Saturday, November 25, 2006
Tales from the Istana - Part 12 (Sammyboy)
by scrobal
25 November 2006
125046.1
Behind Istana Guardhouse - 11.30pm, 24C, breeze from the NE.
Old Man: Hey, bro, we need to organise our talk cock sessions better. Not good comments from the sammyboy lot.
Pres: Aiyah, we are going to hit 90 soon, what they expect from us. Anyway its a talk cock session.
Old man: Friend, let me remind you that we got image to uphold. Even Choo said our last dialogue was wishy washy.
Pres: Is Choo still addicted to sammyboy.
Old Man: She got nothing to do but also I think she is obsessed with with QXP tarnshing the family name.
Pres: I thought QXP cooled down and its Uncle Yap.
Old Man: Uncle Yap is ok, good heart, really wants to do good for the country but don't know how to go about it.
Pres: Yeah, poor fellow. By the way, heard that hunger strike can drink glucose. That news to me.
Old Man: There we go again, drfiting all over the place. Don't worry, I got this blackberry that has memo features and I have put down the points to discuss.
Pres: Boss, you can't even see the front of your nose, I want to see how you use the blackberry.
Old Man: Shadup and listen Bro, time is not on our side. We need to talk about slums and the GST increase.
Pres: Boss, what slums , where in the 3rd world countries?
Old Man: Bro, right here in singapore. I know, even I got shocked. After Bukit Ho Swee, I thought we cleaned the whole of Singapore.
Pres: What are you talking about boss? Liak bo que man.
Old Man: Did you not hear about the email from the FT that is circulating.
Pres: Where got check email. I just want to retire and you drag me back.
Old Man: This guy wrote an email on an issue and referred as a matter of factly of Outram HDB as a slum. The issue was not the HDB but on another matter but singaporeans who read it, picked it out. The other FTs did not even seem to notice. The shocker was that the FT was from India who had been recently posted here. The Singaporeans were naturally aghast and talked among themselves. Guess what was the verdict.
Pres: What Boss?
Old man: They did agree eventually that HDB neighbourhoods are slowing but surely turning into slums.
Pres : You agree.
Old Man: Nothing to agree bro, just take a walk. It has been slowly creeping up on us that we did not realise it. I knew then that I should not have stepped down. Let this arseholes run this country and they turn our biggest vote catchment area into a slum.
Pres: Keep going boss, this is news to me.
Old Man: You have become an elite and have lost touch with the man in the street.
Pres: But I go to East Coast Parkway
Old man: Because you keep going there, if not one of the penpushers would have turned it into a pasar malam.
Old Man: Just go to any HDB estate. The five foot ways are cluttered. Shop keepers are now displaying good outside their stores. Some have shelfs permanently placed outside. Coffeeshops have extended outside and in somecases are washing their plates and cutlery along pavement. Itinerant vendors are setting up shops along passgeways. Corridors and balconys are now so cluttered even the pigeons have a hard time finding a place to roost for the night. Night markets are common feature, taking up every conceivable space and now encroaching into void decks. Not a blade of grass remains when they leave.
Pres: What the hell are the town councils doing? Shoot the bastards.
Old Man: These guys are constantly dealing with our grassroots leaders who in turn have to please every shopkeeper and businessman. Eventually after saying no, these guys fold. Now that we relaxed the rules on subletting of HDB flats that you now find characters from every 3rd world country coming in.
Pres: Gosh, can't we do something.
Old Man: Bro, I took a lifetime to clean up Singapore, made sure we were spotless, cleared the slums, our waterways, our roads and now we find that the home for the majority of our people are turning into slums. I don't have the energy anymore. So far the newest estates are ok but the rest are going down the drain.
Pres: Are you sure its that bad.
Old Man: Aiyha, Just go to Blk 59, Marine Terrace, Ah Goh's territory, they are washing plates along the walkway. You will be lucky to squeeze through along the shops.
Pres: Now, I get it we are going to increase GST to pay for the cleanup.
Old Man: No lah, don;t you read the papers
Pres: Please, the shitty times. Those guys need to grow balls before I start reading that bullshit.
Old Man: I know, some of them stay in HDB flats and they should know it.
Pres: You got that part wrong. Remember you paid them record salaries that they will caught dead in a HDB flat.
Old Man: Ok, Ok, the GST is to cover the elderly. We are going to have to look after them and the projections for funding are bleak. The questing is whether the funding source is appropriate.
Pres: Why not raise taxes for higher income earners
Old Man: No good, the FTs will leave for HK and lower taxes regimes, our business men will invest elsewhere
Pres: Why don't we cut the pay of all superscale civil by 10%, that would be a massive windfall.
Old Man: Also not a good idea, we spoilt them and its difficult to back track.
Pres: Lets sell the 2 submarines and the annual maintenance fee will go a long way
OldMan: That might help. We may want to sack the dickhead who spent $400K on the renaming exercise and throw his salary in as well.
Pres: Here is a thought, lets get Philip Yeo, Ho Ching and TT Durai. These guys are well known for their financial world.
Old man: You are brilliant. I can see it now. Philip will get an architect to build overnight the world's largest old folks home and call it Floridapolis, TT will have it fully integrated with casinos, clinics, funeral parlours, etc Ho Ching will then get all her american advisors from Goldman Sachs to float the whole thing on the NY stock exchange.
Pres: knowing TT, he will have hubs in every housing estate, all paid for by sponsors and I think I know who the patron is going to be.
Old Man: hehe. Now to see how I can convince Loong.
Pres: Aiyah, just tell Philip. He never ever follows the rule and I don't think he is going to change his spots. Though I can't recall Ho ching ever selling anything before. She is known for buying things and then.......
Old Man: You are right, change of plans.
Pres: What about you.
Old man: Pleasse lah, after Suzhou, nobody believes my bullshit. Sigh!, If only, Keng Swee, Kim Sanand Sui Sen were around, they would know what to do.
Pres: Boss, hungry. stomach rumbling.
Old man: Same here bro, lets head toward Changi point and go for the Nasi Lemak.
Pres: You are talking my language man. How we going to go. No MRT you know.
Old Man: Othman is on the way. We can then stay overnight at Changi Chalet, play sikipauy and then come back early in the morning.
Pres: You are on.
25 November 2006
125046.1
Behind Istana Guardhouse - 11.30pm, 24C, breeze from the NE.
Old Man: Hey, bro, we need to organise our talk cock sessions better. Not good comments from the sammyboy lot.
Pres: Aiyah, we are going to hit 90 soon, what they expect from us. Anyway its a talk cock session.
Old man: Friend, let me remind you that we got image to uphold. Even Choo said our last dialogue was wishy washy.
Pres: Is Choo still addicted to sammyboy.
Old Man: She got nothing to do but also I think she is obsessed with with QXP tarnshing the family name.
Pres: I thought QXP cooled down and its Uncle Yap.
Old Man: Uncle Yap is ok, good heart, really wants to do good for the country but don't know how to go about it.
Pres: Yeah, poor fellow. By the way, heard that hunger strike can drink glucose. That news to me.
Old Man: There we go again, drfiting all over the place. Don't worry, I got this blackberry that has memo features and I have put down the points to discuss.
Pres: Boss, you can't even see the front of your nose, I want to see how you use the blackberry.
Old Man: Shadup and listen Bro, time is not on our side. We need to talk about slums and the GST increase.
Pres: Boss, what slums , where in the 3rd world countries?
Old Man: Bro, right here in singapore. I know, even I got shocked. After Bukit Ho Swee, I thought we cleaned the whole of Singapore.
Pres: What are you talking about boss? Liak bo que man.
Old Man: Did you not hear about the email from the FT that is circulating.
Pres: Where got check email. I just want to retire and you drag me back.
Old Man: This guy wrote an email on an issue and referred as a matter of factly of Outram HDB as a slum. The issue was not the HDB but on another matter but singaporeans who read it, picked it out. The other FTs did not even seem to notice. The shocker was that the FT was from India who had been recently posted here. The Singaporeans were naturally aghast and talked among themselves. Guess what was the verdict.
Pres: What Boss?
Old man: They did agree eventually that HDB neighbourhoods are slowing but surely turning into slums.
Pres : You agree.
Old Man: Nothing to agree bro, just take a walk. It has been slowly creeping up on us that we did not realise it. I knew then that I should not have stepped down. Let this arseholes run this country and they turn our biggest vote catchment area into a slum.
Pres: Keep going boss, this is news to me.
Old Man: You have become an elite and have lost touch with the man in the street.
Pres: But I go to East Coast Parkway
Old man: Because you keep going there, if not one of the penpushers would have turned it into a pasar malam.
Old Man: Just go to any HDB estate. The five foot ways are cluttered. Shop keepers are now displaying good outside their stores. Some have shelfs permanently placed outside. Coffeeshops have extended outside and in somecases are washing their plates and cutlery along pavement. Itinerant vendors are setting up shops along passgeways. Corridors and balconys are now so cluttered even the pigeons have a hard time finding a place to roost for the night. Night markets are common feature, taking up every conceivable space and now encroaching into void decks. Not a blade of grass remains when they leave.
Pres: What the hell are the town councils doing? Shoot the bastards.
Old Man: These guys are constantly dealing with our grassroots leaders who in turn have to please every shopkeeper and businessman. Eventually after saying no, these guys fold. Now that we relaxed the rules on subletting of HDB flats that you now find characters from every 3rd world country coming in.
Pres: Gosh, can't we do something.
Old Man: Bro, I took a lifetime to clean up Singapore, made sure we were spotless, cleared the slums, our waterways, our roads and now we find that the home for the majority of our people are turning into slums. I don't have the energy anymore. So far the newest estates are ok but the rest are going down the drain.
Pres: Are you sure its that bad.
Old Man: Aiyha, Just go to Blk 59, Marine Terrace, Ah Goh's territory, they are washing plates along the walkway. You will be lucky to squeeze through along the shops.
Pres: Now, I get it we are going to increase GST to pay for the cleanup.
Old Man: No lah, don;t you read the papers
Pres: Please, the shitty times. Those guys need to grow balls before I start reading that bullshit.
Old Man: I know, some of them stay in HDB flats and they should know it.
Pres: You got that part wrong. Remember you paid them record salaries that they will caught dead in a HDB flat.
Old Man: Ok, Ok, the GST is to cover the elderly. We are going to have to look after them and the projections for funding are bleak. The questing is whether the funding source is appropriate.
Pres: Why not raise taxes for higher income earners
Old Man: No good, the FTs will leave for HK and lower taxes regimes, our business men will invest elsewhere
Pres: Why don't we cut the pay of all superscale civil by 10%, that would be a massive windfall.
Old Man: Also not a good idea, we spoilt them and its difficult to back track.
Pres: Lets sell the 2 submarines and the annual maintenance fee will go a long way
OldMan: That might help. We may want to sack the dickhead who spent $400K on the renaming exercise and throw his salary in as well.
Pres: Here is a thought, lets get Philip Yeo, Ho Ching and TT Durai. These guys are well known for their financial world.
Old man: You are brilliant. I can see it now. Philip will get an architect to build overnight the world's largest old folks home and call it Floridapolis, TT will have it fully integrated with casinos, clinics, funeral parlours, etc Ho Ching will then get all her american advisors from Goldman Sachs to float the whole thing on the NY stock exchange.
Pres: knowing TT, he will have hubs in every housing estate, all paid for by sponsors and I think I know who the patron is going to be.
Old Man: hehe. Now to see how I can convince Loong.
Pres: Aiyah, just tell Philip. He never ever follows the rule and I don't think he is going to change his spots. Though I can't recall Ho ching ever selling anything before. She is known for buying things and then.......
Old Man: You are right, change of plans.
Pres: What about you.
Old man: Pleasse lah, after Suzhou, nobody believes my bullshit. Sigh!, If only, Keng Swee, Kim Sanand Sui Sen were around, they would know what to do.
Pres: Boss, hungry. stomach rumbling.
Old man: Same here bro, lets head toward Changi point and go for the Nasi Lemak.
Pres: You are talking my language man. How we going to go. No MRT you know.
Old Man: Othman is on the way. We can then stay overnight at Changi Chalet, play sikipauy and then come back early in the morning.
Pres: You are on.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
More Secrets About Mano Sabnani's Resign
by "ShaunSeow"
16 Nov 2006
124167.1
Hello all. This fell onto my lap.
Days after the shocking staff reshuffle in Today, the "resignation" of Mano Sabnani was used as a warning to others in Today to toe the line. On Nov 12, P N Balji and some senior editors were told by Mediacorp Deputy CEO Shaun Seow that Today should tone down its alternative streak at least for the moment until the coast is clear.
During the half hour meeting in the morning, Shaun reiterated that Mediacorp had top-down and bottom-up pressure to remove Mano, who was a lousy people manager. The final straw was Mano's handling of the Mr Brown affair and his anxious decision to terminate Lee Kin Mun's popular weekly column. Mano had over-reacted and misread the government's anger after his experience in the Val Chua incident. As a result of Mano's action, the public became incensed with what they saw was the strong interfering hand of the government in removing their favourite columinist from Today.
The topic then changed to editorial hooks. While no names were mentioned, Shaun said that the angles by certain Today editors during the 2006 General Election were touchy and it should not become a habit. Shaun tried to reason with his increasingly uncomfortable audience that his hands were tied and everybody better play ball or they might suffer an even worse fate than Mano. Mano had at least an ex-gratia payment upon his departure.
Shaun reminded them that the political masters have them sighted and keeping their heads down was sensible.
After the meeting, everyone trooped out with dark looks and a worried Balji, Today's returned founding editor, was frustrated that he had to deal with more morale problems, although Today was already turning profitable.
By afternoon, whispers soon began circulating about their spineless leadership who dare not stand up and insist on editorial independence. Derrick Paulo is one reporter who feels that he might be the next sacrificial lamb. Balji is just the seat warmer for Walter Fernandez, the new number two in Today. Walter is eager to please but is trying not to attract too much attention to himself in Today's management mess. He is bidding his time and letting Balji take the heat.
So, don't expect Today to be like what it was.
16 Nov 2006
124167.1
Hello all. This fell onto my lap.
Days after the shocking staff reshuffle in Today, the "resignation" of Mano Sabnani was used as a warning to others in Today to toe the line. On Nov 12, P N Balji and some senior editors were told by Mediacorp Deputy CEO Shaun Seow that Today should tone down its alternative streak at least for the moment until the coast is clear.
During the half hour meeting in the morning, Shaun reiterated that Mediacorp had top-down and bottom-up pressure to remove Mano, who was a lousy people manager. The final straw was Mano's handling of the Mr Brown affair and his anxious decision to terminate Lee Kin Mun's popular weekly column. Mano had over-reacted and misread the government's anger after his experience in the Val Chua incident. As a result of Mano's action, the public became incensed with what they saw was the strong interfering hand of the government in removing their favourite columinist from Today.
The topic then changed to editorial hooks. While no names were mentioned, Shaun said that the angles by certain Today editors during the 2006 General Election were touchy and it should not become a habit. Shaun tried to reason with his increasingly uncomfortable audience that his hands were tied and everybody better play ball or they might suffer an even worse fate than Mano. Mano had at least an ex-gratia payment upon his departure.
Shaun reminded them that the political masters have them sighted and keeping their heads down was sensible.
After the meeting, everyone trooped out with dark looks and a worried Balji, Today's returned founding editor, was frustrated that he had to deal with more morale problems, although Today was already turning profitable.
By afternoon, whispers soon began circulating about their spineless leadership who dare not stand up and insist on editorial independence. Derrick Paulo is one reporter who feels that he might be the next sacrificial lamb. Balji is just the seat warmer for Walter Fernandez, the new number two in Today. Walter is eager to please but is trying not to attract too much attention to himself in Today's management mess. He is bidding his time and letting Balji take the heat.
So, don't expect Today to be like what it was.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Tales from the Istana - Part 11b (Sammyboy)
by scrobal
6 November 2006
122956.1
Behind Istana Guardhouse - 11pm, 24C, cool gentle breeze from SW. Scent of lavendar drifting in the air.
Old Man: Hey man, what you doing here. I thought you would have gone home for the weekend.
Pres: It’s a long story but it has do with Joo Chiat, Vietnamese sluts and my good health.
Old man: What are you talking about about. Don’t tell me she caught you with your pants down.
Pres: No Lah, Boss. Last few weekends when we go back home, my wife kept noticing the Vietnamese streetwalkers walking past our place. Since the Police clampdown, they now operate one street parallel to the length of Joo Chiat. She kept grumbling about how useless I am despite my position. I told her that they are actually foreign talent and in Vietnam if you are a professional, you put heavy make-up and dress is a bit slutty to show your high status.
Old Man: Bro, you the man! Did she buy it.
Pres: She did until my daughter came visiting and gave her the scoop.
Old Man: What happened?
Pres: I tell you what happened. All hell broke loose. She took the payong (umbrella) and thundered towards me. I got to tell you – all the East Coast health walk paid off. You should have seen me, I lifted my sarong in one swift move, and did the dash to Pennefather Road in quick time.
Old Man: Choo normally throws the coffeecup at me but normally I can dodge it, sometimes cannot lah, then you don’t see me in public for couple of weeks.
Pres: So now the Mrs don’t want to go back home until I do something about it. So can we get rid of the streetwalkers.
Old Man: Bro, you got to realize that the World has changed and Singapore has to. 30 Years ago, I used to laugh at Macau . A few seedy casinos and nowehere to go. Guess what, I am not laughing. We are now in the same boat.
Pres: That explains why you have been making some comments that you have never made before.
Old Man: Like what bro.
Pres: The comment about ST carrying the facts and their commentaries. The other comment to the BCC was Thai / Temasek deal.
Old Man: Times are hard bro, not sure what to do.
Pres: The Thai/Temasek thing I understand. One wrong move and your son gets it from his wife and you get yet another coffeecup coming your way from Choo. But the ST thing I can’t understand. It screws your credibility.
Old Man: Its not that bad, they have been ok what?
Pres: Are you mad, boss. There are more balls carriers than balls in that place. You know that everytime I read a commentary from one of the Chua sisters, I keep mumbling to myself “Hit me, hit me”. One day, my wife got fed up, took the umbrella and whacked me on the head. My dentures flew out of my mouth right thru the window and out to the road. That night, no masala chicken for me.
Old Man: We created the monster, now we have to live with it. Don’t worry, the younger generation of journalist have got balls. They have the fibre, the fire and the spine to stand firm. Look at the Kweks and the Pehs. They are our future. Remember one of them told me to retire from cabinet.
Pres: Maybe that explains why some of the assholes are moving to “Today”
Old Man: I can see it for myself. Imagine walking along the corridor and trying to avoid the eyes of the morally correct younger bunch. Scary.
Pres: What about Thai/Temasek affair. Any hope.
Old Man: Fuck these guys. Don’t even know how to feather an engine on fire. Firstly I can’t believe they went and bought a Thai national asset. Will we sell Singtel, Singapore power, PSA, DBS, SIA. If we float it, we will still keep the majority stake. Why the hell did they think that other countries will not get upset if someone get their national asset.
Pres: What would you do to fix this, boss.
Old Man: Aiyah Bro, just go to Bhumipol, kowtow, ask forgiveness and then ask his advise on how to fix it. End of story.
Pres: Then how come you told the journalist that everything is above board when that was not the question. He never suggested that the process was corrupt. He asked you about apples and you replied about oranges.
Old man: Use your Otak bro. I can't tell him the real reason can I. Remember both Loong and I have got to sleep sometime in the night.
Pres: That what I thought. You know and I know that every private firm and MNC has a general under its payroll but they don’t make press release. Its all done behind the scenes.
Old man: Its getting very depressing. Even Sam wants to get out of Delphi and run it on his own server after the Perry Tong fuckup. I felt bad for Low, so I called him and told him we got a Wee and he got a Tong and they deserve each other.
Old Man: I hope Sam does not walk away. You know the entire civil service reads the forum to get the true feedback. We get the true picture from that forum. Viswa Sadasivan’s Feedback unit is a white elephant. Ooops sorry about the Thai pun.
Pres: Maybe now we can now trace the real sam. He can work for us.
Old Man: Banish that thought. When we first approached him, he said no. We then sweethened the deal, he said fuck off. I called him personally and he told me to take a flying fuck. All we wanted him to say is to mention the PAP in good light every now and then. Sam got his infatuation with Australia, freedom, migration, entrepreneurship, 4 wheel drive, cycling and a Grand Bank Yacth. I could not get one word in without being interrupted.
Old Man: All this talk is making me depressed. How about some supper. I got the perfect place and the perfect dish.
Pres: What, what boss. Mee Rebus is it. I heard the best Mee Rebus gravy is made from mixing cracked Marie biscuit into the gravy.
Old Man: No lah, it’s the dum briyani at the corner of Tanjong Pagar and . The teh halia is also just right. Good combination. Lets take the MRT, I want to try out the new trains. We still have time.
Pres: Won’t the people recognize us.
Old Man: Keep up with the times, Bro. Haven’t you heard, the MRT trains in the late evenings are now packed with cleaners in their 70s and 80s cleaning the office blocks in the CBD so that their sons and daughers can go to work in the morning in nice and clean environment. In my shorts and your sarong, we can easily fit in.
Pres: You mean, they got no retirements savings.
Old Man: Don’t make me more depress. Its coming apart at the seams. Those who got savings must have donated its to the mei meis and Vietnamese streetwalkers. Don’t talk about it.
Pres: So you want mutton or chicken briyani. By the way, I stopped taking fizzy drinks, its gives me too much gas.
Old Man: Can you shut the fuck and move faster, its already 11.55pm and we certainly don’t want to miss the last train.
6 November 2006
122956.1
Behind Istana Guardhouse - 11pm, 24C, cool gentle breeze from SW. Scent of lavendar drifting in the air.
Old Man: Hey man, what you doing here. I thought you would have gone home for the weekend.
Pres: It’s a long story but it has do with Joo Chiat, Vietnamese sluts and my good health.
Old man: What are you talking about about. Don’t tell me she caught you with your pants down.
Pres: No Lah, Boss. Last few weekends when we go back home, my wife kept noticing the Vietnamese streetwalkers walking past our place. Since the Police clampdown, they now operate one street parallel to the length of Joo Chiat. She kept grumbling about how useless I am despite my position. I told her that they are actually foreign talent and in Vietnam if you are a professional, you put heavy make-up and dress is a bit slutty to show your high status.
Old Man: Bro, you the man! Did she buy it.
Pres: She did until my daughter came visiting and gave her the scoop.
Old Man: What happened?
Pres: I tell you what happened. All hell broke loose. She took the payong (umbrella) and thundered towards me. I got to tell you – all the East Coast health walk paid off. You should have seen me, I lifted my sarong in one swift move, and did the dash to Pennefather Road in quick time.
Old Man: Choo normally throws the coffeecup at me but normally I can dodge it, sometimes cannot lah, then you don’t see me in public for couple of weeks.
Pres: So now the Mrs don’t want to go back home until I do something about it. So can we get rid of the streetwalkers.
Old Man: Bro, you got to realize that the World has changed and Singapore has to. 30 Years ago, I used to laugh at Macau . A few seedy casinos and nowehere to go. Guess what, I am not laughing. We are now in the same boat.
Pres: That explains why you have been making some comments that you have never made before.
Old Man: Like what bro.
Pres: The comment about ST carrying the facts and their commentaries. The other comment to the BCC was Thai / Temasek deal.
Old Man: Times are hard bro, not sure what to do.
Pres: The Thai/Temasek thing I understand. One wrong move and your son gets it from his wife and you get yet another coffeecup coming your way from Choo. But the ST thing I can’t understand. It screws your credibility.
Old Man: Its not that bad, they have been ok what?
Pres: Are you mad, boss. There are more balls carriers than balls in that place. You know that everytime I read a commentary from one of the Chua sisters, I keep mumbling to myself “Hit me, hit me”. One day, my wife got fed up, took the umbrella and whacked me on the head. My dentures flew out of my mouth right thru the window and out to the road. That night, no masala chicken for me.
Old Man: We created the monster, now we have to live with it. Don’t worry, the younger generation of journalist have got balls. They have the fibre, the fire and the spine to stand firm. Look at the Kweks and the Pehs. They are our future. Remember one of them told me to retire from cabinet.
Pres: Maybe that explains why some of the assholes are moving to “Today”
Old Man: I can see it for myself. Imagine walking along the corridor and trying to avoid the eyes of the morally correct younger bunch. Scary.
Pres: What about Thai/Temasek affair. Any hope.
Old Man: Fuck these guys. Don’t even know how to feather an engine on fire. Firstly I can’t believe they went and bought a Thai national asset. Will we sell Singtel, Singapore power, PSA, DBS, SIA. If we float it, we will still keep the majority stake. Why the hell did they think that other countries will not get upset if someone get their national asset.
Pres: What would you do to fix this, boss.
Old Man: Aiyah Bro, just go to Bhumipol, kowtow, ask forgiveness and then ask his advise on how to fix it. End of story.
Pres: Then how come you told the journalist that everything is above board when that was not the question. He never suggested that the process was corrupt. He asked you about apples and you replied about oranges.
Old man: Use your Otak bro. I can't tell him the real reason can I. Remember both Loong and I have got to sleep sometime in the night.
Pres: That what I thought. You know and I know that every private firm and MNC has a general under its payroll but they don’t make press release. Its all done behind the scenes.
Old man: Its getting very depressing. Even Sam wants to get out of Delphi and run it on his own server after the Perry Tong fuckup. I felt bad for Low, so I called him and told him we got a Wee and he got a Tong and they deserve each other.
Old Man: I hope Sam does not walk away. You know the entire civil service reads the forum to get the true feedback. We get the true picture from that forum. Viswa Sadasivan’s Feedback unit is a white elephant. Ooops sorry about the Thai pun.
Pres: Maybe now we can now trace the real sam. He can work for us.
Old Man: Banish that thought. When we first approached him, he said no. We then sweethened the deal, he said fuck off. I called him personally and he told me to take a flying fuck. All we wanted him to say is to mention the PAP in good light every now and then. Sam got his infatuation with Australia, freedom, migration, entrepreneurship, 4 wheel drive, cycling and a Grand Bank Yacth. I could not get one word in without being interrupted.
Old Man: All this talk is making me depressed. How about some supper. I got the perfect place and the perfect dish.
Pres: What, what boss. Mee Rebus is it. I heard the best Mee Rebus gravy is made from mixing cracked Marie biscuit into the gravy.
Old Man: No lah, it’s the dum briyani at the corner of Tanjong Pagar and . The teh halia is also just right. Good combination. Lets take the MRT, I want to try out the new trains. We still have time.
Pres: Won’t the people recognize us.
Old Man: Keep up with the times, Bro. Haven’t you heard, the MRT trains in the late evenings are now packed with cleaners in their 70s and 80s cleaning the office blocks in the CBD so that their sons and daughers can go to work in the morning in nice and clean environment. In my shorts and your sarong, we can easily fit in.
Pres: You mean, they got no retirements savings.
Old Man: Don’t make me more depress. Its coming apart at the seams. Those who got savings must have donated its to the mei meis and Vietnamese streetwalkers. Don’t talk about it.
Pres: So you want mutton or chicken briyani. By the way, I stopped taking fizzy drinks, its gives me too much gas.
Old Man: Can you shut the fuck and move faster, its already 11.55pm and we certainly don’t want to miss the last train.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Mano Sabnani resigns Today - the real picture
by "manosabnani"
2 Nov 2006
122550.1
Hello everyone
I registered this nickname a little more than a week ago after I heard that there were parties inside Mediacorp who were making a move to sack Mano Sabnani as Today's chief editor. Little did I know how ugly it would become.
On the surface, the corporate communications machine of Mediacorp will present everything as very nice and orderly. What you read here will be a reasonably accurate account related to me of what actually happened and not what you will read in Today, Channel News Asia, Straits Times or Business Times.
I had waited until I got a clear picture from my contact before I post this, therefore there was bit of a delay.
Mano is not a bad person. He may be dull and unexciting, even a coward before the civil servants who oversee him, but he was treated as pariah by his peers.
On Oct 31, Today had a senior editors' meeting which Shaun Seow presided. Mano lost his editorial independence not during the recent Mr Brown affair, but some years earlier, during the Val Chua affair. For those of you not familiar with the matter, just do a Google search on Val Chua, Mano Sabnani and you will find a lot of material on the Net. Since the Val Chua affair, Mano had to report to Shaun within the Mediacorp stable. All reports involving cabinet ministers must be vetted by Shaun and his team at Mediacorp HQ, not at Today.
There are no real editors at Today, they are all a bunch of word processors. They send good reporters like Derrick Paulo and Ansley Ng to cover political happenings, then censor and rewrite everything to suit their political masters.
In fact, Derrick Paulo mounted a campaign within the Today office to protest the newspaper's suspension of Mr Brown. He got many of his colleagues to wear brown on a day when Shaun was to give a talk to the staff there. What he did not know was that had severely undermined Mano, who was already being pushed out by the other senior people in Mediacorp. They saw how weak Mano was in front of Derrick and took full advantage of the situation.
Shaun is a former president scholar and his entire career is scripted to perfection. As long as he serves his political masters, his career will be smooth. Even the conviction of Zahara Latif for maid abuse within the Seow household did little more than embarrass him. Goh Chok Tong wrote a letter to support Zahara during her mitigation hearing.
During the Oct 31 meeting, Mano was not able to speak because his ex-gratia payment was held back unless he played ball. Shaun humiliated Mano by paying lip service to his contribution and saying how the newspaper will move ahead without him. Most of the editors were too afraid for their jobs and kept generally quiet as they watched Mano run to the ground and abused. This coming from Shaun, was no surprise, for like Zahara, he is an abuser. Shaun is many years younger than Mano and behaved like an arrogant brat wielding too much power for his own good.
Worse was to come. After a polite round of applause for Mano's three years in the newspaper, they proceeded to the newsroom where Mano's resignation was announced to all the staff. All of Today's staff gathered outside Mano's room. Shaun announced the changes and talked about new directions, while Mano sat inside his room (glass walls) in full view to all the staff, with his face buried in his hands in front of his computer screen.
Somebody in the crowd interrupted Shaun when he felt that Shaun had gone too far. He asked for the real reason why Mano was leaving. Shaun then said that there are many confidential things that cannot be publicised.
Slowly there was a pair of hands clapping, then more and more. They wanted Mano to come out and address them. Mano came out, and keeping in mind that his payment has been withheld, said he had nothing to say. They wouldn't let him go and kept clapping. Mano had no choice but to respond. So he said to the staff that they should not worry about him and move on. His voice was shaking, then he went back into his room a sad and broken man, humiliated and traumatised.
Led by Shaun and director Philip Koh, Today brought back PN Balji, who was the founding editor of the paper. Balji is a much more colourful character than Mano but is of questionable character. Balji is closely tied to TT Durai, the disgraced head of the former National Kidney Foundation. The auditor's report into the NKF fraud and deception showed that Balji was one of the parties who flew first class with Durai. Together with Durai and his gang, they abused the charity's funds, but while Durai is now in the docks, Balji has gotten away scot free because he knows how to butter up his political masters.
More worrying for many of the Today staff is that a new guy named Walter Fernandez was brought in from Channel News Asia where he was a faithful lap dog of Shaun Seow to oversee Today's day-to-day operations. Walter is a scholar and another spineless idiot who is where he is only because he knows how and whose balls to carry.
I will update further when I hear of more developments.
Original Mediacorp Press Release:
Key changes at MediaCorp
Moves in line with aim to become Asia's top media company
Wednesday • November 1, 2006
AS THE world neatly folds into one long, connected information superhighway, homegrown media conglomerate MediaCorp yesterday announced key structural and management changes to position itself as Asia's top media company.
Said Mr Lucas Chow, CEO of MediaCorp: "As digital technology brings about greater media convergence, we ourselves are forging our own media platforms more closely together. The changes we're implementing capture that spirit of convergence."
Among the key changes announced yesterday was the company's move towards providing the consumer with more choices of where and how to consume their news, with an aggressive plan to merge its news operations across television, radio, print, the Internet and mobile devices.
Said Deputy CEO (News, Radio, Print) Shaun Seow, who will lead the integration charge for MediaCorp: "The aim is to serve audiences better by tapping on the strengths of the different media, and creating a seamless experience for the consumer. We want to be the leading English news provider for Asia, and we believe that it is an achievable target."
A committee is looking at the integration initiative, which will lead, among other things, to a "newsplex" housing all the different newsrooms under one roof in MediaCorp's new premises at Bukit Batok.
Mr Murali Subramaniam will leave his position as Today's Associate/Day Editor to take up appointment as VP (Editorial Operations) to assist in the integration efforts from Jan 1, 2007.
MediaCorp's efforts to raise the bar will also come from the recruitment of experienced staff such as Mr P N Balji, ex-Editor-in-Chief of Today, who has rejoined MediaCorp as its Editorial Director. He will assist Mr Seow to improve editorial standards across the board.
With Mr Mano Sabnani resigning his editorship, Mr Balji will be devoting a significant part of his time to growing Today. He will be assisted by Mr Walter Fernandez, fresh from helming Channel News-Asia's International desk.
Mr Fernandez assumes the newly-created No 2 position of Managing Editor at Today, and has set his sights on establishing a vibrant electronic presence for one of Singapore's fastest growing newspapers. Mr Fernandez will work closely with Mr Rahul Pathak, who will continue to be Today's Associate/Night Editor.
Mr Chow said: "By increasing the bench strength of our journalists, we will strive to become Asia's premium brand for news — whether it's in the form of video, audio or text. I am especially proud of the strides made by Today, which has just been pushed up to the No 2 position in Singapore after just six years. Everyone in Today, past and present, has contributed to its success, and I would like to wish Mano well in his future endeavours, even as I welcome Balji back to MediaCorp."
Added Mr Balji: "There is a new leadership at MediaCorp. The statements that have come from this new leadership excite me. As the media undergoes deep and dramatic changes, there is a great opportunity to unify and exploit the different platforms to provide a real information highway.
"Today, the print arm of MediaCorp, can become an integral part of this highway and show that print can survive in a fast-changing media jungle."
Mr Sabnani, who leaves the company after more than three-and-a-half years at the helm as mananging director (MD) and Editor-in-Chief of Today, said he was pleased with the progress the newspaper had achieved during his tenure.
"When I came on board in 2003, there were still questions asked of whether the newspaper would survive or fail," he said. "In our last financial year, we made $5.8 million in profits and we just moved ahead of Lianhe Zaobao as Singapore's second best read newspaper. I am very proud of the team that made this happen and wish Today all the best in its future growth."
Mr Philip Koh, who is concurrently MD of MediaCorp Publishing, the magazines subsidiary, will oversee Today's publishing and business development functions.
MediaCorp is also confident the move will provide synergistic opportunities for its newspaper and magazine publishing.
2 Nov 2006
122550.1
Hello everyone
I registered this nickname a little more than a week ago after I heard that there were parties inside Mediacorp who were making a move to sack Mano Sabnani as Today's chief editor. Little did I know how ugly it would become.
On the surface, the corporate communications machine of Mediacorp will present everything as very nice and orderly. What you read here will be a reasonably accurate account related to me of what actually happened and not what you will read in Today, Channel News Asia, Straits Times or Business Times.
I had waited until I got a clear picture from my contact before I post this, therefore there was bit of a delay.
Mano is not a bad person. He may be dull and unexciting, even a coward before the civil servants who oversee him, but he was treated as pariah by his peers.
On Oct 31, Today had a senior editors' meeting which Shaun Seow presided. Mano lost his editorial independence not during the recent Mr Brown affair, but some years earlier, during the Val Chua affair. For those of you not familiar with the matter, just do a Google search on Val Chua, Mano Sabnani and you will find a lot of material on the Net. Since the Val Chua affair, Mano had to report to Shaun within the Mediacorp stable. All reports involving cabinet ministers must be vetted by Shaun and his team at Mediacorp HQ, not at Today.
There are no real editors at Today, they are all a bunch of word processors. They send good reporters like Derrick Paulo and Ansley Ng to cover political happenings, then censor and rewrite everything to suit their political masters.
In fact, Derrick Paulo mounted a campaign within the Today office to protest the newspaper's suspension of Mr Brown. He got many of his colleagues to wear brown on a day when Shaun was to give a talk to the staff there. What he did not know was that had severely undermined Mano, who was already being pushed out by the other senior people in Mediacorp. They saw how weak Mano was in front of Derrick and took full advantage of the situation.
Shaun is a former president scholar and his entire career is scripted to perfection. As long as he serves his political masters, his career will be smooth. Even the conviction of Zahara Latif for maid abuse within the Seow household did little more than embarrass him. Goh Chok Tong wrote a letter to support Zahara during her mitigation hearing.
During the Oct 31 meeting, Mano was not able to speak because his ex-gratia payment was held back unless he played ball. Shaun humiliated Mano by paying lip service to his contribution and saying how the newspaper will move ahead without him. Most of the editors were too afraid for their jobs and kept generally quiet as they watched Mano run to the ground and abused. This coming from Shaun, was no surprise, for like Zahara, he is an abuser. Shaun is many years younger than Mano and behaved like an arrogant brat wielding too much power for his own good.
Worse was to come. After a polite round of applause for Mano's three years in the newspaper, they proceeded to the newsroom where Mano's resignation was announced to all the staff. All of Today's staff gathered outside Mano's room. Shaun announced the changes and talked about new directions, while Mano sat inside his room (glass walls) in full view to all the staff, with his face buried in his hands in front of his computer screen.
Somebody in the crowd interrupted Shaun when he felt that Shaun had gone too far. He asked for the real reason why Mano was leaving. Shaun then said that there are many confidential things that cannot be publicised.
Slowly there was a pair of hands clapping, then more and more. They wanted Mano to come out and address them. Mano came out, and keeping in mind that his payment has been withheld, said he had nothing to say. They wouldn't let him go and kept clapping. Mano had no choice but to respond. So he said to the staff that they should not worry about him and move on. His voice was shaking, then he went back into his room a sad and broken man, humiliated and traumatised.
Led by Shaun and director Philip Koh, Today brought back PN Balji, who was the founding editor of the paper. Balji is a much more colourful character than Mano but is of questionable character. Balji is closely tied to TT Durai, the disgraced head of the former National Kidney Foundation. The auditor's report into the NKF fraud and deception showed that Balji was one of the parties who flew first class with Durai. Together with Durai and his gang, they abused the charity's funds, but while Durai is now in the docks, Balji has gotten away scot free because he knows how to butter up his political masters.
More worrying for many of the Today staff is that a new guy named Walter Fernandez was brought in from Channel News Asia where he was a faithful lap dog of Shaun Seow to oversee Today's day-to-day operations. Walter is a scholar and another spineless idiot who is where he is only because he knows how and whose balls to carry.
I will update further when I hear of more developments.
Original Mediacorp Press Release:
Key changes at MediaCorp
Moves in line with aim to become Asia's top media company
Wednesday • November 1, 2006
AS THE world neatly folds into one long, connected information superhighway, homegrown media conglomerate MediaCorp yesterday announced key structural and management changes to position itself as Asia's top media company.
Said Mr Lucas Chow, CEO of MediaCorp: "As digital technology brings about greater media convergence, we ourselves are forging our own media platforms more closely together. The changes we're implementing capture that spirit of convergence."
Among the key changes announced yesterday was the company's move towards providing the consumer with more choices of where and how to consume their news, with an aggressive plan to merge its news operations across television, radio, print, the Internet and mobile devices.
Said Deputy CEO (News, Radio, Print) Shaun Seow, who will lead the integration charge for MediaCorp: "The aim is to serve audiences better by tapping on the strengths of the different media, and creating a seamless experience for the consumer. We want to be the leading English news provider for Asia, and we believe that it is an achievable target."
A committee is looking at the integration initiative, which will lead, among other things, to a "newsplex" housing all the different newsrooms under one roof in MediaCorp's new premises at Bukit Batok.
Mr Murali Subramaniam will leave his position as Today's Associate/Day Editor to take up appointment as VP (Editorial Operations) to assist in the integration efforts from Jan 1, 2007.
MediaCorp's efforts to raise the bar will also come from the recruitment of experienced staff such as Mr P N Balji, ex-Editor-in-Chief of Today, who has rejoined MediaCorp as its Editorial Director. He will assist Mr Seow to improve editorial standards across the board.
With Mr Mano Sabnani resigning his editorship, Mr Balji will be devoting a significant part of his time to growing Today. He will be assisted by Mr Walter Fernandez, fresh from helming Channel News-Asia's International desk.
Mr Fernandez assumes the newly-created No 2 position of Managing Editor at Today, and has set his sights on establishing a vibrant electronic presence for one of Singapore's fastest growing newspapers. Mr Fernandez will work closely with Mr Rahul Pathak, who will continue to be Today's Associate/Night Editor.
Mr Chow said: "By increasing the bench strength of our journalists, we will strive to become Asia's premium brand for news — whether it's in the form of video, audio or text. I am especially proud of the strides made by Today, which has just been pushed up to the No 2 position in Singapore after just six years. Everyone in Today, past and present, has contributed to its success, and I would like to wish Mano well in his future endeavours, even as I welcome Balji back to MediaCorp."
Added Mr Balji: "There is a new leadership at MediaCorp. The statements that have come from this new leadership excite me. As the media undergoes deep and dramatic changes, there is a great opportunity to unify and exploit the different platforms to provide a real information highway.
"Today, the print arm of MediaCorp, can become an integral part of this highway and show that print can survive in a fast-changing media jungle."
Mr Sabnani, who leaves the company after more than three-and-a-half years at the helm as mananging director (MD) and Editor-in-Chief of Today, said he was pleased with the progress the newspaper had achieved during his tenure.
"When I came on board in 2003, there were still questions asked of whether the newspaper would survive or fail," he said. "In our last financial year, we made $5.8 million in profits and we just moved ahead of Lianhe Zaobao as Singapore's second best read newspaper. I am very proud of the team that made this happen and wish Today all the best in its future growth."
Mr Philip Koh, who is concurrently MD of MediaCorp Publishing, the magazines subsidiary, will oversee Today's publishing and business development functions.
MediaCorp is also confident the move will provide synergistic opportunities for its newspaper and magazine publishing.
