The smoke and mirrors are about to start. Anytime they are ready as long as we are. The moment you start to investigate you find that you are dealing with ghosts, spirits and apparitions. After a while you know at least a few of the guilty ones but I wouldn't be surprised they cannot be pinned down much less prosecuted and sentenced.
These tycoons saw it coming or more accurately they are like good scouts: Always prepared especially given the last time enough of them were caught flat footed when Suharto fell.
If they can be trusted and promised through whatever message channels that they swear to god and cross their hearts they will not burn again, we have nixed the problem. This is totally wishful. So we are forced to entertain extreme measures like we had done long ago with secret society bosses. These two situations are different but the daring and unconventional approach is the same. No choice when they have covered their asses so well. We must also bear in mind our poor record at nabbing the drug lords but these businessmen are a far greater menace than the drug kingpins are.
Of course we need to turn over and examine all international laws first that we can use to go after them. I can keep things simple and stupid here but in real life there are many things to take into consideration. Whatever, we must nab them like the Americans nabbed Osama and the other leaders in Al Qaeda. Quite simply the damage these greedy and callous business people are doing to us is not much different from a terrorist attack and in some ways worse. An attack is an acute event but this is chronic. Unlike Al Qaeda, we just need to make examples of a few monkeys and frighten the rest of the troop. They are cowards. Much better they come forward now to take responsibility, pay fines and may be go to jail.
P.S. Most likely we don't even need to act but must possess the capability to make the threat real. Just get them to worry about this day and night. They will as they never in their imagination would think if we choose to act this way. As I am not from the government I have the freedom to speculate solutions! I hope some of them read this otherwise I am blogging for myself and I don't care who else reads. [redacted 9:15pm] after I thought through this more carefully.
Update: June 24, 7:15am
Click on pic to read.
There was a similar article in yesterday's papers but this is a much better one putting in perspective what is at stake. Indonesia must never give us problems which threaten our existence. At some point we will be forced to take drastic measures. After this year's fires are put out they need to show why this is not a bad habit or else we must entertain every option including unthinkable ones to resolve this.
the problem clearly starts with the greedy businessmen. They will get away with their bribes - and the ordinary people will continue to suffer. It will be interesting if we will find out if any of them receive any corporate social responsibility award - what hypocrites and crooks are they then!
ReplyDeleteAll it takes is just the concession map of the plantation land. Why Indonesia is not providing it to Singapore is a mystery. Are they trying to protect those businesses and in so doing be their accomplice? It looks as if some under table money have changed hands to keep the lid shut. Corruption runs deep. If Indonesia doesn't cooperate, I think the next best thing to do is unilateral action to douse the fire. Just get all our military equipment over their airspace. No need ask them permission.
ReplyDeleteThat is precisely what Obama did when he ordered mission to kill Osama. No need Pakistan's approval. Just do it.
Deleteam sure these greedy businessmen have bank accounts here
ReplyDeletethey should be frozen to pay for the costs to the residents here - citizens and foreigners. why should these rich people get away with their riches at other people's expenses?
In Singapore only higher mortals count and those with fat bank accounts are highest mortals. The rest, daft citizens who read the "right things" and can be relied upon to keep the MIWs in power, are dispensable and easily replaced with immigrants who will keep the dignified ministers in power.
DeleteAnother unhelpful comment from Shanmugam. He (and his team) is still thinking like scholars, not strategically.
ReplyDeleteYou can point out such contradictions, when you're dealing with say, Gomez?? And say its a "character issue". And haul him to court. And sue the pants out of him. Or Francis Seow?? And have ST giving full blast, pages after pages of coverage, to make your point.
But here, you're dealing with at least an equal. Face is involved. What do you gain from publicly hiliting "contradictions"? You only play to the gallery. Its better to say whoever those culprits are, if its within our means, we'll nab them.
You're here to solve a problem. To get the Indo more and more to the point where they genuinely cooperate, if that's possible. Making the other side lose face is not the best strategy. Even if you want to make this point, get an NGO to do so for you. But don't do that from the vantage point of a Foreign Minister.
Unless you've determined that your influence is limited and there's really nothing much you can do. And all you're trying to do is to play to the gallery to keep scoring points at home. That's short-sighted because Singaporeans will feel good when the wind blows towards M'sia; but when the wind direction change, they'll forget all the warm fuzzy words you spoke 3 days ago and demand action.