TR EMERITUS

I met Mr. H for the first time at a corporate event. We talked about happenings in Singapore. Mr. H is 60 years old, retired from a corporate job, and now runs a business. He told me that he was not vaccinated for covid-19. He had read, in detail, the documentation of the clinical trial for the Pfizer mRNA vaccine and was amazed to find some disturbing information. Some paragraphs in the document presented by Pfizer, suggested that the vaccine was not fully tested for safety, with some cautionary notes suggesting issues that have happened before. Due to his doubts on the safety issues, he refused to be vaccinated. Furthermore, he mentioned that the informed consent document which Pfizer had provided to be given to caregivers and recipients of the vaccine in the clinical trial procedure carried a lot more cautionary details with many possible serious adverse events than the one put out by MOH. MOH has updated the current informed consent document to follow the one issued by Pfizer. This is a real concern as previous advertisements by MOH carried in the papers stated that the vaccine was safe, and only mild adverse reactions may be expected, whereas Pfizer's stated very clearly that the drug was not approved as a vaccine but authorised by the FDA under Emergency Use Authorisation ( EUA ) with an on-going clinical trial. In Singapore, we were told the Pfizer's drug was a vaccine and that it was safe. I told Mr. H that I trusted the experts in our Ministry of Health and took the 2 jabs of the Pfizer vaccine and 2 boosters. Mr. H told me that the mRNA vaccine and boosters could have contributed to a drop in immunity. This has caused many people to suffer from turbo cancers, a term used where cancers suddenly developed to a critical stage, which was unusual because cancers take many years to develop to such a stage. However, people as young as in their twenties had developed turbo cancers and passed on, not withstanding that more people have passed on suddenly. Other forms of serious illnesses, including auto-immune disease, also shot up and the Lupus ward in SGH ( Lupus is one of the auto-immune diseases ) had ran out of beds for sufferers of this sudden auto-immune disease that had developed. Mr. H told me that two persons in his neighbourhood had recently died from cancer, with the same exact symptoms, 3 months apart. They were healthy without having had any previous indication of cancer, but had developed 4th stage cancer so suddenly. They had just taken their mRNA boosters then. He suspected that the vaccine had caused a drop in immunity in these cases which resulted in the turbo cancers. Mr. H also told me that his sister recently suffered from auto-immune disease from mixing with people who had been vaccinated with the mRNA vaccines. She was not vaccinated, and according to the clinical trial documentation, he had read that people who have been vaccinated with the spike protein mRNA vaccines can shed the spike proteins out of their bodies. These spike proteins could be absorbed by a person standing close to the vaccinated person who had just been vaccinated, for a period of 2 weeks or so. She became very ill suddenly, with many organs diagnosed as failing. The doctors could not understand her condition as 2 months earlier, she had gone for her health screening and there was no indication of any problems. The doctors made all kinds of tests on her but all the results came back inconclusive...with tests costing nearly $30k. Finally the doctor told Mr. H that it looks like she had Lupus, an auto-immune disease. But a quick search from the Internet found that auto-immune diseases are usually genetic diseases, but none of the other 4 elder siblings in the family had such diseases, including their parents. The shock came to Mr. H when he was told that his sister was not able to be warded immediately, as the Lupus ward was full with patients. It was 3 days later that she could be warded in the Lupus ward. Until today, 2 years later, doctors said she can never have full recovery...in all, she was warded for more than a month. Why were so many people warded for this condition? Was the ward ever full before ? ChatGPT explained that an autoimmune reaction occurs when the body's immune system, which is designed to protect against external threats such as bacteria and viruses, mistakenly attacks and damages its own tissues. In a healthy immune system, the body can differentiate between its own cells and foreign substances. However, in the case of an autoimmune response, the immune system fails to recognize certain parts of the body as "self," leading it to produce autoantibodies that attack normal cells, tissues, and organs. We then discussed the excess deaths seen in Singapore. The number of annual deaths mentioned by Mr. H have increased, 22000+ in 2020 before the vaccine program was rolled out, then suddenly shot up to 24000+ in 2021 and 26000+ in 2022, higher deaths than the normal expected increase. The same was happening in many countries where Pfizer or mRNA vaccines were administered. However, the ratio of excess deaths in Singapore was among the highest compared with the other countries that were covered in a recent statistical report. The high ratio correlated with the high % of population being vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, which, if he remembered correctly, was 95%. Was there a study done to check the reason for the excess deaths? If the vaccine indeed has serious negative impacts, it would hit Singapore harder due to our high rate of vaccination. I am not able to form any opinion on the views expressed by Mr. H. I hope that the Ministry of Health will give an explanation on the high rate of excess deaths in Singapore and comment if there was a large increase of cases that need to be treated in the Lupus ward.   Tan Kin Lian      Read More →

I refer to the Straits Times’ Editorial, “Gaza protests risk getting radicalised” (Nov 9). Israel has waged a bombing campaign to destroy the enclave's Hamas rulers since Oct 7, and the Israel-Hamas war has lasted for about five weeks, and the following situations are indeed exacerbating and worrisome : - 1) As the Israeli army has intensified its retaliatory bombardments of the Gaza Strip, hitting schools (For examples, al-Fakhoora school run by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in the Jabalia refugee camp, Osama bin Zaid school), mosques, and 18 out of a total 35 hospitals (e.g. Al-Shifa, al-Nasser Children’s Hospital, Rumah Sakit Indonesia, al-Wafa Hospital). These tragic military action had killed at least 11,000 Palestinian civilians, which included 4500 innocent children, two thousands odd women and more than fifty UN’s medical staff. Anyway, the number of deaths and casualties of the Palestinians civilians will be rapidly increased in the subsequent Israeli military operations. 2)Israeli cruel airstrikes have damaged the health system in Gaza Strip and destroyed/deprived the hope of survival for all the Palestinians casualties. 3) Israeli authorities have repeatedly obstructed UN humanitarian relief causes and efforts. These include delay opening more humanitarian relief corridors and allowing more humanitarian assistance to enter into Gaza Strip (such as water, foods, medical care facilities/equipments, medicines and power supply). 4)In the latest news received, Israel formalizes daily humanitarian pauses in Gaza, in first since war’s outbreak. However, the permanent ceasefire which has been repeatedly urged by the UN and the international community is still no time in sight. 5)Around 250 hostages who were abducted by the Hamas militants since the outbreak of Israel-Hamas war still remain the key worry of the families of the hostages. 6) Hamas is a Palestinian militant group which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007. What disturbs and annoys Israel is : the Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction and wants to replace it with an Islamic state. Even if Hamas will be "totally eradicated" by Israeli forces within the foreseeable timeframe, it will still be viewed as an ideological organization, another similarity of Hamas would likely be “replicated and revived or resurrected” in the near future. This could be due to many Palestinians have been displaced and brutally treated by the Israel's deadly attacks. And, when it really occurs, it will create nightmares for the Israel and the international community as a whole. 7) The only way to truly ensure the permanent peaceful coexistence between the Israel and Palestine is to follow the suggestion of China and the consensus of the United Nations to promote talks and cooperation and realize the goal of the two-state solution at an early date. In conclusion, for seeking the long-term prospects of peace and benefits for the people of Israel, Palestine and the Middle Esst countries, the authority of Israel needs to consider and work towards this two-state solution seriously.   Teo kueh Liang (Mr)      Read More →

What do you do with power? Men, especially, when you know you can do what you want in the moment of a power intoxication. I ask this because the ongoing trial of Singapore Idol ex-judge Ken Lim reminded me of the dark grip and seduction of power. And we are often a pawn in its hands. We are feted with the illusion of control, when we are no more than a means to its end. I caveat that I am in no way prejudging the case, as Ken’s case will be undergoing five different trials, each involving one alleged victim. Ken is fighting for his innocence. But some of the allegations made by the alleged victims gave me a glimpse of how power can overdrive one’s lust and self-importance. It is a stern lesson in how men need to be very wary of how power has a life of its own, and is prone to abuse because imagined impunity shields them from being called out by the victims. They are often drunk on the idea that they will not get caught. Here are some of the alleged accusations made by the victims. His charge involved four victims of insulting their modesty and one of molest. It involved a long time line between 1998 and 2021. For the insults, between 1998 and 1999, “he allegedly showed a pornographic video to a female artiste under his management who was between 19 and 21 years old then.” “He allegedly told her she was sexually inexperienced and he could help her.” Ken allegedly made a lewd remark to another young female artiste. “He purportedly asked the woman if he could be her first sex partner.” On another occasion, Ken was “accused of offering to be her sexual partner to “fulfill her sexual fantasies””. And in July 2012, “he allegedly asked a 26-year-old woman: “What if I have sex with you right now?”” Lesson? Let’s face it, a majority of such sexual offences are committed by one gender. No points for guessing which gender I am referring to. You can argue that it is part of our biological and hormonal make-up or cultural conditioning or as a result of our patriarchal society or all of the above in varying mixes, but the reality can’t be denied. As Freud puts it, “Sex is a prime motivator and common denominator for all of us. Even the most prudent, puritanical-appearing individuals may struggle greatly against their sexual appetites and expression.” “For evidence one need only look to the many scandals that have rocked the Vatican and fundamentalist churches alike. Freud observed this prurient struggle in men and women early on in Victorian Vienna. But our sexuality defines us in healthy and altogether essential ways, too.” This is compounded by power. It makes men dizzy at the commanding heights. They can’t feel their feet on the ground, and they are often driven to do things to ingratiate their lust, fleshly desires. For power is an all-consuming aphrodisiac, and it does what it wants when it takes full control. And it wants it now. Power does two things. First it numbs one’s self control. It renders him pliable to his carnal desires. Some may see it as a biochemical chain reaction set off by one’s biological and environmental precursors, but it is no less a compelling force that over time exerts its control over the person. Second, power gives one the illusion of his self-importance. He thinks less of the consequences of his actions and more of how the normal rules just do not apply to him. It grants him the delusion of impunity. He thinks he can get away with it. Sadly, history has shown us that those in power do get away with the abuses. People are not only mesmerised by it, they know much is at stake fighting it. Most times, if not all of the time, absolute power takes a revolution to overthrow. Victims thus choose to bear with it, rather than rock the boat. It just cost too much to blow the whistle. We therefore should be grateful for the forward march of civilisation and its liberal values that inspired and empowered the metoo movement. The victims are taking power and control back. They and society are putting their collective weight on the other often neglected side of the balance of power see-saw, and are throwing abusers off their throne seat. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer puts it: “We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.” I believe times are changing, and it is changing for good.   Michael Han * The author was a Managing Partner at Han & Lu Law Chambers LLP.    Read More →