RH: Changing Mindsets and Set Minds

From: Robert Ho (ho3@pacific.net.sg)
Subject: RH: Changing mindsets and set minds
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.singapore
Date: 2004-04-27 02:59:28 PST

From: Robert Ho (ho3@pacific.net.sg)
Subject: RH: Introducing Opposing Thoughts into overly-orderly minds
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Date: 2004-04-21 09:16:14 PST


1. This little essay takes off from the below threads:

http://groups.google.com/groups?dq=&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=e67b3197.0404192013.23f61bb2%40posting.google.com&prev=/groups%3Fdq%3D%26num%3D25%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26group%3Dsoc.culture.singapore%26start%3D50

2. This little essay is an attempt to introduce a little element of
chaos into overly-rigid minds. Most minds tend to hold dear certain
tightly-held beliefs, until, over time, these minds become rigid,
leading to dogmatism, self-delusion, and in leaders with the power to
create and sustain it, ideologies which then prevent any contrary
thoughts or opposing views to flourish. This cannot be good for
anyone, especially leaders, who must be realists above all virtues.

3. For too long, Malaysia and Indonesia have been seen as potential
enemies and thus to be viewed with suspicion, guarded against with
huge expenditures of military budgets that exceed US$5 billion every
year, and much disruption and hardship to our young men in uniform.

4. This is not unrealistic. Until recently, most wars were fought
between neighbours. Most still are. Except for rogue states like the
US and its poodle, the UK, which have the money and military means to
fight further afield. However, in turning Singapore into a Fortress
Mentality, our leaders have foregone possible goodwill and cooperation that would have served both sides better. Mahathir once said that, "In politics, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies." This essay is to introduce the startling thought that one day, Singapore may need the desperate help of Malaysia for the very survival of its people. If that thought plants, our leaders may well have to entertain the probably novel experience of holding Conflicting or Opposing Thoughts all at the same time.

5. To digress a little, I once read that all ideas are obtained this
way: first, one has a Thought or Thesis. Then one thinks of the
opposite or Anti-Thesis. Then, finally, one resolves these conflicts
and comes up with the SynThesis. Which then becomes the new Thesis.
And so it goes on and on.

6. To come back to how Singapore may, instead of defending itself as
a Fortress against Malaysia [or Indonesia] but instead, may need
desperate help from Malaysia, I have to invoke another of my old
posts:


From: Robert Ho (ho3@pacific.net.sg)
Subject: RH: HOW SINGAPORE WILL END scenarios
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Date: 2003-04-30 10:06:40 PST


RH: In my earlier posting on 2003-03-26 in soc.culture.singapore,
entitled, " RH: Two scenarios how Singapore can end " , whose URL is
below:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=RH:+scenarios+group:soc.culture.singapore.*&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF8&group=soc.culture.singapore.*&selm=c443dfe.0303260807.3b1b64f6%40posting.google.com&rnum=1

I had sketched out in a very-readable story form, two scenarios how
Singapore may come to an end. These two articles' URL are below:

http://www.sfdonline.org/Op%20Pages/Mar01.html

http://www.sfdonline.org/Link%20Pages/Link%20Folders/DearSingaporean/2000/180800.html

(If you cannot open these 2 articles of mine, do a Google Search in
soc.culture.singapore Google Groups using the Search Term:

RH: Robert's almost-complete archive of works

Then click on the 2 articles entitled: "Tom Clancy's Next Novel" and
"Letter From The Future".)

Today, I would like to complete my little thesis.

In 1989, when Lee Kuan Yew was still Prime Minister in name and fact,
(now he is Prime Minister only in fact), the superpower US faced
difficulties negotiating the renewal of the Clark Air Base and Subic
Bay Naval Base with the Philippines, so Lee Kuan Yew offered the use
of Singapore to the US.

By doing so, Lee Kuan Yew incurred the displeasure of his immediate
neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia as they were keen on establishing a
"zone of peace" in the region.

As is usual with Lee Kuan Yew, who, as one foreign observer noted,
controls Singapore using "thinly-disguised rule by decree", there was
no public debate and hence, no THINKING on the benefits, costs and
dangers of this offer to the Americans. There probably was little
Cabinet thinking either, since a Cabinet of YesMen would never
contradict and have to defer to the Great Leader and Great Thinker, as is the nature of YesMen everywhere.

With that offer came grateful acceptance, and Lee Kuan Yew began
busily building worldclass facilities to host the American navy and
airforce, in typically Singaporean fashion, resulting in one of the
most modern and impressive facilities the American navy and airforce
could ask for, within the limitations of a tiny 680 sq km island that
has to import everything it needs, including most of its water
(NeWater is another deadly mistake that could end Singapore but I have posted enough warnings on that in soc.culture.singapore and so will refrain from revisiting the issue now, since the Government has shown that it will never listen to even well-reasoned warnings or admit its mistakes and reverse its decision -- saving its face is more important than saving its people).

So, the US airforce based some of its planes here and began flight
operations out of Singapore bases. We know that because when the
Malaysian Government complained about our 'RSAF' jets flying too low,
below the agreed and stipulated flight corridors, and creating much
noise nuisance over Johor as well as other flight nuisances as are
common with American fly-boys, the Singapore Government had to protest its innocence about the behaviour of its pilots by stating that it had no warplanes in the air as complained, and it turned out that the nuisances were committed by the US airforce pilots, who, as usual, are a law unto themselves and cannot be chastised, let alone punished for their transgressions.

But, coming back to my title, which is HOW SINGAPORE WILL END
scenarios, Lee Kuan Yew could have thus signed the Death Warrant for
the Singapore he has ruled over since 1959.

How? Alarmist? Apocalyptic?

Think.

The US airforce are in Singapore not for fun. Or training. They are
here for operational missions and that means they must stockpile
weapons in their airbases in Singapore.

Not alarmed yet?

Now, think about what KIND of weapons they will have at their
disposal.

Besides the usual high explosive missiles and bombs they are designed
to carry and use, they may also stockpile and practise using CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR missiles and bombs. Commonly acronymised NBC weapons.

Thus, IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT OR A MENTALLY UNSTABLE OR DERANGED
TECHNICIAN SETTING OFF ONE OF THESE WEAPONS, SINGAPORE IS FINISHED.

Now, nuclear bombs are not easily set off but if there is intention,
as in the case of a suicidal technician, (maybe his Singaporean Sarong Party Girlfriend left him, so he hates all Singapore), it is entirely possible.

Chemical bombs explode by design or accident much more easily. As in
the case of a fire. Again, with disastrous consequences for Singapore.

Biological bombs are also quite easily set off. Now, if just the few
SARS cases have put the whole of Singapore into a tizzy, just imagine
what a concentrated bomb of dispersible bio-agents can do to
Singapore. Think SARS multiplied by 100.

These are NBC scenarios. But wait, I have more: NBCOF.

By O, I mean Others. The US has been lavishing much money into better
and better ways of killing people. Some of these ways are not NBC, so
I will simply call them Others. These Others weapons will also destroy Singapore.

Then there is the F. By that, I mean Future weapons of mass
destruction. Since the US continuously develops better and better ways to exterminate people, and Lee Kuan Yew cannot control what kind of weapons the US may stockpile in their bases in Singapore, these Future weapons of mass destruction may just find their way into the bases and destroy Singapore, whether in an accident or intentionally by someone mad enough.

Now, some of you who have been following my arguments so far may not
be alarmed yet, so I will go back to my two early scenarios as
published in Singaporeans For Democracy. Those sketch scenarios around the Changi Naval Base.

Now, the Changi Naval Base is even more deadly to Singapore's
existence than the American airbases on Singapore.

Why?

Think.

Each aircraft carrier that docks in Changi Naval Base is not only a
floating arsenal big enough to rain missiles and bombs on Iraq for
weeks, it also carries nuclear powered engines. Some of these nuclear
engines are very old. Think Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion. Think
Three Mile Island nuclear plant explosion. Think about all the smaller leaks and radioactive escapes that happen so frighteningly often in nuclear plants around the world.

The juggernaut nuclear powered aircraft carriers are the most worrying dangers to Singapore but even the smaller warships and submarines also carry nuclear engines and NBCOF weapons. All it takes is one weapon to explode or one nuclear engine to leak and you will have a disaster that makes the current SARS panic seem like a mere sniffle.

Not worried yet? OK. Then how about terrorists and saboteurs. If any
one or two of them can sneak into a US airbase or Changi Naval Base
and explodes a nuclear engine room or a NBCOF weapons stockpile,
Singapore is also finished.

Remember that Singapore is only an hour's drive north to south or east to west. An accident or NBCOF explosion anywhere on the island will result in the destruction or unliveability of the entire island.
Other, bigger countries can survive a similar accident but in
Singapore, where can you go? Where can you hide? The whole country is
finished.

Mr J B Jeyaretnam, when he was still in Parliament, (unlike the
practically 'planted' 3 docile Opposition Members now), used to ask
tough questions of Lee Kuan Yew. One of the questions was, "What are
the Terms of Agreement for the use by the US of air and naval and
other facilities in Singapore?"

Lee Kuan Yew refused to disclose the Terms of Agreement, if any. There are probably none. Lee Kuan Yew acts by royal fiat, and often does not need to formalise any decisions or actions he takes.

Thus, we Singaporeans lost a vital opportunity to learn of the dangers we face. We lost a chance to learn whether, if it exists, a Terms of Agreement prohibited the US warships and warplanes from carrying dangerous materials or weapons into Singapore, in order to safeguard Singapore's very survival from an accident. This would have been a commonsense precaution and very reasonable condition for the entry and use of Singapore bases. After all, the American airmen and sailors would typically be more interested in our women and bars, than operations, when in Singapore, so some safety conditions would have imposed little hardship on them.

But in Lee Kuan Yew's overwhelming desire to 'bend over forwards' to
please the Americans, he did not impose any such conditions.

With every passing day, with every passing ship and plane, Singapore
runs a risk that threatens its very survival. I hope something is done to safeguard this little island's liveability. If my worst fears come true, Singapore will be the most short-lived country in the history of the world.

Robert Ho
30 Apr 03
UK 1806 Singapore 0106




7. The American airbase warplanes in Singapore and their naval
warships in Changi are not the only dangers. Suppose that Osama or his surrogates managed to explode one of the American NBCOF weapons of mass destruction or ONE OF THEIR OWN DIRTY BOMBS, whose concept I
invented decades ago and sent by snailmail to then Premier Lee Kuan
Yew. Even a small Dirty Bomb will finish Singapore. Thus, it is clear
that an All-Singapore Evacuation Plan must be drafted. And any such
Evacuation Plan must involve either Malaysia or Indonesia. BECAUSE THE ONLY POSSIBLE REFUGES WILL BE MALACCA IN MALAYSIA OR BATAM ISLAND IN INDONESIA.

8. This is because if an NBCOF weapon is detonated in an American
airbase in Singapore, or at Changi Naval Base, the Diameter of Fallout will definitely cover the entire Singapore island and probably much of Johor State. This means that the only escape for Singapore residents from the fallout will be around the distance of Malacca. This is the preferred escape route because there are 2 land links to Johor, namely the Causeway and the Tuas Second Link [maybe better to build another one or two more bridges, etc]. Batam is a very poor alternative because it is too near and likely to fall under the fallout as well. In addition, there is no land or bridge connection to Batam and ferries and boats will only carry a tiny fraction of the population. So, the overland route by vehicles to Malacca is the only viable evacuation route.

I presume that the airlines escape by air method will be reserved for
only the LKY clan and the MIW and their relatives. So, while these
elite will fly out at the first opportunity, the rest of Singapore
will have to pile into their cars, buses, trucks and on foot, to
evacuate to Malacca.

9. There will be numerous considerations for such an eventuality. Too many for me to enumerate. I will just point out a few:

a. The Malaysian Government, instead of continuing to be baited and
outwitted, must be turned into a Friend and Ally who will agree to
open the border and not to turn back Singapore refugees at gunpoint.
It must agree to host our refugees temporarily in Malacca until they
can be flown into Third Countries.

b. Third Countries will likely be the US, especially if American
NBCOF are the cause of the disaster. Most likely, the US will agree to take some into the Mainland USA while putting the rest in Hawaii in camps, until the refugees become viable.

c. The accumulated wealth of Singapore in the reserves and overseas
investments must now be used to sustain all the refugees. So all the
proofs of State ownership of assets must be duplicated and held in
several secure countries around the world, in case ownership needs to
be established and the assets withdrawn or sold to house, clothe and
feed the refugees.

d. The temporary stop of Malacca must be pre-prepared for this
eventuality. The degree of preparation will depend on the likelihood
of this disaster. Some land and buildings may need to be pre-prepared
[we cannot depend on the generosity of the Malaysians alone]. This
will include open fields that can quickly be turned into refugee
camps. Warehouses should be bought or built to store tents, blankets,
clothes, containers for water, etc.

e. The military is the most practised of all institutions in
Singapore and its men and assets will be needed for an orderly
evacuation to Malacca. It will have to organise and facilitate such an evacuation. It will have to provide drinking water, petrol and diesel for any vehicles running out and jamming the roads, tow trucks to tow away such jamming vehicles broken down, medicine and medics for accidents and army trucks and helicopters to ferry refugees who cannot walk or drive to Malacca, including airlifting jamming vehicles out of the way, etc.

f. Such an evacuation plan cannot be secret. The public must be told
what to do well in advance, just like we carry out air raid drills and silent mobilisation exercises. Malacca must be known as the First Stop to head for in the event my scenario happens. Singaporeans do have money in the banks and CPF and these will make the difference between penniless refugees unwelcome everywhere and refugees with some money who will not be too much of a burden to their host country.

g. This means that all banks and asset holders in Singapore, both
Government and private, must by law and pain of punishment, keep
records in secure places elsewhere other than Singapore so that
Singaporeans can withdraw their monies in such an emergency.

h. Singaporeans must also take with them all their proofs of assets,
principally their bank books, CPF Statements of monies held and ATM
cards, etc. Together with any other asset documentations such as title deeds to houses, etc, in the event that after some years, Singapore island becomes liveable again and some wish to return to claim their properties.

i. Every Singaporean must know the Evacuation Drill. Always keep the
car petrol tank at least half-full. Keep an Emergency Evacuation Bag
with all the Asset Papers and Proofs of Ownership of Assets. Keep
bottles of mineral water in the vehicle at all times. Keep a suitcase
of clothes and other essentials ready. Keep ample supply of chronic
medicines and first-aid medication. And practise how to head for
Malacca.

j. The Singapore Government may want to work with the Malaysian
Government on a joint Evacuation Plan because Southern Johor will
likely also be affected.

k. Because of criticisms that Changi Naval Base is American, the MIW
have 'allowed' some other countries' navies to visit Singapore. This
is a bad idea. Even the American Navy cannot be depended on to be
totally safe to Singapore, let alone other countries' navies. Keep as
few warships in Singapore as possible. Better to ban them all.

10. Every would-be refugee must be as self-sustaining as possible,
with proofs of assets and money as well as personal plans on how to
evacuate to Malacca. It may be a good idea for every household to keep some money in dollar bills instead of in banks in digital form. Maybe even under the pillows.

11. There must be constant Readiness Level Scores. The Government
will have to constantly monitor the situation to assess the risk level and whether to raise the preparedness level. This will be difficult unless the Americans cooperate to allow detailed inspections of their warplanes and warships.

12. This essay began as an introduction to how to hold conflicting
thoughts. That is, from regarding Malaysia as an enemy to be held off
with a Fortress Mentality to now, hopefully, one whereby Malaysia can
be seen as a possible Refuge. Have I succeeded? You tell me.

Robert Ho
21 Apr 04
UK 1716 Singapore 0016


13. There will be much preparations needed to prepare for my doomsday scenario. The most important will be legal. For example, all the monies and reserves are now held by the Singapore Government.
Governments are defined as 'entities having physical control over a
physical domain'. This definition of sovereignty entails a
geographical area with defined borders. If Singapore island is doomed, and the whole island is evacuated, then not only does Singapore cease to exist but also the Singapore Government.

Who, then, has authority over the hard earned monies and reserves? Who makes decisions to hold, sell or transfer these assets? Surely, it cannot be the individuals of the former govt because the govt no
longer exists. So, one way would be to place the authority over the
assets with a proper and trusted body, such as the United Nations or
another country, such as Switzerland or even Malaysia, assuming such a contract can hold up even after the end of Singapore. The contract
would have to ensure that the assets are turned into funds used to
provide for the former residents of Singapore.

A kind of virtual govt may need to be formed, comprising the former
govt of Singapore. These members would need to make decisions for the
disposal of the state assets for the provision of former citizens.
Perhaps a legal entity such as a Private Company may be incorporated
in some country or countries and when doomsday occurs, all state
assets may then transfer to this company or companies which will then
provide for the former citizens.

This has been an interesting intellectual exercise. It is designed to
change mindsets and set minds. The chances of doomsday happening are
less than 1:100 but if I have succeeded in changing the mindsets and
set minds, even if only a little, of the stupid MIW, then all my time
spent has been fruitful.



http://groups.google.com/groups?q=RH:+group:soc.culture.singapore.*&start=10&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=soc.culture.singapore.*&selm=c443dfe.0404270159.2d0132e1%40posting.google.com&rnum=17