myth 98

Wisdom of Aladdin, Solomon and Saul Aladdin ruled Greenland with a crooked sword. When he is angry or about to cut off the head of anyone he will kiss his sword. And whenever he kisses his sword, Greenland goes white with fright. His elite ministers were all behind Aladdin and live by Aladdin’s wisdom of righteousness. And all his elite ministers were afraid to flaunt their wealth though everyone knows that they are very well rewarded in many ways. Openly flashing their wealth is a sign of having too big an appetite and were frown upon. All the people know but they could not do anything, for the elite will not change the way they are being rewarded by the system. Blueland under Solomon was different. They pride themselves as true elite. And they make no pretense about rewarding themselves. They gave themselves fanciful titles for doing nothing but paid like a king. And they made sure all their titles and high incomes are in their name cards to be flashed around as a recognition of their talents and abilities. The greater their incomes the more righteous they are deemed to be as plenty means no urge to steal anymore. The people too accept the system and pretend that all is well under enlightened leadership. They, like the people in Greenland, knew they could not do anything as the elite will not change the system to cut down on their loot. Redland under Saul is slightly different. The elite live fairly comfortably but not as wealthy as Greenland and Blueland. They were slightly better off than the people but any excesses will be dealt with by severe punishment All three lands under Aladdin, Solomon and Saul functions as effectively as they can be. All were perfect models on their own, living under the wisdom of their own rulers. Another common thread among the three elites is that they all frown upon the other’s wisdom but not saying anything.

buddy buddy appointment! goosh!

Buddy buddy appointment It has taken so long for the independent directorship system to show its flaws and to be recognised that it is flawed. Geez, are people, intelligent people, that blind? Any layman would be able to see through the fallacy of such a system when friends and relatives were appointed as independent directors to be watchdog over corporate misconducts. It is as good as appointing robbers to be security guards. SIAS has finally acknowledged that this buddy buddy system must be changed and a neutral third party body is important in the appointment of independent directors. Now will the rightful authority do the necessary? Or will the farce continue? I am waiting for a call from David Gerald after such a long wait. Maybe my proposal has gone down the rubbish chute and lost. I am going to send him a reminder on this.

giving more than gst increases!

7% GST So far cyberspace has been characterised by widespread criticisms and attacks on the govt's intent to raise GST by another 2%. The attacks were callous and at times very wild. The moderates, very few, would look at it with a lot of scepticism and were cautious about how it would turn out. Then of course there will be the blind faith followers who will just say good, good. To look at the issue from a neutral perspective without jumping the gun, the people may want to give the govt the benefit of the doubt. Wait till the details are out. Some said it will be too late. Late or never, good or bad, it is a decision the govt has to make and has to answer to the people. They can't keep getting away with things that they think are good but the people think otherwise. Yesterday Choktong gave a little hint of what the GST package will be like. He mentioned that 'the govt was likely to plough more into the offset package than it would receive from raising the GST.' Now this is something to think about. Raising $1 but giving back more than $1 to the people. Is this for real? If this could materialise eventually, and the lower income group really become better off because of the GST increase, many critics would be slapping their own faces. Then again, everyone is watching and would want to scrutinise carefully what is taken and what will be returned to the people. Whatever the formula, the left side of the equation must equal the right side. Now the magic equation is that the right side is going to be more than the left side. Where is that money coming from? Who will ultimately foot the bill? From profits or from other citizens? The other question is whether it is a one time payout but a continuous taxation?

kdf and surplus fund for research?

Charity and KDF The last uproar was about NKF. Today a letter to the Straits Times forum by Lau Hwee Tiang commented (better not say complained) that KDF is thinking of using its surplus fund to conduct research. KDF is facing declining number of patients and now has more money than it needs. So it must find other ways of using its surpluses. Can this be true? Think about it. Charity money to help kidney patients but to be used for research. Does KDF has such flexibility to do so? If it does, why doesn't it just donate the money to NUH or NUS? Why the need to do research on an area it has no expertise, as mentioned by Lau Hwee Tiang? Does it mean that when it runs out of fund to help patients or for the research, it should then go on another charity drive? Managing public fund has a heavy responsibility and the public who donated money deserves to have good, sensible and responsible people to manage such funds for the purpose in which the fund is supposed to use for.

the NOBLE Award

The NOBLE Award It is the time of the year when employees are expected to be assessed on their annual performance. And this eventually leads to the bonus for Christmas. While employees are all being assessed, who is assessing the people whose decisions and policies affect the people's life most? Presumably they are all being assessed. I am referring to the Ministers, the Head of Ministries and Stats Boards. All these people manage our lives and either make it better or worst. And shouldn't the people also do their assessments of these men and women who can turn their lives into a fantasy trip or into misery? Assessing them for their worst is unbecoming and unpleasant. Such eminent people shall not be assessed for being bad, but for being exceptionally good. I am thinking of a NOBLE Award, something like the Nobel Prize. Not the kind where entertainers gave to each other for entertainment and self flattery. The award for leaders of a country and national institutions shall be something serious and meaningful. And the criteria must be exceptionaly high for the high remuneration that they are paid to do the jobs. What is NOBLE Award? It stands for Noble, Original, Brilliant and Life Enriching. People deserving of such an award must have done something noble, the ideas original and brilliant, and enriching the lives of many people. The Award is not to be given for selling dreams, for hardwork, dedication and perseverence or things that anyone can do given the authority eg deciding to go ahead with the IRs. This is just a decision thing. I am scanning through all the ministries and stats boards trying to shift out something that is deserving of such an award, something really brilliant and noble. So far nothing comes near. A lot of hard work were put into the Health Ministry to cut cost or streamline cost, but all basically administrative matters. Even the 3 Ms were ordinary. Transportation? All basically money making from the commuters. Hard to assess what the Defence and Home Affairs are doing. The rest are just system maintenance. The only bright spark is the 2% increase in GST. This has the potential of becoming something brilliant, in helping a large group of lower income citizens. If only the money raise is used for what it is meant to be. And the greatness of this decision will be there for all to see. Or would it turn out to be a big disappointment? Something that everyone knows, but wishing and hoping that they were wrong, and waiting to be proven wrong? Never in history has taxing the people been innovated into something that really benefitted the people directly. This is the first time that a tax is proclaimed to be for the sole purpose of improving the lives of the people. If this can be true, it will be a fairy tale story with a good ending and deserving of a NOBLE Award.

Signs of a Nation losing itself.

Signs of a Nation losing itself. The lack of response to the Indon policeman attack on a Singaporean is a bad sign of being Singaporean. The outpouring of help, to some extent unreserved help, for foreigners, may be good for humanity eg the tsunami and the 40% bursary going to foreigners. But it is bad when viewed from the perspective that many Singaporeans still need help but help not forthcoming or with so many conditions attached. The emphasis on foreign talent is good. The opening of job opportunities to foreigners while there are Singaporeans having problems getting a decent job. The widespread littering, if mainly attributed to Singaporeans, is a sign that this is not our home any more. Nothing to do with them. Let it mess up or be dirty. Doesn't matter. The growing number of Singaporeans migrating. The growing number of Singaporeans having to work overseas when they can't find employment back home. A severing of their roots or attachments. The rapid dilution of the population with new citizens. The buying of foreign talents to win sporting medals. The glory is so fake. Then the cursing and swearing by some Singaporeans. The impatience in wanting to make a quick buck, like pre Hongkong 1997, to prepare to escape from paradise. The widening income gap and the hardlanders/elite divide. These are but some of the signs that there is something wrong with our nation building effort. When there is no pride being Singaporeans. When Singaporeans do not bother about Singaporeans and Singapore.

cabinet salary increase?

Cabinet pay May soon rise During May election, hikes in 5-7% GST and cabinet ministers’ pay were widely speculated. Now the 2nd part may also come true. By Seah Chiang Nee. Nov 26, 2006 By far the highest in the world, Singapore cabinet ministers’ salaries are likely to head for another increase soon.... Currently, ministers are paid basic annual salaries (plus performance bonuses) and, at age 55, they are entitled to collect both a salary and full pension. The President's basic salary US$1,500,000 (S$2,507,200) while the Prime Minister gets US$1,100,000 (S$1,958,000). Minister's Basic salary ranged from US$655,530 to US$819,124 (S$1,166,844 to S$1,458,040) a year. In comparison, the president of the United States, the most powerful nation in the world, earns US$400,000 and US$50,000 expenses, less than what a junior minister earns in Singapore. In UK, Prime Minister Tony Blair earns US$170,556 annually.... Littlespeck.com The rise in salary for the politicians is a good thing. We should not begruge them for their high salaries. They deserve it. Further, with the high cost of living in Singapore, we cannot afford to tempt them to become improper when their salaries cannot keep up with their Swiss standard of living. And when their salaries are comfortable enough, they too would not begrudge other Singaporeans from earning more and would not do any silly things to break other people's ricebowls. It is good for everyone. The only thing to be concerned about is to raise the salaries of those civil servants at the lower levels, ie. those earning less than $5000 pm. By keeping on a percentage increase to the million dollar earners, the income gap will surely widen. It may be tough to maintain a Swiss standard of living. But it is tougher to maintain a hardlander's standard of living.

myth 97

'Don't let averages fool you' I read this phrase in the Today paper this morning. What is Vasu Menon referring to? Property prices. He was saying that the high end prices are really shooting to the sky. Up 34% in the first quarter! Averages often hide the ugly truth. The PSI is an average over 3 or 6 hours. It does not want to show the real PSI in that particular hour so as not to frighten people. Another average that tries not to frighten people is the income of employees. It is said that the top 20% earns around $10K a month. It does not tell the top 3% what they are earning. Looking at the millionaires that we have, it is likely that most of them will be getting more than $100k a month. I wonder how organisations can pay employees so much in a month. These people must have the Midas touch. At the other extreme, the bottom 3% could be earning $300 a month. That is the real income gap that is not told. Or take the top 1% against the bottom 1% and find out what it is like.

Have we failed in nation building?

When I saw the vicious attack on a Singaporean, James Seah, in Medan, I felt so outraged. I was incensed. The video clip aired in the news showing how viciously James was beaten, kicked, and on the ground, while his assailant, an Indonesian policeman, brandishing a gun in his hand. Under such a situation, no one will dare to hit back as the alternative will be a shot from the gun. And James' sin was to ask the policemen to pay for their drinks in his hotel. They were not drunk. From the video clip, the assailant was moving around like a hyena around its fallen prey. What irks me most is that this whole episode did not evoke any sense of outrage among Singaporeans. It just went past quietly as if nothing happened. A Singaporean, viciously attacked unjustly and no other Singaporean would mutter a word. Where is the sense of pride, of being a Singaporean, or being identified as a Singaporean belong to a nation called Singapore? Or perhaps we are too successful in welcome foreigners and helping foreigners that we no longer know who we are. Or we are all international citizens living in a hotel. Have we lost this sense of belonging as a people? Where is the demand for justice, for the attacker to be punished? Or shall we still rush over to pour our money over their heads again? The attack revealed a strong hatred for Singaporeans, some say Chinese, in Indonesia. While some apologists would say it was only one Indonesian policeman, not the whole of Indonesia. Agree. But what we should expect is that there are more than just one Indonesian policeman who did not appreciate what we have done, but hated us and would beat us to a pulp given any excuse. And what did the Indonesian govt do to the culprit? Is he being arrested and punished? I am writing this as one single Singaporean and this does not reflect on all Singaporeans.

Old, immobile and lonely

Old, immobile and lonely Have no fear. Often we heard of the old and the handicap complaining about loneliness, nothing to do, nowhere to go and dunno what to do with their lives. Travelling is not only difficult because of their lack of mobility, it is also expensive. Public transport is not cheap nowadays for the retired and unemployed. And who would want to bother chatting up oldies when there are many vibrant and sweet young things everywhere? I thought meditation will be a great exercise for the lonely folks. And meditation is a great time killer for people with a lot of time to kill. But for those who insist on wanting to talk to people, to socialise, to move around but unable to, try the internet. The internet is a great tool for the oldies and the handicap. No need to spend money on transport, no need for a pair of strong legs to support the lifeless body. And no need to look good and sexy. Just sit in front of the screen and all one needs is a brain that is still ticking and good finger muscles...and travel around the world. Go places, visit the museums, countries, any place of interest, go shopping, or chat up anyone you like, even sweet young things. Just tell them that you are only 25. But need to learn a few new lingos to get them to believe. Oldies and people with physical disabilities should be encouraged to serve the net when they will be on level ground with everyone. No need assistance, no need pity, no need to bother anyone, just a few fingers. The internet can be a new world for the oldies. Who says the internet is for the young?

chasing after a red herring

There are so many discussions in the papers recently on how to improve the public transport system. There were advocates of more service providers, while some wanted it to be operated by only one organisation. The quality of public transport system, especially in our context, is not dependent on the number of operators, monopoly or oligopoly, or in whatever combinations. All these are hogwash. Discussions in futility, or discussions for the sake of discussion. What is needed is the political will to set the goals on what we want. If the political objective is to have a reasonably priced world class transport system we will have it. If the objective is to squeeze as much money from the commuters, then it will be that way. The public should not waste too much time talking about what is best. There are many super talents who have already thought of them and knew what can be done and should be done. It is audacious for the layman public to think that they know better. Just let the super talents know what are the real objectives of a world class transport system and they will deliver. Tell them you want to milk as much money from the commuters, they will deliver too. What is so difficult about delivering a world class transport system when we have the money to buy the best in the world? It is all in the mind.

slavery in singapore

Slavery in Singapore Could not believe that it is still there in modern Singapore in a disguised form. When there is liberalisation of trade, free flow of information and people and jobs, when there are laws against unfair practices in businesses, when corporate honchos cried foul in the face of unethical and immoral market practices, employees or workers are held hostage, in a way like chattels by their organisations. Over the last few weeks there were several cases of civil suits taken up by big companies against staff poaching. And it seems that this practice is not acceptable. That it is wrong to offer staff a better compensation package to join another organisation. The ruling is in favour of organisations that wanted to prevent their staff from leaving for greener pastures. Didn't workers and professionals join organisations for the lure of better remunerations and prospects? Aren't these their right to do so? Didn't the govt pay highly competitive salaries to attract super talents to join them or to prevent their staff from leaving? Are these practices against the law? Apparently it must be. Organisations are now not allowed to poach staff from their competitors. Then where is the right of workers and professionals to join another organsation freely and to be decided by them based on the terms and conditions of employment offered? The employees or professionals have their rights to be with whichever organisations they choose to be. To limit or restrict this right is a violation of their freedom of employment. They are not chattels or slaves of any organisations. No organisation has the right to own their employees or professionals in their employed, or to put barriers to prevent them from leaving against their free will. They should instead offer more competitive packages to retain their staff. This is fair competition. Otherwise, we will have slavery in modern Singapore. I have witnessed such malpractices in many places. Ban slavery in Singapore!

myth 96

'A discount is a subsidy' Believe whatever you like and how you like it to be. That is the formula to be happy or to be conned happily. Is subsidy a discount or is discount a subsidy? Very simple, it depends on what you want to believe, or your definitions, or who says it. According to a forummer Cheong Chee Mun in the Straits Times today, his definitions of discount and subsidy go like this: Discount - A discount is the difference between the market price and seller's price. eg. If the market price of a product is $200k and the seller sells it at $150k, he is giving a discount of $50k. Subsidy - A subsidy is the difference between the cost of a product or service and the reduced priced at which the product or service is sold or provided. Now these are not too difficult to understand right? I believe any layperson would be able to understand these two simple definitions easily. But Singaporeans still believe that a discount is a subsidy...I think....

Returning kindness with hatred

I was watching the news clip on the Singaporean manager who was beaten in Medan. Looking at the video on how aggressive and brutal the attacker, an Indonesia policeman, beating up the Singaporeans for a few minutes, made my blood boiled. I felt so angry. The way the Indonesian kept hitting and kicking the Singaporean who was on the ground, afraid to hit back as the attacker had a gun in his hand, was so shameless and pathetic. It reflected the intense hatred in the attacker for the Singaporean. And for what reasons? Because they ate and drank and refused to pay. They could just walk off laughing without paying if that was their intent. But they were there to beat up the Singaporean. It was a great display of how much the Indonesians, as a people, hate Singaporeans. Forget about all the aids and how fast we rushed to assist them during the tsunami. And we even rebuilt schools and villages for them. What the shit. They have no love for us except our money. I hope the next time they asked for help, lets mind our own business. We cannot always be so compliant and trying to be nice and kind knowing very well that our kindness is seen as weakness and to be taken for granted.

it is good to be successful

The satisfaction of being in control I was thinking of writing about the meaning of Meaness as I have talked about it in several posts. Then I thought people will be very unhappy if I called them mean. So I rephrase it to celebrate the success of successful people and try to view life through their perspectives. It is so gratifying to be in a position of wealth and power when money is no longer an issue and you are not only in control of your own life but also determining the lives of others. Living in a 2000 sq m privately owned resort and calling it home, with 8 rooms for 4 persons to share, a huge living room like a hotel lounge, a reading room, an AV room, a family room and a 50 sq m bedroom for each member of the family. Then there is a little swimming pool with a putting corner. Now that is something. And having not a care whether 8 or 10 members of the hardlanders are squeezed into a 2 or 3 room flats, what 50 sq m or 70 sq m each. And have the pleasure of telling them that they are so fortunate to have a roof over their heads. Then every year end can look forward to a 3 or 6 months bonus or a 10% increment. Now what do what these mean? 6 mths multiply by $100k per mth, that is a cool $600k for bonus. And a 10% increment will add another $10k per month. Don't want to know what the hardlanders are getting. OK give them 2 months bonus and 5% increment. Do I bother to know that 2 mths multiply by $1000 will be $2000 or 5% increment is a handsome $50 a mth? No, they are not good enough to earn more and they deserve it. And if these people are living on rental flats and paying $30, now that they have an increment of $50, must raise the rental to at least $50. Must let them know that they cannot always think of living on charity. That they must strive to work hard and upgrade. So by taking $20 from their increment will push them to want to do better. Now ain't I kind and caring to these people? I have all their interests at heart. I want them to be good and well. I don't believe there are people who are born with lesser intelligence and talent. They are just lazy only. Must keep managing them and pushing them to work harder.

talent schools not for nerds

The fallacy of good academic grades The Arts School has clarified that an express stream grade is only a guide and not necessary a prerequisite for admission. Somehow there is this obsession that everyone must have good grades in order to have talents. So Beckham, Owen and all the footballers in the English and European Leagues and Singapore league, please do not apply. And all the pop singers, dancers and actors and actresss, also don't apply. We will call you. I thought god is just being fair by giving academic talent to the nerds and artistic talents and sports talents to those who are not academically gifted? But what can one expect when Arts and Sports schools are managed by academic talents? If I will to set up such a school, I will make it a point to sack all the applicants who have good academic grades and take in the real talents in the respective fields. Better still to make those with good academic grades feel unwanted in these talent schools. Talent schools are for specific talents and not for nerds. This is elementary.

my god, so many complainers

My god, there are so many complainers in the papers about the smallest of HDB flats. Do these people know how good life is inside a HDB flat, especially the space they are getting? The HDB have done many meticulous studies before they came up with the optimum size of flats to suit the residence. And how can they ever think that HDB is wrong in the size of the flats? I asked the two cockroaches inside my kitchen cabinet whether they feel squashed and they looked at me in amazement. Squashed? It is like a universe. They have been running around freely and still cannot explore all the corners of the flat. It is too big! It all depends on your size and on your need as a lessee. A lessee may find it too small. But from the perspective of HDB, that is good enough. So don't argue, and stop complaining.

Talk to your neighbours

Talk to your neighbours This is the latest war cry in Singapore. We are living so closely to each other but not talking to each other. In fact many quarrelled instead. The objectives of building a closer knit society where everyone knows each other and feel as a member of the sociey, as friends, to share and help each other, especially the old, handicap and lonely. Who can quarrel with such a great idea? But then, do people want to talk to their neighbours? What is so great about your neighbours when some will get to your nerves with their antics, unhygenic ways, unsocial mannerism etc? Lifestyle of 21st century and city life are changing rapidly. Every home is a self contained unit for entertainment and to rest or to keep to one's own privacy. Everyone has a different lifestyle, different likes and dislikes, different tolerance than before when the neighbour's living area is also your living area, sharing kitchen, toilet and many common facilities. For the old and lonely who needs people around them, having helpful and caring neighbours is a great bonus, no doubt. But such community bonds and relationship cannot be enforced. They can only be fostered, encouraged and need time. And conditional upon whether the neighbours are those who want to help and come up close. Making efforts towards this direction is necessary but cannot be overdone when it becomes fake. There are still calls to play hops scot, marbles, five stones, chatek etc. These are good to reminice but hold no value and unlikely to capture the interest of a new breed of children brought up in a push button for satisfaction world.

when 8 As are not enough

I have read a reply in the Straits Times forum by Choo Lee See, Director of PSC Secretariat. She said that students vying for PSC scholarships should have 11 or more subjects (at presumably O levels). When 8 As are more than adequate, I thought it would be better for the bright students to spend their times exploring the stars or some other interests, maybe smelling the roses, instead of chasing for more As. These students, with a min of 8 As are already exceptional students and academically need not have to prove that they can do even better. What is lacking is probably the development in other areas, humanity and character building and other interests. Their extra time should be allowed to be spent in things other than more muggings. It will help to reduce more exam stress. And PSC could assess them better as a whole person.

happy old singaporeans

'I love being served by older workers...they have smiles from their faces that really come from the heart.' Jo Anne Lee Actually I was wondering whether to put this in the myth column, about the mythical Singapore and mythical Singaporeans, all happy, especially the young, and very happy to be served be equally happy old Singaporeans. Old Singaporeans nowadays don't retire into happy villages or be bored by highly spirited grandchildren, or a world cruise round the world to the sunset. Happy Singaporeans are those cleaning up tables and serving at MacDonald counters. And their smiles are genuine. They are so lucky. I think I will submit my application to MacDonald for a happy retirement job. And who says old workers are not wanted?