Obama the comedian and the Yakuza

There is a report in the media about Obama reviewing American policies and ‘vows to act against aggression’ a few days back. Obviously Obama did not know or is unaware that the Americans are the biggest aggressor in the world, or pretending not to know.  The Americans have been conducting aggression in many countries for decades unceasingly, engulfed in wars of aggression but hidden under the guise of defending the democracy and human rights. I can’t help calling him a joker.

Oh, actually Obama was talking about regional aggression and regional aggressor that needs to be checked, like China. International aggression and international aggressor like the Americans have no checkers and no one to check them. It is the right of the Americans to be an international aggressor and they can do it with impunity. Who can check the American aggression?

Obama also cautioned against the use of force. American aggression did not involve the use of force. They were always peaceful in nature, without destruction and loss of lives. When Obama cautioned against the use of force, he was referring to other aggressor countries. The Americans never use force in their aggressions against other countries. America always led by examples, and American influence is always stronger by such examples of not using force, like in Iraq, Libya, Iran, Afghanistan, in Vietnam, in Korea.

Obama let the cat out of the back when he said America ‘is moving away from direct military actions.’ So there you have it, the Americans have been involved with direct military actions all the while, use of force. All the talks about not using military force were lies.

Obama is a great comedian in the making. He can start a second career in Hollywood when his term as the President ends, as a comedian of course.

Yesterday, ‘Hagel said the United States took no position on the merits of rival territorial claims in the region, but added: "We firmly oppose any nation's use of intimidation, coercion, or the threat of force to assert these claims."  Hagel then threw his weight in support of greater military role for Japan in regional affairs. Japan is now unleashed as the top war dog of the American pivot and the Americans are expecting the East and South East Asian countries to join this invader of their countries against China. Some of these countries have forgotten what Japan did to them in WW2 and that their fate as colonies of Imperial Japan. The Japanese are reviving their imperial and military ambition to be the military power in the region. Asian countries that failed to learn from the evils of the Japanese past would have to pay dearly one day should they be ruled by the Japanese again.

Amy Khor the way to go

I can see where Amy Khor was coming from when she told Foo Mee Har that foreigners first in employment was a bad policy. She is a living example of how good it is to place foreigners first ahead of Sinkies when the foreigners are super talents. If we don’t have this policy we would not have the privilege and benefits of having her as a minister in Parliament. We would surely lose her to our competitor country and would therefore be disadvantaged. And the other foreigner turned Sinkie ministers and MPs are all living proofs of how good this policy is.

 Let’s take this policy a step further. In this competitive world, not having enough foreign talents is unacceptable as the foreign talents that we rejected would go to our neighbouring countries to compete against us. We have no choice. Then look at the good side, if all the world’s talents are here, even replacing most of the Sinkies that are less talented, Singapore will definitely benefit from their contributions to our economy and prosper.

Sinkies who have been displaced by these foreigners need not worry as there will be other jobs created for them. The finest choice is to be their own boss, as the infamous Sinkie taxi drivers. The rich and talented foreigners would be their customers to give them good tips for good services. And they can be very nice to their foreigner customers to show to the world that Sinkies are not xenophobic.

For those Sinkies that still could not find a decent job, they can look forward to workfare handouts by the govt. And for those who are more entrepreneurial, they can emigrate, sell their HDB flats and take out their CPF savings and live like a king in Batam, Bintang or JB. Johore is looking more attractive with the gargantuan Iskandar project. Sinkies can live there and work there. But with the withdrawal of their CPF and the selling of their flats, they don’t really need to work at all. They can retire there and no need to come back anymore.

Singapore will prosper with all the talented foreigners flooding into the island. Sinkies can go elsewhere if they are not good enough, not competitive enough, not talented enough. That is life. For the losers, what can you expect? You have to look after yourself or blame yourself. You have to be responsible to your own life. For the survival of Singapore as a prosperous city state, only the best are needed. If Sinkies are second best and cannot find a place here, just too bad. Singapore must be the best place to live for the best people in this world.

Sinkies that are not the best, please do not begrudge this practical policy of foreign talents first. Singapore must prosper as the best city for the rich and talented.

Kopi Level - Green

Matilah Singapura says CPF is a form of tax

Chuan Jin said CPF is your money. Matilah Singapura, one of my loudmouth extremely opinionated fans in mysingaporenews disagreed, and for many years had been scolding everyone for thinking or believing that the CPF money is their money and not a tax. So, who is right, the minister or Matilah Singapura?

If I believe in authority, I must agree that a minister must be right. How can a minister be wrong or be telling lies? And I must naturally disagree with an opinionated foul mouth blogger that he is wrong. A blogger simply has no credibility when put beside a minister.

Another way of deciding who is right is to draw up a list of criteria to give one an objective way of comparison. When the money is your money, the criteria to support such a conclusion are very straight forward. You can take the money anytime you like and put it into your pocket. You can buy anything you like, anytime you like without having to ask anyone for permission. Another simple test, you can hold the money in your hand to touch and enjoy the smell of money. This is definitely different from looking at a piece of paper saying you have so much money but cannot touch or see the money.

Let’s look at the money in the CPF that Chuan Jin is your money.

Can you take back your money anytime you like when you feel like it?

Can you spend on anything you like at your fancy?

Or can the person holding your money for safekeeping be allowed to spend your money without your consent or even force you to spend your money because he said so?

Can the person keeping your money decide when and how much to return to you?

KNN, looks like this foulmouth blogger called Matilah Singapura is right leh. The money is not your money when you can’t spend it as you like. But is it a tax like what Matilah Singapura called it? This one is a bit technical. Must ask a legally trained professional to explain. But such professionals are likely to say yes and no subject to this and that and you end up not knowing what they are saying. And so far none of them want to say anything. Maybe no one ask them or no one pays them to say something. Mahathir once said, fishing in Malaysia very easy. In Singapore, very difficult as the fish would not open their mouths.

So, is CPF your money?

Kopi Level - Green

Roy Ngerng needs your help

Hello everyone, thank you for your support and well-wishes. It has been an arduous two weeks. I am doing well so far.
 
Last Sunday, the Singapore prime minister issued a letter of demand to me for defamation. I have thus far acceded to the requests of the prime minister to remove several of the articles that I had written and a video that I made. I have also offered the Prime Minister my apology…
 
Raising Funds
 
My lawyer, M Ravi, will be leading a team in preparation for the hearing. As most of you know, he champions many Human Rights causes, most of which he undertakes without charge. However, he only has a small practice with finite resources. In view of the magnitude of the matter, the amount of resources required and the likelihood that it will last almost a year, I need to raise the legal fees required.
 
I expect the legal fees would amount to at least $70,000 and this would include:
• Filing fees
• Research
• Lawyer’s fees
 
If you would like to help me with this, you can make a deposit to the following accounts:
 
• POSB Savings Account Number: 130-23068-7 Name: Ngerng Yi Ling
 
Any amount will be much appreciated.
 
The actual amount of damages, which is separate from the legal fees I am trying to raise, will only be known after the court case is over.
 
Redbean: Roy needs your help, however small does not matter. It is a show of your moral support. And don’t forget to made a date with him at Hong Lim Park, 7 Jun at 4pm to hear him and Han Hui Hui speaking for your CPF savings.

MH370 – Time to press criminal charges

The Australians have wrapped up their search for the black boxes in the south India Ocean. After weeks of submarine mapping they have concluded that the black boxes were not there. The Americans too announced that the MH370 could not be there and added that the pings that misled all the countries that the aircraft could be in the Indian Ocean was hoax, man made sound that had nothing to do with the aircraft equipment. What about the other pings that all the expert analysis and commentaries about handshakes between the aircraft and the Immarsat satellite? Were they also man made?

How could so many govts and experts be made to believe that the aircraft crashed into the Indian Ocean and so much effort and valuable time and resources were wasted in a wild goose chase fabricated by someone or parties who deliberately produced or created fake evidences to point to that direction? Let’s revisit the sequence of events that led to this farcical and cruel theatrical event.

From the very beginning, someone had been trying very hard to direct the search parties towards the Indian Ocean by all means and all kinds of ruse. Mad pilot, suicidal pilot, terrorist pilot, dead pilot, all had one common destination, to fly the aircraft to the Indian Ocean. No one smelt a fish? These mad and unbelieveable fictions could be exposed quite easily by any inquisitive mind if not for a few other conjured findings and confirmations.

First we had the Immarsat satellite company coming up with their ‘pings’ recording and their ‘clever never been used’ Doppler Theory deduction to prove that the aircraft crashed in the Indian Ocean. Other than the Immarsat, no other agencies could offer more technical information on the MH370. The findings of the Immarsat company were endorsed by the Australian PM Abbott who confidently told Najib that that was where the aircraft was. And he was so convincing, as if he had inside information, that Najib believed his story wholly to even declaring the search was over and the passengers were as good as dead.

Now we have this revelation that everyone was being deceived. The aircraft was not there and could not be there and the pings were fabricated to lie. After nearly 3 months of the aircraft’s disappearance, there is no need to keep on with the pretence. Someone decided to tell the truth.

So, what’s next? It is about time that an inquiry be conducted to determine who started the hoax, were the Immarsat ping data also fabricated, who fixed the analysis of the ping data to lie that the aircraft was in the Indian Ocean, and who told Abbott of the location of the crash site? It is time to start arresting some of these evil bastards and burn them on the stake. The conspiracy to deceive the search effort is pretty obvious by now. And it looks like there is a big party of people or nations involved in this wicked scam. If found guilty, they must be punished severely as 274 lives were at stake.

Kopi Level - Green

Has Inderjit Singh submitted his resignation letter?

The lengthy letter by Inderjit on what he felt had gone wrong with the PAP and its policies was like him submitting his resignation letter to Hsien Loong. It was as good as saying ‘I disagree and you can do anything you want with me’.
 
Many readers are applauding the things highlighted in Inderjit’s letter and could feel that it was written from his heart. He just had it too much and could not hold back anymore. Yes, this is the first time an incumbent PAP MP is kpkb while still with the Govt, while still in Parliament. This is a clear break from the past when elites or ex PAP stalwarts would only talk after they have left the corridor of power.
 
How many PAP MPs or ministers out there are sharing the angst of Inderjit Singh and would want to do the same, or have the guts to say it while still an active member of the house? Would anyone feel excited enough, invigorated enough and encouraged by this act of Inderjit to say, ‘I agree with Inderjit and here is my resignation letter?’
 
For any MP or minister to take such a stand, it would demand a lot of courage and conviction to do the right thing, to go with the heart, to go against the head, or like Ngaim Dong Dow had said, go against the money.
 
Are we seeing the first breakaway? Are we seeing the first sign of rebellion in Fortress PAP? What Inderjit had done is unprecedented. It is like a public dress down. Anyone wanting to read what he said can go to this link, http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/05/27/mp-inderjit-singhs-critical-analysis-of-pap-govt/.

Kopi Level - Green

Low Thia Khiang turned into a tiger in a cul de sac

The whole weight of the PAP and the Prime Minister bore down on Low Thia Khiang in Parliament. Hsien Loong gave him a lashing in the most ‘constructive’ way after this term was made famous by Tony Tan in his Presidential Address. Hsien Loong could not make it any more constructive than what he did to Low Thia Khiang. This shaken Low’s confidence for a brief moment but he recomposed himself and stood there bravely to rebut everything Hsien Loong threw at him. He would not let any unwarranted remarks go unanswered and he took his time to rebut every one of them, not missing any.
 
Low Thia Khiang has shown his mettle expected of an opposition leader. He was not going to buckle under the spotlight. He held his ground and even Hsien Loong had to turn on a little smile on and off from his lecturing posture. Mind you, you had a Cambridge trained scholar speaking in his ‘mother tongue’ Queens English that he was most comfortable with and with a full vocabulary of choiced words in his finger tips. On the other side of the bench was a Chinese educated Nantah graduate, born and bred in Teochew and Mandarin but retorting in English, a language that was as good as alien to him. Low Thia Khiang not only spoke well and in good grammatically correct English, he fought back like a tiger. Imagine if the debate were to be conducted in Mandarin, the result would be quite different even though Hsien Loong is also a Mandarin speaker. Maybe next time Low Thia Khiang shall speak in Mandarin when taking on Hsien Loong (or anyone in Parliament) and let Hsien Loong have the choice to reply in English or Mandarin.
 
I think many who have glued to the TV to watch the drama would have stood up and gave him a standing ovation. Despite all the handicaps, underrepresented, 7 against 80, despite having to struggle with an alien language, despite having only limited resources, and in the face of a hostile and cynical dominant party whose candidates have occupied Parliament like their familiar living room, Low Thia Khiang stood tall, alone to face them. He did himself proud, did his party proud. And I am sure many of the PAP MPs must be quietly admiringly the way Low ‘articulated’ his positions without any fumble.
 
Many who watched the debate are giving Low Thia Khiang the nod as a worthy opposition leader in Parliament. His performance was a good example for his MPs to emulate and must have shown them that that’s the way to stand up against the hostile stares of intimidating opponents without having to give an inch, like a tiger. At least that was the impression Hsien Loong had of the WP leaders, turning into tigers and heroes. When your worthy opponents like the mighty PAP acknowledged your worthiness, you deserved it.

Kopi Level - Green

US PLANING PROXY WARS AGAINST CHINA

US , the Evil Empire planning proxy wars against China.

US, The Evil Empire in collusion with the Japs, Vietnam and the Pinoys are goading and luring China to war.
Why are all wars happening in Asia now. Why are there so many endless problems occuring in Asia . Who create these wars and these problems. Can the Asians think. Can they stop smoking opium and taking heroin and wake up from their drug

induced slumber. Can they see and realise why there are no wars in Europe and America. Europe and America are mainly white caucasians and they give each other mutual protection. Other than sporadic local squabbles they will not have big wars

happening at their doorsteps. Look at Ukrane and Crimea. The European countries and America try to ply away Ukrane from Russia. Their dirty plot backfired and when Russia took the upper hand and wrenched Crimea away from Ukrane what did the

Evil Empire and the European countries do. They watched with folded arms and made some useless noise. They didn;t want to be embroiled in a long drawn out war with Russia, a big country as powerful as America, In other words they fear the might

of Russia and they would rather sacrifice Ukrane than to have a war happening in Europe.

But Asia is different and it is non-European and non caucasian. Asia is big and endowed with vast resources like oil, gas and other minerals as well as rich agricultural resources. The Western powers have been exploiting these Asian countries for

centuries and have been milking away these rich Asian resources for free. To be able to continue to exploit Asia the western powers headed by US are resorting to evil means and other nefarious activities. Their most criminal act is to create suspicion

and distrust among Asian countries and finally leading them to war so that they can enrich themselves by selling and supplying the various warring factions with military arms. In the midst of these wars the Western powers would eventually take over

these countries and with that the endless rich resources.. Look at how the Evil Empire is having a monopoly of all the oil in the Middle-East. America is paying cheap for Arab oil but selling it to the world at many multiple times what it pays for the Arab

oil.

For about four hundred years Western colonial and imperial powers enjoyed unimpeded and uninteruppted hayday of aggression and conquest. Usually these aggressions and conquests were foloowed by mass killings and genocide of native

population.Thereafter they would have a free hand in imperial control of the colonies and in exploiting and extracting all their resources .After the Second World War the Western powers except US were forced to give independence to their

colonies.However before giving independence to these colonies they planted seeds of future suspicion , dissension and contention among the colonies with the intention of holding some form of ultimate influence over these ex-colonies. This can be

seen in the Arab Middle-East , India and Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, North and South Korea, China and Taiwan.

The Western powers headed by US, The Evil Empire is instigating and fomenting troubles all over Asia . Four hundred years ago when Europeans headed by England, France, Spain , Holland and Portugal set foot on America, they claimed they were

special and that their God had meant to reserve the rich lands in the New World for white men and their God had given them the heavenly right to genocide all the infidels, the natives of America. Now US , the Evil Empire claims exceptionalism and

arrogantly insists that no other country or countries should be allowed to rise up and be as rich and powerful as US , not to say trying to surpass in wealth and power over the Evil Empire. Further the Evil Empire arrogates to itself the right to determine

the destiny of all other countries. Thus with this insidious assumption US for the last seventy years since the end of the Secon World War has been interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, creating and fomenting troubles and wars all over

the world , mainly third world countries in Asia.

US, the Evil Empire by its own greed and endless wanton aggression through its creation of perpetual wars as a means to hold hegemony over all other countries has as a result bring financial catastrophy and bankruptcy to itself. However it is trying to

keep itself afloat through many evil and nefarious schemes to cheat and swindle not only their own people but also many countries throughout the world. It owes China and many other Asian countries huge debts to the tune of several trillion dollars.

US is now operating a fake economy and its money the 'dollar' is not back by gold or any resources. It has resorted to printing billions and billions of fiduciary notes as well as resorting to currency and financial manipulation including insidiously

manipulating and rigging both the American and the world stock markets. Their bankers work hand in gloves with their evil politicians and stock brokers to cheat and swindle the whole world

Now with such a huge debt of several trillions owing to China, the Evil Empire is trying to abscond with these debts through wars by using unsuspecting silly Asian countries to fight its proxy wars against China. It is encouraging , instigating and

supporting the vietnamese rats, the Pinoy vermins and the subhuman Japs to illegally lay claims on Chinese islands, shoals and seas. The Chinese have yet to settle their score against the Japs for their wanton atrocities committed against Chinese

people both in China and in South East Asia during the Second World War.

The Evil Empire has already created the preamble to a war with China and for that a preamble to Third World War has already been kindled. China and the Chinese people must realise that during the last one hundred fifty years the Western countries

and the Japs were able to attack and steal Chinese territories as well as humiliating the Chinese because the Chinese were weak militarily, financially and economically and also there was absolutely no unity among the Chinese. Having realised that

China must expedite building up a strong and powerful military which is second to none in both the army, navy , airforce and rocket and missile units . It must also build and sustain a rich and powerful economy both in the commercial and the military

domain.Thus a strong united and well armed China should have no fear in taking on the US, the Evil Empire, the Japs. the Vietnamese rats and the Pinoy vermins either singly or in their collusion. When a war is started and imposed against the Chinese,

it is the sacred  and paramount duty of all Chinese people wheerever they may be to rise up and support the mother country and to seek out and kill all Japs . Japan which had brutally killled and murdered more than a hundred million Chinese from 1885

to 1940s should be totally destroyed. Likewise the shameless Americans which is goading and luring China into war and is supporting the Japs , the Vietmins and the Pinoys to fight its proxy wars against China should also be annihilated too.

My family had suffered greatly from the Japs and I am hoping and longing for the day when I too can take revenge against the Japs.

SOUTHERNGLORY  1

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Table thumping constructive politics in Parliament

After watching the TV clip on the exchange between Hsien Loong and Low Thia Khiang last night I have so many things to write about. My problem now is how to write them constructively and not destructively. My bigger problem is trying to decipher what is being constructive and what is being destructive as I am quite blur after the exchange. Maybe after a few rounds of meditation my mind will be clearer. Or maybe I need not have to be bothered on those terms as they are meant for politicians in Parliament.
 
Let me touch on the less important aspects of the exchange instead of the serious stuff for the moment. Serious stuff involving policy matters must spend more time and effort on them. Rushing in to take pot shots or to make comments like bull arse flies may end up flip flopping, or is it shifting or changing of position, can’t figure out which is a more appropriate and right word to choose.
 
One thing to note is not to be too cynical or breathtakingly cynical. Matilah Singapura said my posts are corrosively cynical. Which is more powderful? I think Matilah was saying it as a form of compliment. Not sure if Hsien Loong was complimenting Low Thia Khiang for his cynicism in Parliament.
 
I think writing in blogs is not like in parliament and to be cynical is good in its own way. And no one would expect any blogger to follow up with recommendations and suggestions on policy changes. Not only bloggers did not have the resources, neither do they have the data and complete information on an issue. Without knowing the full details of a problem and without the resources available, surely cannot expect too much from bloggers right? What about opposition MPs, are they in a position to provide real solutions giving their limitations on resources as well? Are govt policies so simple that anyone can just offer solutions with their little knowledge on the issues or their own limitations in ability?
 
Oh, cynicism is a way of suggestions, can also be constructive too. As an example, would it be enough to say that the water in the longkang is deep enough for swimming, or ponding for the people paid to do the job to get rid of the problem? Or must one also tell the people paid to do the job how to clear the longkangs to be constructive? Often the solutions are obvious and one needs only to point out the problem, or to make a little cynical comment. And big problems often need big cynicism to achieve the same effect. And bigger problems may need breathtaking cynicism to jolt people from their sleep. And at times you may need corrosive cynicism when all else fails and the problem just get biggerer.
 
I am going to do more meditation to sort out the deep and challenging thoughts from the exchanges in Parliament. I am also going to meditate on what Hri Kumar said, ‘Singapore politics still free from cynicism.’ Obviously he has not heard of ‘breathtaking cynicism’. Matilah may whisper to him about corrosive cynicism.

Kopi Level - Green

Japan escalating tension in South China Sea

Japan has decided to send military patrol boats to join the Philippines and Vietnamese boats in their confrontation with China. This Japanese act is hostile as far as China is concerned, almost a declaration of war. It is Japan telling China that they would intervene and fight on the sides of the Pinoys and Vietnamese when they faced off with China at sea.

In such a scenario, with the Japanese sending their military boats into disputed waters that have nothing to do with them, China would be forced to lash out at the Japanese boats. The Japanese have no reason to be in the dispute and their presence is an act of war against China should they join the fray.

The Chinese leaders would have taken this Japanese offensive move in their calculation and the decision would have to be firm and decisive and military in nature.

Who says war is not imminent in the South China Sea? Once the Japanese patrol boats are in the South China, it is as good as war has started between Japan and China. Anyone going to say Japan is not provoking China?

Kopi Level - Green

Civil Society statement on racism and xenophobia

‘We, the undersigned, are alarmed by the recent surge of racism and xenophobia in Singapore. They threaten the human rights of all (especially migrants) and the health of our political conversation….We see the widespread use of racist, aggressive and militarised rhetoric on social media, as well as a trend of blaming foreigners for social ills. Ordinary people have been threatened in public spaces with nationalist and/or anti-foreigner language. …’

The above paragraphs were extracted from a statement by a group of non govt organistions and individuals on the growing intolerance of foreigners in Singapore. The organisations involved are: Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), Beyond the Border, Behind the Men, Function 8, Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), LeftWrite Center, MARUAH, Project X, Sayoni, Singapore, Anti-Death Penalty Campaign, Think Centre, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2),Workfair.

The individuals that put signed on this statement are: Fikri Alkhatib, Damien Chng, Ian Chong, Jean Chong, Chong Si Min, Kirsten Han, Farhan M. Idris, Godwin Koay, Lynn Lee, Siew Kum Hong, Constance Singam, Alvin Tan Cheong Kheng, Jolene Tan, Teng Qian Xi, Shelley Thio, Teo Soh Lung, Vincent Wijeysingha, Mark Wong De Yi, Wong Pei Chi, June Yang Yajun, Yap Ching Wi, Rachel Zeng.

These are high profile organisations and individuals coming together to put up a case against their perceived growing racism and xenophobia of Singaporeans. This comes shortly after a series of condemnation from the govt sectors, including politicians who branded Singaporeans as xenophobes for expressing their anger and unhappiness at foreigners, particularly the rich PMETs who have acted disparagingly and disgustingly against Singaporeans. There were little, almost negligible, anti foreign sentiments against the foreign workers whom Singaporeans acknowledged and welcomed to be here to do jobs that Sinkies have shunned, mostly manual and construction jobs.

The Singaporeans felt outraged, offended at this unfair branding of them as xenophobes as many did not see themselves that way. Their unfriendly comments against the foreigners were not xenophobic and never meant to be anti foreigners or racist but at the culprits that violated the sanctity of Singaporeans in Singapore. Some counter argued that the govt was trying to deflect the real issues of foreigners in the country and pass the buck to them, to brand them as racist, making them the focus of attention. Singaporeans were more angry with the govt’s policies to let in so many foreigners to swarm the island and making their lives not only uncomfortable but losing out competing for jobs, space and facilities and crowding in the trains. Do the Singaporeans have a right to air their anger and frustrations on the huge presence of foreigners? Has any Singaporeans went out of his way to confront foreigners, to beat or attack them like what had happened in xenophobic countries?

In fact, the rise in tension and anger in Singaporeans was more a reaction to the abuses, provocations, discriminations and taunting by the foreigners themselves. The foreigners brought it upon themselves. The rioting by foreign workers, attacking Singaporeans and the police, burning police cars, were taken in their strike by the Singaporeans without much acrimony. Singaporeans took it as a once off event due to a traffic accident. There was a total absence of outrage by the Singaporeans against the rioters and no Singaporeans went out to hammer or beat up any of the rioters as a result.

How can any Sinkie be so foolish to point the fingers at other Singaporeans for being xenophobic? Where is the xenophobia? The only sound or noise was in social media where some hot blooded young Singaporeans used as an outlet to air their frustration. Do these Sinkies who are accusing other Singaporeans of xenophobia know what xenophobia is all about?

Many Singaporeans have travelled widely and have lived abroad. Many have first hand experience of xenophobia themselves, personally, when they were attacked, abused, spitted at, called names, even beaten, just because of the colour of their skins. Have such things happened here in this paradise? Yes, absolutely! But the victims were mostly Sinkies and the xenophobes were the foreigners taking physical liberty at the daft Sinkies. Ask the taxi drivers how many have been beaten by foreigners? Remember who is Anton Casey? Remember the few angmoh cyclists threatening Sinkie drivers in the middle of the road like this is their grandfather’s country and the roads their grandfather’s roads? Or must Singaporeans apologised the Anton Casey who cursing and swearing at him for his bad racist behaviour? Or must Singaporeans apologise to the angmoh cyclists for blocking their ways?

Are those organisations and individuals signing the statements chastising Singaporeans as xenophobic and racists real? I think they are out of their mind.

More than 50% of the population in the island are foreigners. How many foreigners have been abused, insulted or attacked by Singaporeans for the colour of their skin or because they were foreigners? If there were any physical brawls involving foreigners and Singaporeans, the reason often than not were anything but xenophobia. The huge number of foreigners here and enjoying themselves is the best testimony that Singaporeans are insanely tolerant of foreigners. What are a few kpkb incidents by a few Singaporeans amount to but a hiccup or a yawn. Xenophobic and racist Singaporeans because of them? How foolish?

Sinkies are called daft not for no reason. And this joint statement about Singaporeans being anti foreigners and racists is a very good reason for it. Many Sinkies were booted or sacked from their jobs by foreigners so that the foreigners could replace the Sinkies with their own kind. No? Fiction, fabrication? These are true acts of racism and xenophobia against Singaporeans, not Singaporeans against foreigners.

Are these people crazy? I suggest they should admit themselves to Woodbridge and have their heads checked. Singaporeans are victims of xenophobia and racism in their own country.

Kopi Level - Green

Singaporeans First or Foreigners First

When Jee Say and his comrades announced the birth of a new party I was a bit uneasy. We don’t need more opposition parties but for opposition candidates to gel together as a united front. My misgivings were kind of softened when the name of the party was announced. It is called Singaporeans First Party. And I was quite agreeable with his manifesto that puts Singaporeans First. At least we have a political party that values and wants to protect the interests of Singaporeans.
 
Yesterday in Parliament when Foo Mee Har called for Singaporeans First in employment opportunities she was shot down by Amy Khor. Amy’s position is the same as the PAP/Govt. Cannot put Singaporeans first and lost out on foreign talents. If there are better foreign talents, just too bad if Singaporeans were passed over. It is a competitive world and we must fight for the best foreign talents. This is the same as ST’s Fernandez position, regardless of nationalities as long as they are talents. This position also presumes that the foreign talents hired are really better talents than Sinkies and not otherwise, not because they are of the same kind or clan.
 
Foo Mee Har ended having to qualify her position that all things being equal, or something like that, Singaporeans must be given first right of refusal. I like that.
 
Is Amy Khor’s foreign talents preference against Singaporeans First the policy position of PAP? If this is the case, then we will have two parties with two different priorities with respect to jobs for Singaporeans. Singaporeans First Party would put the hiring of Singaporeans First as a major policy. PAP will be talents regardless of nationalities. Am I right to make this conclusion?
 
Would the PAP care to clarify its position on this new development in Parliament? Was Amy Khor spelling out PAP’s policy on the hiring of talents?

Kopi Level - Green

Constructive Politics in Parliament

Last night’s news on Parliament was dominated by a new find in Puthucheary. He came across as the smartest MP in the house. He was on his feet many times, even his speech on healthcare was allowed extra time to expound on his wisdom. The ministers were in awe, mesmerized by his grasp on the issues facing healthcare. He seemed to have all the answers especially on what Gerald Giam had to say. And Gerald Giam was as good as saying nothing but sound bites.
 
Gerald Giam made two points which I thought were very pertinent and should be seriously considered by the MOH instead of being brushed off lightly by some wise cracks. The first point was the American private healthcare system. Gerald told the house that the American govt made it a law for excessive profits from health insurance to be ploughed back to reduce the premiums paid by the insured.
 
This point was hastily dismissed by Puthucheary with no second thought. It was a private insurance scheme and should not be used in our discussion on a public healthcare scheme. Why not? Be it private or public healthcare scheme, excessive profits must be moderated and best returned to the insured. Otherwise the insurance agencies would be raising higher and higher premiums to make more and more profits. I think this is a very important point for our govt and private insurers to take note of and to prevent premiums from running away.
 
The second point by Gerald, actually related to the first, is that the claims made in our public health insurance scheme came to 63% of premiums collected, ie giving a huge surplus of 37% to the insurers. The American private health insurance’s claim was 82% and the American govt was already finding the profit too high.
 
This point was again pooh-poohed by Puthucheary. What is wrong with collecting more premiums and more surplus? What? Who said that? Nothing wrong with collecting unnecessary higher premiums from the masses? Puthucheary’s logic was that there were too many unthinkables and contingencies that could happen and could raise the claims unexpectedly. It was good to have a big cushion of excess premiums. Ya, I know that too, let’s add another 20% to the premium.
 
This kind of thinking I can agree if I am prepared to worry about when the sun would not shine again or when the next epidemic will hit. We must have a lot of extras, a lot of fats, just in case. No wonder the CPF minimum sums keeps going higher and higher. No wonder the nation’s reserves for a rainy day must keep increasing, even if we have 20 trillions will not be enough. No wonder some ministers are saying their salaries are not enough.
 
It is okay to collect more premiums. It is okay to increase the minimum sums to $1m. Who can dispute against such logic? But who is paying? Whose pocket will be hurt?
What is wrong with collecting more money from the people?
 
I am worried when we have so clever people in the govt who wants to worry about everything under heaven, every unknown, and wanting to provide for them and make the people pay for their concerns. I know their hearts are good and in the right place.
Who is indulging in constructive politics and who is indulging in destructive politics?

Kopi Level - Green

Low Thia Khiang’s constructive politics

Low Thia Khiang tried to expand Tony Tan’s call on constructive politics in Parliament yesterday. He made many good points about what destructive politics was all about. What he said made very good sense to me. But to some it would come through like high falutins. And to those who believe that his descriptions of destructive politics are constructive politics, they would not bother one bit to listen to what he was saying. Some may call him idealistic and his version of constructive politics as an aspiration. Politics was not meant to be constructive.
 
Though Tony Tan aspires for politics to be more constructive in his Presidential Address, he could really mean what he said and want it to happen, but how many people would listen to him and actually make politics more constructive? Maybe those who have been indulging in destructive politics believe that they were really constructive.
 
From the tone and emotion of the voices in Parliament yesterday, Tony Tan may need to visit Parliament again to explain what he really meant or his definition of constructive politics. The expression on the faces told all, who were being constructive and who were being destructive. I don’t think the house understood what Tony said or what he wanted. The mood, as usual, exuded contempt and hostility.
 
Low Thia Khiang’s effort to talk about constructive politics is more like 对牛弹琴。

Kopi Level - Green

Salute China for standing up to the bullying by Vietnam and the Philippines

Vietnamese ships have been encircling the Chinese oil rig inside Chinese territory in the South China Sea to harass and ram the rig for several weeks. Chinese coast guards and fishing boats have been defending the oil rig and blocking the aggressive advances of the Vietnamese boats.
 
China finally lost its patience after weeks of persistence harassments by the Vietnamese boats. This also came after the killings of Chinese workers and the burning of Chinese factories in Vietnam. Yesterday, 26 May, one Vietnamese fishing boat attempted to break the Chinese defence line was rammed and sunk. The Vietnamese sailors were picked up by other Vietnamese boats in the area.
 
China has to act fast to stem the hostile actions of the Vietnamese. This sinking would also serve as a warning to the Pinoys that China meant business and would take on the Americans if provoked further. China would not yield in the presence of the American naval fleet and would go to war with the Americans if forced to.
 
China has no option and to remain defensive under such adverse provocations would be read as a sign of weakness and would embolden the Vietnamese and the Pinoys and the Americans as well.
 
The sinking of the Vietnamese fishing boat could lead to an escalation of tension in the South China Sea and even open warfare. China must be prepared for this scenario as the two pesky countries would be coming back more aggressively with the support of the Americans. The Americans would be pushing hard for the two belligerent countries to attack China and force China to retaliate. Like it or not, China would have to hit back as the Americans would not allow the Chinese in peace.
 
War is imminent in the South China Sea.

Jonathan Eyal and his western lens

Jonathan Eyal has been given a special place in the ST to expound his western views on Asian affairs and influencing the unthinking minds of his Asian readers. His position is always about American exceptionalism and that the Americans either has the right to continue kicking the asses of Asians or the Americans are so innocent, angelic, and would not do anything mischievous or slimy. The Americans don’t conduct spying activities.
 
His latest article, ‘US China cyber nefarious new face’, on the Americans charging 5 Chinese officials in China for cyberspying in American courts is like the Americans doing the right thing and the Chinese doing the wrong thing as usual. The Americans would not do such a thing, spying on foreign corporations to steal commercial secrets. Neither would Americans be spying on foreign leaders until it was exposed by Edward Snowden. Before the revelations by Snowden, Eyal would likely to swear that the Americans would not indulge in such a dastardly thing, to spy on foreign leaders, listening to their mobiles and private conversations, even the leaders of their allies.
 
This is what Eyal said, ‘While the Snowden revelations raise questions,… none has indicated the existence of a deliberate US programme targeting foreign corporations in order to steal their know how.’ Yeah, before Snowden, there was also no indication of the existence of deliberate US programme targeting foreign leaders too.
 
How old is this Eyal, 3 years old? He is so innocent. Maybe he should consider writing nursery rhymes or fairy tales where the prince will ride into the sunset to live happily ever after with his princess. The gullible Asians would love to read his fairy tales of precocious innocence.
 
Oh, in his concluding paragraph he warns China that the US would launch a cyber attack against China if China does not stop snooping on American corporations. The snooping around of American corporations was started by the Chinese. The nice and innocent Americans would not have started it. CIA stands for Children Intelligence Association and NSA stands for National Students Association.

Kopi Level - Green

Everything is improving

This is the message I got while watching the special programme on Parliament Reopens hosted by Sharon Tong. The panelists included Gerald Giam, Chan Chun Sing, Tan Su Shan and Zulkifli Baharuddin, the latter two, one an NMP and the other ex NMP, more or less agreed that everything was improving. And at the rate they were improving, things would get better by the next GE.
 
The first thing that was improving according to the panelists was property supply and prices. The supply problem has been taken care of after 77,000 units were offered by HDB in the last 2 or 3 years. So, from under building to ramping up building more flats, the shortages immediately improved. What a clever piece of decision making. I never thought it could be solved so easily. How come they never think of it in the first place? They must have found a genius to think of such an ingenious solution. Layman or common people would have great difficulties even trying to think about it.
 
And property prices are coming down by 0.6%! Very encouraging indeed. How much have property prices gone up in the last 10 years? 100%, 200% or 300%? Anyone got any idea? I think, without even looking at statistics, just gut feel, the prices of HDB flats bought direct from HDB and now available in the resale market are easily 2 or 3 times the original sales price. At 0.6% change, how many hundred years would be needed for the price to come down by 50% or 30%?
 
What else is improving? I saw a figure on the issue of Employment Pass. It went down from 80,000 to 40,000 last year. And employment of locals gone up from 40,000 to 80,000. What a miracle. And rightly, logically, by not issuing more EPs, the locals would naturally be employed to fill up the positions. Wait a minute, how many of the locals are citizens? Someohow I got this uneasy feeling that when they lumped everything under ‘locals’ the number of citizens cannot be too many. Just my gut feel. So, things are improving. Ho say leow.
 
Another area of improvement is the number of stoppages of trains. This has gone down from its peak. Since when were there so many incidents of train stoppages? When was the time when train stoppages were a rarity? Is it really improving? What is the reference point? Zero stoppages or high stoppages?
 
I think there was another point mentioned as improving. Oh, income gap is improving, I mean narrowing. Sure what, with the wages of cleaners increased from less than $1000 to $1000, the gap must have closed up a bit. One caveat for this to be true, the top earners must not be earning more, assuming that their income stagnates or not changing. Like that sure the income gap will be narrowing.
 
I must agree that things are getting rosier when the major bugbears are improving. I can’t disagree with the panelists. No wonder they all looked so happy, and so was the minister.

Kopi Level - Green

Roy Ngerng is not alone

The defamation suit against Roy Ngerng by Hsien Loong is not a case of Hsien Loong versus Roy Ngerng. It has taken on a national character. When it started it was like Goliath going to thump down David. And it was a non event as the ending was as good as history.
 
No one could envisage the outcry and ground swell in support of Roy Ngerng. The outpouring of support for Roy in the social media is only a tip of the iceberg. Many are opening up their Ovaltine tins and counting how much they have to donate to Roy’s legal fee. Some volunteered to donate their CPF savings to Roy. Some are calling for a public donation in the event of an expensive legal tussle in court.
 
This event is turning into the masses, comprising the CPF members affected on one side, and Hsien Loong on the other. Hsien Loong is looking like taking on the CPF members instead of Roy alone. The rallying cry in support of Roy is getting louder. There could be a bigger turnout in Hong Lim on 7 June than expected.
 
The Hong Lim Rally on CPF could be an indication of how strong is the ground and how strong the support for Roy. And there are many silent supporters not saying anything but fully behind Roy and waiting to donate money to Roy’s cause.
 
Roy is turning into a rallying point in this CPF saga. The people, and there are at least two million CPF holders, could be taking sides with Roy and turning this defamation lawsuit into a Battle Royale between the govt and the people. The event is just beginning to unfold and the trophy at stake is the CPF money.
 
Would this molehill turn into a mountain of grievances and an exploding volcano? Or would Hsien Loong take his winnings and walk away to close the chapter?
 
Fish could be singing in background. ‘Hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men….’

Kopi Level - Green

Chuan Jin – CPF is your money

It is good that Chuan Jin came out to try to clarify the issues of CPF money and why the Govt is devising all the schemes to help the CPF members. I am wondering how many people buy his logic and explanations and are satisfied by what Chuan Jin said, or is Chuan Jin thinking that he has done his job in clarifying the misconceptions or wrong perceptions by the CPF members.
 
There are two key principles involved in the CPF saving scheme. One is that the CPF savings are the people’s money, not the Govt’s money. Chuan Jin has clarified this point, that the money is the people’s money. So, would the Govt still think it can meddle with the people’s money as it deems fit, as if the money belongs to the Govt? On what moral ground does the Govt think would justify its actions? The people are stupid or would throw away their money in Batam? Is this a reasonable and acceptable explanation for the Govt to keep the people’s money from the people? The people cannot manage their money? The same logic applies to the people in Govt, even if they have hundreds of millions when they retired, can they handle their money and not squander it away?
 
The second point is about retirement. CPF savings should be returned to the owners when they retired. When retirement age was 55, the money was returned at 55. Now because people live longer, work longer and retire later, the retirement age has been raised, to 60, 62, 65 and so on. Why is it that not all the money was returned to the people when they retired?
 
The logic of people living longer is not a new phenomenon relative to their retirement age. When people were retiring at 55, many lived till their 70s or 80s or 90s. The money was returned and they had to manage them and their lives. Some would do it better some would not. No one was arrogant enough to play God, to assume the role of God, to decide to arbitrarily hold on to the people’s money then.
 
The only difference maybe the people in Govt then did not think they were Gods or immortals or super beans that were smarter than the masses. Today they are different, they know best and arrogated themselves as demigods, even knowing how long a person would live, and how stupid and irresponsible the masses are in the handling of their money.
 
Remember the bell curve. This is applicable in nearly all situations. Today, there will still be people who would be stupid or through bad luck or bad decisions, lose their life savings before they die. Today, even among the immortals and demigods, there will also be some who would be stupid and lose all their millions before they die. What is the difference? There is no exception in the bell curve.
 
Back to the retirement age. This is now used, together with longer lifespan, to prolong keeping the people’s money in the CPF. So, if the retirement age is 80 or 90 or 100, the people can only take back their CPF at these ages? Oh, technically the people can still take back their CPF at 55, this has not changed except for this thing called the Minimum Sum. And do not forget there is another Minimum Sum that many would not get to touch, the Medisave Minimum Sum.
 
The Minimum Sums have changed the whole concept of CPF and the right of the people to their money. So, did Chuan Jin clarify what the CPF is all about and why the Govt has the right to meddle with the people’s life savings to the satisfaction of the people? Does Chuan Jin and the Govt really believe that the CPF money is the people’s money or otherwise? If it is the people’s money, what right does the Govt has to keep the money from the people in the Minimum Sums?
 
Did Chuan Jin address the people’s problems and concerns with their life savings?

Kopi Level - Yellow

Singaporeans First Party

In the crowded political scene of opposition parties, the emergence of another new political party would definitely raised eyebrows. Any political watcher would have a lot of things to say, of doubts and doubts about the doubts they have created over such a party. I could have written another ten pages or articles to create a veil of uncertainties and smokescreens on this new party. I choose to look at it from its relevance to the political situation existing now.
 
Singapore is facing several very serious political changes that could turn into major political crises in the future if allowed to go unchecked. The most crucial change that Singaporeans are facing, I mean Singaporeans, no, I mean true blue Singaporeans, not the instant trees, and not the locals, is their decimation and eventual existence as an absolute minority in the country their forefathers have fought and worked so hard for, a legacy that would not be theirs to inherit.
 
What am I saying, true blue Singaporeans, ie, born and bred here Singaporeans are already an absolute minority today! This is a part of the statistics that is best left unsaid. What is worst is the fate of these true blue Singaporeans, their economical and social well beings. Are they getting a fair share, a bigger share of their inheritance? No? What inheritance? This is just an island and anyone who claims to be more meritocratic, who claims to be cleverer, should take over this island. It does not belong to true blue Singaporeans. It belongs to the people of the world!???
 
The children of the first wife is now being treated worse than the children of the mistresses, worse than the children of the stepmothers, worse than the children of unknown mothers, children of wild oats. And these children that have invaded their home, oops, not invaded but invited to the home, are bullying and discriminating the children of the legitimate first wife. Should the children of the first wife accept their fate, to be run down, to be ousted and booted out from their home? The newcomers and traitors are telling Singaporeans to get out if they cannot stand the heat.
 
Is there anyone championing the cause and the interests of the children of the first wife, the true blue Singaporeans? This is where Singaporeans First Party comes in. There is no political party in the island today that is standing up to fight and defend the rights and interests of Singaporeans as their main objective. They are all intoxicated by the silly mantra of meritocracy regardless of nationality. Or is it meritocrazy?
 
I like the ideology of the Singaporeans First Party spelt out in its manifesto. For the first time, a political party is using a loud hailer to speak for the interests of true blue Singaporeans, to fight for the interests of true blue Singaporeans without having to feel ashamed of it. The interests of true blue Singaporeans have been eroded over the years and must be stopped before it is too late.
 
I hope no one is going to stand up and accuse the Singaporeans First Party as xenophobic, as anti foreigners. And this Party is aware of this trick and has clarified that it is not xenophobic. Yes, being pro Singaporeans is not xenophobic. Only traitors or anti Singaporeans would say such a thing, to denounce Singaporeans for wanting to protect the interests of Singaporeans.
 
I wish this party well and to live up to its manifesto as a pro Singaporeans party. I wish all the other Singaporean political parties would take the cue from this Party to sing the same song. Singapore is for Singaporeans First. And I hope this Party would be able to work closely with the other parties to put up a good fight for the good of Singaporeans.
The Singaporeans First Party has its work cut out for it. It has a very crucial task ahead, to protect and serve the interests of Singaporeans first, not locals, not foreigners first.

Kopi Level - Red

Solidarity of opposition parties

Met Tan Jee Say yesterday and he confirmed that he was setting up a new political party. All the people present received this piece of news with mixed feelings. How is this going to help the cause of the opposition parties to unseed the ruling party, or at least to present a strong united front and to carve up more seats and GRCs for the opposition? The very thought of more opposition parties being formed always elicit the fear of vote splitting and weakening the opposition’s position.

Jee Say was quick to allay the fears of more splits and dilution of votes. He would not be a spoiler to create confusion and three corner fights. He will work closely with the other opposition parties in a united front, or at least would not undermine their common cause. We would have to see what really happens when the GE is announced. And there are always the wise voters to count on like in the Punggol East by election when the fight was a clear opposition versus the PAP and the irrelevant opposition parties would be abandoned by the single minded voters.

The fact that Jee Say attended the NSP fund raising dinner could be seen as a positive sign that he was willing to play ball and be a team player. And he was not the only one present. The WP, SDP, SPP and PKMS were also there with their top leaders showing support and unity in the opposition camp. For Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim and Gerald Giam to attend the function was a good way to dispel the impression that the WP is aloft and would want to go it alone, ignoring the other opposition parties as inconsequential. For the opposition leaders to be seating together in the same table is a promising start, that at least they are willing to talk, to eat and drink together and be friends.

Opposition solidarity is the key to fight a successful battle in the next GE. If the opposition parties are unable to come together, or at least not to split and fight among themselves, the task to unseat the incumbent party would be that much harder. There are still many things that can happen as we close in on D Day, either this year or 2015. Would it be a serious battle with serious contenders, or would it be another circus with jokers popping up everywhere and in the most undesirable places to create more confusion? Let’s wait and see.

Kopi Level - Yellow

A time to repent

Many people go to church on Sunday. Some go to seek comfort some to confess and some to repent. The recent uproar on the development of the CPF schemes particularly on the retention of the people’s life time savings is being felt the wrong way by many affected CPF members. Many in the social media are speaking out on something they know isn’t right. And a young man, Roy Ngerng, is now in hot soup for stating his case too strong and rubbing Hsien Loong the wrong way.

The Govt has been making a lot of changes to the CPF schemes on the ground that they are the elected representatives of the people, the lawmakers and thus bestowed to the to make whatever changes they deemed necessary, all legally under the law. No MPs or Ministers have spoken firmly against the changes, presumably agreeing that there is nothing wrong with the changes. No one questions the legality of it all, assuming that everything done is legal as long as the Govt says so, absolutely legal.

From the aspects of ethics and morality, from the angle of equity and fairness, from the point of social justice, is there no wrong about keeping the people’s life time savings away from them and deciding what to do with them without their consent and changing the date of withdrawal, with some in the Medisave Minimum Sums that may not be withdrawal at all unless the member is seriously ill or hospitalised. Otherwise the money would go to his beneficiary without him enjoying it after saving it for a lifetime.

The silence or lack of objection by the Ministers and MPs is as good as all agrees to the changes, all supports the changes and all does not see anything wrong with all the changes. Many have voted to the changes, but many changes were not even discussed or addressed in Parliament. Whether the Ministers and MPs voted in support of the changes in the CPF Schemes or simply abstained, without saying no to the changes when they can, they are all in it, all in support of the changes, tacitly, reluctantly, grudgingly or willingly.

I am just wondering if any Minister or MP has any misgivings about the changes to the CPF Schemes. Do their conscience prick them when the people are kept away from withdrawing their savings on reaching the age of 55 and henceforth a higher age to be introduced over the years? Nothing wrong about it, nothing wrong with the meddling of the people’s lifetime savings against their wishes, without their consent? In all fairness and with one hand touching the heart, does anyone of them think they have the right to mess around with other people’s money, the money that people saved over a lifetime, to act as if they are the guardian angels vested with the power to do as they want, inventing more and more schemes while the people getting angrier and angrier?

Can these people sleep well? Or can these people say they have nothing to do with the changes, that they too did not agree with the changes? Can they be excused or be guilt free when they are the elected people’s representatives and could do something about it but did nothing? All 87 MPs and Ministers are saying yes to all the schemes or not saying no while they people’s money slips further and further from their fingers. It is perfectly ok to mess around with other people's life savings.

Kopi Level - Yellow

What is happening to our CPF savings

Roy Ngerng got into trouble with Hsien Loong over the issue of CPF savings. Though the pertinent point in his trespass was about an allegation of corruption, the origin came from the heated arguments on why the Govt is adamant to hold back the people’s saving for an ever and ever longer period. There is a perception, rightly or wrongly, that the Govt is unable to return the people’s saving when they hit 55, now not even that, but at 62, 65 or even later.

This return of the people’s saving to their owners has never been an issue up to some time in year 2000. The older generations have no problem getting their money back and thus it was a non issue. It started to become an issue after that with the problem and irritation increasing in momentum. For those in their 60s, not all were able to withdraw all their savings when they reached 55. But the sum retained by the CPF under all the new minimum sums and medisave schemes were bearable. They grudgingly took whatever they could and saw a small chunk of their money becoming untouchable. Some have no issues with the retention as they will get higher interest rate of 4%. Some were against the retention on grounds of principle that no govt should be allowed to use legislation to keep the people’s saving against their will. Compulsion is unacceptable and unethical even if the intention was good and the interest rate was higher.

Today, with the combined minimum sums hitting $200,000, this is no small change, the anger mounted. It is just too much to bear. And for the younger generations, they could expect the sum to go even higher with some projecting the sums to hit $500,000 in years to come, or more. Eventually, the net effect is that there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow after a life time of intense savings.

The other troubling thought is that the Govt has mismanaged the funds and is now caught in a situation that it is unable to return the money to the people. Some even imagined that the CPF vault is empty. These are just perceptions of the people who have money in the CPF. The truth may be the reverse, that the CPF is full of money, safe and sound and could return all the money when due and there is really nothing to worry about. All the sleepless nights are unnecessary and a waste of time.

How then could the Govt convince the people that the money is safe and well? All the schemes to retain the people’s money, the shifting of the goal posts, are telling the people all is not well. You cannot blame the people from thinking so. Can the Govt come out and assure the people, with clear and unquestionable facts and figures to prove beyond doubt that the money is there? The Govt has to do something about this to quell the suspicion and loss of confidence by the people on this matter. Not explaining and clearing the doubts of the people will not do and will only increase the simmering unease of the people. Roy Ngerng and Han Hui Hui and all the speakers will have a lot of things to say and a lot of questions to ask at Hong Lim Park on 7 June.

If, ‘sway sway’, the suspicion is true, that because of the huge long term investments, the assets cannot be easily liquidated to repay the CPF members, or if what the people feared, that a lot of money had been wiped away by bad investments, and there is an urgent need to kick the can further down the road and hoping that the investment will turn good in the long run, it would be better to face the truth and tell the people about it. Living in denial when there is a big hole to patch is a bad idea. It is worse if, trying to live with a lie, the Govt continues to put on a false front that all is well, and can still afford to throw money around like a rich philanthropist. The Govt is very rich and can give and give and give, to the NSmen’s CPF, more subsidies, more funds to international organisations, more overseas investments like there is unlimited supply of funds in the Govt’s treasury.

If, I say, if, the situation is dire, it is better to start on a belt tightening policy and cut waste, cut wasteful spending on the unnecessary, throwing parties costing millions all over the world, non stop celebrations on every excuse to show that we have the money to spend, we are very rich but cannot repay the CPF members when due.

Until the Govt stop devising more schemes to keep the people’s CPF savings for as long as the Govt needs to, the people is going to see these schemes in a different light. The Govt needs a confidence building measure exercise to assure the masses that all is really fine. And one thing it can do is to stop all these schemes and start to return the money to the people. If it cannot do so, it is better to stop spending furiously on parties and to give generously when the people are asking for their money back.

What is the truth? Who knows? The people can only postulate, imagine or guess from the actions of the Govt and its policies on the CPF money. The ball is now in the Govt’s court. There is a lot of explanations and proof to convince the people not to worry. And it is not just about how good and well is the communication or the way it is said. It is about the hard truth and facts and figures, and nothing less. No PR exercise is good enough to avoid from telling the truth.

Kopi Level - Green

An easy solution to appease the unhappiness of NSmen

Front page news today on a slew of incentives to make NSmen feel appreciated short of a ‘love letter’ when love is in the air. Actually the solution is so simple and no need to have so many complicated schemes that mean really nothing. Money into CPF to be used to pay for what, no need to guess. One hand gives and another takes.
 
Everyone, especially NSmen and their families, knows how big the sacrifices are from an NSman to the country. It is a life time commitment and a life time irritation and disruption to their lives and the lives of their loved ones, provided nothing bad happens to them when performing their NS duties. No need to think about those being incapacitated or died in NS. No amount of money can compensate them and their families for the loss.
 
Can these sacrifices be equated to the sacrifices of ministers? Our ministers all claimed to have made big sacrifices like earning lesser than they should be earning, and all the bad publicities, no privacy, no time for family and children and so many other things. Like so ‘charm’ like that. The sacrifices of NSmen may not be more but definitely not lesser than the few years of great sacrifices of the ministers and their loss in multi million dollar incomes.
 
If this is noted and recognized, then the solution is very simple. There is no need to pay the NSmen millions as compensations like the ministers. Just pay them market rate like a hundred thousand will do, graduating with their level of contributions. Of course this is day dreaming and foolish talk. Cannot use money as an incentive lah! Joke only can? Money incentive is only useful to attract super talents to become politicians. But, but a simple solution like this can solve everything right? And it is so easy to administer and with one stroke of the pen, nearly all the problems will be solved, all the grievances will be passé.
 
Isn’t it all about money? If everyone is thinking about money, about millions, NSmen must also be thinking about money right? Tiok boh? You talk money, want more money, NSmen stupid or what?

PS. So shiok to be talking cock.

Kopi Level - Green

When you think they are very nice

The Vietnamese revealed their true colour and started to kill Chinese workers and factories in their country. And Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore were not spared. They did not know the difference? Chinese are Chinese. They may be 3rd World but they are not daft and ignorant. They are just what they are, 3rd World nice people putting on a mask. Just give them a chance to turn into beasts.
 
The Chinese have been pumping real money into Vietnam to help grow their economy and providing jobs for the Vietnamese. When they decided to show their ugly self, they will transform themselves from the very nice people to hooligans, thugs, rioters and murderers and ingrates. Would China be so stupid to pour in more money into Vietnam? Don’t expect them to change.
 
This is applicable to the Pinoys. Look at how trigger happy they were against the Taiwanese and Hongkies. Look at how wild they are when they have guns in their hands. Very nice people? You are only seeing one side of the coin.
 
We have the same experience in Geylang and Little India. The 3rd World people are very nice only when they need to. Give them the slightest excuse and they will turn wild, like beasts. We gave them good jobs, good opportunities to make good money. But deep down, the 3rd World sick mentality is suppressed and you will not know when they will show their true self.
 
Integrate with them, go and reach out to them? You know how they behave in Sentosa Beach parties and all the big mass parties on the streets of Orchard Road? They are nice only up to a point. And they can be very wild and very ugly if you are not careful. And we are no match for them in brutality, primitiveness and viciousness.
 
Beware, be careful. We have come so far in civilizing ourselves, do not take personal safety and security for granted. We are different, at different stages of social and human development. Sinkies have been living a good life, have not been robbed, beaten except for the taxi drivers, have not been raped in big scale. Do not take personal or national safety and security for granted. Don’t ask for it, don’t invite trouble. Better be safe than be sorry.
 
What happens to the kiasi mentality? We let our guards down to theses strangers from the 3rd World, people we do not know, hardly know, and we open ourselves, our homes to them assuming that they are just as nice like one of us. My God, how daft Sinkies can be? Kindness does not always beget kindness to people you don’t have a clue who they are or what is in their mind.

Kopi Level - Green

American terrorism up another scale

The Americans unilaterally charged Chinese officials in China for cyberspying in American courts. And the Chinese officials have not even set foot in American soil but residing in China. China is understandably furious with such audacious act of terrorism against its state officials. It is lodging protest to the US Govt to drop the ridiculous charges. The Americans are unlikely to do so. What China can do is to declare all those parties involved in this scam, the prosecutors and the judges as terrorists and issue a warrant of arrest for them should they set foot in Chinese territories, Hong Kong and Macau included. That is the only way to deal with such international terrorists.
 
The Chinese have also retaliated by exposing the Americans as the biggest culprit in cyber espionage and attacking Chinese sites. The Americans have been so use to run roughshod over China and other countries for several decades in spying activities. They used to fly their spy planes over Chinese territories to take photographs of military and sensitive sites blatantly and with impunity knowing China could not bring down their spy planes. They only stopped this bullying when China started shooting them down.
 
This did not stop this international terrorist from stopping what they were doing to spy on China. They flew their spy planes up and down the coast of eastern China on espionage missions. They only scaled down such outrageous display of military might when a Chinese aircraft rammed into one such spy plane and forced it to land in Hainan for the Chinese to strip it clean of its espionage equipment.
 
The Americans are the biggest bullying and culprit as far as espionage and cyberspying are concerned. Edward Snowden had disclosed their nefarious activities and all the countries concerned should rightly charge those Americans for spying and intrusion into their privacy. The German Chancellor, the Malaysian and Indonesian leaders, and many world leaders are victims to such vile acts called spying by the Americans.
 
The victims of Americans spying should charge the Americans officials involved in their own courts and issue warrants of arrest when they set foot in their countries, and give the Americans a taste of their own medicine to stop such bullying. The directors of NSA, CIA, DIA and other American intelligence agencies should be charged in the same way the Chinese officials are charged. Both can play the same game.

Kopi Level - Green

Revamping the CPF?

I have seen some comments calling for a revamp of the CPF these few days. It is fat hope if anything meaningful is allowed to strangle this golden goose that lays the golden eggs. Yes, this public fund, the life time savings of the people for retirement has now been hijacked into something else. It is the nation’s reserves, I can’t believe it when I heard this. It is the biggest source of cheap loan to the govt. No, that is not accurate. It is the biggest source of cheap loan to the govt and with a flexi date for redemption. And to some people, they can commandeer it to make compulsory purchases of things that the owners of the money have no right of refusal.
 
Now who would want to change the CPF to its original form and design, to return the money to their rightful owners as contractually agreed upon? I know, many people would want it to be that way, the owners of the money. Unfortunately they have little say on this.
 
So, what do you think will be the so called changes to the CPF? More money to be kept in the CPF for the good of the CPF members. That must be the only way forward. It benefits everyone who needs the money to churn. The real owners of the money can only smile at the huge numbers in their monthly reports from the CPF and be glad that they have so much money in their savings.
 
The CPF was created at a time when people worked and then retired, at 55. Then the sum grew so big that the money could be put to other uses like the purchase of homes. And still there was so much money left and many schemes were hatched to utilize the money until we hit the current crisis. Not enough money for retirement.
 
But who is talking about retirement? If the people are to work till they die, with no retirement, why is there a need for CPF to provide for retirement? And why is the people’s savings become the nation’s reserves?
 
What do you think? Any human rights lawyer think there is no violation of human rights, the right to your own property/money? Can a govt be given full liberty to do as it pleases with the people’s life savings? This is the people’s life savings, not dole or handouts by the govt.

Kopi Level - Green