Poem: What the papers white out
Projections, pronouncements, proclamations.
They herald the march forward, the fattening of the cow,
the building of ornate temples, and the bringing of capitalist Gods.
And yet they never tell you, my fellow kiasu,
about the end of your childhood, the place you once knew.
We are never told what the papers white out.
~
We are not told about the last makcik Continue reading “Poem: What the papers white out”
CNA – Views on the News Jan 24th 2013
Dear friends, I appeared on CNA earlier this morning to talk about David Cameron’s proposed EU referendum, India’s decision not to apply the death penalty to rapists, and, best of all, Beyonce’s lip-synch. Click here to watch. Continue reading CNA – Views on the News Jan 24th 2013
Amanat: The right lessons from her legacy
As 2012 draws to a close, most Singaporeans’ hearts
are filled with sadness, not joy. All the triumphs and moments of elation this year—from our country’s first individual Olympic medal in more than 50 years to the broader Asian pride we feel every time somebody horses around to the Gangnam Style—have been rightly overshadowed by the shocking, abhorrent gang-rape of Amanat, the Indian lady who passed away in Singapore after having been flown here for medical treatment from Delhi, the scene of the crime. Continue reading “Amanat: The right lessons from her legacy”
Reimagining the Singapore Armed Forces and National Service
(This is a continuation of “Singapore’s outdated national security policies”)
Fighting the real enemy: Reimagining the Singapore Armed Forces
Why does Singapore 
still need such a large standing Armed Forces? If we accept the argument that Singapore’s security threats have evolved over the years—and no longer includes “potentially hostile Muslim neighbours”—then our country needs to adapt, and prepare itself for today’s threats, not yesteryear’s. Continue reading “Reimagining the Singapore Armed Forces and National Service”
Singapore’s outdated national security policies
Synopsis
Singapore’s national security policies are
outdated and in dire need of revision. These policies are heavily influenced by the paranoias of the 1960s, when a vulnerability fetish gave rise to a siege mentality amongst Singaporean leaders that persists today. But Singapore’s main security threats now are not other states but non-state actors, specifically pirates and terrorists. Continue reading “Singapore’s outdated national security policies”
Floating on a Malayan Breeze mentioned in this week’s Economist
Dear friends, our company will not review books written by staff, but we do list them at the end of the year, “What we wrote when we weren’t in the office”. So–nice to have made that list, at least. Continue reading Floating on a Malayan Breeze mentioned in this week’s Economist
Floating on a Malayan Breeze has been sent for a second print run!
Dear friends, I wanted to share some good news about my book, Floating on a Malayan Breeze. Barely two months after the launch, the book has been sent for a second print run. The first run of 1,750 is almost gone. That is small beer for an international book, but pretty good for a niche topic–when I first signed up with HKU Press, an editor … Continue reading Floating on a Malayan Breeze has been sent for a second print run!
Select conversations: 4pm, Sat Dec 1st, Select Bookstore, 51 Armenian St
Dear friends, if you’re free and keen to find out more about my recently published book, do come down to Select Bookstore this coming Saturday. I’ll be taking part in a “Select conversation” with Sharon Siddique, my dear friend and mentor. Aunty Sharon was one of the few people who encouraged Sumana Rajarethnam and me to go on that bicycle trip around Malaysia in 2004, … Continue reading Select conversations: 4pm, Sat Dec 1st, Select Bookstore, 51 Armenian St
Malaysia Star’s review of Floating on a Malayan Breeze
Dear friends, The Star wrote a couple of pieces about the book in today’s papers. First is a straight up book review written by Neil Khor, a friend of mine, who is a social historian and senior fellow at Think City, which manages the George Town Grants Programme. You can read Neil’s review here. The Star also published an interview that Rouwen Lim, a reporter … Continue reading Malaysia Star’s review of Floating on a Malayan Breeze
Should happiness be the national target?
Dear friends, I recently took part in a Channel News Asia debate. The motion was “Should happiness be the national target?” and I was arguing for the affirmative. You can watch a recording of the debate online here. Continue reading Should happiness be the national target?