lil' Sunday Musings

Sunday papers are always interesting reads, especially the articles placed in the Sunday Times. Basically, for a busy person, it would just about be the summary of the most important events in the week, and articles would be there discussing the latest in issues affecting Singapore and the world.

The past 2 weeks have been rife with news of the impending Elections, the poly student in sex video, S. Rajaratnam's death and many other more.

What a week.

The late S. Rajaratnam's passing has brought down the curtain of one of the pioneer members involved heavily in the building of modern-day Singapore. From 3rd-world country to 1st world (or 1.5 on the scale of first to third world, since we're neither in the 2nd world nor the 1st. That's food for thought, nonetheless). But a more important thing to note is that, have we students and citizens of Singapore, who did not live in the turbulent period of the 1960s and 70s, forgotten our 'founding fathers'?

The history text which we read nowadays is crafted in such a way that we remember and learn what we are taught, and we do not strive to understand and learn more besides what MOE wishes to teach us. Is that right?

Well the curriculum is here to stay, that's for sure. Nevertheless, it is troubling to hear that many of our younger generation do not really know of the people who have done Singapore proud by their hard work and labour to bring Singapore thus far. Definitely, it is not just the works of SM Lee, but the people around him who also played a significant, though less publicised, roles. A country of amnesics? Maybe. Have we forgotten our roots, and we've yet to even hit the 50 year old mark.

Where the STB tries to spruce up history by adding in the Merlion story into its tourism promotion programmes, is there nothing in Singapore worthy of being remembered and kept? We see how the 'new' downtown is changing and modified; the old houses and buildings making way for newer, bigger and more futuristic buildings. Think the new Supreme Court. Think the Esplanade. Think the new NLB building. One can only remember the old buildings in Singapore which have, sadly, had to make way for such buildings which bear little significance and weight to Singapore as a country.

A country, so forward-looking, displayed by its futuristic buildings and sophisicated and advanced technology? Well, it just might be the image the STB and government are trying to portray.

Moving on, Elections 2006. Well it's coming soon, and this time I hope I get to do some voting (though I'd bet no oppositions would wanna come down to my GRC to slug it out, since it has been a PAP stronghold thus long). So maybe, I won't get my wish after all. And I did not get to vote for a new President then, so maybe it would be another 4 more years before the voting comes around again.

The NYP student's sex video which got the nation's attention is no doubt circling the web as we speak now (and no I've no such video), but it raises the question of students making it out and having such actions taken using their advanced 2.5/3G phones. More than that, it also brings forth the question of who's in the right and wrong. The perpetrator of the evil deed of circulating the stolen phone's videos should be shot down with as much hate and disgust as that being said of the student involved in the sex video. For he had circulated something which he/she had stolen from another person, something which would not have seen the light of day, nor been the talk of town, should he/she had not launched it en masse on downloading sites and through the WWW. Basically, the Internet has been used as a tool for reaching the masses, the world-wide audience.

And people have been relentless in their search for this clip. And yes, many blogs have spoken about this hype surrounding the issue. Oh well, conspiracy issues will surface, but my take on this issue is that the ultimate villain is the person who stole the phone and put the videos online. For the girl, she definitely was in the wrong to have had sex with another guy (and be easily identified o_O), but I would put that into the back-burner, as having sex is more of a couple/relationship thing Added to the fact that they had not (apparently) posted the sex video online themselves, which means that they were not seeking public attention in doing so. (Well, if they did it for public attention, then they SURE got it o_O)

The thief of the phone could have just seen the videos, enjoyed it, chucked it aside, and used the phone for his own planned purposes (eg. sell it, use it), instead of launching it online. A hidden agenda, perhaps a personal vendetta against the girl? Most likely. But nonetheless, what he/she has done is an incorrigible act and should he/she be found out I hope that justice would be meted out severely (for he/she WAS in possession of sex and lurid videos, whahahaha).

My take....for now ^_^"

Current Mood: Pensive

Current Music: Lin Jun Jie - Ni Yao De Bu Shi Wo (I luv this song o_O)