We are all very familiar with so many top surgeons, lawyers and CEOs joining politics and working in a field that their professionally trained skills and expertise were of no specific relevance. We are depriving the industries and people of these talents and putting them in areas that they may not perform at the best of their talents. It is also a great loss of investments in acquiring their skills and expertise. Training someone to reach the peak of their profession only to pull them out to do something that they are not trained to do but assumed to be equally experts.
The other area of increasing concern is to train graduates, with hundreds of thousands being spent in their education, to become taxi drivers. Not that driving taxis is a bad profession. It is just using over qualified people to do a much simpler job. It is definitely a misallocation of talents and resources. The same principle applies to highly qualified graduates not being employed to perform the jobs that they are trained and equipped to do.
The third area is the civil service. Many of our top talents, on paper, are in the civil service. Could they be deployed in more productive areas in the private sector? Agree that successful entrepreneurs do not need academic excellence. But there are many advantages of having academically excellent talents in many fields in the industry that required serious technical knowledge that some entrepreneurs are not armed with.
Are we allocating our precious little super talent pools efficiently?
2/13/2012
America losing credibility and support
Foreign Minister Shanmugam was invited to make a keynote speech in Washington at the Singapore Conference attended by the decision makers of the US. I heard that the Conference was oversubscribed, an honour that is rare for a visitor from Singapore other then Mr Singapore himself. And there in the heart of Washington, Shanmugam went on to warn the Americans of their jingo rhetoric against China and the containment of China. It must be a painful slap to those who paid to listen to this warning. And from Washington Shanmugam flew straight to Beijing to be hosted by the Chinese leaders and pledging to work more closely and to cooperate on international issues. This must be even harder to swallow for the Americans.
Then came the veto by Russia and China against regime change in Syria at the Security Council. And the fuming mad European mafia led by the US is now trying to bypass the UNSC to intervene directly in Syria with the UK saying that it was not bounded by the UNSC decision. The double vetos were a strong statement that the Russians and the Chinese are ganging up to take on the Western powers and would not let them bulldoze their way in Syria.
Coming closely to these developments is the key American agenda of sanctioning Iran. Like a lightning bolt out from the cold and from the most unlikely places, India is not going to go along with the sanction. Instead, the Indians are going it alone to expand trade with Iran. And the comment is that it is a golden opportunity to go in when the West and America have left a vacuum.
The defiance by three big powers from the BRICS group is a turning point in American dominance and dictation of world affairs. And with their strongest and most dependable ally Singapore telling them off on home ground, it is quite clear that the fortune of Pax America is going downhill.
The Americans can shout and scream, but not many will listen anymore. The raising of the profile of emerging powers to put their own national interests first rather than be made to tow the American line must have startled the American decision makers. A new paradigm shift is in the making. The three major Asian powers will have a mind of their own. If Japan and S Korea were to come on board, it will present a very formidable new power centre to challenge the American leadership and the Europeans.
Then came the veto by Russia and China against regime change in Syria at the Security Council. And the fuming mad European mafia led by the US is now trying to bypass the UNSC to intervene directly in Syria with the UK saying that it was not bounded by the UNSC decision. The double vetos were a strong statement that the Russians and the Chinese are ganging up to take on the Western powers and would not let them bulldoze their way in Syria.
Coming closely to these developments is the key American agenda of sanctioning Iran. Like a lightning bolt out from the cold and from the most unlikely places, India is not going to go along with the sanction. Instead, the Indians are going it alone to expand trade with Iran. And the comment is that it is a golden opportunity to go in when the West and America have left a vacuum.
The defiance by three big powers from the BRICS group is a turning point in American dominance and dictation of world affairs. And with their strongest and most dependable ally Singapore telling them off on home ground, it is quite clear that the fortune of Pax America is going downhill.
The Americans can shout and scream, but not many will listen anymore. The raising of the profile of emerging powers to put their own national interests first rather than be made to tow the American line must have startled the American decision makers. A new paradigm shift is in the making. The three major Asian powers will have a mind of their own. If Japan and S Korea were to come on board, it will present a very formidable new power centre to challenge the American leadership and the Europeans.
Act I Scene 2 – More sleaze in Sin City
The Sin City is getting more oomph than is welcomed. The latest news that hit the island is that about 80 people were rounded up by the police for internet prostitution. And among them a principal from a top primary school and several senior civil servants. Not sure if they were patrons, customers or operators.
This episode is more than just personal indiscretion between consenting adults. It is something that infringes on the law of the country. Prostitution is illegal though tolerated to some extent as a necessary evil with so many single foreigners working in the country. In this case the parties are Singaporeans in respectable professions and the education of the young. The latter makes it that more sensational. Of all the professions a school principal of a primary sent discomforting signals to the parents of little children.
Would there be Scene 3 and Scene 4?
This episode is more than just personal indiscretion between consenting adults. It is something that infringes on the law of the country. Prostitution is illegal though tolerated to some extent as a necessary evil with so many single foreigners working in the country. In this case the parties are Singaporeans in respectable professions and the education of the young. The latter makes it that more sensational. Of all the professions a school principal of a primary sent discomforting signals to the parents of little children.
Would there be Scene 3 and Scene 4?
2/12/2012
Employ Singaporeans first
I was at the Speaker’s Corner last evening to listen to Gilbert Goh and his friends from Transitioning.org talking about employing Singaporeans first. He had lined up several speakers to talk about the plight of the jobless and under employed Singaporeans with several graduates sharing their stories with him.
One lost his $7000 job to an EP holder and is now a taxi driver. And other graduate also lost his job and is also a taxi driver. And a Malaysian shared with Gilbert that she is now employed by a foreign bank and her pay is $10k. She has a masters degree. Good for her.
In some of Gilbert’s article in Transitioning.org, he reported about companies where foreigners seemed to be in the majority, with some turned Singaporeans recently. We have also read reports of top jobs in sports and recreation clubs going to foreigners.
There seems to be an unplanned and uncoordinated conspiracy for foreign and local organisations to employ foreigners and leaving Singaporeans to be taxi drivers even if they are graduates of our world class universities. Of course there is a bit of an exaggeration here. Many Singaporeans are employed and many are still unemployed or underemployed. And that is the main reason why Gilbert went to the Speaker’s Corner to make a plea to the govt to do something to ensure that Singaporeans are employed first.
I find the preference by foreign and local organisations to employ foreigners rather than Singaporeans quite intriqueing. What is wrong with Singaporeans graduating from our world class universities? I am very sure that many of the foreigners are graduates of much less reputable universities, and they are not exactly paid lower than Singaporeans.
What is the catch? What is wrong with Singaporeans or why are Singaporeans having relatively more problems getting employed than foreigners? Work attitude, lack drive? Looking at the above two graduates who are prepared to drive taxis, you cannot say they have bad attitudes or lack drives. They are willing to do anything to put rice on the table. And we have the oldies working their guts out, long hours and little pay, in jobs that no Singaporeans would want to do. They can’t be lacking in drive?
Is there something that the govt can do as the caretaker of Singaporeans who were voted into power by Singaporeans to take care of Singaporeans first?
One lost his $7000 job to an EP holder and is now a taxi driver. And other graduate also lost his job and is also a taxi driver. And a Malaysian shared with Gilbert that she is now employed by a foreign bank and her pay is $10k. She has a masters degree. Good for her.
In some of Gilbert’s article in Transitioning.org, he reported about companies where foreigners seemed to be in the majority, with some turned Singaporeans recently. We have also read reports of top jobs in sports and recreation clubs going to foreigners.
There seems to be an unplanned and uncoordinated conspiracy for foreign and local organisations to employ foreigners and leaving Singaporeans to be taxi drivers even if they are graduates of our world class universities. Of course there is a bit of an exaggeration here. Many Singaporeans are employed and many are still unemployed or underemployed. And that is the main reason why Gilbert went to the Speaker’s Corner to make a plea to the govt to do something to ensure that Singaporeans are employed first.
I find the preference by foreign and local organisations to employ foreigners rather than Singaporeans quite intriqueing. What is wrong with Singaporeans graduating from our world class universities? I am very sure that many of the foreigners are graduates of much less reputable universities, and they are not exactly paid lower than Singaporeans.
What is the catch? What is wrong with Singaporeans or why are Singaporeans having relatively more problems getting employed than foreigners? Work attitude, lack drive? Looking at the above two graduates who are prepared to drive taxis, you cannot say they have bad attitudes or lack drives. They are willing to do anything to put rice on the table. And we have the oldies working their guts out, long hours and little pay, in jobs that no Singaporeans would want to do. They can’t be lacking in drive?
Is there something that the govt can do as the caretaker of Singaporeans who were voted into power by Singaporeans to take care of Singaporeans first?
Silvaraju, my friend
On my way to the Raffles Place Station I saw Raju ahead of me. I called out to him and we had a little chat on the stock market before we parted. He was going to The Arcade and I continued to the station. That was Friday, just after office. He was in his cool and quiet manner and asking if the market was kind to me. He missed the rally by getting out too early with small profits.
I saw Raju again this morning in the Sunday Times Obituary page. He passed away peacefully yesterday at the age of 56.
We played golf together. We took turn to drive when we played. His game was improving greatly and his drive with his 3 woods was further than my driver. He was fit as a fiddle, and with no sickness. He is up there now.
Goodbye my friend, my golf kaki. And thanks again for the Chinese New Year greetings.
I saw Raju again this morning in the Sunday Times Obituary page. He passed away peacefully yesterday at the age of 56.
We played golf together. We took turn to drive when we played. His game was improving greatly and his drive with his 3 woods was further than my driver. He was fit as a fiddle, and with no sickness. He is up there now.
Goodbye my friend, my golf kaki. And thanks again for the Chinese New Year greetings.
2/11/2012
The road of no return
As a country we are doing very well, and extremely well in many areas. We have become rich and life has become very comfortable to many. There is no doubt that we are the envy of the world in being what we are today. And it is quite appropriate to call this the paradise on earth to many of the wealthy residents.
While the rich and able are happily living their lives, the lower income earners are getting to feel the pinch. And this pinch is going to get worst everyday. No one can deny that many goods and services are going to be out of reach to the average citizens.
There are several major causes that are leading to a frightening future and if nothing is done to restrain these forces and reverse the trend, the eventuality is not going to look pretty.
The high property price of residential and commercial properties is a very dangerous game to play. For those who have acquired the properties, they are just in for a good ride and everything is looking better everyday. Many are selling their properties bought for a few hundred thousands and selling for a few millions. They are so happy to live with their new wealth till kingdom comes.
The problem will be those coming after them. Residential property is going to be the biggest debt for the future generations to bear. They would have bought these properties costing hundreds of thousands or a few millions. Their only hope is that the value multiplies like their predecessors and at the end of the day they could sell off for an easy retirement. Could this be repeated?
The high prices of commercial properties too have a compound effect on the cost of living. Everything, goods and services, will cost more and more to cover the rental or property cost.
The real problem is that there is no winding back. Falling property prices will hurt a lot of property owners. This time around, with the debt becoming so much bigger, it is inconceivable how serious would the problems be if there is a crash. And the govt cannot afford this to happen and will have to keep boosting or supporting the high prices. There is no other way out. Price going down is not an option of the planners.
It is unlikely that the lower income groups can catch up with the high cost of housing and services, in particular the very deadly medical bills. A gap is going to open up very soon, when more and more of the lower income will be gasping for air. Their meagre income and the mini increment rate can never keep up with the rapid rise in cost of living. Once this gap opens up, social disorder is going to be a major issue.
The other major concern is foreigners and foreign workers. There is no way to get rid of them in the short term. And as they grow and melted into the whole social fabric and economic system, they will be embedded as a part of our society and tearing it out is out of question. It becomes an inter dependable arrangement, that the system needs them or will face another big empty hole. This is another policy of no return.
The competition by foreigners, and many would have been given the pink IC, will be felt adversely by the original Singaporeans. How this game will be played out in the longer term is still hazy. Couple with the marginalisation of the lower income groups, which will keep swelling, it is looking like a recipe for more unbearable consequences. A recipe of no return.
While the rich and able are happily living their lives, the lower income earners are getting to feel the pinch. And this pinch is going to get worst everyday. No one can deny that many goods and services are going to be out of reach to the average citizens.
There are several major causes that are leading to a frightening future and if nothing is done to restrain these forces and reverse the trend, the eventuality is not going to look pretty.
The high property price of residential and commercial properties is a very dangerous game to play. For those who have acquired the properties, they are just in for a good ride and everything is looking better everyday. Many are selling their properties bought for a few hundred thousands and selling for a few millions. They are so happy to live with their new wealth till kingdom comes.
The problem will be those coming after them. Residential property is going to be the biggest debt for the future generations to bear. They would have bought these properties costing hundreds of thousands or a few millions. Their only hope is that the value multiplies like their predecessors and at the end of the day they could sell off for an easy retirement. Could this be repeated?
The high prices of commercial properties too have a compound effect on the cost of living. Everything, goods and services, will cost more and more to cover the rental or property cost.
The real problem is that there is no winding back. Falling property prices will hurt a lot of property owners. This time around, with the debt becoming so much bigger, it is inconceivable how serious would the problems be if there is a crash. And the govt cannot afford this to happen and will have to keep boosting or supporting the high prices. There is no other way out. Price going down is not an option of the planners.
It is unlikely that the lower income groups can catch up with the high cost of housing and services, in particular the very deadly medical bills. A gap is going to open up very soon, when more and more of the lower income will be gasping for air. Their meagre income and the mini increment rate can never keep up with the rapid rise in cost of living. Once this gap opens up, social disorder is going to be a major issue.
The other major concern is foreigners and foreign workers. There is no way to get rid of them in the short term. And as they grow and melted into the whole social fabric and economic system, they will be embedded as a part of our society and tearing it out is out of question. It becomes an inter dependable arrangement, that the system needs them or will face another big empty hole. This is another policy of no return.
The competition by foreigners, and many would have been given the pink IC, will be felt adversely by the original Singaporeans. How this game will be played out in the longer term is still hazy. Couple with the marginalisation of the lower income groups, which will keep swelling, it is looking like a recipe for more unbearable consequences. A recipe of no return.
2/10/2012
Want an angmoh face?
Many of our local organizations just did not have the confidence of Sinkies and hoping that an angmoh would be a safer bet. Never did they know that the angmoh could be another con job. How many more organizations would like be cheated by angmohs? Or how many organizations are still having angmohs to front for them and have yet to find out the truth of the angmoh credentials?
We are a developed world, with our local talents trained by angmohs and getting extremely good grades. And you can find them everywhere. Why is it that it is so difficult to find a good Sinkie to do the job and repeatedly spending money for angmoh headhunters to hire more angmoh freaks?
I got a better idea. Instead of bringing in all the third world super talents to improve our gene pool, we might as well offer citizenships to angmohs from Europe and the US. Of course be prepared to take the 3rd and 4th grades or even 7th grade angmoh as the really worthy ones may not be easily available unless we offer them ministerial posts.
At least the gene pool can be much better and future Sinkies can have blond hair and blue eyes and six feet tall. A much better option I think.
The joke is always on the low esteem Sinkies.
We are a developed world, with our local talents trained by angmohs and getting extremely good grades. And you can find them everywhere. Why is it that it is so difficult to find a good Sinkie to do the job and repeatedly spending money for angmoh headhunters to hire more angmoh freaks?
I got a better idea. Instead of bringing in all the third world super talents to improve our gene pool, we might as well offer citizenships to angmohs from Europe and the US. Of course be prepared to take the 3rd and 4th grades or even 7th grade angmoh as the really worthy ones may not be easily available unless we offer them ministerial posts.
At least the gene pool can be much better and future Sinkies can have blond hair and blue eyes and six feet tall. A much better option I think.
The joke is always on the low esteem Sinkies.
Shanmugam told US off
At the sold out Singapore Conference in Washington, Shanmugam pointedly told the Americans to shut up and stop trying to sow discord in Asia. He warned the Americans that the thought and talk of containing China is pure hogwash and would not be accepted by Asian and Asean in particular. It would not work. Asians are no longer unthinking colonized people that can be made to dance with the Western powers pulling all the strings. Asians will determine what is best for them and how to conduct their international relations with other countries. Asians know what is best in their own interest.
The Americans were advised to build more trade relations with Asian countries instead of military alliances and inciting differences and wars. The Americans must be shocked to get a bollocking from their little staunch supporter whom they probably believed will dance to whatever tune they played. And I think, I am not Shanmugam, Shanmugam’s message is more a consensus position of the Asean states with one or two exceptions.
The Americans must take note that their rhetoric to provoke cross border animosity is noted and that the Asean states will not be easily deceived and to allow conflicts to flare up in the region.
Please buzz off if that is the American intention. We don’t need conflicts, we don’t need wars.
The Americans were advised to build more trade relations with Asian countries instead of military alliances and inciting differences and wars. The Americans must be shocked to get a bollocking from their little staunch supporter whom they probably believed will dance to whatever tune they played. And I think, I am not Shanmugam, Shanmugam’s message is more a consensus position of the Asean states with one or two exceptions.
The Americans must take note that their rhetoric to provoke cross border animosity is noted and that the Asean states will not be easily deceived and to allow conflicts to flare up in the region.
Please buzz off if that is the American intention. We don’t need conflicts, we don’t need wars.
The sad Arabian Tales
The Arabian countries are burning and Arabs are dying everyday, killed by foreign forces and instigated to kill each other by foreign forces. To whose interest or benefit it is to keep the Arabs in a constant state of turmoil an upheaval? And who is inciting the Arabs and fanning the fire of hatred in the Arab land?
Asia and Asians must learn from these pitiful and hopeless people if they want to remain in peace and give their people a better life without being embroiled in senseless warfare and killings. The people, be there Arabs, Africans or Asians, would not want to be dragged into wars that would keep them busy fighting each other, and become dependent on foreign charity and domination.
Many of these countries are led into wars because of a few selfish and idiotic leaders who only think of their own interest and positions. The people who are going to die are the average citizens. The people who are going to benefit from the bloodshed and destruction will be the leaders and their foreign accomplices.
There are a few silly leaders in the Asian continent and the South East Asian island countries. Some of them are very keen to drag their countries into wars thinking that it will be just another game of deceit and accumulation of wealth and power. The Asian people must be guarded against such foolish leaders and keep their countries free from wars and fighting other people’s wars.
The Asians must keep Asia in peace for their own good. The Arabs are in this pathetic state because they were weaked, selfish, divided and fixed up by western powers to kill each other, and the provocateurs profited from their foolishness and the destruction of their countries and people.
Asia must stay in peace. The Latin Americans are doing this very well and is a good lesson to learn from.
Asia and Asians must learn from these pitiful and hopeless people if they want to remain in peace and give their people a better life without being embroiled in senseless warfare and killings. The people, be there Arabs, Africans or Asians, would not want to be dragged into wars that would keep them busy fighting each other, and become dependent on foreign charity and domination.
Many of these countries are led into wars because of a few selfish and idiotic leaders who only think of their own interest and positions. The people who are going to die are the average citizens. The people who are going to benefit from the bloodshed and destruction will be the leaders and their foreign accomplices.
There are a few silly leaders in the Asian continent and the South East Asian island countries. Some of them are very keen to drag their countries into wars thinking that it will be just another game of deceit and accumulation of wealth and power. The Asian people must be guarded against such foolish leaders and keep their countries free from wars and fighting other people’s wars.
The Asians must keep Asia in peace for their own good. The Arabs are in this pathetic state because they were weaked, selfish, divided and fixed up by western powers to kill each other, and the provocateurs profited from their foolishness and the destruction of their countries and people.
Asia must stay in peace. The Latin Americans are doing this very well and is a good lesson to learn from.
Lui Tuck Yew, SMRT, hold your horses
SMRT announced that it is going to spend another $90m or more on a new signaling system so that trains can arrive 20 sec or 30 sec earlier. Before even questioning whether this is money well spent, let me just recount my experience with the train services these few weeks after the resignation of the CEO.
I used to take the early trains and my timing has not changed. The strange thing that is happening now is that the interval of trains arriving in the early hours on the East West and North South lines has improved. But this is not all. The trains are less crowded than before and there is ample breathing space between the commuters. No longer would the commuters be forced to breath in the BOs and stench of unwashed commuters beside them.
This is a great improvement and no need to waste millions on another signaling system if it can be achieved at all hours. Funny how things could improve so drastically within a few weeks of the CEO’s departure.
The after office hour rush and jam have also improved dramatically. But this stretch is still not tolerable as the trains are still quite packed. A little more tweaking with a couple more trains could do the trick. I think it is all about more thorough management or a different management philosophy from one that is profit priority to one that is commuter centric.
I would suggest the SMRT keeps monitoring and review the train flow and tweak wherever necessary to improve the service and hold back on the huge expenditure that may not be necessary. And that expenditure need not be passed down to the commuters with higher fares again.
I hope SMRT, LTA and Lui Tuck Yew are listening.
I used to take the early trains and my timing has not changed. The strange thing that is happening now is that the interval of trains arriving in the early hours on the East West and North South lines has improved. But this is not all. The trains are less crowded than before and there is ample breathing space between the commuters. No longer would the commuters be forced to breath in the BOs and stench of unwashed commuters beside them.
This is a great improvement and no need to waste millions on another signaling system if it can be achieved at all hours. Funny how things could improve so drastically within a few weeks of the CEO’s departure.
The after office hour rush and jam have also improved dramatically. But this stretch is still not tolerable as the trains are still quite packed. A little more tweaking with a couple more trains could do the trick. I think it is all about more thorough management or a different management philosophy from one that is profit priority to one that is commuter centric.
I would suggest the SMRT keeps monitoring and review the train flow and tweak wherever necessary to improve the service and hold back on the huge expenditure that may not be necessary. And that expenditure need not be passed down to the commuters with higher fares again.
I hope SMRT, LTA and Lui Tuck Yew are listening.
2/09/2012
Increase CPF of oldies
This is another brilliant scheme in the brewing. The struggle to get oldies to work longer continues. Now the struggle to get oldies to be better paid. The cost of hiring oldies is lower because of lower CPF contribution, so can raise their CPF.
With all due respect to the oldies, I am also one, depending on the job one is doing, many will slow down and some jobs that are physically and mentally more demanding will extract their tolls on the oldies. Other than some exceptions and some specialized professions when age and experience counts more, many oldies would not be able to contribute as much as the young.
Let’s face the fact that nature made us that way, when one is young, one is full of energy and vibrancy. When one is old, hitting the sack is a big draw and taking life at a slower pace is only natural. Our taxi drivers can drive till 73 and may be even extended to 75. I don’t think it is a good thing. The pathetic state of Sinkies to have to work till that kind of age or else, is a reminder of our failure in our retirement scheme and pension fund. Everything is wiped away by high inflation and the high cost of living is making the oldies into the workforce imperative.
Would employer seriously want to pay more to the oldies for lesser work? Or can the oldies contribute the same with other workers for the same wage? If yes, then there is no issue. Can our workforce can be competitive with higher pay for the oldies without the same level of productivity?
What is questionable is who is going to profit from more CPF contributions from the oldies’ income? Why not just pay direct to their salary when other oldies are withdrawing their CPF savings?
With all due respect to the oldies, I am also one, depending on the job one is doing, many will slow down and some jobs that are physically and mentally more demanding will extract their tolls on the oldies. Other than some exceptions and some specialized professions when age and experience counts more, many oldies would not be able to contribute as much as the young.
Let’s face the fact that nature made us that way, when one is young, one is full of energy and vibrancy. When one is old, hitting the sack is a big draw and taking life at a slower pace is only natural. Our taxi drivers can drive till 73 and may be even extended to 75. I don’t think it is a good thing. The pathetic state of Sinkies to have to work till that kind of age or else, is a reminder of our failure in our retirement scheme and pension fund. Everything is wiped away by high inflation and the high cost of living is making the oldies into the workforce imperative.
Would employer seriously want to pay more to the oldies for lesser work? Or can the oldies contribute the same with other workers for the same wage? If yes, then there is no issue. Can our workforce can be competitive with higher pay for the oldies without the same level of productivity?
What is questionable is who is going to profit from more CPF contributions from the oldies’ income? Why not just pay direct to their salary when other oldies are withdrawing their CPF savings?
NUS is going to raise the quality of its degrees
It was only a couple of years back when NUS raised its tuition fees. Today there are calling for another raise. And since the quality of education is closely related to the quality of tuition fees, the percentage of fee hike will see an equivalent improvement in quality. As they said, cheap is never good, and you want quality you will have to pay for it. At the rate NUS is improving its standard, soon it will be among the top 10 universities in world rankings.
The only thing that I am concerned is the daft sinkie students. Would they be able to move up together with the university rankings? If the university goes to the top 10, would the quality of Sinkie graduates also go up to the top 10?
NUS is now ranked among the better half of the top 100 universities in the world. Unfortunately the employers are still looking to hiring better graduates from lower ranked universities elsewhere. Are our students getting a good deal, paying too much for too little?
I still think value for money will be to send our daft Sinkie students to India and Philippines for their university education. Cheap and good and they will all turn out to be top management material. Pay less for more. The Indian and Filipino graduates are in demand and will beat any NUS graduate hands down when employment suitability is concerned.
Sinkie parents must think about the rate of returns before paying their children’s tuition fees.
The only thing that I am concerned is the daft sinkie students. Would they be able to move up together with the university rankings? If the university goes to the top 10, would the quality of Sinkie graduates also go up to the top 10?
NUS is now ranked among the better half of the top 100 universities in the world. Unfortunately the employers are still looking to hiring better graduates from lower ranked universities elsewhere. Are our students getting a good deal, paying too much for too little?
I still think value for money will be to send our daft Sinkie students to India and Philippines for their university education. Cheap and good and they will all turn out to be top management material. Pay less for more. The Indian and Filipino graduates are in demand and will beat any NUS graduate hands down when employment suitability is concerned.
Sinkie parents must think about the rate of returns before paying their children’s tuition fees.
Political smear
The recent exposure of indiscretion by prominent public figures in the news has sent tongues wagging everywhere. Opportunists would have a field day telling their stories and innuendoes of the moral correctness and suitability of such people in places of authority. Character smearing and assassination and taking body shots at people and political parties could be done in all kinds of innocent ways. The media can show more interest and zeal in investigative journalism as part and parcel of their job to cover up their political agenda. What better excuses can one have to put down an enemy of sort?
I am pleasantly surprised that a lot of self restraint and refrain has been exercised on the part of the media to avoid sensationalising such incidents and not to indulge in excessive and repetitive reporting to score political points.
What was left undone was passed to the social media to do the damage needed, to draw blood to the fullest. The internet has seen an unusually insensitive and inquisitive interest in the affairs of these affected men. There were plentiful of calls for more confession, more details to quench their thirst for more lurid news. And of course, it is another case of sorry also must explain. Transparency, they screamed!
The culprits must be hanged or put on the stake to be burnt. Some of the attacks were pretty vicious and hurtful to the parties by obviously upright individuals who are flawless. And thank God there are so many of these morally flawless individuals still living among us. But what could one expect in paradise? Only the best behaved could reside in this heavenly realm.
If only such attacks were to be carried out in the main stream media, one can be sure that the availability of more able people standing out to serve in public offices would immediately dry up. And political parties and the civil service would have to recruit their candidates from the monastry or nunnery. In today’s complex world of permissiveness, even finding a monk or nun not tainted by some indiscretion or personal misconduct could not be an easy task.
The issue is to what moral standard is demanded of people in public offices? Would the people accept others who have crossed the line of social indiscretion to be in public office? If not, if the standard for public service is a pristine life of a puritan, no unsavoury deeds or misconducts, then would there be a need for everyone to make a self declaration of purity and a sinless lifestyle before coming forward to serve? And should a list of unacceptable conduct be assembled and all those appointed to public service be made to swear under oath that they have not breached any of them? Anything short of this is pure hypocrisy.
Could this be one of the reasons why there is a dearth of talents willing to contest for political office and risking the barrage of venoms from the journalists and self proclaimed righteous saints living among us and in the world of cyberspace? How many people are left untainted and above the high standards set by society to be in public service, including those that are pointing the fingers and demanding that everyone should come out clean?
I am pleasantly surprised that a lot of self restraint and refrain has been exercised on the part of the media to avoid sensationalising such incidents and not to indulge in excessive and repetitive reporting to score political points.
What was left undone was passed to the social media to do the damage needed, to draw blood to the fullest. The internet has seen an unusually insensitive and inquisitive interest in the affairs of these affected men. There were plentiful of calls for more confession, more details to quench their thirst for more lurid news. And of course, it is another case of sorry also must explain. Transparency, they screamed!
The culprits must be hanged or put on the stake to be burnt. Some of the attacks were pretty vicious and hurtful to the parties by obviously upright individuals who are flawless. And thank God there are so many of these morally flawless individuals still living among us. But what could one expect in paradise? Only the best behaved could reside in this heavenly realm.
If only such attacks were to be carried out in the main stream media, one can be sure that the availability of more able people standing out to serve in public offices would immediately dry up. And political parties and the civil service would have to recruit their candidates from the monastry or nunnery. In today’s complex world of permissiveness, even finding a monk or nun not tainted by some indiscretion or personal misconduct could not be an easy task.
The issue is to what moral standard is demanded of people in public offices? Would the people accept others who have crossed the line of social indiscretion to be in public office? If not, if the standard for public service is a pristine life of a puritan, no unsavoury deeds or misconducts, then would there be a need for everyone to make a self declaration of purity and a sinless lifestyle before coming forward to serve? And should a list of unacceptable conduct be assembled and all those appointed to public service be made to swear under oath that they have not breached any of them? Anything short of this is pure hypocrisy.
Could this be one of the reasons why there is a dearth of talents willing to contest for political office and risking the barrage of venoms from the journalists and self proclaimed righteous saints living among us and in the world of cyberspace? How many people are left untainted and above the high standards set by society to be in public service, including those that are pointing the fingers and demanding that everyone should come out clean?
2/08/2012
Deserving kind words
As the founding fathers faded away to history, it is good to see kind words being said about them. They were the leaders who stepped forward at a very difficult time to create something out of whatever the British left behind. And the politics then could be a life and death experience. Funny that none of them have been heard screaming or thumping their chests about their great sacrifices for the people. And neither were they paid handsomely for compromising the quality of life of their families which could take a nasty turn for the worst. And there was no big carrot dangling in front of them, no assurance of what will happen tomorrow. Their participation in politics was a conviction to do something for the country and people. Nothing else.
This is a generation that through all their goodness and warts, will be remembered fondly by the people of this island. They are real contributors to what we are today and not that well rewarded in the monetary sense. Maybe this is the very reason why many of them are well respected and spoken with deference. The people could truly say that they owed this generation for their well being today.
Would this kind of reception and remembrance be repeated for the leaders coming after them?
This is a generation that through all their goodness and warts, will be remembered fondly by the people of this island. They are real contributors to what we are today and not that well rewarded in the monetary sense. Maybe this is the very reason why many of them are well respected and spoken with deference. The people could truly say that they owed this generation for their well being today.
Would this kind of reception and remembrance be repeated for the leaders coming after them?
The threat of no growth
Do you want more money? What a silly question. Do you want growth? Another silly question. But beware of what you are asking for. Many a time a dollar given can end up returning 90c or more. Money given must come from somewhere just like money taken must also come from somewhere. Money does not appear from nowhere except printing or OPM.
As for growth, there are many consequences for creating growth. But what is important is whether it is real growth or growth on one hand and higher cost on the other. On face value growth is desirable. Is growth the only panacea to all our ills? We laugh at the Japanese for more than 20 years of negligible growth while we keep growing every year. Should we be richer than the Japanese by now? And richer in what? Unfortunately no.
Japan is still the most prosperous nation in Asia or the world, with no growth. And they are able to maintain their high quality of life, graciousness, discipline and a good life, and a people that is proud to call themselves Japanese. And they will look Japanese.
What have we achieved with all the fantastic growth numbers? Yes, we are growing richer, and some extremely richer. But we are facing with greater and greater social and political cost. There were improvements in the quality of life but in some areas things are getting worst. Some of the not too desirable things are the adulteration of a population that was moving slowly to nationhood as a people, more graciousness, discipline and a cleaner environment to one that is less gracious with the social fabric being threatened. Many people are feeling alienated and marginalized in their own country. The pride of being citizens is now being questioned and ridiculed.
Compare to the no growth Japan that we are sneering at, you don’t see the same kind of silly and unnecessary problems that we are facing.
Some suggest that the Japanese must also adulterate their population, even bastardise them, but the Japanese choose to be otherwise. The freak nations of bastards are beginning to turn into a mess and will eventually be torned apart by the differences in the composition of their population. The greater the mixture, the more complex will be the problem and the pulls to different directions will be greater.
We used to have primarily three major races and a smaller Eurasian community in our mix and the issues of inter racial co existence may not be too arduous a task to deal with. If we continue to dilute this mixture and mess it around with all kinds of concoctions, we are only adding more problems for the future generations to deal with. And we are doing all these in the name of growth.
Will our model be more superior to the Japanese model? Will the model of China/India eventually prove more resilient that the mixed broth in the USA or UK?
By the way, there is no need to keep increasing the population just to register growth in the GDP. The goal is a better quality of life for the people, not GDP per se. The Japanese have proven that they can do that without crazy growth numbers. Maybe their politician’s salary is not linked to growth numbers.
As for growth, there are many consequences for creating growth. But what is important is whether it is real growth or growth on one hand and higher cost on the other. On face value growth is desirable. Is growth the only panacea to all our ills? We laugh at the Japanese for more than 20 years of negligible growth while we keep growing every year. Should we be richer than the Japanese by now? And richer in what? Unfortunately no.
Japan is still the most prosperous nation in Asia or the world, with no growth. And they are able to maintain their high quality of life, graciousness, discipline and a good life, and a people that is proud to call themselves Japanese. And they will look Japanese.
What have we achieved with all the fantastic growth numbers? Yes, we are growing richer, and some extremely richer. But we are facing with greater and greater social and political cost. There were improvements in the quality of life but in some areas things are getting worst. Some of the not too desirable things are the adulteration of a population that was moving slowly to nationhood as a people, more graciousness, discipline and a cleaner environment to one that is less gracious with the social fabric being threatened. Many people are feeling alienated and marginalized in their own country. The pride of being citizens is now being questioned and ridiculed.
Compare to the no growth Japan that we are sneering at, you don’t see the same kind of silly and unnecessary problems that we are facing.
Some suggest that the Japanese must also adulterate their population, even bastardise them, but the Japanese choose to be otherwise. The freak nations of bastards are beginning to turn into a mess and will eventually be torned apart by the differences in the composition of their population. The greater the mixture, the more complex will be the problem and the pulls to different directions will be greater.
We used to have primarily three major races and a smaller Eurasian community in our mix and the issues of inter racial co existence may not be too arduous a task to deal with. If we continue to dilute this mixture and mess it around with all kinds of concoctions, we are only adding more problems for the future generations to deal with. And we are doing all these in the name of growth.
Will our model be more superior to the Japanese model? Will the model of China/India eventually prove more resilient that the mixed broth in the USA or UK?
By the way, there is no need to keep increasing the population just to register growth in the GDP. The goal is a better quality of life for the people, not GDP per se. The Japanese have proven that they can do that without crazy growth numbers. Maybe their politician’s salary is not linked to growth numbers.
2/07/2012
Samfoo not allowed in church
This lady in her beautiful pink samfoo was shocked to be told that she would not be welcomed for Sunday mass at the Church of St Anthony in Woodlands. The church has some dress code like wearing of skirts that should not be more than 5cm above the knees. The samfoo is a proper Chinese pant suit that ended 5cm above her ankles.
Let me see what is so offensive about the samfoo. Maybe the warden mistakened 5cm above the knees as 5 cm above the ankles. Maybe the samfoo is offensive to some people. Maybe the samfoo is offensive to God. Maybe the colour pink is offensive.
I really dunno why the samfoo is offensive and not allowed in a church. From the picture of the lady in her samfoo, it was an expensive dress for the Chinese New Year which she must be very proud to be in.
If I am not mistaken, samfoo could be worn something even in formal occasions by the ladies. Hey, it is not the cheap black and white samfoo worn by the Ah Ma chehs of the past. Nowadays many rich ladies are flaunting with their beautiful designers samfoo to look graceful.
No other reason was given except that the samfoo was against the church’s dress code. Maybe the church has its own good reasons. But one thing, please do not insult the beautiful samfoo as it is a popular dress of the locals. If other kinds of dresses are allowed, what is so offensive or demeaning about a samfoo?
Let me see what is so offensive about the samfoo. Maybe the warden mistakened 5cm above the knees as 5 cm above the ankles. Maybe the samfoo is offensive to some people. Maybe the samfoo is offensive to God. Maybe the colour pink is offensive.
I really dunno why the samfoo is offensive and not allowed in a church. From the picture of the lady in her samfoo, it was an expensive dress for the Chinese New Year which she must be very proud to be in.
If I am not mistaken, samfoo could be worn something even in formal occasions by the ladies. Hey, it is not the cheap black and white samfoo worn by the Ah Ma chehs of the past. Nowadays many rich ladies are flaunting with their beautiful designers samfoo to look graceful.
No other reason was given except that the samfoo was against the church’s dress code. Maybe the church has its own good reasons. But one thing, please do not insult the beautiful samfoo as it is a popular dress of the locals. If other kinds of dresses are allowed, what is so offensive or demeaning about a samfoo?
Subhas Chandra Bose, a place in Singapore’s history
There is an ongoing debate for an honourable place in the history of Singapore for Subhas Chandra Bose of the Indian National Army. Some Indian nationalists wanted to erect a statue of Bose somewhere prominent to honour his role in fighting for the Independence of India. Under most circumstances this is a call that would be appreciated by many who fought against British colonialism.
Bose was using Singapore as a base for his uprising against the British Raj in India. The main reservation against such a proposal was that Bose was working with the Japanese invading army that inflicted horrendous pain and torture on the local citizens. No one is questioning if Bose and his army had any part in the aggression against the local citizens. But for being on the side of the inhuman murderers was enough to rule him out for a place of honour in our country and history. Bose was honoured by the Japanese with a statue in a temple in Japan. Think he held the rank of a general in the Japanese Army.
The Indians, especially those in India, rightly must honour this nationalist that set up a resistance against the British. To the Indians, he was undoubtedly a national hero. To Singaporeans, he was on the wrong side of our history. The pain and suffering of the locals under the Japanese Occupation is an indelible scar in the minds of our forefathers. I don’t think Singaporeans would want to honour him for working with the Japanese that tortured and killed our forefathers, raped our women, with a bust in any part of Singapore.
Let Subhas Chandra Bose be honoured by the beneficiaries of his nationalism. If only he was not on the side of the brutal Japanese, Singaporeans would have no issue with his place in our history.
Bose was using Singapore as a base for his uprising against the British Raj in India. The main reservation against such a proposal was that Bose was working with the Japanese invading army that inflicted horrendous pain and torture on the local citizens. No one is questioning if Bose and his army had any part in the aggression against the local citizens. But for being on the side of the inhuman murderers was enough to rule him out for a place of honour in our country and history. Bose was honoured by the Japanese with a statue in a temple in Japan. Think he held the rank of a general in the Japanese Army.
The Indians, especially those in India, rightly must honour this nationalist that set up a resistance against the British. To the Indians, he was undoubtedly a national hero. To Singaporeans, he was on the wrong side of our history. The pain and suffering of the locals under the Japanese Occupation is an indelible scar in the minds of our forefathers. I don’t think Singaporeans would want to honour him for working with the Japanese that tortured and killed our forefathers, raped our women, with a bust in any part of Singapore.
Let Subhas Chandra Bose be honoured by the beneficiaries of his nationalism. If only he was not on the side of the brutal Japanese, Singaporeans would have no issue with his place in our history.
Peking duck road to sure death
The Peking duck has to be fed and be bloated to look good on the table. The only way for that to happen is contant stuffing, regardless of how fat it has grown. Some may think that the duck could turn into a goose or maybe an elephant. There is no concern about overfeeding, about being too fat, obesity.
This idea seems to resonate in our growth policy. We need growth and growth and growth. And how to achieve this? Keep feeding it with more people to keep the growth numbers respectable. If we can’t produce more babies, we just have to import more foreign workers. This is the only sure win economic formula for growth. There is no other formula that works.
Never mind if our limited land and infrastructure are straining and breaking. Never mind if we can’t put more cars on the road. Never mind if we need more land to build more flats. Never mind if the cost of land and housing is escalating. Never mind if essential services are also straining and the competition for such services is driving up the prices.
We need growth. Nothing else matters. And GDP growth is the only way to go.
Why is there an obsession to growth? Why is there only one solution to our economic problems? No more ideas, no better ideas? Or is it that the banyan tree is just too thick and cutting out all the light beneath that nothing else will grow? What happens to thinking out of the box?
Innovation, creativity, productivity? Our million dollar talents cannot find better alternative solutions? Then pay for lower pay foreign experts and specialists for more recommendations may work.
Are we suffering from a dominant idea that is snuffing out all new ideas? Or there is really no one with a better idea that increasing our population for growth?
The reverse phenomenon to Peking duck is the SAF’s fight against obesity, thinking that obesity is bad and curbing the body growth is good. Leaner and thinner are good and healthier for a better and more productive life.
This idea seems to resonate in our growth policy. We need growth and growth and growth. And how to achieve this? Keep feeding it with more people to keep the growth numbers respectable. If we can’t produce more babies, we just have to import more foreign workers. This is the only sure win economic formula for growth. There is no other formula that works.
Never mind if our limited land and infrastructure are straining and breaking. Never mind if we can’t put more cars on the road. Never mind if we need more land to build more flats. Never mind if the cost of land and housing is escalating. Never mind if essential services are also straining and the competition for such services is driving up the prices.
We need growth. Nothing else matters. And GDP growth is the only way to go.
Why is there an obsession to growth? Why is there only one solution to our economic problems? No more ideas, no better ideas? Or is it that the banyan tree is just too thick and cutting out all the light beneath that nothing else will grow? What happens to thinking out of the box?
Innovation, creativity, productivity? Our million dollar talents cannot find better alternative solutions? Then pay for lower pay foreign experts and specialists for more recommendations may work.
Are we suffering from a dominant idea that is snuffing out all new ideas? Or there is really no one with a better idea that increasing our population for growth?
The reverse phenomenon to Peking duck is the SAF’s fight against obesity, thinking that obesity is bad and curbing the body growth is good. Leaner and thinner are good and healthier for a better and more productive life.
2/06/2012
Construction workers on strike in Tampines
Construction workers, mainly foreign workers, went on strike in a site building HDB flats. The main complaint is that workers were not paid since October 2011 and employers only agreed to pay the October salary today and salary due in December by Friday. Now is February 2012 and there should be two more months salary accrued and due for payment.
These workers are already badly exploited by their agents before coming here, and are mostly in debt. And the employers and contractors should have a little decency not continue to exploit them by not paying their dues.
Regardless of all legal and contractual obligations, it is simply inhuman to exploit them this way. On moral and ethical grounds, the govt must step in immediately to end such exploitation of such workers.
It is terribly shameful for a first world country to bully illiterate and helpless workers from poor countries. Despicable is the word to describe such abuses of workers whose only purpose here is to work and earn a decent living. And they are being paid pittance, not millions.
Where is the human conscience and humanity?
These workers are already badly exploited by their agents before coming here, and are mostly in debt. And the employers and contractors should have a little decency not continue to exploit them by not paying their dues.
Regardless of all legal and contractual obligations, it is simply inhuman to exploit them this way. On moral and ethical grounds, the govt must step in immediately to end such exploitation of such workers.
It is terribly shameful for a first world country to bully illiterate and helpless workers from poor countries. Despicable is the word to describe such abuses of workers whose only purpose here is to work and earn a decent living. And they are being paid pittance, not millions.
Where is the human conscience and humanity?
Ex teachers commanding $1000 a day
The reputation of our teachers and education system is so high abroad that our teachers are in demand to impart our teaching skills and methodology to other countries including the US, Philippines, Chile, Netherland and Saudi Arabia.
NIE director Lee Sing Kong said, ‘the achievements of Singaporean students have been noticed internationally. “There must be something right in the way our teachers are prepared.”’
He is right and wrong at the same time. What is the point of our students being good academically but cannot be translated to skills that are in demand in the industries? Even in Singapore, they are only good as civil servants. In the commercial world, they are at best good at middle management level. Even at that level they are being replaced by foreigners from third world countries. The CEO jobs are unlikely positions for the products of the Singapore system. I think we would be better in producing unthinking robots.
And our people have an international reputation of being daft. And that is probably the main reason why so many foreign talents are here to help them and the country to grow and progress. Maybe the Singapore education is only good at producing students with good academic results but dysfunctional at work. All plain daft, good on paper but cannot perform.
The more I think about it, the more silly the situation is. Products of the best and very expensive education system, with the best facilities, but useless to the commercial world except the public service when there is little competition from foreigners. And more shitting on the heads of daft Sinkies.
NIE director Lee Sing Kong said, ‘the achievements of Singaporean students have been noticed internationally. “There must be something right in the way our teachers are prepared.”’
He is right and wrong at the same time. What is the point of our students being good academically but cannot be translated to skills that are in demand in the industries? Even in Singapore, they are only good as civil servants. In the commercial world, they are at best good at middle management level. Even at that level they are being replaced by foreigners from third world countries. The CEO jobs are unlikely positions for the products of the Singapore system. I think we would be better in producing unthinking robots.
And our people have an international reputation of being daft. And that is probably the main reason why so many foreign talents are here to help them and the country to grow and progress. Maybe the Singapore education is only good at producing students with good academic results but dysfunctional at work. All plain daft, good on paper but cannot perform.
The more I think about it, the more silly the situation is. Products of the best and very expensive education system, with the best facilities, but useless to the commercial world except the public service when there is little competition from foreigners. And more shitting on the heads of daft Sinkies.
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