December 2006
The Best System That Works!
In the report Scent Of An Artist, The Straits Times’ art correspondent Clara Chow stated on Sept 8, 06: “Singaporean artist Lim Tzay Chuen sprayed City Hall with pheromones, which cost $153 a bottle (for his latest conceptual-art presentation The Opposite Is True #2)… (He) has a reputation for making ‘invisible works’. Last year, he earned some public ire for his proposal to move the Merlion to Venice for the world’s oldest visual art Biennale. (His works) are the sort that will make people sit up and cry foul over the misuse of public funds, or have them feeling like he has insulted their intelligence.” (To substantiate the point, a couple of ‘street critics’ were quoted, dismissing the work as “silly” and not attractive enough to arouse interest.)
Of course, we, the intelligent ones, know that the opposite is true! The very point of Lim’s artistic statement. But then, we can’t blame the ST for that critique, can we? After all, everything is about funds and money in Singapore, even (if not especially) art. Much as Chow also stated that “Lim’s conceptual pieces seem like mischievous pranks on the various government bodies, institutions, curators who champion him so seriously and earnestly”.
Isn’t it just so Singapore that when one criticizes the system/establishment, even through art, that it’s always put down as tiresome or merely a ‘prank’! It does send out the clear message that Singapore does not and will not tolerate criticism, especially when done from a ‘serious’ platform that wants to reach an audience. Goes to show, I’ve been right all along – Me All Good No Bad (title of my spoken-word CD). It’s all about being as narrow-minded as kiasu dictates. And still we trumpet ourselves as being an art supporter and an arts hub. No shame. How on earth did we leave out the part that art questions and provokes? Maybe we should really formulate a code of Singapore art ethics and shamelessly declare that as uniquely Singaporean. It’s about money, y’know!
Lim’s use of pheromones – “which purports to enhance sex appeal” – in his piece The Opposite Is True #2, inundating City Hall with its fumes, is pretty pointed a concept; especially if one understands the cultural desperation of Singapore. Fogging the City Hall for it to embody sex appeal… Hello! Of course, none of this was discussed as the layered concept of Lim’s work, apart from it being a prank. I get it! Real good national artists don’t satirize the system! Unless you don’t mind being panned by the national press, as in the case as well of Eleanor Wong’s impressively satirical play The Campaign To Confer The Public Service Star on JBJ.
So nod on…to greater self-denial or self-censoring ‘mouthless fish’ -veneer to better secure your careering future. All for the good of nation-building, and economic peace too, we mustn’t forget! Btw, this is not an attack on Ms. Chow, though some have taken to calling folks like her ‘eunuchs’. Lord knows she, too, has bread-&-butter issues like we all do!
During the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Singapore in September, “three young Singaporeans have been questioned by the police over a mass e-mail telling people how to stage legal protests” (ST, Sept 15). Am glad the newspaper made clear the ‘legal’ description. Legal but still questioned by police… and they still dare pronounce loud-loud that there’s no paranoia in Singapore! Donch worry, Singaporeans dunno how to put two-and-two together, one.
One of the three questioned was 21 year-old student Seelan Palay, who hosted a website posting pictures of supporters who believe in lending their ‘400 frowns’ (instead of smiles) to the global cause of the IMF meetings. Yours truly did offer an exciting new pic for Palay’s Net page in the spirit of our nation’s media-whores-in-Follywood ways, sticking out for a shameless flash. Of course, if you ever get to hear about it in the national press about my ‘pic-contribution’, you’ll, no doubt, get a ‘toned-down-for-Follywood’ version of my intention. “Police also seized personal computers from their homes” – the report stated. Please repeat after me (as I proudly parrot them) – No paranoia in Singapore!
On that same day, ST’s senior writer Andy Ho was rhapsodizing about “Jazzing up a Singapore tune” and how “self-expression leads to a unity”; he, by the way, is not a music-writer, so you understand the metaphors intended. In relation to police seizing personal computers of those self-expressing legally, I’d say – I hear not just Andy Ho’s rhapsody (I truly do of his noble intention) but a bigger SYMPHONY! Donch worry, that will never scramble to show the word FARCE in Singapore. Cos we’re unique!
“Singapore must preserve its system of govt: Minister Mentor (MM)” – the big ST headline on Sept 16. It elaborated: “His ambition is not to preserve PAP (-the ruling party), he says, but to keep a system that works.” Well now, in the spirit of creative thinking (much vaunted nowadays), let me propose that we appoint opposition-leader JB Jeyaratnam or Chee Soon Juan with their new cabinet to govern Singapore BUT based on the same system of governance formulated WITHOUT CHANGING A THING. Think about it, there’s no way it won’t work! A system of governance is never political-party-biased, right? Please don’t think me preposterous, I am simply going by the MM’s rationale as he insists that it’s not about preserving his ruling party’s stronghold. Besides, I am also conceding to a system that works! C’mon, Singaporeans, be dynamic, spread the word.
On that same day in the ST, “EU to limit liquids in hand luggage” – came the report from Brussels. This is to ensure better vigilance over terrorists’ attempts to blow up planes using liquid explosives. Now, considering the world is always praising Singapore and wanting to emulate our success (an impression I get from the local press), let me propose the following.
All passengers on whatever international flights from wherever and allover will now have to do their part, like a Neighborhood Watch scheme, to check his immediate passenger whenever the latter leaves his seat for whatever. Failing to do so will render him liable for prosecution for failing to keep a safe lookout. Hello, we are talking about the lives of 200 passengers (or more) at stake! Punishment would include rendering the person’s citizenship void. So, in the event that he dies during a terrorist’s strike, the State (- his country) will seize all of his estate and property. Never mind that he may leave behind a handicapped widow and six children or he’s just a swinging bachelor with 2,000 CDs. If that means segregating the passengers to sit according to gender to prevent molestation during mutual checking, so be it. No organizational means is too complex to safeguard MAXIMUM CONTROL over the issue of peace. If a new set of ethics be assigned to the passengers’ system of checking between each other and traveling, let it be activated. What are laws for?
C’mon, internationalists, you’ve always wanted to know how Singapore works, now’s the time to put paid the wonder to good global use and, more importantly, for the good of ALL – the Uniquely Singapore way! - X’ Ho
