Sunday, June 23, 2013

Haze: Indonesia won't apologize

I saw this already yesterday and brushed it off. I only want them to put out the fires and afterward don't repeat this foolishness. I also want our government to invest in increasing our leverage against them by any and all means including learning from Mossad for the days ahead which might be needed. This is just the strategy of finely focusing the SAF for its deterrence value. Who knows we might really need that. Good to make some non state actors worry a little bit. This government must get ahead of the curve. The nature of conflict has changed as battles become completely unconventional. The writing is not just on the wall. It has hardened into the stone. I forget this government is no longer that farseeing. They trust systems like scenario planning which is sexy but useless. Gives you a false sense of knowledge.

Do the Indonesians not understand that they look the worst coming out of this? Unless this make Singapore weaker what's the point to you? We are going to come back stronger.

When the dust have settled the two biggest losers out of this would be Indonesia and the [redacted]. I hope the Indonesians lose so badly that the clear and obvious way to repair themselves is to publicly punish the business people behind the fires.

I decided to post this in case I forget because I forgive too easily. It is not here to nurse a grudge in which case I will always remember but to learn the lessons.

As for Ah-gong (i.e., stupid in teochew) WhyUdonno that is to me an unforgettable name. Let's just say this a private citizen privilege our leaders might wish but cannot publicly indulge.

President SBY, Indonesia has no class. You might as well take her out of the G20 to save her more embarrassment, grow up to be an adult before rejoining the G30. Might be better to just fire your foreign minister and get another one that is willing to apologize. Of course you wouldn't do it. Just saying, also shiok.

A non-negotiable tenet of our foreign policy is to insist on being treated as equals. Our survival depends on it. The day we can no longer do that is the beginning of the end for us. Now go ahead and guess what's in the letter PM Lee wrote to SBY. Indonesia will never make it public. Don't underestimate your PM but I wish he could quickly figure out how to communicate much much better. I criticize him severely too often but guess where I stand when we are attacked.


Update: 10:55am

Most times I disagree with Byran Ti but not today.

Our FM just taught Marty Natalegawa what is the right thing to say. Of course that poor Marty couldn't. That's why in an earlier post I said WhyUdonno and his colleagues will make Marty job very very difficult.


and this is what well behaved children do when there is only one hose. Know who the big boy is and don't fight him. Wait for your turn! We are small and must carry a big stick. Seems this is the only thing they understand until we could deal with a wise Javanese King again....but I sympathize the with SBY the constraints Indo Pres must now work with.

This picture op show what dinosaurs the Indonesian leaders are. Sigh! If only we could always be able to make them look good to get what we need. Silly ego inflation.

David Low commented about revenge a while ago. Well for me, this is as far as it should go. Putting people in their place.




Update: 5:00pm

I just took out WP from the post. It's a smart thing to do. I hope someone can tell me why :-) I am kidding. I am blogging for myself.


6 comments:

  1. Continue to read the "right" things. That is what our MSM wants u to feel. This is the only way to make PAP look good.

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  2. Good morning Peng You.

    It is entirely understandable for you and others to voice out our frustrations over the current dilemma.

    Personally, my view is Revenge is a dish best served cold. I'd rather bid my time and I know that Time is on our side. I had lived in different parts of Indonesia - Medan, Jakarta, Kediri and Surabaya for a total of close to 30 years and returned to TRD last year. There are many Singaporeans like me, some of them are still working and living in Indonesia. May I recommend thinking of our SAF's principle of war (circa 70's) and leave this point for the time being.

    Unless it were possible to physically move Singapore to a choice location on the map, I do not think it is useful for anyone to quarrel with close neighbors when we all know that when the dust and haze settle, we must renew frayed relations all over again. If this logic holds, why start quarrels in the first instance?

    You mentioned the Mossad twice in your writings and learning from the Israelis and reminded me of a story I heard years ago in Jakarta. Please bear with me.

    Sukarno, in numerous cabinet sessions wondered how he could successfully develop Indonesia and be friends with the US. A minister had a brain wave and suggested Indonesia attack the US and just like the Japanese in WW2, when the US won, Japan become a US ally and received unlimited US aid and become powerful and developed.

    Sukarno said he liked the idea but wished to sleep over the minister's suggestion and reply the next day.

    The following day, Sukarno convened his think tank and asked:"OK, we shall attack the US, but what if we won?"

    I am unsure if you had any recall of several ship loads of Vietnamese boat people who landed in Singapore in the 70's?

    Just imagine what will happen when Mossad style tactics destabilize Indonesia to the point that boat people start leaving for Australia (preferred destination with plenty of "sheilas") and let's say a few million Indonesians sail for TRD because we are only a few hours away?

    Let me put it to you this way. It is always better to build and improve then to tear down and think of rebuilding.

    Cheers,





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    Replies
    1. Thanks David,

      I don't want and don't believe in revenge. I don't like to see the SAF being used or a Mossad style strategy being put in action. They must be in place for leverage, deterrence but deadly serious and acted upon unless others are determined to do us in. Well we aren't in the Middle East but there is nothing to stop us getting into such a pickle since we are price takers.

      Thanks for the example of Sukarno. I am not familiar with that. Too young too know but it also tells me what's there to stop another Indo Pres as mad as him. What I know was we hanged two of their commandos for bombing us. LKY did the right thing. I hoped we have the spine to do the right thing when the occasion called for it. To have options which make the threshold for courage lower and our survival higher.

      I reiterate I don't believe in revenge only that we must fight for our survival and way of life (not the bad divisive one this govt has put us through). If we aren't prepared to do so, it's a matter of time we forfeit our right to exist.

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  3. I think you're getting too carried away with this haze thing.

    Why drag WP in this as a "loser"?? I do not see the relevance. I'm not even sure most Singaporeans are thinking in such terms, other than this haze being a test for PAP's so-called preparedness or helicopter view.

    Calling the Indo minister names like WhyUdonno is childish. You're reacting just like the netizens you publicly deplore in your other postings.

    The name of the game in international relations (or for that matter, relations with others) is what happens behind the scene. On this front, Shanmugam's comments about not asking for an apology and his most recent comments about "contradictions" in Indo's statements are not helpful. The more you cause the other side, particularly a big brother, to lose face, to more you have to lose. Just like 20 people watch as 1 Indo minister sprays the water, Shanmugam is playing to the gallery here too. No different.

    The haze issue is now a long-term issue. Ask ourselves what our reaction will be if this suddenly appears 3 weeks from now, 3 months from now, 3 years from now, 5 years from now. Global warming will make it worse in terms of intensity. From all the public statements, I do not think our leaders are even on board in terms of thinking strategically on how to handle it. They too are playing to the gallery.

    And hoping the problem "blows" away .. which it will .. but which it will appear again when the wind blows the other way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fully agree with you. By stressing that 24hr PSI is more relevant than the 3hr PSI, the PAP is in fact playing a dangerous political game by trying to mislead the public. In short, they are are more interested in looking good, we die our business.

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  4. My dear PengYou

    Don't get overworked - and seem to me you are making a slip. Why the comment on WP? There is nothing here about the political parties. It is all about nation preparedness. It would be helpful to us all if the intellectuals running our country display a more readied stance right from the early stages of the haze problem rather than leaving the public in confusion and panic. This is totally unwise for a nation's security. Time they really look seriously at what continuity plans should there be in place and not only after the situation has gotten on the way. Are they trying to benefit first the capitalists making a profit out of the kiasu citizens who would ram up prices of masks, purifiers ... thank God, we did not get to the stage of other essentials being bought and price yanked up!!! They must remember there are many who cannot afford to pay and pay to survive the haze..

    ReplyDelete