Thursday, March 14, 2019

TOTD: PAP's Irresponsible Embarrassment


Thought of the Day - PAP's Irresponsible Embarrassment

When the Maritime Dispute was flared up back in late 2018, PAP Ministers, MPs and even IBs were making war cries all over.

PAP government even went to the extend of "demonstration of war preparation" by inviting the Main Stream Media to do the First of the kind of report on the Open Mobilization of the Airforce.

Live Firing exercises were carried out subsequently.

Along with the Main Stream Media and its IBs, PAP went on whipping up Nationalistic sentiments against Malaysian's "Intrusion of Singapore's Water".

PAP government has put it in no uncertain terms that the area in dispute is within our maritime boundary.

I was curious about that and did a series of research which I have posted on my Facebook here. It turns out that there is no Internationally recognized Maritime Boundary in that area of dispute!

In fact, the delimitation negotiation which Singapore held with Indonesia has stated very clearly that they could not confirm the maritime boundary which borders Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore basically because Singapore has yet to negotiate and confirm with Malaysia government the exact maritime boundary between the two countries. Thus, the maritime boundary between Singapore and Indonesia stopped short at the western part of Singapore.

It basically means that PAP government actually KNEW that we do not have an official boundary drawn and confirmed with Malaysia in that area of dispute.

I would regret to say that Malaysia was right to say that the disputed waters should be considered as "International Waters" as there isn't any recognized boundary confirmed by any party.

Due to some strange unknown reasons, after more than 50 years of independence, PAP government did not initiate any formal negotiations with Malaysia on delimitation of the maritime boundary in that area.

If PAP knew these facts but yet, went on a series of actions to make war cries, then I have to ask, is that what a responsible ruling party should do?

Many people attacked me for "siding with Malaysia" but the truth is, it is always easier to be populist by hitting the Nationalistic drums rather than looking at the issues objectively and do our own research on these issues to come to a sensible conclusion.

I have stated very clearly in my previous FB posts, the only rational thing to do is to start negotiation with Malaysia to determine and finalize the maritime boundary in that disputed waters, instead of doing war cries which will result in irreparable damage to bilateral ties between the two people across the causeway.

Well, finally PAP comes to their senses and stop their irresponsible nonsense of Nationalistic adventure.

But I have this to say, PAP always tries to portray Opposition parties as "populist", "extremist" or even "irresponsible" but it seems that PAP is guilty of all these traits and Singaporeans should remember this, without a strong, rational, reasonable and critical opposition in parliament, any ruling party like PAP might just goes rogue and become irresponsible, endangering the safety of this nation with their nonsensical self-serving stunts.

Goh Meng Seng

https://www.todayonline.com/world/malaysia-and-singapore-agree-revert-original-port-limits?fbclid=IwAR3Z_ZAmmI0oSrzR-r4G1iq27l7bQ-lbu0xOdK_NgQhoYQ7803ugxRgdxUU





PUTRAJAYA — Within a month from Thursday (March 14), Malaysia and Singapore will revert to their original port limits after both governments agreed to suspend the previous extensions of their port limits.

They also agreed not to authorise and to suspend all commercial activities in the area as well as not to anchor any government vessels in the area.

These were among the five recommendations by a bilateral working group that both countries will implement with effect from Thursday, announced Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Malaysia's Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah in a joint press statement on the same day.

The other two recommendations are: Vessels of both countries will operate in the area based on international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Relevant government agencies on both sides will "work out practical modalities to avoid untoward incidents in the area", said both ministers.

In the last of the five recommendations, both sides will set up a joint committee chaired by the permanent secretary of Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chee Wee Kiong and Malaysia’s foreign ministry secretary-general Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob.

This committee will look at the "boundary delimitation", which will ensure that the other recommendations be implemented within one month. Once that has been done, negotiations for maritime boundary delimitation in the area will commence within the following month.

“These measures taken by both countries shall be without prejudice to Malaysia's and Singapore's respective maritime boundary claims in the area,” said the joint press statement.

In the event that the committee is unable to reach an amicable solution on delimitation, the ministers added that both countries “may mutually agree to resort to an appropriate international third-party dispute settlement procedure on terms to be mutually agreed by the parties”.

“Both Foreign Ministers agreed that these measures were vital to de-escalate the situation on the ground and pave the way for maritime boundary delimitation of the area,” the statement said.

“These measures also demonstrate the commitment of both countries to work together to preserve a strong and positive bilateral relationship on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and to resolve bilateral issues amicably in accordance with international law.”

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:07 PM

    "....without a strong, rational, reasonable and critical opposition in parliament, any ruling party like PAP might just goes rogue and become irresponsible, endangering the safety of this nation with their nonsensical self-serving stunts."
    Goh Meng Seng

    Goh Meng Seng, let me tell you this lah.

    The opposition should demonstrate first that they are ready to take over as govt before majority Sinkies will even want to consider voting more of them into Parliament.

    If opposition is not strong, united and ready to be govt, forget about even contesting lah. Sure lose big one, I tell you. It had happened many times before, and will continue to happen if they are still not ready.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5:56 PM

    We do not know the reason why PM Lee's son wanted to go about without security. What if he is kidnap and be use as a leverage against our country?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous1:50 PM

    Home cooking.

    The very best meals are the ones you prepare at home, where you have control over method and ingredients.


    1. Food should be tasty.
    2.It should be easy to prepare.
    3.Make extra so as can be use in other meals to minimize work and time.



    More fish and greens should be eaten regularly.
    . .

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:56 PM

    "Let us never forget that we only have a toe-hold in parliament... The risk of a wipe-out with no elected opposition represented by the Workers' Party is a real one," Pritam Singh, the party's secretary general, told a forum on Sunday.
    Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2019/01/14/singapores-only-opposition-party-fears-wipeout-as-election-nears/#6bi0BD70vAdVSMSM.99

    Goh Meng Seng, what do u think about what Pritam Singh said above?

    If WP really kena wiped out, can PPP win some seats to make up for it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:50 AM

    Its all fine & good to imagine what life would be like to vote in non-pap. To head out to the great unknown takes some great courage. After all the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. Or maybe if we have the right people to give us courage to change.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous11:32 AM

    Why is safe to hire people who had make mistakes. They learn from all the negative experiences, and they learn if the mistakes are due to ignorance or stupidity. Scientist mistakes are not failure, to them its discoveries. Their mistakes precede discoveries. They learn from what they read, saw, experience, discussed, and where went wrong.


    True value is when we learn and apply to it. Leaders take note.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:02 PM

    Safe country is about in the past. Yi PengLee cant even go out on his own to be safe. People are just becoming overly bold today. Minister being threatened to have eggs thrown at him. Doors are falling on people. Drivers are having blackouts. Fatal road accidents seems to be the norm. Gangsters fighting in full views.
    Socially its becoming worse. What are the police doing? What people feared has become realty that when LKY is no more around this place will go to the dumps. Nothing is safe anymore and is the truth. What have the ministers doing other than making policies and talking nonsense?
    Lee Long cannot do it alone. Time to take bold steps to change new people who has the bravery of those old guards.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:09 PM

    Socially its becoming worse....What have the ministers doing other than making policies and talking nonsense?
    8:02 PM

    It's true lah, but to vote in people like Goh Meng Seng into Parliament is also not the solution lah. He will just be a voice in the wilderness.

    Even if we vote more opposition into Parliament, can they be united when some are not even on speaking terms with each other outside of Parliament?

    Under such situation, things will become worse, not better, especially when they are not even ready to be govt.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous12:12 PM

    Lets face it, who likes to sit in a room for hours being talked at and suffering by powerpoint.

    ReplyDelete