Ambassador replies to MM's remarks about Costa Rica

• Clivebenss

  27 May 10, 11:45

  May 27, 2010 - ST Forum
  

  Ambassador replies to MM's remarks about Costa Rica

  I THANK Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew for his reference to the abolition of the army in Costa Rica in last Friday's report ( 'MM Lee: US base in Japan boosts stability').

  MM Lee was reported to have stated that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the President of Costa Rica for disbanding the army, but this is not accurate.

  The army was dissolved on Dec 1, 1948 by the then President Jose Figueres as 'a precaution against the militarism that has undercut or perennially thwarted democracy in Central America'.

  The move also allowed for the allocation of more resources to education and health, indicators that Costa Rica stands for today on the world stage.

  The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize was President Oscar Arias Sanchez, who ruled Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2010.

  He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to achieve peace in Central America, which was then involved in armed conflicts and instability.

  On May 8, President Arias relinquished his office to Ms Laura Chinchilla, who is Costa Rica's first woman President.

  I also respectfully disagree with MM Lee's remark that our leaders did not have to worry about neighbouring countries attacking Costa Rica because we had no wealth to talk about.

  We have great wealth, it is everywhere, and Costa Ricans have been looking after it for the past 40 years. Our wealth is green, represented by 4.5 per cent of the biodiversity known to date; all in a territory which constitutes only 0.03 per cent of the world.

  Juan F. Cordero A.
  Ambassador of Costa Rica
  to Singapore

• Clivebenss

  27 May 10, 13:03

  malu.

  

• small-man

  27 May 10, 13:09

  this call smart can laio dun act smart and same time dun be too kaypoh

• CheckmateA1

  27 May 10, 13:19

  mind your own business

  don't be a smart aleck

   

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:25

  This Lee Kuan Yew is actually an idiot and intellectual moron but likes to brag and protray himself as wise man.

  What a shameless disgrace, this Lee Kuan Yew.

• Clivebenss

  27 May 10, 13:27

  Even a fish will not get into trouble if it know when to keep its big mouth shut.

  

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:27

  Some western people who knows nothing about history of Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew are easily fooled by his propaganda:

   

   

   

  LKY, S'pore blockbuster director

  By Rachel Chan FOR veteran American journalist Tom Plate, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is "the director of the blockbuster that is Singapore". Mr Plate gives his take on "this iconic and fashionably authoritarian director" in his new book, Conversations With Lee Kuan Yew - Citizen Singapore: How To Build A Nation. The 211-page book is based mainly on a four-hour exclusive interview that took place over two days last July. As the approach to writing the book was based on a dialogue, the interview subject had to be interesting for there to be content, explained Mr Plate, who is well-known for his syndicated columns about Asia in the Los Angeles Times. "Now, is LKY interesting? No problem. He's the easiest (person to interview) in the history of the world," Mr Plate, 66, told my paper yesterday. "You don't need small talk, you don't have to butter him up, you don't have to bring flowers and perfume and (things) like that. You go in and boom, let's go." Mr Plate, who has interviewed Mr Lee on more than three occasions between the 1990s and now, is said to be the only American journalist that Mr Lee has granted so much interview time to. While he has written a number of weighty articles quoting Mr Lee's views on policy and issues at large, Mr Plate wanted to write an accessible book "that would potentially appeal to a reader of Time and Newsweek, or The Economist or Financial Times, whether they be Singaporean or not". The book is written in Mr Plate's trademark humorous, witty and candid style. "You (the reader) get to be the fly on the wall and, in the course of this conversation, you trace through a lot of his thinking," he said. The conversations in the book cover a wide range of topics. There are serious discussions on philosophy, international relations and governance. But a more personal side of the MM is revealed towards the end, when the men touch on more intimate issues: age, Mr Lee's wife, his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and his daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling, director of the National Neuroscience Institute. During a break, author and interviewee even banter about what Mr Lee would do if he were to take on the post of United Nations secretary-general. "I try to get a bit more of (Mr Lee) as a man, as well as a brainiac and as a leader," said Mr Plate, who also described the politician as warm, trusting and open. When asked what he uncovered about Mr Lee this time, Mr Plate said: "Because I've had more time with him, I began to see him in a slightly different light. So, I felt more educated. Not that there were departures in his views - he's very consistent - but I began to understand certain nuances and subtleties." Conversations With Lee Kuan Yew is the first book in a series called Giants Of Asia, which will subsequently feature Malaysia's former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon.

  

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:31

  Lee Kuan Yew: A Ratbag to the END

  "Between being loved and being feared, I have always believed Machiavelli was right. If nobody is afraid of me, I'm meaningless."
  - Lee Kuan Yew, Oct 6, 1997

  Taipei Times Editorial
  16 Apr 07
  
  It seems the Australian government-academic establishment is running out of Asian autocrats to fete. Chancellor Allan Hawke and Vice Chancellor Ian Chubb of the Australian National University (ANU) are the latest to join the Australian movers and shakers who laud distasteful people - in their case, former Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who now holds an ANU honorary doctorate.
  
  That the ANU could impugn its reputation for excellence in Asian studies and human rights law to further the ambitions of its top two officers is surprising enough. That these men should ram through the award by shelving university processes of review and then praise Lee's "integrity," "commitment to advancing the causes of peace and prosperity" and "international statesmanship [sic]" is downright contemptible. But credit where credit's due: Lee would applaud their methods.
  
  Hawke and Chubb, no doubt, will be unmoved to hear of Lee's most recent slur against a head of state - hardly proper protocol, one might think, for the recipient of a gong for statesmanship. Nonetheless, on April 4, Lee trotted out an attack on President Chen Shui-bian, saying that he was duping Taiwanese into believing that independence from China is possible because war would result and the US would not intervene.
  
  The problem with this salvo was that it wasn't just personal; it was a bouquet to China and a put-down directed at millions of Taiwanese people who believe in democracy and liberty. So a personal attack on Lee for his cardigan despotism and hubris is perfectly in order - because so much of Singapore and its neuroses are linked to Lee's person.
  
  Lee's record on human rights is poor. He, like other autocrats in the region, demeans his people by labeling liberties of press and academic freedom as Western conceits that are not conducive to "Asian" societies. This mentality - culturalist bordering on racist - set up one of the more enduring intellectual hoaxes of the 1990s, namely that there exist "Asian values" (as opposed to Western or Judeo-Christian values, presumably, though his argument was never coherent). And these values, funnily enough, seem to absolve people such as Lee for oppressive behavior - as long as an economic return is delivered.
  
  Lee's legacy of authoritarianism lives on. This week saw the banning of adocumentary about a long-time political prisoner in Singapore, Said Zahari. Suffice it to say that Singapore's credibility is shaky if it can't face up to events of 30 years ago and cites social order as a pretext for shutting down debate.
  
  And if it wasn't clear before, it should be now: With the latest pay rise that lawmakers have awarded themselves (justification: lavishing millions of dollars on the "most talented" legislators and executive officials beats corruption), the Singaporean state can now be dubbed the world's most lucrative - and sanitized - protection racket. Lee, who these days goes under the risible title of "minister mentor," will himself pocket another small fortune. But even by Singaporean standards, this self-aggrandizement is so brazen that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has promised to donate his new riches to charity.
  
  Lee Kuan Yew, his son and their supporters can keep their city-state kleptocracy and their largely pliant people. And long may he be courted by foreign academic powerbrokers and governments dazzled by his connections.
  
  But Lee Kuan Yew is no friend of Taiwan. Until Singapore learns to deal with domestic political opponents other than by intimidating, bankrupting, arresting and torturing them, there is little to learn from Lee's fiefdom or his lectures. Taiwan has seen it all before - and left it behind.

  
  

  http://singaporeelection.blogspot.com/2007/04/lee-kwan-yew-disgraceful.html

   

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:32

  I have never seen a more shameless liar in Singapore history than Lee Kuan Yew.

  He is the top liar in Singapore history.

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:33

  Mahathir Says Lee Kuan Yew A Remarkable Politician

  http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=501442

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:37

  I think this Lee Kuan Yew should shut his fucking mouth and stop disgracing himself and Singapore in front of others. Scared of being exposed as a political fraud also, this Lee Kuan Yew. 

  Lee Kuan Yew, you betrayed Britain to Japanese, why not give a talk on that?

  Don't keep on shamelessly praise yourself. Fucking traitor of Singapore.

   

   

  What Must Singaporeans Remember of Goh Keng Swee?

  I write this blog posting only to highlight 3 significant facts:
  
  

  1. Not that his signatures are on these old notes, but the fact that he is one of the very small number of PAp Ministers whose salaries were still at NORMALLY ACCEPTABLE LEVEL. The current ministers of famiLEE LEEgime are drawing some 20X or more salaries than when late Mr. Goh was DPM & Defense Minister. This is the most significant thing we must remember.
  

  
  
  
  

  2. He is one of the very small numbers of PAp ministers who humbly contributed to crucial and appreciated changes Singapore had been through. Most of the famiLEE LEEgime ministers are arrogant and made changes unnecessary; unacceptable; unappreciated to Singapore and helped themselves more than our peasants. This is another significant fact that Singaporeans must remember of late Mr. Goh.
  

  
  
  

  3. Yet another significant fact that Singaporeans need to recognize of late Mr. Goh is that he contributed his part and then in due time HE LEFT, he did not become any SM MM AM PM ZM what not. He did not installed his son his family members into Temasek GIC, he did not want to rise and rule Singapore from death, otherwise LKy should be very worried about him.
  

  
  
  
  

  Finally, I have no objection to the state funeral honor he received, but I insist that late Mr. JBJ also deserve state funeral and Singapore owed Mr. JBJ this.
  
  The stark differences between current famiLEE LEEgime ministers & the pioneers ,especially their contributions vs their salaries is the matter I like to highlight and draw attention of Singaporeans to.
  
  Farewell Mr. Goh, RIP, famiLEE ruined the original Singapore that you contributed to create. Today many of our citizens feels like 2nd class citizens here, and felt betrayed and neglected. I ask you to please watch over well-being of our Singaporeans from the better place where you are. Thank You Mr. Goh.

  
  

  http://uncleyap-news.blogspot.com/

• Vote PAP OUT to Save SG

  27 May 10, 13:46

  I respect Dr. Goh Keng Swee for his contributions to Singapore.

  As for that bastard Lee Kuan Yew, he is the fucking traitor of Singapore.

   

  "Now, from all the already released records in London as well as other historical researches, it is clear that in launching Operation Cold Store, Lee Kuan Yew was serving the then strategic interests of Britain which wanted Singapore to continue to provide a forward military base in Southeast Asia," said Lim 
  
  "It is also now an undeniable fact that Lee worked earlier for the Japanese military during the Occupation making Britain's English materials available in Japanese-language for the occupiers," he added. 

  http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/articlelimhocksiew.html

• Clivebenss

  27 May 10, 14:36

  We have great wealth, it is everywhere, and Costa Ricans have been looking after it for the past 40 years. Our wealth is green, represented by 4.5 per cent of the biodiversity known to date; all in a territory which constitutes only 0.03 per cent of the world.

  We are losing more of  biodiversity, no thanks to the mass immigration policy.