By the author of Singapore Recalcitrant
Can you believe your ears when the honourable Mr. Lim Swee Say, minister and secretary-general of the NTUC, said that he was like the little frog in the unheard of fable “kingdom of frogs” that he was deaf to all the criticisms of MP Mr. Low Thia Kiang on his so-called doctrine of ameiloration of lower wage workers. Mr. Lim could have been piqued and embarrassed by the incisive demolition of his painfully-created but not flawless doctrine by an ingenious Mr. Low in Parliament. Credit must be given to Mr. Lim for his ingenuity in thinking up such an unseemly parable to defend his wounded pride.
Is not Mr. Lim acting like a little emperor? Is that the proper attitude for a minister and NTUC secretary-general drawing a fat obscene pay of over $2 million a year out of taxpayers’ money to adopt in reply to crticisms. Is he not a law unto himself with the kind of brazen attitude he adopts?
If Mr. Lim represents the overbearing attitude of ministers, that is the reason we should vote in more opposition candidates. The PAP leadership is aware of such a possibility and it is now trying to sweeten the ground to make sure that it does not lose too many GRC’s at the next General Election. This is where the opposition parties should close ranks to capture at least one or two GRC’s. The opposition can do it if they can avoid disunity and put up some credible candidates. The ground is ripe for them to make inroads especially with young voters who are disillusioned with the PAP government. The PAP leadership is especially worried about the loyalty of the young voters and will be making strenuous efforts to win them over. Probably the die is cast and whatever strenuous efforts the PAP leadership makes may have little effect.
The tsunami that hit the Barisan National in the last general election in Malaysia is a wake-up call to the PAP leadership. But it may not be a similarly hefty tsunami that will hit the PAP in the next General Election. So they are scrambling madly to try to assuage any disastrous side-effect that the Malaysian tsunami may bring. As a result the people are given the spectacle of the much-hyped Economic Strategy Committee’s report and the recent so-called bountiful budget whichthe PAP leadership hopes will revive its flagging election prospects.
The opposition should not be seen to be idle. This is a chance not to be missed to bring the PAP down from its pedestal and its arrogance. They should attract more credible candadites, especially scholars like the ones the Reform Party attracted, to represent them in a united stand in the next General Election. Already considerable netizens have called on voters, especially young voters, not to vote for PAP which is a good sign for the opposition.
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Article was first published on the Singapore Recalcitrant blog
Headline image courtesy of China the Beautiful
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Opposition lets win some seats and give PAP a wake-up call
last year, they gave rebates for S&CC.
This year, they taking back some of the rebates by way of hikes.
rebates : i scared.
already comment on lowthiaking regarding foreign levies…
anyway just a reminder.. limsiasuayed is indeed the frog in a pot of boilin claypot
even though you removed his leggs and garnished with red chilly spices he would still be laughin and jestin sayin it cool to be a leggless crippled frog slidin on a little tiny matchbox wheelchairs.. to limsiasuayed..its a cool guy thinggie…
if you would to castrate his balls and hung on his deaf ears.. he will thanked you that it even cooler to hav a pair of his danglin balls hangin on a deaf and dumb ears of his…
Don’t worry folks….shoot lim swee say as much u want….he said he can’t hear u
no use wan lah. LSS is never defeated before. So, can say the Undisputed Champion , never lost. Thanks people.
Same Same Input with Same Same Output get Same Same Salary.
Mr. Lim Same Same, year 2010 your productivity level is measured by the number of lame jokes you cracked is it?
@damagedDNAs – I like the way you put it. LSS a.k.a “Mr Deaf Frog”. Never thought he was dumb enough to use this parable.
This is not the most funky thing he said. The following is from SB
http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?t=53306
Lim Swee Say talked about selling Triumph bras in Parliament, how to use different lightings for different ages to make the women look good in bras to improve sales productivity, also got no link. Not even reported at all as far as I know. Irene Ng also tak boleh tahan shut him up with Not All Women Are Like That. Lee Hsien Loong lowered his head and looked like pretending to be in deep thought.
Since it is not reported, I suppose we will have to wait for the Hansard. Hope they don’t censor even the Hansard.
Though some are relatives, is LSS part of family tree , direct or indirect?
can someone comfom comfom?
“..Lee Hsien Loong lowered his head and looked like pretending to be in deep thought.”
That’s certainly hard work for a PM when your man talks about a suggestive subject ( the last time was bad enough when Lim Hng Kiang told women to go for” breast screening” by forgoing one shampoo session,remember?)
He must be wondering if Ng Eng Hen would be coming forward next to elaborate further on “breast implants”…..
All imperial courts have jesters. This one can juggle multiple roles, carry balls and entertain his boss at the same time. Remarkable.
I will like to applaud the PAP for hiring handicap people like LSS. It is really something to hire a deaf and dumb minister.
LHL, Lim Swee Say, Gan Kim Yong, all from same school, that is a reputable school with value of loving the underclass, but Lim and Gan, one in MOM and One in Union are both workers-unfriendly
They are born with silvre spoon, retire them !!
LSS is not a joker, he is a joke
LSS is a dog with a frog mentality.
how can say like dat to our People Elected leader of the most impressive kind?
Hello Singapore Recalcitrant!
You write well but, tell me!, why are you telling “The opposition should not be seen to be idle. This is a chance not to be missed to bring the PAP down from its pedestal and its arrogance.”
If you are so passionate of your thoughts and views, you should join a suitable political party and rally publicly the electorate to vote you into Parliament. You should not be a bystander telling the Opposition that they “should not be seen to be idle.” This act of yours will be your historic act “to lead the Opposition” and I am sure your name will be recorded in History.
Oh Yes! what is your proper name? Please tell me so that when you stand as a candidate in the coming General Elections, I will be able to listen to your speeches and if you are credible and truthful , I will vote for you.
I am enamoured by your gusto thoughts and look forward to know your name anxiously. So can I know your name, please.
Hi TA Balasingam,
Not everyone is born to be a political leader. Visit any coffeeshop, you do hear ppl commenting on political issues. Perhaps you might try to tell them your above statement. Good luck to you.
<b>T A Balasingam</b>,
You are propagating the myth that citizens must join political parties to be politically active, or else, they should keep their opinions on national issues to themselves. The same people who planted this seed of disengagement are the very same ones who now also say that we are not yet a nation, who lament that Singaporeans are apathetic and apolitical.
The same people who wanted to have total control over every major aspect of Singapore, and who wanted to make decisions on behalf of the entire nation without effective independent counterbalances are also the ones who grumble that Singaporeans depend too much on the government.
The same people who constantly lambasted the Opposition’s credentials and abilities, who constantly heaped superlative praise on themselves, are also the ones who have gone and screwed up national investments, the ones who have failed to create any real security for sizeable numbers of Singaporeans where jobs, affordable home-ownership, social safety nets and maintenance of price-income parity are concerned.
The same people who sold us the idea that the CPF was going to ensure adequate funds for retirement all those decades ago, back then citing figures to show how a clerk earning 200 to 600 dollars then would now be able to retire before age 60 with 100,000 dollars in the Fund; these are the same people who now report that large numbers of retiring Singaporeans do not have anything close to $100,000 in their CPF accounts today and must in essence work right up to the day before their funeral.
The same people who formulated education policies, wrote the texts, trained teachers and educated the bulk of our citizen labour force are the ones who, without seeming able to see self-incrimination, now chastise our labour force for the lack of creativity, productivity and entrepreneurialship, for the dearth of local talent, for incompetence in our various languages.
The same people who had insufficient foresight to sidestep population decline when precedents of this abound in the developed countries, the same people who implemented birth-control and family planning to such dramatic short-term effect (for which more praise was lavished); the same people are now “worried” about our extinction.
The same people who decades ago came into power espousing the rights of individual citizens and championing the notions of democracy, freedom and free speech are now the same ones whose reputations must now be protected at the cost of encroaching upon these rights of individual citizens.
Please, don’t even get me started…..
Hello T A Balasinga,
The full name of the Singapore Recalcitrant and his former positions are really public knowledge. You should read past issues of Temasek Review more to find out!
bala is so funny! a citizen writing an article about politician must become an opposition politician?
wake up your ideas bala! do you understand what democracy is? sad for you. i pitty you for you thinking , quite 3rd world.
“…This is where the opposition parties should close ranks to capture at least one or two GRC’s. The opposition can do it if they can avoid disunity and put up some credible candidates…”: SR.
Listen up, all who wish for the government to wake up to the citizens’ voices. We, as citizens of this land we dearly call home, cannot wait for the sudden appearance of ‘credible’ Opposition candidates before we are able to send a telling message to this government.
Believe me, this coming election is one where each of us, who feel left out by this run-away government, to cast our votes from whereever we are, to tell this government that they are doing wrong – utterly wrong.
It is not about voting for this or that political party anymore. We are at the d=crossroads of political maturity. We have to take into our own hands to send a clear and loud message to this government that enough is enough and that it must start listening closely to our wishes.
Contrary to what the PAP would tell us during election time over the possibility of a freak result
that could see the ruling PAP being ousted, I woundn’t think it a freak result more than a necessary outcome to wake this government up.
My plea therefore is this: that each of us make it a point to vote for anyone other than the PAP – never mind credible or not – for the desire to serve is credible enough, and more so for anyone serving in the opposing camp where every intention is always torn to shreds by the self-serving PAP politicians, with the help of their mouthpieces.
Remember to move away from the false notion that we have to have ‘credible’ Opposition candidates before we give them our votes. Many in the PAP ranks have never proven themselves credible but still gets voted. Top of the list must surelye Mah Bow Tan with Gan Kim Yong and Lim Swee Say following closely behind.
When given the choice to vote for either of two non-credible politicians, we must surely choose the Opposition one – at least we can then tell the government as a whole that we mean business when we demand that they listen to us for once. If not, we WILL be DOOMED for another five years.
Very simply…
VOTE PAP OUT !!!
I just attended WP’s CNY dinner yesterday and I can see quite a few new blood…
Some of whom I knew back in university days..
Given enough time, hopefully we will have stronger opposition parties with the strength to challenge the incompetent ruling party..
i agreed with gemami, no need to wait for credible opposition to vote them in, just close your eye and vote for the OPs in the coming round, i will bet with anyone with my last dollar that pap will not lose much in the next election as usual, why?
1.given their existing strength, so well entrenched in grassroot, PA, GLC, govt services etc, 2.despicable election strategies such as sizing, zoning at their will for its advantage,
3. their ability to deploy appease, confuse, carrot dangling, scare & threaten tactic before election,
4. all those new votes from new citizens, with PRs in line to become new citizen,
5. their ability to weaken if not eliminate political opponent by any usable unjust method before election.
and so on, do you think we can defeat them entirely? we should be happy if we can get just a couple of GRC and single wards. so my suggestion to all, don’t be naive, don’t be fooled again, there is no possibility of a freak result, pap will still win, so please take the word from LSS, (die die must try), but we try to get as many OPs in as possible before we talk about change, if we still wait for credible opposition, u think we stand a chance at all? when more OPs get in, then there will be a chain of effect, snowballing effect for the next of next election.
Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely, Complete Dominance Dominates Arrogantly
As always & expected, absolute/total/complete gibberish from the mouth of LSS. Must say that Mr Low doesn’t articulate his points well, but at least there can be some reasonable points to ponder over. For LSS, it is guaranteed rubbish every time. Honestly, is his slogans and now fables really worth the million$ salary of taxpayers monies? He is not deaf, just thick-skinned & ACT F*****G BLUR, since the current workforce woes fall squarely within his and Gan KY jurisdication over past few years. Definitely bor liao calibre.
Again, my vote goes to my cat in the next GE; it has proven it does listen to the people that feed it, gives real joy to hardworking people, is cost effective, can be candy to the eye, and (most importantly) doesn’t croak rubblish like some highly maintained FROG.
i agreed with gemami, no need to wait for credible opposition to vote them in, just close your eye and vote for the OPs in the coming round, i will bet with anyone with my last dollar that pap will not lose much in the next election as usual. .
The reason is not as simple as the old fart refuse to admit his mistake and lose his party, it is more serious when new govt takes over, all the dirtiest things you cannot even imagine will start to surfaced, and that is something he cannot afford to lose to protect himself and all those whom he gets them involved. But again, we may not be able to win big time but seeing them losing at least by another 10-15% is good enough this coming election.
LSS is a cheap joker.
At least in his story, he is admitting that he is in a bind (i.e. in a well).
As to whether he is climbing in the right direction, 15 years is the proof? The sitiation is getting worst.
Well said @ A&E.
gemami Mar 7, 2010 9:33,
while you may be born ready, what about the Apathetic Majority?
Change cannot come without them waking up their ideas.
Your only Consolation prize is the Final Retirement.
Our Opposition is not ready in terms of its Leaders’ ability to Persuade talent to join them.
To be fair, the People are the ones who Do not want to form an Alternative Team ready to prepare for takeover regardless of the valid reasons that may exist.
Failing to get enough talents = guaranteed fail to take over.
Being deaf to criticisms mean LSS isn’t receptive to comments at all, so ungentleman.
LSS is being fatuous and of course. it is no surprise. PAP alienated itself from the masses long ago. Only now has it become so very palpable and stridently obvious to Singaporeans.
Wake up and all these wishful thinking is not going to change things.
“You may want to know that I often email to PM Lee, his Ministers, MPs and people like Mr Tan Kin Lian, Dr Catherine Lim and my good friend Dr Wong Wee Nam. ”
I do not want to know
“You may want to……Nam.”
I also do not want to know. You tell people here for what? How lian ah?
“…….not just for the froths and the troubles they (the Opposition) could generate to make things difficult for the ruling party ………not for their trouble-making abilities in Parliament, ………….That is what I like about PM Lee—he is a nice, frank and an open-minded person. And he has a very difficult job functioning as the best PM that we want him to be………..But of course I want good and capable Opposition candidates which can give us visionary politics……….” Oh TE.
Well, well Mr Oh, your comments are nothing more than notions placed there by the MSM and for which you have happily embraced. Question yourself, have the Parliamentary Elected Opposition members of parliament been “froths and troubles”, with their ability limited solely to making trouble? How narrow-minded you are, perhaps due to your ‘close association’ with the PM and his stooges, bringing you wide-eyed bewilderment!
It one thing to be a nice, frank and open-minded person; more so with one entrusted with the PMship of the country, but it is altogether another thing when he is nice only to those whom he chooses to be nice, frank and open-minded with.
How naïve you have shown yourself to be for believing that your note was the turning point to our PM having a change of heart to embrace and accommodate Opposition politics and politicians. How the power of self-belief can make one a fool.
HE HAD NO CHOICE! The wind of change is so telling that it will be foolish for the PM to ignore it! You are just another one of the many scapegoats he had used, and as with all things PAP, you were made to believe that you have done good.
Now, you want good Opposition candidates. Tell me honestly, where do you think they will come from if we, the people do not start placing our trust on those stepping forward to serve us? How do we judge them credible? Is Kenneth credible? He may be the son of JBJ but what has he contributed to the political scene in Singapore that makes you think he is credible?
For me, I believe he is credible because of his father – the same way you believe PM is credible because of his father. Is PM credible? What has he contributed to Singapore during his term in office except to bring the country close to one disaster after another? Still credible?
No my friend, to me, every candidate who steps forward in the Opposition rank is credible, credible enough to want to serve Singaporeans and Singapore – knowing that it is an uphill battle that may not bring about anything except heartaches and persecutions. This is credibility of the highest order and they deserve our votes – if not for just this once.
My only fear is that there may be more than 1 opposition/alternative party in some contested areas, and people who want to vote ‘blindly’ for them, don’t know which one to vote for. This spreads the vote thinly and gives extra chance for the incumbent to win. I hope some site can host a mini-election between the oppo in each contested area, the moment the parties contesting each area is announced. That way, pple can know who to vote for if they wanted Change.
Agree with you lobo76 and I must add that the Opposition must not see it as a contest to see who becomes the Opposition Party of the day. These are just games that the PAP play to make it sound as though one Opposition Party is more credible than the other when in actual fact, it creates more divisions among the Oppositions than anything.
The other point the Opposition must realise is that they are in this battle together, and ‘Unity Is Strength!’. Unity does not mean that they have to stand face to face and hug each other; but with a more mature electorate, and an electorate hungry for change, the Opposition must play their cards well to ensure that every citizen is, first of all, given the opportunity to vote. After that, it is of paramount importance, that each voter be given a choice of two. Anything more would be a disservice to the voter who must now weigh among three parties.
Hope the Opposition can come to a concensus as soon as possible and let logic and reason be the order of the day over ego and stubborn will.
The parables by LSS is indeed very funny and interesting. As someone who likes parables, I would like to share this with all of you:
=================================
Once, there was an emperor needing new clothes. Thinking that the kingdom’s local clothing industry is not up to standard, he hired the best foreign talents to make the “best clothes in the world” for him. The emperor also wanted to ultilise the expertise of these foreign talents and make his kingdom a new “clothes hub’.
These foreign talents claimed to used some special fabric for the new set of clothing. These fabrics were so unique, so marvelous that anybody can immediately see it’s greatness. However, the “hopelessly stupid” people will not be able to see anything.
Finally, after what seemed like ages, and millions of dollars invested, the foreign talents returned to the emperor with the completed set of new clothes made using the special fabric.
There was a problem though. The emperor could not see the clothes.
Not wanting to appear stupid, he asked his highly paid ministers for opinions. Surely, being so highly paid, they must be smart and capable enough to see this marvelous and wondrous clothes.
However, none of these millionaire ministers could see the clothes as well.
Yet, not wanting any people to think of them as being hopelessly stupid, they praised the new set of clothing to high heaven, and mentioned this as a beginning of a new era for the kingdom as the clothing hub.
The emperor was delighted with the feedback. He immediately hired many more foreign talents to make similar sets of clothing for everyone in his parliament.
During the Kingdom day, the emperor and his minsters all paraded themselves before the peasants of the kingdom in their “new clothes”.
All the peasants were aghast, as they could see no clothes. Some brave ones feedback “The king and his ministers are not wearing any clothes!”.
However, instead of being ashamed, these highly paid minsters were deaf to the cries of the commoners.
“All of you are hopelessly stupid!”, the ministers claimed. “That’s why you should leave the governance of the kingdom to us!”
“If you want your opinions known, join the parliament first and contest that are no new clothes!”
So everyday, the emperor and the ministers went about in their new set of “clothes”, appearing naked to everyone. But it does not bother them, for they think themselves superior to the “lesser mortals”. They are deaf to the honest feedback from the populace.
==================================================
I hope you guys enjoy this parable of mine. Not that it is unique of course.
LSS is basically saying ” no point telling me how bad I am, because i am deaf to criticism. I am good and whatever you say will not be heeded.. because I am good.”
This attitude is not unique to LSS. It is the same attitude adopted by all the PAP leaders. Herein lies the danger…. when one is so full of oneself and oblivious of what others say, you become authoritarian and there will no be checks and accountability….
This is the scary futuer of Singapore if PAP continues to be the dominant party in politics…
@Will.I.Am, Mar 8, 2010 11:28
Ha, ha, nice rendering of Our Emperors Wears No Clothes. At least can relate to such things, not like LSS’s froggie tale. Of course, I could be ‘hopelessly stupid’ and not as highly educated as to know about high standards frog stuff.
If by some chance our “emperors” do wear the said hi-tech clothes, I doubt we will see LSS’s boss’ B***s. Cos’ LSS’s hands will be there instead.
Oh Tham Eng: However, you may want to say that I belong to the Party of Lord Jesus—-the biggest party in the whole world (Please do not forget that Muslims also revere Jesus as their Prophet in Islam).
Firstly, I don’t think you should proselytize here.
Secondly, I think you should not assume that your religion is omnipotent and in the centre of the universe. as a non-muslim, I read your assumption that Jesus is Islam’s prophet as extremely vulgar.
Thirdly, I think you are extremely misplaced in your judgements and are allowing religion to guide your moral sentience.
Finally, I think you should sock it. Posts like yours make me cringe.
Moderating Editor: Due to the complaints received, we will no longer allow Oh Tham Eng’s posts that self-glorify and/or quote religious text.
Dear Mr Oh,
Your reply to my comments reflects exactly what I had thought of you – that you are in a league of your own, that you are on a different plane, that your knowledge of life is way beyond that of mere mortals like myself and many others. Alas, it is the reflection I see of this ruling government and its many tentacles of management.
You believe in all gods but never coming to the realization and understanding of who it is that is the God of gods. Your life evolves around the prayer of Suleiman, which I have heard you mentioned numerous times in your previous postings. Well and good, if you want an honest opinion.
But opinions aside, what do you think makes Singapore tick, or any country for that matter? You might say God? Another might say the PAP (in Singapore’s context)? While another might attribute it to the citizens’ participation.
I know your religious theory and I too can understand that there is the element of an almighty and powerful God who dwells within each of us. Unfortunately, as much as I would like to follow you on the path where the freedom to will what you want is all but an act of resignation to fate, I can’t. I have been given a will to choose and I am told I have the freedom to choose.
This is what makes democracy in politics on par with the surrendering of free will in religion.
We do have one thing in common though. We both want what’s best for our beloved country.
Well, we have a problem because this is exactly what the PAP thinks too; and so does everyone who has an opinion to offer. It is why one must never run away from one’s own reasoning. It can only spell trouble – and this is what the rest of us are trying to put right.
Oh Tham Eng, so are you a Christian or Muslim?
@Oh Tham Eng, Mar 8, 2010 13:35
@Mockingbird, Mar 8, 2010 14:29
Oh T.E.,
Normally I just take your posts with a pinch of salt and respect your rights to claims, boosts, opinions, etc. However, in this case, I have to agree with Mockingbird. Leave your religious interpretations out of discussions, especially in attempts to rebuke anyone or to strengthen your views. Christianity, Judaism and Islam are monotheistic religions but their positions on Jesus is VERY different. Nevertheless, Christianity and Islam have thus far enjoyed good mutual respect; don’t be a hero, OK?
Mr Oh,
Frankly, it is ramble that is so circular and out-of-this-world that it is difficult for many to fathom/decipher what you are driving at. As for your religious beliefs of whatever denomination or .. that u subscribe to, i suppose it is perfectly alright that you be what you choose to be lar.
As for me, it seems an exercise lar, ego-push ups!
Oh crap, the Oh Tham Eng who terrorises many a forums (do a google search on his name) is now here to terrorise TOC.
Please Oh Tham Eng, if you have any opinions, leave your God/Yaweh/Buddha/Allah/ etc. at the door. This is a political, not religious, site.
Focus Mr. Oh, focus. You’re like a kid in a candy shop.
Your circular ramblings, a term so elegantly phrased by Fugazzi for your wanton misgivings, provides the perfect muse to walk my 6pm soul.
To Oh Tham Eng,
When LKY “quoted”the below:
“I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT HUMANITY WAS ANIMAL-LIKE.” MM LEE KUAN YEW.
All i can do is re-quote a truer wise and a real actual human being:
If someone wants a sheep, then that means that he exists. Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900 – 1944)
Good day to all.
@Oh,
You profess religious inclinations and yet it is befuddling that you CHOOSE to shower rain only on certain people whom you think are deserving of or ”qualified” to partake of the rain. Does the rain choose whom to rain on or where to rain on? I do emphatize with your predicament; U seem utterly dazed and confused and hope you reconcile to that anomaly lar.
Wow, I did not know that ”‘God”(scriptures or …whatever it is to you or howsoever you label ..) that you subscribe to (or ) has preferences, prejudices and tails it off with judgements. All that you define confines you.
Intuitively it feels like you are running with the hare and hunting with the hounds lar.
Your stance is this lar – behind the cloak of religiosity it is palpable you are fatuously being a 24-carat, Janus-faced politician.
strumstruppen is so dumb he cannot type his own words. he has to quote the words of others all the time.
oei wtf is “If someone wants a sheep, then that means that he exists. ”
this sentence is filled with bad grammar and it makes no sense. lol. try quoting someone who speaks english and not french you retard.
and write it in modern english not middle age english or shakespear you crazy boy.
Wrong thread lah Handsome.
And it is not ‘shakes-pear’ or shake-spear’ but Shakespeare lah. So much for good Engerish.