7/27/2012
Inviting and importing new and complex problems
‘The times are changing, the population is changing, the expectations are changing. Singapore’s society is now more diverse and complex now that new citizens from India hail from many regions of the sub-continent,’ Lee Hsien Loong
Hsien Loong spoke to the Indian community on how to integrate the India Indians from northern India into our society. Their presence, and the presence of China Chinese and others, are making our country more diverse and more complex, and definitely with more complex problems. Do we need these problems in the first place? Do we need so many foreigners to raise our economic growth data?
Economic growth, plus inflation, and higher cost of living, congestion and competition for goods and services if not accompanied by real income growth, is making life more difficult and inconvenient, and costly of course, to many Singaporeans. If the income growth does not exceed all the cost of inflation it is as good as downgrading, taking a pay cut.
The housing problem is just a specific issue of what bad policies can lead to. And it is localised, hurting some Sinkies most. The influx of foreigners and high population will impact everyone except for the top end of the population who could pay their way out.
Do we want more congestion, more complex problems, more irritations and tension, higher cost of living, more stress on emotions, on services and infrastructure and systems? Have the people send the message to the govt that they do not want a higher population of foreigners, like the message they sent on high property prices? The full impact of such a policy will not be felt so soon till they multiply and compounded into a problem of multiple proportion. Our roads will not be enough, our housing will not be enough, our supply of energy and water will not be enough, nuclear looks so inviting and necessary, everything will not be enough. We will not only be drinking urine, but shit water as well. That is what a bigger population will bring us, bigger and more complex problems.
The govt is asking the people for the answers. At the bottom, the addiction to population growth for economic growth seems to be the only answer and there is no other solution. Growth by population growth is a self destruct formula whether applied to a single country or to the world as a whole. Rapid growth through population growth is malignant growth, cancerous growth.
Stop the influx of the foreigners and stop the problem from growing. No need to scratch the head to ask for more solutions, how to better integrate them. When they are not here, time and resources can be put to better use, and no unwanted problems. The pace of growth could be slower with comparatively slower inflation. What is needed is real growth through productivity.
The same problem of high growth and quick death is best seen in the banking industry when slower and smaller growth is not enough as every turkey at the top demands to be paid in tens or hundreds of millions. And the only way to feed their insatiable appetite is through gambling and frauds. Sustainable and slower real growth is the only way forward, with lower expectations at the top.
Do not gamble with population growth like the banking industry gambling with derivatives and frauds. As the economy matures, slower and more sustainable growth is only natural and the way to go.
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23 comments:
If don't benefit the population what is the point of growth?
"China and India: different trajectories"
Bylee kuan yew
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/premium/editorial-opinion/opinion/china-and-india-different-trajectories
"Immigration statistics revealed by the Government for the first time showed that, between 2007 and last year, the majority of those granted citizenship and permanent residence were not economically active - with the number of dependents outstripping working individuals."
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120727-0000051/Many-new-PRs,-citizens-young,-well-qualified
"Anonymous said...
So you Happy Like Bird lah.
July 26, 2012 11:41 PM", unquote
Me brought the Above Comment here, just in case it was made in response to me at 'White Mice Syndrome getting worst'(worse), an earlier posting in My Singapore News.
Dear Anon, if You put the Comment to me, I would like You to know that I feel sad, disappointed and hopeless with our Incumbent Rulers.
Me was born in a poor farming family, so very poor that the flooring of our firewood constructed house was bare earth. No electricity and no water supply, it was fine with us, including our neighbours.
I had four other siblings; except for me, the rest never went beyond primary education. Me too dropped out at secondary four.
Though we were financially poor, we had plenty of foods, foods that your money will not be able to buy nowadays.
We had meats; duck, chicken, pork, turkey, we had fish that were alive and jumping from the sea. We had fruits ripen on the trees. And we also depended on them for a meagre income, for all were sold at fraction of the prices today. The kids of my elder siblings were all taken care of by parents, grandparents and siblings of their parents. They were never in the care of non-family members. We served our elders their meals all the time. Those good old days were under the British Rule.
Then we got resettled.
Together with my spouse with a monthly income of less than a thousand dollars, we had raised three children to adulthood. We bought a four room flat of about 900 sq ft at Bedok South for $18.5Ks.
Today, my children are middle income professionals. My grandchildre are sent to Infant Care followed by Childcare. They fell sick so frequently, it makes me feel sorry for them. Their parents are working late into the early morning and frequently have to travel on oversea assignments, upgrading and attend meetings etc.
Okay, they do not have to live in squatters and own cars, however, their children and themselves almost have all their meals outside their homes. They have little time with their own children. Oh yes, they do use branded stuff, they have more than we did in the old days. BUT, they do not have much free time and are always in a rush. Instead of happiness, I see stress and pressure in them.
The First 40 years of my living and that of others were filled with camaraderies at home, at the workplace, at almost everywhere. The care and share were natural, no campaign needed. Healthcare and education were almost totally free.
Over the Last two decades, I begin to worry for my old age. My Camel Brand Cigarette have went over 11 times in price and is still rising. The 10 cent coffee and tea have gone up as much and the four room flat that me bought before have gone up twenty times and more. What's more is that inflation, unheard of before the 80s or too insignificant to mention, is at over 4%.
Do You understand the pain that our local rulers have brought upon us with no remedy in sight?
patriot
If Singaporeans can celebrate National Day like the way the people in the video we have indeed become a country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDqkvrbNF5E&sns=em
PAP has failed the country. The old cannot retire, families are slaves to debts (expensive homes), school leavers cannot find jobs, older workers get replaced by cheap foreigners. Degree holders driving taxi. How to celebrate?
"If don't benefit the population what is the point of growth?"
When will you 60% finally get it?
It's got nothing to do with benefiting the population (Singaporeans).
And everything to do with meeting their KPIs so as to get another big fat pay increment.
Ahem. Righteous, selfless and self sacrificing leaders always do things for the good of the people. Their own interest is always last. They never think of their own bonuses or big fat pay.
Precisely. Unfortunately it does not seems our MiW leaders are anywhere close.
Could you have misunderstood.
Growth was the excuse used by MiW to justify the mad immigration policy. The scholar who came up with this policy should have a chat with dr fones with wong and imh ambulance on standby.
But the growth does not necessary benefit local born Singaporeans. Look at the state of singapore now.
Should we continue to give the "perceived mandate" to PAP to do anything they like? Perceived because half the population did not vote for PAP.
60% of your friends and relatives voted for the Pro Alien Party.
You really need to have a serious talk with them about their life choices.
The price of high economic growth and dilution of our national identity due to the influx of foreigners is obviously not worth it. We do not benefit directly instead leading to more social problems and costs of living. Now the govt wants feedback from the citizens after the mess they created.
MM Lee is the expert on
characterics of different tribes in Asia,I am quite sure that it is not his fault.So whose fault is it that the government brings in so many different type of tribes almost at the same time?like Chinese from different provinces,Indians from different states and castes?
By then actually ex-President Ong did advise MM Lee that the Chinese from Shantung province were better than those in Suzhou,I remember.
National Day becomes less meaningful these days. I have decided not to watch. Boring and irrelevant since our boys do not really know who they are defending. Even they think they know, they will soon find out their jobs are likely to be given to FT rather than NS boys. Too bad.
This is not your grandfather's island. Don't mess it up for the citizens. Ask their permission before doing silly things to destroy the island.
Don't pretend to be deaf frogs.
Every citizen who has served his NS must be given priority to buy a HDB flat for his sacrifice to defend this country.
Why sell flats to new citizens when your own citizens who served NS to defend this country cannot buy one!
F...king idiots!
Thats why I will not watch the parade this time round. Just fed up.
I don't think the PAP knows that the people are fed up. They will still win the GE comes 2016.
The only negativity comes from the social media which is really a small minority. All is well.
PR also need homes right? Currently they can buy and sell HDB flats on the market to or from any locals or some other PR.
Suggest PR can only buy from locals and can only sell back to locals. I believe this will help to bring down prices for the benefit of younger local born Singaporeans who are starting family.
But the minority can turn into Tsunami. Think about it, even PAP die hard fans are affected by the failed policies.
The wonderful government equates GDP growth with social benefit. More growth, better outcomes.
Besides being vacuous, it's also a lie because the amount of GDP that goes to workers is far less than in other countries. Like Switzerland.
Also, check out the movie called "Four Horsemen" ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1671513/plotsummary ). It explains why the current system is screwed and by whom.
Who benefitted from the good GDP numbers like 15% growth? The workers?
This is not your grandfather's island.
Ask the people if they want so many foreigners to be here to share their inheritance.
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