Wikileaks: Singapore officials criticise Malaysia and others
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Originally posted by Vote PAP OUT to Save SG:
But Harry Lee wants to destroy dialects in Singapore.
to speak mandarin does not mean destory dialect.If you really think abt this matter, English did play a part on this matter.
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Originally posted by Jiani:
but with wikileaks, there will be no secerts in this world, gd what............
You're being very naive in saying that 'no secrets == good'.
Like it or not, there will always be secrets, and as much as you may not like it, there is a good reason for some things to remain secret.
Let's say, for example, the secret of ULTRA and MAGIC decrypts got out smack in the middle of World War II. The Germans and Japs would have reworked their encryption systems. That would at the very least prolong the war by several years, considering how useful ULTRA was to winning the Atlantic front (read up on the submarine war), and how useful MAGIC was to the Pacific front (Midway, especially).
Let's go into current times. Secret diplomacy is there for a reason simply because having it out in the open can be more detrimental in the big picture. How will it look like, for instance, if secret peace negotiations between Israel and an Arab country got blown out into the open? You may well end up empowering the terrorists in the knowledge that 'Hey! Our government is consorting with the enemy! Now we can convince more people to join us!'
Of course, some things should be made more transparent. But that doesn't mean that everything should be made transparent.
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Confidentiality of diplomatic communication must be respected: George Yeo
SINGAPORE : Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo has said the confidentiality of diplomatic communication must be respected, and that any communication must not be taken out of context.
He was speaking to reporters on the latest reports from WikiLeaks regarding comments from senior Singapore Foreign Affairs officials on countries in the region.
Mr Yeo said: "There will be more coming out in the future and "you said this about me and I said this about you", and it goes on. I think it is best that we respect the confidentiality of diplomatic communication.
"That is what certain individuals said about others. There could be a diversity of views. As I said, they probably said things about me which I may not agree with. But that is fine, that is to be expected.
"If you want to hear everything which others say behind your back, and take offence at it, you will be a very unhappy person."
Mr Yeo added that diplomatic relations cannot be done "on the basis that there is a camera in the room recording everything", and that when that happens, "we lose something".
He also said that sometimes it is in the nature of "cocktail talk" where "people say things in a blunt forthright way", and "we should not divorce, even if true, what is said from the context".
- CNA/ms -
WikiLeaks hits Singapore diplomats
SINGAPORE: Singapore diplomats think the leaders of some close Asian allies are corrupt or incompetent, cables from WikiLeaks revealed Sunday.
Confidential diplomatic notes given by the whistleblower website to Australia's Fairfax media group contained unflattering assessments of key figures in Malaysia, Thailand, India and Japan.
"A lack of competent leadership is a real problem for Malaysia," permanent secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bilahari Kausikan reportedly told US Deputy Secretary of Defence for East Asia David Sedney in a cable dated September 2008.
As such, "the situation in neighbouring Malaysia is confused and dangerous," fuelled by a "distinct possibility of racial conflict" that could see ethnic Chinese "flee" Malaysia and "overwhelm" Singapore, Bilahari was quoted as saying.
Another official, Peter Ho, reportedly described Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak as "an opportunist" who "would not hesitate" to be critical of Singapore if "it is expedient for him to do so."
He said allegations linking Najib to the murder of a Mongolian woman in 2006, which the leader has strongly rejected, would continue to "haunt" his political fortunes.
Bilahari was also critical of the Thai government in 2008, labelling then premier Thaksin Shinawatra as "corrupt" along with "everyone else, including the opposition."
He also said the Thai crown prince was "very erratic, and easily subject to influence," and warned of continued instability in Thailand.
In another 2009 memo, Singapore's ambassador at large Tommy Koh -- known for being mild-mannered and eloquent in public -- was uncharacteristically blunt in his assessment of Japan and India.
"Koh described Japan as 'the big fat loser' in the context of improving ties between China and ASEAN," a leaked cable detailing a meeting between him and US officials stated.
"He attributed the relative decline of Japan's stature in the region to Japan's 'stupidity, bad leadership, and lack of vision,'" it added.
"He was equally merciless towards India, describing it as 'half in, half out' of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.)"
There was no immediate reaction from the Singapore government to the leaks but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) earlier issued a statement saying it is "critical to protect the confidentiality of diplomatic and official correspondence".
"Which is why Singapore has the Official Secrets Act (OSA)," an MFA spokesman said.
He said: "In particular, the selective release of documents, especially when taken out of context, will only serve to sow confusion and fail to provide a complete picture of the important issues that were being discussed (among) leaders in the strictest of confidentiality."
-AFP/CNA/wk -
why is singapore targetted? so many leaks... is it because the americans meet with singapore more than the rest of the asian countries?
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Originally posted by smalldot:
why is singapore targetted? so many leaks... is it because the americans meet with singapore more than the rest of the asian countries?
no country is spared...just don't speak to anyone in the politics, u dun get "target" -
I dun get what wikileaks aims to show in all these actions, cos so far what has it done? Strain international relations but anything else? Expose sensotive military information terrorists can use? How exactly has it helped us? NOTHING. More likely is that wikileaks is a big hypocrite who exposes the world to greater risk of terrorism and destroy peace on the glonal stage, hypo-losers with too much time on their jands. I seriously hope that redundant site gets shut down soon.
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got guts to criticize floor traps in front of americans, no guts to take the step on stopping floort traps and letting heartlanders have more jobs in front of spreans
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Notice only the crap get picked up.
The praises and good words are no where to be seen.
Wikileak is more like lao sai.
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Wikileaks gave all the countries a 2011 new year resolutions.
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MFA doesn't comment on leaks
SINGAPORE: A Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman said as a matter of principle, the ministry does not comment on leaks.
He was responding to media queries on Australian press reports of US Embassy cables leaked by WikiLeaks which attributed remarks to various Singapore leaders and officials.
The spokesman added that these reports are based on American interpretations of confidential conversations that did not provide the full context and, in some cases, were from third party sources.
When asked if he expected that subsequent WikiLeaks reports would contain critical comments about Singapore by other countries, the spokesman said that there are many thousands of leaked cables from US diplomatic missions all around the region.
The spokesman said he would be very surprised if Singapore were not the subject of at least some of them.
"As I said earlier, MFA does not comment on leaks."
And the spokesman added that Singapore takes leaks of confidential information very seriously and would not tolerate it here.
When asked whether these leaks would affect Singapore's ties with these countries, the spokesman said Singapore has long-standing, robust and positive relationships with all countries in the region.
He added that these relationships are built on a strong foundation of shared interests and mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas.
And countries base relationships on their own interests and not hearsay or gossip.
-CNA/wk -
How to explain.
Someone thinks their politicians are idiots.
How is the minister going to explain that.
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if wikilinks's bullsheeting then i thnk sg should take legal action against the publisher or writer. if the document is true then i think we have to ask the autthor why he comment like that, and put it on paper for people as prove?
if so why one side encourage and open so big our doors to floor traps, the other end say them bad? if its the later i only truely suport if we put it into actions, install stronger filters at our doors.
of course everything we do must have secrets. take photographeer and hardware for example. when the correct way to take a photo with regards to hardware and its limitation is leaked, everyone can wasily take photos already. now see why people still asking how to take good photos, why so many follow seniors learn until now still take crap photos?
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MFA clarifies with M'sia
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Singapore's High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur T Jasudasen had been asked to see Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato' Seri Anifah Aman this morning regarding press reports of US Embassy cables leaked by WikiLeaks.
He also received a protest note.
Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo called Mr Anifah later on Tuesday to clarify Singapore's policy of not commenting on leaks.
Highlighting a disparity of facts, the MFA spokesman said the 'specific complaints raised by the Malaysians, what Singapore officials were alleged by WikiLeaks to have said did not tally with our own records'.
'One purported meeting did not even take place.' the spokesman added.
Both Mr Yeo and Mr Anifah have agreed on the importance of good bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation further.
-- ST
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What was published is what is being said all along.
What do you think the Malaysians politicians have been saying about Singapore's politicians.
Only difference is whether it is published or not.
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Originally posted by sbst275:
till to this day you still want to play dialect.ok then. How are you going to communicate to everyone as a nation?
what u're trying to dig, contadicts to another thread abt nation building.
you're confused
Very confused and ignorantly into self-entanglement of being stigmatised deeper and deeper
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i think PAP is doing the right thing by not commenting on wikileaks stuff. That would only give it the respectability that it does not deserve. Political dealings are supposed to be top secret anyway.
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Originally posted by Casopia-maplesea:
I dun get what wikileaks aims to show in all these actions, cos so far what has it done? Strain international relations but anything else? Expose sensotive military information terrorists can use? How exactly has it helped us? NOTHING. More likely is that wikileaks is a big hypocrite who exposes the world to greater risk of terrorism and destroy peace on the glonal stage, hypo-losers with too much time on their jands. I seriously hope that redundant site gets shut down soon.
Likely is revenue from news, but arouse instability. The leaders and all communities ought to remain in harmony and calm from the leaks. Leaders probably have to brave up themselves to apologise from the unloving political language used then. As to err is human, and more importantly, to develop future peace and harmony from understanding the err, so as to create eternity of harmony and peace
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MM Lee says Myanmar junta 'dense': WikiLeaks
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew described Myanmar's ruling generals as "dense" and "stupid" people who have "mismanaged" the country's vast resources, US cables released by WikiLeaks said.
In a 2007 meeting with top US officials, Lee also reportedly said Myanmar's envoy in Singapore had told the city-state that his country could "survive any sanctions" because of its abundance of natural resources.
Lee believed the Myanmar problem could be solved if a younger generation of generals who were less "obtuse" would step forward and possibly forge a power-sharing agreement with the country's democracy movement, the cable said.
"They could share power with the democracy activists, although probably not with Aung San Suu Kyi, who was anathema to the military," it said.
Asked about the prospects of ASEAN appointing an envoy to Myanmar, Lee suggested that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's (SBY) military background would make him an ideal candidate for the post.
"He suggested that Indonesian President Yudhoyono could potentially be an interlocutor," the US cable said.
"As a former general, SBY might be able to meet with Senior General Than Shwe and get him to listen.
In a statement issued earlier, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said as a principle, the ministry does not comment on leaks.
He added Singapore has long-standing, robust and positive relationships with all countries in the region.
The spokesman said these relationships are built on a strong foundation of shared interests and are not based on hearsay or gossip.
-AFP/wk