Victory for Taiwan!!

I hope it is not too early to say this, but it seems that Ma Ying-Jeou has won the Taiwanese presidential elections, trailing Frank Hsieh only in the Tainan County. The Taiwanese have spoken! They have decided to usher in a new era of progress and prosperity! They have decided to rid themselves of the incompetent government that had led them to nothing but pains and woes for the past 8 years! They have decided to seek justice in their own hands, through their own votes! They have made a resounding war cry that shall resonate for the whole of eternity!

台湾一马当先向前冲！马英九冻蒜！Long Live the KMT!

Taiwan has a future now! Brighter than ever before! Jacky Wu will become richer! What wonderful prospects!

The "One China" Market plan proposed by the KMT definitely sounds better than the ethnic divisions that the DPP had been promoting in the past. As a foreigner, I wish Taiwan all the best. BUT, 青いうち、すてきですね！

Tribute to the KMT! Long live the party and its cadres!

And for the victory tonight, this picture that I have will always remain priceless in my eyes:

Here's re-entering seclusion again! Haha!

My Last Entry for the Semester...

...and so I plan. I will 闭关修炼in the next few weeks to work on my Honours thesis, otherwise I will need to rely upon divine help to complete it on time.

I had received phone calls from Debby and Peggy, as well as greeting cards from Marvin. Thanks for all those thoughts! Here's wishing you all the best of health and luck in the New Year!

Valentine's Day was just over, and I had met enough friends last week to convince myself that most of the single and available around me are actively seeking the special someone in their lives. Good luck to them! Find one soon before your virtues are masked by your looks and wealth in the future, that is, on the basic assumption that all of which will improve in the next few years (with higher income you have the resources to doll yourself up and hence enjoy a better appearance). Those who stick with you when you are at your worst ought to be treasured and loved in kind.

Me? I wear shorts to school. Sometimes I don't shave. I prefer books to humans. Cracking jokes is my forte. I am only serious in my papers. Simply put, I just don't care. I have enough loved ones in my life to feel wholesome. Family and friends. What can be missing?

I am an aspiring academic. And an aspiring hermit.

I need to thank Peggy for helping me gather some of the research materials from Taiwan. She deserves a special mention in my acknowledgement list. My professor has been very kind and helpful too! And nice! Thanks to Jack who has always offered me timely advice when I need it. And to Jacky who has never failed to stress me out to make me see the fallacy of my wishful thinking. Thank You very much to every other person who has assisted me in one way or another. A more comprehensive list will appear in my thesis, if I ever get it done on time.

I shall camp at libraries. I shall sleep in campus. I shall feast my eyes on books and papers. I will do anything to complete the thesis. Never underestimate the willpower of a Taurean. But sometimes I do doubt my own intellectual ability. I hope everything works out fine.

On 15 February 1942, the worst capitulation of the British in Japanese hands occurred in Singapore. 66 years later, I make a vow to avoid that of my life.

China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Turkey. See you in my dreams.

Omniscience to my transient life!

现实

已经看透人生、目空一切，
却仍未看破红尘。
遥想过去，只剩现在，现在又走了。
若见故友，未来虚度，说我也将来。

Jacky Wu and his variety shows

I have an idol named Jacky Wu. He currently hosts many variety shows in both Taiwan and mainland China. Occasionally, he directs a few films and cuts a few albums, both of which he has not done in recent years. How is he able to cope with such a heavy workload, traveling from place to place and having to transit in Hong Kong without direct flights across the Straits?

Jacky Wu has emphasized the "Three No's" principle for his variety shows: No rehearsal, No script and No re-take. The viewer has to accept whatever he does or says without NG. This endows his shows with the vibrancy and wit unseen in our local media. Everything has become so impromptu, so real, and most certainly unpretentious. I was in a live recording of his "Guess" show 2 years ago, and the entire process lasted for merely 1 hour for a 2-hour telecast. Yet, with a huge viewership, it is obvious that the quality and entertainment value of his shows are not at all compromised.

I met up with a Taiwanese senior during the New Year. She has a friend who is a Taiwanse-born TV compere working in our one and only media station. Her friend mentioned that it is stifling working in an environment filled with scripts and forced expressions. Unnatural.

My professor appeared in the papers a couple of weeks ago. Some of us had commented that the photos of him looked "fake": my professor was featured reading a book and apparently in deep thought. The photographer should have done something better, like capturing him when he was speaking to the reporter perhaps?

We live in a pretentious world. 也罢，这世界本来就是虚假、虚幻的，只是现在才察觉到。也不算太晚，知道总比麻木好。I need a respite. As soon as I am done with my Thesis, 我就会到那我熟悉和那熟悉我的国度去，独自过着自在和悠闲的生活: 起码要待上一个多月，必定允诺。我就是这副贱骨头，对那封存已久的境与事总是难以释怀。

哭也一天，笑也一天，干脆逢场作戏过一天。笑一笑，就过去了。

We are all a product of our memories and experiences. Without a future to look forward to, I have my memories to fall back on. Back to square one. For eternity. For nothing, if eternity is transient.

Unfair World

How can we claim that the world is rosy when as high as 50%, if not higher, of the world's population are suffering from famine and poverty? Doesn't it prove the Buddhist notion that life is an endless cycle of suffering （苦海无涯）?

A world of CEOs and presidents is unthinkable, and undoubtedly impossible. If I am not mistaken, about 40% of the secondary school students in Singapore fall under the Normal stream. Unbelievable? Unfair? This sounds logical given the disproportional number of independent/SAP schools compared to that of neighbourhood ones.

“大智若愚”，才是终极智慧，才不会自取其辱。

I am not bright, so I always prefer people to tell me the truth upfront to them being discreet and mindful of what they say. Why bother making suggestions and telling me things that you have no intention of fulfilling? All our feelings would have been hurt. To err is human, and I am a mere mortal. Please criticize me upfront if I fall short of your expectations.

I am a practical idealist. Sounds oxymoronic eh? I have my crazy ideals, but I know that my survival in the society fully depends on how I play the game of life. Although I don't dislike society, I have always wanted to leave it and enter reclusion. I will still work my guts out if need be, but given an opportunity, I would rather lead my own kind of lifestyle and forgo the dreams and riches that life has promised to offer.

Anyway, keep your spirits high! Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year 2008!

Wacky Jacky and his Taiwan Desk would like to wish everyone a very Happy Lunar New Year! Thank You for accompanying him through a significant part of his life-the transition from carefree student to prospective working adult. Here's yet another year away from freedom and innocence, into a future of hopes and dreams.

I wonder if babies born in the Year of the Pig will enjoy good luck in the coming year. Superstition perhaps, but it is always welcoming (at least to me) to make your future seem more predictable according to the stars and signs.

I appreciate your SMSes of well wishes, dear friends!

Thanks too to Peggy and Marvin for their overseas greetings!

在此恭祝各界同仁新年快乐、身强体健、永保安康！

Global Warming

I saw my comment appear on Lianhe Zaobao dated 5 February 2008. I had commented on the use and payment of 10 cents for plastic bags in the NUS Co-Op bookstore. I supported the new policy, adding that it would promote the practice of bringing bags out for shopping.

I think we have to start somewhere. I can almost imagine that the air-conditioned nation of Singapore will contribute to and fall into what I coin a "heat cycle". Imagine this: the weather gets hotter by the day, and to make ourselves feel more comfortable we switch on the air-conditioners at higher blast. The engines and turbines with the CFCs emitted will then add onto the amount of greenhouse gases that the atmosphere has already contained. Thus hotter weather. Until we turn the air-conditioners onto full blast. Finally, the situation will reach a stage whereby no level of technology can sustain us and we shall suffer from our own un-doings.

We are already feeling the heat ourselves, so we need no Al Gore and his An Inconvenient Truth to tell us what we should already know. Let's begin bit by bit, starting from ourselves!

What is Civilization?

This is a chim question. I also don't know. I Chinese educated one. But in my words I think civilization is this: “穿着光鲜的衣裳，进行原始的搏斗”. Times may change, history may change, but human nature remains the same lah.

I heard they changing the bus and train system leh. For the better. I also think must change. During the off-peak hours, the frequency all freaky low. The bus-stop got people but bus bay bor bus. Once I wait for 20 minutes and a guy who reach the bus-stop before me still there waiting. 等你等到我心痛！等你等到没有梦！Why 没有梦？Completely lost hope, 没有梦想了！Now I see a bit of hope.

Then sometimes, I think my arm too short to be seen, the bus never stop! Then I take train, peak hours, jialat man. I too puny to wrestle in, so wait for about 3 trains then can squeeze in you know. People in the carriage think that standing at the entrance easy for the 财神爷to see them, so all crowd there. You think everyone alight at Woodlands or Boon Lay meh? Of course I know most people will drop off soon, but be considerate and move in for others to board lah. Even I can understand the announcement on air leh.

The taxi, bus and train system all change at one go, wrong lah. Must be gradual and one at a time. Now the transport system improve to discourage people from buying car, but first step to change the cab fare wrong liao. Now those used-to-take-taxi people change to taking bus and train, when the bus and train cannot tahan the new crowd! Why? This means we still don't have world-class transport system! And we always have to pay world-class fares! How can when we are even worse than Taiwan (the "last" of the Asian Tigers) in this aspect? Aiyah, don't know lah.

Monetized economy: everything calculate in relative gains and profit margins. When got LRT and NEL, bus services gone to make people use the new installations. Our convenience compromised. Like this civilized meh? Aiyah, I also don't know lah.

I don't know how to use nice-sounding words to explain things. I only know how to drink kopi and talk cock. Paiseh hor.

Crazy World

It's total madness at NUS. The Arts students of last semester require a SAP of 4.9 to qualify for Dean's List! The names of my friends "traditionally" "parked" on the list disappear, replaced by a whole chunk of new ones. I think our juniors are very very smart, a mighty force to be reckoned with in the last bell curves that we will experience at NUS.

Being Humble

...is a virtue. And especially held in awe and esteem by the Chinese. “虚心”is the Chinese translation of being humble, but it literally refers to a "void heart". In order to be humble, you have to clear your heart of all bias, knowledge, presumption and misconceptions. This is why sometimes it is easier to learn something from scratch and not at mid-way. Without the implicit distractions that can unleash the best tamed hearts into a world of arrogance and deceit, we can all be humble at heart and learn to accept and see things the way they are. Being humble is never too easy, so it is a virtue to be attained only at great cost and effort.

Why bother filling your life up with fame and glory, when all hearts ought to be void to enjoy the best from life? Being humble allows us to empathize and understand others and things from their perspectives, alleviating ourselves of the agony or hatred that stem from despising or discriminating against certain individuals. We always feel a constant, inevitable sense of inadequacy. Nothing is ever enough, nor is anything enough to satisfy our lust for more. The perceived lack of things spurs us on to pursue better looks, smarter brains and greater wealth, all of which may prove unimportant when we recall upon our lives at twilight. I had almost forgotten how sad I was at Secondary 2 when I scored 0 for my Technical Studies.

“由简入奢易，由奢入间难”。It is hard for the rich and affluent not to be arrogant, but it is harder for them to remain happy in poverty.

Success

What is success? Success is the ability to do the things you like at the highest level possible. One of my friends Tenghui wants to be successful. Please visit the following website to help him succeed in life: http://www.petalsandco.com.sg/

I am never an elitist. When I mean we should attain knowledge, "we" refers to the highly educated people of our kind, such as diploma holders and undergraduates. Those who face problems or struggling with their livelihood do not have the means to acquire knowledge and I can understand that. We do, so we should. Of course, knowledge does not necessarily mean success, but it can be an instrumental element.

I finally found something that I dislike most about people. I hate it when people refuse to reply to my SMSes. It shows the degree of respect the expected respondent has for me. Unless they are overseas or have really valid reasons, I will be the petty soul to ignore their SMSes if they ever text me. These people can succeed in ruining my day.

There are only a few corporations that are successful in the world. These corporations are known as the MNCs. Some of you may have already known this, but at the risk of repeating the obvious allow me to list a few of them here:

Close your eyes if you are in the supermarket looking for your favourite shampoo. I can bet with you at 95% confidence level that they belong to either Procter and Gamble or Unilever.

Just when you think that all Hollywood films are owned and distributed by the Americans, Sony from Japan holds Columbia and Tristar Pictures. Sony also owns our playthings such as PSB, Playstation, my Jacky Wu's SonyBMG, Sony Ericsson, and a truckload of electronic products.

Other than MacDonald's, most of the other fast-food chains that we come across belong to Yum! Brands, a spin-off from PepsiCo. Examples of which are KFC, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's.

As for our automobiles, don't be deceived by the wide variety of brand names that we may see. For one, Volkswagen owns Audi and Lamborghini, amongst many others. Ford owns Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover and many others. General Motors owns Opel, Saab and others. My list is not exhaustive; it can get very long.

Nestle is another giant. Most of the dairy products and ice-cream that we can buy at the market are somehow linked to Nestle, including Milo and Haagen-Daz.

We had a corporatized media industry. How corporatized was it? What about our cabs too?

We have some homegrown brands that I am especially fond of.

Sakae Sushi: Non-drinkers will actually prefer sake to sushi on the conveyor belt.

Shilin Delights: It is delightful to know that the authentic snacks remain in Shilin.

Thai Express: An express way to get depressed over Thai food.

I think they should stop multiplying in branches and numbing our taste-buds.

Having done so, it will be a success!

我的生活心得

于丹在中国中央电视台上的百家讲坛之“《论语》心得”，前阵子在中国热播并得到巨大回响，各界褒贬不一，尤以来自学术界的批判较为引人注目。我倒觉得于丹的诠释虽然只能够代表她自己的理解和看法，但也不失为以一种深入浅出的方式，把古代圣贤的精深道理融会贯通，使之通俗易懂，让普罗大众也能够通过她的讲解得到一些启示。我就肤浅点，对于《论语》只有以下的浅解：

孔子的中心思想的确是“仁”，其表现是：“己欲立而立人，己欲达而达人”和“己所不欲，勿施于人”。“仁”就是“爱人”，就这么简单。“智”就是“知人”，也就这么简单。“忠”、“孝”、“礼”、“义”都是“爱人”的表现，此乃建筑在“知人”的层面上。

凡事都需要“将心比心”。

"Don't do unto others what you won't want others to do unto you".

大家自幼学习，得到了一箩筐的知识：上通天文、下知地理。但是，人们往往欠缺的就是运用知识的“大智慧”。试想想：单单在一年里，遍布在全世界的各所大学就培育出数以万计的毕业生，为何真正成为the likes of Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking, Richard Feynman 的人却屈指可数呢？显然的，大学文凭只能作为我们事业上的踏脚石，而世界上的顶尖人物都不只局限于自己的专业里。In fact, to a fair extent, EQ works on the premise that you know what the others do and how the others feel. It is different from empathy because all you need to acquire is knowledge and not a floodgate of feelings. And when I mean knowledge I mean DIVERSE knowledge. Knowledgeable so to speak. This is my own interpretation of EQ. If EQ is indeed an essential quality to succeed, then human relationships should form the bedrock of our lives.

I was attending a Japanese lecture last week when the teacher asked if we know who the person in her picture is. She was surprised by the silence that we all shared, assuming that we know a lot as undergraduates. I didn't want to play the hero to answer her; I was too shy in a 100-student crowd. Only a small number of us know who the person is (at least I thought it was obvious), as most of the heads shook profusely in reply to the teacher. The person is Yasuo Fukuda, the current Prime Minister of Japan. Sigh, 我们真的活在一个知识贫乏的时代。In another lesson, people could not identify the flag of Finland even when they are using Nokia mobile phones. The lack of time should never be an excuse for a corresponding lack of knowledge. A lack of interest, perhaps?

Obviously, however, I won't succeed, although my definition of success is merely living within my own means. I am an aspiring hermit, whose life will rest upon the tranquility attained from a lack of bonds and relationships.

The Singapore Walker

I have become the Singapore Walker. I have toured much of Singapore in the past few weeks, visiting temples and interviewing priests and devotees alike. I find myself increasingly detached from my own social circle, having talked to more strangers than friends during those weeks. These strangers are whom I regard as "transient friends", and I enjoy the conservations that I have with them. I am comfortable with such a lifestyle. There is no emotional burden, and I don't need to offer anything or hope to be reciprocated in kind. It is free for me and free for all as well.

One afternoon, I was on a bus bound for Jurong East when a group of "rowdy" students boarded it. As if to fit the common stereotype of neighbourhood students, they chunkled and chattered on the bus in obvious disregard of other passengers. The bus was approaching a halt at a bus-stop when two of them ran towards a man who was making his way down the stairs. One boy handed the man a wallet, which belongs to the latter. Most of the passengers who witnessed this scene were markedly impressed by this simple act of honesty and integrity. Therefore, "never judge a book by its cover!"

On another day, I was in Changi Village when I became thirsty and tired and had to stop for a rest near a jetty. I bought ice-cream from a roadside vendor, who was accompanied by his wife. They are a kind couple, and I talked to them for about half an hour. It was a pleasant conversation that spanned from how the DJ Zhou Chongqing broke a leg after biking on Pulau Ubin to why some bicycle tracks in Singapore are unsafe. When I had to go to the washroom, they offered to look after my stuff (which included my wallet and laptop), so I went and took my own sweet time at the loo, enjoying the trust that I had in them. I parted ways with them when a new shipment of returnees, their prospective patrons, arrived from Pulau Ubin.

I need to thank my professors for the time that I am having these days. They are always so kind and patient with me. I don't have to file progress reports, and there is mutual trust and understanding between us. Of course, I cannot rely only on their generosity and kindness to complete my ethnographic data. I have to count on my diligence and, more importantly, passion.

It seems to me, especially so in recent weeks, that research has to be fuelled by passion. The mere prospect of becoming a professor and earning fat paychecks cannot sustain any researcher on the long run. The fieldwork and research that I commit myself to has allowed me to rehearse and prepare for the kind of life that I may lead in the next decades and in retirement as well. I will need to work alone, be innovative in my research topics, squeeze my creative juices dry, be hardworking, and survive a lifestyle surrounded by strangers. I possess the calibre of a hermit, and I am well-aware of it.

Rags and Riches

Deng Xiaoping had once mentioned that a small fraction of the population needs to be rich before the rest can be better off. Following such rhetoric, leaders such as Suharto and Peru's Fujimori have succeeded to a fair extent, but cronyism and corruption may indeed blur the distinction between national reserves and personal coffers. In any case, an economic disparity may seem like a social injustice, but it allows a domestic economic base to be built up and acted upon by the less affluent citizens in the long run, instead of exposing the whole population to the poverty cycle. However, if the income inequality gap continues to widen at the growing expense of the poor for decades, then it cannot be justified and ought to be eliminated. Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe (infamous for its 1-million % hyper-inflation rate) belong to this undesirable category, alongside with the failed states of Afganistan and Somalia.

I was in Taiwan in 2006, and although the island has been experiencing an economic downturn for the past 8 years, I did not see a significant drop in the Taiwanese standard of living. Conventional media coverage has always sensationalized Taiwanese politics, making Taiwan seem like a haven of chaos and mess. In actual fact, Taiwan has operated on a term which I coin “乱中有序”. The politicians may be fighting with their guts out, but the bureaucrats are still performing at the implementation level.

On a sentimental note, I like Taiwan. I dedicate this blog to it.

Death of Suharto

Although it should not come as a surprise, Suharto's death ought to be lamented and regretted upon. While it may be true that there was autocracy, corruption, political purges and prosecution of the Chinese during his reign, Suharto had undoubtedly brought prosperity and stability to Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region. Indonesia was once one of the richest and most economically viable country in the region, alongside with Myanmar and the Philippines. However, it was led by Sukarno and economic growth slowed for nearly 2 decades before Suharto overthrew him in 1966. Industrialization and modernization arrived in Indonesia with massive influx of foreign capital and domestic collaboration with the affluent Chinese magnates. Compare Indonesia with Newin's Myanmar and Marcos' Philippines and you will understand what I mean here. Politically, Suharto contributed greatly to regional stability when he ended the "Konfrontasi" and forged stronger ties with the ASEAN member states. His death deserves a week of mourning from the Indonesians.

This reminds me of a common flaw in the arguments made by Chinese historians with regards to the dynastic cycle. It has been a convenient excuse and explanation for Chinese historians to attribute the fall of a dynasty to corruption and decay. This is so superficial and being too simplistic. We need more research and better claims here. While a degree of extent lingers, there was and is corruption everywhere in every place. For instance, many people think that China suffered from humiliation by the foreign imperialist powers in the late nineteenth century because the Qing court was incapable, useless and most importantly in this context, corrupt. However, the fall of the Qing Dynasty proved to be a worse disaster for China, which succumbed to incessant warfare between the powerful warlords across the country. In fact, a little known fact is that Qing China used to possess one of the most powerful navies in the world, known as the Beiyang fleet which had unfortunately faced its destruction in the hands of the Japanese in the first Sino-Japanese War. A lack of armaments and gunpower in favour of grand celebrations and a marble ship for Empress Dowager Cixi's 60th birthday was the main cause. In addition, many Western scholars have pointed out that the economic productivity of Qing China in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was on par with many of the strongest European nations, and at its peak even with the United Kingdom. Corruption and decay should never be used unilaterally in explaining the fall of dynasties and empires.

Similarly, I don't see that Indonesia has become any better without Suharto's rule. Economic mismanagement, rampant corruption and a general lack of confidence in foreign investors continue to plague the country, although the situation has picked up in recent years.

Having said so much here, I believe that Suharto's flaws should be forgiven and forgotten. This is what I, an interested foreigner, choose to believe in.

世界与我

这世界是空虚的
几亿个陌生的人
认识的就这么多
少了你我也没差

想用笑声来伪装失落的心情
总在人群中是个爱说笑的人
可是我是个别人爱不到的人
我已封闭感情，不配爱人与被爱

这世界要被摧毁，濒临毁灭了吗？
我独自在大气层外围，想要挣脱地球的轨道
失去一切重力的烦恼，把全部的全部都抛掉
梦一场
空一场
痛一场

无所谓
就敷衍走一回
再潇洒走一回
不枉此生

Notice Board

My dear friend Tips needs to complete his thesis by compiling data from an e-questionnaire. Please follow this link http://personal1198060194.bipvinsingapore.sgizmo.com/ and help him fulfill his required quota of respondents.

When you have the time, please visit the website http://blog.omy.sg/ming to know more about the world around us in Mandarin. We all need to be more knowledgeable these days.

I had just returned from the Lorong Koo Chye Sheng Hong Temple. I interviewed a friendly Taoist priest who had patiently answered all my queries within an hour. I must thank him in the acknowledgement page of my Honours thesis.

In addition, I saw The Flying Dutchman in SingPost @ Paya Lebar. And to build on such coincidence, I saw Pornsak at a MacDonald's outlet in Toa Payoh. If only I can strike lottery as easily in the Singapore Pools. My dream is to purchase property in the outskirts of Taipei, on the beautiful island of Formosa! I will donate the rest of whatever I win to charitable causes. As a devout Buddhist, what is wealth and fortune to me anyway? Ultimately, I hope to retire as a hermit on Yangmingshan.

It's been a year, but I still miss my Taiwanese friends, as well as the foreign ones such as Francoise, Hisashi, Marvin, Shingo and Yasushi. I hope that they have been getting on fine.

Reservations about some issues

If only Taiwan politics is part of my research. I just realize that I have been too optimistic about the KMT chances of winning the impending presidential election. The ratio of seats won by the KMT with respect to the DPP may seem impressive, but in effect it is translated to a tight 60% is to 40% of the total vote count, and the actual turnout at the polls was a mere 58% of the whole electorate. What this means is that there is always a chance for the DPP to revive itself and perhaps win the next election, as there are still many staunch "green" voters around to act as its ballast. Moreover, as high as 40% of the population have yet to decide on whom to support. A close fight between Ma Ying-Jeou and Frank Hsieh is expected, and I obviously support the former candidate.

To bring today's post to something relevant to home, I realize that Singapore has become increasingly crowded with each passing year. Overpopulated so to speak. This was not so just a few years ago. The streets of Singapore, be them within town or outside, were usually devoid of people, who were either at work or at least indoors at home. This has ceased to be the case. The most obvious example would be the packed trains that we experience all day round. Whether it is in a lazy afternoon or the peak hours at dawn and at dusk, we see streams of commuters flooding the MRT stations from all directions, led by the busy escalators that transport them. All of us instantly become packed sardines who have to bear with slamming our faces in the windows and jostling with the unduly crowd just to make an exit or entrance. Chaos is an apt word to describe these scenes.

I wonder if I can attribute the train phenomena to the cab fare hikes, which may have forced many people to opt for the MRT instead of the taxi. Or maybe we have been overwhelmed by the huge influx of foreigners that our small nation cannot accommodate, and that our infrastructure and transport system have failed to serve adequately. If I'm not gravely mistaken, Singapore's population has doubled in the past 2 decades, not taking into account the substantial number of foreigners who study and work here on long-term tenures. I'm not saying that we should be xenophobic, but we have to improve various aspects of our current structure before accepting the many many talents from all over the world.

For one, it is a disgrace to see zig-zag lines formed by our commuters at the escalators. I have been a frequent traveler to Hong Kong and Taiwan, and be it the MTR or the Taipei Subway, I can always see a distinct "keep left" attitude in the commuters who allow those in a rush to move up faster at the right. Here in Singapore, there is NEVER a left line of people, even when the overhead panel indicates "1 min" to the next arriving train. Then the poor folks who read the notice and yet miss the train due to the inconsideration of others will have to lament on their bad luck, looking at the screen that runs the same capitalist commercials over and over again. Movie thrillers, recurring songs......

Sometimes all it takes is a little empathy from all of us to make life work better for others. It is never too late to take a small step forward towards building a gracious society.

Support the KMT!

Taiwan politics should be none of my concern. However, it is where my interest lies in. Most of the papers that I had written for my Political Science and Public Policy modules were on Taiwan politics and how Taiwan can seek survival space in global politics. I am not an advocate of Taiwan independence, but I am a supporter of the status quo in the Taiwan Straits.

Moreover, on a more selfish note, I had a picture taken with Ma Ying-Jeou in 2006, and I hope that the picture will value-add itself if he is elected as the President of the Republic of China later this year. :) In fact, I was elated when I first heard that the KMT landslide victory at the polls for seats at the Legislature Yuan. A hefty 81:27! That's 3 to the power of 4 versus 3 of 3! Splendid!

However, Nobel-laureate and former head of the Academia Sinica (the think tank of Taiwan) Lee Yuan Tseh had just voiced his support for DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, saying that there is a need to counter KMT's political power in the Legislature Yuan with a DPP president. I am sure that he has his reasons for suggesting that, but it is pointless in having a "lame duck" president who cannot pass a law or policy without a face-off with an omni-powerful opposition party. The ensuing result can either be potential chaos that will threaten to erupt anytime or political crises that will undermine the efficiency of any decent government. A strong president and a strong party on a cooperative platform are instrumental to putting in place successful directives and implementing them. Of course, I am not an enthusiast of autocracy or despotism. However, I believe that the Taiwanese electorate is mature enough to vote the KMT out if the party fails to perform after its 4-year mandate in 2011. In any case, Taiwan cannot afford an unstable government, not even a coalition of sorts. It is sad to see that the former lead wagon of the "Four Asian Tigers" has now taken a back seat.

The Taiwanese people do not display any form of political apathy, and they know exactly what they are doing. The political atmosphere there exudes an attractive kind of vibrancy that is little seen elsewhere in Asia. The KMT has witnessed sweeping changes in the past decade, and it is no longer an icon for "black money". The Taiwanese electorate should allow the revamped party a chance to redeem itself and serve the people once more.

I look forward to visiting my beautiful Formosa later this year. To a blue-governed one that is.

It's not such a Grim World after all

Most people are nice. Even if they seem mean or nasty at times, it must be an undeniable fact that their hearts are kind. I saw that when I stood at road junctions to sell "flag stickers" for charitable organizations. Some looked angry and fierce, but they would stop over to buy one. I also saw that when I appealed for help from friends. One notable example was my first academic talk in school late last year. Friends who are obviously not interested in the topic would still make an attempt to turn up when I told them of the low turnout that I was expected to enjoy. Even those friends whom I had not kept in touch with for ages came to give me their support. "A friend in need is a friend indeed". "Everyone within the Four Seas is a friend". So, don't lose faith in your own kind nature!