been busy this while,

but i will be back, like mas selemat.

i was up to seditious activities to bring down the State.

ISD officers spying everywhere, i was just joking.

and farewell to Thriller, Billie Jeans and Beat It Michael Jackson. i still remembered doing the fake moonwalk during the kindergarden concert.

Temasek Holdings scores with Barclays!

I’m very sure everyone associates Barclays with the English Premiership. It proved to be a lucrative partnership for the Premiership and a fantastic advertising campaign for Barclays.

However, such sweet gains did not extend to generous and kind-looking Ho Ching of Temasek Holdings.

Reuters reports:

LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) – Singapore state investor Temasek sold its stake in British bank Barclays Plc (BARC.L) several months ago at a big loss, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

After spending over 1 billion pounds on the shares in the last two years, unlisted Temasek [TEM.UL] may have lost over 800 million pounds ($1.3 billion) on the investment, according to calculations by Reuters.

Temasek sold its near 2 percent stake in Britain’s second biggest bank in December and January, one of the sources said. The sources declined to be named due to the confidential nature of the investment.

Temasek and Barclays declined to comment, and details of the price it sold at were not known.

Oops. Let’s predict Finance Minister’s reply on this issue.

We are long-investors. However, long-term investors does not mean holding for eternity, but instead biting the bullet and accepting losses whenever necessary so as to allocate limited assets in the most efficient way. Temasek Holdings has seen fit to sell (insert investment here) so as to invest in (insert random country here,preferably high-growth like China to bamboozle everyone) which we believe will yield higher returns. In fact, if you compare it to (insert funds that are low-performing), you will find that Temasek Holdings has outperformed it consistently. It is never possible to always make money, but I am sure Singaporeans will accept the occasional losses once they see the big picture. Now please stop disturbing me over Temasek Holdings and feel free to modify this statement whenever necessary.

What to do? It has happened. No regrets. In life, to spend time regretting will get you nowhere, Ho Ching says.

I prefer to regret and not lose money, rather than invest and NOT regret the losses later.

Yet another Temasek Holdings WIN.

ever heard of “upturn the downturn” song? here’s one.

in this downturn, the workers can’t feel sad.

when its upturn, we will all be glad.

go for help and e2i

or call union hotline

cut costs save jobs good for Singapore

With some help from SPUR and Jobs Credit

you can fight adversity

for you, from you

let us stand in pride and unity

we are pro-workers oi oi

we are pro business oi oi

Upturn the downturn.

this is completely hilarious. rhetoric and propaganda at its best.

firstly, since when does a workers’ union represent BUSINESSES?

secondly, luckytan rightly pointed out here. how the hell does a union be pro-worker and pro-business at the same time? these two are mutually exclusive. NTUC and Mr Lim are indeed weaving some magic and selling snake oil through singing.

They really take Singaporeans as fools. and guess what? the screaming and cheering during the performance makes me really nauseous. “this is so creative! do you want to hear moreeeeeee?” government propaganda machine working over time eh? such things seem like a scene directly out of 1984 or Stalin’s USSR.

Here’s some suggestions for free Mr Lim. Forget the costs incurred in erm hosting such dinners. What you should do right now is to talk to retrenched workers, and find out how to directly help them and their family, either through food vouchers or groceries vouchers. I think this is much more important than singing upturn the downturn.

wayang oh wayang. like one of the commentors on the video, I’ve never seen so many MPs making a fool out of themselves. I guess Singaporeans are the biggest fools of all. They vote MPs who make a fool out of themselves into Parliament. sighs.

pathetic ASEAN silence and pathetic Singapore’s dismay

Burma is fast becoming a complete embarrasment of ASEAN with its latest trumped up charges against the democratically elected and rightful Prime Minister of Burma Ms Aung San Suu Kyi. The other countries around the world are already planning to take action but what about ASEAN and Singapore?

European foreign ministers were locked in discussion about new sanctions against Burma this afternoon as the country’s democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi went on trial in Rangoon for allowing an eccentric American to stay in her house.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said today that additional sanctions should be brought against Burma, as foreign ministers gathered in Brussels. But the proposal will provoke debate about the effectiveness of European and US sanctions against a country that is being eagerly courted by China and India.

ASEAN has completely remained mute over this issue concerning its perennial troublemaker, and the rest of the member nations just paid lip service and “condemned” one of their own. Pathetic Singapore couldn’t go beyond expressing dismay. Perhaps its worried about its position of the third largest trading partner of Burma? Perhaps also about the possible exodus of dirty Burmese funds slushing around in Singapore’s banks or the cancellation of weapons sales such as landmines and grenade launchers?

Foreign Minister George Yeo actually had an exchange over his Facebook status back then when Singapore honoured Burma’s Prime Minister Thein Sein. Here are some of the excerpts.

George Yeo at 12:12pm March 17

It is a divided country. I hope the elections next year will set the country on a new path. Despite all our concerns, Singapore and ASEAN have decided that we have to keep engaging the country and help it move forward. I understand your views completely.

George Yeo at 11:35am March 21

I am well aware that the situation in Myanmar causes anguish for many of us. You know I spent a lot of time on this in the UN, ASEAN and elsewhere. The western embargo has achieved little because China and India keep their borders open. ASEAN has to as well. Don’t forget Myanmar has long borders with Thailand, China and India. We don’t have a trade embargo, never had in our history, unless there is a UN position. If we stop trading with Myanmar, nothing changes.
On arms sales, for obvious reasons I can’t be giving you details on FB. The issue has been debated over the years in Parliament and all MPs, including Opp MPs and NMPs, were free to ask questions. Please accept my answer in good faith.

Clearly, Foreign Minister George Yeo reveals Singapore’s stance against such a country that blatantly disregards human rights. It is one of “other countries are doing it so we shouldn’t stop until the entire world stops doing it”.

I strongly believe that Singapore wields substantial influence over the Burmese butchers if they wanted to, given our strong economic ties with them and relative importance as a trading nation. USA and EU already has trade restrictions and embargoes against Burma. Isn’t that good enough for Singapore? If Singapore chooses to wait until China and India  stop trading with Burma, then I think Singapore is as good as condoning such barbaric actions and gross injustices to take place.

George Yeo advocates the continued engagement of Burma. Ever since Burma joined ASEAN in 1997, what good has engaging Burma accomplished? Has Aung San Suu Kyi been released to take her rightful place as the Prime Minister? Has the reclusive and reticent Burmese government opened up? The answer is painfully clear.

Over this issue, Singapore could have made their voice count. ASEAN too. Both of them have failed the tests miserably once again, and I am ashamed of my government’s stance against Burma. As for ASEAN, this is yet another mortal blow to its credibility as a peacemaker, if there was any in the first place.

long term = 3 months.

Sharp Lucky Tan has spotted this news on Bloomberg.

May 15 (Bloomberg) — Temasek Holdings Pte sold its 3.8 percent stake in Bank of America Corp. at a loss that may total $4.6 billion, as the Singapore state-owned fund shifts bets from Wall Street to emerging markets.

Hey Minister Mentor God Lee, where’s the long term you were talking about again? Looks like we made a big loss, we didn’t borrow the money to invest, BUT WE STILL LOST MONEY. Why didn’t we hold those investments for 10, 15, 20 years? Not enough money to invest in China? We can always move back the CPF withdrawal age! After all, our old people can work till they die but that doesn’t matter right?

“When we invest, we are investing for 10, 15, 20 years. You may look as if you are making a big loss today, but you have not borrowed money to invest. You will ride the storm, the company recovers, your shares go up.” – MM Lee Feb 2009

The older I get, the more I get confused. 3 months = 5,10,15,20 years?

HOME team and SAF, go reflect on yourselves

WANTED terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari had holed up in several places in Singapore for as many as four days after he slipped out of the Whitely Road detention centre on Feb 27 last year, according to a Bernama report.

Despite a massive island-wide manhunt in Singapore, he managed to get to Woodlands on the fourth day and swam across the Tebrau Strait towards Stulang Laut under the cover of darkness with buoy lights as a guide.

I’m sorry but heads have to roll for this. Not only were the ISD inept, the rest of the HOME team and the SAF were equally inept in letting him run around this huge island for 4 days before letting him swim across.

SAF occupies the biggest proportion of the annual budget which always increases. It takes in slaves under the guise of national defence, pay them miserly wages and sends them to hunt Mas Selamat. Wonder why they failed?

HOME team occupies quite a significant proportion of the budget too. Yet they failed to stop Mas Selamat when he was in Singapore, and failed to stop him from swimming across.

I think a full fledged commission of inquiry needs to be set up, and SAF’s and HOME team’s ineptitude needs to be addressed. So much for the huge manpower utlilised by the SAF and the HOME team. maybe now is not the long coastline is the one that is affecting everything? maybe its the huge land area, that’s why Mas Selamat can run around in Singapore for 4 days?

Upskill, reskill, Multi-skill, Mr Lim Swee Say replies

Just before Labour Day, Mr Lim gave an interview in which he pointed out several points of interest to me. I took the liberty to email my friendly Labour Chief, and amazingly, he replied pretty quickly, as quick as you can say “Mas Selamat”.. I must say this spells “DEDICATION”.

Here is the full email exchange. (screenshots at the end)

Dear Mr Lim,

I watched your interview with Channelnewsasia and read the corresponding newspaper report.

I am indeed very impressed with your dedication to the average Singaporean worker and the labour movement. After all, people generally do not wake up to reports dangling above their heads but their ceilings instead. That aside, I am very sure you just wanted to mean that you are very very dedicated to your job, and that we should never doubt your dedication. I, along with many Singaporean citizens, am extremely thankful for such dedication shown by my Labour Chief, something definitely unparalled in any other countries.

However, there is a point I wanted to clarify. It is regarding what you said about the second thing you worry about, which is stated below.

The second thing I worry (about) is whether every job lost translates to another unemployed worker.

Can I kindly enquire how does any job lost NOT translate to another unemployed worker? This is something far beyond what my intelligence can comprehend, hence I humbly seek your expert opinion.

Secondly, I would also like to enquire how much jobs has Jobs Credit saved? Are there any estimates, and on what basis are these estimates based on? If we will not know how much jobs has Jobs Credit saved(which is quite likely), then how do we gauge the effectiveness of such a scheme, and thereby justify the use of taxpayers’ money on such a scheme?

I look forward to your reply soonest.

Here’s wishing you a Happy Labour Day, and a bright political future ahead, which I am sure you definitely will enjoy, given your sheer dedication to Singaporeans like me.

James Tan

P.S: This email will be published on my blog singaporecitizen.wordpress.com and all replies/non-replies will be recorded and published fully. Thank you.

I am honestly impressed. really. He replied at 12.07am. Such a hardworking Labour Chief. Let’s cut him some slack, shall we?

Thank you for your email.

The second thing I worry (about) is whether every job lost translates to another unemployed worker – if a retrenched worker is not able to find another job, he will end up being an unemployed person. But if we can help him to re-skill and up-skill and find a new job quickly, then he becomes a re-employed person rather than an unemployed person. This is why the tripartite partners in Singapore are working hard on. For example, so far this year, NTUC e2i (employment and employability institute) has helped 8000 job seekers to learn new skills, with 4000 of them securing new jobs.

How much jobs has Jobs Credit saved? NTUC worked directly with unionised companies to cut costs and save jobs on a one-on-one basis. We see at first hand how companies defer retrenchment or cut back on the size of
retrenchment because of Jobs credit and SPUR. We also see jobs credit helping companies to stay away from “retrenchment zone”, and/or using it to build new capability, or generate more revenue by giving discounts to their
customers. All these help to save jobs, directly and indirectly. For example, one factory save 20% of jobs when it decides to reduce the size of retrenchment from 30% to 10%. Others are doing likelwise, though to a different extent.

Happy Labour Day to you too.

You can email Mr Lim the friendly and helpful Labour Chief at SSLim@pmo.gov.sg

swee lah! That aside, anyone noticed he didn’t quote me any hard figures about just exactly how much jobs Jobs Credit saved? Perhaps its really not possible that we find out how much jobs the scheme saved. If that’s really the case, then how do we gauge the effectiveness of the scheme? The number of take-ups?

Hi Mr Wong Kan Seng, do you mind clarifying?

If you look at the video below, Mr Wong clearly states that Singapore knew that he was arrested on the 1st of April and he even reported that to the Prime Minister.

Now take a look at his speech during the ISD Promotion Ceremony on 16 April 2009.

14 It has been and continues to be a testing time for the Department. I understand that at one time or another, officers from all the various commands have been deployed to work on the case which for some, involved taking on an entirely new type of assignment for the first time in their career. I have been regularly updated on the Department’s efforts to track Mas Selamat Kastari down. I have no doubt of your determination. I have confidence that with patience – which has always been a virtue of the Department – we will recapture him. The keen sense of fellowship and camaraderie among ISD officers, of being one family through thick and thin, that I have seen particularly during this trying episode, will see you through this, and make all of you even stronger.

15 Most importantly, I am happy to see that ISD officers have not allowed the setback to dishearten or distract you from your mission of countering the multi-faceted security threats we face. Even as you continue to hunt for Mas Selamat Kastari, you have been equally unrelenting in monitoring and tackling other security threats, at times, I know, stretching yourselves beyond the limits.

Clearly Mr Wong is wrong on either one of the occasion. There is no way it can be true for both occasions. Mr Wong, really, please clarify and don’t think that Singaporeans are fools. 

Oh and quit praising yourself about your “lead” that led to his capture. Don’t make us look stupid please.

And one gets the clearest sense of responsibility from Mr Wong when he actually mentioned that ISD learnt a painful lesson from the Mas Selamat episode. ISD learnt. Not “I and the ISD” learnt together. Maybe we can help him learn by reliving him of his duties?

Guys, remember. No complacency. Later Mas Selamat disappears again and we get blamed again.

Wong Kan Seng: see I told you I am right.

Back then, when interviewed about the progress on Mas Selemat Kastari’s escape, Minister Of Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng had this to say:

He’s either here, or not here.

Guess what? After everyone’s repeated sneers at him online and offline, Wong Kan Seng is actually right! Hip hip hurray!Well done! 200 months performance bonus for you,Mr Wong. keep up the good work!

Mas Selemat Kastari has been caught by the much lower paid and often criticised as corrupt Malaysian forces.

SINGAPORE: Mas Selamat Kastari, Singapore’s Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader who escaped from Whitley Road Detention Centre on February 27 last year, has been arrested.

The terrorist, who once plotted to hijack a plane and crash it into Changi Airport, was arrested in Malaysia in a joint intelligence operation involving the internal security agencies of the two countries.

It is understood that Mas Selamat was actually arrested over a month ago but had been under interrogation in Malaysia.

Sia la! catch Mas Selemat already then never inform Wong Kan Seng so that he can collect his performance bonus in time and boast about it! That’s way too much of Malaysian authorities. They are being extremely complacent, and think they will not lose slippery-like-an-eel Mas Selemat. They should’ve immediately handed them over to capable Singapore.

It is believed that the fugitive will soon be brought back to Singapore.

You can be sure there will not be any kind of breaks for Mas Selemat Kastari. no more toilet breaks, food breaks or prayer breaks. What if he disappears to heaven this time?

I humbly suggest that Mas Selemat  teach our commandos and special forces his escape tactics and contribute to the training of our commandos. If he can escape Singapore’s biggest manhunt, that tells you clearly that Mas Selemat > our forces. Our forces have much to learn from this incredible limping escape artist.

oh and maybe we can hire those capable Malaysians under our Foreign Talent scheme. We can up their salaries by 40% and they will still be cheaper than our locals! As they say: fresh and cheap!

And trust ST to boast about our Government’s capability, as always.

Singapore Government Owns

look at the headlines. “Singapore’s role in arrest” and “Mas Selemat rearrest a lesson in patience and persistence”. Wow. Talk as if Singapore was the one who arrested him and Malaysian authorities were the screwed up ones who let him go.

They should change the second headline to : Mas Selemat’s rearrest a lesson in incompetence and lack of humility.

Now let’s all wait for the inevitable wayang as ministers outdo each other to snatch credit. Lee Hsien Loong will not AWOL like that time he did when Mas Selemat disappeared. trust prophetic me on this one.

Malaysia got ya! Malaysia boleh!

Japanese translator hosting top North Korean Legislator

Think that happened in Japan? Nope.

SINGAPORE, May 6 (Xinhua) — Kim Yong Nam, the top legislator of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), kicked off a three-day working visit to Singapore on Wednesday.

According to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kim will be calling on Singapore’s President S R Nathan and be hosted to dinner by the President.

This is the second working visit to Singapore by Kim in his capacity as the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly. Kim last visited Singapore in August 2007.

well well, for those who don’t know and are under the delusions that S R Nathan was heroic, or at least worked for Singapore, during the Japanese Occupation, you are dead wrong.

S R Nathan was a Japanese translator and worked for the Japanese civilian police during the Japanese Occupation. How much he contributed indirectly to any deaths/torture/injuries suffered by the civilians during the Japanese Occupation remains unknown.

During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, Nathan worked for the Japanese civilian police as a translator.

So think again. Whose picture are you looking at every morning? A heroic Singaporean, or at least a non-traitor, or a war traitor?

Oh and guess who was his colleague at that time? oh wells. and you thought Singapore only honoured war heroes like Lim Bo Seng.

Having taken Chinese and Japanese lessons since 1942, Lee Kuan Yew was able to collaborate as a transcriber of Allied wire reports for the Japanese, as well as being the English-language editor on the Japanese Hodobu (報道部 — an information or propaganda department) from 1943 to 1944.

Anyway, have a happy and fruitful visit, Kim. I am sure you will be able to share much information about repression and suppression with your Singaporean counterparts.