8/15/2011

Post election Rally


It was a National Day Rally, but the tone of the Rally could be more a result of post election effect. Several key policy positions that were stubbornly held previously were dismissed to history. And the citizens must thank the result of the last GE for such changes to take place. Prior to the GE, several policies were still zealously guarded as the key foundations for growth and development of this ‘work in progress’ nation that is unlikely to become a nation for a long time to come. Many things that were built in the past were allowed to go to waste to accommodate a larger influx of foreign talents to dilute the core values, social behavior and the privileged positions of citizens.

This post election Rally is seeing some changes. Income ceilings to purchase the unaffordable affordable public flats have finally been raised to the displeasure of some. Without the GE, the ceilings will still be unshakable, necessary and the right things to keep.

The influx of foreigners is said to be slowing down. Let’s wait to see some statistics as the official policy is that they are still indispensable to our economic growth. The numbers will tell whether there has been a slow down and how significant is the slow down. Hopefully it is not just cosmetics.

Tertiary education for Singaporeans is seeing some changes in increasing future intakes. But foreign student intake will remain though the percentage is smaller with a bigger base. They should follow the British system, foreign students pay the full fees to subsidise the locals who pay substantially lower than what the former pay. With such a policy, we can afford to build another one or two universities and increase the percentage of foreign students even to 50% and no locals will be complaining.

There was no mention of past students that were disadvantaged by the old policies and had no choice but to go abroad, and with their parents selling their homes to pay for their expensive foreign university education. Neither were anything mentioned about those young people who were forced out of public housing by the old policies and left in the lurch. Whatever was done was over. For university education, there is nothing that can be done for those who already spent their time and money overseas. For housing, many are still left hanging in the air, income exceeded because of not building enough and low income ceilings. Would the govt make amends to accommodate those victims of past policies?

Special education and healthcare also see some changes with more budget or subsidies allocated to these areas. With the growing cost of healthcare, subsidies and help may go some way but only temporary if the runaway cost is not contain, like property prices. Contain and reduce the high cost and no help will be needed.

Maybe another 10% swing in popular votes in the next GE could see more substantial changes to benefit the people. The people must be looking forward to more GEs.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Devil is in the details. 9000 seats in 2001 to 12,000 seats in 2011, the +3000 in a bloody decade!! That's telling half the story..and you're right. What are the numbers who don't make it to a place in local Uni and have to go abroad at the expense of their parents? MOE that is currently headed by the PM's sister, is not telling the data..why so?

Anonymous said...

Would Minister Khaw do the necessary and open the gate to let those victims of his predecessor's policy back to buy public housing?

At least he should rectify the sins of Mah Bow Tan and let all the first timers forced out of public housing to buy their first flats.

Anonymous said...

They always talk of taking action after the horses have bolted from the stables.

Many, many policies of the past are flawed, screwed up, lack of conscience and basically tailored to enable some people to exploit the loopholes.

When they attempt to give the impression of caring by changing those policies, those who were able to exploit the loopholes will already be laughing their way to the bank, while those that were caught by some fallacious rulings were left to suffer in frustration.

That is the situation with education and housing. Yes, what about those marginalised in the past?

Anonymous said...

That's how the game is played here. Winners laughed to the bank and claimed to be clever.

Buy more properties and schemed to make sure property prices go up, then unload to the losers.

Anonymous said...

Hear hear, Khaw Boon Wan, do the right thing. Admit the past policies were wicked and destructive. Amend the wrongs and help those that suffered under those policies.

Anonymous said...

As long as the loose immigrants policy is not changed, do not expect the housing problem to be solved.

Boon Wan is just building more flats to accomodate the new immigrants that the Ogre is saying we cannot do without. There is no talk about bringing down prices to make HDB really affordable, not affordability based on the standards of the millionaire ministers.

So, do not be too happy about the changes the ex-Hell Minister is talking about. Basically nothing is going to change. More immigrants coming in means more flats needed. It is not with Singaporean's need in mind that they are accelerating the building programs. It is for the immigrants sake! Keep that in mind!

Anonymous said...

'The people must be looking forward to more GEs'

Hehe, PAP give money, that is what they say, come election time.

But the sheeples do not realise that post election time, it is pay and pay.

Children are children. A little lollipop always do the trick.