Our Pledge

We, the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness, prosperity & progress for our nation

I still remember the pledge. I think many of us do because we have been saying it for years in school. I think it is quite a marvelous piece of work.

It is still as relevant now and in the future as it has been in the past.

Unlike countries with thousands or hundreds of years of history, building a nation in Singapore is never job-done. It is always on-going. We will not reach the perfect stage where everyone is happy and peace and prosperity are assured. So every generation will build upon what we have already achieved and improve on it.

There will always be threats and crises. And with more immigrants settling down here, we need to constantly remind ourselves of the words ‘regardless of race, language and religion’.

Happiness is where your heart is

One significant factor that contributes to your happiness is loving your country. If you dislike your country, think of migrating and see only faults in this and that everyday, how can you really be happy. Hopefully you can go to the country you want and it welcomes you and treats you well.

Loving your country doesn’t mean you like everything and have no complaints. No, you may still complain and find faults in many things. However, you also see the positive side of things you don’t like. You know that in certain things there is no permanent ideal solution.

You still feel the stress in your life and in your job. But you are also grateful for the things that you have and you appreciate the love and help your family members and friends give you.

You may like to have gambling and prostitution banned altogether, but you know it cannot be done and you live with it. You understand that it is not possible for you to like every policy.

The grass looks greener on the other side. But when you go to the other side, you realize that it is the grass in Singapore that is greener. Your home is Singapore.

A fair outcome

One-quarter of the investors who lost their money investing in the structured products got full compensation and two-thirds got partial compensation. This is better than what I had expected.

Everyone should take responsibility for his own action. We cannot just blame the financial institutions and say the investors themselves are faultless. During those boom time, high returns ranked higher in the investors’ mind than safety and risks. And who would have thought that they would lose all their money.

The investors, even the old and uneducated, should bear some responsibility too. Sorry, if I sounded a bit harsh but I believe this is the truth.

It would be unfair if you compensate everyone or compensate investors equally.

So I would say the case-by-case approach is the right way and the outcome is fair.

Frivolous petition

This is a report in the papers about people signing a petition for Ms Lee Bee Wah to step down as the president of STTA.


Now, if the organizers were there together with say 1% of those who signed online. And they posed for reporters and gave their views on the matter. This would have given their cause a great lift.

Instead the organizers didn’t come. Also none of those who signed online came. The people hired to look after the forms played hide and seek with reporters. Maybe most of these people just want to have their say but are not willing to stand up for what they say. I don’t think people would take them or their petitions seriously.

I think the petition is a frivolous one.

Ms Lee was merely stating the criterion required for a coach to be nominated for the Coach of The Year Award. It didn’t imply that Mr Liu was lacking in these things. Perhaps not enough - say you need a grade A+ to be nominated, but Mr Liu just got an A.

Suppose I were a coach in a company and my boss told me those were the criterion for promotion. If my colleague was promoted but I was not, I wouldn’t say that my boss had questioned my integrity, commitment or professionalism. It meant I had to work harder.

A wise move

I said before that it is possible for the oppositions to win two GRCs and that the PAP also thinks so and is prepared for it. The recent announcement that nine seats will be given to the oppositions seems to support my view.

This is a wise move. It helps PAP MPs and Singaporeans to psychologically prepare for it and the PAP to save face if the oppositions really win one or two GRCs. It could say 'we have anticipated this and reserved seats for them'.

The oppositions should not keep on harping about abolishing the GRCs. GRCs are necessary. The two WP MP and NCMP know very well in their heart that without the GRC minority candidates may not get elected. I have already elaborated on this in an earlier post.

One of the reasons why some people don't vote for the opposition is that the opposition doesn't have the strength or ability to form the government. These people do not agree completely with the PAP policies but they do not want to vote an opposition just for its own sake.

I would say the WP, for example, should make governing Singapore as its long-term goal and work towards it.

Homosexuality and Mas Selamat

Homosexuality
A manual in Aware's sex education programme for schools said that “anal sex is normal and healthy”. The anus is for us to excrete solid waste material. Putting your penis in a shit hole is definitely not normal and not healthy.

We can accept homosexuality and accommodate homosexuals but we cannot teach our pupils that anal sex is normal.


Mas Selamat
It was reported that our JI leader swam across to Johore. I wonder if this information came from his own mouth. It might be true. Or he might just be pulling our legs because it is not in his interest to let us know his method.

But of course it is also possible, notwithstanding his slight handicap and that he was not a good swimmer. We have heard how shipwrecked people survived for days floating in the sea without food. And there are handicapped people doing incredible things.

Aware, H1N1 and Complacency

In my view one good thing that comes out from the unsuccessful takeover of Aware – if there really are people in Aware who are trying to promote lesbianism or homosexuality, now they will not be able to do it. Hope that Aware will also be more vigilant about members making use of the organization to promote their own views whether on lifestyle, sexuality or religion.

Just like the escape of the JI leader and the Rojak food poisoning, this saga again reminds us not to be complacent and take things for granted. Maybe the old Aware leaders did not expect that there are people who will scrutinize their sex education programme.

Similarly we should not be complacent about the H1N1 virus too. When there are more information about the virus and scientists find that it is not too dangerous or does not spread easily, then we can relax a bit. Meanwhile we should practise good personal hygiene. If we are sick we should see a doctor and stay at home as far as possible so as not to spread our illness to others.