From the Straits Times:
EVEN as he remained in hospital recovering from severe burn injuries, Yio Chu Kang MP Seng Han Thong’s thoughts were on ways to encourage the labour movement in these trying times.
He designed a greeting card and gave it to NTUC secretary-general Lim Swee Say, who visited him at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on Monday – the first day of Chinese New Year.
Mr Seng’s message in the card read: ‘Press on in the Year of the Oxen. Do not fear the opposing tides.’
Read the full report on the Straits Times.
Wow! the ST has turned on the tap with it superfluous comments of how positive the labour movement is during this downtime, while using Seng as the backdrop for attraction.
20% of the article is about Seng, while the rest is about LSS and his labour movement. Well, at least the Shitty Times recognises that LSS cannot command an audience on his own.
Note also that Seng’s card design is more for rehabilation than an attempt to motivate workers.
‘The writing exercise was part of rehabilitation to prevent his hands and fingers from becoming stiff.
To top it all, LSS has started a new initiative to draw ‘positive energy’. Note that he also stressed that he only want to hear the good stuff. You are not welcomed if you are out of a job and have nothing nice to say about the govt. Wow! I have to hand it to this clown.
“…. a new initiative for the NTUC’s website. Called the ‘Positive Energy Cooperative’……..The only condition is that these experiences must project ‘positive energy’ ……….. said Mr Lim.“
The citizens will soon get very tired of listening to these Labour Leaders and probably will not look at them anymore.
I do not believe that Singapore Workers adore or respect any of these Labour Leaders as well. The more these Labour Leaders appear in the Media, the more they will generate the ill-feelings(from the people) toward themselves. Throwing flammable liquid and sribbling grafitties were signs of dislikes and hates.
‘Positive Energy Cooperative’? Resorting to the Occult? Psycho-engineering?
patriot
sounds more like ‘ignore’ opposing tides. lol.
Over-positivism in our present capitalist world has led us to this current unavoidable state of recession. Capitalisms were practiced to its extreme resulting in greed, mass acquiring of wealth, high economic growth at all expense and blind arrogant that materialism and market will not collapse. The new order of the day is moderation in order to survive. We should be humbly positive to accept this recession and try our best to go through it with moderate goal of sustaining our daily needs. Over-showing of positivism will only mislead us to the real situations and resulting in our over-confidence and arrogance. This may hamper our chance of overcoming this serious recession.
I’d press on… I’d try migrate…
30 over years listening to gahmen already, what else does one expect?
Hahahahahahahahahaha…
Press on… Press on with what? With getting simpletons to run all sectors of Singapore, and expect miracles? Press on with tons and tons of citizens stucked in life for decades after decades and wait useless help…?
Press on.
You look at those social pests… thriving in Singapore.
I wish MP Seng an early recovery… …
If Singaporeans are not pissed off by arrogant ministers and boastful flaunting civil servants, these preaching Labour Leaders will soon get the people disconcerted and disenchanted.
patriot
tsk. you all ah… can show some positive energy can?
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/30/business/20090130135108&sec=business
“Unfortunately business conditions continue to deteriorate, and with utilisation below 40%, despite the (government’s recently announced) jobs credit scheme, resizing is unavoidable,” he said.
The latest retrenchment exercise brings the total job cuts to 1,300, or 18% of its previous workforce. In December, Chartered retrenched about 270 contract staff; it had also “exited poor performers” and frozen hiring, not replacing those who quit voluntarily, said Chia.
i would like to recommend seng han thong for a meritorious service medal, for being wounded in the line of duty.
I hope no one will come out to split hair to say no because he was having a lunch break after handing out the angpows . so technically not working.
“There should be more ang pows to spread goodwill around to prevent further similar attacks”.- heard at a hawker centre this morning……
Despite the insensitivity of comment – it does set one thinking – perhaps the giving can be generous – an ang pow may be less than $S 10; and there will not be the need to spend the subsequent thousands of dollars at the burn centre……
I am not acually sure what actually is “the labour movement” so often used by the MSM. It is not a union but a movement. What exactly is a movement? Any ideas?
Capitalism is good according to http://www.wnd.com. They hate socialism.
Positive energy means more “Tai Chi” art from PAP such as:
1. Current crisis not caused by us, the world.
2. GST is not for our pockets but to the needies.
3. Utility hike not by us, we are the driver only.
4. Not that there is no job in Singapore, Singaporean too choosy.
5. High HDB price not for our pockets but to provide more choice for Singaporean.
6. Be grateful we put your TC funds in high risk investment, if not you are going to pay more.
The list go on and on and on and on ……
In short. When thing go bad, there is always some people outside the elites to take the blame.
“Union” seems to be associated with the West like strikes, go slow, tough bargaining with management, etc.
‘Movement’ is just another word to imply the activities of workers in their relationship with management are moderated.
Fanciful word like “tripartism” is coined and probably unique to Singapore.
The reality is the govt + management + labour movement reps are in the same bed. Easier to make sweetheart deals.
In essence labour movement is for peasants or lesser mortals moving together,
whilst management moves ahead with the govt.
Of course, peasants can outdo each other and get promoted to management.
The quickest way is to be a representative for the peasants in the labour movement, definitely gets the management’s attention and you will also be on the govt’s radar.
Make the right moves and you will be going places…….from personal observation.
13) RED-man
LOL. Your list is so funny, keep it up.
Ouch, his wounds look pretty painful. Even though I have a terrible & horrible impression of PAP & its MPs, I don’t think anyone should be subjected to such physical wounds.
I wonder what is or who is referred to as the ‘opposing tides’ ?
Guess LSS is reading too much of books like “the Secret” and hoping for positive energy to get what he want.
“do not fear the opposing tides.” Does he meant to say that there IS actually fear of the opposing tide? Maybe they ought to start fearing.
with all the “bigwigs” coming in and out…visiting…can he said otherwise?
Wow! the ST has turned on the tap with it superfluous comments of how positive the labour movement is during this downtime, while using Seng as the backdrop for attraction. – Gemami (#1)
Mainstream media has started attacking online media already by calling all bloggers bacteria.
In short. When thing go bad, there is always some people outside the elites to take the blame. – RED-man (#13)
Reminds me of the pigs in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Napoleon represents PAP while the Snowball represent the outsider scapegoats. A pretence of democracy is allowed in the form of Spontaneous Demonstration, just like Singapore has Speaker’s Corner. Restricting protests to Speaker’s Corner kinda defeats the purpose of protest because protest aims to generate publicity and restricting protest to a small spot kills publicity.
YA for all the energy LSS tried to channel in St I think Singaporeans nowadays are smarter than before. They now view such propaganda with scepticism.
As many are jobless, they all use the MSM to spread their goodwill psoitive message. Maybe they should inspire like OBama more than trying to rally people by having all this campaign viz-a-viz NTUc and tripatism.
I nearly laugh when he said that we will have a first class labour movement via tripatism.
I am still looking for a good leader who can inspire rather than someone coming out with slogan of upturn the downturn or positive energy contributor. They are simply being funny when people go hungry and lose their jobs by the hundreds daily.
For one thing, they can cut their pay further so that people know that the leaders are serious with identifying with the ground.
There is little respect when we still find ministers earning around $1.5 million minimum and calling for the people to tighten up and face on…
It is just so ironical and frustrating.
#11 – Movement in Singapore style means “looking forward”… “moving on”…
[i]Press on in the Year of the Oxen. Do not fear the opposing tides.’[/i]
meanin what?
get a surfboard
and start surfin to pass the UNEMPLOYMENT time perhaps?
you taxi chairman every month will still get to earn $14,500
hospitalize or no hospital
the retrenched peasants wait for what?
social welfares handouts perhaps?
have you ever READ
time and tides
wait for no man?
Some positive energy are real, and some are fake. Only times can tell and not by the volume of singing it. Our govt has taken too much time to bring positivity back from ground since the last election. On the other hand, negativity is not always a bad thing. It allows people to reflect upon themselves and than recharge before positivity set in again. So are are our leaders living in denial, afraid of losing power, thus losing their highly paid job because of negativity happening around us? If we are not willing to face reality that mistakes were committed, how far can you go by feigning positivity.
[i] i am still looking for a good leader who can inspire rather than someone coming out with slogan of upturn the downturn or positive energy contributor.[/i]
someone in ypap forum
asked what is laulee goin to boast @ his annual tanjong pagar CNY dinner this time?
my answer was………………..
what no abalone in cold dish as starter…………
tripatism means 3 big bulong shaft into whatever gaps they may find in you and me, so as stop whatever opposing tides in their way. Employer provide the big shaft, NTUC provide KY gel and Government guide the aiming and give it a final push.
Ouch…. That’s really hurt.
Even if you disagree with the policy or person, there is no need to resort to such grevious harm.
Ask why in Spore we do not treat mentally-ill old man properly until they are well enough to integrate into society. Self-contemplate on reasons why PAPies are lower on the ladder of most loved entities in recent times.
I can’t trust all these so called labour chief, because they are sitting in the cabinet, and that make people think they are not pro workers, and worse still, they collect millions of dollars of pay and can’t fight for workers. A good e.g is the retrenchment of DBS staff without consulting union, so what is the use of these union chiefs ? ” chia liao Bee”
I only respect Lee Kuan Yew, others no way
#31, Like you, I once held him in high regard..but now, I feel that he is a petty politician and not a statesman. Due to Party politicking, he exercised his small mind and squandered the years sterilising the political ground in favour of PAP rule without encumberance. But PAP and LKY cannot last a 100 years; and I daresay LHL cannot last another term – he’s so haggard and sickly already so soon. Now then what? Our institutions are not built with the concept of checks and balances, unlike the U.S. The Executive Branch is all powerful under LKY altho it’s beginning to crack in places under his son. The senior Lee was law-trained so he has tweaked the system somuch and buttoned up the political ground. The Press is subservient, the Judiciary cowed, so is the President and the parliament. There is no challenge from rivals. His son is just a technocrat w/o his dad’s acumen and cunning and ruthlessness. He wont be able to control his Party if it breaks up. So I say the elder Lee is petty, negligent and dying soon. To the detriment of SIN without a strong civic foundation.
Read the news today: 16,000 people lost their jobs last year, but wise old MM said we are entering a golden era.
Enter into a financial crisis and minister still get their bonuses (maybe they try to act they are with the mass by taking a small cut but still can afford to take cooking class in France, just not boast about it in the ST).
33) crap on January 31st, 2009 2.18 pm
But is 16000 the exact number?
can comfom or not?
32) whiteraven on January 31st, 2009 12.14 pm
#31, Like you, I once held him in high regard..but now………
Well-written and concise. Pro-PAP citizens should read the comment.
……………………………….
I believe LKY, LHL & PAP are doing a disservice to the nation by not ensuring the future survival of the country. PAP is in power for 50 years already. PAP will not last another 50 years without a loyal opposition. When and if the PAP collapses in future, Singapore will also collapse because there will be no credible alternative party to take over. We must think for the future of Sngapore.
The decade before WW1 Argentina was one of the 10 richest countries of the world but by the end of the century it was almost bankrupt and the IMF/WB had to bail them out. Like now wealthy Singapore with a dominant PAP, Argentina also had a dominant party – the Peronistas.
How long will Singapore exist with the PAP still in power? Another generation! 25 years from now. Just like family business, political family will also last 3 generations. Sadly, I may still be around.
This is one positive energy that I have ejaculated after reading LSS’s preaching with orgasm:
That the “instant-turning-people-off-when-he-opens-his-mouth” Lim Shia Suay should be immediately removed as the Labour Chief in order to create a positive atmosphere and environment in the Labour Movement, and for the good of the PAP and our society at large.
34) Hong Mui Hoong on January 31st, 2009 4.14 pm 33) crap on January 31st, 2009 2.18 pm
But is 16000 the exact number?
can comfom or not?
=============================
Hi Mui Hoong Hong,
I feel that reported retrenchment figures does not mean people already jobless due to their contracts not renewed or have expired and also I feel that retrenchment is many at one go. Those sacked without compensation may not be considered in the retrenchment figures , in my opinion. Some may be sacked due to performance or pushed to resign due to whatever reasons.
So, the total unemployment figure may be higher.
just my take.
All govt will say the same thing. What else can they say as they can’t provide a good solution to the financial crisis?
38) loop on February 2nd, 2009 12.51 pm
All govt will say the same thing. What else can they say as they can’t provide a good solution to the financial crisis?
If they can’t provide a solution then why keep rewarding themselves with $millions salaries and keep using the MSM to boast about how much they are worth? nothing but just a bunch of shits!
And by the way, they have still been keeping mum about those $millions lost by their papees TCs? still no answer OK, these monies belongs to the people and still no one is responsible because they are all from the same papees party.
honestly, the burnt MP looks like sh*t now.
Yet, it didn’t stop him from appearing in the papers.
Has it ever occur to him, it scares the hell out of us.
He is so thick skinned.
ST :- another desperate rag and bones man charged for threatening MP Denise Phua – he told MCYS officer ‘I cannot take this anymore and I don’t know what I’ll do one day, I can’t be sure on that …. How can you don’t hit her? I get angry when I see her so how can I don’t hit her?’
ask why so many tigers being forced to jump over wall?