Tuesday, June 16, 2015

A Time For Celebration

Peak season in Hokkaido is usually during February for the snow festival and July autumn for the lavender season. So why did the prime minister decide to go to Japan in summer when Tokyo temperatures are in the 40s? Even in Hokkaido, we are talking about 28 degrees - warmer than a cool night in Singapore.

The bigger question is why he planned to give the spectacular 28th Southeast Asia Games closing ceremonies a miss? Tickets for the $40/$20/$12 climatic closing show, featuring giant floats and aerial displays set in a festive party atmosphere with live music, have already been sold out. Was he afraid that the organiser would run a last minute repeat of the Balakrishnan request to "revise" the $104 million YOG budget to $387 million? The Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) had announced that they will spend not a cent more than $324.5 million. To match the YOG scale of debacle would mean easily a billion flushed down the drain.

Lim Teck Yin, chairman of Singsoc's executive committee, had boasted, "This is a special year for all Singaporeans, and Singsoc will strive to deliver a Games that will bring people together in a fitting and memorable celebration." He probably did not count on the fact that someone would rather not be included in the people defined. Never mind that the gold medal tally for Team Singapore has already breached 83, second only to Thailand's 93.

SMRT has announced that train services and selected bus services will be extended for the Closing Ceremony on today Tuesday (Jun 16) and roads in and around the Singapore Sports Hub will be closed or have restricted access for vehicles. Lots of Singaporeans will be in a partying mood - surely not because the horrible people, one by one, are exiting the country?

19 comments:

  1. For a total body experience in radiation therapy... complements of Fukushima. Begin with ingestion of sushi...

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  2. There were total of 8 Ministers who are all on leave too.
    And is this constitutional to have a non-DPM aka Lim Hng Kiang to stand in ? What a strange arrangement. Can someone explain?

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    1. If more than half the Cabinet could go on leave simultaneously and yet the nation could function, where is the need to pay top dollar sfor so many?
      Could we take this as a vote at the next GE and save us taxpayers some, no lots of monies?

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  3. Your piece does not match the headline. The real cause for celebration is that true blue Singaporean athletes like Schooling have garnered all those medals not the foreign born talents we paid for by the millions. Perhaps they exited to avoid the embarrassment of having their foreign talent schemes shown up for what they are worth.

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  4. Hehe.....

    Sinkies disdain for Sinkie Elites is beyond me leh.

    Seems like the Commoners have quite an impression of the Rulers leh.

    Is there a cold war brewing between the Classes?

    patriot

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  5. I see the Minister of Culture, Community and Youth grinning like a Cheshire cat, beaming in the reflected glory of the gold medal tally. Will this be translated into extra votes for the PAP, has the SEA games been politicised? What do you think?

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    1. One thing is certain. To our fleeting relief, he has taken a hiatus from slinging mud in the AHPETC affair. Normal service will no doubt resume when the Emperor returns from his vacation in Hokkaido after the games, recharged to fix the Opposition, an onerous undertaking. Ditto for the 8 Ministers who are also concurrently on leave.

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  6. He will be back in time and recharged and relishing for his next dance with Amos to send him off to the RTC.

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  7. Intrigueing that he chose to ran off to Japan for holiday rather than stay back for the SEA game closing ceremony.
    Perhaps the radiation there could help with his condition.
    Why appoint a minister as Ag PM instead of either of the DPM. Isn't one of the duties of DPM is to act as PM when the latter is away?

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  8. What's the big deal with kiddies game?
    Where's the mania for MERS disease?
    Why the need to review MOE Mt KK trip?

    None is as threatening as his political and cancer survival. He is sharpening his mind and body ready for September -Nov election.

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  9. What if they flew away and never returned?

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    Replies
    1. That is a truly wonderful thought!... priceless!

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    2. wow, I hope your wish comes true !!

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  10. “You are a minister, not a God from the heavens who lord above everybody.”

    Tunku Ismail said that Mr Najib has lost the confidence of the public.

    “For those who have been entrusted with the responsibility, do not blame the people for losing confidence and trust in you, but think of why they no longer have the confidence and trust in you,” he said.

    http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2015/06/youre-a-minister-not-a-god-jb-crown-prince-tells-minister/

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  11. Our PM is good at petty things, like knitting with the aunties, wearing silly balloon hat, doing selfies with dolls...etc. He cannot that the heat of bigger things. He is overly pampered since he was a boy and now by a group of his ministerial barking dogs.

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  12. He does like to act cute.

    Very much like a few year
    old kid.

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