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http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/08/12/my-reply-to-ng-kok-lims-response-to-my-article/
[h=2]My reply to Ng Kok Lim’s response to my article[/h]
August 12th, 2015 |
Author: Contributions
One-party rule
When it comes to one-party rule of SG, detractors are quick to point to N
Korea. What about China? It is on the rise and rise under one-party longer than
N. Korea. Comparatively, Taiwan, when under
one-party rule, was an economic
dynamo. Remember those days when you turned an electronic equipment over, you
were most likely to find “Made in Taiwan” stamped on it? What is Taiwan known
for today, after it adopted Western-style democracy? Strikes, protests, brawls
in Parliament among elected representatives of the people, students take over
Parliament, etc.
=> Must this FAP apologist be such a one-eye dragon? Or is he or she plain ignorant of the technological and manufacturing prowess of Taiwan?Look at Thailand. What has multi-party elections brought? A
history of chaos followed by military coup. Look at the West. Britain, Europe
and US are all on the decline. Someone who declared that the American is dead
and he will be able to make America great again is resonating well with the
Americans in the run-up to the 2016 Presidential election.
The same Singaporeans who readily point out N.Korea as a bad example of
one-party rule are also supporters of the Workers Party of Singapore. Do they
not realize that the one party which rules N. Korea is the Workers Party?
=> Why not say FAP is really Foreigners Action Party or Fascist Action Party?
Geographical location
Goh Keng Swee was quoted. I have great respect for him but you are accepting
his thoughts blindly without thinking about things for yourself. Yet you are the
first to accuse the government of brainwashing Singaporeans.
Before Singapore, Malacca was the port of call along the Straits of Malacca.
Before the Brits, the Portuguese and the Dutch had built it up. Why did the
Brits not continue with it?
Since Singapore’s independence, Malaysia has tried to by-pass Singapore’s
port. First it was Port Klang, then they got nearer with Tanjong Pelepas and
Pasir Gudang which is just across Punggol Point. As far as geographical location
is concerned, they are equal to Singapore. So too is any of the nearby Riau
Islands of Indonesia such as Batam or Bintang.
Some like to use the Isthmus of Kra canal to prove the point of the
importance of geographical location. They believe that with the Kra canal in
place, SG will become irrelevant. That’s not a certainty. More than a century
after the Suez Canal, South Africa, the nation furthest from the canal in
Africa, is still the most developed nation in that continent. Geographically,
South Africa’s location is worse than SG. It faces oceans in all directions
except the north.
We are talking about trade and investments from the US. If its geographical
location, Mexico would be the first choice, followed by those Carribean islands,
then Central and South America. Why would the American investors want to come
tens of thousands of kilometers to tiny little Singapore?
If geographical location can make all the difference, there would not be any
need for the strategy to leapfrog the region to reach the First World. In
reality, the government of the day had to go all out to sell Singapore to the
world, to attract investments to its shore.
=> And the people have no part to play in its success? All credit goes to one Familee and one man? So solid?
Inherited world standards from the British colonial
government
Many parts of the world were colonised by Europeans. When the colonies became
independent nations, many of them had been colonised for over a hundred years or
more, with well established institutions having been set up in all fields. Few
of those independent nations have done well. None has done better than SG.
Sure, SG has received economic assistance under UNDP and its advisor Dr.
Winsemius. So too those other colonies which became independent. They may not
have Winsemius but they may have better advisors than him. Putting it in another
way, if Winsemius were to be assigned to them, would he have such successful
results as he had with SG?
=> In the same vein, LKY is a nobody or would have committed grave mistakes if not for these experts and other advisors, right?
Geopolitics
“Dr Goh further went on to explain how the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s
also made Singapore’s conditions more favorable.”
“Finally, we have Minister Shanmugam telling us how the US military made our
situation even more favorable by underwriting our peace and the peace of the
region.”
“Thus, if we consider the peace provided by US military presence, China’s
Cultural Revolution scaring investors to Singapore, our four success factors
listed by Dr Goh Keng Swee, our situation was actually quite favorable.”
Why would China’s Cultural Revolution have scared investors to Singapore?
That was creating turmoil only within China. It would only have weakened China
which meant it would have less capability of
mounting overseas adventures
like exporting Communism through revolution. In fact, the US and its
non-communist client states around China like S. Korea and Taiwan would like to
see the collapse of the Communist regime in China.
If the Cultural Revolution in China could scare investors to Singapore, then
the Vietnam War would have scared them away. It happened closer to Singapore. If
that did not scare them, the fall of South Vietnam should. LKY was a proponent
of the Domino Theory. On the contrary, US investments continued to flow in thick
and fast after the fall of Vietnam.
Can we truly rely on the US to maintain peace in this region? In 1975, after
the fall of South Vietnam, the US withdrew completely from Vietnam, exposing the
rest of South-east Asia to the threat of a Vietnamese invasion. After the
Vietnamese ventured into Cambodia, it was the Chinese who put a stop to their
further ambitions on the rest of South-east Asia by attacking Vietnam.
Shanmugam cannot be more wrong. Singapore cannot rely completely on the US,
or for that matter any other nation, to underwrite its peace and the peace of
the region. The US is here only for its own national interest, no more, no less.
The US was here to fight Communism closer to its source. It is here again,
rebalancing as it says, to push its frontier of war nearer to its newly
perceived enemy China. Instead of peace, it may turn the Asia-Pacific into a
theatre of war, like the Mid-East.
I can’t imagine how SG would be like if its government and people had adopted
this attitude. “OK, we have superb geographical location, good institutions left
behind by our ex-British colonial master and the US to maintain peace. We have
all the factors in our favor. We can afford to go slow and take it easy. Let’s
just lay back and relax. Everything will work out fine by itself.” You think we
will have a Singapore like what we have today?
Geographical location, geopolitics are not of no importance but they are less
so than other factors for the success of Singapore. What really make Singapore
what it is today, a tiny island without natural resources but a world class
nation with world class achievements? Its strong and wise leadership with wise
and trusting followers. Its strong and wise government with sound values.
When we celebrate our 50th year of Independence, let us not forget that all
that have been achieved through much hardships and sacrifices throughout the
years can easily unravel if the government and the people do not work as
one.
get it right
*
Submitted by TRE reader.
[h=2]My reply to Ng Kok Lim’s response to my article[/h]
August 12th, 2015 |
Author: Contributions
One-party rule
When it comes to one-party rule of SG, detractors are quick to point to N
Korea. What about China? It is on the rise and rise under one-party longer than
N. Korea. Comparatively, Taiwan, when under
one-party rule, was an economic
dynamo. Remember those days when you turned an electronic equipment over, you
were most likely to find “Made in Taiwan” stamped on it? What is Taiwan known
for today, after it adopted Western-style democracy? Strikes, protests, brawls
in Parliament among elected representatives of the people, students take over
Parliament, etc.
=> Must this FAP apologist be such a one-eye dragon? Or is he or she plain ignorant of the technological and manufacturing prowess of Taiwan?Look at Thailand. What has multi-party elections brought? A
history of chaos followed by military coup. Look at the West. Britain, Europe
and US are all on the decline. Someone who declared that the American is dead
and he will be able to make America great again is resonating well with the
Americans in the run-up to the 2016 Presidential election.
The same Singaporeans who readily point out N.Korea as a bad example of
one-party rule are also supporters of the Workers Party of Singapore. Do they
not realize that the one party which rules N. Korea is the Workers Party?
=> Why not say FAP is really Foreigners Action Party or Fascist Action Party?
Geographical location
Goh Keng Swee was quoted. I have great respect for him but you are accepting
his thoughts blindly without thinking about things for yourself. Yet you are the
first to accuse the government of brainwashing Singaporeans.
Before Singapore, Malacca was the port of call along the Straits of Malacca.
Before the Brits, the Portuguese and the Dutch had built it up. Why did the
Brits not continue with it?
Since Singapore’s independence, Malaysia has tried to by-pass Singapore’s
port. First it was Port Klang, then they got nearer with Tanjong Pelepas and
Pasir Gudang which is just across Punggol Point. As far as geographical location
is concerned, they are equal to Singapore. So too is any of the nearby Riau
Islands of Indonesia such as Batam or Bintang.
Some like to use the Isthmus of Kra canal to prove the point of the
importance of geographical location. They believe that with the Kra canal in
place, SG will become irrelevant. That’s not a certainty. More than a century
after the Suez Canal, South Africa, the nation furthest from the canal in
Africa, is still the most developed nation in that continent. Geographically,
South Africa’s location is worse than SG. It faces oceans in all directions
except the north.
We are talking about trade and investments from the US. If its geographical
location, Mexico would be the first choice, followed by those Carribean islands,
then Central and South America. Why would the American investors want to come
tens of thousands of kilometers to tiny little Singapore?
If geographical location can make all the difference, there would not be any
need for the strategy to leapfrog the region to reach the First World. In
reality, the government of the day had to go all out to sell Singapore to the
world, to attract investments to its shore.
=> And the people have no part to play in its success? All credit goes to one Familee and one man? So solid?
Inherited world standards from the British colonial
government
Many parts of the world were colonised by Europeans. When the colonies became
independent nations, many of them had been colonised for over a hundred years or
more, with well established institutions having been set up in all fields. Few
of those independent nations have done well. None has done better than SG.
Sure, SG has received economic assistance under UNDP and its advisor Dr.
Winsemius. So too those other colonies which became independent. They may not
have Winsemius but they may have better advisors than him. Putting it in another
way, if Winsemius were to be assigned to them, would he have such successful
results as he had with SG?
=> In the same vein, LKY is a nobody or would have committed grave mistakes if not for these experts and other advisors, right?
Geopolitics
“Dr Goh further went on to explain how the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s
also made Singapore’s conditions more favorable.”
“Finally, we have Minister Shanmugam telling us how the US military made our
situation even more favorable by underwriting our peace and the peace of the
region.”
“Thus, if we consider the peace provided by US military presence, China’s
Cultural Revolution scaring investors to Singapore, our four success factors
listed by Dr Goh Keng Swee, our situation was actually quite favorable.”
Why would China’s Cultural Revolution have scared investors to Singapore?
That was creating turmoil only within China. It would only have weakened China
which meant it would have less capability of
mounting overseas adventures
like exporting Communism through revolution. In fact, the US and its
non-communist client states around China like S. Korea and Taiwan would like to
see the collapse of the Communist regime in China.
If the Cultural Revolution in China could scare investors to Singapore, then
the Vietnam War would have scared them away. It happened closer to Singapore. If
that did not scare them, the fall of South Vietnam should. LKY was a proponent
of the Domino Theory. On the contrary, US investments continued to flow in thick
and fast after the fall of Vietnam.
Can we truly rely on the US to maintain peace in this region? In 1975, after
the fall of South Vietnam, the US withdrew completely from Vietnam, exposing the
rest of South-east Asia to the threat of a Vietnamese invasion. After the
Vietnamese ventured into Cambodia, it was the Chinese who put a stop to their
further ambitions on the rest of South-east Asia by attacking Vietnam.
Shanmugam cannot be more wrong. Singapore cannot rely completely on the US,
or for that matter any other nation, to underwrite its peace and the peace of
the region. The US is here only for its own national interest, no more, no less.
The US was here to fight Communism closer to its source. It is here again,
rebalancing as it says, to push its frontier of war nearer to its newly
perceived enemy China. Instead of peace, it may turn the Asia-Pacific into a
theatre of war, like the Mid-East.
I can’t imagine how SG would be like if its government and people had adopted
this attitude. “OK, we have superb geographical location, good institutions left
behind by our ex-British colonial master and the US to maintain peace. We have
all the factors in our favor. We can afford to go slow and take it easy. Let’s
just lay back and relax. Everything will work out fine by itself.” You think we
will have a Singapore like what we have today?
Geographical location, geopolitics are not of no importance but they are less
so than other factors for the success of Singapore. What really make Singapore
what it is today, a tiny island without natural resources but a world class
nation with world class achievements? Its strong and wise leadership with wise
and trusting followers. Its strong and wise government with sound values.
When we celebrate our 50th year of Independence, let us not forget that all
that have been achieved through much hardships and sacrifices throughout the
years can easily unravel if the government and the people do not work as
one.
get it right
*
Submitted by TRE reader.
