We were delivered a rude awakening at the start of 2020 after the assassination (#DroneStrike) of Iran’s General Solemi. In probably the best illustration that two wrongs don’t make a right, Iran, blinded by its animosity towards the Yankees (USA) retaliated and mistakenly shot down a Ukraine plane. It is not just these two warring countries alone, the price war between two duelling oil producing nations (#Saudi Arabia #Russia) led to a stock market rout plunging market indices to levels last seen in 2008. There were no victors in this senseless wrangle, only collateral damage resulting in a downward spiral of depressed oil prices. Similarly, it was a pyrrhic victory after the US entered into a Phase 1 trade deal with China amid a protracted trade war while the divorce is now complete as Britain officially left the EU on 31st January.
Meanwhile, the failure to impeach a sitting President (#Trump) has left the Democrats clutching at straws while the 4th election in the past 13 months resulted in a power-sharing agreement between Israel’s Netanyahu and Benny Gantz*. The reigning Israeli Prime Minister is still holding on to power but holding on to the past meant very little to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as they ditched the pomp and pageantry of their royal roles to begin a new chapter of their lives. Conversely, ceding power was never an option as Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen secured a second presidential term with a landslide victory against Kaohsiung mayor Han Guo-yu. The contrast couldn’t be more clear as the Taiwan electorate made a resounding statement and stood up to China while a National Security Law is set to further muffle or shut out the dissenting voices in Hong Kong.
*The long-serving Benjamin Netanyahu (already indicted for corruption charges) will serve as Israel’s prime minister for 18 months after which Benny Gantz will take over.
Tsai Ing-wen must be thanking the opportune time of Hong Kong’s anti-China demonstrations and sentiment that inadvertently aided her presidential campaign but others had only themselves to blame after the emergence of a backdoor government. In fact, the incumbents themselves were the architects of their own downfall after Mahathir yielded to a fractured coalition and resigned, triggering a succession of betrayals and party-hopping. Pakatan Harapan caved and crumbled in a matter of days, ultimately blindsided by one of their own allies (#Muhyiddin). Malaysians were caught off guard by the turn of events but the Thais are still reeling from the shock at the country’s first mass shooting incident after a gun-toting soldier went amok (#Terminal21mall #29dead).
The shootout tragedy was a bolt from the blue but the bombshell dropped by Dutch beauty Youtuber Nikkie De Jager stunned many after she (or rather he) was forced to “come out” to admit she is a transgender in a bid to pre-empt a scandal. The dynamics may have now changed for Nikkie’s fiance but love is still celebrated as Taiwanese boyband member (#Fahrenheit) Calvin Chen tied the knot with actress Joanne Tseng.
*Nikkie De Jager who has worked with Jessie J and Lady Gaga before, revealed in an emotional Youtube video she was blackmailed by people who wanted to leak her story and she “coming out” was to pre-empt that.
As the proverb goes: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander”. Never mind Nikkie De Jager’s gender bender because Japanese popstar Ayumi Hamasaki and South Korean actress Choi Ji-woo (#WinterSonata) who are in their forties, are carrying out motherly duties after becoming first-time mums. Joining the hustle of infant care are the fastest man on Earth (#UsainBolt) and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk as changing diapers will be their next significant fatherhood milestone. For some, motherhood may be deferred after Gillian Chung (one half of cantopop girl group Twins) separated from her philandering aesthetics doctor husband (#Michael Lai) while Grace Chow took the initiative in terminating a 9-year relationship with Show Luo (罗志祥) due to his womanizing ways (#LindaChien).
Unfaithful partners usually spell the end of relationships but Billie Eilish couldn’t have asked for a better collaborative partner (her brother) as she bested veterans Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran to win numerous Grammy awards for her debut album (#WhenWeAllFallAsleep, WhereDoWeGo?)*. In addition, former first lady Michelle Obama also had plenty to say after she won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for her audiobook book “Becoming”. Billie and Michelle had cause for celebration at the Grammys but Bong Joon Ho (South Korea) was elated after Parasite** was feted at this year’s Oscars with the notable accolade of being the first foreign non-English language film to win the Oscar’s Best Picture award.
*Billie Eilish crafted and recorded the songs on her Grammy award-winning album with her producer brother in a bedroom in their parents’ house in Los Angeles. She won 4 Grammys in total: Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year.
**Parasite won a total of 4 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Feature Film, Best Original Screenplay). The film is well-received by audiences both in his home country and abroad. Throughout the years, you might have unknowingly watched some of Bong Joon Ho’s stellar works including his critically acclaimed crime film “Memories of Murder” (2003) and commercial success monster hit movie “The Host” (2006).
Parasite was already earning rave reviews prior to its Oscars win but a drama series (#CrashLandingOnYou) garnering considerable interest, crash landed on our TV screens. That series drew parallels between North and South Korea in reel life and with reunification in limbo in real life, but a reunion of sorts is on the cards as the cast of F.R.I.E.N.D.S are set to return on a HBO Max special. Deep down, we just can’t get enough of Phoebe Buffet (#LisaKudrow) strumming and singing “Smelly Cat” in Central Perk Cafe.
Central Perk Cafe will help jog those pleasant primetime television memories but we should also take time to pay homage to some icons of yesteryear… Actor Kirk Douglas had a illustrious acting career and lived a fulfilling life beyond 100 years, country music legend Kenny Rogers sold over 100 million records worldwide during his lifetime and singer-songwriter Little Richard was one of the crossover black artiste to reach audiences of all races that help bridge the racial divide with his music back in those topsy-turvy times. Yet nothing could prepare us for NBA legend Kobe Bryant‘s tragic sudden demise as many worship in the shrine that Los Angeles built for him. In the East, Bollywood lost its luminaries Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan while Taiwan ballroom dancing queen Serena Liu did not survive a heart valve replacement surgery.
The celebrity dancer died while waiting for a heart transplant but the prancing horse (#Ferrari) certainly had a change of heart after announcing a parting of ways with Sebastian Vettel. This literally set the wheels in motion for Charles Leclerc to be the face of Ferrari’s future with Carlos Sainz being recruited from Renault as Vettel’s replacement. Vettel has not left motor racing yet but Maria Sharapova reluctantly brought an end to her tennis career with her announced retirement. However, it is evident retired sporting heroes cannot stay out of action for long after former professional footballer Ronaldino was arrested and detained in Paraguay for using a fake passport.
*Ronaldino was arrested in March along with his brother and business manager for attempting to enter Paraguay with fake travel documents. They spent almost one month in a maximum-security prison before being released and placed into house arrest by Paraguayan authorities.
Ronaldino’s brief incarceration was probably the nadir of his life but 20-year-old Armand Duplantis* was literally on top of the world after he pole vaulted to world record-breaking heights not once but twice (6.17metres, 6.18metres) as he became the sport’s rising star. Inspiration abound, underdog and lowest-ranked sumo wrestler Tokushoryu** stunned sumo’s second-highest rank champion (Takakeisho) to win the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament in Tokyo. Taking a leaf from the same book, American Sofia Kenin who has never been past the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament before, clinched the Australia Open.
* Armand Duplantis set a new pole vaulting world record of 6.17 metres in Poland, he broke his own record again (6.18 metres) one week later in Glasgow, Scotland.
**Tokushoryu is the lowest-ranked sumo wrestler to win a top division sumo title since March 2000.
The victors in sports revel in their triumphs and success stories but we all know misery loves company after the world received a belated Christmas gift from 2019… No one heeded that forewarning from Wuhan last December and 6 months on, we are confronted with the carnage of a alphanumeric coded (#COVID-19) black swan event. COVID-19 has completely changed our way of life for the foreseeable future, one that is devoid of friendly handshakes, hugs and kisses while lockdown, quarantine, travel restrictions, social-distancing and contact-tracing became the new norm.
The coronavirus, an unforgiving assassin, kills its victims selectively, primarily the aged and the ones with pre-existing conditions. Yet, COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate as it got acquainted with the likes of royalty (#PrinceCharles), politicians (#BorisJohnson), celebrities (#TomHanks #Rita Wilson #IdrisElba), music artistes (#Madonna) and even famed athletes (#Kevin Durant<NBA> #TeamMcLaren<F1> #Daniele Rugani<ItalianSerieA> #MikelArteta<PremierLeague>).
This pandemic that has spread to every continent except Antarctica has thrown a spanner in the works in almost every sector. It has initiated worldwide lockdowns, cancelled or deferred sporting (#TokyoOlympics #Euro2020 #Wimbledon* #BostonMarathon**) and entertainment events (#CannesFilmFestival), grounded global airline fleets and even created floating petri dishes for the virus in the form of cruise ships (#DiamondPrincess #Westerdam).
*Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II.
**The Boston Marathon was cancelled for the first time in its 124-year history. It has been held annually since 1897 even amid the two World Wars and fierce weather conditions including snow and rainstorms.
The effects of COVID-19 clearly reverberated around the world as supply chains were disrupted while companies folded (#Espirit Asia), lurched into bankruptcy(#NeimanMarcus #Aldo) or tried hard to stave off insolvency (#GNC). Elsewhere, employees were being retrenched, furloughed or forced to take pay cuts. It further sparked panic buying and briefly elevated the standing of a roll of toilet paper as it was worth more than a barrel of oil. That probably explains why petroleum giant Shell was forced to cut its dividends for the first time since World War II but more importantly, the US Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to zero*. Thankfully, professional footballers manage to see the lighter side of things as they answered the call of the toilet roll challenge on social media, not the queue-forming ones at supermarkets.
*The previous time the US Federal Reserve reduced the interest rate to zero was back in 2008 during the subprime mortgage financial crisis.
Humour could be the best medicine during this pandemic but others are fighting the coronavirus in their own way. Lady Gaga rallied an ensemble of A-list music stars (from the comfort of their living rooms) to raise funds for coronavirus relief efforts* while Cantopop legend Sam Hui’s first ever livestream concert attracted 2.5 million viewers. Not to be outdone, Mandopop’s biggest and brightest** came together to honour and raise funds for frontline medical workers where the main highlight of the event was JJ Lin and Jay Chou performing a song together. The best was probably saved for the last as Aaron Kwok served up a spectacle of sizzling dances moves and deft choreography while still impressing us with that ribbed and taunt body of his.
*The 6-hour concert led by Lady Gaga, was hosted by 3 of the biggest late night television show hosts in the US (Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon) and featured performances by TaylorSwift, Elton John, SamSmith, John Legend, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder, Adam Lambert, Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, David Beckham. The event managed to raise US$127 million.
**The star-studded line up included Andy Lau, Jam Hsiao, Stefanie Sun, Karen Mok, Gigi Leung, Fish Leong, Angela Chang and many more.
I am glad the international stars banded together during this crisis and lifted our spirits momentarily. We Singaporeans reacted to COVID-19 in our own special way….No, I am not talking about the ovation (#ClapForSG #30March #SGUnited) we gave to our frontline workers or the nationwide karaoke session (#SingTogetherSG #25April #”Home”) we held for our healthcare professionals and migrant workers. I am referring to how we cultivated a fetish for colourful stickers and a forte in identifying clusters (#YongThaiHang #SAFRA Jurong #Dormitories). The nation developed an obsession with temperature-taking and we were besotted with legally binding acronyms like LOA, SHO and QO (#LeaveOfAbsence #StayHomeNotice #QuarantineOrder). Next, sanitizers became a treasured commodity and face masks acted as the first line of defence. We even contemplated playing tic-tac-toe in the lift (#SocialDistancing) and in other instances, we were defined by the digits on our identification cards when entering wet markets.
Things took a turn for the worse when we went into a colour-coded state of emergency (#DorsconORANGE). Foreign workers were housed in chalets, hotels and even cruise ships while we were scrambling to find alternate accomodation for some workers from Malaysia affected by their government’s Movement Control Order (MCO). It is a crisis that has forced us to take unprecedented measures by dipping into the reserves thrice in a matter of months (Care & Support Package, Solidarity Budget, Fortitude Budget). That initial panic unleashed an island of hypochondriacs, scalpers on online merchandise platforms, raiders at supermarkets and hoarders bragging about their stockpiles on social media. We were even branded “xia suay” (disgraceful) by a Minister but we took it all in our stride.
Subsequently, we had to call in an electrician (#CircuitBreaker #7thApril) that confined us mainly to our living quarters. Living like a recluse meant no mingling, no dining in, no shopping, no meeting of our friends or even our loved ones, no schooling (#home-based learning-HBL) and working from home (#WFH). For some, it meant a causeway bereft of traffic and muted celebrations for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, for others, events like the NATAS Travel Fair, Sundown Marathon, IT Show and Singapore F1 Grand Prix were cancelled in quick succession.
We may have our hands full with COVID-19 but we also have one eye on the coming General Election. Yet, our present utmost concern is actually the importance of public hygiene and cleanliness. We have to thank the spate of spitting incidents and pranks started by our idling youths and troubled denizens (#RhumbiaLRT #Bugis #KFC). The SGClean campaign was launched in February probably to drive home the message of clean and preen. A Member of Parliament (#LilyNeo) started the ball rolling by cleaning tables at a hawker centre with a sash no less while Masagos and Heng Swee Kiat had the honours of certifying the stalls. And you know the authorities are not taking any chances when an ex-contractor decked in yellow boots with a penchant for digging his nose was prodded out of retirement to urge us to use our brains and exercise some common sense.
From a Cambridge mathematician* turned electrician to Phua Chu Kang moonlighting as a hygiene ambassador and to politicians wiping tables at hawker centres…this pandemic has clearly unearthed many hidden talents. Others have carve out an alternate career in E-getai (#OngYeKung #CheeHongTat #Iswaran) while Sun Xueling dabbled in Wing Chun in a bid to get you to stay active. The cabinet ministers might be rookies in getai but veteran getai artiste Wang Lei has demonstrated that you can teach an old dog new tricks after successfully selling fish on social media peppered with his lowbrow humour, profanities and insults. For those who have not found their calling yet, fret not, there is the National Jobs Council headed by Tharman to assist you.
*PM Lee graduated from University of Cambridge with first-class honours in Mathematics in 1974.
Frankly, jobs are in scarcity now but a botched job involving the wrong body being cremated due to a dreadful mix-up has left everyone aghast (#HarmonyFuneralCare). That blunder might prove costly after the affected family members initiated legal action against the said funeral company but another lawyer herself has also erred after being found guilty of misconduct in handling her father-in-law’s last will (#LeeSuetFern #Oxleyhouse). That house in Oxley Road has been the bone of contention since 2017 and the issue hasn’t been resolved since. There is a silver lining though after radio station Gold 90.5FM repented and relented in letting a listener claim his winnings after singer Tony Hadley was engaged to clear the air on the pronunciation of his name
*Tony Hadley is a former band member of the pop group Spandau Ballet.
Honestly, we don’t care whether it is pronounced Hate-ley or Hat-ley but the very name of Hyflux has reportedly gone down the drain after its directors (former and present) came under a criminal investigation by the CAD, MAS and ACRA. The beleaguered water management firm’s problems continue still without a saviour. Hyflux is fast becoming a sinking ship and its fortunes have contrasted with once high-flying Singapore Airlines (SIA) where a rescue package (US$13 billion) was put together to bail the airliner out. Admittedly, SIA has fallen on hard times, so too the opposition after MP Low Thia Khiang took a tumble at home. The Aljunied GRC MP is not going anywhere soon but the horses have already bolted after one was seen galloping along Eng Neo Avenue. A runaway horse is a rare sight in Singapore but the return of a fugitive (#Extradition #DavidRoach) who robbed a bank 4 years ago with a piece of paper filled us with a palpable sense of relief.
The successful extradition of the bank robber was a long time in coming but time wait for no gent or lady as the alumni of Project SUPERSTAR (Season 1) rang the wedding bells (#Derrick Hoh #Kelly Poon). It is marital bliss for the ex-contestants while it was jubilation for 7-year-old Simone Lim in becoming Singapore’s youngest E-sport champion after she won the Pokemon Oceania International Championship Junior Division in Melbourne. This formidable kid is flying the country’s flag despite not reaching her peak , but our flag did reach a peak after it was beamed onto Switzerland’s Matterhorn in a show of solidarity.
The Swiss alps usually form the backdrop for those picturesque overseas vacations but our travel plans have to be put on hold for now. I trust our travel restrictions because we have SafeEntry and in the event of an imported infected case, we can always do TraceTogether. We are trying hard to keep out COVID-19 and we can probably do without the lawlessness of sovereign imports witnessed at Shunfu Mart. Sovereigns are not the one that has infiltrated this country, foreign influences and funding were alleged to be a part of an opposition party(#PSP) which has since been rattled by a few resignations (#RaviPhilemon #MichelleLee) and even expulsions (#DanielTeo #JanChan).
Despite their woes, I have no worries for the opposition parties because another one has just popped up (#RedDotUnited). There will be no dearth in party-hoppers and allegiance-switching as GE2020 is upon us. In fact, the Parliament has been dissolved, the gauntlet has been thrown, the stage has been set…All eyes will be trained on the electoral arena and it will have our undivided attention. Interestingly, it will be a new battleground for the incumbent and opposition parties in this post-COVID-19 world as no physical rallies will be allowed. Meanwhile, I am off to my neighbourhood kopitiam to relive that dine-in experience curtailed by the circuit breaker…one thing I am very sure of is that I won’t be ordering the Bak Ku Teh that rewards you with a jail sentence.
~ E-N-D ~
Picture Credits:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/
http://www.theonlinecitizen.com
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