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Terrex Incident – What a lonely feeling
By Chua Chin Leng | TR EMERITUS (2016-12-31)
When Aquino was provoking China with his kangaroo court rulings on the SCS island claims, Singapore was quite vocal about ASEAN unity, that ASEAN should stand together as a grouping and take a common stand. Singapore’s policy is for a united ASEAN to face external threats and issues. Singapore’s support for Aquino’s claim on Chinese islands need no further elaboration. Several ASEAN countries too were behind the Aquino govt, including Vietnam and Malaysia, both claimant countries. Japan and the USA and the western countries too were parroting that the kangaroo court rulings were legal and binding. These supports gave the Aquino govt a false sense of victory, that the western world was behind the Filipino claims. There was strength in numbers. At least Aquino did not feel alone.
Singapore is now having a little problem with China, a good friend according to Vivian Balakrishnan who said he could sleep well over the Terrex Incident. More than a month has passed and the armoured personnel carriers are still in Hong Kong with no further news. The Hong Kong/China side was silent and no one knows how long this matter would drag.
What is surprising is that no country, or at least that was what I have read in the media, has come out in support of the Singapore govt, to give encouragement and moral support to Singapore, a show or unity and solidarity. No ASEAN state has spoken out on the issue in favour of Singapore or to put pressure on China. Where is the ASEAN unity and solidarity? Anyone thinking he is the leader of ASEAN and mustering the ASEAN states to go against China? Should not one or two ASEAN countries be calling for ASEAN countries to unite behind Singapore? There was or were leaders herding the ASEAN states against China in the SCS claims and the kangaroo court rulings. Where have they gone to? Maybe the Terrex Incident is a different issue that does not need ASEAN unity or ASEAN to front out for Singapore, to speak for Singapore, to put pressure on China.
What about the USA and Japan, staunch allies and friends of Singapore? Did they say anything and give some moral encouragement? Are the Americans and Japanese going to sail their navies into Hong Kong as a show of force? Did any of these big powers make presentation to China to help out Singapore?
Somehow I got this lonely feeling that Singapore is in this all alone. Where are Singapore’s friends? Where are the western media that thought it was their responsibility to lambast China on the SCS island dispute and daily blasted at China on the side of the Aquino govt? The western media have been exceptionally quiet about the Terrex Incident. It is all Singapore’s problem. Or all of them think Singapore can handle this alone. Maybe they believe Singapore govt can punch above its weight and Hong Kong/China would soon return the armoured personnel carriers without undue delay, without the need for them to blow their trumpets?
Is Singapore being left on the lurch, alone, to deal with the problem? Have they abandoned Singapore? What a lonely feeling. A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is a time when Singapore needs all its friends to stand up or to speak up, and the voices of the western media to blow up the issue.
Are you lonesome tonight? Oh, what a lonely feeling.
~~~~~~
Chua Chin Leng aka Redbean
*The writer blogs at My Singapore News.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A heavy slap in the face for the high-falutin PM Lee Hsien Loong
By Yoong Siew Wah | TR EMERITUS (2016-12-26)
It was pointed out in my post titled “Is China flexing its muscles against Singapore?” on 29-11-16 that the issue of the nine Terrex armoured vehicles detained by Hong Kong Customs on 23-11-16 could evolve into a complex problem requiring an infinite time frame to resolve. Even the dispatch of a high level SAF Team to Hong Kong and the imploration of the Ministry of Defence (reported in the Straits Times today) could not appease an intractable China to relent. This shows the level of misgiving that China’s President Xi Jinping has towards a so-called untrustworthy PM Lee Hsien Loong who has evidently exasperated him with his pro-American antics to the point of disillusionment. It may not be too far-fetched if President Xi insists on the personal imploration of a demagogic PM Lee Hsien Loong before any benevolent move could be made to resolve the Terrex armoured vehicles issue. It may be a test of the mental prowess of the two leaders and if PM Lee foolishly stands his ground, it may be the end of the Terrex saga.
There is another interesting angle that may have been overlooked. In order to further humiliate Singapore and PM Lee (which again is not too far-fetched) China may lithely decide to impose a storage fee and a charge for providing guards to protect the armoured vehicles of a sum of a million dollars or more before the vehicles can be released. Of course there will be no problem for Singapore to pay up but it will have to live with it for a long time.
From this episode it may not be too brazen to say that President Xi may regard PM Lee as an American poodle which may affect his hitherto exemplary relationship with PM Lee. Hopefully this unfortunate narrative may transcend any deleterious effect which may befall on the economic front between Singapore and China which is mutually beneficial but more in favour of Singapore. President Xi is too magnanimous for that but on the other hand PM Lee must make a genuine effort to divest himself of his pro-American image to show a more balanced world view which is in Singapore’s interest.
American President Barrack Obama has shown exceptional affinity towards PM Lee in their relationship which may have an intoxicating effect on on PM Lee in relation to his pro-American antics. Whether the maverick President-Elect Donald Trump will continue this brotherly relationship after his inauguration is questionable because of his unpredictable character. For PM Lee this will be a lesson gained and, if learned, should stand him in good stead.
-------
* Mr Yoong Siew Wah was the director of Singapore’s Internal Security Department from 1971 to 1974. Before that, he was the director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Mr Yoong is now retired and blogs at Singapore Recalcitrant.
~~~~~~~~~~
Some commenters at tremeritus.com mentioned about "China is giving PM Lee a tight slap, for his ‘Kay Kian’ (act clever) attitude. How reckless had PM Lee been with his big mouth, interfering into the South China Sea case; made derogatory jokes about Beijing and Shanghai when visited US; at the Kangaroo Court of the Hague, he sided with US against China regarding South China Sea conflict; and with regard to the now just officially deceased TPP, Lee had the gall to say China was no longer the Middle Kingdom and not all roads lead to China."
All of these remarks by PM Lee well summarize his personal relation to the leaders in Beijing, as reflected in the Terrex Incident.
Btw. what an interesting Singaporean terminology - ‘Kay Kian’ (act clever) attitude, adding my list in addition to the "Kiasu".
By Chua Chin Leng | TR EMERITUS (2016-12-31)
When Aquino was provoking China with his kangaroo court rulings on the SCS island claims, Singapore was quite vocal about ASEAN unity, that ASEAN should stand together as a grouping and take a common stand. Singapore’s policy is for a united ASEAN to face external threats and issues. Singapore’s support for Aquino’s claim on Chinese islands need no further elaboration. Several ASEAN countries too were behind the Aquino govt, including Vietnam and Malaysia, both claimant countries. Japan and the USA and the western countries too were parroting that the kangaroo court rulings were legal and binding. These supports gave the Aquino govt a false sense of victory, that the western world was behind the Filipino claims. There was strength in numbers. At least Aquino did not feel alone.
Singapore is now having a little problem with China, a good friend according to Vivian Balakrishnan who said he could sleep well over the Terrex Incident. More than a month has passed and the armoured personnel carriers are still in Hong Kong with no further news. The Hong Kong/China side was silent and no one knows how long this matter would drag.
What is surprising is that no country, or at least that was what I have read in the media, has come out in support of the Singapore govt, to give encouragement and moral support to Singapore, a show or unity and solidarity. No ASEAN state has spoken out on the issue in favour of Singapore or to put pressure on China. Where is the ASEAN unity and solidarity? Anyone thinking he is the leader of ASEAN and mustering the ASEAN states to go against China? Should not one or two ASEAN countries be calling for ASEAN countries to unite behind Singapore? There was or were leaders herding the ASEAN states against China in the SCS claims and the kangaroo court rulings. Where have they gone to? Maybe the Terrex Incident is a different issue that does not need ASEAN unity or ASEAN to front out for Singapore, to speak for Singapore, to put pressure on China.
What about the USA and Japan, staunch allies and friends of Singapore? Did they say anything and give some moral encouragement? Are the Americans and Japanese going to sail their navies into Hong Kong as a show of force? Did any of these big powers make presentation to China to help out Singapore?
Somehow I got this lonely feeling that Singapore is in this all alone. Where are Singapore’s friends? Where are the western media that thought it was their responsibility to lambast China on the SCS island dispute and daily blasted at China on the side of the Aquino govt? The western media have been exceptionally quiet about the Terrex Incident. It is all Singapore’s problem. Or all of them think Singapore can handle this alone. Maybe they believe Singapore govt can punch above its weight and Hong Kong/China would soon return the armoured personnel carriers without undue delay, without the need for them to blow their trumpets?
Is Singapore being left on the lurch, alone, to deal with the problem? Have they abandoned Singapore? What a lonely feeling. A friend in need is a friend indeed. This is a time when Singapore needs all its friends to stand up or to speak up, and the voices of the western media to blow up the issue.
Are you lonesome tonight? Oh, what a lonely feeling.
~~~~~~
Chua Chin Leng aka Redbean
*The writer blogs at My Singapore News.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A heavy slap in the face for the high-falutin PM Lee Hsien Loong
By Yoong Siew Wah | TR EMERITUS (2016-12-26)
It was pointed out in my post titled “Is China flexing its muscles against Singapore?” on 29-11-16 that the issue of the nine Terrex armoured vehicles detained by Hong Kong Customs on 23-11-16 could evolve into a complex problem requiring an infinite time frame to resolve. Even the dispatch of a high level SAF Team to Hong Kong and the imploration of the Ministry of Defence (reported in the Straits Times today) could not appease an intractable China to relent. This shows the level of misgiving that China’s President Xi Jinping has towards a so-called untrustworthy PM Lee Hsien Loong who has evidently exasperated him with his pro-American antics to the point of disillusionment. It may not be too far-fetched if President Xi insists on the personal imploration of a demagogic PM Lee Hsien Loong before any benevolent move could be made to resolve the Terrex armoured vehicles issue. It may be a test of the mental prowess of the two leaders and if PM Lee foolishly stands his ground, it may be the end of the Terrex saga.
There is another interesting angle that may have been overlooked. In order to further humiliate Singapore and PM Lee (which again is not too far-fetched) China may lithely decide to impose a storage fee and a charge for providing guards to protect the armoured vehicles of a sum of a million dollars or more before the vehicles can be released. Of course there will be no problem for Singapore to pay up but it will have to live with it for a long time.
From this episode it may not be too brazen to say that President Xi may regard PM Lee as an American poodle which may affect his hitherto exemplary relationship with PM Lee. Hopefully this unfortunate narrative may transcend any deleterious effect which may befall on the economic front between Singapore and China which is mutually beneficial but more in favour of Singapore. President Xi is too magnanimous for that but on the other hand PM Lee must make a genuine effort to divest himself of his pro-American image to show a more balanced world view which is in Singapore’s interest.
American President Barrack Obama has shown exceptional affinity towards PM Lee in their relationship which may have an intoxicating effect on on PM Lee in relation to his pro-American antics. Whether the maverick President-Elect Donald Trump will continue this brotherly relationship after his inauguration is questionable because of his unpredictable character. For PM Lee this will be a lesson gained and, if learned, should stand him in good stead.
-------
* Mr Yoong Siew Wah was the director of Singapore’s Internal Security Department from 1971 to 1974. Before that, he was the director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Mr Yoong is now retired and blogs at Singapore Recalcitrant.
~~~~~~~~~~
Some commenters at tremeritus.com mentioned about "China is giving PM Lee a tight slap, for his ‘Kay Kian’ (act clever) attitude. How reckless had PM Lee been with his big mouth, interfering into the South China Sea case; made derogatory jokes about Beijing and Shanghai when visited US; at the Kangaroo Court of the Hague, he sided with US against China regarding South China Sea conflict; and with regard to the now just officially deceased TPP, Lee had the gall to say China was no longer the Middle Kingdom and not all roads lead to China."
All of these remarks by PM Lee well summarize his personal relation to the leaders in Beijing, as reflected in the Terrex Incident.
Btw. what an interesting Singaporean terminology - ‘Kay Kian’ (act clever) attitude, adding my list in addition to the "Kiasu".
