Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh has described with lament that Singapore is a First World country with Third World people. He pointed out that many Singaporeans lack the civic-mindedness that citizens of an advanced country should have. “I am more critical of Singaporeans than of the Government. Many of our people don’t give a damn for […]
I used to have a lot of respect for Prof Boey Khim Cheng. He is a very talented poet and I’ve been moved by his essays on how the system here dehumanises people. He migrated to Australia some years ago. I felt proud of him, but now, he’s back. In the preface or afterword of […]
It has been some 36 years since we’ve heard sermons from our great leader, urging everyone to seek fortunes in China, defending the respectability of “guanxi”, touting the virtues of the “Asian way”. Westerners have been berated as ignorant, self-centered bigots who fail to see things from a superior Asian perspective. An economics professor once […]
Published in 1987, Chinese science fiction author Ni Kuang’s book Chasing the Dragon tells the story of a dying astrologer who pointed to changes in distant constellations that would lead to a catastrophic event on earth. He warned that a great city in the East was about to be destroyed. He begged Wisely and wife […]
Somebody asked me, “how do you manage to read so many books”? First of all, I’m semi-retired. Next, business has been bad and my part-time work has gotten even more part-time. Friends and colleagues with mortgages and car loans panic. I just tighten my belt and spend my free time reading and writing. I also […]
The 17 Point Agreement was signed between the newly formed People’s Republic of China and the region of Tibet which became nominally and unofficially independent after the fall of dynastic China. The government of the People’s Republic decided that Tibet must come under their control and after sending in the People’s Liberation Army, the 17 […]
Simon Cheng, 28, a trade and investment officer for Scottish Development International, travelled to Shenzhen, a city that borders Hong Kong, on 8 August 2019. He sent messages to his girlfriend as he was about to cross back into Hong Kong at about 10pm and has not been heard from for days. Cheng’s detention is […]
When the Cold War first started, an American was debating with his Soviet counterpart about whether there’s any freedom of speech in the USSR. “I can stand in front of the White House and yell “Harry Truman kiss my ass” and nothing will happen to me.” boasted the American. “I too can yell “Harry Truman […]
In 2016, Ms Josephine Teo currently Minister of Manpower and Second Minister of Home Affairs expressed bewilderment that Singaporeans only plan on having children when they get a flat. She quipped: “You only need a very small space to have sex.” I guess the office would be a nice, kinky location as long as the cleaner doesn’t […]
So what’s new? The Straits Times tells us that 4 in 10 are now more concerned about climate change after the National Day Rally. What an amazing influencer our PM is. In his speech, PM Lee estimated that about $100 billion would be needed for Singapore to protect itself from rising sea levels in the […]