TR EMERITUS

Chen Show Mao Recently, Fabrications about PAP posted an image of Chen Show Mao and letting their pro-PAP supporters know that Chen Show Mao is nothing brilliant and just mediocre. In his book, Lee Kwan Yew has also pointed out that Chen is not that brilliant in his book, [ LINK ] In his book, the former minister mentor also expressed doubts over whether the opposition can live up to expectations and persuade enough good people to join them. “Can the opposition produce the likes of the younger generation of PAP ministers, never mind the likes of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong or Deputy Prime Ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam?” asked Lee. Chen Show Mao has been hyped up as a potential Prime Minister material since GE2011. He majored in economics at Harvard University. In 1992 Chen received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School and in 2005 received his Master of Arts from Corpus Christi College, Oxford University. Career-wise, Chen advised the Agricultural Bank of China on its US$22 billion initial public offering (IPO), which was the largest IPO in history when it completed in August 2010. Besides China, Chen has completed international securities offerings and M&A transactions by various companies. Beyond that, Chen has worked with sovereign wealth funds such as the China Investment Corporation (CIC). With such a good history, many voters would expect him to perform well in his Parliament speeches. Does Chen really deserve the 'mediocre' title? A quick check on WP.SG revealed that Chen did try to ask questions to the Minister for Finance, Tharman on cross-border financing and a few mind-boggling questions about Temasek Holdings. [ LINK ] Chen has also been passionate about elderly care, healthcare issues and White Paper debate and raised these issues to pressure the incumbent government. But then again, opposition politicians definitely do have it tougher than PAP politicians. They do not have access to data and can only rely on Parliament records, Factiva, Reteurs and Pro-Quest and a team of volunteers to help them craft their Parliament speeches. PAP, on the other hand, have it easier. They have access to all the data and confidential information that we are not privy to. PAP also has a machinery of ammunition of government officers who work around the clock for them. For example, when I was in HDB, when Tharman made that $1000 can buy HDB flat story, our whole department of more than 100 went into panic mode and searched through our past transactions to see if any buyer with $1000 monthly salary is willing to be interviewed by SPH. Perhaps to truly assess Chen if he is brilliant or not, Lee Kwan Yew should promote Chen to replace Tharman for a term and let Chen access those confidential data and turn Ministry of Finance and Monetary Authority of Singapore around and reduce the losses incurred by Ho Jinx in Temasek Holdings or GIC. But I guess that can only happen when we form a coalition government and take out PAP. CJ * Submitted by TRE reader.  Read More →

I refer to the 19 May 2014 TR Emeritus article “Shanmugam: The values of our children”. Mr Shanmugam claims that Singaporeans are lucky many of us have domestic help. But are we luckier than Westerners who earn twice as much as us and who can afford to have the wife stay at home to look after the children full time? Would be good if we can conduct a survey or even a referendum about whether Singaporeans would like their salaries doubled while keeping cost of living the same so that the wife can afford to stay at home to look after the children full time. Our 2013 median resident employed household income was $7,870 (Singstats) while our 2013 median gross monthly income (including CPF) from work for full time employed residents is $3,705 (MOM website). The ratio of median household income to median income from work is slightly more than two. This means that on average, most households comprise both husband and wife working to support the family. If our median income from work can be doubled without affecting cost of living, Singaporeans can maintain their household income while allowing the wife stay at home to look after the children full time. Our dependence on maids will significantly reduce and the so-called compassion, kindness, consideration and the right values Mr Shanmugam wrote about can be passed on from generation to generation. Were we happier and luckier growing up with our mothers around or are children today happier and luckier growing up with their maids around? Thank you Ng Kok Lim  Read More →

PAP IBs are simply not high standard! They reflect the lack of quality within our own govt. system. They blindly defend the status quo either because of their own fear or greed. The categories of IB types are: 1. BLIND, DEAF & CLUELESS This type of IBs are out of this world. When they write, it seems like they have just returned from the moon! Methinks they are just being devious. Instead of being constructive, they just thoroughly reinforce the image of the PAP being out of touch with the people! Also, the PAP probably loves to hear the voice of their own echoes! Witness, the YPAP video of adoring members chanting meaningless pledges & phrases to the ones above to hear – like a religious cult. 2. DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH These are the beneficiaries of the crony capitalist system. They defend the status quo because it is in their interest to do so. Thoroughly self-centred, they would even defend the govt. if members of their own family are victimized by govt. policies. Reckon they are the running dogs. 3. RABID DOGS OF WAR This is the worst kind – they attack you personally. Like rabid dogs, they attack personally via homophobic accusations, health issues or even bringing you down to their intellectual level which is Neanderthal-like. They are incapable of intelligent writing! 4. VOMITERS Writers of pro-govt. articles that literally vomit much of what has been printed by the MSM like the Straits Times. Totally devoid of original thoughts and words – they regurgitate much of what is already printed by the press back to your face! Like babies, they can only digest soft baby food only to throw it up! Best examples of vomiters are the pro-growth advocates – they use PAP's arguments to support growth & use PAP's fear mongering phrase, ‘No growth, you die’. Gimme a break! IB-basher * Comment appeared in: IBs divide and rule the internet  Read More →