The augury of the lightning strike of the Merlion

Lightning struck the crown of the Merlion at around 4.30 p.m. yesterday when it was raining and cement scraps could be seen falling from where it was struck. The Merlion has been shifted to its present site at the mouth of the Singapore river in 2002.

The Merlion symbolises Singapore and what omen does ther lightning incident convey to the Minister Mentor and the Singapore government who are not immune to feng shiu or the Chinese form of geomancy? For the next few days there are bound to be speculations among the more religious-minded Chinese whether this is a sign of good or bad omen for Singapore. There is bound to be some disfigurement where the lightning struck but one observer who was looking at it from a favourable angle interpreted this lightning strike as taking the brunt of disaster meant for Singapore and could be a good omen. Others may think it sounded a bit far-fetched and may see it as a sign of bad omen coming at a time of severe economic recession.

It is interesting to see how MM Lee or other members of the Singapore government interprete it. Or they may think it is a meaningless exercise which may lead to unrealistic optimism or a feeling of pessimism depending on how the lightning incident is interpreted. Withholding of official comments may lead to a plethora of bizarre interpretations by interested parties which may not reflect kindly on the government.