The Chinese was the worst affected in MTL

As a group, the Chinese was the worst affected group by the Mother Tongue Language policy. Other than the numerous dialects spoken at home, many homes were using Malay or English, or any other languages except Mandarin. Mandarin was a foreign language to the majority of Singaporean Chinese who were mostly southerners. The peranakans spoke a mixture of Hokien and Malay and English. When the policy was introduced, many Chinese children were caught in a very difficult position. The worst affected are the Babas and those who used mainly English at home. Many have opted for Hopson’s Choice and migrated, for the sake of their children’s education. For without a good pass in Mandarin, the door to tertiary education is closed. More importantly, the children would have to struggle with more tuition to try to make the grade. It was misery and a painful childhood to many Chinese children. If any, the Chinese should be the group that would be shouting discrimination and being put in a very disadvantageous position vis a vis the other races. The Malays should have lesser difficulty in MTL as Malay is their mother tongue and spoken at home. I think the Indians too have quite a comparable problem with the Chinese as many spoke different dialects as well as English at home. Some of them also ended up migrating. They too did not shout discrimination. They have accepted the MTL policy grudgingly for national integration. If the Chinese and Indians would have taken the MTL policy badly and protest strongly, the situation could become ugly. Thank god that the MTL issue has subsided and is now part and parcel of life here. There are still problems and are being sorted out. For the Chinese, dialects are disappearing with the passing of the grandpas and grandmas and the younger breed are now speaking English and Mandarin. The new citizens from China would only have to struggle with English. I am not too familiar with the situation among the Indians. Tamil is not the only dialect that is being used at home. Now with the influx of the Northern Indians, there may be contention for the recognition of other Indian languages other than Tamil. This could present another situation as more non Tamil speakers become citizens. The situation among the Malays should be fairly the same then and now.

Unrest in ME, China and Russia at risk?

This is the way western analysts are thinking and hoping everyday. Tomorrow if there is a health epidemic, a financial meltdown, and industrial or manufacturing mishap, it will be China and Russia or any other country except the US and Europe that will be next in line. These silly no hopers are praying and praying everyday to see the demise of Russia and China but forgetting that the next big collapse could be the US and Europe. The US is all ripe for a revolution with the income gap widening, the middle class becoming poor and beggars, and a national debt that they may not be able to repay short of turning the greenbacks into banana currency. They are still trying to keep the lid close and hoping for a miracle. The whole can of worm could splash out tomorrow and the US could be the beggar overnight. And Europe with several countries already in the critically ill list, and many more to go but not yet disclosed. As long as Russia and China can keep on feeding its people well and improving their standard of living, the West can keep on hoping and praying for their downfall. But before their prayers are answered, the West could have gone to the rubbish dump of history first. All Empires will have to call it a day. The West is no exception. The revolution in the ME is a revolution not only against dictators but a revolution against corruption and poverty, and against Western domination. When the West loses its grip on the ME and its oil, they will come tumbling down like a house of cards.

No growth better than growth

Yes, it sounds contradictory. Growth is the essence of our economy and the vital ingredient to the good life we are having. How can no growth be better than growth? The old mature economies are flowing along with lower growth rate but maintaining a high quality of life. We have experienced many years of high growth and the quality of our life has improved by leaps and bounds. The thing is that we are now witnessing diminishing returns from our growth. In fact, while the rich are getting richer and enjoying real growth, the middle income and lower are not getting better, and many are not enjoying any real growth or bettering their living condition, despite good economic growth. A simple illustration, if economy grows by 5% and income grows by the same amount, broadly speaking, the people should enjoy a 5% growth in their disposable income or spending power. Or at least they should be slightly easier in their pockets. But not everyone got a 5% increase if the economy goes up by 5%. Yes, some got 10% or more increases. That’s why some are doing very well and very happy. Another problem is that the inflation beast that we have today is eating away everything. If inflation is 5%, everyone is back at status quo. If inflation is double or more, though the economy looks good, though the income goes a bit higher, there is really a net contraction in the spending power. It is negative growth to those whose income does not keep pace with inflation. On the other extreme, low economic growth with low inflation could be better when inflation is lower than economic growth and income growth. How much of our growth has been translated to the wealth of our people in the middle and lower income bracket? Are they really better off, sharing the growing economic pie, or are they starting to feel the strains in their pockets? A $100k increase in property price means many will have to work 5 to 10 years for nothing, not improving their income at all. This goes to the prices of cars, of high medical bills and other big ticket items. The couple of hundred dollars of salary increases are easily eaten up by the high cost of living of everything, from basic necessities, transportation, food on the table, and consumer durables. We may be in a situation when no growth or low growth is better off than high growth if the standard and cost of living can be maintained. At the rate inflation is eating up everyone’s income and savings, we should think carefully of chasing high economic growth for its sake. It could be an effort in vain. What is important is real improvement in standard of living, cost of living, not fictitious dollar increases when the value is depreciating by the days.

No child be denied an education

This is the assurance by the govt. No money never mind, just ask and will be given. Any small prints to read? Any conditions attached? Will the parents be subject to mean testing? What income level is considered as affordable and disqualified from govt handouts? A $2000 household income for one child or $5000 income for four children qualified? I think the first thing is to prove how challenging the family life is. The term challenging and affordable can mean anything to anyone. Nevermind, when a family is in that condition, no need be shy, just go and ask for help. The govt will be most happy to help. The devil is in the details. Something like no one will be denied medical treatment in our hospitals. Then why are citizens going to Malaysia for treatment? Fail the mean testing, or too shy to ask or beg?

If only Malaysia agrees…

If Malaysia agrees to let us build all the facilities we need in Johore, like hospitals, schools, housing etc etc, we can save a lot of money from paying sky high prices for these facilities and services in the island. There are obvious competitive advantages in terms of land costs. And if that happens, Singaporeans can all move over, hopefully can still work in their own country. And the whole country can be sold or lease to foreigners who can afford the high prices. As a hotel, there is nothing sentimental about this place. Let it go to the highest bidders. Singaporeans can go and park somewhere else. The cheaper land and labour costs will make living in those places much more affordable for the 21st century nomads. And we can extend the work in progress in nation building forever. No sweat, as long as Singaporeans can be shifted out and rent out their expensive HDB flats and earn rentals to live cheaply in Johore. Medical and hospital services would also be cheaper. Come to think of it, renting out the whole island and live on the rentals is not a bad idea. Our beautiful island paradise can be home to the rich and famous, our world class hospitals to serve the rich and famous…. Provided Malaysia is willing. We can truly become the modern nomads, people without a home in their own country. Oops, got homes, but need to rent out to live on the rentals outside the island as the high cost of living becomes prohibitive to the average Singaporeans. OK, the average Singaporeans can also call themselves landlords, till the lease expires. Isn’t this a damn great idea? No need to worry about nation building, no need to worry about country and citizens. Just treat the whole place as a hotel to make money for nobody. The concept of renting out our homes to collect rents and live simpler is already being in practice by some Singaporeans. Some have rented their private properties and live in HDB flats. And Singaporeans are already going to Malaysia and Thailand or elsewhere cheaper for medical treatments while our hospitals are doing fine business treating the rich from all over.

Haunted by a living myth

Singaporeans are asset rich. Those who live in bigger flats, 5 rms and above, are better off. A Pavithran Vidyadharan, welcome to Singapore, wrote to the ST, ‘ I hope on Friday, when Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announces this year’s Budget, he will be more generous with goodies for five room and HDB executive flat owners. There is a misconception that such owners are high income earners, and they don’t need much help. It is not necessarily so. They could be living in the bigger HDB flats because their family is large; some could be taking care of their aged parents and in laws; and some could even be taking care of divorced or widowed siblings and their children.’ There are many other reasons why those living in bigger flats may not be better off. The older policies and pricing allowed many average Singaporeans to buy bigger flats as they were ‘really, truly’ affordable in every sense of the word. Some of them could now be retired and have lesser or no income. And with the great inflation Singapore Style, with no money in the pocket, life can be equally tough for those living in bigger flats. The demons of inflation and false wealth will be knocking at the doors of these asset rich Singaporeans. The only solution is to down grade and down grade and down grade. This will also apply to the wealthy scions who have inherited wealth and big properties. If they don’t inherit a business to generate the same wealth to maintain the high living lifestyle, and not professional enough to command million dollar incomes, they too will join the down grade queue. Just to repaint a house can be tens of thousands. And this is likely the main reason why the very rich do not think a few hundred millions would be enough for their children as the cost of living and inflation will soon erode whatever wealth there is there.

I am watching the property prices

I have been watching the property prices for more than 30 years. I have watched how the prices charged up and come tumbling down during a crisis. It looks like a roller coaster going up and down, beyond anyone’s control. The most spectacular time would be the recent years. After the financial crisis when prices plunged, all was doomed. Then everything turned around with everyone cheering happily as the prices went up and up. The developers, the housing agents, the investors, the home owners were all smiling. The govt was also smiling. I watch when there was an over supply of HDB flats. I watch when the HDB cut down on its building programme. I watch as the population grew with more PRs and new citizens flooding our shores. I watch how from a position of over supply turns into a position of severe shortages. And I am still watching. I watch how the frantic release of land to build more flats and the demands continue to be strong. I watch how the affordable HDB flats continue to be affordable despite all the price hikes while salary remains crawling at a snail pace. And I am watching happily as everyone says property prices are very affordable, can still go up some more, and no need to panic as there are plenty on the supply side. I am still watching. I never read the kpkbs in cyberspace and did not know what is happening. For the next 30 years, if I am still around, I will still be watching how the property prices go through the roof of the sky, and everyone claiming so affordable. It is such a wonderful past time just watching….

What did Mah Bow Tan say in Parliament?

Singapore Minister: Will Take Further Measures On Property If Necessary SINGAPORE -(Dow Jones)- Singapore Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan Monday said the government is closely monitoring the property market and will take further steps to keep property prices at sustainable levels if needed…. "It is not the intention of the latest measures to crash the (property) market... but rather to cool the market," Mah said in response to a question in Parliament…. The above is quoted from Dow Jones. What is Mah Bow Tan trying to say? The current property prices are reasonable and sustainable. It also means that the prices can still go up and he is quite comfortable with it. There is no intent to bring the prices down and there is still no bubble yet. When there is a bubble, when the prices are unsustainable, more measures will be introduced. When or at what kind of prices will be enough to bring in new measures? What is not said is that for a $400k property, if the price goes up by 10% or $40k, the young people waiting to buy will effectively receive a pay cut of $40k. How many young people can tahan such a pay cut when their pay rise is normally $200 to $400 or $3k to $5k annually? And if the current prices are sustainable and no cause for alarm or stopping it to climb further, the young couples are as good as chasing a rainbow that only gets further away by the days. Salary increases, $4k pa, housing price up by $40k pa. Sure die one.

A very controversial statement

I am writing this in response to Solo Bear’s latest article on the govt’s policy to keep the Chinese a majority in this country. I will leave his personal attack on LKY aside as I do not know what were the reasons for his persistent attack. Since independence, and during the colonial times, the Chinese have been a majority till now. The issue is whether this a bad thing? What if another racial group becomes a majority, would it be better for everyone? For discussion’s sake, let’s say the Malays become a majority in the country, what kind of changes can we expect? Becoming more Islamic like our neighbours, with more tolerance and intolerance issues being precipitated, everything becomes so sensitive and objectionable? Would we become something like Malaysia or Indonesia, and would it be a better place to live for everyone? Would everyone be free to practise and live their ways of life, culture and religion like it is now? The experience in the region is a rude reminder that the majorities often find it so convenient and easy to conduct racial genocides against the minorities, particularly the Chinese and Indians except in this island, where the minorities can feel so safe and secure, and knowing that the law will come down hard on the Chinese majority at the slightest thought of intimidating the minorities. On the same basis, what would it be like if the Indians become a majority here instead of the Chinese or Malays? Would the same policies of the govt continue, or would new policies be for the better or the worst? Having live through the last 60 years and witnessing how living conditions have improved for all the races, I have no reasons to want a change in the racial composition of the population. It is easy for me to say so, I admit, as a member of the majority. I know, the minorities will have very strong views on this. I must say that under a Chinese majority rule polity, anyone who is able will be able to succeed by his sheer effort, ability and industry, not a right by virtue of his colour or creed. Some will be more successful than others for other reasons but not because they were the majority, as many Chinese too were struggling to improve their own conditions but not getting anywhere. I don’t like what I see in neighbouring countries on what the fate of the Chinese Singaporeans could be if they become a minority. If the govt can continue with a policy of providing and assisting the minorities in every way possible to make them compete better with the majority, I think this can be a better place for everyone. The govt can do more to help the less able of the minorities to make their lives better for the good of everyone. I think Solo Bear’s position is that a Chinese majority is not a good thing for the minorities. And I believe he thinks a change from this balance is good for everyone. Please think about the alternatives, and feel free to disagree with me and share your views generously, with a little restraint on the adjectives: ) PS. I will delete this thread if the discussion gets uncontrollable and unreasonable. It is a test of the maturity of Singaporeans to be able to discuss issues rationally with minimal emotional outbursts.

Intolerance or primitive mindset?

I was looking at the picture of this Afghan girl, Bibi Aisha, with holes on her face in place of her nose. She ran away from an arranged marriage and was caught. Her husband cut off her nose and her ears. With an artificial nose attached and waiting for a more permanent nose and features, you can see how beautiful she was. The act to disfigure her must have a lot of support in her tribes as it is part of their culture and practices. And the husband must be doing an honourable act, in delivering justice in their own ways. Many who share this form of justice and primitive acts must be very proud of the husband and would be saying Aisha deserved it. Is this intolerance, primitive or the correct way of conducting life? The answers will be from white to black, with many apologists explaining why it was justified. A state of frenzy has been drummed up in Malaysia, the most advanced and moderate Islamic country on the celebration of Valentine’s Day. One reason mentioned and I quote from the Selangor’s Islamic authority, ‘It is celebrated in many ways, starting with greeting cards, flowers and dance parties. In fact, some celebrate it with a date which would eventually lead to illicit sex. Clearly, the celebration is not part of Islamic teaching, it violates the syariah and contradicts the universal code of ethics.’ Which part of this celebration violates Islamic teachings? The part leading to illicit sex, I believe. I believe it also said that ‘some’ and not all will lead to this part of the act. Many who celebrate Valentine’s Day will not engage in illicit sex. And Valentine’s Day does not dictate or encourage anyone to participate in illicit sex as part of the celebration. Don’t get me wrong, the Islamic authority has all the right to ban whatever that they deemed fit and their believers must adhere to them. The Muslim should not celebrate Valentine’s Day for whatever reasons they want to uphold. The Christians or Westerners can go ahead to celebrate their Valentine’s Day in whatever way they choose to, even illicit sex, as long as it is mutually consensual. When both parties can accept each other’s position, life will go on as normal. For this issue to be debated so emotionally, it is a sign of intolerance. Let’s hope the intolerance will not be exploited into something ugly, like cutting off noses and ears. The religious police are expected to be snooping around dark corners to check on the identities and religious backgrounds of couples in close proximity. I hope they will do it discretely and would not behave like rogues, and leave the non Muslims alone.

Rising cost of living an issue in Parliament

Several MPs will be raising issues and concerns about rising cost of living, or costs of everything in Parliament on Monday. My eye balls are rolling all over. Who is the major contributor to the high cost of living? External factors! Bull! We all know who and what were the major causes of high prices and high inflation. But no one is going to go to the monkey and stick a pin into its back. The indiscriminate jacking up of prices by the hawkers is causing great worries. Really? Are the hawkers the real culprits, or were the price hike indiscriminate? Who were the real Mohicans who have been raising prices indiscriminately? Then again they will tell you all the hikes were justified with numbers and statistics and graphs and charts presented by the most talented managers. You can’t beat that can you? Only the hawkers, facing higher and higher rentals, refurbished and upgraded facilities, aircon, etc etc and higher cost of raw materials, transportation,…but unable to come out with beautifully cooked data and charts, are seen as indiscriminate. The real causes of high prices are the big corporations, big businesses and, who else? …. Rentals, fees, transportations, land prices, and whatever were Not indiscriminately raised, but with very good reasons that are unquestionable. At worst they would not even show you the real statistics. Would someone be real and ask some honest and real questions in Parliament? Or would asking questions solve anything other than getting some prepared answers from the ministers and matter closed? Don’t be surprised some jokers will say inflation is progress! Or inflation is good or else how could a $10k HDB flat becomes $300k after 30 years. And high prices of cars, COEs and HDB flats are signs that the people are wealthy and rich and can afford to pay for them. With this kind of brilliant answers, one can argue until the cow comes home, and nothing will change. Any change will be temporary, pre GE, and the worst is yet to come, with more brilliant explanations.

Donation Drive to free Chee Soon Juan

Someone asked me why I did not post anything on this issue that is pretty hot in the internet. I replied, 'Shameful'...for I did not do my part.

The scourge would not go away

Many have been caught, jailed and caned. Unfortunately the harassment against innocent residents continues. It seems that it will never end and can never end. Is it so difficult to deal with loan sharks with the technology and resources today? It was reported that less than 1% of HDB households are victims of loan sharks. Using this percentage angle to describe the crime as if it is insignificant is shameful. And if even one case is too many, how can we live with so many cases? 1% of 800,000 households means 8,000 households are being harassed by the loan sharks. And this is a huge number and can never be tolerated. Imagine if the ST claims that it is acceptable to have a 1% typo error on its news papers, or the PUB claims that 1% of power outage is ok? It means that on every page of the paper, every 100 letters there will be an error. Similarly, every year there will be 3.5 days of power outages. Acceptable? 1% of households are victims of loan sharks cannot be accepted as good or even satisfactory. When will the scourge be removed from our shores? Paying top dollar, the people must demand for top dollar performance.

Our Malays are integrating very well

Several articles appeared in the ST yesterday on comments that were translated from Berita Harian and Berita Minggu, our Malay papers. They were the views of our Malay elite responding to what LKY said on Malays integrating into the main stream of our social activities. The views were guarded but mainly told of how well our Malays have adapted and accommodated to the modern life style of this city state and tolerating the differences in cultural and religious activities. On the first page of mypaper there was an article about the authorities in some Malaysian states ramming up checks on immoral behaviours between the sexes during Valentine’s Day. The Islamic apparatus will be increasing checks and patrols on Muslims in dark corners engaging in ‘immoral acts’ of close proximity. I must add that such vigilance is only confined to Muslim authorities wanting to ensure that the Muslims are not indulging in sinful lifestyles. I have read an article in the net that when Najib was invited to attend a Christmas function by the Catholic Archbishop of KL, there was a polite request that the Christian cross be removed, no carols and no prayers during his visit. That is the level of tolerance in Malaysia. This is from an article by John Malott, former US Ambassador to Malaysia. I stand to be corrected, there were postings in the net that there were calls to prohibit the sales of ‘bak kut teh’, ‘char kway teow’, ‘wan tan mee’ etc etc unless they are halal and carry the halal signs. Thank god, our Muslim brothers are more tolerant than the Malaysian Muslims and did not insist on such regulations. In the ST articles, many emphasized that the Singapore Muslims have no problems eating together with non Muslims and are mixing freely while keeping the limits of their own constraints. An article by A Rahman Basrun commented that Islam is not the problem but the Muslims were. I quote, ‘Finally, it is not Islam that is troublesome; rather, Muslims are the ones who cause trouble to Islam.’ By comparing the two states, Malaysia and Singapore, both have Muslims practicing Islam, we can see what is the real problem. I agree with Rahman Basrun, that Islam is not the problem, but the Muslims and the way they practiced their faith is. If that is the case, LKY’s comment is fair in the sense that Islam allows room for tolerance and the Muslims could, in some ways, moderate the practices, without compromising on the key doctrines, to adapt to other cultural and religious activities. If Islam is the source of intolerance, then there is no room for any moderations.

MAD-ness in the financial world

The concept of MAD, Mutual Assured Destruction, used to be only applicable to superpower conflicts where both parties will destroy each other with their WMD. The end of the world consequence of this concept is enough to bring fear and prevent any crazy hot heads from attempting war with nuclear weapons. This term is gaining relevance in the financial industry with all the devious and greedy men in charge. They all think very big, with big machines in the forms of high speed computers and networks to link all the markets together. What this means, simply, is that all the big guns can be trained at one market and blasts it to the end of the Universe. Impossible, they said. There will be no collusion of that sort, market forces and regulations will not allow it to happen. Really? When there is GREED! The financial world is so corrupt that with all the devious men in charge, all the classical rules to ensure fair play have been shoved aside and buried. Fair play, level playing field, transparency, cornering the market, buy and sell without change of ownership, false trading, churnings, syndicates manipulation, etc etc are now part of the game. We are seeing the breaking down of all good regulations, even deregulations, concocting systems for the big funds to take the fullest advantage of technology and their financial muscles to wipe out the markets. Theoretically it sounds fantastic and super efficient when the whole world and all the fund managers can trade in every market at the same time. It is an ideal market, with many players to allow the free market forces to run at its most efficient manner. In reality, a financial holocaust is waiting to happen when the power of destruction is in the hands of a few irresponsible and greedy men with no morals or responsibility except to make profits at any cost. God is great. It allows ingenious men to scheme together to meet at Armaggeddon happily, and thinking that they are very clever, to create the mother of all systems for self destruction. Globalisation, interconnectivity, de regulation, mergers, etc, etc, all points to one end. The rogues never think that they are the rogues. And they are in charge. We have experienced the frightening story of too big to fail. The next big story is too big for the good of everyone. The big funds, when acting in unison, can be more destructive than WMD. The world was given a glimpse of what is yet to come during the financial crisis. If the rascals in the financial industry are allowed to do what they wanted, we will get there sooner. They are linking all the markets together, to be burnt together at one go. Does it ring a bell? It is happening in Hongkong today!

More wanting to set up money lending business

I thought why the sudden interest in money lending and why Singaporeans are suddenly so enthused to want to set up businesses. Then I read in the net that there is this great idea being floated to help the poor Singaporeans to help themselves. It is about the poor oldies who have no money and needed to borrow money to survive. I was told that the scheme is to lend money to these oldies, who must first be over 65 years and be mean tested to be genuinely poor. Then they will be allowed to borrow from their own savings in their CPF accounts, and to pay interest of course. But one more interesting conditon. In order to be finally qualified to borrow from their own savings, they must first contribute 1% of their income, I supposed, to their savings first. Then only they can be allowed to borrow from themselves, or something like that. I also got confused as the logic was simply too brilliant that I am blinded. And why the long queue to set up money lending business? I think all those in the queue must be thinking that if the borrower has to put in money first, then they might as well be around to take the money upfront and talk later. And if the borrower got money to put into their savings accounts, they shouldn't be too risky. Am I right in thinking like that? Did I miss out something? This must be another one of those Uniquely Singapore schemes.

Ask and it shall be given

Every now and then, on Saturdays, armies of school children will be despatched into the streets, with a tin can in hand, to beg for money. Just ask, and the money will come in. People are expected to give, not to reward effort, but to beggars. The concept of begging to get easy money has been so successful that many big charities find it so convenient to beg for more money by organising them in a big way, with celebrities and public figures doing the begging. It is an annual affair and being conducted several times a year. And it is so popular and so attractive that foreign celebrities too find them very interesting and fun, begging for a good cause. We have a few infamous personalities that got so carried away with big time begging that they ended up behind bars. Money easy come easy go. When money can be had so easily, where is there a need to work? A young man even went to an extent of setting up several charities to beg for money, for his own pockets. And several others too did it in style. The latest I heard over the news is that grandmas are also roped in to the begging act. Great fun man, and so much enthusiasm shown by the grannies to beg on the streets. Soon more grannies will be attracted to this new found past time. Did I remember someone saying there is no such thing as free lunch? Nothing is for free. You want something, you got to work for it. With begging becoming a national past time, is there a contradiction? This culture of begging when one is young, begging when one is an adult, and begging when one is old, is sinking roots as a national culture here. Possibly we are the biggest nation of beggars.

Baby Shield?

We have MediShield and now BabyShield akan datang. Of course we have many kinds of shields for the oldies as well but in different names.. Soon there will be the ‘bao ka liao’ shield to cover from birth to death. Child birth is a risky business and statistically quite a significant percentage will be born with congenital problems or other birth defects. And the bottom line, it means a medical bill to foot. How come parents are not told that giving birth to babies is not simply footing the gynaecologist and delivery bills? There is another big chunk to be paid for birth defects and other related illnesses that is not cheap. So there is a need for BabyShield. Ah so. Can this be one of the prime reason why there is this urgent call to make more babies, to contribute to the economy by paying more medical bills plus insurance? Making a baby is a economic big factor that will add to the economic growth data. Just look at the cost the parents will have to bear, from conception to delivery, pre natal and post natal medical support and all the related medicine and medicare services. And that is only the beginning. The cost of bringing up the child, food, clothing, medical care as an infant, then nursery, kindergarten, pre school, and all the schooling till employment, and all the expenses for growing up. Finally as a young adult, 2 years for the country, follows by all the education needed to become employable. How much must the parents pay? Making babies is all about economics and the economy. A child could add at least half a million dollars to the economy before he makes his first dollar. Multiply this figure by the 30,000 to 40,000 births annually, the amount contributed to the economy is immense. The parents will have to foot the whole bill, plus all the shields. Should the govt share some of the cost of making babies, raising babies and educating them? The BabyShield can be a good start, plus all the medical bills for the delivery of a baby. This leads to another fundamental issue, the health of the people. If the headcount is so important, and if the people cannot afford to pay when they are sick, or dying, their loss is the loss of the country and the economy. Every headcount less will be a dent to the economic numbers. But the people are expected to pay for all the shields to keep themselves healthy and fit to help grow the economy. The country needs your babies. But you carry the can and pay to support all the services provided to bring up the babies. In other words, it is your problem if you bring out a baby to this world.

All the foul ups

More committees are being formed to come up with more recommendations to rectify the ‘foul ups’ by the govt. There are calls for slaying the inflation spectre which was happily reared to the size today as a good policy. The high prices of everything were seen as good and affordable. Now there were calls to do more to integrate locals and foreigners, as if the govt is not doing enough. Reach has formed a workgroup to look into the growing income gap and the rich poor divide as if the govt does not know. It also highlighted the ‘unequal balance of benefits and obligations between locals and foreigners, such as national service liability, in contrast with equal opportunities provided to Singaporeans and immigrants.’ There were several other recommendations on how to tackle the high cost of livings and how to help the low income group. All this sounds good and helpful. Look at it in another way, are they saying that the govt is not doing a good job and needs help from outside? Or are they thinking that the govt did not know what it is doing nor the effects of its policies? I believe that all the super talents involved in policy making knows exactly what they are doing and had thoroughly thought through all the processes before implementing them. In that case, what difference would such recommendations make or could make to all the good policies? I am sure the govt does not foul up in what it is doing. Everything has been carefully planned. Look, despite the high housing prices and medical fees, everything is still affordable and the people are happily paying for them and asking for more. Those who are buying definitely can afford them and expecting the prices to go higher. And looking at the long queues, it is obvious all is well. $150k medical bills are rare and need not be a worry. Do we need to set up more committees to make recommendations to the best talents in the govt to make the govt works better? My apologies, I am not sure whether the talents in these committees are lesser or better talents than those in govt. To be effective the talents in these committees must be better than those in govt. Otherwise it just does not make sense.

Orange peel cutting as art

I was watching the news on Channel News Asia yesterday and there was a report of a Japanese young man who used a paper cutter to cut orange skins into the shape of animals, just the outline. What came out were simple shapes of animals, something akin to paper cuttings. And Channel News Asia was there to broadcast it as news to the world. And this guy has about 70 or so cuttings. I have hundreds of images from my Art of RAR collection. And every image is painstakingly created as pieces of art. I think if I were a Japanese or an European or an American, the people in these countries will drool over my creations. These people from mature societies are more generous and receptive to creative ideas and arts, and are more ready to appreciate new art forms and creativity without the need for some authority or authoritative figure to say so. In this island, creativity is only art if other foreign talents say so. Anything coming out from our natives is unworthy of a second look. Not many really appreciate talents, creativity or art forms. I think it is more a case of lack of confidence, to dare to claim something as art for fear of losing credibility if others do not agree. In the case of reporters or art critics, what if the boss doesn’t agree? But when some foreigners did something and got reported, everyone will stand up with their mouths wide open and say, Wow, great art!. Even a naked man sitting on a chair is art! I call it stupidity, base and primitive instinct. Totally lack of ideas. It is utter nonsense, an insult to the audience and their intelligence. Then again, the audience need to be insulted if they accepted nonsense as art without protest, just because they were reported or being given a place in a grand art exhibition. If Damien Hirst were to walk across a zebra crossing, naked, it will be instantly hailed as an art form. I will wait to see who will make the first move to recognise my Art of RAR as an art form. I want to assure them that some of my pieces are in the style of some great artists, like Picasso and Wu Guan Zhong. But mine are photographic images, created by the hands of nature. I just help to give a little finishing touch to them. They came out in such forms were all nature’s doing. Not something that I have preconceived or planned. Anyone out there tempted to want to take a peep at my collection? I guarantee them that my collection will be more than kindergarten stuff. What I have created is perhaps the best thing to have happened in the local art scene: ) I need to brag a little to attract some attention.

Slaying the spectre of inflation

This is what an article in the ST is saying about the aim of the next budget. I think it is silly talk. The inflation beast has been carefully nurtured to grow to this size today, and everyone is so happy and delirious about it. The developers were encouraged to build and sell at an ever high price in a bidding system that can see prices going one way. The landlords were given a free hand to keep increasing the rentals under the guise of market forces. No need to mention about what HDB is doing. No one can meddle with market forces. The end result is a happy result. Owners of properties are all laughing at the value of their flats and private properties. And the best part, everything is simply affordable. The higher the prices, the more affordable they become, and the people can see more value in them. Higher medical bills are appropriate for world class hospitals. And rich people are discouraged from opting to go to lower class wards and pay less. Our education system is so high quality measured by the high fees that students are paying. As they say, quality and good stuff don’t come cheap. You want quality, you pay for it. And of course, with the money we are paying, we have the best quality govt in the world. An European talent said that Singapore is the best place for the future in the ST today. What more proof you need? What inflation? Where got inflation? It is quality. Everything is about quality. And Singaporeans are so rich that they can afford all the quality stuff in paradise. Singaporeans are paying the most expensive cars, housing, medical, education and almost everything. Please, please don’t slay the inflation beast. It is good, a sign of progress and better quality of life. The more Singaporean spent, the faster the economy spins, and the economic numbers will look better and better. Actually we even heard people saying, where got inflation? Everything is affordable, affordable understand? Everything is fine. Kindergartens are fine, fining parents who are late for a good cause. $2 for every 5 min. And of course the fines are affordable. A sign of things to come after the election. SMRT just increased night fare from $3.50 to $4. 50 cents only what! Imagine what would it be if the PTC would have gone through their fare review exercise? It is either now or later. Guaranteed better services after the next fare hike.

Singapore one step ahead of inflation

The reckless hike in food and commodity prices is threatening to wreck the countries around the world and bring down govts. And the western analysts point their fingers at Asian countries, particularly India and China, for importing them to feed their people and industries. No one is saying a word about the financial speculators, the big western funds that are driving up prices to the sky. The hike in prices of everything, high inflation, is sending worrying signals to govts around the world. The uprising in Egypt, and possibly more to come, could be the early signs that it could be spreading. Then again, the Asian economies need not fear as they are managed differently and effectively, and will avoid such crisis. In fact the govts of the world should take a lesson from the Asian economies, starting with Singapore. Singapore is one step ahead in this inflation game and is doing exceptionally well. No signs of trouble, and with a rich populace that can afford everything at any price. What is significant about the developments in Singapore is that while the world is just experiencing high inflation, Singapore has already inflated the prices of everything long before the word inflation raises its ugly head. Our property prices have rocketed sky high and pronounced as a good thing. This is a true sign of the people getting richer. There is also the medical cost which is now more expensive than the West if $150k bill for a C Ward is the thing to come. OK, this is just an exaggeration. It is rare. Maybe less than 5% of all bills are so big. And Singaporeans feel so comfortable paying $60k or more to buy a piece of paper that entitles them to buy a car that is priced 3 or 4 times more than in other countries. This is the magic of Singapore, inflating prices in everything and the people still can afford them. Everything is simply affordable. The govts of the world better send their civil servants to study how Singapore did it, beating the inflation game, by inflation. Inflation is welcomed as a good thing, especially when the people are mostly millionaires.

China is the cause of Egypt’s uprising

Thomas Friedman was given the front page in mypaper to ‘fried’ China. He pronounced that the uprising against Mubarak was because China could produce cheaper goods than the Egyptians. The same trend of thought planted in the minds of all Americans. China is the cause of their troubles because China could produce things cheaper than them. What Friedman refused to acknowledge is the American role over the last 30 years to prop up a dictator against their big talks on democracy. As far as the Americans are concerned, anything goes as long as it is to their advantage. It is either the dictator or the Muslim Brotherhood. So they chose to support a dictator and his misrule for 30 years. And it is China’s fault! The only other American contributions to the turmoil are Twitter and Facebook, which gave the common people a voice to talk back to the dictator and his corrupt regime backed by the Americans. Let me see, Twitter and Facebook must be products from China too, just for this uprising. And Singaporeans are enlightened and now know that China is the culprit. And Singapore could be next given that China could produce things cheaper than us, the enormous income gap between rich and poor and our local graduates from our world class universities unable to compete for jobs with foreign talents from third world universities, some even with fake degrees. China, watch out! In the eyes of the Americans, you are the trouble maker. And all American allies are told this, and they believe in it too.

An original Singapore Art Form

Taking a break from writing rubbish to show some of the works that I have created and called The Art of RAR. This nascent photographic art form is something I can truly claim to have originated from this little island. I hope NAC and STB are reading this and want to promote it as our native art form. The images that I have created have been good and consistent to the methodology that I have used. At this point in time I could identity a few categories eg Gold Series, Deep Space Series, Chinese Brush Series, Gems and Contemporary Arts Series. I have posted some of my Gold Series on the right column. The Zodiac Collection is now complete. On the left are examples of Contemporary Arts, Chinese Brush and Deep Space Series. The more I work on this art form, the more fascinating the images appeared. The potential of this art form is tremendous. redbean

The Egyptian Story unfolds

Dictator or no dictator, as long as he can hold the country together will do. The Emperor does not care about democracy or human rights as long as the dictator does what the Emperor wants, behave as a good boy and bow to the Emperor, everything will be fine. The moment the dictator loses his power base or support of the people, he must go. Obama spoke from his White House on the day of the major people uprising, telling the dictator to get things back in order. A week has passed and the anger of the people is increasing, and the demand for the dictator to get out grows. The Emperor knew that time is up for a change and told the dictator to get moving. As all dictators are the same, after enjoying years of power, wealth and control, giving up is not an easy thing to do. He let loose his security forces to do his dirty work, to quell the people’s uprising, threaten and putting people behind jails may work, to extend his dictatorial reign. The Emperor thinks otherwise, and is planning for the exit of the dictator from the White House. Like it or not, Egypt belongs to the Empire and any regime change must be authorised by the Emperor. Another dictator will be installed, with some trappings of democracy like in Iraq and Afghanistan. But dictators they will be, and the Emperor will be their boss. Will the will of the people decide who should lead them? Egypt has been faced with many years of big time corruption, wide income gap between the rich and poor, unemployment of graduates, high inflation, and a people getting increasingly unhappy with the regime. There is a ground swell for a change in govt. Who shall prevail, the Emperor, the dictator or the will of the people?

Make more babies!

For what? Why is there a need to make more babies? To generate economic growth, to make the statistics of growth look better? Why would people want to have babies if the babies are meant to be another digit in the economy? Aren’t babies the fruit of love, of people who love to have them, to enjoy them, to share their love with them? Babies that are brought into this world for any selfish reason other than to love them, and to cherish this gift of life, should not be born at all. Why is the state so adamant and steadfast in urging the people to produce babies? It must be for the good of the people, I think. If that be the case, what is the state doing to make sure that the babies are given a life worth living for instead of being born into a pressure cooker, a system that is hardly conducive to bringing up children unless the parents are financially able? The cost of bringing up children today is frightening. And the cost of failure when a child is unable to cope or compete in a highly strung society is not amusing. The parents too will fail if they do not have the financial means to give the child what is now regarded as basics in a sophisticated modern style of living. Today’s child will be deprived if they are going to live the life of poverty, living off the land, and making little toys for their own amusement from throw ways or discarded rubbish. It can be painful for children who cannot have the little things that other children are having, or the little comfort of a home. Make more babies? So easy? No need to think about money, about affordability? No need to think about the child’s own good? Multiply recklessly is not the way. It is simply irresponsible. How many new lives will be brought into this world to suffer the consequences of a system that only the very best will survive and the rest be made to struggle for a life time making ends meet? Is our social economic system conducive to bringing up children? What have the govt done towards building a more equitable society where the majority could live a better life instead of working like beast of burden just to make ends meet? Throwing some money good enough?

Hard Truth and Affordability

The most controversial word in the vocabulary of politicians is affordability. Everyone seems to utter this word as the biggest escape clause in any bad situation. It is affordable, we will make sure that it is affordable. And no matter how stupid the populace is, everyone knows what this dirty word means to different people. The truth is that the meaning of affordability is as flexible as a rubber band. It can be stretch which ever way the speaker wants it to be, as long as it is kept from snapping. Within the limits of its elasticity, anything goes and everything is affordable. This word should be banned and anyone using it should be make to feel ashame. The nonsensical use of the word affordability cannot go on and on. Closely link to this affordability word is the hard truth on the cost of HDB flats. Why is this truth so evasive and difficult to face the people? My new year wish is for someone to reveal this hard truth in his book and let some light into this darkness. If this is not possible, I hope that there will be a Wikileak on this piece of hard truth. We need to progress and move forward. What is unspoken, cannot be spoken, must be spoken. Nothing can be kept under wrap forever. Please let the truth be out and start the new year on a clean slate. The revelation may make a mockery of the word affordable, and will also make its use history. Until then, this will remain as the hardest truth to be spoken, and the affordable word will continue to flow with ease out of the smooth politician’s mouth.

Happy Lunar New Year to all

I have posted some photos of Chinatown taken this afternoon. Please click on the photo on the right below the red koi to view the them. Cheers.

Harvesting the people’s savings

What are you saving for? Or who are you saving for? Yourself of course : ). I am asking stupid questions again. But I have been thinking lately. I have come to the conclusion that the saver is actually a proxy. Though it looks like he is saving for himself, actually there are 3 real beneficiaries to his life long savings. They are the ones who will harvest the savings of the people. We have been told that we will live till 80 or 90 years. Think about it, by the time a person passes 60, the chances of admission to a hospital grows everyday. By the time he crosses 80 or 90, the probably could be as high as 80% to spend time in our world class hospitals. They are beckoning, come, we will take very good care of you, at a very affordable fee of course. Can’t expect world class facilities, services and professionals to provide free or cheap services right? Just be prepared for a $200k or $300k bill. This is likely to be the average and right size bills in times to come. So, with a few hundred thousands in savings, be very afraid that it can be wiped out in one admission. I can see fear and cold sweat running down the cheeks. Just one admission can bankrupt any average Singaporean. Fear not, for I am your savior. I know you by name and you shall be in good hands. In comes the other big beneficiary of your savings, the insurance man. He will offer you all his best schemes to help you pay for your stay in the world class hospitals. In fact he has been working very hard, thinking of all kinds of schemes, to help you. Very nice and caring people, next to those in the world class hospitals. With the two, you can rest in peace. I bet the hospitals will be most happy knowing the insurance man is going to help their future patients. They probably thank the insurance man for making hospital bills more affordable. And with the payment reduces to maybe $8, the hospitals will be encouraged to make their bills more affordable. Can’t blame them. Training a world class profession is very expensive. And world class facilities won’t come cheap. But they will promise you that their service will get better and betterer. You will be in good hands. Should the hospital raise their fees, the insurance man will coming running to you and happily chanting, fear not, fear not. My Maserati is on the way, just order another one. He will swear that he will not tire to work out the best schemes for you to make sure that your hospital bills will be affordable again. The people are so lucky. Would I need the services of these kind souls? Actually I will be a disappointment to them. After crossing the golden 60, every day is a bonus. Enjoy and make the best out of it. This piece of flesh is going to get more crappy everyday, no matter what one does. It is dust and must return to dust. And when he calls for you to go home, just go lah. He has many palaces waiting for you. Don’t be an asshole and keep him waiting. Don’t throw away your good money to be hooked up in wires and tubes and think that he can’t get you. He does not want your wasting body. He only asks for your spirit. No need to pay a ransom to keep a piece of rotting meat warm. Put it in the freezer will be cheaper. Burn it and throw it into the sea is as good as free. I think I have better use of my money than for it to benefit the two big jaws. The palaces in some remote places are more interesting and worthy to do some charity, and to share and bless the less well off folks. PS. According to a reply by Karen Tan from MOH, the average C Class ward bill is $1,600 and the majority of the patients did not have to pay anything out of pocket. A $100k bill is rare. She emphasized that C Class bill is very affordable. So there is no need to worry about the above scenario. It is probably a fictional situation in the future.

A GE can do wonderful things

The GE is around the corner. The first sign of change is the number of good news and happy news in the media. The people are soooo happy with their lives, all living very well. No more grumblings and kpkbs. Things actually started to change much earlier. The hard and nose in the air attitude were gone. No more talking down to the people. No more, if you can’t afford it, downgrade or move out. No more tightening the belt and live within your means comments. No more disgusting comments. Suddenly the politicians are so humble, so pleasing, understanding, caring and listening and so nice, smiling all the time. The people’s cries of high property prices are met with several remedial actions to curb the rise, but still very affordable. Now $150k hospital bills are also very affordable. And more schemes will come out to make it even more affordable. There is more urgency to tackle the loan shark menace and more were arrested. There was even a wet market being tendered to a big company who wanted to turn it into high class aircon market but this was turned down for fear of higher prices. And approving PRs and intake of foreign talents also go down dramatically with statements that we cannot just depend on foreign talents and low wage workers to keep our economy growing. There is a sudden realization that this is not sustainable wah. And another good piece of news today. The Public Transport Council is delaying the review of transport fare. Everyone reads it as delaying another round of fare increases. Can we blame them? Can we blame the law lecturer, Eugene Tan, for saying that the rationale for the delay in fare hike is likely to avoid another big issue in the GE? Heng ah! I highly recommend that we should hold GE once every two years. Then we will have more pleasant news and pleasant things happening. Do I worry about what would happen after the GE and the next one in another 4 years?

As we embrace inflation…

As we embrace inflation and keep inflating the prices of everything as a sign of progress, the world goes on spinning. $147k hospital bill is real, if there is no subsidy. How did we end up with a C Class ward in a govt hospital charging this kind of bill? Sorry, I forgot, it is privatized govt hospital, privatized for quality and efficiency. Has this got anything to do with the multi million dollar property prices? I bet it does. The doctors too need to earn the money to buy that $6m property, plus all the other trappings of wealth and a good life. They need to be paid handsomely if they are going to be able to afford those properties and all the good things in life. So will the other people in the medical industry. So will all the professionals and talents in the other industries. It will keep on spinning with everyone demanding more to pay for the properties they have an eye on. The workers have their fears. Paying a $100k hospital bill is beyond many average Singaporeans. But have no fear, the Medisave will be tweaked to cover things like congenital illnesses. I don’t know just how much would the Medisave cost and be able to do with a $150k bill? I also don’t know how big is the bill in the B Class ward if mean testing says one cannot be warded in C Class ward. Thank god, they have tweaked the mean testing and allow those who pass the testing to stay in C Class ward but with lower subsidies. Does it mean that ultimately the bill will be nearer to B Class wards that they try to avoid? World class hospitals need world class patients with world class bank accounts to pay world class bills.

The issue of drums, cymbals and gongs

The new directive on what can or cannot be done during Thaipusam is going to become very contentious and a very difficult position to defend. The policy is going to cut very deeply into the credibility of the decision makers. In my view, the thinking behind it is half baked as the repercussion across all community festivals will bear through its naivety. The closest policy in the same vein is the banning of a bicycle event in East Coast Park, very similar thinking, and very short sighted. The controversy will only grow with everyday and with every festival in our multi cultural society. The danger of big festivals is obvious. The death toll of a cultural event in Cambodia was too vivid and recent to be forgotten. So were the cases in India and Saudi Arabia. In huge crowds driven to a frenzy, any small mistake will be multipled and can become a disaster or a tragedy. Even our National Day Celebration or New Year Eve Count Down could turn ugly. The trick is how to manage and control the crowds in big events. The bigger trick is how to introduce directives and manage an event sensibly and fairly without being seen to be discriminatory. Ah, the art of govt and the skills of the policy makers are very demanding in such circumstances. Any half baked idea will quickly back fired.

The man and his thoughts

The Hard Truths was a book about the ideas of a man, his thinking, his perspectives and how he related them to nation building. The reactions to his thoughts are expected from the respective corners of the communities. The rational and objective will analyse and rationalise what he had said. The irrational will react irrationally. The racists or extremists will behave as they are. A whole spectrum of reactions will go through its motion in respond to the sensitive comments in the book. Why would a man who could live life peacefully, kissing children, touring schools to tell grand father tales, did a thing like this, penning his personal thoughts and beliefs that obviously will incur the wrath of the wrong people? The Chinese have a saying, ‘Eat too full, nothing better to do.’ Is this the case of a man who is out to draw flaks on himself? Some have now accused him of chauvinism, racism, anti Malay, anti Islam and many things along this line of thinking. The polite ones will say they disagreed with some of the views expressed in the book. Did he set out to tell the world that he is a chauvinist, a racist, anti Malay or anti Islam? It is important to understand the agenda of the book and the hard truths. What does he want to achieve by saying the unpleasant things at this time of his life when he could say all the good things, all the politically correct things, niceties and to be praised and remembered as someone with kind words? If the readers of the Hard Truths miss out what he set out to do, or intentionally refuse to understand the bigger things, it is a cause lost. The book is all about the pitfalls that could untangle all the efforts in building a cohesive multi racial society, national integration and nation building. Unfortunately not everyone is sensible and composed when issues of race and religion are invoked. The primordial instinct of tribes and religious purity will surface to rule the day and hijack the agenda, even turn it into a contentious issue that requires apology or else. What is there so disagreeable or difficult to agree in the Hard Truths? Is accepting the Hard Truths so difficult and politically wrong? Compare this to the closing down of Nantah in the early days. That was a hot potato, highly emotional and touching the raw nerves of the chauvinists. Till today, the chauvinists have not forgiven the decision maker. Having Nantah teaching mainly in Chinese was divisive in a way. The graduates will present a serious social and political problem if their limited command of the English Language makes them less relevant to the national effort of integration through the primacy of the English Language in government and commerce. The chauvinists will argue that it is as relevant then as it is today. A difference in opinion, just like some will claim that whether under Lim Chin Siong or anyone, Singapore will still be what it is today. The point I am making is that the agenda or motivation of the incident was about national integration, not anti Chinese or trying to kill Chinese education though the direct effect was exactly that. The man and his motivation was and is all about how to make the country relevant and survive despite the opposing forces pulling in different directions. More flexibility, give and take, adaptation and accommodation are needed from every corner to the bigger good of the nation. Sticking rigidly to ones own little corner will undermine the effort of national integration. The Hard Truths was nothing about anti this group or that group. The intent is there for those who want to understand and appreciate it. For those who chose to deride the book and feel offended, it is all a matter of interpretation and looking at things from their own little corner and interests.

$147k for a C Class hospital bill

Tan Guan Seng, calling himself an average Singaporean worker, was served with a C Class ward hospital bill from NUH. After deducting from company’s insurance, from Medisave, Medishield, he is still left with $50k outstanding. He probably forgot about the 3rd M which could reduce his bill to $8 like someone with a major heart operation. The facts of this case include the following: it is a work accident so no subsidy. The family ‘request to upgrade him to a private ward, the hospital’s staff informed her that the estimated bill would exceed the quantum to be borne by …Work Injury Compensation Act …at a cap of 25k.’ Also hospital has discretion to downgrade when it found patients may have difficulties to pay. Did the request for upgrading got through? Did the hospital downgrade the patient subsequently? These were left hanging without confirmation. As they were mentioned in the hospital’s reply, they must have happened. Otherwise they were unnecessary information to talk about. There were several issues that are interesting. Firstly, Singaporeans must be thankful that their lives are now so worthy that hospitals could easily charge them a few hundred thousand for admission. People with cheap lives will not pay such ransom and choose to die. The Work Injury Compensation Act needs a revision as the quantum provided to protect work injury accidents is definitely inadequate. The minimum sum insured should be at least $150k and increasing every year to meet the rising cost of hospitalisation. Insurance companies are smiling now. The vicious cycle is starting, much like motor insurance. It seems a norm that patients admitted to hospitals would like to upgrade, like upgrading from HDB flats to private properties. No one seems to ask how much would it cost. Or they may believe that with 3Ms, they only need to pay $8 or around that sum. The question is why the hospital never do a mean testing to make sure that patients who cannot pay cannot be upgraded? It seems that mean testing is to ensure that patients should stay in more expensive wards than the other way round. Oh, in this case the hospital did a downgrading subsequently I think. Otherwise the bill could be $300K. There are many issues and things to do to ensure that workers can afford to pay for their expensive lives. For one, the govt should not encourage the mindset of upgrading in hospitalisation. Perhaps only two classes of wards should be provided to keep the ignoramus out of harm and suddenly claimed ignorance and unable to pay when a handsome hospital bill is presented to them on a gold platter. (Come to think of it, this should be the manner to serve a bill of that size, by a specially appointed emissary). Just have a ward called Very Expensive Ward for the rich and those who can afford to pay. And Very Good Ward for the rest of the people at subsidised rate that is ‘affordable’ to the masses. Calling it Very Good will make the masses feel good. And calling the expensive ward expensive will remind them that it will not cost only $8 but $800k. Simple people need simple solution. The masses have a thinking brain and thinking pattern that are very different from the super talents, and very strange. The smart ones will always want to be admitted to cheaper wards which ended with a reprisal in the form of Mean Testing. The silly ones just don’t care and would want the best wards even if they cannot afford to pay. Paying is the last thing in their minds. Maybe the govt should seriously consider applying the mean testing to make sure people who cannot pay be admitted into cheaper wards and not the other way round. Of course there will be outcry by the people who would accuse the govt for not seeing them up and ill treating them and putting them in low class wards. That is why I suggested only two types of wards. Very Expensive Wards and Very Good Wards to cater to the rich and the masses.

Clever or stupid question?

William Choong, senior writer of ST, asked a Chinese professor and a Chinese Ambassador about transparency and Chinese military build up. And he deservedly got told off by the Chinese for asking those questions. Why wouldn’t he ask the Americans for more transparency in their weapons development and what their military arms were for? I believe the Americans will tell him it is just a hobby, or toys for the big boys to play with. Would that be good enough answers for him? There is this group of analysts and reporters who have run out of wits and did not know what to write, and so whenever they see a Chinese official, they will ask the same stupid questions. What are China’s military build up for? The Chinese should simply say, to screw your arse. China had been a victim of foreign aggression and nearly lost its independence as a country because it was militarily weak. Does that answer all the silly questions? A smart analyst will know what military weapons and soldiers are for. There is no need to announce their stupidity in the public. The stealth fighter is a problem? What problem? What is the range of the aircraft and its armaments? Can it fly to the US? Yes, it has attack capability. But with its limited range, it is good only to defend the Chinese coast against enemy attacks. And when the enemies are at the door step, what should the Chinese do? Do I have to explain what an aircraft carrier is for? I hope no military analyst or expert is going to ask that silly question. Just look at its range, and the weapons it is carrying. Yes, an aircraft carrier is to party. It is an offensive weapon! William Choong wrote in his article today explaining his line of questioning. He said, ‘…my question had been open ended and harmless…I had posed a question that was deemed a tad too critical.’ I must praise him for his child like innocence. The Chinese reply to his childish questions was most appropriate though he thought that the Chinese were over reacting. And no, the Chinese were not trying to be smart. They were smart. And definitely they were not incompetent and did not want to answer silly and naïve questions. The Chinese should adopt a practice to say, ‘We don’t answer stupid questions. Next please.’

The danger of racial riots

In LKY’s book on Hard Truths, he touched on the dangers of racial riots and the Muslim community’s ability to integrate with other communities. These have touched on raw nerves and attracting several replies from across the causeway and from our Malay Community. In cyberspace, Solo bear is putting his views on his interpretation of the issue of race and riots. It is healthy if this issue can be discussed in a rational manner, even in the main stream media, without provoking racial tension and worst, a racial riot. I hope the parties involved could go on discussing for as long as they like and keeping an even keel. Not discussing it openly does not mean that there is no problem. However, discussing them does not mean that the problem can be discussed away. Race and religion are divisive by nature, with each have their own characteristics and beliefs that would want it to be different from others. Some would not want to be compromised by others or worst, insisted that others must be like them. Believing or claiming that race and religion are for harmony and peaceful coexistence is self deception. The seed of division is in every race and religion. It is a me against you kind of mentality. There will be no end to the troubles that can be caused by such divisions in race and religion. They will not go away. LKY is talking about racial riots. Solo bear is talking about riots, any kind of riots. Solo bear takes it that the Malays are somehow identified as the cause of riots but actually the Chinese were involved in most of the riots in Singapore. He quoted the Maria Hertogh riot, the National Service riot, Hock Lee Bus riot, the Chinese student riot, the 1964 and 1969 riots. Of the 6 quoted, 3 were racial riots and 3 were political. The Hock Lee and Chinese student riots were rooted in anti colonial movements. In the absence of colonial masters, they are unlikely to happen again. But anti govt riots could still be possible. What would not go away is the pugnacious racial riot. This is so sensitive and so easily instigated that a fight between two neighbours could ignite into a racial riot if the race element is played up. Even a fight between two commuters in a train can be turned into a racial riot if the flame of race is fanned. We live in a multi racial society and the three major racial groups have a significant presence. At any one time there could be a significant presence of any one of these groups in a location engaging in occupational, cultural or religious activities. Without a forceful govt intervention to ensure peaceful coexistence, the potential for racial dispute is really very high. All races must always bear in mind that avoiding racial dispute or preventing any dispute from becoming racial is vital to the well being of everyone here. What happened in the past, pointing at any one group will only incite anger. No one, even if guilty of racial trespassing, will want to admit guilt of wrong doings. Everyone can judge from the records of history and form his own private and personable opinion and let it stay there. It is pointless to say who was at fault as the guilty party would come up with hundred and one reasons to deflect its action. What is important is to know that racial riots can happen today or tomorrow. Everyone needs to be exceptionally sensitive to avoid such a scenario at all cost.

Loan shark Country – An effort in vain

Many loan shark runners have been arrested recently when the police stepped up their acts. Many were jailed or caned. When the police meant business, no way can the criminals hide. Those who are still engaging in this activity, to threaten the innocents and to paint graffiti everywhere they like should take note. It is only a matter of time before they go behind bars, and their behinds will be sore too. And ouch, another photo in the media showing another O$P$ graffiti at the Kallang Tennis Centre when an international tournament is in progress. Talking about arrogance, who can beat them? The loan sharks really believe that they are one step ahead of the law. They are as good as flipping their nose at the law. This problem used to be other people’s problem for too long. Innocent victims have suffered for months and years at the mercy of the loan sharks. As long as it remains as OPP, nothing much will be done. Would the latest affront against the law at the tennis centre be enough to provoke the law to come down harder and extinguish the light of the loan shark activities? By reading the reports that only little runners were being caught all the while, it looks like the law is just scratching the surface of the problem. If the big sharks are not in the net, there will be an unending supply of runners running around in circles in loan shark country.

Crying foul again!

Super computers and high speed trading system in equity and derivative tradings. These traders are armed with the latest technology, computer systems and algorithms to place their bets in the stock markets. The technology gives them the advantage to buy and sell at the best price after having a quick peep at all the orders in the market. And they have a big war chest to back up their bets to drown out the small traders. Now, is this a game of pokers, a game of chance, or stock trading? Is it investing or gambling? Who are the big traders with their expensive gambling machine playing against? Are they gambling against their peers with the same formula 1 machine or are they cheating or violating the small investors? When they are competing against the same kind with the same level of resources, technology and equipment, it is fair play. But if they are employing their mean machine to take advantage of the small and ill equipped investors, someone must cry foul. Fair play is what stock markets swear to do. Protecting the small investors against foul play, against being taken advantage of by unfair practices is what the stock markets stood for. By allowing such machine to maul down the innocent small investors must be a serious breach of the integrity of stock market principles and operations. If not, stock markets must be renamed as casinos and be governed by the rules of gaming applicable to casinos.

Beating the inflation beast

Govt policies have long term implications, some good and some bad, and some effects can be very extreme. Today everyone knows that Singaporeans are asset rich and cash poor. Everyone knows why. Singaporeans used to be very rich in their savings. Today, not many can smile at their CPF monthly statements as most have been depleted by you know what. Whatever little left will be schemed away and becomes untouchable. It all started when someone realized that Singaporeans have a lot of savings. Then schemes started brewing. How to get hold of this money while they laid idle in the CPF accounts? The rest is history. Today practically everything is priced to empty those savings. Of course they don’t said it this way. They said, Singaporeans can afford to pay because there is money in the CPF accounts. And everything is priced, carefully calibrated, to be affordable according to how much money there is available in the CPF accounts. Brilliant but disastrous. Clever but very short sighted. On one hand encouraging the people to save and on the other helping the people to spend at double quick time. Then utter the big surprise, why money not enough? Now there is a problem when it should not be. So we blame the inflation beast. It is all because of inflation. And inflation eats up a life time of savings at 40 to 50% of one’s income. If only time can be unwound to bring back to where it started and this asset inflation nonsense be killed before it gets wilder. So how? How to return to the time when housing was really affordable, medical fees affordable etc etc and people’s savings keep growing and they can smile at their CPF monthly statements? The inflation beast needs to be beaten. But there is no way to bring down the price of housing or medical fees. Doing that will be even more disastrous. Perhaps inflation can be beaten by inflation. How about inflating the CPF accounts of Singaporeans to the tune of $300k or there about? This will return some cash to the Singaporeans whose savings have been whittled away by inflation. And it will help Singaporeans wanting to buy those inflated HDB flats or pay for those inflated medical bills. It will cost he govt nothing. It is just printing money like all countries are doing. Follow our role model America and we can’t be wrong. When the rest of the world is printing money, we will lose out if we don’t. The buying power of our dollar is shrinking in a frightening way for domestic purchases. This must be done right. And there is no need to throw the whole amount to all Singaporeans. It can be carefully calibrated to the young and old, and to new and old citizens. We cannot repeat the silly thing by throwing all we got to new citizens. More thoughts can go into this little idea of inflating the CPF savings accounts of Singaporeans to fight the inflation beast. And the amount must be meaningful to right the excesses of the last 30 years. Let’s see what Tharman is going to say during his budget speech. Would it still be $1 for you and $1000 for me again?

The elitist Presidency

Do we need an elitist President? I can’t imagine an elected President saying. ‘Get out of my elitist and uncaring face!’ Of course this is unlikely. No got chance for a President to say such things. The barriers have been set up so high that only a select few elites would qualify. The door has been shut on the general populace. I still think that there could be loop holes. For instance a Stanley Ho would definitely qualify. Or a char kway teow seller who went on to build a food chain and got his company listed in the stock exchange could also qualify. Similarly a construction worker who could turn around a small construction firm into a construction giant must surely qualify. I don’t think a school principal or a lecturer in the university will qualify. A doctor of a small clinic will not qualify. This would rule out many talents and good people from standing for the Presidency. No wonder there were so few candidates, actually only one candidate, that stood up in the last election. A dearth of president material. What if the rules are relax and less stringent? What if Wally becomes qualify and gets himself elected? I bet he will be asking someone to write a book about his conquest as emperor of Lijiang. Or Matilah, the longkang intellectual, he would want to write a book about his amorous adventures and his fun loving vagabond lifestyle. Just these two examples will be enough to convince me that an elitist President is a right one. Oh, need to tighten the rules a bit more to exclude successful people like char kway teow chefs and construction specialists from the University of Hard Knocks.

Policies that are anti family

Low fertility rate and lesser babies seem to be the problem of this little country. And we have many positive govt policies to encourage more babies with cash even being thrown in to help the mothers to be. Why is it not working? Let me venture to make a few educated guesses. Babies mean family and family support groups plus a social and economic system to support their growing up to be healthy and well balanced individuals. They need good homes and space to grow up too, without having to worry about the finances and high cost of living, education and medical expenses. What are the policies that are anti babies and anti family. 1. Housing. You need affordable, I mean really affordable and not a life time of debt to be serviced by two incomes, and reasonably spacious living spaces for the children to grow. Ideally a 3 tier family with the grand parents or other siblings lending a hand when needed to look after the babies. The alternative is for maids, but with someone at home to supervise, thus proper living space for maids. Are shoe box flats good enough to bring up children? Sure, the midgets will tell you. You don’t need more than a store room size room to live in. Ok, the ants and bees live in smaller niches, so don’t complain. And Hongkong is a good example to prove how luxurious our shoe box flats are. 2. Now, the problems of housing policies against families and babies are obvious. Without housing, how to start a family? Wait and wait, and queue and queue for housing? By the time one gets to the front of the queue, several years have gone by. By the time one gets to the housing unit, several years have gone by. Not forgetting the years needed to save for the down payment. 3. Two income family. Is this conducive to family life? With a 3 tier family, workable. If both parents have to be out most of the day and return home dead tired, what is there left for the family? And if the couple is on their own, the burden and responsibility of looking after babies will be passed to someone else that may bring more problems, stress and even tragedies. 4. Medical cost is not cheap to bear a child and to see them through in good health. 5. Education, transportation, living costs etc all adds up to a huge bill to pay. 6. Cannot afford cars, take public transport. Who doesn’t know? One baby with the pram and all the accessories will be more than enough to lug around. Taking public transport once in a while may be bearable. But to do it for several years, ferrying the kids to grandparent homes or nurseries for day care, kindergarten, play schools, schools, my god, how to cope? And if both parents have to rush to work, and what if there are more than one child? Private transportation is essential! No joke, it is no luxury. Now COE already $70k! KNN. So you want everyone to be economically active, you want everyone to produce children, what for? And you don’t want to build housing. You demand that people book first and wait for 3-4 years. Lao liao by the time the flat comes. And the govt is telling people cannot afford buy smaller and smaller flats. Cui kong lan par song. With the kind of prices for a flat, many young couples will only have to buy smaller and smaller flats or shoe box flats. Oh ya, some will be buying private and landed properties. Now grandparents also must work as cleaners. Why don’t govt provide incentive for grand parents to stay at home and look after grandchildren? Cannot lah, welfare state is bad lah. Looking after children and grand children are individual’s responsibility. Ok, then what the shit is the govt complaining about not enough babies and asking people to produce? Individual responsibility what! There is such a word called holistic approach. But if left hand doesn’t know what right hand is doing, or left hand does one thing, right hand does another, then the balls will ding dong all the way. Oh, they also have a saying, have your cake and eat it as well. Now that is simply ingenious if it works.

Another reason not to have babies

A 3 year old toddler had his thigh bone broken by a maid who was hired to take care of him. This piece of news was reported in the media several weeks ago. I feel so sorry for the poor child. There must be many children out there who were in the charge of maids and suffered pain and injuries, victims of maid abuses. And the parents had to be out earning a living to pay for the maid and hoping to bring up the child, to give the child a good home and a good life. It is not just brave but foolish, silly, to trust your children to a stranger, called maid. Do these parents feel any pain leaving their children to strangers while they could be battered or tortured in their absence? I can feel the pain for the poor children. This is another reason why it is difficult for young couples to bear children. It is very expensive. And if they are unable to take care of them full time, or with reliable help, it is torturing for both the parents and the children. A double income family has a huge social price to pay in parenting and bringing up children. When everyone has to earn a living, who is to look after the children, where is the normal family environment? Who says go forth and multiply? So easy meh? Please have a heart for the children and their parents. Not many can afford to bring up children and have peace of mind when the cost of living is so high. Don’t think having children is just for fun, for economic reasons. It is a life!

Shock waves and tsunamis in the next GE

The PAP election machinery is whirring as it should be and everything is running as per normal. Every single step is as planned, like the last election, like the election before the last election. The efficiency is time proven and nothing will go wrong. The electoral electoral boundaries have been redrawn, electoral list finalized, the new MPs are being interviewed, the grassroots all activated and ready to go. Next will be the budget which will send the MPs going oohs and ahhs, the best budget of the century, a people’s budget, everyone should be happy. Where on earth can one find such a good govt? The people can expect something real big this time, big pay rise, bigger bonuses, bigger angpows. Maybe not as big as the $300k I wish for as it is unlikely that the govt will print $600b like the Americans to give away. But it will be damn big. But will there be shock waves and tsunamis? I personally think there will be plenty and many coming from the PAP itself. Let me guess what the shock waves will be. 1. The yodas will be gone. The PAP can’t be talking about a younger set of leaders and advising other countries to have younger leaders while it hangs on to all the yodas with some becoming centurions soon. LKY and Jayakumar will likely be dropped. 2. Shock wave Two could see the dropping of ministers without portfolios. With the huge pay package, it is very difficult to justify to the people why ministers without a ministry to run should still be paid that kind of money. Zorro is the exception as the NTUC is a national institution, as large as any ministry. Chok Tong and Boon Heng’s positions should be hanging on a thread. 3. The third shock wave must be the dropping of ministers that are sure goners. Whether the PAP drops them or they stand for election, they will not be in the next govt. It is thus a tough decision for Hsien Loong, dropping the ministers or losing them together with the GRCs and the team of MPs. 4. The next shock wave will be the dropping of young MPs who are no longer interested in politics or are not perceived to be with the people. Reviewing their attendance in Parliament sittings will give one an idea of who would want to be dropped. From the opposition camp, the shock wave will come when they are able to contest every single ward and every GRC. And the bigger shock is that many professionals and credible and able candidates are coming out to stand. The biggest shock wave will come when the election result is announced. I was gazing very hard at my crystal ball and all I saw was smoke. I could not figure it out. It was so tumultuous and earth shaking that the crystal ball went poop after that. It could not take the shock of what was coming. Looks like a tsunami hitting the political scene.

Tiger Mums

There were several discussions on this phenomenon of so called Tiger mums and their extraordinary babies created under pressure hot house regime. The children turn out to be more than extraordinary. And the Tiger mums undoubtedly must be very proud of their achievements and the methodology applied in the process. I congratulate all the Tiger mums for their blessings for having some fine children. For parents whose children are lesser endowed or poorly endowed, please do not despair that your children would not turn out to be exceptional like the children of Tiger mums. Life is a gift, or a reason for it to be that way. Just live life and don’t feel down because one doesn’t have the blessings of Tiger mums. Every life is there for a reason. Every morning I met this auntie fetching her precious little girl to school. She has to help her as her ability to move is not normal. Nonetheless you can see the great love and devotion of a mother caring for her loving child. This little girl will not excel even under the best Tiger mum. The bus that came to fetch her is from a special school. The special is not meant to be extraordinary, extra brilliant. It means she needs special care. Mothers of special care children deserve more attention and recognition for what mothers do best, simply providing tender loving care for their children, against all odds. Never mind about no straight As. Life is not just about achieving straight As and not all children are gifted for that.

Mickey Mouse flats is a correct policy

It is only right and the way to go forward, to build more small flats instead of bigger flats. Our population of duds is not going to reproduce themselves. So it is useless to waste resources to build bigger flats. What for, when only two persons will live in them, maybe three. Come to think of it the developers are more far sighted than HDB. They already see the trend in the future. People are getting married but not reproducing. Three cheers to the builders and developers of small flats. Despite the kpkb about low fertility rate and wanting people to produce more children, the reality speaks for itself. You can’t believe anyone telling you to produce more children when he builds flats for two. You can’t take him seriously when he says one thing and does the other. On the other hand those people buying Mickey Mouse flats may regret one day when they don’t have extra room to let out for retirement income. They need a room for themselves and one or two extra rooms for renting. This is now the only compelling reason to want to have bigger flats, not for babies and children.

Demolish my house when I am gone

This is the will of LKY. It is spoken in public and everyone now knows what he wants. Being a public figure of such a stature, a kind of celebrity, I think his wish may not be granted. There are those who want to keep it as a national monument to preserve a little bit of history and historical buildings that are still around. There are some who sees the monetary value of that piece of land and its surroundings. How much more money can be made. Yes, making money is all that we can think of. The argument to gazette the place as a historical site may be losing ground when money is at stake. Who cares about our history, or who cares about LKY, some may argue. Money talks, and money talks louder. Let me try to use the money argument that may favour the keeping this house as it is. Fengshui plays a vital part in the life and fate of people and country to the believers. I think the location of this house is in an excellent fengshui location. The site has given birth to two Prime Ministers and three President scholars. How much more auspicious can one get? And with the site being kept as it is, without changing or altering the fengshui, Singapore prospers for the last few decades. So, anyone want to risk changing the fengshui of the area and demolish the house? You may not know what you are demolishing. Singapore could also be demolished in the same effort. Whatever little money made by the developers will go up in smokes. Now, did I frighten the shit out of those who want to make some money from the site and replace it with a 30 storey condo?

Am I amused?

I got this impression that foreigners are much more politically savvy than Singaporeans after reading an article in the ST yesterday. It was about the slowing down in giving PRs to new applicants. The rejection rate is growing and the criteria for acceptance have gone up. Official statistics said the number of PRs approved last year was down to 29,265, less than half of 2009’s 59.460, much less than 2008’s 79,200, and 2007’s 63,600. Nothing was mentioned about the comparative numbers for new citizens. I bet that must also have gone down. But I may be wrong. So more unhappy applicants are going to threaten to apply for PRs in other better countries? Horrors! How can we lose all these talents to other countries? Quick, quick, reverse the flow, accept more or else… they will leave. I can sense the panic of those clamouring for more talented PRs to join our workforce. Some applicants are more sanguine about the situation, or maybe smarter. They knew that it is the election year. No sweat. After the election things will be back to normal. The govt is now appeasing the anger of the people and closing the door a little. After the election they will apply again. Is this amusing? The foreigners know exactly how the system works here. They are bidding their time now and know that they will get their PRs in double quick time after the election. How come Singaporeans don’t understand or never understand how the game is being played? Things before an election and things after an election will be poles apart. Maybe they are hoping that the leopard will change its spots. Maybe this time it will be different, or from now on it will be different. So, who is smarter, the foreigners or the citizens?

Old and New PAP

When one put up a topic like that, it simply implies that there are issues between the new and the old. Definitely there are and many, both good and bad. What distinguishes the old from the new is that it was a highly respected party, with a few rough corners for making tough decisions for the people. It was a lean party and the people knew that whatever it did, it was really for the good of the party. And the leaders lived by the principles that they shared the woes of the people and would carry them and walked a long with them through thick and thin. The people might not be too happy with some of the policies but went along, and elected the party to power elections after elections. The leadership was impressive. Not that all of them were super talent material, but their hearts were together with the people. The ministers were well regarded, each a tower of strength. Any GRC that was deemed to be weak or facing tough opposition, just threw in a minister and the GRC would be as good as in the pocket. What is the situation today? The party is still doing a lot of good work for the people. I perceive that in spite of this, the ground has shifted. The people are angry, really angry. OK, not everyone is angry. There were many policies and decisions that were seen as bad and unacceptable. It may be only a perception, it may be real too. On the party side, it thinks and sincerely, honestly believes that it is doing everything for the good of the people. They forget that it is the people that is the judge. Why is there such a big gap in the people’s perception and the party’s own thinking? An erroneous perception can be easily explained away with some effort. Bad decisions and policies don’t go away, no matter how much trumpet blowing, and will end up as sophistry. They said you cannot bluff the people all the time. Too many untruths propagated as truths would surely back fire. It is no longer palatable to take the position that the people are stupid and unthinking masses, can be easily manipulated, or unable to see the goodness of good policies. Our superb education system must at the least do some good, make the people more knowledgeable and critical of the things they see or are happening to their lives. They cannot be unthinking people with all the exposure to the world and the high educational level they have attained. Are the people with the new PAP? There are hard core supporters and oppositions on both sides. The important segment is the middle ground. Has this moved? If the anger expressed in the new media is true, forget about the views of the old media as we know what they are, then the writing is on the wall. But it is not just the perception of the people that has changed. The leadership in the new PAP is quite fragile to be polite. Many ministers today are liabilities to the GRCs they are helming to the extent that fielding them will guarantee that the GRC will be lost. I know some may read this point with eyes popping out. Believe me, quite a number of ministers no longer carry the ground. The only thing that has never changed is that the PAP, old and new, is still led by one man, the same one man that started it. Even though LKY does not hold any decision making position directly like a ministry, he is still the man. It is still his party, his Singapore. Can the man carry the party again one last time, really, that he will stand for one more election? Or is the party coming to an end together with the fading away of the man that is synonymous with the PAP from day one to his last days?