Overdrive

Ok, so the Lee Hsien Loong PR campaign is in overdrive. I know he came from Cat. High. That's my old school and we have his picture up along with all the other President's Scholars we've produced over the years (not surprisingly hsien yang is also up there). I'm a legacy, or so the Americans would call it. My dad went to Cat High and was deeply influenced by his time there. And so it was with me.

If a school would determine what kind of person you'd turn out to be, I'd say LHL would be much like most of the other Cat. High boys. Well he was probably one of the S class boys (SAP). I mean us E class boys were always rowdy, less conformist, and definitely knew how to have fun and get in trouble. I imagine LHL to be one of the goody-two-shoes S class boys, who were mischievous now and then (all boys are), but generally laid low and gave no trouble. Ah... I remember those days... Do not ever wash your hands with the "soap" from the soap dispensers at the Secondary school side. There used to be a tradition of pissing into the thing.

The BBC gives its own take on things. Interestingly enough the Harvard Club speech was one on increasing the role of civil society which J. Gomez touches on (see below). Also the Harvard Club is coming up with a book on their many years of involvement as a civil society actor. This I heard from a reliable source (the editor of the book).

Indonesia also weighs in on the handover in Singapore, and just like the Malaysians, they think we'll get along just fine. It seems LHL has been on a charm offensive, maybe there's a side to him that we're not seeing (must fight brain washing... Ugh...). But there is a good phrase that must be quoted:

However, in spite of its successes in creating a developed and modern society,
Lee himself can take a few lessons from Indonesia in developing a more
politically open system. Fate will intervene, and at some juncture Singapore
will have to undergo its own transformation whether billed as reform or
revolution.

Maybe we really could learn a few tricks form the more democratic Indonesia, just as the author mentioned they could learn from us. Talk about creating an ASEAN Cultural Community.

The Economist (if you haven't figured by now, my favorite newspaper) also has a few things to say about the handover.

James Gomez has produced two interesting articles (one by him and another by David M. Jones) on the Singaporean "democracy" and Singapore as "home."

On the Taiwan - China issue, the Taiwanese have begun either a scare campaign or have realized that they're in deep s*^t when it come to war with China. Also beware the rise of a new Imperial Japan. Don't think just because they make great anime and have interesting fashion sense (plus good milk tea), they won't rise again to fight a war. Between China and Japan, I don't know if Southeast Asia will survive. Remember that the land of the Rising Sun is also the land of the soiled school girl panties (banned because they're unsanitary and not because it is somewhat perverted) and chopped off heads (which the Japanese denied ever happened in Nanjing).

China has pooh poohed the idea that Taiwan's 12th attempt into being admitted into the UN would succeed. When Red China was excluded of the UN, it never really tried as hard as Blue China is today.

In Indonesia, there is a changing attitude towards Indonesians of Chinese descent. There was a time when they were held in suspect for uncertain loyalties towards Indonesia, but with the peaceful rise of China, and the Indon Chinese showing much more pride in their home, I think it is safe to say that the issue of being Chinese will slowly fade away.

Oh by the way, several countries are having their National Day too. Malaysia's will be on the 31 August. Indonesia' on the 17 August. Pakistan's on the 14 August and India's on the 15 August. August is a good month for independence.