10/19/2013

Thrift is not our national ideology



Just look at a few examples one would not fail to notice that thrift is not the ideology of this sinfully rich country called Sin City. The third world countries were once sneered at by the rich and matured countries of the first world for wasting money on grand projects like building mausoleums and palaces or anything that is good for nothing but costing a bomb. How much did it cost to build the artificial garden at Marina South, $1b? And much is needed to maintain it annually, another $300m? Anyone knows the actual figures?

And this is not the end. Another similar crown jewel is coming up in Changi to attract visitors to visit Sin City. Beg your pardon, is Singapore a destination or just a convenient gateway to the region? Like it or not, as long as the Airport is good enough, the people will come and go. But the Airport is never a destination. Neither is the artificial garden. The casinos maybe.

Then there is the F1 when everyone keeps telling that it is money well spent. Ngiam Tong Dow compared it like paying for the English boys to come and race their sports cars as a hobby. And we paid for it. How many hundreds of millions for playing host for the English boys to party?

And look at the money they are paying themselves. It is now a world record and would put Obama to same. Even a minor minister would have taken back more than the President of the USA, the Emperor of the American Empire. Thrift?

And what about the people? They are made to buy properties according to how much money they have. They cannot buy smaller properties from the govt if their income is more than the affordable formula. And if they are earning a bit more, they must squander their income, over 30 years, to buy private properties. Thrift? No, it is spend if you have it. Retirement no money? Who cares?

And the same formula applies to being warded in govt hospitals. The patients are frowned upon to ask for lower and cheaper class wards. There is also a mean testing to make sure they cannot get admitted to lower class wards. And if they do, the disincentive is that they will not get the same subsidies as the lower income, very meritocratic. And it is not the intent of the hospitals to build more lower and cheaper class wards with more beds to cater to the demand of those who do not want to splurge or squander their hard earned money away. Getting sick and admitted to hospital is a great opportunity to spend, to show how much money one can afford to spend. Spend until no money left for retirement or go bankrupt.

And the latest, spending millions on Sinkies living overseas. Some are questioning why the need to spend such money when the money can be put to better use at home, to feed the less fortunate. Is this about thrift? No, it is spending in style. We are the envy of even Europeans who insisted that they be invited into our eat all you can parties for free. My God, we are truly rich beyond the imaginations of the people of rich countries.

We have the money, we have a lot of money in our reserves, and we can afford to spend, to buy the latest and most expensive military toys at several hundred millions a pack. Who says the money is for rainy days? If the money is not spent, if people are thrifty, how can the economy expand, who is going to buy all the expensive homes and cars, how can the GDP keep growing?

Spending is good. Over spending is better. After all, money value shrinks quickly with the high inflation, and saving and not spending are as good as letting the money to rot away.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is the point of cow peh cow bu, when our 87 MPs (PAP=WP), are not interested in this...and just want their $16,000 a month pay and others.

Anonymous said...

"If the money is not spent, if people are thrifty, how can the economy expand, who is going to buy all the expensive homes and cars, how can the GDP keep growing?"
RB

Tio. RB, I think you are of PAP minister calibre.

At least you know what to say, as compared to a Ting Pei Ling from PAP.

So sayang, you were not selected as candidate by PAP to stand for election, which you will have at least 93% chance of winning.

Hahahaha.

Virgo49 said...

Mr RB,

Gold mines, now you do not dig, when want to dig??

Everyone wants to have a go when the monies are there.

It's just like as though the monies are earned by them.

Many partners in business also like that. When Companies making profits, now don't take bigger share to recover your capitals that you put in, wait under not so good, how to take more monies.

The worst is that these jokers do not even put in the capitals but start digging at the gold.

Like salaried men better dig before it is too late, the company or country will collapse soon.

The earlier generation of leaders are prudent in their savings and put the people before them.

Not now, these present crop are filled with greed to spend spend for glories thinking the world will praise them that they are using their own monies for these white elephants.

Now even, using people's backsides for their faces, invite all the refugees to come here and feast/fleece on us.

M.O.T, they will destroy the country...

First generation built, second generation already destroyed and now third generation will cause its demise.

Anonymous said...

Like pre 1997 Hongkong. Grab as much as you can before D Day.

Anonymous said...

Richtocracy is the new buzzword for the pappies. If you are rich you pay more. You have no choice, the choice has been made for you. You have a choice only once every 5 years, don't waste it

Anonymous said...

you may not be rich in Singapore....it is ok..... but living here you MUST have the money to 'SPARE' around.....

in Singapore...nothing is free....

if you live under the life principle of " G G H " (in hockkien..gum gum hoe).... you will find it increasing difficult to survive here......

do not forget you have plenty of committed debts to pay....expensive house...high healthcare cost/insurance for yourself, your parents and your own family...high education and tuitions fees...expensive coe/car....high cost of living....possible joblessness and retrenchment...etc,etc,etc.....

how about other shocking and unexpected commitments....

therefore living in this age of ever changing and uncertain Singapore my advise is SIMPLE LIVING......

never follow the crowds...not only just live within your means.... you must really have a substantial sum of SPARE money for raining days....you never know....

SIMPLE LIVING is the only way going forward....never never never follow the crowds......

cheers.......

Anonymous said...

@ anon 9.10 am:
" First generation built, second generation already destroyed and now third generation will cause its demise. "


Ha ha ha .....

Likely at least last to 4th and 5th generation lah!

The "greatest Empire" in Chinese history, Qin Dynasty only lasted 2 generations. Sinkieland has already surpassed Qin Dynasty longevity!

Grand Mentor of Prime Ministers, Ministers , Presidents, Sinkies and Non-Sinkies has already eclipsed Emperor Qin Shi Huang in that accolade.

Hip Hip! 3 Cheers for our own "Emperor"!

"万岁, 万岁, 万万岁!”

Anonymous said...

@ 9.34 pm:

" Like pre 1997 Hongkong. Grab as much as you can before D Day. "


Many who left also went back after they realised post 1997 HK were better than pre 1997 HK.

Like that how if some Sinkies leave prematurely?

Any recourse, money back guarantee?

Anonymous said...

@ anon 9.55 am:

" if you live under the life principle of " G G H " (in hockkien..gum gum hoe).... you will find it increasing difficult to survive here......

do not forget you have plenty of committed debts to pay....expensive house...high healthcare cost/insurance for yourself, your parents and your own family...high education and tuitions fees...expensive coe/car....high cost of living....possible joblessness and retrenchment...etc,etc,etc.....

how about other shocking and unexpected commitments....

therefore living in this age of ever changing and uncertain Singapore my advise is SIMPLE LIVING......

never follow the crowds...not only just live within your means.... you must really have a substantial sum of SPARE money for raining days....you never know.... "



Tiok!

Tiok! Tiok! Tiok!

Don't over commit.

Having more than 2 kids in SinkieLand without parents or in laws support are like committing career, financial, physical and mental suicides. Even having 2 kids without parents or in laws support is kissing good bye to many things in Sinkieland.

The various procreation policies in Sinkieland are doomed to fail. Not because not enough spurs stuck on Sinkies hide, it is too many spurs instead!!!

Grand master daughter also not married. Accordingly non of his grand children, the eldest already 33 year-young pretty lady also still unwed, I believe.

This is the BIG CONundrum and idiosyn"CRAZY" facing very rich Sinkieland. Nation super rich but citizenry find it too "unaffordable" to have children despite the various "afforadable" housing, "affordable 8 lawler heart bypass" ( school children sick go polyclinic see locktor with waiting time 2 to 3 hours already > than 8 lawler, heart bypass 8 lawler get this super talent materialise it and offer to sinkies with no hidden cost sure give him 100% sappork next GE ), "affordable" living costs, "affordable" world class "sardines packed smelly and squeezy" public transport, "affordable" education system but most school kids need at least few thousand to more than 10 thousand lawlers tuition per year to get through .......

Very rich nation but majority struggling to get through the basics .........

Where is or rather are the problems?

Super talents only "Superman Power in Pay" may not be "Superman Power in Practical, Workable Solution".

Look at the COE policy! From early 2013 use millions and billions solve until now almost year end liao, somemore with "so much collateral costs" still COE prices back to square one!

You say Super Talents got "Superman ability in solving problem or not lah". You tell me lah!

So better earn more but spend as little as possible if you can but I still think this strategy is also not feasible in Sinkieland when living here means "no escape from being feasted and fleeced". So no matter how frugal still may end up in dead end. Many also don't want to be like ostriches and blind, deaf toads drowned themselves and stick their heads in the sand "hugging mei mei"! Pui! Pui! Pui! So how?


@ anon 9.10 am " Gold mines, now you do not dig, when want to dig?? "

See!

anon 9.10am being a wise albeit mature battle hardened experienced oldie say it all!

Got other way or not you tell me lar!

Sinkies everything also do liao. Teochew uncle asked sinkies send his team into parliament also did liao and already more than 2 years still cannot "move the mountains" also.

Send KJ, TJS, CSJ, NS, BP ..... etc also I cannot see how they can make life better for sinkies in next 20 years except their own pockets get heavier with at least 15,000 lawlers every month. If become town council chairman, vice chairman etc pockets also not enough space store the additional lawlers ....... You tell me lah got use or not!

So, heed the wise words of Virgo49, if you can ........

Make hay while the sun shines.

打铁趁热,放火趁风, 赚钱挖金, 不在此时,更待何时!

Anonymous said...

Spending on Ministers' million dollar salary is good.
Spending on poor Singaporeans' welfare allowances is bad.

Spending on foreign students' scholarship is good.
Spending on subsidizing Singaporean students school fees is bad.

Spend only on the 'correct" things.

Anonymous said...

So under pap lose,under oppo.parties also lose, tio m tio?

Like this bungkus lah sinkapura! Or to use someone's

moniker, matilah singapura!

Anonymous said...

Under PAP, guarantee I lose.
So since I lose already.
Must make sure PAP also lose with me tio bo?

Anonymous said...

I am not pro Opposition.
I am just anti-PAP.

Anonymous said...

Can i then say that in a collective way, we have bad leaders making bab decision, was there an incent that they did a policy or something that is just for the good to the local citizens????, any?, please help.

Anonymous said...

@ anon 12.16 pm:
/// So under pap lose,under oppo.parties also lose, tio m tio?
///


Not Exactly lah!

Sinkieland have the luck and benefit of letting other countries "experiment" first and learn from their pitfalls.

The critical task facing Sinkieland now is the SMOOTH transition from pre-grand master era to post-grand master era.

Ah-non-nei land ruling party splintered into 2 for the past decades also never bring about a better outcome.

It was same for another "country" albeit a smaller one in NE Asia.

Anonymous said...

@ anon 12.16 pm:
/// Like this bungkus lah sinkapura! ///


Again not really lah!

Our grand master is "making sure" no such thing happens in Sinkieland in the first place because other countries already tried, been there, done that and failed!

Foremost is to ensure SMOOTH TRANSITION from pre to post grand master era. Stability maybe everything and the only thing! Recent events already spoke volumes! You all are oldies! Surely capable to read between the lines and beyond the surface? Right?

Anonymous said...

@ 12.32 pm:
/// Under PAP, guarantee I lose.
So since I lose already.
Must make sure PAP also lose with me tio bo? ///


2 wrongs do not make 1 right, tio bo?

Anyway, do you really think grand master so daft, successor so daft will want do Sinkieland in?

But right now GRADUALLY having more CREDITABLE check and balance voices may be the more moderate, incremental and sound approach than any BIG LEAP FORWARD lah! That one also proven in history failed liao! If one really wants amny, many more CREDITABLE check and balance voices immediately also don't have so many in sight lah! Tio bo? How many AGRC type of team you think Teochew uncle can form or produce in the near term? All quality known candidates not inside parliament now total together under oppo banners also does not exceed the fingers on one's two hands right?

Also if really happen how is the new government going to manage the civil service suddenly faced with a new master?

But then the crux is likely still stability of transit between pre and post grand master era.

That one think he has it sorted out. Sinkies including you and me just need to be economically productive can liao.

Visibility is hazy and can only see so far lah ........

b said...

If majority of the voters continue to buy papaya shits, we will have to continue to live in a state where the gov rather spent on wasteful stuff than promoting well being. Very soon, most of the people will also live underground. The ground level will be reserved only for the rich, elites, tourists and foreigners. We will only whether the daft will become wiser in GE2016.

Anonymous said...

Die, die, I must vote Opposition.
Die, die, I must convert as many people to vote Opposition as possible.
Every chance I get, I must try.
Why?
I just cannot stomach the PAP bullshit anymore.

Anonymous said...

@ 6.18 pm: /// Die, die, I must vote Opposition.
Die, die, I must convert as many people to vote Opposition as possible.
Every chance I get, I must try. ///


三军可夺帅,匹夫不可夺志

Anonymous said...

anon 12.32pm : // Under PAP, guarantee I lose.
So since I lose already.
Must make sure PAP also lose with me tio bo? //


"Every man has the right to risk his own life in order to preserve it. Has it ever been said that a man who throws himself out the window to escape from a fire is guilty of suicide?"

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Anonymous said...

Correction, b4 the election, there's always a change, giving of goodies b4 the kill, a change in tone, mp's actually coming to meet the people session, mp's coming to your house etc. The huge wayang show begins then, they disappear counting their millions.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 6.18 pm 19 Oct 2013 // Die, die, I must vote Opposition.
Die, die, I must convert as many people to vote Opposition as possible.
Every chance I get, I must try.
Why?
I just cannot stomach the PAP bullshit anymore //


If you really want to do that, also must work smart lah! No point talk to voters in Ang GRC, Tg GRC, West GRC, J GRC, CCK GRC, Tp GRC, Bt GRC, BTPY GRC. All these GRCs unlikely to change hand.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 6.18 pm 19 Oct 2013 // Die, die, I must vote Opposition.
Die, die, I must convert as many people to vote Opposition as possible.
Every chance I get, I must try.
Why?
I just cannot stomach the PAP bullshit anymore //



Also no point talk to voters in Y SMC, HKN SMC, RM SMC, SKW SMC, P SMC, Bt SMC, W SMC. They are unlikely to change hands too.

Anonymous said...

@ Anon 6.18 pm 19 Oct 2013 // Die, die, I must vote Opposition.
Die, die, I must convert as many people to vote Opposition as possible.
Every chance I get, I must try.
Why?
I just cannot stomach the PAP bullshit anymore //


With your limited available time, should work smart lor! Just talk to those with the higher probability. Like that you likely have a higher chance to avoid a big disappointment.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

What's the alternative?

Some broke-ass, shitty Turn Whirled Cuntry populated by sad motherfuckers who won't spend because they have no source of nice regular cash-flow.

Please lah, you don't have to be religious to count your blessings. But IMO it is a good thing to do -- simply to get your mind out of a negative state.

The cuntree is awesome -- WTF is wrong with you?

There are enough reserves to last more than one generation. Very few other cuntrees have this kind of "safety net" or "buffer" to weather the very real life-threatening uncertainties looming in the global environment.

HUAT AH! nee nah beh, wake up ideas lah!

Anonymous said...

You sure it is there?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

lay@231:

Of course it is IMPOSSIBLE to be 100% certain about anything.

However if they are smart and cunning enough to commit a robbery -- in spite the world's financial community and PAP detractors having 24/7 eyes on them -- then they are the greatest criminals (Robbers) in human history :-)

Gotta salute lah. That would be tragic, but also damn awesome at the same time!

Anonymous said...

RB, with such a trashy commentator littering your blog big time with loads of rubbish, I believe some if not many readers are put off coming to your blog

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@621:

I do believe you are spamming. Naughty naughty...

Anonymous said...

RB, with such a trashy commentator littering your blog big time with loads of rubbish, I believe some if not many readers are put off coming to your blog

Anonymous said...

RB, with such a trashy commentator littering your blog big time with loads of rubbish, I believe some if not many readers are put off coming to your blog