It's So Quiet, I Am Going Deaf

MiniBond Rally: Speakers Corner PART 1 OF 2

MiniBond Rally: Speakers Corner PART 2 OF 2

MiniBond Rally: Mr Leong Sze Hian

As far as I have asked around my friends who are in Singapore, there has yet to be any word from the Gahmen with regards to how to deal with the fallout of the credit-linked securities collapse.

It's seems that most of the buzz come from Hong Kong and Singapore as some countries banned the sales of these products to the retail public.

For what I know, the HK Gahmen has taken proactive steps to deal with this of which, most significant to the people, is the setting up of a hot-line to register complaints.

Our dear MAS, on the other hand, has advised affected investors to take their complains to the relevant distributors directly. It sounds to me like they are saying "It's your problem. Not mine. So you go settle it on your own."

There are news coverage on this everyday in HK. Even the legislators are taking the regulators to task, accusing the latter of not doing their jobs. Yes, all these in the public media.

What about Singapore? Not more than a mere squeak. All's quiet on the united elite front.

It has been so quiet that there were even murmurs in some local forums saying that our local media are being blacked-out (with regards to what the HK gahmen is currently doing) so as not to look bad when in comparison.

While I am not saying that our Gahmen is not doing anything about it, why can't we hear more? This is a complicated matter and no one is expecting this to be resolved any time immediate. So right now, regular "work-in-progress" updates would count a lot to the people.

Even if the Gahmen's stance is "You stupid. You buy thing you don't understand. So it's orh-bee-goot now that your savings are wiped out. The rest of the tax payers should not have to foot the bills of a small group of affected investors." Have the balls to stand up and say it, rather than hide in silence.

Mark my words. Whatever happen today shall return on election day where we ask ourselves these questions. Did he earn his place or did he get there only because we give face to the father? Are we going to continue to give face to the father the next time round, if the latter is the answer? 

My personal salute to Mr Tan Kin Lian, for stepping up and doing something about it. From organising a formal petition to be submitted to the MAS, to offering advice on how to go about filing a formal complain,  to grouping people collectively and filing a complain as a group of investors of a certain product, certain distributor and/or certain MP's constituency.

He has reaffirmed my belief that we are not totally helpless without the Gahmen. If we cannot depend on the Gahmen, then perhaps we should just do it ourselves. And that leads us back to election day. Do we vote for a Gahmen from another planet? A Gahmen from a place far far away from us and we are not exactly sure if they are one of us?

Mr Tan Kin Lian will continue to advise at the Speaker's Corner on:

• Saturday, 18 Oct 2008, 6 to 7 pm
• Saturday, 25 Oct 2008, 6 to 7 pm
• Saturday, 01 Nov 2008, 6 to 7 pm
• Saturday, 08 Nov 2008, 6 to 7 pm

Amusingly, some supporters of Mr Tan Kin Lian are calling him to run for Elected President Of The Republic Of Singapore (and even Prime Minister! LOL!). I think these folks are getting a little ahead of themselves. One credit-linked investement fiasco does not a President make. One Public Service Star? Yes. Elected President Of The Republic Of President? Not yet.

However, if in the event that his nomination does come up in 2011, he probably will have my vote at the rate he is going now.

That brings me to the last question.

Where the hell is SR Nathan?

Afternote: I apologise if some of you folks misinterpret "Prata Man" as a racial derogatory slur of our president Mr SR Nathan. My explanation of the nickname is in the comments section. Still, I have decided to remove the nickname from this entry just to be on the safe side.

- Voxeros

1. Joges Rao left...

Thursday, 16 October 2008 10:00 am

That last line sentence of yours is bordering on racist blurt.

2. Ruok left...

Thursday, 16 October 2008 11:23 am

Silence of the Lambs ?

3. JayWalk left...

Thursday, 16 October 2008 1:00 pm :: 

Joges Rao: Welcome to the blog. I take it that you are not Singaporean? Let me assure you that the "Prata Man" nickname is not meant to be derogatory. He is affectionately known, by Singaporeans, as the "Prata Man" because it was said that he was the one who introduce the humble prata to the Istana's (President's official residence) diet. Prata Man also project him as a President of the people, from the people, for the people, voted by the people, as prata is a favourite of the people.

Allow me to assure you that the nickname is of affectionate intent.

ruok: Unfortunately, I know not enough to comment on that.

4. Joges Rao left...

Thursday, 16 October 2008 3:52 pm

Why do you think I am not a Singaporean? I may be born in India, but after spending most of my adult years here in this island state, I am a Singaporean in every way.

Anyway, thank you for clarifying. Just curious, can you share with myself and the readers where did you get the information that it was President Nathan who introduced prata to the "Istana's diet"?

5. JayWalk left...

Thursday, 16 October 2008 4:31 pm :: 

Joges Rao: My apologies for that baseless assumption that you are not Singaporean. Perhaps it was naive of me to think that every Singaporean would know that "Prata Man" a) refers to our president Mr SR Nathan and b) is not meant to be a derogatory remark.

I am not able to determine the source of this little trivia as this is an anecdote from a long time ago. It's like asking me to locate official rulebook of reserving seats via the use of tissue paper packet.

Again, apologies if you felt offended by the "Prata Man" nickname. There was no element of a racial slur when I first penned it.