TR EMERITUS

On May 16 2014 India witnessed the biggest landslide victory of  Narendra Modi led BJP (Barath iya Janta Party) over the dynasty ruling Indian Congress Party. [ LINK ] It shockingly ended the dynastic ruling Congress party’s grip and control of the Indian nation via the Gandhi family led by Sonia Gandhi and dynastical heir apparent poor and much criticized Rahul Gandhi Though BJP itself have won elections before under the former coalition government of former BJP Leader A. Vajpayee, the current  huge landslide win by Gujrat Chief Minister and Prime ministerial Candidate is earth shattering in India. Why? ·         It was the people’s overwhelming mandate to a former humble tea seller’s son who had proven himself as a leader with good track record in development as seen in the state of Gujrat by throwing out all the corruption and power failed rule  of Gandhi elite. ·         It was the people’s total rejection of the many failed policies, numerous blunders committed by the Ruling Congress Party which was also plagued by numerous corruption scandals like Coal Scandal, railway scandal/etc. ·         And most importantly poor leadership by PM Manmohan Singh who was widely a ceremonial PM while Gandhi family via Sonia Gandhi ruled India. ·         Indians wanted jobs, arrest the spiraling cost of living and food prices (inflation), development of states which have been neglected because of a poor central government & leader and complete stagnation of growth and opportunities for middle class and poor Indian citizens. ·         Even businesses were stalled and affected by the poor government and leadership which have resulted in the massive rejection of the Ruling Congress and a full stop to Dynastic rule at the PM level. Singapore Ok Singapore might not be at developing level nor has neither the sheer size of India in terms of population nor land size. Nor the high level of corruption like India as what we know of today. But main question how are the people of Singapore today and are they satisfied with the current government and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Son of former PM Lee Kuan Yew of Ruling Party PAP)? Assumptions Or Answers: 1. Unfortunately Singapore could be different from India in its slates of problems and suffering of its people. 2. Singaporeans problems arise from a huge inflow of foreign talents and immigration led in by the ruling PAP government which has affected many Singaporeans’ jobs and living as cheaper foreign talents have been replacing Singaporeans at PMET jobs. 3. Linked problems in transport infrastructure failures due to a sudden increase in population and impact on our systems and foundations of public transport, medical services and more due to overcapacity and usage. 4. Spiraling cost of living while salaries have remained low for most ordinary Singaporeans, bleak job opportunity markets as outweighed by ready pool of cheaper foreign talents at all levels with PAP government’s special support. 5. Tensions between Singaporeans and foreign talents and immigrants have been on the rise and lead to major protests and related incidents which are detrimental to our peace and harmonious living as Multi racial Singaporeans. Un-Integratable and out of touch Foreign immigrants and talents with their own pressures and imposition of their own cultures, attitudes and disregard for the native Singaporeans have further worsen the country’s social climate of living. 6. PAP government and PM Lee Hsien Loong’s continued labelling of own citizens as second class citizens of their own country, quick draw labelling of vocal pro Singaporeans as xenophobic and bigots over many issues have alienated the leaders from the citizens. Worst continued failed PAP policies added to the sense of hopelessness. Root Cause Analysis ·         Just like India’s example of people’s  pent up frustrations and anger towards their failed leader and government, Singaporeans share their own analysis of the root cause: The failed leadership of Lee Hsien Loong. ·         Worst while still on OJT-‘the job training ‘ & babysat by 2 serving former PMs his father Lee Kuan Yew as mentor and former PM Goh Chok Tong while still collecting the highest political salary in the world for years. (Way Above America’s President Salary*) ·         But failing miserably in most of his political policies and decisions to date with some of the worst policies which included the huge push for foreign immigration without control impacting many Singaporeans. ·         A most suspected voter bank replacement strategy is most agreed upon by many Singaporeans for this as PM Lee HSien Loong who is the most rejected PM in Singapore to date needs the foreign immigrants and PRs to convert to citizens for political vote bank ·         That will ensure his control of power for the PAP with a huge rise in opposition support in stages and vocal criticisms of his polices and his rule as PM as he himself gave up his flaws as not having a 20/20 foresight as much his own mess. Singapore to follow India’s precedent in next coming SG GE-elections? ·         If the sentiments of locally born and frustrated Singaporeans are similar to the much suffered Indian voters with a huge sense of hopelessness over a failed government, policies and worst leader like Lee Hsien Loong and PAP then history might repeat itself. ·         Singaporeans might just do a India and throw out the PAP government and PM Lee Hsien Loong as there are limits to Singaporeans’ frustrations which are not even shown up by the PAP controlled script managed Media unlike India’s open media. ·         But the voices in the ground and online with open criticisms daily of PAP, it’s polices and PM Lee might just lead to the next major rejection of a ruling party. ·         Ordinary Singaporeans outside the PAP type of elitist out of touch leadership might take over the vacuum of power like what sparked and started in Aljunied GRC in GE2011. Yes , your ordinary Ah seng, Muthu, Malik and Peter De Souza type Singaporeans from honest and normal Singaporean Non-Elite background. Plus Without any PAP control baggage to yield them to servitude to party whips, any single family, man or elitists order. Funny in India the winning Narendra Modi joked , “that the Indian people’s anger has resulted in the ruling party needing even coalition to form an opposition as that much it has been trounced & decimated by voters. Will PAP too? Never dismiss the growing anger and frustration of a nation and its ordinary people just like what happened in India. What do you think? Marky Sim * Submitted by TRE reader.  Read More →

Roy Ngerng It looks like Roy Ngerng is proceeding to fight the case. I am not qualified to comment on the merits or otherwise of the legal aspects of the article and the letter of demand. But from I see the development from 2 angles; 1) The winds of change are blowing beneath the wings of people like Roy. Not just the younger electorate but we older ones are also seeing the unfairness, if not ridiculousness, of it all. A PRIME MINISTER of more than 15 years suing a young citizen barely 25 years old – not just for retraction of the alleged libellous statements but full legal costs & compensation for damages? Where is the sense of proportion? Again, the PM is truly out-of-touch. Dumb, even. If I was him, I’ll issue a demand letter but forget about the legal cost & the damage – unless the alleged defendant refuses to recant. At least, you start off on a higher moral ground. Neutral, reasonable people will say and agree that, yeah, it’s a matter of principle about one’s reputation. But by demanding compensation – from a young person with his right to a viewpoint, even if a mistakened one – you come across as a blinking small-minded person, unbecoming of the standing of a PM. Instead of taking the opportunity to reset and initiate the standard that you have always claimed to be your aim – open, honest & thoughtful discussions without recourse to personal attacks and defamatory allegations or insinuations, PM Lee has, instead, yet again try to stifle discussions. If you force people to go underground, you just create an ‘underground ecosysem’ that you, as a leader cannot and will not be able to more accurately gauge to understand and to govern. To understand and to persuade. Hence, from that angle, Roy Ngerng, with less commitments than many other older ones, you are in the right place and right time to make history for Singapore. 2. On the subject of the demand, CPF, it is something that much much more have been exposed, debated, analysed in the last 30 months than the preceding 30 years. We can see from comments and opinion pieces that there is much tt have been kept in the dark. And the govt has been giving hedged and half responses to questions and demands raised. They have tried to appear to engage with replies that are mostly qualitative and hence can be interpreted either way depending on which side one is on. But quantitative replies? Nope, not much. But the pressures are on. Not to respond can only mean that more people reaching 55 and servicing their mortgages via CPF savings will only believe the worst thereof. Therefore, on this, if Roy proceeds to contest, demands can be made to have CPF reveal more under duress of the courts. So, it is a positive development for us who want more straight answers via the courts, hopefully. On that note, the merits of the case aside, I support Roy if he intends to fight it out. His moral victory in the court of the public opinion. Though jobless now, I’ll chip in for him. G’luck, kid! 2cents * Comment appeared in: PM Lee sends letter of demand to blogger Roy Ngerng  Read More →

Filipino activists and Vietnamese nationals display placards and chant anti-China slogans as they march outside the Chinese consulate in Manila's Makati financial district, May 16, 2014. (16 May)   Filipinos and Vietnamese residents in the Philippines have staged a joint protest against China's incursions into South China Sea territories claimed by their countries. More than 100 protesters picketed the Chinese consulate Friday in the capital, Manila, demanding that China stop oil drilling in waters claimed by Vietnam. Chinese and Vietnamese ships have been locked in a standoff since China deployed an oil rig last month in a part of the South China Sea that Vietnam claims is within its exclusive economic zone. The two sides have attacked each other with water cannons, raising fears of an armed military clash. Manila is protesting Chinese land reclamation on a reef that it says is Philippine territory. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told the Chinese military's chief of staff, General Fang Fenghui, in Washington Thursday that Beijing's actions in the South China Sea are dangerous and provocative. Biden told Fang that China must not undermine security and peace. The dispute has led to anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam, including a riot at a Taiwanese steel plant that killed a Chinese worker and injured 149 other people. Source: www.voanews.com/content/filipinos-join-vietnamese-anti-china-protests/1915785.html  Read More →