TR EMERITUS

Written by Our Correspondent Singapore's octogenarian leader Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who is paid millions of dollars by Singapore taxpayers yearly to do "forecasting" has made another audacious prediction again, this time during a state visit to New Delhi, India: that China and India will not clash over their borders. MM Lee said that they are unlikely to come to blows since both are focused on growing their economies: "There is no economic value if the border is shifted 200 metres on one side or the other....It will not be all sweetness and reasonableness but I would be surprised if there was any conflict in the next 20 to 30 years. It will take that time for both to get their economies to speed," he said. China and India went to a brief war in 1962 over a border dispute. Both shared a 3,500km border in the remote Himalayan mountains. Though the border has remained largely peaceful for the last 40 years, China and India still claim large swathes of each other's territory. India says Beijing is illegally occupying 5,180 sqkm of northern Kashmir ceded to it by Pakistan in1963 while China claims 90,000 sqkm of land in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The disputed lands in India claimed by China were previously under the suzerainty of Tibet which was annexed by China in 1959. MM Lee did not elaborate on why he thinks that an India-China clash is unlikely. It appears that he is not aware of the fact that Chinese leaders are more pre-occupied with Tibet than an additional few square miles of desolate land. While an all-out war between the two Asian giants is unlikely, a small-scale skirmish looks an increasing possibility given the rise of tensions between the two sides along the border during the last few months. The Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh was previously a part of Tibet and it includes a revered Buddhist monastery at Tawang, near the 17th-century birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama. Tawang is to Tibetans like Medina to the Muslims, or Vatican to the Catholics, the birth-place of not only previous Dalai Lamas, but an important sect of Tibetan Buddhism as well from where the religion grew and extended its reach throughout the Tibetan plateau.(Buddhism was brought to Tibet in the 8th century by the great Indian Buddhist scholar Padmasambhava) With the current Dalai Lama in advanced age, China is getting jittery about his succession for there are rumors that his reincarnation might be found in Tawang with manifold repercussions for China's legitimacy on Tibet should it occur as many Tibetans still regard the Dalai Lama as their divine ruler. According to an October editorial in The Economist, China has upped the ante in its border dispute with India this year: "Earlier this year Chinese soldiers crossed the presumed line of control in the west and sent a herder family packing. China has blocked a water project in Arunachal Pradesh financed by the Asian Development Bank. In October it grew shrill over an electioneering trip to the state by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. China has also begun issuing different visas for Indians from Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir." MM Lee should have checked his facts first before dispensing his usual dose of "wisdom" to the Indians who are well aware of the threat the Chinese pose to them. Fortunately, for some inexplicable reasons, MM Lee had declined to speculate on the comparative growth prospects of China and India, preferring to refer to a recent Financial Times report that "India's economy was less than half that of China, while its growth rate was also slower." He also ruled out a role for Singapore to mediate in the conflict between China and India "If the Americans can't do it, the Europeans can't do it, how can Singapore do it? We are too small." Since MM Lee realizes the fact that Singapore is only a small nation, perhaps he should spend less time traveling around the world to lecture other countries and save some expenses for Singaporeans. Copyright © The Temasek Review, 2009  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam wants the PAP to provide greater "political education" for Singaporeans, in particular, students in order for the PAP to stay in power continuously for more than 70 years, a feat not achieved by any political party in the world yet. The longest-dominant party in power in the world was the Partido Revolucionario Institutional of Mexico which governed Mexico from 1927 to 1997 before being booted out unceremoniously by voters in 1997 when it lost its majorities in both chambers of the Mexican federal congress for the first time in history. The PAP is the second longest-lived political party in the world having ruled Singapore continuously for 50 years since 1959. The longest-lived is the Chinese Communist Party of China, in power since 1949. Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, which used to be in second place, was voted out of office during the recent general election in August this year. In an interview with the PAP's bi-monthly magazine Petir, Mr Shanmugam felt that though the PAP has stayed in power because it has delivered "progress" to the people, "younger voters can erode its dominant position should the party fail to convince them that Singapore, more than most countries, needs a strong leadership and a political system that allows for effective and speedy decisions to be made." He suggested that students "be taught, among other things, how political systems work in different cultures, the impact of geographical and social factors on societies and why city states rise and fall." 'This will make people look carefully at the liberal democratic model and help them decide which aspects best suit Singapore....Not every aspect can be transplanted in toto across cultures, without regard to different economic, social and geostrategic situations," he added. Mr Shanmugam's remarks came at a time when the PAP is facing increasing pressure from both at home and abroad to liberalize Singapore's archaic political system which is designed and manipulated to entrench the PAP in power forever. All state institutions, including the media, the police, NGOs, grassroots organizations, civil service, religious organizations and trade unions are tightly controlled by the PAP directly or indirectly in one way or another. The opposition is deliberately kept weak and divided by bankrupting is leaders with ruinous defamation lawsuits so as to prevent the emergence of a credible alternative to challenge the PAP. Mr Shanmugam said that Singapore, more than most countries, needs a strong leadership and a political system that allows for effective and speedy decisions to be made and this message PAP's message had resonated with the older generation who experienced the turmoil of Singapore's early years. "But the collective memory of this is not as strong among newer generations, whose viewpoints will increasingly influence the political process,........Younger Singaporeans may therefore believe that the Western model of liberal democracy can be adopted without trade-offs," he added. Mr Shanmugam's message in a PAP mouthpiece for PAP members are strangely given extensive coverage by the Straits Times, which is owned by SPH, whose Chairman is a former PAP minister, Dr Tony Tan. The process of "educating" Singapore students in the PAP's brand of "acceptable politics" may have already kicked off. According to emails from readers, the libraries of some primary schools in Singapore are stocked with copies of the cartoon version of the PAP propaganda masterpiece - "Men in White" and students are "encouraged" to read them. Copyright © The Temasek Review, 2009  Read More →

OPINION Judging from press reports, letters to the Straits Times Forum, bantering in internet chatrooms as well as conversations between Singaporeans in the HDB heartland, immigration will emerge as the single most important issue in the next general election due by 2011 which may trigger a mini political tsunami in Singapore. Though it is highly unlikely that the ruling PAP will be booted out of office or loses its traditional two-thirds majority, even the loss of one GRC or one SMC more than the two opposition-controlled wards will send a strong signal to the entire nation that the tide has turned against the incumbent and it is only a matter of time before Singapore follows the footsteps of other developed Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and make the transition from an archaic political system dominated by one party to a multi-party democracy. An increasing number of Singaporeans are becoming fed up and disillusioned with the PAP's liberal immigration policies which has seen our beloved little island being flooded with hordes of foreigners in the last few years. While the lower income group is naturally disgruntled at the loss of job opportunities and depression of wages by these foreigners, the middle class is also becoming flustered and anxious about the future of their children. With more young Singaporeans with no political affiliations joining the electorate for the first time and the new media providing a counter-balance to the propaganda and spins of the mainstream media, the next election will be an interesting one to watch. Though Singaporeans are largely apathetic in nature and disinterested in politics, what the opposition need is just a small group of dedicated supporters to galvanize votes for them to turn the tide around. That's what happened in the Malaysian general election in 2008. Every single opposition supporter went around to canvass for votes and they got not only their families, but their extended families, companies and alumni to vote for the opposition. The percentage of hardcore PAP supporters are perhaps no more than 30 per cent and is dwindling by each passing day. That's why it needs to bring new citizens into grassroots organizations to boost the flagging support. The opposition managed to garner 33 per cent of the votes during the 2006 elections. The figure is probably about 40 per cent now which leaves 30 per cent of swing votes to be won by either side. Fence-sitters are usually politically not inclined and will vote for any party on persuasion by a family member or a close friend. The opposition should come together and form a united front against the ruling party in the next election with a single slogan, a common platform and one media center to orchestrate the entire electoral campaign. Instead of conducting separate campaigns on their own, they should pool their limited resources together such that every opposition supporter will campaign for all parties and not the party to which one belongs to. During the pivotal 2008 Malaysia's general elections which send shockwaves across the causeway to Singapore, the Chinese-based DAP supporters could be seen campaigning for the Islamist PAS in the rural kampungs and the Malay-dominant PKR reaching out to the Malay urban dwellers on behalf of the DAP. The opposition should adopt a catchy slogan which is easily understood by Singaporeans and strike a chord in their hearts and it already has its work cut short - the Singapore People's Party already has the ideal slogan: "Singapore for Singaporeans!" We want a Singapore for Singaporeans where every single person born here are entitled to basic rights as citizens of their country of birth - the right to education, the right to equal job opportunities, the right to free speech, the right to oppose the government, the right to afford a home of their own, the right to public healthcare and lastly, the right to retire comfortably and enjoy life after years of hard work. This is the Singapore which most citizens aspire to, not the present Singapore where we find ourselves becoming increasingly marginalized by the relentless influx of foreigners who have diluted our collective national identity. While we should open our doors to foreigners to attract the best talents in the world to come and work in Singapore, we must ensure that our own citizens are taken care of first and to be more selective of the foreigners we admit as PRs and citizens. The elites will always vote for the incumbent because they are the ones who benefit most from the system, but they belong only to a minority - no more than 5 per cent of the population. As long the opposition is able to sway the middle class and lower income group to its side, it is half the battle won. Tell the lower income group: do you want to compete with low-wage foreigners for jobs which pay for pittance and not being able to support oneself and family. Tell the middle class: do you want a future in which your children will find it increasingly tough to eke out a decent living in Singapore because they have to compete with foreigners for schools, jobs and everything. Is Singapore really for Singaporeans or for new citizens, PRs and foreigners? Are native Singaporeans becoming second or even third class citizens in their own countries? Are Singapore men serving two years of National Service and thirteen years or more of reservist to protect the "free-loafers" from Malaysia, China, India and elsewhere who just come here to enjoy the perks and benefits without paying the price which they have? Are Singaporeans the real owners of their country or does it belong to a small clique of self-serving elites who is more concerned about perpetuating their political control and hegemony for eternality? The opposition should not be afraid to appeal to the emotions of Singaporeans because they are getting emotional and the next general election is about nothing but emotions. Regardless of race, language, or religion, Singapore is for SINGAPOREANS only, now and forever! Foreigners are most welcome to study, work and live in Singapore, but if they want to take up our citizenship, they must be prepared to sacrifice no more than what native Singaporeans have done so.  Read More →