by Rudy Irawan
In 2016, it was about leadership succession, and The Straits Times published, “Mr Lee (Hsien Loong) said that he will press on with succession, but it has not been easy to find suitable and willing candidates.”
Imagine that. We have a problem finding suitable and willing candidates from the pile we supposedly already have! But then when pressed, suddenly we had six names, all befitting a certain profile and attribute.
Looking at the list, one should have asked, “So who were the unwilling ones???”
In 2016, also, it was about “terrorism”, and how it was important that the government mitigates the spread of extremist ideology and strengthens a scheme that endorses religious teachers or asatizah, referring, of course, to the threat posed by a single community.
In the meantime, as recently as June of 2019, drones were able to encroach Changi airspace and interrupted flight operations. Apparently this drone threat completely slipped the minds of our security agencies because we were probably spending too much time working to “strengthen a scheme that endorses religious teachers” first.
In 2017, it was about the scourge of diabetes, acknowledged as a “very serious problem”. Today, it is still easy to buy sodas anywhere. Sugar is readily available in all drinks in any coffeeshop. And the “scourge” of diabetes is heavily dependent on the individual’s dietary choices.
In this same year, we were effusive about something called a “Smart Nation” initiative. He was quoted as saying that “The world is changing. Unless we change with it, we will fall behind.” Today, despite all the technology available, we need to be told what is acceptable as “truth”, and what is labelled “fake” by the government. We are, apparently, not so smart a nation after all and need to be told about what is right and wrong, like small little kids.
In 2018, the Prime Minister brought up about the pressures of costs of living. And since then, he has addressed them by overseeing the rise of, among others, GST, the cost of transport, fees for childcare education, etc. But you have to give it to him: you cannot fault him for being consistent. He has NEVER wavered about this. I, at least, respect him for that.
Now, in 2019, he whips out a grand plan for new developments along our coastlines. And this, is a genius masterstroke of immense proportions.
For if there were ANYTHING that will impress Singaporeans, it is the promise of new properties to look forward to invest in. The ooh-aahh factor is a critical component in keeping many distracted from insignificant issues of “democracy”, “equality” and “rights”. Singaporeans have never been known to care much for these as long as there remains an opportunity for them to attain wealth. Screw everyone else who can’t have that opportunity – they didn’t work hard enough. Besides, the less there are fighting for these opportunities, means that there are a lot more available for those who can.
And so it is, then, that the promises of the past four years come and they go, as fleetingly as the winds across our little island. Not many will ever remember them.
And why should they, eh? They all matter little.
This was first published on Mr Irawan’s Facebook page and reproduced with permission
In 2016, it was about leadership succession, and The Straits Times published, “Mr Lee (Hsien Loong) said that he will press on with succession, but it has not been easy to find suitable and willing candidates.”
Imagine that. We have a problem finding suitable and willing candidates from the pile we supposedly already have! But then when pressed, suddenly we had six names, all befitting a certain profile and attribute.
Looking at the list, one should have asked, “So who were the unwilling ones???”
In 2016, also, it was about “terrorism”, and how it was important that the government mitigates the spread of extremist ideology and strengthens a scheme that endorses religious teachers or asatizah, referring, of course, to the threat posed by a single community.
In the meantime, as recently as June of 2019, drones were able to encroach Changi airspace and interrupted flight operations. Apparently this drone threat completely slipped the minds of our security agencies because we were probably spending too much time working to “strengthen a scheme that endorses religious teachers” first.
In 2017, it was about the scourge of diabetes, acknowledged as a “very serious problem”. Today, it is still easy to buy sodas anywhere. Sugar is readily available in all drinks in any coffeeshop. And the “scourge” of diabetes is heavily dependent on the individual’s dietary choices.
In this same year, we were effusive about something called a “Smart Nation” initiative. He was quoted as saying that “The world is changing. Unless we change with it, we will fall behind.” Today, despite all the technology available, we need to be told what is acceptable as “truth”, and what is labelled “fake” by the government. We are, apparently, not so smart a nation after all and need to be told about what is right and wrong, like small little kids.
In 2018, the Prime Minister brought up about the pressures of costs of living. And since then, he has addressed them by overseeing the rise of, among others, GST, the cost of transport, fees for childcare education, etc. But you have to give it to him: you cannot fault him for being consistent. He has NEVER wavered about this. I, at least, respect him for that.
Now, in 2019, he whips out a grand plan for new developments along our coastlines. And this, is a genius masterstroke of immense proportions.
For if there were ANYTHING that will impress Singaporeans, it is the promise of new properties to look forward to invest in. The ooh-aahh factor is a critical component in keeping many distracted from insignificant issues of “democracy”, “equality” and “rights”. Singaporeans have never been known to care much for these as long as there remains an opportunity for them to attain wealth. Screw everyone else who can’t have that opportunity – they didn’t work hard enough. Besides, the less there are fighting for these opportunities, means that there are a lot more available for those who can.
And so it is, then, that the promises of the past four years come and they go, as fleetingly as the winds across our little island. Not many will ever remember them.
And why should they, eh? They all matter little.
This was first published on Mr Irawan’s Facebook page and reproduced with permission
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