Here's Gopalan's description of the entire event (taken from his blog). Ladies and Gentlemen,
Not satisfied with having arrested me for just writing a blog in criticism of the Judge Belinda Ang in the Lee Kuan Yew vs. Dr. Chee Soon Juan case respecting her bias during the 3 days May 26 2008 to May 28 2008, now the Singapore Police have resorted to beating me up.
I suppose they are not satisfied with the fact that I have not relented and withdrawn my accusation that this Judge was clearly biased during the trial to favor Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son. But no matter what, the fact remains what it is. No amount of police brutality against me can change the facts. Neither can it make me say that 2 and 2 is 5, simply because it is not.
Judge Belinda Ang was biased. There is no doubt about it. She behaved that way for all to see. If no Singaporean mentioned it, it was because they are afraid. They live in a police state. They live in fear and in subjugation. I do not live that way. I am a free man. And I will say what I saw.
If Singapore continues to claim that it is a first world country, after this, that statement is only useful during a round of beer at a lively party. After this Singapore is no better useful than for the butt of a solid joke.
On July 4th, 2008, Independence Day, at about 11 pm, I was passing by Race Course Road Little India. I earlier had a small Scotch in celebration. And why not, it was after all the 4th of July, 2008, even if I was in Singapore. Just before reaching the junction of Bukit Timah Road, I hear loud calls asking me to stop. Looking back, I see about 4 people in civilian clothes. They confront me and ask who I was. And where I was going. Surely I have no reason to give any information. They appeared no better than thugs. Gangsters. I refused to give my name. Or any information.
The next minute, these cowardly unruly ill mannered ungentlemanly and gangster like persons in plain clothes, force me down to the floor. They man handle me. They hurt me. They shove my fact to the hard tarmac floor. They use their boots to kick me while I am in the floor. A Malay officer is especially brutal. He hurts me badly. They abuse me by calling me bastard and other dirty names. They intentionally cause sever pain and hurt me. And all for what? Just because I did not oblige them with my name? In the physical encounter, with about 10 policemen in plainclothes overcoming me, they have obviously won the physical fight. But in the moral question, they have failed miserably. They were thugs. Singapore government thugs. Lee Kuan Yew thugs. Another example of Lee's first world country.
The newspapers all owned by Lee Kuan Yew and his government can of course conveniently say anything they want about the incident. What else do you expect of a state controlled monopoly of news media? I have been falsely accused of touching the police car, and shouting abuses at the police. None of that ever happened. I was walking peacefully along the street, when these state sponsored thugs in civilian clothes ask me to stop etc.
This is what I am going to tell the Singapore government. I, Gopalan Nair am deliberately being singled out for victimization. We all know that on that day, Friday July 4th 2008 at 11 pm at night, there would have been hundreds if not thousands of Singaporean who may have a little to drink who may have behaved not necessarily as a proper English gentlemen, so to speak. I am sure there have been countless arrests. But you know, none of them would have made the headlines in the Singapore press. They would all have been given warnings and let off.
But surely in the eyes of this pathetic Singapore government who are at the butt end of jokes all over the free world, Gopalan Nair has to be singled out. Gopalan Nair had to be punished. A mountain has to made out of a molehill. His name has to be splashed all over the Singapore propaganda press. He has to be made to look like a real criminal, just because he did not have the decency to respond to some thug looking characters who wanted to know who he was.
Any way, the answer is not guilty once again. We have no free press here. All I can do is to use this blog of mine to tell my side of the story which I will continue to do. The Singapore dictator cannot intimidate me. I will not allow it.
And mind you, the entire action against me makes no sense. If the intent is to shut me up and keep me quite, it will not work. I will return to California and write and agitate with increased vigor the fact of the of the lack of any freedom in this island republic.
I understand the Far Eastern Economic Review is being sued. But unlike the Far Eastern Economic Review who can be prevented from circulating within Singapore, my blog cannot be stopped. No matter what my message will be coming through with heightened intensity to Singapore.
And what is worse, I had been just another blogger before my arrest on May 31, 2008. With my arrest by this government, I have been propelled into international fame, where now I will be taken much more seriously internationally than if I had been left alone for my blog post of May 29, 2008, the blog post which has made me internationally famous.
I am grateful to the US Embassy and the US State Department which is monitoring my case at the highest levels in Washington. I know that I have the US Government behind me in all this. I know I am not alone.
I also know that I have the entire free world who cherish their freedom behind me in this. Truly I am not alone.
I wish to thank those supporters out there particularly for their financial support. I was at Block 292 Bishan, at 9 am, yesterday, Sunday, with the Singapore Democratic Party helping them with distributing their leaflets and selling their books and literature to the public. At the location, I am particularly grateful to a supporter who handed me a very generous donation to help me sustain myself in Singapore during this ordeal. Not only to this supporter but to the countless other supporters who have given me both financial and moral support, I wish to say a heartfelt thank you for your kindness.
As you know, I have no choice in this matter. It is not possible for me to apologize to this Singapore government or to anyone else to seek mercy. I continue to stand by what I had said in my blog namely that Judge Belinda Ang was not a judge at all during the 3 days while she sat in judgment in the Lee Kuan Yew vs. Dr. Chee case. I would of course gladly apologize for the choice of words used, but the essence of the meaning of what I said remains intact and correct, for which I cannot apologize.
I am sorry that I was not able to be at Parliament House for my protest to demand that this government either give me a speedy trial or let me go home. I will have to see the outcome of the Pre Trial Conference tomorrow before I make a decision. Also there is the matter of the investigation against me for the alleged disorderly behavior.
All in all I intend to hang in there and not give up. Every political action has a price. In this case, I am lucky I am an American citizen. At least this dictatorial Lee Kuan Yew regime cannot have a hold on me forever, unlike the plight of my fellow Singaporeans who remain citizens.
They on the other hand they cannot escape the Lee Kuan Yew grip, unless they themselves decide they no longer are prepared to be enslaved.
Thanks to all.
Gopalan Nair Imprisoned in the island paradise, Singapore Against my will
Firstly I must apologize for having not kept in touch with all the daily events that is happening in my beloved homeland as I have left the country to work in a foreign place. I too was left out due to my inability to fit in Singapore’s fit in or ship out mentality.
Such a mindset has proven to be successful for Singapore as a whole. The mindset was perfectly engineered since the first day we stepped into school in kindergarten if you can still remember. We are taught to comply and not challenge authority. No challenge is respectable nor tolerated. No explanation is required for not complying and you will simply be punished all the way throughout the whole education system.
When we reach adulthood we are again forced to undergo a final mental alignment exercise via National Service. After which we are finally free as we might think. However fortunately I did not conform nor agree to all and ended up with an education from a foreign country. This entirely changed my perception and now I have much better understanding of what various long term serving government is doing.
Like in all situations/benefits there is surely no free lunch or perfectly no repercussions for the benefits we get today. The above mindset cultivation is good in establishing stability and economic growth during /just after turbulent times we had not too long ago in Singapore. However I would like to point out that there will be severe repercussions to the long term stability should we still continue to clamp down on alternative thinking. What will happen here is that with the heavily entrenched mindset, we may dispose of good and creative ideas that may actually be the key to great or greater success for individuals and the nation. In loosing them we naturally loose an asset to Singapore.
The government must start to try to realize this or will continue to loose the much needed talent it is so critical and valuable to the long term success of Singapore. As we continue to open up (giving full credit to the current government policies put in place) we will be facing a continued struggle and challenge here with the so called “mis-fits” in society. We either get the best from them or risk loosing them to foreign countries where they might potentially finally flourish.
Having had experienced different working environments in Singapore and now overseas has given me this great opportunity to understand the current situation a little bit better. Although I must say that we are learning still everyday.
Singapore lack of tolerance to alternative thinking compared to the Europe and US may put Singapore in a precarious position for the long term. But in releasing too much control at one go may result in adverse immediate consequence for sure as well as not all alternative thinking are “good” so to speak. However on the other hand the existing mindset entrenched has made the system unforgiving and intolerant of any creative thinking that we truly are in desperate need of much more of to ensure survival in the fast pace new digital internet enabled world.
While we embrace the new digital age that opens up a huge new dimension of opportunities and alternative thinking we are surely to expect more people to realize their real desire in life. What we do with such alternative thinking and creativity will determine our survival.
I believe that there is no such thing and born genius. Everyone have some potential or particular strength in an area and goes through life and perhaps with the correct or ideal or even life threatening conditions will finally realize his/her true potential. But such a probability of occurance of almost perfect match of unknown strength and situation to realize it is far too little and probable in a small country like Singapore. Furthermore with its restrictive environment will further suppress and inhibit such potential from arising there versus in a foreign land where space and limitations are less obvious. Countries like certain countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand will be able to provide such conditions for these individuals to have a higher level of opportunity to realize their full potential.
Having an only daughter with special needs has forced me to realize that he/she (to keep my confidentiality) has no/little future here in the small restrictive space and environment of Singapore. In US, Europe (not all parts), Australia every school has the responsibility to take in students with special needs. Here in Singapore this is not the case and likely will take a much longer time to realize. Although steps are being taken today they will unlikely be fast enough to keep up with my child’s age. Thus although we are now encouraged to have children we are still far from being ready to take on the challenges of having more children with special needs as we have more and more of such children now then before as we defer to have children to a later age thereby increasing the probability of bearing such children. I am not regretting what I have but truly realize the true value of life after having a child with special needs and would dare say that this is a one in over 10,000 opportunity of a lifetime. Sadly to provide the best for my child I will have no alternative but to seek foreign lands far from my beloved country. To Singapore my child is a burden to society and she will never ever fit in. To me he/she is all I will every cherish and love.
Yes indeed we need credible opposition (should be alternative thinking) but with the current situation it is rather difficult to ever achieve that here in Singapore based on the environment and lack of selflessness thinking. More indeed has to be done in this area by the government to ensure that positive alternative thinking be realized in order to have a sustainable level of creativity that is quickly diminishing or levels raised in the new digital world we now face.
China is fast changing and has and is well poised to take on this new age and chances are that they will leapfrog ahead of many nations and potentially be the next era of great nations of this century. They will continue to attract talent and absorb the knowhow and gain experience in managing the international business world. This wave is not expected to take on a declining pace for sure. The opportunity to leapfrog is far to enticing for China to miss. Once the more and more private organizations in China start on this path there will be significant changes in the world economy. It is likely to even think that the USD having lost its position to Euro may loose its international currency status to the RMB once China open’s up. This is no doubt a possibility of the near future. Chances of it happening will be subject to the US economy in the next few years. Japan’s era is indeed over. As the Sony’s, Panasonic, Sharp, Pioneer, etc loose its position to the Samsung’s, iPod, HP&Dell of today while China commands and controls the largest production capability of the world. China need not have a leading brand to succeed. Success is only dependent manly on the people accepting new international standards and practices. Once they recognize such need this will be the leapfrog opportunity long awaited. This must happen fast in order to shake the USD further as a recognized international currency of exchange. The Euro although is strong at this time will erode in time should the status quo in Europe persists without any further breakthrough in Europe other than more joining countries the EC. As more and more join in the Euro will gain strength needless to say. UK will be the last straw to keep the Euro high or growing.
Taiwan will be at a huge potential position but may not be able to realize much. So I will not force much opportunity there yet for the short term.
The US economy will be dependent on the outcome of the elections this year as per expected. Obama to me will help the correction of the economy while McCain is less likely to succeed in stabilizing the US economy. This is rough guess but I would buy some USD if Obama wins or be sure to win but not if McCain is winning.
If there is an opportunity I will buy RMB already now. Of course with a pinch of salt and the pace may be slow after the Olympics and economic effects of the Sichuan earth quake sets in but may be minimized due to the Olympics that has already lost some of its benefits due to the earthquake. But overall a smoother curve but still overall positive.
Singapore needs to learn and learn fast from the above changing situations and keep itself in a less than vulnerable position to keep afloat. We are lucky to have had some reserves but that is fast depreciating as far as the huge USD portion of the basket of currencies we amassed to date. Likely the MAS has lowered that proportion already and will also abreast of the situation to change it’s basket of currencies to have the best results and stability for small and tiny Singapore.
The opposition must learn and gather together fast. Opposing for the sake of opposing will not be beneficial towards building a more credible opposition. Although I emphasize with the Chee family I sadly will not be able to say that they are doing it the best possible way. I am sure that there are better and effective day-to-day things that needs to be addressed and immediately benefits the people and not expect Singapore to be able to shoulder the full impact of the incredible rising oil prices. Which is potentially highly inflated and inflated due to the poor USD. What has to managed or suppressed is the unfair profiteering of the situation by large MNCs and various corporations. Rising costs of living due to these unfair profiteering must be addressed by the govt. if not the opposition. Inefficiencies in public works should be addressed eg. Dig today and tomorrow instead of consolidating the work into one with the availability of information. Many stairs are finally being demolished and slopes built in its place as only now the govt. realize that we are facing an aging population that no longer could walk and needed wheelchairs and the inconvenience to parents with strollers although they encourage people to have children etc. Just some basic ones to mention as well. Here we should expect better. Having improvements is great but building a brick wall to announce it is a dam bloody waste of resource. Just do without it please. The upgrading project completion is very obvious enough.
An key example is although I would support the removal of road tax for ERP, however I am sad to say it help saves money for the rich and takes more money away from the poor. Just do a calculation on savings on road tax on huge luxury cars vs ERPs payable and you should get there.
My apologies on the long text. I hope that I have help shed some light on some things that are to come and for us to hopefully go in and gain out of it at the right time. But do get out quickly and not get burnt as far as money is concerned.
Oppositions should raise these issues about how Gopalan was treated and questioned if the plain clothes police act was planned. No identification shown and straight pin down of a man in the streets dont seem right.
HDB now at $700k, rising cost of living in all areas and oppositions did not say anything?
So what are oppositions for? For elections only?
Where is workers party? Where is SDA? What have they been doing? Waiting for 2011?
singapore's foolish judge is Justice Choo han teck.
he ruled that all mentally retarded girl can now be raped !!! reason is justice choo said in any rape trial, the testimony of the complainant is vital in establishing whether or not the sex was consensual.
a sad sad day for the protection of mentally retarded girl in singapore,
do u know any mentally retarded girl , i am rape ? with the new ruling, the victism need to proof that she is raped . ha ha coming from a high court judge, his reason is weak comparing a normal girl to a mentally retarded girltestimony with the same weight.
singaporeans are all cowards. all they do is just complain and not doing anything. i think the oppositions will never win. if ever singapore has riots mr lee will use his gurkhas to terminate us.
Great I am felling very happy. Thanks a lot for sharing this information. I would like to read such a post. Thanks a lot for sharing this very important data.
I’ve heard about people who cast a null n void vote (e.g., by crossing both boxes representing both contesting parties), and subsequently receiving letters telling them that they should not be doing such.
More than 1 person did that and they all got the same letters. How do you explain that then
Singapore will always stay the same as long as Singaporeans stay docile and bow to the PAP in a collective mindset. Nagging in private for venting and stress release is all they have. Thank God I left for the west, NEVER TO RETURN! Main regret, I lost 2.5 years to national slavery (not service)
Police cause injuries seen on Mr. Gopalan's face taken on Saturday night (5.July.2008).
Here's Gopalan's description of the entire event (taken from his blog).
ReplyDeleteLadies and Gentlemen,
Not satisfied with having arrested me for just writing a blog in criticism of the Judge Belinda Ang in the Lee Kuan Yew vs. Dr. Chee Soon Juan case respecting her bias during the 3 days May 26 2008 to May 28 2008, now the Singapore Police have resorted to beating me up.
I suppose they are not satisfied with the fact that I have not relented and withdrawn my accusation that this Judge was clearly biased during the trial to favor Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his son. But no matter what, the fact remains what it is. No amount of police brutality against me can change the facts. Neither can it make me say that 2 and 2 is 5, simply because it is not.
Judge Belinda Ang was biased. There is no doubt about it. She behaved that way for all to see. If no Singaporean mentioned it, it was because they are afraid. They live in a police state. They live in fear and in subjugation. I do not live that way. I am a free man. And I will say what I saw.
If Singapore continues to claim that it is a first world country, after this, that statement is only useful during a round of beer at a lively party. After this Singapore is no better useful than for the butt of a solid joke.
On July 4th, 2008, Independence Day, at about 11 pm, I was passing by Race Course Road Little India. I earlier had a small Scotch in celebration. And why not, it was after all the 4th of July, 2008, even if I was in Singapore. Just before reaching the junction of Bukit Timah Road, I hear loud calls asking me to stop. Looking back, I see about 4 people in civilian clothes. They confront me and ask who I was. And where I was going. Surely I have no reason to give any information. They appeared no better than thugs. Gangsters. I refused to give my name. Or any information.
The next minute, these cowardly unruly ill mannered ungentlemanly and gangster like persons in plain clothes, force me down to the floor. They man handle me. They hurt me. They shove my fact to the hard tarmac floor. They use their boots to kick me while I am in the floor. A Malay officer is especially brutal. He hurts me badly. They abuse me by calling me bastard and other dirty names. They intentionally cause sever pain and hurt me. And all for what? Just because I did not oblige them with my name? In the physical encounter, with about 10 policemen in plainclothes overcoming me, they have obviously won the physical fight. But in the moral question, they have failed miserably. They were thugs. Singapore government thugs. Lee Kuan Yew thugs. Another example of Lee's first world country.
The newspapers all owned by Lee Kuan Yew and his government can of course conveniently say anything they want about the incident. What else do you expect of a state controlled monopoly of news media? I have been falsely accused of touching the police car, and shouting abuses at the police. None of that ever happened. I was walking peacefully along the street, when these state sponsored thugs in civilian clothes ask me to stop etc.
This is what I am going to tell the Singapore government. I, Gopalan Nair am deliberately being singled out for victimization. We all know that on that day, Friday July 4th 2008 at 11 pm at night, there would have been hundreds if not thousands of Singaporean who may have a little to drink who may have behaved not necessarily as a proper English gentlemen, so to speak. I am sure there have been countless arrests. But you know, none of them would have made the headlines in the Singapore press. They would all have been given warnings and let off.
But surely in the eyes of this pathetic Singapore government who are at the butt end of jokes all over the free world, Gopalan Nair has to be singled out. Gopalan Nair had to be punished. A mountain has to made out of a molehill. His name has to be splashed all over the Singapore propaganda press. He has to be made to look like a real criminal, just because he did not have the decency to respond to some thug looking characters who wanted to know who he was.
Any way, the answer is not guilty once again. We have no free press here. All I can do is to use this blog of mine to tell my side of the story which I will continue to do. The Singapore dictator cannot intimidate me. I will not allow it.
And mind you, the entire action against me makes no sense. If the intent is to shut me up and keep me quite, it will not work. I will return to California and write and agitate with increased vigor the fact of the of the lack of any freedom in this island republic.
I understand the Far Eastern Economic Review is being sued. But unlike the Far Eastern Economic Review who can be prevented from circulating within Singapore, my blog cannot be stopped. No matter what my message will be coming through with heightened intensity to Singapore.
And what is worse, I had been just another blogger before my arrest on May 31, 2008. With my arrest by this government, I have been propelled into international fame, where now I will be taken much more seriously internationally than if I had been left alone for my blog post of May 29, 2008, the blog post which has made me internationally famous.
I am grateful to the US Embassy and the US State Department which is monitoring my case at the highest levels in Washington. I know that I have the US Government behind me in all this. I know I am not alone.
I also know that I have the entire free world who cherish their freedom behind me in this. Truly I am not alone.
I wish to thank those supporters out there particularly for their financial support. I was at Block 292 Bishan, at 9 am, yesterday, Sunday, with the Singapore Democratic Party helping them with distributing their leaflets and selling their books and literature to the public. At the location, I am particularly grateful to a supporter who handed me a very generous donation to help me sustain myself in Singapore during this ordeal. Not only to this supporter but to the countless other supporters who have given me both financial and moral support, I wish to say a heartfelt thank you for your kindness.
As you know, I have no choice in this matter. It is not possible for me to apologize to this Singapore government or to anyone else to seek mercy. I continue to stand by what I had said in my blog namely that Judge Belinda Ang was not a judge at all during the 3 days while she sat in judgment in the Lee Kuan Yew vs. Dr. Chee case. I would of course gladly apologize for the choice of words used, but the essence of the meaning of what I said remains intact and correct, for which I cannot apologize.
I am sorry that I was not able to be at Parliament House for my protest to demand that this government either give me a speedy trial or let me go home. I will have to see the outcome of the Pre Trial Conference tomorrow before I make a decision. Also there is the matter of the investigation against me for the alleged disorderly behavior.
All in all I intend to hang in there and not give up. Every political action has a price. In this case, I am lucky I am an American citizen. At least this dictatorial Lee Kuan Yew regime cannot have a hold on me forever, unlike the plight of my fellow Singaporeans who remain citizens.
They on the other hand they cannot escape the Lee Kuan Yew grip, unless they themselves decide they no longer are prepared to be enslaved.
Thanks to all.
Gopalan Nair
Imprisoned in the island paradise, Singapore
Against my will
Firstly I must apologize for having not kept in touch with all the daily events that is happening in my beloved homeland as I have left the country to work in a foreign place. I too was left out due to my inability to fit in Singapore’s fit in or ship out mentality.
ReplyDeleteSuch a mindset has proven to be successful for Singapore as a whole. The mindset was perfectly engineered since the first day we stepped into school in kindergarten if you can still remember. We are taught to comply and not challenge authority. No challenge is respectable nor tolerated. No explanation is required for not complying and you will simply be punished all the way throughout the whole education system.
When we reach adulthood we are again forced to undergo a final mental alignment exercise via National Service. After which we are finally free as we might think. However fortunately I did not conform nor agree to all and ended up with an education from a foreign country. This entirely changed my perception and now I have much better understanding of what various long term serving government is doing.
Like in all situations/benefits there is surely no free lunch or perfectly no repercussions for the benefits we get today. The above mindset cultivation is good in establishing stability and economic growth during /just after turbulent times we had not too long ago in Singapore. However I would like to point out that there will be severe repercussions to the long term stability should we still continue to clamp down on alternative thinking. What will happen here is that with the heavily entrenched mindset, we may dispose of good and creative ideas that may actually be the key to great or greater success for individuals and the nation. In loosing them we naturally loose an asset to Singapore.
The government must start to try to realize this or will continue to loose the much needed talent it is so critical and valuable to the long term success of Singapore. As we continue to open up (giving full credit to the current government policies put in place) we will be facing a continued struggle and challenge here with the so called “mis-fits” in society. We either get the best from them or risk loosing them to foreign countries where they might potentially finally flourish.
Having had experienced different working environments in Singapore and now overseas has given me this great opportunity to understand the current situation a little bit better. Although I must say that we are learning still everyday.
Singapore lack of tolerance to alternative thinking compared to the Europe and US may put Singapore in a precarious position for the long term. But in releasing too much control at one go may result in adverse immediate consequence for sure as well as not all alternative thinking are “good” so to speak. However on the other hand the existing mindset entrenched has made the system unforgiving and intolerant of any creative thinking that we truly are in desperate need of much more of to ensure survival in the fast pace new digital internet enabled world.
While we embrace the new digital age that opens up a huge new dimension of opportunities and alternative thinking we are surely to expect more people to realize their real desire in life. What we do with such alternative thinking and creativity will determine our survival.
I believe that there is no such thing and born genius. Everyone have some potential or particular strength in an area and goes through life and perhaps with the correct or ideal or even life threatening conditions will finally realize his/her true potential. But such a probability of occurance of almost perfect match of unknown strength and situation to realize it is far too little and probable in a small country like Singapore. Furthermore with its restrictive environment will further suppress and inhibit such potential from arising there versus in a foreign land where space and limitations are less obvious. Countries like certain countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand will be able to provide such conditions for these individuals to have a higher level of opportunity to realize their full potential.
Having an only daughter with special needs has forced me to realize that he/she (to keep my confidentiality) has no/little future here in the small restrictive space and environment of Singapore. In US, Europe (not all parts), Australia every school has the responsibility to take in students with special needs. Here in Singapore this is not the case and likely will take a much longer time to realize. Although steps are being taken today they will unlikely be fast enough to keep up with my child’s age. Thus although we are now encouraged to have children we are still far from being ready to take on the challenges of having more children with special needs as we have more and more of such children now then before as we defer to have children to a later age thereby increasing the probability of bearing such children. I am not regretting what I have but truly realize the true value of life after having a child with special needs and would dare say that this is a one in over 10,000 opportunity of a lifetime. Sadly to provide the best for my child I will have no alternative but to seek foreign lands far from my beloved country. To Singapore my child is a burden to society and she will never ever fit in. To me he/she is all I will every cherish and love.
Yes indeed we need credible opposition (should be alternative thinking) but with the current situation it is rather difficult to ever achieve that here in Singapore based on the environment and lack of selflessness thinking. More indeed has to be done in this area by the government to ensure that positive alternative thinking be realized in order to have a sustainable level of creativity that is quickly diminishing or levels raised in the new digital world we now face.
China is fast changing and has and is well poised to take on this new age and chances are that they will leapfrog ahead of many nations and potentially be the next era of great nations of this century. They will continue to attract talent and absorb the knowhow and gain experience in managing the international business world. This wave is not expected to take on a declining pace for sure. The opportunity to leapfrog is far to enticing for China to miss. Once the more and more private organizations in China start on this path there will be significant changes in the world economy. It is likely to even think that the USD having lost its position to Euro may loose its international currency status to the RMB once China open’s up. This is no doubt a possibility of the near future. Chances of it happening will be subject to the US economy in the next few years. Japan’s era is indeed over. As the Sony’s, Panasonic, Sharp, Pioneer, etc loose its position to the Samsung’s, iPod, HP&Dell of today while China commands and controls the largest production capability of the world. China need not have a leading brand to succeed. Success is only dependent manly on the people accepting new international standards and practices. Once they recognize such need this will be the leapfrog opportunity long awaited. This must happen fast in order to shake the USD further as a recognized international currency of exchange. The Euro although is strong at this time will erode in time should the status quo in Europe persists without any further breakthrough in Europe other than more joining countries the EC. As more and more join in the Euro will gain strength needless to say. UK will be the last straw to keep the Euro high or growing.
Taiwan will be at a huge potential position but may not be able to realize much. So I will not force much opportunity there yet for the short term.
The US economy will be dependent on the outcome of the elections this year as per expected. Obama to me will help the correction of the economy while McCain is less likely to succeed in stabilizing the US economy. This is rough guess but I would buy some USD if Obama wins or be sure to win but not if McCain is winning.
If there is an opportunity I will buy RMB already now. Of course with a pinch of salt and the pace may be slow after the Olympics and economic effects of the Sichuan earth quake sets in but may be minimized due to the Olympics that has already lost some of its benefits due to the earthquake. But overall a smoother curve but still overall positive.
Singapore needs to learn and learn fast from the above changing situations and keep itself in a less than vulnerable position to keep afloat. We are lucky to have had some reserves but that is fast depreciating as far as the huge USD portion of the basket of currencies we amassed to date. Likely the MAS has lowered that proportion already and will also abreast of the situation to change it’s basket of currencies to have the best results and stability for small and tiny Singapore.
The opposition must learn and gather together fast. Opposing for the sake of opposing will not be beneficial towards building a more credible opposition. Although I emphasize with the Chee family I sadly will not be able to say that they are doing it the best possible way. I am sure that there are better and effective day-to-day things that needs to be addressed and immediately benefits the people and not expect Singapore to be able to shoulder the full impact of the incredible rising oil prices. Which is potentially highly inflated and inflated due to the poor USD. What has to managed or suppressed is the unfair profiteering of the situation by large MNCs and various corporations. Rising costs of living due to these unfair profiteering must be addressed by the govt. if not the opposition. Inefficiencies in public works should be addressed eg. Dig today and tomorrow instead of consolidating the work into one with the availability of information. Many stairs are finally being demolished and slopes built in its place as only now the govt. realize that we are facing an aging population that no longer could walk and needed wheelchairs and the inconvenience to parents with strollers although they encourage people to have children etc. Just some basic ones to mention as well. Here we should expect better. Having improvements is great but building a brick wall to announce it is a dam bloody waste of resource. Just do without it please. The upgrading project completion is very obvious enough.
An key example is although I would support the removal of road tax for ERP, however I am sad to say it help saves money for the rich and takes more money away from the poor. Just do a calculation on savings on road tax on huge luxury cars vs ERPs payable and you should get there.
My apologies on the long text. I hope that I have help shed some light on some things that are to come and for us to hopefully go in and gain out of it at the right time. But do get out quickly and not get burnt as far as money is concerned.
PAP Dare for By Election now?
ReplyDeleteOppositions should raise these issues about how Gopalan was treated and questioned if the plain clothes police act was planned. No identification shown and straight pin down of a man in the streets dont seem right.
ReplyDeleteHDB now at $700k, rising cost of living in all areas and oppositions did not say anything?
So what are oppositions for? For elections only?
Where is workers party? Where is SDA? What have they been doing? Waiting for 2011?
Very disappointed with oppositions!!!
Do not blame oppositions. 66% of Singaporeans got no balls. include u?
ReplyDeleteI am 33% of Singaporean. I have balls. Hero above, what do you suggest we do?
ReplyDeleteTo the anon above, we can't do much now. We wait.
ReplyDeletebut then again somehow we will forget come 2011.
No, I won't. I have been for opposition all along. Never believed a single word from the PAP.
ReplyDeletesingapore's foolish judge is Justice Choo han teck.
ReplyDeletehe ruled that all mentally retarded girl can now be raped !!! reason is justice choo said in any rape trial, the testimony of the complainant is vital in establishing whether or not the sex was consensual.
a sad sad day for the protection of mentally retarded girl in singapore,
do u know any mentally retarded girl , i am rape ? with the new ruling, the victism need to proof that she is raped . ha ha coming from a high court judge, his reason is weak comparing a normal girl to a mentally retarded girltestimony with the same weight.
ReplyDeletea grave injustice !!!!
singaporeans are all cowards. all they do is just complain and not doing anything. i think the oppositions will never win. if ever singapore has riots mr lee will use his gurkhas to terminate us.
ReplyDeleteRelax, Singapore are not afraid of something, singaporeans are to be brave, you know I'm going for an Election.
ReplyDeleteSometimes People have no business and they lost jobs in Singapore, that's why the government sue the store keeper and no business to run.
ReplyDeleteGreat I am felling very happy. Thanks a lot for sharing this information. I would like to read such a post. Thanks a lot for sharing this very important data.
ReplyDelete......Alex
Some real anger in these posts! Maybe you should look for common ground!
ReplyDeleteI’ve heard about people who cast a null n void vote (e.g., by crossing both boxes representing both contesting parties), and subsequently receiving letters telling them that they should not be doing such.
ReplyDeleteMore than 1 person did that and they all got the same letters. How do you explain that then
Singapore will always stay the same as long as Singaporeans stay docile and bow to the PAP in a collective mindset. Nagging in private for venting and stress release is all they have. Thank God I left for the west, NEVER TO RETURN! Main regret, I lost 2.5 years to national slavery (not service)
ReplyDelete