One Great Leader's Witty Remark on Another Great Leader.

MM keeps date with forum: By Clarissa Oon, Political Correspondent, ST.

'Unlike Kim Jong Il who says he is well but has not appeared, I thought I'd better say hello to you and to your guests and apologise for not being able to join you,' Mr Lee quipped, referring to the reclusive North Korean leader who missed the country's 60th anniversary celebrations last week, reportedly because he had a stroke."

It's a tough act. One great leader in a little red dot showing he is "one up" on the great leader of a much bigger dot. If this is a political one upmanship, it's a little sick! Or are both of them sick?

I do not know a quip is a witty remark or an insult to the great leader of a country with nuclear power. I wonder if the smart-ass remark of a sick old man may have negatively impacted the good that was done by Singapore's Foreign Minister, George Yeo who visited North Korea recently. Another damage control so soon after the guest workers dormitory fiasco in Serangoon Garden which is yet to be solved? Poor George.

Philanthropy? I leave it to those who have huge taps. Taps overflowing with money from all over! Namely, minister's pay; GIC's pay, Temasek's pay, NTUC's pay; director's pay; advisor's pay; consultant's pay and what have you. With so much money under their control, I sure hope they put the money where the mouth is. As talk is cheap, it'll be nice if charity begins at home. For a start, let's not make "welfare" a dirty word. Yes, talk is cheap. A dime a dozen; even if it comes from the Great Leader!

Too bad, with my heart condition, I'm making less than a tiny minute fraction of S$3.7 million per annum. The best I can do is help the beggar without leg with a dollar or two from my pocket. The best that I can do, most of the time, is to be nice and kind to decent folks like thanking the lady who cleans the table at the hawker centre where I eat. Or pass the empty drink can to the old lady collector at the coffeeshop with an understanding smile after I've finished my drink. Or give a $4 dollar angpow during Chinese New Year to the elderly gentleman who cleans the corridor of my heartland block where I live.

What I don't have, I can't give - Money.

What they don't have, they can't give - Compassion, kindness and empathy.

I do hope that they still give some of what they have lots of (money), even in secret.

Or is it still the same old same old, "Fend for yourself peasants!" and "Get out of my uncaring elite face!"???

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