Andrew Loh
This is an update on the situation with the 179 Bangladeshi workers who were reported by TOC to have been abandoned by their employers. The following update is provided by a good-hearted Singaporean who was moved by their plight to help out today at the dormitory at Tagore Lane. He wishes to remain anonymous.
I have, since this morning, spoken to TWC2 (Transient Workers Count Too) and brought some bottled water down for the workers at Tagore Lane. Perry Tong from the Workers’ Party was there and he brought along some groceries, and also Wee Kiat the journalist from TODAY who covered the news – he’s there not for work but to see how he can help.
The latest development is as such – TWC2 has negotiated with Tipper and made it their responsibility to provide 3 meals a day for the workers. They will also be relocated to another dorm in Yishun, owned by Tipper, on the 20th.
But what the workers need are more than food and lodging. They haven’t been paid for two months, so they are running out of basic necessities, such as washing powder, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper etc.
I should be able to gather some donations by tonight, and with the money, i should be able to buy some toiletries to last them for another week.
For now the situation is stable, but we will need to monitor further. (BTW, TCW2 has limited funds as they are already bogged down feeding up to 300 people a day.)
As you can see, until the workers get employed again, we have to keep the help steady, and I doubt I can get a constant stream of donations from the same people.
I’m sure many readers at TOC would love to help. I’ve never done this before, asking for donations from online sources, maybe you guys are better coordinators.
Editor’s note: For now, and until we are sure donations can be collected, readers who wish to donate should get in touch with the people from TWC2. You can contact them through their website here.
———
Hi TOC, please release my comments. They are important. Thanks.
Okay, I think my post is too long, I hsall break it up into 3 parts.
Part One
Hi Patriot and Friends,
Thanks for all your concern even though it baffles me what the fuss
is all about. I simply called for sensitivity in the posting of comments.
What I got in return was a biographical redention that derided these
workers for being useless and for not showing initiatives to help themselves.
When I saw that my message was not going anywhere, I decided to take a
step back, apologize for any hurtful words uttered and walked away. It wasn’t
enough, the litany of lamentations continued but what really got to me was
the name calling and insinuations that I am in my own little aircon office and
drinking starbucks coffee and what not. I ignored them all.
Tell me, did I do anything wrong? The attacks continued even as I kept silent.
Patriot and freinds, I am now going to do something I did not planned to ever
do. I am going to give my answers to Mo. I am doing this on your accounts
because I feel I owe it to you for showing concern.
Please allow me to now turn my attention to Moshedyan. I hope TOC will grant
me a little more space than usual because I feel Moshedyan has a lot to offer,
with his life’s experiences. Only if he quells his anger and hatred and come out
of the coldness that he has decided for himself.
Moshedyan, you asked me what my experiences are and I gave you a hint when
I mentioned Smokey Mountain. I shall come to this later.
When I was a small boy, poverty was my constant partner. So I know what it
means to be poor and seeing your own parents struggling to provide for the
family. We would walk miles just to attend school with no food, no ppocket
money. Back home, it is a constant struggle my parents had to face to put
food on the table, oftentimes they would comprise of biscuits and bread crumbs
if we were lucky. If not, we would remained hungry for a few days or so.
Small matter, most people at that time had to endure such hardships.
Part 2
Okay, let’s go one step up, Smokey Mountain. This is a place found in the
Philippines. I was rather active there back in 1995. In case you are wondering
what the hell I am talking about, it is a place where the Filipinos dump there
rubbish, the garbage centre of the Philippines before it was cleaned up recently.
Have you seen small children eat rotting garbage? Have you seen how they live,
building their little shacks around this huge heap of garbage that rises to 5 maybe
6 storeys high? Well, I have, I was there.
In case you think this is nothing, let me put you in a right frame of mind. Once,
we had a group of Singapore visitors, so keen to see and understand what the
fuss was about Smokey Mountain. They made their way there. One full kilometre
away, they had to stop their vehicle. You know why, Moshedyan? They had to
stop the vehicle because the stench was too much to bear. They all came out
to throw up. Yes, vomit. But these were brave people with lots of love in their
hearts. They finally got to the insides of Smokey Mountain and stayed there for
half an hour.
No big deal, you say? fine with me because it is no big deal to me either.
This is no good, TOC is having problem, guess parts 2 and 3 will have to wait. Sorry.
Since they have no job, cancel their work permit and send them home. – Anon (#51)
Firstly, it is illegal to withhold employee’s salary for more than a month, so the foreign workers have the right to their salaries in this case.
Secondly, MOM holds a S$8,500 bond for each foreign worker and because this is a clear case of abandonment, that bond ought to be used to pay for the workers’ passage home and some repartition for grievances caused.
Thirdly, if the total cost exceeds the S$8,500 bond, then MOM should take Tipper and the Subcontractor to court to recover the expenditure for diffusing the problem caused by Tipper’s and the Sub-Contractor’s irresponsibility.
Germani! I want part 2 and 3! I like trilogies!!!!!!
hurry hurry… (next time, film them back to back like LOTR…)
Dear gemami,
I feel the need to share my perspective with you in anticipating your part 3 of your stories installed.
My personal advice to you is to simply ignore and disregard. I think readers are intelligent enough to differentiate and make their conclusions on views expressed. I believe it is more useful to channel energy to try to help find ways or suggestions to give assistance to the stranded 179 FWs and many other similar situations that may be or are already unfolding before us.
Singapore may be a young nation but I believe there are no shortages of similar experiences to share in any issues raised here albeit it takes some courage for people to share their aspiring hardship stories simply because a majority of our fore fathers are peasant class immigrants not excluding encounters and experiences that we witnessed while traveling, living or working abroad. However, when the sharing becomes irrelevant and may resulting into personal cyber brawl exchanges or even an implication that I have been there, seen it, live through it and if I can survive through, they (the people who are victims of unscrupulous businesses or manipulators or whatever) should not have it easy. I feel sad towards this kind of thinking albeit the stories told were moving but then again, who does not have a story or two to share that is comparable in magnitude if not exceed what have been disclosed in this thread or elsewhere.
What I would like to say is that, yes, I sincerely believe a majority of us (me included) have witnessed some of the worst things in our living experiences and encounters then ro sometime in life and most of us (present) had through our own doings survived through till today. That is indeed an achievement that we feel proud of. We certainly hope history will not repeat and the only way to try to prevent history from repeating is to do whatever it takes to ensure one will NOT and NEVER thread in those water ever (so we thought and wish but it is not a guaranteed).
On the other hand, if we happened to come across similar situation (such like the 179 stranded FWs and many others whether in Singapore or elsewhere), I think people who had gone through a lot of hardship in life tend to empathize with the victims mentioned herein. I would certainly ENCOURAGE, fellow citizenry or fellow earthlings should within our ability to give a helping hand, more so for those of us who had experienced similar or worse situation. I am sure people with conscience will have no joy to just stand by and watch without doing anything when you can even if they are total strangers.
Please remember, HELP is not and may not necessary have to be associated with monetary assistance. We should also respect people who think otherwise for whatever reasons they may have. After all, it is their decision to make. There are no hard and fast rules that whenever we hear, read or see such heart wrenching situation unfolding before us, that it is a mandate to give assistance, let your inner conscience guide you. Why allow distractions to set in?
Personally I am not even sure how many of us (including myself even though I am not badly affected ~ at moment) can pull through this current recession that no economy experts or leaders worldwide are willing to predict or project or have any plausible clue how long this will continue through. That is how serious the issues facing us all (not just Singaporeans). This might be recorded in the history books that the worse kind of recession ever witnessed in a global scale in the beginning decade of the 21st century. It is better to collaborate, look out for each other around us and be cohesive, try if we must and can to weather through this recession together. WE Human kind are the thinking animal and a man made problem can and will be resolved by none other then WE the Human kind.
SIncerely,
Observer (SG-HK)
Hi Observer,
Thanks very much for your wise words. I am touched and I do understand that sometimes it is best to ignore such confrontations. I tried, I really did. Now, I am doing this for one reason only, that Moshedyan be able to see the coldness in himself, not my own glory. It is very painful for me to write these words and they bring back floods of unpleasant memories. My hope that this will help him find the armth of the human that is in him.
So here is part 3.
Let’s up it another notch, Moshedyan. Let me ask you. Have you stared death
in the face, Moshedyan? I have, not once, not twice, not even three times but
countless times.
Have you seen a friend blow his brains out in front of your very own eyes,
Moshedyan? I have. It was reported in the Chinese papers way back in 1987.
Have you seen people you know disappearing into the deep blue sea in front of
your very own eyes, Moshedyan? I have, and I had to pull them out days after
they submerged and disappeared. What more is that I had to face the families of
these friends. Do you know how a father, a mother, a brother and a sister look
like when they see their son and brother in front of them, all bloated up with
empty sockets in his eyes? I know, I was there, remember?
Have you seen friends, oh I love the deep blue sea, disappearing into it and never
to be found? I have, Moshedyan. I saw them disappeared before my very own
eyes.
Have you held the hands of a stranger, dying by the roadside, the victim of a
hit and run, and talking to him to stay in there and that help was on the way?
I have Moshedyan. He died in my arms, a stranger, a victim of some cold
blooded coward who left him to die.
Now Moshedyan, do you think I have good reasons to be angry with the
world? Do you think I have good reasons to hate the world? Do you think I
ought to be cold, uncaring, angry, hateful and set myself in to my little own
corner and wish the world would be engulfed in darkness, for all I care?
No Moshedyan. Life’s lessons like these are for people who are special.People
who are strong. People like you and me. We use our life’s lesson not to brag
and boast that we have suffered while others have not.
We use these lessons to reach out and make the world a better place where
others need not have to go through what we have gone through.
I have said enough, Moshedyan. Please, you have been put through the
furnace. You ought to come out as gold. Be the gold that you are and know
that the furnace cannot burn you no more. Let the gold in you shine for others.
Love them. I join Joshua to give you my hugs.
Peace to you.
Dear gemami and Observer(SG-HK);
I am sadden that this thread had developed in the manner it did up to now. I was trying to cool tempers down, but unfortunately I did not succeed.
Our dear Observer(SG-HK) is now offering us some understandings of worldly matters which I hope we will conscientiously and sincerely take into considerations. We live in a tiny but complex society, much thank to our 43 years of pragmatic leadership that is only interested in economic developments. Most of us are here trying very hard to tell those living in ivory towers that things are not as rosy as they are telling us day in day out.
Golden Era, every aspect of our country is fundamentally sound, people will not be left out for medical treatment, children wll be given education even if they are too poor and what not assurances were spouted. BUT, WE, THE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES FACING THE HARDSHIPS WHILE THEY TALK BIG.
Gemami, there are needs for us to leave some problems for the RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE(as their liabilities). SINGAPOREANS SHOULD NOT RUSH TO SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM FOR THOSE RESPONSIBLE AND THE AUTHORITY.
I not saying that we should not help people, quite the opposite, I will not hesitate to help whenever I can and I will exhort everyone to do so. HOWEVER, I DO HOPE THAT THERE BE MEASURE AND PROPORTION IN DOING SO WHEN DONATING CASH(MONEY) AND DONORS TO KNOW WHERE AND HOW THEIR CASH DONATIONS GO AND THEIR USES. Blind faith, loyalty, trust and belief are not reliable.
It is my hope that this comment will not cause any discomfort to other fellow netizens. Let us cut as deep as possible into issues and subject matters, delve as much as our knowledges allow us and try our best to set aside personal indignations. Let peace be with us.
Yourshumbly: patriot
Dear Patriot and Observer,
I offer my most humble apologies for the way things have panned out in this thread. It was never my intention for it to be so and I am sure you know my primary concern was sensitivity.
I shall not proceed any further with this discussion with Moshedyan after this post in the hope that I can do my part to bring common sense back to this thread.
I had only one intention when I returned to offer my story, which is for Moshedyan to realise that there are others out here who have faced as much as he did. Like Observer said, every one of us have our stories to tell.
I know I have deviated far away from the subject but I felt it was necessary because I cared for the writings of Moshedyan.To me, personally, I felt he has a lot to share with the people around him and he can do this by letting go of what he termed, my nature. To me it is not his nature, but the nature he believe that he is. Loose the temper and the beauty of his nature will shine through. I was only looking for this, nothing more, nothing less.
So you see, Patriot and Observer, I was hoping for beauty and warmth from one who had lived his life so coldly and even as his coldness made him write the hurtful words he had written in reply to me, even as I asked that he show respect to my wish to keep my privacy to myself, his barrage of personal attacks did not end.
It was this that made me open up and share my stories in the hope that he sees me qualified to comment the way I did and to call for him to be warm and loving. It will not matter to me after this if he choose to take my advise or not. I have done what I needed to do. i was hoping for him to see the real person that he is, not the cold, hard and heartless person that he believe he should be.
Once again, Patriot, Observer and all my dearest friends in TOC, I offer my most humble apologies and I regret having to drag all of you into this.
[i]only, that Moshedyan be able to see the coldness in himself, not my own glory. It is very painful for me to write these words and they bring back floods of unpleasant memories. My hope that this will help him find the armth of the human that is in him.
So here is part 3.
Let’s up it another notch, Moshedyan. Let me ask you. Have you stared death
in the face, Moshedyan? I have, not once, not twice, not even three times but
countless times.[/i]
off all the person in this world
you asked me this question?
i danced with lucifer everyday
which part of my postings didnt say i was supposed to be DEAD
even the changi south kindhearted doctor according to his diagnose on me
i am dead defitenitely dropped dead 20 years ago
yet he got no bloomin idea or science that i am still surviving
when i was in not 1
but 3 great hospitals of ours
i am the best guinea pig for the housemen on practical trainning on hands
mind you
the good houseman that dot on me happenned to drop dead
yes really really dropped dead in his living quarter by the hospital
why?
he die for on my behalf instead?
all he did was just to thrown his laundy down from the 4th floor to the ground so that his parent can bring home to wash
it gok stucked on the 1st floor balcony(you know those old hdb designed
he climbed over
he slipped he fall breaking his skull
yuou want more?
in london when the ira bomb that goes off accidntally in baywater cheap hotel W2(favourite haunt site for the ira activists)
it was next to my hostel
lucky for me
or it is God that says
it not my time yet
that stupid bomber stayed in the open view
not the hidden windowless one
which is adjacent to my hotel room
it went off
killing him and some other poor hotel guest
i was unharmed
even slept through…
still not enough?
hungry for more
how many of you ever ride a bike
for example using the CTE as an example during daytime
on a weekday
have you ever seen an open gap or traffic free for 5 mins @ all?
in london the infamous notorius M1 is a roadkiller
on 1 winter late noon
black iced
i skidd my 500cc bike
i fall off right in the middle of M1
@ that moment
i said to myself
where is the tunnel of light
what a surprised
no vehicle behind
no giant lorries as well
best of all
there was some workers( whom you will never ever see on an M1 repairing some bend or whatever) just 5 meters away
immediately they run over
moved my bike dragged me to safety
so please don’t come challenging me
the death wish
it NOT my time
for i have said before
i am gifted with a 3rd EYE vision
no not for me to play 4Ds or ToTo
for me
to see the world as real
and passed it throughout the world
called me joanofarc if you want to
but i prefer
noelofarc
(try do with a search engine on noelofarc..you would be surprised again
beside moshedyan or matagandhi)
now you still want to share with me
YOUR experiences
or is it a private matter?
have you ever tried ridng SOLO
on a motorcyle from singapore to bangkok?
if not
why not?
i have
Dear 62) moshedyan on December 21st, 2008 1.51 pm
Thank you for your closed death encounters sharing. It takes a lot of courage to be able to do just that. Appreciate your candidness and kudos to your live fighting tenacity. However I think you are smart enough to know too that the world are filled with people of different characteristics and some may not be as strong a life fighter as you are and these are the people when in dire situation will appear to be hopeless, weary and needed outside help to weather through it.
From your sharing (I believe you have more installed), well, by at least one count, some good fellow earthling who are strangers to you then did pull you to safety when you were down with the motor bike accident. The world is not that cold after all right? I think you have a gift in you and wouldn’t it be nice to put it in good use?
You appeared to be (based on your writings) a religious person and that god had given you a rare gift. Wonder whether you could be kind enough to shed a light or two with your futuristic vision when would this recession come to an end? While you are contemplating, I am sure your foresight vision will see many sufferings encounter by less-fortunate fellow Singaporeans and other earthlings worldwide in the months or years to come passes you by. It will be indeed very kind of you if you might think of publishing your prophecy of the coming events, the world will be spared of this unwanted sufferings. I am sure at least TOC can accommodate it. Of course, the choice is yours to make.
I like to end my comment with this note. Being a staunched believer and advocate of Freedom of Speech, Expression and Choice (with social responsibility strings attached ~ simply put exercising self censorship when expressing controversial sensitive issues); I like to think that we all are matured thinking adults and do understand that we are just readers and posters hosted by TOC and certainly, respect should be accorded to TOC and the author or authors of the subject matter published for opinion and feedback. Like my cyber good friend Patriot and others had correctly noted that TOC has been doing a wonderful job so far as an alternative source of the daily happenings that affects Singaporean and for being accommodating even when views expressed had digressed slightly from the original intent of the article where our MSM fall short of advocating. I believe Andrew and TOC will welcome you to publish an article (or even become a regular guest writer) of my aforesaid request if you will be kind to accept this invitation.
Once again, moshedyan, my fellow Singaporean, thank you very much for sharing your personal encounters and life experiences, you have inadvertently provided insights that you need courage to fight on and to live out your dreams. I believe amongst the 179 FWs mentioned in this article, there will be some who possess the same kind of Fighting spirits like you do and someday will be able to share their stories with their siblings, friends, fellow men or us (TOC readers and posters) like you have done. They may be down but they are certainly not out. With a little help from caring people who had donated their valuable time and food aide, and now that MOM had step in to intervene, I think at least some perhaps will return to normal living soon (hope).
To Andrew, TOC and readers, please accept my sincerest apologies for digressing. If you feel that this comment is inappropriate, please remove it from posting as you deemed fit. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Observer (SG-HK)
Somebody must have the last word………………………..word.
[i] It will be indeed very kind of you if you might think of publishing your prophecy of the coming events, the world will be spared of this unwanted sufferings. I am sure at least TOC can accommodate it. Of course, the choice is yours to make.[/i]
in my other forums as contibutor
i have always shared my prophecy and my prophecy is quite accurate
as mentioned i will alway coontribute
if the moderator don’t start deleting/banning me
now you know why youngpap keep banning me
its not that i want to use multinicks
as someone here says
why must i alway want to write the last words?
why should i shut the fu>k up
so that the other party emerged as victor?
in my 1 decade of debating/rebutting
many ^losers^
resorts to use moderators’ skirts
to chase me away
even ntuc who invited me to participate
also guranteed it would not dictate me the way i write or whatever
in the end what happenned small men appear edit/delete
even resort to ban me
please remember
i am here to contribute
by MY style
my owned creativity
read if you want to
if not
just ignored/do not clicked
i am not here
for mr popular contest
i am not bothered
nor would i bowed to other people demands
and last but not least
if you or anyone here
want to know more
just seek the toc managment here
if i am permitted to contribute
my versions of whatever is happenning around us
local and foreign
the last forum i participate
was in a village in lancashire britain
with my owned topics
with photos and pictures
unfortunately
the site was shut down by the lancashire local paper big boys bullies
they don’t want to know the hidden truth
too many skeletons
this they must have learnt from pap grc tatics
another famous sport forum too was shut down in
INDIA
espn india
where i was a moderator
on a special sections
this sections i moderate come under
no bars rules
you can swore
you can curse
1 hell of a hotforum
simply because
the paskistani/indians sportreaders
simply hates each other
i am there to keep the peace between them
with my humours
that sites was closed
dued to economic depression
which happenned 2 years ago…
ole yes
by the way
my real real original nick is
still
moi
banned in too many sites
run a checkthrough
on sgforum/hardwarezone/vrforum/youngpap as well
guranteed moi is the number 1 BANNED list
other than that
have a nice day
opps
you were asking me
what do i see from now…
i see only 1 thinggie
if you want to survive
make it big
go CHINA…
yes china
for there is no signs of economic depression
work there if you have an opportunity
don’t demand too high
guranteed
you have no regrets
How we react to the horrors of life
that through our misfortune we encounter
varies
How we deal with the trauma experienced
from the harshness of reality
differs
Wow, moshedyan. I just finished watching The Dark Knight, & you seem as wise & experienced in tough & bad things in life as The Joker.
It’s always good to have people with strong philosophical views about life & aren’t afraid to have their opinions heard. Somehow, people with such strong views aren’t well-received in this country. I don’t know why, but it seems like people around you are always ready to put you down. People who don’t believe in free speech & is intolerant of differences. Ironically, that’s what the majority of Singaporeans are, from my observation of my surroundings & immediate friends.
People here leaving comments aren’t afraid to voice their opinions, & we definitely need more people like these in the country.
Do not hate differences. However, everyone has their rights to. In the end, it boils down to what every single individual wants to believe in, & whether to agree with or disagree with the rest of the world.
Personally, on the subject of the topic, I’d prefer them to get their owed salaries paid & go back to their country. I stay in an area with very high foreign worker density, it’s not exactly the most beautiful & comfortable neighborhood to live in, & it’d definitely benefit from lower population density.
In the 1st place, companies should not even hire people “just in case” they’re needed urgently. A soccer manager doesn’t hire 8 super mega star strikers & have the majority of ‘em waiting for field time. If companies & gov are responsible bodies, they consider the plight of these workers should they not have enough work, & the comfort level of citizens in regards to country crowdedness.
PAP, nice try, but not quite there yet. I hope the country’s leader would do much better & free us all.
[i]pugdragon on December 21st, 2008 10.19 pm Wow, moshedyan. I just finished watching The Dark Knight, & you seem as wise & experienced in tough & bad things in life as The Joker.
It’s always good to have people with strong philosophical views about life & aren’t afraid to have their opinions heard. Somehow, people with such strong views aren’t well-received in this country. I don’t know why, but it seems like people around you are always ready to put you down. People who don’t believe in free speech & is intolerant of differences. Ironically, that’s what the majority of Singaporeans are, from my observation of my surroundings & immediate friends.
[/i]
indeed life is tough
life is hard
for the weaker beings
we tried to assit
by voicing out
as loud as i CAN
by the end of the day
those i tried to help out by voicing
when called upon
would even denied they know me @ all
which is why
in jalan besar area
i will never stand for any solo elections
even if i had millionaire$ (which i do know a few)
because i know
you know when the isa agent knocked on my kopitiam table
all suddenly illang faster than a soccer 3 min toilet breaks…
even my owned siblings was SHOCKED
when i comfronted the real ex-lta minister
when he do his walkabouts in jurong west
if any of you ever see him
asked him did he recalled
1 fine sunday morning in jurong west shopping centre
did somebody challenged you
UNPREPARED?
Dear 65) moshedyan on December 21st, 2008 8.08 pm
Thank you for your advice. Very insightful and kind of you indeed. There might be a problem though, for someone who can’t speak a word of Mandarin or ‘Putonghua’, how to survive there though? China is so big, which province or which industry or work should one chooses if they decided to pack their bags and take up your advice?
What about America, Japan or EU states? They are after all the current three largest economies in the world. You do not see a future for these countries? Those emerging economies like (in no particular order) India, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Dubai, South Africa, and so many more. What about them? Surely your worldly futuristic vision does see something in them albeit it may not appear to be rosy. I kind of think that they needed your help as well. Don’t forget our very own home, Singapore. Surely, you do not like to see us all poor souls crumble like match sticks right?
Anyway, I think this is off topics and it will be good if you can write an article of what you see. I am sure TOC will welcome your submission but of course, every site does have their house rules. I have always believed that Respect is earned not a given. I am sure as insightful and a gifted person as you are would not disagree with this point of view. Would you?
By the way, I do not think people who contributed their previous comments are looking for fame and I believe many will agree, it just mean that we are concerned citizenry and are interested to share our point of views in a civic manner.
Sincerely,
Observer (SG-HK)
Oops..typo error..should be “precious comments” instead of “previous comments”. My sincere apology.
[i]Anyway, I think this is off topics and it will be good if you can write an article of what you see[/i]
please clicked here
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/12/re-thinking-our-economic-expectations/#comments
Hi Observer,
Many thanks for your wonderful advise and I regret that I did not heed it when I knew it was the right thing to do. Well, I am at peace with myself because I did what I did when I followed my heart, like I always do in my life.
There was a period time though when I would vent my frustrations on almost anything. But I have since changed because I realised , through some good advice given by a total stranger, that life is more beautiful than we think it is.
I was reluctant and had refrained from sharing my own personal experiences because deep down I knew there will be no end to it in such kind of arguments. I would tell a story, another one will come in as a rebuttal with more intensity than my own. Then I would offer another one and another rebuttal. For example, if I were to counter his IRA story by saying I have seen a friend’s face blown up into pieces before my very eyes, what good would it do? He will come back with something else like he is doing with practically every comment posted here. I know this type of people. I have dealth with many of them, am still. If only teach of them would see the problem that is himself.
I know stroking the ego of such people might solve half the problem but I believe that doing do will do such people more harm than good because they will die without knowing how beautiful, warm and loving this world is or can be.
Yes we can go on and on about our life stories but in the exchanges above, I will be the first to run and hide my face should someone enters the fray and asked if we have really faced life in its extremities? Do we know what it is like to have all that you have yesterday but to find out today that you have lost a leg, a hand or an eye? How can we then compare to such harsh realities? Where will I hide?
Just like we the manner in which we are looking at these 179 Blangadashies, it is not the ‘ME’ factor that is important but the THEM factor. If we cannot be sensitive to this, then we have lost the flame in our hearts. Any arguments thereafter will be under these two beliefs.
There is no gift of prophecy here, let’s not try to be too nice. One who believes he can prophesy has a big ego. One who believes he can prophesy with accuracy, has an even bigger ego. I now understand why I was up against it from the beginning.
We have wasted enough TOC space stroking his ego and I offer again my apologies to TOC, friends and readers.
I concede that I have been foolish to think the impossible. I admit that I have turned away the better advise of wise and true friends. I have learned a wonderful lesson in this exchange and I am looking forward to Christmas for this wonderful gift of understanding.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you both Observer and Patriot. I deserve all the scolding I get but I am happy because my dance with Lucifer ended the day I decided it to be so, and to embrace LOVE.
Dear gemami,
Thanks for your kind words. I am glad to hear that you see the point me and patriot is trying to make. It is always hard to fathom what a person thinks. It is also difficult to instigate people to try to read between lines. The world is round and regardless of how we view things, at the end of the day; the end result may turn out to be the same. The difference is some see it earlier and the others may still be wondering why it had happened. Some may even resulted into allowing hallucination to set in and living in virtual reality. But you have got to admire people who do that, as they really do believe in their perspective of life. Life can be stressful if you allowed it to take hold and not deal with it.
We are only HUMAN and we are prone to make mistakes. The importance is to live with our mistakes and be at peace with it. I have a fair shares of ups and downs in life (still on roller coaster ride as of today), but heck, that’s life. Some wise people I have met in life repeated this call to me: “Young man, to be successful in life, the importance is to be courageous to pick yourself up where you fall, it is no big deal should you fall, for you owe yourself a good living and the world is big enough to accommodate one more dream”.
Here’s wishing you and all in TOC a Merry and Happy Christmas season.
Dear all;
Observer(SG-HK), gemami, Gilbert Goh;
let us all be courageous, fair and kind.
A Merry Christmas and Many Peaceful Years Ahead to All !!
patriot
[i]For example, if I were to counter his IRA story by saying I have seen a friend’s face blown up into pieces before my very eyes, what good would it do? [/i]
have you or even dared to challenge the former lta min ister in his face
when he was doing his walkabout galant flowered tour in jurong west?
have you ever talk to the dbs ex minister chairman in his face and TELL him
i am still fu>king unemployed and what can you help me in my dire straits?
last but not least
have you even been told in YOUR face
when wongcansing comes
you are to avoid or be invisible if you want something to be done?
ira makeup story?
~zhee~
as i have said
get out of your blooming aircon office
take a walk……..
ps if your friend face got blown up
you would not be here
and yes i do have platoon mate ass being blown when his 60mm mortar misfired
i too was the same mortar man
how come his as s got blown
my wasn’t?
simply because he were posted to another unit
now you see
it not my time to die yet?
share with us a little of your gift
if you have any
come on
be a sport
Dear Observer, Patriot and friends,
It is I who should thank you all instead. Like I said, it’s going to be a very Merry Christmas for me. I hope and wish all of you have a wonderful one too.
Peace to all.
moshedyan,
Shalom. Peace be with you.
F workers should be helped caused they were tricked into coming here. If you were tricked into entering a foreign country on the pretence of work and left stranded with no money, you will definitely wish the local government can help solve your plight. Or at least give you a free air ticket to your home country.
However, we should only help those who deserve it and i feel that these foreign workers are deserving of it. We should be kind and generous, but only to the right people. Remember Huang Na case? Singaporeans donated generously and that b***h mother rewarded herself with a bigger house in China. She is still laughing at our stupidity now. And the NKF case? I don’t have to say more.
Furthermore, most of the times as read in the papers, bangladeshi and indian workers seldom abuse the donations given to them. Sorry to sound prejudice, most of the time is the China ppl who misuse the donations and use it to help themselves, not for a good cause.
Seriously, wth is our Members of Parliament doing, always say the govt will help ppl but the MOM has only done is to collect money and then say cannot return..bla bla blah. It’s a disgrace that MPs don’t even care about this foreign workers plight and when the ppl get involved and donate, the MPs come out last minute and then say” See we organised this thing.”. C**p.
The government then always supports those ang moh expats on the basis of “foreign talent”. Yet when AIG collapses during the financial meltdown, the “foreign talent” ang moh boss is the first to quit and run off to another country, where they can get fatter paychecks. Whereas, these banglas helped us build our houses and toil hard under the sun.
I think it’s time for the “Malaysia March08″ assault, next election we must vote in 50% PAP and 50% opposition, see whether PAP MPs still talk cock. The Malaysians done it and we can do it.
[i]Kenpachi on December 22nd, 2008 11.42 pm F workers should be helped caused they were tricked into coming here. If you were tricked into entering a foreign country on the pretence of work and left stranded with no money, you will definitely wish the local government can help solve your plight. Or at least give you a free air ticket to your home country[/i]
i am going to tell you a real real story here
happenned in singapore 5 or 6 years back
fellow foreign indians
cheat fellow foreign indians
ok here goes
3 little indian men were chanting
hay hu ra thumb tump
hay hu ra thumb tump
opps that was the red indian raindance story
wrong book
(chuck one cornor)
arh here is it
hay hu ra thump tump
ok ok
you all gotta the drum beat
ok to add spice
3 little indian men were thumpin and dancin around the coconut tree
happy now
till 1 other indian joined them
this starnge indian is no ordinary indian
he one mudder fricker farkin slavemaster
he tell these 3 innocent injun
do you know in singapore
little india is paved with gold gemstones from king solomon minds
just bent over
picked any stones that glitter
guranteed you make a fortune
some other injun came
they digged out our lta cateyes in our highways
now you know why lta new roads are all red l.e.d.s lioa right?
so this 3 injun chaps
sold/mortgaged whatever they have
make 3 nice madeinindia passports
came to singapore
wearing smart new long sleeve shirts
yes brand new
i even saw the folding crease lining on it
when i said i saw
i meant with my eyes
not some straits times press medias….
they arrived
in changi airport
they were met by a foreign injun just liked their fellow countrymen
don’t asked me what caste this airport injun is
its wasn’t include in this story
this ^local^ foreign talent injun says
you 3
abunehneh
handover your document/passports
i am going to bring you
to your new employer for paperworks
he drove the 3 little injun men on his opened lorry pickups
from changi airport
he drove them to chuachukang cemetry
really chuachukang cemetry
don’t believed asked phuachukang
his mother was selling chendol @ the cemetry on a hot afternoon
so this 3 little injun
stand
(chuachukang cemetry have no aircon visitin room to rest your tired feets hor
not even a cup of drinkin water hor)
they wait
and wait
till somebody called in the mata
you know those blokes who wore long pants
not the kakied short pants version
the policemen knew what already happened
no needs interpreter from the indian high commision
the police aircon patrol car give them one cool of a ride
straight to immigration detention cell in joochiat
that where yours truly come into the picture
what yours truly does or do that
is for a 4 eyed vision only
no needs to go into details
i listened and asked not them
but the immigration personnels
who told me
such incidents happenned again and again
so i asked
what would happenned to this 3 little poor injuns?
immigration says
they will have to inform their family in india
to make alternative repratration airticket back home
the indian high commission
will only provide a piece of paper to allow them to come home
but i says
eer
ugm
they already mortgaged/sold whatever belongins they had
before comin over
the immigration personnel
asked me
is that our problem?
now you see
why am i ^cold^
what could i do?
when the indian high commision did nothin
beside typin a letter
i asked one last question
if the family in india have no funds to send over
so how?
immigration says
they would be holidaying in kaki bukit till this matter is resolved
i further asked
why don’t OUR govenment grant them temporary employment liked cleanin hawkers centre tables
so that they can earned their journey fare home
the immigration personnel mubbled
so who is goin to give the green/humane right?
ministry of manpower?
the endings
you all figured it out…
HI everyone, it’s my first time visiting this site. There’re a lot of (emotional) sharing and finger pointing which government agency / who is to blame etc etc. Thought we should do a better job at addressing their pressing needs at the moment, at least. Just wanna do what I can within my means, am not smart enough to prophesize or embarrass any public servant on the streets, but I believe in karma and God.
Going back to the issue — OK, the workers need detergent, soap, toothpaste and toilet papers? Sure. Where to send them to? The workers were moved to Yishun already? Don’t feel comfortable giving cash although that is the most convenient… I’ll faint if anyone buys cigerettes and beer after getting money…. am I normal to feel this way?
Appreciate any advice.
As a counrty ( not yet a nation) Sinkapore is a 3rd. world although by GDP it is a first World. But the wealth is with a small selected group of people that will do anything for the Lord & Master LKY. If you don’t then you are out of the magic circle and no more easy money. I am pleased I made the decision to abandon SinKapore some years ago and start life afresh in a strange and foreign land.My sincere thank to the person who took my call when I rang Mindef seeking employment after graduating from England. She said sure we have plenty of jobs for graduate but when I enquired further like what sort of job, I told off – word to the effect ” got job already what do you want to know more? On that note, I decided I will take my chances back in England , it was a decision made on the spur of the moment. I never regretted it since otherwise my son would have to do NS now. We had read and heard many stories about this obligation that put men at a disadvantage with employers. I had done my duty and said good bye SinKapore a long time ago and looking back and into SinKapore now, I am pleased I made the right decision. A country with no moral, integrity and simple honesty with humanity is a country ripe for destruction from within. History had shown over the century that corrupt gahment and officials will have its comeuppance. Sorry we do not have corruption because we had legalised it and so it is all legal to steal and cheat when one is in the magic circle. Shall we SinKaporean continue to have the same gahment for many years to come or are we strong enough to tell ourself that change must come and then do the right thing come the GE?. We are afraid but thinking to oneself is not a crime yet. So make good use of it. Or shall we all SinKaporean wait until we see our woman folks working as maids in some foreign land to support the family before we shake off our apathy. That sad day is not unthinkable the way the country is gavern. Our FT/FW won’t be around if the money run out. We are the one that is stuck here. Those in the magic circle would have a second or third property in Australia, New Zealand, UK or USA. The poor and middle classes are the one who are not rich enough to do so. The number of FW and new PR/citizens workers in our country is fast approaching 50%. The local born like myself have no place in PAP’s master plan. My philosophy is vote with my feet and seek greener pastures wherever I am accepted. For those who stayed behind to fight for a better future, I salute you and my support will always be with you.