After that boring drama in Parliament over CECA, I came to the conclusion that it is a gross waste of time. I now realised that CECA is nothing more than a strawman that the PAP would love the opposition to use. Sadly, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) is dumb enough to bite the bait. Now the “racist” label will stay with them and the IB (internet brigade) will remind everyone every now and then.

That said, we can also see how the measures to contain the pandemic has brought a lot of pain to the construction industry due to its reliance on labour from a certain region. (Not to mention we have that region to thank for the Delta variant rampaging here causing the relaxation of control measures to be rolled back anyway. World problem my arse.)

But I digress…

We now also know that 1 in 4 EP holders are of a particular nationality. Taking the predicament of the construction industry into consideration, I am amused how the “Minisir” of Labour feels comfortable to reveal that. He can go ahead and “assure” us it is not due to CECA., while I can’t help but feel a chill running down my spine. Spare a moment to consider its implications to the security of Singapore’s economy.

Meanwhile, Ong Ye Kung babbles away about how anti-FTA / anti-CECA sentiments would harm the foundation of Singapore’s survival (or something along that line). Please remember, every strength can also be a weakness. Yet Ong does not seem at all worried that a disproportionate number of jobs created by the investments Singapore attracted seemingly goes to benefit mostly a particular nationality. I can’t help but ask, is this the government of the Republic of Singapore or that of just a another state of that nation? Above which, why does the “Minisir” of Hell Health have so much to say about this? I know, I know… he’s from the NTUC and all that crap, right?

As for the matter of how an EP holder must meet certain criteria to get here, who the fxck is going to ensure it? Take note of this recent article about the Mana Bharti University scandal, and one wonders just how many had already slipped through undetected.

IIRC, in 2015 we even found evidence of someone employed by the IDA who has declared “qualifications” from a degree mill. Allegedly, that person is now a citizen of this country. Just how fxcking cool is that?!

Ong Ye Kung wants us to believe that more jobs created and more competition is good. However, I for sure have no clue whether how that will be monitored to ensure that the playing field is indeed leveled in the competition for jobs. Because by the time any hanky-panky in companies are discovered and punished, those foreigners are already laughing all the way to the bank (or worse, to a pink Singapore IC). What good is it to those who somehow got excluded from jobs through the machinations of certain individuals? Perhaps some Singaporeans don’t really matter once they stop showing up in the unemployment statistics after they either become food panda, cab drivers or private hirers.

CECA, as one of my Ingress friend rightfully pointed out, is indeed a strawman. The real problem is that we may have too much EP holders from certain nationalities in certain sectors, and that Achilles’ heel is something this piece of sh*t of a government should really do something about.

Unfortunately, I expect that it will just give me all that free market bullsh*t and do nothing.

【Joke】

Friend: There is no smoke without fire.

Me: What about?

Friend: Our “Chennai” Business Park. Even Wiki agrees.

Me: Huh?

Friend: See… don’t even have other languages hor…

Everyone says 2016 is a bad year.

Why? The number of celebrity deaths, BREXIT, Trump.

Pretty strange, since deaths happen all the time and the effects of BREXIT and the Trump Presidency will not be felt until much later.

If anyone asked me what is bad about 2016, as a Singaporean I would say: Lee Hsien Loong fainting during the National Day Rally, Heng Swee Kiat suffering a stroke and the Terrex “incident”.

Not that I loved any of these “lea-duhs”. But as any good Christian should do, I should pray for them – not just for good health, but also for the guidance of the Lord be upon them, pagan believers or not. Why are these two incidents bad? Because there is yet a clear successor for the future of leadership within the government (unless you expect an Opposition party to come into power soon), and the succession appeared to be in disarray. If Singapore fails, all of us Singaporeans suffer. What is so hard to understand about that?

Why is the Terrex “incident” bad? The loss of those vehicles is really nothing much, unless sensitive electronic equipment is along with that shipment – such as signal sets. It however exposed a national identity issue – whereby I noticed that some folks, especially some from the older generation, put their ethnicity before their nationality first. Wisdom apparently does not come with age. That is about as worrisome as the loyalty of newly converted citizens of PRC origins. For those who haven’t already noticed, the “string of pearls” along the West Coast of Peninsula Malaya and the upcoming railroad across to Kuantan will diminish, if not completely neutralise Singapore’s strategic importance. That is perhaps why the Prime Minister pushed hard for TPP, even though I may not necessarily liked it myself.

In simpler terms, we are getting cut off. If history is any lesson, when part of the route along the Silk Road changed, it wiped out the ancient Kingdom of Loulan (楼兰古国). Nothing much but ruins stand in what was once a proud and powerful kingdom in the Taklamakan Desert today. Personally, I hope the Sinophiles in Singapore will be the first to suffer from China’s economic security positioning. If anyone were to ask me what I think about Sino-Singapore relations, my opinion is that it is NOT rosy. For those who think matters will simply be resolved if Singapore kowtows to China and bows to its demands, I don’t know to laugh at your naivete or be angry at your lack of a spine. I can only say you are NOT my countrymen and you are better off migrating back… “home”. Sorry about the frankness here!

As for what is “good” about 2016? Well… “good” is a matter of perspective.

Russia bombing the anti-government forces in Syria is “good”, and it doesn’t reallt matter to me whether they are really bombing Daesh or just anti-Assad forces. To me, if that stop some of the refugees from the source, it’s actually a good thing. Way better than all that bombing by the West that seems to only strengthen Daesh and prolong the ongoing rebellion in Syria.

Amos Yee Anus Fish seeking asylum in the US is “good”. Good riddance to bad rubbish that is. May the good USA keep him so he can finally have his unfettered Freedom of Spit… erm… speech. Preferably, he can be allowed to try his religious views in Gitmo too. I’m sure the Al Qaeda and Daesh sympathizers in there will find his point of view refreshing and give him some neck-clutching encouragement.

Donald Trump winning the Presidency is “good”. He may not be President yet, but hopefully now opinion counter to those of fake-liberals will no longer be shouted down as bigotry, misogyny, hate, homophobia, Islamophobia and what not, so that the world can finally return to… at the very least… peaceably agree to disagree without some fxxks saying that no one should force their views on them and then arbitrarily make LAWS to make their views the only legal ones where those who disagree MUST accept. Of course, I can only hope Trump make rational and sensible decision… and not lead the world down the path of nuclear doom.

I can only wish for a better 2017, even though I can only see more gloom and doom ahead.

These comments from a grief-stricken mother are so very heart wrenching to read. Let me quote:

Screenshot of Facebook Post

Dom, in these past 3+ years, I have been worn-down, beaten and defeated by the very government I taught you to trust; worn-down, beaten and defeated by the very system I counseled you to have faith in; worn-down, beaten and defeated by the very people I advised you to respect and honor.

Dom, forgive me. I taught you wrong.

The above was triggered by a recent court ruling. Private Dominique Sarron Lee’s mother, Felicia Seah, has sued the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), and his platoon commander as well as the chief safety officer of the exercise, alleging negligence on their part.

According to this article on the Straits’ Times, the defendants then applied to strike out the claim on the grounds that “there is no reasonable cause of action and that the suit is frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process”, according to a provision in the Government Proceedings Act. The defendants argued that they are indemnified from being sued for negligence for deaths and injuries if the acts are certified to be attributable to service.

Judicial Commissioner Kannan Ramesh accepted that the arguments applied to this case and ruled against Mdm Seah.

As if that is not bad enough for the family, the court also ordered Mdm Seah to pay legal costs, amounting to some $22,000 to the defendants.

When I read that, it is almost as if Mdm Seah was stabbed twice. At the second stabbing, someone has even applied salt to the weapon (see picture) and then twisted it before pulling it out again.

According to this press release, the Committees of Inquiry concluded that the Training Safety Regulations (TSR) were breached. It is written in the press release that the Chief Military Prosecutor will determine if these personnel should be subject to a General Court Martial (GCM), to establish their degree of culpability and if found guilty, mete out the appropriate punishment. Police investigations are also on-going to determine whether to prosecute the personnel involved in Civil Court.

None of the news reporting this case gave me any information on whether any of the negligent persons was at the very minimum even reprimanded, if not punished in a GCM. Posting them to another position is not punishment. And what was the outcome of the police investigations? I would have accepted that the suit is so-called “frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process” if I had known that some of those have already been punished, somewhat.

Unfortunately, I cannot help but feel outraged at this court ruling thanks to the really deplorable standards of journalism in Singapore. Then again, maybe it’s not an issue with the standards, but rather the ever lower ranking Singapore gets in the Press Freedom Index every year (153 out of 180 in 2015). Those reporting on such matters simply did not dare to dig too deep.

Perhaps because the death of Pte. Dominique Lee has happened more in 2012, the Internet reaction was far more muted compared to that of the school boy who plunged to death after police investigations into an alleged outrage of modesty case. It was of no surprise to me why we Singaporean males have very little pride in NS. Compare our indifference to the well being of our conscripts, and the public reaction in Taiwan over the deaths of one of theirs.

No, I am not suggesting anyone break the laws here. But there has not even been a protest or a vigil held at Hong Lim Park.

I guess some of us would have simply shrug and said, “Too bad.” But this could have been anyone’s son, or brother. Or even someone’s husband or father doing his in-camp training. This could even have been me.

So I guess, I wouldn’t be audacious to say: Je Suis Dominique.

Frankly, I cannot imagine what it would have been like for my mother if it was me. I know she would be devastated, but I can only imagine how she could have managed to live on.

~ * ~

Have you ever wondered?
Why must we serve?
Because we love our land
And we want it to be free,
to be free, yeah

This is part of the lyrics of a song we often sang during route marches and jogs when we were conscripts. There was a time I believed what I was singing and I deeply believed this is my country, my way of life and I should defend it with my life. I have not wavered from my belief many years since, even when I certainly isn’t cut to be a soldier.

Now, I’m not so sure anymore.

Was those years worth it, for what Singapore has become?

【Warning】 This post contains some spoilers. Proceed no further if you have not watch the movie.

Be warned! Spoilers lead to the Dark Side

I share a friend’s opinion that if you take too long to to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens, then it is your own fault to come across spoilers. Otherwise, there will be other spoilers that will come your way sooner or later.

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Last reminder that this page contains spoilers! Leave now!!!

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Anyway, back to the movie. I was disappointed when I was told that Disney has thrown out the entire Star Wars expanded universe. On hindsight, it is a good move because it puts an end to all the speculations, and the unrealistic expectations of the fans. When no one knows the storyline, they will not have too much expectations on it and thus there also won’t be as much criticism about the deviations from the novels. It also isn’t far fetched to say that even if one had not watched any of the prequels, one can still watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens and enjoy it.

However, for those who have read the novels, they will be able to see traces of the now defunct Star War expanded universe in the movie. For e.g. A scion of the Skywalker family turning to the dark side, the death of a main character, the destruction of the Republic capital planet, and a star and planet destroying weapon all reminds me of Jacen Solo, the death of Chewbacca, the Yuuzhan Vong capture of Coruscant, and the Sun Crusher from the Star Wars expanded universe. In fact, even the use of the name Ben would reminds me of the novels of the expanded universe. Perhaps, the script writers were paying a tribute to the expanded universe in a subtle way to appease the old fans. (And no, Chewbacca didn’t die in this movie like he did in the novel “Vector Prime”.)

There are however parts of the movie that one would consider ridiculous. For e.g. the Resistance trusting defector First Order Stormtrooper Finn without even minimal background check, and then acting on his information without asking for the details. Perhaps it was to reinforce the impression of Han Solo as a person who often shot from the hip, and to add some humorous moments to the movie, but in a desperate situation whereby complete destruction is imminent this in my opinion is utterly ridiculous even when we considered that the Resistance didn’t have much time to think it over. Also, exiting light speed at what would consider point-blank range into a planet and not smack right into it clearly defies physics. Either way, a movie is a movie and there’s no need to slavishly attach to certain facts.

For those who would expect a Master Chief like character from Halo, Captain Phasma would be a complete disappointment. I actually end up considering her nothing more than moving decoration, and perhaps a character that is added as an afterthought such that whatever crazy stunt Finn and Han Solo’s was going to pull on Starkiller Base would work. However, if that is the case she wouldn’t be needed either since Rey appears to have an aptitude for technology and it would enforce our impression of her attachment to the Force. Hopefully Captain Phasma will play a greater role in the next two episodes instead of being just a shiny looking stormtrooper.

General Hux doesn’t appear to be much either, except to give some less than inspirational Nuremberg Rally style speech to the troops before the firing of the First Order’s secret weapon, which did very little other than to remind me that the First Order is very much modelled after Nazi Germany.

There’s also much in the movie that is unexplained. Who is Rey? A part of her recollections seems to suggest that she was once a Jedi Padawan, perhaps in Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi Order. How does she suddenly know how to utilise the Force or certain Force skills without formal training? For e.g. Jedi Mind Tricks appears to be something that needs some practice and not some idea that suddenly come to mind to someone who for her entire life has thought of the Force and the Jedi as some kind of myths. Then again, that’s probably meant as a kind of bait to keep the interests of the fans going for the next installment of this trilogy.

Even so, I enjoyed the movie. Though at the same time I am also sad to see one of the main characters die. It was rather painful to watch that scene, and the way this episode ended almost make it certain that there’s no way for his return other than in the form of Force Apparations. Though how that is going to happen for a non-force user would be hard to explain. Fortunately, in the Star Wars expanded universe someone has pointed out that there is often a reason for bad feelings…

I’ll leave it at this, since I believe I have already given too much away.