If we lower the commission rate there will be increase in trading volumes which will translate into more business and more commission. When there are more foreign funds operating and trading in our stock market, trading volume will increase, more vibrancy, oh I forgot, more oomph, and sure more business, and more commission. When there are more stocks, derivatives, structured products, there will be more business, more commissions, and dunno more what.
When our stock market is linked to more stock markets, the sky will fall down, money will fall into the laps of everyone as business across the world can be done here. We will be a one stop business and financial centre and all will be doing roaring business. All the stock brokers and broking houses and all the supporting staff will be looking towards a windfall, not a downfall.
And we are nearly there, and daily trading volume is in the billions. And commissions must also be in the millions at least. And stock prices must have shot through the roof with such vibrant trading activities. The phones must be ringing non stop and remisiers will have no time for lunch. Yes, extended trading hours, no lunch break, business will go up by at least 10%.
What is real? Many stocks are now penny stocks, quite a number are worth less than 1c and listed in the main board. And where is the commission? Where are the investors and traders? Who is doing all the trading? Machines, really? But never mind if the machine can generate more trading and more commissions. Good times are here.
We have done everything right according to the norms and practices and conditions of Wall Street. We even invested in the world’s fastest computer to facilitate greater trading volumes in micro seconds. The best fund managers are all here trading in our market. Everything is going to be right. Trust me. Now be patient and wait, just wait.
4/17/2012
What the train is saying?
‘Stop, stop, help, help, I can’t go on anymore.’
No you can, our population is only 5m, and we will have a few more millions coming in.
‘No, no, really, can’t take anymore. I am not designed to take so many commuters.’
No you can. The trains in Tokyo can, so why can’t you? You are only half filled, running on half capacity.
‘Stop it, I say. All my parts are starting to fall off, can’t you see? I will run to a halt if you don’t stop adding more commuters to my load.’
Don’t worry lah, a few more wouldn’t kill you lah. Those car owners who have to give up their cars will come on board soon when they cannot afford the new COEs. Take a deep breath and carry on.
“Aaaaahhhhh…….’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
……..
No you can, our population is only 5m, and we will have a few more millions coming in.
‘No, no, really, can’t take anymore. I am not designed to take so many commuters.’
No you can. The trains in Tokyo can, so why can’t you? You are only half filled, running on half capacity.
‘Stop it, I say. All my parts are starting to fall off, can’t you see? I will run to a halt if you don’t stop adding more commuters to my load.’
Don’t worry lah, a few more wouldn’t kill you lah. Those car owners who have to give up their cars will come on board soon when they cannot afford the new COEs. Take a deep breath and carry on.
“Aaaaahhhhh…….’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
……..
Lim Chong Yah’s model no productivity
The main bug bear to Lim Chong Yah’s shock therapy is productivity. It is logical that before one raises the wage of workers, one has to take into account many factors, competition, costs and of course productivity. How can anyone think of getting big pay hike without complimentary productivity? The raising of worker’s income is a very serious matter and much deeper understanding and thoughts need to be put into it unlike bloggers like Redbean who would post anything that appears in his mind and in 5 minutes it is in mysingaporenews. No depth, no analysis.
I think the good professor must have spent many hours seriously contemplating on the problem and the solutions. It is not a wild shot. It is definitely a serious proposition that is supported by economic and academic considerations. An economics professor of his stature does not spout nonsense like bloggers, and his proposition should at least be placed on the tables for serious discussions. Bloggers can freely criticize anything without thinking. But to criticize the works of an economics professor who has done deep thinking before coming out with his recommendations, due diligence is needed from anyone who would want to dispense his criticism to do justice to the professor. Be respectful. Put in some effort to understand what the professor was saying before shooting off the hip.
Productivity may be an important factor in raising wages. But in the real world, wages or salaries can be raised by using other factors and considerations other than productivity. One standard methodology is to do a market survey and compare job values. And jobs of similar values should be paid similar pay. So when one is paid more, the other also must be paid more. This method is silent on productivity. It just says since you got so much, I also want to be paid so much.
Another way is to peg one’s salary to other people’s salary. Just assume one’s job is more important than others. So if other people earn more, one’s income will also go up accordingly. No need to talk about productivity. Just wait for the more talented and enterprising to work harder, to earn more, then one just tag on the bandwagon. When other people earn more, one must also earn more. What’s the correlation? Beats me. Where is the element of productivity? Who cares?
Oh, productivity is meant only for workers. Workers and farmers really produce goods of value and thus their productivity is important. When one’s job does not produce anything of value except talking cock, there is no need for productivity? Productivity is irrelevant to raise pay in such cases.
I think the good professor must have spent many hours seriously contemplating on the problem and the solutions. It is not a wild shot. It is definitely a serious proposition that is supported by economic and academic considerations. An economics professor of his stature does not spout nonsense like bloggers, and his proposition should at least be placed on the tables for serious discussions. Bloggers can freely criticize anything without thinking. But to criticize the works of an economics professor who has done deep thinking before coming out with his recommendations, due diligence is needed from anyone who would want to dispense his criticism to do justice to the professor. Be respectful. Put in some effort to understand what the professor was saying before shooting off the hip.
Productivity may be an important factor in raising wages. But in the real world, wages or salaries can be raised by using other factors and considerations other than productivity. One standard methodology is to do a market survey and compare job values. And jobs of similar values should be paid similar pay. So when one is paid more, the other also must be paid more. This method is silent on productivity. It just says since you got so much, I also want to be paid so much.
Another way is to peg one’s salary to other people’s salary. Just assume one’s job is more important than others. So if other people earn more, one’s income will also go up accordingly. No need to talk about productivity. Just wait for the more talented and enterprising to work harder, to earn more, then one just tag on the bandwagon. When other people earn more, one must also earn more. What’s the correlation? Beats me. Where is the element of productivity? Who cares?
Oh, productivity is meant only for workers. Workers and farmers really produce goods of value and thus their productivity is important. When one’s job does not produce anything of value except talking cock, there is no need for productivity? Productivity is irrelevant to raise pay in such cases.
4/16/2012
The big guns are trained at Lim Chong Yah
The big guns have been rolled out and lined up with their cross hairs on Lim Chong Yah. This is the first time that a biggie from the establishment is standing in front of the firing squad. Ngiam Tong Dow did his fair share of criticism and seemed to get away with it. In Lim Chong Yah’s case, looks like he is going to be burnt on the stake.
Given his credential as a renowned economics professor, his past appointments and contributions as Chairman of the NWC, and his connections, it is intriguing to see where the attacks are coming from. Would it turn into a free for all whereby anyone from the winning camp will start to take potshots at the professor? And if that happens, what is the story behind it?
Has the good professor fallen out of grace, going to fall out of grace, or is his shock therapy shocking people out of their comfort zones? This is an interesting development to watch. It will reveal a lot of unspoken truths as the plots thicken. It could also be another watershed, with more thinkers changing side and more stepping forward to call a spade a spade. And the final moment will come when the people realize that the mandate of heaven has been withdrawn and a regime change is on the way. By then the cards will all be opened and a new alignment of forces will take place as has been the case in history.
Given his credential as a renowned economics professor, his past appointments and contributions as Chairman of the NWC, and his connections, it is intriguing to see where the attacks are coming from. Would it turn into a free for all whereby anyone from the winning camp will start to take potshots at the professor? And if that happens, what is the story behind it?
Has the good professor fallen out of grace, going to fall out of grace, or is his shock therapy shocking people out of their comfort zones? This is an interesting development to watch. It will reveal a lot of unspoken truths as the plots thicken. It could also be another watershed, with more thinkers changing side and more stepping forward to call a spade a spade. And the final moment will come when the people realize that the mandate of heaven has been withdrawn and a regime change is on the way. By then the cards will all be opened and a new alignment of forces will take place as has been the case in history.
Two major dangers facing China
The West is greeting the widening of the trading band of the yuan with glee. They want more, they want the yuan to be traded freely like the greenbacks and other currencies. They also want the Chinese to open up their stock markets and allow the western funds to move in and convert the trading system to those of the West, particularly the Wall Street model. The bottom line, they want the Chinese stock markets to trade derivatives, fakes and worthless papers instead of real stocks.
The loosening of control of the yuan, to become freely convertible to foreign currencies and to be at the mercy of the currency manipulators is the biggest danger China is facing. It is under tremendous pressure from the West to allow the West to do as they like, as they please with the value of yuan. When that day comes, the West will buy up the yuan with toilet papers that they printed in unlimited quantities and will use the yuan to control the Chinese economy. China will then be at the mercy of the Western financial oligarchs working in collusion, and be controlled by them. They could bankrupt China at will by their complicated financial products and manipulations and the extensive network of financial players working hand in glove together. It will be a bloodless war that will destroy China in the name of free market.
The other major front is the stock markets. The western stock markets have been transformed into an unrecognisable monster and are stock markets only in name. The stocks will eventually all be worthless if the stocks listed in western model stock markets are a clue to what is happening. Many stocks are trading for one or two cents or less. What kind of stocks or stock markets would trade on such worthless stocks? There is no interest in the real stocks but in toilet papers printed with the words stocks or derivatives or other financial jargons. The base point is that they worthless and are not stocks but stock killers.
While China is in a hurry to develop its own financial and stock markets, it must not be conned into accepting the western model of stock market system and mechanism which are nothing but contrived legalised casinos with gambling chips printed with money value on them. The fundamentals of stock trading have been flushed down the toilet bowl and the substitutes are not stocks but meaningless and worthless scrips of papers, fakes.
China should go slow, develop its own stock markets based on traditional principles and conventional system, where the fundamentals are right. There is no hurry to rush into a system of madness that is unsustainable and is being kept alive not unlike a ponzi scheme. It looks good superficially but has no real value add like what real stocks are. It is the greatest con job of modern history. And like all con jobs, the bluff will be called and the system will collapse, if it has not collapsed already.
China must conscientiously guard against being duped into a freak financial system that is waiting for self destruction. If China should stupidly appease the West and unthinkingly embrace the western financial system, it will help the flawed system to extent its life a little longer at its expense, maybe giving it a semblance of rapid growth for a while, like a flash in the pan, and everything will be blacked out in quicker time, with a bigger bang.
The collapse of the western financial system is near, given its unproductive and destructive mechanism and the unjustifiable high rewards for doing nothing constructive, useful or productive. And when it falls apart, hopefully China is not another sucker being sucked into it and pay as heavy a price as the decadent West. The fundamentals of economic growth are production, productivity, creation of goods, values and real services. The western model is not any of these. It is just paper shuffling, financial engineering or tricks, accounting frauds, a complex system of unproductive con jobs. It produces nothing of value. It is conning one sucker after another to prolong its existence and delay its final ending. It cannot keep going without real economic growth and production.
China should just go on its own steam, doing what it thinks is right, keep producing valued goods for the world, and frustrate the modern day robbers and thugs and not be robbed by them. Do not fall into their trap by playing a game that the crooks have designed.
The loosening of control of the yuan, to become freely convertible to foreign currencies and to be at the mercy of the currency manipulators is the biggest danger China is facing. It is under tremendous pressure from the West to allow the West to do as they like, as they please with the value of yuan. When that day comes, the West will buy up the yuan with toilet papers that they printed in unlimited quantities and will use the yuan to control the Chinese economy. China will then be at the mercy of the Western financial oligarchs working in collusion, and be controlled by them. They could bankrupt China at will by their complicated financial products and manipulations and the extensive network of financial players working hand in glove together. It will be a bloodless war that will destroy China in the name of free market.
The other major front is the stock markets. The western stock markets have been transformed into an unrecognisable monster and are stock markets only in name. The stocks will eventually all be worthless if the stocks listed in western model stock markets are a clue to what is happening. Many stocks are trading for one or two cents or less. What kind of stocks or stock markets would trade on such worthless stocks? There is no interest in the real stocks but in toilet papers printed with the words stocks or derivatives or other financial jargons. The base point is that they worthless and are not stocks but stock killers.
While China is in a hurry to develop its own financial and stock markets, it must not be conned into accepting the western model of stock market system and mechanism which are nothing but contrived legalised casinos with gambling chips printed with money value on them. The fundamentals of stock trading have been flushed down the toilet bowl and the substitutes are not stocks but meaningless and worthless scrips of papers, fakes.
China should go slow, develop its own stock markets based on traditional principles and conventional system, where the fundamentals are right. There is no hurry to rush into a system of madness that is unsustainable and is being kept alive not unlike a ponzi scheme. It looks good superficially but has no real value add like what real stocks are. It is the greatest con job of modern history. And like all con jobs, the bluff will be called and the system will collapse, if it has not collapsed already.
China must conscientiously guard against being duped into a freak financial system that is waiting for self destruction. If China should stupidly appease the West and unthinkingly embrace the western financial system, it will help the flawed system to extent its life a little longer at its expense, maybe giving it a semblance of rapid growth for a while, like a flash in the pan, and everything will be blacked out in quicker time, with a bigger bang.
The collapse of the western financial system is near, given its unproductive and destructive mechanism and the unjustifiable high rewards for doing nothing constructive, useful or productive. And when it falls apart, hopefully China is not another sucker being sucked into it and pay as heavy a price as the decadent West. The fundamentals of economic growth are production, productivity, creation of goods, values and real services. The western model is not any of these. It is just paper shuffling, financial engineering or tricks, accounting frauds, a complex system of unproductive con jobs. It produces nothing of value. It is conning one sucker after another to prolong its existence and delay its final ending. It cannot keep going without real economic growth and production.
China should just go on its own steam, doing what it thinks is right, keep producing valued goods for the world, and frustrate the modern day robbers and thugs and not be robbed by them. Do not fall into their trap by playing a game that the crooks have designed.
The great subsidy game
In paradise, everything is subsidized by the govt. School fees, university fees, all subsidized. Hospital bills, subsidized. Polyclinic bills, subsidized. Housing, more subsidies in terms of tens of thousands or at least $60k for those earning $1000 pm. Dunno how much subsidies for the bigger flats, but must be big. Public transport, also subsidized, the latest $1.1b to buy buses and pay staff salaries. PUB bills, conservancy bills also got subsidies but called rebates.
If these are subsidies, that means the govt is paying a large portion of the bills. The cost must be genuine and that is why there is a need to subsidise. Can someone work out how much would all the subsidies come to that are paid by the govt? I think it is no small amount. Or this is already provided in the budget under Subsidies?
If one flat is subsidized by $60k, 1,000 flat would mean $60 million. And for bigger flats, the subsidies could be more. Imagine how much the govt has subsidized for 800,000 HDB flats? Add the rest of the subsidies, it could come to billions.
We should call ourselves Subsidy Paradise. I am thinking of setting up a Subsidy Club. Everything in the Club is subsidized including meals, services, retails etc etc for as much as 70%. Membership fee is $200k. Monthly subscription fee is $1000. I think this is an excellent concept. Forgot to add, Membership fee is already subsidized and so is monthly subscription fee. Members no need to worry. This subsidy concept is perfectly sustainable in the long run.
The great subsidy game is one of the key factors that allows the thousands of millionaires to live their normal lives. Without the great subsidies, the millionaires will have to tighten their belts and may go begging. Can our asset rich millionaires survive without the subsidies? This is perhaps the only rich country in the world where millionaires have to live on subsidies.
I remember that a figure was thrown out claiming that an average Sinkie would receive something like half a million dollars of subsidies in his life time. Foreigners must quickly opt to become citizens and become recipients of half a million dollars just by becoming Singaporeans. Where on earth got such a good bargain?
If these are subsidies, that means the govt is paying a large portion of the bills. The cost must be genuine and that is why there is a need to subsidise. Can someone work out how much would all the subsidies come to that are paid by the govt? I think it is no small amount. Or this is already provided in the budget under Subsidies?
If one flat is subsidized by $60k, 1,000 flat would mean $60 million. And for bigger flats, the subsidies could be more. Imagine how much the govt has subsidized for 800,000 HDB flats? Add the rest of the subsidies, it could come to billions.
We should call ourselves Subsidy Paradise. I am thinking of setting up a Subsidy Club. Everything in the Club is subsidized including meals, services, retails etc etc for as much as 70%. Membership fee is $200k. Monthly subscription fee is $1000. I think this is an excellent concept. Forgot to add, Membership fee is already subsidized and so is monthly subscription fee. Members no need to worry. This subsidy concept is perfectly sustainable in the long run.
The great subsidy game is one of the key factors that allows the thousands of millionaires to live their normal lives. Without the great subsidies, the millionaires will have to tighten their belts and may go begging. Can our asset rich millionaires survive without the subsidies? This is perhaps the only rich country in the world where millionaires have to live on subsidies.
I remember that a figure was thrown out claiming that an average Sinkie would receive something like half a million dollars of subsidies in his life time. Foreigners must quickly opt to become citizens and become recipients of half a million dollars just by becoming Singaporeans. Where on earth got such a good bargain?
4/15/2012
Faces of Agent Orange
Channel News Asia (CNA) will be featuring a special documentary on the victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam next Friday, 20 Apr at 8 pm. It is a very painful story of what this pretentious magnanimous, defender of human rights, and the advocates against chemical warfare did to the poor Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. They were so hypocritical, so freakish, to launch a war to kill Saddam Hussein for amassing WMD, including chemical weapons, when it was the US that provided Saddam with such destructive weapons in the first place. And the US is still holding on to a huge cache of chemical weapons in its arsenal, waiting to use it generously on its next victim. And the world still believes that the US is such a kind and loving country, so caring and honourable.
The programme is a must watch to see what the Americans had done against what they preached.
CBF is better
The shock therapy of Lim Chong Yah is facing immediate resistance. It is flawed in many ways. In the first place it was not a sought after advice. Nobody asks for it. So it looks like a ‘keh khian’ or smart alec type of proposal. The saying in paradise is to be smart but don’t act too smart. And do not give advice if not asked for.
The second problem with the therapy is that it is free. There is no need to pay a million or two to consult a foreign expert to work on it. Things that are free are not good. And there is no angmoh element to give it some weight?
The third flaw, it seems, is that it is from a different camp type of thing. It is like everything from the opposition is bad. Only the super talents can come up with good solutions. I can bet the next salvo of questions will be something like, how is he going to pay for this therapy? Chen Show Mao already kenna from this kind of questioning. And Tan Jee Say also got it for his $6o billion restructuring programme. Both failed because there is no money to pay for them.
Come to think of it, giving 50% increment to the pay of workers is too far fetch a dream to come true. The workers will not accept it. The workers will prefer to go for CBF, cheap, better and faster solution. That is a sustainable solution in the long term. It has been in practice with full support from the tripartite arrangement or the holy trinity. Our workers only believe in the trinity and will not want the proposed 50%. They are happy as they are.
And the audacity to freeze the salary of top talents for 3 years is unthinkable. You want them to suffer, you want their life style to be painfully affected, you want them to be quitters?
The shock therapy is a no go from the word go. Now everyone will be asking for the blood of the good old professor. He should have done the politically correct thing, freeze the worker’s and raise the super talent’s salary by 50% over the next 3 years and receive all the praises and recognition.
Meanwhile someone may be thinking of lining up a team of super foreign talents with super consultancy fee to go with to counter this outrageous therapy. It must be done as the non economists and the layman politicians would not have the credentials or ability to shaft this recommendation down the longkangs in the usual way. This therapy must be exposed and every point rebutted to show that it cannot work.
The second problem with the therapy is that it is free. There is no need to pay a million or two to consult a foreign expert to work on it. Things that are free are not good. And there is no angmoh element to give it some weight?
The third flaw, it seems, is that it is from a different camp type of thing. It is like everything from the opposition is bad. Only the super talents can come up with good solutions. I can bet the next salvo of questions will be something like, how is he going to pay for this therapy? Chen Show Mao already kenna from this kind of questioning. And Tan Jee Say also got it for his $6o billion restructuring programme. Both failed because there is no money to pay for them.
Come to think of it, giving 50% increment to the pay of workers is too far fetch a dream to come true. The workers will not accept it. The workers will prefer to go for CBF, cheap, better and faster solution. That is a sustainable solution in the long term. It has been in practice with full support from the tripartite arrangement or the holy trinity. Our workers only believe in the trinity and will not want the proposed 50%. They are happy as they are.
And the audacity to freeze the salary of top talents for 3 years is unthinkable. You want them to suffer, you want their life style to be painfully affected, you want them to be quitters?
The shock therapy is a no go from the word go. Now everyone will be asking for the blood of the good old professor. He should have done the politically correct thing, freeze the worker’s and raise the super talent’s salary by 50% over the next 3 years and receive all the praises and recognition.
Meanwhile someone may be thinking of lining up a team of super foreign talents with super consultancy fee to go with to counter this outrageous therapy. It must be done as the non economists and the layman politicians would not have the credentials or ability to shaft this recommendation down the longkangs in the usual way. This therapy must be exposed and every point rebutted to show that it cannot work.
4/14/2012
A new ministry to look after PRs and foreign talents
With the govt starting to place emphasis on the goodness of being citizens and cutting down on the privileges of PRs and foreign talents, these people will start to feel what it is like for being neglected by govt policies. Lam Pin Min is quite pro active in seeing the plight and suffering of these saviours of Sinkies and would like to see more assistance to help them. Setting up some funds to help the lower income PRs and foreign talents is a good start but definitely will not be enough. There are more than a million of them here and the problems they are facing cannot be solved by piece meal solutions.
The interests and well being of 2 million PRs and foreigners, just my guess, would need a ministry and a minister, plus minister of state and parliamentary committees to do a proper job. 2m is a big number when the locals, ie citizens, only make up 3m of the population. And for the 3m of citizens, there is a whole govt with all the ministers and MPs looking after and caring for them. It is time that a proper ministry be created to do a good job. And don’t forget, our benefactors are not here to sponge on the economy, but to help us. They need to be well looked after. If not they will move on.
As for the new ministry, the work is already cut out for it. One of the key missions is to make sure that govt policies are favourable to the PRs and foreigners and any changes must take into account their interests. Can’t imagine what the economy will be like if they vote with their legs. They can’t vote with their hands yet. Scary.
Don’t ask me where the money is going to come from to start another ministry, to pay for minister, minister of state, parliamentary secretary, permanent secretary and the whole works. One possibility is to make the PRs and foreigners to pay some kind of welfare levy to support such a ministry created specially to look after them. Singaporeans could help by subsidizing a part of the cost too, to show appreciation and gratefulness for their contributions to Singapore and Singaporeans’ good.
The interests and well being of 2 million PRs and foreigners, just my guess, would need a ministry and a minister, plus minister of state and parliamentary committees to do a proper job. 2m is a big number when the locals, ie citizens, only make up 3m of the population. And for the 3m of citizens, there is a whole govt with all the ministers and MPs looking after and caring for them. It is time that a proper ministry be created to do a good job. And don’t forget, our benefactors are not here to sponge on the economy, but to help us. They need to be well looked after. If not they will move on.
As for the new ministry, the work is already cut out for it. One of the key missions is to make sure that govt policies are favourable to the PRs and foreigners and any changes must take into account their interests. Can’t imagine what the economy will be like if they vote with their legs. They can’t vote with their hands yet. Scary.
Don’t ask me where the money is going to come from to start another ministry, to pay for minister, minister of state, parliamentary secretary, permanent secretary and the whole works. One possibility is to make the PRs and foreigners to pay some kind of welfare levy to support such a ministry created specially to look after them. Singaporeans could help by subsidizing a part of the cost too, to show appreciation and gratefulness for their contributions to Singapore and Singaporeans’ good.
4/13/2012
Lim Chong Yah’s shock therapy timely
The remisiers in the stock broking industry are thrilled by the recommendations of Lim Chong Yah’s shock therapy. Those remisiers earning less than $1,500 pm can look forward to a 50% increment in their income in three years time. That should make them quite comfortable to buy a 2 rm HDB flat with money to spare. It is like a timely intervention from heaven to this dying trade. For the time being they can shelf their plans to become taxi drivers. Just wondering if they will try to upgrade the skills of taxi drivers, or improve their knowledge in driving and be tested on driving buses, coaches and lorries, or even cranes.
Another good thing is that the remisiers can think of submitting their claims to the Skills Development Fund for upgrading courses, for course fees and examination fees. The first batch of remisiers taking the Module 6A are busily calling the SDF to enquire on their applications.
Remisiers cannot ask for more with additional training and upgrading of their skills. They will be better equipped to engage in more sophisticated products with the new knowledge they have acquired. Or they can become FTs in other countries that need their sophisticated skills.
Though it is not sure how the 50% increment will apply to remisiers whose income is from commission and not salary, it is still something to hope for, to look forward to. The only thing that they may be worried about is the possibility of more reductions in commission due to competition and lowering of business cost. If that were to happen, after 3 years and 50% increment, they may still end up making $1,500 or less.
And they have no control over the commission rate as it is now freely negotiable and freely cut when necessary to beat the competition.
Fear not, there is hope for a better tomorrow. Every remisier can still become another Peter Lim. But don’t bet on it that commission rate will be raised or business will pick up with the machine taking over.
Another good thing is that the remisiers can think of submitting their claims to the Skills Development Fund for upgrading courses, for course fees and examination fees. The first batch of remisiers taking the Module 6A are busily calling the SDF to enquire on their applications.
Remisiers cannot ask for more with additional training and upgrading of their skills. They will be better equipped to engage in more sophisticated products with the new knowledge they have acquired. Or they can become FTs in other countries that need their sophisticated skills.
Though it is not sure how the 50% increment will apply to remisiers whose income is from commission and not salary, it is still something to hope for, to look forward to. The only thing that they may be worried about is the possibility of more reductions in commission due to competition and lowering of business cost. If that were to happen, after 3 years and 50% increment, they may still end up making $1,500 or less.
And they have no control over the commission rate as it is now freely negotiable and freely cut when necessary to beat the competition.
Fear not, there is hope for a better tomorrow. Every remisier can still become another Peter Lim. But don’t bet on it that commission rate will be raised or business will pick up with the machine taking over.
Parliamentary Elections Act, Section 24
Parliamentary Elections Act, Section 24, under the Writ of election.
Writ of election
24. —(1) For the purposes of every general election of Members of Parliament, and for the purposes of the election of Members to supply vacancies caused by death, resignation or otherwise, the President shall issue writs under the public seal, addressed to the Returning Officer.
(2) Every such writ shall be in Form 1 in the First Schedule and shall specify the date or dates (referred to in this Act as the day of nomination) not being less than 5 days nor more than one month after the date of the writ and the place or places of nomination (referred to in this Act as the place of nomination).
(2A) In respect of any group representation constituency, no writ shall be issued under subsection
(1) for an election to fill any vacancy unless all the Members for that constituency have vacated their seats in Parliament.
The above is a part of our election law which many are now familiar with, especially 2A(1) which states that the President will not issue any writ for a by election in a GRC ‘unless all the Members for that constituency have vacated their seats in Parliament’. What is in this Act is very clear, no by election unless all the MPs have vacated their seats in a GRC, all resigned, sacked or mati. If one is left, no need for by election.
The legal minded and the critics have pointed out this section as a violation of Section 49 (1) of the Elections Act which provided for a seat to be filled.
The question is who drafted Section 24(2A) and what was the intent, or what was the reason behind the law?
The next question, who were the MPs who voted to pass this Act and what were their intentions? Do they believe that this is what the law should be, that in a 5 or 6 member GRC, if only one MP is left, it is perfectly ok for the single MP to look after a whole GRC? And is this a reasonable thing to do or to believe, and to pass as a law? And if not, why is this happening?
For those who believe this is a reasonable law, a good law, a practical law, a law that they themselves would support and vote for it, case closed. For those who think this is not right, that one MP cannot possibly look after a GRC and it is only fair and proper to have a by election quickly under normal circumstances, they may want to think back and ask why such a law can be written and can be passed in Parliament.
Even if a Prime Minister calls for a by election, the President can say no under this Act if one MP in a GRC is still in office. Even if a Prime Minister wants a by election, there shall be no by election in a GRC under Section 24(2A). The President cannot issue a writ for a by election. But I am not a learned legal counsel so I must be misreading or misinterpreting the law, or the reason behind the law. Mine is a layman’s unlearned and blur reading of the law. Sure wrong one. I better admit first before kenna bokok by the honourable learned counsels.
Why would an MP support and voted for such a law?
Writ of election
24. —(1) For the purposes of every general election of Members of Parliament, and for the purposes of the election of Members to supply vacancies caused by death, resignation or otherwise, the President shall issue writs under the public seal, addressed to the Returning Officer.
(2) Every such writ shall be in Form 1 in the First Schedule and shall specify the date or dates (referred to in this Act as the day of nomination) not being less than 5 days nor more than one month after the date of the writ and the place or places of nomination (referred to in this Act as the place of nomination).
(2A) In respect of any group representation constituency, no writ shall be issued under subsection
(1) for an election to fill any vacancy unless all the Members for that constituency have vacated their seats in Parliament.
The above is a part of our election law which many are now familiar with, especially 2A(1) which states that the President will not issue any writ for a by election in a GRC ‘unless all the Members for that constituency have vacated their seats in Parliament’. What is in this Act is very clear, no by election unless all the MPs have vacated their seats in a GRC, all resigned, sacked or mati. If one is left, no need for by election.
The legal minded and the critics have pointed out this section as a violation of Section 49 (1) of the Elections Act which provided for a seat to be filled.
The question is who drafted Section 24(2A) and what was the intent, or what was the reason behind the law?
The next question, who were the MPs who voted to pass this Act and what were their intentions? Do they believe that this is what the law should be, that in a 5 or 6 member GRC, if only one MP is left, it is perfectly ok for the single MP to look after a whole GRC? And is this a reasonable thing to do or to believe, and to pass as a law? And if not, why is this happening?
For those who believe this is a reasonable law, a good law, a practical law, a law that they themselves would support and vote for it, case closed. For those who think this is not right, that one MP cannot possibly look after a GRC and it is only fair and proper to have a by election quickly under normal circumstances, they may want to think back and ask why such a law can be written and can be passed in Parliament.
Even if a Prime Minister calls for a by election, the President can say no under this Act if one MP in a GRC is still in office. Even if a Prime Minister wants a by election, there shall be no by election in a GRC under Section 24(2A). The President cannot issue a writ for a by election. But I am not a learned legal counsel so I must be misreading or misinterpreting the law, or the reason behind the law. Mine is a layman’s unlearned and blur reading of the law. Sure wrong one. I better admit first before kenna bokok by the honourable learned counsels.
Why would an MP support and voted for such a law?
My First Home
‘How can someone who can’t grasp simple and straightforward concepts be in a position to manage and lead a country? Look at Prime Minister Najib Razak's failed My First Home ownership scheme and the recent decision to scrap the controversial new civil servant remuneration scheme, apart from other flip-flops.
Launch a year ago, the house-ownership scheme for low-income earners failed because banks are unwilling to hand out 100 per cent financing applicants earning less than RM3,000 a month. How can Najib fail to grasp the fact that with a gross income of RM3,000 a month, a person simply cannot have any spare cash to pay the monthly installments for the house? Surely, Najib must know that a person has also to pay for essentials such as food, transport and other expenses….’
The above is an extract from an article by Nawawi Mohamad, Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle.
The comments were quite surprising given the similar situation in Singapore. Spending power of 3000 ringgits is roughly equivalent to $3000 in Singapore. And our govt has recently proved to Singaporeans that a $1000 income is enough to buy a 2 rm flat. And definitely our govt will also include the other essentials that the person would have to pay for, like food, transport etc. And considering the property prices in Malaysia are so much lower than Singapore even with subsidies, it just sounds not right. Maybe Najib should pay a visit to Tharman for some advice on how to make Malaysian public housing affordable to 1000 ringgit and 3000 ringgit Malaysians. I think the trick is that in Malaysia they don’t have market price subsidies to go with.
One thing right about Najib’s formula is to make sure that all Malaysians will be able to afford a first home. I think they don’t have such rulings like singles, income ceilings or whatever to mess around to prevent Malaysians from owning their first home. They care for their citizens, to have a roof over their heads. And they don’t have to give preference to new citizens over their old citizens as they don’t have a million new citizens to provide housing to.
Singaporeans are luckier, to be able to afford quality public housing marked to market with only $1000 monthly income. The subsidies really work.
Launch a year ago, the house-ownership scheme for low-income earners failed because banks are unwilling to hand out 100 per cent financing applicants earning less than RM3,000 a month. How can Najib fail to grasp the fact that with a gross income of RM3,000 a month, a person simply cannot have any spare cash to pay the monthly installments for the house? Surely, Najib must know that a person has also to pay for essentials such as food, transport and other expenses….’
The above is an extract from an article by Nawawi Mohamad, Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle.
The comments were quite surprising given the similar situation in Singapore. Spending power of 3000 ringgits is roughly equivalent to $3000 in Singapore. And our govt has recently proved to Singaporeans that a $1000 income is enough to buy a 2 rm flat. And definitely our govt will also include the other essentials that the person would have to pay for, like food, transport etc. And considering the property prices in Malaysia are so much lower than Singapore even with subsidies, it just sounds not right. Maybe Najib should pay a visit to Tharman for some advice on how to make Malaysian public housing affordable to 1000 ringgit and 3000 ringgit Malaysians. I think the trick is that in Malaysia they don’t have market price subsidies to go with.
One thing right about Najib’s formula is to make sure that all Malaysians will be able to afford a first home. I think they don’t have such rulings like singles, income ceilings or whatever to mess around to prevent Malaysians from owning their first home. They care for their citizens, to have a roof over their heads. And they don’t have to give preference to new citizens over their old citizens as they don’t have a million new citizens to provide housing to.
Singaporeans are luckier, to be able to afford quality public housing marked to market with only $1000 monthly income. The subsidies really work.
4/12/2012
The foreign North Korean experts at it again
They could not understand why the North Koreans are launching the satellite to celebrate the 100 anniversary of Kim Il Sung. Or they just do not want to understand. But that is not enough. They even came out with their foolish comments as if the North Koreans were little ignorant farmers, did not know what they were doing. The favourite reasons, internal rift or rivalry, Kim Jong Un must do something to establish himself, Kim Jung Un is trying to please everyone, Kim Jung Un is following what his father did, playing brinkmanship, what else is new? Oh, he is ill advised by his advisers!
And this Professor Andrei Lankov said his best guess, ‘is a culmination of bureaucratic inefficiency and factional rivalry.’
My no expert guess, the North Koreans need to show the Americans that they have the weapons to deliver a few nuclear warheads into the hearts of the USA. That is the only safe guard for the North Koreans if they want to avoid the fate of Iraq or a Libya. They must be able to do it. They could send a few hundred warheads into all the big cities in Japan and South Korea. These have neutralized the threats from these two neighbours.
The one that is left standing and wanting to have a go at the North Koreans is the US, thinking that it could hit the North Koreans without the latter being able to hit back. The security of the North Koreans is to be able to strike back at the international gangters. Period.
So difficult to understand the North Koreans and so many make beliefs of incompetencies in the North Koreans?
And this Professor Andrei Lankov said his best guess, ‘is a culmination of bureaucratic inefficiency and factional rivalry.’
My no expert guess, the North Koreans need to show the Americans that they have the weapons to deliver a few nuclear warheads into the hearts of the USA. That is the only safe guard for the North Koreans if they want to avoid the fate of Iraq or a Libya. They must be able to do it. They could send a few hundred warheads into all the big cities in Japan and South Korea. These have neutralized the threats from these two neighbours.
The one that is left standing and wanting to have a go at the North Koreans is the US, thinking that it could hit the North Koreans without the latter being able to hit back. The security of the North Koreans is to be able to strike back at the international gangters. Period.
So difficult to understand the North Koreans and so many make beliefs of incompetencies in the North Koreans?
Little pest punching above its weight
The Philippines is showing how powerful it is as a naval power. It is sending its biggest warship, a piece of historical relic that survived the Pearl Harbour, to challenge China. It even warned China that it would retaliate if provoked. Wow, wow! That’s the way to show China how powerful it is. It threatened again to arrest Chinese fishermen and was stopped by Chinese patrol boats. It should have just sink the smaller Chinese patrol boats with its antique ship that the Americans have destined for the museum but probably given to them to challenge Chinese fishing boats.
And the Philippines is not stopping at that. It summoned the Chinese Ambassador to warn him that the Philippines is ready to defend its sovereignty. Hahahaha. Brave Filipinos. I think China will see its biggest military defeat when it fights the Philippines. China better be careful and scoot from the Scarborough Shoals before the Philippines navy arrest all its fishing boats. Don’t play with a big power like the Philippines. In another 100 years time the Phillipines will be building its own patrol boats to protect its territories.
Come to think of it, Singapore and Hongkong must also be careful as it would send its patrol boats to protect Filipino maids. South East Asia’s biggest military power on the rise.
And the Philippines is not stopping at that. It summoned the Chinese Ambassador to warn him that the Philippines is ready to defend its sovereignty. Hahahaha. Brave Filipinos. I think China will see its biggest military defeat when it fights the Philippines. China better be careful and scoot from the Scarborough Shoals before the Philippines navy arrest all its fishing boats. Don’t play with a big power like the Philippines. In another 100 years time the Phillipines will be building its own patrol boats to protect its territories.
Come to think of it, Singapore and Hongkong must also be careful as it would send its patrol boats to protect Filipino maids. South East Asia’s biggest military power on the rise.
From betrayal to betrayal
Were the Sinkies angry? Were their cries and pain heard and felt? The anger of a people feeling betrayed is beyond words. When foreigners came in drove ‘to help them’ and be treated like citizens with almost the same privileges, and more, yes more, whether the help was genuine or fake, it does not matter anymore. The Sinkies were simply pissed off and they want to make it counts. How could Sinkies be not allowed to buy public flats when foreigners can just by switching to pink ICs overnight? How could foreigners enjoy all the medical subsidies, education subsidies, national bonuses simply by becoming citizens but without the contributions and sacrifices of the original Singaporeans? Yes, the Sinkies felt betrayed.
But the PRs are now citizens? Another betrayal that insults the intelligence of the Sinkies. What is the point of cutting the subsidies for PRs now when most have already become citizens? Get the point? We can make do with PRs working here but not with more new citizens. We should not issue citizenships like toilet papers. What’s the difference if in spite of all the cuts in subsidies to PRs and more PRs exchange their blue ICs to pink ones? This is the real LPPL issue.
The cutting of subsidies to PRs is a new issue that will reek of betrayal if one is a PR. After all the praises and red carpet treatments, and a bloated mindset of coming here to contribute to the growth of this country and providing jobs or helping daft Sinkies, how would they feel now, with all the subsidy cuts? Would they feel equally betrayed? Many will start screaming ‘We will go to countries that will better appreciate us’ if there is one out there. The truth is that no country is so sick to dump their citizens in exchange for questionable unknown foreigners and treating them like gems.
The new joke now is that we have politicians calling for more distinctions between citizens and PRs and citizens must have more privileges, must be treated with greater respect, must be given priorities. Where have these politicians been? Were they sleeping and just had a rude awakening? Did they just realize that they have to serve Sinkies first and foremost? And the media will sing the same song and with more politicians singing the chorus. We will take care of Sinkies first. There will be more hugging and kissing of Sinkies from now onwards, I think.
I feel so pissed off that there is no point writing too much on this issue.
But the PRs are now citizens? Another betrayal that insults the intelligence of the Sinkies. What is the point of cutting the subsidies for PRs now when most have already become citizens? Get the point? We can make do with PRs working here but not with more new citizens. We should not issue citizenships like toilet papers. What’s the difference if in spite of all the cuts in subsidies to PRs and more PRs exchange their blue ICs to pink ones? This is the real LPPL issue.
The cutting of subsidies to PRs is a new issue that will reek of betrayal if one is a PR. After all the praises and red carpet treatments, and a bloated mindset of coming here to contribute to the growth of this country and providing jobs or helping daft Sinkies, how would they feel now, with all the subsidy cuts? Would they feel equally betrayed? Many will start screaming ‘We will go to countries that will better appreciate us’ if there is one out there. The truth is that no country is so sick to dump their citizens in exchange for questionable unknown foreigners and treating them like gems.
The new joke now is that we have politicians calling for more distinctions between citizens and PRs and citizens must have more privileges, must be treated with greater respect, must be given priorities. Where have these politicians been? Were they sleeping and just had a rude awakening? Did they just realize that they have to serve Sinkies first and foremost? And the media will sing the same song and with more politicians singing the chorus. We will take care of Sinkies first. There will be more hugging and kissing of Sinkies from now onwards, I think.
I feel so pissed off that there is no point writing too much on this issue.
4/11/2012
The best tailor made all round education
The current education system has too many flaws and causing too much stress on the children. It is very unhealthy, too exam oriented and does little to develop character and good values and did not produce a well rounded person on graduation. What should be done is to study the feedbacks of parents and their children, understand what they want, what they fear, their expectations and dislikes, and put them together in a neat little basket to please parents and children for a more holistic and inclusive education, developing the sporting talents at the same time, wholesome and good character building and with straight As of course.
For a start, too much emphasis on exam grades is bad. Too much elitist bias is bad. The branded schools should go and all the schools should be made more equal and the spread of students spread equally to all schools, including the spread of good and bad teachers. This will not only level the playing field, it has plenty of wholesome goodness. The more talented students will have a chance to mix with the less talented and empathise with them. Good for bonding and the removal of elitist thinking.
The curriculum should be reduced, teach less and learn more is good. Children must have a lot of time to play, which will also develop their friendliness and EQ. Play if specially coordinated can be part of the sports training to develop the children into future champions as well.
Second Language or mother tongue shall be made optional. Children should not be stressed to learn something they dislike, like their mother tongue. The future will be mono lingual, maybe just English. Plan for the future and help the future to succeed.
And science and mathematics are just too restrictive. Allow the children to read other subjects as well. Reduce the time from science and maths and spread them to other subject. This can include ethics and morals, how to be good citizens.
And make sure the students have good grades. Ask the parents how many As they want their children to have. Make the necessary moderation to make the parents and children happy. Having more than 50 per cent with straight As may be too much and people will question the standard of our education. 20 percent straight As should be a nice number, follow by 20 percent with 4 As and 20 percent with 2As. Another 30 percent should be for those with Bs and Cs and balance 10 percent, make it 9 percent pass and 1 percent unable to make it. This would be good news for parents and children. What? Not good enough? OK make it 30 percent straight As and adjust accordingly.
And I forgot, articulation skill is very important. Our children are quite tongue tied and find difficulties in expressing themselves. Have more debating classes and social interaction time for students to debate with each other. Such skills will be good if they later choose to become politicians. They can continue debating in Parliament.
Did I miss out anything? I think that’s about it. This must be the most wholesome and happy education system for happy parents and children. And all guarantees to have good grades. Oh, oh, one more thing, no homework. I remember those days when I was in school, barely any homework except when punished to write lines. The free time available can be used to explore the neighbourhood and play with the neighbour’s children.
Think about it, the best education system we ever had was in the 50s and 60s. Every day is fun. Have fun in school and have fun after school. Only thing bad then was the red marks. But this can be fixed with moderation to make parents proud of their children’s grades. What is important is an enriching and rewarding experience for both parents and children. And the teachers must also inculcate into the children that winning all the time, being the best all the time is not necessary a good thing. In life, there are many other better things to achieve than just winning. Always think of the losers before one thinks of winning. I think this last sentence is the best part. Just imagine the look on the loser’s face. That is satisfaction beyond words. : )
Specialised or customized is good, generalized is bad. General education is good, streaming is bad. Elite school is bad, neighbourhood school is good. Now I got myself confused.
For a start, too much emphasis on exam grades is bad. Too much elitist bias is bad. The branded schools should go and all the schools should be made more equal and the spread of students spread equally to all schools, including the spread of good and bad teachers. This will not only level the playing field, it has plenty of wholesome goodness. The more talented students will have a chance to mix with the less talented and empathise with them. Good for bonding and the removal of elitist thinking.
The curriculum should be reduced, teach less and learn more is good. Children must have a lot of time to play, which will also develop their friendliness and EQ. Play if specially coordinated can be part of the sports training to develop the children into future champions as well.
Second Language or mother tongue shall be made optional. Children should not be stressed to learn something they dislike, like their mother tongue. The future will be mono lingual, maybe just English. Plan for the future and help the future to succeed.
And science and mathematics are just too restrictive. Allow the children to read other subjects as well. Reduce the time from science and maths and spread them to other subject. This can include ethics and morals, how to be good citizens.
And make sure the students have good grades. Ask the parents how many As they want their children to have. Make the necessary moderation to make the parents and children happy. Having more than 50 per cent with straight As may be too much and people will question the standard of our education. 20 percent straight As should be a nice number, follow by 20 percent with 4 As and 20 percent with 2As. Another 30 percent should be for those with Bs and Cs and balance 10 percent, make it 9 percent pass and 1 percent unable to make it. This would be good news for parents and children. What? Not good enough? OK make it 30 percent straight As and adjust accordingly.
And I forgot, articulation skill is very important. Our children are quite tongue tied and find difficulties in expressing themselves. Have more debating classes and social interaction time for students to debate with each other. Such skills will be good if they later choose to become politicians. They can continue debating in Parliament.
Did I miss out anything? I think that’s about it. This must be the most wholesome and happy education system for happy parents and children. And all guarantees to have good grades. Oh, oh, one more thing, no homework. I remember those days when I was in school, barely any homework except when punished to write lines. The free time available can be used to explore the neighbourhood and play with the neighbour’s children.
Think about it, the best education system we ever had was in the 50s and 60s. Every day is fun. Have fun in school and have fun after school. Only thing bad then was the red marks. But this can be fixed with moderation to make parents proud of their children’s grades. What is important is an enriching and rewarding experience for both parents and children. And the teachers must also inculcate into the children that winning all the time, being the best all the time is not necessary a good thing. In life, there are many other better things to achieve than just winning. Always think of the losers before one thinks of winning. I think this last sentence is the best part. Just imagine the look on the loser’s face. That is satisfaction beyond words. : )
Specialised or customized is good, generalized is bad. General education is good, streaming is bad. Elite school is bad, neighbourhood school is good. Now I got myself confused.
Medical Insurance coverage at 90!
Why does a person need medical insurance coverage at 90, or 70? Well if one is LKY or Wee Cho Yaw, when life is a bliss, when everyday extra on earth is better than another day in paradise, you would need insurance even at 100 with the premium costing $100k a year.
Would a 70 year old retiree need to have medical insurance if he is living alone in his lease buy back flat or with his retired wife? Or would a retiree living with his children, supported by his children, still need medical insurance at 70? He will if he wants to continue to live to 100 and pay for all the gadgets they are going to insert into his body or chop dying parts off his body when the parts are not working anymore.
I would say this is a very subjective point. I do not need insurance at 70. I rather use the money to amuse myself or give it to the children and grandchildren. What is the point of paying so much insurance and more for medical bills that may come to hundreds of thousands when one is already 70? But if one has all the money in the world, why not?
Consider an average person with no income, just living and waiting to be called home to the Lord, is it worth it to spend the children’s money, a few hundred thousands, to live for another few months or few years? Is it worth it to spend whatever that is left in one’s CPF savings, including the ransom held for one’s own good in Medisave for more insurance premium? It may be an issue of affordability or an issue of where to spend the money.
A lease buy back scheme on a HDB flat may not be enough for a long hospital stay. It will bankrupt people under such scheme as the bill is no small matter. And after paying the bill and with nothing left, then what?
The thought of medical insurance after 70 is amusing. The thought of medical insurance at 90 must be a joke to many.
Would a 70 year old retiree need to have medical insurance if he is living alone in his lease buy back flat or with his retired wife? Or would a retiree living with his children, supported by his children, still need medical insurance at 70? He will if he wants to continue to live to 100 and pay for all the gadgets they are going to insert into his body or chop dying parts off his body when the parts are not working anymore.
I would say this is a very subjective point. I do not need insurance at 70. I rather use the money to amuse myself or give it to the children and grandchildren. What is the point of paying so much insurance and more for medical bills that may come to hundreds of thousands when one is already 70? But if one has all the money in the world, why not?
Consider an average person with no income, just living and waiting to be called home to the Lord, is it worth it to spend the children’s money, a few hundred thousands, to live for another few months or few years? Is it worth it to spend whatever that is left in one’s CPF savings, including the ransom held for one’s own good in Medisave for more insurance premium? It may be an issue of affordability or an issue of where to spend the money.
A lease buy back scheme on a HDB flat may not be enough for a long hospital stay. It will bankrupt people under such scheme as the bill is no small matter. And after paying the bill and with nothing left, then what?
The thought of medical insurance after 70 is amusing. The thought of medical insurance at 90 must be a joke to many.
4/10/2012
Would PAP eat its own words?
Speculations abound of a by election in Hougang plus one or plus two GRCs. Technically Tanjong Pagar is due for a by election and so is Marine Parade. One candidate is time to exit and one still a big liability. Talks of Hsien Loong vacating Ang Mo Kio is too far fetched. He cannot afford to put his head on the chopping block. An election is an election and anyone can lose. Unless he is planning for his own exit from politics.
The other key consideration is what PAP had said about holding by election. It is an expensive exercise, very serious, and not masak masak. You get the people to elect their representatives and don’t suka suka decide to change the MPs after a year and replace with new candidates. It does not bode well on the PAP in their choice of candidates and how they regard by elections, which they had sneered at the sacking of Yaw Shin Loong. In the case of Yaw, there is an element of indiscretion and integrity which are compelling enough to have a change of candidacy.
There are no extenuating circumstances for the PAP to be able to justify having by elections in other wards or GRCs just to replace a candidate. It will be going against what they had said. They can’t be telling the people of Tanjong Pagar that LKY is retiring after one year in office. They should have known. Neither can they announce that a MP has to give way for being found unsuitable.
So, how believeable is this talk of more than one by elections? It could be a red herring being thrown out to get everyone excited for whatever reasons. It could be a lure to entrap the adventurous.
The other key consideration is what PAP had said about holding by election. It is an expensive exercise, very serious, and not masak masak. You get the people to elect their representatives and don’t suka suka decide to change the MPs after a year and replace with new candidates. It does not bode well on the PAP in their choice of candidates and how they regard by elections, which they had sneered at the sacking of Yaw Shin Loong. In the case of Yaw, there is an element of indiscretion and integrity which are compelling enough to have a change of candidacy.
There are no extenuating circumstances for the PAP to be able to justify having by elections in other wards or GRCs just to replace a candidate. It will be going against what they had said. They can’t be telling the people of Tanjong Pagar that LKY is retiring after one year in office. They should have known. Neither can they announce that a MP has to give way for being found unsuitable.
So, how believeable is this talk of more than one by elections? It could be a red herring being thrown out to get everyone excited for whatever reasons. It could be a lure to entrap the adventurous.
Third world thinking cap
We are here today proclaiming that we are in the first world of developed countries. We got here today, from the third world, by thinking first world. The basic thinking was that everything must work. There is no excuse for failure. And definitely no excuse for failures when the cause is known well in advanced. Claiming that because of such and such, failure is something to live by is third world thinking, unbefitting of first world, unless we want to progress back to the third world, when things are less demanding.
Just because we have brought in a few million people into this little piece of rock does not mean that the problems must be something to live with. The problems we are facing today, unfortunately, was due to incompetency, poor planning and coordination, hardly anything about thinking ahead of problems, pro active, nipping problems at the bud. Thinking ahead and preventing problems from cropping up are first world thinking, but it seems that we are losing it.
Today we live in denial, pretend there is no problem or insist that there is no problem, talk away the problem using the media, once in 50 years, cannot be solved, so be it.
So, the next best thing is to think like third world. We have to live with the problems we created and failed to anticipate. The worst that can be is to be fourth world if there is a fourth world, knowing the cause of the problem and stubbornly encouraging it, in this case over population and still asking for more.
How thick can that be? Fourth world thinking or delusionary thinking?
Just because we have brought in a few million people into this little piece of rock does not mean that the problems must be something to live with. The problems we are facing today, unfortunately, was due to incompetency, poor planning and coordination, hardly anything about thinking ahead of problems, pro active, nipping problems at the bud. Thinking ahead and preventing problems from cropping up are first world thinking, but it seems that we are losing it.
Today we live in denial, pretend there is no problem or insist that there is no problem, talk away the problem using the media, once in 50 years, cannot be solved, so be it.
So, the next best thing is to think like third world. We have to live with the problems we created and failed to anticipate. The worst that can be is to be fourth world if there is a fourth world, knowing the cause of the problem and stubbornly encouraging it, in this case over population and still asking for more.
How thick can that be? Fourth world thinking or delusionary thinking?
A brutal admission of grave errors
Light is shining through the thick foliage of the old oak tree. For 46 years, never has an individual got the guts to speak out so violently against the ills of the system, against a cancerous growth that all pretends not to see while the beneficiaries are lapping them up as their ill gotten rights.
Professor Lim Chong Yah has made a strong recommendation for radical reforms in our wage structure. Among his recommendations is a 50% increase of wages for those earning $1,500 or less per month and the freezing of wages for those earning $15,000 per month for three years. Those in between will continue to enjoy moderate wage increases with the main purpose of closing the widening wage gap.
The recommendations come at a time that calls or demands for drastic change which would otherwise be mulled over with some cosmetic changes to placate the victims of the economic structure.
Immediately we are hearing growls of pain and suffering from the super talents. Foul, foul, they screamed. Why should they continue to work when there is no increment for three years? The world appreciates their talents and they will move to greener pastures. And there are those earning in the millions that will see their days darkened. How could they survive the three years of drought without any pay rise? It is frightening. This country’s progress today is the fruit and effort of the super talents. If we lose them, we will, yes, go back to the third world 60s.
I think we should take a gamble and let our super talents move to greener pastures if they are that good. Sure they will find better paying jobs in the world. The whole world is waiting for them with open arms and willing to pay them the obscene pay they are getting today. Oops, maybe got to rethink this statement again. If we have to continuously import foreign talents to fill up top jobs, I doubt we have many super talents to go around. And knowing how protective are other countries are of their top jobs, I bet not even a handful will be hired if they quit their jobs in this island.
My apologies to the top talents here who feel that they will be able to land better jobs across the world. Some will, definitely. But if we look at Lim Chong Yah’s recommendations from the super talents’ point of view I think it also makes sense. What if it is true, all our super talents are hired in Wall Street and Fleet Street, in Europe and Japan, our little economic miracles will vanish over night. This is equally frightening.
A safer bet, not to risk the great economic progress that we are enjoying, is to reverse the recommendations. For those who are earning $15,000 and more, their income shall be raised by 50% over the next three years. Those earning less than $1,500 pm shall have wage freeze for the next three years. The recommendation for the in between group can be as recommended. This approach would definitely energise our super talents to work much harder and propel our economic miracle to greater height. Isn’t that what we want? It is all about meritocracy and the meritorious should deserve all the merits. And those earning a million can expect another half a million increase over the three year period. Those earning $5m can expect $2.5m increase. That would be great and we will have more multi millionaires.
Now which way shall we go? Maybe we will need another GE to decide what is the better move.
Professor Lim Chong Yah has made a strong recommendation for radical reforms in our wage structure. Among his recommendations is a 50% increase of wages for those earning $1,500 or less per month and the freezing of wages for those earning $15,000 per month for three years. Those in between will continue to enjoy moderate wage increases with the main purpose of closing the widening wage gap.
The recommendations come at a time that calls or demands for drastic change which would otherwise be mulled over with some cosmetic changes to placate the victims of the economic structure.
Immediately we are hearing growls of pain and suffering from the super talents. Foul, foul, they screamed. Why should they continue to work when there is no increment for three years? The world appreciates their talents and they will move to greener pastures. And there are those earning in the millions that will see their days darkened. How could they survive the three years of drought without any pay rise? It is frightening. This country’s progress today is the fruit and effort of the super talents. If we lose them, we will, yes, go back to the third world 60s.
I think we should take a gamble and let our super talents move to greener pastures if they are that good. Sure they will find better paying jobs in the world. The whole world is waiting for them with open arms and willing to pay them the obscene pay they are getting today. Oops, maybe got to rethink this statement again. If we have to continuously import foreign talents to fill up top jobs, I doubt we have many super talents to go around. And knowing how protective are other countries are of their top jobs, I bet not even a handful will be hired if they quit their jobs in this island.
My apologies to the top talents here who feel that they will be able to land better jobs across the world. Some will, definitely. But if we look at Lim Chong Yah’s recommendations from the super talents’ point of view I think it also makes sense. What if it is true, all our super talents are hired in Wall Street and Fleet Street, in Europe and Japan, our little economic miracles will vanish over night. This is equally frightening.
A safer bet, not to risk the great economic progress that we are enjoying, is to reverse the recommendations. For those who are earning $15,000 and more, their income shall be raised by 50% over the next three years. Those earning less than $1,500 pm shall have wage freeze for the next three years. The recommendation for the in between group can be as recommended. This approach would definitely energise our super talents to work much harder and propel our economic miracle to greater height. Isn’t that what we want? It is all about meritocracy and the meritorious should deserve all the merits. And those earning a million can expect another half a million increase over the three year period. Those earning $5m can expect $2.5m increase. That would be great and we will have more multi millionaires.
Now which way shall we go? Maybe we will need another GE to decide what is the better move.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)