Corruption, Singapore style

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Singapore's state controlled newspaper in it's online edition of May 27, 2009 has the article "MPs rebut Low's claim". Not that parliamentary speeches of Low Thia Khiang would make any difference to anyone one way or another; the article is about his speech in Parliament arguing the need for an elected opposition in Parliament to facilitate a responsible accountable government.

To those who are unaware of the unique nature of the Singaporean Parliament, listen to this. Outwardly it claims to be a parliamentary democracy. It is not. It is a one party state. Lee Kuan Yew owns and controls anything that matters in the country. He controls the press, the courts, the newspapers, the universities, the police, the army, anything and everything. Parliament is merely a rubber stamp. It has 2 miserable opposition members of Parliament as opposed to 84 government Members. It is a waste of every one's time to argue anything in Parliament. If Low Thia Khiang, one of the 2 opposition members is honest about it, he would not be wasting his breath there. Might as well go home and watch TV, play majong, go about this private business or eat char kway teow.

But the purpose of this post is not just to tell you that. It is to tell you that Singapore is one of the most corrupted countries in Asia. Ms Indranee Rajah, Lee Kuan Yew's member of Parliament, whose only ability perhaps was to get a law degree and dutifully support her master regardless of how unjust or undemocratic his actions are, argues that there is no need for strong opposition in Parliament because other countries are corrupt even with strong oppositions. This is like arguing that there is no need for a police force because even countries with policemen have criminals! Surely, anyone with any self respect would be reluctant to make such a brazenly illogical statement but because in this one party state, she can get away with anything she says no matter how silly, this is what they do.

Believe it or not this is how silly or nonsensical this woman gets. Take this quote "Going by this argument, the logical outcome is that every country with an opposition should be squeaky clean and Singapore should be the most corrupt country in the world". Well Ms Indaranee, your desperate attempt to defend the indefensible is wrong on the one hand, but unwittingly for you, entirely right in the other part. It is true that countries with strong oppositions are usually the ones who have less corruption. On the other hand you are entirely right that Singapore is one of the most corrupt countries if not the most the the world.

If Ms Indarenee is trying to argue that Singapore is not corrupted, what do you call Lee Kuan Yew, his son, his family members, his friends, all of them paying themselves $3.7 million dollars each year of the people's money? If this is not corruption, what is it? I understand Lee Kuan Yew calls it a salary. Why should he be paid the highest salary in the world for any government official? And is he paying himself any additional monies other than this. Is he prepared to say this or no?

And as for you, just like your benefactor Lee Kuan Yew, how much money are you being paid? Several million dollars? And why are you not prepared to say exactly what you earn? If you are hiding your true income like your master does, are you not also corrupt? Would you not agree that there is no transparency in the flow of money into each and every member of the government in Singapore. And is not this concealment of the flow of Singapore dollars into your pockets not corruption.

You see, it really does not matter what Low Thia Khiang says or not anyone else says. With the corrupt judiciary in Singapore, Lee can order the judges to punish anyone who dares to question the corruption of this government. So Lee Kuan Yew and his family can steal any amount of money they want because no one dares question their actions.

It would therefore be correct to say, Singapore is the most corrupt small island in the world. Where else can you rob the people with complete impunity?

Gopalan Nair
39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite A1
Fremont, CA 94538, USA
Tel: 510 657 6107
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Email: nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
Blog: http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/

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