1/30/2013
6.9m population – Would the Govt listen?
This is a queer question really. The Govt has been telling the people that it will listen to the people since the last GE. It even deprecated itself by calling the people as the masters and the Govt as the servants of the people. This means that the people should be telling the Govt what they want and what they want the Govt to do. And to make things look real, the Natcon is still in process where the Govt will talk and listen to the people. Now what is the purpose of talking to the people if the Govt does not listen to the people or listen but no need to register?
The Govt has come out with a White Paper detailing the whys and the needs for a 6.9m population. This Paper originates from the Govt and from its thinkers. And it seems that this is what the Govt has more or less decided, without consulting the people. Or maybe it is now going to consult the people. But would it listen to the people if the people decide otherwise, not to have 6.9m people by 2030? Would the Govt simply go ahead and implement the increase in population despite the protest and disapproval of the people? Has the Govt already unilaterally decided on this road and any discussion with the people is only cursory?
The Paper will be tabled in Parliament for discussion and a vote will be taken where 80 PAP MPs will likely to vote in favour of it. Technically the MPs represented the people. But what if the MP did not ask the views of the people and simply voted based on their own belief or party line? In such a case it is not representing the views of the people but the party. It is so easy for the MPs to have a dialogue with their constituents or in the Natcon and gather the views of the people that matter.
The increase in population is going to affect everyone in the island. Should there be a need to hold a referendum on this? Or would the Govt simply go ahead with it as it has decided and whether the people is for or against it nothing would change the Govt’s mind? A protest rally is being organised by Transitioning.Org in HongLim this Saturday against the 6.9m. How many people will attend to make their views heard?
Would the govt listen to the people and let the people decide on this critical issue? There are more than 3 million citizens. The Govt is actually the 80 odd politicians in Parliament and why should they decide a matter like this without wanting to get the approval of the people? The Govt is listening, the Govt is the servant of the people?
What do you think?
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32 comments:
Hi RedBean,
I quote from a interview by Asia1 with PM.
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130129-398531/3.html
"We lacked the 20/20 foresight and we will certainly try to do things better."
Certainly this isn't doing things better. Not when you really do not understand how majority of your own citizen(true Singaporean who is born here, grow up here, serve NS) is really having swiss expenses of living without the swiss standard.
Infact, I took a bus at 830pm last night, and the bus was crowded like a sardine can. Im starting to wonder if 830pm is peak hour or not.
Surely this Sunny Island is not ready for that kind of population.
We already seen what happen from 4.5mil to 5.5.... and i think anyone with common sense should already know the answer to this population.
Come parliament, 80 mps will vote for this and I really cannot imagine what will happen when 2030 arrives.
Agreed. This is a fundamental policy that had already changed the core of Singapore and will change it further beyond imagination.
1-2% increase in population a year from FTs is significant; we are talking about people not goods & services.
Personally, I will vote against this policy until the current population situation is managed well before we talk about more influx.
A good risk manager will not double up when the position he created has caused much pain and unintended adverse consequences to his people.
When you elected the Govt you elected a party of people to think for you and act in your best interest. It is not necessary to go back to the people for every issue- so say one minister in a dialogue session I attended. I really admired the old man who engineered and designed a parliamentary system that keeps his party in power and hold all the power over the citizen who just become inhabitants.
I do accept as true with all the ideas you've offered in your post. They are really convincing and can definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are very quick for newbies. Could you please lengthen them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
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Why not say 7M? Still want to bluff people by saying we only have 6+ million by 2030?
Last time PAP say 5 million. Now we are 5.3 million, they say 7 million. After that they will say 10 million...etc
I believe one reason why PAP needs to increase our population is to prevent an implode of ponzi CPF. Since CPF lost big time, they would need ever increasing people in contributing.
When they lacked foresight for a few years, where do they get the foresight for the coming 17 years to 2030?
And was Prof Tan Khee Giap not one of those consultants that the Government had got advices in the past decade or so? He got foresight or not? He spoke like he has the Future Of Sin in his hands. Just hope that he does not lead Singaporeans to despair and or man-made disaster.
patriot
I cannot sleep the whole night after reading the news. Can the people object and reject? How can this minority decide on behalf of the rest of the citizens! So helpless and really really angry.
No doubt there will be many people analysing the White Paper. Howevr, the kind of argumuent put forth by the PM is typically PAP. To persuade you that they are listening, they say that the past 30 years` increase was 3% annually. In future the rate of increase will be 1-2%. Therefore we are "caliberating" the increase(whatever that means).The real increase is 1-2% of the present population, not the increase over the original base figure.The increase is like compound interest, not simple interest.They seem to be able to get away with such gobbledegook everytime.Sad.
How abt a referendum/white paper on our government which lacks 20/20 vision? We are being sold out. Make a clear choice in 2016.
First, PM said the increase in population is to take advantage of the upswing in the economy.
The next day, he said it is the long-term plan to increase the population.
So, which is which? I am inclined to believe the latter, as stated in The Next Lap. Again, for optics reason, 6.9m sounds better than 7m - wow below 7 million. Just like selling an item at $1.99 - wow cheap, below $2. Managing expectations, my friends.
So, to cater for the aging population and tax burden, we have to import more people. What will happen in 2030, when those imported people also grow old? Another white paper to push the population to 9.9 million by 2050? And after 2050, what next? Ad nauseum.
As I said, no problem. Replace all the good class bungalows in District 9, 10 and 11 with HDB estates with 50-storey blocks, or even 100-storey blocks. Ditto with the golf courses and the offshore islands.
I think the government has just given the GE2016 mandate to the WP.
Bertha Henson's latest:
[The people and the Population White Paper]
"You know, I am wondering if Singapore will become a place where Singaporeans, here and elsewhere, will hold a strong emotional attachment to but, preferably, from a distance."
http://berthahenson.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/the-people-and-the-population-white-paper/
Dear RB
Would you set up a anti 7 million population group in facebook and put a perpetual link to it on your blog.
You have one of the highest readership in Singapore.
Red Bean,
When i read the news I was sad, angry and down right pissed off.
I have come to the conclusion that we must remove PAP from the govt and not just have a larger % of opposition.
This govt is just a big bully and even with 51% mandate, they will still push through.
Look at their body language in whatever they do ... so bloody arrogant
(this is the real feeling and am not just saying it to exaggerate)
Sinkies should and MUST BEAR IN MIND, that each time they go to the Poll(Election), they are there TO VOTE FOR RULERS.
NOT THERE TO PICK A SERVANT!.
Why Sinkies are so naive as to be conned into believing that their Rulers are at their beck and call is beyond me.
patriot
Enough said.
I wonder what is the view of the opposition party in Parliament ?
Do they AGREE or DISAGREE with govt? We all know it is easy to criticise, but what is the solution ?
The White Paper is going to be discussed soon. I will be watching.
/// I wonder who are the economists that advised the government on its new population white paper. I hope they can explain why they think that 6.9m is the best way to solve our future problems. ///
You are too naive.
A 6.9 million population is not to solve OUR problem.
It is to solve THEIR problem.
For our ruling elites, money is never enough.
Remember.
It's always about THEM and THEIR greater good.
Hi csh, welcome to the blog.
And Veritas, ok I will put up a poll for this purpose.
Cheers
Let me venture to list some possible hidden objectives of this white paper.
- to stick spurs into your hide
- to build up more reserves
- to satisfy the needs of big businesses, GLCs and MNCs
- to secure jobs for the boys
- to welcome and increase friendly voters
- to force and keep out unfriendly voters
Of course, the official objective is to secure future economic growth of Singapore.
Oops.....they have been doing all the above in the past 10 years.....
faber
Instead of wasting our time analyzing the white paper;
Spend your time convincing one of your friends or relatives (the 60% who voted PAP) to vote Opposition instead.
Your patriotic quota is just ONE conversion for the GE 2016.
Isn't this a more effective way of rescuing Singapore?
redbean:
>> This means that the people should be telling the Govt what they want and what they want the Govt to do. <
Epic fail. Govt gets voted in by the sheeple. Once a mandate has been established, the govt has to govern by established practices: for e.g. executive decisions, parliamentary process, the rule of law.
You don't run the motherfucken cuntree by immediately acting on angry, emotional expressions coming from an unruly mob of idiots who cannot tell the difference between their asshole and a hole in the ground.
Listening to the people... sure. "Obeying" their every whim...you have to be kidding man.
One picture comes to mind.
http://cod-democracy.blogspot.sg/2013/01/singapore-population-white-paper-2013.html
/// Matilah_Singapura said...
redbean:
>> This means that the people should be telling the Govt what they want and what they want the Govt to do. <
Epic fail. Govt gets voted in by the sheeple. Once a mandate has been established, the govt has to govern by established practices: for e.g. executive decisions, parliamentary process, the rule of law.
You don't run the motherfucken cuntree by immediately acting on angry, emotional expressions coming from an unruly mob of idiots who cannot tell the difference between their asshole and a hole in the ground.
Listening to the people... sure. "Obeying" their every whim...you have to be kidding man. ///
Aiyah - why so long-winded one.
Summarizing your verbiage - vote out the current government if you do not like what it is doing.
@The:
>> Summarizing your verbiage - vote out the current government if you do not like what it is doing.
No, that's not what I'm saying. You have misquoted and misrepresented me.
Now, let's try that again (I'll try to be brief)
1. Govt gets in, thus has a mandate to GOVERN
2. "Governing" means using established practices to manage the darn cuntree, so that the shit doesn't fall apart.
3. "Governing" does not mean giving in to every silly whim the fear-centered mobcracy conjures up.
@Nicole Tin:
>> http://cod-democracy.blogspot.sg/2013/01/singapore-population-white-paper-2013.html
Unworkable idea. You might as well bring in UMNO from across the causeway to act as "advisers".
This case makes Singaporeans the "bhumiputras" of this island. Already Singaporeans have an "entitlement mentality". Bring in the idea of "shared wealth" and you'll have a lazy bunch of ne'er-do-well voting themselves "free stuff" until the cuntree is completely broke. (or worse)
I want to thank the government for helping me to make up my mind early for ge2016.
Now, let's try that again (I'll try to be brief)
/// 1. Govt gets in, thus has a mandate to GOVERN
2. "Governing" means using established practices to manage the darn cuntree, so that the shit doesn't fall apart.
3. "Governing" does not mean giving in to every silly whim the fear-centered mobcracy conjures up.///
In other words, if you don't like what they are doing, vote them out. Which part you do not understand?
Red Bean, tabling anything in Parliament is cursory; wayang and for show.
Look at the recently release Marriage and Parenthood package. Was this tabled for discussion in Parliament? I am very sure that it has already been approved!
After all the discussion in Parliament, the usual answer is: "Lets work with this and review later"
"When they speak, dead frogs fall out from their mouths."
Under 50years of elite rule, pls ask yourself whether your kids or grandkids can
(1) afford that 99 years state own flat
(2) afford that car to bring family out
(3) have a job that will not be replaced by a foreigner with fake qualification. If you answer is no, then stop voting for the elite party.
The population game is like drugs addiction, once in it, it is difficult to stay clean.
Red bean, about 200 people will attend unless it is organized by the wp
@The
>>t. Which part you do not understand
The part where you imply (with a tone of certitude) that voting a/ the government out will actually change things in the way you want. Or just change things.
I really do not understand that idea. I know it's a popular idea. But it is more a BELIEF based on myth, I suspect.
'It is already very, very, very congested' said one madam on TV just now when asked on the 7-million population.
When Fish is going to Hong Lim, I think many more will go. Definitely more than 200 this time.
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