This was taken inside the Kai Yuan Temple in Quanzhou during my recent trip to China. The girls were tourists visiting the city.
12/10/2012
The flutter is turning into a storm
Some thought after the repatriation of 29 strikers, charging a few in courts and the jailing of the leader, the story will come to a natural end. Zero tolerance, nip the problem in the bud, take a tough stand, kill the chicken to frighten the monkeys, easier said than done. A couple of imitation or sympathy strikes had followed. More grievances are surfacing.
The political parties that were in a slumber have risen. Some found it no longer acceptable to remain reticent. Everyone wants to have a say, to be heard. Not doing anything or not saying anything is no longer an option. The biggest opposition party, the WP, has taken a tougher stand with more deliberate comments on the welfare of workers.
The ministers are also chipping in to the latest Natcon. This SMRT drivers strike is taking on a life of its own, overshadowing and silencing whatever was the agenda in the Natcon. Bus fares must go up. Expectations of drivers are higher. Need to attract more Sinkies to be drivers. But there must be a cap. Cheap, better and faster will no longer be cheap anymore.
Professor Lim Chong Yah is smiling. They need to find money to pay the bottom feeders. The ideal choice is to get other bottom feeders to foot the bill. But it seems that the other bottom feeders have gotten the message and already jumped the gun by saying no, they are not going to be the one to pay. They are asking the shareholders, the directors, the top management, to pay for any increases. Is this not what Lim Chong Yah has been suggesting?
Accepting polices without question is the thing of the past. Sinkies have woken. Motherhood statements are no more acceptable.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite dissapointing to note that many men of the Establisment keep getting accolades for some suggestions which they should have rightly and timely made long before the problems were created.
ReplyDeleteThe lucky thing is there are at least as much intellectuals able to read deeper into the 'Wayang'.
Hopefully, those reading the Men Of The Establishment, can read these folks deeper. They are changing direction with the Flow just to keep their reputations. There is nothing noble about their suggestions. AFTER ALL, THEY WERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR HANDS HEAVILY IN POLICY IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR DECADES.
SMRT strike is poetic justice, and it could be the catalyst to take down PAP. Its seems to be as some divine work. LKY win the election in 1959 due to 1955 Hock Lee Bus riot that trouble maker PAP instigate.
ReplyDeleteFrom 1955 to 1959 is 4 years. On 2012, the SMRT bus driver strike. 2012 to 2012 its around 3 years. This is really a striking coincidence. Chinese believe in Karma, I think in 2016 PAP could have lost.
During the 50s, people are complaining that civil service are too well paid. PAP cut civil service salary immediately after they got power.
History repeat. Now people are complaining that civil service is too well paid.
On 1959, PAP took power from Labour Front, a party formed by David Marhsall. Today, Workers Party, another baby of David Marshall is the biggest opposition in Singapore.
In Chinese numerology, 60 years is a cycle. We call it 甲子. Every 60 years, will be a new era. From 1959 to now or 2016, we have almost reach 60 years. I think we are already seeing the dawn of new era. Then, the dreams of Fajar generation, Barison Socialist is going to take root in Singapore. We will have no one to masturbate our constitution. We will have equality. Our sick and poor will be taken care of. We will have democracy. We will be free.
The only obstacle to our happiness today is LKY and son. What is surprising to me is that LKY and LHL simply still do not know how much they are loath by people.
"Accepting polices without question is the thing of the past."
ReplyDeleteI hope the above is true.
It'd be even better if "voting PAP without question is a thing of the past."
It is just fxxking ridiculous for two million commuters to bear the costs of a couple thousand bus drivers salary increase.
ReplyDeleteNow they say they want more Singapore citizens as bus drivers,apparently trying to appease the commuters that they are are looking after their citizens.This is real crap.
The question is Are the transport operators paying a "living wage"
to the citizens.
With the internet, we now dont have to depend on Shity Times for local news . If the government continue to play "Wayang Kulit" with the sinkies, we can see through them. A good examle is on the strikes by SMRT foreign bus divers followed by lone or mini strikes. Our Ministers are paid top dollars and , of course, it is only right the sinkies will evaluate their decions and performance whether it meet the standard expected of them. Now they open their eyes on foreigners and revert to encouraging sinkies to be bus drivers. I heard that FT paid professionals to write their CV and when hired they do not meet up to expectations. So all the government call for continuation of getting FT will help Spore to grow . Is this a fact or a myth??
ReplyDeleteSMRT should take a look at its top rung of management. Is SMRT top heavy? Is there a need for so many directors and snr management staff? What value do they provide? Only and only if they clean-up their own shit would they have the moral rights to ask for fare rise. Don't forget, the people has pumped in $1.1 Billions and there is not even a word of thanks. We are not expecting discount but at least do not screw us by increasing fare, one month after you get the funding!
ReplyDeleteIf SMRT and SBS Transit cannot control their cost, then it is time to call a public tender for new operators who can control cost and are more efficient. In the tender, the gahmen can stipulate all the terms and conditions such as hiring only Singaporeans as bus captain, no increase in fares etc.
ReplyDeleteIt is a joke that gahmen gives $1.1 billion to these companies rather than call a public tender for new operators to run our buses and trains. It is like throwing stones into the ocean and contribute to higher salary to management and more dividends to shareholders. It is legally taking taxpayers' money but unjustly distributing it to selected people.
If they can pay a director $80k, sure they can pay the drivers a few dollars more.
ReplyDeleteIt is not just the questioning of policies that will become the new normal in Singapore. The day has come to not accept all the blame (being daft, complacent, not hard striving, simply not good enough, etc.) for bad policies. And place responsibility and accountability where they really are.
ReplyDeletefaber
Lest you think the PAP is going to take the blame, think again.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Lim is going to be the scapegoat for sure for tossing up the short therapy idea, if resentment follows large transport fare increases.
Well, the PAP must have seized on the good fortune because firstly, nothing pleases the lower income group than big salary increases. Secondly, the PAP and NTUC will get all the credit if it turns out the shock therapy is well received. Thirdly, higher salary means more CPF contributions, which also mean more money for investing by GIC and Temasek.
In a word, everything is going according to plan.
Or is it?
QUOTE:
ReplyDelete"It is a joke that gahmen gives $1.1 billion to these companies rather than call a public tender for new operators to run our buses and trains."
Fully agree.
With a $1.1 billion govt. subsidy, any bus operator anywhere in the world will be happy to participate in an open tender.
Seriously.
How difficult is it to run a train and bus company in one of the smallest countries in the world?
- Where the car population is rigidly controlled.
- Where 90% of the property is controlled by the govt.
- Where 60% of the population will blindly vote for the ruling party.
- where pay for senior management is never a problem
- with no barriers to entry to hiring foreigners
- where the govt. gives you $1.1 billion to buy buses.
- and all the costs can be passed to the commuters
Seriously. How difficult is it?
Unless you are hopelessly incompetent.
There is no check and balance here. Things are going out of hands. Wake up everyone!
ReplyDeleteThat is what they are afraid of - people waking up. If Singaporeans start to wake up they must thank the China workers for cleaning their foggy lenses.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, we owe our standard of living to PAP. We are not ungrateful but PAP cannot take it for granted and starts to abuse our trust. It is not too late to repent. Wake up PAP. Shake away the dead wood and leaves. Let the tree re-grow without weeds around it. Your MPs and Grassroot Leaders have serious leadership problems.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1.49
ReplyDeleteSince when have they taken any blame for the poor policies? They can continue to do so. But, the blame can be put to them. Are you even not prepared to do this?
faber
Agree. The blame must fall on those who keep voting for them. We can continue to blame them, but 60% seems to forgive and forget each time the PAP throws $$$ at them.
ReplyDeleteI think most Sinkies screws are loose.
ReplyDeleteKeep harping for incomes to be raised when the PROBLEM LIES N THE EVER ESCALATING COST OF LIVINGS.
Give You another 20% more in pay, then raise costs of everything by 20.5% and You will be poorer for ir.
The Solution is to arrest the rising costs of essential goods and services.
That is correct. Escalating cost and salary are ingredients for a collapse of a country. When costs go through the roof, nobody (the new comers) will be able to own house/cars. Civil unrest will surface. If wages go too high, MNCs will pull out leaving the economy in a shock. Either is no good for Singapore.
ReplyDeleteDon't think the PAP does not know. What is the biggest expenditure of every household? It is housing or shop rental. Other cost pale in comparison, but they have no way to bring down housing cost without serious consequences. They can only wait for the bubble to burst and blame it on someone or something other than their policies of assisting in building the property bubble.
ReplyDeleteI will not be surprised that the middle income group will be the one to pay for any increase in wages for low income group. the rich will still be richer under pap.
ReplyDeleteAnon 3.39
ReplyDeletePlease refer to my earlier post at 11.53.
faber
Too much wayang.
ReplyDeleteWhen it dies down the following will be observe to occur:
1. Fares will increase
2. Shareholders will be happy their dividends are not affected
3. Top management are happy their bonuses are not affected
3. Drivers are happy because they'd get more pay and better conditions.
...4. The world will move on, like it doesn't give a flying shit...which it doesn't, and never will.
Singapore will continue to be an awesome rocking HOTEL.
I agree with Matilah on his views. There is nothing to stop them from increasing the bus fares and there is nothing much sinkies can do except they have the freedom to complain to their hearts content.
ReplyDeleteSingapore policy has moved towards moneyism, the more I make the better and for CEO less pay means unable to maintain their quality of life style, lah.
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