Back peddling - Never in our history

I am not sure whether to place this issue in the sign of decline or progess column. What we have been seeing recently are back peddling of decisions, and getting more frequent. The latest is the NTU change of mind about putting 3 students into one bunk. Never in our history has back peddling been an issue. All decisions made are carefully thought out before implementing. Some were tough but necessary decisions. It was always go and no U turn. The recent phenomenon can be seen in three ways. One, decisions are not well thought through and implemented hastily. Two, decision makers do not have the gumptions to stay the course. Three, decision makers are flexible, have their ears on the ground and willing to listen to the people and make changes to accommodate the people. Given the quality of our super talents, it is too presumptuous to think think that they cannot think out solutions and came up with half baked decisions that need to go back to the drawing board. And knowing how thorough was the selection process, these must be men and women of steel and would not falter just because their solutions or decisions met with resistance or objections. It is likely the third reason. The decision makers are now more responsive to the people's unhappiness and are willing to listen and act accordingly.

My biggest mistake

That was what Abdullah said about underestimating the internet. 'We thought the newspapers and television were suppoosed to be important, but young people were looking st SMSes and blogs.' Abdullah forgot to add that he thought with all the control and skewed reporting in the official media people will lap them up and believe them. He underestimated the intelligence of the people. The people are like sesame seed, given up reading the official mouth pieces. If sesame seed is an indication of what the younger readers are like, the msm is losing ground and a grip on them. While Abdullah has turned on the charm offensive to win the bloggers in cyberspace instead of clamping down on them, what would happen to paradise when the next GE comes? Perhaps they will be stomping away confidently and happily.

High business cost is good

There was a time when there were calls for reducing business cost to stay competitive and relevant I think that was an old broken record and had been thrown away. Today, high cost means high quality, value for money. So high cost is good. High rental, high wages, high communication and transportation cost, high food and services costs, high education and medical cost etc. This is what a great first world city is all about. The higher we charge, the more people will flock here. Why are the hotels worrying that their rates are getting too high and tourists may not be able to afford them? Would medical tourists also go somewhere? Would the high spending shopping tourists go as well? Foreign students, foreign workers, businesses, would they stay and keep coming? What happens when one day we work up and all the factories are gone, hotels empty, hospital beds under utilised, shops without tourists, hawkers unable to pay for food court rentals? Never. It will not happen to us.

Low income section or store by NTUC

NTUC is exploring the idea of setting up another store or section to cater to low income folks. All the while I thought NTUC Fairprice is meant for low income folks. Or there is now a lower low income group to service? Would someone be suggesting that mean testing be put in place so that the low income and middle income groups cannot visit this new section/store? Would those who can afford to pay more should continue to pay more and only those who pass the mean testing test can buy from the new store? It must be this way. If not everyone will be patronising the new store and deprive the lower low income group from the benefits.

What kind of media we have

They claimed to be professionals, well trained, well qualified and paid to do the job as a profession. They claimed to report factually, the truth. They claimed to do a lot of fact checking to ensure accuracy, and very well researched pieces too. They also thumbed down the bloggers and cyberspace forumers as gossipers of no substance. They are the chosen and respectable ones. And they have the msm to prove that they are pristine professionals with their works in print and paid for, every letter and words published. They are valued for money. Ngiam Tong Dow thinks that they should just fall back on straight factual reporting. No need to think or think too hard. After all their opinions are unlikely to be of any value or not wanted unless.... What you people think of the media?

Brewing of a perfect storm

The political crisis is not over yet, just beginning. And Trengganu may be the state that is going to tip the scale and send Abdullah and UMNO into the oblivion. The royalties, led by the Agong, are standing up after being silenced by Mahathir for many years. And Abdullah is unlikely to be in the same league as Mahathir to keep them in the closet. The Agong, who is also the Sultan of Trengganu, is not going to appoint Abdullah's nominee as the MB and has appointed Ahmad Said instead. Any contest by Abdullah that this is unconstitutional could see a constitutional crisis and a fallout with the Palace. The very likely consequence is that Ahmad Said will take with him 12 UMNO MPs and may join PAS or PKR to form an opposition state govt. That would put Abdullah's govt in jeopardy, literally hanging on a string. And if the speculation of a cross over by East Malaysian MPs, Anwar is going to be the next PM in a few months' time. And UMNO will be irrelevant. So will MCA, MIC and Gerakan.

Untold secrets of our success

One of the greatest achievements of the ruling govt is to come out with decisions and policies that please the elite, including those from the academia. The latter are the thinkers, the critics and the people who can see the flaws of any bad policy or decision. And they can be expected to speak out on them or write critical analysis in msm or academic journals. The very fact that the elite and scholar thinkers are not saying anything or not saying much proves beyond any doubt that all our policies are very well conceived and implemented. It is a silent consensus that speaks louder that voicing loud approvals.

Electronic parking guides are up

Electronic panels showing the number of parking spaces available in the Marina centre area are up. Nice. Wonder how much they cost and who is paying for it, plus maintenance. They forgot to provide a viewing area on the side of the road for motorist to park and check which car park has available lots. This would be more convenient and avert any slowing down of traffic or accident when drivers have to look at them.

The poor must be rejoicing

Today I am feeling damn good. Inflation is hitting the rich harder by 3.9% while the bottom earners like me is hit only by 2.8%. Time to celebrate the good news. I am still wondering about those whose income is just sufficient for food and transport and how are they hit? 2.8% also? Now one plate of mee is up from $3 to $3.50, how many percent is that? A loaf of bread is up by how much? How much have vegetables gone up? I think for these buggers, the extra that they would have to pay just for food alone will be somewhere in the region of 20%. But officially or statistically they should also feel good. It is only 2.8%.

We are so obnoxious and intolerant

Someone asked me how was Gayle Goh's blog doing. I thought she was doing fine. For those who have forgotten about her, she was the junior college girl who caused a sensation when a civil servant, Bilahari, replied in her blog. So I went back to her blog and was disappointed. She has stopped blogging. In her last few posts she revealed vaguely, that she was kind of being attacked personally by the obnoxious and insensible people of paradise. She felt so hurt that she found it better to stop blogging, or if she were to do it again, she would do it under a pseudonym. Couldn't our society accept the views and existence of a young school girl? Is it fair to attack her and destroy her self confidence and make her feel so disappointed with the adult world? Some have encouraged her to keep on posting. I would too. But given her youth, it is not easy for her to take all the insinuations bravely. She would not be as thick skin as me nor to confront her attackers headon. She does not know how to brandish her knuckle duster to fend for herself. We have just lost the views and contribution of a young and promising blogger.

ERP coming to MRT? Huat ah!

Some times back I wrote a tongue in cheek piece on ERP in MRT. Now looks like this is going to be a possibility. This time it is to stagger people using MRT instead of cars using expressways. As a money making concept, this is simply brilliant. Yes there are many ways to skin a cat. Let me quote a few phrases from the New Paper. 'In Adelaide, too, public transport fares are 25 to 45 per cent cheaper between 9am and 3pm, compared to earlier and later peak periods. Ms Tammy Tan, spokesman for SBS Transit, which operates the North-East line, said a staggered-fare system is possible in Singapore. She declined to elaborate. But SMRT, which operates the North-South Line, said it prefers to cut congestion by increasing the frequency of train runs.' Maybe we are safe with SMRT for the time being. As for the North east line, pray hard.

Mas Selamat has done it

No, he has not blown up any air planes or buildings. But for just hiding in the unknown, Mas Selamat has created havoc to the lives of many on both sides of the causeway. The security forces, the lorry and bus drivers, the school children and the shopkeepers in Woodland, plus the suppliers of our food and vegetables across the causeway, are all suffering. Their businesses and livelihood are all hanging in the balance until Mas Selamat is caught. Then, with the delays and slowdown in goods vehicles coming through, the prices of basic items are also shooting up. Now who is paying for these and being badly affected by the higher prices? Practically every hardlanders. It is very costly, I must say.

Mas Selamat mugshot on sale

Our new celebrity is getting a lot of followers. Thanks or no thanks to the well meaning people for the publicity he is getting. You can get his famous look on mugs, T shirts, posters etc at a small fee. Mas Selamat has been elevated to cult status similar to the greats of Che Guevera, Castro and Mao Tse Tung. The family of Mas Selamat should send to these entrepreneurs who are selling his mugshots a bill for royalties.

The Mean Western Media - What a shame!

The myth that western media were objective, unbiased, truthful and fair reporting were clearly exposed in a report in the China Daily/Ann, REUTERS. The report is supported by evidence, pictures and writeups of western media, supposedly very reputable ones, of distorting truth and creating misleading news to attack the Chinese authorities in Tibet. When all the violence and killings were done by the rioters, the reporting and pictures were doctored to show that it was the Chinese authorities that were the bad guys. Among the culprits mentioned were CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Germany's Bild, N-TV and RTL TV and Berliner Morgenpost. It is really disgusting and distasteful for such organisations to stoop so low in their reporting of untruth and misinformation. Where is the credibility, where is the ethics, the moral standing for these ass organisations to do such disgraceful acts? It is an abuse of freedom of expression and freedom of the media when such misinformation are published as truth. What tooth? These organisations have destroyed whatever credibility they have and drag down whatever little credibility the western media has in general. The full article can be found in MyPaper today.

Professionals to self regulate

Boon Wan has stepped in to the new buzz and decided that it is too much work for the ministry to regulate aesthetic medicine. It is now left to the professionals to regulate themselves. After the taxi bus implementation when the users rose in arms against the new regulations LTA also responded to modify the well thought out plans. It took quite a while though, and after many complaints before LTA relented to change. Kudos must be given to the MOH for changing their interventionist position to one of self regulation within a week of the announcement. And the professionals better to a good job to regulate themselves and not allow money to get in the way at the expense of professional ethics and the interest of the customers.

Time to go after the fakes

Fakes are increasingly common in this cosmopolitan city. We are being inundated with fake degrees, fake institutions of higher learnings and also fake physical attributes. If we are not going to accept fake qualifications, shall we also reject fake physical assets? Aesthetic medicine is now the fad. Anyone standing in front of you may be a fake, at least in some parts. If we allow the faking of one's look, why not the faking of one's qualifications? Even the food that we eat are fakes, genetically modified. And whether they will harm us in the future is yet to be proven. Should then be banned too? There are calls in this direction. Shall we accept or reject the fakes? : )

Buying foreign banks a bad deal?

With US$22 b spent on the buying spree for troubled international banks, and with crumbling values as more misdeeds or debt were revealed, many were chuckling in glee. See, supertalents messing up our reserves. Many are waiting at the sidelines hoping for such opportunities to take potshots at the highly paid and highly acclaimed supertalents in our midst. Are the criticisms justified? I was in favour of these acquisitions from the start. And I am still hopefully optimistic that these were good decisions and will bring in good returns in the long run. It is only in difficult times like this that these top banks have to go down on their knees to beg for fund injections. Without such a window of opportunities, we can wait till the cow comes home for them to divest their interests to a sovereign wealth fund like ours. The recent developments seeing these risky investments plunged in their values in the billions surely will bring up the questions of due diligence. Did we go in with eyes wide open or eyes wide shut? Were we told of the full story before parting with our billions? And did we protect ourselves from such an eventuality, or did we know how much risk we are exposing ourselves to? If the decision makers went in fully aware of the possible pitfalls and consequences, and the decision made based on acceptable calculated risk, then the public should not take issues with the short term fluctuation. We only need to fear if we are conned into parting with our billions by the banks that did not fully disclose their full liabilities and debt to us. And if that be the case, hopefully legal actions can recover some of the damages. And rightfully too, the decision makers need to be kicked in the arse. When all due diligence have been taken, and the losses were due to developments that were difficult to foresee, then the public should not be too harsh on their criticisms. We can now hope that everything is within our control and expectations, and in the long run we shall reap the fruits of risk taking and opportunism.

Singapore news will never be the same again

With Cyberspace gaining more readership and acceptance, news reporting and opinions on Singapore news will never be the same again. We are now seeing a community of blogs and forums growing and contributing to the local scene, providing alternative news in increasing regularity. Thanks for forum/blogs like Littlespeck, Mr Brown, Mr Wang, Mollymeek, TheOneLineCitizen, Yawningbread, and even Talkingcock, and many others, there is now a platform for readers hungry for what is not spoken or cannot be spoken in the msm. And don't forget the little contribution from MySingaporeNews and Redbeanforum as well. With everyday passing, cyberspace can only grow in stature and in gaining a bigger share of the readership.

Welfare for the rich

Why are we bitching over a few hundred dollars for the poor when we readily spend millions for the rich who don't need them? Got such things? Just open your eyes and see through the veneer of respectability. Oh, as for the poor, we need to be very careful. Giving them too much welfare will erode our strong work ethics and personal responsibility. 'Sui ah.' Very well said. In reality, our system is paying millions to redundant old hags to keep them employed by creating many redundant positions and with handsome payouts. Many of these old hags have outlived their usefulness and are either working at half capacity or not at all. But with their millions in wealth that can let them live comfortably for another century, they continue to enjoy welfare in the millions. I read this statement from Ravi Menon, Second Permanent Secretary in Trade and Industry when he spoke at the Asia Research Institute Seminar, 'What does it mean for a person's sense of self worth and dignity? What does it mean for the work ethics? What does it mean for the family?' I have touched on the first question in my post yesterday. For a person who is receiving more than he is worth or contributing to an organisation, and he unashamingly stretches out his arms to collect the gold, what does it say to his self worth and dignity? And if one does not even work and proudly receives his gold, what does it say of his work ethics? As for his family, he might just tell them he deserves the gold. Or he might just say, with a wide smile, 'Take it and enjoy it while it lasts.' If a small amount of these money were to be given to the poor, it will make them feel very rich. But giving to the rich, it will only make them richer and regard the extra money as peanuts. And some will even complain that it is too little, and not having to work for it. But as a kind of welfare benefit, work for it is not necessary.

Notable quotes - Koh Kian Beng

The last thing we want is for a woman to be made the PM by riding on the coat tails of her husband or father, and not on her own merit. Koh Kian Beng While reporting on a public forum discussing the possibility of a woman PM, Koh Kian Beng, a SPH journalist or reporter, inserted the above quote into his article in the ST today. I find this an amusing and interesting quote. Why should such an idea of a woman becoming a PM because of her husband or father be a concern in the first place? Are we expecting such a woman PM in the foreseeable future? Or why must a woman become a PM only through her connection and not her ability? A bit of sexist chauvinism and quite patronising to the women. The other point to amuse ourselves is that it is ok if a man becomes a PM because of his father or wife. So it is acceptable for a man but not acceptable for a woman to ride on his connection. This will be a good cocktail party gossiping topic. Hentail parties can dispute this judgemental view as well.