whats your story?
There is something odd going on in the blogosphere.
The story is this.
Two weeks ago, someone leaked a story of a 2nd Lt, who happened to be the Prime Minister's son, in a discussion forum known as Hardwarezone.
The discussion thread was deleted.
No explanations were given then. No explanation exists now. No one knows why the discussion was deleted. No one knows what happened to the forummer who leaked the story.
Another discussion thread in SgForums, on the same topic, was deleted too. No one knows why. No explanations. (Explained by CelluloidReality, a mundane replication post deletion thankfully)
The story is this.
Two weeks ago, someone leaked a story of a 2nd Lt, who happened to be the Prime Minister's son, in a discussion forum known as Hardwarezone.
The discussion thread was deleted.
No explanations were given then. No explanation exists now. No one knows why the discussion was deleted. No one knows what happened to the forummer who leaked the story.
An archaelogy of deletions. Very Singapore indeed.
Bury it. I won't let you bury it. I won't let you smother it ...
There is a very cute discussion thread in EDMW, a spin-off discussion forum from HWZ following the latter's acquisition by SPH. The title is "top secret news deleted" or something like that. Here, the forummers talk about the story in a way that is very funny.
Then, there is a blog entry by a SPH journalist on this story. The journalist cites the above story, but highlights the issue of discussion deletions. He suggest a little on the climate of fear and information suppression.
Fairly ironic.
Then, his blog entry gets cited in various forums and websites.
Everyone in Sg cyberspace is looking for this delicious e-mail written by the 2nd Lt.
Then, the e-mail appears, with names and details blanked out, in the comments of a Tomorrow.sg post on the blog entry by the SPH journalist.
Then, the very next day, Straits Times and CNA publish reports of the story of a 2nd Lt, who happened to be the Prime Minister's son, charged by Mindef for insubordination.
The news reports also highlight the reason why he is charged.
The reports also cite in factual terms what happened to those protaganists in that delicious e-mail written by the 2nd Lt.
The news reports give closure to the problem mentioned in the e-mail written by the 2nd Lt.
Problem solved, done and dusted. The errant are punished. Fair and square.
With the news reports, the blogosphere gets all buzzed. Even Rockson is awakened from his hiatus.
Some say the 2nd Lt is a hero. Fighting the system, fighting for his men.
Some say the 2nd Lt is a zero, a spoilt brat, bypassing command chains, disrespecting the officers' corps.
Others pat their own backs. Claiming the "power" of alternative media, of the Internet.
Maybe there is another story residing in this story of the 2nd Lt.
Maybe the story is about HWZ and what happened there.
Maybe the story is why the story was deleted first.
Then, there is a blog entry by a SPH journalist on this story. The journalist cites the above story, but highlights the issue of discussion deletions. He suggest a little on the climate of fear and information suppression.
Fairly ironic.
Then, his blog entry gets cited in various forums and websites.
Everyone in Sg cyberspace is looking for this delicious e-mail written by the 2nd Lt.
Then, the e-mail appears, with names and details blanked out, in the comments of a Tomorrow.sg post on the blog entry by the SPH journalist.
Then, the very next day, Straits Times and CNA publish reports of the story of a 2nd Lt, who happened to be the Prime Minister's son, charged by Mindef for insubordination.
The news reports also highlight the reason why he is charged.
The reports also cite in factual terms what happened to those protaganists in that delicious e-mail written by the 2nd Lt.
The news reports give closure to the problem mentioned in the e-mail written by the 2nd Lt.
Problem solved, done and dusted. The errant are punished. Fair and square.
With the news reports, the blogosphere gets all buzzed. Even Rockson is awakened from his hiatus.
Some say the 2nd Lt is a hero. Fighting the system, fighting for his men.
Some say the 2nd Lt is a zero, a spoilt brat, bypassing command chains, disrespecting the officers' corps.
Others pat their own backs. Claiming the "power" of alternative media, of the Internet.
Maybe there is another story residing in this story of the 2nd Lt.
Maybe the story is about HWZ and what happened there.
Maybe the story is why the story was deleted first.
Quote of the Day -
"Learn their needs, and they'll dance to any fuckin tune you play ..."
-- DBC Pierre, Vernon God Little
posted by xenoboysg at 9:30 AM
17 Comments:
Very sharp xenoboy. Excellent point made. The real story is not the complaint but how the system pussy-foots around the story. How did the delicacy (of movement) come about? One can only speculate that MICA was working overtime haha.
fucking A analysis
muse rulez
someone pressed the button and activated the whole gov machinery. The spin doctors were definitely hard at work.
There is alway a beginning. What happens to the beginning?
I don't know about the HWZ incident. But the SGForums thread is still there.
There was one thread that was locked because it was a direct duplicate of that initial thread.
No conspiracy theories there I'm afraid.
Lee Kuan Yew said recently the relationship between Malaysia and Singapore has not always been smooth sailing, and so investing in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) may not always be smooth sailing for Singaporean companies.
This is simply a statement of fact that nevertheless appears to have gotten local Umno leaders into a tizzy.
Every local Umno politician hopes to be in a position to be approving investment flows into the country because to stand as gatekeeper is a very lucrative position, and when public squabbles erupt between Umno politicians about who is the better "protector of malay privileges and rights", it usually means someone just wants a bigger cut of the investment action for himself.
Nevertheless the relentless demonisation campaign in the malay vernacular press for the last 50 years by Umno has been such a tremendous success that new investments into Malaysia that would benefit huge numbers of the malay Muslim masses with development and job are nevertheless seen by the malay Muslim community with jaundiced eyes whilst fabulously corrupt and rich malay Muslim Umno parasites who insist on their extortionate cut of the action or else block further investment inflows into the country are seen as heroes, and that have "mempertahankan maruah".
Go figure that one.
Of course, the relationship between Malaysia and Singapore is special because of the race relations issue.
Every time the question of Singaporeans investing anywhere in Malaysia is brought up, there are inevitable cries of indignation by Umno wannabes performing a 'wayang kulit' about Malaysia being exploited by its Chinese neighbour. This is a recurring knee-jerk reaction that defies logic but the lesson here should be one must never underestimate the effectiveness of relentlessly toxic racial and religious propaganda.
Singapore has been the favourite whipping boy of the Umno-controlled malay vernacular press for the last 50 years, and if anything are seen as even bigger devils than the local Chinese and Indian citizens of Malaysia in the eyes of Malaysia's malay Muslims.
The fact is Singapore's development model has meant that Singapore's malays are far better educated, far better equipped, far better paid, far more self-confident, and self-reliant to deal with globalisation than malay Muslims in Malaysia.
This makes Ketuanan Melayu, the malay Agenda, and the NEP look like failed racist apartheid policies that have impoverished everyone except Umno cronies.
Of course, Umno must demonise Singapore to maintain the illusion that Umno politicians are nationalists and not parasites, and more so if Singapore happens to be better educated, meritocratic, richer, and safer than Malaysia.
Malay Muslims in Malaysia have been brainwashed by Umno for the last 50 years into thinking that the Chinese and Indians both Malaysians and Singaporeans have gotten rich at their expense, and this perception probably won't change anytime soon because Umno does not have another elections winning formula if it dumps the present demonisation formulas.
Every time Singapore's first world achievements are compared with the sluggish technological, competitiveness, economic, educational, professional, scientific, and social standard in apartheid Malaysia, there is the predictable keris waving, baying for blood, and frothing at the mouth in every Umno up and down the country in Malaysia
Although Chinese and Indian Malaysians have simply accepted the gross racial discrimination in business, education, and job as a fact of life in Malaysia, the non-apartheid non-NEP meritocratic Singaporean mindset may not have the stomach for this particular type of nonsense in the IDR.
I think Lee Kuan Yew is way too smart to think the demonisation process of the Chinese and Indians in the Umno-controlled malay vernacular press is going to stop anytime soon. How else is Umno going to win elections except by continuing to perpetrate the lie that the orang asing minorities in Malaysia are a threat to the malays?
Nevertheless Lee Kuan Yew may be hoping Chinese and Indian Singaporean investors will not be discriminated against in the IDR in comparison with investors from countries like China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and United States.
In the meantime, I am sure it will simply be business as usual for the rest of us in racial and religious apartheid Malaysia.
Malaysia is the only country in the world where the constitution itself (no less) says that a particular race has to belong a particular religion. No other country follows this ruling. Not even Arabia (birthplace of Islam) or Indonesia (largest Muslim population).
For those who still quote Singapore malays are victim of Singapore should feel shame.
This is biggest joke, when Malaysia malays think that they are fighting the right for Singapore malays and use this as an excuse to fulfill their greediness. Yet Singapore malays look down at Malaysia malays. They are proud to be Singapore malays.
Hahaha. Yes, again biggest joke is, they control almost every resource in Malaysia, and practicing daytime robbed, yet someone still quote Malaysia malays can get what they want if other race agreed.
This is what we called, Dr Spin.
Don't you know Umno strategy? Keep the malays forever dependent on them so that they can stay in power. There are many capable malays but they are so used to crutches that their muscle are dystrophic. It is like the doctor (no pun intended) who prescribes his patient an addictive quick fix so that they will keep coming back to him/her.
The fact that Mahathir may be more "modern thinking" than other malays, many may not aware, could be due to his training in Singapore!
Malays from Singapore just far outclass the malays from Malaysia in terms of knowledge and capability. But we have this "katak bawah tempurung" who thinks "don't become like the malays in Singapore"!
Friend, you are just far from them! You are just losing out! The poor deputy minister can never be as good as the Singapore malays in this life! And he never thinks to be like the Singapore malays to excel from the competition! Need to say more?
I too was fortunate enough to have a father who was farsighted enough to send me off to Singapore to be educated, some 10 years ago. Just like him, I will also send my children to Singapore one day, as I believe that their education system is far more superior compared to Malaysia, and to prepare them to face the future challenges in this competitive world.
It is not the race factor that makes Singapore what it is today. It is the system. Singapore is very wise and very careful never to mix religion/race with politics. Anyone irrespective of the race gets severe punishment if involved in religious or racial slur.
Their work ethics and accountability of their leaderships/heads and every civil servant based on merit rather than skin is so glaringly obvious. In Malaysia we are exactly the opposite in almost any area one can think of.
I really doubt many Singapore malays would like to move to Malaysia which obviously the Malaysia government would be too happy to grab them. Yet this is never an issue. It is not happening. Why?
This same goes to the Singapore Chinese. The Chinese there are more advanced than the Chinese here in Malaysia.
As a Chinese, I have to admit it and I really hope Chinese in Malaysia to start opening their eyes and learn the lessons to be more outward looking, improve themselves like learning more English and not dream that the next decade is easy going or get frustrated by the NEP.
We should first start by inculcate into our children from now on these values. There will be difficult times ahead and unless Chinese they make themselves competitive now, Malaysian Chinese will fall behind and be history.
Just like the NEP cannot bring an entire community to overcome their economic weakness overnight, so is the Chinese need to forge ahead to remain competitive cannot be achieved overnight. Start the ball rolling now.
To this end, I ask all Chinese leaders to lead and there are opportunities beyond the shores of Malaysia. We have to help ourselves because no one will.
If you are to make too much money in Malaysia, how the heavens can the malays catch up and give up NEP when the percentage of their economic cake will remain the same or stagnant?
So the solution for Malaysia is to increase the malays national wealth and the non-malays to increase their wealth globally - and keep it there. Right? This is open for dispute.
It is cool, Singapore malays achieved such feat because of the system, but the system was helped tremendously by the fact that there is no race issue.
I have friends in Singapore who are malays and they never consider themselves as malays. They always call themselves Singaporeans, something a country like Malaysia will never be able to achieve with the malays having the ketuanan attitude.
If only we have more people like a farsighted malay, Malaysia would be as progressive as Singapore. In fact with all our natural resources, we could even be better than Singapore.
Our government is wasting money on subsidy to the malays when it should be teaching them to be independent. That is why today we see a lot of malay children too lazy to work and spend most of their time on drugs and become mat rempit.
Slowly the Indonesians are coming over to take all their jobs and eventually they will be beggars in their own country.
There is plenty that I do not agree with the Singaporeans, their "one party state" for example, and their serious curbs on freedom of speech. But there is also plenty that we can learn from the good points of other nations as well, may it be the US, UK, Australia, even China.
But the underlying issue here is that a system based on mutual respect, meritocracy and equality work. Singaporeans have reach great heights in the international scene despite being very limited land, natural resource poor and limited population.
Yet their formula is a good example of a system that works. Every person benefits if they are willing to work hard and aim high.
Or would you rather Malaysians stay ignorant. "See no evil, say no evil, and hear no evil." Think about it……….
True………. it is very true……….
The malays are actually digging their own grave and they are trying to dig a deeper and bigger one now……….
But all of them I have to see are being manipulated by certain top malay politicians so they will support them……….
There show that the general malays are quite stupid and can't think outside the box……….
Malay leaders in Malaysia like to see their folks contained in a chicken coop. They tell them that they are free and yet to be beholden to them as they are the ones providing them their feed.
They even believe that if they left the coop, they might be eaten up by the wily fox, and that they might otherwise starve to death.
The Singapore malays is in no illusions and they know they are out of the coop. They got to find their own nourishment and they got no leader throwing in the crumbs to them.
If they don't want to labour for their food, they can always go across the causeway and be given citizenship rights and take advantage of all the crumbs thrown at them. But most of them will not.
Of course the chicken shit from there have all long crossed over. But the rest have a little more dignity and stay on to show what they are really made up of.
I respect the Singapore malays for that. It does not matter that they have made a lot of wrong turns or that they have hardly a fighting chance. But they got more respect and dignity than their kinsfolk from over here Malaysia.
This is what half-past-six ministers that we have in Malaysia. Even comparison between Singapore malays and Malaysian Chinese, Singapore malays are never discriminated by their government based on equality.
I have so many Singapore malay friends from school mates, college mates to business partners. Penang malays would be so glad if they are treated like Singapore malays. Just ask the Singaporeans……….do they want to be back to Malaysia?
The problem with the Malaysia malays is their jealous attitude. If they are left behind, they will prevent others from moving ahead too! And sometimes even sabotaging others, and some resort the use to cast spell on others.
Not only the laid back malays are preventing their own people from being successful, but other races too. We also want the malays to be successful by creating value in the society so that everyone benefit but not by taxing the non-malays then give contracts to the malays, who will then deliver half-past-six service.
Change your own attitude first through value creation using your own tears and sweats!
As said before, had Malaysia been managed by Lee Kuan Yew and his colleagues for the past 40 years, Malaysia would have been much better off today, including all the malays! 95% would have owned a house, and no such rampant corruption!
For the malay ultras, facts speak louder than your bigotry cries, wake up, grow up, be men instead of sissies!
You see the problem here - the malays just cannot face up to their main problem - Laziness. This shows how thick-skinned and self-deluded these people are.
Malaysia is a multi-racial country. Jika kamu tak suka, kamu boleh blar……….tiada orang larang kamu.
The fact is malays you are the biggest loser! I am trying to wake you up instead of using the way like what our government is practice to provide NEP even though it is proven NEP is a failure in the past 30 years. Keep on dreaming if you think Malaysia could achieve Vision 2020 with your kind of attitude!
Majority of the Penang big government contracts is being awarded to the malay firms. What else you want! They get the same as other malays in Malaysia. The only different in Penang is, the Umno guys cannot tap the government fund into their own pocket, as other state Umno did. This is the main reason why they raised this issue.
Speaking without substances and distorting facts seems to be the good old habitual ways of Malaysia malays, which is probably inherited by their much loved masters, the "malay killers" - Umno.
To add to this, constant distorted facts with regards to the situational state of the Singapore malays remains among the commentators of Umno. It is hard not to see that some people really need to see the situation and know it first hand before dishing out their empty vessel mentalities.
Anyways, good thing you be it Malay, Indian, Chinese in Singapore is open to competition, and cherish diversity. Not like the radical son of terrorist we can find many in Malaysia.
Most malays in Malaysia hate diversity and discontent to the minorities, especially the Chinese. In blog, radical malays can be either extreme or pretentiously diverse-minded. Very few is genuine.
I do admit there are lazy malays that depend on handouts, but this kind of malays will be phase out and this kind I would say hypocrite. They tend to claim they work hard to achieve success, in fact they relaying on government support. I myself despise this kind of human being.
Little do they realize this safety net is fast disappearing because the government is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the system in the face of global challenges! But these handouts have become an addiction. Refuse the junkie and you get booted out of power.
It is the malays themselves that must come to realize the damaging side effects of the NEP. For someone who wants no better than to see his own race succeed, this must be painful.
And you can often see the malays are usually envious of not only the non-malays, but of their own successful malays as well.
Malays failed is a fact. What make non-malays not happy about their failure is, they fail despite get ample help from the government.
And they continue putting the blame on their fail to, especially the Malaysian Chinese. This is why created so many issue and argument here.
But those greedy Umno guys keep emphasis the NEP, how many percent of the country wealth belong to malays. In fact, those Umno guys having super good life by easy way.
And they keep on demanding, not really review what was wrong with it, putting the blame to non-malays, to stir the racist sentiment in the country.
If present situation continue, even the malays get 60% of the country wealth, majority of the malays will still munch.
Simple solution - come to Singapore and see for yourselves even if you want to guise that our Singapore malays are in lesser numbers on success than the Malaysia idiotic counterparts - our Singapore malays are based on merit and not on such keris wielding Umno policies……….are you proud of that?
Once again, in a subtle and indirect manner, this forum has proven how naive and "katak bawah tempurung" a Malaysia malay can be. Blame who? The Umno policies.
Yes, start collecting the achieves with regards to moral degradation among Malaysia malays. Look at the Umno ministers when they speak on national TV. Qualify or not become ministers with such low reactive capabilities?
Some Malaysia malays saying Singapore malays quota should be more in the Singapore cabinet if compared to the Indians. First, Singapore government is based on merit system and not like you bunch of racist morons here. That is why Malaysia is so backward if compared to Korea and others.
Not many Malaysia malays can survive if they go oversea because they are slow and lazy and that is why they can't compete with the competitive market out there. Normally they will end up hiding their heads in Malaysia with the protection and biased system by the Malaysia government.
Come on, man. We do not have time to argue the truth of your on and on talk about "not all malays are spoon fed, not all malays are lazy". Like we are dying to argue that when we already know it is true.
It is human nature to blame everyone about their plight rather than blame themselves. The majority of new generation of malays in Singapore is educated, unlike their parents.
Please read the comments made by Singapore malays why they can hold their heads up and be proud as a Singapore malay and then maybe it will sink into you.
Muslims everywhere unless they are the minority, cannot tolerate people with different religions. The Singapore government handles the situation rather well as they handle their malay community with kid gloves.
There are push and pull factors involved. An emigrant is both trying to escape something and advance towards another thing at the same time. For instance, a scientist who cannot flourish in his own country will want to go somewhere where his expertise is appreciated. Perhaps he finds the anti-intellectualism in his milieu too stifling (unfortunately, this is very true in Malaysia), or the government of the day too partial when it comes to resource allocation.
You see, the major problem with a not insignificant number of Malaysians is that there is a lot of false pride around. This is a vestige of Mahathirianism. Small achievements are overblown so as to build up national pride. It is Malaysia Boleh this and Malaysia Boleh that.
Anyway, I say cheer the emigrants on. Let people do what they want with their lives - they should not be beholden to the country. Do not blame their lack of patriotism for not staying - patriotism is poor persuasion.
Yes, which Islamic country in the world today is strong in science technology, R&D, literature, etc?
The answer is a big NONE!
Drop Islam and malays would be a better race!
I wish to point out that the Orang Asli, not the malays, are the original inhabitants of Malaysia. Most of the malay Malaysians came from Sumatra and other parts of Indonesia. They only migrated here much earlier than the Chinese and Indian Malaysians. It does not mean they deserve privileges or rights just because they were the pioneer immigrants.
I applaud the non-malays who have kept quiet but are though uneasy over these special rights. You are true heroes, willing to show malays that you can succeed despite the odds. But neither I nor you should give up the right to be a first-class citizen of your country.
In fact there is nothing wrong in working hand in hand for the greater good of Malaysia. As for the malays who insist on hiding behind the veil of malay special rights - you have lost the respect of non-malays a long time ago.
Most non-malays I know come from low and middle income families. They struggled to save every sen. They like everyone else, spent their hard earned savings plus their EPF funds to educate their children. The poor ones can’t even do that as there is no one to help them. Can they ask for help from the government? Who represents these people?
It is arguable that if not for the contributions of the Chinese and Indian Malaysians who helped in the development of this country tremendously, Malaysia would probably be in same category like Indonesia or the Philippines, if not worst.
As for the writer's assumption that no other race has been more considerate, generous and kind of the needs of other people, I would encourage the writer to travel around the world and look at countries where the Chinese and Indians are minorities too.
The malay and others of the same mind should learn to stand on their own feet rather than claim for special privileges and rights. The world is becoming globalised and if they don't change their attitude, they will only become beggars in their own country.
Eh, can you leave at least _relevant_ comments?
Duh...obviously the keywords are here are 'distract' then 'dissipate'.
Hi, Xeno,
That was a great analysis that you have made and I am inclined to feel that something was afoot. Though the whole matter may seem innocent and simple, there could be something else intriguing in the background, unseen hands at work.
Moreover, I notice that there are some comments here that are irrelevant to the topic at hand. Possibly they are posted by one same person, using different nicks, to deliberately distract or derail the subject/topic.
It is very disturbing. May I request that, if possible, you can kindly delete them so as to keep the topic in sync.
Thanks.
I agree with the above post - it looks like someone is working very hard to derail the original topic. Hmm.. I wonder why?
I also agree with the above post and your own original proposition that there's another story hidden away.
I'm very suspicious that the punishment given to the LTA's two supervisors were unusually light. On the other hand, it's consistent with the originally light punishment or even no punishment given to the LTA. So my suspicion goes like this - what if in secret, all three of them did nothing wrong? That would certainly explain why no punishment was given to the LTA, in spite of complaint by son of PM. However, the SAF wants to keep it a secret from the public, the fact that the three of them did nothing wrong.
And how is it that LTA X did nothing wrong, despite the testimony of the 2LT? Well, I'll leave it to your imagination, you'll have to stretch it quite a bit.
But Sherlock Holmes did say, if you have eliminated every other possibilities, the remaining possibility, however unlikely, must be the answer. (Hey! I love quoting a fictitious character.)
However, regarding the irrelevant posts, as a general housekeeping rule, it is never the best policy to delete them. It would only make the comments about the posts look nonsensical. Better to let them stay and let readers make their own conclusions what to make of them. For all we know, the writers might come back and explain that they pushed the wrong key.
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