The year of the Snake is coming.
去年的龙，
Last year's dragon,
变成今年的蛇，
Becomes this year's snake,
少了角，少了爪,
Missing horns, missing claws,
可是牙齿還在
But fangs are still there.
Above remarks by Chen Show Mao at the Workers' Party rally remind us that the knuckle dusters are still in play, disguised only by the velvet gloves made necessary by the exigencies of the election hustings. Leopards rarely change their spots.
When A P Rajah once complained in the Legislative Assembly that the Prime Minister was claiming to play all his cards openly but he had put them face downwards, Lee Kuan Yew retorted, "Only fools place all their cards face upwards!" (Singapore Legislative Assembly Debates, 11 December 1959)
Vincent Wijeysingha had apologised to Tan Chuan-Jin unreservedly for describing the latter as “dishonest”, “deceptive”, “untruthful” over the complaints and issues involving the striking SMRT drivers. The last report on the subject has it that Tan was seeking damages from Wijeysingha. We'll have to wait until the by-election is over to see if the fangs will be bared.
If Tan does follow up with his demand for financial satisfaction, he is not inventing something new. More senior party members have threatened critics with expensive lawsuits for defamation in the past, establishing a legacy that human rights groups see as a tactic to stifle dissent. Lee Kuan Yew set the tone years ago by suing political foes and foreign media organisations. "We decide what is right," he told the Straits Times newspaper in 1987. "Never mind what the people think."
Human Rights Watch's deputy director for Asia, Phil Robertson, has been quoted saying, "The jury is still out on whether we're seeing a sustainable change in government attitudes towards their critics."
Posts
in the coming year of dragon last year, there was one PRC woman claiming that she had written a auspicious festival verse that she hoped she can give it to LHL, the verse goes :
ReplyDelete显龙龙年显真龙 (read as, xian long long nian xian zhen long 显龙is LHL chinese name)
translation: LHL will reveal his true dragon spirit or quality during the dragon year.
now we are still in dragon year, has he shown his spirit during the dragon year? u judge.
but if his dragon spirit is to be shown only in dragon year, the PRC woman was kissing the wrong ass.
In order not to get yourself sued, SDP should use their mouth craefully. BY Get all the facts in your hands first and startegise, not just based on heresay and start shooting with your mouth. SDP is simply dumb and asking for trouble. Dont turn to Singaporeans to seek for sympathy and financial support whne you shoot yourself between your legs.
DeleteEasier said than done.How does one "get all the facts" when none or litle exists in the public domain? A recent example is the AIM saga. Does anyone claim to have "all the facts"? Alex Au had to apologise and retract his piece because he made the error of commenting without the full facts.
DeleteThis is why I admire WP's approach to politics.
DeleteMaintain discipline.
Don't talk too much ... otherwise will waste too much time defending yourself in lawsuits.
Focus on action.
And most importantly.
Don't try to stop the PAPigs from implementing bad policies.
PS:
I truly like SDP's approach.
But this is Singapore.
Horses for courses.
You have to cut your suit according to your cloth.
@ anon 1/22/2013 6:33am
Deleteget your fact right from Zaobao editors. do they dare say there was no such article? the whole page of it! i bet many PRC and other zaobao readers had read it.
it should be that PRC lady who jump to shoot, why u leh? it was her own personal thinking, what i tried to say is how pall lam pa these FT are. compared to them, sad to say, we are dwarfed in such talent.
so, let me worry about my own mouth.
...whne you shoot yourself between your legs.
Deletewah! so well hung ah?
1 seat lesser or better still, 1 GRC lesser and the political climate will be a lot more different. Would you patronise 1 coffeshop for 30 years when the owner gets cocky or might you be tempted to try the pushcart across the road? The coffeshop onwner started with a pushcart as well.
ReplyDeleteFren,
DeleteThis coffee shop has been operating since 1963 for nearly 50 yrs! Time to change coffee shop lah. Don't let them control your life too much. Your hard earned life savings they also want to control and refuse to let you spend as you see fit! I believe that is one longest coffee shop in the world! Langgar!
When the coffeeshop owner realised that his customers are not coming back after raising prices, he tried to apologise.
DeleteBut behind the customers' backs, he is up to his tricks again trying to dilute the coffee, tea & milo drinks sold at his coffeeshop.
When questioned by his own workers, he said "Never mind what the daft customers think. I already apologised! What else do they expect?"
That is very true to HDB flats. Same price or higher but less liveable space. When asked KBW, he said, there is no change. Really?
DeleteThe Dragons in the Chinese Fables that me had read though much depicted with great power and unusual feat, were proned to normal failings and were just as vulnerable as other beasts.
ReplyDeleteBe it in 西游记(Journey to the West), 封神旁(Incarnations) or any ither Chinese Classics, the legendary dragons fell sick, turned ugly and vicious, became sickly, aged and died like all other beings. Of course there were also those beheaded, killed and punished as well.
Me has never believe in dragon, however, as one born in the countryside, i did come across many snakes and had eaten it as well. Quite delicious but failed to experience the hearsay aphrodisiac effect of it. It could be that the potent effect is in its' blood that has be taken fresh and draw. Me did not try it.
Maybe some may want to.
patriot
My apology.
ReplyDeleteThe Word 'draw' should be corrected to
'raw'.
patriot
I think Show Mao's reference to Ah Loong can be read at 2 levels. One level is what you have described - that a leopard cannot change its spots. Hence the teeth is still there. But whatever knuckle dusters that was used, was used in the Dragon year, not the Snake year.
ReplyDeleteSo, I think Show Mao's reference is more a dig, a swipe at the dragon who is about to be reduced to a snake. If not for the Chinese Zodiac, he would have been reduced from a dragon to a worm.
一条龙变成一条虫
He's was referring more to teeth than fang. From a mighty dragon to a slithering snake. But the teeth are still there - can talk only.
Hope worker party win impending the dragon will become snake cannot fly anymore.happy new year
ReplyDeletePalmer gave PAP a Christmas present. Dr Koh will have to give PAP a similar present. Gong Xi Fa Cai
ReplyDeleteGuess who is the crouching tiger hidden dragon? He may just eat up that old dragon.
ReplyDeleteDoes it mean the great pig will die this snake year? In chinese Zodiac, snake and pig are enemies.
ReplyDeleteWho represents the pig?
ReplyDeleteCrouching Michael, Hidden Pussy.
ReplyDelete