National Harmony Or Racial Harmony Comes First?

Chairman of national racial harmony body OnePeople.sg Zainundin Nordin (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP) had asked, "Why would you want to create friction and anger because of your prejudices? By the time your children and grandchildren inherit this country, it's mess, people will start running away."

Zainudin was explaining the rationale for dispatching "racial harmony diplomats" to junior colleges, and later to institutes of higher learning. The initiative, we are told, is a response to derogatory comments attributed to Sun Xu of NUS ("more dogs than humans in Singapore.") and Shimum Lai of Nanyang Poly ("trains need to have separate cabins for humans and fkn dogs"). Police reports were lodged against both parties, presumably by non-canine members of the population. Both are young, and foolishly ranted in what they erroneously assumed was their private domain of cyberspace. Lai's post had the taint of racism, but Sun Xu's case crouched on the realm of xenophobia, which the MP, intentionally or otherwise, missed out on.

Franziska Zimmerman, 37, is Manager, Public Affairs Asia-Pacific, at Syngenta Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. Elouisa Dalli, 30, is Media & Community Relations Manager, for Syngenta. Both are classic examples of epic fails in respect of their day job requirements. Not exactly babes in the woods, these two are either horribly dense or plain bimbo hires. Any outsider should realise that remarks like "But no one owes anyone else a living; you cannot say you are entitled to jobs in your country" are downright insensitive and political dynamite. Think W.M.D. - Women. Moronically. Demented. The objectives and goals of the Syngenta Foundation are "to work with rural communities in the semiarid regions of the world and improve their livelihoods." Maybe they are more suited to work with farm animals.

One can understand if an employment pass is issued to a rocket scientist, we don't have too many of them here. Or experienced nuclear physicists, those could also justify the import of foreign talent. But our universities and polytechnics produce lots of graduates formally trained in public relations and mass communications. Qualified candidates who not only have the necessary degrees or diplomas but can also speak and appreciate the cultural nuances of languages. We may need the construction labour to work on the infrastructure, but do we need mindless talking heads to ratchet up the frenzy of xenophobia?

Where they come from, an employer has to first demonstrate that a job on offer could not be filled by a Swiss worker or an EU national. If Switzerland makes it difficult for outsiders seeking work, especially those from Third World countries, why should Singapore open the flood-gates for foreign trash like Zimmerman and Dalli?

Zainundin should recognise the presence of negative diplomats introduced into the country by a flawed immigration policy, which stir friction and anger. At the end of the day, when children and grandchildren inherit this country, it's a mess. Come to think of it, it's already a mess, and scores of people are voting with their feet.

The Paradox Of Government

DPM Teo Chee Hean told the gathering of Singapore's top public servants that there are difficult decisions which the Government must not shy from. Taking him at his word, the Hougang by-election and the punishment awaiting two former senior public servants arrested by the CPIB will come about, it's just the timing that will be slightly more difficult.

Not so difficult are the decisions affecting the lesser mortals: bull dozing Bukit Brown cemetery for the convenience of those who afford $80,000 COEs and steaming ahead with building eldercare facilities at Toh Yi where 3 other sites nearby are rejected because they are "reserved for future development". Never has the great divide been made so obvious.

The curious part of his speech is the special praise levied on an ex-civil servant who did not bother to change his travel schedule to be on hand to receive the effusive tribute crafted by Teo. Mr Teo (no relation) retired at 60 after 36 years of a good life at the civil service, last appointment being superscaled Permanent Secretary i.e. can afford pastry cooking holiday in France type. Unlike mere mortals who have to worry about the loss of income when let go before the compulsory retirement age of 65 (or is it 67?), Teo - the ex-civil servant, not the DPM - has already been made chairman of MediaCorp. In Japan there's a special term for this, it's called "promoted to heaven."

DPM Teo talked of a "paradox of government" whereby there will be some who expect their government to play a bigger role, while others think the government should take a step back. Maybe it's something in the drinks served at the Administrative Service Dinner or he simply had one glass too many, but it's difficult to imagine any sane Singaporean thinking that the government should step back from tackling the shortcomings of transportation, housing, health care and foreign imports. On the contrary, the sentiment is more like jia you, jia you (加油! 加油!).

NUS Ain't Got No Bite

When a 23-year-old Ministry of Education (MOE) scholar was handed a 6 month suspended sentence in the UK in December 2010 for possessing child pornography videos, the MOE promptly revoked his teaching scholarship. As he was also expelled from the University of York, he was not allowed to stay legally in the UK.

Sun Xu (孙旭) lost only the scholarship for the last semester, and may be allowed to graduate. Meaning, there's a real possibility he will be a bona fide alumnus of the National University of Singapore. NUS Provost Tan Eng Chye stated their position thus:

After careful consideration, the Board of Discipline decided on the following penalties:
i. A community service obligation of 3 months, the details of which shall be made known to him in due course. Upon satisfactorily completing the community service obligation, he may be allowed to graduate, but no earlier than the end of Semester 1, AY2012/2013;
ii. A fine of $3,000;
iii. An official reprimand.

The Board of Discipline’s decision sends a clear and strong signal that the University does not condone such actions. At the same time, as the administrator of his scholarship, the University has separately conveyed to him that his undergraduate scholarship benefits have been terminated for the final semester as his behaviour was unbecoming of a scholarship holder.

While the self inflicted damage of the two MOE scholars are noticeably different - one hurt himself, the other hurt Singaporeans in general - the pace, and type of justice dispensed leave a bad after taste. This PRC scholar who broadcasted there are more dogs than humans in Singapore may get to serve his 6 year bond here (according to last night's television report), while enjoying the imprimatur of being on the Dean's List. When Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said Singapore citizens will be given "absolute priority" over permanent residents (PRs), it looks like he was referring only to the primary school level. It will probably take awhile for him address the tertiary situation. The Ministers seem to work at their laggardly speed when it comes to national issues, but they sure are pretty quick about helping themselves to the new National Bonus.

Priority For Singaporeans

In what must be seen as another "populist move" Education Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that Singapore citizens will be given "absolute priority" over permanent residents (PRs) when balloting is required during the Primary 1 registration exercise. In the event that the number of applicants exceeds the number of vacancies in a specific phase of the exercise, citizens will be admitted first, regardless of how far they live from the school. This will address the tactics of some PRs who buy property from the new or resale market to be within that critical 1 km distance of a popular school.

The last time the scheme was changed in 2010, Singaporean children were given two ballot slips, compared to one for a PR registrant. That apparently had failed to placate the ire of parents anxious to have their wards placed in a "good school".

The end of this month will also see A-level graduands competing for limited places in the local universities. It remains to be seen if another vote gathering gesture will hatched to soothe the tempers of another set of doting guardians. Ideally, foreigners will be granted access only after Singaporeans have secured their admission.  And reduce the number of the ungrateful free-loader type foreign scholars.

A Taiwanese agent advising an American businessman about the amount needed to grease some palms for a multi-million dollar project (American firms are strict about bribes, but "guanxi" is okay) explained the Chinese strategy that if one needs to make a killing, the knife better had better be sharp. If one uses a uses a blunt instrument, one can stab and stab, there will be lots of splattered blood, but the intended target may refuse to die i.e. be prepared to pay big. Whether the Ministry of Education is utilising the correct set of tools will remain to be seen, but we look forward to more goodies as the politicians scheme to improve their diminished mandate.

The Curious Case of the Dopey DPP

Chinese national Yuan Zhenghua, 33, was originally charged at his hospital bedside with causing hurt to CitiCab taxi driver Yeow Chuwee Lam, by punching and strangling him when trying to steal his vehicle. Whether Yuan was attempting to rob the cabby of his vehicle or day's takings is debatable, but he did cuff Yeow on the neck and roughed him up - hence the bit about "voluntarily causing hurt". Somehow the police officer in charge failed to recognise cleaner Chandra Morgan being killed in the event of 17 March 2012.

According to section 299 of our Penal Code: “Whoever causes death by doing an act … with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death, commits the offence of culpable homicide”. Section 304A of the Penal Code also prescribes a charge of causing death by a rash act.

Apparently the ah peks and ah kongs at the kopi-tiams are all riled up at the travesty of justice. Unlike the incorrigible foreign import PRCs, Malaysians are treated like family. Have been, and will always be. If LKY hadn't got us turfed out of Malaysia, we would be drinking fresh water from the Johore catchment area, instead of the shitty stuff from the toilet bowls. Voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery attracts only up to 20 years in jail and at least 12 strokes of the cane. Do we really need to provide the PRC guy with free board and lodging for 20 years?

All the anger fuelled by caffeine doses of kopi-o, kopi-si or kopi-peng must have reached some ears in authority. To appease the upset citizens, Yuan has been slapped with 3 more charges on 23 March:
- dangerous driving causing death (up to 5 years in jail),:
- driving without a valid licence (fine up to S$1,000 or jail up to 3 months);
- driving a cab without valid insurance policy (fine up to S$1,000 or jail up to 3 months).

There are probably other charges that could have been piled on:
- making the DPP look bad;
- making Sun Xu look like a wimp by comparison;
- making the cab companies install expensive GPS units for protection;
- making commuters angrier for the fares that will be hiked to pay for above GPS installation