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More Ex-Miltary Men In Cabinet After Next GE?

If a report by the Sunday Times (7 June 2015) is any indication, the Singapore Cabinet is set to imbibe more ex-military men into its fold.

The current Lee Hsien Loong Cabinet has 19 ministers.

Out of these, six are former military men, including the Prime Minister and one of the deputy prime ministers, Teo Chee Hean.

They make up almost one-third of the current Cabinet.

This looks to continue, with perhaps even an increase in such credentialed men at the very heart of Government, depending on whether any incumbents step down at the next General Election (GE), which is due by January 2017.

The Sunday Times reported:

“Talk is that those from the top government ranks who may take the plunge include Chief of Defence Force Ng Chee Meng, 47, Chief of Navy Lai Chung Han, 42, Chief Guards Officer Melvyn Ong, 40…”

The three men have spent a large part of their careers in the military.

Undoubtedly, no one should expect that these highflyers in the military would assume a “lesser” political role as mere Members of Parliament (MP), if they should get elected by Singaporeans.

The men, in fact, would form the other half of the so-called “4^th Generation leadership” which PM Lee spoke of recently.

He said in a radio programme in May that the first half of the next generation of political leaders were already in place, and that the other half would be installed after the next GE.

If these three military officers join the Cabinet, it would mean Singapore may have close to 40 per cent of Cabinet made up of those from the uniformed services, assuming no further changes to the Cabinet.

This compares with the five SAF men who were in the 2001 Cabinet, out of 17 ministers.

The recruitment of military types or “scholar soldiers” into government started more earnestly in the mid-1980s, when the ruling party started to find it hard to attract candidates from the private sector.

This, however, was not planned, according to former minister George Yeo, said Diane K Mauzy, in her 2002 book, “Singapore Politics Under The People’s Action Party”.

“The transition from purely civilian government to one including Brigadier-Generals and a rear Admiral… was sudden, and it raised some qualms and presented Singapore with at least a minor image problem,” she said.

She further explained:

“To increase the prestige of the SAF, a major SAF scholarship scheme was introduced in 1971, and the ‘best minds’ were channeled that route. Later, when the academic and professional recruits did not work out for the most part, and attracting candidates from the private sector or the Administrative Service proved difficult, the military scholars, especially from the first two scholarship batches (1971 and 1972), increasingly provided the PAP with its new talent. Most of these scholar-soldiers were immediately appointed Ministers of State.”

PM Lee was among those who were awarded the SAF scholarship in 1971 to study mathematics at Cambridge University. (See here.)

Ms Mauzy also noted then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong’s views on the number of military men in Cabinet.

“Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong is aware that having too many military men in government is bad for Singapore’s image, and he also believes it would not be good to have too many in Cabinet with the same military (engineering and mathematics) mindset.”

Until these men shed their military uniforms and put on the whites of the PAP, all talk is mere speculation.

But if the talk is true, it may yet again point to a problem the PAP has faced for a long time – the inability to recruit from outside the usual hunting grounds of the military and the Civil Service.

Nonetheless, it is worth asking ourselves if having a large number of former military men in the Cabinet is something good for the nation, given the challenges we face, which calls for experience in the private sector, and a non-conformist, out-of-the-box mindset.

The last thing Singapore needs, in going forward, is groupthink at the very heart of government.

But for now, the so-called “4th Generation” leadership under the PAP looks set to be led by military men.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

June 9, 2015
Self-Serving PAP Will Never Serve Singaporeans

Dear Singaporeans who still have blind faith in PAP,

Please do yourselves and our country a favour by scrutinising PAP’s policies, especially after current MP Goh Chok Tong became PM in 1990.

If you have still not realised PAP has been self serving and using shortcuts to achieve miraculous economic ‘growth’, it’s about time you wake up to reality. You should also be extremely concerned about PAP concealing information for 5 decades. As responsible citizens, it is our right and responsibility to criticise, question and demand answers from the government. If not, the government will continue to make silly and utterly stupid statements. Their thinking impacts our lives.

Goh’s analogy of the (PAP) government as our parents and citizens as children comes to mind with Goh brazenly claiming citizens “freely criticise it (PAP) for the slightest mistakes…”. ** The absurdity of Goh’s analogy has been confirmed by the FB commentshere. Goh, aka Lau Goh, must have been in dreamland when he claims PAP has been criticised for the slightest mistakes. Questions which should have been directed at Lau Goh:

– Poor planning resulting in a housing bubble where PAP has still not been able to bring prices down to earth after 8 rounds of cooling measures since 2009, is this one of the “slightest mistakes”?

– Overcrowded public transportation (even on weekends), providing foreigners hundreds of million$ in annual tuition grants while giving peanuts to locals, public hospitals’ ‘innovative’ tent and corridor wards, skyrocketing cost of living, etc, are these considered “slightest mistakes”?

If these questions are posed to Tin Pei Ling, Lau Goh’s GRC teammate, she wouldn’t know what to say. Neither would you nor other PAP supporters. If epic failures are considered “slightest mistakes”, what would be a grave mistake to Lau Goh? Do you want to wait till our country is doomed?

Using the same Lau Goh’s analogy for our CPF retirement funds, don’t you find it strange that your parents (PAP) wants to retain your (children) retirement funds despite CPF members being of grandparent age? If your real parents insist on doing so, it is pretty certain such a relationship lacks trust, especially after your parents have hidden relevant information from you for decades. Hmm… how come Lau Goh is surprised by the increasing distrust of PAP?

Would caring parents see their children (you) struggle with raising their (PAP’s) grandchildren but still insist on locking up your retirement funds in a where-is-my-money account? If PAP were our parents, they must have been terribly cruel to think nothing of their children’s suffering.

When you really reflect on what our jiak liao bee politicians say, instead of blindly accepting every word, you will know a lot of it is rubbish. Including the above analogy.

By further scrutinising PAP policies, you will also realise it has taken our country in the wrong direction and that we have been going downhill for more then 2 decades. But instead of fixing flawed policies, PAP prefers to engage in propaganda to focus our attention on its achievements during the 70’s and 80’s, ie LKY’s overrated ‘indispensible’ leadership.

PAP is so adept at using the mainstream media to mask its failures but if you give this the slightest thought, you would know that PAP has not resolved any chronic issue. Yes, NONE! What we have are only promises that there will be solutions at a future date.

An obvious instance would be the construction of 204,000 residential units by 2016 which may satisfy future demand but does little to address the issue of unaffordable housing prices. All public flats,which must also include resale HDB flats, are still unaffordable to ordinary citizens.

When Lau Goh became PM in November 1990, the Resale Price Index of HDB flats was about 25 (not shown in chart below). In 6 short years, our asset enhancement policy caused prices to quadrupled with the RPI hitting 99 and its currently more than 5 times at 135.6 in Q1 2015. PAP had also used high prices (high GDP) to justify stratospheric ministerial salaries. Was PAP serving Singaporeans?

Image source
For 25 years, Singapore has been going downhill because PAP knows nothing about REAL economic growth except by growing the population. This shortcut continued well into 2010 when someone finally admitted “We’ve grown in the last five years by just importing labour”. That person was none other than Lee Kuan Yew.

From 1990 to 2010, our population had increased by about 2 million, with foreigners forming about 70% of the annual increase of 100,000. PAP is definitely aware of its pseudo-growth model and that’s the reason for bulldozing the PWP through parliament.

Till today, PM Lee still does not know how to grow the economy except by growing the foreigner population at citizens’ expense. Five years after “We’ve grown … by just importing labour”, PM Lee doesn’t seem to have understood the significance of what his father had said. PAP still prioritises it interests over the well being of citizens.

For years, citizens have been told by PAP that if costs are too high, foreign businesses will not invest in Singapore or pack up and go somewhere else. But PAP makes no mention of the real killer which is high rental. Many businesses, including retail, have folded due to significantly high rental cost. Even hawkers cannot survive and have been replaced by foreigners. By not reducing the price of land and rental and continuously depressing wages, who is PAP serving?

Fearing the loss of power in the next GE, PAP has belatedly made a U-turn maintain a tight foreign worker policy as opposed to 2 decades of red carpet treatment for foreigners. It appears our new MOM Minister Lim S S does not believe in previous PAP’s doomsday BS. But one has to be wary of PAP’s immigration policy flip flop; the devil in in the details.

PAP has never been our servant and never will. Lee Kuan Yew has already made it abundantly clear – PAP does whatever it thinks is right, never mind what the people think.

As a fellow Singaporean, I would advise you to scrutinise government policies instead of being repeatedly taken in by PAP’s propaganda. For our children’s sake and for our country, it’s time we realise the truth – a self-serving PAP can never serve Singaporeans.

Phillip Ang

** “While they (Singaporeans) do not criticise their parents’ imperfections, when it comes to the Government, they see only warts… and freely criticise it for its slightest mistakes or when we disagree with it.” – Source: Askmelah

Source: https://likedatosocanmeh.wordpress.com

June 9, 2015
PRC Contractor Recommended By Town Council Tried To Overcharge My Mother

My toilet is under hdb upgrading at teban gardens, so the town council called up my mum cos they need to realign a pipe in the kitchen leading into the toilet.

They recommend this PRC contractor to take down the cabinet.

The task includes some unscrewing and one man job.

1st day he came and spent about half an hour taking it down. on the last day he came n put back, after that the PRC man ask my parents for $400.

WTF. $400 to take down and put back after the pipe is done. is this serious overcharging or cheating? no new materials was used or any hacking was done.

just take down and put back cost $400? better i buy a fking new one?

Call the PRC main company they didn’t bother about me. the cb thing is he said he do for many households in the block for around the same price

Tomorrow i intend to call the town council office see what they say. they should go to every household n ask how much that PRC is overcharging those old folks like my parents

edit: forgot to add .he offered to cover up those exposed white pipe in the kitchen and also in the toilet for $3000+

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

June 9, 2015
I Was Forced To Accept Islam

I never aspired to be a Muslim.

I didn’t even want to be a Christian.

The whole concept of ‘organized religion’ was distasteful. I sought to use my mind, not resort to some ancient book for assistance in living my life.

If you had offered me millions of dollars to join one faith or another, I would have declined.

One of my preferred authors was Bertrand Russell, who maintained that religion is little more than superstition and generally harmful to people, despite any positive effects that it might have. He believed that religion and the religious outlook serve to inhibit knowledge and promote fear and dependency, in addition to being accountable for much of our world’s wars, persecution, and misery.

I remember laughing out loud while reading “Hey, Is That You God?” By Dr. Pasqual Schievella, in which he derided the concept of God through satirical dialogue. It all seemed so logical. Thinkers like us were surely above religious devotees, I thought smugly.

But, for me, it wasn’t enough to just think I was better off without religion. I wanted to systematically prove religions were no more than a hoax. I purposefully set out to do just that.

Yet, here I am. Muslim.

Sure, I made the declaration of faith, but the choice I had was really no choice at all. Essentially, I was compelled – forced to accept Islam.

Interestingly, in my talks with followers of religions, especially those other than Islam, I have often noticed that they clearly desire to believe. As if, no matter how many contradictions or errors are pointed out in their scriptures, they brush them aside and maintain their unquestioning faith.

Rarely do I ever find that the scriptures themselves convinced them, but rather they decided to have faith, and then the studies began after that decision, if at all. They knew what they believed, either by having been raised upon it, or like a friend of mine told me, “Islam seems foreign, so I never looked into it. Christianity is more familiar and convenient, because most of the people around me are Christian. So when I was seeking God, I chose Christianity.”

Personally, I never considered myself to be seeking God, but if I had, the last place I think I would have looked would have been in an old book, or a building, or a person.

Some people, who decide to believe in something at the outset, may then develop selective vision when it comes to learning the faith they’ve chosen. I had also decided to believe something; I chose to believe that religions were simply fabricated delusions of grandeur.

In actuality this notion was not built on hard facts, it was an assumption. I had no evidence. When I undertook reading the religious books, I was not biased towards them, but my intentions were to look for flaws. This approach helped me manage to maintain a fair amount of objectivity.

My paperback translation of the Quran had been acquired for free. I didn’t even stop to chat with the MSA students standing at the table stacked with books. I curtly asked, “Is it free?” When they replied in the affirmative, I grabbed one and continued on my way. I had no interest in them, only the free book to assist me in accomplishing my goal of debasing religions once and for all.

But, as I read that Quran; as its cover became worn and its pages tattered, I became more and more subdued. It was distinct from the other religious books I had also collected. I could understand it easily. It was clear.

A friend of mine once began ranting about how God in Islam is angry and vengeful. I came to its defense without even realizing it, opening it up and easily flipping to one of the many pages that said, “Surely, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

It was if the Quran was speaking to me directly – responding to my life. It was an “old book” but somehow, it was entirely relevant. Something about its cadence and imagery and the way it communicated to me intimately; It was exquisite beauty I hadn’t really felt before, reminiscent only of the moments I had spent out west, staring out over a seemingly endless desert landscape. I found it exhilarating; comparable to the way it felt running barefoot in the sand under the stars with powerful waves crashing at my side.

The Quran was appealing to my intellect. Offering me signs and then telling me to think, to ponder and consider. It rejected the notion of blind faith, but encouraged reason and intelligence. It directed humanity towards goodness, recognition of the Creator, plus moderation, kindness, and humility.

After some time, and life-changing experiences my interest intensified. I began reading other books about Islam. I found that the Quran contained prophecies, as did many of the hadiths. I found that the prophet Muhammad was corrected several times in the Quran. This seemed strange if he had in fact, been its author.

I had begun walking down a new path. Led by the amazing Quran, paired with the beautiful paradigm of devotion; the Prophet Muhammad. This man showed no signs of being a liar.

Praying through the nights, asking forgiveness of his oppressors, encouraging kindness. Refusing wealth and power and persevering with the pure message of devotion to God alone, he endured unfathomable hardship.

It was all so uncomplicated, easy to understand. We’ve been created; all this intricacy and diversity could not pop out of nothing. So follow the One who created us – Simple.

I remember the warm artificial lighting in my apartment and the weight of the air on the night I read this verse:

{Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We split them asunder and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?} (Quran 21:30)

My mind was split asunder when I read this. It was the Big Bang – suddenly not just a theory… And every living thing from water… wasn’t that what scientists had just discovered? I was astonished. It was the most exciting and yet frightening time of my life.

I read and studied and double-checked book after book until one night I sat in my library at Pratt Institute, staring wide-eyed at the piles of open books. My mouth must have been dropped open slightly. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I realized I had in front of me, the truth. The truth I had been so sure did not exist.

Now what?

There were only two choices and one was no choice at all. I could not deny what I had discovered, ignoring it and going on with my life as before, though I did consider it briefly. That left only one option.

I knew I had to accept it, because the only alternative was denying truth.

Source: www.onislam.net

June 9, 2015
How Does Qadiyanism (Ahmadiyyat) Differ From Islam?
According to the tenet of their faith, the Qadianis (Ahmadis) are required to study, accept, and follow the works, “revelations” (wahi), and writings of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani. In his books, Mirza Ghulam Qadiani makes the claim that he is in direct communication with God and ordains it upon his followers to believe in “Islam” according to his revelations. We have summarized here some of the differences between Qadianis (Ahmadis) and Muslims. It should be obvious that most of the beliefs instructed by Mirza Ghulam Qadiani contradict verses of the Holy Quran — not to mention hundreds of authentic Hadith and Islamic doctrine.

It is unfortunate that many of the people who have been tricked into accepting Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) are unaware of this aspect of the Qadiani (Ahmadi) doctrine. Since the rituals of Qadianism resembles that of Islam and much of their terminology is stolen from Islam, many Qadianis are under the impression that they are following an Islamic school of thought. They continue to blindly send their donations to the Qadiani (Ahmadi) leadership thinking they are supporting Islam, when in reality they are helping a non Islamic cult. For the most part, the followers of Qadianism neither have a good grasp of Islam nor have access to the complete writings of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani — which are mostly written in Urdu — and are not aware of his various claims.

The following are some of the difference between Islam and Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat ):
1. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) is based on the belief that Mirza was an improved second reincarnation of hazrat Muhammad^(SAW).
2. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) rejects the concept of absolute Finality of Prophethood in hazrat Muhammad^(SAW), as confirmed in Quran, Hadith, Sunnah of the Holy Prophet^(SAW), Tradition of Companions, the writings of Muslim Scholars and personalities, and concensus of the entire Ummah for almost 1500 years.
3. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) maintains that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was a Prophet (nabi and rasul) of God.
4. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) rejects the concept of completion of the revelations of Allah^(SWT) in the Holy Quran.
5. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) holds that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani’s revelations (Books) were on the same level as all prior revelations (Quran, Bible, Torah). In their view, simply following Quran and Sunnah, as Muslims have done since the beginning of Islam, is not a basis for living a righteous life and gaining the pleasure of the Creator. Interestingly, the Qadiani leadership has refused to allow a translation of these books, so that everyone may become familiar with the irrational teachings and contradictory claims of the founder of their organization.
6. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) rejects authentic Hadith based on Mirza’s alleged revelations and teaches his personal interpretation of the Holy Quran. Qadiani (Ahmadiyya) leadership has forged several unauthentic translations of the Holy Quran to try to confuse and mislead uninformed individuals.
7. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that Jesus^(pbuh) had been crucified, but did not die from his injuries. Instead, it advocates the view that Jesus^(pbuh) recovered from his injuries, escaped to Kashmir (India), where he lived for another 86 years, and is buried there.
8. Whereas Jesus^(pbuh) is acknowledged as a great prophet of Allah in Islam, Mirza Ghulam took the liberty of making demeaning and vulgar remarks against him and his honored mother, rejected his miracles, belittled his mission and denied his return before the Day of Judgment. It is such unbecoming teachings that have resulted in hateful retributions by extremist Christians evangelical groups against Muslims, Prophet Muhammad(SAW), and Islam.
9. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) maintains that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was “the promised Messiah”. The Qadianis (Ahmadis) reject the advent of Jesus Christ^(pbuh), son of Mary, as the Messiah, just before the Day of Judgment.
10. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was also the promised Mahdi (guided one).
11. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was also the expected Hindu lord, Krishna.
12. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) intollerantly declares the entire manking, except for those who naively accept the irrational notions and contradictory claims of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani, to beunbelievers and bound for hell. Qadiani leadership has announced all Muslims to be unbelievers and has forbidden its followers from wedding their daughters to Muslims, praying behind Muslims, and offering prayer on their deceased – be it a child or an adult.
13. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) teaches that struggle for freedom, independence and self-determination against the tyranny, extremism and oppression (Jihad) of those military powers that support Qadianism has been made Haraam.
14. At its birth, being a protoge of the oppressive British Empire of the time, Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) required complete devotion and obedience to the British Government, as an article of faith. While freedom loving people around the globe were rising up against the British subjugation, Qadianis were being required to be willing to sacrifice their wealth, talent, and soul in the cause of the Crown. Britain is presently the headquarter of the Qadiani Movement.
15. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) holds two cities in India (Qadian) and Pakistan (Rabwah) as holy as Mekkah and Madinah. Qadianis (Ahmadiyya) are supposed to perform Hajj by attending their annual congregation, instead of visiting Mekkah.
16. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) maintains that Mirza Ghulam Qadiani was superior to all the Prophets^(pbut) of Allah^(SWT).
17. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) refers to the companions of Mirza Ghulam Qadiani as Sahaba and his wives as Mother of the Believers (Ummahatul Muminin).
18. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) advances the notion that many verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to Mirza Ghulam Qadiani and that many of the praises of Prophet Muhammad^(SAW), mentioned in Quran, were really intended for Mirza Ghulam Qadiani.
19. Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) claims Mirza’s Mosque at Qadian (India) to be Masjid-ul-Aqsa.
References to the Qadiani books requiring these beliefs are provided on various articles at this site. If you have been tricked into accepting Qadianism (Ahmadiyyat) without being told of these and other truths, please be assured that our quotes are based on authentic writings of the founders of that organization. What you have fallen in love with is Islam and not Qadianism. The door of salvation remains open to all, but you will need to take the first step, you must be seeking the truth to receive guidance.

Source: www.irshad.org
June 9, 2015