11/02/2013

The rich knows no bound



Come November 4 ERP gantries will have their fees raised from $5 to $6 a pass. That is two bowls of noodles or two plates of char kway teow. To the rich, it is cheap cheap cheap. To the not so rich, it is arrrgggh. Every pass is so painful.

But this is necessary as these roads are now clogged, like the drains and canals during a flash flood. You want progress, this is what you should expect and be paying. How high will the fees go up when we have 6.9m people here?

Did you ask for it, do you have a choice? No the choice has been made for you. You should be grateful that such tough decisions are made for you. It must have hurt those people deeply for having to make this decision. They must have sleepless nights and nightmares after voting for it in Parliament.
But they will feel good and their conscience is clear. They are doing it for the good of the people, yes, for the good of you and me.

Please say thank you. And thank God that it is not $10 a pass already. This is progress. Only with progress, with a growing GDP can the motorists pay this kind of gantry fees. Count your blessing that we can afford it and the charges are so affordable.

57 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe even after the ERP fee increase, 60% will still be happy and satisfied.

And don't forget, majority Sinkies, and I am also one, do not own cars or even take taxis often, tio bo?

So ERP increase affect them or not, you tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

That's why PAP is smart and knows what to increase and also not affect majority Sinkies lah.

If they are blur, how can they still obtain at least 60% votes every election for nearly 50 years, you tell me lah?

Anonymous said...

PAP knows they can increase a lot of fees and yet 60% will still vote for them in a GE simply because the strongest opposition is not ready to be govt.

It's that simple. Or else to vote opposition is as good as voting for me because I, just like RB, is not even ready to be in politics, let alone get elected.

Anonymous said...

Fook the 60.1%. They brought it upon themselves by voting for bloodsuckers. Let them be sucked dry until they wake up !

Anonymous said...

Smart Sinkies will just simply try to make even more money to cover for the fee increase. And under PAP, it is very possible and much, much easier to do this than to fight PAP.

Anonymous said...

"How high will the fees go up when we have 6.9m people here?"

Uncle Chua, which figure are you actually using - 6.90 or 6.99 ?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

One dollar increase make so much noise. Please lah, one buck is just a coin, which will barely buy you a kopi these days.

Please click for redbean's kopi, so he can use that buck to pay the govt ERP gantry.

One a lighter note, I wish I had a system of revenue like the ERP -- wah piangz -- cannot lose money one man, only make money...more and more. This is a dream business/ revenue model:

No risk. No competition. No advertising or marketing costs, totally electronic--very little labour cost, 100% monopoly.

Damn jealous ;-)

Anonymous said...

Tiok, tiok. BTW, can you afford the $6 pass? Oh sorry to ask, did you earn enough to afford owning a car?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I am looking at $100 a pass. $69 is the next target for planning purposes when pop is 6.9m.

And buying kopi for me is so much cheaper. Matilah just did the clever thing.

Thanks mate.

Anonymous said...

ERP increases affect businesses and they will no doubt pass on the cost to consumers. Ultimately the poor will suffer the most.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@941:

You don't need to own a car for the govt to tekan your wallet for ERP. I dun own a car in Singapore, but I take cabs most of the time, so I kena ERP.

Put it this way, even if you don't have a driving license, you will at some stage kena ERP.

Like I said, fantastic revenue model!

It is like as if a bandit was controlling the roads. He collects toll from travelers. "Stand and Deliver!"

Anonymous said...

ERP increases affect businesses and they will no doubt pass on the cost to consumers.
9:56 am

Agreed, but as a part of overall cost of business, maybe only a small part lah. Only those who can barely afford cars and yet still own one will be hit very, very hard.

Anonymous said...

No car doesn't mean you can escape spiralling inflation. Didn't you hear that taxi fares are also going up ? Soon, bus fares and train fares will also go up. Thanks to the 60%, our balls will be squeezed again. Sarbo Kings you buggers !

Anonymous said...

"Only those who can barely afford cars and yet still own one will be hit very, very hard."
Anon 10:17 am

Agreed. And maybe these are also the majority of car owners! And if the PAP can succeed in making them give up driving, then a lot of cars will be taken off the roads!

So this strategy of PAP is indeed very brilliant, assuming of course majority of car owners can barely afford cars.

Anonymous said...

And maybe these are also the majority of car owners!
10.24 am

And maybe also part or even majority of the 40% who did not vote PAP last election.

If so, can increase ERP, no problem for PAP.

Anonymous said...

Rb, it would not be a surprise drivers need to "beg" authority increase top up amount of cash card to few thousand dollars. Why?

Tracking asset runaway prices trajectory past 23 years, it is obvious they are eyeing for the first mile stone of double digit Erp gantry fees asap. It could be breached before mid 2014 to end 2014 but looks likely the sooner date the merrier for some.

Once $10 gantry fees is reached, the next likely resistance level to breach is $50/=. So you tell me lah, a current cash card top up of $100 can last how long? Isn't it the norm soon that drivers need top up at least $500 to a few thousand dollars just to drive on gantry installed roads for a week or so?

For the foreign billionaires staying in SinkieLand, that is a scratch to their back that is so faint they can't feel it. For the locals, every beep sound under an Erp gantry could be equivalent a small test tube of blood drawn. Those low in blood count better not drive past Erp gantries. Otherwise, each road trip out could be worst than sleeping with Dragula for a night.

Long live PAP government.

Long live the strongest of the strong man.

You have created such a wonderful modern invention.

Electronic DRAGULAS and LEECHES.

Simply more powerful than God's creations and inventions.

Anonymous said...

So depriving the people from car ownership is a good thing, a better quality of life?

We have no problem with people owning cars when our population was smaller. Which fool keeps insisting that the population must be bigger to better our lives, with no cars?

FOOK THEM! said...

These ERP gantries collect "fees" usually during the day.

Is it correct to term it daylight robbery? Metaphorically speaking of course.

The logic is this. If you pay for something, you would expect an advantage or benefit in return not? But if you pay this "daylight robbery" and traffic is still crawling because there are just too many cars in spite of and despite this brilliant idea thought out by a much hated politician who is now just a plain MP, what other term can you describe it? The closest I can think of is "daylight robbery:!

No country in the world dares to implement this hare brain scheme. That's how brilliant it is. It's laughable, glaringly avaricious, inflationary and makes owning a car that much more difficult, for the average Joe that is. For Ferrari wheeler dealers, crooked bankers, slimy cronies, over paid politicians, greedy million dollar doctors, cock sucking lawyers et al, it's just less than pennies.

Fook them!

oldhorse42 said...

One minister paid only $8 for an expensive by-pass heart surgery. And we were expected to pay $6 for passing the gantry?

Doesn't seem right.

Anonymous said...

Minister also pay $6 ERP. But what is $6 to him is what 60 cents is to you, if your salary is at least 10 times less than his.

Anonymous said...

"But what is $6 to him is what 60 cents is to you, if your salary is at least 10 times less than his."
Anon 1:32 pm

Tio. That's why smart Sinkies will try to make more money. The more money they can make, the less expensive they will feel about the $6 ERP.

This is easier and better than to fight and replace PAP.

Anonymous said...

At the rate things are going, maybe Sinkies need to be at least millionaires to be happy and satisfied.

Anonymous said...

This is one of the main reasons why ministers must not be allowed to earn so many times the salary of ordinary people. Currently they are earning at least 100 times more, some 200 times more.

Their tips to the waiter or bell boy is more than some people's one day pay. How could they feel or empathise with the plight of the people. When they said they do, tell thim go and ...jump into the jamban hole.

Anonymous said...

RB: // But they will feel good and their conscience is clear. //


Frankly, many have totally lost confidence and trust in these self serving, selfish, useless bunch of idiots.

These 23 years since 1990 when this Mr Lau Goa Peanut took over had been totally wasted.

Many, many people, even arguably, in the words of former FM Georgie during 2011 GE Aljunied GRC last election rally, including former PAP supporters are totally disenchanted with the present leeders. It is hard, very hard for anyone with his heart in the right place to support this government.

Anonymous said...

RB: // Come November 4 ERP gantries will have their fees raised from $5 to $6 a pass. That is two bowls of noodles or two plates of char kway teow. To the rich, it is cheap cheap cheap. To the not so rich, it is arrrgggh. Every pass is so painful. //


Every increase but totally useless towards soling the underlying problem only means one thing: their end is near, very, very near.

Every single beep is under the gantry is another reminder every single day to drivers to remember deep down in their sub-conscience that this self serving, utterly selfish and ineffective ruling government only cares for its own well being.

Whatever said for whatever good of the common folks with a straight face are just plain lies which only devils are capable of doing.

Anonymous said...

* typo "soling" should be "solving"

Anonymous said...

* typo " Every single beep is under the gantry"

should be

" Every single beep under the gantry "

Anonymous said...

RB: // Did you ask for it, do you have a choice? //

Even hawker centre market neighbourhood aunties know that every time they give a F-CKING sweet and candy bar, it means they are coming to suck blood after elections. Even 3 years old probably also know. So, will it still work next time? Who is more daft?

Anonymous said...

RB: // It must have hurt those people deeply for having to make this decision. //

Obviously, likewise, when the African Nile River hungry starving very 饿 crocodiles gobble down its prey and victim, it also hurts them so much they shed tears for their victims.

Anonymous said...

RB: // They must have sleepless nights and nightmares after voting for it in Parliament. //


So much so likely many Sinkies wish all these heartless evil hypocrites forever stay asleep and never to wake up.

Anonymous said...

RB: // Please say thank you. //

Honestly, didn't you mean "FARK YOU"?

Anonymous said...

RB: // Count your blessing that we can afford it and the charges are so affordable. //

The blessing shall be reciprocated at the ballot box by "crossing them out" via the alternative box(es).

Anonymous said...

RB: // And thank God that it is not $10 a pass already. //

RB, think you getting old and having dementia liao lo!

It is not $10. It is ONLY $8/=

Albeit for a very expensive pass, to be exact a very expensive heart by-pass surgery.

Put Obapacare to shame liao.

CowMamaCare so much more affordable. Only 8 lollars heart by pass surgery.

Obapa should ask mentor second CowMama to Amarica to revamp their health care.

Such a "waste" of a "top notch Cow Talent" confined to a "fish ball size" island state which one cannot see on even a big world map.

Anonymous said...

So road congested, ERP fees increase to $6.
I know! I know!
Roads get flooded.
PAP Ministers salaries get reduced to $600,000.

Anonymous said...

Good! ERP fees go up again. I want to see more protest votes in GE 2016.

Anonymous said...

Wah! I have to pay to keep the roads free of congestion.
But is it working or not?
I have to pay millions to keep politicians honest and capable.
But is it working or not?

How about I vote you out if the roads are congested?
How about I vote you out if Minister is not capable?

Why not use results to determine which political party we should vote for?
Instead of paying a lot of money and still not getting the results that we want.

Virgo49 said...

Hi Anon @9.26

If you take taxi, you also have to pay the ERP charges if you happened to go in at that time.

So still affect us.

b said...

This island has the smartest slave master. Increase the population and viola, everything can automatically increase. The rich will feel little pain, the poor can only swallow their tears. Life still has to go on.

Anonymous said...

RB: // This is progress. Only with progress, with a growing GDP can the motorists pay this kind of gantry fees. //


An estimate back of the hand calculation for those staying in the North and East Areas motorists would likely indicate that now on average, ERP fees per day for a morning peak hour trip are in the ballpark of S$10 to S$15 depending on individuals' specific journey.

Including another 30 to 50% of morning peak hours charges in the evening peak hour and the total per day is roughly $13 to $20 per day for 22 days of a month. Roughly that would be $260 to $420 per month on ERP charges alone per morning and evening trips only, not including other additional trips into the city areas such as Saturday, non-peak hours period , night time etc.

The picture one would get, given the known root causes of the spirally out of control transportation and housing costs, is that more and more voters in the East and North would likely turn against the ruling party in the next GE at the ballot box.

Assuming it is a case of economics of scarcity, choice and opportunity costs, it probably implies the ruling party going down this line of policies is likely to forsake some parliamentary seats for ultimate control of power.

Assuming above situation holds true in reality, what does it imply?

Some seats in the North and East areas would be "sacrificed" if necessary to put policies in place and yet retain power.

So, a "god sent golden" chance has come for opposition to grab a substantial number of seats in the future GEs and it only makes sense if they step up to the plate and seize the opportunities.

Likely marginal GRCs in the North and East are Nee Soon, Moulmein-Kallang, East Coast, Marine Parade and even Pasir Ris Punggol.

Comparatively, it should be far easier for opposition to recruit candidates than the ruling party.

Since tide of history cannot be controlled as can be seen in the past thousand of years, opposition and opposition inclined citizens might as well give this historical development a shot.

所谓时势造英雄, 自古以来都是不变的道理。

The world belongs to those who dare and flow with the tide of time and history.

It has been the case after WWII when many former colonies kicked out the imperialists and gained self rule and independence. This time it is likely to be another water shed moment. No man has proven able to alter the tide due to the revolution and evolution of nature and the will of heaven.

Time will tell.

For opposition members and supporters, be optimistic and continue to work on whatever is necessary.

For their opposite counterparts, be prepared for the worst, at least mentally.

Anonymous said...

Ford road has the highest paid entry, $6, the rich man's area, should not be a problem for them, but having 4 new ones on AYE, bummer, open the gates, loads of people in, money in, screw the in fighting, screw the sinkies, wtf, so what, all their freaking chidren goes to school overseas, get into goggle as an apprentice, creating more freaking elites.

Their careers are secured, their future map out, the lead has all been taken, you stupids can just share the crumbs, work harder and longer, the modren slave masters. The untouchables, hail Singapore.

Kaki

Anonymous said...

RB: // But this is necessary as these roads are now clogged, like the drains and canals during a flash flood. You want progress, this is what you should expect and be paying. //


UNCLE! ARE YOU SURE?

Got difference meh?

You just go view the live highway traffic on smart phone apps or internet every morning and evening on PIE, ECP, CTE, AYE, BKE, etc etc.

Maybe now going into year end holiday season so traffic congestion might ease a bit but come in less than 2 months time after Christmas and New Year in Jan 2014 onwards, good luck to your new year ahead!

Yet again it may not be the case this year and mostly may stay in town because many people, their relatives, friends, colleagues are already badly "injured" by the recent "financial market fiasco". Many financially otherwise healthy families are now in the brink of a very gloomy year end festive seasons and new year ahead.

It would not be surprising many expenses had been cut reluctantly and brutally. Many potential and new broken families yet again ahead.

This year festive mood and new year ahead in 2014 are likely to be subdued for many affected families, their close kins, friends etc etc.

It may be marginally offset by a small bang year end bonus for public servants given the somewhat more bullish economic figures for the overall 2013 performance.

At least over past weeks, the mood on the ground seemed quite muted and subdued as compared to the first 9 months of this year. Something is not quite right. Hopefully, the above assessment is wrong due to eyes "paste stamp", "pak jiao" and ears "deaf like frogs and toads".

Looks like the super talents have more reasons for more consumer stimulative spending measures ahead, first of all starting with a bigger year end bonus for public servants this year compared with 2012.

Either way, given the "awful mixed of policies thus far, damned they do, damned they don't.

Nobody but they had painted themselves into this corner. This may be the wishful outcome when over reliant on foreign manpower. Foreign they are but talent majority are not. Mostly are here to “骗吃骗喝” via disproportionate big bucks and obscene benefits. Someone need to foot the bills. Unfortunately, it is likely to fall on Sinkies again.




Anonymous said...

no problems at all

grumble .... grumble ....growl

BUT SOON THIS WILL BE A NON EVENT FOR DRIVERS IN THIS CUNTRY

BUT ..... this increases will be the excuse for raising the fares for buses and mrt; WHO WILL SUFFER MOST?

oops ... MRT need to pay ERP charges??

imagine, with a 10 cents increase per trip, how many man-hours years to compute the additional profit??

how many trips will an average person make a day?

the top mgt will be rubbing their hands in anticipation

knnccb

Anonymous said...

By raising the ERP charges the roads would be freer for a while. In most cases, after a while those we need to use the road would kwai kwai pay up and the roads will be back to normal, congested.

If not, then more foreigners would be let in to congest the roads and prob up the housing prices. Then another round of ERP hikes, then more foreigners.

The formula is so effective.

Anonymous said...

RB: How high will the fees go up when we have 6.9m people here?


It is always assumed that the new citizens and their off springs are doing well in SinkieLand.

In the first place, in many cases, the quality wasn't really there, probably fourth or worst rate "talent".

Thus, empirically, many of them are struggling under the high costs and stressful life style in almost anything in SinkieLand. It is a matter of time that they vote opposition, if not in the near future. There are many new citizens who are even more brazen and daring than natives in openly criticising the incompetencies of the super talents.

Anonymous said...

RB: No the choice has been made for you. You should be grateful that such tough decisions are made for you.



These tough decisions were long obsolete after the last 1st G stepped down between 1980 - 1984.

Where tough decisions were necessary in the early days, such in recent years no longer carry the same weight and logic.

Many in fact are not only highly unpopular, they are likely going to turn out to be totally disastrous policies. Time will tell,

Anonymous said...

ERP scheme has lost his purpose other than just a $ collection machine...The worst has yet to come...

Anonymous said...

ORIGINAL ERP - ELECTRONIC RD PRICING

NEW ERP- ELITIST ROGUE PROSTITUTES

Anonymous said...

With the new foreign $$$ greedy mercenaries mental mindset, everything and anything of the slightest, remotest monetary milking purpose is turned into one huge money sucking machine that knows no limits and boundaries. By 2030 which is only 17 years away and many Sinkies still likely around to witness the most horrendous horror policies, ERP would have long surpassed $10 per gantry and some approaching $100. $50 gantry ERP fees likely would be the norm. Welcome to the exceptional global city of the future. Anyone who drives out his cars must be true millionaires. Each trip out means few hundred lollars ERP fees.

Anonymous said...

With these type of policies, SinkiLand is no longer livable for ordinary Sinkies. Only big change can bring some hope. With asset inflation far outstriping real wage growth by many times last 23 years, all hopes and aspirations for social mobility are as good as gone. What you are entitled after years of slogging are sardine packed mrt trains and expensive but pigeon hole size flats in the sky 100 storeys high or 50 storeys underground. Is it heaven or hell, you tell me lar?

Anonymous said...

RB and generation still have chance to retire in golden years with millions and children with high paying jobs. Younger generation only hope and aspiration in life now is to go binge drinking every weekend, get so high and drunk and the night does not end without getting totally knocked out by excessive alcohol. That can only happen when total lost of hope is felt deep down by the younger generation and their deep hatred for parents who had voted in such mercenary garment all these years. The Oldies cant expect much when they die when what is in the younger generation's heart is disgust, disdain and hatred for the type of system they helped created. Superficially they pretend respectful. In their hearts, what do you they are feeling? Rb and generation has created a monster out to devour and the younger generation just have no hope and no way out no matter how hard they try. No? What other hope they have except drinking every weekend to drown their sorrows in such a warped system. No way are they going to settle down and have children when their generation already have no hope for the future. No wonder the dragon lady died such a tormenting death. Heaven's fury knows no boundary. The worst heaven's punishments for those responsible for this mess and sufferings are yet to come. Time will resolve everything, including devils in human form. They will be put into the right place they belong.

Anonymous said...

Frankly, in their hearts and growing years, many generation x and y hated their parents generation and the oldies in the midst. This is the REAL HARD TRUTH in SinkieLand

Anonymous said...

The pre war generation and baby boomer generation have voted and created this system all these years. The x, y and even z millennium generations are helpless in changing this system for the better. Asked all the generation x ministers in the cabinet? What can they do to change the system? Most of the time, they are only there to take instructions for decisions long made and just to be Yes Man and Woman only. This is yet another unsaid Hard Truth among the peasants. For many thinking generation x, why even bother to join politics? This is yet another Hard Truth on the ground. Why go pick the shit left behind by the daft and selfish older generation and oldies? Why even get married and have children? For those who went ahead, how many of generation x and even y don't REGRET DEEP in their HEARTS? The pre war and baby generation boomer generations should be ashamed of having no foresight and built a system that really offers no real future nor hope for an aspiring younger generation. Even all these scholarships frankly are bs as shown by many breaking bonds half way or scholars turned opposition politicians. There are still many in the system for the dirty high filthy pay and Hard Truthfully nothing else. For having build such a system that the younger generation despised and looked down on, what had the oldies, the pre war and baby boomer generation built for post independence Sinkiepore that the younger generation can cherish and build upon? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! It is a system in medical lingua in the stage 4 cancer. It is a system with no conviction waiting to collapse big time! Who is so daft to go in pick shit created and voted by oldies who are now enjoying the exponentially inflated property prices and leaving the shit down the road for gen x, y and z millennium to pick up. What do they have to be thankful for? Oldies, remember, this is the system you have BUILT for the future and younger generation! Who is going to pick up the shit after YOU have ENJOYED the FRUITS and gone? Earlier generations grew trees so that future generations can take shelter. THIS OLDIES GEN has built a system that is going to collapse on the future generation. Frankly, ask yourself what have YOU OLDIES built that is going to save the ASSES of the younger generation in time to come? It is just a system of endless ERPs, COEs, BTOs, GSTs, CPFs, 4 Ms - Medisave, Medishield, Medifund and coming Medishield Life. Yes, not forgetting the totally time wasting, talent wasting, education wasting, career wasting forgettable NS, ICT, IPPT, RT and what not! ASK what have your OLDIES generation created for the future generation? Utter failure! Total failure! When YOU are gone, gen x, y and z are going to write the HISTORY!!!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Now you know why some people are demanding to be paid $200k a month! They have things like the ERPs and COEs and high property prices and high pension in mind.

What is $6 a pass of $50 a pass when you have that kind of pay?

The future is so beautiful, with 50 storey or 100 storey modern homes. Just be prepared that when the lifts are congested, you would have to pay ERPs to take peak time life up or down to and from your unit.

Anonymous said...

@ RB 9.35 am 3 Nov 2013:
" The future is so beautiful, with 50 storey or 100 storey modern homes. Just be prepared that when the lifts are congested, you would have to pay ERPs to take peak time life up or down to and from your unit. "


RB, they say older fox are more cunning! Old ginger are hotter!

WOW! What a great idea you have!

Since 50 storey flats are already here, why not write in to Ministar Cowbama in Ministary of Nehsional Leepalopment to implement it in the constituency of Tg Leegar in the project called Leennacle @ Luston. Install ERP scanner in lift lobbies, operational during peak hour. Like Arowana fishes, all residents need go surgery embed a chip in their body for identification and carry a cash card in their handbag/ wallet/ pocket. Those walked past without cash card will be sent a compound fine for passing lift ERP gantry without payment.

Wow!

What a GREAT EXCEPTIONAL GLOABLL CITY!

RB, your readers here nominate you for a Nobel All Weather All Terrain All Pretext Revenue Milking Prize!

Thank goodness Sinkies have such great talents in SinkieLand.

Any volunteer to write in to Ministar Cowbama about this great jampang shit idea? Pls Kee Chiu! Oh i see, pappies no chiu, kee kahs also can. Wow! So many pappies volunteer! No wonder foreign scholar said SinkieLand got more dogs than humans and one esteemed Ministar of Paleement jumped up like a dog in agreement.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Finally someone noticed my talent : )

Anonymous said...

Redbean and some older bloggers will tell you to read up on how good the first generation were. How much they care for the people hence making Redbean and his generation very successful. How can anyone blame Redbean & Co for their diehard loyalty and respect to the first generation leaders? The most powerful one from the first generation is the founder of PAP and he is still rever much by Redbean & Co generation. If he pass on, rest assure Redbean & Co will write eulogies fill with tear and reverrence. Sone may even deify and offer prayers to the father of Sin.

Anonymous said...

Everyone loves the little babies and children as little angels. They pampered them with gifts and goodies.

How would they know that many would grow up and turn into monsters that they would hate and curse themselves for all the tender loving care given to them?