Only a few days ago, we saw how Minister for Law K Shanmugam drew the line in the sand by reminding Hindus that religious foot processions have been banned since 1964, with exemptions only for three festivals - Thaipusam, Thimithi and Panguni Uthiram. The ban on playing music during all three processions was imposed later in 1973.
Strangely, the bravado seems to have knocked out of him. In a forth coming episode of Tamil current affairs programme Ethiroli, Shanmugam will be seen and heard passing the buck to the Hindu Endowments Board:
"We should find out the wishes of the people. The Hindu Endowments Board will see how we can fulfil their wishes. They have to consult the people and see how to proceed."
Perhaps it has to do with the initiative of one courageous lady who is seeking a declaration with regard to Thaipusam in a case that lists the Attorney-General, the Hindu Endowments Board and Law Minister K Shanmugam as defendants. An application was filed last Thursday, challenging the constitutionality of guidelines prohibiting the used of musical instruments at Thaipusam processions. This may be too late to save our ear drums from the racket of the lion dance musical accompaniment which starts next Thursday, 19 February, start of the 2015 Chinese New Year celebrations. But future generations will have her to thank when they can go about without resorting to hearing aids in their evening years.
Use of artificial hearing is not without its advantages as a user, such as the prime minister, can easily switch it off and ignore what the people are clamouring for. You'll need to jump up and down at Hong Lim Park to get his attention about the CPF scam. Otherwise he will continue to tell foreign correspondents, "...they don’t jump around at Hong Lim Green, but they quietly know this is a good deal."
Shanmugam must have better hearing acumen - or more expensive hearing aids - as the chorus of support from non-Hindus is also resonating. Worse, tourist arrivals may drop further - Singapore visitorship figures last year dropped for the first time in 6 years - as touristy types may be turned off by the only silent movie version of a Thaipusam procession.
Strangely, the bravado seems to have knocked out of him. In a forth coming episode of Tamil current affairs programme Ethiroli, Shanmugam will be seen and heard passing the buck to the Hindu Endowments Board:
"We should find out the wishes of the people. The Hindu Endowments Board will see how we can fulfil their wishes. They have to consult the people and see how to proceed."
Perhaps it has to do with the initiative of one courageous lady who is seeking a declaration with regard to Thaipusam in a case that lists the Attorney-General, the Hindu Endowments Board and Law Minister K Shanmugam as defendants. An application was filed last Thursday, challenging the constitutionality of guidelines prohibiting the used of musical instruments at Thaipusam processions. This may be too late to save our ear drums from the racket of the lion dance musical accompaniment which starts next Thursday, 19 February, start of the 2015 Chinese New Year celebrations. But future generations will have her to thank when they can go about without resorting to hearing aids in their evening years.
Use of artificial hearing is not without its advantages as a user, such as the prime minister, can easily switch it off and ignore what the people are clamouring for. You'll need to jump up and down at Hong Lim Park to get his attention about the CPF scam. Otherwise he will continue to tell foreign correspondents, "...they don’t jump around at Hong Lim Green, but they quietly know this is a good deal."
Shanmugam must have better hearing acumen - or more expensive hearing aids - as the chorus of support from non-Hindus is also resonating. Worse, tourist arrivals may drop further - Singapore visitorship figures last year dropped for the first time in 6 years - as touristy types may be turned off by the only silent movie version of a Thaipusam procession.