Grateful to CPI numbers

Singaporeans should be grateful that the CPI only registered a 2% increase in inflation. For this number is used to increase bus fare. Looi Teck Soon from PTC has explained that the 1.8% increase in bus fare is determined by the CPI. If the CPI was higher, then the increase will be proportionately higher. Next year's CPI is likely to be 4-5%. So commuters must be mentally prepared for a similar increase in bus fares. But they could pray that the CPI number is lower. I am also praying for that. Never mind if a bowl of wantan mee is up by 20%. Just keep the CPI number low.

The obnoxious Singaporeans!

A few days back there was a letter in Today written by a FT complaining about the rude and unfriendly behaviour of Singaporeans towards foreigners. One example which he pointed out was how Singaporeans distanced themselves from foreigners in the MRT. Many Singaporeans deliberately kept a distance from foreigners. And this makes the foreigners feel unwelcomed. Singaporeans should change their attitude towards foreigners and show some kindness and friendliness towards them. And they can start by not walking away from foreigners or move off from a seat when a foreigner sits next to them. It is very rude to just walk away. I was in the train yesterday. After a day in the office, I was so happy to find a seat. Before I could settle down on the seat a foreigner came to sit next to me. And before his back touched the seat, I scrambled off to a far distance. What, I had done the rudest thing to a foreigner! I wanted to rest my legs and the seat badly. But I had to give it up and stood for the whole journey. My alternative was to bear with the offensive and repulsive body odour which hit me even before he sat down. I could not bear it for the whole journey. Actually Singaporeans are very kind. A rude Singaporeans could have scolded the foreigner for not washing and bad personal hygiene. And yes, I would still keep my distance from foreigners, or locals, if the body odour is foul.

Inflation this year is 2%

This is the official projection. What a nice number when GST is up by 2%. With this kind of figure, Singaporeans should breathe easier as their cost of living is only up marginally. And with say a 5% or 10% increase in income, they are actually better off than last year. And they must not forget that the increase in GST has been given back to them and they will continue to get the adjustment for a period of 5 years. Come to think of it, the 2% inflation is fully absorbed. Not bad.

Life as a footballer

Life can be a breeze as a footballer. I mean a leisure footballer. One can just play football as a hobby, watch football and live football just to enjoy what one likes most. And this is despite whatever income one is getting. It is a different kind of happiness, and very healthy as well. A lot of fresh air and sunshine. A lot of sweat and perspiration, laughter and excitement. And friends. There is no need for snobbish pursuits like attending concerts or poisoning one's body with drugs and alcohol. They called it fine wine or brandy. The danger of this kind of free and easy living is that these people can be easily manipulated. Someone will tell them how come others are living in big mansions and flying all over the whole for their holidays. And that life is unfair to them. These people can easily be worked up emotionally and run wild. They will forget that it is a lifestyle choice, that they have taken a path of pleasure and lesser stress. That they play and had played since they were school children. No need to sweat and be stressed by the system. Life as a leisure footballer can be fun as a lifestyle choice.

Why is the taxi fare system so wrong?

Everything in the system is wrong. Even the piecemeal recommendation is wrong. And everyone is crying foul. How could this be when we have the brightest brains managing the system. Or we don't have the brightest brains doing it and need to transfer some of the brightest brains to look at the system? Hey, we are spending millions on salaries and this is the easiest thing to do and the commuters should not have to suffer from a faulty and ineffective system. It is so messy that you need to carry a calculator or a computer to keep tap with how the system works. And to talk above reviewing the system now is a sure sign that it is not working. What is happening?

Life in the 50s and 60s

We were poor, terribly poor. We tightened belt everyday, living a day at a time. We ate things as substitution from those we could not afford. Instead of milk powder, we had condensed milk and of the cheapest brand, the General. Rice was the poorest quality. Our clothings were branded, like Moon Rabbit, Good Morning, Sea Gull and Double Happiness. We don't used hand washing solution or washing powder. A bar of multipurpose Sunlight soap will do for everything, wash hair, wash face and body, wash clothing, was bowls and pans. And we rented out every rooms to strangers. We welcomed strangers into our homes and shared everything, toilet and living rooms with them, cooked in the same kitchen, no privacy, no fear of security etc. We are going down that path today. It is progress, the Singapore way. We are better off today, huh?

Exchanging places

The Goh Poh Seng case is an example of how Singaporeans are exchanging places with foreigners, forced by circumstances to leave their homes, and their places taken up by foreigners. And the speed of this exchange is getting faster today when Singaporeans are leaving home to find employment elsewhere because they can't find it at home. And jobs at home go to foreigners. And this is considered a good thing. Goh Poh Seng belongs to a generation of Singaporeans who thinks and writes about Singapore. They did that because they cared, they were concerned and involved in the affairs of Singapore and its people. But it was a time when alternative and deviant views were not tolerated. And that mentality has resulted in what it is today, an apathetic society. Even when the country is flooded with foreigners, when Singaporeans are becoming a minority in their own home, do not raise an eyebrow. On the other hand, another line is being pushed that all these changes are good and necessary. And the masses just live and mind their own business. No one really care. So no one really want to talk about it and let children run the country. And what are their interests? Sports medals, bar top dancing, discos and pubs and high living. If we cannot find people with the passion and commitment to this country, to love this country and want to see it grow and become better for its own people, we are going to be an extinct race in no time. There will be Singaporeans, all new and manufactured overseas. The original Singaporeans, where would they be? The song that Singaporeans today are no difference from the new Singaporeans, all were migrants, is a dangerous song to sing. We are giving up our homes to strangers who carry a new piece of paper and called themselves Singaporeans. And we believe that this is good for us.

Talks and more talks

Parliament debated quite a bit on the high cost of living. Debated or talking cock, I could not see any difference from what was happening in the kopitiam and cyberspace. All talks and no action. The closest to doing something to minimise the pain of inflation is the call to substitute what one is used to now with cheaper stuff. That is perhaps the only thing actionable that came out of Parliament. Yesterday I briefly saw a statement flashing past the TV screen on being kind by Vivian Balakrishnan. Yes, that is the right thing to say. Let's show a little kindness to the less fortunate. But to many successful people, what is the sweat all about? Use the car less, plan your route, product substitution, buy kopi from kopitiams that did not raise the 20c cuppa, etc etc. What the heck, everything is still cheap and affordable. And some quarters even called for taxi fares to double or triple to make taxis more easily available instead of the current hide and seek game. So, where is the problem of rising cost when people are willing to pay so much more, even for the use of taxis?

Celebrating Singaporean - Goh Poh Seng

Goh Poh Seng a cultural medallion recipient I read with a little sadness, the anticipated return of one of our cultural and artistic pioneers later this month. Goh Poh Seng was in the thick of the infant art scene within our shore. He was everywhere when arts and culture was sprouting up and breathing on this infertile ground. I remember his jazz cafe lounge where one could have a drink and participate in poetry or music, in a warm, joyous and uninhibited atmosphere. Imagine that this kind of activities were frown upon! What kind of mentality was there, then? Unfortunately that could be one of the key reasons why he had to leave this island that he called home. The air then was stale and suffocating. Breathing was difficult for artists like him. He left on self exiled to Canada where the cold artic air were fresher and allows him to live a freer life, unrestrained, undisturbed and nothing to fear. But he was disturbed, emotionally, and spiritually till these days. He has finally taken steps to come to terms with the past and is willing to walk down memory lane, to meet new and old friends once more, in the island he called home, once. Actually, he left, but never leaves....

Myth 163

Singaporean inflation Why are people grumbling about inflation? This is the biggest myth. Singaporeans are all coping very well. If it is troubling Singaporeans, then we will have street protest and other forms of demonstration. The fact that all is peace and quiet is a testimony to our well managed economy. Many have been living in abundance all these years and at the worst would only need to adjust their lifestyles a little. Maybe for those who are going for annual holidays, they can consider nearer destinations or make one or two trips lesser. Everything is well.

The greatest compassion

Having been talking about the plight of the less fortunate, how to make their lives less miserable, it may be all a mistake. The greatest love or compassion is to make these people understand their pathetic situation. And how to do that? Start by kicking their arses. Scold them, humiliate them, be cruel to them, don't help them, no donations and charity, make them stand on their own two feet. Let them know that if they are not going to help themselves they will have to face their own consequences. Yes, tell them the brutal truth and let them know it. That is true compassion.

Celebrating Singaporean - Dr Hui Kok Pheng

Singaporean doctor answered SMS call and rushed to KL to save life of 17 yr old Foo Chuan Wing who was in the ICU suffering from lung infection. And he charged only a fraction of the market rate for his service which was actually an out of the normal call of duty. I think money was never in his mind except to help save the boy.

Resign if the cost of living is not brought down!

That was what the Taiwanese PM was told. That was how serious their parliament viewed the issue of cost of living as it affects the majority of the electorate. It will be politically incorrect or suicidal for any MP to ask the PM to resign because the cost of living cannot be brought down. It will be an easier and pleasant ride to pretend that the cost of living is not a problem, or simply ignore it and talk about gay and something else. What I hope to see is for an honourable and gutsy MP who is passionate enough about the issue to stand up and say, 'I will resign if the cost of living is not brought down.' Now, that would not be too offensive and would be more palatable to hear. At least more meaningful than about discipline children.

Kiasuism, new biz potential

Heard of this mother asking around on how to prepare her son for National Service. Other than the tough training and regimentation, there is also the social and health risk of training in Taiwan. Entrepreneurial Singaporeans could think of starting a course for Pre NS Enlistment Training. The course should include all the Do's and Don'ts and the hazards faced by NS men. I am going to start tuition classes for pre NS men.

Celebrating Singaporeans - Sim Kee Boon

Sim Kee Boon Another stalwarts of Singapore passed away. He was 78. So far not one of these pioneering leaders have survived the magic number of 85. In the next few years we may see more of them leaving the scene forever. What drove these men to do what they did for Singapore, and were paid much less than their present successors? They were paid well, no doubt, relative to other Singaporeans. They could easily buy several landed properties. But their preoccupation was not money. They were driven by a mission, by the challenges ahead, and by good leadership. And they strove to build a little paradise from the swamps and jungles. What were the motivations of today's leaders and men in similar positions?

Passing the cost

A forum writer complained about the rising property tax and that this should not be passed to the tenants. This is a hope that is futile and unrealistic. All the cost, business cost, will be passed to the consumers, including tenants. Commercial organisations, privatised, exist to make profits. There is a front page report in the Today paper about shoplifting and how all the cost to instal security equipment and staff will go towards to the price tag. And the consumers pay. Right, nothing new. It is only new cause people are talking back, discussing it openly in the media. Every single cent will be borne by the consumers. There is no escape.

What is Parliament?

The English word Parliament is just a mouthful. Very pleasant to sound and say. But it does not connote the importance of the institution as what it is called in Mandarin, 'kuo hui'. These two words literary mean 'country' and meeting. They reflect on the importance of the meaning of a country meeting or national meeting, discussing national issues. We are so lucky that all the important issues and problems have been solved and the country is so well managed. And this has caused problems to our MPs. They may find themselves having nothing of national importance to bring up in Parliament. And if they have nothing to say, it will not look good on them too as they are the people's representatives and should speak out for the people. So what shall they bring up to discuss in Parliament? Disciplining children and bringing up children, what couples do in bed? There must be a lot of interesting things to discuss in Parliament and then beam to the TVs in all the homes.

Switch to cheaper stuff

This is a ministerial advice for people who cannot afford to keep up with the rising cost of living. And a well intended advice from a million dollar mind must be taken seriously. So I have switched from eating rice to eating porridge. I will wear Panda brand t-shirt instead of Giordano. And I will have one hair cut lesser every month. I will like to substitute the pipe water I have if there is another provider who can supply filtered urine and shit water at a cheaper rate. I will ask for a plate of char kway teow, mai sum, to save 50c. Now, Mr Wang Says So and Molly Meek, my suggestion is to go along and accept the high value added advice. Then your cost of living will definitely go down. As for the standard of living, err......never mind, can live from day to day good liao.

Time to redefine what is good for all the redbeans

The apolitical and apathetic redbeans from this little red dot have been living in an aquarium for too long. There are pluses for life in an acquarium. The temperature, water condition, etc are controlled. The type of fishes in the acquarium are controlled. The type of food and amount of food to consume are controlled. In fact everything is controlled and well. Control is a bad word to use. Everything is planned according to The ONE's plan. The ONE, the knows all, will plan everything for the redbeans in the acquarium. What The ONE thinks is good, it must be good. It is time the redbeans redefine what they think is good for themselves. Starting from what and who they think should be allowed to be the President or stand for election to represent the people. The terms and conditions should be decided by the redbeans for the good of the redbeans. The redbeans must decide what is good for them, how to live their lives and how to spend their own monies, what they want and need, and not let everything be decided by The ONE.

Ridiculous kampong mentality

One of the key reasons why Malaysia took Singapore to court over the Pedra Branca claim is that Singapore is trying to change the status quo by reclaiming more land around it. So, this is a justified reason, like the same reason they objected when Singapore reclaimed land in Tuas and the northeastern islands? These are our domestic matters. We do what we like within our own national territories. This is interference in our domestic affairs. Why can't we claim land within our national borders? Kampong headmen going gila!