14 - Always Onz: 04/06/2003

I hope they will give me some easy questions, that I'm interested in. Argh. Can't wait to get the interview over and done with. Anyway, good morning.

2 days to History test(s).
17 days to the final rounds of Humans Scholarship Interviews.
48 days to LD Production. [We're dead meat.]
148 days to Big Walk 2003 [anyone still interested in a september walk. the possiblity of rain is higher and hence, more cooling.]

and most imptly, 119 days to NDP 2003.

Btw, are we doing sth for the huge group of April babies?

P/S: As a very "conscientious" GP rep, may I remind you to do research on the role of women in various countries. (I can't remember what countries they are.) And oops, I forgot to hand in the GP Application Qns. Argh. I shall sneak into sch tml, i mean, today, to hand in that.

hello i'm listing my questions too in case people are wondering

"you're from chs gep. are there any antagonisms, gaps between gep and non gep there?"
"do you feel gep and humans programme are differentiating the students?"
"what are you going to be when you grow up?"
"why don't you turn to journalism?"
"why do you think you should get the scholarship?"

it was very breezy throughout except that i entered and said evening and the viceprincipal started laughing.

(paraphrased selected qns...cant remember exact wording)
"do u have any ideas for singapore to attract more tourists due to SARS?"
"we see u didn't do well for a maths and physics for prelims, but quite well for o levels. why?"
"were u disappointed about it?"
"how did u manage to improve then?"
"why didn't u try and improve earlier before prelims?"
"how are u going to deal with your c maths in a levels?"
"we've been hearing 'passion' for the past few days...what makes u think u are different from the rest?"
--the panel doesn't like me o_O

ahh the blog is back with crap!! after the hijack filled with intellectual thingamajick =)
hmm can we get everyone up with their hc uniforms soon so we can take a class pic pls pls pls...then put on the blog...think the effect will be better (light khaki and sepia)

35 days to Matrix Reloaded (haha smth to counter Johnny's countdown=)

Heya people...
I'm SO relieved they appeared not to realize I was an RJC student despite my name being put down as one today! Hooray for the Hwachong Uniform, which dispells all thoughts of RJC from the minds of interviewers! (At least it appeared to be so) The guy at the desk just dismissed the RJC on his register as some stupid clerical error when I walked in and *poof* there goes my problem! Ahhh I love hwachong =)

OK so the interview appeared glorious as compared to what I was preparing myself for.. :P so i'm not exactly an unbiased source of information about it... but I'll tell you what I gathered.. OK panel was VJ principal (who was nice and smiley), a scholarship department i/c called ms wong, and a MOE person in charge of a humanities department or something. They generally didn't ask academic questions but not terribly probing personal ones either. These were mine, for your reference:
"what cca are you in now?"
"why did you choose choir over debate/drama?"
"would you be disappointed if SYF is cancelled?"
"were you bored during the SARS holiday?" (!!)
"what motivates you?"
"what inspires you?"
"why did you apply for the scholarship?"
"why do you need the scholarship?" -- trick question!

OK but they were generally nice to me... Good luck 29th ppl!

No, I did not imply what you imply i implied. No. I did not. Did not. You know I did not. Grrr.

Yes zk why're you givng zp dirty looks? Are you Melissa? :) *lightly toned*

Oh just want to say I had a fun day today* those who didn't go don't feel left out, though.
Super Thursdays!!!

What's an Ah Lian's favourite fruit?
Dew-Lian!

What's the worst thing to tell a guy who says his wife is frigid?
"No, she isn't!"

Hey zk stop complaining. I didn't ask for the 29th of April, you didn't ask for it, we didn't ask for it.

Now boys and girls, at the count of 3: 1, 2, 3 [chorus] THANK YOU SARS! [/chorus]

And why am I being given dirty looks...zk you're nuts. Stop giving me dirty looks!

Actually I'd rather have my interview as soon as possible... Mine's on the 29th of April *mutterstupidmoemutter*. And that's like.....2 and a half weeks from now??? And furthermore I'm right after Zhipeng. *gives zp dirty look*

Argh stop talking about remerger already...

I have interview tomorrow and I'm scared =( I think I'm definitely going to get the Raffles question (since i'm on the roll as an RJC student and am going to stride in in HC u.. I can't think of a more immediate question) and i'm rather sick of answering it already... Hey people who've already gone... how were your interviews? So far they didn't sound too bad I hope... Mel?

Shall be concise.

I agree that merger would be the last resort Singapore would seek for its continued survival. [If you consider that a survival.] But that would also be if Singaporeans have lost all sense of pride, and feel that it is okay to be with Malaysia because that would save their jobs. Even if Singapore was to be in anarchy, the historical baggage would still ensure Singaporeans away from Malaysia. We cannot, as zp has mentioned, expect the past to apply in a much globalised world of today, thus Singapore can still function as a node in the IT industry. But if we are to throw the stone into the far horizon of time, and should Singapore fall into an economic quicksand, it would only take place if the world returns to the ages when countries fence themselves up. This nation can survive in an open world, because the strong economic powers, like China and USA that we have chosen to “ally” with, have vested interest in this region because of what SEA can offer. It could either be an asset to them or it would be a trouble spot that they have to be concerned of settling. [The latter is more likely.] You need an oasis to handle business and that leaves only Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to contend for. Then we are back to the original point – would Singapore abandon her history and a will to survive for merger?

So my point may look stubborn. But merging with Malaysia under whatever conditions would be impossible because the idea of losing independence matters to all Singaporeans. And that is not the result of a rather unsuccessful indoctrination of patriotism on the side of the government here. It is what it means of having a red passport, a pink I/C, your family, friends and the memories that you grew up with; what it means of singing the anthem, seeing the flag, and the idea of an independent Singapore. If everyone has that mindset eventually, then economic destitution would seem secondary. And even if we do merge for economic reasons, that everyone here has said, I’m pretty sure Singaporeans would be miserable, that some one has gone over their heads to rule them.

I don’t have any historical examples to prove my above point – I’m not as knowledgeable. But I believe if everyone has the mind to fight for Singapore’s survival, be it you are here or abroad contributing, then we would survive - though the titles may go, its fame vanished. Money shouldn’t be our preoccupation.

There would always be one people, one nation, one Singapore. 123 days…:>

elo! zhihong here speaking. weehee finally i get to use the com after !@#$% donkey years. it crashed promptly, at the start of the holidays. drats. and now its fixed when school's about to reopen. whaddahell.. anyway glad to see u guys in sch soon :)

btw, why are there only 10 people in this blog??

YAY! I got the archives working =)

Hmm. Regarding the difficulties of the constitution, I don't think you can simply dismiss it as impossible to have two different systems in the same country, even if their very premises might be different (in this case meritocracy and the lack thereof). I think Singapore should watch the goings-on in China to resolve the one-country-two-systems conundrum carefully. I'm sure it will involve some compromise, but I think overall the benefits (especially to Singapore) are worth compromising over.

For all the rhetoric on both sides, I doubt that political bad blood is enough of a reason to dismiss a re-merger. With each successive change of leadership the personal gulf between the politicians will probably diminish. In fact most of the posturing even now is not really in earnest in that it's unlikely the two countries will go to war. I think that given Singapore's present position it's crucial for her politicans to put history behind them when it comes to dealing with Malaysia. I believe in the next decade there will be enough of an economic problem for Singapore to really consider merger, or face a decline. (Let's face it, the region is catching up in terms of technology and infrastructure, and unless Singapore can constantly innovate - not something we're known for - it will probably slip into the backwaters of history) However, by then it would be too late because we would have lost most of our bargaining power with Malaysia since they don't require -us- for survival, though our infrastructure would be very beneficial for them. (Until they build their own)

As I see it, Singapore right now is attempting to acquire hinterland, largely through bilateral FTA's recently, because she recognizes that hinterland is necessary for survival. That is how Venice survived. However, with the general non-cooperation with ASEAN countries, which haven't been integrating themselves economically, the effectiveness of FTAs is limited. A merger offers hinterland which is far more secure because it is less suspectable to another countries' policy (e.g. protectionism), which is usually due to political climate, and makes us far too vulnerable and dependent.

OK that's sort of my piece =)

Any merger in the future would be like the previous one: fundamentally based on economic grounds. After decades of going on their own political paths it would be hard to convince Singapore to join Malaysia as a state (or to convince Malaysia to join Singapore as a super-large GRC :-) ). It would also be difficult to reconcile the social differences between the 2 countries, especially since leaders of both sides have spoken against the systems used across the Causeway.

With strong political and social grounds against merger, the only thing that will cause a re-merger would be economic difficulties. Not simple-simple economic difficulties like the current recession, but probably a recession so deep that growth in the near future looks impossible. I think if such economic problems are to cause a re-merger, there would be clear indications...maybe instability in Singapore, which would help to convince Singaporeans to agree to a merger.

In my opinion, attempts to compare with historical examples may not be truly reflective of what things will be in the future..largely because international relations in the 21st century is radically different from international relations in the past..

PS. Can we don't talk so much politics? I thought this is a class thingy

I believe that a merger between Singapore and Malaysia is not entirely out of question, and indeed is preferable to independence, only if certain conditions are met.
1. Should a merger happen it will be one which allows Singapore complete or near-complete freedom in domestic policy. The two entities will only be tied together by a common conduct of foreign policy. (e.g. like the Austro-Hungarian Empire after 1867).
2. A common market. (duh)
3. Economic cooperation.
4. Assuming that Malaysia remains a largely secular state and even makes progress towards a meritocracy.

Shan't be verbose here but throughout history the record of city-states have not been good. They may have survived for some time as rich maritime trading states (much like Singapore, where trade is 4 times size of GDP) but eventually they decline and succumb to large states which have far greater resources at their disposal. I am inclined to think that Venice only lasted that long because it was first under the protection of the Byzantine Empire and later acted like an imperial power. And even then it eventually fell to the Ottomans who had huge resources at their disposal. (Well, comparably). Singapore is in a similar position - we have very very little resources, and we are very much at the mercy of larger states. So merger is perhaps a preferable alternative to independence since it has a greater chance of guaranteeing our survival and prosperity - so in the near future should these conditions be met, merger is certainly possible.

comment | Merger II?

Politics

I think it was in 1995. At the moment when Singapore celebrated its 30th year of independence, the “father of the republic”, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew spoke, with his controversial tongue of those times (Remember Johor and its crime cases), about the possibility of Singapore re-merging with Malaysia. That whipped out a whole controversy, including relighting the flames of pain from old Malaysian leaders, who could not understand why Tunku Abdul Rahman agreed to let Singapore – such a pain in the neck, more than an economical asset - go alone.

[more...]

you don't -need- to study history. well, school is opening on wednesday to the immense relief of most people. i added the grapedrop blog to the list.

I'm rotting at home, attempting to study History. Sigh......Can't wait for school to reopen.

Hi! Anyone who do not mind providing entertainment..er.. I mean who don't mind us knowing more about your life.

Please go to the template and add your personal diaries (be it blog or pitas or FOD or whatever) and its hyperlinks!
Add your fave webpages for us to see too!

I'm bored..... 125 days to NDP 2003

14 - Always Onz

Friday, April 11, 2003

Thursday, April 10, 2003

Tuesday, April 08, 2003

Monday, April 07, 2003

Sunday, April 06, 2003

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