God bless Despotism!

Just read in Reuters that:
SINGAPORE, March 13 - Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein will visit Singapore and Indonesia next week, just after regional group ASEAN urged its military junta to be inclusive in elections and to free political prisoners.

Thein Sein's itinerary has not been made public, but Singapore's Botanic Gardens said it would host an "Orchid Naming Ceremony" for Thein Sein on Wednesday, as part of his official visit to Singapore and Indonesia, a spokeswoman told Reuters.

Wow.. You know.. in the 1990's Microprose game "Civilisations"- crappy leaders were named after flies, disease and vermin. I guess bestowing such an honor upon a power hungry despot mayhaps be just a simple show of honoring a visiting dignitary..

The 10 leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations urged military-ruled Myanmar "to be as inclusive as possible" in preparing for elections next year, allow all political parties to participate, and free political prisoners.

BUT couldn't the name the orchid AFTER the politically oppressed have been freed and allowed to engage in fair elections? Or perhaps, it's a congratulatory patting of backs by like minded folks?

‘Since the PAP did not do well in Aljunied GRC in 2006, the weakest link there could be moved out and put into Ang Mo Kio GRC – which, no matter what, is still much stronger’.

Cos to me, the brilliance of LKY's PAP system has always left me in awe. Hitler, Stalin, Kim Jong Il and THAN SHWE- these guys are SMALL TIME. They use bullets and prisons. They incur the wrath of public relations nightmare. All MM Lee does is use the law. It's legal. It's fair. And there's nothing the opposition can do about it. Same bullshit objective - different smell.