Protection Of The Sovereignty Of The Republic Of Singapore - No surrender of sovereignty or relinquishment of control over the Police Force or the Armed Forces except by referendum
Moi is heartened by this part of the Constitution. Because of it, every citizen sleeps better in the night and feels safer, no?
Question is, when the crunch comes, will the "guns" (meaning any of the two) be trained on an "invading" foreign power or its very own citizens?
We all remember the hilarious episode of a lone female opposition member being ring-fenced when she tried protesting.
National Sovereignty Of The People
The Constitution protects the sovereignty of our rulers.
However it seems that we are answering to one or two (maybe a couple of) Kings and princes (Queens or princesses even, behind closed doors). This is an even bigger laugh when we make ourselves out to be a democracy, not a monarchy or a feudalistic state.
So how is the national sovereignty of the people enshrined when there are walkovers in elections (thus non-representational), gerry-mendering and "supersized" group-representation constituencies which effectively keep out the opposition because of purported minority interests and a quorum to fulfill.
What say does the people have when there are only two lone oppositional members in Parliament, a largely non-vocal and non-articulate legislature along with all the other parliamentary checks on bills, debates on issues and investigations which aren't doing their supposed functions as much?
National sovereignty of the people has to be protected too against the sheer number of foreign presence here, shouldn't it? Just as national sovereignty of the state is protected against foreign interference or powers?
Special Powers Against Subversion And Emergency Powers
This part of the Constitution effectively puts a stop to a legislature or a people speaking out if moi gets it correctly that Civil and Criminal are separate from Constitutional ones.
American Patriotism
There are at least two ideological traits in American politics, both of which are considered patriotic.
Besides affirmation (like identifying with national anthems, symbols and icons), there is also rigorous criticism effected by both Democrats and Republicans alike.
If every party is singing hymns of praises and muttering "Yes Prime Minister" (maybe albeit grudgingly?) or worse fawning and flattering, will there ever be room for improvement for the common good?
Consumer Sovereignty
A system of governance based on caveat emptors and disclosures (or non-disclosures) simply cannot do.
Who is to enforce or audit the disclosures?
Is there firstly perfect knowledge or even expert specialised knowledge available to qualify the safety and efficacy of products and services (like the hair, beauty and the health industry) and make appropriate recommendations?
For example, should moi have gone for a cataract surgey despite his age or wait where results are better with increasing age? Will skin lasering bleach your skin and what happens thereafter when moi goes under the sun?
Participation in co-operative international schemes which are beneficial to Singapore
My Word, There You Have It, It Has Been Enshrined And Entrenched
This part of the Constitution has been enshrined. It doesn't entertain amendments (which include repeal or additions) unless there is a referendum by which a two-thirds majority of the electors (meaning you and me) is needed.
There you have it. Something like this is shoved down our throat. Did we have a say? Can you turn around and accuse us of being bo-chap, indifferent, uncaring, selfish and apathetic? Even if we chap, can we do anything to change the status quo when everything has already been decided on and will be bull-dozed through anyway?
Disenfranchisement. So what do we turn to? Shopping, sucking cocks and porno..........
What Is National Sovereignty Of The People And Who Has Powers To Call For A Referendum And How
Do citizens have a say as to who comes through our doors to live, work and play here among us? Are they welcome because of the different value systems, hygiene standards, culture and language?
We can count domestic maids, technical and construction workers, retail, food and beverage, administration employees and managers. Yes even the owners of these factors of production.
Has this been weighed against a backdrop of a profit versus cost analyses? Profit here taken to mean vigorous business development to ensure a healthy bottom line at the expense of health, money, environmental and social costs (work-life balance, family, leisure pursuits, etc)
Don't we feel besieged ? Do we have a choice? How is it beneficial when one weighs it against, one, our very low corporate taxes, two with regard to employment opportunities for its own citizens (or is it non-citizens) , three, those costs moi has itemised and four, a largely local patronage.
What of security issues? IT, banks, is this compromising our bio-data and money, making it too easily accessible to one and all leading to cyber-theft, even harm to ourselves?
Telecommunication shops, landlords and beauty parlors, almost everyone has your personal data save YOU!
What about our security troops? Who are they composed of? Our prisons, Armed Forces, Police Force and auxillary police force.
Are we selling out to economics at the expense of our souls? Dare I venture even traitorous and treasonous to ourselves in cases of allies turned foes and what's more coming from within?
Chinese Patriotism
The Chinese are up in arms against a large foreign presence in their midst.
The Olympics seems like a redeeming event to salvage their pride and make up for the history of humiliation it has suffered under foreign powers and its loss of technological supremacy despite being among the firsts of cradles of civilisations.
I pray that they will once again be supreme but for good of course.
What About Us?
I think we feel similarly except that we should feel it even more keenly and profoundly.
First there is that far too few local, truly home-grown, truly home-spun innovation, creativity and enterprises here who will not only develop businesses but swear to do good by Singapore.
Not to speak of our own talents in every field like the sports, the arts and so on.
What we have here are copycats and lacklustre local (yes naturalised too) and foreign-based industries. Food and beverage, IT, retail, the list goes on. Is the Singapore Flyer anything new?
And even dubious ones like Crazy Horse, casinos and now human organ trading.....Whoa! You are the best! That is all you can think of!
What next? Organ transplants of the genitalia?
Tying Up The Loose Ends
We can opt out of HOTA but what if we need one ourselves in future since we are precluded if we opt out and two, short of being on the crime scene (oops, I mean death scene) how can we be sure organs aren't removed anyway since embalming ensures that they are?
Does that explain why other religious groups (who are exempt before) perform funeral rites at home and within a day inter or cremate the corpses?
There are only 77000 millionaires in Singapore. So dream on Singaporeans. You can work yourselves to death to aspire to that million and still have your organs removed.
Pointless to have loud gesticulations and quarrels over politics in coffee-shops, dear uncles! When it comes to the ballot box, you didn't exercise what you were unhappy over.
Yes the grandma I spoke to is partially foreign and her grandchildren are half-Korean.
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