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10/22/2012
Looking at Sin 10 years down the road
The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is coming up with a more serious discussion on the future of Sin, in year 2012. This is something that is worth looking at instead of conning youth to talk about graciousness and kindness. Issues like kinder society are much nicer to discuss than influx of foreigners, high cost of living, high property prices.
The IPS studies, headed by Gillian Koh and a team of professionals will be looking at 3 scenarios. 1. A pro business govt focusing on economic growth and ensuring better paying jobs for Singaporeans. 2. A govt formed by a splinter group of the PAP providing cheap and heavily subsidized healthcare, education and housing. 3. A weak coalition govt running a country whose citizens have little trust in it but where there is high venture capitalism and much community driven effort.
These are the possibilities in the near future. I thought a better topic would be to look at the realities today and the problems that will surface when the world financial system goes into a tail spin. The case is like a pro foreigner govt that provides good jobs to foreigners and losing the confidence and support of the people and is bundled out in the next GE. A new coalition govt is formed with many inexperienced politicians taking the helm and with the people taking a big gamble to place hope on a completely new team. No ex PAP or splintered PAP group will do as the distrust in the PAP is so total that anyone associated with the PAP will not be favoured by the people.
How would such a scenario play out in 5 years time? This is a more immediate problem, very likely and deserve more attention than something in 10 years or 20 years or in 100 years in the future. When the crisis can happen any time, there is no luxury to look beyond but to tackle the immediate problems. Forget about once upon a time. It is now, the moment has come to look seriously at immediate problems and issues. Funny that people rather ignore them and wanting them to be sweep under the carpet and to spend them gazing at the crystal ball of yore when they will be history.
Needless to say, an exercise to show how Singapore needs PAP
ReplyDeleteWhat kindness we are talking about. My friend just recounted how uncaring Singaporeans are. She was at a traffic junction, an old man who sells tissue papers was walking across the traffic light. It was pouring with rain and he had no umbrella. He walked with great difficulty seemingly due to old age and poor health. The bag he carried looked heavy since all tissues had been soaked wet by this time. Several pedestrians with umbrella walked past him but no one looked and bothered to help him cross the road. When he finally reached the other end of the road he just dropped down and sat on the pavement and could move no more. A lady with a big umbrella was standing next to him but did not offer to share her umbrella nor asking him if he need help. My friend was concerned and decided to come out and help him. To do so, she turned on the hazzaed lights and moved slowly to the side. To her fraustration and disappointment, cars behind her started to honk as if they were so angry with such a move. Mind you it was on a weekend. While she was helping him, no one stopped to offer assistant, not even offering an umbrella as shelter.
ReplyDeleteMy friend sent him to his HDB bock under the curious eyes of passerby but with no offer of help. The old man was ok but was trembling because of chill. Knowing that his source of imcome would have been ruined, my friend gave him some money on the pretext of asking him to see adoctor. We all know, that is out of the question. Many poor citizens could not afford see doctor. To them this is a luxury rather than necessity. He needs the money to buy daily essential like food.
Something is very wrong with our system. Where is our compassion? Where is our value for older folks? Do we just dump them because they are no more economically viable? Talk so much about GDP growth, but do they look at those who fell through the cracks?
Before we even talk about gracious society, help these people first. I do not expect government to give them luxury but decency as a human and self pride. It would be sad if our old are looked down by all the foreign talents who justcome here to suck up our wealth.
Sinkies learn compassion and graciousness from our Millionaire Ministers.
ReplyDelete"What do you want? 3 meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?"
Vivian Bala, former MCYS Millionaire.
In response to a question about whether $260/month in welfare support to needy families was too little?
The same Millionaire Minister who very generously paid for a Canadian volunteer's heart surgery at NUH with Singapore taxpayers money.
I have no issues with being generous with our foreign visitors.
But why are the Millionaires-In-White so mean and nasty to the daft Sinkie taxpayers who pay their salaries?
Why wasn't the Canadian told by our govt, like they often tell Singaporeans, that he is financially responsible for his own health and sickness BEFORE he arrive in Singapore to be a YOG volunteer?
In 10 years time, Sinland will still be here.
ReplyDeleteHowever, will You still be around to see what's happening or had happenef?
Be whether 10 years or 20 years down the road, I can only use one word to describe our society, which is "vulnerable". We are really vulnerable....
ReplyDeleteThe Rot started about 20 years ago and started to pick steam about 10 years ago.
ReplyDeleteSo, Can Gillian please us what we SINKIES will be by the next year, if she is so smart and talents as not to know the past 20 years.
She shud just shut her mouth and suck candies.
When Gillian Koh can understand this Thread and the Comments here, she will realize that her many years as a policy researcher are all fit for the drain.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Jim Roger will be Sinky president. A taste of own medicine. Haha.
ReplyDeleteLife's lesson: Don't expect anyone to give a shit about you or your life.
ReplyDeleteWhy should they? Who the fuck are you?
You better have CAPITAL, and the sooner you start accumulating it, the better for you in 5, 10, 20 years time.
The world is full of debt, that I suspect most of the figures are UNDERSTATED.
Sooner or later that debt will have to be paid or defaulted on. In either case, that big sucking sound of money escaping will manifest into a mad grab for funds -- i.e. institutions and governments will be coming after any money they can get their hands on. That means YOU.
So you better have CAPITAL. And a well-trained brain to protect yourself and your kin, by careful planning and the ability to think quickly and come up with new plans to suit the situation.
Got crystal ball or steel balls?