Play the Blame Game

Dear Datuk A.G,

Oh, so now I understand. Thank you for pointing it out to us. Of course, the flooding in your state has NOTHING to do with the drainage infrastructure of your country. I see, it's all our country's fault. Tsk, how could we do such a thing and make the lives of your fellow countrymen miserable. Terrible of us, really. How could we reclaim an island for training our national servicemen causing the discharge of excess rainwater to slow down and flood your state instead. Oh, how could we! We are such bad, bad neighbours! Did we not understand fundamental physics that reclaiming an island will cause cause water levels to rise? Of course the ocean is NOT that big and will spread the water level. It's totally NOT your fault. Definitely. The town planning of your team is impeccable. There has been NO mistake with land surveying. So courageous of you to point out to your countrymen that it's our fault, NOT yours. Oh dear, that reminds me, the distance between our country and yours around other coastlines is also very near. We got to do something about that. We wouldn't want to flood those areas as well. But leaving it this wide will make it VERY difficult for your countrymen, who now and then like to take a swim to our shores in styrofoam. Of course, it's got NOTHING to do with deforestation in your country, causing excessive amounts of silt to build up at the coastal areas and slowing the discharge. Dumb us. Now, you've got to remind your other neighbours as well, not to follow our bad footsteps. You may also want to remind them not to do too much burning in between crop rotations. It's causing temperatures to rise and melt polar caps and in return flood your state. Oh wait, that CANNOT be the reason. Silly me, it's all due to us reclaiming an island.

Yours sincerely,
Tan Dingdong

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