heads up
For those who are interested (is it only me? sigh), parliament has just been dissolved. Nomination day is April 27 and polling day will be May 6. Not that i'll get to vote or anything, so, whatever.
Speaking of elections, I'm quite amazed at the strong reactions people have had to the Minister Mentor dialogue and to the ST forum letters today. I hereby profess genuine surprise at the fact that people didn't think the journalists were being rude to LKY. Yes, he didn't answer their questions directly, likely due to a generation gap and general ponderousness of LKY speech (the guy is 83, ffs, cut him some slack), but they continually interrupted him and fired off question after vague-and-badly-phrased question, and if that isn't rude, then what is? Call me Victorian or Confucian but I believe in treating interviewees with respect, not by virtue of their LKY-founding-father-supreme-ruler-of-Singapore-ness but simply because they're fellow human beings. I mean, come on. As a journalist, isn't it unprofessional to keep earnestly attacking your interviewee with lousy questions rather than letting him finish what he has to say? I thought it was hilarious that LKY dissed them as Tim Russert wannabes because that's exactly how it I saw it too.
Having said that, someone pointed out to me that it doesn't make sense to say LKY should be afforded more respect and gratitude than any other world leader just because he coined the whole third-world-to-first thing, and I agree. The PAP definitely has to do more to win over the hearts and minds of today's spoiled-brat know-it-all youth, and LKY doesn't quite spring to mind as an appropriate spokesperson. But we are where we are today largely because of LKY and his party, and even if that rule by benevolent and prosperous dictatorship may be increasingly obsolete, that's no reason to be rude.
In any case, we slam the opposition for being disorganised and feeble, but is it any coincidence that those are also the perfect words to describe the 10 journalists at the dialogue? It seems like everyone's unhappy with the PAP but it's all talk and no action. Who among us dares to join the opposition? Who thinks it wise to vote against the PAP? Who will risk social and economic bankruptcy to voice the unfairness of the Singapore political and judicial systems? If it's not you, then stfu (I just learned that over the weekend from WoW, isn't it awesome? haha).
In the immortal words of LKY: "Ask yourself: does any government help the opposition to displace itself? Is it the business of the government?"
Singaporeans are dissatisfied with everything. They don't like PAP, but the opposition also not much better. Every one of them can do a better political job, but ask them for details and they stammer. Opposition for its own sake, I think, has some merit because it's at least a start. But until I know exactly what policies I want to change, and am prepared to change it, I will refrain from adding my voice to the clucking mess.
Aiyah I started out wanting to talk about food actually, but now it seems so banal. Anyway all I wanted to say is, French restaurants should be judged by their foie gras and Italian ones, by their spaghetti aglio olio. Les Amis is overrated, my favourite Ann Siang Rd restaurant is much better. But Il Lido at Sentosa is very good. Bring date to watch sunset. Okay done.
posted by zyn ::
3:21 PM ::
19 Comments ::
permalink
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