History of the PAP 1985-2021

Yesterday, in Putin learning from the PAP?, I wrote that the author of A History of the PAP 1985-2021 said,

the book is both a narrative and analysis of the PAP. It certainly is a narrative with the added bonus that because the PAP was in power during that period the book is also a narrative of S’pore’s economy and govt policies.

But when it comes to analysis, I’m reminded of Animal Farm and in particular what Boxer said

‘If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right. ‘ And from then on he adopted the maxim ‘Napoleon is always right’ …

He interviewed all the PAP tua kees and many ikan bilis, but from his coverage and analysis from 1985 till the immediate aftermath of GE2005, I did not learn anything new.

It wasn’t that this was a quiet period

The issues that the PAP faced were many: who was to succeed LKY, how the choice was to be made, why GCT chose Lee Jnr as his deputy and dauphin, ministerial salaries, GRCs, the Jade House row, the elected presidency and the locking up of the reserves, the presidential election, the row with Ong Teng Cheong, the handover to LHL and the 2005 GE.

On all these topics the book revealed nothing that I already knew or had surmised. At best I learnt about whiter shades of white or darker shades of white.

As I digest more of the book, I’ll blog my tots.

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Putin learning from the PAP?

I couldn’t help but smile when I read the Economist’s (the PAP’s go-to manual or bible: PAP’s bible challenges “market-based solution”) take on Putin in 2022

The Kremlin’s aim is not to throw out the right to vote, but to get rid of any alternative to Mr Putin.

Now isn’t this what one Harry Lee (Remember him? His son is now PM.) was always doing in S’pore: ensuring there would be no alternative to the PAP in S’pore. It’s a Hard Truth Jnr is trying to keep.

Interestingly, I’ve been reading (not from choice: but as a favour to my ex-boss who wants a review) of the just published A History of the PAP 1985-2021.

The author of the book says the book is both a narrative and analysis of the PAP. It certainly is a narrative with the added bonus that because the PAP was in power during that period the book is also a narrative of S’pore’s economy and govt policies.

As to whether, it’s an analysis, is shumething I’ll blog about in coming days.

Meanwhile here’s the views of someone who thinks the world of the PAP book: https://berthahenson.com/2021/12/27/history-of-the-pap-gems-in-the-footnotes/?

But then, she would say that would’t she?

An ex-colleague of hers in ST alleges that she was (Still is?) a cadre of PAP (Women’s Wing) and that she tot she could be ST’s editor. She resigned, it seems, when the present editor (whom it’s alleged she hates) got the job. She’s since been bitching about the ST’s declining journalistic standards. When she was there in a senior position, a story about a murder had to mention that a relation of the suspect was a WP member.

Whatever, if she was a PAP cadre, she should have declared this fact when penning the elegy to the book. But then ST journalists have double standards, telling us financial people to declare our interests, while they can keep quiet theirs.

Message for Christians after Christmas hols

Get to work.

Kee Chui those who will do this, whether Christian or not.

Related post: The beloved of God

The beloved of God

Certainly not those who smugly call themselves the children of God or the chosen ones or the elect of God.

And certainly not the self-selected natural aristocrats.

Why we get ministers who can’t organise an orgy in a brothel?

but first, a Blessed Christmas if you are Christian. And a merry, happy holiday if you are not Christian. And a a happy 2022.

Coming back to the question, it’s because of the way they are chosen

“When you’re at the top of the hierarchy, you have a lot of influence over people’s careers. There is a natural tendency for people to start to say things that they think you want to hear, that align with your world view, or make you happy.”

The bubble forms slowly, Mr Lesser explains, because at first your peers still see you as something of an equal, they know you and your background. But over time, he says, a “gap starts to emerge”, between the CEO and everyone else.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59043478

More good news on Omicron

Omicron cases much less likely to need hospital stay, says England health body

People catching Omicron are 50% to 70% less likely to need hospital care compared with previous variants, a major analysis says.

The UK Health Security Agency says its early findings are “encouraging” but the variant could still lead to large numbers of people in hospital.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59769969

Good news on Omicron

Omicron cases less likely to require hospital treatment, studies show, the int’l media reports.

Data from Denmark, South Africa and the UK point to reduced severity from infection with the coronavirus strain

Three new studies suggested that the Omicron variant of covid-19 may be less severe than its predecessors. One, conducted in Scotland, found that current infection numbers would have resulted in three times as many hospitalisations were the virus to behave like Delta. A South African study indicated that Omicron sufferers were 70-80% less likely to go to hospital than those with other variants. A third, conducted in England, was more sanguine, suggesting that people with Omicron were 15-20% less likely to be hospitalised than those with Delta, but 40-45% less likely to stay there for a night or more. Even if infections prove mild, Omicron could still do grave damage given how quickly it is spreading.

Economist Expresso before it knew of Danish study

On the last sentence in quote more at: Remember this about Omicron

What a lot of bull

“Chicken has gone up by 50 per cent in costs over the last 18 months – a basic staple in a multiracial country so it’s the number one protein… and I think it’s a matter of time for even the regular sliced breads that we eat to go up, maybe 20 or 30 cents per loaf.”

S’porean quoted in https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/singaporesmiddle-classes-turn-food-banks-inflationbites/?fbclid=IwAR0deSdKWce_AEV21lXbE3NbzYzco7iBGjZRXjH89V91_aPEdR7MypnX3IM

What a lot of BS. I can still get roast chicken from Cold Storage at $4.90, albeit a slightly smaller one. And an atas brand of bread has slashed its price from $7.20 to $6.20. Sadly, they also got rid of their “promotions” at $5.20. And at the other end of the scale, I can still buy “Super Value” brown bread at $1.70.

SE Asia almost as safe as N America

Demand for tech staff

Remember this about Omicron

Omicron looks less likely than other strains to cause severe disease. Early data suggest it is more than four times more contagious than Delta, and more able to infect those who have received a standard two-shot course of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. Days after a booster shot, however, protection against infection returns to 70-75%.

But without booster shots, its rapid spread means that infection numbers could crest higher than in any of the previous waves.

A milder disease can still end up killing more people if it is more transmissible than its predecessor.

Which degrees offer more/ less value for one’s money

This is from the UK, but it’s most probably universal.

Preparing to hang Bayee, Auntie and Faisal

And Faisal gave them the rope, admitting

that as an MP, he also had a duty to ensure that no untruth remained on the record in Parliament and that it was important to clarify Ms Khan’s lie as soon as possible, but he did not do anything, nor did he speak with anyone about it

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/raeesah-khan-faisal-manap-cop-lie-parliament-workers-party-2373841

I told a friend weeks ago that I did not understand why the so-called experts interviewed by the constructive, nation-building media never raised the point that the Wankers Three could be in contempt of Parliament and in breach of the law by keeping quiet for so long.

Auntie and Bayee are lawyers. Going by their actions, they are “half-past six lawyers” like M Ravi. At least M Ravi has the excuse of being mentally ill when he doesn’t take his medicine: Law Society should stop indulging M Ravi.

Blessed be ye poor: for your’s is the kingdom of God

That’s all the poor will get from God in this pandemic.

Because despite “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”: The really rich get a lot richer in this pandemic.

But then:

“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

Time for wealth taxes?

The most powerful man in the world at work

No not Grandpa Xi, Putin or even Sleepy Joe the POTUS.

Good news on inflation

One aspect, the cost of shipping goods by ship, is coming down

Property: Be careful, really careful

Our central bank

urges homebuyers to exercise prudence, as housing loans drive increase in household debt

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/mas-urges-homebuyers-exercise-prudence-housing-loans-drive-increase-household-debt

And well it should

And at the high end, things don’t look that good.

Having said that one of my neighbours is talking of selling and downgrading because he is cash poor. Terrace houses in the neighbourhood are priced at S$3-3.6m each, with corner houses going for S$5.2m. Another neighbour says, why sell unless cash is needed. He’s an ex-SIA pilot who turned 65 last July: great timing his drop-dead gorgeous wife (SIA auntie) says. He’s now a trainer for Boeing.

PAP govt’s fault S’poreans not running US tech giants

LKY’s gang made sure that S’pore didn’t become a shithouse country like India.

I kid you not. Explaining why mamas run so many US tech giants:

“No other nation in the world ‘trains’ so many citizens in such a gladiatorial manner as India does,” says R Gopalakrishnan, former executive director of Tata Sons and co-author of The Made in India Manager.”

From birth certificates to death certificates, from school admissions to getting jobs, from infrastructural inadequacies to insufficient capacities,” growing up in India equips Indians to be “natural managers,” he adds, quoting the famous Indian corporate strategist C K Prahalad.

The competition and chaos, in other words, makes them adaptable problem-solvers – and, he adds, the fact that they often prioritise the professional over the personal helps in an American office culture of overwork.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59457015

As a S’porean living here, I’d rather live in the S’pore that the PAP runs rather than shithouse place like India (even if the PAP ministers die die want Mamas to keep on coming here) even if S’poreans don’t develop the skills to run US tech giants.

Inflation: the main drivers

As is food.

So, the recent weakness in oil prices because of concerns of the latest variant is to be welcomed.

Here, S’pore’s overall inflation rose to 3.2% in October, highest in more than 8 years.

The uptick reflected stronger private transport and rental costs, in addition to the higher core inflation, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Tuesday (Nov 23).

Core inflation, which excludes rents and private road transport costs, climbed to 1.5 per cent last month from 1.2 per cent in September. The increase was due to rising services and food prices, and a smaller decline in the cost of retail and other goods.

It outdid the 1.3 per cent median estimate of analysts Bloomberg surveyed. 

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-overall-inflation-rises-to-32-in-october-highest-in-more-than-8-years

Pritam beyond his level of competency

Former Non-Constituency MP Daniel Goh, who is a WP cadre member, had posted on Facebook twice on his personal thoughts of how his party leaders handled the controversy.

Mr Singh said at Thursday’s press conference that the party would look into his actions.

Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/analysts-disagree-wps-handling-raeesah-khan-matter-some-party-members-say-leaders-did-what

Excuse me, Mr Singh, you Wankers have something more important to do.

The WP needs to regain public credibility that it lost when you admitted that you, Auntie and Feisal had kept quiet for three months after you and the other two knew that she lied. The three of you have to explain to the WP and public why the three of you were so stupid. I mean all of you are graduates, and you and Auntie have legal qualifications. Where were your legal brains? In your asses?

But thank you for showing S’poreans that there’s a reason why RI boys rule S’pore, not normal stream people like you. As I wrote in Pritam shows why RI boys rule OK, RI boys would have thrown Ms Khan under the bus when they learnt she lied. In fact, they’d have driven the bus to make sure she was killed.

Interesting stat: those going to Normal (Academic) has remained between 20.6-21.4% of PSLE students and about 10.6% to 11.2% of pupils went to the Normal (Technical) stream.

What a week for equity mkts

As the US goes, other markets followed

Pritam shows why RI boys rule OK

I’m sure readers are aware that “Liar. liar pants on fire” Ms Raeesah Khan has now accused Bayee, Auntie and Feisal of telling her to keep on lying (Page 15 or B5 of https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/selectcommittee/selectcommittee/download?id=435&type=report&fbclid=IwAR2tVtm3bARuR7Thj_DAUIxMr2kwRN_aUo3BsEEgZELbpySrSkwbbxfBDHc)

Earlier Bayee had said publicly that he and other two had known for months that she had lied but had advised her to repent in parly which she did, albeit after a long delay.

This shocked many S’poreans and attracted adverse comments on social media from people who are not rabid PAP supporters.

Us RI boys would have thrown Ms Khan under the bus once she confessed to us. LOL. Difference between RI and normal stream students. Bayee is praised by the woke and progressives (all not from RI) for being a normal stream student made good. Well they are pretty quiet now. Juz like about their hero Amos Yee.

Well he has driven the Wankers into a serious car crash.

Seriously, for the record:

1 The funny thing is that I was sceptical about Bayee for a long time. Only after the last GE did I change my mind and think that I was wrong about him. An ex-WP senior cadre also changed his mind about Mr Singh. We were wrong. Dead wrong, he’s a wanker.

2 I had in August heard about a cover-up from the above ex-senior cadre who heard it from party insiders. We discussed this and came to the conclusion that Pritam and the other leaders were not that stupid to hush the matter up. We were wrong. Btw, it’s alleged by insiders that her pa was a big donor to the defence fund for Low, Sylvia and Pritam. That was cited as a possible reason for the cover-up.

Oh and I think Pritam, Sylvia and Feisal should temporarily step down. Low should return temporarily to take charge. My ex-WP friend disagrees. He thinks Low is just as bad as the three of them.

https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/selectcommittee/selectcommittee/download?id=435&type=report&fbclid=IwAR2tVtm3bARuR7Thj_DAUIxMr2kwRN_aUo3BsEEgZELbpySrSkwbbxfBDHc

Amg moh investors pass on Grab

Not a good debut for Grab.

Shares in Grab whipsawed in their Nasdaq debut on Thursday after the SE Asian super app concluded a record US$40bn merger deal with a blank cheque company. Shares opened at US$13.06, up from the previous day’s close of US$11.01 when it was still trading as Altimeter Growth Corp, but then fell below $9 in early trading. It closed at US$8.75.

LOL or SAD?

S&P 500 has largest intraday swing since March

Now this is volatility

S&P500 up intra-day by 1.9% then closes 1.2% lower

First case of Omicron variant in US prompts late sell-off.

There’ll be blood on SGX and the rest of Asia today. Glad I’m not in stock broking dealing, these few days.

Double whammy

The good news for us bulls holding out for a final blow out but who have no more $ to buy on dips is that the market was looking tired. A shakeout is good. HODL.

Law Society should stop indulging M Ravi

(Update: Since this was published, it’s been reported that his doctor has given him an MC lasting six weeks. He can’t practice law for six weeks because he’s mentally ill.)

A judge has ordered M (No M doesn’t stand for “Mad” but for “Madasamy”) to personally pay the Attorney-General $10,000 in costs over death row prisoners’ court application which he made, refused to withdraw when it was pointed out that he was talking cock, but then which he withdrew at the last minute.

Last week, the Law Society said it was closely monitoring matters relating to Mr Ravi after his antics in a trial turned it into a well publicised circus performance. The client repudiated his actions and behaviour, replacing him with Lim Tean.

It’s time for the Law Society to stop indulging him. It has over-indulged him because he has a treatable mental illness and more importantly (I suspect) because he is an icon for ang moh tua kee S’poreans and their overseas allies because of his well publicised antics in trying to help death row prisoners.

For the record in his autobiography, he boasts that he doesn’t take his prescribed medicines. He prefers to meditate. He gives us meditation practitioners a bad name. We are not that stupid to think meditation is a cure all for mental illness.

Time for the Law Society to start proceedings to get him disbarred.

Btw, can you hear the deafening silence from the ang moh tua kees. They were also silent about their other icon Amos Yee. Something minister Shan noted in a FB post.

Related posts:

M Ravi’s behaviour shows why in early 20th century, bi-polar sufferers were locked up

D-Day for M Ravi