEROGATORY in ABSOLUTE – the substance of a rose by any name DOES NOT SMELL AS SWEET. If anything, it HIDES A MULTITUDE OF SINS, LIES AND DECEPTION of political chicanery, lies, deception, misinformation,oppression of freedom of speech and assembly, corrupt law applications and legalised corruption packaged with new hype of respectability.
No one has ever defined Asian values nor prove that these fiction is beneficial to society. If Asian values are superior, how come we see 5000 years of feudalism, civil wars and colonialism in China until 1995 (Hong Kong liberation)? How come prostitutions is world class in Bangkok and soon in Singapore ( if we are not of equal match to this point in time)? How come we got mass poverty and caste system in India and Indonesia and Philipines no progress since independence more than 6 decades ago? How come most inventions comes from the western liberal democracies and HOW COME BUSINESS AND COMMERCE LAW FOLLOW THE WESTERN COMMON LAW CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES???
Asian values SUPERIOR?
My sh$t-expelling arse of virtues I would frankly admit.
Vincent-
If my arse can talk it would answer you impolitely, but I am using my finger and mind to do the talking.
If I had not been there I would not had said so.When the Koreans and Taiwanese protest may it be in the streets or even parliament the violence is something our little nation can do without.Not mentioning the violence in our immediate neighbours i.e. Indonesia I was there during the riots after the fall of Suharto and the earlier Malari riots of 74, where were you my friend?
The yearn to live in western nations had crossed the minds of many English educated in Singapore and that does include me and most of my friends when we were young then.Some left and never return and some return after being disillusioned, as for me it was only a dream as a youngster in the 60s as family commitment came first.I am no PAP sycophant but admit they had done a pretty good job governing Singapore from the backwater to what it is today.
As for you, the west seem to appeal so I wish you well if you have plans to go west.My recent visits to Australia i.e. Melbourne 3mths, Sydney,Adelaid and most recently Perth tells me that for all the beauty, and freedom of movement I will find difficulty to assimilate even if I wanted to at this age.So here I am back to my little red dot among my friend,family and relatives.
Some may not have the privilege you currently enjoy but they too have a right of opinion like you to say their piece as this is their country and home. The countries we mentioned are not ours and I am sure they would not give two hoots whether we praise, compare or mention them.Just like a minister from Taiwan comparing us to a “Pi Sai” or nose shit and a President from Indonesia describing us as a little Red Dot surrounded by a sea of green.
Vincent, I do not know about you but I am proud of my little Red Dot,my family, friends and home are here,should you find better pasture elsewhere please go with my sincere blessings for there is nothing worse than living in a country with misery when there are countries of your dreams where you can find peace and joy like Dingle had found in Merry England the country of my dreams during my schooldays.
Historically, asian leaders ruled by fear and protected themselves by building an aurora that they were super-human in order to legitimize a heavy handed rule.
Leaders ALWAYS like to create an idea that without them, the company… the country… the family will fail.
Hope you all know FUD(Fear Uncertainty Doubt). The logic is simple — Scare the kid as much as possible so he won’t pee in the lift or make noise in class but run to Daddy and listen to all he has to say. Those kind of ‘fear’ methods make for a lousy society but with a strongly positioned leader.
If K. Shanmugam were enlightened from this absolute-ruler mentality, he would have seen the need to evolve the system to ease government control while developing a socially conscious society… preferably homogeneous in something… e.g. we all love soccer.
The system here is unstable. For now, what I think will work is 2 PAP candidates competing against each other. But that’ll be shooting one’s self in the foot and creating internal discord. Xo….to opposition. BUCK UP! You can just show me PAP-like policies but say its yours and i’ll believe you!!
I see a lot of selective comparisons being put forth by certain contributors lately. I suppose it is expected as its everyone’s right to state their opinions.
Some of these suggests that Singapore cannot afford to have the types of demonstrations, freedom, etc, etc.
I am convinced that Singapore needs disagreement for us to progress. Look at Hongkong and Taiwan. They have that freedom and they are no worse off (many will say better off).
Its the same old scare tactics. Anyway, I support these people’s right to voice it but I strong disagree and think we need these freedom.
Actually of all the things that I feel is wrong in Singapore, the interlinking of the economy with the PAP is the one which I am most concerned about.
In no respectable democratic country in the world is there that has the economy being linked with the ruling party like what we have here. Its scary. This alone sets up at pseudo Feudal system that will entrench the people in power – regardless of whether they deserve to be there. Failures are left unpunished. In the commercial world many of these MIW would be removed in a heartbeat after the mistakes are made but the same individuals continue to be there.
Vincent on Wed, 23rd Dec 2009 7:58 pm
Peter, I have to say I share your view. Vibrant democracy is capable of self-renewal under stress. Autocracy crashes and blind of solutions. You see that in Singapore right now. Minister Khaw apologised for hospital overcrowding – pressure on infrastructure tearing the hospital services capabilities to disintegration and inability to cope. Same for public housing. PM talked of slower growth ahead with Copenhagen “pseudo” agreement and maybe more growth cap later in this decade – meaning less employment opportunities ahead for all including migrants. YET THEY WANT TO CONTINUE MAYBE ACCELERATE MIGRATION INFLUX without knowing where the hospital, public housing and employment solutions to match coming from.
See the self-contradiction failures in public policies?
PAP apologists don’t want to hear of these realities. They see now (bad as it is) as “good”, never mind if tommorrow, funerals is waiting at the doorstep or staring in their face.
The life distance of focus is visionary of only what I can see in front of my toes, metaphorically speaking of course but also reality of denial.
I am fearful of life and future following this blind alley to national suicide and extinction of our future ahead. I won’t leave that long maybe to suffer the consequences. Good luck to the next generations.
PeterL,
at your age 55-65 generation, i doubt you would be able to migrate even if you wanted to. no country would take immigrants at your age because they cannot contribute much anymore.
so for you, immigration has now become a mirage. a dream you had when you were young. you console yourself by saying you cannot fit in now and singapore is the best in every way.
far too familiar a story. instead of facing the problems that your country has, you choose to obliterate it and make believe it is utopia.
reminds me of the indians being unhappy about the americans commenting about their children living slums. the americans simply told them, look you have a problem, face it and solve it instead of running away. i would say the same to you.
indonesia is a poor country. their gdp per capita is 1/10 or lesser than singapore. really, their riots is nothing to do with democracy and human rights but rather their lack thereof. indonesia can be a communist country and these riots will still have occurred. just look at china, communist, very authoritarian, and still xinjiang riots or riots ever so often.
i am firmly 100% against racism but just to illustrate, in america, you actually have the legal right to spout racist comments and under their laws it is legal because they believe in free speech that much. do you see the various races there killing each other? do you see racial riots? not really, in fact they just elected their first black president.
taiwan and korean protests leads to violence? yes undoubtedly violence is always a problem with mass protests or in fact when groups gather. but in most cases, it is not serious, and those rowdy ones are just a few person and they get picked off real quick. the majority like you and i just want to exercise our basic rights peacefully and will not get involved.
but would you rather you have to right to speak and some over enthusiastic fellow gets too excited and rowdy, he gets handcuffed or you have totally no right to speak at all?
the problem is you seem to want a society where nothing can ever go wrong, where everyone is like a robot which is what singapore is. you, dioxin and jiangbao want 100% safety. the safest place in the world is in prison but it is also the most unbearable place. perhaps the same can be said for singapore. for your information, singapore has the top 5 highest rate of incaseration in asia. a few years ago, we were around top 10 in the world. just go look it up. if we have no crime and are so safe, why such a high rate of population being locked up?
the government has done a good job with the economy but that is their problem, they are obsessed with the economy to the extent that many rights have been curtailed.
good job yes. but exceptional job? i wouldn’t say so. other governments have delivered the same results.
japan, hong kong were both just as poor as singapore in the 1950s but they have equalled or overtook us , especially japan. and japan is much bigger and much more difficult to govern given its size.
south korea and taiwan are not that far behind. they are not as rich but they are much more free and happy. the key word being happy. they are not robots there or they dont live in fear.
the economy grew and prospered only when the government opened up, similary, the society will prosper and grow too when the government opens it up.
when the ex communist blocs of germany, bulgaria, serbia, czech republic, romania, slovakia, hunary etc etc became democracies and joined the eu did their lives improve or become worse? their lives became much better and the economy actually improved by leaps and bounds and they became even safer places to live in.
fyi, everywhere that people gather there can be violence not only when people gather to protest and make their views heard. look at the rights in clubs, bars, or even mrt, buses? many protests have been peaceful. look at hong kong, taiwan, korea..or the writer in uk,america,australia,europe. they have had peaceful protests for hundreds of years
their countries are not going down the drain.
in fact many singaporeans like peterL in his youth would die to migrate there.
oh i just remembered, remember the new year celebration at orchard road? not political in nature but still how many girls complainted of being groped after being sprayed with foam? lol. even xiaxue was blogging about it.
maybe we should ban all gatherings, xmas, cny, new year, all public holidays stay at home. have martial law is the safest. be like china, shoot and kill their criminals.
let me end this by saying. democracy are about proper use of law and rule of law and justice. anarchy is about injustice and criminal acts. democracy and all the human rights actually improve our society, make it a more bearable place to live in.
my view
Vincent-
Thank you for a good lecture on the various countries you mentioned and I agree with you totally,but sadly they are not my country and all I have is this little dot.I may have my dreams and why not we all do but when reality strikes we come down to earth and live in our real world leaving our dreams as dreams.
Singapore today is my home and like I said before I do not envy those who are better off or can live a better life.My life in the heartlands is not luxurious or open as those I dream of but I am contented to be surrounded by familiar faces and surroundings, as for you Vincent life must be miserable with so much dissatisfaction and yearnings which most probably are beyond your reach.Don’t give up your dreams, if you work hard enough or with a little luck in TOTO your dreams may turn to reality.
As for my trips to Australia,I happen to have many friends and relatives there and my visits are well within my reach financially for me to enjoy the freedom for as long as six months but the yearn to be home with my own will always remain and so in a small away I have realized my childhood dreams without being a burden or parasite to my country or family.
Once again let me wish you all the best in your hopes and dreams for a better life and world wherever you may find them.
Anonymous on Wed-
My friend I do share your apprehension and it is up to the people with their votes to change the MPs & ministers who does not perform to expectations or deserving of their salaries.
The system was put in place starting 1959 to the present and it is up to the people to change it either within or without the system whining and groaning will not present a solution,I have non to offer except to vote opposition to have another view,otherwise we live with what we put into parliament.
haha PeterL,
i do not have much yearning in life. i don’t want to strike toto or make a million buck. i already have a nice house and there is little more i need.
for example, you can be a millionaire in china but there is no real meaning or security in life. you can be shot or jailed for subversion if you speak up for justice or what you think is right in your blog. you will always have to live your life in fear, heads bowed down. sad existance.
my wants are simple. like many including perhaps the writer, i want is to live free of oppression, in a functioning democracy, where i can have freedom to persue my simple interests in life, to express my views without fear of being sued for libel and bankrupted, , or being jailed without trial.where my kids dont have to worry about being caned or jail long long time should they make a geunine minor mistake in life one day.
hopefully one day, you wont have to go to australia to enjoy the freedom there as you put it yourself. you will enjoy the freedom at home, in singapore, as it ought to be.
There is nothing to be afraid of in voting in opposition.
This is part and parcel of democratic process.
The only people who should be worried are the pigs because their likelihood depends on it.
Vincent-
Like you I share the simple life and post my comments as I see it.
I may not agree with what others post and I do not expect others to agree with mine too.Fair is fair, maybe the generation I come from may differ in thoughts as those currently. Having seen poverty and clinging to my job for dear life in order to put three decent meals on the table for the family.
My loyalty and work ethics to company allow me to stay for 40 years to retire comfortably with home & CPF.and there are many of us although it is a dying breed.
I have never ran foul to the laws of the country and the country had provided me the safety to work and retire in peace for that I am grateful
Maybe the youths of today with a better lifestyle,education and aspiration demands more,well they have a vote,use it and demand a change if they can and I wish them well and luck because they may need that to topple a well run system in place for 50 years.
Whatever the outcome this is the only country I have to call my own and I have no other and should anyone or group make it any better than what it is today, why not?? my children grandchildren and I will be truly grateful as I have the past 50 years living from squalid condition to todays clean and modern environment.
Vincent thank you for your comments and I am sure we can always agree to disagree without being personal or like some post “vulgar”
Have a Merry Christmas if you are christian or Happy Holiday if you are not.
Dear PeterL:
We have a climate of fear here that stifles freedom of speech. Education advancement is fair here, but the playing field in general certainly isn’t fair. (e.g. see how the top echelons tend to be related to one another)
We do have the right to vote politicians out, but that right has been steadily diminished by pork barrel politics, gerrymandering, confusion between party and nation, and a lack of independence in the mass media, grassroots, judiciary and civil service.
When such basic rights aren’t even protected, and the income gap keeps ballooning, how can we continue to keep faith in the current administration?
PeterL on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 1:35 am
Your two comments in quote below is poignant of our agreed reality
“My friend I do share your apprehension”….”I have non to offer except to vote opposition to have another view,otherwise we live with what we put into parliament”
The status quo have a lot to fear for and secondly, there is a compelling need to vote for a change. BOTH ARE THE COMPELLING PREMISES OF VARIOUS PARTIES WHO CONTESTED YOUR VIEWS HERE INCLUDING MYSELF (and you are entitled to your views though) THAT CHANGE IS URGENTLY NEEDED AND DESIRABLE.
So, I am lost in comprehension that despite your agreement to my apprehension of the future, you are still standing in persistence of your flawed stance that the status quo of an obvious disintegrating society and governance is desirable and indeed preferred by you.
What is your motivation and conviction in your stance – other than fear of change and perhaps inability to wake up from the slumber of knowingly aware of current apalling situations – this little red dot is the only one you have? Do you not question yourself that if this little red dot disintegrates further and sinks economically, you would be drowned in the ocean of green and you and your children can’t survive? I read your posts. Your focus is your life history – strangely enough, NONE OF YOUR COMMENTS OFFER ANY OR YOUR RISKS ASSESSMENT OF THE FUTURE FOR YOUR OWN CHILDREN? My immediate thoughts are – DO YOU WANT TO SEE THEM DROWNED TO DEATH – ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY?
If you shared my perspective and apprehension as you freely admit, THE ONLY RATIONAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIOUR IN YOUR PART HERE IS TO AGREE WITH THOSE OPPOSING YOU AND ESPOUSE FOR CHANGE LIKE ME.
Why are you irreconciable of self-contradictory thoughts, behaviour and persistent arguments here?
I speaks with businessmen, the so-so struggling kind and those exceptionally successful ones. A lot of them, I find unhappy and they clamour for change. They see this country falling apart – in hospitals ( Dr Khaw apologised now finally), public transports, business ethics disintegrating with foreigners doing things ( like illegal partitioning etc etc) forcing them to change and infringing on labour law to survive (hoping that they won’t be caught and heavily sanctioned by the “selective” law and foreigners preferentially treated etc), public housing turmoil of rising prices in deepest recessions when the world outside in completely in reverse direction ( manipulation of bubble economy by massive influx which also put unbearable pressures on infrastructure demand and costs of living pressures).
IN A FEW WORDS, THEY SEE THIS COUNTRY BADLY MISMANAGED AND FALLING APART – AN ABSOLUTE MESS OF NO FUTURE BUT A LOT OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FEAR.
They too want change like me, even those very rich businessmen. They see DIRECTION and FUTURE far more critical and IMPORTANT than the disintegrating present.
You are the only person I see as APALLING PRESENT evidences of disintegration is “acceptable” and even capable of your support and defence of status quo.
If you are agreed that there is compelling apprehension of the future AND WILL NOT ESPOUSE AND FIGHT COLLECTIVELY for change in unison with us, then you are guilty of those who agree with you of DESTROYING THIS COUNTRY FOR YOUR CHILDREN BY YOUR DELIBERATE INACTION OR WORSE STILL DELIBERATION COUNTER ACTION TO FRUSTRATE NECESSARY AND URGENT CHANGE.
Do you not agree with me, Peter L??
reader on 24th-
The eve before x’mas “Peace on earth and Goodwill to all hu- MEN”
I fully understand how you feel and there is no greater fear than fear itself.It is a state of mind that we have to discard,we have our fundamental rights as Singaporeans as long as we abide by the rules.
David Marshall founder of the Workers Party, first Chief Minister of Singapore and once nemesis of LKY was asked by a group of eager beavers upon his return to Singapore after a long stint as Ambassador to France “is there freedom of speech in Singapore”
He retorted “who says there is no freedom of speech? you are free to say anything but be prepared to be sued should it be libellist” There,you have it,sometimes in a heat of things we tend to say what we do not mean but in politics anything can be misconstrued as English is a complex language and a word can mean two maybe three things.Politics is dirty and be prepared to be hung out to dry.Some of the post are so vulgar in TR I wonder if they dare use such word used in public without inviting trouble for themselves.
We are given a vote as a Singaporean used it,if the opposition can garner enough credible candidates give the PAP a good fight but mud slinging never got the opposition anywhere.There are many issues that the govt.would find hard to find excuses for unless they rectify it soon.Challenge it with finesse and not rhetorics,majority Singaporeans especially the older ones are not idiots easily swayed by Ra Ra shows.
Best wishes for all fighting for a change but remember we are all Singaporeans at the end of the day and we have to live with whoever we put in parliament.Stop whining and do something.
“Merry Christmas and A Happy new year”
Anon 24-
I repeat, I understand and fully agree with your points and there is no fear in what I have to say and I say it with clear conscience.I was in favour and still am in favour of an alternative voice in Parliament for check and balance.
Be honest and ask yourself is there a coalition of oppositions currently ready to topple the PAP??? my answer is no and that is my personal opinion but that does not stop me from voting opposition of my choice and as far as I am concern there is not much choice.
Alternatively, there are men of calibre and integrity in the present cabinet who can make changes from within the system,you may differ in opinion but than we can agree to diagree don’t you agree??
LKY and a few i.e Wong Kan Seng,Khaw and Mah Bow Tan are past expiry date because of the various boo boo, if the coalition can have credible candidates to stand and topple them,that may be a good start.Remember,whatever we may think of LKY he is still a “lau chiaw”
I don’t know who you are but I wish you well in your political aspirations and if our little red dot and its people welfare is truly your concern,you can rest assure you have my vote and most of my teh tarik kakis but please no RA RA and rhetorics we have seen enough of that and we are no idiots.
In the meantime have a nice Happy Holiday.
The use of Asian values by Singapore Government superior to western liberal values???????
Shanmu has a great choice of either one here
a) South Korea’s President Lee Myung-Bak practice of Asian values
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/440680/1/.html
OR
b) Apple CEO Mr. Steve Job’s western liberal values of getting paid $1 per year for 12 years in a row
http://www.theage.com.au/business/increases-at-apple-but-jobs-gets-1-20091225-lexj.html
which if the “ideological values” does he prefers for Singapore Government?
Either one will be pleasing for me.
Or is “Asian values” is just a mythical creation of threatical rhetorics for public consumption ????
Firstly, Shanmugam and Kishore Marubani would not have their present high paying jobs if they did not suck up to the old man’s ideology 100%.It makes me really sick just to listen to them.
Asian values, or rather Confucianism is nothing more than propagating feudal values.
Just as Desmond Tutu of South Africa once said that we don’t want” reformed apartheid” but do away with apartheid altogether.
Well the same can be said about feudalism, we do not want reformed feudalism or techno-high-powered feudalism but a change in mindset or a paradigmn shift; towards a more modern value system that is neither Western nor Eastern but universal.