Where is the reset button?

I like to play computer games. One of the highlights of computer games is the reset button. Whenever the game is going wrong or losing, just simply hit the reset button and start all over again. No wonder many kids are hooked onto computer games. And the skilful ones are actually winning the games without the need to hit reset.

How I wish there is a reset button in real life. When things go wrong or getting out of control, it is so nice to be able to reset. Boon Wan has hit the reset button several times but I think it is still not working. This time he is hitting it harder and keeping his finger cross that it will work. But he must not forget that he has to confirm by hitting the prompt to go ahead with the reset and not hit the back button.

The housing mess is in need of a reset to the period when there was an excess of 10,000 or 20,000 units of unsold flats. And it would be good to hit another reset to a few years earlier to have a new minister to be in charged.

There are many reset buttons that need to be hit. The population or immigration button has to be hit quickly. And make sure the proceed button for the Population White Paper is not hit, or hitting the reset button will not work any more in 2030. It will be game over by then. The sense of anger among the true blue citizens is at the verge of exploding when more cases of local PMETs being booted out and replaced by FTs are being exposed. It is unbelieveable that job discrimination against Singaporeans is so prevalent and pervasive at the PMET level that it has become an intolerable national shame. It will surely lead to more xenophobic feelings among the citizens. This is a very serious hot button issue but apparently has been ignored for too long. Read the comments by netizens to have a real feel of the temperature. I no longer feel sad that Singaporeans are being mistreated so badly in their own country. I can only feel the same anger. Do the MPs and ministers feel the same way? Singapore for Singaporeans, or it is just an empty slogan? Reset, reset quick. No? No need?

Then there is the minister’s pay button. This one is very hard to hit as the button is protected by electrical shock circuits that will burn the fingers trying to reach the reset button. If this is reset, maybe COE would not have hit $100k and housing prices would be lower too.

Would things be much better if the reset button was hit a few GEs back? Would the situation be better today with a new party in charge? Or would it be hit in 2016? Or maybe not necessary as by then the game will be over. With things spiralling down the wrong way, the reset button is likely to be hit not by the ministers, but by the people that have ended at the wrong end of the stick. Enough is enough. The people would likely try to hit the master reset button to start a new game.

It is really fun and convenient if there is a reset button in life, to hit reset and start all over again. Then again, even if there is, hitting reset will spill blood and shit all over that need to be managed carefully and sensitively.

Daffodils

Two pieces of rar art from the Daffodils Series. Created and painted by Mother Nature. The lines in this series are simpler and neater.

A bad policy is a bad policy

When has a bad policy been called a bad policy? I have never heard of a bad policy being called a bad policy in my entire life. And who else from the establishment would dare say such a darn thing? But when things are really getting bad, when it hits the pocket hard, people will say the darnest thing.

Two surprises over two days were just too much to stomach. Yesterday Boon Wan came out with his back to basics for housing, which if faithfully executed, could bring the cost of public housing to a level a few years back. It is still better than the unceasing daily or monthly increases that are being reported. Property prices are higher by so many per cent month on month or year on year, as sure and consistent and predictable as hot air balloon rising.

Today, of all people, Han Fook Kwang wrote in his Sunday sermon that the way COE prices are going up is simply, yes, bad policy. Ouch! Did I hear the wrong thing? No, he elaborated in details why the policies affecting COE were badly managed. As simple as that. So many things were done wrong. It is like saying an old person is a bad driver, a woman is a bad driver, a blond is a bad driver. Just make sure the driver is not an old blond woman all in one.

But I tell you, some minister is going to jump and demand a correction, that it is good policy. And I too agree that it is a good policy, if only I have all the money to pay for the $100k COE. Similarly, all the new measures to curb car ownership are good policies if one can afford a few Ferraris or other super cars. Only those poor losers will say the policies are bad, cause they can’t afford to pay. So, it can be good or bad, depending on whoever is writing the policies and how they affect or do not affect his or her pocket.

Han Fook Kwang concluded by resigning to the new realities. He advised the losers to take public transport. There is no better way out. In consolation he said the people living in big cities like Hongkong, Tokyo, London and New York also taking public transport, so it must be a good thing or a normal thing. Singaporeans have progressed to be more like New Yorkers or Londoners, good quality lifestyle.

Singaporeans should be grateful that their lives have improved over the years, from car ownership to taking public transport. This must be a good thing I supposed. I dunno what is the next good thing that Singaporeans can look forward to?  3rm flats with 30 year lease at $100k without compromising on the quality of life. 2030 is looking so exciting by the way we are progressing. I am really looking forward to it eagerly.

The Diaoyu Islands owner identified

FW: 釣魚島的島主出現了！請速多轉發！(The Diaoyu Islands owner identified)

Thanks, Selwyn, for the article. However, it shows only a record of recent history. In fact,

documentation of Chinese sovereignty over these islands go back even further. Below is

an extract from Wikipedia:  TheDiaoyu Islands - China Wiki –The free encyclopedia on China ...

Whatever the case, the rest of the world is aware of all the ulterior motives behind all these

wrangling and machinations...to contain the awakened dragon!
Regards

Bob

Historical background:
China's earliest record of the Diaoyu Islands can be traced back to the Sui Dynasty, more than 1,000 years ago. At the time, China's Taiwan and the Diaoyu Islands were close to another independent state called Ryukyu (琉球国). And Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty (隋炀帝) sent Zhu Kuan (朱宽) as a special emissary to win it over and demand it pledge allegiance to the Sui Court. In the 14th century, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty (明太祖) was known far and wide for his military prowess. Thus, the King of Ryukyu started to pay tribute to the imperial court officially and Ryukyu became a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty.

The Diaoyu Islands (钓鱼岛)

In 1372, a Chinese named Yang Zai (杨载) landed on the Diaoyu Islands for the first time. There was a detailed record about Diaoyu Islands in the book Sail with the Wind (顺风相送) , a navigational guidebook, which was published during the reign of Emperor Yongle (永乐) of the Ming Dynasty. During that period, people of the Ming Dynasty collected pearls and medicinal ingredients and fished around the Diaoyu Islands under the jurisdiction of Taiwan. This was also clearly recorded in Reports on the Mission to Ryukyu (使琉球录), a book written by Chen Kan (陈侃) in the 11th year of the reign of Emperor Jiaqing (嘉庆) of the Ming Dynasty. In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, some national heroes, such as General Qi Jiguang (戚继光), used the Diaoyu Islands as the strategic line of defense, when they fought against Japanese pirates. In 1602, Japan invaded Ryukyu. From then on, Ryukyu's internal affairs were under the supervision of the Japanese for over 40 years. In 1654, Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty (清康熙帝) bestowed on the King of Ryukyu the title of King Shangzhi (尚质王). Ryukyu was obliged to pay tribute to the imperial court every two years, regarding China as "the Father State" and assuming the reign title of Qing Dynasty. Many maps and nautical charts of the Ming and Qing dynasties clearly marked Diaoyu Islands as part of China's territory.

 

---

Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2013 10:27:56 +0800
Subject: 釣魚島的島主出現了！請速多轉發！(The Diaoyu Islands owner identified)

釣魚島的島主出現了 (The Diaoyu Islands owner identified)

 The document  ""  it says ShengXH had obtained some herbs from the Diaoyu Island and effectively cured Empress Dowager and many other folks. As a commendation of his good deeds, the Empress issued a decree to allow him to continue to use the island to further develop the herbs.  ""

釣魚島的島主出現了(The Diaoyu Islands owner identified)

The real Diaoyu Islands' owner identified。。

With evidence of Empress Dowager Commandment, the Diaoyu Islands' owner identified.

Diaoyu Islands was bestowed to Sheng Xuanhuai of Jiangsu Province of Qing Empire by Commandment.

Please circulate immediately....

釣魚島的島主出現了！

真正的釣魚島島主找到了，有慈禧皇太后的諭旨為證

釣魚島的島主出現了是大清國的江蘇武進人士盛宣懷

 

皇太后慈諭 

太常寺正卿盛宣懷所進藥丸甚有效驗  據奏原料藥材采自臺灣海外釣魚臺小島   靈藥產於海上  功效殊乎中土  知悉該卿家世設藥局  施診給藥  救濟貧病  殊甚嘉許  即將該釣魚臺 黃尾嶼 赤嶼三小島賞給盛宣懷為產業  供采藥之用 其深體皇太后及皇上仁德普被之至意  欽此

光緒十九年十月

（盛宣懷所進皇太后藥丸，原料藥材來自釣魚島，由盛宣懷的天津廣仁堂制）

Prudent car ownership measures

The strong hand of the Govt to introduce prudent thinking among the people in buying cars is a welcome move. The prices of cars have gone way above the means of the people, and so are housing prices and the prices of many luxury items. The new culture of buy first and pay later is creating a nation of debtors. And the biggest culprit towards making people all tied up in debt is housing.

What is so bad about taking a $100k loan to be repayable in 10 years compares to a $500k or $1m loan repayable in 30 years?  I can’t tell the difference except one is of a bigger amount, repayable over a longer period, and also with a longer life span.

Would the Govt also apply the same principle to the housing market to encourage prudence in home buying? How about 50% out front for the buying of a property and repayable in 15 years?  Or it is ok to be less prudent in home buying but not so in car buying?

Khaw Boon Wan, wow, is it real?

The announcement by Boon Wan on the back to basics public housing policy is a move in the right direction and will be most welcomed by the people. The objectives of public housing have been altered through the years by shallow thinking people that have forgotten why it was called public housing in the first place that it is best forgotten. Let’s get the basics right.

Public housing is for the citizens, the majority of whom that needs a roof over their heads, a place to rest and bring up children, a place to go home to. When getting a place to sleep is getting so expensive, it is going to make life very difficult to many people as not everyone is so bless to have so much money to pay for housing.

Boon Wan is calling for more feedbacks given the complexities of housing as a home, as an asset, as a fall back to be liquidated to release some funds for retirement, and a host of other purposes. What I would suggest is to go back to basics and simplicity. The priority is to make housing affordable, I mean really and reasonably affordable to the average citizens, and make the right to ownership simple. Some rules are still necessary but need not be so exclusive and demanding.

First principle, all Singaporeans must be allowed to buy a public flat. Everyone needs a place to stay, especially when you are a citizen.

Second principle, build to ensure the supply is enough to meet the demand and not like those thoughtless people who created the demand supply problem that led to the big angst among the people and a property bubble.

Third principle, provide a buffet spread and let the people decide what they want or can afford to buy. Let the people make their own choice and not dictate the choice on the people.

Fourth principle, when supply is adequate to meet demand, there is no need for all the exclusivity clauses to give impression that the higher income buyers are depriving the lower income earners of their chances. This wicked divisive idea to pitch the people against one another must be removed. Every citizen, regardless of income level, is entitled to buy his public flat within a simpler framework of rules and regulations.

Fifth principle, PRs are not eligible to buy public housing. However, they can rent from the citizens or HDB can build rental flats for them. PRs can go to the private property market if they can afford it. But to prevent a big bubble in private property prices, foreigners, including PRs, can only buy to stay and not for speculation. Given the limited space available, it is necessary to have sound regulations to prevent non citizens from churning the property market to raise the cost of living here. Many of the restrictions on foreign ownership of properties should stay and more be introduced to keep the property market under control.

Sixth principle, the speculative element in public housing should be minimised. When there is adequate supply, public housing prices should be stable.

But, as they all said, how real is Boon Wan and his return to basics? Wait for the fine prints. Hopefully cheaper public housing would not compromise on the size and quality of the flats. Please, no reduction in the lease period or things like can see back to HDB or any profits must return to HDB.

Julia Gillard: We will support your job and put Aussie workers first

‘We will support your job and put Aussie workers first…I don’t want to hear stories of Australians missing out on a job because a 457 visa has been misused.’ Julia Gillard, PM Australia.

This is the kind of commitment by a PM and Govt to its citizens. It is always citizens first. And the Australian workers union leaders are pressuring the Govt to stop the exploitation by foreigners to work in Australia at the expense of Australians.

Compare these to the situation here? What is the position of the Govt and the Union and also the Singaporeans affected, losing their jobs to foreigners?

The new Singaporean Aspiration

‘nslan:

March 8, 2013 at 12:55 am (Quote)

Does anybody know the worth of a Degree in Singapore?

A Degree in Arts or Science or Infocom from the “Prestigous” Local NUS and NTU >>> Congratulation! You are entitled to compete with your local fellows for a call-centre job starting from $2k+++ with experience.

Any Degree from Phxxxx or Inxxx >>> Congratulation!!! Well done!!! Come work as a drafter or designer or even a document controller and we will pay you $4-6k to start with and more with experience!’

The above is a quote from a blogger in TRE. Some were lamenting that many bankers and managers were replaced by foreign PMETs and ended up driving taxis. There is a kind of changing of guards in our local institutions including GLCs where the locals are rapidly being replaced by questionable foreigners. This is exactly the same as Singaporeans being eased or forced out of the island to seek greener pasture overseas. And the pace will only quicken with the proposals in the Population White Paper.

At the rate things are going, the new aspiration of young Singaporeans is to get a degree from one of the world class local universities by spending a small fortune for it, get a temporary job or a low paying job and work for a few years before becoming self employed as a taxi driver, driving foreign workers and foreign maids around, and helping them with their luggages and hoping for a good tip. But at the same time be prepared for a few lashing when the service provided is not up to the customer’s satisfaction.

Great aspiration indeed. And the foreign PMETs will be filling up all the cushy jobs in the private sector, GLCs, stats boards and even ministries. A great and bright future awaiting our young Singaporeans.

The budget debate

The debate on the budget exposes many current problems, high cost of living, high property prices, high COE and car prices, congestion in public transport, foreigners taking over Singaporean jobs, Singaporeans being discriminated or victimized in Singapore by foreigners, low wage for workers, NS for PRs etc etc. These problems have been simmering for so many years without a real solution. And Parliament is grabbling with these problems in a most make belief way with MPs offering piece meal solutions that are often comical and good for a laugh.

Do they really did not know what the shit is causing all these problems? Want the answer? Influx of foreigners! KNN the answer is there for all to see and no one is able to see it. Without knowing what is the cause of the problem how are they able to solve the problem at the heart? It is all because of the huge foreigner population.

Now you see the cause, the solution should be must clearer and easier to deal with, right or wrong? Did someone say we should increase the population to 6.9m to solve our problems? Unbelieveable, really unbelieveable! But, but according to a professor, increasing the population is a solution to all our problems and will also lead to more growth and better infrastructure and better quality of living. If this is true, also advocated in the White Paper, just bring in the foreigners and the problems will go away.

Another view, all the problems today are caused by high and compressed population growth of foreigners and having more people here will only add to the problems. Agree or not?

Would many of these problems be solved if the number of foreigners be curbed, the population size be limited? Sure, resetting the population a decade back will cause another host of problems. From obesity to a lean body will need a lot of adjustments and the throwing away of a wardrobe of oversize clothing. The problems today are self inflicted and going forward or backward will bring with it more problems. Which way will solve or cause more problems?

What do you think?

Now there is another more serious problem. The blind are trying so hard to see but cannot see, or is it a case of have eyes but cannot see. Heard of downsizing the population?

Japan continues to provoke China

Japan again arrested a Chinese fishing boat for illegal fishing 210km off Diaoyutai/Senkaku Islands. If I am not mistaken, the economic zone of a country is 200km from its coast. In this case, the boat is in a disputed area claimed by both countries.

This kind of provocations has been going on for years. China can no longer sit still when it claims that Diaoyutai Islands belong to her. The Chinese fishing boat was thus inside Chinese territory. China would have to act or lose its credibility in claiming the Islands.

China may hold back from firmer action as this act could be an intended one to provoke China to act. And the Japanese would then escalate the conflict to drag in the Americans. Or it could be a plot by both the Americans and the Japanese to push China over the edge and then to tell the world that China is an aggressive and belligerent country that is willing to resort to use force to settle territorial dispute.

China may do a similar act by arresting some Japanese ship on a tit for tat. Perhaps arresting a Japanese Coast Guard vessel would up the ante and see how far the Japanese and the Americans are prepared to go.

Hugo Chavez – the man that shuts the Americans out

President Hugo Chavez death at 58 is a big lost to the Venezuelans and also to the free world, I mean the real free world that is free from American dominations and interference, and American instigated war. Chavez was well loved and respected by his people, much more well loved than the North Korean leaders. The whole nation cried on his death. He was their leader and national hero.

He freed Venezuela from American domination and control. He was instrumental in shutting the Americans from interfering in Latin American affairs. The Latin Americans have formed many associations, unions and groupings with the USA excluded. And they have peace. Yes, without the Americans, they have peace.

Chavez was only an ordinary soldier, a paratrooper. He did not have all the accolades from the academia. He was a patriot, a man who loved his country and people. He was a champion of the ordinary people. This is what he said,

“We must confront the privileged elite who have destroyed a large part of the world.“

- Hugo Chávez, September 2002



How many leaders today can match the things this man did for his country, his people, and for Latin America and for the free world? He was targeted for assassination many times and the Venezuelans believe that his death had a lot to do with the Americans. But he will leave behind a legend, a socialist revolutionary that defied the biggest super power on earth, the USA.

His death is a lost to the free people of the world.

Janil Puthucheary – best speech in Parliament

Janil’s call for free public transport at pre peak hours was touted as the best speech in Parliament. Many MPs are out in full support of his suggestion that between 7am to 7.45am travelling in public transport should be free to ease congestion. I also support free transportation. Who doesn’t?

But this is a very bad idea, an idea that is floated without much thinking. Do the MPs know that even before 7am the trains are already full, may not be as jam packed as peak hours, but with very little room for more? I am not sure about buses. This only shows that the MPs are all living in lala land.

What could happen when travelling is free as proposed? All the foreign workers will jam up the train as it would mean saving or earning another dollar or so, which is big money to them, for being earlier by half an hour or one hour. Who would be the victims, our school children, especially the girls. With the trains packed with foreign workers because it is free, the sex starved foreign workers, in big numbers, are likely to behave wildly. Just for this reason alone, the idea should be stuffed.

The rest of the commuters who tried to wake up earlier to avoid the crowd will end up being squeezed like peak hours. It defeats the whole purpose to encourage people to be a bit early to beat the crowd. The pre peak hours, when free, will be worst than peak hour rush.

I know I shoot and post with very little thinking. But this proposal is a sign of lack of thinking, no thinking at all. I would suggest to the MPs to take the train before 7am and check out for themselves and then think how it would be like when it is free.

The best suggestion in Parliament actually came from Baey Yam Keng. While all the MPs are caught up in the foreigners taking over our PMET jobs, he was so cool to talk about food as a unifying factor for unifying the people. Cool. Definitely this idea is better than free travelling in pre peak hours.

Tan Chuan Jin, the man in the mirror

Tan Chuan Jin is the man in the right place and the right time. He could come out a hero or be totally messed up by the shitty situation that has caught up with him. He is in a position that is no different from Boon Wan when he volunteered to clean the housing shit. Unfortunately the problem was too big for his half hearted measures and property prices are still running out of control with more genuine buyers sucked into the property sink hole with all their savings and future incomes. The hole is getting bigger and unplugged still.

The job market that victimizes and discriminates against Singaporeans and favouring foreigners did not happen yesterday. It was allowed to grow in strength for years, and the problem is not going to be solved by a battalion of men. It is an enormous mess of discrimination, victimization, questionable qualifications and experience, fake qualifications, phantom employees, quota bashing or cheating, etc etc. And there is a whole ging gang of players all feasting on a system that has gone haywire. How many hundreds of thousands of foreigners are now employed here and how many should not be here? How many have deprived our own citizens from having decent or good paying jobs through foul or unethical means? How many of our citizens have been cheated? How many vultures are laughing themselves crazy at the stupidity of our system or no system that allows them to do as they pleased at the expense of our own citizens who have lost their jobs?

Tan Chuan Jin has a plate full in his hand. And he needs all the help and resources to clean this mess up, not on alone, but with the support of several ministries and the cabinet. The situation did not reach this level of complexity and enormity for no reasons. Just like the housing problem, it is not easy to step out of this quagmire that was allowed to be there in the first place. How did it happen? How did the housing problem happen? Dunno leh. It just happened.

Can Tan Chuan Jin do anything to change the situation? All the eyes are on him. He is in the spotlight and the chances of him being dragged along by this tsunami are greater than he staying afloat to claim the prize at the end of this rough ride. He not only needs to undo the mess but to restore the job market to support our citizens, to favour our citizens, to strengthen the core of Singaporeans in Singapore. It is a mammoth task awaiting him. His plate is full. All the Singaporeans are looking to him as a savior of jobs and to reclaim our country from the foreigners.

The baton changes hand in China

Another decade passes, another few good men giving way for new leaders to take over the leadership of China, to continue a long and arduous task of bringing a people, 1.3b to be exact, to enjoy a higher standard of living, to live in peace and prosperity, to be safe from foreign aggression and exploitation, to be equals among equals in the community of international citizens.

China has been blessed with having good and honest leaders to be in charge since the early and tumultuous years of reviving and modernizing an ancient country and people. The years under Mao Zedong, the pioneering leader that reunited a broken nation were marked by big experiments and changes that swayed the country from extremes with deadly consequences. But things got better after Deng Xiaoping took over, from the remaking of a country to the rebuilding of a nation and uplifting the lives of its people. It was no sheer game playing. It was a serious endeavour that could make or break a country and its revitalized people and an emerging new nation rising from abject poverty.

Following Deng came two able leaders in Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji to continue his work. They did what was necessary and handed the baton to Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. The flame of a new China continues to glow in greater brilliance under their charge. They could achieve more, though there were still much to be done given the immensity of the task.

Now these two meticulous and no nonsense leaders are stepping aside for another two new leaders in Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang to carry on. On hindsight, the most serious and dangerous task of Hu and Wen must be the removal of Bo Xilai from the top leadership. It could be disastrous for Bo to take over the helm given the mess he and his wife got into. China could have fall back by several decades if corruption and abuse of power when dishonourable and dishonest men were put in charge. It was a close shave as Bo was slated and in contention for the top post.

China is now in good hands again, and with two able and honest men in charge and ten more years of continuity, stability and growth.

Neo colonialism - When state institutions start to buy up Singapore

‘The Indian Express, 5 Mar 2013

The State Bank of India (SBI) is investing in accommodation-based property in Singapore, ensuring higher grade housing requirements of its expatriate staff, a media report said today.

According to the report, SBI would want to purchase at least 10 to 20 more units to house staff as it ramps up its local presence.

SBI had recently advertised for purchasing high grade apartments, ranging from 1,100 to 1,400 sq ft in size, near to main schools and rail-based transit system….’

When national institutions start to buy up Singapore piece by piece on top of rich foreigners doing so, the developers and property owners will all be laughing all the way to the banks.

Is this a good thing for Singapore and Singaporeans? I reckon soon Singaporeans will be selling out every thing and finding out that there is no place left for themselves except to go somewhere else. The short sightedness of the Govt is becoming legendary.

Singapore is going to be bought out by foreign countries without needing a military invasion.

The xenophobia backlash

Singaporeans are one of the most generous, friendly and hospitable people as far as welcoming foreigners into their country are concerned. Singaporeans are mindful of their immigrant past and have a soft spot for immigrants. Some still think they are immigrants, and passing by, just like the new immigrants. They could not appreciate the fact that this is now a country, their own country, fought, won and built by their forefathers. It is no longer a no man’s land.

Over the recent years, Singaporeans have increasingly become a minority in their own country. Many jokers still cannot see this fact and still harping about becoming a minority in 2030. It is here and now. They are already a minority. Of the 5.3m residents, 3.3m are considered to be Singaporeans by virtue of citizenship. How many of these are true blue Singaporeans? Many are new citizens. The reality is that every one other person is a foreigner now. Could be more!

All this is fine as long as the Singaporeans are doing fine. Trouble has started to brew when the number of foreigners has given them increasing confidence to disregard Singaporeans as irritants. Singaporeans are being scolded, beaten and chased around by foreigners while the Govt continues to lay the red carpet for foreigners, giving them the tag as foreign talents and here to help the daft Singaporeans.

Even Singaporeans wearing foreign dresses for a party, an innocent gesture without any malice or bad intention were attacked for racism by foreigners. Singaporeans are tarred by foreigners as racists and xenophobic in their home land. How dare the foreigners!

And things are getting worst in the job market when Singaporeans are losing out in job opportunities by unfair anti Singaporean practices. With a few hundred thousand foreigners gainfully employed, with high paying jobs, with full employment, many Singaporean graduates are having difficulties getting a job. Many PMETs have been booted out to be substituted by foreigners. Can you believe that?

The evidence in workplaces to discriminate and victimize Singaporeans is everywhere. Someone is sleeping or closing one eye. The xenophobia is not Singaporeans against foreigners but foreigners against Singaporeans in Singapore.

The Hong Lim Rally was an event where Singaporeans gathered to show their despair at the pathetic state of affair in the country, when Singaporeans are being ousted out from jobs, and may eventually be from their own country. There was anger and sadness. But this will not be for long if things continue to go against Singaporeans.

It is heartening to hear Tan Chuan Jin, Christopher de Souza and a few other MPs calling the Govt to do more for Singaporeans. They have openly acknowledged in Parliament that Singapore is for Singaporeans, finally. Tan Chuan Jin is going to give more teeth to his Tafep, Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices, to investigate discriminatory practices against Singaporeans in work places. He would have to do more to mean business, to be seen to be doing something real. Job priorities must go to Singaporeans.

Christopher de Souza is asking the Govt to introduce control measures on the purchase of properties by foreigners to protect Singaporeans. He has suggested that the policies of the Australian Govt are a good model to adopt. Hopefully this will not be discarded and thrashed by vested interests.

The Govt must take heed of the plight of Singaporeans and their interests in Singapore. It is unacceptable that Singaporeans be discriminated and victimized in their home country. Any politician that still call for more foreigners, protecting foreigner’s interests at the expense of Singaporeans will see their political career prematurely terminated in double quick time. The situation is dire. Singaporeans are about to break out from their meek and docile persona. The backlash against foreigners practicing racism in Singaporean and xenophobia against Singaporeans, discriminating against Singaporeans in job opportunities will no longer be tolerated.

The Govt got to act fast and swift to manage the anger of the Singaporeans and to protect their interests from the invading hordes of foreign economic bandits.

Financial Institutions Discriminate Singaporeans

Financial Institutions Discriminate Singaporeans Recruiting in Favor from One Single Country

Today, there is an article Lianhe Zaobao admits that Singaporeans are discriminated in job market. What particular striking is a part of the article showing rampant discrimination against Singaporeans job seeker… Last year, TAFEP ( Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices) received feedback that foreign managers in some financial institution hire in favor of their own country people, rather than hiring Singaporeans.

TAFEP contacted these financial institutions. The senior managements agreed that certain departments do have many employees from one single country. The senior managements claim that they will hire more Singaporeans.....

The above article by Veritas is reposted in TRE. It is a terrible state of affair for Singaporeans to be discriminated in their own country. This is possibly another first that Singapore has achieved. There used to be policies that favoured foreigners but these have been watered down after anger flared in the social media. Now this. How could it happen? What is the Govt going to do about it?

Some new Singaporean Realities

Forget about car ownership. Owning a car will be beyond many Singaporeans even if they are graduates. Many will never own a car in their life time, I am not referring to just the average Singaporeans but the PMETs. This is a grudging reality. Many average Singaporeans used to able to own a car, second hand also good.

Having problem getting a job for new graduates or older PMETs will become an unpleasant part of Singaporean job seekers while watching foreigners who are nothing better landing the jobs. Accepting foreigners having jobs in their home country while they themselves going jobless not because the Singaporeans are less qualified or less able is a very painful reality to face. Can anything be done with the Singaporean first policy?

Getting a public flat may no longer be the right of a citizen. While many would still be eligible, they would have to queue and compete under the same terms and conditions as new citizens. For those who are excluded, disqualified or forbidden to buy a public flat under the present terms and conditions, I dunno what to say. Shall I say just too bad. The rules are such and they are being excluded by the policies of Govt they helped to elect to power.

While on this issue, owning a bigger flat or private property will be a fleeting dream to many Singaporeans. The entry barrier is now so high that it is better for the average Singaporeans to resign to their HDB flats. And many, including PMETs, would have to contend with a 4 rm flat. As wage earners, private properties that cost several millions or tens of millions is just for day dreaming.

The CPF savings are looking more like the Govt’s money. Other than taking some out to buy a home, many would barely be able to touch their CPF savings in their life times. And be prepared to be wiped clean when hit by a major illness.

The days of free medical or paying a small fee for medical services are history. Singaporeans must take care of their health as the saying health is wealth is becoming a new reality. Singaporeans cannot afford to fall sick, so they said. But the Govt said no worry, no Singaporean will be deprived of medicare. That’s very comforting.

Many Singaporeans are getting use to the new realities and started to talk about taking public transport as better than their own cars, and to be happy living in a 4 rm BTO flats that are better designed. The aspirations for bigger flats or private properties will soon be forgotten.

Contorted justifications for bigger population

The arguments put forth by Professor Ng Yew Kwang at the seminar on the Population White Paper were at best elementary. Any A level students would be able to come up with better reasons than those put up at the seminar. I was reluctant to waste my time on this but with the main media giving it so much coverage as if that view was a good and reasonable view, I would thus offer my two cents worth to join in the talk cock session. I would not put in too much effort as it is really a waste of time. So I will just talk about the few points printed in the media.

  

 .Having a large population may not necessarily be bad, as it could lead to better developed infrastructure and employment opportunities.

Who doesn’t know this? The problem is the will to provide the infrastructure and what is a large population given a limited space available.  At 5.3m, we are now living through the unhealthy aspects of space constraints and inadequate infrastructure. And the fact that the population has gone up dramatically over the last 10 years, the question to ask in response to 1 above is why aren’t the infrastructure be better developed? It cannot be due to ignorance of the lack of talent or the lack of foresight. It is elementary. The truth is that large population would not automatically lead to better developed infrastructure or adequate infrastructure.

As for employment opportunities, the question is for who? We have several hundred thousand foreign PMETs here gainfully employed but our locals, the young graduates and the older PMETs, are either unemployed or under employed. So what is the point of creating more employment opportunities for foreigners when our own citizens are not gainfully employed? I say, keep your employment opportunities if it is not to benefit the citizens.

2.   With a smaller population there would be correspondingly fewer roads and lower bus and train frequencies. The degree of competition between companies would also be less.

Let me answer the second part. With the number of transport companies we have, is there any real competition? Even if we add in a couple more, would there be real competition? Come on, let’s not kid ourselves and be an ivory tower academic.

Smaller population therefore fewer roads and bus and train frequencies. Agree. Bigger population would mean the other way. Also agree. The issue is not how many more or how many less but what is adequate or sufficient or what is comfortable for a good quality service and life style. Over providing is bad and under providing is equally bad. Bigger population with more bus and trains and higher frequencies may not be enough. Lesser population with lesser of the same may be more than enough. See the picture? The argument is quite stupid isn’t it?

3.   Through immigration, these issues would be addressed and entrepreneurial migrants would set up businesses that create hiring opportunities.

Really? We can see how inadequate our infrastructure is today with the influx of immigrants. It simply means that immigration is not the answer but something else. And only immigrants have entrepreneurial skills, can set up businesses? Bullshit lah. You mean there are no entrepreneurs among the locals?  And not all the new businesses are desirable or could complement the economy to better the quality of living here.

4.   These migrants would also “provide locally unavailable skills which make certain business ventures possible”.

Such ventures could be provided by some migrants, but the real stuff is provided by the MNCs, the big corporations, not migrants. True or not?

I think I have said enough on this seminar. One thing comes out very clearly, that the professor was looking at one side of the coin and totally ignoring the negative side that comes with high population. There are many negative consequences, bad consequences and social and political costs to pay for. So are the environment and the quality of life for having so many people squeezed into this small piece of rock, higher cost of living and stressful competition for jobs, goods and services.

To be a fair and serious piece of work or recommendations, both merits and demerits must be put out for airing for people to have an informed view of what is good or bad, or which is better.

KNN.

In Malaysia, violent robbery is so rampant, but so far no police action is taken.

 

Subject : MALAYSIA -- Always be alert nowadays for our own safety.

Where are the fucking policemen. Countless crimes happened at Petrol Stations but
no actions taken.

Dear Friends,

I just got my windscreen fixed today. Pls spent some time to read on & share out to your loved one to increase public awareness.

On Day 15th of Chinese New Year (Chinese calendar Valentine Day), Me , my husband Yip & my girl Xin Yu (7 years old) go through a Unforgettable Morning in Kota Damansara. We almost got Robbed at seksyen 4 'Shell petrol kiosk ' the one opposite Petronas near Tropicana Medical Centre !

We scheduled to reach kelana jaya Lrt at 6 am, we leave from home around 5.40am, half way, my husband felt my car tyre don't have sufficient air, he stop by Shell seksyen 4 to pump at 5.50am. There is no one there except 2 foreigner worker in the shop( the shop was locked).

When my husband come down from the car, I immediately locked the car door(that is what I usually practice). He just started to pump, came a motorbike with 2 Malay guys, one of them come near my husband. Telling him " jangan bising! Wallet mari!" At the same time showing him the motor tyre lock in his hand, if my husband refuse, he will use that to attack him. When I saw the Malay guy get near him, I felt very uneasy in my heart, everything happen so fast, in split second, i saw my husband shouting while running ask me to go!(drive away) he run away bcoz he know I already locked my car & there is no chance for him to come in bcoz the robber are too near my car.

 

By running away he hope to lead the robber to chase him & to be away from us but when the robber saw him run so fast, he come back to attack my car, he uses the motorbike tyre lock & bang on my driver side window,in few seconds time, I manage to jump from the front passenger seat to the driver seat & on the second bang, I manage to reverse my car& go( thanks to my 8 mil tinted film , it save our family life, at least it last 2 knock, it buy me some time to drive away). i then drive towards my husband direction, it was so scary at that time, my right side view is totally out bcoz of the cracked window, I can't open the door even my husband was nearby coz the robber was really near him, it will endanger him as well, so while he is running towards the counter, I try to escort him there, I drove pass the counter but to my suprise the Shell staff did not even help to open the door, they just stood inside & watch.

 

I stop my car ,  feeling very scare bcoz I can't see my husband, my daughter at the back of the car cried very loud when she saw that both the robber now are on the motorbike chasing my husband the opposite way, she cried "pa pa", hearing her crying , my fear from level 10 change mode immediately to Anger level 10. Immediately, I reverse my car & in my heart , if those robbers ever touch my husband I will bang them with my car if I need to! Seeing my car coming very fast towards their motor bike, the 2 Robbers run away & I quickly open the door for my husband & we are safe.

 

Thank you God for protecting us despite just minor external injury of my husband Yip, bcoz he fall while they chase him & me twisted my right hand for turning the wheel super fast. We make police report after that & go to tropicana medical centre to get treatment. Moral of the story, be very alert & careful whenever you are irregardless of petrol kiosk or public places especially car park that are quiet, day or night. I would like to take this chance to thank God again for giving me & my husband Yip & my children another chance to live this life again. Thank you so much :)

Tolong, tolong, give back our dreams

4 senior citizens posted an open letter in TRE pleading to the PM to give back the Singaporean Dream of 5Cs, car, condo, credit card, country clubs and cash to their children. It was only a few years back that Singaporeans were all in their highs, dreaming of the 5Cs, to do good in life. Everyone was full of confidence to achieve his dream of a comfortable and better life. The appearance of this letter is kind of a sudden and exudes a sense of despair that things are not getting better.

Is this a true version of the state of affair in the island or just the imagination of some desperadoes? Housing prices are still shooting to the sky, COEs hitting $100k for a car, everyone is still going on holiday. Life must be good and many citizens must be living a life of plenty. A HDB resale EC costing more than a million while a new HDB penthouse is more than $2m. And they are all being taken immediately. They must be very affordable.

Why is there such a despair call? Boon Wan is promising that 2030 will see the life of Singaporeans getting even better with better quality living. Who is out of touch, who is misleading?

Let’s look at the 5Cs. Car is going to be a very rare and expensive item that many Singaporeans will not be able to afford. Their lives will be centred around taking public transport or if they can afford it, taking taxis. One C down. Condo living, this seems to be very affordable as all the launches was a sellout at whatever price. So this C is still standing. Credit cards are being issued to the Singaporeans like toilet papers and everyone is holding a handful in his wallets. So this C is doing very well, not considering the credit is stretched to the limits.

Country clubs are getting cheaper and cheaper from the heady prices they used to fetch. Are Singaporeans forming a queue to snatch up these goodies? Apparently not. So this C is losing its lustre.

What about cash? It is a well know fact that Singaporeans are asset rich but cash strapped. All the cash are wiped out quite quickly now with the new rulings on car purchases and the high property prices. Many are switching to credit cards from cash. Hopefully this interchange is sustainable to provide the people with a good quality life.

What is left of the 5Cs is probably 2, condo and credit cards. Car is out, country club not so attractive, cash a bit of a problem to many except the very rich.

What then is the new Singaporean Dream? Good public transport system, 4 rm HDB flat, more credit cards, and the chance to emigrate? And not to forget, to make new friends with the new citizens and PRs and foreigners, to learn new way of life and new languages? Another controversial dream, retiring early as jobs are getting rare for Singaporeans above 50.

Sinkie or Singaporean or a simpler term

When I used the term Sinkie to refer to Singaporean, it was more or a convenience without any negative connotations. Over time the term Sinkie has becoming more meaningful and prophetic. Many Sinkies or Singaporeans are having this sinking feeling and feeling very unease about it.

Many Sinkies would not mind using this term in its most innocent sense. I also notice that some feel very offended by it and get very heated under the collar. They all prefer to be addressed as Singaporeans. I must say that for Sinkies to want to be called Singaporeans is a good thing. There is still pride and identity left in this diminishing specie. Those abroad, some taken up PRs or foreign citizenships, still feel very Singaporean in them. You can take away his citizenship but you cannot take away their Singaporeaness, of having been a Singaporean.

Would Singaporean be a dying breed just like the peranakans? I will henceforth, in due respect to those Singaporeans who just want to be called Singaporeans, to avoid using the term Sinkie. I will have to find a shorter version to type.

There is still hope that the identity of true blue Singaporeans may survive the current crisis it is going through. Only when Singaporeans want to be Singaporeans, to want to maintain this unique identity in us, not some international citizen label or hotel guests that can go any where they like, will this Singaporean identity continue to exist in the form that we know, a kind of special feeling. But it is a losing battle if we are to constantly dilute it with more and more foreigners that are quite different from us. Another 1.6m is going to do more damage not just the characteristics of being a Singaporean, but we will become more like them, another new concoction, another rojak in the making.

Judge GIC by its long term results

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Ng Kok Song, the retired Group Chief Investment Officer of GIC summed up his views by saying that an organisation like GIC should be judged by its performance over a longer time frame. How long is this time frame is relative and subjective, but definitely not over a year or a handful of years. This kind of view is reasonable in general for a Sovereign Wealth Fund or any funds managed by the fund managers. Investment is a long term process as against gambling or daily trading. The volatility of the assets and equities under management may fluctuate wildly in the short term or even daily when there is a major event or crisis happening. The value of the assets or funds under management could plunge or swing up in response to such events. This is equally true of big institutions, or even the performance of govts. It is thus unfair to wallop a non performing fund over a short interval of time or during a crisis.

Today’s corporate culture and practices are often based on short term performance, or at least the remuneration and reward system is geared towards an annual payout. This has resulted in the management and executives planning and working for instant rewards and instant gratification. And the accounting system and reward packages, bonuses, payouts, handouts, perks, etc etc are all based on short term results or annual results. A good performance in a year could earn the management their life time income. A poor performance in a year could earn them half a life time income. A disastrous performance in a year could earn them multiple life time incomes.

What is the problem? Many fund managers, top management, and even govts, want to be rewarded immediately, on a year to year basis. This is natural as their tenure is short and could be terminated quite quickly. And they all want to be judged over the long term so that their bad performance can be averaged out to look better over time, or maybe a windfall or a lucky streak some years ahead could turn their fortune around. Or they could have left when bad times are here or the bad times that were hidden in the books could not be hidden any longer. The Olympus Camera company is one such example.

Last year, our Govt recorded a once in a life time GDP growth rate of 15%, much higher than any country in the world. And their super world class salaries were given an added boost with super world class bonuses based on this once in a life time growth rate in a year. Like any big institutions, the next few years may end in the red, no growth or minus growth, it doesn’t matter, the big bonuses are already in the bank accounts.

I somehow think the equation or formula is not very right. I thought since performance is best to be assessed over a long term, the remuneration or reward system should also be designed to be paid out over a long term as well. Both will thus average out the performances and the rewards in the long run. Tiok boh?

Why like that one? Still cannot figure out why? Heard of head I win tail you lose? To be reasonable, honest, responsible, accountable and respectable, and to be real, rewards and bonus system of an institution or govt must be in line with the performance assessment system. If the reward is based on immediate payout for the year’s performance, then the measurement must be based on a yearly basis. If not, it is simply screwy.

I like simple logic that every layman can understand.

Sunday morning's joke of the day.

Anyone looking for a joke, please go to TRE and read the article, NTU's Professor speaks against anti immigrant policies. Ok, before I got misunderstood. It is a sick joke. Unbelieveable! I am truly astounded by the pearls of wisdom.

Our parents planted this Singapore tree for us

Singaporeans and the early migrants and the pioneering political leaders, not today's, built Singapore into what it is today. True blue Sinkies must not forget this truth. The political leadership today, many were just born yesterday with the exception of a few oldies, do not build the rich and prosperous Singapore but enjoying all the benefits and privileges that came from yesterday's sweat and tears.

Today, we are inviting so many foreign talents to enjoy the fruits of our parents' labour, the labour of yesterday's generation. And these foreign talents are here to replace the children of yesterday's hardworking Sinkies. They are all sitting in high places, earning big bucks and talking rubbish about why we need them and how able and talented they are. And to bring in more foreign talents at our expense.

True blue Singaporeans must not forget that what we are today is a gift from our parents who slogged for it and getting very little in benefits. They planted this big tree for us, not for foreigners. The foreigners did not plant the tree but are here to pluck the fruits.

True blue Singaporeans can be generous and share some of the fruits to others but not to impoverish themselves and their children and future generations to come.  Singapore is what it is today not because of the foreigners that are here today.

My Sunday morning rumbling sermon.

I have received more negative feedbacks on my tongue in cheek post that no car can be quality living. That post had gone viral in a small way, circulating quietly in some circles, disagreeing with what I said as many see car ownership as quality living. I too feel the same. The convenience of a car, to live a lifestyle free from the unsatisfactory public transport and dependency on someone else for your transport needs, is a very desirable item. Let no sycophant con you into believing that the public transport system and taxis can replace the role of owning a car. There are many other factors attached to car ownership, emotional and psychological and a sense of well being and independence, freedom.

The sycophants too will try to talk the people into believing in living in ever smaller homes that are ever more costly as progress. What is the point of reclaiming more land and expanding the social space in the island when they will be filled to the brim by more heads and bodies? Quality living must come with more space for everyone and allowing reasonable car ownership. This is one of the major reasons why people are objecting to the 6.9m population.

The crappy answers that more infrastructure and homes will be built to alleviate the problems that the people are facing now is bull shit. The whole situation will be back to square one, a crammed environment with people everywhere living in close proximity and bluffing each other that it is quality living. Why are people running away for the weekend to the North, or fly away to some islands, weekend escapees?

We need the comfort of space and more space for everyone. Not more heads and bodies to fill up whatever available space in the name of economic growth. Economic growth is to lead to better quality of life and quality living, not to become sardines in a can.

This sickening mindset got to change, got to go. While the elite have their ample private space and freedom to own their many cars, the average Sinkies are deprived from such luxuries and constantly told to make do with what they have and be happy and be grateful, and to believe that that is quality living. The Sinkies are not daft anymore and will not believe in the stupid soothsayers who are really no better than the average Sinkies but happen to be in a privilege position of power or hold a few more pieces of papers.

Walk the talk and ask themselves if they would like to live the way an average Sinkie is living, in a small flat and without the convenience of car ownership? Many young men and women are going to be very disappointed when they step into adulthood, wanting better and finer things in life only to find them unattainable unless they belong to a very exclusive and small group of elite, exceptionable abilities or from very exceptional families with exceptionable inheritance.

Gone were the days when young men of average family background could go swinging around, dating girlfriends in their cars or borrowed family cars. We need to bring back some of the convenience of the good old days, more leisure time and space, more living than working, more pleasure than pressure.

200,000 Sinkies overseas

I heard this number being thrown around at the Hong Lim Rally? What is this 200,000 number about? 200,000 Sinkies, adults and children, working adults, those emigrated, what about Sinkie students overseas? It is still a substantial number of sinkies relative to a core of now 3.3m citizens or about 6% of us. I was thinking of having them back to strengthen the Sinkie core with some carrots. Unfortunately this is going to be futile.

There is no way for these Sinkies to return and make this island their home all over again. The cost of living, the cost of buying a home, buying a car will have made many broke. Even if they have a 3,000 sq ft property in their current place of residence, liquidating the property would not be enough to buy a 4 rm HDB flat and may have nothing left to buy a cheap car. Who would want to trade their kind of lifestyle to come back home? Who would want to come home to a highly competitive and stressful little island? What quality of living? The only thing good about this island now is to make fast money and to migrate to somewhere else for a more leisure pace of life. And that is what the FTs and PRs are doing. And the daft Sinkies will be stuck here for good. Ok, I digress.

As for the young and more mobile set, having studied abroad and working there, the problem facing them would be the same. How to afford to come home? Financially it just does not make sense, or not meaningful to come back to this small place and to pay a fortune for it, in a way, to be robbed of all the savings.

This place has become too expensive for any Sinkie to return. And return for what, for more reservist duties and in camp training?

What do you think?

Singapore will become a slum within a decade - Sg_Boleh

My article on ‘Buy Singapore goods, employ Singaporeans’ has been reposted in TRE and has drawn a comment by a blogger. ‘Sg_Boleh: if we implement redbean’s recommendation, Singapore will become a slum within a decade.’ I am wondering if he is a foreigner incognito or a child that was born only yesterday. He is completely ignorant of the fact that Singapore is today exactly because Singaporeans built it to what it is and becomes very attractive to the foreigners to want to be here to parasite on our success. It is not the other way, that it was built by foreigners. Now, which idiot will tell you that it is the foreigners that are here to help Singaporeans

Many of these foreigners are here because they either could not help in anyway to make their countries better than Singapore, their countries could not offer them a better paying job, could not offer them a better quality living, and are here because we have done it and offering them something better that they would never dream of at home.

Yes, Singaporeans turned this little swamp into a little paradise. It is not a fantasy. The truth is that the foreigners are turning it into a slum, with all their dirty habits, and if nothing is being done to curb their influx, this island will become more like their home countries. It is a great insult to say that Singapore will become a slum if the jobs are filled by Singaporeans.

I will like to offer a challenge to the foreigners to go back and turn their third world countries to what Singapore is today, then I will respect their abilities and talents.

Now who is this idiot Sg_Boleh to insult Singaporeans that we are incapable of running our own country, from Third World to First World? We are now First World, and only now that we are bringing them in to take advantage of us in swarms, like locusts. Singapore will continue to prosper without them. And should the foreigners return to their home countries, their home countries would still be the third world slums they are and will not be able to catch up with Singapore for the several decades to come.

LKY – Declining populations make peaceful neighbours

This is an article purportly written by LKY and published in the ST today and in the March edition of Forbes magazine. His thesis or views in the article is simply that an expanding population is good reason for countries to conduct wars while a declining population will kill the urge to do so. He then went on to quote Japan and Germany in the Second World War when their respective TFRs were 4.1 and 2.6

LKY then concluded that countries like US and Europe, including China with low TFRs would be less likely to go to war for the same reason as the old Japan and Germany, for lebensraum or living space. They wanted more space for a growing population then. Today, Japan and Germany would be less likely to go to war as their TFRs are low, both about 1.4.

The countries that are likely to go to war according to his article would be India and the African countries, all with high TFRs. India has a TFR of 2.6 while the Africans vary from 4 to 7. Africans are highly dangerous!

It is thus glaringly inconsistent and incoherent to use a single factor like TFR to determine the temptation of a country for war. There are definitely more than just the TFR that will push a country to war. The Africans, even if they want more space than the Sahara Desert, would not have the means and ability to do so. War will come to them more because they are weak like in Mali.

In the case of the USA, the most belligerent warring state of modern history, TFR is totally irrelevant. And today’s Japan is likely to go to war with China and North Korea to keep the islands it seized as war booties. Nothing to do with TFR surely.

What about Singapore with a TFR of 1.2, which is definitely a very peaceful country, a good neighbour. But when it pushes its TFR to 2.1 would Singapore then become a warring state, wanting lebensraum for its expanding population? I think if one is to apply this logic, it is safer and better for Singapore to maintain the present 1.2 TFR, maintaining the current population than to go with the White Paper recommendations for 6.9m population and leading to a need for more living space and … how about war? 2.1 is relatively more prone to war than 1.2 right? Logical?

What do you think?

Buy Singapore goods, employ Singaporeans

‘Humble: February 28( A blogger in TRE)

Local SMEs, Singaporeans are like your families. They are like your parents, brothers and sisters. If your brothers are in difficulties, definitely you will try your best to help them. It’s the same also to the Singaporean Talents who work for you. You must advise, help, train them because they are your families. Why are you not patriotic? To help your countrymen? Why you think Singaporeans are lazy and useless? As far as I know Singaporeans are the most hardworking people, if you pay them right….’

If my memory is right, I think there were campaigns like buy local or buy Singaporean goods or something equivalent. This call was to give business to our local enterprises. Would it be out of tune to call on Singapore companies and businesses to employ Singaporeans first? Would it be too much to expect the Civil Service, Statutory Boards and GLCs to employ Singaporeans first and to only employ foreigners when the skills are not found in Singaporeans. Can these Govt agencies take the lead and set a good example?

I am in Singapore because I have better skills than any local here -Victor Vassiltsov, a Russian FT. This comment by an FT speaks of a policy that if a foreigner is better than the local, it is ok to employ the foreigner. Compares this to Australian immigration policy that will only take in skilled foreigners in vocations and trades when there is a shortage or when the skills are not found in Australians. The Australians only employed foreigners when they could not find Aussies to fill positions, not that the Aussies were less able. When the Aussies can fill a position, no matter how talented or better is the foreigner, sorry, we will call you.

If the Singaporean policy or practice is to employ anyone that can prove to be better than a Singaporean, then Singaporeans will have to step aside. And when we open the door to the world, to countries that have hundreds of millions of people or billions of people, it is only natural that many will be better than Singaporeans. Shall we replace all the Singaporeans with foreigners that are better than Singaporeans? We can also replace the ministers and MPs too using the same logic and reasoning.

So what is left of Singaporeans? Is this the reason why some people refuse to accept the slogan Singapore for Singaporeans? Anyone that is better can take over the place of Singaporeans?

If this should not be the case, or should not be allowed to happen, perhaps it is timely to call on the Govt and local businesses to employ Singaporeans first. We need to save the Singaporean specie. Many are unemployed or underemployed because the Govt and businesses can find alternatives, sometimes cheaper, in hiring foreigners. Some are qualified, some may be better, and some are under qualified or even fraudsters with fake qualifications and experience.

Employ Singaporeans first must be a national policy and supported by private businesses as well. Or is this just another empty call, irrelevant and impractical and will chase all the businesses away? Before the influx of foreigners, we were doing just this, depending mainly on our limited manpower resources. Now we have many highly qualified and experienced PMETs, no one should be left redundant unless of his own choosing. Employers must also note that the cost of living for Singaporeans is very high and they need to be paid adequately to get by.

This is also the call in Hong Lim. Should this call be ignored as voices from the lunatic fringe?

White Paper, sealed and buried

Parliament is over, Hong Lim Spring is over, is the fate of 6.9m or a bigger population than the present over? Can the 77 MPs touch their hearts and say they have the authority from the people to bring in another million or 1.6m people into the country? Or would they just keep quiet, assumed that they have the authority even if the people disagree, because it is passed by Parliament, so they can go forward to execute the proposals in the White Paper?

Given the widespread unhappiness and anger, would the Govt bother to consult the people, have a real conversation with the people and get the consent from the people to go a head with this ambitious, dangerous and unpredictable path of a bigger population that may prove too big to handle? This act will change the whole demography of the nation, the social and political landscape as well.

My personal view is that the Govt owes it to the people to seek their permission to change the whole fabric of this nation. They cannot ignore the people, not 77 men and women against the wishes of 3.3m citizens. No minister in the cabinet, not even the PM, is big enough to make this change. A referendum on this is the most decent thing the Govt should do. It is not a matter of you know best and you would shoulder the responsibility should an epic failure befallen this island in the future. No one is qualified to carry this responsibility. And worst, none of the 77 would likely to be around when the crunch hits.

Is the White Paper sealed and buried and not to be spoken again?