Chinese, by nature, hold their emotions very close to their chest. Even Lee Hsien Loong may not know what is inside his father’s heart. What Singapore sees and what Lee Kuan Yew feels are two very different levels and categories of emotions. Singaporeans see the inveterate ‘Chinese Uncle’ who always knows what is best and demands much of his pupils; they do not see, and will never see, the widower who lost a wife, partner and much-loved woman, which I am certain has had a very deep impact on Lee. To understand Chinese culture, whether in Singapore, Taiwan, China or among Chinese living in the West, is to understand and acknowledge that there will always be some several levels of emotions within each individual and they form multiple complex layers (like the Chinese Box) which may have no beginning and no end.
Many non-Singaporeans, as well as some Singaporeans, may see an autocrat and they have some justification for that interpretation, but they don’t, can’t and will never see, the pain of loss in LKY’s heart. When you judge him, remember this.
To say he is an autocrat or dictatorial or
stubborn or proud would all be fair descriptions of LKY’s personality and actions; but to say he lacks a heart or the
capability of feeling empathy underestimates LKY, you just simply will not see that side, but it is there, hidden deep inside where no one else has to see it. If you understand this, you will have an inkling about LKY and you will have a sense of what, how and why he created an affluent society with strict laws and even stricter leadership.
I don’t think people like Stephen Lo (or Law like in the Rule of Law lol), son of Hsing-han Lo, the late infamous Kokang opium drug warlord from Burma really hate Kwan-yew Lee. When drug warlords, business tycoons, crooks and despots of the neighbourhood (Lee doesn’t care about Escobar-types from Latin America, it’s too far away as he said) go to Singapore to launder their “hard-earned money from the surrounding jungles” and look around them, everything sinks in, into the gleaming Singaporean banks (even Kailai BoGu probably knows that) That’s what makes the British Commonwealth(sic) city-state of Singapore rich at the expense of the damage it causes to the natural environment(not to mention the moral and social fabric) in the surrounding poorer countries.
This is just a simple Burmese man’s naive view of Singapore and since it’s quite opposite to “One man’s view of the world”, it must be absolutely wrong, but my world )and that of many other poor Hukuo-Proletariat, whose genetic pools were frozen over centuries) is quite different from that of a renowned world-class Satesman like Kwan-yew Lee with his excellent genes.
Che peccato!
Lee Kwan Yew’s life, works and achievements are well documented – as are his weaknesses and tendency to authoritarianism.But even the most vehement of his critics must recognise the overall rating must be overwhelmingly positive.The puerile protests at ANU honouring LKY casts more light on the prejudices of the bien pensant Australian left than anything else.
On the contrary, Andrew, it is far more likely that “Nina Ong” is afraid that her comments and interpretations of Lee Kuan Yew’s views are inaccurate and disingenuous,
and will be found out to be so. Case in point: Her false indictment of Lee’s accurate understanding and interpretation of the Balfour Declaration about which Ms. Ong disingenuously engages in semantic hand waving. Her obsession about a non-difference between “Homeland” and “State” which in fact she mangles completely, as I attempted to post on NM earlier. Unfortunately for her, the attempt to criticize Lee for substituting one word for another, entirely fails to miss the obvious point that Lee understands the actual history of the Balfour Declaration, the real intent of the British pre- and post-partition of Mandated Palestine, and Ms. Ong, by focusing on a single word, in fact, demonstrates a complete ignorance of the whole history of the Balfour Declaration,
Great Britain’s goals with the BD, and the
factual evidence surrounding the eventual partition of the Mandated Palestine into two States, and the ultimate recognition of the two States, Israel and Transjordan (later Jordan) which were recognized by the UN as independent nations which, as Lee clearly understands, was Britain’s intent from the very beginning from the time of the Balfour Declaration to the recognition of Israel by the UN in 1948, followed by recognition of Jordan in 1949. Recorded British promises of a STATE made to the first Israeli Leader Chaim Weizmann, and many maps dating from the Balfour Declaration period far before the actual partition, produced by the British Foreign Office, show two delineated geographical areas within Mandated
Palestine, one region stamped “Israel” and one other region stamped “Transjordan,” which invalidate her assessment that Lee misinterpreted British goals in the region, and in the process invalidates herself or
at least invalidates her veiled criticism of Lee.
However ‘toxic’ his legacy, Lee is no fool, is well-read, and does his homework, and in this instance is 100 % correct. Ms Ong, on the other hand, clearly did not do her homework and substitutes her personal viewpoints about the Middle-East (one can infer from her criticism of Lee’s comments that she has some issues with the historical outcome in the region) and semantic hand waving as a proxy for actual knowledge, in the process indicting herself, and not Lee Kuan Yew. It is her disingenuousness that accounts for her use of a pseudonym which arises from a fear that she might be found to have been wrong, and more so her insecurity about her own level of knowledge on a host of issues, of which I have referred to one. Were her to be confident in her knowledge of a host of issues, she would have no need for
a pseudonym.
Indeed, Chee Soon Juan, of the opposition
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), who has been far more critical of Lee than Ms. Ong, and doubtlessly, given his expulsion from NUS and constant harassment by the PAP, has suffered far more than Ms. Ong, yet felt no need to write all his innumerable critical commentaries on the PAP and Lee, under a pseudonym.
Most street protesters don’t know the specifics of the succession conflict, but my impression from private conversations is that many of them strongly associate Thaksin and Vajiralongkorn and many of them remain convinced that a way will be found to keep the crown prince off the throne. “Don’t you worry about that, he will never be king, trust me,” was one representative comment. The contrast between the crown prince’s interventions and Sirindhorn’s visit to wounded protesters was also widely noted. So while I think anti-Thaksin hysteria has taken on a life of its own in Thailand, not necessarily consciously linked to the prince in the minds of most protesters, most Thais are indeed aware of the importance of succession to the story.
The surprising popularity of Vajiralongkorn among Red Shirts is a further illustration of this.
The fact that the author feels the need to write under a pseudonym – even just to publish a perceptive and insightful review of a book by an old man who holds no formal position of power in Singapore in 2013 – is a further indictment of Lee Kuan Yew’s toxic legacy.
This thai newspaper published some of your photographs and twisted the captions to defamed the red shirt. The writer accused red shirt as robbing and stabbing the pizza shop’s employees. This is opposed to what you described in your article.
This is shameful and I really like to see the consequences to be brought to this shameless thai newspaper. Thai people are deeply divided into two sides because of this kind of twisted message published in thai medias. Apparently, the masterminds of the whole mess in thailand are extremely fond in using cold war era propoganda tactic.
So there is no evidence that the riot may be indirectly caused by festering discontent, but let’s hear it from the propagandists what concrete evidence there are that all rioters were under the influence of alcohol, and that given a different situation, suppose they have been drinking coca cola instead, this would never have happened?
hi moose. That was a bit of translator’s license. the Thai original was along the lines of “house lizards jumping into the rice steamer.” I hope that clarifies things for you. AW
Absolutely agree with Jit’s ghost! Nong Pu needs to retire Pi Thaksin ! Not only has he betrayed the redshirts, he’s betrayed his own younger sister !
If she can defeat the concerted effort of the fascist fiteen percent in Thailand … she’s going to be more popular than Pi Thaksin ever was … and then we can truly thank Suthep for ridding us of Thaksin … and the fasccit fiteen percent in one fell swoop! And giving Nong Pu a gorgeous set of legs … as though she needed them !
Let her staff up with people she trusts to chase the details and let her run the county’s politics she has the whole country on her side now … except for the terminals in the geriatric ward. And not even a set of bionic legs can help them now.
very well said. put another way, professors who turn out this kind of derivative and ultimately useless product are a. making a mockery of meritocracy; and b. wasting public resources.
There is a patent discordancy in how the Reds leadership treat its followers; a discordancy that borders on disrespect and neglect. The subservience of the Reds leadership to the Shinawatras/Peau Thai Party had not wavered a bit (oh yes there was the charade by two Reds-MPs abstaining but that was for show nothing else) when the Yingluck regime and 310-Thaksin-servants-posing-as-lawmakers rammed through the 3AM amnesty (tailored for Thaksin and Thaksin alone) bill that ignored, and was against, the loud and very specific wishes of families of many Reds victims who perished or were maimed during the very violent Red uprising of year 2010. Thaksin/Yingluck must really have thought the victims-compensations made, many amounting to several million baht per victim, would quiet the demands for justice by the victims. That’s disrespect and that’s leadership neglect.
Reds leadership neglect and disrespect of its followers again repeats with this Ramkhamhaeng U/Rajmangala stadium riots. Several were dead and several were maimed and injured from the rampage where Reds followers and Ramkhamhaeng University students were violently attacking each other. And many of the dead/injured were from the Red camp.
Yet after the capture of the shooter (see Nostitz pictures) and Nostitz eyewitness accounts while he was with the Reds camps, to this day, a week after the riots, NOTHING … ZIP … ZERO!
Had Nostitz been invited by DSI or had Nostitz himself volunteered, to give evidence and submit his very damning photos of the shooter? I presume NADA. Nothing.
Had the Reds leadership themselves banged vehemently and determinedly at the doors of the DSI, demanding quick investigation and results-report pertaining to the shooter-evidence of Nostitz to identify whether or not the shooter’s gun could be connected to any of the deaths/injuries; and who the shooter’s other abettors are during their murderous rampage, and …. who are their masters? Nada … nothing … zero … zip.
And that’s very pathetic, because not one NM Red sympathizer seem care about carrying the investigation of the captured shooter deep to its roots … deep to its source … to unravel the dark really black mystery of black shirts assassins and their masters.
Those Reds followers who had died or were maimed are/were treated as ‘goats’ by the Reds leadership. And that is the tragedy of the Reds leadership and the Peau Thai Party leadership. They don’t care … sincerely care … about their comrades/followers if they can no longer stand up and fight for the Thaksin-and-only-Thaksin cause.
Educate me my Red fans and explain to me why that isn’t so.
The author emphasises the line of “this is an law and order problem”, which is exactly what Singapore govt has decided to take. And he quickly dismisses the factor of injustices from exploitative working conditions and cheats while at the same time jumps to the conclusion that alcohol consumption plays a part to the riot – both claims made without any basis of facts or references. So much for an academic.
And the last thing about this piece is this. It subtly plays the tune of the govt propaganda tune too: carefully treading the fine balance between recognising contribution of foreign workers to Singapore economy while parking the blame of the riot squarely on those involved (“we will come down hard on them with the full force of the law”, so says Singapore govt). It is absolutely trying in vain to absorb the govt’s fault in this balance: of its economic policy that pins its growth on cheap labour from abundant foreign workers, and of its failure to maintain law and order in the face of so many non-Singaporean elements in its society now.
So much for the group of Singapore professors who do not play their role correctly: rather than thinking critically for the good of its society, they degenerate themselves into part of the govt propaganda machinery.
Selected photographs from Nick’s report are posted and spread online as proof of Red Shirt’s violence at Ramkhamhange. Just another example of how content and materials are manipulated to spread hatred.
thanks. i think i got what you were getting at. what i want to add is that there is a fair amount of police/security violence at cq, just like everyone else in singapore, which goes undiscussed in the State media (not surprisingly) and is also absent from your otherwise thorough and professional analysis.
probably one of the big reasons that these guys responded w violence was that they saw there was only a tiny window to voice there displeasure. if they even waited for first responders to arrive, their ability to ‘speak’ would be shut down by coercion and violence as necessary.
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Review of One Man’s View of the World
Chinese, by nature, hold their emotions very close to their chest. Even Lee Hsien Loong may not know what is inside his father’s heart. What Singapore sees and what Lee Kuan Yew feels are two very different levels and categories of emotions. Singaporeans see the inveterate ‘Chinese Uncle’ who always knows what is best and demands much of his pupils; they do not see, and will never see, the widower who lost a wife, partner and much-loved woman, which I am certain has had a very deep impact on Lee. To understand Chinese culture, whether in Singapore, Taiwan, China or among Chinese living in the West, is to understand and acknowledge that there will always be some several levels of emotions within each individual and they form multiple complex layers (like the Chinese Box) which may have no beginning and no end.
Many non-Singaporeans, as well as some Singaporeans, may see an autocrat and they have some justification for that interpretation, but they don’t, can’t and will never see, the pain of loss in LKY’s heart. When you judge him, remember this.
To say he is an autocrat or dictatorial or
stubborn or proud would all be fair descriptions of LKY’s personality and actions; but to say he lacks a heart or the
capability of feeling empathy underestimates LKY, you just simply will not see that side, but it is there, hidden deep inside where no one else has to see it. If you understand this, you will have an inkling about LKY and you will have a sense of what, how and why he created an affluent society with strict laws and even stricter leadership.
Review of One Man’s View of the World
I don’t think people like Stephen Lo (or Law like in the Rule of Law lol), son of Hsing-han Lo, the late infamous Kokang opium drug warlord from Burma really hate Kwan-yew Lee. When drug warlords, business tycoons, crooks and despots of the neighbourhood (Lee doesn’t care about Escobar-types from Latin America, it’s too far away as he said) go to Singapore to launder their “hard-earned money from the surrounding jungles” and look around them, everything sinks in, into the gleaming Singaporean banks (even Kailai BoGu probably knows that) That’s what makes the British Commonwealth(sic) city-state of Singapore rich at the expense of the damage it causes to the natural environment(not to mention the moral and social fabric) in the surrounding poorer countries.
This is just a simple Burmese man’s naive view of Singapore and since it’s quite opposite to “One man’s view of the world”, it must be absolutely wrong, but my world )and that of many other poor Hukuo-Proletariat, whose genetic pools were frozen over centuries) is quite different from that of a renowned world-class Satesman like Kwan-yew Lee with his excellent genes.
Che peccato!
Ramkhamhaeng: A view from inside the stadium
For those readers that care enough to learn the real story of how Thailand has become so messy politically, try another view below.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/thailand-uprooting-wall-streets-proxy-regime/5359685
Review of One Man’s View of the World
Lee Kwan Yew’s life, works and achievements are well documented – as are his weaknesses and tendency to authoritarianism.But even the most vehement of his critics must recognise the overall rating must be overwhelmingly positive.The puerile protests at ANU honouring LKY casts more light on the prejudices of the bien pensant Australian left than anything else.
Exclusive: Suthep is Thaksin’s proxy
[…] […]
Review of One Man’s View of the World
On the contrary, Andrew, it is far more likely that “Nina Ong” is afraid that her comments and interpretations of Lee Kuan Yew’s views are inaccurate and disingenuous,
and will be found out to be so. Case in point: Her false indictment of Lee’s accurate understanding and interpretation of the Balfour Declaration about which Ms. Ong disingenuously engages in semantic hand waving. Her obsession about a non-difference between “Homeland” and “State” which in fact she mangles completely, as I attempted to post on NM earlier. Unfortunately for her, the attempt to criticize Lee for substituting one word for another, entirely fails to miss the obvious point that Lee understands the actual history of the Balfour Declaration, the real intent of the British pre- and post-partition of Mandated Palestine, and Ms. Ong, by focusing on a single word, in fact, demonstrates a complete ignorance of the whole history of the Balfour Declaration,
Great Britain’s goals with the BD, and the
factual evidence surrounding the eventual partition of the Mandated Palestine into two States, and the ultimate recognition of the two States, Israel and Transjordan (later Jordan) which were recognized by the UN as independent nations which, as Lee clearly understands, was Britain’s intent from the very beginning from the time of the Balfour Declaration to the recognition of Israel by the UN in 1948, followed by recognition of Jordan in 1949. Recorded British promises of a STATE made to the first Israeli Leader Chaim Weizmann, and many maps dating from the Balfour Declaration period far before the actual partition, produced by the British Foreign Office, show two delineated geographical areas within Mandated
Palestine, one region stamped “Israel” and one other region stamped “Transjordan,” which invalidate her assessment that Lee misinterpreted British goals in the region, and in the process invalidates herself or
at least invalidates her veiled criticism of Lee.
However ‘toxic’ his legacy, Lee is no fool, is well-read, and does his homework, and in this instance is 100 % correct. Ms Ong, on the other hand, clearly did not do her homework and substitutes her personal viewpoints about the Middle-East (one can infer from her criticism of Lee’s comments that she has some issues with the historical outcome in the region) and semantic hand waving as a proxy for actual knowledge, in the process indicting herself, and not Lee Kuan Yew. It is her disingenuousness that accounts for her use of a pseudonym which arises from a fear that she might be found to have been wrong, and more so her insecurity about her own level of knowledge on a host of issues, of which I have referred to one. Were her to be confident in her knowledge of a host of issues, she would have no need for
a pseudonym.
Indeed, Chee Soon Juan, of the opposition
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), who has been far more critical of Lee than Ms. Ong, and doubtlessly, given his expulsion from NUS and constant harassment by the PAP, has suffered far more than Ms. Ong, yet felt no need to write all his innumerable critical commentaries on the PAP and Lee, under a pseudonym.
Review of One Man’s View of the World
There is clearly a band wagon of hate against Lee Kuan Yew. When its ideologues go to Singapore and look around them, nothing sinks in.
Thaksin’s supporters care about corruption too
Most street protesters don’t know the specifics of the succession conflict, but my impression from private conversations is that many of them strongly associate Thaksin and Vajiralongkorn and many of them remain convinced that a way will be found to keep the crown prince off the throne. “Don’t you worry about that, he will never be king, trust me,” was one representative comment. The contrast between the crown prince’s interventions and Sirindhorn’s visit to wounded protesters was also widely noted. So while I think anti-Thaksin hysteria has taken on a life of its own in Thailand, not necessarily consciously linked to the prince in the minds of most protesters, most Thais are indeed aware of the importance of succession to the story.
The surprising popularity of Vajiralongkorn among Red Shirts is a further illustration of this.
Review of One Man’s View of the World
The fact that the author feels the need to write under a pseudonym – even just to publish a perceptive and insightful review of a book by an old man who holds no formal position of power in Singapore in 2013 – is a further indictment of Lee Kuan Yew’s toxic legacy.
Ramkhamhaeng: A view from inside the stadium
Hi Mr.Nick Nostitz,
This thai newspaper published some of your photographs and twisted the captions to defamed the red shirt. The writer accused red shirt as robbing and stabbing the pizza shop’s employees. This is opposed to what you described in your article.
http://www.naewna.com/politic/81599#.UqqCyzvybcU.facebook
This is shameful and I really like to see the consequences to be brought to this shameless thai newspaper. Thai people are deeply divided into two sides because of this kind of twisted message published in thai medias. Apparently, the masterminds of the whole mess in thailand are extremely fond in using cold war era propoganda tactic.
The Little India riot – another view
So there is no evidence that the riot may be indirectly caused by festering discontent, but let’s hear it from the propagandists what concrete evidence there are that all rioters were under the influence of alcohol, and that given a different situation, suppose they have been drinking coca cola instead, this would never have happened?
Exclusive: Suthep is Thaksin’s proxy
hi moose. That was a bit of translator’s license. the Thai original was along the lines of “house lizards jumping into the rice steamer.” I hope that clarifies things for you. AW
Exclusive: Suthep is Thaksin’s proxy
What a load of bollocks. A Thai person using a statement like “lemmings over a cliff”? This is totally contrived.
Exclusive: Suthep is Thaksin’s proxy
Absolutely agree with Jit’s ghost! Nong Pu needs to retire Pi Thaksin ! Not only has he betrayed the redshirts, he’s betrayed his own younger sister !
If she can defeat the concerted effort of the fascist fiteen percent in Thailand … she’s going to be more popular than Pi Thaksin ever was … and then we can truly thank Suthep for ridding us of Thaksin … and the fasccit fiteen percent in one fell swoop! And giving Nong Pu a gorgeous set of legs … as though she needed them !
Let her staff up with people she trusts to chase the details and let her run the county’s politics she has the whole country on her side now … except for the terminals in the geriatric ward. And not even a set of bionic legs can help them now.
The Little India riot – another view
very well said. put another way, professors who turn out this kind of derivative and ultimately useless product are a. making a mockery of meritocracy; and b. wasting public resources.
Ramkhamhaeng: A view from inside the stadium
There is a patent discordancy in how the Reds leadership treat its followers; a discordancy that borders on disrespect and neglect. The subservience of the Reds leadership to the Shinawatras/Peau Thai Party had not wavered a bit (oh yes there was the charade by two Reds-MPs abstaining but that was for show nothing else) when the Yingluck regime and 310-Thaksin-servants-posing-as-lawmakers rammed through the 3AM amnesty (tailored for Thaksin and Thaksin alone) bill that ignored, and was against, the loud and very specific wishes of families of many Reds victims who perished or were maimed during the very violent Red uprising of year 2010. Thaksin/Yingluck must really have thought the victims-compensations made, many amounting to several million baht per victim, would quiet the demands for justice by the victims. That’s disrespect and that’s leadership neglect.
Reds leadership neglect and disrespect of its followers again repeats with this Ramkhamhaeng U/Rajmangala stadium riots. Several were dead and several were maimed and injured from the rampage where Reds followers and Ramkhamhaeng University students were violently attacking each other. And many of the dead/injured were from the Red camp.
Yet after the capture of the shooter (see Nostitz pictures) and Nostitz eyewitness accounts while he was with the Reds camps, to this day, a week after the riots, NOTHING … ZIP … ZERO!
Had Nostitz been invited by DSI or had Nostitz himself volunteered, to give evidence and submit his very damning photos of the shooter? I presume NADA. Nothing.
Had the Reds leadership themselves banged vehemently and determinedly at the doors of the DSI, demanding quick investigation and results-report pertaining to the shooter-evidence of Nostitz to identify whether or not the shooter’s gun could be connected to any of the deaths/injuries; and who the shooter’s other abettors are during their murderous rampage, and …. who are their masters? Nada … nothing … zero … zip.
And that’s very pathetic, because not one NM Red sympathizer seem care about carrying the investigation of the captured shooter deep to its roots … deep to its source … to unravel the dark really black mystery of black shirts assassins and their masters.
Those Reds followers who had died or were maimed are/were treated as ‘goats’ by the Reds leadership. And that is the tragedy of the Reds leadership and the Peau Thai Party leadership. They don’t care … sincerely care … about their comrades/followers if they can no longer stand up and fight for the Thaksin-and-only-Thaksin cause.
Educate me my Red fans and explain to me why that isn’t so.
Assembly for the Defence of Democracy
PPT had thrown in the towel. I can’t believe it can be so.
Does anyone have any real information on the likelihood of Suthep’s ‘civilian’ coup’s success or failure ?
The Little India riot – another view
The author emphasises the line of “this is an law and order problem”, which is exactly what Singapore govt has decided to take. And he quickly dismisses the factor of injustices from exploitative working conditions and cheats while at the same time jumps to the conclusion that alcohol consumption plays a part to the riot – both claims made without any basis of facts or references. So much for an academic.
And the last thing about this piece is this. It subtly plays the tune of the govt propaganda tune too: carefully treading the fine balance between recognising contribution of foreign workers to Singapore economy while parking the blame of the riot squarely on those involved (“we will come down hard on them with the full force of the law”, so says Singapore govt). It is absolutely trying in vain to absorb the govt’s fault in this balance: of its economic policy that pins its growth on cheap labour from abundant foreign workers, and of its failure to maintain law and order in the face of so many non-Singaporean elements in its society now.
So much for the group of Singapore professors who do not play their role correctly: rather than thinking critically for the good of its society, they degenerate themselves into part of the govt propaganda machinery.
Ramkhamhaeng: A view from inside the stadium
Selected photographs from Nick’s report are posted and spread online as proof of Red Shirt’s violence at Ramkhamhange. Just another example of how content and materials are manipulated to spread hatred.
https://www.facebook.com/V.For.Thailand#!/media/set/?set=a.767561849925946.1073741853.330738933608242&type=1
http://www.chaoprayanews.com/2013/12/12/%e0%b8%a0%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%9e%e0%b8%ab%e0%b8%a5%e0%b8%b8%e0%b8%94%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%ad%e0%b8%87%e0%b8%81%e0%b8%b3%e0%b8%a5%e0%b8%b1%e0%b8%87%e0%b9%81%e0%b8%94%e0%b8%87%e0%b9%83%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%a3%e0%b8%b2/comment-page-2/#comment-42442
The Little India riot – another view
thanks. i think i got what you were getting at. what i want to add is that there is a fair amount of police/security violence at cq, just like everyone else in singapore, which goes undiscussed in the State media (not surprisingly) and is also absent from your otherwise thorough and professional analysis.
probably one of the big reasons that these guys responded w violence was that they saw there was only a tiny window to voice there displeasure. if they even waited for first responders to arrive, their ability to ‘speak’ would be shut down by coercion and violence as necessary.
just my two cents