Comments, opinions and an occasional ramble
The Wee Shu-min Cyber-drama
I followed the entire “drama” with interest because of the fact that Shu-min is probably a near perfect embodiment of a child from the elite strata of Singapore society.
I did not graduate from the Rafflesian lineage, but nonetheless, I attended institutions that are of comparative quality to Raffles. My observation is that Shu-min is more of an aberration, rather than the norm. To this day, I never cease to be amazed at how humble and un-stuckup (there’s no such word, it’s my invention) some of my peers were, even though they came from extremely wealthy and well-connected backgrounds. They treated everyone the same, regardless of their background.
If Shu-min had been my peer, I would most probably have been tossed into the trash can. My dad was a blue-collar worker, and my mum’s a housewife. By some stroke of miracle, I was granted access to good schools and received a good education. However, to her, she probably thinks that it is her right to enter a good school and receive top education. Her worldview is different because that’s the kind of world she knows.
Reading the various forums that had an active discussion on the issue, it appears that most of the blame has been placed on her. Granted that she’s 18 years of age and is no longer a juvenile (although I have doubts on whether she can be classified as an adult), I don’t think that bulk of the blame should be placed on her. I think that what should really be examined is what led her to develop such a high and mighty attitude.
As the chinese saying goes, 上æ¢ä¸æ£ä¸‹æ¢æª (translation: if the upper support column of a building is not straight, the lower column will be crooked. Means that if the person in charge or in power is substandard, the subordinate or underlings will similarly be substandard). I have seen for myself that some of those born with a silver spoon are nowhere like Shu-min in terms of mentality. In fact, they are polar opposites. My conclusion is that parental influence is probably the deciding factor.
I don’t think that there is much that can be done now that Shu-min already has such a stuck up attitude. The only path for her own salvation is to experience the life of the people she has so casually dismissed. She would do well to learn from the British judge who went to serve a ‘sentence’ so that he can understand how it feels like to be handed a sentence. Before one decides to be high and mighty, it would certain be good to understand the facts first.
Update (22nd October 2006): I’ve added a related post to this issue here.
Update (24 October 2006): Read what some smart-ass Canadians have to say here.
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about 3 years ago
What else is new? There’ll always be the ruled and the rulers. More often than not the ruled will get the short end of the stick. It is a fact of life but that does not mean it should be so or that we do not attempt to change it. Rather we should fight with all our lives to correct it and not to sit back and be content when we aren’t in that same segment of society and pride ourselves on our overwhelmingly superior intellect. On the other hand, perhaps she should consider carefully how it’ll feel when she belongs to the Mr Wee’s socio-economic strata. It’s things like these that makes one wonder if her parents do really subscribe to the same views. After all, the apple never falls far from the tree. She obviously is out of touch with reality. Sure, she may write brilliant essays and be more intellectually capable than any of us but it’s a real world out there. A world where intellect may not count for anything and such an attitude will only earn you a cold shoulder if you aren’t on the higher rungs of the hierarchy and maybe a revolution if you were. I’d advice her that it’s not enough to apologise. She needs to seriously rethink her outlook on life. Don’t be sorry. Be different. One more bit regarding my ‘ruled-ruler’ point. The Bible does say that ‘the poor we will always have with us’. It’s inherent in all types of government or political ideologies. Whatever the case is, we must fight this trend with our lives if need be. Here’s to more of us being a Humanity scholar and not just a ‘humanities’ scholar.
about 3 years ago
Wee Siew Kim should resign! Now! He must resign as MP!
about 3 years ago
A freind told me a RI boy, now in army, fuck his maids when he was in JC1 & JC2. His mother caught him without his pants in the maid’s room, later sacked the maid, change to a new maid, and he keep fucking them until the mother change to an old and urgly one than the fucking stop. The mum is a VP in some big org.
about 3 years ago
No.. she’s not sorry. She just apologised because she had to not because she meant it. Her original post to Derek Wee proves it, she’s a *pardon the language* whale of a bitch fathered by someone equally distended in both mental and physical.
Her age excuse is lame, her Dad actually backs her argument, and he’s someone who holds power in the Govt. She puts up an Apology Blog whereby comments are not allowed? So is that really considered? She’s doing the “Okay! I apologised. Don’t say anymore!”
While I am impressed with her vocabulary, alas it was used mostly with abandon and irrationality. Halfway through the blog, you can just feel that she’s throwing out all the ‘chim’ words in a bid to overwhelm and assure herself of her ‘elite’ upbringing and ‘intelligence’.
And well, yea, Ms. Paunchy does seem to do the job by making more ppl hate her and the Party her Papa’s in so, KUDOS to you Ms. Paunchy! You did it! Now everyone will be more disillusioned and disconnected with ppl of your ‘crass’…
She and Papa Paunchy reminds me of 2 sayings we so often hear:
1. Empty vessels make the most noise
2. 丑女多åšæ€ª
上æ¢ä¸æ£ï¼Œä¸‹æ¢æªã€€is of course a given lar… but then again, they seem pretty thickset to be a supporting pillar to me…
about 3 years ago
Hi Witherspoon,
I do hope that more people will think like you do in that it doesn’t mean because it has been like that before, it will always have to be like that. I fail to see the logic in such arguments, just like how the PAP likes to say that in other countries, those in power make rules that are advantageous to themselves. It’s a common practice.
Then it’s a common practice in many countries to have ballot papers without serial numbers, mass media that is free to criticise or praise and social security for the old and under-privileged. If you want to compare, don’t be selective. It only makes you seem shallow.
Back to topic, while there is little that can be done for now, I think that the citizens of Singapore can dig in for the long haul by educating other citizens to be more politically aware. Maybe 10 years down the road, the complacent PAP guys will suddenly find themselves out of power.
about 3 years ago
Hi Arthur,
If you don’t mind, can you clarify your point on the RI boy? I’m not very sure what you are getting at, aside from highlighting what I think is an anomaly.
about 3 years ago
Hi baabaa,
I not going to criticise her looks, because that’s not something we can control, and I don’t think there’s a causal link between looks and actions.
As the issue develops, the way I see it is that the both father and daughter came from privileged backgrounds, thus having a naive view of the society. When their views become public, they don’t know how to handle it because they think that their views is what everyone else thinks. This probably explains the scramble for damage control, and as a result, lousy damage control as evident from the first ST article.
I’ll like to offer one more Chinese saying to complement your 2 sayings: æ¶æœ‰æ¶æŠ¥ï¼Œå–„有善报。若是ä¸æŠ¥ï¼Œæ—¶è¾°æœªåˆ°ï¼(translated: evil will be repaid with evil, kindness will be repaid with kindness. If it appears that there’s no repayment, that’s because the time is not yet ripe for repayment.)
about 3 years ago
The brotherhood feels he should resign. The issue here is simply this, where did all this hatred and righteousness come from?
We cannot blame the the 18 yr old, her memory banks are zero, so this puts the spot light on her parents.
The onus falls on them and they have not done a decent job of raising up a morally upright person.
He needs to go. We will give him 14 days after that the brotherhood will simply have to move against him in our under hand way.
We have zero tolerance for this sort of nonsense.
about 3 years ago
Wow, your brotherhood seems to trump the ISD. I look forward to your success. :p
about 3 years ago
i hope this is not a reflection of the type of students Raffles is producing these days. I came across this blog page by chance:
http://shadowbamf.blogspot.com/
of another raffles person sharing WSM views.
about 3 years ago
That person is so dead. Prime fodder for a second round of bashing.
about 3 years ago
You go after her, we will go after you – the brotherhood believes in fair play.
We dont go after women and children.
We never do this!
We will go for the parents – they fucked up, we blame them – we want you to see the influence of the brotherhood – this man is finished, he has to be finished, our leader darkness has spoken.
He simply said, he is a failed parent and a lousy politician – what he meant we will never know, but that is enough for us to move against him.
He has 14 days.
about 3 years ago
Well, he has apologised a second time. Is the brotherhood appeased?
about 3 years ago
Hey John
Thanks for sharing the blog of another Raflesian. I went through some of the stuff he wrote…wahlau…he is so full of himself…what arrogance!!! Another target for the Brotherhood?
about 3 years ago
Any coincidence that they are all from RJC? He thinks just because he has good grades means he’s an elite? What a snob. I’ll tell you who have the right to be called elites.
Oei Hong Leong. Sim Wong Hoo. These people didn’t even go to university. However, they have enough millions to buy a few RJCs. Now, that’s elite.
about 3 years ago
We target NO one per se. You confuse us with either the Yakuza, Mafia, Opus Die or Curry powder gang in Serangoon rd.
ALL our means of registering our disagreement, moving or finishing off leeches like him is in conformance with the laws of Singapore and the commonwealth.
All this is class divide is bad for business.
about 3 years ago
Thoroughly disappointed with that 2nd article. Scarsm it might be, but i have lost respect for them. Initially i looked up to them as people with brains and no character, but now, it’s all gone.
Aaron, as you mentioned Oei Hong Leong and Sim Wong Hoo, even if you consider them elite, i do not even detect that sort of elitism around them, much less any arrogance. They do well, they get televised but they are [not suprisingly] humble in every sense.
I don’t give a damn about the ‘best’ school any more. Now we know where the bad ones come from. That school some how is able to inculcate arrogance into everyone’s character.
And Rafflesians. I know there are some of you that aren’t that bad. So what ? Covering for yourself ? Saying that these 2 are anomalies ? I don’t really care about who or what you are trying to defend. I’ve enough crap out of those people.
Chap.
about 3 years ago
From some earlier discussion above, many felt that we are too harsh on a 18 yr old gal and should forgive and forget. The problem is, one fine day, this 18 yr old may be a prominent figure in our society cause of the kind of link that she enjoys. This is the same attitude that breeds the infamous T.T. Durai of old NKF, who thinks the world or only Singaporeans owe him an exorbitant lifestyle and the same cahoots that support the equally infamous “600k is peanuts” statement. A 600k per yr earning is in the higher strata of the top 10% earners in Singapore and if that is peanuts, maybe everybody want to wait till our innocent WSM to slap us in the face again by saying “600k is not peanuts, it’s is only a damn bloody sesame seed for elites like us.”
about 3 years ago
Let me tell you this webmaster, there are some ninkumpoops here who are trying to steer this discussion to give us the impression the root cause of the problem lies in our schools.
These people have an agenda of turning this discussion into another class war by stirring up an “us†and “them†divide.
They want all of you here to chase your own tails no end and come across as an illogical bunch of idiots – then they will fold their elite arms and say, see cyberspace is a free for all. I told you there is no point in rationalizing with them.
We know their methods of disinformation and mind control very well.
Fortunately you have the brotherhood to counter these elements.
Blaming schools is like saying a playground, sauna or swimming pool murdered someone. It doesn’t make any sense. We all know schools can influence children, but we also know parents must ultimately bear the responsibility of mentoring and inculcating values into their children.
So again the fault lies squarely on this MP. Like I said, at age 18 we cannot blame his daughter – she has shit for brains.
Intelligence cannot be sole criteria of a being a politician either – politics is serious business. Intelligence without humanity is dangerous.
He is missing a big chunk of the jig saw and that throws doubt into his overall competency. At this stage you need to all ask yourself, does this man even have the “right stuff†to lead? Does he have any credibility? Will he be able to influence his peers and subordinates?
Let us look at his trek record – he cannot even successfully manage his daughter – he cannot even put out a fire in blogosphere without making the fire bigger – he cannot even do it right the first time without having to rework it by issuing another apology and another will probably follow and another and another and another, so at the end of the day, what kind of man are we dealing with here?
I will leave that to you.
His parliamentary colleagues should ask him to do the honorable thing. Let him prove his mettle in the business world. Go out there in the big blue sea, then you will realise how small you really are.
Then maybe you will learn to hold your tongue and perhaps even learn to be a better father and a less arrogant person.
Don’t say we never gave him a chance bfr we decided to hantam him – we have stayed neutral for 2 weeks on this matter, hoping that he will do the right thing, but it appears to be getting worse – this is very bad for business.
about 3 years ago
My advice to PAP in choosing its potential MP candidate in the future is, be careful. I know those new MPs like Mr Teo SL and Mr Lee YS, are not poeple oriented MP, they tend to be arrogant when meeting people below their “status” and they got into politic and governmental position so easily. That’s worrying.
about 3 years ago
@ The Brotherhood.
I think it’s both factors that primarily caused this attitude in them. After all, being an MP and holding a high ranking job does take up alot of time, plus considering the fact that she might not have that might time with her family,i guess school life, particularly the clique she hangs out with in school, is also responsible.
Most of the time it’s just her. She gets to choose what she do, and she happened to do the wrong thing.
Chap.
about 3 years ago
Hey, flying low,
If you don’t want to talk about it, why tell us??? Aren’t you talking about it by telling us you “didn’t want to talk about it”??
about 3 years ago
Hey Ernest, that’s a pingback. You should read the content of his post. And, Marcus Oh, like Wee Shu-min, closed down the blog too.
Geez, what’s wrong with the RJC people?
about 3 years ago
Hi brotherhood,
I totally agree with you that the school isn’t at fault. In fact, I made it clear in my blog entry that my belief is that the parents are the problem, not the school. It’s just that coincidentally, I found another example of Wee Shu-min in the form of Marcus Oh, yet another RJC student.
Is there a correlation somewhere?
about 3 years ago
He has to go. I cannot elaborate on this, but one of the things that has made our leader darkness a great man is, he was once a drunkard, bankrupt and a failed scientist and he was very honest abt it.
In the brotherhood we drawn strenght from men like this – they know what it is to fall and rise again – so they know what life is all abt. This is why we look up to them – they are real, the opposite of fake.
These ppl don’t even know what life is all abt – really I dont bluff you these ppl really cannot – cannot means cannot.
about 3 years ago
“Is there a correlation somewhere?”
Is there a correlation between gun sales and murder cases? Is there a correlation between highways and accidents? Is there a correlation between wet floors and slipped disc?
Statistics is self selecting – u can choose to read it any way you wish.
about 3 years ago
Haha, I never said there was. I only wondered if there is. Of course, to establish this observation as a fact, there needs to be a more indepth study. It’s just interesting to note that students from other premier schools have not produced “elites” of this kind. Or maybe, they have not been uncovered.
about 3 years ago
Firstly, elitism in this modern age has morphed from somewhat aristrocratic roots to somewhat meritocratic ones.
As such, please do not start drawing presumptuous links all over and make generalizations about Rafflesians. We’ve got to where we are not just based on intellect, but through sheer hard work too. Like what the other unidentified Rafflesian mentioned, no amount of gold bars donated to the Raffles Family will buy one an admission ticket into Raffles.
If we were to stop being bigots for just a moment and think through what Shumin (and Marcus) had penned down, perhaps we would arrive at a conclusion that they merely thought of laziness and sloth as deplorable.
I admit I’m not a 100% sure if my intepretation’s accurate, but it would seem as if Mr Derrek Wee belongs to the loosely generalized faction of our society that constitutes members who are not as driven nor competitive (as compared to an average – not elite, mind you, Singaporean) and fear the worst. I believe, many of us are familiarly acquainted with the resultant complaining, whining and shifting of the blame to foreign workers, the government, and everything else that one can conceivable shift the blame to. I’m not sure if other people find it annoying, but I certainly do. And I’m pretty certain it was this annoyance/ frustration that Shumin & Marcus felt that compelled them to vent all the negativity out through the art of writing. The deprecatory tone Shumin laced her post with was, in all likelihood, a result of those emotions she had been experiencing then.
Communication is widely accepted to compromise of the tone and the content. One’s rational and the other’s emotional. Clearly, tone would be what’s emotional and the content would be what’s rational.
about 3 years ago
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for leaving your name. I reiterate that I did not make presumptions about Rafflesians. It so happened that Shu-min and both Marcus and Rafflesians, and thus it was interesting for me why students of other institutions did not express such sentiments.
I came from ‘elite’ institutions, and therefore I understand that there is no place for unmotivated and lazy individuals. The environment that we were in taught us the importance of being competitive and driven in order to achieve what we want. Unfortunately, not everyone is as fortunate as we are to receive such an education.
If you understand what the normal distribution is, you will know what I am talking about. People like us are on the upper tails of the curve, but we are the minority. Most people are average, explaining why the curve bulges in the centre. For people outside of our league, they either do not have the capability or opportunity to make it to the very top. Does that mean that we should leave them to die?
And pray tell, what’s the point of having a government? If a society is full of elites who knows how to take care of themselves, who needs a government? A huge responsibility of the government is to look after those who are not as adept in taking care of themselves. That’s why we have the CPF system, or in other countries, the social security or state welfare system.
Ultimately, our views are in the minority. We may be that bit more ‘enlightened’ but that doesn’t mean that it gives us the right to look down on others. We may be too ‘enlightened’ until we develop groupthink and are unable to see beyond our current lenses that’s colouring our preception of the world.
about 3 years ago
The KTM is impressed by the number of comments that have been left on this blog. But sheer numbers is not a big deal. It is comforting to see that the majority of the netizens leaving comments here are actually thinking people and not trolls.
In any case, be careful what you say about dunno what your league, her league. So what the big deal about going to some “elite” school? When you grow up and get a job, you will find that there will be many people not quite as elite as you but who will make more money and drive bigger cars. These people are the ones who are opening shops at VivoCity even though they dun have a degree and could never smell a scholarship.
Interesting that you say stuff like, “For people outside of our league, they either do not have the capability or opportunity to make it to the very top”. So you think you can rise to the top? Top of what? You wanna be PM some day? Good luck to you if you should ever get that job. The KTM thinks it’s a really nasty job.
What’s the point of a government you asked? The KTM thinks that the government should just be taking out the trash and making sure the buses and trains run on time.
Note that most countries do not have functional governments and the people still get by and survive (and they know that if they wait for their governments to save them, they might as well kill themselves to save the wait). Why should Singapore be any different?
The government should do less and less and the people learn to wipe their own behinds. If the day should come where the government is irrelevant, then they can safely vote out the PAP and replace them with the cheaper monkeys that they seem to be whining for.
How about the poor and disadvantaged you say? Is the government the only solution to all problems? Why can’t some VWO or NGO deal with the problem? If people care enough about the poor and disenfranchised, why can’t these people get together and do something instead of whining for the government to do something — and you know what’s the best part? They have no idea what the government should do either.
In any case, your disdain towards the Rafflesians is obvious from your tone.
about 3 years ago
Dear KTM,
Thanks for dropping by, and I really appreciate your candid and frank responses.
I’m just glad that the people who comment on my blog do so for the sake of advancing everyone’s knowledge. I try my best to stimulate discussion in a rational manner so that everyone can benefit from it.
I would like to clarify your point about the “league” part you mentioned. I only used the term to respond to Michelle because it appears to me that she thinks of herself as being in a different faction of society compared to people like Mr Derek Wee. She tried to qualify her statement by discounting Mr Wee as not being comparable to the average Singaporean, but as I have always pointed out, Mr Wee has stated that he’s willing to continue working in his current capacity, even if it means taking a pay cut. In what way is Mr Derek Wee not as driven and as competitive as the ‘average’ Singaporean?
It is precisely because I sense a slightly condescending attitude that I choose to bring my own credentials out on the table and respond to her. Without laying down my credentials, she might just decide to lump me as, in her own words, “the loosely generalized faction of our society that constitutes members who are not as driven nor competitive (as compared to an average – not elite, mind you, Singaporean)”.
It is in this context that my reply to Michelle should be read. Different people require different ways of getting the point across and I simply tailored my way of responding according to her worldview.
I completely disagree with you that the role of the government is to take out thrash and ensure buses and trains run on time. That is something that needs no government to ensure. If you are willing to pay, thrash will be taken out, trains and buses will be on the dot. The point here is that, how many people are able to pay that price in a system that runs completely on economics? I hold the belief that the government’s existence is to regulate the system such that the poor and disenfranchised are not left at the mercy of the invisible hand.
I do not recall claiming that the governent is the only solution. I only made my case on what I think is one of the main roles of any government. No organisation is perfect. There will always be people who slip through the safety nets provided by the government. That’s when other organisations come in to plug the gap. I agree with you that VWOs and NGOs can help deal with the problem. Howver, that does not absolve the government of its duty.
It doesn’t make sense for everyone to try and do things by themselves. You will just end up with another Iraq, where different factions get together for their own purposes and start fighting with other factions. A government is meant to regulate all the competing demands to prevent anarchy. I do not understand what do you mean when you say why don’t “these people” get together and do something. And, the government is made up by people of a country who get together (or so they say during elections) to serve other people. The voters trust them and vote them to serve on their behalf. Now, what’s wrong with demanding someone whom you allowed to represent and serve you to do something?
Lastly, I have no disdain towards Rafflesians. I only make my points based on the interactions with Rafflesians who drop by my blog. It just seem so coincidental that the few current Rafflesians that I’ve seen like to bolt instead standing their ground. It’s a conclusion derived from current observation and I fail to see in what way could that be considered disdain.
I certainly look forward to a reply from you, and may we have a nice exchange of ideas to better our limited understanding of this world.
about 3 years ago
Aiyah, the KTM is not trying to pick on you, but some of your remarks were somewhat condescending.
Dun repeat the KTM’s mistake. Even if you are irritated, you have to try to maintain your cool. ;-P
Clearly a country cannot run on the basis of “survival-of-the-fittest” economics. It’s all a question of degree. In any case, the KTM did not expect you to agree with him. It is perfectly fine for different people to have different expectations of the Govt. The KTM was simply sharing with you what he thinks is good for the country.
Gist of it is that the current attitude of the people where the Govt is expected to come in solve their problems is likely to be detrimental to the national in the long term. We have no hope of shedding this image of a nanny state if this continues. Actually, it’s not an image. It’s a fact.
I disagree with your Iraq analogy. We’re talking about doing good here. You think you will find loads of Singaporeans killing each other over who to help the Mr Tan’s of Singapore?
The way the KTM sees it, the problem we have is that it’s NATO at EVERY level of society and not only at the highest levels. Talk is cheap what. Help Mr Tan and his family. Wey Garmen, you’re not doing enough.
Yes, it’s very heartening that Singaporeans will contribute $500K to the family — but there are MANY MANY more Mr Tan’s around. There are many who are in an even worst state than Mr Tan and his family.
How many Singapores are willing contribute $200 each month to help the poor? The KTM estimates that this amount is approximately what each Singaporean will have cough up to ensure that everyone can live in a non-bug infested place and have enough decent meals to eat. It’s not $200 once off. It’s $200 every month. Perhaps go and talk to the Opposition MPs and get them to put up a “poverty tax” bill. After passing the bill, everyone pays an extra $200 a month in addition to income tax. You think you can get popular support for such a bill? And this is only the problem of the truly destitude.
Then you have the Derek Wee problem. 40-year-old Singaporean gets axed from his job as a manager in an MNC. Cannot find job. So how? Govt give him a job in the Civil Service? Can. He’s willing to be a clerk and earn $1,000 a month? But even then, how many more clerks can the Civil Service take? Put up dunno what job register. Do we seriously think that MNCs will hire? Re-training? Re-training to do what? IR card dealer? He wants?
Should this fella be given unemployment benefits so that he doesn’t suffer a degradation of life style? Can. We amend the “Poverty Tax” bill and everyone cough up an extra $100 a month to pay for it loh. Wah sei, the KTM has just solved all of our nation’s problems (everyone just kwai kwai cough up $300 a month if you are not recepients of the welfare)!
Stirring up emotions is easy. Solving problems is hard.
about 3 years ago
Hi KTM,
I was just responding to the fact that you didn’t do me justice by quoting me out of context. It was one reply out of the many I have replied, and if you followed my replies carefully, you will understand the context which I made the statement. Of course, to go through this entire list of comments is definitely daunting. I just want to set the record straight la.
I do respect your opinions, although I do not necessary agree with all of them. Indeed, to talk is easy and to implement is hard. However, my concern is that just because implementation is hard, it will become a convenient excuse not to even do anything. I don’t think that it is impossible for the government to set aside money to help poorer Singaporeans. If $2.6 billion can be taken out to give progress package, why can’t 10 percent of that amount be set aside specially to help less well off Singaporeans? Most of the people who were given the progress package don’t really need the money. Is this proper national budgeting?
I don’t think that your poverty tax solution is the only way to solve problems. For what reasons do we have the GIC and GLCs? Why do we invest our budget surplus to generate even more money? What’s the point of keeping so much money? Money is only useful if it is used to exchange for a good or service. I honestly think that a small proportion of the returns generated by government investment will help improve the quality of life for many people.
Having said this, it is of course important to decide to what extent should the poor and needy be helped? To me, the government should draw the line at the basic level of subsistence, which I define by having a proper roof over the head and being able to ensure that kids, if any, get minimum education. I don’t think that the government needs to do anything more than this for the needy folks. What is necessary is enough to ensure that the poor don’t have to worry about the bare necessities and can concentrate on working the other aspects of their life out.
about 3 years ago
Don’t get the KTM started on the Progress Package. The KTM thinks it’s a criminal waste of tax payers’ monies.
Some of the poorer folks who got the cash will however disagree. Again, this highlights the disconnect between prudent policies and the mentality of the masses.
Note that the Progress Package is not something that we can afford every year. They save up five years worth and dish it out at the most opportune moment. If you divide 2.6 billion by 5, you get about $500 million a year, which seems like a lot, but it’s not.
In any case, the “Poverty Tax” the KTM suggested was completely in jest. Neither of us can truly say anything about how to solve the problem basically because we do not have access to the numbers. How many poor people are there? How much do they really need?
Please stop this typical Singaporean thinking of wanting to raid the reserves. We’re (supposedly) saving for a rainy day and we know that the day will come when we will have no choice but spend it. Will that day come? Most definitely. Has that day come? The Garmen certainly thinks no — and the KTM? He tends to agree with that perception.
While there are indeed hard luck cases, it is not clear that existing safeguards are not sufficient to help them. Perhaps it’s just some kinks in the delivery process and the help is not getting to the people who need it, even though the help is available. Do you know the real situation? The KTM most certainly doesn’t. And as you mentioned, the fact that we can give out the Progress Package means that there should be excess fat in the Budget to do more (without raiding the reserves).
You write well, but do avoid writing pieces that stir up emotions and focus on logic and rationality, and most importantly, the search for solutions. Just my two cents.
Regards.
about 3 years ago
Well, I’m sure you are not the only one who has something to say about the progress package.
I don’t think I said anything about raiding the reserves. It’s definitely good to have save for a rainy day. My point is that we are saving, and we are generating good returns on the savings. I’m sure a small proportion of the returns can be channeled for the good of the public. There’s a difference between taking out the principal sum and taking out the returns on the principal sum.
Yes, I do agree that there are possibly kinks in the delivery chain. This is something that can only be solved through cutting of red tape and a change in mindset of our government leaders. As I mentioned in another entry, we should not stigmatise the act of asking for help. While I do not believe in a complete welfare state, I don’t agree with the current government rhetoric that we should always help ourselves and not seek help from the government. People in trouble have pride too. Emphasizing that it’s not ok to seek help will only drive such people, out of pride, to do irrational things such as jumping on train tracks.
I humbly accept your compliments about my writing, and I’m glad to be given a chance to discuss such important issues with you. As for writing pieces that stir up emotions versus logic and rationality pieces, I think that it is an act of balance. Not everyone responds to logic, and not everyone responds to emotions. My humble opinion is that the art of writing requires a skillful incorporation of both elements.
about 3 years ago
My view on stirring up emotions versus logical persuasion: it is TRIVIAL to win others (or at least the masses) to your point of view by stirring up emotions. It is much harder to win people over with logic and good sense. You have rightly pointed out that not everyone responds to logic.
At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself why you write.
There’s this little analogy that the KTM would like to share with you. Suppose you meet this really beautiful girl and you want to convince her to marry you? Would you say sweet nothings and have her agree before the girl is all swept up and cannot think? Or would you show her warts and all and hope that she will still marry you even though you are not perfect.
Analogy is far from perfect, but somewhat illustrates the point that I’m trying to make.
Hold on to your idealism and keep writing.
Regards.
about 3 years ago
Thank you for your enouragement KTM. I will keep my idealism fire burning.
As for your analogy, this would be by course of action. I’ll show her warts and all, but I’ll sweet talk her still. That was how I won my wife-to-be.
about 3 years ago
We have heard Wee Shu Min, Wee Siew Kim. An apology that wasn’t.
Now what has Lee Hsien Loong to say in this episode?
FIX WEE SIEW KIM or FIX RGS?
Say something Mr. LHL.
about 3 years ago
fuck her lah…
about 3 years ago
it is easy to act humble when you are rich andcome from a “high class” background. I have seen students of ACS and RI and their affiliates.
all snobbish people with their nose up thier ass
about 3 years ago
Hi Gpaddington,
I know quite a few who are not snobbish at all, even though they are rich and come from “elite” backgrounds. The problem here really is the kind of values that their parents inculcate in them. A chip of the old block, if you like.
about 3 years ago
yo geasers out there, or rather this geaser out there, whoever this smart-ass-i-think-i’m-so-f***ing-smart guy who uses rigid structures that pass off as sentences and who thinks he knows the tenets of meritocracy so well is. in fact he knows shit about human nature. and communication, especially over a medium like the internet. no disrespect whatsoever, but he sounds like a rule-abiding, the-textbook-is-my-master sort.”not from the raffles lineage but from” blah blah blah.give me a break.this dude needs to draw upon his goody school background to gain some goddamn credibility! well, doesnt that speak volumes about him? of course, i wont need to reveal my school, be it raffles or ite, cos it aint the issue here, i’m not one of those, pardon my french, f***ing geekheads who need the superficial education system to prove my worth and intelligence.ok enough of criticising this geaser,since he, or she, is but an overgrown baby who assumes that he or she has the maturity of thought just by attending a god-knows-what school.on to the main issue now.wee shu min.i hope i spelled correctly.well well well.you people just gotta give that young lady a break.we know she’s gep and rjc and blah blah blah.damn it, her roots are so different from most of us.and yet you geasers dont f***ing understand her prose, her blog.it’s not malicious.it is,if anything, a running commentary with plenty of her perception of justice(well obviously some stupid geekhead probably cant see the link) and of course stylistic writing, which if someone in this universe doesnt understand, is full of irony and metophors.oh and did i forget, the tone of a person’s message is so often corrupted by the wireless technology that links our computers(whoops! i just made an elistist remark by assuming that everyone has wireless broadband.Persecute me!) just to make it clear i’m not her husband or anything.i’m one person who sees the joke in how you people are reacting to the issue.puerile.but really it aint such a big deal.oh yes, and did i mention sympathy? sanctimonious assholes in my opinion. or perhaps they just havent installed the mirrors in their homes.they go on and on about it, indulging even in coffee shop philosophy(of course they’d think they’re being philosophical about it) about sympathy.yet they do not even have the capacity for sympathy for this young lady of eighteen, who is so gifted in many areas, and who yet is perhaps less blessed than others in public relation skills. curse it people, curse it.you talk about pitying those who have had no chance of being educated in the goddamned education system;but you dont pity one who has had no chance of being educated by a middle-income family. i guess i pity you myopic people more.in case i sound condescending, im not.i just feel strongly about my opinion.please, dont be judgmental.
about 3 years ago
Dear pseudoessence,
I applaud you for your attempt at writing in Ms Wee’s infamous style. Unfortunately, your content is nothing more than a childish rant to me. For all the uproar that Ms Wee caused, at least she had a point. Your entry amounts to at best a personal attack, and at worst, senseless rambling.
You can say all that you want. I won’t censor or delete your comments because I believe in free speech. The more you write however, the more likely you are going to be seen as a crackpot and soon, no one will pay heed to you.
If you like, I’m willing to get you express entry into the Institute of Mental Health. You seem quite distressed and perhaps a visit to the shrink would do you some good.
By the way, pardon my condescending tone. I practise the saying, “An eye for an eye”.
about 3 years ago
Hi,
I’m probably overgeneralizing, but does it seem to you that kids from ‘elite’ schools nowadays seem to have a somewhat peculiar attitude?
I was from RJC/RGS a few years back, and we were particularly sensitive about hailing from so-called ‘elite’ schools. So much so that we would ensure that we were humble and ‘unelite’, especially in front of kids from other schools.
about 3 years ago
Sorry, let me qualify.
I forgot to add one word.
“but does it seem to you that SOME kids from ‘elite’ schools nowadays”
Apologies
about 3 years ago
Actually, not all of them are like that. I had the fortune of working with some current RJC kids and I must say that they are very well mannered and sensitive, unlike WSM. I’m more inclined to think that her worldview was shaped by her parents, and RJC was probably a catalyst by shielding her away from the realities that poorer folks faced.
about 3 years ago
1. I remember my alma mater, where poor kids get a fighting chance to study at the best universities. I remember many “elite” classmates; all have no airs and were down to earth. I am saddened Mr. Wee and Ms. Wee have brought shame to themselves and to the school.
2. Their apologies were so badly executed, it worsened the situation. Things went downhill when some netizens go anatomical. I’m surprised MPs / CEOs do not have public relations consultants for this kind of things.
3. A consequence is how the PAPs look so out of touch. Must be hard for them to admit they are far removed from reality.
4. The issue Mr. Derek Wee raised is fair, valid and urgent. Business-as-usual policies will mean more older workers will be marginalized, and more folks will throw themselves in front of an MRT train. I guess we need to incrementally widen our safety nets for our fellow citizens.
5. By the way, I think Ms. Wee made a little mistake. She is more fascist than elitist.
PS: Aaron, i think u are doing fine. Keep writing.
about 3 years ago
Dear Mr Chew,
I like your last point on Ms Wee. It never dawned on me that her thoughts were rather facist. Now that you mention it, *shudder*
Thanks for your encouragement. I will continue to write based on what I honestly feel and let my conscience speak.
about 3 years ago
haha childish rant. i’m glad you saw that. that was my whole point.its a satire of sorts i guess. oh and that was a condescending tone? thank god you wrote that down, lest i’ll never know you had meant to write in that tone.
about 3 years ago
Dear pseudoessence,
Looks like I didn’t come across as condescending as I would like to be in order to match up to your previous piece.
I don’t think I’ll be able to write like that ever. I’m too straightforward and direct (maybe because of the way my journalism professor drills the journalistic style of writing into my head).