Yushui Village in Lijiang, Yunnan, with snow mountain backdrop and cascading waterfalls.
1/23/2013
When the govt starts to throw money…
The latest babies and families $2b package is another of the govt’s way to throw money at the people. This is not a bad thing and the people welcome it. What I think the govt should take heed is that before they start to throw money, please be reminded that the money is from the people, it comes from the people. And if not enough, the govt will introduce more direct or indirect taxes on the people. The people will ultimately foot the bill and some will benefit some will not, some will benefit more and some less. What the govt should also be mindful is who the money is given to.
The unequal distribution of the country’s wealth could become unacceptable and a big problem when some recipients are deemed as undeserving of the handouts or should not benefit fully from such programmes. What some Sinkies have in mind are the direct beneficiaries of such govt schemes especially when they are new citizens. Giving new citizens equal rights and opportunities as a citizen is not an issue per se. What is troubling citizens is the throwing of money from the public coffers to new citizens. There are many schemes, from housing to education and medicare when being a citizen could mean a lot of savings and may even lead to a lot of instant monetary gains.
New citizens receive immediate monetary profits in housing when they are eligible ot buy direct from HDB while some Sinkies are not even allowed to, in education fee subsidies, in subsidies for public hospitals, educational opportunities etc etc. Should new citizens be entitled to such monetary rewards almost immediately when they become a citizen? A new citizen could reap hundreds or tens of thousands of dollars by simply becoming a citizen and scoot off when it is time to trade in the profits.
The latest $2b package would likewise benefit the new citizens most. Should new citizens qualify for such monetary or money equivalent benefits like all citizens? Should not there be a qualifying period to phase in govt benefits and subsidies for new citizens? Could there be a gradation of benefits in relations to how long a new citizen has been here? Why should new citizens be eligible or be entitled to financial reward when they have not done much in this island?
What do you think?
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23 comments:
Is this proof that PAP is only interested in helping rich people?
"Rich get $8.2b procreation tax benefits vs $2b procreation benefits?"
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2013/01/rich-get-8-2b-procreation-tax-benefits-vs-2b-procreation-benefits/
Perhaps Singapore's astronomically-paid political leaders should take heed of Obama's 2003 Inaugural Address:
For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it.
Me and my wife are PMETs. Done my NS but cannot buy HDB. Fuck the govt!
Hope every year got by election. This way, government will start throwing out more benefits each round. Ha! What a bull.
Vote PAP if you want your property price to go higher.
I think PAP has given up on sinkie. They knew that they could not count on sinkie's support to stay in power.The hordes of new citizens could help PAP remain in power. So why should PAP deny new citizens of rights demanded by RB?
The new citizens are here not because the country need them but the PAP need them to stay in power!
If the Leaders of a 50 year old Regime over 750 square km Island need foreigners' guidance to administer, it will be better to outsource to retired political leaders of other countries. There are many in US, China, Japan, even Hongkong and Macau etc. Many have proven their integrities and abilities.
Many of these Leaders were running nations millions times the size of Sg and in populations. Almost all were paid peanuts compare to our Rulers.
Suggested arrangement is cost effective and will benefit all Sinkies as it will prevent nepotism and cronyism. This is because THESE OFFICE HOLDERS WILL BE EMPLOYED AS STATE ADMINISTRATORS and NOT RULERS. If they fail to deliver, they can be terminated.
Yes, Patriot, that is what I was thinking of. Pay me S$3 million a year as PM, I outsourced the job to Obama and pay him US$1 million (which is way above what he's getting now) and I still have some pocket change left over.
Did I say "Change"?
I think the new rule that takes effect immediately which gives greater chance to 1st time applicant of HDB new flat with children under 16 would benefit the new citizens most. In the meantime, they will be given rental flat also. Many young family will apply to be new citizens.
Hi The:
Eversince much of our works were outsourced to aliens and me likes to add here that much national assets were sold to foreigners, many Sinkies like us have floated the Idea of outsourcing the Management of the State. It will be more efficient and cleaner.
Saving $2 millions is not the Issue; saving the People from suffering from nepotism and cronyism is what matters.
Sg in my view is just a cosmopolitian city, there is no statehood or nation to talk about. And it will never be a nation in my view. So, if an alien manage a city, Sg can do away with national defence as well. It shall just merge with the surroundings and be run as a business centre.
As it is, our Rulers run the State like a business hub(Singapore Inc) and yet want us to protect their(Rulers) business interests and help them more money. What about our wellbeing? What have they done and are doing for us other than squeezing us?
Can Sinkies see?
patriot
'....help them more money' should read '.....help them MAKE more money'.
My apology.
patriot
I think new qualified citizens deserve every penny to replace locals who blame the govt for everything.
Either shape up or ship out.
Local citizens must either shape up or ship out. Really, the locals have been shaping up but being forced to ship out. The other option is to ship out the people that are making them to ship out.
I totally support this. Anything to keep the riff-raff from spoiling the awesome show going on in Hotel Singapore.
Got sperm?
what i worry is when the opposition party finally took over the gov, only empty shells are left for them. I think a lot of monies are moving out of the country to some safe havens.
Very possible
Rb, join me to campaign for wp ? deal?
"Local citizens must either shape up or ship out. Really, the locals have been shaping up but being forced to ship out. The other option is to ship out the people that are making them to ship out"
Then you are taking the easy solution out and killing the country. So called "Patriots".
The Duty of patriots is actually to remove all that harm the people and the land lah.
Simple as that.
Hi anon 10:17, vote for WP ah!
@anon 101:
Agreed. In my experience the "new arrivals" are far more grateful and reasonable.
The loser-locals you speak of don't just blame the govt for everything, they want the govt to FIX everything...even thing that cannot be fixed...like the limited supply of land in Singapore which causes the price of property to rocket, on the back of sychronised global money printing and near-zero interest rates.
Patriots? Where got patriots? Yo want to talk "patriots" now...when it has been decades already that the to state salaries are sky-high, the class of ruling elites has grown and their influence multiplied by several orders of magnitude.
"The price of freedom is CONSTANT vigilance". That means TRUE patriots would have started the fight LONG AGO, and continued.
"To be", as an identity, is to take constant, goal-directed action and achieved MEASURABLE results along the way.
Patriots?
WHAT THE FUCK goal-directed actions, with measurable results, have these so-called "patriots" been taking? Where is the ground swell of support. You think mere words written on a forum, or rants at a kopitiam after a few Tiger's and Guinesses qualifies you as a "patriot"? BULSHIT. No action, no credibility, no exceptions.
** I'm not taking a swipe at the blogger named "patriot". I'm taking issue with the fact that it is a NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT that Singaporeans, in general are PASSIVE. Wow-wee, they can talk, they read widely, they can engage on the internet....but when it comes to having the rubber meet the road in the REAL PHYSICAL WORLD...pure impotence.
If your cock isn't throbbing and hard as a steel pipe, you ain't gonna fuck anything. No amount of talking or story-telling is ever going to replace the dynamic of hard cock meeting lubed [insert name of preferred orifice -- in male, female or your favourite animal].
Got action? Got viagra for the brain? Got sheer will?
What? Don't have. Well then thee is very little choice, and the future will be my prediction come true:
Matilah Singapura!!
Matilah Singapura is damn right man. The greedy selfish sinkies have been going along with the policy makers like bedfellows for decades. Many still are.
Policy makers invariably want to enjoy the best and the most their powers will get them. Everywhere it is the same, why should Sin Leaders be any different? History has shown that even leaders of resource rich countries stashed tons of money outside the lands they ruled. They did not see the stupidity of those money turned into white elephants.
The amount of money Marcos(Philippines), Suharto and some Middle East Dictators liked Gadaffi could and should have been used to develop and or help their citizens to live better. Instead, they were wasted away kept in foreign banks. They dont understand or realize their sin as rulers.
Then there are the folks that benefit from their proximity with the rulers. The close relationship with the rulers blinds them to the improprieties of their rulers. Some may even sing praises of them for selfish reason.
Btw, patriots need not bang against brick walls or go on hunger strike to prove themselves. So long as they do not become accomplice or tool of the abusers, it is good enough. And it is better if they can help to clean and or help to clean up the unclean in the society, that will be very good.
Just like Matilah Singapura.
patriot
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