8/28/2014

In praise of the Singapore Govt



Like it or not, love it or hate it, the Singapore Govt is about the most creative and innovative institution in the whole wide world when creation of value is concerned. Just look at the COE, it is really a piece of worthless paper, but the Govt can sell it to the motorists for $70k to $90k, just for the right to buy a car. The actual market value of a car could be less than half of the COE. The value created is unimaginable. Then there is the ERP, or electronic road pricing. The Govt just erected a few pillars, armed them with some electronics and the motorists just pay and pay, each pass costing a $1, $3 or more. With millions of motorists travelling all over the islands, with a multiples of such ERPs all over the island, the govt are printing money faster than the FED in the USA.

Now what else are they creating value out of nothing or creating extraordinary value from ordinary items? Public housing that was once available for the price of a song is now sold in hundreds of thousands and going higher and higher while the lease gets shorter and shorter. For the price of cheaply designed and constructed public flat with a 99 year old lease, they are selling to the people in terms of $200k, $300k, $500k and more. For the same sum of money, one could easily buy an estate 10 times or more with freehold land in many countries. Here it is like buying concrete containers built one on top of the other, and they sold them to the people as quality housing.

And they branded themselves as super talents, employed in public service and political appointments and marketed themselves to the tune of millions of dollars annually, making a mockery of the salary of the President of America. And what are the skills or abilities, responsibilities or achievements of the incumbents to deserve such remunerations? What did they do to be paid in the millions?

Who can create this kind of value out of ordinary people whose best achievements were mainly academic qualifications?

The shop keepers’ rent for a shop space, some as small as 50 sq ft, could be $10k or $20k pm or more. Everything that is of hardly any value, in the hands of these super talents will turn to gold, or at least the value of gold. Our Govt has the Midas touch, in creating value.

And who are paying for these artificially created values? Never mind, the important thing is the talent to create these values that no one else would be willing to pay for but to make Sinkies paying for them happily.

Say what you like, you must take your hat’s off to them. Wonder if they could create the same kind of value in other countries? Obama and all the ex Presidents of the USA have very poor skills in marketing themselves and the values of their jobs. The govts of the world should engage our govt to restructure their remunerations and sell it to their people.


Kopi Level - Green

23 comments:

Anonymous said...


Rb, you ever heard the phrase "less is more" when it comes to delivering a strong message?

Anonymous said...

You can not be more spot on than anyone on earth on your observation.

Other creation is education, create elite schools and parents willing to pay 500 per month instead of 15 per month in non elite schools. Don't forget that most students in elite schools continue to take tuition outside. Creating a large parallel education industry in tuition reduce governmental cost at the same time.

The other is healthcare. By segmenting the ward into different classes and mean testing, the policy is out to squeeze u to your last drop even though u do not kind going to the lower class or when one is terminal case also o bian go higher class to be squeeze till u drop dead. The key is to maintain u as long as they can lor

Anonymous said...

With so many hot potatoes bbq-ing in the midst and new ones emerging anytime out of no where, next GE might produce a lot of buzz and sparks. Mb some ministars not only have to apologize and say solly, also need show remorse and repentance by kneeling and bowing to passing by sinkies outside MRT stations during next hustling?

Anonymous said...

There is a Chinese Saying '君子好财,取之有徳.'

Making money or wanting to be rich is a common goal for beans. Unfortunately, wealth could be gotten by fraud and not just hard work. Using energy gets lot less than unscrupulous means. The Hardworking Chinese must have realized that that fraudsters made more to come out with the Aforesaid Reminder that wealth must be made cleanly without any unscrupulous mean.
I cant say making money out of a piece of paper, a monitoring device and just an idea is unethical. However, paying oneself so excessively that it becomes World Record to me is Sinful whether legal or not.

patriot

Anonymous said...

They are paid millions to be in charge of call centre, to clear fish ball stick, to be property agent, to be insurance agent, to be financial planner.

b said...

The world is not a fair place. It is a sad place. Look at those people in history who fought for justice, equality and truth. They were all beheaded, cruxifixed or jailed. None ended up well. Fighting for selfishness will end up well. Knowing thy enemy (aka people) and their main weakness (dumbness) well will help their selfishness to grow extensively. This is politics.

Anonymous said...

Hi RB, speed here.

What can we say about the Singapore government? Now let's see, we can say they are imaginative? or can we say they are creative? or can we say they are Innovative? or can we say they are inventive? IMHO I think they are all these roll into one and maybe more. On top of all these they are also the best at what they do. I take my hat off to them. To be able to command the highest politician salaries and get away with it for so long, is quite an achievement. Singaporeans are very lucky to have such a government to keep every Singaporean in check and under control. Unbelievable!!!!

Anonymous said...

The other value creation is the worker levy. Fairly similar to Coe raking in billions

Anonymous said...

Not only creating value, also creative in the art of political control.

No other country in the world do they have or need GRCs to win an election. They can only be found in red dot.

Anywhere else using home upgrading to win votes will be branded as engaging in pork barrel politics. Not so in red dot.

In many Asian countries when things go wrong, the one at the top takes full responsibility and resign. Not so in red dot. They always find a scapegoat and discreetly change or rotate the top people, while getting rid of the bottom slaves.

And so on and so forth.

Anonymous said...

redbean
you have said what I wanted to say for a very long time.
But it is not "value" our PAPigs are creating.
These are high costs that have made our economy non-competitive.

These PAPig policies have given Singapore a cost disadvantage in the global economy.
It's not a laughing matter.
The PAP government is a very costly government to vote for.

And Singaporeans are paying for it with our money, our jobs, our ability to innovate and our lives (via National Service).

The said...

They know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Anonymous said...

So it is not Singaporeans' salaries that makes Singapore an expensive place for manufacturing?
And it is the PAP policies that is making Singapore expensive and uncompetitive?
Is that what you are saying?

Anonymous said...

If our cost of living can be lower without all these expensive PAP policies (COE, ERP, HDB subsidized housing, F-35 jets and etc.)
- does this mean we can be paid a lower salary and still live well and be more cost competitive?

Anonymous said...

That is why we are UNIQUE!

Anonymous said...

To the fucktards who approved the Fukushima imports:

"More Fukushima Children Found With Thyroid Cancer"

SOURCE:
http://dunrenard.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/more-fukushima-children-found-with-thyroid-cancer/

First we drink toilet water.
And now what do we eat?

Anonymous said...

Its called "rent seeking". Ie don't really add any value but wants to have a slice of the pie

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The trouble with radiation is that you don't have to buy the rice and eat it to be radiated. You only have to be near it. And how near? 100km from Fukushima!

If affected rice or food is brought it, where is the safety zone?

Anonymous said...

so rent seeking = parasites ??
true or not ??

Anonymous said...

Horsay liao, u finally cumming to your senses... realizing the truths about papigs, their relentless efforts, their sacrifices, .... their familee life, forgoing monetary returns to make stinkapore an Utopia

So be grateful, leemember vote 4 papigs, for neber ending abundance

So let do it in unison....


HUAT, HUAT, HUAT... WHAT'S A FUCK PAPIGS..

and, for the earthly god old fart... long live old fart kuan yew

Anonymous said...

"If affected rice or food is brought it, where is the safety zone?"
August 29, 2014 9:20 am

As I see it, the only safety zone is to vote in a Singaporean government that is more conscious of safety and with more backbone to stand up to Japan Prime Minister's request for more Fukushima imports.

The Fukushima farmers are honourable people.
Below is a video of them arguing with TEPCO and government officials about the ethics of selling their farm products.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfaPhmFGvt8

I'm almost tempted to generalize by saying: "There are no bad people ... there is only bad government"

Anonymous said...

Just see how innovative, creative n compassionate papigs are,

Why many complain papigs is unheartless in jailing... okay lah, call it detention a 75 years lady,actualee, aka pioneer generation silleezen, for late payment of $411 of conservancy charges.

Actualee hor, since she having problem, it's in her best interest to go behind bars; accommodation and free food by my compassionate chenghu.

So good... u daft please realise the motivation of papigs

Leemember... only papigs 4 continuity

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

There is only ONE METRIC for govt IMO:

A good govt DOESN'T FUCK UP THE SHOW

So far, PAP...2nd best in the world after Hong Kong. They FUCK UP THE SHOW the least compared with other govts.

What is "The Show"?

"The Show" is the activity of the PRIVATE SECTOR -- where all the rocking awesome stuff is created and consumed.

The best govt is the govt which interferes THE LEAST with people in the private sector engaging in their greedy and selfish enterprises -- for PROFIT and SELF INTEREST.

The best govt of all: Boh Cheng Hu!

Anonymous said...

You know what is cancer or aids? By the time you see it it is too late.