Something to Tell and Share
A reader’s letter on the responses
Below is a unpublished letter to the Straits Times forum shared with me by a reader
Emotional responses to the ‘little people’ term unnecessary
by Lin Junjie
I read with amazement some of the responses to Dr Catherine Lim’s letter on the Mas Selamat affair published on Wednesday.
Mr Ooi Boon Hock wrote in to your newspaper on Friday accusing Dr Lim of being “very patronising in describing the officers” and “really out of sync”.
Some have even asked Dr Lim on her website for her definition of ‘little people’.
It should have been clear that she had in no way meant to disparage the officers punished in using the term. I believe Dr Lim would also have classified herself as ‘little people’ when compared with top politicians here.
In any case, it should be noted that the Straits Times editorial published on April 24 wrote: “If it is determined there was only one weak link, at junior escort level, then the people should stop carping about why it is usually small fish that get fried.”
The issue at hand–that the buck had stopped at the wrong place–should not be lost in the flurry of emotional responses just because some people have chosen to misread Dr Lim’s letter.
June 4th, 2008 at 11:25 am
[...] MSK Fallout – catherinelim.sg: A reader’s letter on the responses [...]
June 4th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
This is not a time to nitpick and blow up matters out of proportion.
Singaporeans enjoy more than 45 years of plenty under the rule of the PAP. Today, instead of crushing under the weight of the heavy global oil and food prices like many, many larger and resource-rich countries, this tiny resourceless and no-economies-of-scale little red dot continues to give out goodies to its people – Progress Package, Growth Dividends, Inflation Bonus, etc., to the envy of many countries. Thanks to the good management of Singapore.
No one wishes to unconsciously stir up the ground from any thread. Look what’s happening around the world today. It’s volatile like kerosene and can spread out of hand. It that what we want? Street protests as advocated can turn to anarchy where looting and violence is the norm. Tourists for example will be too scared to come here then. What then will happen to the livelihood of the thousands of our taxi drivers, hotel people, food & beverage people, etc.,? Moreover, investments thrive on a peaceful, safe & secure environment. It may then not be easy to turn back the clock. Playing hero or Robin Hood is. See what’s happening time & again in Thailand.
Don’t play with FIRE. There’s no starvation, no food riots, no NEP, no torture and what-not that plagues others in Singapore. In the 80-20, it’s bad to play up the 20. No one will benefit in the end, save our rivals and enemies. Don’t bring back the Lim Yew Hocks (one who sold Pedra Branca [Christmas Island]), Ling How Dongs, Cheos, etc. Don’t rock the boat.
If we didn’t know. The faces in government come and go after they have made their contributions. They are people like you and me. They are not entrenched in stone; only the party’s name. Leadership faces self-renewal and self-regulation. The only founding member remaining is our grand old MM. No one will deny that he deserves the seat for as long as he can still contribute to the well-being of the nation. Contributing, beyond self and family, he is. It must be hard for a loving husband to leave his beloved sick old wife to go to Russia to seek out business for Singapore. Bother to give that a thought? Altruism? Need he?
Look at the bigger picture, Singaporeans. Be grateful. And finally, there’s no utopia and paradise on this dog-eat-dog planet.
June 4th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
You all notice something. Life without the brotherhood is suddenly so different. Now those pappies are openly taking to the stage. Why? Bc when they were around, he will just tack them into place with his wit and candor. Now who will do the same.
Matilah!
June 4th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
A reply to Chin Hwa,
What a masterpiece. Crafted with perfection. But sadly, I do not see and feel any soul in it.
June 4th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
V.Benedict:
Hiyoh… Standard model exam answer leh! Full marks confirm plus chop plus guarantee pass! Why you so demanding??
June 5th, 2008 at 1:33 am
This is my response to Chin Hwa.
Do we have to live in a planet where dog eats dog? Do people have to behave like rats just because a rat race has been created in Singapore. Does $$$ becomes the be-all and end-all with PAP Ministers setting the examples by paying themselves obscene salaries?
Chin Hwa, you may not be “crushing” but there are other Singaporeans who can hardly make ends meet with the current inflation and 7% Special, aka the GST……. Continue at http://feedmetothefish.blogspot.com/……...
June 5th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Hi Catherine, Re-Mas Selamat:You hit the nail on the head with your comment on the punishment of only the small people.Victor’s rule ?
June 5th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
” Progress Package, Growth Dividends, Inflation Bonus, etc., to the envy of many countries. Thanks to the good management of Singapore.”
Do we even need to have the above if the country is managed well ? Yes, it is good to have this but no, not when you increased GST and price hike to nobody’s business to help us. It look like those pathetic jerks help themselves more with the $$$ than help the ‘little people’ like us.
” It that what we want? Street protests as advocated can turn to anarchy where looting and violence is the norm. Tourists for example will be too scared to come here then. What then will happen to the livelihood of the thousands of our taxi drivers, hotel people, food & beverage people, etc.,? Moreover, investments thrive on a peaceful, safe & secure environment. It may then not be easy to turn back the clock. Playing hero or Robin Hood is. See what’s happening time & again in Thailand.”
Stop being a clown by using the worse case that the government love to use. Sweden, Denmark and Finland that LKY will even degrade endup been better in democracy and economic. So who’s talking ? By the way, are you a troll send by the ruling party because you speak like them or you just one of majority who are brainwashed by the media. The media like to portray the world is turmoil and pathetic compare to Singapore. I suggest you visit other democratic and economically strong countries to seek the real truth rather than to continue to trust in the pathetic media. LKY does not control the media for nothing, and he know the power of media that can con a dork like you. Wake up, will you before you spurt your word of praise. Our MSM is not rank in 154th for nothing,
“If we didn’t know. The faces in government come and go after they have made their contributions. They are people like you and me. They are not entrenched in stone; only the party’s name. Leadership faces self-renewal and self-regulation. The only founding member remaining is our grand old MM.”
Aren’t they say they deserve millions of dollars like no other gahmen in the world because they are super-’talk’-kong ? So how come you dare to degrade them by perceiving them to be vulnerable and fallible ? Why need self-renewal every here and there if they already vow to take care of the country and the people before admitting to the parliament. You mean a vow has expiry date ?
Whose playing with fire ? A person that so complacent that willing to overlook the government’s honest mistake, exploitation, and coverup just because these coffers give him carrots ?
June 6th, 2008 at 10:06 am
†Progress Package, Growth Dividends, Inflation Bonus, etc., to the envy of many countries. Thanks to the good management of Singapore.â€
HeHeHe,the guy who wrote this is so so stupid.
Let me give a FINE example,in the ST today,under Asia,p.6
The fuel price in Singapore is US$1.54 per litre ,highest in Asia,in poor Malaysia,the price is US$0.83,not the lowest in Asia.Progress Package, Growth Dividends, Inflation Bonus, etc.,
It is a real pity that the joker who wrote this absolutely knows no accounting,or else he surely can do the sum and find out how much our brilliant government pay out in all the
What happens is that silly Malaysian government subsidise their people,plus some Singaporeans and Thai citizens who bother to drive in,to the tune of about RM40 billion a year.
No wonder silly Malaysian governemnt has no money to pay out all those fantastic money to our citizens.
Cheers
June 6th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
My Home
Country: Singapore
Status: Sovereign city-state (last of the 3 remaining city-states on earth today. City-states due to their miniscule physical size are preys & are not expected to survive beyond 150 years (prove them wrong, we will!). Monaco (actually a dependency of France) & Vatican City (a Papal enclave of 0.44 km²)
Government: Parliamentary Democracy (people go to the polls every 5 years to elect the government of choice)
Area: 660 sq km
Population: 4.4 million (incl PRs)
Mineral & forestry resources: Nil
GNI per capita: US $27,490 (World Bank, 2006)
Foreign exchange reserves of US$171.7353 billion. Workplace: Provide much-needed employment to more than 1 million people from blue collar workers to domestics from the region.
World’s best airport
World busiest seaport
World’s most accessible & safest place for conventions & visits
Pioneer: Conversion of mass sewage to fresh water Neighbours: Located in-between two huge and not-so friendly & envious Muslim neighbors — threatens to cut off contracted water supply; the other, already cut off supply of sand & granite for construction use.
Strength: Solidarity as one nation
Feel Great: No NEP. 1st class citizen at home. S’pore passport gives international respect. We are better if not equal to the Mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, Hongkongers to growing the riches & well-being of the nation for all citizens as we believe in asking not what the country can do for us but what we can do for our country. Like Catherine, I doubt I could return to Malaysia (they wouldn’t want a non-bumi back either I guess) if Singapore goes bad.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:12 am
[...] March of the Lilliputians – unsolicitedopinion: Some people can be so hung up – catherinelim.sg: A reader’s letter on the responses – Feed me to the Fish: Is Catherine Lim Starting a Fire? [Recommended] – [...]
June 12th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Terry Tan, are we really 1st class citizens at home? Define what you mean by 1st class citizen. And don’t bother to give comparisons to Malaysia because we’re reminded time and again by the powers that be that Singapore is way ahead of everyone else in the region.
“growing the riches & well-being of the nation for all citizens”. How is that so? Because we recieve “Progress package, Growth Dividends and Inflation Bonuses”?
June 12th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I happened to browse. Anyway, I belong to the older generation but have also read and traveled quite widely.
KS. The truth is everything else is false except the bread & butter. Imagine if we were starving today (which is not an unlikely scenario given the present day high global oil & food prices) we wouldn’t be spending time writing here discussing about who art holier stuff. The truth is Japan invaded China because it didn’t want to starve. The US & UK occupy Iraq (oil) because they don’t want to later starve either. And global competition means somebody somewhere has to starve eventually, if you are not careful (that’s economics if you don’t understand).
Ask around. Did we know in Singapore many don’t even know what’s the ‘poverty line’. Surprise? Many countries have a clear and obvious poverty line i.e. a sizeable percentage of the populace has less than US$1 a day to subsist on. How sad but what can we do?
Check out today’s ST forum writer Neo Poh Goon’s letter & ‘Hunger Pangs’ on Pg 39 of ST Review. Ask yourself honestly – Why should a tiny 660km nation (no economies of scale whatsoever) & bereft of mineral & forestry resources be spared from the world-wide Hunger Pangs?
We’re in fact seeing the outcome of how other bigger & resource-rich countries have been managed when they crumple under the weight of high fuel & food prices today. You’ll be surprised to know that in Japan and the US are many train station sleepers. Old vagrants frozen dead in winter and quietly carted away in the morning in HK.
By the way, there’s no absolute perfection in this world. There’re trade-offs for everything. Count your blessings lah.
(2nd class citizen – ask the “non-bumis” in Malaysia or the subtle discrimination and glass ceiling the majority non-white residents faced in western countries)
June 14th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Goh, I don’t disagree with most of what you say. However it’s been observed that generally kids in poor countries are happier than those from developed countries. In case anyone disagree with me, pictures don’t lie. You see in travel photos and video documentries the contrasting facial expression of these kids. No one wants to be poor but is material success all that matters in life?
June 15th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Why is it that whenever a debate reaches a point in which there is a call for the authorities to do something, inevitability it comes to the point in which someone will come in an claim that Singapore is number one in this and that. Statistics will be quote comparing Singapore to all the worthless nations elsewhere. Then the next thing is to state that be grateful and we should not question the authorities.
I say we should always challenge those in power to improve. After all its LKY that said something to the effect that only the paranoid survives. The citizen must also be paranoid and question the authorities when there is a failure. So what if we have achieved so much before. We should expect more. So, everyone, keep questioning. It is your duty and right.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Yes, everybody must be more concerned about the development and future of Singapore. To show concern, one must be more on the alert to sense possible problems, wrong doings, mistakes, cover-ups, etc. etc and voice out your views. Whether you can provide a solution to the problems is not a big deal. We have paid ministers who claimed that they are highly talented and extraordinary people and demanded for the world’s highest pay and bonuses every year.
So we must make them work to their real worth. Otherwise, they would become complacent and take things for granted; and worst of all taking us ordinary people as pathetic and stupid. Everyone must from now on always keep questioning the authorities to keep them on their toes, in order to make Singapore a better and better place for us and our future generations to live in.
We must not rest on past laurels and be contented about it. Yest, we should be grateful but gratefulness also has a limit. If we become too grateful, then we may turn up to be sycophants and yes-men who have no dignity to themselves and sincerity to their superiors. Such sycophants are like infectious viruses that will only cause our society to become rotten instead of improving.
We must also not always live in the past. The past is gone and can never return. Though there may be good things in the past, if we keep reminiscing on our good past records, we may fall into the trap of self-glorification. And too much self- glorification or self praise is never good. Only thick-skinned and shameless people keep praising themselves for their past achievements. Such behaviour must be discouraged and be weeded out of our society completely. Otherwise, we may never see our own faults and mistakes at all.
We must always learn from the wise sages of old. People like Lao Tse, but not people like Confucius because Confucius was good only in confusing people. He was the biggest balls-carrier of his time. If we were to follow his ideas then we will all become the biggest balls-carriers in this modern world.
Those are some of my thoughts that I wish to share. I may have said things which some may not like. BUT sometimes the truth always hurts. So please bear with the pain of hurting truths for the sake of our future generations and for the sake of our beloved Singapore.
The Truth Seeker (In Search of Truth).
June 18th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Truth Seeker,
You have a mechanism to cap other frightening genies from coming out of the same lamp? Few countries have been able to find the illusive lid let alone superman to do the capping then.
What follows then when things get out of hand? Street protests, chaos, anarchy, etc., say by the large number of “dissidents” to stop traffic flow and economic activities to invariably destablise the state and its economy? It’s happening right before our very nose. Look at Kenya, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Indonesia and many more countries around the world if you care to open your eyes.
Are you personally prepared to stand guarantor that nothing untoward will occur when people are instigated to challenge and oppose the government of the day? Don’t underestimate the masterminds behind who usually have agendas or personal vendettas as is always the case.
If we didn’t know ultimately the outcome of politics is wealth for the majority (in a democracy). The question is how it’s spread without affecting the creation of more wealth. Furthermore, wealth is relative a capitalist nation, isn’t it? One can easily play it up among the “have-nots”. Don’t forget wealth is also the source of envy between Singapore and her neighbours, not to mention amongst Singaporeans themselves.
Shouldn’t we not decide maturely at the polls once every five years given our highly educated and intelligent populace and continue to let the good times roll for the time being?
June 19th, 2008 at 8:24 am
While I believe that the majority of people will not want choas, street protest, stikes, etc as a form of protest while relying on the ballot box for change, it is important the process for polls be done in a way that is not manipulated.
That’s why it is so important that an avenue for everyone to express their views is so important – to educate. I think we need to ecourage everyone we know to seek truth not just from official newspapers which may not be 100% reliable when it comes to political news.
We need to ensure and encourage free expression and stop any form of self censorship.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:17 am
“it is important the process for polls be done in a way that is not manipulated!” We know Singapore is never an issue in this regard even with the UN or international watchdog. In fact, if one cares to know, this is the most cited excuse whenever an election is over, almost in all democracies.
And surely if anything was irregular the opposition parties & ngos would jump for recourse to the law and OPEN court for the whole world to see, isn’t it? BTw, if things could be easily fixed, then Chiam and Low couldn’t have won successively, would they? What abt the Lings, Cheos, etc., who won in the past elections. They were in fact thrown out by their own electorates after having them for one term. can only talk but not deliver!
Mind you, any maths student would tell us that a 67% popular vote win would easily form the government let alone a two-thirds majority.
Mind you if dissidents were large as bloggers would have us believe then they would naturally have shown up as high % of “spoilt” or even “invalid” votes assuming that the wards had been “manipulated”. maths is important.
“official newspapers which may not be 100% reliable when it comes to political news.”
my cable gives me cnn, cctv9, bbc, australian network, etc. foreign press & media are also easily available in singapore. thousands upon thousands of singaporeans travel freely all over the planet almost monthly. how to bluff people? we are not that gullible, are we?
i learnt a lot from the olympic torch run recently. looked into both sides in the net. i eventually realised that the western media was used a a tool to destablise a rising china. you see when you have difficulty competing then you try to sabotage the athlete. the distortions they jointly put across to jolt china didn’t work. this time the smarter average chinese didn’t take the bait like what happened in Tiananmun before.
“We need to ensure and encourage free expression and stop any form of self censorship”
wonderfully said. how many blogs like this are prepared to allow for rebuttals and free expression. they only want a punching bag to incite and instigate. try it. many webmasters practise censorship which you don’t get to see . . . you read what they want you to read, albeit some red herrings at times.
June 19th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
[We know Singapore is never an issue in this regard even with the UN or international watchdog. In fact, if one cares to know, this is the most cited excuse whenever an election is over, almost in all democracies.
And surely if anything was irregular the opposition parties & ngos would jump for recourse to the law and OPEN court for the whole world to see, isn't it? BTw, if things could be easily fixed, then Chiam and Low couldn't have won successively, would they? What abt the Lings, Cheos, etc., who won in the past elections. They were in fact thrown out by their own electorates after having them for one term. can only talk but not deliver!]
I think the best is to ask the general public if the field is level when it comes to elections. Especially if you focus on the zoning method, election period, GRC, conditions on candidates, access to media, etc. Sure, there are other countries doing some of that too. Well, don’t we want to be better than them? Why can’t it be a level playing field? My experience (which you may disagree) from discussion with many others is that the field is not level.
[Mind you, any maths student would tell us that a 67% popular vote win would easily form the government let alone a two-thirds majority.
Mind you if dissidents were large as bloggers would have us believe then they would naturally have shown up as high % of “spoilt†or even “invalid†votes assuming that the wards had been “manipulatedâ€. maths is important.]
I actually think 67% is quite a good majority. However, because of the number of walkovers and anomalies in our elections, it is a concern. What more changes are coming? Will it make it more uneven a playing field? More important than just the statistic, it is the science behind how the statistic is collected. Fairness is a key consideration.
[my cable gives me cnn, cctv9, bbc, australian network, etc. foreign press & media are also easily available in singapore. thousands upon thousands of singaporeans travel freely all over the planet almost monthly. how to bluff people? we are not that gullible, are we?]
There is a thin line between real press freedom and an access to many other press agency via controlled channels (such as cable). People do travel and I do too. I again think that the best way is to ask people on the street and see if the majority believes there is real political press freedom. I think the non-political news are generally factual but as with all things political, there is a spin you can put to it. You get to select what to stay silent, etc. Go ahead and ask if there is an unfair amount for the government. I guess I am nervous when all the official media is under the government. Again, my discussions with many others comes to the same conclusion. Case in point, the MSK issue which seemly failed to be critical enough. Who will read the tens and tens of thousands of words (I did with most of teh articles). However, as seen there seemed to be a certain segment that is unhappy with the actions.
[wonderfully said. how many blogs like this are prepared to allow for rebuttals and free expression. they only want a punching bag to incite and instigate. try it. many webmasters practise censorship which you don't get to see . . . you read what they want you to read, albeit some red herrings at times.]
It should be up to the individual to read — even if its censored or false. The more you read, the more you know. You must make up your own mind – not allow someone else (or media) to do it for you. However, we mustn’t think that just because some sites that are not factual, we should stop reading. Just reading from one source is actually a more dangerous scenario.
June 21st, 2008 at 7:11 am
“Case in point, the MSK issue which seemly failed to be critical enough. Who will read the tens and tens of thousands of words (I did with most of teh articles). However, as seen there seemed to be a certain segment that is unhappy with the actions.”
Maybe the media is trying to make up for quality with quantity……
June 25th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Needless discuss much on this case when the Government truly screwed up BIG time by protecting their citizens here.
True examples:
We were on our way downstairs and saw someone using a crowbar, trying open a neighbour’s door. We saw that through the glass on the lift. We called the police and we were told to call again if we see it again?!?!
Law enforcers(Polices in Uniform) did not followed their SOPs, handed over an assumed drunk girl to the rapist who claimed to be her boyfriend?!?! Further making mistakes by telling her she need not go for a medical after she made the report?!?! Further delayed her medical and caused lost of concrete evidences?!?! Insensitive Inspector told her, she should have gone to any hospital, approach to police post there and tell them she is raped, instead of waiting and waiting!?!? Liked she would know what to do at such moment and as if she had been through such ordeal before!?!? Last but not least, on the day before the rapist stand trial, HE ESCAPED!!!!!!!!
Best of all, Media reported 95% twisted truth on the article and did not have the guts to clarify with the victim when confronted. They are supposed to write the truth, isn’t it???
How can such happened?!?! This is not a third world country yet so much wrong is done yet NO ONE bother to be righteous and just on such wrong doings.
This is totally outrageously ridiculous!
June 29th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Hi Dr Catherine Lim,
Do you know Grace Chan Ho Lai (Miss). She was my Primary 6 teacher and she told us that you were once her tutor. She is currently teaching in Qihua Primary School. And Dr. Lim, your book are simply fantastic!!I’ve read Little Ironies, O Singapore!,Humoresque and The Howling Silence. I really admire your style of writing.I’ve recommended my classmates to read them. I like the stories in O Singapore!They really describe the lifestyle of Singaporeans,especially on the story,The Malady and The Cure , which decribes on how public policy clashes with personal life,on an award-winning civil servant, Mr Sai Koh Phan.
Dr Lim, It is simply a pleasure to read your books.
Sean Lim.
P.S If you don’t mind, can you email and clarify about whether you know Ms. Grace Chan??My email is provided, if I’m not wrong
Thanks!
June 30th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Dear Dr. Lim,
First of all, I’d like to thank you. You may not remember this, but more than ten years ago, two teenage friends with the shared ambition of becoming published writers wrote to you asking for advice. You took the time to give a long, handwritten reply which was extremely thoughtful and encouraging. I don’t think I appreciated, then, how rare such engagement and kindness is – but I certainly do now, and I’d like to thank you very much. Sadly I cannot report success in the adolescent adventure as of yet, but perhaps in the future…
Second, I am delighted to see that you describe yourself as a feminist in your “About” page. It’s sadly rare, and needlessly controversial! Together with two other young women, I am working on launching a feminist webzine which focuses on women’s welfare and gender relations in Singapore with an eye also to the region. I was wondering if you would be interested in contributing a piece, or being available for interview, in connection with this zine. I haven’t been able to locate an email address on this website, but if you could get in touch with me at the email address I’ve supplied in the form, I would be very grateful.
Best regards.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
The emotional response was a classic example of taking umbrage due to one’s own inadequate understanding of the English language. A previous example of this same boo-boo was when many in the audience were taken aback by PM Lee Hsien Loong’s use of the Americanism “no brainer”. They thought the PM was labeling them as “stupid”. What a joke.