Straits Times
29 September 2009. By Elena Chong.
Former Reform Party committee member Balraj Naidu made a brief court appearance on Tuesday for an extradition hearing which was adjourned until next Monday.
The businessman was arrested at his home last week and brought to court on a warrant of arrest.
He is wanted by the US Government on two terrorism-related charges and brokering an arms deal with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ellam (LTTE) .
No charge has been laid against him.
The request for his extradition was made around the middle of the year.
Family members of Mr Naidu were in court with his lawyer, who declined comment.
Source: Straits Times
Press Statement by the Reform Party
The Reform Party
18A Smith Street Singapore 058932 Tel: 6534 9641
30 September 2009.
This US extradition request came as a complete surprise to me. I have just now spoken to Mr Naidu’s lawyer and understand that the request relates to matters that are alleged to have occurred back in 2006. It therefore pre-dates the Reform Party and so The Reform Party has no knowledge of the case.
Mr Naidu had already stepped down from the CEC before this case came to light although he is still a member of The Party.
Our concern now is for his family and we are in discussions with his lawyer as to how we can best assist them through this difficult time and with finding legal representation in the U.S. should the extradition request proceed. Meanwhile, we note that this is an ongoing judicial process and I understand that it is in the very early stages and therefore any further comment on our part would be pure speculation and maybe prejudicial to him.
Regards,
Kenneth Jeyaretnam
SG. The Reform Party
#100
I think we shd give any new opp a chance to prove themselves. Sg is not big, but don’t expect a current 30-member opp party to knock your door. RP afterall, is a 1-yr old party.
To be the Prime Minister or any other minister in the government, one has to first understand how it life is like for most of us common folks, what our problems are and the needs of society. That is why walkabouts and talking to the common folks are crucial for any political parties new and old. They need not live like us or suffer our problems first but they need to do alot more by knocking on doors and going on the streets to talk to the homeless, the jobless and people from the heartlands to hear them out. It is not something that can be done overnight. Let KJ and team do their work first before we declare any high hopes and expectations because that will put tremendous pressure on them as a new political party. That sort of pressure might not be particularly beneficial. Give them time to develop their personal understanding of the local issues, party identity and visions first. JBJ is no longer around to lead the party and we cannot expect KJ to breathe the fire and passions of his father. He is his own man just like his father was his own man.
Be fair to him and the party. We’ll see what role they can play in the political field in time to come, and decide for ourselves whether we want them to play a part in policy making or otherwise.
Nitro@100
Haven’t you read the latest? Some are prepared to vote their dog or cat or even mosquito! KJ has double first in Economics from Cambridge but it is actually not the paper credential that people should go for, I give him the benefit of the doubt that he stands for a country, not a company to make profit from his people.
Same question to you: What has the current lot done for the people? I mean the PM with his SM, big daddy MM, Deputies and the whole Cabinet behind him and on top of it all, the often trumpeted rich financial resources? Waiting to hear from you, Nitro.
What has RP and KJ done then ? At least WP has fought in every election since JBJ won that decisive victory in 1981. Two of WP leaders have been doing a great job in Parliament. Only WP is still holding the fort. There is a lot that RP has to catch up. LTK/WP is still the opposition leader today, no doubt about that. KJ can learn to take some lessons in politics from LTK
Why should he learn from LTK when he has his father as the greatest example?
“Politics should be about responsible politics. The opposition should be a watchdog, not a mad dog. That’s the right path for a political party.”
Mr. Low Thia Khiang said that in an interview if I am not wrong. While I accept that he has his opinions, I don’t find myself agreeing.
The politicians in the opposition camp should be critical of the many wrongdoings of this government in power and their flawed policies, while at the same time coming up with alternatives. They should also represent the people by bringing up issues and problems faced by us common folks due to the policies that do not benefit us and push for changes with the intention of making things better for fellow citizens. If LTK sees his role as the watchdog, then I think we have one watchdog too many and don’t think that KJ should become yet another. JBJ will weep and turn in his grave if KJ is to lead the RP like how LTK leads the WP. Remember, JBJ is the extreme opposite of LTK.
If KJ is to turn out to become another LTK, he won’t get my vote for sure.
Its Clear and I am now Convinced:
THERE IS ONLY 1 THING WE CAN DO.
To 101) sayang on October 2nd, 2009 9.05 pm :
Yes so let’s wait for them to prove themselves before making statements like ‘KJ for PM’.
103) KJ for Prime Minister on October 3rd, 2009 6.12 pm
So what if he has a double first? He hasn’t shown that he really cares, or is even connected to or in touch with Singapore and the people in it.
@Rachel Zeng
Watch dog or mad dog, as long as it is not running dog, and can check on the government, is a good dog.
We should support all opposition parties, simply because you have no choice which party will contest in your ward, or at all, due to the dirty tricks employed by PAP.
KJ or RP has done nothing so far. WP has been around for decades. WP Youth Wing has also been much more active than RP which has only just started. Collaboration can always happen in future. But I don’t see that happening at this time as it seems KJ or his supporters are thinking too highly of him. Let’s not forget that he did not set up RP, JBJ did. He is only riding on the foundation built by JBJ who has accummulated immesne political capital over several decades from WP to RP. You can’t equate the two at the same political level. Long way to go for him.
I agree with Link that some of the supporters have spoken too highly of him before he could prove his worth. However I think this is not exactly the thread for spreading WP propaganda while criticising KJ and RP because the discussion is about RP and KJ. This is my opinion though, you don’t have to agree with me.
Btan, I am a supporter of the opposition and a true opposition in my opinion, is one who is persistent, confrontational when needs be and who commits to coming up with alternatives for the people while they find faults with the current system and government. Personally, I don’t support for the sake of it. I support the opposition who is worth y support and who cares about Singaporeans enough to persevere in trying to push for change despite all obstacles.
come on, let’s fix those that need fixing….
… or major overhaul!! hahhaa… :)
@rachel zeng,
We don’t have the luxury of choosing now, is my message to you. When we have strong opposition parties (strong as in the sense of a substantial percentage of MPs in parliament) then by all means pick and choose.
While we have a grand total of two opposition MPs and 81 PAP yes-men, we the voters have to effect changes by voting in more opposition members. This means whoever is running now should be voted in.
When people see more opposition members succeeding and, hopefully, not sued off their pants, more attractive candidates may step up. (I abhor the word “credible” because this word has been corrupted by PAP. Rather, I would say the current batch of opposition members are less “attractive” mainly due to the lack of information and vilification by MSMs and PAP)
Continue to pick-and-choose, as in the case of the past 40 years and continue to see little or no opposition MPs in parliament and continue to see PAP “fixing” opposition and “fixing” us as well.
Hi btan,
sure we don’t have a choice as to who will run against the PAP in our constituencies. You mentioned support, not vote. Sure, I can vote for the opposition running in my ward but it doesn’t mean that I support that particular party. It simply means that I don’t support the PAP. With regards to the political party that I support, I will take my time to volunteer, help out and contribute when help is needed. That I think I have not made it clear enough in my last comment.
@rachel zeng,
For the purpose of this thread, support would mean voting. But of course if you want to vote for the opposition that run in your ward but not support them, that would be fine as well, since voting is what really counts. (and in my book, it means support)
Voting is the direct action to support. Supporting has many levels. Among them are passive and active support.
Passive support would be reading up on their manifestos, donating to their cause and spreading news and awareness to your friends and family and of course voting for them come election. I use the word “passive” because you don’t really do much with the above. All can be done from the comfort of your home through internet.
Active support will be what you mentioned : taking time to go volunteer or join their party. This is understandably not something many Singaporeans are willing or even dare to do considering the political climate.
I believe more people will do active support once more opposition MPs are elected into the parliament (I would say a critical number of 33% of total MPs) and at the meantime, we should all do passive support to boost that chance.
Don’t forget that many complained they do not get to vote at all. And my message to them is they have to do their part in the passive support in order to get opposition to contest in their ward.
Btan, I understand that you have your opinion on that and it is alright. If the opposition running against the PAP in my constituency is one that I do not believe in and support, I will vote for them anyway. To me, I am voting against the PAP and in a more general sense, for the opposition cause. Doesn’t mean that I support their way of politics or their manifesto. I am personally actively behind the opposition party that I support, in as many ways as I can although I am not a member and even though none of them are in parliament. Hopefully one day they will be able to contest in my ward against LHL. :)
115) Rachel Zeng on October 7th, 2009 12.27 am
Is this method of voting wise? All of us should be asking ourselves that.
A vote is a mandate; a sign of confidence from you that you believe one party will serve the people’s needs more than the other party can. If you vote for a particular party, but you don’t know what values they stand for, or what contributions they have to offer, then how are you so sure that they’re better than the other party?
In response to XiiAoGeNgEnX @116
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
117) Desperate for Change on October 7th, 2009 7.20 pm
Really? Are times so desperate that our countrymen are living in abject poverty? Are our children starving on the streets while we go about our business in constant fear?
Are times really so desperate that we would blindly vote in ANY party without knowing what they stand for? To throw away our rationality, even our common sense?
For a start, we might consider reading up at least a little about all the political parties in Singapore. Perhaps even attend some of their discussion forums and activities, to understand them better.
NUS Political Science Society is organizing an open forum for discussion and debate. You might even want to bring along your own issues for discussion. Free entry, open to public.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=148239148799&ref=mf
“Really? Are times so desperate that our countrymen are living in abject poverty? Are our children starving on the streets while we go about our business in constant fear?”
So when is the desperate time for us ? Who to define the desperation ? Me, you or the PAP or the opp party, or the nation in whole.
Do we need to be starved in hunger, all crimes all time high, when women get raped in the street publicly, when men get robbed and killed due to jealousy and survival etc to be consider desperate ? When will Singaporean be desperated if only going by your extreme of desperation of the world ?
Why the Japanese so desperate to overthrow the proven ruling party and call for a change ? Why the USA so desperate for change that they vote the first-in-history American President Obama ? Aren’t these citizens of those countries who vote for party change as intelligent as anyone else, or are they plain moron to vote for change ? Surely you could find more reasons than I could. When people no longer trust the government to do the right thing, that is when the people decide vote the government out.
Could we define desperation when the pappy do whatever to import foreigner to vote them into power again despite the social impact and infrastructure overload ? Why the Pap
“Are times really so desperate that we would blindly vote in ANY party without knowing what they stand for? To throw away our rationality, even our common sense?”
As one commenter says “desperate time goes for desperate measure”. Are we blind to vote any party or are we blind to circumstance ? The circumstance we have now is that Pappy is using foreigner citizens to vote for them, and in times diluting the vote and voice of true citizens for next and subsequent election. So if you believe that what Pappy is doing to retain power, aren’t the first thing you need to do “desperately” is to vote for more opp party into parliament ? Yes, vote for monkey, dog as long as the nation feel that the incumbent behaving and acting worse than those animals.
Did you recall how many times the Pappy evade the questions of accountability and responsibility of opp party and commoner’s voice in parliament, and in return mock the nation with their arrogance and nonsense ?
How much desperation you need in Singapore before you say enough is enough ?
So please, if you want to insult commenter’s intelligence here using the worst case example that attune to the practice of your master, do go elsewhere.
XiiAoGeNgEnX,
I see potential in the opposition camp and I am strongly against the PAP. This is a good reason to vote for the opposition running in my ward. I’d rather that than to have to give up my vote. We have no democracy here and our way of election system is terrible anyway, that is why we get walkovers and lack of choices in each ward. My vote against the PAP is my protest against their governance and monopoly of power. I will never vote for PAP.
It doesnt matter which party but as long as i have a job and a house for my family, i would vote the party that can provide me this. I may not like their stunts but i do not want to be poor and insecure. My opinion ? Opposition can’t do it. None has the track record of running even a large size company. Forget it.
Rachel, like many here, you have not lived overseas in developing countries. Don’t waste your vote. You are just emotional for what I do not know. But you have not experienced harship. Think first.
Dear tcc, you are wrong. I have lived and worked in China before coming back again at the end of 2006. Hardship? I grew up in hardship and still living a tough life. Your personal assumptions of me are wrong.
IT DOES matter which party is running this country because it affects how our hard earned money (taken as taxes by the government) will be managed, the freedom we will be allowed to speak, the opportunities we will have as local citizens etc etc.
You have a job and a house for your family, now that is good for you. Think however of those who are not eligible to get a roof over their head due to our government’s housing policies and have to live on the streets. What is happening to them? They get fined and if they cannot pay their fines, they go to jail. Think of those who were detained without a trial for their social work, for their opinions and ideologies. They were tortured and forced to declare themselves as who they are not. Think of those who LKY made used of and then betrayed in the past, after he became Prime Minister. Think of the open corruption that we have, ministers are paid sky high while citizens are being affected by the recession. Think of those who have since lost their jobs to cheap foreign workers because they are too old and too expensive to hire. I think of all these and many more and felt that something must be done. Change is needed to bring about justice, a better life and more opportunities to all of these people.
You may be contented with your own happy life but think of the others who may have to sleep under the rain just because their lives have been turned upside down by certain governmental policies combined with unfair employment conditions and competitions. Think of all of those, and maybe more.
Tcc, maybe you should think again?
tcc – the opposition have no track record of running even a large size company? well that’s not a bad thing at all.
@121
tcc: “It doesnt matter which party but as long as i have a job and a house for my family, i would vote the party that can provide me this.”
- A 12 hour job to pay a 30-yr mortgage for a 99-yr leasehold flat, to lead a simple SINGLE life, is also having a job and a house. After 50 yrs and acheiving top ranking in this and that, should we remain this?
tcc: “I may not like their stunts but i do not want to be poor and insecure.”
- How do you feel secure when there is not even subsidy for transport if you are disabled? Remember anyone can be stricken with illness or become disabled at any time. Anyone can become poor when the world economy tumbles. Even big banks are wiped out. No need to mention the rest of what if’s.
tcc: “My opinion ? Opposition can’t do it. None has the track record of running even a large size company. Forget it.”
- So your opinion of an MP or Minister is someone who can make profit. Running a company is solely for ONE objective and ONE alone – to make profit. Is this really what you think a Minister should be?
- When the opposition is in Govt, they can appoint scholars (proper ones) just like the PAPa, to steer the economy. I believe there are geniuses in our midst who’s talent are missed because they belong to the wrong camp or who don’t speak good English!
tcc: “Rachel, like many here, you have not lived overseas in developing countries. ”
- At least you make sense by mentioning developing countries, not developed first world countries. Rachel has clarified her position nicely. It would be good if you can name some developing countries you are thinking of.
tcc: “You are just emotional for what I do not know. But you have not experienced hardship. Think first.”
- Rachel is ‘just emotional’? She has given all the valid reasons and as far as I can see, she is a thinking person. She may or may not have experienced hardship but at least she is probably not born with a silver spoon like… (better not name those Ministers). Have those ruling us experienced hardship?
tcc,
if you are asking Rachel to think first, I wonder what is thinking to you.
Rachel,
You should stand for election. We need anyone with a sense of community to stand in now. Like I said, when in power, you will get all the intellectual help you can get by appointments just like what PAP is doing.
Agent008,
Thank you so much! I feel very honored by your suggestion, however there is much to learn and as an activist campaigning for socio-political issues, it is better for me not to be a member of any political parties.
Our society is not matured enough yet to accept the fact that opposition politicians are also genuinely concerned in human rights issues here in Singapore as well as the rest of the world. When prominent opposition leaders from the SDP take up campaigns or petitions, they have been seen to be capitalising on such issues to gain points with the public. The thought is so immature but yet this is how it is now. To engage in advocacy work and activism is all on the agenda for now and there are no future plans to venture into the political arena. I prefer to help out the political party I truly support in the background while on the foreground along with other activists with mutual ideologies and interests, campaign on issues both local and global. Fame and power is not all I care for but social justice is.
I am just an ikan bili, there are many more out there who genuinely cares about Singaporeans but have been slapped with the label of ‘mad dogs’ and ‘psychopath’ by the real psychopaths themselves. They have also been made bankrupts, have their whole images tarnished by the state owned media. These people deserve to be recognised, more so than myself or any of the other watchdogs. I see them working hard every single day, I see them walking about talking to people on the streets and it makes my heart weep to think that they are still doing what they do despite all the defamation and obstacles.
To make things worse, some local citizens are just contented when those from the Ivory Towers throw alms at us just before the elections and end up voting for them without thinking twice and realising that the money belong to us in the first place.
___________________________________
Oh well, the opposition camp needs to work harder indeed but Singaporeans need to start realising that they cannot rely on the alms of those ‘high elves’ who are in fact one of the highest paid in the world, thanks to our willingness to pay taxes dutifully without thinking twice or utter even a sound of protest but complain when among friends and relatives.
Yes some of us lead contented lives for now but who knows, the next victim of those highly rigid flawed policies might be us, the ‘contented ones’. Then you will wonder why you vote for the same party election after election. And then you vote them in yet again when you receive $800 in your bank account as a form of gratitude. :)
(Sorry for the rant hehe…)
Rachel, you may have compassion but you think too simply of the world. I am not sure what you do in China and what hardship you went through, your words, views and thoughts just didn’t reflect that. Talking about the homeless as if you know. You know what, there are a lot you still need to find out. If you have not work with the homeless or the poor, I urge you to do so. Work with the poor but also work with those that have received help. You get a balance point of view. This not implying the government has been doing good job but at least you get an understanding of how things are done here and compare it with China since you said you have lived there.
A candidate with a track record and experience would win my vote. Just having compassion and emotions are not going to give me the assurance that the place would be effectively run. It is the same when you employ someone, you have to look at the resume.
Rachael, i encouraged you to run for election if you are keen. But you know what, if you do not have the success in your own career or life, I am not sure what success you could make out in politics and I certainly would not entrust my livelihood with you as my leader. If your selling point is in criticising but no solution such as how and where you could generate revenue and how you allocate budget to serve, then I say, do your homework now. You have to make your own decision. Those who coax you but hide behind a nick name are just making noise.
“Those who coax you but hide behind a nick name are just making noise.” – tcc
Indeed, well said! Cut & paste from post above:
“Rachael, i encouraged you to run for election if you are keen. But you know what, if you do not have the success in your own career or life, I am not sure what success you could make out in politics and I certainly would not entrust my livelihood with you as my leader. If your selling point is in criticising but no solution such as how and where you could generate revenue and how you allocate budget to serve, then I say, do your homework now. You have to make your own decision.” – tcc
The pre-requisite of Commonwealth member countries is to have the common stand of upholding democracy, good governance and to eradicate poverty. As we know Commonwealth countries get to enjoy previleges (eg no need for VISA in Western countries) that countries like China does not. If our Govt continues to focus only on generating revenues (from whatever means including citizen slavery and selling away the mother land), ‘distributing’ 95% of the revenue to the top 5% of the population and 5% to the rest of 95% respectively, it will get thrown out of CW membership.
So Rachel, a good govt does need to have a sense of community and social mindedness to lead the people. I totally understand and share the sentiments of your post above. There is no justice in this land, thus perpetuating oppression even of the weak (referring to disabled, elderly & poor) to accept and be grateful for whatever crumbs they throw at them (5% revenue) to keep them alive. Some here have rightly called it dictatorship and I would like to add, dressed up in COMMERCIAL ranking reports (including economy, best city to live in for expats, best system, best education etc).
BTW Rachel, tcc thinks you are naive (think too simply of the world). I think you, as well as all those who have been bruised, are to be admired and respected for standing by what you believe for a better world. I live in a part of the world where things are always improving because of people like yourselves and because there is no oppression by rulers. Lucky me but I wish the same can be had for my fellow Singaporeans.
127) Agent008 on October 9th, 2009 9.27 pm
If our Govt continues to focus only on generating revenues (from whatever means including citizen slavery and selling away the mother land), ‘distributing’ 95% of the revenue to the top 5% of the population and 5% to the rest of 95% respectively, it will get thrown out of CW membership.
Hmmm… Citizen slavery, Selling the motherland, redistributing 95% of revenue to the top 5% of the population? really? I never knew that!
Must be the Shitty Times corrupting my mind with false information! We should be telling others about the truth!
Tcc, I grew up poor and am still part of the poor. However I am not going to elaborate on my personal or family issues here. Neither am I here to compare if I have lived a harder life than anyone else.
You have a definite judgement of people, situations and opinions that I feel are inflexible and very egocentrically only to your perspectives. I was in China as a teacher but not a highly paid one. I’ve also lived on scraps in Belfast for a few months. My opinions and world views were the result of experiences I have had my whole life. I said all of that again to reinforce that your assumptions of me are wrong, in my personal opinion.
You said that I think too simply of the world, I don’t think so. By being happy because there is a roof over your head and a job to provide for your family (for now) and not caring about who is the government, is simple thinking to me.
Like I said before, I have no personal interest in fame and power so I have no plans to go into the political arena. All I am interested in is the pressing issues that exists in our society that have been caused by the ruling party. You talk about personal success in a very capitalistic sense and I have to say that I disagree with you. Success is defined differently by each and every one of us and your concept of success to me, is empty success (if I apply that in my life that is). The poorest of the poor who manage to find happiness and warmth in their lives are more successful than the executive secretary of a MNC who have no time to even see her children during their waking hours.
Anyway yes, you have your right to opinions, I have to recognise that.
Agent008,
I am heartened by your words but I think that compared to some other defamed politicians who are still working hard and genuinely to reach out to the masses and to push the boundaries for them, I’ve still got a long log way to go. Don’t admire me, come join me! ;)
Don’t worry, I won’t be disheartened by the words of those who criticise. By the way, I think this applies to them too. Just change the word ‘coax’ to ‘criticise’, it works the same.
“Those who coax you but hide behind a nick name are just making noise.” – tcc
Brilliant line from tcc, I genuinely love that! :)
Rachel, thanks for showing a liking for my statement. I will join you if you show me you have a solution or a direction. Questioning is not solution. For an average citizen like me, this lack assurance. I have full respect for teachers. But there are different types. The ones I admire does their homework, research and explain with facts not opinions. The ones I skip are those who follow what others are saying, probably put it in a more flowery language but nothing more factual.
My life experience has taught me to be pragmatic. Survival means going through the hardknocks and make a success out of it. Glad I had my fair share in the early years when I was turned down nth time struggling to get a job overseas.
I like to build upon my success to benefit those who are in need and around me. This is my little contribution. You can disagree about capitalism with me but I think we can’t live on sunshine and air. The needy need food on the table and a job to keep the family intact. When my little contribution of providing some jobs to them make them smile, and the government is not there to stop me from doing my deeds, I am satisfied. I do it with action. i hope you too
Tcc, for your information, I am not just someone who criticises and questions behind a computer screen and do nothing about it. In fact, I think you should do some research and homework on that la.
There are many more successful systems other than capitalism where everyone benefits. I don’t see capitalism as the perfect system because the capitalism that we see nowadays are solely profit and power driven, and not practiced for the sake of making everyone’s lives better as a community, as a nation. In fact, the capitalism we now see, especially in this country is one that has been executed with a ‘top down’ approach, meaning that the government and those who have the power and capital enforces their way of making profits upon us. The government by way of taxes, high legal fines and such; the business elites by the way of cheap labour and threatening to replace locals with cheap foreign labour who they do not even seek to treat like a fellow human being once employed (appalling housing conditions, medical benefits, long working hours and low pay). The ethics in capitalism is in non existence but people are hooked onto it just because it brings profits. Money means status and power nowadays to many, but I have to disagree with that by way of living example.
I am a child care teacher and not many have any respect for my profession. Child care teachers are mostly lowly paid for the hours they work and the responsibilities they carry, and parents do not see us as real educators when in fact early childhood education is one of the most important stage in a human being’s life. Many left the profession after a few years, some going into the service industry because even a handbag promoter can earn a higher salary than some of us, with lesser effort. We all want to make a quick buck nowadays because alot of us have the ideas of capitalism so ingrained in our conscious and subconscious minds that we make decisions based on profit making rather than purpose and benefit for all (or most).
Sure, nothing wrong with wanting to seek a better life for oneself, however when we do so, we think nothing of people we do not know about. We do not see the plight of the homeless, but the fact that they are dirty and they stink. Sometimes while we go about being contented about our own lives and success, we forget about racial quota in the university and civil service, as well as the discrimination in many job industries faced by the minorities. I say that we forget because we keep voting for the political party that had caused all of these with their ruling and policies as well as the lack of transparency and an alternative printed media.
Solutions I can suggest but it won’t be accepted by a moderate crowd. The most important thing that we can all do is to identify problems, flaws and the causes, look actively for the alternatives and solutions and eliminate the problems by eliminating the cause and source. We have to be willing to push for change and suffer awhile of teething problems, before the results come bouncing at us. The most peaceful way is by way of election although there is nothing democratic about the electoral system here. Go look for the alternative that best suits your believes and ethics. We have a variety here and now there is RP. If you believe in any of their manifesto, criticisms and solutions, support them and help them with your actions and your vote.
Nothing comes without hard work, unless you are LKY.
(Ahh busy morning, I may have rambled on out of point here and there but honestly, these are some of my opinions nevertheless)
I am no supporter of some of the PAP antics. But your statement ‘Nothing comes without hard work, unless you are LKY.’ is one that I would have to disagree. By saying that, I am a little disheartened that you have proven me right that you only give an opinion and it is not factual because I harbour hopes that you are substantial. For all that PAP has done wrong, LKY has done his part. Say what may, you can’t discredit him for building this place.
I only refer to LKY and not the rest.
I respect childcare teachers and would credit them for building such a good foundation in my children that they are doing well in school. Rumblings are ok and no problem even if it is out of point. But you can’t just rumble without understanding history, reading wide, experiencing and giving time to think as a background. If not the rumble would just become noise(hope you like this, I am a culprit of it as well)
So you believe the story of how LKY came into power? Then perhaps you may have read too many of his memoirs and not the accounts of Francis Seow, Lim Chin Siong, Said Zahari, Devan Nair, Tan Wah Biao and many many more of those who he have worked with before and betrayed, falsely accused and tortured due to political greed and the fact that he can’t stand opposition voices or ‘threats’. How I wish that the pre-independence documents, now declassified by the British have been made public here, about how they have protected LKY’s position in Singapore, even before he was Prime Minister.
To me, he is a power hungry man who won’t blink an eye or shed a tear when betraying anyone he had worked with to ‘climb’ into power. Polyclinics and party kindergartens were ideas adopted from Barisan Socialist, did he give them any bit of credit? So many people still revered him, but I won’t respect a man who slander his ‘opponents’, make those who oppose him bankrupts and who believe in eugenics and apply it to create racial quotas for this and that. How come he got away with being such a racist? Is such a person to be credited for stepping on anyone’ shoulders to climb to power? Maybe you think so but so sorry, I don’t.
Rachel, I am pragmatic after having tried to survive in 2 other countries. Never got a fair chance even though I tried hard and considered 2nd class in those countries. To me, LKY and his PAP built this place where I got a job and a house that my family comfortably lived in. At least I wroked hard and got my payback. I went back to those countries I have lived in. There were no changes. For friends I had there and those who stayed, they are still struggling. The others,like me, left the place. They went to find a greener pasture, I came back home to Singapore.
I read these comments and just felt there is insufficient exposure to the situation overseas. I may sound like a propaganda to you but you know, this is an experience I have to share. Will Singapore be the same moving forward ? Maybe yes, maybe no. But this I would leave it to you and the big people to debate and go fight it out. As far as I am concern, today, there is only talk and no one else has offered or proven themselves except LKY, like it or not. I don’t know how he did it, maybe fair or maybe unfair to his opponents. But to me, I need to pay my loans, educate my kids and give them security. Can the people you mention or you provide that ? Do you have what it takes todo that ? You want my vote, you must prove to me. I am also unhappy about not being able to vote. But so what ? If this place continue to give me a place that I can survive, feed my family, have a job, Singaproe can become two big GRCs, I will still move on. If one day, PAP can’t provide me all these, Iwouldbe the first one to leave or support the opposition and may even throw my hat into the ring. For now, I am contented and would not want to re-live those experiences I had in those countries.
tcc, you do have an annoying habit of assuming about my life experiences or the lack of it from my post. I faced RACIAL DISCRIMINATION for a long time when I was in China from the Chinese themselves in all regards. However I didn’t drown myself in self pity, bit my teeth and learned from that experience. Slowly I climbed up as they felt there was no point in being directly discriminative towards me anymore. It was a learning experience, a good one indeed. I was brought up believing that racial discrimination is bad and when I was there, I understood how bad it could be.
Anyway you do sound like propaganda.
What makes you think that democracy or change will not help you bring food to the table? Right now because the PAP is the ruling government, because of their greed (our ministers are one of the HIGHEST PAID in the world), we are being taxed here and there, fined here and there, pay this and pay that. In Canada, the high taxes one pays goes to the health care but over here whatever taxes we pay goes to the pockets of the ministers, goes to funds to ‘help foreigners and new citizens fit in’… it goes into the hands of Temasek Holdings and GIC and where else it goes, I don’t know because it has never been transparent. Who has been fighting for the transparency of all of these? Well go google it yourself.
In a democracy, transparency will transpire. People can get to voice out and the government will be one that represents the people, the one that works for the people, not the other way round like an authoritarian government that we have now. I believe that the party I am supporting cares for the people, and that is why I am supporting them. The party unfortunately, is not PAP because PAP proves to be the contrary. I think most of the other opposition politicians do care about making life better for Singaporeans too, but they have all been brushed aside just because they are not the men in white. Pretty sad.
My apologies but I think you are not being pragmatic. Rather, you seem selfish to me because you only care about the comfort of you and your family, which led you to think that PAP has built everything. You care not about the truth behind all the lies and whitewashing not even when someone has been hinting and leaving names, hoping that you will be able search for the documents, the archives, blogs and books online and in libraries but you seem uninterested. No worries, it is never an obligation of course and you have the right to find truth in the lies and propaganda you highly believe in. You think all Singaporeans are living in comfort? Look again and it is with hope that you may see something beyond what you see nowadays.
Guess I shouldn’t waste any more time here with you any further, not that I am impatient and not that you are a bad person but there are other things to do than to keep on repeating myself to someone who is not that interested. I have said my piece(s), so I shall leave it up to you. It is always your choice to think of the larger population or just simply a small number of people. This is what I think but don’t worry, I have no intention of judging you further.
Best regards to you and may you continue to live in comfort and not fall to become one of the victims of their policies someday.
Just get those MIW out of the garment and everything else will just fall nicely in place. The rest are BS and we are all wasting out time trying to reason things with those present bunch of unreasonable political crooks. Just get them out and you will see a whole lot of them fleeing the country before all their dirty things are out in the closet. A very good example and lesson from the past leading to how many pairs of branded shoes does the first lady of ex.philippine marcos owned? how many state-owned MNC and big corporates are atually owned or have directorships from the ex.Indonesia suharto? still not enough, ex.thai PM thaksin case, where do this man gets so much millions to buy over a soccer club? what have all these has in common? you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure it out right?
Thanks for being judgemental too, thinking I am selfish. If I am, we are both the same. You are fixated with your views too. Strange thing is that you are still here and not in all the other countries. Why ? If you could not tolerate living with the government, why not leave ? Talk is cheap you know.
You know I discovered our disagreement stems from the fact that you are focusing on things that doesn’t affect our basic bread and butter needs. See you still have a job and a home to go back right ? We are not in chaos and there is no war here, at least for now. Unless where I used to lived in this country, having to jump from one train to another because of bomb threat and not being able to go out in the night to get a pack of cigarrette.
The problem is we are not thinking apple for apple. This could be due to different background and experience. I try not to be judgemental but based on what you have written you are just not convincing enough that you know what it takes. Short of me asking how old you are, I would just leave it as that. If you are a young person, I am concerned you would be facing lots of obstacles(or perceived) and not able to overcome them yourself. If you are of a older age, then nothing much to add.
Just in case you think i live in comfort and not do anything, well, I help those in need everyday. No i am not a grassroots leader. I am not too old but I made enough through sheer hardwork and being pragmatic(sorry, I have to insist). Coming from a poor family, i want to give back and put in the action and not talk. There are many ways to do it. If you want to understand what are the programmes are out there and how these programmes got the funding from the government, let me know. Rather than crying out loud here, try to do something if you haven’t. Volunteers are in demand !
TCC,
I am only here to answer some of your questions:
1. The reason why I came back now is because I HAVE TO take care of my family. I am 26. Given another choice, I won’t be back. I will be fufilling my dream of living in a caravan, globetrotting all over the world.
2. I was a volunteer with several organisations since I was in secondary school. Now, I am mostly a teacher, a daughter and a socio-political activist helping to campaign on certain issues that few people even want to speak about. I am against the government in words and actions.
3. My family was shit poor, I grew up poor and am still poor.
Ok now, time doesn’t permit me to spend more time here. Gotta go back to rush some year end work. Tata! If this conversation happened in March, I would actually love to go on and on but it is the end of the year. So yea. :)
Rachel, thank you for being honest. I am sorry for having made those comments not knowing you are actually so young. Yes, indeed, you need more experience and should be given time to experience life in general. I am not sure how you define poor but Rachel, poor from what I know is being deseparate enough to beg and to be spat on. Education and working hard is the way out of poverty in material. Books, knowledge and conviction is the way out of poverty in spirit.
Take care of your basic needs. Focus on your work and the backyard before all else. Before blaming others, look into yourself and ask…’have I done enough ?”…have I worked harder than most’…have I added value today’. Some people answer “yes” all their lives, yet achieve nothing. So they blame every external factors they could find. Others keep answering “No” and find themselves lacking confidence in moving forward. I would say, be honest with yourself but know yourself really really well before putting the finger outwards. It works you know as it has been proven before.
Rachel Zeng is being young and ideological, not naive nor selfish. It is not necessarily a bad thing.
At least she is doing things upfront instead of just sitting behind her computer and typing away all sorts of criticisms. I think you should appreciate her for engaging you in a discussion for so long.
Mr. TCC, I think you are being quite on the self righteous path out to convince her and us that pragmatism is the way.
So what if your way have been ‘proven’ as you mentioned. It does not mean that it will work again for everyone or forever. The world doesn’t stop at one thing. Rather, it progresses and so should we.
Sorry sir but I am another one who disagrees with you. Rachel may be young but she does not seem to lack experience from what I have been reading.
Go ahead and encourage others to be quitters of this country and let the PRCs come in to be Singaporeans. Then we can all be China’s little colony.
I read with interest Zachel Zeng and TCC’s exchange of thoughts. Zachel may be young at 26, by her writing and exposure in life, her maturity is above many.
We have a choice in our destiny of life. Having work and travel overseas opened her perspective wider. Many of us, due to our very attitude of life, will stay dormant even though we know that we new a new change of life and direction. Zachel is one lady who has the courage to do so and voice her concern.
Our very survival in Singapore need more people like Zachel. Spore’s political climate has gone to the dogs. Many citizens are marginalised into third world living, boasting as first. Yes! first world to the million paid Ministers and their cronies and people benefitted by PAP mainly inter-related to them by one way or the other.
Governments around the world, with absolute powers, always degenerate into
self-abused of the very system they built. S’pore is no different.
Personally, I was with the CC for 7 years. willing to serve the community through
the organisation deemed PAP- inclined and beholden. As I moved along, my judgement and perspective changed. The ugly side of human nature showed its true colours. Many serve the CC and RC for self motive and agenda. The mean side of human character surfaced and you really felt sick. I left the CC circle in 2006 but am happy serving the community as a volunteer for the poor and destitute. A sense of better belonging.
Have seen the world through the years. Developed world and not so developed world. Worked in Jakarta for 3 years and did business in Myanmar for 2 years before I retired graciously when I reached 60 .
S’pore need more people like Zachel, with strong ideology and dare to change.
Being poor is not a crime. What is our perceived yardstick of poverty. As long as we are not in want and work hard for our family and face the realities of life without envious comparison, we will feel happy and contented with what comfort zone we are in. We cannot compare with the legalised corrupted Ministers’ paycheck, which they robbed from many average citizens.
We need to change the political suppression we are facing for so many years.
The power is in all of us, the true blue citizens of S’pore. We cannot do justice to our children and their children if we do not act now.
We vote the PAP out for good.
Sorry, Should be RACHEL not ZACHEL, thank you. My apopogies.