myth 77

'Thrift and Prudence are virtues we cherish' Being thrifty and prudent in our finances and our spending habits are age old wisdoms that can do us a lot of good. And many people have made glowing speeches about such virtues and how and why we should all not be philanderers and spendthrifts. Were these speeches made with a genuine intent or a publicity gimmick not to be believed? I must say that I am pleasantly surprised that the HDB finally caught up with such virtues and chewed on the ideas of prudence and thrift. If one cannot afford to buy a bigger or more expensive flat than one's income, one must not be encouraged to do so. Is there a change in mindset or philosophy? How many policies are conceived with thrift and prudence in mind? Is the $3k ceiling to demand people whose family income is above this sum to buy bigger flat in line with such thinking? Are the means testing to determine why certain people must spend more in more expensive hospital wards in the same mould? What about the practice of scrapping cars that are in good working conditions to buy another new car? Is this kind of habit prudent and thrifty? The most prudent and thrifty policy is perhaps the measures or pricing and taxes imposed on water usage. To encourage people to be mindful of the water they used and be thrifty, they are made to pay very much more for their water through higher tariffs, taxes and pricing. The people will all end up very thrifty in water conservation, even taking lesser bath and in double quick time. But their water bill tells a different story about thrift. What about asking the poorer hardlanders to have more babies?

feedback, reach or blackhole?

Amy Khor has described that the Feedback Unit was once a Blackhole. Things only get in and nothing gets out. Ver daring. Now with the change in name and a bigger reach, would things still be the same? 'Public consultation is now part and parcel of all major policy initiatives.' Hsien Loong said. 'Through the process of consultation, discussion and engagement, we can get Singaporeans to understand issues better, build a consensus on the direction forward and a common vision of Singapore.' Active Citizenry is now encouraged even through blogs. Does this means that all blogs by citizens or just those created by Reach? I have posted the case of a couple wanting to buy a 3 rm flat instead of 4 rm in this blog. Apparently for the couple to write to the press they must have hit the wall. No one is going to review their case. The policy cannot be changed. Their problem is that their monthly income exceeded the limit for 3 rm flat marginally and they are not willing to spend too much money on a 4 rm flat. There are many people out there who are very careful and prudent with their money and would not want to be caught in the one upmanship lifestyle. There are a couple of anonymous bloggers responding to my post and instead of engaging in a discussion to explain the policy, they started by attacking me on a personal basis. To them the policy is right and anyone who complained and air disagreements are stupid and disruptive. Where did they come from and why are they setting themselves out to attack other people's views? These are the new thugs in cyberspace. Instead of reviewing at the straight jacket solution, their minds are closed. No one can disagree with govt policies. Would setting up Reach make any difference if such people were to be administrators of govt policies?

spend what you have

A couple wrote to the Straits Times forum pleading with HDB to allow them to buy a 3 room flat instead of 4 room flats because their combined income is more than $3000. This $3000 limit qualification to buy 3 room flat is another one of those outdated policies of anti thrift and forcing people to spend more against their wishes. Why must people be forced to eat sharksfin if they do not wish to? Many policies are in this genre. If you have some money, you must spend what you have. And when the time for retirement comes and you have no money left, it is your own funeral.

schools of the future...got future or not?

I have posted an article on how the banding of schools could help to release the competitive nature of schooling and also reduces stress among the parents. With more schools being banded together as good instead of a few, it is a big relief. The social stigma of being in a lousy school can be unbearable and embarassing. While streaming and gifted programmes laid on the wayside, now a new concept is up, futuristic schools, all 15 of them. Concepts aside, how good are they in creating value and becoming relevant and useful can be discussed in a different platform. But how would another 15 schools add or lessen to the stress of parents? Will parents now see this as another in thing and their children must be in these Schools of the Future or their children will have no future to look forward to? It would be good if these 15 schools will add into the current pool of IP, Independent and top band schools to give parents more choices for their children. If we have 50 or more schools of different brands and shades to be considered good in the eyes of parents, then more of them will be happier as more children can be accommodated in these schools. Let there be more 'good' schools and more happiness around.

lim teck ghee, resigned for academic integrity

Lim Teck Ghee, director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies(ASLI) and a former United Nations' adviser has resigned from. He rather stands on his academic truth than to remain in a position to produce political truths. His report on the bumiputras controlling 45% of publicly listed equities has incurred the wrath of the bumiputras who pronounced that it is inaccurate and irresponsible. And the future Prime Minister of Malaysia, Khairy, had said that damage has been done. In other words Lim Tech Ghee is history. The sin of Lim Teck Ghee is to write an academic report from an academic's point of view and according to academic discipline. What he has forgotten is to ask the masters what kind of results they want. But then again, knowing his integrity to his profession he would rather not do it if that is the case. Now we know the wonders statistics can do. The results can be fined tuned to what the masters want them to be. Just juggle the inputs and you can statistically prove anything you want. I salute Lim Teck Ghee for his professionalism and righteousness.

myth 76

'What problem?' Today I have a problem. For months I have been dwelling on some of the unpleasantness of our society which people regard as problems. This morning I am scratching my head to find a problem or issue to write about, but could not find any. Isn't that a problem? Or is that a happy problem? We no longer hear of people flying down from the highest flat or trying to stop a moving train. All the cost of living issues were resolved with so many grants and schemes to help the people. Medical cost is now affordable, and so were education and tuition fees. And the minute increment on public transport fares too was a non issue. Where else is there a problem? NKF already forgotten, no point talking about it. Minister pay also accepted as a natural thing. And the good news is that property prices are rising and people are rushing out to buy higher priced properties. These must be signs of good times are coming back. Other indications will be what the MPs are doing. If there are really a lot of problems, Parliament will be packed with MPs raising issues for the people. But with so little issues to raise, they can take a little break or go on leave. And what's better to do than go hip hopping and karaokeing! These are the pleasant things of a nation doing well. Everything going according to plans, economy doing well, stockmarket reaching new highs. Doesn't matter when commissions are reaching new lows. I am going to cut my CD with all the beautiful evergreen songs like 'What a wonderful world' or 'Yesterday' and 'Today,' 'I believe I can fly,' or 'Fly me to the Moon.' And I am going to sell them for $300 a piece, and I am very sure many people will be eager to buy them. And of course the proceed will go to charity. And every CD will have my handsome smiling face on it to keep the buyer company. Welcome to my world, ...miracles is all I have....

how to tell the truth

Though it is not unexpected, I still felt terribly disappointed when I recently read that Umno vice- president Muhyiddin Yassin wanted Asli to retract its 45% bumiputera equity ownership estimation. He said the report was a challenge to the government’s integrity and described it as irresponsible and ‘rubbish’. He said the government should take action against Asli if it failed to retract the report; that Asli should also admit the report was wrong to prevent a polemic that would affect racial unity. He further said: ‘The report is rubbish and cannot be used. As a Malay, I am angry and I think it was done with malice. The report may have an agenda that aims at forming a polemic among those who believe the report to be true. They will definitely blame the government for revealing the wrong facts’. The above was quoted from an article in Malaysiakini. What it amounts to is like swearing, 'In god I shall tell not the truth and anything but the truth.'

another comedy

Mahathir attacked the Asli finding which made nonsense of his past positions and his son quickly came out to retrieve the report as erroroneous. Where is the error? It is just a different report using different criteria and assumptions. And to insist that the bumi control of the national wealth is stuck at 18% is not only misleading but also confirms that the bumi are simply backward or with below par intelligence. For after more than 35 years of affirmative actions and unequal opportunities they are still unable to improve their lot. Isn't this depressing? What are they telling the world?

april fool on oct 9!

Now this could be the biggest joke of the 21st century. UN and the Americans all hopping mad about the North Korean nuclear test and threatening sanctions and punitive measures only to discover that the test was the result of an earthquake which the North Korean knew and pull it off as a nuclear test. How the world was made to look silly by a North Korean trick! This is really unimaginable. Classic North Koreans.

what it costs an average guy to live here

Let me paint in broadbrush of what an average hardlander of 25 years will need to live in Singapore against what he earns in the next 40 years of his life. I prefer the word hardlander than heartlander for obvious reasons. Assuming a nett income of $2000 plus bonus or $30k per annum. Total income for 40 years $1.2 mil What he needs to spend. 1. 4 room flat ($250k plus interest) $500k 2. Monthly household expenses($1k pm) $480k 3. Personal expenses($300 pm) $144k 4. 1 child up to self supporting $150k These 4 items alone will wipe out all his income. Forget about owning a car. And there are many other expenses and social obligations to take care of. As a hardlander, his increment is not going to be substantial to offset the constant increase in cost of living. So he will, for his whole life, living from hand to mouth, at $2000 nett income.

an american comedy

Ever since the North Korea detonated that device, I was all in stitches. I could not believe my ears to hear all the jokes that came after this incident. The first came from Hill, from the US State Department. He said that even if the North Koreans have tested a nuclear device, the US will not recognise the North Koreans as a nuclear power. So? Does it mean that if the US refused to recognise a nuclear power, that power is not a nuclear power or no longer exists? I can't believe this can come out from a senior state official? The next big laugh was the admission that despite all the satellite technology, all the monitoring stations, all the intelligence gathering, all the leading edge technology, the West did not have a clue if it was a nuclear bomb or just a lot of TNT! You mean that they did not know what the hell hits them? The best joke came from the North Koreans. They literally have the US by their balls. The North Koreans have announced that if the US is not coming back to the negotiating table, they are going to test fire a nuclear tipped missiles! Wow! How could they say that and do it? The interesting thing now is that the US has no answers to the North Koreans' antics and negotiating tactics. What's next Uncle Sam? They claimed to have all contingencies thought out but the North Koreans seem to be one step ahead of them. This latest threat of another test is something the US very likely did not think of. And John Bolton, the US Ambassador at the UN, quickly pronounced that 'This is the way North Korea typically negotiates - by threats and intimidations.' What Bolton is saying is that the US never threatens or intimidates anyone or even the North Koreans! What a joke! I can't stop laughing. It is hilarious. And he added another one, that this is a standoff 'between North Korea and the rest of the world'. Really? Which world is he referring to? I have never feel the slightest threat from North Korea. I am just enjoying the drama and excitement of how one party, a big bully, trying to impose its will on a smaller nation and expect everyone to dance to its tune. This is great fun.

bushism, a new world religion

What is Bushism? It goes something like this...Whoever believes in me shall be my friend forever. The little other details include creating lies and the believers must believe without questioning, and telling the believers not to believe in facts and pretend that they are not true. Take an example, by today, almost anything that needs to be known about the lies that Saddam Hussein possessed WMD have been revealed. There is no WMD and the intelligence reports were fabricated to justify the invasion of Iraq. Another example is the detonation of a nuclear device by North Korea. The American State Department said they would not recognise North Korea as a nuclear power. So North Korea is not a nuclear power. So Bushism believers will believe that Saddam Hussein possesses WMD and North Korea is not a nuclear power. Bushism is attractive as it means one is a friend of a new god and is blessed. But the most dangerous part of this belief is that many people around the world really believe that Saddam Hussein did possess WMD and the intelligence reports on it were true. Also, North Korea is not a nuclear power so does not possess any nuclear weapons. And as long as the believers blindly believe in what they are told to believe, everyone is happy, especially this new god.

unreplied postings

hi all, my apologies for not replying to some posts which i have read in my email. i tried locating them in the blog but could not find any traces of them. if i can find them i will respond to them. this is the limitation of a blog unlike the forum format. you are all encouraged to post at my www.redbeanforum.com for easy referencing. flipping through the older posts to find a response in the blog is very tedious. regards

'ignorant fools' according to eliza ng lai kuan

Religion and religious understanding and tolerance is in the limelight again. And this has prompted a reader, Eliza Ng Lai Kuan to write a letter to the Today paper chastising every 'ignorant Singaporeans' for not knowing the different religious dates and meanings of the different believers. In her view, it is totally unacceptable for people living in a multi cultural and multi racial country not to know about the culture, religion and practices of other races. Could they be or should they be? The schools are supposed to teach these subjects. There are the regular national education programmes and campaigns organised at national level. But the understanding is still very poor. Blame the people! Are we asking too much? All the children are already struggling to keep up with their exams, would they have time to memorise all the different aspects of religions and cultures that they have no interest in? Lets be realistic, many people will just want to live their own lives without a care of how other people live their lives. It may be a national objective to educate everyone in these issues, but many just do not have the time, the capacity, the memory or the interest to want to know them. How many people really know or want to know or bother to know?

Sometimes back I wrote about the numerous complains of people being beaten up on the streets and that the police could not apprehend the one who caused hurt to the victims. The case of the doctor being beaten up is still vivid probably in everyone's mind. This morning I read another case of a boy being beaten up quite badly and the same response came from the police when his parent made a complain. The injury was not serious enough, ie 'no loss of life or limb' as reported in the Today paper, thus it is a non seizable offence. Is it ok now to go around beating whoever one does not like? Non seizable offence and the police cannot do anything. Just make sure the injury is not serious enough. Is there anything wrong or inadequate with our laws or is it a case of implementation? I am going to stay indoors from now on, to be safe. I am quoting this incident from a letter by a Zarina Jaffar in the Today paper.

the world of bullies

The world of bullies The danger of this world turning into a hell hole of fire is to see how national leaders behave like neighbourhood bullies. Hit them hard if they cross the line. That is what they are going to do to the North Koreans. Diplomacy is now club carrying. The bigger the club the better, and the one who is ready to use it carries the biggest voice. Can the world really strike at North Korea with military force? Is sanction and provocative punitive measures effective solutions to the drum up crisis? Is the world expecting the North Koreans to be running around threatening every other nation? The North Koreans simply did not have the means and neither the intention. Why are all the silly men behaving like cavemens. All geared up and ready for a fight? The Koreans, both North and South, have no history of attacking another country. The Nations that have such experiences and are likely to do it are the countries that are rounding up the world to hit out at the Koreans. The Americans and the Japanese are infamous for conducting wars and invading other countries. And they are at it again, calling on the world to do it in North Korea. Is diplomacy and sensibilities dead?

myth 75

'Many Singaporeans are having a hard time' Despite some of the posts made here that Singaporeans are not doing well, not competitive, some trying to make ends meet, Singaporeans are actually, mostly, quite wealthy. A simple means of explaining this conclusion is to use the affordability formula. At the top, Singaporeans can afford some of the most expensive housing and cars. That will surely qualifies the rich Singaporeans as very well off. At the lower end, Singaporeans also can afford almost anything, even the much complained public transport system, public health, education, public housing etc. All these are priced according to the affordability formula which has proven that Singaporeans can afford them. And there will be small increases every now and then based on affordability. And the decision is made only when Singaporeans are found to be able to afford them. So when the next round of increases come about, don't worry, the Singaporeans can afford them. So, who says Singaporeans are poor or in financial trouble when they can afford so many good things, the best education system, the best medical and health care, the best transport system, housing, etc etc. It is a myth that Singaporeans are having a tough time. At the worst, they can opt to go for cheaper foreign brides and cheaper jobs overseas. Only when it is officially announced that Singaporeans cannot afford to pay for them then it may be reasonable to say Singaporeans are having problems.

the east asian nuclear club

While the cry for intervention and war against North Korea is being hyped by the Americans for their own good reasons, the East Asian countries know that it is for their own good that war should never occur in their soil. Any modern war involving big regional powers is going to be very devastating and the consequences are unthinkable. Let their leaders be wise enough and not be led by the Americans into a suicidal war among themselves. The confirmation by North Korea that it has successfully conducted an underground nuclear test today has seen calls for Japan, South Korea and even Taiwan to go nuclear. This arms race is going to increase the risk for Japan. Balancing against a North Korea is bad enough. If Japan goes nuclear, it cannot stop South Korea from doing so. Taiwan is either the dark horse or the joker in the pack. If all takes the nuclear road, Japan will now have to grapple with a more complicated situation as all the other countries, including Taiwan, are potential enemies of Japan. A nuclear North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan will give Japan a big headache. The only beneficiary in this nuclear stand off is North Korea. The Japanese and South Koreans and the Chinese, must find a solution to placate the North Koreas even to increase aid to the North against the American provocative position. War is not an option. The carrot is the only sensible alternative and collectively they need to make an offer that the North Koreans find it difficult to resist. The Americans can continue to beat their war drums. The East Asian states must find an amicable peaceful solution for their own future.

imported inflation?

1970 A fresh graduate started at $1,000. Cpf 6%. Take home pay $940. Mother got $200. $400 went to car and maintenance. Left with $340. Still a lot of money then to swing around. 2006 Fresh graduate gets $2000/$2800. CPF 20%. Take home pay $1,600/$2,240. Mother gets $400. Balance $1,200/$1,840. Owning a car will be down $1,200 average a month. ($500 for instalment, Insurance and road tax $120, petrol $400, parking and ERP $180). For those earning $2,000, forget about owning a car. For those earning $2,800, $640 left. $640 today is nothing compare to $340 in 1970. Are we better off? Oh imported inflation? ARF and road tax are not imported inflation. So is insurance which is pegged to the high price of a car due to taxes. ERP and parking are not imported inflation. Even petrol is not all imported inflation if the tax element is lower. Singaporeans should not think that by increasing their wages, they are better off. The wage increase is only meaningful to people who are earning $100K or $1 mil annually. To these people, 10% increment means $10K or $100K increment. To those earning $30K annually, it is only $3K, barely enough to cover the rising cost of living. It is a case of piling at the top of the heap and pinching at the bottom. And the conventional wisdom today is that this is a good thing, a natural thing caused by globalisation.

how not to tell your neighbour off?

I was in the lift with this old man neighbour. Once in the lift he blared out at the haze problem and was in total disgust about how a neighbouring country could be so irresponsible, and thoughtless. We were so close, and anything they do could affect us. The burning will send the haze to us and adversely affecting us. I nodded in full agreement. Neigbours must be mindful of what they are doing and how it would affect their neighbours. So I told him once I had this thoughtless neighbours who would cook in the corridor during a festival or dry his laundry there as well. The smell was unbearable. Neighbours have to be discipline and not to do unpleasant things to neighbours or the neighbour would have no choice but to tell them off. This part I did not say as it will be too blatantly direct. I have told this neighbour off twice. He got this bad habit of stuffing a small white stick into his mouth and it would be stucked there, spraying smelly smokes into the air. And he would do that inside the lift and the lift would smell for the next few hours. Now whenever he sees me he will stub it out. But when I am not around, he will do the same and the smell in the lift will not lie. Told him off a second time about the cigarette butts at the lift lobby. He was the obvious culprit. His defence was that the cleaners will come and sweep. Anyway, to him, the lobby is clean enough compare to other HDB lobbies. He was annoyed by my airing of displeasure. At least there is no cigarette butt around since then. This is the selfish nature of man. For his own convenience he would do it. But when others did it to him, he will complain. But the haze is an international thing. It is the act of a collective group of people and with a govt that is supposed to regulate such activities and good neighbourliness.

myth 74

'The govt failed to deliver a Swiss standard of living' Many have accused the govt of failing to live up to its promise to give the people a Swiss standard of living. But how fair is this criticism? Some may not yet attain this high standard of living. And it is expected that some will never reach there. The less able must be expected to live and feed on less. The widening income gap is only a natural and uncontrollable state of things caused by globalisation. The people must be realistic and cannot expect everyone to reach the Swiss standard of living in such a short time. Some will get there first and some later. One day all will get there. As of today, many who used to live in HDB flats have already move into huge bungalows and have enough fortune to last at least 5 generations without having to work. And all because of the govt and all the good policies to raise the standard of living of its people. The govt has achieved what it set out to do, at least partially. This is telling the whole truth, the whole picture and not half truth. Telling half truth is to blame the govt for not doing what it promised. This myth that the govt has failed has to be debunked. The govt has made it happened to many Singaporeans to attain the Swiss standard of living, even surpassing it.

when your neighbour decides to poison you

When your neighbour started to do his/her cooking outside the house or flat, or when they decided to smoke outside, and let all the smell, smoke, ashes into your home, what shall you do? When after reminders and reminders of the health risks that your neighbour is subjecting you and your family to, and all your neighbour says is that he/she has done its best. Nothing else can be done and the smoke, smell and ashes will still get into your home and you just have to live with it.... Bring in George Bush. ASEAN needs a George Bush to mean business when your neighbour only cares about his/her own selfish interest. ASEAN need to have a strike force and move into Indonesia, whether it likes it or not, and douse out the fire. In times like this, George Bush is a most welcome hero.

the hypocrisy of asean

How far will ASEAN walk down the road of hypocrisy? After putting so much pressure on Myanmar to respect human rights and democratic processes and institutions, ASEAN did not breathe a single word about the coup in Thailand which brought down a democratically elected govt. And all the ASEAN leaders quickly sent congratulatory messages to the new govt installed by the military junta. How coup ASEAN stand up to face the world and said it is defending the democratic institution? Myanmar should now be applauded as the role model of what ASEAN countries should be, ruled by the military. With Thailand now another military regime, who is next? Phillippines, Indonesia,...? Singapore will become another military regime if the opposition will to win the election. It will be exciting to see ASEAN as an association of military run countries.

the hip hop controversy

Some younger MPs are attempting to parade themselves during the 2007 Ching gay procession doing hip hop. I don't know what that is. Must be something the young is doing. To be hip, to be cool and hopping around. Why is a simple fun activity generating so much controversies? Why can't young people have fun? Oh, they are MPs and are expected to be like MPs, speak up in Parliament for the interests of their constituents. Doing hip hop, now... is that what they are paid to do? There are all kinds of perceptions and expectations by the people, all kinds of people. What is acceptable to one is not necessarily acceptable to another. What a young MP thinks is a great idea may be a great idea to some but there will also be some who think otherwise. The volume of remarks in cyberspace and MSM is still flooding in, from the complimentary to the outright rejection and cynicism. But that is what being in the limelight all about. One stands out to be recognised and will receive all the accolades and all the rotten eggs. Not everyone sees things in the same way. What is good to you is not necessary good to other people. What is affordable to you is not necesarily affordable to other people. Hip hop is good to these young MPs but some will not agree. The moral of the story is that when they are in Parliament and thinking and speaking what is good for the people, please check with the people first.

myth 73

'The truth of half truths and truths in Cyberspace/MSM' Cyberspace has been accused by the MSM as something like the twilight zone, harbouring anything but truth. And many proclaimed truths are actually half truths. Truth can only be found in the MSM, spoken by honourable and reputable people in reputable publications written by professionals. Do I need to say anything further? A cup is half full, so I say. The other party say no it is half empty. So who is telling the truth? The Emperor is not wearing anything, so say Cyberspace. The MSM sees the same thing but not saying anything? Who is telling the truth or half truth? If Cyberspace talks about the poorer 20% of the population and MSM brags about the good life of the top 20% of the population, who is telling the truth and who is telling half truth? If Cyberspace cries out for the people who find that public transport fare is expensive, and MSM quoted comparative figures of New York, London and Hongkong and concluded that our fares are cheap, who is telling the truth and who is telling half truth? Is Cyberspace only spreading half truths and MSM only telling the whole truth?

mine is mine, yours also mine

When the NEP was first conceived, its target was for the bumiputras to own 30% of the nation's wealth. How this was defined was still as hazy as the Indonesian haze today. A figure of 30% Malay ownership by 2020 is now the official target. But 30% Malay ownership of what? The official govt figure is that the Malays only owned 18.9% and this is defined as all the 600,000 registered companies. An independent study by Asli came out with a 45% ownership. And quoting this figure is even seen as being irresponsible by Badawi. What has in fact been the case is that Malay ownership of GLCs, which are the meaty companies as they were huge, are not considered as Malay ownership in the bumiputra definition of the word. The official bumiputra definition of Malay ownership is that what is mine is mine and not counted. What belongs to the non bumis only can be counted. Jusr consider all the stocks in the KLSE alone, assuming that the GLCs eventually grow to 50% of the size of the stockmarket, it is still counted as zero Malay ownership. So when they achieved 30% of the balance 50% of non bumi ownership, they would in fact controlled 65% of all the stock value in the stock market. To think that mathematics is not their forte, they seemed to be able to count everything to their advantage. Or is this modern maths? Malay ownership means what is mine is mine and what is yours is 30% mine. Using this bumi definition, the 2020 target of 30% ownership is unlikely to be reached till the end of time as any company that is big enough could be bought over and become GLCs. The non bumis will be left with all the small and medium companies. And they are not marginalised.

myth 72

'Singaporeans are great pretenders' ' Hey zebra, why are you wearing pyjamas?' The zebra was angry and said the remark was uncalled for. And as more zebras got agitated, they started to demand for an apology. But many, including Singaporeans will agree with the zebra that they are not wearing pyjamas. The issue is how many believe what they said openly and what they actually believe but not saying? How could one make out of people who would not blink their eyes and tell you that the zebra did not wear pyjamas? The statement that Singaporeans are great pretenders is unlikely to be a myth. Neither are they stupid. Many are just not saying what they really know and believe. It is more a case of no point saying it or the time is not ripe to say it. And for those who are cornered to say something, their response is obvious. The zebra is not wearing pyjamas. And they will swear in court to say the same thing, for pragmatic reasons.

deception is good for the soul

Deception is good for the soul. NUS is now ranked 19th among the great universities in the world by Times. Everyone is happy. NUS is now a great university. No body bothers to question the criteria that put NUS up there. Only those that find the criteria rather silly would dismiss the findings as another crap. And Newsweek came out with a different set of criteria and the ranking were all different. The accounts people were very good at juggling numbers and creative accounting to make a company looks good. Academics can be equally brilliant to set their own criteria to make themselves look good. I too can set up a set of criteria to make NUS Number One. As long as NUS is Number One, that is all people want to know. NUS can even be Number One in the Guinness Book of World Record or in Sotong's Book of World Best, doesn't matter. NUS is Number One. Now the reality. Even if today NUS is ranked Number One and Cambridge or Harvard are ranked 50th and 51st, where would students choose to study? Or would people care that there is a NUS that is ranked Number One?

myth 71

'Singapore is short of talents' How can that be? I think no where can one find so many talents congregated in a small piece of land. And the kinds of talents we have, all multi skill and multi talented, will put many foreign talents to shame. Our talents can be political leaders, ceos, singers, dancers, sports champions etc all rolled into one. And they all performed multi taskings wearing 10 or 20 hats. Whew! They probably work 25 hours a day.

feelings of relative wellness

Feelings of relative wellness Singaporean parents are the most stressed by our education system. Not that they have to sit for the exams. It is the social stigma that they have to live with and be confronted by the daily comparisons of why their children are not in the Gifted Programme or in the top schools, or why they are in neighbourhood schools, normal stream or last in class. How could they bear such labels being hanged over their Gucci and Versace apparel and accessories? How could they say their children are in Longkang Besar Sec School? In earlier days, schools were ranked in a simple order of goodness. Then you have the two Raffles, ACS, SJI, the Convents etc hogging the limelight at the top. And any children that are not in the top 10 schools were considered non conversation topics. Better not to be seen or heard. And when newer concepts like SAP Schools and Independent Schools came about, a different kind of orientation of the mind map took form. Now children must be in such institutions to be recognized as good students, to give pride to their deserving parents. Under these two systems, only a small group of students could do their parents proud as our mind can only accommodate about 10 digits, the top ten. Even being top ten in class will be a good thing to talk about though the child is not from a fine school. Any bigger number is difficult to comprehend. Naturally not many parents could be found to be happy. All kinds of ranking that defines what or who is good or better will make those not so good feel lousy. Quite a normal response. So when the SAP and Independent Schools were taken out of the ranking list, more parents were made happier as another 10 new schools made it to the top of the packing order. Needless to say, parents of those in SAP and Independent Schools were still be as elated as ever. The next great thing that the Ministry came up with is the banding system. There are now 9 bands for the Special/Express Stream and four for the Normal Stream. And the beauty of this system is that 6 schools can be in one band. How would this make parents happier? With only 9 bands, we cannot expect parents to look at the top ten anymore. A little adjustment to read the top 3 or 4 bands as good schools will suffice. Bravo! Another 24 (6 x 4 bands) schools will now be socially acceptable as good schools. And in total, including all the SAP, Independent and Integrated Programme Schools, there will now be 30 to 40 that will make parents feel good instead of just 10 in the past. The Ministry could go on and add more schools to make parents feel more secure and less traumatised. One area is the sports or arts and music schools. Though these may not be top schools, they could do with a little rebranding. Instead of simply calling them sports or arts schools, call them Gifted Schools for special talents. Their students will then be recognized as talents, or students from Gifted Schools. There could also be schools like Eton or Schools for the Gentry Class to churn out young ladies and gentlemen who can appreciate all the finer things in life instead of boring academic grades. Not everyone needs to work for a living. Creative packaging could mean lesser emigration, less stress and more babies.

my first article with the New Paper

Hi fellas, My New Paper article was scheduled for today but was held back because of some factual errors. I am trying to clarify the errors. Will see if it will ever see the light

the monkey pool

The Monkey Pool In this little pool of monkies of all odds and sizes, the biggest of the lot is the orang utan. They all play in the same pool and were quite happy for some time. Then god said the water level of the pool shall rise by one cm everyday. This is small enough a change that no one will feel any discomfort. And all the monkies agree and continue to play and be merry. Soon the water is half a metre high and some of the smaller monkies were having water up to their neck and screaming for help. And god is compassionate. He throws in a couple of life buoys and some manage to cling on to them. Those who could not get on eventually were unheard of as the water level went over their heads. And surely and steadily the water level rises a little bit everyday and more of the screaming were silenced, never to be heard again. The orang utans continue to enjoy their feast and make merry. They were at the top of the packing order and have no fear. They were more than a metre tall and many other monkies would have been swallowed by the water first. They never think their turn will come. While the old voices were silenced, a new vibrancy came to the pool as more bigger monkies come visiting. It is a lively place again, a lot of oomphs. But before long, big apes also come into the scene, bigger than the orang utans. Ah Meng is no longer the grand old dame. As time goes by, Ah Meng passes the scene through old age. He did not have the chance to see the pool being taken over by the big apes. No orang utans left. They too were not tall enough. Gobalisation, some shouted. No, it is Godbalisation, some argued. Whatever it is, the monkies are no longer around. What happened to them? God knows. Finally god explained. This is the game of the big apes, designed by the big apes to be in their favour. Little monkies have no place in such games of the big apes. Orang utans too were not big enough.

a message for the clowns

I was reading the comments coming out from the Malaysian Circus on the LKY apology. Many were still talking about LKY's comment that it was uncalled for, insensitive, unacceptable, inciting racial feelings etc. To these circus performers, the unpleasantness of such a remark is so obvious. That no leaders should be making such comments about another country is something so natural and comonsensical. Funny thing is that when Mahathir and Malaysian politicians were hurling such remarks at Singapore, none of them say anything. And many even joined in the chorus. Did they have mirrors in the Cabinet? What LKY has done is to tell the Malaysians plain and simple. Stop making such stupid remarks. His comments and apology are to set an example for them to take note. Such remarks are, like what the clowns suddenly realised, unpleasant, uncalled for, insensitive, provocative etc etc and must not be uttered. And whoever makes such remarks must be kicked in the arse and apologise. Would the clowns be jumping around if another of their dignified member shoot off such remarks again? Or would this be the closing of a chapter of passing silly remarks at each other? Did they get the message?

youth is in

In the past, MPs are chosen from a field of experienced, intelligent and wise men to look after the affairs of the people and country. Incorruptibility, honesty, strength of character, integrity etc were the qualities that were seen as important. Then other qualities were also added, like bi lingualism. Candidates are chosen from those who can speak another tongue other than English to reach out to more people. Later on a humble background is a badge of honour to be flashed around to show that the underdogs can also do well. Today, the most important quality is youth. To be able to connect with the young, to dance, to be hip, and to be cool are important qualities to be an MP. The future is theirs. They are the future guardians or owners of the nation. Starting them young is important. The younger the better. I would strongly suggest to the opposition parties to start looking at the kindergartens and nurseries to recruit their potential candidates. Never mind if they are still sucking their pacifiers. They need to reach out to all the people, to the very young as well. And then they can brag about having the youngest MP in parliament. Maybe getting one from the kindergarten will sure make great news.

myth 70

'The blind cannot see' This is what everyone thinks so, that the blind cannot see. It must be or else we won't call them blind. But if one is to observe the designing of the guides for the blind in MRT stations or in shopping centres, and then try to imagine how the blind go about getting from one place to another, one cannot help but to think that the blind are not so blind. For instance the blind will be able to find their way to the MRT stations without any guides. So they must be able to see in a way. But once they are in the stations, they became blind and needed the guide to help them along, to the ticketing gates, to the lifts and to the trains. Without the guides they definitely cannot find their way around. And when they get to the platforms, they can see again. The whole platform of 50 metres length are lined with guides so that they can walk from one end to another to choose which train cabin to get in. Presumably they can see which one is empty or more comfortable. Or they can walk around enjoying the scenery high above ground level on the platform. Now, would I be made to believe that they are blind and cannot see?

are public transport companies private companies?

Cindy Lim, Press Secretary to the Minister of Transport wrote a letter to the Straits Times forum explaining why a forumer's allegation against the transport companies were wrong. And she went on to justify the come of the transport companies as healthy and not excessive. I am wondering why aren't the transport companies be there explaining for themselves and why the Transport Ministry thinks it is its responsibility to do so. Aren't the transport companies private companies, or are they govt companies?

spend to look good and feel good

As I approached a MRT station I was greeted by lines of sparkling metallic studs on the floor, nicely arranged in neat rows. With a little curiosity I followed all the way to the lift and out of the lift. And on both sides of the platform, two equally brilliant rows of studs ran across the whole length of the platform. Very well designed and a visual treat. These are aids for the blind to allow them to get to the station platform. And by stretching it across the whole platform, the blind could walk from one end to the other to enjoy the beautiful sight, guided by the studs. Very thoughtful. I am glad that we are putting in great efforts to help our physically handicaps. But I thought they could do a little more. The studs only start at the station floor. How could the blind get all the way from their homes to the station without the studs? It would be better if the studs were laid all the way to the flats or houses, through overhead bridges, stairways, underpass etc. That would make it more convenient, and would have looked more caring. Then we will be more deserving of a first world nation, looking good and feeling good. And those car parks that provided only one parking lot for the invalid drivers should change their mindsets and provide more. One is too miserly. Maybe twenty or more. As our population ages, we can forsee that in the future there will be more wheelchairs and blind people on the road. We must prepare for a nation of cripples and the sightless. What we are doing is not enough. Maybe 20% of the population, statistically will need assistance to travel around to see the beautiful gardens, parks and cities, and shopping and eating. We must do more to prepare for a nation of people that cannot see and walk but would like to see and travel around. Seriously, I am for all the assistance we can do to help those who need help. But throwing away money unnecessarily to look good is not the way to go.

open apology from lky

LKY has officially replied to Badawi, something which a gentleman like Badawi deserved. I refresh my memory but could not recall Badawi making any insinuations or racial remarks about Singapore in the past, unlike his predecessor. It would be unlikely for LKY to do so if it was Mahathir making the demand. For many years, LKY has been quite reticent about the racial slurs of Mahathir and his ministers. During that period, attacking Singapore on such grounds is the implied norm. Every minister worth to be in the good book of Mahathir must utter something to this effect to cut his teeth, so to speak. What did Singapore do? Explain, explain and explain. None feel it right or up to it to take on such comments headon, probably to avoid further deterioration of relations. Even LKY refused to be dragged in. But a closure must be made to this unpleasant way to conduct interstate relations, pointing an accusing finger across borders to score political points. Hopefully, with this letter of open apology coming from LKY, the Malaysian side could bury this episode and not to reinvent more new attacks in the future. It takes two parties to clap. And if one party insists to continue, it would seem that the Singapore side will now respond more robustly by the ministers instead of keeping quiet and avoiding the issue. One just can't keep folding his arms and receive all the blows.

a remarkable obituary

Remarkable Obituary Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Mr. Common Sense. Mr. Sense had been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge). His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Mr. Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Finally, Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, she spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge financial settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and I'm a Whiner. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on; if not, join the majority and do nothing. I received this in an email and is passing it on.

myth 69

'A govt must look after its citizen first' This is the common practice and first principle of all govt. And that is where most govt has got it wrong and got into trouble. Looking after the interest of its citizens is very important but the question is how? Many went to the extent of protecting their citizens and driving away investors. There are countries which demanded that a percentage of the shares of the company must be owned by the citizens or else no investment. In this area, Singapore can teach the world a lesson. The trick is to take care of foreigners and their investments first, including providing them with jobs. The foreign investments will bring in more jobs like the IRs. That is quite clear. It is the second part, providing jobs to foreigners that many cannot see the values from it. With more foreigners here, they will consume our services like housing, transportation, medical, schooling etc. They also eat, sleep and play and spend money here. And all these provide employment and jobs for Singaporeans. Treat foreign workers well and they will bring prosperity to the people. The benefits will be filtered down to Singaporeans at the lower levels, or downstream. Keep the foreigners out and Singapore's economy will suffer and our economic progress will slow down. The conventional wisdom of barring foreigners from our shore must be changed. We must welcome foreigners.

the wheel is turning

Our parents and grandparents and their parents came to this island at a time when there were turmoil in their home countries, when getting a job was difficult. Many foreigners, maids, construction and shipyard workers or even white collar workers are here for the same reasons. Perhaps more, where they could earn more here than at home. Our young and old people are told to compete for jobs here with foreigners. And if they are unable, go overseas. Looks like the cycle is now reversed. Singaporeans are finding it difficulty to get a job at home and have to move out to find jobs to feed themselves. The cycle is being repeated but in a different direction. I have a very funny feeling that things are not right. Just cannot put a finger on what is really wrong? I don't think anyone can. No one believe that there is a problem.

a national iconic drink

Motivating people is very important. Other than pictures we have many icons to remind people of our country and its greatness. We even have a drink with the country's name attached, the Singapore Sling. This morning I discovered a more appropriate and wholsome drink that we can call it our own, maybe a national icon, instead of the Sling that will get one a bit high for not so good reasons. This drink is brewed from natural herbs, aids digestion and blood circulation, and always good for health. It sure gets the blood pressure circulating and boiling and will improve the general well being if done regularly. It is called Youmeisu. Just kidding.

corporate wayang

There were many letters to forums calling for a review of the cost of public transport after the brilliant idea of season pass was conceived. Never mind that it was nothing new and has been adopted in the more developed countries all over the world. However, from the official quarter, it was a deafening silence. No one is willing to risk his neck to say anything. It must have been seen as unwise to do so. All the champions of the people must know that some things can be championed, some cannot. Singapore is indeed a corporate state. Everything is corporate, even culture and politics. And everyone is playing the role in a corporate wayang. Wait for the signal and see who says what. Then take the cue and speak loudly or hide in a corner, don't say anything. And nothing else will be spoken about a comprehensive season pass that will really benefit the lower income group, not unless someone who calls the shot, or of a renowned standing comes out and say something. This is the realpolitik of Singapore.

asean, a 3rd world grouping

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A primeval way to justice. We take it unkindly when someone said something bad about us. How to return the courtesy? Beat him up or kill him? Or we take the modern and civil way of reasoning it out with him, or take him to court. In the political process, the trademark of a stable and developed nation is the peaceful and orderly way of transferring political power or office. A president or prime minister departed and give way to his successor through a general election or a party election according to an agreed time scale. The president or prime minister could be naughty or crazy, but he could only be removed legally either through an impeachment or being voted out of office. There are other cruder forms of doing this, revolution, assasination, mass demonstration, or a military coup. When these methods are used, the normal legal procedures are cast aside. And such methods are normally adopted by third world countries, rich or poor. The use of extra legal processes or the thought of a military coup is a manifestation of the people's primeval instinct. ASEAN is an outstanding example of countries that are still far from political maturity. Myanmar is still under a military junta. Thailand just coup its popularly elected prime minister. The Philippines' president could be deposed by another coup anytime. Indonesia is country where the military is still very strong, like a dormant volcano. The Indochinese states are too new to form any judgement while Brunei is a kingdom. The most mature country within ASEAN in terms of a military that does not see its role in interferring with the domestic political process is Malaysia. The military has accepted the same role as those of the British, its predecessor. It is to defend the nation from external threat and not meddling with internal politics. You don't hear the military men edging to remove a prime minister or govt. Singapore was perceived as the most developed of all the ASEAN countries and a first world country in all aspects until the latest suggestion that the military will step in when things are not going right. That is the hallmark of a third world country. When military intervention is seen as a logical option, it only shows that we are still very far from being a first world political system.

constitutional monarchy is good for singapore

The Thai military coup could be the harbinger of a political change in Thailand. It is the first time that the king played a key role in engineering the removal of a popularly elected PM on drum up charges of corruption. It is so easy to prove such accusations on anyone in power, including kings and presidents, as people in such positions are often in compromising positions because of what they are. There will be many charges of excesses which can easily be proven. What may trigger off a backlash is the increasing awareness of the farmers of the political process. With higher education, the people will start thinking. Why should the land belong to the king and not to the people? Will this lead Thailand towards a republic? On the contrary, the politicisation of Singaporeans could go the other way. All signs point favourably towards a constitutional monarchy. How so? The majority of Singaporeans are of Chinese origin, steeped in Confucianist thinking that runs deep in their blood without them knowing. For several centuries, the Chinese fear authority. On the positive side, they become very discipline and easily led. On the negative side, they become very submissive and easily controlled. Or as proven in this region, they become very compliant even in the face of adversities and abuses. When there is a strong and virtuous leader, the Chinese will become a very powerful and organised force for progress and development, like what China has become. But when the leader is a crook or incompetent, the whole population will suffered in silence. They could not stand up to remove the leader, and thus be led or misled to their own demise. In a hypothetical case, if tomorrow a very powerful personality emerged and claimed to have the mandate of heaven to rule Singapore, like Yuan Shi Kai did in China, the people will obediently go along. Such a personality could instal himself as the next monarch, a constitutional monarch quite easily. And the Chinese population will accept it in acquiscience. No protest or protest feebly. But such a system may be good for Singapore. Under Confucianist ideology, the people are told to accept their stations in life. The monarch and elite deserve to be where they are and live a life of plenty. The poor farmers and peasants believe that life for them is to remain as good peasants and farmers. And if they have to toil for less, they are still expected to be contented with that. In the current context, the political elite will be very happy with such mindless mass that will quietly lead their lives in poverty. The compliant mass will resign to their fate and will not voice out about lack of opportunities or a widening income gap. Neither will they challenge the authority. Society will be at peace. The top and bottom are all happy to live their separate lives in separate worlds. See, a constitutional monarchy with a compliant people can save the country so many problems. Lim Swee Say need not work so hard to appease the demands of the unions. They know their station in life.

looking for chorus boys

I am still waiting for those people who proclaimed loudly that they are the champions of the poorer people to come forward and say something regarding a season pass that can benefit the people as well as the transport companies. It is better that they stand up and speak about it now than to wait for Wei Ling to say it and then come forward to sing in chorus, yes, yes, good idea! Wei Ling is only a medical doctor, not someone whose main preoccupation is to look after the general welfare of the people. We have heard a lot of big talks during the general elections. Lets see if people will now act on what they said and uplift the less fortunate of the society to a more bearable existence. And no, they don't have to provide giveaways and ask people to come forward to beg for them. All they need now is to take a serious look at the season pass concept and make it best for the people. And no need to crack their heads too. It is nothing new. All the merits and misgivings have been trashed out by other great minds long ago. Just borrow the idea and make it work, really work for the people. Now am I asking for too much?

lets talk about the hypocrisy

Perhaps the time has come for ASEAN leaders to face the ugly truth squarely instead of pretending that everything is alright. Race is something that no one consciously choose to be. One is born a Malay, Indian, Chinese, English, German or whatever. We are stuck with whatever colour that we came by. There is no running away from this racial distinction by calling oneself an international citizen or a Singaporean, Malaysian or Australian. And associated with this racial thing is a primordial instinct to belong, to be identified with. Imagine when the Indonesians were looting the Chinese shops and burning their houses, raping Chinese girls and killing Chinese Indonesians, and the Singapore leaders were feasting the Indonesian leaders at the Istana, pretending that everything is alright. We are Singaporeans and the Indonesian Chinese are Indonesians. Conversely, if the majority Chinese in Singapore were doing the same thing to their Malay counterparts while our leaders were having a feast in KL. How much hypocrisy can one live with and get by without being prick by one's conscience or morals? Inhumane treatment of human beings, discriminations, victimisations, can never be tolerated regardless of race or whatever distinctions. And the injustice becomes that much closer when one's race or religion is being victimised. Just listen to the uproar over what the Pope said and how the Muslims feel aggrieved by the comments. Perhaps LKY has assumed a new role in himself. It is no longer a domestic issue and he is speaking as an international statesman on an international issue. It is something that concerns him or any statesman around the world, the issue of treating every human being with respect, fairness and dignity. Are the other ASEAN leaders up to the mark to discuss the issues or are they going to pretend that there were no such things in their countries but only happened in Singapore?

second guessing lky

Why did LKY made such a sensitive comment that he knew would invite reactions from all quarters? Let me try to guess, ok? I do not profess to know his thoughts. One possibility is to clear the deck before he quit the scene. Hsien Loong is now in charge. And all these bickerings and cross borders accusations to score political points is unhealthy. Hsien Loong can do without, so that he can spend his time with more important things. And who is best to clean up this old rivalry once and for all except LKY? What LKY is saying is that we should stop all this bitching. But if one party thinks that they can keep bringing it up to stir shit, lets do it now. Talk about it openly, have an open discussion to see who have more shit to spread. You want to thump table or chest, go ahead. He will do it with them. It is going to be rough. But he is prepared to rough it out, take all the blows, but hopefully he can put an end to all the nonsense that one is whiter than the other. No other Singapore leaders will be in a better position to take this headon than he himself. The other objective is to tell the other countries that they cannot keep on oppressing and discriminating against their chinese citizens. This could be something that he felt was wrong and he wanted to say it out. Not that it will make a difference if both Indonesia and Malaysia insist to continue with their victimisation of their Chinese minorities. But saying it out is to tell them that it is not a decent thing to do and as a statesman, he cannot turn a blind eye to it and pretend that he did not know. If the Malaysian and Indonesian leaders are offended by it, so be it. He is retiring from the scene soon and either he says it now or he would not have a chance to do so later. Better to go down in history as someone to call a spade a spade than to be seen as hypocritical. At least he could be remembered for telling the ugly truth that no one dares to say. Would the two countries severe relations with Singapore because of this remark? Unlikely. There could be some strains and posturing. But there are too many things that all can work together for mutual benefits to be ruined by his telling the truth. Would Malaysia go ahead like some kampong headmen in Johore suggested, developed the SJER without Singapore? Or would Jakarta drop all economic projects with Singapore in Batam and Bintang just because of this? Even if they do, Singapore is not going to lose anything. Our economy is now dependent on the world than just Johore and the islands in the Riau archipelago.

guided democracy singapore style

While on the way to work I was pondering what Singapore will belike in the future and came out with a hypothetical situation. I didn't realised that this could be a solution to the list of problems Lim Swee Say raised as reported by Clement Mesenas. I will think about it a little more and get it our on Sat morning. Let me just reflect something about guided democracy in Singapore. Hsien Loong had a long session with the post 65ers, a very encouraging and engaging session as was reported. But why guided democracy? Apparently the 17 to 30 year old youth had a preparatory session with a group of younger MPs who coached them on what to ask and who to ask and the sequence to ask their pre prepared 12 questions. That is meticulous work and needed as these young people would probably be lost as they have not a clue on what they were talking about, I think. So the guidance and help sure did them a lot of good. And the programmed session went on as they have planned. The only interruption came when Hsien Loong wanted to hear a bit more about race relations. And the room waited. Quite expected as it was not planned and they did not know what to do. Very Singaporeans. Out of the script and they will be lost to the extent that Hsien Loong had to push for more spontaneity. Given their youth, this is natural. Give them a few more years when they are in the 30s or 40s, they might be more ready. Only problem is that their useful years will be very short as many would probably be retired by 55. Maybe the political lifespan of politicians could be extended.

abe takes 30% paycut

It is reported in the Business Times today that Abe Shinzo has announced a 30% pay cut for himself as a symbolic gesture to cut cost. And all his ministers will take a 10% pay cut. I think they are all very rich so they can afford to take paycuts.

switzerland 1st singapore 5th

Switzerland is the world's most competitive economy due to its reputation for innovation, research and development and its scientific infrastructure. And other Scandinavian economies are also performing well because of the same reasons. Singapore is ranked fifth. Not bad. But why Singapore is there is not explained. Is Singapore's position also due to innovation, research and development, and scientific infrastructure? Or we are there because of lower cost through outsourcing and hiring of cheap labour ie foreign talents?

myth 68

'The Chinese are marginalised in Malaysia and Indonesia' Lee Kuan Yew Mahathir said no, Najid said no, Badawi said no, MCA and Gerakan leaders also said no. So it must be a myth. There are so many Malaysian leaders saying that the Chinese are not marginalised. Even Malaysian Chinese also declared that they are not and are offended by LKY. So the majority must be right. Look at it this way. If the people affected feel that they are not, who else can say otherwise. If a bird in a cage says it enjoys the freedom in the cage, how can an outsider say no, the little bird has no freedom. Quite subjective isn't it? What is the truth? Or can truth be variable? The verdict, you decide.

of corporate cheats

'There is little social sanction for cheating when so many people are cheating that it becomes normal and routine,' said Mr David Callahan, a co founder of the New York based think tank Demos and author of The Cheating Culture.... Americans have long been tolerant of cheats in business...We admire the rich, even if they broke a few rules to get rich, he added. The above is extracted from an article by Matthew Lynn in Today paper. He added, 'So you think the average corporate chief is lying cheat. Well, you haven't seen anything yet.' Are we in the same boat? Are the local corporate big wigs also the same as those of America?

does asean approve of the military coup?

Indonesia has its own form of guided democracy under Suharto and the military. Singapore is seen as a paternalistic democracy. And to some western critics, it is a dictatorship democracy. Now Thailand has its own version of military democracy. What is so different about this new version of democracy? In the words of Gen Sonthi, 'The junta will only select the prime minister. The new prime minister will choose the cabinet.' He then added, ...but the military could have places in the new cabinet and 'act as advisers to the interim govt.' He forgot to mention that the military could remove the prime minister or the whole govt if it deems fit. Now this is not democracy really. It is a step back for the country, moving towards the direction of Myanmar which Thailand took objections to. Why is ASEAN, the champion of democracy and human rights, stood silently in the face of these developments? Shouldn't ASEAN interfere like it did in Myanmar and warn Thailand about slipping back to military rule? Does ASEAN approve of military coups?

don't switch on the light to benefit your neighbour

'In a front page story in Utusan Malaysia yesterday, they were quoted as saying that projects that benefit the Republic such as the proposed high speed train should be cancelled, given that Singapore does not appreciate the sensitivities of its neighbours. They also said Malaysia should not take into account the Republic's interests when implementing the South Johore Economic Region plan.' Is this meant to be a joke? And Singapore is invited to participate in the development of Johore? Looks like they will switch off their lights as the lights will also light up their neighbours courtyard.

to say or not to say, or to bury the truth

I accept and agree with all those who said LKY should not make those comments. The comments were definitely not diplomatic and will ruffle feathers across national boundaries. But I am glad he said it. On the grounds of humanity, human rights, equality, fairness, etc. brutality, discrimination, victimisation, bullying and marginalisation of a people because of their colour and ability are unacceptable, and the world must stand up to such bad practices. That is why we have human rights movements.

foreign talent - the discussion so far

After several rounds of discussion with fellow bloggers and forumers, two distinctive views emerged from the pro liberalisation of foreign talent policy camp. The first point that was strongly emphasised by this group is that the govt does not owe the people a living, and it is not responsible to provide jobs for everyone. I can accept this view to the extent that those who are not trying to help themselves will not be the fault of the govt. The people must first look after themselves and be prepared to fend for themselves instead of depending on the govt. On the other hand there are many who are doing all they could to prepare themselves to compete in an increasingly tough environment, slogging through all the years through tuitions and university or polytechnic education, and they deserve a fair chance in society. To this group, there is a social obligation, my view, that jobs shall be created for them. We cannot be like other countries producing tens or hundreds of thousands of graduates that are jobless. I would like to hear a politician standing up and say openly that they are not responsible to create jobs for Singaporeans. I will definitely pin up the speech in my forum, on stickers, to be remembered. The other point of view is that Singaporeans must tighten their belts and compete with the foreign talents. And if they failed against the foreign talents, they deserved to be losers. Because they are no good and do not deserve to earn a living here. This kind of thinking can only come from those who think that they are better than foreign talents and will never be replaced by them. Unfortunately this kind of smugness is misplaced. The foreign talents are not only smarter than our local talents, even the very best, they are also hungrier. Our best are from a minute pool of 3 million people. The best of the foreign talents came from a pool of 3 billion people, from two ancient civilisations well known to produce brilliant people. Our talents will be a mixed match when they have to compete against them. I have mentioned that maybe only a handful will survive such a challenge if not protected. It is easy for people whose jobs are protected, or at least in a better off position today, to advocate full liberalisation of foreign talent policy, welcome all with open arms. They will regret it one day when they too will be displaced by them. But if that is the end that we are looking for, the continued survival of the city state regardless of who lives here, then by all means. But if the city state is for its citizens, called Singaporeans, then there is a need to be more circumspect in this policy.

military democracy

Today I have just discovered that military coup is a democratic process. The military junta that took over Thailand by force is trying to wrap themselves with the cape of democracy. They are looking for champions of democracy to lead the new govt in Thailand under presumably a democratic govt, without election and taking orders from the military men. I have heard of democratic dictatorship or dictator democracy. But military democracy is the latest phenomenon in the world of politics. And at the same time a kangaroo court has been set up to investigate all the wrongdoings of the Thaksin govt. The Thai inquisition has begun. Can anyone believe that they will find Thaksin free of wrongdoings when he is already found guilty and ousted from his premiership of the country?

myth 67

'It is very difficult to do business in Singapore' Who said so? There are many companies that are doing exceptionally well here. But they must know the secret formula to succeed. Actually there are two parts to that secret formula. And most companies already satisfied the first part. Yes, Privatise! So all private companies are already privatised and should have no problem. The second part of the formula is to run the company on a profit making basis. Tell the CEOs and management teams that the companies must make profits to exist. Simple isn't it. So the formula reads like this. First privatise, second make profits. And if any company still have difficulties operating as a going concern with handsome profits, they should consult some of the very successful govt companies that have been privatised eg SMRT, SBS, hospitals etc etc Just a money making idea. All these successful privatised companies should conduct courses on how to be a profit making private company. And with their track records, they should be able to charge a high attendance fee. They have a lot of success stories to tell.

say something, wei ling

I would really like to invite Wei Ling to this forum, to speak up and be the diva. No matter how much we kpkb, no matter how often people write to the papers or where else, nobody is going to listen. This morning Lim Boon Hee pointed out the issue of why only season passes for SBS buses and not the others. The half past six conception of this piecemeal solution is obvious to anyone. No need super talent brain to look at its implementation with horrors. Without a Wei Ling, everyone is listening, or pretending to be listening. But nothing enters or registers. Where are all the politicians who claimed that they care for the people? You need a Wei Ling to say it and all will chorus with amazing predictability. And they will suddenly rise to the occasion as if they just thought about it. Before that, no one could see that the sound solution is there staring in their faces. Please say something Wei Ling.

speaking political truth

Going by the responses from the Malaysian non bumi political parties and people, there is absolutely no discrimination in Malaysia. And they are all very happy with the course of development and the progress of the various communities. What is the truth? It is so apparent that people are saying what they don't believe in while the truth is rubbished as dangerous. Having said that, it is up to the Malaysians to fight their own battle. We are outsiders and our comments are not appreciated. Not by the bumis and also not by the non bumis. Thank you LKY for your concern. Some will quietly appreciate what was said behind closed doors. On the other hand some will have no choice but to speak up against it. That is politics of survival. In politics you are not expected to speak the truth but what is politically correct.

from a kingdom to a republic

Thaksin has been accused of all the sins of his govt. There are good reasons and objections to how he managed his own finances and businesses and how he handled the Muslim insurgency problems in the south. But has Thaksin done any good to the country and the Thai people? During his watch as a PM, he had weathered the financial crisis with scintillating results. Thailand was the earliest to recover from the crisis and the Thai economy has grown from strength to strength. He has given away a lot of money and did many projects to benefit the ordinary Thais, especially the farmers. Now who else has done these to the Thai people and the Thai economy? No one, not even the royal families have done anything that really improve the Thai farmer's lives. And for what were the perceived wrongs of Thaksin, there is no justification to conduct a military coup to remove him. This coup is very exceptional in the way it originated and would have far reaching consequences to Thai politics and may even undermine the sanctity of the palace. Would the revered King become an issue? Would this be a watershed in the history of Thailand? Would this be the spark that would turn a kingdom into a republic?

listening but not hearing

During last night's PM dialogue with the youth the concern of letting in too many foreign talents in the salary bracket of $1,800 and $2,500 were raised. This is the group that will hit very hard on our young graduates and executives. The fear is genuine. Hsien Loong's response was to acknowledge the concern but added, 'I think we should bring in people who can make a contribution and as for our people, you'll compete with them but at the same time because they are here, our economy will grow and there will be more business, more opportunities for us.' Some may think that Singaporeans are incapable of competing with the foreigners. Maybe. And they are genuine and valid reasons why Singaporeans are worried of foreign competition. It is not that they are not competitive or would not work as hard. What they need is to be able to compete fairly, on a level playing field. How could Singaporeans compete with foreigners when the playing field in his own country, homeground, is levelled against him? Is this fair? For those who cannot see the uneven playing field, they should remove their blinkers. And Hsien Loong added, 'If I'm buying an HDB flat, I want to make sure that it's built as best as cheaply, as efficiently, as best as possible. So if they have foreign workers, foreign draughtsman, foreign architects, I would be happy because I think it's good for Singaporeans.' Then what about me, us, Singaporeans? What are we going to do? Be cleaners, or go overseas to third world countries and earn third world salaries? If these Singaporeans cannot find a job here because of foreign talents, how are they going to compete in the international arena? There must be fine tuning on this foreign talent policy. We need to employ our young graduates from the polytechnics and universities. They must be allowed to compete on an equal basis with foreigners, better with an advantage. How can they be disadvantaged in their own home country?

$4.40 daily for public transport!!!

At $98 a season pass, and given an average of 22 working days a month, a commuter can only find the season pass worthwhile if it costs him more than $4.40 a day to take public transport. Isn't it ridiculous for a worker to pay $4.40 daily for public transport when this is an essential service that he cannot do without? Why is it so costly to travel by public transport? How many workers have to pay $4.40 a day to get to work? How many workers will make some savings with a $98 season pass? What should be a reasonable affordable fare for a worker who has to take public transport? Now I am talking about affordability from the worker's point of view. Not from someone whose income is $1 million or $100K. A season pass is to lower the cost of frequent travellers, lowering the cost of living. And no need handouts and asking people to beg for them. And for a season pass to be meaningful, it should work on the basis that a worker should pay only $2 for his transport to work.

when your enemy is not your enemy

IMF lesson - When your enemy is not your enemy The most valuable lesson coming out of the IMF-World Bank Meeting is perhaps a lesson on how to turn your perceived enemies into your friends. Under normal circumstances, anyone who opposes you violently, especially in public demonstration, is your enemy. And conventional wisdom is to gag them and lock them up behind bars. In the IMF-World Bank case, the Civil Society Organisations not only disagree with them but also demonstrated violently, tearing down buildings and hurting people, with possible harm to the delegates. Instead of fighting them the same way or locking them up, they are regarded as worthy friends with good intentions. Their views were taken seriously. And they were given all the opportunities to air their differences. And the CSOs in turn reciprocated in their own ways. It was only a contest of opinions and views. Period. It would be so easy to make all the CSOs their enemies by fighting them, or branding them with all kinds of names. And it would be worst if George Bush's formula of 'if you are not with me you are against me' is adopted. When you make everyone who disagrees with you your enemy, they will be your enemy. The harder you throw a punch at them, the harder they will return. Eventually it will reach a point of no return, you die or I perish.

please don't let my daughter cry!

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'My daughter was crying for the last few nights after she got her 'O' level results. No she did not fail. She scored straight As in 9 subjects. And no she was not crying for joy. The truth was that she could not get into a university while her classmate who was at the bottom of her class and barely passed her 'O' level was given a scholarship to the top university. And she saw her walking proudly to the stage to receive her award from the Govt.' From a father. I would strongly recommend to Najib that he should sue LKY for not telling the truth and fight it out in a law of court. Go to a neutral court like in London. Then the world will have the opportunity to call a liar a liar.

the fortune and misfortune of thaksin

Here in the Paris temple, (King)Philip became aware, perhaps for the first time of the true wealth of the Knights Templar. It was here in the protecting arms of the order that he first manifested the idea of stealing their vast wealth for his political agenda. As the Templars were free of all authority save for that of the Papal Throne, the only way Philip could lawfully seize Templar assets was to accuse them of magic and heresy, which he did through his right hand man, …. On Friday the 13th of October 1307 (the real reason the day carries bad luck) all the Templars in France were arrested on a variety of charges and accusations. The trials of the Templars lasted from that date through until March 19th, 1314 when Jacques de Molay the last (known) Grand Master of the order was burned at the stake. …. There is no doubt that the fortune and power amassed since their(Knight Templars) humble beginnings two centuries earlier, had made many monarchs and citizens jealous. It was this jealousy, combined with greed and a nearly bankrupt nation, that prompted Phillip to make his move on October 13th, 1307 - arresting all the Templars in France. Under the inquisitor's torture methods, all sorts of confessions were extracted. Clement using these confessions to his own ends was able to suppress the order of the Templars in 1312. What follows are the Papal Bulls that crushed the Knights Templar. The above is copied from the site of the Knights Templar. The Knight Templars were wiped out by the collusion of King Philip and Pope Clement whose real aim was their wealth and growing popularity and power. It seems that Thaksin's fortune could have done him in. His $3 billion fortune and business empire are now going to change hands. Who is going to benefit from his misfortune and his wealth?

angry on a saturday morn

30 years ago I screamed that we should have season tickets for public transport to lower the cost of travelling and to revitalise the economy and socialisation of the people. The benefits of a cheaper season ticket are enormous. Just close the eyes and think about them, what such a scheme would do to the health of the country. It is like freeing all the arteries and let the blood flow smoothly to circulate all the organs. And this is nothing new. The whole of Europe is practising this for the benefits of the commuters and travellers. Today, our super talents suddenly came out with this idea of season tickets as if they have discovered a wonder drug. And they even talked cock and bull about the advantages of season tickets as if no one knew about them. And they even said they got the idea from feedbacks from the people. Now that they have such a precious product, they are not going to give it away easily. You need to apply for it and only some people or members of some organisations are privileged to have it. And it takes 14 days to process and approve your application. What the shit! I wanted to use 4 letter words. And the cost of a season ticket is not really cheap. It is priced in a way that not many people will benefit from it except heavy users or those who travelled very long distances. When are they going to reward regular users? Have they heard of the marketing concept of bulk discount or free mileage for frequent travellers? The most disgusting thing about this is that it is a monopoly given to them by the govt. And they are using it to maximise every cent of profit they can get from the poor commuters. They only think profit. Yeah, cost of living can only go up. Where is the sense of doing National Service to serve the people and country? Where is the responsibility to provide a cheap and efficient transport service as a public service? Oh, it is a private enterprise, profit oriented. They are answerable to their shareholders. Should public transport be returned to the govt and run as a public service to serve the people? Haven't the public been suffering from such kinds of crap reasoning for too long? $80 or $98 to be paid in advance and for 3 months. 1 million commuters at $300 per head means $300 million in the coffer safely and earn additional interest. No cash flow or liquidity problem. When can't the additional advantage be shared with the commuters? Why can't profits be trimmed and season tickets be at a slight discount, say $60 and available to all CITIZENS? When are the citizens going to have a little privilege against the non citizens? Oh, sorry, maybe only 2000 people qualify or think it worthwhile to apply for a season ticket.

myth 66

'PAP gahmen should have policies which will make people want to stay back in Singapore and not policies that will make citizens run away to another country... Because if a policy can chase away Singaporeans, sooner or later the same policy will also chase away these foreign quitters' This is a quote from Zap posted in YPAP forum on the foreign talent policy. What Zap fails to see is that this policy obeys the cardinal rules of nature, a perpetual cycle. This policy is self sustaining and people will come because of this policy, and people will go also because of this policy. This is how it works. As a foreigner, one is attracted to be a citizen by all the privileges of citizenship, especially if they came from a less well managed country. So they will all come. But after becoming citizens, they realised that it was a foolish thing to do as the responsibilities and liabilities do not justify the privileges which they are entitled to as a PR. The differences are minimal. So they will go. And the cycle will be repeated continuously just like the cycles of nature. No beginining and never ending. And complying with the laws of nature is a guarantee for eternity. It is a great policy formulated to encompass all the principles of Tao.

'Wanted: Pro non bumiputra policies'

'Wanted: Pro non bumiputra policies' BANGI (SELANGOR) - DEPUTY Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has described Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's recent comments that Malaysian Chinese were being systemically marginalised as naughty. 'It is a comment that we can do without. It is not appreciated at all,' the Bernama news agency quoted Datuk Seri Najib as saying. He said the comments were inaccurate as there was no effort to marginalise the non-bumiputeras in the country, Bernama reported yesterday. On the contrary, efforts were focused towards striking a balance between bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras to ensure the bumiputeras were not left behind as the nation developed. I copied the above from Sammyboy. At the rate the pro bumiputra policies are being implemented, it is high time that the Malaysian Govt starts to introduce some pro non bumiputra policies so that non bumiputras are not marginalised further.

let's get into the first world league

Our politicians have no problem standing shoulder to shoulder with other world leaders. They are the envy of others and everyone will look up to them as they are worth every ounce in gold. Can't say this of our corporate hotshots. Our corporate leaders are very under paid compare to the Americans and other MNCs. The top notch Americans are all in the hundreds of millions league. That may be the reason why we can't find one to fill the shoe in Singtel. For the salary we are paying the Singtel top man or woman, we can at best find one probably considered fourth or fifth grade in the American corporate world. What Singapore should do is to pay all our corporate honchos as high as the Americans. Then we can boast to the world that our corporate top notch executives are in the same class as the Americans. Then also we will be able to pay for top grade Americans to head our local companies. That is the way to go in a globalised world. We cannot compete with the world if our corporate leaders are being paid pittance. They will not be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the real American hotshots as their pay will tell that they are not good enough. We want to be in the first league we have to pay the way there.

of prata and coo coo bags

I read somewhere in an article yesterday about this sweaty lady lugging a prata bag in the MRT. The commentator was not amused. A prata in the MRT was just not the right thing. A prata belongs to the better breed and better heeled variety of the female specimen. In his/her view, it is unspeakable for anyone to carry a prata and swinging in a train. So unrefined and compromising on the status of the bag. A prata must be associated with all the other good things in life, chauffered and other fineries to match. How about a Ma Sha Chi( the Hongkie pronounciation) belt to go with it. Pretenders who think it is cool to carry prata or coocoo bags, or eler vee bag should really reconsider whether they fit into the image of the upper class of fine ladies. In that level up there, all the person's worth and wealth are hanged outside for everyone to see. There is nothing pretentious when a piece of reptile skin, nicely folded to carry under the armpit would fetch $28k, and there is a long waiting list for it. Then there is another type who would wear a black rubber band watch and in cotton shirts, probably made in Thailand or some third world manufacturers, but still patronised theatres and concerts. To this group, they don't hang anything of value on them. Whatever are their worths, it is all kept hidden, either inside their heads or in between their legs. There are actually two different worlds up there, detached and unknown to the MRT prata and coo coo bag carriers.

singtel has a local ceo

Nicholas Yeo, Asian equities investment manager at Aberdeen Asset Management said, "I'm not sure if the market was expecting them to bring in someone from the outside who would be more aggressive, but she is a natural choice in terms of her knowledge of the company. It would not be as difficult for her as it would have been for an outsider," Suddenly everyone realised that the best candidate available and with a wealth of experience was someone within. Luckily they did not throw another tens of millions for an expensive foreign dud. The problem with Chua Sock Koon is that her salary is not high enough. They need to raise her salary to $10 million at least. Then it will be decisions from a $10 million calibre CEO. That will give her more weight. But still a lightweight compare to the $200 million Americans. How about making her a heavyweight and pay her $100 million. She will then have a louder voice in the international arena and can get into Forbes top 100 most powerful woman also. The quality of a person is measured by the amount of salary he/she commands.

gifted programme that was not to be

The Gifted Programme or GEP came to an end today with poor enrolment and competition from better alternative programmes. The much hype programme for gifted children, in my view, fell too far short of its namesake. Where are the results of gifted personalities that were churned out from the programme except for some straight As which other schools are producing in great numbers. One would expect something of an Einstein, a renowned musician, a mathematician, someone who discovers why man can walk on air or a 12 year old professor. The programme produced none of these. Might as well. Maybe we need to grow our population to 8 million and with more foreign talent seeds, then we can revive a more gifted programme with double the chances of producing some genius.

imf-world bank and the little red dot

The Little Red Dot has done it again. It is a coup of another kind over the last 10 days. No litters, no smoking, no chewing gums, and yes, no public and violent demonstration. We have uniformed men all over Suntec City, just like the Thais have their uniformed soldiers all over Bangkok. Both were there to keep the peace, albeit of a different kind. For once, the IMF-World Bank Meeting had gone without a hitch, without demonstrators pushing and fighting with the police. A bloodless coup. And this is Singapore. We have told the world that there can be discussions and exchanges of views in a civil and orderly manner, and getting the points across. Would this brand of protestorless and bloodless Meetings be continued into the future? If it does, then Singapore would have taught the world a lesson, the Singapore way of doing things. There were a little edginess initially. And the strongest or loudest protest came not from the CSOs but from the President of the World Bank himself, Paul Wolfowitz. But I think deep down inside him he was a happy man with Singapore taking the blame for a peaceful and sensible international Meeting here. And so were all the delegates despite the little utterings of how artificial the zoo was. So clean, so free and so safe. And all the food being serve on a silver platter. The Little Red Dot called the shot and set the agenda on how the Meeting should be conducted. And the world is pleased.

me and the new paper

Just a little announcement. I have just signed on the dotted line to be a columnist with The New Paper. And don't be surprised to see my pretty face on the pages of TNP come next month. It is an encouraging sign to see the main stream media taking the initiative to engage the netizens of cyberspace. Cheers

remove affordability and profitability from the equation

I was reading the Secretary of Public Tansport Council, Looi Teik Soon's reply to Lim Boon Hee's 'Absolute fare comparison is misleading.' And after adjusting for Purchasing Power Parity, Singapore's transport fare is still CHEAP compare to HongKong, London and New York. The argument on this basis is perfectly sound and logical. It is based on affordability. The income of those commuters in other cities are higher so they should pay more. Our income is lower, then we should pay lesser. But we should not be paying lesser as the comparison says that all things being equal, we should be paying more. After adjusting for PPP we should and could be made to pay as high as New York. So our average fare should be $1.42 instead of 66c. Anyone sees anything wrong with this logic? The approach for how much the commuters should be paying is not dependent on operating cost or profitability but how much one can afford. Just like our HDB pricing. So if Singaporeans can afford to pay $20, this logic will say our average fare should be $20! I still think that we should return public services back to the govt and remove the idea of profitability and affordability from the thinking and equation. Public services are essential services and should be cost and charged on a different formula from commercial enterprises.

i am going to be an insurance agent

The volunteers in VWOs are now convinced that they should be covered by insurance for negligence not amounting to fraud or wrongdoings. I think if this line of argument is acceptable, then all employees, including civil servants should also be covered by such insurance. To be fair everyone needs to be protected from their own negligence. The insurance industry should work out different plans for different professions, including teachers, uniformed services, politicians, civil servants, private employees etc. In fact anyone working, paid or volunteers, should be protected. And everyone should be encouraged to buy such policies, from their own pockets of course. For all jobs or occupations are not free from negligence. Everyone is human and will make mistakes, often unintentionally. So getting themselves protected is a good thing. I am going to join the insurance industry when this is implemented.

return of coup season in thailand

October is around the corner, and coup season has returned to Thailand. So far so good as it is a bloodless coup. Whether Thaksin is be able to regroup a force to counter this coup and cause bloodshed we will have to wait and see. Thaksin has been controversial and is taking the blame for the uprising in the south. But the muslim resurgence there is not his doing. It will happen no matter who becomes the Prime Minister and the violence will continue to accelerate given the revival of Islam and the secessionist intent of the southern muslim rebels. On the other hand the latest bombings may not be the job of the muslims. Who knows who is the real mastermind behind it. The recent coup has two implications. Internally it seems that the king is involved. Traditionally the king is above politics. But this time if he gets his hands into politics, it might lead to a dramatic change in the political development of Thailand that will affect the role and fate of the palace. For Singapore, looks like we have betted on the wrong horse and a swarm of problems are coming our way if Thaksin is ousted.

myth 65

'The income gap will only get wider' What do you understand when people say that the income gap will only get wider and nothing can be done about it?

new features in redbeanforum

hi, i have added two topics in redbeanforum. one is on scam stories that i replied to. this is more for educational purposes. the other is a photo gallery on some of the scenes i took. there are two albums at the moment. album 1, the durians, contains pics of the theatre at the bay. album 2 are colourful shots of chinatown architecture. just for your viewing pleasure.

return public transport as a public service

The noise is getting louder. More and more are shouting for a reform of the public transport system. Not just about how the different transport services should be run. But to return public transport as a public service run by the govt. The myth that it has to be privatised to be efficient and effective should be grounded. No one believes in such myths anymore. Anyone running a public service and found to be incapable and inefficient should be sacked. Period. And make sure his replacement do a better job or else sack as well. Then we will see whether there is a need to privatise for efficiency. That is only one part of the myth. The second part of the myth is that public and essential services must be run for profits. This thinking needs to be revised. We need to go back to look after the interest of the people, especially the lower income group. Ok, please, no silly comments like running at a loss. Sack the CEO if he cannot run it as a going concern. And no lowering in the quality of service just because it is run to make lesser profits. This is another big bull. Many letters have been written to the press. What more feedback is needed? Or because these letters did not send to the official feedback unit, so not counted as feedback? Or maybe should ask Wei Ling to write another letter on this issue.