14 March 2011

Goh Chok Tong : Embarrassing !

  • Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong :“How many of you followed the latest tragic events in Japan with the tsunami…and then put into context our floods in Singapore against that kind of disaster. I am not saying we shouldn’t do anything about the flood. But the amount of noise you made with just sporadic flood compared to the Japanese. I saw them on TV. Very stoic looking. You don’t see them crying. This has happened, just get on, that’s the kind of spirit you want to have and you call it nation building.”
  • Untimely, insensitive, unnecessary, illogical comparison of 2 entirely seperate and incomparable events. 
  • Flooding in Singapore due to over-urbanization and poor design/maintenance ie self inflicted by poor government. The other is an act of God. To use one to scold Singapore citizens is a cheap shot and unbecoming of one of the most highly paid leader in the world.

8 comments:

Taichiseal said...

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1116393/1/.html

Unknown said...

yup i didnt even bother to read when i saw the headline....ridiculous and definitely not the best of time...is a lousy and distasteful comparision..my deepest sympathy to the japanese people for what happened in their country

Taichiseal said...

http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/03/13/goh-chok-tong-criticizes-singaporeans-backlash-to-floods/

Kris said...

People tend to make stupid statements when disaster struck other people. This happened in Bolehland also in the daily newspaper cartoon parodying the disaster.

Anonymous said...

I'd disagree with the other comments here and would agree with Goh Chok Tong. He is comparing the stoic reaction of the Japanese to a monstrous disaster with the sissy-like reaction of Singaporeans to a minor event. The media has a huge amount of blame because in search of ratings they dramatize, sensationalize every small thing and encourage ordinary people to complain. Wailing on-camera is very good for viewership numbers.
Mr. Goh is right - such incidents show up the differences in the national psyche of the nations.

As one who has been exposed to hard blows in life (as well as receiving tremendous generosity) my philosophy is - Shit happens, and we just have to get on with life the best we can. Wailing, complaining, trying to find someone to blame is a waste of time and effort.
Pandu

Taichiseal said...

Welcome back Pandu. Agree and disagree with you. Yes - the Japanese' stoic reaction is admirable. No - you can't say that we Singaporeans are not stoic just because we complain about floods in Orchard Road. I am sure that if placed in a difficult situation we can rise to the occasion and overcome too.

My gripe with GCT is that he should choose some other forum and time to complain about Singaporeans' complaining. Do not link huge Japanese tragedy with our floods.

Anonymous said...

Hi TS, Thanks for the welcome back. I never left, I read your blog regularly.
Re GCT, look at the big picture. He is a statesman, who has to think of everything in terms of the nation. Thank God Singapore has someone like him (and LKY before) who put nation before everything else. Compare that with Clinton or worse, Bush, who spent most of their Presidency in decadent pleasure or helping themselves and their buddies, nation be damned. In the case of Bush, the whole world be damned!
Pandu

Taichiseal said...

My occasional griping aside, I am actually most content living in Singapore, made possible only because the Government has done a great job overall.