Singapore's request to fly the Sydney-LA route was rebuffed by the Australian government in February. James Rose, an Australia-based business commentator, gave a very interesting analysis in Hong Kong's Standard. Remember our insistence in hanging the Australian Nguyen Tuong Van last December? Well according to James, the rebuff was possibly a result of it. I am not sure if the connection is strong enough, but it sure is an interesting way to look at it. The only way for us to know the real reason is when a member of the Australian cabinet spill the beans. Click on the above link to read the article. And if it's not available there, a copy of it is also posted on Singabloodypore.

And further up north, we have hundreds of Thais protesting outside the Singapore Embassy over Temasek Holdings purchase of the Shinawatra family's stake in Shin Corp. The reason is obviously political. And because the Singapore government wholly owns Temasek Holdings, the whole country gets dragged into the confrontation between Thaksin and his detractors. This one is definitely a "being in the wrong place at the wrong time" issue.

Woo! Wee... it seems like Singapore and Temasek Holdings are getting lots of bad vibes these days. Very soon, we might have to ask "that" American question: "Why do they hate us so?"

But seriously lah, to be fair, I am sure some (or a lot of) Singaporeans will also get pretty miffed if some foreign investors buy a substantial stake in a company that has very strong connections to the fabric of our nation; ie: SingTel or DBS. Hmmm... For all we know, it probably has already happened.

But the difference is that unlike the Thais, we won't be able to demonstrate our displeasure visibly. Our only option is the edited and moderated forum pages in our local papers. But you know lah, our leaders will continue spinning the same spiel that such foreign participation and competition is for our own good and yada yada yada.

Oh, and a little birdy told me that Channel NewsAsia (CNA) is not allowed to use shots of anti-Temasek banners in the protests outside the Temasek Holdings emba... sorry, I meant Singapore embassy. I wonder why. Maybe Ho Ching ordered them not to.

And then yesterday afternoon, a small bomb exploded outside the home of the chief adviser to King Bhumibol Adulyadej and a respected former prime minister, Prem Tinsulanonda. I wonder whether the bombers are going to target the Singapore embassy next.