The link to the video was sent to me via email in Facebook via a Facebook group called “In Memory of B Jeyaretnam”. It was an interview between JB Jeyaratnam and FEER editor Hugo Restall in 2008. The video was never released though it seems to have found its way to Youtube some how.

JBJ touch on several topics: such as why he was ‘singled out to be destroyed’ among all opposition members, his disagreement with some of his former party members while in the Workers’ Party, his opinion regarding that disagreement, and also his opinion on civil disobedience as championed by Dr. Chee Soon Juan. He also touched on the inequality which he felt is brought upon by the ruling party and the system it implemented and why he felt the entire system should go.

There is not much of an opinion I can form from a 7½-minute video though I would only like to point out that even if I agree with him that the current system must be abolished, my question would be what kind of a new system would be implemented in place of it?

Whatever the proposed system maybe, I am all ears as long as they do not intend to take out the current one and then figure out what to do next. Unlike China, which could ‘feel the rocks to cross the river’ [摸着石头过河] after the tumultuous Cultural Revolution, could Singapore afford to mill about and try to find new direction as our rivals will be progressing and waiting for the opportunity to surpass us all the time?

We will never know whether Chiam See Tong or Low Thia Khiang‘s version of a loyal, peaceful opposition would be the better one. For sure, even if (and a big if) I do not fear the loss of my freedom, my HDB flat and my livelihood as a normal citizen, I will not bet my future on an abrupt change in government gahmen.

No one should call me a coward for taking such a stand. After all, I have no confidence absolutely with people who rushes in for changes without having a few plans in place. Alas, we’ll never know from JBJ what his plan of an alternate Singapore would be.

My other tirades:
Regarding Kong Hee’s Postmodernism: A Balanced Approach
Regarding Kong Hee’s Wholesome Shallowness?