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Friday, January 31, 2014

跨越阴阳界:芳林溯源(二之一)

原文刊载在《源》杂志:2013年第5期,总105期


与奇石会晤


我等着你回来!

清明时节雨纷纷,路上行人欲断魂。山重水复疑无路,柳暗花明又一村。

将唐代杜牧和南宋陆游两个不同朝代的诗句凑合在一起,或许能贴切地追述这段“苑生”奇缘。

话说2013323日在博物馆听了研究员Daniel介绍19世纪新加坡第一任驻扎官法夸(William Farquhar)收藏,后来由股票行大亨GK Goh以他父亲吴敬梓老先生的名义捐献给博物馆的自然科学画作,紧接着宋允文、Iskandar等人的南侨机工、肃清行动、马口(Bahau)垦荒等跨越时空的解说,整个下午彷佛在与古人对话。

过后跟上增等人喝茶吃点心,笑谈起古人古事,牵扯到在South Buona Vista RoadPasir Panjang Road交界处附近曾经发现一块前人用来划清领土的界石,这块“古石”对现代人来说也许可以用来考证“古人”生活的轨迹。

清明当天傍晚时分,在South Buona Vista RoadWhite Lodge附近寻找这块刻上“苑生界止”的奇石,搜遍周围草丛却无所获,倒是无意间在附近Lorong Sari的小草坡一棵被锯剩的树头旁发现一块横躺的石头,上面似乎刻着天外文字,好奇地拍了照,传给多名电脑专才,但都无法解码。后来上增兄心有不甘,第一时间亲自上阵寻找“苑生界止”,结果失望而归。


Lorong Sari的小草坡上横躺着一块白色反光的石头,上面似乎刻着天外文字。2013)

数天后看了Google street scene,发现201111月时“苑生界止”还安然斜立在White Lodge的围墙外,除了心里“暗槌”外还是寄望奇迹。


(Pasir Panjang Road White Lodge 外似乎平淡无奇,但暗藏乾坤。2013)

(“苑生界止”斜立在White Lodge外。2013)

413日和家明带了工具,回到原地,界石竟然莫名其妙地出现在原址。虽然初看字迹模糊,涂上爽身粉后竟然明艳动人,“苑生界止”四字刻在石块四面,真是相见时难别亦难。

至于平躺在Lorong Sari小草坡上的石头,谜底也解开了,那些天外文字是“苑生全记界”。


Lorong Sari小草坡上横躺的石头,刻着“苑生全记界”。2013)

回想起此行,当日不见“苑生界止”,不晓得是不是适逢正清时辰,刚好鬼遮眼,冥冥中由章氏家族引领去发现另一块“苑生全记界”,使到整个“探险”活动功德圆满。涉足苑生界的过程,感觉就像穿梭阴阳界,有点毛骨悚然!

根据研究咖啡山坟场(Bukit Brown)的林志强发表在《星洲浪人》博客上的史料,“章壬全是章芳林儿子当中比较出色的一位,….. 章壬全坊(Cheang Jim Chwan Place)在布连拾街 Prinsep Street)的小巷,壬全山(Jim Chuan Hill)则在巴西班让路(Pasir Panjang Road)和波那维斯达(Bouna Vista Road)之间。”

对证了《星洲浪人》的记载,“苑生全记界”中的全记指的是壬全,“苑生全记界”的所在地Lorong Sari 是个高地,可能就是以前的壬全山。

至于“苑生”是何方神圣,他和Pasir Panjang这个地方有什么渊源?附近的鸦片山(Bukit ChanduOpium Hill)和苑生有没有直属关系?亲眼目睹“苑生界”后,谜团也逐一揭开了。

芳林公园


在新加坡市区中心有一个叫做“芳林公园”的地标,公元20008月底,芳林公园辟设了类似伦敦海德公园的演说角落。2010年教育部长黄永宏先生因母语的政策触动维护母语的人士的伤口,千人聚集在芳林公园签下请愿书,两天后两大内阁成员郑重其事,就母语教育所引起的不安向国人道歉。这是演说角落开辟十年后第一次这么热闹过。

2013年就半个世纪前代号“冷藏行动”的内部安全法令大逮捕事件的纪念会,约四千群众挤满芳林公园草场。接下来在农历新年人日和五一劳动节在芳林公园举行的针对2030人口白皮书的民众讨论会一样轰动,两场都有约四千名关心孩子的未来的各族人士济济一堂。


公元20008月底,芳林公园辟设了类似伦敦海德公园的演说角落。

半个世纪前,新加坡人民要求自治和独立的“默迪卡”呼声越来越响亮,政治升温,芳林公园已经成为各个政党举行群众大会的“旅游胜地”。芳林区这块居住着华族社群的贫民窟也是政坛必争之地 1957年市议会选举,共有32个选区,新加坡河南岸的驳船码头到克罗士街及克罗士街上段(海山街),延伸至菲立街和直落亚逸街这个范围,划分为“芳林”选区。王永元是代表人民行动党出征芳林区的主将,芳林公园则成为各政党举行群众大会的战场。在这场市议会选举中,人民行动党有13名候选人当选,奠定了1959年上台执政的基础。

新加坡自治邦第一届立法议会选举于1959530日举行。215 日行动党在芳林公园举行大选前的首个群众大会,当时人们对林有福政府的贪污无能感到失望,行动党成了人民的希望,王永元当选为芳林区立法议员。接着李光耀组织新加坡自治邦政府,出任总理,委任王永元为国家发展部长。

隔年王永元脱离行动党,辞去立法议员的议席,芳林区举行补选。王永元继续角逐芳林区,行动党则派出易润堂,芳林公园成为双方通过群众大会交战的场所。王永元赢得了这场补选,但补选过后,芳林区依然是个政治火药库。1963年第二届立法议会选举,芳林区的选情更激烈,出现了四角战,王永元再度脱颖而出。


(芳林公园人头涌涌,是政党竞选的必争之地。NAS, 1 Apr 1959)

1965年,王永元辞去芳林区的议席,芳林区举行第二次补选。由于王永元不参选,芳林区补选成为行动党和社阵的势力较量。行动党的李炯才攻下了芳林区。一个月后新马分家,新加坡宣布独立。李炯才在1968年和1972年的国会选举中,蝉联芳林区国会议员。 1976年,芳林区并入直落亚逸选区,芳林选区走进历史。

“芳林”这个地方是纪念一个生活在19世纪的新加坡富商侨领,以年代计算,也可以称为古人的“章芳林”,“苑生”则和章芳林息息相关。


(芳林公园的前身 Hong Lim Green. NAS c.1900s)

相关链接:
请听樟宜海浪
芳林轶事
风雨来时路中Pathos的下一代
We were in Singapore but our hearts were in Malaya
乘着夜风上长桥
国旗飘扬
市长麦尼斯与王永元
With me Like me 榜鹅东

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

凯西事件(Anton Casey)-马、台报章的报道

马·星洲日报2014-01-26

讥“搭地铁是穷人”风波洋汉被公司炒魷鱼


嘲笑“搭地铁是穷人”,洋汉被炒魷鱼?公司凌晨面子书“灭火”,公开宣佈即日起结束宾主关係,与他划清界限,洋汉饭碗破!

娶了狮城美姐的39岁英国財富经理凯西(Anton Casey)在面子书讥笑搭地铁的都是穷人,並表示“要洗掉公共交通的臭味”,本週一被网民转载和狂轰。

过后他通过公关公司道歉,却被认为毫无诚意,连外交部长尚穆根也在面子书上谴责他。

网民叫好

今天凌晨12时,他任职的財富管理公司Crossinvest在面子书上发表声明,表示作为一家建基於信任、理解和尊重多元的家族企业,凯西在社交网激怒新加坡人的言论,已违背公司核心价值观和文化。

“因此,我们即日起与凯西`分道扬鑣’(parted ways)。”

凯西的妻子是2003年的新加坡环球小姐冠军黄嘉美,两人育有5岁儿子。

在公司高调撇清关係后,网民纷纷叫好,今午已有千名网友按赞,500多人分享,近200人热评。

洋汉要做社区服务“赎罪”

凯西懊悔说“我犯下一生中最大的错”,表示要做社区服务“赎罪”,希望获得宽恕。

凯西通过电邮说:“这一个星期,我犯下一生中最大的错。希望新加坡人允许我付出时间和资源,通过社区服务来弥补过错。”

此外,据《海峡时报》报导,凯西昨天凌晨1210分,被发现坐在飞往澳洲柏斯的新航经济舱里,身边带著妻儿。目击者形容,他当时戴帽,神情疲惫憔悴。

他通过电邮说,他因家人安全受威胁,才决定离开。“新加坡是我们的家,当我感到安全时就会回来。”

(图片来源:《马·星洲日报》)



马·星洲日报2014-01-21

搭地铁狮城人是穷人”洋人社交网言论惹热议


洋人网上发表言论,意指乘搭地铁的新加坡人是穷人,引来网友热议。

据瞭解,一洋人因私家车送去维修,“不得已”搭地铁上班。隨后,他在面子书上载一张小孩坐地铁列车的照片,图片文字解说为:“爸爸,你的车呢?这些穷人都是谁?”

他还上载他的豪车图片,並写道:“当我把公共交通的恶臭洗掉后,就可以回归正常了。”

他的照片和言论过后在社交网站疯传,眾多网友热议,转发与评论都將近2千条。不少网友对图片说明表示愤怒,认为是在贬低新加坡人。

事后,男子把面书账號注销,並在Youtube发表“道歉”视频。不过在视频里,男子不但毫无悔意,还说出“要怪就怪你们的父母把你们养育得那么差”,带有挑衅性。

对於男子一系列贬低新加坡人的言论,网友谴责声不断,还被人肉搜索。

资料显示,他在一家银行担任投资经理组长,並对影响外籍人士的国际税务问题非常瞭解。他在11年前加入金融业。

此外,他的32岁妻子曾是新加坡环球小姐,身高1.77米,目前经营一家美容公司,担任化妆培训师。


马·南洋商报2014-01-26

嘲笑搭地铁是穷人 洋汉被公司辞退


嘲笑“搭地铁是穷人”,洋汉被炒鱿鱼?公司凌晨面子书“灭火”,公开宣布即日起结束宾主关系,与他划清界限,洋汉饭碗破!

记者电邮向洋汉雇主查询,到底他是被辞退还是请辞,至截稿未有回音。

娶了狮城美姐的39岁英国财富经理凯西(Anton Casey)在面子书讥笑搭地铁的都是穷人,并表示“要洗掉公共交通的臭味”,本周一被网民转载和狂轰。

道歉被指无诚意

过后他通过公关公司道歉,却被认为毫无诚意,连外交部长尚穆根也在面子书上谴责他。

今天凌晨12时,他任职的财富管理公司Crossinvest在面子书上发表声明,表示作为一家建基于信任、理解和尊重多元的家族企业,凯西在社交网激怒新加坡人的言论,已违背公司核心价值观和文化。

“因此,我们即日起与凯西‘分道扬镳’(parted ways)。”

凯西的妻子是2003年的新加坡环球小姐冠军黄嘉美,两人育有5岁儿子。

在公司高调撇清关系后,网民纷纷叫好,今午已有千名网友按赞,500多人分享,近200人热评。

网友Esther Liew说:“做得好。希望公司跟他的‘分手协议’中包括一张SMRT月票。”

网友Lg Mini Tong则说:“他让新加坡人不爽,不尊重别人,行为不敏感,也教坏孩子。这样的道德品格不适合代表公司处理客户的大笔钱财。”


台·联合新闻网2014-01-22

嘲笑星國人很窮 英國男道歉


1名英國男子因為在臉書上嘲笑搭地鐵的新加坡人是窮人,遭到網友強烈抨擊,這名男子因此發出道歉聲明,希望平息爭議。

這名英國男子叫凱西(Anton Casey),19日他在自己的臉書上貼了1張兒子搭地鐵的照片,凱西模仿兒子的語氣說:「爸爸,你的車子呢?旁邊這些窮人是誰?」

1天稍晚,凱西又貼了1張兒子坐在1輛保時捷車裡的照片,凱西寫著:「啊!終於和寶貝團圓了,只要我洗掉地鐵上的惡臭氣味,就可以恢復日常的生活。」

凱西這兩篇貼文很快被轉載到各大論壇和社群媒體,連日來遭到新加坡網友強烈砲轟,凱西也被起底,他的職業是1名資產管理人,目前住在聖淘沙灣,他的太太是「2003年新加坡小姐」。

稍後在1個網站上出現1段凱西的影片,凱西說:「不要氣我,要氣就氣你的父母,把你養成1個孬種!」這段影片被視為凱西的回應,他因此被抨擊得更厲害。

凱西昨晚透過公關公司發表道歉聲明。凱西說,這段影片是在數周前拍攝,並非要回應這起事件,影片有被誤用之嫌。

凱西表示,因為這起事件,他和家人收到了死亡威脅,警方目前已經介入調查,他的家人尤其是5歲的兒子,受到外界強烈的情緒與言語虐待。


凱西說,他很尊重及關心新加坡和新加坡的人民,這裡是他的家,希望大家原諒他無知的判斷,並再給他1次機會,他強調,5歲的兒子在這個不幸且高壓的狀況下,是無辜的一方。

相关链接

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Anton Casey's Incident - The Independent-UK's version


  •  THE INDEPENDENT-uk, MONDAY 27 JANUARY 2014
  • Anton Casey fired and flees Singapore in economy class over "poor people" comments


A British businessman who mocked the poor has fled Singapore after receiving death threats and losing his job as a wealth fund manager.

Anton Casey caused an uproar in the country after posting a series of abusive photographs on Facebook where he called a local taxi driver a "retard" and referred to commuters as "the poor".

The former City stockbroker was last seen on Friday morning boarding a Singapore Airlines flight en route to Perth, Australia, with his  wife, a former Miss Singapore and his five-year old son in economy class.

(Anton Casey and his wife, a former Miss Singapore. Source: The Independent)

In an email to Singapore national daily The Straits Times, Casey said he hopes to make amends with the people of Singapore and return to the country one day, which he still considers his home.

He added: "I hope the people of Singapore will allow me to volunteer my time and resources to community projects in order to make amends for my mistakes.

"I also hope the people of Singapore, my adopted home, will forgive me over time… Singapore is our home, and we hope to return when we feel safe."

He described the incident as "the worst mistake of my life".

Casey's employer, Crossinvest Asia, has also announced it has "parted ways" with the banker with immediate after it launched an internal investigation over his inappropriate remarks.

In a statement, the firm said:" The online comments made by Mr Casey do not represent the culture that we have built over many years. Accordingly, Crossinvest Asia and Mr Casey have parted ways with immediate effect."

Crossinvest acknowledged that Casey's comments had caused "great distress among Singaporeans", who blasted his behaviour on social media and called for his immediate deportation.

Porsche-driving Casey had spent 12 years in the country. His wife and son are Singapore citizens.

Last week, the financier issued a separate statement where he apologised for his "poor judgement" and described Singapore as a "wonderful country" after the photographs where he mocked locals went viral.

(Anton Casey has apologised after causing an uproar in Singapore where he mocked poor people and a taxi driver. Source: The Independent)

In one post, Casey shared a picture of his son sitting on a train on Facebook with the caption: "Daddy, where is your car & who are all these poor people?"

Another photo showed the five-year-old in his Porsche, with an equally offensive caption: "Ahhhh reunited with my baby. Normal service can resume, once I have washed the stench of public transport off me."

In a separate Facebook post, Casey insulted a local cabbie for wearing a towel on his lap and hand warmers while driving.

He added: "Today's cabbie retard award goes to...Mr Arm Warmers, stripy mittens & towel on the lap man....After all, it's only 37c outside."

He tried to change his Facebook name to Anson Casey but ultimately deactivated the account to stop the abuse.



JIM ARMITAGE, THE INDEPENDENT-UKThursday 23 January 2014

Outlook: Expat who mocked the poor in Singapore is by no means unique


Singaporeans may be angry at the fund manager Anton Casey for his loathing of the ordinary folks on their island. But they shouldn't be surprised.

Because their government has created a country that sells itself to Westerners almost entirely with the lure of paying little or no income tax. Such a compact will always attract the type of expat for whom, like the late Margaret Thatcher, the concept of society and the shared endeavour that goes with it, is a nonsense. Why should I pay for other people's healthcare/education/public transport when I don't use it myself?

Anton Casey may flee Singapore after having his views aired in public, but he will surely leave many more like him behind.



MARIA TEDEO, THE INDEPENDENT-UK, WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY 2014

British expat banker Anton Casey causes uproar in Singapore after mocking 'poor people' calling a taxi driver a 'retard'


A British businessman has issued an apology after receiving death threats in Singapore for mocking "poor people" and calling a taxi driver a "retard" in a series of abusive remarks.

Anton Casey, a fund manager married to a former Miss Singapore, has caused an uproar in the country after posting a picture of his son sitting on a train on Facebook with the caption: "Daddy, where is your car & who are all these poor people?"

Another photo shows the five-year-old in his Porsche, with an equally offensive caption: "Ahhhh reunited with my baby. Normal service can resume, once I have washed the stench of public transport off me."

In a separate Facebook post, the former London stockbroker insulted a local cabbie for wearing a towel on his lap and hand warmers while driving.

He added: "Today's cabbie retard award goes to...Mr Arm Warmers, stripy mittens & towel on the lap man....After all, it's only 37c outside."

Mr Casey, 39, tried to make amends in a YouTube video, but the stunt backfired after he told viewers: "Don't be angry at me, be angry with your mum and dad for raising you a wuss".

He claims the video was "misused" and taken out of context. He tried to change his Facebook name to Anson Casey but ultimately deactivated the account to stop the abuse.

The financier has received hundreds of angry comments from furious locals and death threats calling for him to leave the country immediately.

Mr Casey has apologised for his "poor judgement" describing Singapore as a "wonderful country".
In a statement, he said: "I have the highest respect and regard for Singapore and the good people of Singapore; this is my home.

"I wish for nothing more than to be forgiven for my poor judgment and given a second chance to rebuild the trust people have had in me as a resident of this wonderful country."

Mr Casey's firm Crossinvest Asia is investigating his comments and is set to take "appropriate action" once the review is completed.

Managing director Christophe Audergon said: "Crossinvest doest not condone the comments. We believe they were made in poor taste.

"We are currently investigating the comments made by our employee and will take appropriate action once we are in possession of all the facts."