Category: Rants

Commentary – Where did this news go?

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The following 2 articles were posted around 6th June, slightly more than one week ago.


Article on Zaobao
Article on OMY.sg

A translation of the Zaobao article is as follow (courtesty of Fiefie):

About midnight of 6th June 2009, the police sent 8 anti-riot vehicles to a foreign workers dormitory in Choa Chu Kang as about 100 foreign workers were involved in a riot.

According to Lianhe Wanbao, they were informed of the riot at the Choa Chu Kang Foreign Workers Dormitory near midnight when about 100 foreign workers were suspected of fighting after getting drunk and the situation quickly went out of control. The police then dispatched 8 anti-riot vehicles to the scene. 6 were wounded and 8 arrested in this incident.

This shocking and bloody incident happened at about 1205am on the 6th of June 2009 and ended only around 2am. The place was Foreign Workers Dormitory No. 2 along Choa Chu Kang Murai Farmway.

An eyewitness said, “I heard that a few foreign workers were drinking at the canteen stalls and creating a scene after getting drunk. After being confronted by other workers, a fight broke out after disagreement. The situation then rapidly went out of control and the place was a total mess. After that, more joined in the fight and there were about 100 people involved in the fight chasing around, pandemonium ensued.”

The dormitory houses about 5000 foreign workers, facilities included a barber shop and various shops, plus a canteen of which there was a stall selling only alcohol.

I first noticed this piece of news on Zaobao’s Twitter. But what made these two old news pieces interesting was that I was unable to find their English equivalent, be it on any other SPH English papers (The Strike Stooge Times, The NewPaper LewdPaper and Today) or even CNA. Much less, foreign news agencies like AFP or Reuters.

I have waited a week to put this up because I wanted to give more time for the English articles to get onto the search engines. Perhaps my skills with search engines is getting rusty, or my RSS feeds are not intensive enough, this piece of news seems to be sucked into an information black hole. Many people I asked, who didn’t read the Chinese evening tabloid – Lianhe Wanbao [联合晚报], are completely unaware of this incident.

Was this piece of news deliberately kept off our national daily for some unknown agenda? Was it done to prevent an outburst of negative sentiments against foreign workers or the setting up of dormitories? Or is this yet another example on just how hopeless the Stooge Times is? Do note I have talked about the possibility of this happening before.

If any of you has read anything like this on the Stooge Times (or any other SPH papers), or CNA, please direct me to them just so I can convince myself that I need to do something about my techniques with search engines.

Commentary – Hopeless SPH

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The caption in Chinese reads: Helicopter hovering at low altitude caused public to suspect it to be part of ongoing anti-vice operations (Taken from Lianhe Wanbao [联合晚报])

The pathetic level of journalism in our Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) newspapers just never seem to get out of the cesspool it is in. From biased reporting on the Opposition Parties and their members, to the one-sided and seditious articles written during the AWARE issue, to the kind of idiotic readers’ letters published on the short-lived STREATS free-sheet and some times even the Straits Stooge Times Forum page, the SPH has not only successfully positioned itself as a stooge for the government gahmen but also succeeded in presenting to the world that Singaporeans are ignorant and idiotic. Thank you very much, especially to the Stooge Times because foreigners reading our so-called national daily puts us all to collective shame when some of the more idiotic comments are published for all to see. It amazes me that it never occurred to the Editors allowing those letters to be published make us wonder about their general intelligence level as by allowing those articles to be published would mean a certain level of endorsement.

Thus, I had generally avoid criticising the tabloid like reporting in the evening Chinese tabloids like Shin Ming [新明] and Lianhe Wanbao [联合晚报] even when I know a lot of those articles published – especially those on the Entertainment column – we should all read with a pinch of salt. After all, my friends and I do find those articles hilarious and entertaining and there is nothing wrong about it. We all needed something to laugh about. However, I had not expect it to go the same way as our English papers – making us all look like idiots. Thanks to this particular caption, now even PRC Nationals or any foreigner who can read Chinese will be laughing at Singaporeans’ ‘collective ignorance’.

I have a high regard for my fellow Singaporeans and certainly, even while some might have misconception about what these helicopter overflights are about, most of us would have known they are a part of our National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsals. While there is an ongoing and persistent operation against the street walkers in Geylang recently, most Singaporeans are also aware that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF), which are under the Ministry of Defense (MID) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) respectively, have a separate chain of command and very different roles in the security of this country.

Thank you very much, SPH, for your relentless effort in making Singaporeans looked like they couldn’t even tie their own shoelaces or feed themselves without someone helping them.


Recommended Reads:
StraitsBlogs.com: 六四断想

毋忘六四

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一九八九年六月三日，当时的我再过两个多星期就十八岁。

而在六月三日的晚上到六月四日清晨在北京发生了骇人听闻的惨剧 – 开往北京天安门广场的中国人民解放军向手无寸铁的学生和人民开枪。天安门那晚发生的事，我是到了第二天晚间新闻才知道的。

一直以来，我个人是非常亲中的，但是我一直无法认可和赞同中国政府当年的做法。不只我个人不赞同，就连当年三十八军的军长 徐勤先，也抗命并且拒绝执行所谓的 “戒严任务”。在军事法庭审讯期间，这位军长非但没有认罪，还说了: 人民军队从来没有镇压人民的历史，我绝对不能玷污这个历史。 这一个铁铮铮的汉子，就因为如此被关押了五年！

中国政府称这为一场暴乱。这二十年来仍然不承认那天所犯的罪行，连死亡数字都含糊其词，甚至还曾称天安门广场上没死一个人。但是如果真的如此，为何有群可怜的母亲建立了 天安门母亲 这样一个网站，苦苦追索大屠杀的真相？难道说死难者门都是城外被杀的暴徒吗？

二十年了过去了，虽然中国的经济发展有目共睹。但是，在新中国成立一个甲子的今年，中国政府这时更加应该放下这个历史包袱，不要再继续以文革式的手法或者以这二十年来的经济成果来掩埋当年真相。应当平反六四，为六四的死难者和给中国人民和全世界一个合理的说法来。不要再让这一事件继续撕裂世界的华族社群！不要谈到南京大屠杀就理直气壮，讲到六四就成了缩头乌龟！

让真相大白！大家毋忘六四！

AWARE Aftermath

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TODAY‘s interview with DPM Wong Kan Seng KannaSai published on May 14 appears to be the final chapter in the AWARE Saga, and personally I wondered why the interview wasn’t done any earlier. Some of us have mused that had that been so, the results of the AWARE EGM may have been different.

The Conservatives have certainly lost the AWARE battle and perhaps even the battle for Internet opinion. In fact, had Internet opinion been the yardstick, it would appear that the Conservatives were ‘completely routed’ by the HBT (Homosexual, Bisexual and Transgendered) activists militants, and their cheerleaders. On the other hand, recent events indicates otherwise. It seems like the Conservatives may have actually ‘won’ this round instead as the government gahmen appeared to have put its feet down somewhat, as seen from the DPM’s answers in his interview with TODAY.

Following that, MOE (Ministry of Education), which has already suspended CSE, will now no longer allow its use in school. It has also dropped AWARE as a trusted external vendor for sex education as it ‘takes a serious view of the Sexuality Education Programme and is standing by the attitudes of mainstream values and emphasis on conventional family values’. To the ‘HBT militancy’, this is perhaps a return to the Dark Ages. It is almost as if Singapore schools will soon begin teaching our kids that ‘homosexuals should be stoned to death, or that having premarital sex will cause blindness’.

This matter has to some extent caused a rift among Singaporeans. And thanks to the selective and seditious articles by a particular Senior Senile Writer and Deputy Editor of the Stooge Times, this has turned into an exclusive HBT vs Christians fight, mirroring what goes on in America and providing oxygen and oil to an anti-Christian fire while causing some religious-disharmony in Singapore. As a result of their actions, Singapore will probably not hear the last from the ‘HBT militancy’ and it is certain many Christians will not relent from their belief that homosexuality is a sin as to do so is the equivalent of renouncing a part of their Scriptures.

So, we are at an impasse as both groups will not back down from their respective stand, and Singapore society will definitely be drawn again and again into this conflict. Personally, I have heard some of arguments of those who support HBT activism, and in spite of that I remained non-supportive of it. I’ll state my stand and some of the things I am going to say next will probably offend a lot of pro-HBT people.

First of all, from my perspective, the gahmen has taken an acceptable approach in their dealing with the homosexuals in our midst. As a result of this approach, homosexuals do already enjoy a lot of liberty in Singapore and they can do much without hindrance from either society or the authorities. Some of which I have written in an earlier post. My stand on this is, there is no reason to take away what is already there, and if there is any real social / official discrimination in this country it is best to address the department or ministry specifically since it is not a social issue that affects all Singaporeans. For e.g. if the HBT people have any issues with the 302 medical status in the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces), they should open a dialogue with the Ministry of Defense. In fact, some homosexuals have already done this. On Wikipedia there is an article about the HBT history in Singapore and in it was an incident in the 1990s whereby a lawyer wrote to the Chief of Police and gotten an apology for rude treatment during a police raid on a homosexual bar. In fact, since then all discriminative raids on homosexual night spots have ceased.

There was an acquaintance with homosexual relative(s?) who had confronted me previously on my stand on homosexuality, citing that the relative’s sexual orientation is not a crime and there should be no reason for my support for not repealing Section 377A. In her point of view, there is also no reason for objection to a ‘monogamous homosexual relationship’. I doubt this acquaintance know the difference between a homosexual relationship and an exclusive non-sexual relationship with another member of the same sex. A brother-in-Christ pointed out to me that the latter is called being best buddies while a monogamous relationship would mean being in a sexual relationship with a single partner.

If one asked me what is my problem of a monogamous homosexual relationship, I can only say Christianity objects to homosexual sex. This usually draws a wave of denunciation, as many argued that people shouldn’t be condemned for their ‘sexual preferences’. In fact, I tried to deflect that by pointing out that Christianity hasn’t in particular single outs homosexual sex for condemnation, but rather promiscuity. Even that drew opposition, since I had made it sound like all homosexuals are promiscuous, or that homosexual promiscuity is worse than heterosexual promiscuity. (On thinking back, I should perhaps have simply said accepting one’s ‘sexual preferences’ is a slippery slope since bestiality, pedophilia and necrophilia can be considered ‘sexual preferences’ too. After all I’ll get whacked no matter what I say anyway. So much for tolerance.)

With regard to the matter that not all homosexuals are promiscuous, I do not contest that assertion. Yet I have to point out that my personal experience, and that of a few friends have made us doubtful. A friend and I have been hit on by homosexuals on a double decker bus before – one 3 separate occasions – while another almost for some odd reasons always attract the attention of homosexuals with their ‘gay-dar’ up. No prizes for guessing why there remain some ‘narrow-mindedness’ within society. It would be better for the ‘HBT militancy’ to do something about the misfits causing this image problem instead of fighting for things that cannot be achieved, or calling those who oppose religious hypocrites or sanctimonious bastards.

As for the accusation of double standards pertaining to homosexual promiscuity, that has some merit because Christians seem to have long given up the fight against public sexual immorality. However, the lack of protest from Christians against those who had one-night stands, or those who openly encourage whore-mongering and sex trade license, doesn’t mean Christians find them more acceptable. In short, failure in duty to object to one does not lessen the duty to object to the other.

Anyway, in spite of our personal convictions to our faith, most Christians like myself have always been tolerant of homosexuals. Most Christians simply stop short of endorsing homosexuality and that’s as tolerant as we will be, and no further. Pastors may preach against homosexuality but at the very least those were kept within the 4 walls of their churches. If for this Christians are called bigots, conservatives, fundamentalists and all sorts of names while Christians are up against a specific homosexual agenda which seeks legitimacy and approval of homosexual promiscuity, then so be it. Christians have long since come to accept things we cannot change. But be assured, if anyone seeks to interfere with what the Church can preach within its walls, or to decide for Christians which part of God’s message they can only deliver, then the Christians will certainly react.

So, Christians will not stop in helping homosexuals who wants it, or to have family focused programs meant to inculcate a traditional view on what marriage and a core family unit should be like. Christians will continue to provided programs, such as the Choices Ministry by Church of Our Savior, to help homosexuals back to a normal life. Singapore is not a theocracy and no one in their right mind will insist that all homosexuals go under any of these Christian programs. If there are homosexuals who doesn’t want to change, that is really fine by me, but don’t attempt to shout the Christians down and deny other homosexuals an avenue to change. For a homosexual who already made up his mind not to change to force or decide that all homosexuals ‘can’t be changed’ and thus Christianity should not do anything is nothing more than pure evil.

Thus, it is my considered opinion that when ‘HBT militants’ continue to pressure society into endorsing them, then they must be prepared to face reprisals from some quarters of society. If they are all for a more civil society and yet resort to intimidating the opposition into silence by labeling them, or even resort to death threats, that will only serve to polarise and divide our nation. All of this may result in some reaction from society but don’t bet on it that it will always be positive to the HBT community. Blame no one if some liberties already available now to the HBT is taken away as a result of ‘HBT militants’ pushing matters too far.

For example, if the ‘taking back’ of AWARE is a victory for the homosexual community against the Christian conservatives, then consider what this push has really gained them now that AWARE is no longer a trusted vendor of the MOE. That is of course not mentioning just how even more Christians are now alerted to the tactics used by ‘HBT militants’ and learning how to counter them, while the gahmen grows increasingly wary.

Recommended Reads:
The Path Less Trodden – The Jalan Kayu Trail Blog
The Online Citizen: Change You Can Believe In Part (I)

Commentary – Fear, Bigotry and Hatred

These are excerpts from a post on pinkdot blog:

Though more LGBT individuals are slowly emerging into the mainstream, prejudice and bigotry in present societal attitudes keep many LGBT individuals from coming out of the closet. Many of them fear that in coming out, they might lose their family, friends and even their jobs. Yet, by not coming out, their lives are shrouded in secrecy.

Fear and bigotry can get in the way of love – between friends, family and other loved ones – so this is an event for everyone who believes that LGBT individuals are equally deserving of strong relationships with our family and friends.

We are aware that many people harbour much hatred towards the LGBT community.

Some times I am quite bewildered when I read these. Either I am stuck in a hole, where time has stopped or I lived in an alternate reality that is apart from the rest. I have no clue why there is this agenda behind fostering an image that there is a large element in society that is anti-HBT (Homosexual, Bisexual, Trans-gendered).

The fact remains, there are homosexual people who has emerged into the mainstream. Yet, I am unaware of any concerted effort by anyone to persecute specific people who has emerged.

Looking back at history, it is clear that majority of Singapore’s society is not really bothered by the HBT. In fact, Singapore is among one of the most tolerant societies in the region. Singaporeans are just about as bothered by HBT activities as they are with the proliferation of prostitution from the traditional red-light districts into the wholesome areas like Joo Chiat. Singaporeans are pragmatic people and as long as everything happens in a controlled manner or away from the public eye, it will be tolerated. This would be evident in complaints by the public regarding ‘cruising’ activities resulting in police raids, which is some what expected, just like the anti-vice response to the soliciting by foreign nationals in Geylang. Incidentally, I once saw a policeman grab a woman by her hair and led her away on suspicion of soliciting, where is AWARE on this? Or are foreign women in Singapore not a concern to them, being inclusive as they claimed they are?

HBT activists talks a lot about discrimination but are short on specifics. Let me point out I see a lot of hand-holding in public among foreign nationals along Serangoon Road, and there is no law against same-sex kissing. Are we to forget that Singapore’s Bugis and Changi Point used to be famous for transvestites, before they moved off to another area in the recent years? Are we all not aware that bookstores carry mainly foreign homosexual-themed literature by stocking these books along with those on women issues in sections entitled ‘Gender Studies’? Are there not pubs for both male and female homosexuals in Singapore? Is it not true that since the mid-90s even the police has stopped raiding homosexual pubs? Is it not true that the police has never burst into homes or hotel rooms and arrest anyone under Section 377A – unlike what Hitler did using his Schutzstaffeln [SS] when he tried to remove his rival Ernst Röhm? Are we to forget that the existence of sites like Fridae.com and no hate sites in response is testimony in itself to the quiet acceptance of the HBT community in Singapore? Consider what it would really have been if there is really discrimination here. If I am not mistaken, in certain Islamic countries, homosexuality is punishable by DEATH.

So, is there really a problem with the situation for the HBT, when for years Singapore has such activities and in most parts, most people aren’t really bothered? Simply put, the question would be, is more of such activism by the likes of pinkdot really helping or is it detrimental to social and even religious harmony? I am in the opinion that such activities drives people to take sides and actually polarise society, and as my Ah Beng friend would say in Hokkien: “kanninah?! geh gan!” [Translation: “What the fxxk?! Doing something extra and unnecessary!”]

I can’t help too, to feel that there is only one sole objective in such activism – the gagging of people who would prefer to maintain the status quo, even though these people may not necessarily give a flying damn about a homosexual’s private life and sexual preferences.

After all, among all the people I have spoken to, be it friends or colleagues, Christians and non-Christians alike, everyone believes in according to homosexual people universal suffrage, equal job opportunities and equal right to health care. None of them would turn down a homosexual person seeking employment as long as they are qualified for the job, if they was in the position to decide who to hire. Some of them has said whatever homosexuals do to themselves, it is even less than what smokers are doing to non-smokers with their second-hand smoke. Beyond that, each will have their own reservations regarding the matter of homosexual marriages, homosexual adoptions and the repealing of certain laws. So, is having a personal opinion, reservations and even objection to any of these now simply just – bigotry, hate and fear?

If that is the case, this isn’t reasoning. This isn’t even a progress towards a more civil society. This is simply about ‘fixing’ the people who objects by labelling them as something. This is dehumanising one’s detractors, by completely ignoring the other aspects of the other person’s humanity. In short, the advocates for HBT rights are doing to their opponents what they are accusing their opponents of. Now tell me why wouldn’t there be a violent, and sometimes even hate-filled response to such bigotry!

Anyway, I wanted talk about the fear. When I asked some people why they are so ‘afraid’ of homosexual people, I get some answers that I actually found amusing. Some would categorise their fear of homosexuals and trans-gendered people as similar to that as a girl’s fear of being stalked or harass by a guy. Some expressed that it would be similar to a reaction of over-friendly overtures from colleagues of the same sex – even though one knows for sure the other person has no other motives behind it. While some even mentioned that it would be like having a stranger suddenly being friendly to you. None mentioned about having a problem with friends who they know are, or later found to be homosexuals.

So, let’s face it, there is indeed fear here. But it’s an emotional fear of the unknown and nothing so much as bigotry or hatred. Of course, you can try harassing a girl beyond what she can take and see whether she starts hating you after that. Is pinkdot or homosexual advocates / cheerleaders suggesting that society should not have such an emotion, while at the same time they suggest that emotions is something that is somewhat a right that shouldn’t be denied for the HBT? That would be preposterous!

Thus, it is not a surprise that HBT activism has caused a reaction from some elements of society. In fact, I ain’t even surprised by the reaction of some towards NMP Siew Kum Hong. After all these effort in silencing objection to the HBT, so much so that it is considered hate-crime, these advocates themselves who aren’t HBT are the only legitimate targets left. Tough luck, Mr Siew.

By the way, let’s face it that this isn’t a ‘debate’ on ideologies or religion. The people generally are more concerned with matters that deals with job stability and security – i.e. the matters of feeding one’s stomach. If there’s anything that our government gahmen is concerned about in this whole HBT vs anti-HBT debate, it is how to make attracting ‘Pink Dollar’ tourism acceptable to the general public while not giving the HBT the wrong impression of state endorsement.

Recommended Reads:
BlackNews.com – True Intentions of Gay Activists Now Revealed
Gimme Some Truth! – Sniffing out the Straits Times agenda in the AWARE Saga
InsanePoly: Anatomy Of A Catfight

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