Mr Wang said:

I had expected to be blogging about PM Lee's rally speech today. However, I find that I have almost nothing to say about it.

It was .... substanceless.

The PM's rally speech is traditionally the time for him to announce important new developments, ideas and policies for the nation. But this year, none of that happened.

Instead all PM Lee really talked about was racial and religious harmony, and in a way that contained nothing new. It sounded the same as the nation-building chapters of my Primary 3 Chinese language textbook, many, many years ago.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Totally agree with him. It's practically non-news for the entire speech."

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Oikono said:

I was at Shijiazhuang, provincial capital of Hebei, on my way back from visiting old Maoist-style communes in Shanxi provinces, when I saw the following fast-food chain. Aside from the obvious Lee namesake, doesn't the picture remind you of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hisen Loong?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "PM Lee sells beef noodles in China!"

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The Secret Political blog said

POLICE yesterday arrested a man in his 40s for vandalism, after a wall outside Parliament House was defaced at lunch hour.

Scribbled in black marker on the top right corner of the wall were the words: 'Hi Harry Lee. I love you.'

At about 1.30pm yesterday, uniformed guards were seen running out of Parliament House to nab the man while he scribbled on the wall...

===

The greatest Forbidden Love story ever in our time.

The epic Love Story between

One Man and One Man.
One King and One Peasant.
One Old man and One Young Man.

Will they be able to overcome 377A and income inequality to become lovers?

Brokeback mountain II now showing in Singapore.

Click here for the Article

LEEWATCH said:

“Falling asset prices, people feel poorer, they can’t pay their mortgages, home values are down, credit cards can’t be paid up, installments due on cars, they’re fearful of being retrenched, so there’s a spiral downwards. It started with the subprime mortgages, a floor must be put on that, I don’t know how to do it. ... People feel poorer, they don’t spend, their assets keep on sinking, their debts become more and more unrepayable, and you’re down the drain!”

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Lee Kuan Yew tells us what he really thinks about the economy. And how does Channel News Asia summarize those views? "Mr Lee expressed confidence that the US Treasury would be able to revive the economy. ""

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fireopal said:

While most Singaporeans are probably happy about Singapore's upcoming medal in the Olympics that will end a drought in the Olympic medals..

Here is what 'our very own' Table Tennis super star shared on China National TV her thoughts and views!

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Lee Jiawei reveals her true inner thoughts and say that she is from Beijing, proud to be chinese and wants to win a medal on her homeground, her territory during the Olympics 2008.

Why no mention of Singapore at all?"

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LEEWATCH said:

A quick timeline of a bizarre flap over that developed over the Wall Street Journal editorial posted here earlier.

On June 30, Lee Kuan Yew’s press secretary Yeong Yoon Ying sent in a response to the WSJ where Yeong asserted that:

Dr. Chee [Soon Juan] in open court then called the Singapore leaders “murderers, robbers, child molesters” and “rapists.”

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Confused by the accusations flying back and forth between LKY's press secretary and Chee Soon Juan? Me too. Here's an attempt to put the whole thing in order, including the actual court transcript and audio recording."

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WP REMIX said:

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) screened the film to an audience of about 70 people, who paid $20 each to attend the lunch-cum-film event on Saturday, May 17.

The film, produced by activist and artist Seelan Pillay, was a narrative of how Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew subjugated various institutions in Singapore, such as the press, under the government’s control during his time as Prime Minister. It also depicted how the social divide in Singapore is a result of the People’s Action Party’s policies. The film included interviews with former Solicitor General Francis Seow, political detainee Said Zahari, opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam and scenes of various public protests which had taken place in Singapore.

Twenty minutes into the screening, three officers from the MDA, one of whom identified himself as “senior assistant director” Mr Tan Chiu Kee, arrived and demanded that the organizers stopped the screening and handed over the film. They were met outside the door of the room by Ms Chee Siok Chin and other SDP members and supporters.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "The video is available to watch online though.. even though it was seized."

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Mr Wang said:

MM Lee wants to say that yes, there was a bungle-up at the detention centre; BUT no, it was not really the government's fault (he'll gloss quickly over this part); INSTEAD let's talk about the wider, more-important and very urgent issue of national complacency (that means you, me, Tan Ah Kow and the neighbourhood kopi tiam man - not Wong Kan Seng).

And then the government PR machinery will launch into the "broad complacency" theme - and discuss our complacency about our economic competitiveness; our water supplies; our lack of natural resources; and of our young generation of Singapore citizens who never experienced the racial riots of the 1950s etc.

With perhaps just a little lip service to the real matter - Mas Selamat and MHA's complacency, in February 2008. ...

And the Strait Times really did a bad job. This particular article failed to sell. It is just outright illogical & unpersuasive. Yes, many Singaporeans are dumb enough to be duped by anything. But many other Singaporeans who aren't even particularly bright will go, "Harrrh? What is MM Lee trying to say? Mas Selamat run away, is MY fault arh??"

Recommended by at82: "Spin also cannot spin properly..."

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Choo Zheng Xi said:

“I think the people of Indonesia are lucky. They had a general in charge, had a team of competent administrators including a very good team of economists.”

MM Lee wasn’t lying. After all, Indonesia did grow economically, so Indonesians could consider themselves lucky.

I guess you could consider yourself lucky if you weren’t Chinese Indonesian.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Suharto is a corrupt, cruel, murderous albeit economically successful dictator, period."

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New Mandala said:

I have just returned from the protest outside the degree conferring ceremony for Lee Kuan Yew. About 150 protesters (mostly students) welcomed Lee’s arrival with chants of “Lee Kuan Yew - ANU is not for you”; “No doctorates for dictators”; and “Masters for Mugabe.” The occasional “shame, Chubb, shame” was also heard.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "You heard about the recent fuss, now read about it from a firsthand account. Comes with pictures from the ANU site."

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Kim Hanh, Journalist, Sai Gon Tiep Thi said:

And Mr. Yew started to talk about Singapore's secrets in the management of her economy and society, which are very practical. According to the Singaporean diplomat, economic and social management means combining a market economy and social awareness. For instance, how can you change public habits and increase public awareness of environmental issues and urban administration? 98 % of the Singaporean population owns houses and understand that if they don't follow management and environment regulations, the prices of their properties may go down.

Recommended by mb: "MM gives advice to Vietnam."

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RudeSingaporeans said:

"Was on the train home @ 18th Feb 10.30pm. Going home from dhoby ghaut when i saw this guy lying across 3 1/2 seat happily sleeping away~

The train was sought of cramp at that time as everyone was going home after last minute of shopping. The auntie that sat near his head there shifted away when he tried to move further up for more space."

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "You can see many passengers that love to sleep on the train. Not sit sleeping but lay down on the seats spreading out like a bed! "

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cheahchuwen said:

'Singaporeans, please don't make yourself look stupid and ask the salesperson to get you a "new piece" of the item you are buying. If I were the salesperson, I'd slap my shoe across your face and tell you to go home and drink milk.' -- MAIA

Now, what is wrong what is wrong with what Maia said? Everything!

Recommended by rationalneurotic: "Watch our dear Ms Lee stuff her foot in her mouth again! Seriously, I never ever want to buy anything from her. What a lack of common sense. Also, how to spot if the new piece of merchandise you are requesting isn't really new."

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The Star said:

Malaysia can do without scathing comments from its neighbours, especially if the statements made are inaccurate and have political implications, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

He said that a recent statement made by former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on the status of the Chinese community in Malaysia and Indonesia was seen as “naughty.”

“I do not know the reason he made such a statement but it should not have been made at all. It’s a comment that we can do without and it is not appreciated at all,” he said after launching and presenting the Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) Sejahtera aid to the hardcore poor yesterday.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Surprise surprise."

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Mr Hardy said:

Reverend Hong was an expert at feng shui and after taking lots of readings he said that the proposed constellation of MRTs tunnels and the huge amount of metal being driven deep into the Singapore bed rock would sever Singapore's Dragon Vein which is bad, bad, bad for the nation. Reverend Hong then offered the following advice: "If you want to continue with project, then u must give every Singaporean household - Indian, Malay, Eurasian, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim - every single one of them a Chinese Ba Gua. Or else Singapore will sink."

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Its a popular myth that MM Lee consulted a feng shui master before he set about constructing MRT tunnels. Also, have u noticed the Octagon on the coin? Why an octagon? Why not a nine-sided coin? Or for that matter a 10-sided coin? why an octagon?

Even the SAF Cap Badge - "Yang Pertama, Yang Utama" has an OCTAGON. I remember my old CSM used to say if you go guard duty carry a 1 dollar coin and always have ur beret with the capbadge facing out and in front of u and when you turn, don't just turn ur head, turn your entire body so that any bad spirits will be driven away by your energy.

Sort of like a Street Fighter Ryu energy "Odugan" fireball effect.

Chinese Ba Gua Fengshui elements are everywhere."

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moe said:

So there he was, looking ever so mysterious, in his black hat, black hood, black jacket...

Recommended by moe: "Wikipedia calls him an 'enigma'... what do you think?"

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VR Forums said:

Instead of bowing in front of the German flag according to the international protocol Singapore's Prime Minister kept on walking and left Chancellor Merkel behind.

and the Chancellor looks on...

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "now... that is something you will not get to see in local papers..."

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Akikonomu said:

Minilee's speechwriters and historians must be from Raffles Institution? They seem to have slept through the past 10 years of Singapore history, which has seen:

Jack Neo and Raintree Pictures breaking local box-office records on films capitalising on issues like: Unemployment, Chinese-speaking heartlanders' fears of getting left behind, Gambling as a financial investment scheme by the poor, Life in the HDB underclass.

Singapore really got no angst meh?

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