Oxleygate: Hell’s bells, another PAPPy and I share the same views

Janadas Devan (see below) respond to LWL on LHY’s share: https://goo.gl/mCuyg9

I agree with his

My personal view remains that Mr Lee’s wish to demolish 38 Oxley Rd should be granted the moment you are no longer living in it, which may be 20, 30 or more years in the future.

I am as baffled as most Singaporeans why Hsien Yang and you wish to consume all of us in your personal family matters.

My take is that she’s a spoiled brat, wanting her cake and eating it. Only a white mare will think like that.

On the house book project he mentions, I wrote about the book project here after PM posted on FB in June 2015

“Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang would like to honour the wish of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew that the house at 38 Oxley Road be demolished after Dr Lee Wei Ling ceases to live in it.” …

Wonder if the ex-ST guy I mentioned in post has had to give a statutory declaration?

Janadas Devan wrote

Dear Wei Ling:Your latest post blares, tabloid-style, misleading information. Having edited you for many years, I know this is not your style.

The email you quote was written when I was Associate Editor of Straits Times, not Chief of Government Communications. And as you know well, I had met Mr Lee Kuan Yew with a few other journalists to discuss a book that he had proposed on 38 Oxley Rd.

When he met us in July 2011, he made plain that he wanted the house to be demolished. But as the months and years passed, the nature of the project changed as it became less definitive whether the house would be demolished – and if so, when.

For example, we were told that you will be staying in the house for as long as you live. Then I learnt plans to build a model of the interior of 38 Oxley Rd was dropped – because, I gathered, Mr Lee was considering plans to gut the interior of the house altogether to remove traces of the private space.

There was no doubt then or now that Mr Lee’s preference was to demolish the house. But as the shifting instructions we heard from the family in 2011-12 – including from you – indicated, the fate of the house had by no means been decided at that point.

I ceased to be involved in the Oxley Rd book project in July 2012, when I left ST. My personal view remains that Mr Lee’s wish to demolish 38 Oxley Rd should be granted the moment you are no longer living in it, which may be 20, 30 or more years in the future.

In the meantime, I am as baffled as most Singaporeans why Hsien Yang and you wish to consume all of us in your personal family matters.

Please: Think of Singapore, and forget the rest.

 

Oxleygate and BBC Reith Lectures

Hilary Mantel is this year’s BBC Reith Lecturer. On 13 June this year, the award-winning (two Man Booker prizes in four years) and best-selling novelist gave the first of her five BBC Reith Lectures for 2017.

The title of this series is “Resurrection: the Art and Craft”. The first lecture is called ‘The Day Is For The Living’.

The following extract is relevant as to why there is a cabinet committee looking into the circumstances surrounding LKY’s will despite the PM and his PAP administration accepting that it is valid. They did not (and do not, so far) challenge its validity but the commitee  is saying it is trying to establish if he really wanted his house to be demolished after his daughter moved out as per will.

If this sounds illogical, it is. Accepting the validity of the will i.e. not challenging it is to accept that the will represents “the last will and testament” of the testator. (Aside: in a one-party state, de jure or defacto, the party decides what is “illogical”. “Illogical” can be “logical”. (Related post on a one-party state)

This inquiry has led to a row among the Lee children, and between the PAP administration and the PM’s siblings. They don’t want the PAP administration to do to them what their pa did to S’poreans. (So spoiled, they are?)

To the PAP, it’s all about the importance of trying to control the narrative of LKY’s life. And in athedefacto one-party state he founded, the ruling party has no choice but to control the narrative of LKY’s life by fair means or foul.

Commemoration is an active process, and often a contentious one. When we
memorialize the dead, we are sometimes desperate for the truth, and sometimes for a comforting illusion. We remember individually, out of grief and need. We remember as a society, with a political agenda – we reach into the past for foundation myths of our tribe, our nation, and found them on glory, or found them on grievance, but we seldom found them on cold facts.

Nations are built on wishful versions of their origins: stories in which our
forefathers were giants, of one kind or another. This is how we live in the world:
romancing …

As soon as we die, we enter into fiction. Just ask two different family members to
tell you about someone recently gone, and you will see what I mean. Once we can no longer speak for ourselves, we are interpreted. When we remember – as psychologists so often tell us – we don’t reproduce the past, we create it. Surely, you may say – some truths are non-negotiable, the facts of history guide us. And the records do indeed throw up some facts and figures that admit no dispute. But the historian Patrick Collinson wrote: ‘It is possible for competent historians to come to radically different conclusions on the basis of the same evidence. Because, of course, 99% of the evidence, above all,unrecorded speech, is not available to us.’

Evidence is always partial. Facts are not truth, though they are part of it –
information is not knowledge. And history is not the past – it is the method we have
evolved of organizing our ignorance of the past. It’s the record of what’s left on the
record. It’s the plan of the positions taken, when we to stop the dance to note them
down. It’s what’s left in the sieve when the centuries have run through it – a few stones, scraps of writing, scraps of cloth. It is no more ‘the past’ than a birth certificate is a birth, or a script is a performance, or a map is a journey. It is the multiplication of the evidence of fallible and biased witnesses, combined with incomplete accounts of actions not fully understood by the people who performed them. It’s no more than the best we can do, and often it falls short of that.

Historians are sometimes scrupulous and self-aware, sometimes careless or
biased. Yet in either case, and hardly knowing which is which, we cede them moral
authority. They do not consciously fictionalize, and we believe they are trying to tell the truth. But historical novelists face – as they should – questions about whether their work is legitimate. No other sort of writer has to explain their trade so often.

The reader asks,is this story true? That sounds like a simple question, but we have to unwrap it. Often the reader is asking, can I check this out in a history book? Does it agree with other accounts?  Would my old history teacher recognize it?

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/radio4/reith2017/reith_2017_hilary_mantel_lecture%201.pdf

Double confirm: All Harry’s fault and PM’s siblings are spoiled brats

Dr Thum Ping Tjin, a S’porean anti-PAP historian based at Oxford University’s Centre for Global History, talked about the row between PM and his administration on one side and his siblings on the other,  in an interview with Reuters, last week.

Dr Thum said that LKY learnt from the British how to rule (I once heard LKY tell a BBC reporter in the late 80s when questioned about how he reconciled his speeches about repression etc when he was in opposition to what he did later: he laughed and said he learnt from the British administrators who tot him the difference between ruling and talking).

What LKY used in Operations Coldstore and Spectrum is a climate of fear that is in turn used to justify authoritarian measures. His genius (my word) is passing “anti-democratic legislation through the form of democracy but not the substance of it.”:

The power LKY acquired and wielded through this system was led to the “steady erosion of our democratic freedoms and liberty, (and) more importantly the erosion of the independence of state institutions.”

This, Dr Thum argues, was what his son inherited: a system where, like dad, he makes a “decision” which passes through the democratic consultation and legislative process where it is legitimised. Despite the facade of democratic deliberation, such decisions are really foregone.

And this is what got his siblings upset:

“That’s what Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang are really upset about. For many years they, of course, benefited from this system, but now the system is being used against them. A decision that Lee Hsien Loong made about the house in Oxley Road has probably been taken in advance. What has happened is that he then convened the committee to legitimise this decision to give it a veneer of parliamentary democracy in order to wash his hands clean, to keep his hands clean, to say it was done in the proper way. But its a foregone conclusion.”

He goes on

“The problem with a system where too much power is concentrated in the hands of one man, is that the interests of that one man from his own perspective becomes indistinguishable from the state’s. As long as that one man was Lee Kuan Yew, there was a very clear harmony between the man and the state but now the Lee family is 3 people and they have very different interests, very different perspectives, and so they are fighting each other.”

And

“Lee Hsien Loong, of course, is now fighting back using the machinery of the state against them which shows just how much his personal and the national interests have blurred together. Again, this is part of Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy. 

“His siblings are fighting against him with the only real weapon they have, which is to try and deprive him of the authority of Lee Kuan Yew.

“So what we have today is a very brittle system which is still reliant on the personal authority of a dead man.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-mpreKaFg4

Waz this BS about China’s influence growing?

Uncle Redbean, Goh Meng Seng (Remember this adviser of wannabe-president TKL?) and other China tua kee nuts keep dissing the PAP administration for not kow-towing to Xi. They say S’pore should lick China’s ass because China is the coming hegemon. After all PM’s dad licked US’s ass and more.

To put things in perspective: if Hongkies are not happy with China, what does this show about China’s influence in the wider world? It can’t even influence opinion in HK to like it.

Hong Kong finds Beijing flunking soft-power test

China is flunking the soft-power test with Hong Kong. President Xi Jinping will visit the city to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of its triumphant return to Chinese control. But Beijing’s grip over hearts and minds in Hong Kong is weakening. That is a problem, since this a primarily ethnically Chinese, ruthlessly pragmatic city – people who one would expect to be sympathetic.

…

In Hong Kong, China has revealed an unfortunate pattern duplicated in other countries: a preference for working with elites, popular or not; a willingness to use money – or force – to silence criticism; disregard for the rule of law when it doesn’t suit current needs; and a general disdain for the carrot when the stick will do.

The irony is that Beijing is spending as never before on “soft power,” a phrase best simplified as “convincing other people to like you, and to want what you want.” It is rolling state television stations out across Africa, buying newspapers in Australia and radio stations in the United States. The Confucius Institutes, an unapologetic propaganda effort, subsidize pro-China education around the world.

But this hasn’t drowned out headlines from Hong Kong. For all the spending, Pew Global Research polls show negative views of China have increased in recent years. Beijing can throw money around all it wants, but if even Hong Kong won’t buy the message China is selling, it is hard to see it travelling well elsewhere.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-politics-breakingviews-idUSKBN19J0C3

Charts that show Hongkies are getting, feeling “less Chinese”. http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/HONGKONG-POLL/010020KY1EB/index.html

No point listing in HK

KPM Holdings, a Singapore sign-maker, closed down 44% yesterday as microchips had a second day of falls.

List here and falls also the same leh.

And he headed SAF and SingTel?/ Where PM’s siblings have the high moral ground

Mdm Ho Ching was “never authorised” to remove the personal belongings of Mr Lee Kuan Yew from his home, Mr Lee Hsien Yang said on Saturday (Jun 24).

(More details from CNA below)

So why wait till now to tell S’poreans that he and his sister didn’t do their job as executors? If they really didn’t give their consent, shouldn’t they have taken steps to retrieve the property then? And as citizens, and good children of Harry, expose their sister-in-law’s thefts and their brother’s lies?

And he should remember that by keeping quiet at the time, the executors are likely to be deemed to have consented.

Where else have they failed in their duties? Given they held high executive posts in S’pore Inc., we have a right to know.

Seriously, I think he should stop being petty, because he and his sister are trying to frame the row as about the abuse of power, the absence of “checks and balances to prevent the abuse of government”, and how the constructive, nation-building media ignores or disses those that don’t fit into the “right” narratives. And how these are new developments and that they are the first to notice**.

They should have focused on where they have the moral high ground, not give spurious, cock reasons.

To my mind, they  are right to be morally upset with their brother for not challenging the will but telling his subordinates that he had problems with the circumstances surrounding the will.

— Why PM could not go to court.

— But he should have just sat down and shut up not tell his subordinates his concerns.

Especially since LKY recognised that the govt could override his wishes.

And PM’s statutory declaration was nothing less than an attack on the integrity of Lee Hsien Yang and his wife. As a son of LKY, Lee Hsien Yang would have learnt the importance of defending his integrity. He could do no less as a son of Harry than to attack his brother’s integrity in return.

——————————

*The youngest son of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was responding to a note on Facebook by Mdm Ho, the wife of his brother and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on the circumstances under which the elder Mr Lee’s belongings were loaned to the National Heritage Board (NHB) for a memorial exhibition.

Mdm Ho had explained that she was tidying up the house after Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s death when she came across “small interesting items which (she) thought were significant in papa’s life”. She also said that she kept both Mr Lee Hsien Yang and his sister Dr Lee Wei Ling informed on what she had done, including the loan of the items to NHB.

PM Lee also said on Friday that the loan to NHB was “openly done, and for a good cause – an exhibition remembering my father soon after he died”.

But in a Facebook post on Saturday, Mr Lee Hsien Yang said that he and Dr Lee – the executors of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s estate – had not authorised Mdm Ho to lend the items to NHB.

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/ho-ching-was-never-authorised-to-remove-lee-kuan-yew-s-8975018

**They seem to have forgotten JBJ, Chiam, the Coldstore and Spectrum detainess, etc.

 

Mangoes: Did u know this?

Like alcohol, mangoes act as a diuretic so should be avoided when the weather is warm.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/eat-avoid-heatwave/

Oxleygate: Yikes PAPpy has gd points

A PAP junior minister sums up my problems with the PM’s siblings position on the house to a T.

Indranee Rajah in a long “4 Financial Things You Should Know About the Oxley Dispute” on Facebook had this to say

4. Why is the government being asked to demolish the house now?

That is a good question.

The government has the same question.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew wanted Dr Lee Wei Ling to stay in the house as long as she wanted. The government has publicly stated that it will respect those wishes and does not intend to do anything until Dr Lee leaves. Letting the house stand for now does not go against those wishes. Mr Lee Hsien Yang has said Dr Lee does not want to move out and she has every intention of living a long life. That being the case, the matter may well not need to be decided for another 20 – 30 years. It can be decided by a future government.

So there is nothing for the government to decide now.

The real question therefore is why Mr Lee Hsien Yang is asking for an immediate commitment on demolition now?

What is the urgency?

Until and unless Dr Lee moves out, there is nothing for the government to decide. It is also a principle that the current government will not be able to bind a future government.

The options open to any government, current or future are also not binary. There are a range of things it can consider.

For example, DPM Teo Chee Hean has said he personally would not support options at the extreme ends of the range: At one end, preserving the house as it is for visitors to enter and see as that would be totally against the wishes of Mr and Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. And at the other end, demolishing the house and putting it on the market for new private residences.

One can understand DPM Teo’s feelings. A luxury condo with that address would confer bragging rights on a select few to say: “I’m living where Lee Kuan Yew lived”. The history and heritage of the site would be forever lost to ordinary Singaporeans, including future generations. That is probably not the way Singaporeans will want to remember 38 Oxley Road.

Mr Lee Hsien Yang has said that “[he has] not thought about what lies beyond demolition”. It would appear he has not ruled out redevelopment.

But,

The options open to any government, current or future are also not binary. There are a range of things it can consider.

doesn’t mean that the cabinet committee was right to go into circumstances of the making of LKY’s will:

Seriously I don’t think it was wise of the Lee Hsien Loong or the cabinet committee (and by extension the cabinet) to try to go into the execution of LKY’s will, and that it was a serious and bad mistake to try to do so.

The piece also has a good summary of the law on conservation, preservation, demolition and compulsory acquisition.

Related article: Lee Wei Ling wants to eat her cake

Anti-PAP activists, cybernuts support Hsien Yang but trust PM: WTF?

I’m seeing on Facebook two usually sane anti-PAP activists agreeing with the cybernuts that Lee Hsien Yang is right to ask PM to challenge the will in court.

———————————————-

My takes on the will:

Why PM could not go to court.

But he should have just sat down and shut up not tell his subordinates his concerns.

———————————————————

Seems the nuts and the sane anti-PAP activists don’t realise that:

The Chief Justice, Judges of Appeal and Judges of the High Court are appointed by the President if he, acting in his discretion, concurs with the advice of the Prime Minister. Before tendering his advice as to the appointment of a judge, the Prime Minister is required to consult the Chief Justice.

Since they trust the judges that PM has a hand in selecting, why not believe and support him directly?

They too nutty isit?

Seriously, in a de-facto one-party state, like in a real one-party state, actively opposing the ruling party can be bad for one’s mental health. Just ask M Ravi, Mad Dog Chee and Lee Wei Ling. Why do you think Lee Hsien Yang and his wife decided to “visit friends” in HK? They need a break. Opposing the PAP is mentally taxing.

The significance of PM’s coming statement in parliament

Anti-PAP cyberwarriors, sane and nutty, and neutral commenters have been complaining that PM’s coming parliament statement is all wayang because

— he enjoys parliamentary immunity, a feature of the Westminster and other Western systems

———————————————————–

(1) No Member shall be liable to any civil or criminal proceedings, arrest, imprisonment or damages by reason of any matter or thing which he may have brought before Parliament or a committee by petition, bill, resolution, motion, or otherwise or may have said in Parliament or in committee.

(2) No person shall be liable to any civil or criminal
proceedings, arrest, imprisonment or damages by reason of any act done under the authority of Parliament or the Speaker and within its or his legal powers or under any warrant issued by virtue of those powers.

——————————————————-

He can defame his siblings publicly and they can’t sue him unless he repeats his comments outside parliament.

— His siblings don’t have such immunity to counter him.

— The PAP controls parliament, so difficult questions can be ignored and a vote of confidence can be engineered easily.

The critics are correct.

But they have forgotten, or are ignorant, or are concealing another aspect of the Westminster way of doing things which could explain why he’s making the statemewnt.

By Westminster convention, a minister found to have misled parliament is expected to resign or face being sacked. This is because the knowing presentation of false information to parliament, is a very serious offence under the Westminster system.

Effectively then, PM is making a statutory declaration in public and challenging his siblings to show that he misled parliament.

Of course, in the de-facto one party state we live in, the PAP can ignore the convention. But still there is the international reputation of S’pore to consider, something both the PAP and S’poreans really, really care about.

We love the praise of ang mohs, and get defensive and angry when they criticise us. Ang moh still tua kee, despite S’pore becoming self-governing in 1959, and independent in 1965.

Did Harry have this choice?

No not about having a final holiday with his family; but rather than be subjected to gruelling treatment, to say he had enough treatment and he didn’t want to go back into intensive care.

The boss of one of Britain’s largest NHS trusts has told The Sunday Times that patients who are dying should be allowed to go on a final holiday with their family, rather than be subjected to gruelling treatment.

Professor Marcel Levi, the chief executive of University College London Hospitals, believes that sometimes the NHS is wasting time and money.

The doctor, who is Dutch, says in the Netherlands it’s common for patients to state they’ve had enough treatment and they don’t want to go back into intensive care.

Seems his wife never had the choice of saying she had enough treatment and she didn’twant to go back into intensive care.

Btw, I doubt they would have wanted to go on holiday with all three of their children.

How SDP can make dent on PAP lead

Even if Mad Dog remains leader. They have to be a lot more savvy in their use of social media. It can be done even if the SDP doesn’t have much money (Err where’s the CIA money Dr Chee?). From the BBC on how Labour used social media in the last UK election. Even though Labour lost, it did a lot better than expected.

The digital alt-left cannot be ignored

Sites such as The Canary, The Skwawkbox, and Another Angry Voice are making a huge impact and earning a massive following. We have tended to focus on the alt-right or anti-establishment right online, looking at websites like Breitbart, Westmonster and – in America – InfoWars.

As Jim Waterson of Buzzfeed UK argued in this excellent report, sites on the alt-left now boast hundreds of thousands of addicted and often politically active readers. They break news stories, thrive on social media shares, and run emotionally charged, highly partisan material that is handy in a tight race when you need to get the vote out.

That some of them – not necessarily the three I mention above – are adept at sharing fake news is no impediment to their influence.

And

Money isn’t everything on Facebook

There is nothing new, of course, about the deployment of Facebook to spread a message, encourage donations, and bypass journalists. In 2008, Barack Obama harnessed Facebook superbly to raise vast sums of money and beat John McCain.

I spoke to Sam Jeffers, co-founder of the Who Targets Me? Project. He repeated something he said to The Times over the weekend: That according to his sample (11,000 volunteers), the Tories’ Facebook campaigning was focused on fewer seats.
Image caption Sam Jeffers co-founded the Who Targets Me? Project

In the last 48 hours of the campaign, his volunteers saw Labour adverts in 464 constituencies, and Tory adverts in only 205.

This is just one project, of course, but given the Tories had a bigger war chest, it is astonishing.

“What we’ve also seen is far more sharing of Labour’s ads, so that even in the seats the Tories were really targeting in the north, the ads they were paying for were being drowned out in people’s news feeds by a sea of red ads and articles that were shared ‘organically’ by friends and family. Those messages are going to have a lot more weight in people’s minds.”

So you can spend loads on Facebook, as the Tories did (we don’t yet know how much); but Labour may have had a bigger impact (possibly by spending less) because their adverts resonated emotionally.

That really matters.

In short, he told me, Labour’s organically-shared, pro-Corbyn message drowned out the Tories’ paid-for ads.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40255428

Oxleygate: No leh, not monkeys, juz henpecked?

Here I suggested that reasonable people could reasonably conclude that the ministers who decided to investigate PM’s suspicions were a bunch of monkeys. They should have told him that it was not appropriate to look into the circumstaces of the execution of will since he didn’t challenge probate.

Well here’s an alternative view from some netizens. They quoted one Ngiam Tong Dow:

When you raise ministers’ salaries to the point that they’re earning millions of dollar, every minister – no matter how much he wants to turn up and tell Hsien Loong off or whatever – will hesitate when he thinks of his million-dollar salary. Even if he wants to do it, his wife will stop him.

Remember Ngiam? And to be fair he repented of the above and went quiet.

Mao’s bungalow

Mao’s old bungalow is still there: one local says it is untouched and permanently empty.

The FT was talking about Mao’s summer home in Beidaihe, a beach resort near Beijing. The CCP leaders go there for their summer holidays, not overseas like our PM. But to be fair to our PM, Mao didn’t earn millions.

 

Oxleygate: We got monkeys as ministers isit?

But to be fair to our monkeys ministers, I still can’t stop laughing about a White Horse and a White Mare (lineage of Lee and Kwa) KPKBing screaming about the abuse of power, the absence of “checks and balances to prevent the abuse of government”, and how the constructive, nation-building media ignores or disses those that don’t fit into the “right” narratives.

They seriously expect us to think that these are new developments and that they are the first to notice? (More on these matters one of these days.)

Back as to why reasonable people can reasonably conclude that Lee Hsien Loong and the Oxley house cabinet committee members are a bunch of overpaid monkeys, and cocks to boot.

LHL really fixed himself. Here I explained why it was impossible for him to challenge the will in court: it would let world know the family was rowing; and because if he had challenged it and succeeded, the estate would be divided by the law governing situations where’s there no will*, not by an earlier version of dad’s will. Not something a filial, honourable son would do.

So as he couldn’t challenge the will, he should have just sat down and shut up and not KPKB tell his subordinates his suspicions that the will may have been improperly executed. He could comfort himself with the thought that dad’s wish in the will to demolish the house, was just a wish because LKY accepted that the govt could decide not to demolish the house. He personally could sidestep the issue by really recusing himself on the issue of what to do with the house.

As to the cabinet committee members, when they heard his KPKBing suspicions about the execution of the will, they should have told him, “Sorry boss, no can do anything. Not appropriate to do anything since you, rightly as honourable and filial son, didn’t challenge the will in court.

‘So we can’t go into the issue of whether the 9th Immortal was railroaded into signing the will.

‘We have to accept, because it says so in the will, that HE wanted the house demolished .

‘Even if you can get Ho Ching to summon him from Hell Hades his place of honour beside the Jade Emperor, to say that he didn’t want the house demolished, and that he was “fixed”, we have to accept what the will said he wanted.

‘Anyway, what’s the big deal? He accepted that the govt has the final say.”

Seriously I don’t think it was wise of the Lee Hsien Loong or the cabinet committee (and by extension the cabinet) to try to go into the execution of LKY’s will, and that it was a serious and bad mistake to try to do so.

Btw, still think that serious money gets us ministers who are not monkeys?

————————————

*https://singaporelegaladvice.com/law-articles/in-the-absence-of-a-will-how-is-the-deceased-estate-distributed/

Why China beats up S’pore

Nothing to do with PM or him sakaing ang mohs or being their running dog.

Go to https://www.facebook.com/sgdaily/. There’s an excellent article there from FT explaining that China expects overseas Chinese to toe Beijing’s line unthinkingly. As S’pore is 70% Chinese, this explains why S’pore is expected to behave like a province of China.

ST trying to fix Dr Lee isit?

We know that Dr Lee is rowing with her brother the PM. We also know from her row with ST last year that she’s dyslexic. So I was laughing when I read it today’s ST:

Kids with dyslexia more prone to social, emotional problems: Study

Children with dyslexia are more likely to encounter a range of social and emotional difficulties – such as feelings of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem – than their peers.

And having strong social support networks may help to buffer them against such negative outcomes.

These were the main findings of a study by the University College London (UCL), based on responses of 99 Primary 3 pupils with dyslexia across 13 primary schools here.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/kids-with-dyslexia-more-prone-to-social-emotional-problems-study

 

LKY has changed his mind before

An ex-ST reporter from the really old days (she was a strike participant when ST went on strike with the help of a PAP Labour minister ) posted on FB

Oxley Road.

Wonder whether Mr Lee changed his mind about having his life long home demolished after he’s gone and no child of his lives there any more?

I remember hearing many years ago from colleagues that Mr Lee wasn’t one for biographies, because the stories of those written about were “history passing through wishful minds”.

Yet not many years later, books about him were coming out steadily. Men in White, Hard Truths etc etc

So if he could change his mind about allowing his biography to b written, why not about razing Oxley Road home to the ground?

Just a thought.

Amazon US deal affects S’pore listco

Amazon.com just bought its way to the top of the food chain. The e-commerce titan is going whole hog for U.S. groceries with the $13.7 billion acquisition of upscale chain Whole Foods Market. Amazon’s comfort with low margins and savvy in logistics make it so fearsome a rival that investors in the sector ran for cover.

…

There’s a strong sense from investors that Amazon is upending the entire business. Its own market value increased by $15 billion on the news. More significantly, it caused some $30 billion to disappear from Costco, Wal-Mart Stores, Kroger, Supervalu and other grocery vendors. Fears of Amazon’s domination went global, with UK supermarket chains getting hit, too.

Reuters last friday

In Asia, Oz supermarket shares suffered.

Here Jardine Matheson Holdings, whose subsidiaries include a supermarket operator, was down 1.3% and one of only four stocks in the 30-member Straits Times to be in negative territory yesterday. STI up 0.4% yesterday.

Jardines today down under 1.5% so far.

Singlish touch to Niemoller’s poem/ Hot stock

On FB, an anti-PAP cyberwarrior (and adoring fan of the PM’s siblings) added this very S’porean perspective to Niemoller’s poem:

First Papa come for the supposed Marxist conspirators.

Then Kor come for ordinary citizens and me.

Well this is the first time in nearly a week, when I’ve not seen new postings or new reports initiated by the siblings. Hopefully, they’ll hold their fire until PM’s parly statement.

What a waste of parly time. Just send demand for apologies and if there are none, initiate legal proceedings. White Horse cannot treat other White Horses like he treats Roy Ngerng and other peasants isait?

Whatever, maybe I can now find time to talk about a stock about several reputable M’sian tycoons have bought into and in which I’m in, up to  my eyeballs, at the same price as them.

Oxleygate is good clean and free entertainment, but malking money is better.

———————————

Niemoller’s poem

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.’

 

 

Great riposte to Dr Lee quoting Niemoller

Yes I’m trying real hard not to blog on the comic duo. But they keep on providing great comic material. Take the quote from Niemoller (see below) by Dr Lee. This got the following response on FB

Subramaniam Thirumeni
14 hrs · Singapore ·
Dear LWL & LHY,
In response to your attempt to quote Niemoller, here’s a list of people that either of you could have spoken up for. This is a list of persons detained by your father. I have disregarded the pre-1975 detainees. LWL would have been 20 in 1975 and LHY would have been 18. Both old enough to start asking questions. So, this is a list of detainees from that year onwards. Apart from these detainees you could have also spoken up for opposition figures who were hounded and bankrupted. Those persons are not listed here.

(Update: 11.53am, 19 June 2017 – As some of you have rightly pointed out in the comments, the siblings’ public split with their brother presents a small window of opportunity to set things right in the system. I acknowledge that. I wrote this initially as a response to LWL’s post because of the sheer irony. But, I appreciate the point, raised by some of you, that there is some possibility of brokering systemic change. Though the underlying quarrel between them is personal, the implications of the allegations have a national significance. Better late than never. If the siblings are ready to advance positive political progress, then we can welcome them.)

Chua Sen Lee 蔡胜利 Delivery Clerk 1975
Goh Beng Giap 吴明业 Shoemaker 1975
Ong Eng Hoch 王永福 + Grocer 1975
Pek Eng Kian 白荣坚 Construction Worker 1975
Pek Eng Koon 白荣根 Construction Worker 1975
Tey King Waa 郑金华 + Clerk 1975
Yeo Meng Teck 杨明德 + Trade Unionist 1975
Azmi Mahmud Asst. Editor Berita Harian 1976
Chai Chong 蔡聪 + Chairman, Chinese Language Sociaty 1976
Chua Ah Ba 蔡亚芭 + Ngee An Technical College 1976
Chua Ah Sing 蔡亚兴 + Sub Constractor 1976
Foo Chin Yen 胡振延 + President of S’pore Polytechnic Union Council 1976
Foo Weng Fatt 傅文发 + Chairman of S’pore Polytechnic Union Council 1976
Goh Lay Kuan (f) 吴丽娟 Principal of Practice Theatre School 1976
Hussein Jahidin Editor Berita Harian 1976
Kam Kiew 甘 吉 + Electrical and sanitary sub contractor 1976
Kong Sow Fai 孔绍发 + Peon 1976
Kuo Pao Kun 郭宝昆 Secretary to Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Founder of Practice 1976
Leow Wai Cheng( f ) (Rearrest ) 廖惠贞 Nurse 1976
Shamsuddin Tung Tao Chang (Rearrest) Businessman 1976
Lim Tiow Hui 林朝辉 + Asst. Financial Secretary 1976
Ng Ho 黄 和 + S’pore Polytechnic Student 1976
Ng Hoon Hwee 黄焕贵 + Social Secretary, S’pore Polytechnic Council 1976
Ng Yan Huay 黄炎辉 + Sales manager, Nantah graduate 1976
Ong Geok Huia 王玉辉 + Seamstress 1976
Pan Nan Hung 潘南汉 + Naval Engineer 1976
Poh Soo Kai (Rearrest) 傅树介 Doctor 1976
Teng Swee Tong 邓水东 + President of S’pore Polytechnic Students’ Union 1976
Wong Chee San 王志山 + S’pore Polytechnic Student 1976
Wong Sang Hwee 王尚贵 + S’pore Poly Graduate / S’pore Poly CLS, NSman 1976
Wong WoonToi 黄文涛 + Businessman 1976
Yeo Chai Cheng 杨财清 + Technical Officer 1976
Oh Teng Aik 胡定爱 Construction Superviser 1976
Tan Kwee Liang (f) 陈桂莲 Tuition Teacher 1976
A. Mahadeva (Rearrest) Property Manager 1977
Ang Swee Chai (f) 洪瑞才 + Doctor 1977
Arun Senkuttuvan Journalist of Far Eastern Economic Review 1977
Arun Senkuttuvan (Rearrest) Journalist of Far Eastern Economic Review 1977
Chan Ket Teck 陈可德 Accountant Coopers Brothers 1977
Chua Chap Jee Lecturer at Ngee Ann Technical College 1977
Chua Chian Kiat 蔡清吉 + SAF Reservist 1977
Foo Ah Lim 傅亚林 + 1977
G Raman (Gopalan Krishnan Raman) Lawyer 1977
Ho Kwon Ping 何光平 Ex Journalist of Far Eastern Economic Review 1977
Jeffrey Sng Working With Quakers International 1977
Koh Kay Yew 许赓猷 Singapore Airlines Manager 1977
Lee Yoke Seng 李玉成 + Malaysia Construction Worker 1977
Leong Mun Kwai 梁孟开 + Secretary General People’s Front 1977
Michael Fernandez (Rearrest) M.费南德 Insurance Executive 1977
Ngoh Teck Nam (Rearrest) Translator, Sin Chew Jit Poh 1977
Ong Bock Chuan 王木川 + Lawyer Company secretary of Goodwood Park 1977
Ong Kian Wee 王坚卫 + Electrician and Part Time Constable 1977
P. Govindasamy P.歌文达三美 Bookshop Owner 1977
Ramalingam Joethy Lawyer 1977
Tan Jing Quee ( Rearrest ) 陈仁贵 Lawyer 1977
Tan Bee Choo (f) 1977
Jacqui Foo (f) Economist 1977
Grace Poh (f) Matron 1977
Peter Kwok Economist 1977
Hoong Bee Teck Engineer 1977
Mok Kwong Yue Biologist, Computer engineer 1977
Tan Kok Wah 陈国华 + Construction Worker 1977
Yong Sek Yu Construction Worker 1977
Yeng Pway Ngon 英培安 Writer 1978
Peck Soo Tee 白书治 + 1979
Toh Siang Kee 杜祥齐 + 1979
Ronnie Ng Soon Hiang 黄顺贤 Polytechnic Student Union’s General-Secretary 1987
Abdul Gani Abdul Rahman Driver 1987
Chew Kheng Chuan 周庆全 Businessman 1987
Chia Boon Tai 谢文泰 Businessman 1987
Chng Suan Tze (f） 庄瑄芝 Lecturer 1987
Chung Lai Mei （f) 钟丽薇 Production Operator 1987
Fan Wan Peng (f) 范运冰 President of Singapore Polytechnic Students’ Union 1987
Jenny Chin Lai Ching (f) 陈丽清 Journalist 1987
Kenneth Tsang Chi Seng 曾志成 Advertising Executive 1987
Kevin Desmond de Souza 凯尔文 德苏沙 Law Graduate, S’pore Poly Catholic Students’ Society Helper 1987
Low Yit Leng (f) 刘月玲 Project Manager 1987
Mah Lee Lin ( f ) 马丽玲 Polytechnic Graduate, S’pore Polytechnic Students’ Union Helper 1987
Maznan Awi Fire and Security Officer 1987
Mohamed Jumaat Ramad Vocational and Industry Training Board Student 1987
Mohamed Noor Kasmadi Police Constable 1987
Ng Bee Leng ( f ) 黄美玲 Social Worker, Geylang Catholic Centre 1987
Nur Effendi Sahid 诺埃芬德 Singapore Polytechnic Graduate and National Serviceman 1987
Tan Tee Seng 陈智成 Sales Executive 1987
Tang Fong Har ( f ) 陈凤霞 Lawyer 1987
Tang Lay Lee ( f ) 董丽莉 Law Graduate, Young Christian Workers’ Movement Staffer 1987
Tay Hong Seng 郑方生 Subtitling Editor 1987
Teo Soh Lung (f) 张素兰 Lawyer 1987
Teresa Lim Li Kok (f) 林丽国 Publisher 1987
Vincent Cheng Kim Chuan 钟金全 Church worker 1987
William Yap Hon Ngian 叶汉源 Subtitling Editor 1987
Wong Souk Yee (f) 黄淑仪 Senior Research Executive 1987
Francis Seow Tiang Siew 萧天寿 Lawyer 1988
Patrick Seong Kwok Kei 常国基 Lawyer 1988

---

Niemoller’s poem

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Reason why Hsien Yang so angry?

Many moons ago the Princess of Oxley said that her brothers were competitive.

So if Hsien Yang tot that Big Brudder screwed him over house, wouldn’t he be angry with tai kor especially as serious money is involved.

Two FB posters put it this way:

You sure know who is a sucker. The money LHY paid to LHL – LHL donated everything to charity. LHL also make LHY give 50% of what he paid LHL to charity. In other words, what goes to charity is 1.5 times the amount of what LHY paid to LHL. So LHL has nothing to gain either way (whether the house is acquired by the state or demolished). On the other hand, if the house is not demolished, LHY would be holding on to a white elephant for which he paid good money to charity. So it is all about $$$

(Note he paid brother $24m (for house) + another $12m to charity.)

And

If you paid market value for a space and later discover that the seller formed a committee to restrict the use of the space that you paid market value for, then I am sure you would feel cheated. So, I must say that not all is about the honour of doing what is right, but some of it is about money.

The issue, legal and moral, is whether big brudder made any misrepresentations to younger brudder that the govt would not block demolition and redevelopment.

If tai kor didn’t, or Sue Fern can’t prove in court or arbitration that he made misrepresentations, Hsien Yang sfould sit down and shut up . He should go cry and bang his balls in private. S’pore is not his playpen. Neither is it Lee Wei Ling’s doll house.

LKY’s Father’s Day Message

I saw this on Facebook. There’s no attribution. I’ll gladly attribute it if I know who did it.

Can understand why SD wanted from Hsien Yang

Reading Lee Hsien Yang’s repeated “clarifications” on FB to his earlier FB “clarifications” (example on whether his wife’s law firm was used in the final will: he said “No” emphatically, but then went to explain what they did*), I can understand why the committee wants a statutory declaration and I can understand why he hasn’t given one.

The lawyer who did all the earlier wills has denied she prepared the last will.

The fact of the matter is that the last will was prepared by his wife’s firm. Yes it seems they used an earlier version of the will (Version 1 prepared by a Lee & Lee lawyer) but they still prepared the final will. I’d put it this way, if the will was found to be defective, the wife’s law firm would be one that could be sued. And they could not say, “We juz cut and paste. Not our fault leh.”

Yup this blog is sounding like a “Pak PM’s siblings” blog. Hey but let’s face it, they’ve got the cybernuts and anti-PAP activists cheering them on and astro-turfing for them. Someone’s got to point out the BS the siblings and allies are propagating. For some strange reason, the constructive, nation-building media is not. Time for PM to call in the ISD to investigate MSM subversives.

---

*An anti-PAP lady lawyer had to say that the wife was the solicitor-in-charge of the documentation i.e. the solicitor taking responsibility for the final will.

 

PM did the honourable thing by not challenging will

His brudder has said that if he had doubts, PM should have challenged probate. He added that the hearing could be conducted in private so it would still be a private matter.

Yah right: the public would still know that the Lees were rowing.

And as I pointed out here:  If a will is invalidated, the deceased’s assets will not be distributed according to the will, and such assets may instead be distributed according to the Intestate Succession Act.

This means that the challenge had been successful, there would have been no reversion to the previous will (Version 6). Instead of Harry’s (and indirectly his wife’s) wishes on how the assets of the estate should be distributed, the assets of the estate would be mechanically according to the Intestate Succession Act. Like that why bother with a will in the first place?

This would really be the act of a dishonourable son.

 

TRE commenter gets it right about the younger Lees

Dr Lee and her younger brudder are whiners

In reaction to Gilbert Goh’s piece

LIONS:

June 17, 2017 at 12:08 pm  (Quote)

Just one ? pops into my mind .
WHY “persecuted” LEE SIBLINGS said NOTHING when JBJ,DR CHEE N even Humble Roy n Little-woman HHH got PERSECUTED?

Tell ya,no matter what,BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER N LEE AH LONG’s threats on LWL N LHY will not turn into the truly NASTY PERSECUTIONS faced by other citizens.

Well,thats my conviction.

Sad to see capable sgs only KPKB when their own skin gets slightly scratched.
The Lees are filthy rich,even LHY N LWL.
Imagine JBJ N DR CHEE N ROY ALL BROKEN UP?

What is their PAIN like?
And yet,70 pct of sgs remains BOCHUP!

Gilbert Goh wrote

Ten questions that many Singaporeans will want answers to during the current spat among the Lee siblings

1. Who actually drafted the final will before the demise of LKY? Was LHY’s wife heavily involved when she is with Stanford Law as alluded by the PM or was it done by another team of lawyers as suggested by LHY. As this is a important material legal issue with regard to the demolition of the house, the lawyers involved in drafting the will must now say their piece. If not, it is just you say versus I say.

2. Why did the PM convened a secret ministerial committee which Singaporeans knew nothing of till now – is he trying to stop the demolition of the property as specified in the will? Is he attempting to subvert the will and take matters into his own hands as alluded by LHY by using state organs? Who are the ministers involved in this secret committee? What is their agenda?

3. Why did the PM not challenge the will when he suspects anything amiss and wait till a long while by appointing a secret ministerial committee to try and stop the demolition? Did Ho Ching really went to seize all relevant documents from the house as suggested by LWL in order to stop the demolition? If she did what LWL suggested then Ho Ching is really in contempt of power by being the PM’s wife and is clearly misusing her position. We all want to know if she has over-stepped her role as the PM’s wife.

4. Many Singaporeans will want to know how much is the property worth as by now it is no longer a private matter anymore. Some have speculated that the property with all its prime plot ratio must be worth at least 100 million. Its a public matter now as LHY and LWL have pointed out that the PM may have try to profit from the property by selling his share at market value to his brother.

5. Many will also want to know why LHY has to leave the country in order to escape from big brother. Is he really scared that he may be prevented from leaving the country and he has also mentioned that some of his friends were adversely affected by some of the government’s adverse tactics. He may want to be more specified here so people will know that its not just a sweeping statement. Was he being monitored by the ISD or followed around as alluded by some activists and opposition party candidates before?

6. How much exactly is LKY’s estate worth? Half a billion? A billion? The patriach has been the country’s PM for about 30 years and also his wife has been helming Lee & Lee for a long while. As a public statesman, its good that all his assets be made known to the public. For that matter, we all hope that in future all ministers must be made accountable for their assets so that we are assured of a clean and transparent government. There is no fear if all ministers own properties properly as they have earn their keeps from their million-dollar salary.

7. How can the three royal siblings sit down and manage the current mayhew amicably though it seems a impossible preposition now with so much bad blood spilled out. To resolve the situation, can the President come out of his ivory shell and try to manage the matter? Now its the time for Tony Tan to try and earn his millions by being useful for the country for once.

8. Many Singaporeans will also want to know the PM’s decision on the matter promptly as it has became a public issue now. Will he continue to challenge the legitimacy of the will or agree for the property to be demolished thus honouring the will of his father? We need an answer from the PM soon as any more delay will only prolong the agony for all involved.

9. At the centre of the fiasco is also the suggestion that there may be a third generation successor to the Lee empire and though the eldest son has refuted the idea directly on his latesr FB post, can the PM once and for all set the record straight by stating the fact outrightly so nobody will ever speculate on this again? Hopefully, in future, we may never see another PM’s son stepping into those controversial shoes again which smells gravely of nepotism. The Lee Dynasty has to stop after the retirement of LSL period.

10. If there is a slim chance of retaining the Oxley property as a heritage site, will LHY and LWL agree to it for national interest sake? The siblings have accused the PM of not demolishing the property so that he can benefit from the legacy of LKY but realistically he don’t need to do that as he is stepping down soon. Will there be that slim chance of a heritage site though we all know the ultimate wish of LKY? That I think is what will benefit Singapore more…

Gilbert Goh

LKY, PM not above the law: Dr Lee, LHY and cybernut friends

That’s what these cocks don’t understand.

Here’s an extract from the “Observer” (new to me and sounds like TMG, pro-PAP but pretending to be neutral) that summarises the law well:

The family home on 38 Oxley Road is subjected to the Planning Act and the Preservation of Monuments Act, with the latter due to the fact that the building undeniably holds significant historical importance. The decision-making agencies are ultimately the National Heritage Board (NHB) and the Urban Redevelopment Board (URA). In this regard, even if LHL had wanted for the building to be demolished as he has asserted previously, the final decision lies in NHB and the URA. Under the Planning Act, building owners are required to seek the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) approval prior to carrying out works to demolish, redevelop or undertake additions and alterations to their properties. Under the Preservation of Monuments Act, the National Heritage Board (NHB), under the purveyance of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), can make a preservation order to place any monument under the protection of the Board. https://observer.news/…/lee-family-not-get-decide-lkys…/

To this, I’d add that LKY was aware that he was not above the law: hence his wish that the house be demolished once Dr Lee get her ass out of the house. He knew that the govt could preserve his house despite his wishes.

I’m not saying that the PM behaved in a proper, respectful manner towards his siblings. The evidence on that is still coming out. And so far neither side has come out looking well. Score draw so far.

But it’s clear to me that PM’s siblings and their cybernut allies think that Harry, at the very least, is the 9th Immortal. And that his will must be done.

That is wrong. And disrespectful of Harry. 

 

 

 

Hsien Yang talking cock about “will being final and binding”

If the Lee row goes on, I wouldn’t be surprised if the state decides to ask the courts to rule on the validity of the will. Despite probate having been granted, it’s still possible for the will to be ruled invalid. See below.

I find two things, that don’t look good for the PM’s siblings and their cybernut fans, intriguing.

PM’s siblings have not yet given their statutory declaration, something the cabinet committee has asked for. If by the end of June (Extension of time granted, at their requeset, to give the declarations), they don’t, one is entitled to ask, as Pa would certainly have asked, “Scared is it? Got something to hide is it?”. There are criminal sanctions for giving false declarations. So scared to give declarations isit?

Interesting that a “new” law firm with a connection to one of beneficiaries drew up the “final” will*. Nothing illegal or wrong, but the optics don’t look good. Neither does it smell right. Especially as all previous versions had been drafted by another firm.

---

*Update at 1.02: Lee Hsien Yang denies that his wife’s firm drew up the “final” will. I suppose he’ll say that they used the language of a previous version.

——————————————————-

In movies and novels, this is a signal to the audience or readers that something’s not right: a famous detective will called in in to establish if there was anything wrong.

Plenty more entertainment to come. And better still, it’s free.

Challenging a will

Under certain circumstances, a will may be treated as invalid by a court. In such cases, a claimant can challenge the validity of the will. If a will is invalidated, the deceased’s assets will not be distributed according to the will, and such assets may instead be distributed according to the Intestate Succession Act.

…

 

Furthermore, if the deceased was under undue influence, the will is also invalid. Undue influence can refer to the unconscientious use of one’s power over another for selfish purposes. For example, coercion, threats, harassments or persistent persuasion may amount to undue influence by one party in causing the testator to err in the making of his will.

…

On a related note, the lawyer who draws up a defective will which does not reflect the true wishes of the testator, may be liable for negligence to the potential beneficiary. For instance, if the testator instructed his lawyer to make a provision in his will to bequeath $10,000 to his son, and the lawyer negligently failed to do so, the son may be able to sue the lawyer for negligence.

https://singaporelegaladvice.com/law-articles/how-do-i-contest-a-will/

HoHoHo: This too will end in tears

I can’t think of any foreign bank that has made a success of its US ambitions unless the ambitions are limited. Certainly not the case here. StanChart is taking on two JP Morgan and Citi in trade financing on their home turf.  And Ho Ching has other things on her mind.

Standard Chartered aims to expand its U.S. presence with a local hiring push and by bolstering its team in the country with senior staff from its main regions of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, its top bankers said.

The world’s top economy contributed $661 million (518.6 million pounds) to Standard Chartered’s operating income in 2016, or 5 percent of the total, making it the smallest of its major markets – Hong Kong, China, India, and the United Arab Emirates.

“We really view the Americas as a growth area. When I say that, we are not looking to be JPMorgan or BAML (Bank of America Merrill Lynch) or Wells Fargo,” StanChart’s Americas CEO Torry Berntsen told Reuters at the bank’s New York office.

“We think we have a special calling card in terms of what our network looks like.”

The plan is to offer StanChart’s trade finance, transaction banking, cash management and forex market products to large U.S. firms, senior bankers said.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-stanchart-usa-idUKKBN1950GJ?il=0&em_pos=small&ref=headline&nl_art=6

 

White Horses get taste of what Marxist conspirators kanna isit?

Now that daddy’s gone. And don’t like it isit?

This was my reaction when I read the statement of Harry’s younger children, the executors of his will.

Having read what they further had to add, I’ve not changed my mind.

——————————————

I am looking to move on and wake up from what feels almost like an Orwellian nightmare.

Lee Hsien Yang in a media interview

—————————————————————————–

If u don’t know what I’m referring to, Dr Lee and Lee Hsien Yang alleged in a joint statement, posted on their Facebook accounts that they feared the “organs of state” might be used against them and the wife of Mr Lee’s, Ms Lim Suet Fern.

“We feel extremely sad that we are pushed to this position,” they added without giving details about the alleged persecution they said they felt. Mr Lee Hsien Yang said he felt “compelled to leave Singapore”.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I will leave Singapore for the foreseeable future….I have no desire to leave. Hsien Loong is the only reason for my departure.”

He later elaborated in a media interview

On the fears of the use of organs of state you mentioned, could you tell us more about that fear?

LHY: The cabinet has just put out a note and talked about some of the things. What is the cabinet committee doing on 38 Oxley Road notwithstanding our settlement with Loong? Why is there even a Cabinet committee when PM Lee (Hsien Loong) had announced in Parliament that so long as (younger sister) Wei Ling is living there, nothing needs to be done? Why when the Government says the government of the day will decide when Lee Wei Ling is no longer (living there) … is the Government of today convening this Cabinet committee?

The Committee said it had asked you and Dr Lee (Wei Ling) some further questions.

LHY: Yes, we had given answers to them last year. They continue to repeat the same questions. Probate has been obtained on the last will. It is final and legally binding. If Lee Hsien Loong had any doubt about the validity of the Last Will, he should have challenged it in court. Frankly it is completely improper to use a cabinet committee to pursue an issue like this when the proper channel was at the court and probate.

Wow. Juz kanna asked a few questions and they KPKB about oppression. They really led privileged lives.

I mean people like Tan Tee Seng, Teo Soh Lung and the other Operation Spectrum detainees got worse: Ms Teo, for one, alleged physical intimidation.

Updated at 10.15 am:

Related post: Juz move yr ass Dr Lee: Dr Lee trying to have her cake and eat it.

Still expect world topping salaries isit?

Today, I was thinking about Chris K’s recent comment that our unemployment rate was creeping up despite better economic growth. This (And his siblings eant about him) reminded me about PM’s May Day speech on the economy.

The constructive, mainstream media (often quoting employers) is forever bashing our young for a sense of entitlement.

Reading the u/m, it’s not difficult to see where this sense of entitlement comes from (Think Queen Fu or the Hen or Queen Jos). Can our ministers continue to say that they deserve their million dollar salaries when our employment can only creep up? Note that Japan’s unemployment rate is 2.8%, only slightly more than ours.

As Singapore wrestles with slower economic growth and disruptive technological changes, challenges have emerged in the local labour market.

In his annual May Day speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that unemployment increased last year and even with better growth in 2017, the Government expects a “steady trickle of redundancies” as the economy continues to restructure.

He added that other developed countries are seeing much higher unemployment of between 5 to 10 per cent, and as Singapore grapples with similar pressures as these mature economies, the local unemployment rate – which stood at 2.3 per cent as of March 2017 – “will gradually go up”.

Pressures that such economies face include an ageing workforce, technological changes and a global economy that has yet to completely shake off the ills of the 2008 global financial crisis, economists told Channel NewsAsia.

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-s-unemployment-rate-how-much-higher-could-it-rise-8818602

 

Three cheers for our LGBTs

Our LGBTs are more tolerant than ang moh ones.

But first, no wonder the PAP administration wants to curn foreign influence. In the US, LBGTs are not tolerant of the wider community it seems.

US clothing brand Abercrombie and Fitch has attracted an online backlash with a tweet seen by many as implying Gay Pride is not just for gay people.

The tweet, which has since been deleted, read: “The Pride community is everybody, not just LGBTQ people. – Kayla, merchandiser.”

June is being celebrated as Pride Month around the world, with parades in Los Angeles, Athens, and Rome among others.

The aim is to celebrate the gay community and fight for LGBTQ rights.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40240240

In S’pore Pink Dot has made it clear that the Pink Dot event is for all S’poreans. They would agree with Abercrombie and Fitch’s “The Pride community is everybody, not just LGBTQ people.”

Our LGBT community has not been influenced by the ang mohs’ intolerance.

Here’s another example of how tolerant they (even “Christ-like” they are)

Pink Dot SG

Yesterday at 1:30pm ·

We have noticed significant strong language revolving around Pink Dot’s advertisement at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, and note especially the hostility aimed at Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore’s (ASAS) chairman. While we appreciate the outpouring of love and support for our advertisements, we are mindful that responding with hate and vitriol would not make us better than those who seek to discriminate. Instead, let us respond with love and rise above all these divisive statements.

We reiterate our invitation to dialogue with ASAS and look forward to hearing from them.

 Let’s hope that Brendan Chong, a SDP activist, fails in his attemots to fix Pink Dot.

 

Humans too stupid for AI to comprehend

BBC reports

Google’s artificial intelligence creation, Deep Mind, has beaten board game champions, mastered poker and taught itself to get around the London Underground. But it appears now to have met its match in Homer Simpson.

The Times reports that while Deep Mind can accurately recognise objects in photographs, it struggles when confronted with videos of activities such as slapping, falling on one’s face or eating donuts – a particular passion of Homer’s.

It is sometimes said, the Times notes, that the main thing holding back artificial intelligence is human stupidity.

Paradox of the PAP presidency

I pointed out  here that our CPF could be returned tomorrow (if the govt of the day was willing to do so).

I also said that in an alternative universe when Dr Chee became PM, with a two-thirds majority in parly, he could tell president Yaacob to allow him to draw on the reserves and return our CPF. He would tell President Halimah

I have the mandate of the people. What do u have? How many S’poreans voted for u? None because u won by default.”

Sign or I’ll pee on u and let the mob into the Istana.

Seriously, this is the paradox. How can a president that entered office via a walk-over have the moral authority to resist a newly elected govt that is different from the one that “chose” the “right’ president?

Where does the will of people reside?

Ownself fix ownself

I commend this post where a law professor points out that Nathan was never elected”: he was an unelected president, same like Devan Nair etc. Only Ong Teng Cheong (another cybernut hero) was the real deal.  Within is a video where he points out that the presidency is problematic for the PAP when the PAP is the govt in power. Watch the video to understand how “Ownself sabo ownself”.

This post on the presidential council describes how the PAP tries to solve the problem posed by the professor.

“Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave” which continues “When First We Practice To Deceive”.

Words of wisdom from top hedgie

On “risk” and the “perception of risk”/

“When share prices are low, as they were in the fall of 2008 into early 2009, actual risk is usually quite muted while perception of risk is very high,” Klarman wrote. “By contrast, when securities prices are high, as they are today, the perception of risk is muted, but the risks to investors are quite elevated.”
Read more at http://www.businessinsider.sg/baupost-groups-seth-klarman-on-market-risk-post-trump-trade-2017-5/#WuKyJzlYuqwcGixg.99

Question poorer 70% should ask

But are not asking.

“What does it mean to have low unemployment* when inequality stays the same?” asked a German florist, quoted by the FT. (See Chris K’s improvement below)

Well her question should be asked by the less well-off PAP voters who face stagnating wages in spite of higher (unjustified) water prices and higher (also unjustified BTO prices), and coming higher public transport prices, again unjustified.

Maybe Oxygen and other TRELand cybernuts should not tar all PAP voters as daft? Maybe they should confine their remarks to those like them: poor, lazy and born losers. People like PAPpy dog RayWing Ng who celebrates Employers’ CPF because he admits he cannot get a 16% pay increase if it wasn’t compulsory for all S’poreans. Taz how much of a loser he is.

Update at 10.45 am: Chris K improved on  the quote for S’poreans:

Rephrase in Singapore terms – what’s so good about low unemployment when inequality is so high?

I should have tot of that rephrasing. But to be fair to the MIW, inequality has dropped a little.

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*German unemployment is a lot higher than S’pore’s. People like Chris K are pointing out that our employment rate is rising despite improving economic growth. Technically we are at full employment.

Peenoy presidente called for US help

How come he no call for help from China, Uncle Redbean?

US special forces are helping the Philippine military retake the southern city of Marawi from IS-linked militants, the Philippine army says.

The forces are providing technical help and are not fighting, it said.

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier threatened to throw out US troops amid strained relations since taking office.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40231605

Reuters news agency earlier quoted the US embassy in Manila as verifying the presence of US forces. It would not go into operational details but said the US forces were helping at the request of the Philippine government.

Ah Loong right to see China no ak isit Uncle Redbean?

 

S’pore not part of Sinosphere

A “blogger” posted when defining “Sinosphere”:

Notice I don’t have Singapore in any of them , simply because Singapore is a highly Westernized country that aims to have blends of multiple cultures, so while Han Chinese is the largest population, that doesn’t mean Singapore is culturally Chinese. In fact, it’s a very big mixture between British, Chinese, Indian, and Malay cultures.

Eat yr heart out Uncle Redbean and that guy that lives in HK but lectures us on how to do things here.

He described the Sinosphere as

… Han Chinese, Yamato Japanese, Koreans, and Kinh Vietnamese. Namely, Mainland China/Taiwan/foreign Chinese, Japan/foreign Japanese, North/South Korea/foreign Koreans, Vietnam/foreign Vietnamese. Unsurprisingly, they’re the only ones with Chinese-derived names in English: Chin(ese) 秦, Japan(ese) 日本, Korea(n) 高麗, Vietnam(ese) 越南. In short, they’re collectively called the Sinosphere, or nations within Chinese cultural sphere of influence.

https://www.quora.com/What-country-is-culturally-closest-to-China/answer/Tim-Tran-14

 

SDP: Pls learn how to use social media from Labour

I hope someone forwards this to the SDP leadership

How Labour used social media to overturn expectactions of a rout. (As usual UK MSM was anti-Labour)

Over the course of the campaign, BBC Trending gained an insight into the minds of some of the most passionate voters by delving into filter bubbles – tight online communities created by algorithms and the way we all use social media.

One of the strongest and most active filter bubbles was the one filled with “Corbynistas”. There are hundreds of pages and groups devoted to the Labour leader. They have names like “We support Jeremy Corbyn“, a Facebook group that has more than 55,000 members, more than 15,000 of which were added in the last few weeks.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-40209711

And http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-39856464

BBC Trending spoke to Caroline Tipler, who founded the group “Jeremy Corbyn leads us to 2017 victory“, which has more than 11,000 members (and in the wake of the snap election surprise announcement was swiftly renamed from “Jeremy Corbyn leads us to 2020 victory”).

Tipler said she established the group to allow Corbyn supporters to connect with each other, to provide information on Corbyn’s policies and to counter what she calls the “appalling, destructive” actions of “plotters” who want to remove Corbyn as Labour leader.

Tipler feels that Corbyn has reinvigorated politics, and denies the main criticism of these groups – that they have turned into self-perpetuating echo chambers.

“Members seek to share values and to have their values of honesty and decency reinforced and placed into political life,” she says. “Debate and a broad church approach is encouraged. No one is ‘right’ or ‘more right’, we are all learning.”

Another main theme of the groups is that Corbyn’s political allies must be defended against attacks. Following interviews from Diane Abbott, during which she made some widely covered mathematical slip-ups, one Jeremy Corbyn fan defended the shadow Home Secretary with heavy sarcasm: “Shock, horror! Diane Abbott doesn’t have a chip in her brain relaying the live election results, which are actually coming in WHILST she’s being interviewed!”

In these groups, many of the articles posted originate from a crop of pro-Corbyn political bloggers and writers, perhaps the biggest of which is a popular political blog called The Canary.

These blogs are media success stories in their own right. They often publish pieces that spread more widely than mainstream media reports and, in the case of The Canary, pay writers in part based on their click numbers. Kerry-Anne Mendoza, editor of The Canary, is unsurprisingly a big supporter of the active pro-Corbyn Facebook wave.

“I love that the pro-Corbyn groups are out there,” she told BBC Trending. “They will be able to amplify Corbyn’s messages all the way up to the election.”

In the early weeks of the election campaign, The Canary has been one of the most popular news sources on Facebook, at times drawing in numbers comparable to the BBC and national newspapers to some of its stories.

And

There’s also a mischievous approach to news circulating in some of these groups. Here’s an example: in the wake of the local council elections on 6 May, several links were posted to an Independent article from the 2016 local elections. The headline was: “Not that you’d know it, but the Tories lost far more seats in the election than Labour”. The article was 100% correct – but it referred to an election a year ago.

However, on many of the posts there was no acknowledgement of those inconvenient facts. That said, it was illustrated with a picture of the former Conservative leader David Cameron, which may have been a giveaway to those who looked carefully:

What are M Ravi’s friends doing?

Finally M Ravi’s friends are admitting publicly (on FB) that he’s ill. And they are wringing their hands saying that he’s not listening to their advice to get medical help, and abusing them to boot for suggesting he sees a doctor.

Which begs the question why they not using the law to get make sure he gets treated? There are such things as Mandatory Treatment Orders. As many of his friends are lawyers, why are they not applying for such an order, instead of wring their hands in public?

Worse in M’sia

But S’pore gets really bad publicity because we cane ang mohs.

Caning

is relatively widespread: in Singapore 2,203 people were caned in 2012, including 1,070 foreigners, the US State Department said.

Since 2010, at least three Europeans have been sentenced to be caned for vandalism, including Swiss software consultant Oliver Fricker, who spray-painted graffiti on a train.

But the numbers pale in comparison to Malaysia.

In 2010, Amnesty International released a report saying some 10,000 prisoners and 6,000 refugees were being caned each year, punishment for more than 60 crimes – including drug-related and sexual offences, as well as migration violations.

Extract from BBC Report

Marking yr vote to express yr happiness or unhappiness

This might give u ideas

Can I put a smiley face instead?

The Electoral Commission says the best way to make sure your vote is counted is to mark an X in a box. But a smiley face or anything which is interpreted by a returning officer as an expression of preference “must not be rejected if the voter’s intention is clear”, its guidance to Returning Officers says.

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-40188494

In S’pore 

Mark your choice on your ballot paper clearly by marking a ‘X’ on the ballot paper.

http://www.eld.gov.sg/voters_dosdonts.html

But based on what I know of the counting process (Read this https://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/counting-agent-me/), u can mark yr vote with a smiley face.

Here’s shumething to think about. If you like the party u are voting for use ). If u dislike the party u feel u must vote for use (.

Make yr feelings known even if no-one cares.

 

 

Not talking about race or religion

When TRE republished this, there was the usual ranting from the cybernuts.

But there was this

opposition dude:
June 6, 2017 at 2:16 pm (Quote)
I never like talking about race or religion, it’s too sensitive a topic.

What I would rather do is continue being on good terms with people of other races and see them as friends. So far this has worked well since I was in primary school up to working life.

For me, it’s always nice to just makan together with other races and just enjoy their company and talking cock with them.

I like him avoid talking about race or religion with people of other races or religions. The problem is that we can stand accused (rightly) of being tolerant rather than accepting of other races or religions.

The accusation does has merit especially if we are from the majority group. But what is the alternative? Let it all hang out like Shrey and gang?

Finding Meaning in Health Crises

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Truths about voter choices: Why people vote PAP despite everything

70% of S’poreans regularly get criticised from the unhappy 30% (whether sane like Chris K or Cherian George or insane like TRE donor, Oxygen, Philip Ang or Dr Chee).

Two persons, talking about the UK, shed light why the 7o% did what they did, and why at least 60% of the voters will keep on voting PAP so long as the PAP delivers authoritarian rule that works: http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21722865-city-states-success-offers-much-admire-little-emulate-how-foreigners-misunderstand

Nigel Farage, Mr Brexit, without meaning to got to the nub of why S’poreans continue supporting the PAP. Noting that UK’s big businesses were quite happy about UK being in the EU, he said

Well, yes, of course, if you’re doing well in life you don’t want any change at all.

Or, as I’d put it, “If u think u are if you’re doing well in life you don’t want any change at all.”

Now the next truth is as a FT writer puts it: Voters in general elections make a broader judgment, at once about the character of the leader and the credibility of her or his policies.

This means because they got a low regard for the Labour leader and his policies, even though
Many voters may agree with Mr Corbyn about the NHS, the railways and, even perhaps on soaking the rich — and then they will proceed to cast their ballot for Mrs May’s Conservatives.

Translated into local politics even though many of the 70% may agree that the PAP’s policies on FTs, public transport, welfare, ex-generals badly running ministries, statutory boards or GLCs, and that NS and military spending suck, they still will not vote for the Oppo because of the state of the Oppo.

Talking of the minor parties

— NSP is led by someone who pled guilty to a CBT charge,

— Chiams are egotistic and nepotistic,

— s/o JBJ is autistic,

— People’s Parachutist Party is led by a S’porean based in HK who is pro China, and

— TJS and Pwee are opportunists.

As for the Worthless (or Wankers’) Party, what can I say?

With a few exceptions, they’ve not bothered to raise issues in that concern S’poreans in parly.

Worse, the PAP administration will get the opportunity to pick up Auntie’s taunt and dare. Remember Auntie said, “Sue us if we did anything wrong”. There are two reports by two int’l accounting firms that say AHTC (or rather AHPETC) has a lot to account for, and the WP has allowed a third-party to decide on the recovery of monies. 

And no, I haven’t forgotten the SDP and Mad Dog Chee.

Mad Dog does not believe in leadership renewal, he’s the only party leader still in charge since 1993 when he swapped serious politics for the self-indulgence of street politics, after stabbing Chiam in the front (Chee’s version of events, my interpretation).

Remember in 1993, the SDP had two MPs in parly (excluding Chiam). They were no JBJs but they never stood a chance in 1996 when they stood for re-election what with Mad Dog peeing and crapping all over the streets to the disgust of most S’poreans (self included).

Since 1993, the SDP has been in the Wilderness. Maybe God’s will? Remember the Israelites had to spend 40 years in the Wilderness because they offended God. But at least they reached the Promised Land and committed genocide.

Somehow, I don’t think God is Dr Chee’s side.

And with an activist like Brendan Chong determined to fix the Pink Dot organisers, need I say anything more about the SDP?

Thinking of buying IgNoble?

The reasom why the share price collapsed further yesterday was because Noble’s

main banks are locked in last-ditch talks over whether to give the crisis-hit commodity trader more time to find a white knight investor or force the company into a restructuring or liquidation, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

FT

HSBC, Soc Gen, ABN Amro, Citigroup and ING are its main banks.

Blessed is he who has a daughter

From NYT Dealbook A Proven Way to Win in Business: Have a Daughter, and Hire Women By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER A naturally occurring experiment in the field of venture capital suggests there are financial advantages to having a diverse team.

Tharman and the “Marxist conspirators

The u/m rant when a Muslim pal said on FB that if the next president was to be Indian, he’d prefer Tharman reminded me that a few yrs ago, a grassroot leader in Tharman’s ward told me that working in the ward, he came across many of the Marxist conspirators helping out on the ground.

He was musing on buying a copy of Teo Soh Lung’s “Beyond the Blue Gate” and getting them to sign the book. I hope he did. I’ll ask him. Btw, he’s moved on out from the area to Holland Village.

The rant

Martin Loh The man is associated with the failed western economic model, where wealth is naively thought to trickle down from rich to poor if only government were to grant the rich their every wish. He is supported by the same western capitalist cabal that supported Anwar against Mahathir at the height of the Asian Financial Crisis. If this man leads Singapore, you can expect the economy to be further opened to foreign players, including cheap foreign labour, and sale of national assets to foreign entities. We will become like Greece. When things fail. He will prescribe the western panacea of hair cuts, where retirees will have reduced payout from their already ransomed CPF. Seniors have no reason to support this man. Not do Singaporeans who believe that they should have first shot at jobs in their own country. Foreign policy wise, habis lah. He at tilt us to the West and, possibly, India.

“Money talks, BS walks” or “There’s no competition”

Just ask UA, and the PAP and they’ll say “Cost and cenvenience matters more than quality of service”.

[UA] has just had a great month. Of course, there was the odd hiccup. First, the video of a bloodied United passenger being dragged off an overbooked flight for the crime of wanting to stay in the seat he had paid for. Then there was the giant rabbit, en route from London to Chicago to compete for the title of world’s largest bunny, who died in United custody with lawyers alleging the airline put the live beast in a freezer for 16 hours. Then there was the airline’s apology to the Paris-bound passenger who ended up in San Francisco instead. And the flyer whose trip was cancelled after he taped an argument with a United employee.

Yet despite this month of PR disasters, United is doing fine. Better than fine, in fact. The airline announced this week that it had its best month of the year in April, beating all of its main rivals in key metrics.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2017/05/not-cruellest-month

70% of voters are like UA customers? Never mind the danger of getting beaten up (Think Donald Low, Amos Yee and AHJC), detained without trial ( “Marxist conspirators”),  hung (all those drug smugglers), sued (Roy Ngerng, JBJ, Dr Chee etc) and kanna whacked by price rises (S’poreans), the PAP is convenient and “cheap” for the quality provided.

But here’s an alternative view:

Roger Wicker, a Republican senator from Mississippi, had a different explanation: “There’s not enough competition in the industry.”

George Cherian would agree, He has commented on FB that

The PAP’s marketing of democracy and human rights as “bad products” as you put it is only half the story. The other half: the PAP ensures that it operates in a protected market where those selling the competing product are “taxed” practically out of existence, by placing obstacles in their ability to organise, and destroying careers of activists. It’s not because there aren’t “good marketeers” among Singaporeans who care about these issues. It’s because they are in a market completely different from the example you cite.

What do u think?

(Related article explaining what Cherian was referring to)

FASgate: Governance issues

As FAS is making sweeping changes (In the main to ensure that the power to make decisions do not rest on a single individual such as the president or the general secretary. Example:  the FAS executive committee will now approve payments and expenditure.)

and

as I understand the police are about to forward their findings on FASgate or Donorgate to the AGC, I tot I’d remind readers about the governance issues involved.

The cybernuts cheering on Bill Ng ignored the governance issues surrounding the donation to AFF (which Bill initially said he didn’t know anything about) and when confronted with documentation that he knew, mumbled something and sat down.

The nuts also called the police investigations “fixing” the elections.

All this noise obscures some very important corporate governance issues.

But first a reminder of what happened.

Bill Ng started the ball rolling when he alleged that he didn’t know what his $500,000 donation (made over 11 months in 2014 and 2015) to FAS  went to. There was also another “donation” for the running of Lions XII* that he claimed to be blur about.

---

Bill Ng’s favourite song?

Sounds like Billy started a joke that had him wife, ex-PAP MP, Zainuddin, and Winston Lee crying. It had to be a joke because how could Bill not know where the money went? He admitted this when he admitted signing the letter Winston Lee produced to rebut him. He no read isit?

Billy the Kid threw a stone at Winston Lee saying he didn’t know where his donation went to,

—————–

Later it emerged that there was documentation (signed by him) that he knew the donation was to the Asean Footie Federation for some management system for Asean clubs yet to be developed (when the donation was made in 2015) and still not developed as of now. An AFF official (Pinoy, if u must know) confirmed that ex-PAP MP, and then FAS president, Zainuddin Nordin, was the man behind the project. He remains silent.

---

[O]ne of the regional football associations told TODAY that it had never been asked to make donations to support the AFF’s Football Management System.

————————————————-

Bill, his wife, the ex-PAP MP and Winston Lee were arrested by the police but are out on police bail. They have also been interviewed by the police.

FAS governance issues

Here are the FAS governance issues:

— Did the senior officials of FAS alleged to have asked for donations (Then PAP MP and FAS president Zainudin Nordin and senior FAS official Winston Lee) have the authority to ask Bill Ng or his clubs (other indeed any other person or club) without the knowledge of other senior FAS officials for a huge donation to a third-party? Such a request by senior officials could be seen as intimidatory.

(Under the proposed changes all donations to the FAS above S$50,000 will be reviewed and approved by the executive committee.)

Today reported that independent candidate “James Lim was shocked to hear that the FAS had asked for donations for an external organisation.”

“I am of course taken aback that FAS would be soliciting donations for an external and even foreign organisation.

“The FAS has no business soliciting funds for AFF when they are always telling the public that it lacks the funds to implement the Strategic Plan.

“Even more shocking is that the donations were not from Bill personally but from the football clubs. Basically, money has been taken out from Singapore football, and from local football clubs.

(Under the proposed changes, FAS cannot solicit donations for foreign organisations.)

“It does not make any sense. Clubs like Hougang are receiving grants and their activities are subsidised with public funds. How can club funds be then channelled out to AFF?

— Should the said officials have told other officials that they accepted the donation from Billy the Kid for AFF?

— Should the said officials have told other officials when the FAS made its donation to the AFF?

————————————————–

“It is also shocking to hear that the FAS Council members were oblivious to such a huge amount of money being moved around.

“Winston has to come clean and reveal what was going on between Bill and FAS.”

FAS elections independent candidate James Lim told Today.

———————————–

— Was someone trying to bribe FAS officials?

— Were the appropriate accounting entries made in respect of the receipt of the funds from TBFC (five in all over 11 months) and the subsequent one-time payment to AFF? (Rumour has it they were entered as donations to FAS. The proper procedure is really complicated and should have involved opening and maintaining a separate bank account.)

— Was the donation to AFF in pursuit of a personal advantage in AFF or FIFA? Here note that Nordin publicly said last year that he wanted to become one of Asia’s delegates to FIFA. Earlier this yr, he declined to contest for a post.

 TBFC governance issues

Under its constitution, can Tiong Bahru FC make the donation to the AFF?

Another governance issue not connected to the above is whether Bill Ng made full disclosure and got approval for rent to be paid to a biz controlled by his wife. If he did, the rental arrangements are halal, if not they are haram. Rumour has it that club officials told the police that while there was disclosure (and approval of) that the rent was paid to a business where Bill’s wife has an interest, there was no disclosure about how the rent paid compared to other neighbouring rents. Lawyers will have a profitable time arguing if such a disclosure was needed for disclosure to be valid.

——————————–

*The Football Association of Singapore’s (FAS) is making sweeping changes to its processes and procedures, a month after a new council was voted in. This comes in the wake of controversy in the run up to the FAS election over a S$500,000 donation by Tiong Bahru Football Club to the ASEAN Football Federation, made at the request of then-FAS president Zainudin Nordin.

A committee led by deputy president Bernard Tan on Thursday (Jun 1) announced a raft of proposed changes to the way the FAS is governed*.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/new-fas-council-unveils-plans-to-fix-governance-issues-8904402

**I’ll let Today tell the story

The other “donation”

TODAY also queried the FAS over Ng’s claims that he was asked to donate to the LionsXII as they had told him the budget to run the now-defunct team had “overrun”.

Ng had said that as a result, a S$200,000 sponsorship that he had secured for Hougang’s S.League season was channelled into supporting the LionsXII’s expenses for playing in the Malaysia Super League (MSL).

The FAS spokesman said: “Prior to the commencement of the LionsXII’s inaugural season, FAS sought revenues through various means including but not limited to sponsorships, donations, grants, and corporate partnerships and tie-ups…we approached corporations, partners and individuals to seek their support towards the LionsXII. Bill was among the individuals whom we had approached for referrals.

“He subsequently introduced a company which donated an amount of S$200,000 to the LionsXII’s campaign for the 2012 season.”

The spokesman also refuted Ng’s claims that they had gone over the LionsXII budget.

“The cheque was issued to FAS in November 2011 – some six weeks before the LionsXII kicked off their inaugural season,” said the spokesman. “Hence, we are baffled by claims that the budget for the LionsXII had ‘overrun’. This certainly was not the case.”

Referring to Ng’s claim that the S$200,000 for Hougang was channelled instead to the LionsXII, the spokesman said that while the FAS had asked for donations to support the LionsXII, it had always placed the S.League as a higher priority.

“While we sought to raise revenues to support the LionsXII’s inaugural season, we had also communicated to our sponsors and donors that the S.League will always be our focal point as it is the heartbeat of Singapore football,” the spokesman explained.

“This is why we ensured that we secured an increase in funding and subsidy for our clubs before we entered the partnership agreement with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in 2011.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operation Spectrum: Ownself contradict ownself

There’s been a lot on FB about about the “Marxist” conspiracy by anti-PAP gang, rational and nuts, in rebuttal LKY was quoted a lot by the pro-PAP cybernuts.

But going by their quotes, it seems even LKY didn’t think there was a “Marxist” conspiracy.

Let’s set the scene. 21 May 1987 was the day when 16 people, mostly Catholic social workers, were arrested and accused by the PAP administration of waging a “conspiracy” to topple the government. Later, six more were arrested for the same reason.

They were never charged in open court where the administration would would have to produce the evidence for detaining them, and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were subversives out to undermine the state. Instead the Internal Security Act was used: the state was prosecutor and judge.

Now, 30 years on, the ex-detainees continue to maintain their innocence, and accuse the PAP administration of faking the “conspiracy” for political reasons: conveniently forgetting that they had confessed and then recanted and then some recanted their recantation.

The PAP administration maintains that the ex-detainees were subversives, driven by Marxist ideology.

But if so why then did LKY tell the Catholic Archbishop of Singapore, the late Gregory Yong, that detainees themselves were of minimal concern to him. He dismissed them as “do-gooders who wanted to help the poor and the dispossessed” and “simpletons”.

Err so where’s the Marxist subversion?

But then helping “the poor and the dispossessed” is Marxist subversion because it showed up the PAP’s BS on welfare?

Here’s another point I want to make. Many of those who want pluraity of views here join the ex-detainees, and the anti-PAP activists and the cybernuts nuts in asking for a commission to establish the truth.

Actually, it’s good for those of us who want greater plurality that the administration refuses to listen.

The more the PAP administration ignores the calls, the more it shows to the voting public the hollowness of “Ownself check ownself” and the flaws in a one-party state . If it does the right thing, it can spin this as “Ownself can check ownself”.

 

 

 

 

Talking cock about Return Our CPF

Cybernuts, from Mad Dog Chee to Philip Ang, regularly point out GIC’s and Temasek’s “losses” as evidence for the real reason why the PAP administration intriduced the “Minimum sum” scheme and CPF Life: Temasek, GIC lost money, resulting in a shortfall of funds if CPF can be withdrawn at 55.

I’ll quote two of the heloos of the cybernuts to show that the state can refund everyone’s outstanding CPF balance.

Uncle Leong, of fake analysis fame, points out

Amount due to CPF members is $324.2 billion

According to the Department of Statistics’ Monthly Digest of Statistics – the Amount Due to (CPF) Members is $324.2 billion as of October, 2016.

(Yes I double checked to confirm that he wasn’t faking this.)

So does state have the $ to refund $325bn ++?

Chris K (no cybernut and an unwilling hero of the cybernuts) recently pointed out on FB that looking at reserves as unencumbered assets – i.e. assets minus liabilities or net assets, a term used by Tharman and in the constitution when calculating the net investment return contribution, the ball park numbers are

MAS: $40bn,

Temasek: $220bn,

GIC: $290bn

And this excludes the past reserves still sitting in the various Fifth Schedule entities like EDB and etc LTA.

Still think got no money to repay yr CPF?

So in an alternative universe when Dr Chee becomes PM later today, with a two-thirds majority in parly, he can tell president Yaacob to allow him to draw on the reserves and return our CPF. He will tell President Halimah

I have the mandate of the people. What do u have? How many S’poreans voted for u? None because u won by default.”

Sign or I’ll pee on u and let the mob into the Istana.

 

She signs and when everyone gets their money back, the lies the cybernuts tell will be exposed.

 

SDP activist trying hard to fix Pink Dot organisers

Further to this, Brendan Chong (he says he admires Mad Dog Chee and I’ve seen evidence that he’s a SDP member and activist), has another suggestion to cause trouble at Pink Dot.

Much easier than my previous suggestion. Just make sure you look like that person (or at least bear some resemblance)

Brendan Chong

4 hrs

I have a better idea for Pink Dot SG. Borrow someone else’s IC to gain entry. Afterall, organisers are not law enforcement, so showing another person’s IC is not an offence.

When it was pointed out that unauthorised use of NRIC is illegal. In the case of PD, he argued that no particulars are recorded, so OK to break the law because got no evidence. Err what if police now ask organisers to record everyone’s details?

An administrator of the group he belonged to responded

I think PD would benefit more if Brendan stays away (or is kept away for that matter) from further shenanigans related to breaching laws to “help” PD.

To help the Pink Dot organisers, there’s a photo of the SDP activist above. I don’t want trouble at Pink Dot because I have a friend (straight and married) who will be speaking there.

Whatever, his behaviour is evidence that the SDP is a double-headed snake when it comes to gays. I pointed out here that

While the party is supposedly gay friendly: at election time, it regularly fields hard line Muslims who openly attack LGBTs. One of them was even SDP chairman. The PAP doesn’t do such things. But then SDP is led by Mad Dog Chee.

Should Amos fall ill in jail

Good luck to him: US immigration jails are ratholes for the ill.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39862039

Roy’s honeymoon: places to avoid

Taiwan’s top judges have ruled in favour of gay marriage, paving the way for it to become the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex unions.

The highest court ruled that current laws preventing members of the same sex from marrying violated their right to equality and were unconstitutional.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40012047

Now I know why Roy moved to Taiwan. He wanted to get married.

But when he goes for his honeymoon,

Two men have been caned 83 times each in the Indonesian province of Aceh after being caught having sex.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39996224

And even in the rest of Indonesia where, unlike S’pore and Achen, gay sex is not illegal, 141 men at a gay sauna were arrested in the capital, Jakarta, and similar arrests in the city of Surabaya were made, shrinking the space for Indonesian’s LGBT community.

And if he goes to South Korea, he should avoid sex with a soldier.

A South Korean military court has given an army captain a suspended six-month prison sentence for having sex with another male soldier.

…

Homosexuality is not a crime for civilians, but the South Korea’s military law bans homosexual activity by army personnel.

Human rights groups have accused the armed forces of conducting a “witch hunt” to root out homosexuality.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40040621

As for China, even though gay sex is not illegal, he could be sent for rehabilitation.

Talking about race S’pore style

This was posted on FB by ex-Joshua Chiang (once a TOC editor and now resident in Cambodia).

But contrary to what people like anti-PAP activist Teo Soh Lung, and her buddy, Jeannette Chong post regularly on FB, our men in blue did us proud:

The Investigation Officer and I agreed that I am absolutely against racial violence of any sort and, instead, was only seeking a healthy and productive discussion for the betterment of Singapore’s media landscape and society*.

Shrey

I’ve not posted on Shrey’s comments and the comments that followed because as my FB avatar put in

Bet u if he had knowingly auditioned for a hard core porn movie, he’d complain that he was asked to show his private parts. Come on he knew the kind of stuff that Ah Boys To Men 4 would feature.

To which I’ll add: There’s a time and place to discuss the racial stereotyping that S’poreans of all races (including Aryan skinned Indians) casually and unthinkingly indulge in; but Shrey’s comments are not the place to begin the conversation. Keep the angst etc for another, better occasion.

---

*He went on “Specifically, I wanted Singaporeans to engage in dialogue regarding the inclusion of minorities in the media, as well as to tackle the issue of casual racism in order to create a more inclusive and harmonious Singapore.”

HoHoHo: Did u know?

Standard Chartered is the only western bank left in Zimbabwe.

Yup the country ruled by Mugabe the guy who gives glowing references to our Gleneagles Hospital to his fellow dictators.He’s a regular customer. And his wife loves shopping here.

Pink Dot: With friend like this Pink Dot doesn’t need enemies

Read what Brendan Chong posted on FB. Is he “inciting violence” Or at the very least encouraging people to break the law?

No he’s not a Christian or Muslim whacko but someone who says he’s a progressive (i.e, LGBT friendly). He is alleged to be a member of the SDP.

Brendan Chong

Regarding Pink Dot SG: We cannot take this infringement lying down. This is going too far in our already tightly restricted environment for freedom of expression. This new measure as a result of a new law is totally undeserved, unjustified and an unprovoked measure towards the LGBT community. Past Pinkdots have proceeded smoothly without any law and order issue. I think we should respond by setting up picnics outside of the Speaker’s Corner boundaries to welcome those who want to keep our allies and LGBT friends company without an IC. (foreigner’s included) It may be illegal, but hey we must hold our ground and not compromise. Im sure many of us do not wish to take the law in our own hands, but times like this makes it absolutely necessary. If the police arrest us, the world will see us for what Singapore is. Xenophobia, coming from the govt the very first time. It would look bad on us in BBC, Reuters and CNN. Nevermind that Singapore welcome foreigners to work here only.

(Emphasis mine)

He was taken to task for his comments about breaking the law, and after behaving like a Yaya Papaya (he said he expected someone to report his post to the police) he backtracked

What’s wrong with gathering outside the venue to watch the concert if we cant get in? The law breaking part is only an inadvertant side effect. The main purpose is to catch the show or a glimpse of it. Do it by all means necessary.

Mad Dog Chee must be proud of him.

Don’t anyhow “Like”

While the u/m happened in a country where the English common law law of defamation doesn’t apply, I wouldn’t be surprised if in the near future, the lawyers of a leading member of the PAP sue some S’porean for liking a defamatory FB post about their client.

A court in Switzerland has fined a man for “liking” comments deemed to be defamatory that were posted on Facebook.

The landmark case involved comments made about Erwin Kessler, the head of an animal protection group.

He was accused of being anti-Semitic and racist, media reports say.

The Zurich district court said the defendant “clearly endorsed the unseemly content and made it his own” by liking comments.

The 45-year-old man liked six comments, according to Swiss newspaper Le Temps.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40097792