YorYor’s Thoughts

Story 1: Driver jailed 2 weeks for lying to customs officer

Story 2: Tycoon jailed 1 day (2 hours) for lying under oath

A man lies over a petty offence, never once swore or put on record he was telling “nothing but the truth”, and gets 2 weeks jail.

Another man lies while under oath, but gets a day’s jail. Sure mitigating factors include ailing health and what not, but to say the middleman is more to blame is simply… fame and fortune gets double discounts you know. Discount in the meted judgement, followed by the discount to release him after just two hours.

A man of his age and knowledge of the world, would surely know that it was an illegal transaction, otherwise there would not be a need to be sneaky all about it. Like the prosecution said, he is as guilty as the middleman.

Or are we saying there aren’t any signs (like the petrol level warnings at the Causeway) to warn would-be offenders that it’s a crime to lie under oath?

Yet another interesting comparison to ponder about.

Well it is over… to be be very honest, it has grown to be more than a little mundane for me.

What exactly is wrong? I’m thinking a few very basic reasons.

1. The most important is that there is no clear line of definition between government departments/agencies, and the ruling party. Sure, the argument may be that it is more efficient for things to get done, but it sure doesn’t seem so to me. For the disgruntled few who have since “seen through” the massive amounts of smoke being spewn forth all the time, the nation’s birthday becomes associated with the party’s birthday. How many have chosen not to hang up the national flag just because they are not happy with the ruling party? Ask them whether they are happy with Singapore and they’d talk about their grouses with things not associated with the nation itself. I am one of those, to be very honest about it. But I am trying my best to separate the two issues, however hard it may be.
2. The fact that the “hands behind the scene” remains alive and croaking is very very distracting. I have a lot of respect for the old man, but this is too much. If the managing director of a company wishes to continue manipulating the company in close control, why hand over the reins? Just because there’s a law that dictates the retirement age? And getting a million per month is not considered remuneration? If one truly has the interests of the nation at heart, of what importance is getting that kind of remuneration? Or are we saying founder/founder’s son/pre65 are also prone to sacrificing the nation’s interests/secrets when faced with the allure of bribes? To tie down office bearers with money forming the bulk of the basis is just so wrong. Capitalism at its ugliest.
3. The one who earned a lot of my respect when he fought tooth and nail with “The One” to tide the nation over during a period of rainy days, seems to have lost his focus as well. Why be concerned over winning back a constituency from the opposition when the ruling party has naught but words for those residents? Apparently, in this twisted rule, it is not about winning back hearts - it is about depriving them of their fair rights until they succumb and decide to cast their vote the $ way. It’s like a class with 2 unruly students. Rather than teach them with both carrot and stick, the teacher chooses to treat them as outcasts, driving them out of the class, ignoring their progress, not giving them their birthday/children’s day presents even when it is their right. Assuming the 2 are not the best of friends, one may eventually succumb but the other might grow to be disillusioned with school life and turn wayward. Is that the mentality - “so be it?” They live on the same island, pay the same amount of taxes, but they get overlooked more often than not. Sure, there’s debate, their representative didn’t fight hard enough… but those are just excuses. Just another instance in which the line between departments and the ruling party is unclear. Ask any resident whom they blame and it’s not their representative, nor is it the housing department - I would think at least 70% would say it’s the unfair influence of the ruling party.
4. The fact that the largest shadow cast over the entire island is the presence of this huge holding company tasked with managing the reserves. No coincidence that the key personnel is all linked somehow? That fact is already filtering down to even the most basic commoner. It is no longer something that can overlooked. If you want to run it like a family business, then jolly well treat us like family. Any company that makes tons of money every year, and only pays huge amounts to the directors and key office bearers but largely ignores the rest of employee population is doomed to perish. And yet they wonder why we are not “bringing in new employees”? Do they really think the “referral fee” of $3K/$9K/$15K for new “employees” is that enticing?

I yearn for the day when the opposition puts forth credible arguments and fields proper candidates. But of course, hopefully the citizens will bear in mind that no one is perfect - whatever shit is stirred up, take it with a pinch of salt and let the past be past. What is the past may not represent the future. If convicts can turn over a new leaf and find a new footing, who’s to say someone with a minor blemish, however blown out of proportion or exaggerated, is not truly looking to serve the nation?

So getting paid millions of pounds per year while having TV exposure week in week out, professional nutrionists and trainers looking after your health, is a modern slave? A certain Mr Sepp Blatter is speaking out of his senile old ass.

Somebody enslave me!

I am NOT impressed with what Cristiano Ronaldo is trying to pull off. His last2 season were merely compensating for all the patience and tolerance United as a whole (coach, staff, fans) have accorded to him during his first 2 seasons. And now he thinks he’s top of the world? He nearly lost us the Champions’ League title for goodness’ sake. No one is allowed to insult Manchester United like that. He is straining the relationship with the club and every other dedicated soul donning the United crest, and I really hope the dressing room is not affected by such an ungrateful twat.

Short of suing the club like another ungrateful G. Heinze did, which should be death penalty in my opinion, he has done everything that is unbecoming of a human being. Zero professionalism, no respect for his own signature, and if his agent is the major influence, absolutely brainless and spineless. A man stands up to his own word, his own signature.

Does having a childhood dream/crush on ActressX give me the right to cheat on my wife whom I have a contract to for 50 years? Wanna do that, get a divorce, properly and legally, not sneak around like one helluva bastard.

Spent 3 hours at a MSCP to touch up my little Goo… tiring indeed! Those freelance groomers are indeed working every bit of sweat for every cent they earn.

Was lazy, so shampoo’ed and claybar’ed the van at the same time. Sure, would waste the claybar faster, but when one only plans to do it once every 6 months, it doesn’t really matter does it? Thereafter, one wipe with a cleaner cloth to rid the remnant dirt. One more round, this time with a Duragloss dirt-removal spray (#521). And FINALLY last2 rounds of Duragloss quick spray wax (#951). Boy, my arms were complaining, but my Goo was moo’ing happily.

Spent a further 15 minutes to “top-up” the gun-metal spray on my steel rims which were “roughed up” during my last change of tyres. I’m now happy with the 70% effort, and my 3-year-old Goo feels like it’s 3 months old!

During the period, one fellow EVC.SG member was nice enough to pop by and we chat for a while. At least I was not alone for a while.

No matter what, 3 hours well spent! Next time would be for CNY liao… ;p

My mum got a rude shock yesterday morning when she received a call at 9am and heard me crying and asking her to get my dad to my location quickly because I was beaten up badly. She got my dad to drive her over to my place, and was panicking, shouting my name as she rung my home’s doorbell. And when she saw me all and well opening the door, it was a face of bewilderment.

Apparently, someone sounded just like me and called my sis’ place and claimed that “I” was beaten up (my mum goes over to my sis’ place to help her look after her kids everyday). Guess those scammers never thought that us 3 families lived within the same estate. And on my way to the office, apparently that scammer called again. Had I been around, I’d have asked for the location and the rundown on what happened. Then notify the police and ambush those buggers.

I wonder whether SingTel would cooperate if we reported the incident to the police. Would they dig out their call logs and trace the calling party? These scammers ought to be shot. Literally. These people are twisted and serve no purpose in the society, just like cockroaches.