Sungei Road Market: Making It Better

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U.S. First Presidential Debate

This morning's debate was rather disappointing. I wonder why President Obama wasn't more aggressive. Does he want Romney to take his office?

If Obama cared a hoot, he should have taken Romney to task over his many recent gaffes. Instead, he let Romney off scott-free and even allowed him to tread his agenda. Format of the TV debate not withstanding.

I would have been more forgiving if Obama wasn't a trained as a lawyer, but he is.

And I can understand one has to be civil and polite and all that, but Obama's body language was too friendly in greeting Romney. Come on, here's a man who has been telling America that he has been a lousy president. Yet Obama receives him like a long-lost brother. Who is the office bearer here?

Obama has to demonstrate a few strong emotions.

1. That Romney's version of government is no different from Bush Jr and will continue to bankrupt America. In fact, Romney doesn't know what a government is. It has to govern in an inclusive manner, not one that's biased towards defence (GLCs?), big business, and the other "47 %", etc.

2. That greater military spending will seriously rob funds that could be allocated to government services and departments. Romney's approach doesn't come across as fiscal prudent bush still Bush Jr cowboy. They remind me of emperors vained by a large army and not afraid to use it. Very imperialistic.

Do the Americans know how to govern at all?

Look at the U.S.'s many bankrupt and near bankrupt states. And the poor condition of its many inner city schools. America cannot afford any more military adventurism now or in the near future. The country has to get its house right. Rebuild its coffers, get its kids better educated, show leadership in sci-tech again, etc. Military-wise, it already bristles with leading edge in many technologies. And respected. No need to go flexing its muscles around the world. Effective diplomacy is the way. For example, U.S. and secular democracy could have been advantaged by Arab Spring, but instead, the U.S. squandered the chance by engaging the ruling elements. This left the secular activists out in the cold. The result? Muslim radicals and their rectoric have taken their place.

3. Obama has countered point 2, but he has to use stronger language to demonstrate that he knows what government is all about. After all, he has had four years of experience. Romney has got none.

4. Defend his economic and jobs record. Come on, it is national TV. Remind the folks at home that economic times have changed. Know that and get on with it. Obama has to keep reminding Americans how to deal with that. Him failing to do so - without a clear agenda - makes folks think he is an ineffectual leader. When times are tough, folks like to hear from their leaders. They like someone to tell them there's light at the end of the tunnel - just like Churchill in WWII. Rouse the folks, implore them to dig in. Keep them focused on the healing/recovery path, even if it's not so smooth.

5. That he knows how to engage the world. Romney has no foreign policy. Obama should have skewered him on this. In fact, Romney's trip to Europe was so bad he came across more as a tourist than a statesman from a superpower. And Romney seems as intellectually dull as Bush Jr in matters concerning foreign policy and current affairs. When things get tough Bush Jr retreats his ranch to yahoo. What will Romney do? Seek solace in his investment portfolio?

6. Obama should have used the occasion to defend the dirt hat has been chucked his way up to this point in the campaign. In a national debate, gloves are off. Either come out fighting or not.

President Obama has to wake up or else he is going to squander whatever poll leads he has gained in the last few weeks.

The U.S., indeed the world, cannot have another clueless chap like Bush Jr. in the form of Mitt Romney. The GOP seems to keep offering candidates that are less and less worldly. Even less intellectual and educated in business of governance than the Democrats. At least that how it is appearing to folks like us in this region.

Sex for Contracts Case 2

The continuing CPIB court saga of IT Manager Cecilia Sue and ex-CNB chief, Ng Boon Gay. If they only had a Dummies guide.

Sex for Contracts Case 1

In recent news: IT Manager testify against ex-CNB chief in 'Sex for Contracts' case.

What would you do if you were in Cecilia Sue Siew Nang's place? Before that, read a Dummies' book (unless you intend to be complicit).

Letter to Forum 3: Sg Conversation: Let's Make Pizza...

The original letter:

Dear Editor,

Rachel Chang's article "SG Conversation: Can't wait to get going" highlighted the difficult nature of this Conversation. There are plural groups and an equal number of differing views. It is Singles vs Married, Traditionalists vs Liberals. So, who shall prevail? If we agree to disagree, then what? Bearing in mind that this conversation is about "The Singapore We Want," but what do we really want and how shall we go about it? Friday's session sounded like a feedback session with its select group. Each had his/her own tale to tell. Answers from the office bearers were clip. I too want a conversation with the government. To tell it of my years of growing up, working and thinking about retirement. I also want to share my aspirations. I am old but not yet dying. Singapore now is very different from 40 yrs ago. We have good processes aided by seamless technology. We have institutions that are world-class. We can conduct a consensus with people in their 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s,....every decade and see the picture they paint, of the Singapore they want, had wanted and perhaps not gotten. That is just as important. But the basic question is: How is the Government going to carry out its wish-fulfillment so to speak? Asking it to do this-and-that afterwards is a tall order. Another way is to serve up what the customer orders. You want your pizza to have no anchovies? Sure. More pepperoni? No problem. Translated, that can mean many things. Study later? Sure. Just fix me a date. Want to start a family young? Let's see how we can start and get this going...

It's about both sides working hand-in-hand to achieve something that's less top-down or even bottom-up. It's all about getting something done. Period. In that sense, it does mean a change in how the civil service is handling matters. It's no longer Government-to-People, but Government-to-Person. Can this be done? Is Singapore a global city or a global village. As a citizen, Singapore to me is a village and so it should relate to me as a person. And when that happens I might just be reasonable about what I want and how I (we) might get it.

TC Lai

Forum Letter 2: What doing away with banding means...

The original letter:


Dear Editor:

I welcome MOE's decision to do away with banding and encourage schools to find their niche areas. No doubt schools that already have their niche will be celebrating (like Chinese orchestra, choir, etc), but I hope they use this opportunity to expand beyond their comfort zone. Lest parents think academic results will slide, they should be glad that their kids will perhaps learn in a less drilled and robotic fashion. Hopefully, gone will be the days when kids come home with 50 problem sums to drill over (happened to my neighbour's kid). A child must learn and grade a pass, but let's hope they can now learn better AND enjoy a more eventful school life. Even academic societies in schools can get a boost (like the Math/Science club, etc). It's about moving away from "a field of daisies" to allow more sunflowers to sprout and stand tall!

Still, I wonder how many know how to leverage on such a momentous decision. When the sole focus on academic achievements go, schools, parents, communities and interest groups can now sit down and explore how to tap on each other's expertise and network. This has been the problem with our communities thus far, the oft-complaint that "we shut our doors and ignore our neighbours," rings true. If we have been ignoring our neighbours what more to say of our children needs in the community? For example, how does a Sembawang kid differ from one in Tiong Bahru? In the past, the distinction had been "ulu" vs "city". In the future, I hope kids, given more time to explore other areas, can claim to know his community/neighbourhood well. That he/she was acknowledged by his communal folks as someone who could write, photograph, cook, paint, etc. in the most prodigal manner. Or even grow up to be a brilliant soldier ("Oh yes, we all know him since young to be an excellent NCC cadet back in school!") Schools across a community can even work better together to showcase and share what they are trying to do instead of competing with one another. They can now be brother-in-arms. We have seen many instances of schools and kids in the U.S. prospering once communities get involved. Singapore is a microcosm by itself; we have no excuse for not doing better.

Voiding banding will liberate schools. It will liberate even more, and it is something we should discuss further in our National Conversation.

TC Lai

VIPandas

Another take on Today newspaper's graphic: