Will $9000 make NSmen STFU and vote PAP?

I've been there, I've done that. Having watched my father (same age as MM Lee) deteriorating and finally dying from a terminal illness, I do not wish upon anyone to witness the agony and the suffering of a loved one going through a long debilitating terminal disease. However, we live some, we die some. To every life a little rain must fall.

On a day when the sister was lamenting publicly in the Sunday Times [Link] of the pain of a sick mum, the same evening the brother was on TV, radio and internet selling snake oil according to Insane Polygon [Link]. The Snake Oil Salesman must have pissed off some TV addicts who had to miss their favourite Taiwanese serial, 爱. They must have asked Heaven why Media Corp has to dedicate all TV channels to one man's 'fixing and buying' "我问天, 我问天. . . Thank Heavens, 谢天谢地, there was no repeat of 'mee siam mai hum'!

He spoke for almost 4 hours and here are some of the highlights:

1. With all the bad press in alternative media, he had to justify the YOG and make a song and dance of how successful it was. I'm surprised that he said he was congratulated for a job well done!
2. He had to defend the FT policy with silly examples like adorable lady bus driver missed by Singaporean passengers in Pasir Ris. What I don't understand is: What has Microsoft losing talents in USA got to do with imported bus drivers, cleaners, casino workers, construction workers, sales personnel and prostitutes in Singapore?
3. He spoke about honouring founding fathers which everybody knows his daddy is the 'foundingest' (as in Lim Swee Say's 'betterest') of them all.
4. He spoke of how he feels for Singaporeans and why Singaporeans (new citizens?) should come first before PR, before foreigners.
5. He spoke about 'fixing' the Education System which I'm glad.
   
6. He spoke about 'buying' NSmen at $9000 per male which I'm sad. Very sad.

As a prime minister, he made a mockery of nation building by paying himself millions, almost five (or is it four) times Obama's salary. Now he is demeaning NSmen by moneytising their contribution to national service. I did my crime (of being a male Singapore citizen) and I did my time. I didn't like to be treated like brainless draftee ('daftee' in MMspeak) in the army in the late 60's with crazy 'change parades' and 'point drills' but I'm proud that I wasn't bought! I had to forgo a $200 technician job for a $90 'sai kang' pay to serve my aspiring city? state? country?.

• Is this $9000 going to make NSmen more willing to do 'sai kang' like building tents and setting up chairs for National Day Parade and YOG?
• Is this $9000 going to make Reservists more forgiving to PAP for upsetting their careers by importing male immigrant to compete against them?
• Is this $9000 (I guess not cash but paid to CPF) going to buy PAP some votes?
  OR
• Is this $9000 going to make the NSMen shut the fuck up, stop bitching about their misery and say, "Thank you very much Mr Prime Minister, Sir"
  
  OR
  
• Is this $9000 going to make many people like Insane Polygon say, "FUCK THAT. FUCK HIM. The PM and his entire fucking cabinet and especially Raymond Lim the transport minister, they should try taking public transport to work and home during rush hour for a year and see how it feels." [Link]

With $9000 or no $9000, we must know that:

There is more to life than money.
There is more to life than power.

As much as they try, money & power cannot buy health!
As much as they try, money & power cannot buy integrity!
As much as they try, money & power cannot buy respect!
And thanks to the Beatles, money can't buy you love!

Admittedly, it may buy you some votes . . . but not all!

Thanks to Insane Polygon [link] for the above pic.

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