Hantu Laut
For a small dot on the world map it has become a tough nut to crack, a pain in the arse and invariably suffering from serious overdose of the kiasu syndrome.
As they say success breeds arrogance and Singapore is not short of it, the sense of feeling being above everyone else and the lore of the animal kingdom, survival of the fittest.
It's small, vulnerable and surrounded by neighbours made not so friendly by its own schemes and devices.Its survival depended on one thing and one thing only, money and plenty of it.Without money it would have been dead meat long time ago and Lee Kuan Yew knew and had the foresight the day Singapore was kicked out of Malaysia that the road ahead is bumpy and full of potholes and pitfalls and the only way for Singapore to survive, it must have a lot of money, richer and better than its neighbours.It must ruthlessly guard its survival even at the expense of offending its neighbours.It has also built the best air-force in the region, just in case.
Lee Kuan Yew or should I say Mr Sandman must have on hindsight regretted his tiff with Mahathir which eventually made life a wee bit difficult for Singapore.
In 1997 Malaysia banned the supply of sand from Malaysia's seabed, the nearest and cheapest source of supply for land hungry Singapore. The other big sore point in the relationship with Singapore is water.Malaysian leaders especially ex- premier Mahathir is angry how Singapore bamboozled Malaysia into accepting dirt cheap price for its water for the next half a century.
Sand had become a precious commodity for the rich and land-hungry nation and costing an arm and a leg to bring to Singapore from places as far away as Vietnam and else where in the region.
In 2007, Indonesia unhappy with Singapore refusal to extradite corrupt businessmen who stole hundred of million of dollars from several banks in Indonesia took refuge in Singapore, decided to retaliate by banning the export of sand to Singapore.Most of the stolen money are parked in Singapore banks.
Indonesia also unofficially banned the supply of granite, another essential item in the construction industry.The Indonesian navy patrolled the waters bordering Singapore and detained all barges that carry granite and sand. Immediately after the Indonesian ban the price of sand and granite rose three folds for supply released from government stockpile.Price of sand per ton rose to S$60 from its pre-ban price of S$20 and granite to S$70 from previous price of S$25.
Many questions were left unanswered in his recent trip to Malaysia.It is becoming much clearer now that he has no love lost with Malaysia and has other motives.For Lee Kuan Yew it's business as usual.His trip was under the pretext of trying to patch up old wound with the new leadership. His old foe is out of the picture.A new and younger leadership is at the helm and it would be worthwhile to test the water with what he possibly perceived a new generation of young and inexperience leaders.
Prime Minister Najib would have to tread water carefully on this issue if he wants to avoid the wrath of Mahathir and the possibility of him ending up like Abdullah.Ex-premier Mahathir is watching his every step whether he would fall into Mr Sandman's faint praises of him and his wife and agree on a trade-off. Mahathir's razor sharp tongue could cut him down to pieces if he makes concessions with Singapore.
The Sultan of Johor has expressed objection to the proposed bridge and the people of Johor have said 'no' to the selling of sand to Singapore. For fear of a backlash Najib would probably not accede to Singapore's demands.
Sand and granite are key ingredients in concrete.Without these two items the construction industry in Singapore could come to a grinding halt and its economy in tatters.
Singapore has grown from only 581.5 sq km in 1960 to at least 650 sq km today.According to the government it is expected to grow by another 100 sq. km by 2030.Therefore, Singapore needs a lot of sand not only for construction but also to increase its land area.
Lee Kuan Yew has become Mr Sandman and trying to be Mr Nice, a little too late.
Maybe, he should try China, lease some of the Spartlays islands and turn it into Singapore's annex for sand mining or built another Singapore in the South China Sea and repatriate some of its population to the island.
Read also:
No Country for Old Men.
Mister Sandman, Bring Me Some Sand.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Unforgiven
Hantu Laut
What do Nik Aziz, Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh have in common?
Karpal and Lim have been incarcerated under the ISA during Mahathir's time.The same goes with Nik Aziz's son, who was also detained under the ISA for his involvement in militant movement to overthrow the government. They only have one thing in common that is to see and ensure UMNO is dead and buried.
They hated UMNO with a vengeance and perceived they have neared the time to finally sink the nail to seal the coffin and bury UMNO once and for all. Can't really blame them.They are not Ghandi or Nelson Mandela.It's personal not politics. All three of them have not forgiven UMNO.
Nik Aziz is still sore with UMNO and are prepared to allow the breakup of PAS, if it had to. Asking Nasharuddin who was recently elected by a landslide victory to get out of PAS and join UMNO is certainly not a reasonable and forgiving attitude expected of an ulamak.
If anything to go by, Nik Aziz is behaving like a tyrant, a dictator, undemocratic and unconcerned with the wishes of the majority of his party. The right thing for Nik Aziz to do is if majority of PAS members insisted on a unity government with UMNO, which is against his principle, is for him to resign from PAS and, maybe, join PKR or DAP. So far he has been the only leader in PAS with the loudest condemnation.
Karpal Singh asking for confirmation of Najib racist outburst and utterance of "soak the keris in Chinese blood" in 1987 was a cheap shot, most unnecessary and serve no purpose other than trying to drive a bigger wedge between Najib and the Chinese community.
"I wanted to know if he said it, and he gave his answer, let's just leave it as it is, the matter should not go on further," said Karpal, the shit stirrer.
Talk about racism, it takes a racist to identify another racist, it more like the pot calling the kettle black.Racism exists in every community and in everyone of us to a certain degree, but as long as it doesn't bother us emotionally it should stay harmless.
I will not waste time talking much of Lim Kit Siang. Most people would already know what kind of racist he is.He is the typical chips on the shoulder chauvinistic 'kui', that most Chinese in term of endearment call all other races. malaikui, kelingkui, and if your are a white man in Hong Kong you would be a 'gwai loh'.
There are actually very little racism among the common people, at least not in Sabah, we are comfortable with each other and name calling or being called a 'kui' among close friends are not taken as an insult.Unfortunately, it is always the politicians that keep reminding us and are the real troublemakers, bringing up racial issues every now and then to suit their political agenda.
When I first started blogging I ponder for quite a while what name should I give my blog.Since I love the sea very much and found that 'kui' if used in the right context is not at all that bad, I decided to call my blog 'Hoi Gwai' or Hantu Laut in Malay but in English I would prefer it as 'Spirit Of The Sea' as in St Elmo's Fire which I have seen twice at sea at night, a phenomenon those not in the know would think as some kind of UFO or a supernatural force, a hantu of some kind.
The real hantus in this country are the politicians not the people.
What do Nik Aziz, Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh have in common?
Karpal and Lim have been incarcerated under the ISA during Mahathir's time.The same goes with Nik Aziz's son, who was also detained under the ISA for his involvement in militant movement to overthrow the government. They only have one thing in common that is to see and ensure UMNO is dead and buried.
They hated UMNO with a vengeance and perceived they have neared the time to finally sink the nail to seal the coffin and bury UMNO once and for all. Can't really blame them.They are not Ghandi or Nelson Mandela.It's personal not politics. All three of them have not forgiven UMNO.
Nik Aziz is still sore with UMNO and are prepared to allow the breakup of PAS, if it had to. Asking Nasharuddin who was recently elected by a landslide victory to get out of PAS and join UMNO is certainly not a reasonable and forgiving attitude expected of an ulamak.
If anything to go by, Nik Aziz is behaving like a tyrant, a dictator, undemocratic and unconcerned with the wishes of the majority of his party. The right thing for Nik Aziz to do is if majority of PAS members insisted on a unity government with UMNO, which is against his principle, is for him to resign from PAS and, maybe, join PKR or DAP. So far he has been the only leader in PAS with the loudest condemnation.
Karpal Singh asking for confirmation of Najib racist outburst and utterance of "soak the keris in Chinese blood" in 1987 was a cheap shot, most unnecessary and serve no purpose other than trying to drive a bigger wedge between Najib and the Chinese community.
"I wanted to know if he said it, and he gave his answer, let's just leave it as it is, the matter should not go on further," said Karpal, the shit stirrer.
Talk about racism, it takes a racist to identify another racist, it more like the pot calling the kettle black.Racism exists in every community and in everyone of us to a certain degree, but as long as it doesn't bother us emotionally it should stay harmless.
I will not waste time talking much of Lim Kit Siang. Most people would already know what kind of racist he is.He is the typical chips on the shoulder chauvinistic 'kui', that most Chinese in term of endearment call all other races. malaikui, kelingkui, and if your are a white man in Hong Kong you would be a 'gwai loh'.
There are actually very little racism among the common people, at least not in Sabah, we are comfortable with each other and name calling or being called a 'kui' among close friends are not taken as an insult.Unfortunately, it is always the politicians that keep reminding us and are the real troublemakers, bringing up racial issues every now and then to suit their political agenda.
When I first started blogging I ponder for quite a while what name should I give my blog.Since I love the sea very much and found that 'kui' if used in the right context is not at all that bad, I decided to call my blog 'Hoi Gwai' or Hantu Laut in Malay but in English I would prefer it as 'Spirit Of The Sea' as in St Elmo's Fire which I have seen twice at sea at night, a phenomenon those not in the know would think as some kind of UFO or a supernatural force, a hantu of some kind.
The real hantus in this country are the politicians not the people.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Did Mousavi Win? Ahmadinejad is who Iranians want.Get Over It.
Hantu Laut
The massive demonstration in Iran looks like a revolution in the making.The loser Mir Hossein Mousavi and his supporters alleged massive cheating and rigging of the ballot by Ahmedinejad's government, reminiscing of the March 2008 Malaysian General Elections where Pakatan Rakyat accused the BN (Barisan National) of using phantom voters to cheat in the electoral vote.
The results of the Malaysian elections showed that the allegations were untrue and fabricated, BN lost control of 5 states and lost its two-thirds majority in the federal parliament.It's a case of bad losers not accepting the verdict of the people.The Perak crisis is another example of the short-circuitry of the Pakatan's brain.
What's happening in Iran now is a bad and dangerous example of false sense of victory that can lead to serious civil violence.I would have much preferred Mousavi to win because of his education and his more liberal background but, unfortunately, that is not what the Irianian people want.
Mousavi was over-exalted by the massive crowd of mostly students and youths every where he and his wife goes.They even called him and his wife the Obamas of Iran and had high expectations that he would win.
Polls conducted by a Western organisation between May 11 to 20 shows that Ahmedinejad has a 20 point lead. Ahmedinejad was also perceived to have won the televised debate where Mousavi's performance was rated poorly.
This time the Western media has been fair to Ahmedinejad.
Malaysians take heed from what transpired in Iran.Idol worshipping can be dangerous and is a primeval practice by primitive society.
The massive demonstration in Iran looks like a revolution in the making.The loser Mir Hossein Mousavi and his supporters alleged massive cheating and rigging of the ballot by Ahmedinejad's government, reminiscing of the March 2008 Malaysian General Elections where Pakatan Rakyat accused the BN (Barisan National) of using phantom voters to cheat in the electoral vote.
The results of the Malaysian elections showed that the allegations were untrue and fabricated, BN lost control of 5 states and lost its two-thirds majority in the federal parliament.It's a case of bad losers not accepting the verdict of the people.The Perak crisis is another example of the short-circuitry of the Pakatan's brain.
What's happening in Iran now is a bad and dangerous example of false sense of victory that can lead to serious civil violence.I would have much preferred Mousavi to win because of his education and his more liberal background but, unfortunately, that is not what the Irianian people want.
Mousavi was over-exalted by the massive crowd of mostly students and youths every where he and his wife goes.They even called him and his wife the Obamas of Iran and had high expectations that he would win.
Polls conducted by a Western organisation between May 11 to 20 shows that Ahmedinejad has a 20 point lead. Ahmedinejad was also perceived to have won the televised debate where Mousavi's performance was rated poorly.
This time the Western media has been fair to Ahmedinejad.
Malaysians take heed from what transpired in Iran.Idol worshipping can be dangerous and is a primeval practice by primitive society.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Among Equals: Mahathir Versus Lee Kuan Yew
Hantu Laut
I have always admired Lee Kuan Yew for what he did for Singapore and his zero tolerance against corruptions making Singapore one of the least corrupted nations in the world.Much of what Singapore is today have been the results of the foundation set by him.
His recent seemingly friendly tour of this country is much more than meets the eye.His visit is not walking down memory lane as the press made it out to be.As I have mentioned earlier in my article 'The Puzzling Visit of The Malaysian Malaysia Man', Lee has a mission, a fact finding tour of Malaysia's neo-political gambit, the resurrection of democracy and too much of it what he fears could be the beginning of the making of a true Islamic nation right on his doorstep.
Lee is a man who do not fully subscribe to Western-type democracy, which he has seen and experienced during his time fighting the communist menace, the harm it can do to a nation and its people, unprepared for absolute freedom. That's why Singapore has the same type of draconian laws as Malaysia but has not used it indiscriminately.Lee prefers to use the court to end his opponents political career.The end justify the means.The end results the same.It kills any opposition.
Why did Lee meet all those dignitaries and even more puzzling why did the Malaysian government allowed him such convenience when he is actually on an official visit to this country? One must not forget that Lee is still a member of the Singapore cabinet.
The only man who could read Lee's intention, is his match.... Mahathir Mohammad.He minced no word when he called Lee Kuan Yew 'little Emperor of a tiny Middle Kingdom'. Yes, this little emperor has come to reclaim Malaysia as its hinterland, which ex-Premier Abdullah has conveniently made available on the platter to Singapore.
Mahathir has a patchy relation with Lee during his twenty two years as prime minister.Both men don't see eye to eye.Both are authoritarian and want the best for their country.Lee was aghast with Malaysia's accelerated development under Mahathir, which do not augers well with Singapore status as the top service and financial centre in the region. The thought of losing Malaysia and Indonesia as its hinterland is frightening to Lee Kuan Yew at that time.
Mahathir believes in and prefers prosper thy neighbour policy. Lee, on the other hand, prefers underdeveloped and inefficient neighbours. Good for Singapore's business.
I remember when I was doing timber export in the seventies and eighties when Malaysian ports were still small, inefficient and not cost effective, we have to truck our timber from as far as Pahang and Kelantan to Singapore for shipments.Even with the trucking costs it worked out to be cheaper than sending to Pork Klang where frequency of ships calling the port was erratic and unreliable.Through Singapore port you can ship small volume at any time.For bulk cargo we usually charter the ship to the nearest port, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang or Port Klang.
With Mahathir things begin to change, he spared no effort to build better and world class infrastructures for the country.New ports,new airport,world class highways and other development that elevate Malaysia status to a developing nation.Now, Malaysia has many ports with good infrastructure.
Singapore, was in a way lucky because it already has the basic infrastructures of an entrepot left by the British and was the only well-managed and well equipped port east of the Suez, after the collapse of the port of Aden, which used to be the biggest bunkering port in the world when it was under British rule.
Take a look at some of the personalities whom Lee paid courtesy calls.Sultan of Perak, Lim Guan Eng of Pinang, Nik Aziz of Kelantan and the most perplexing of all Rosmah, the Prime Minister's wife.
The Sultan of Perak is embroiled in the Perak crisis, Lim is chief minister of opposition controlled state and Nik Aziz is spiritual leader of PAS whom I think he has no liking for.He came to pick their brains.
Lee is making a personal appraisal of the political situation in the country and trying to gauge whether Najib and the BN can hold the fort in the next general elections.I believe Lee has no personal liking for Anwar Ibrahim either, not if going by Anwar's culture of defiance and his reformasi movement of protests, demonstrations and civil disobedience.Lee Kuan Yew has no stomach for this kind of politics.
As I have said the most incredible was the meeting with Rosmah whom he said is working as a team with the husband.Where in heaven's name he gets the idea that Rosmah is working as a team with Najib? Who is the prime minister? She can provide moral support to her husband but has no business getting involve in matters of government. Lee has some kind words for her. Sincere or not, only he knows.Was the meeting to check out as to what kind of a woman Rosmah is? Lee is impressed with her charm and says both her and Najib are warm, positive and forthcoming.
Lee must be a grudging old man and is still sore. The least he could do is to pay a courtesy call on his old foe and let bygones be bygones.Mahathir, rightfully, must have been slighted by Lee's lack of statesmanship.
I have always admired Lee Kuan Yew for what he did for Singapore and his zero tolerance against corruptions making Singapore one of the least corrupted nations in the world.Much of what Singapore is today have been the results of the foundation set by him.
His recent seemingly friendly tour of this country is much more than meets the eye.His visit is not walking down memory lane as the press made it out to be.As I have mentioned earlier in my article 'The Puzzling Visit of The Malaysian Malaysia Man', Lee has a mission, a fact finding tour of Malaysia's neo-political gambit, the resurrection of democracy and too much of it what he fears could be the beginning of the making of a true Islamic nation right on his doorstep.
Lee is a man who do not fully subscribe to Western-type democracy, which he has seen and experienced during his time fighting the communist menace, the harm it can do to a nation and its people, unprepared for absolute freedom. That's why Singapore has the same type of draconian laws as Malaysia but has not used it indiscriminately.Lee prefers to use the court to end his opponents political career.The end justify the means.The end results the same.It kills any opposition.
Why did Lee meet all those dignitaries and even more puzzling why did the Malaysian government allowed him such convenience when he is actually on an official visit to this country? One must not forget that Lee is still a member of the Singapore cabinet.
The only man who could read Lee's intention, is his match.... Mahathir Mohammad.He minced no word when he called Lee Kuan Yew 'little Emperor of a tiny Middle Kingdom'. Yes, this little emperor has come to reclaim Malaysia as its hinterland, which ex-Premier Abdullah has conveniently made available on the platter to Singapore.
Mahathir has a patchy relation with Lee during his twenty two years as prime minister.Both men don't see eye to eye.Both are authoritarian and want the best for their country.Lee was aghast with Malaysia's accelerated development under Mahathir, which do not augers well with Singapore status as the top service and financial centre in the region. The thought of losing Malaysia and Indonesia as its hinterland is frightening to Lee Kuan Yew at that time.
Mahathir believes in and prefers prosper thy neighbour policy. Lee, on the other hand, prefers underdeveloped and inefficient neighbours. Good for Singapore's business.
I remember when I was doing timber export in the seventies and eighties when Malaysian ports were still small, inefficient and not cost effective, we have to truck our timber from as far as Pahang and Kelantan to Singapore for shipments.Even with the trucking costs it worked out to be cheaper than sending to Pork Klang where frequency of ships calling the port was erratic and unreliable.Through Singapore port you can ship small volume at any time.For bulk cargo we usually charter the ship to the nearest port, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang or Port Klang.
With Mahathir things begin to change, he spared no effort to build better and world class infrastructures for the country.New ports,new airport,world class highways and other development that elevate Malaysia status to a developing nation.Now, Malaysia has many ports with good infrastructure.
Singapore, was in a way lucky because it already has the basic infrastructures of an entrepot left by the British and was the only well-managed and well equipped port east of the Suez, after the collapse of the port of Aden, which used to be the biggest bunkering port in the world when it was under British rule.
Take a look at some of the personalities whom Lee paid courtesy calls.Sultan of Perak, Lim Guan Eng of Pinang, Nik Aziz of Kelantan and the most perplexing of all Rosmah, the Prime Minister's wife.
The Sultan of Perak is embroiled in the Perak crisis, Lim is chief minister of opposition controlled state and Nik Aziz is spiritual leader of PAS whom I think he has no liking for.He came to pick their brains.
Lee is making a personal appraisal of the political situation in the country and trying to gauge whether Najib and the BN can hold the fort in the next general elections.I believe Lee has no personal liking for Anwar Ibrahim either, not if going by Anwar's culture of defiance and his reformasi movement of protests, demonstrations and civil disobedience.Lee Kuan Yew has no stomach for this kind of politics.
As I have said the most incredible was the meeting with Rosmah whom he said is working as a team with the husband.Where in heaven's name he gets the idea that Rosmah is working as a team with Najib? Who is the prime minister? She can provide moral support to her husband but has no business getting involve in matters of government. Lee has some kind words for her. Sincere or not, only he knows.Was the meeting to check out as to what kind of a woman Rosmah is? Lee is impressed with her charm and says both her and Najib are warm, positive and forthcoming.
Lee must be a grudging old man and is still sore. The least he could do is to pay a courtesy call on his old foe and let bygones be bygones.Mahathir, rightfully, must have been slighted by Lee's lack of statesmanship.
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