budget 2007

After listening to the brief over the news, the 2007 budget came across as a pleasing budget. And all the MSM are painting glowing reports on it. So it will be a waste of time for me to write another glowing report here. I will need to spend a little time to digest what the budget is all about. My immediate disappointment is that I am not getting the 10% of what they gave to the President. But please don't blame me for my little indulgence in fantasy. It is a very good package. But what Zulkifli Baharuddin said needs a little reflection. 'We're are not giving away anything for free.' What is it that we have not seen? What is the catch? So far I have not heard of anything about using the GST increase to set up a research centre to study on how to help the lower income group. Neither did I hear any tie up with Harvard or Cambridge to lend credibility to the increase in GST. And no setting aside of the excesses for the future. The govt is collecting $1.5 billion more a year and spending $4 billion over 5 years. Now how much of a dollar collected is returned to the low income group? Let's enjoy the feel good sensation for a while and look at the details carefully. Nothing is given away for free.

brain dead or not? so scary

Andy Ho wrote a very informative article in the Review page of the Straits Times on brain death. And it is chilling to read the findings. There are many issues that are not conclusive and even after a person is declared brain dead, brain activities still can be detacted in 20% of the cases. And what is still debatable is whether the brain is the sole authority on all bodily functions. Biologically, many body functions are still working even after a person is declared brain dead. So is the person still alive or already dead? Is organ harvesting on a brain dead person actually be the final act that kills a living person, though brain dead?

myth 114

Myth 114 Old means out or pay cut We have heard of the pathetic state of the PMETs. What caused them to be in such a postion? The policy of old is useless or FTs or a combination of both. These were our former local born talents, high salary, high value, high esteem, high flyers. Today they are low salary, low value, low esteem and low flying. The fault of globalisation? Lim Boon Heng is the best man to tackle this problem. He is a walking and living example of old is good and should be paid well. The way he goes, he will work till 90 and still smiling and still in demand, and getting an increment every year. What Boon Heng can do is to use the political profession as the perfect model for all to emulate. In this industry, salary is paid according to the appointment. As long as one holds the appointment, no matter what age, talent or not so talented, man or woman, everthing else is irrelevant, one can look forward to annual increment and big bonuses practically every year. The private sector need not look further to adopt this model for their employees. After all, what is profit for? And this is particularly pertinent to govt link companies. These organisations can't be making profits and profits to be stashed away for a tomorrow that never comes. It is the people and their well being. To feed the people and feed them well. Govt and govt linked companies should review their missions and look at how best to look after the people all the way from the President to the heartlanders. Everyone should see that this is a country that looks after them from cradle to their death bed.

Quote of the Day

Quote of the Day Prof Cohen pointed out on a public lecture in LKY-school on 13 Feb 2007, that the 6.5 million population is risky and will have dire consequences. "Singapore does not grow its foods, so it is dependent on a world economy that permits trade. If there is no trade, Singapore is SUNK!". Maybe the govt can consider giving the people and new citizens an option. Since everything here is run like a business and with bottom line the main consideration, let us compute the wealth of each citizen in Singapore, using the value of the piece of real estate and all the monetary value of the nation's assets. With this figure, every citizen be allowed to opt out of this country and be paid that amount. Funny that I use the term opt out so naturally. And any new citizen coming in can acquire a citizenship by paying an equivalent amount. I think this is fair as he/she will inheriting the wealth of a nation built up over the years by several generations.

the 6.5 million paradox

The 6.5 million paradox What is the relationship between a citizen and a country? Theoretically, the citizens own the country. We, the citizens, not all locals by the way, own this little piece of real estate and everything that we have not sold to private ownership. We, the citizens, not all locals, are part owners of all the monetary wealth of this country. At the moment, with about 2.5 million citizens, each of our share of this real estate and all the reserves and investments is 1/2.5 million. Do we then have a say if this real estate and reserves and investment are going to be divided by 4 or 6 million? Our representative system of govt means the election of ordinary citizens to form the govt to look after our welfare and real estate and national coffer. If our elected representatives said they are going to share our real estate and national wealth with foreigners who are accepted as Singaporeans, do they need to ask for our consent? This is like planning the use of our CPF money or our salaries.

nkf story - chapter two

NKF story Chapter Two And the story continues. Poofs....Chapter Two is intentionally left blank as everything came to an abrupt end behind chambers and closed doors. And they all live happily ever after.

the poor rich middle class

'They often feel ignored and mercilessly squeezed.' Said Christie Loh. This is the strongest language ever appeared in a main stream paper. If she wrote this a few years ago, wonder what kind of reaction she will get. Christie is referring to the middle class group that have been left out of all the assistance by the govt and unable to find jobs. And also the sandwiched class, a group that earns between $2,990 and $7260. And they need help. My god, with this type of income they need help! How then do one expect those on govt aid to live with $230 or even $400? And their problem extends to not being able to find jobs or jobs that will pay them half of what they used to get. The PMET, Professional, Managers, Executive and Technicians, the fallen talents of our own citizens, cannot find jobs when unemployment is passe, when we have created so many jobs. What is wrong? Why are our talents not employable and we need to find more foreign talents to replace them? Old? 50 or 60 considered old? Leaders like LKY, Chok Tong and Boon Heng should conduct lectures to all the CEOs and HR Managers about the value of being old. Wisdom, experience, contacts, networks, are what age comes with. Oh they are untrainable? Why train them to do new stuff when they have acquired so much skills and experience in their profession? Can't they be recruited to do what they were doing before? Are those jobs extinct or taken over by younger foreign talents? And old cocks cannot learn new skills? Boon Heng should tell them what he is doing now. A completely new portfolio, to look after older workers, a silver industry. Was he in this field before? Definitely not. And it is new and he can do it. What the....

opt out or your are in

Tan Kim Minn wrote a letter to Today calling Singapore an OPT OUT country. You need to opt out in many things or else you are in. He quoted Dependents' Protection Scheme, Medishield, Medisave and CDAC as examples. Then there are the Sinda, the Muslim Mosque Building Fund, and of course Hota. But the mentality here is that it is only a few dollars, or it is for your own good, or it is for the general good. So it is alright to opt you in unless you take all the trouble to opt yourself out. The problem is that many people did not know what they have been opted in. And that is their problem for being ignorant or lazy to find out or to opt out. It is their own fault.

landed properties, good and bad news

Bad news, good news 6.5 million population is bad news for those living in landed properties. You can bet that they will be next in line for land acquisition to build high rise flats. And under the old policies, they are unlikely to get back the full worth of their properties. Now the good news. The govt is amending its land acquisition rules to pay market price for properties acquired. Now many people are going to sleep peacefully knowing that their wealth will be protected. This will give a lot of confidence to the high net worth people or potential rich migrants coming to our shores. They will not be shortchanged and they can happily go about investing in landed properties.

6.5 million, let's go for it

Some noises were heard in all the little corners about the 6.5 million population that we are expected and will be living with. There is no U turn in this. All the thinking and planning have been done. And everything is green, everything is good to go for 6.5 million. Things will be so good when we get there. Today's paper, Lim Boon Hee also questioned the wisdom of this move. There are so much fear and uncertainty as this issue is very new and no one of the calibre of citizen Lee have spoken out. My reading is that all the brains in this island have thought over this issue and all agree that this is the best way to go, or we will perish. When we were 1 million, we will perish. When we were 2 million, we will perish. When we are now 4 million, we will perish. Let's try 6.5 million. Maybe we will survive better. The people must have faith in the govt and the planners. Let's do not understimate their ability to plan for our future. The people shall support this great plan and stop complaining. Even the opposition are also awed by the immense possibilities and opportunities that 6.5 million people will provide that they are dumbfounded. Let's go for it.

the miserables are better off

Leong Wee Keat and Gracia Chiang wrote a very interesting piece of article on the rising hope of the people at the bottom. 'Wages finally rise for the poorest households after 10 bleak years.' In 2005, monthly income for each member of the poorest household was $270. Now it is $300. A whopping 6.6% increase in real term. This is a great upliftment of the lives of the miserables. They added, 'It's not as if their wages have gone up, though. It is just that their household size is shrinking and, with the brightening economy, more of them have been able to find jobs.' Just shrink the Singaporeans and their HDB flats will become much bigger, or a mini will be as big as a Mercedes, relatively. So are they getting richer? I am still scratching my head. This is another interesting statement in their article. 'Economists said the same thing in more elegant terms.' "There were some concerns that the lower income groups wre not benefiting from globalisation and were hardest hit by overseas competition," said Citigroup's Dr Chua Hak Bin. With the results, we are finally seeing some of this growth trickling down.' Very elegantly said. What were Leong Wee Keat and Gracia Chiang actually saying?

myth 113

Myth 113 Land reclamation causes sea level to rise I read this from Sammyboy. And I find this the most logical reason so far for the flooding in Malaysia and Indonesia. You see, we have been reclaiming land from the sea for many years. And land reclamation from the sea means we have to fill them up with sand. And after so many years of filling the sea with sand, of course the sea level will rise. And naturally this will lead to flooding. If you don't believe me, fill a bath tub to half full. Then pour sand into it. Bravo, the water rises in the bath tub. Theory proven. It is so scientific.

whoever believes in me...

I promise you an island with the best facilities money can buy. Everything will be ultra modern, every inch of the land will be landscaped and even designed for the old and handicap. Living will be a breeze. Everyone will be enjoying life to their fullest. Can actually live forever. Don't worry about cost. No cost involved. You will all be able to afford it. In my paradise.

always right reasoning

'With global competition causing wages at the bottom to stagnate or fall, the Government has decided to make Workfare - an income-support scheme it pioneered last year to help the bottom third of wage earners - permanent.' I must add that with global competition, salaries of talents can only go up even if they are in jobs that are shielded from global competition. Head I win, tail you lose.

myth 112

Myth 112 It is great to be poor In this little island, the next best thing to being a pet poodle is to be poor. Being a pet poodle, one can sleep in aircon room, send to see specialists, dine in pet restaurants with food specially concocted by food specialists for a well balanced diet. And can snuggle in bed with the master or mistress, in aircon room and under thick and nice smelling bedsheets. To be poor is the second best. There are so many people trying to start charities to raise fund to help them. And the govt too has set aside $600 million in Comcare alone to give to the poor. And all the helpers are everywhere knocking at doors asking people it they need help, need a few extra dollars. And the govt even raised GST to help them so that they will be better off after the GST comes into effect. And the latest govt budget is all about helping the poor and lower income groups. Now being poor isn't that bad right? I can see a long queue of happy people trying to be poor.

is cess still relevant?

CESS With the GST going to 7 %, is CESS still relevant? CESS is a taxed levied on the customer in tourist related establishment eg hotels and restaurants. This is 1%, and GST is going 7% and service charge another 10%, giving a total of 18% to the total bill.

citizen lee firing away

Choktong supports the debate between Citizen Lee and Philip Yeo. It is an intellectual debate just like when Catherine Lim did once but unfortunately that was not the right time for debate. At that time she talked about the 'affective divide' between govt and the people. Maybe this time Citizen Lee could bridge this divide and bring the govt closer to the people. One thing for sure, she is not going to get a dressing down. Nor would she take is lightly should anyone tries to do so. I am looking forward for more of such intellectual debates especially from the luminaries, the academics from the world best institutions in this island. Would we here from them about the 6.5 million population?

myth 111

Singaporeans need GPS to get around Global Positioning System using satellite and leading edge technology is now a standard feature in Singapore cars. And handphones and smartphones are also increasingly incorporating this feature in them. Singaporeans will be lost in the streets of Singapore. And the situation will be more critical when we are fully built with a 6.5 million population. Getting around Singapore will need the assistance of a GPS. Let me see, how do I get to Orchard Road or Raffles Place? Which button to press? Oops, I have overshot. Now which road to take to return to Orchard Road? But it is a very powerful and handy tool. At least it allows the Singaporeans to save some space in their overused brains for more important things like calculating the odds of a football match or figurine the next Toto numbers. Now there is no need to remember anything, or at least the location of the supermarket or the HDB block of their in laws. Just switch on the GPS and it will take them there. And getting lost in MacRitchie Reservoir or Sengkang will be a problem of the past. Hail the new technology. Hail the GPS.

dual citizenship

What about amending our laws and allowed dual citizenship? This topic was raised by countdown in the YPAP forum. And looking at it again, there are many merits with such a proposition. We can become Singaporean/Malaysian, Singaporean/Indonesian, Singaporean/Indian, Singaporean/Chinese, and the more popular alternatives like Singaporean/American, Singaporean/British or Singaporean/Australian. The immediate result is that we can have 10 million or 20 million population instantly. No need to wait for another 20 years to hit 6.5 million. And all the Singaporeans longing to be international citizens too will have their wishes granted. Singaporeans with dual citizenship can live and play and work anywhere we want. We will be truly International. The world will be our playground. And we will no longer be short of foreign talents. Provided other countries want us. Otherwise the Malaysians, Indonesians, Chinese and Indians will be here as our citizens but we cannot go over as their citizens. They can come here and work and play and return home. But we cannot do likewise in their countries.

A cram HDB flat or a spacious landed property

Greed is a very powerful motivating force to drive individual enterprise, for the good of self, and if lucky, a little sharing for others. Up to a point, greed is good and necessary for progress, for the accumulation of wealth and knowledge, and wisdom, and everything else. It only becomes a danger when it loses its focus and becomes an end in itself. It is like being choke to death by a mouthful of rice, or a bridge too far, over reached, and all came tumbling down. A nation is just like an individual. It is good to grow and grow and grow. But when growth is blindly pursued, it becomes like greed. It is going to cross a threshold when it will destroy everything that is being built. We have grown and prosper over the years, done very well in many things. But the last few years have seen the cracks appearing. In spite of the rapid growth and wealth all around us, why is it that there are so many miseries and pain? Are we pursuing growth for the sake of growth or for the wellbeing of the people? Now this new target of 6.5 million population. I believe the thinkers and planners have done their homework well and statistically and theoretically proven that this is the idea number for this island. The optimum level as the economic model will show. But economic models and optimum points are all dependent on a certain set of variables. When new variables appear, the whole model may collapse. Big is good. So is small. So is medium. Each has its strength and weaknesses. Every size has a place in this world, just like the animal kingdom, there is a place for all sizes. We should tread this new goal of 6.5 millions carefully. Is there a need to push our limited resources to breaking point? Our limited land and natural resources and geography will be a natural and physical barrier to how far we can stretch ourselves. Once over extended through our own greed, it is like digging our own grave. The financial crisis over the last decade has brought us down to earth and many prices, especially properties, down to earth as well. There must be a real reassessment of not pushing the limits and consolidate on building better quality life for more of our people. Should we continue to strive to push further so that our rich can be richer than the rich of the world while our lower and middle income groups are gasping for air to survive? Shall we stretch our limited physical and human resources to exhaust all our reserves in our frantic drive to hit the 6.5 million population which I can imagine must be the ideal paradise, and then call it a day. That’s it, we have hit the 6.5 million population and that is the end of life, and this nation will go on auto pilot and we can rest on our laurels? In the past, we had followed the wisdom of driving as fast as we could when relations with our neighbours were good and the world economy was good. But those building of infrastructure and reserves are very different from trying to almost doubling our population and stress our little piece of poor mother earth. I can hear mother earth crying. Say when we build and hit the 6.5 million and then the economy was revisited by another financial crisis with job losses everywhere. How are we going to cope with 6.5 million people and the properties that come with them, the high cost of super structures to be maintained? All the property prices will collapse with many left vacant, many unemployed, many unable to service their daily living cost. It is not simply asking the foreigners to go home or the locals to keep on paying. We should let our population grow naturally instead of grabbing everything that comes along just to be 6.5 million as fast as we can.