MM Lee should stop interfering with others’ business

In the article MM Lee says Taiwan independence not feasible, it was reported that MM Lee said that Taiwan should not try to achieve independence. Looks like the old man has still not learnt his lesson after many boo-boos.


When will MM Lee realise his statements on the China-Taiwan dispute are not welcomed by either the Chinese or Taiwanese?


Taiwan’s relation with us has been a see-saw. We have offended Taiwan before. If you recall, Singapore was referred to as “pisai” – which means “a speck of dried nasal mucus” – for interfering with Taiwan’s dispute with China some years ago.

In another case, when we supported US’s call towards Taiwanese independence, Beijing’s reaction was that it cancelled some high level official meetings with us.

From a third party’s perspective, the above seems that Singapore is flip-flopping with the Taiwan case. Singapore, having good relations with US, Taiwan and China, appears too eager to please all parties. The problem is that Singapore in the process of doing that, wants to butter all parties but ends up being greased instead.

My opinion is that the China-Taiwan dispute is between China and Taiwan. Why should Singapore interfere? What is the benefit? All I can think is that our leaders are inept in handling foreign matters – a point that I have repeatedly made in my blog.

Currently, the tide is on China’s side, noting that the US’s economy is weakening. So we butter China on the Taiwan Independence Issue, much to the chagrin of Taiwan. When the US was strong economically, we sided Taiwan. US has been pushing for Taiwanese independence. Our action then, of course, caused Beijing to be displeased with us.

Singapore’s attempt to butter everyone reminds me of an old story where a young boy rode a pony and his father walked beside them to town. When the villagers saw this, the son was chided for making his father walk. Father and son then exchanged places and a little later, the father was chided for making his young son walk. So both rode on the pony. A little later, more villagers chided them for putting the pony under stress. So both of them carried the pony instead. When they reached a bridge, the pony struggled and all three fell into the river. The moral of the story is that if you try to butter everyone, you will lose everything.

MM Lee and his leaders have been buttering everyone in the China-Taiwan case and we, Singaporeans, are at the receiving end. I don’t blame the Taiwanese for calling us pisai or China cancelling high level visits with our leaders.

From a broader perspective, I don’t even blame the Indonesians for calling us little red dot or the Malaysians branding us as “renegade child”. For too long our leaders have been nosing into other people’s business.

I guess MM Lee is now too senile to even realise that.

Excerpts from the link above
MM Lee says Taiwan independence not feasible

SINGAPORE: Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said it is clear that Taiwan should not try to achieve independence from China.

He added that Taiwanese leaders are to be blamed for the belief of some people in Taiwan that they can be independent.