Thursday, September 30, 2010

When will the last leaf fall?

Lee Kuan Yew said, “I’m not saying that everything I did was right,” he said, “but everything I did was for an honorable purpose. I had to do some nasty things, locking fellows up without trial.” And although the leaves are already falling from the tree, he said, the Lee Kuan Yew story may not be over yet. He quoted a Chinese proverb: Do not judge a man until his coffin is closed. “Close the coffin, then decide,” he said. “Then you assess him. I may still do something foolish before the lid is closed on me.” [Link]

With his recent hospitalisation, there are many who execrate him. Why such vitriol? [Link]

Rich or poor, prince or pauper,
To every life, a little rain must fall.
Everyday, we live a little, we die a little.
We live, we die.

What 'bucket list" would a man like Lee Kuan Yew have?
With his riches and power, would he have fulfilled his "bucket list" long before he kicks the bucket?

Regardless of the good wishes of those who benefited from his actions or the curses [Link] of those who suffered from his power or are disappointed with him, the time for him to go is the time to go. Nobody can make it earlier or later.

If he gets better, he gets better. If it's time for him to go, he goes. It is beyond us. As much as I resent his chutzpah and nastiness of locking people up without trial, I wish him a good health if he survives. I wish him good death, when it's time for him to go. The art of living is to die young... as late as possible!

When he finally walks, would someone say something like this, "Yes, there was corruption. Yes, he gave favours to his family and his friends. But there was real growth and real progress. I think the people of Indonesia are lucky. They had a general in charge, had a team of competent administrators – including a very good team of economists to build up the country." [Link]

Only time will tell.

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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Marxists' Conspiracy: Vincent Cheng Speaks.

"Around the world and especially in Asia at that time, Catholic social action flourished. Philippines was a case in point. Because the churches played a big role in the overthrow of the dictator Marcos, the Singapore government feared a similar experience would take place here. Several church organisations and catholic priests were targeted and warned. The final onslaught came with the use of the Internal Security Act to unleash Operation Spectrum in a massive exercise called the Marxists' Conspiracy."
Vincent Cheng, alleged marxists' conspiracy leader in his enlightening speech at Speakers' Corner, Hong Lim Park on 25 Sept 2010.


Vincent Cheng was denied the opportunity to speak at the National Library [Link]. At long last, at Hong Lim Park last evening, I get the chance to listen to him relating his traumatic experience of being a victim of Operation Spectrum, serving 3 years of imprisonment and solitary confinement as an alleged leader of a Marxists' Conspiracy.

Below is what I extracted from his speech:

"People asked me, 'How come then that the government is able to unveil such a long list of your subversive activities. 'My truthful answer is: Because the ISD tortured me to confess what they wanted to hear. I was arrested at 5am on the 21st of May 1987. Having only had 3 hours of sleep before the ISD came to my house. I was interrogated in an extremely cold room deprived of sleep for days, verbally abused, assaulted with slaps on my face and beatings on my chest and back and a knock-out punch to my abdomen."

"Before the assault, I firmly stood my ground refusing to be intimidated. After the assault, I succumbed and allowed them to make me into a docile puppet writing and signing long texts of self-incriminating lies and half-facts. When I was made to appear on television to confess my activities, I quietly protested by changing my hairstyle to that of Lee Kuan Yew's."

"How can I be rehabilitated to a lie? You can only be rehabilitated to the truth."

"But let us not forget the hundreds of other ISA detainees who who have suffered much much more without the chance of seeking redress especially those who have gone to their grave in a blanket of silence. We who are still alive owe them the duty to seek out the truth and accordingly proclaim their contribution to the true history of Singapore."

He ended his speech by saying, "We must fight for the abolishment of ISA. If we do not redress history, history will repeat itself. The first step toward redress if for victim to open their mouth, or to pick up their pen. Victims have kept silent for too long. It is time to stand up for our human right. Thank You."

With Dr Lim Hock Siew's speech [Link] and "
Beyond the Blue Gate: Recollection of a Political Prisoner" by Teo Soh Lung and the above revelation by Vincent Cheng, we are seeing more and more skeletons falling off the stinking cabinet.

"We who are still alive owe them the duty to seek out the truth and accordingly proclaim their contribution to the true history of Singapore."

Thank you Mr Vincent Cheng for your courage in speaking up on the injustice and for teaching us some.

And thank you SDP and Chee Soon Juan for organising the event.

Hopefully we may see the video soon here or here

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Friday, September 17, 2010

Metaphor: Methinks they can even get away with murder.

Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Problem solved!
Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Overspending of $283million on YOG . . . justified!

Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Problem solved!
Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. No shuttle service between HDB Heartlands to RWS . . . justified!

Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Problem solved!
Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Atrocious HDB pricing in Singapore . . . justified!

Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Problem solved!
Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Overcrowding by foreigners in Singapore . . . justified!

Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Problem solved!
Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Flooding in Singapore . . . justified!

Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Problem solved!
Talk. Talk. Talk in Parliament. Escape of Mas Selamat Kasturi . . . justified!

Methinks they can even get away with murder.

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Thursday, September 16, 2010

Kachau upstairs neighbour for what?

The following article is dedicated to the Speak Good English Complain Campaign where the "activists" are out to stick it to you, sticking paper on English signs that they think are not up to the Ang Moh English standard. [Link]

I got read the stylo-milo interview on MM Lee [here got write one] and I think my upstairs neighbours (the Malaysians) sure 'bway song' one.

Leaf got fall or no fall . . . When you live, you live lor. When you die, you die lor. You want to talk to your sick wife every night, talk lor. But why, huh, must say Malaysia "never accepted a multiracial base for their society and has become polarized." Say the Malays, Chinese and Indians in Malaysia not really getting along for what? Hello, 1965 is already history leow. Can get over it or not? People say you still sore because your dream to be Malaysia's PM and/or Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Malaysia never come true. What they say, true or not, I also don't know.

Don't forget last time you knuckle-dustered Tang Liang Hong in the cul-de-sac court and you insulted Johor as "notorious for shootings, muggings and carjackings", you kena say sorry. [here NYTimes also got write]. Some say you never learn, issit? Now you kena humtum by Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Dr Mahathir [here got write]

PM Najib is visiting your son this Sunday [here got write] to smoke peace pipe on Kereta Tanah Melayu and other donkey problems. I think not nice to talk like that and throw spanner at your own son's work? If father treat son like that, how can people respect the son? We hope PM Najib got heart big enough to ignore your insult and still visit your son this Sunday to do good work.

Now I also don't know if Singapore kena "turfed out" of Malaysia by Tunku or was it Goh Keng Swee who "decided on his own that we should have a clean break" from Malaysia [here video at 4:17 got say what]. So which is which, huh? How come at funeral say one thing, then NY Times interview, say another? Now Singapore got kicked out or walked out of Malaysia, nobody knows. I also confused like Confucius.

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Thursday, September 9, 2010

Perspective from an Ivory Tower?

When I heard SM Goh telling us how lucky we are that we do not have to wait for an hour to take a bus to work at Shenton Way like he did, I told myself, "Hello, those were the days when policemen wore khaki shorts to work!" During those days, some walked 6km to work. What bus?

In the news today, I read that in trying to please Sinky citizens, SM Goh has offended the Sinkeh PR's. His press secretary has to come forth to ease the ruffled feathers of the PR's by putting SM Goh's words in perspective. From [this] to [this]

Perspective. That's the word that's been used earlier to belittle and talk down Singaporeans who aren't happy with the escalating HDB prices, the over-crowded MRT and the paid for HDB car park that's occupied by others!

I know average Singaporeans are more than able to see or grasp things in the right perspective. It is those in the ivory towers who have eyes but choose to be blind that are out of tune!

On this Hari Raya Adilfitri, which I feel peace, love and forgiveness is all about, I urge the PAP rulers to stop talking down at us. We know you have your riches and your power and you can do things that are beyond our imagination. Compared to you, we know we are lesser mortals but please, we are neither daft nor champion grumblers. And we do not need to have spurs on our hind to make us work. Unlike you, we work hard for our money without having to justify how much we earn. Though humble and tedious, there is honour, there is integrity in what we do. Unlike you, even we don't wear white, we are not afraid of being corrupted because of the mediocre salary that we earn!

Stop bragging about PAP's achievement and stop reminding us that without PAP, Singapore & Singaporeans would be nothing. On this happy Hari Raya, with my hand on my heart, I'd tell you that without Singaporeans, PAP would be nothing today. Without the people's discipline, hard work, without their co-operation, support and perseverance in building Singapore, you would not have been the arrogant fat cats that you are today!

For a change, stop praising yourselves and give us a break. Instead of belittling us by making fun of our wish for a better transport system and a more affordable roof over our head, why not do what you are richly paid to do? Manage Singapore well and understand the reasons why average Singaporeans are unhappy with the ever rising cost of living and the overcrowding of this 710 sq km red dot. Manage well and keep our poorer citizens healthy and happy instead of letting them rot away without 3 meals in neither hawkers centre, food court nor restaurant! Solve the problems (especially those you created) instead of rebuking us for expressing our dissatisfaction of your poor management. Even as MM said flood is an act of God, since you are paid like gods, we expect you to stop the floods too!

Whatever station you are in life, bear in mind: To every life a little rain must fall.

Be grateful! Be gentle and be kind to those who are less fortunate. And be fair to those in opposition wards. Residents in Potong Pasir and Hougang pay taxes like everybody else and their weak, their old and their handicapped need a lift landing on every floor too! Have a heart!

Meanwhile, let's give peace a chance. Let's pray that some lunatics in USA will not start another war by doing something stupid like burning the holy Koran of our Muslim friends.

Selamat Hari Raya Adilfitri!

feedmetothefish

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Ladies & gentlemen, the General Election is on!

In my last blog, I wrote that if they could they would not have any more election in Singapore.

I'm wrong. The firepower is out there in mainstream media indicating that they will have the election after all. Have you been papagandised (propagandised) by the following:
  • Donation of PM to Singapore Chinese Orchestra. [Link]
  • The ever-so-clever-no-retirement-thingy by MM [Link]
  • Ibrahim Yaacob soothing the Malay & Muslim community on the deteriorating Malay/Muslim population in Singapore due to the crazy granting of citizenship and PRs to Chinese and Indian immigrants.
  • SM Goh Chok Tong chastising Singapore's "champion grumblers" and taking them to task for not being mindful of the plight of the less fortunate Singaporeans. [Link]
Diversion, diversion and diversion . . . that's the tai chi that's been played ever so often by the PAP and shamelessly supported by the msm.

What has the valid complaints of
  1. The overwhelming import of humans creating the overcrowding of 5.1 million people in a tiny area of 704 km2 (271.8 sq mile) causing housing, transportation and social problems.
  2. The government taking more care of foreign imports than locals with $10 million Community Integration Fund (CIF) [Link]
  3. The irresponsible budget over run of the inaugural 13-day Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that surpassed original estimates of US$75 million ($104 million) by more than three times to $387 million [Link]
  4. The flooding of Singapore when it rains
  5. The "shooting-of-own-foot" $9,000 purchase of votes which insults the contribution of many older NSmen and . . . mother of all complaints
  6. The increasing cost of survival (living?) in housing, utilities, transportation and basic food
has got to do with the "perspective" of SM Goh?

"There are many people who are not able to benefit from our overall success." said SM Goh.

So whose bloody fault is it? The people (champion grumblers) or the PAP government?

I guess everyone knows the "overall success" benefits the PAP mintSters and their close ones most! Definitely not the poor and the less fortunate!

Who can forget the insensitive, "Do you want them to eat in hawker centre, food court or restaurant" when MP Lily Neo ask Mint$ter Vivian Balakrishnan for an increase in public assistance for the less fortunate!

Yes, the election is coming and with such vitriolic outbursts, them leaders are not buying themselves any votes!

feedmetothefish


Friday, September 3, 2010

No more election in Singapore!

I think if they could they would.

With their almighty power in parliament, they can change the law as and when they like. They can do anything they fancy. Examples:

CPF:
Our money (in lump sum cash) which was due to us when we reached 55 has gone to the dogs. Through the years, they have tweaked it so that we end up with Medisave, Special Accounts, Retirement Account and now the Annuity Account. Get yours at 55! Get yours at 62! Get yours at 70! Get yours at 83! No, not in one lump sum but in monthly installments! Get yours when you die! All of which serve only one purpose - for them to hold on to your money for as long as they like! While they are at it, they up yours by telling you that you are too daft to manage your money!

HDB:
It was supposed to be affordable housing, especially for the poor. Now it is an investment! They scheme, they tweak, they change the rules according to their whims and fancies without any concern for the welfare of the home buyers (99-year tenants). With all their so-called care and concern for Singaporeans' housing needs, why are we still so unhappy and disappointed with their performance (including the latest wayang)?

Security of PAP:
A gathering of more than 4 persons was considered an illeegal assembly. Now they have the "Move On" law where anyone, just one person, is considered illegal assembly if they don't like what you do, what you show and what you say. Cycling in group organised by WP is dangerous but cycling organised by PAP (through kindergartens) with PM as VVIP is safe as hell!

The above are some of the 'suka suka' can change laws and policies implemented for the better of Singapore and Singaporeans.

Will it surprise anyone if law is changed so that there is no longer a requirement for election (within 5 years) if the ground ain't sweet enough for the ruling party? With their audacity, their desperation to stay in power at all cost (eg. Election Dept under PM's Office, gerrymandeering, no upgrading for opposition wards) and disrespect for the men in the street (daft, lesser mortals like dogs urinating in lifts), it may just happen.

Maybe not. Maybe they are confident that pro-PAP votes from new citizens (Heaven knows how many Chinese and Indians were granted citizenship during the last 5 years) are more than enough to replace the votes of disgruntled Singaporeans who have enough of the crap from the despots whose greed for money and power knows no end.

Their million dollar solution to flood and Mas Selamat jalan leaves much to be desired. However, "PAP-eye-refuse-to-see" OVERCROWDING PROBLEM (getting on the nerves of everyone) is something they had better work on before frustrations lead to mayhem and disaster!

It's a crazy thought but
  • if Mr Chia Thye Poh could be locked up for 32 years without trial
  • if Dr Lim Hock Siew was denied freedom because he refused to save the face of the then Prime Minister,
  • if Operation Cold Store and
  • Marxist's Conspiracy could happen in Singapore
then I think changing the law on election to ensure ruling party rules forever is sub-sub-sway (no big deal) !

Of course, internationally, it'll be another chewing gum joke!


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