Sorry, I Did Not Mean to Have an Opinion

Many of you would have heard about Mr Brown's punishment, I was tempted to be politically correct and use the word predicament, but let's all be honest, it was a punishment, an unjust one at that. Who is He? What did he do? Whom did he offend? Look here.

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For a more detailed analysis, go to Mr Wang's Blog for his take on this issue.

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Let me say this right now. I agree with MICA (Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts) on one point: we all must be responisble writers. However, after reading what Ms K Bhavani (Press Secretary to the Minister of MICA) has to say, I shake my head and say, this time, the PAP made a wrong move, they used their position to challenge the power of the blogosphere and the internet medium at large, I will buy a shovel for them to dig their own political graves.

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What the PAP must realise is this. This is an age where people are more literate. Young primary school kids are internet savvy, teenagers are vocal and the citizens of Singapore at large are worldly people. More importantly, these young'uns will one day become registered voters and those feelings of gratefulness middle-age people feel, because of what Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew did for singapore, will be eroded by the distaste they feel for the current Singapore government. We know what is happening so I say, "Eh please lah, we can smell the difference between durian and chicken rice ok." Let me tell you this, I have no regrets for voting PAP in. Yes. I voted for the PAP. Why? Because the PAP was the lesser of two evils. I did my homework, I thought things through, I did not vote for the opposition because they were just not there yet, and I take my vote seriously, I will not vote for the opposition just to spite PAP.

Now that I have come of age, I have become more politically minded. I care about where this nation is going. I'm using now till the next GE (General Election) to observe how this country is being governed. Let the FD tell PAP this, I'm not swayed by the juicy morsels of promises and monetary benefits the government dangles at my face, just before and during election time. I will sit back, observe and make an analytical conclusion based on the full picture. Let me say this once more, I take my vote very seriously.

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In all fairness, although I disagree with many methods used by the PAP, I agree that they have achieved a few things in recent times that are truly felt by the people.

1. Reducing national service from 30 months to 24 months and increasing the pay of NSFs. I have served the army already and this does not affect me at all but I'm happy that this idea wasn't shelved perpetually, and that someone in MINDEF (Ministry of Defense) actually took the trouble to review this matter. Why? Because 30 months in a guys life is really a long time and the increased pay gives NSF's some affirmation that their country doesn't treat them like Bangladesh workers. Seriously, We do more shit work than training in the army.
2. Introducing the Community Court. This court deals mostly with minors. When we were young, we all did stupid things, with varying degrees of stupidity. Sometimes the consequences of doing that stupid thing is too much for a child to bear. Instead of throwing the person in jail (even if it is for 1 day) and have that on that person's permanent record, effectively destroying the person's life, this court exercises certain powers of discretion, giving these delinquents heaps of community work, counselling and curfews amongst other things to get their life back on track. Thumbs up to the govenment on that one.
3. Rehabilitation of convicts. The government have stepped up efforts to helps convicts intergrate back into society (the yellow ribbon project). These people have done something bad but I believe that after serving their time, they deserve a real second chance. Two thumbs up to the government on that one.

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I have decided to imprison my negro amigo for this post, because I know that he'll come out guns blazing with less than desirable language preferences, if given a chance to form an opinion on this matter.

Lastly, if Ms K Bhavani is angry at FD for having an opinion, then FD says "Sorry lah, don't sue me please, tolong*, I did not mean to have an opinion, I will try to stupify himself more next time."

* Tolong: Malay for "help". Can sometimes be used in the sense of "give me a break".