Wah, we know his credentials from the internet, but do not know he is so formidable. The list is so impressive, that the rest of the PAP newbies would be put to shame upon comparison. A charismatic political leader in the making? A new era is coming? It has been along time.
such comparisons r meaningless when one is reminded how elitism is the practice of PAP and going down this path can only perpetuate the class dichotomy. i tink first a foremost, a leader has to have compassion and the passion to serve. unfortunately, in a capitalist world, such r often brushed aside as fluffy talks. socialism might be the answer, but i'm not sure the world's leaders r ready to embrace a new way of governance. eventually if the scourges of capitalism clearly outweigh its benefits, the day of reckoning will come, but i tink we r still decades away from tat. anyway, like i said, a leader doesn't hv to be exceptionally commercial minded and smart, but compassion comes first and he can be aided by a group of technocrats advising him on healthcare,financial,economics,cultural issues...
I am grateful to Mr Chen Sow Mao for running in the Alternative Party platform. He is incurring a high opportunity cost and some degree of legal risk in his current endeavour.
I've argued long & hard with friends and relatives: There are plenty of non-PAP talents. They are just not "recognized" as talents because they are not "approved" by ... well, you know.
In fact, there are many non-PAP talents besides Mr Chen Show Mao running in GE 2011.
It's just that Mr Chen seems to have become a lightning rod for a certain political party.
Mr Chen is not "Singapore Recognized and Approved" by our self-appointed quality inspectors.
In fact, Mr Chen has on his own merits and effort, achieved international recognition and approval.
This is not supposed to happen. In Singapore, you can only become an "official" talent after you have been spotted, nurtured and groomed by the appropriate people.
You are not supposed to be able to achieve anything worthwhile on your own merit. You are supposed to wait to be "recognized" while volunteering for your grassroots work.
I attribute this to Mr Chen's Taiwanese parents who did not inculcate him with the norms of Singapore society.
I warmly welcome Mr Chen back to Singapore as a Singapore FT (Foreign Talent) who has done his National Service. He is far more deserving of our support than a Foreign FT with no National Service record.
I am not against immigration or foreigners. But it has to be well managed.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a long running debate of western historians.
The Roman Empire was built upon the Roman Army which in the beginning consisted of Roman citizens.
In the final two hundred years of the Empire, a succession of weak emperors were unable to lead the Romans and/or distrusted their own citizens.
And the Roman army gradually became dominated by barbarians (which means Foreigners in Latin).
Another big difference is that Chen's achievement is done sby all his own capability and efforts. Whilst Lee's achievement is supported by someone. Even at this coming election, Lee still needs his 88 years old father's support. That make a big difference.
Chen's credentials outshine every single one of PAP candidates in terms of real life market-driven international corporate experience and success.
But for me, Chen's personal actions speak the loudest. He voluntarily served 2.5 yrs of NS as a PR when he could easily have given up his PR and gone straight to Harvard immediately after A-Levels.
After so much distinction & success as a corporate lawyer, he could have continued to live the exciting and career-rewarding life in Beijing. There's still so many exciting challenges & potentially huge rewards in China going forward. But Chen chose to sacrifice and come back to Singapore to fight for the opportunity to represent the ordinary people.
With his background, Chen could have very easily got into PAP and be virtually assured of easy parachuting into a big-name minister GRC. He would have been fast-tracked into a multi-million dollar minister post just as long as he toed the PAP line. But Chen didn't choose to go this easy route.
As wise old-timers will tell you --- judge people by what they do, not what they say or proclaim.
The day for denying PAP's 2/3rd majority in parliament is near especially with high quality of opposition candidates entering the fray this coming GE. A healthy development for true democracy. Good benefits for the people of Singapore.
Credentials get one an entry ticket but nowhere near the finishing line if it's just papers without works. In the famous Cheng San contest of 1997, JB Jeya and Tang Liang Hong were helming the fight. Few remember who were the rest of that team. Huang Seow Kwang was actually the most academically qualified, a Colombo Plan scholar, who remember?
Wah, we know his credentials from the internet, but do not know he is so formidable.
ReplyDeleteThe list is so impressive, that the rest of the PAP newbies would be put to shame upon comparison.
A charismatic political leader in the making? A new era is coming?
It has been along time.
such comparisons r meaningless when one is reminded how elitism is the practice of PAP and going down this path can only perpetuate the class dichotomy. i tink first a foremost, a leader has to have compassion and the passion to serve. unfortunately, in a capitalist world, such r often brushed aside as fluffy talks. socialism might be the answer, but i'm not sure the world's leaders r ready to embrace a new way of governance. eventually if the scourges of capitalism clearly outweigh its benefits, the day of reckoning will come, but i tink we r still decades away from tat. anyway, like i said, a leader doesn't hv to be exceptionally commercial minded and smart, but compassion comes first and he can be aided by a group of technocrats advising him on healthcare,financial,economics,cultural issues...
ReplyDeleteI am grateful to Mr Chen Sow Mao for running in the Alternative Party platform. He is incurring a high opportunity cost and some degree of legal risk in his current endeavour.
ReplyDeleteI've argued long & hard with friends and relatives:
There are plenty of non-PAP talents. They are just not "recognized" as talents because they are not "approved" by ... well, you know.
In fact, there are many non-PAP talents besides Mr Chen Show Mao running in GE 2011.
It's just that Mr Chen seems to have become a lightning rod for a certain political party.
Mr Chen is not "Singapore Recognized and Approved" by our self-appointed quality inspectors.
In fact, Mr Chen has on his own merits and effort, achieved international recognition and approval.
This is not supposed to happen. In Singapore, you can only become an "official" talent after you have been spotted, nurtured and groomed by the appropriate people.
You are not supposed to be able to achieve anything worthwhile on your own merit. You are supposed to wait to be "recognized" while volunteering for your grassroots work.
I attribute this to Mr Chen's Taiwanese parents who did not inculcate him with the norms of Singapore society.
I warmly welcome Mr Chen back to Singapore as a Singapore FT (Foreign Talent) who has done his National Service. He is far more deserving of our support than a Foreign FT with no National Service record.
I am not against immigration or foreigners. But it has to be well managed.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a long running debate of western historians.
The Roman Empire was built upon the Roman Army which in the beginning consisted of Roman citizens.
In the final two hundred years of the Empire, a succession of weak emperors were unable to lead the Romans and/or distrusted their own citizens.
And the Roman army gradually became dominated by barbarians (which means Foreigners in Latin).
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_the_Roman_Empire
Another big difference is that Chen's achievement is done sby all his own capability and efforts. Whilst Lee's achievement is supported by someone. Even at this coming election, Lee still needs his 88 years old father's support. That make a big difference.
ReplyDeleteChen's credentials outshine every single one of PAP candidates in terms of real life market-driven international corporate experience and success.
ReplyDeleteBut for me, Chen's personal actions speak the loudest. He voluntarily served 2.5 yrs of NS as a PR when he could easily have given up his PR and gone straight to Harvard immediately after A-Levels.
After so much distinction & success as a corporate lawyer, he could have continued to live the exciting and career-rewarding life in Beijing. There's still so many exciting challenges & potentially huge rewards in China going forward. But Chen chose to sacrifice and come back to Singapore to fight for the opportunity to represent the ordinary people.
With his background, Chen could have very easily got into PAP and be virtually assured of easy parachuting into a big-name minister GRC. He would have been fast-tracked into a multi-million dollar minister post just as long as he toed the PAP line. But Chen didn't choose to go this easy route.
As wise old-timers will tell you --- judge people by what they do, not what they say or proclaim.
The day for denying PAP's 2/3rd majority in parliament is near especially with high quality of opposition candidates entering the fray this coming GE. A healthy development for true democracy. Good benefits for the people of Singapore.
ReplyDeleteCredentials get one an entry ticket but nowhere near the finishing line if it's just papers without works. In the famous Cheng San contest of 1997, JB Jeya and Tang Liang Hong were helming the fight. Few remember who were the rest of that team. Huang Seow Kwang was actually the most academically qualified, a Colombo Plan scholar, who remember?
ReplyDelete