TR EMERITUS

译者:冀居·谢 51、收入差距不可能是件受欢迎的事物，它当然不能促进社会的快乐程度。但是之前我并不知道收入差距对个人或者社会的快乐程度和情绪健康有着这么大的冲 击。根据一家在伦敦叫做“平等信赖”的研究组织指出：“……差距带来生活压力……分化社会阶层并引致生活水准和生活方式的差异……。”根据这家“平等信赖 ”对世界上23个国家的研究，新加坡有着世上最大的收入差距，并且在人民互信方面位列倒数第二。 52、 当然有人可以辩说我所举的数据并不可靠或者只是众多研究结论之一。我们姑且就当做这样的情况吧，但是我们就能无视这些研究吗？如果出来的结论有一部分是真 实的呢？如果快乐和公义真的是更高层次的要求，而经济增长和就业只是达到这个目标的手段，那么我们就有必要检讨这些事物的顺序了。我们当然不必全盘推翻， 但是一些调整是不能或缺的了。 53、有关这个快乐和共荣的课题，最后我要为社会上的两类人陈情，一种是非常穷困者，另一类是没有足够经济能力来颐养天年的老者。 54、 为穷人提供经济援助在这个社会已经不是什么新鲜事。国会议员过去曾在这里要求增加公众援助的款项。根据社青体部大约有3千户家庭是属于这个范围，即因疾病 或残疾而无法工作，并且家徒四壁。最新一轮的公众援助提升，对于个别人士的援助，从每月330元提高到360元，提高了30元！至于一个四口家庭的来说， 公众援助从每月830元提高到950元，增加了120元。 55、是的，我们不想成为一个福利国家，但是一个民选政府能为一小部分国民提供基 本生活需求，特别是他们已经证明自己因疾病或残疾而无法自给自足的职责到哪儿？对于增加公众援助金的呼吁，政府回应说不该造成依赖导致一些人不愿意工作。 基于此，政府只提供最基本的援助，其余则由社区或基层组织来补足。当然，事情是可以这么办的，然而政府既然看来有足够的财力直接提供生活所需，为何却要他 们到处去申请呢？现在我们即使把四口家庭的公众援助加倍，从每月950元加多1000元给他们，也不过是增加3千600万，就能使3000个家庭或1万 2000个新加坡人受益一整年！2008年我们的国内生产毛额是2570亿，外汇储备根据官方估计是超过2500亿。这不单只是照顾他们的福利，并且帮助 他们在突破困境的当儿能够抬起头来做人。这里头保证他们的孩子吃到营养的好食物、一个能遮风挡雨的家、接受良好的教育，最后出人头地。对于促进国民的快乐 和尊严，相对来说只不过是小小的投资。我希望政府对于这个课题应该从宽处理，我也相信这是全民的期望。 56、另外一类需要特别关注，幸福感 不断减退的是处于七十、八十、九十岁的年龄层，是他们这些新加坡人为我们打下建国的基础，我们今天才能享受这些成果。资深报人巴拉吉先生（PN Balji）最近在《今日报》撰文称他们为“默迪卡世代”。他哀悼这个世代，有些“卧病在床……拖着残躯为我们在食阁打扫，也有被女佣推着轮椅在公园出现 的。”难道我们作为一个富裕社会、有良心的公民和好政府，不认为这些老人家——我们的祖父母辈——应该得到更好的待遇吗？他们需要这样独自谋生吗？我们亏 欠他们太多了。我附和巴拉吉先生的呼吁：“现在应该是时候加入多一条信约：我们是新加坡公民，誓愿照顾我们的默迪卡世代，照顾他们的需要和需求，让他们安 享晚年，并且在回顾他们投入建设的这个国家时充满欢愉和骄傲。” 【3】在政策和施政中落实信约精神的建议 57、议长先生，如 果我们同意国家信约符合我们的本质和信念。那么这个国会就有必要重申它的重要性——当我们在辩论重要国家课题和政策时，应该把它当做一个重要的参照点。落 实信约精神在政策里是很重要的。为了做到这一点，我们必须心怀热忱、取得共识，集体向信约做出一个承诺。 58、为了做到这些，我有三点建议提供给这个议会考虑。 59、 首先，我觉得有必要回顾目前存在的重要政策和施政是否违反我们信约的精神，哪些是给人民发出混乱的信息？转而造成接受层面的误解、冷漠甚至更严重的冷嘲热 讽。这是一项很重要动员，需要来自公共领域、工商界和人民的参与。我们不单从将来的成果获益，在整个过程中它会催生我们的共识。我已经看到像民意处理组已 经起了头，此外还有市理会和OnePeople.com的加入。 60、至于我之前提到的“混乱信息”，让我举例加以说明。首先，在过去的数 年，做为一个民族我们似乎越来越介意我们的种族身份。几乎是处处在提醒我们，询问我们来自哪个种族。从身份证开始，举凡学校、求职、结婚、俱乐部等各种申 请表格，连带上联络所参加烹饪班也要被问及。然后，先后设立以种族为特定对象的自助团体如Mendaki（马来族）, SINDA（印度族）, 华社自助理事会和欧裔协会都在在夸大了这个问题。即使媒体报道罪案时也特别要提到干案者的种族。进一步形容他的肤色是深还是浅。先别误解我的意思，我明白 这些动作的含义和价值。我目前是SINDA的副会长，参与其运作已经超过十年，我知道这样一个团体所扮演的角色和贡献。我也明白资料收集和趋向研究的重要 性，有时种族身份能够说明一些问题。我要说的是，我们需要用开放胸怀去重新检视这个做法，从中找出一条路去避免发出混乱信息。我跟许多年轻人聊起这个话题 时，他们都认为和信约中“誓愿不分种族”有抵触。好些校长和教师都曾提出同样的问题。（待续） 摘自大马论坛  Read More →

From our Correspondent Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong revealed in his interviews for the SPH publication "Men in White: The Untold Stories of the PAP" that former National Development Minister S Dhanabalan left the Cabinet in 1992 because he was not comfortable with the way the PAP had dealt with the "Marxist Conspiracy" in 1987. "At that time, given the information, he was not fully comfortable with the action we took...he felt uncomfortable and thought there could be more of such episodes in the future...he'd better leave the Cabinet. I respected him for his view," Mr Goh said. Mr Dhanabalan said his reason for quitting some 12 years later, was one of conviction: "My philosophy is one where I need to have complete conviction about some key policies and if I have differences, it doesn't mean I am against the group......but I have to try and live with myself if I have some disagreements on some things,' he said. On May 21st 1987, 22 young social workers, lawyers, businessmen, theatre practitioners and other professionals were detained without trial under the internal security law and accused of “being members of a dangerous Marxist conspiracy bent on subverting the PAP ruled government by force, and replacing it with a Marxist state.” A second wave of arrests took place on June 20th the same year. The operation was dubbed "Operation Spectrum" and was carried out by the Singapore's Internal Security Department (ISD) using the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for detention without trial. This marked the last time that the ISA would be used against politicians and activists. Singapore's former Solicitor-General Francis Seow was also detained by the ISD for two months after he turned up at the detention center to speak to a detainee who had sought his legal assistance. Seow was later released and allowed to leave for the United States where he now lives. Though the detainees were protrayed as staunch Marxists and a confession trial was screened on TV (which they later retracted), many Singaporeans remained sceptical about the government's case including some senior figures within the establishment itself. The present Attorney-General Mr Walter Woon said in an interview to the Straits Times in 1991: "As far as I am concerned, the government’s case is still not proven. I would not say those fellows were Red, not from the stuff they presented…I think a lot of people have this scepticism." Even Finance Minister Mr Tharman was unconvinced: "Although I had no access to state intelligence, from what I knew of them, most were social activists but not out to subvert the system," he told the Straits Times in 2001. The arbitrary arrests and detentions of 22 harmless civilians had dealt a blow to the PAP government's international reputation. From then on, the ISA was used only sparingly against suspected terrorists. No opposition politician was ever arrested under the ISA again. The Internal Security Act was a colonial relic introduced by the British in both Malaya and Singapore in 1948 as part of the "Emergency Regulations" to contain the Communist insurgency. In 1960, the Emergency was declared over, but the Internal Security Act was passed in its place with much of the same power. On its separation from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore retained the ISA. The ISA was first used by Singapore in 1963 to  arrest 117 opposition party and labor union leaders suspected to be communists under "Operation Coldstore", some of whom were detained for up to 32 years. On 1 August 2009, a massive anti-ISA protest participated by 20,000 people took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to call for the end of the law. As a result of constant political pressure exerted by the opposition, NGOs and the Malaysian Bar, the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is forced to make a promise that he will "review" the law upon taking office in March this year. In Singapore, most Singaporeans remain ignorant of the implications of the ISA or even its existence. The ISA is an obsolete, unnecessary and repressive law which has no place in a modern democracy like Singapore. It should be repealed and an "Anti-terrorism" act introduced in its place to deal specifically with terrorists. As the escape of Mas Selamat Kasteri has demonstrated, the ISD is not quite equipped to tackle terrorism and should be replaced by a highly specialized, trained and experienced "anti-terrorism department" instead to ensure that no Singaporean will ever be arrested and detained under the ISA again. Related articles: >> Few Singaporeans aware of anti-ISA protests in Malaysia  Read More →

From our Correspondent MM Lee Kuan Yew is not somebody who is new to controversy. His characteristic arrogance was in full display when he told writer Catherine Lim that the PAP will remain in power in at least two more terms: "I spent 15 years thinking about these safeguards and finally persuaded my younger colleagues that we needed these because they can't guarantee that each time they will produce a better team than the opposition just because you've done so in the past. I don't see any problem in the next election, and probably the election after that. But if we don't get a good team in the election after that and the opposition does get a good team together, we're at risk." [Source: Straits Times] We really hate to agree with him, but he is probably right and not only so, the PAP can expect to remain in office beyond 2 terms if the present status quo remain. For all our endless complaining, whining and cursing behind the cloak of anonymity in cyberspace, what have we achieved all these while? In the meantime, the PAP has further consolidated its grip on power by outlawing even solo protests. We must be the only first world country with such a "wonderful" law in place to ensure our "safety and security". The present PAP is not the PAP 50 years ago. In fact, it is in crisis and can only continue ruling by a mixture of repression and machinations. However, the key reason behind this political malaise which has afflicted the entire nation lies in an ignorant, unthinking, apathetic and inactive citizenry. We are the ones who allow the PAP to trample onto our rights repeatedly with impunity. We foolishly trade our civil and political rights for left-over crumbs thrown at us by the PAP. We never dare to question and challenge them. Who can we blame except ourselves from becoming a flock of blind sheep being chased around by a pack of hungry wolves which will never be satisfied? At the present moment, the opposition is in shambles. There are no leaders with the stature of Obama or even Anwar Ibrahim to unite and galvanize the opposition camp to provide voters with a real alternative to the PAP. What we have are the same old relics fighting over the spoils bestowed onto them by the PAP. Again, we cannot pin the blame entirely on the opposition because Singaporeans are too timid to join them. They dare not even want to be seen with them in public! Years of relentless brainwashing by the state media had seriously damaged our ability to think. We accept every single word spoken by the PAP as the gospel truth. With such a third world citizenry and opposition, can we expect to become a first world democracy overnight? Utusan Melayu columnist Zainuddin chided us for being a third world democracy: "'Singapore sticks to a Third World democracy despite having a developed world mentality, while Malaysia has a Third World mentality but a developed world democracy." [Source: Straits Times ] He is right. We are still way off from being a first world democracy. In this aspect, we lag far behind the Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Hong Kongers and Malaysians. Singaporeans are very honest, hardworking, thrifty and obedient people and that's our biggest flaw - being too obedient to the extent that we have forgotten what it is like to be a citizen of a country. Being a citizen doesn't mean just turning up at the booth in your constituency and cast your vote every 5 years. It means participating actively in nation-building, scrutinizing the performance of the elected leaders, questioning, criticizing and grilling them if the need arises and most importantly holding them accountable for their actions. We have to move beyond our comfort zone and take our concerns, grievances and complaints into real life. Organize rallies at Hong Lim Park, hold forums in universities and hotels, talk to your neighbors and reach out to a wider audience. Change will eventually come, but it will never come if we do not bother to fight for it. There is so much pent-up frustration, angst and anger in Singaporeans nowadays. They can only complain to one another in cyberspace. Occasionally, one rare letter will get published in the Straits Times Forum and almost immediately will be shot down by the government. This is our current predicament collectively as a people. How long more are we going to put up with it? For every Singaporean who has taken the "blue pill", there are ten others who are still addicted to the "red pill". When can they wake up from their delusions and see reality as it is? Time is fast running out for us. One third of our population are foreigners. In another generation or so, we may even become the minority group in our own country. Who do you think the new citizens will vote for? Haven't you seen them in RC T-shirts walking around your estate doing "volunteer work"? With the present status quo, even if the PAP field a team of monkeys, they will still win hands-down by virtue of their complete control of the media, police, civil service and you know what against a weak, divided and insipid opposition. Fellow Singaporeans, it's time to stand up and be counted! Exercise your right as a citizen of Singapore. In the words of the late J.B. Jeyaretnam: "Cast off the slumber into which you have been led into for the last 10 years. Wake up to your rights as a human being, to your proper role as citizens of this country"  Read More →