Punggol East By Election 26 January.

SINGAPORE: A by-election will be held for Punggol East Single-Member Constituency (SMC), after Member of Parliament Michael Palmer resigned over an extra-marital affair.

Nomination Day will be held on 16 January 2013. If more than one candidate stand for nominations on Nomination Day, Polling Day will be held on 26 January 2013. Polling Day will not be a public holiday....

The above is announced in Channel News Asia.

Easy path to corporate success

The trial of SCDF chief is scheduled next month. Another case of the police chief is in process. Fortunately the Speaker’s case need not go to court. The common factor of all three cases is feminine wiles or sex. This is one of the oldest tricks used by the fairer sex for personal advancement, for promotion, contracts or favours. Some have used this so successfully that they would go around encouraging other less able and simple minded women to do the same. Search around for powerful and successful men, lean on the men, and be rewarded. The association, to be seen around powerful and successful men, to be known as these men’s companions is itself a reward. Women with no confidence of their own ability will become easy prey to such enticements. Not much effort needed, just give them what they want. Be nice to them.

This prompted me to take a look at the stockbroking industry. The stock broking profession is safe, I think, from such feminine exploits, for throwing themselves to management would not get one a promotion or a big contract. Maybe a few inactive clients or names of walk in clients will be the best they could get. Not worth the pound of flesh. Offering to successful traders or remisier kings may be equally futile. In one sense, there is no remisier king left, though there are still some quite successful ones around.

Those still in the industry are all in the same sinking boat. And their intelligence or stupidity in stock picks will be as good as that of those thinking of currying their favour. Some dimwits would be easily impressed by a few success stories. But it is common knowledge that for each success story there will be tens or more of failures.

Would there be the dumb blonds looking for successful big names to lean on, or to think it is an honour to be associated? I doubt so. They are not that daft to think of worshipping gods when they should be working to be gods themselves.

The easy path to corporate success is definitely not applicable to the stock broking industry. To be successful, one just has to prove it on one’s own merit, not on other people’s merits or by association. There would be no sensational news of Cecilia or Stella to boot in the stock broking industry.

Taking AIM into the wilderness

The AIM saga is not going to go away. First impression, if it counts, is that it is in muddy waters. There are so many things that the general public do not think were right and the stench is getting foul as the days go by.

On the PAP side, several efforts were made by Teo Ho Pin, Chandra Das and a minister in Grace Fu to explain that everything is in order. Unfortunately the explanations only helped to muddy the water even more and people listening to the explanations are getting exasperated. It is something that cannot be explained away. It is like the proverbial elephant that is too big to be covered up.

Three presidential candidates in the last Presidential Election have all chipped in to air their dissatisfaction over the whole saga. This can only mean that they were in agreement that something is not right. The only presidential candidate that became the President has yet to say anything. Perhaps he disagrees with the other three and did not see anything wrong with the AIM. Until the President speaks, no one would know what he is thinking and his position on this matter. Maybe it is a matter that should not involve the President.

What would be the likely outcome of this episode? So far the official explanation is not cutting any ice. Could more explanations help, or it is already a failed cause? If this is a failed cause, how would it affect the PAP’s standing and its performance in the next GE?

Or would the PAP bite the bullet, conduct an inquiry and sacrifice a few heads to redeem itself? I wrote this yesterday and this morning read the papers that Hsien Loong has called for an inquiry. After the last GE a few ministerial heads rolled. Would this episode lead to similar results?

As I said in my first posting on this subject, Teo Ho Pin’s explanation will have great consequences to the eventual outcome of this episode. What the public have been told so far is that public money was spent to develop a management programme and this is sold to AIM which is a PAP organisation. And AIM is making money by charging a fee to the Town Councils, and the people are paying for it. Is this the right perception?

Public institution or political organization

The AIM saga has led many to question the nature of Town Councils. Are TCs public institutions or are they political organizations? This also brings to question whether the People’s Association is a public institution or a political organization. According to Tan Cheng Bock, TCs are public institutions. Baey Yam Keng said otherwise, that they are political organizations and the AIM saga has been over politicized. Should not that be the case since they are political organizations?

What are the differences between a political organization and a public institution? There are many and very obvious differences without having to split hairs. Academics may have a long list of definitions or what is and what is not. I would simply lay out a few cogent points of what is a public institution and what is not.

A public institution is often formed to serve the interests of the public in general, not a particular group or political party. It draws its funds from the public or from the govt. It is has no links to any political party. These should be brief and easy to understand. Political organizations are simply organizations of political parties to serve party interests.

An organization that is paid by the public or by public funds from the govt should be a public institution. Political organizations that serve the interests of political parties must not be paid by public fund or the govt. There is a big grey area that need not be grey at all, that is the govt. The govt is made up of political parties, singular or a coalition. They are political parties first and the govt second. It could be the other way round. The govt is to serve the general public of all political colours. But this is easier said than done. Most govt will look at party interests first and public interests second for self preservation and selfish interests. Ideally, political parties should shed their politics when elected to form the govt and serve the public at large as one people of one country. I said ideally, and I am asking too much. Even immortals will be biased to favour party interests than public interests.

The govt aside, should TCs be public institutions or political organizations? Likewise, is the PA a public institution or political organization? Who is footing the bill? Who pays their salaries and activities? The govt using public fund or the political party using party fund?

Recognition and verification of foreign talent qualifications

Read recently that some organizations are starting to verify the degrees of foreign talents here. Some have been doing it for quite some times. The problems of forged or fake foreign degrees is not so simply verified by a check with the institutions issuing the degrees. Knowing the ingenuity and laxity of third world countries, many such verifications are just a waste of time. You would need a more robust and reliable verification procedure agreed upon by both countries and the institutions of higher learnings. This has to be seriously done as the damage and stupidity of hiring fakes and idiots to be bosses of our world class university graduates is so ridiculous and it is just a laughing stock.

The other related problem with recognition of foreign degrees is the quality or validity of such degrees. Are the institution issuing the degrees respectable and the teachings of good quality. A good yardstick would be our local universities. Are they equivalent or are they just crabby? Can imagine we put so much emphasis on the quality of our institutions of higher learning and the tedious and strenuous learning processes our students have to go through only to be rubbished by rubbish from rubbish universities.

Did the Govt sign agreements with foreign govts to accept their degrees of all colours and stripes to work here and to kick the butts of our very own students from our best universities? Can this really be the case? Our top grade students ended up working for pariah graduates from pariah institutions, or fakes? Do we have to live with such sick jokes? And this is not a joke when our children are adversely affected.

The other shitty about such agreements is that our graduates would not want to apply for shitty jobs in shitty countries. So it is a non issue. It is shitty countries that want all their shitty graduates to be accepted here and be recognized as the equals if not better than out graduates. How silly?

Jason Chee, nothing will be enough for you

Eng Hen visited Jason Chee in the high dependency ward in Changi General Hospital. Jason, a naval Military Expert, lost both his limbs, a hand and left with a right arm with only two fingers when he was caught in a winch while on duty. He has lost practically everything while serving the Navy.

This is the price our young people paid for serving the nation, losing limbs and lives. Eng Hen has promised that Mindef will provide long term support for Jason. A little consolation knowing how expensive medicare is here. But nothing can be enough for Jason. He is going to struggle through life in all physical aspects and the emotions and depression that are going to accompany him for the rest of his life.

Not only will he bear the pain, his parents and relations will have to bear with him. The price of being a citizen and serving the nation in uniform can be very heavy. There is nothing anyone can do to give Jason back his normal life. Nothing.

Vincent Wijeysingha and Alex Au - Be sued or apologise

Within one day we witnessed two bloggers, one an aspiring politician and another a social activist, being issued with legal letters threatening to sue them if they did not remove what they posted and apologise to the purportly victims of their articles. Both admitted that they have posted things that are defamatory in nature. Both are also tertiary educated and are not the kopitiam gossipers that would shoot first and think later. They might know what they have posted were defamatory, or they did not and only knew about its defamatory nature after being threatened with a law suit.

What is material is that they got what they wanted to say across, in the social media and had their messages read and understood. The points were made, rightly or wrongly, truth or untruth does not matter any more.

On the part of their target victims, the latter had the options not to react, to do nothing or to threaten to sue and demand an apology. Not doing anything would be welcomed by those who believe in ‘freedom of speech’. It would also allow certain statements being made against them and by nothing responding, some may believe they are truths. By reacting, like suing, some may see it as a defense of their dignity and integrity. Some may see it as being overly sensitive and bullying. This could look bad in a way.

For those who wrote defamatory statements, by admitting so, does it mean that the statements are untrue and that they were making false accusations? When people have done wrong and when exposed, the whistle blower is just telling the truth and cannot be threatened or sued for defamation. The customers of the underaged prostitute, or those who admitted to have indiscretions, cannot sue anyone for saying these facts. In this sense, people who withdrew their defamatory statements were saying that what they said were untrue. Tiok boh?

So, for all that Vincent Wijeysingha and Alex Au had written, now that they had withdrawn the articles and apologised, it was all a hoax, no element of truth in them. Like the judge in the courts will now tell the jury to ignore whatever that were spoken as they were not relevant to the case. A better case would be to sue the whistle blower even if it is true as long as the whistle blower did not have the money to fight the lawsuit. That is the best kind of justice that money can buy.

What do you think?

Force to get married for a flat

Disappointed relatives and a mortified Ken demanded to know if there was a “third party”. Yes there was!

You could put it like this – the third party was HDB. I feel like I was forced to decide to get married early because if I waited until I was, say, 30 and ready to settle down, to wait another three to four years to get a BTO flat would leave me no time to start a family. Everyone told me that Ken and I had to hurry up and apply for a flat together and then quickly get married once the flat application was successful,” said Janice, who just started work as an accountant last year….

Marriage counsellors here say Janice is not alone. All three marriage counsellors Yahoo! Singapore spoke to said that cases of young women and men backing out of marriage at the last minute are on the rise by as much as two times in the past two years – and most cases were because they were not ready but were forced to commit in order to secure a home in advance.
Says Mdm A. De Souza, 42, who, with her husband, has been counselling couples for ten years at a religious organization:…

I would say that I am now seeing at least double the number of such troubled brides. It used to be that most of them split up just before because of third party issues or quarrels over financial matters, but now it’s always “I wasn’t ready” and “I felt forced because of my flat”.
It’s a serious problem – these young people are so worried about practical concerns like getting a home that they neglect the most important question – are they emotionally prepared?

The above is extracted from Runaway brides in Singapore: Janice’s story (part 1).

This is a very serious development that the super talents obviously have missed out. The public flat, or housing, is such a crucial factor in the lives of Sinkies that they are being forced to do things, make very important life decisions, compromise their lives, all because of the housing policies. Housing must not become the sole determinant of the people’s lives and squeezing so much money from the people. It is a very bad policy.

This is the same as the having more baby policy. It discards all the good reasons for having babies but focussed on the babies as another digit to the big economic growth formula. The policy makers just ignore the interests of the parents and the babies, their financial and psychological problems in having babies. Just have babies because the Govt wants more babies for economic growth.

And for housing, which is a major responsibility of the Govt, it arrogantly took the position that it could do whatever it wants, dictate to the people, and make the people go crazy, begging to have the chance to buy a public flat at all cost. Their welfare and well being are not a consideration to the Govt. You want a flat, you play by all the sick rules they made.

How’s that for paying millions for super talents in charge of your lives, to mess up your lives and squeeze as much money as they can from you? Getting married not because the people wanted to or are ready for it, but because of a flat! Making babies not because they want to or have the financial resources and mental state of mind to want to have babies, because the Govt says so!

The people are being reduced to numbers and objects of the economy, not living human beans.

School days over for Morgan.

There was no room for advancement to Pre University level. At 16, he was to enter the world of working adults. He should count himself lucky. Many of his childhood friends had been working in the kopitiams after PSLE. That was quite a normal route of progress at a time when living was casual and natural. There was no grief or pain for becoming a kopi kia and doing odd job as labourers.

Morgan already had his offer, as a bouncer in a bar in some corners of Balestier Road. He was big and strong enough for the job. There was no need for any application to write. He was handpicked or head hunted by one of the triad boss that he met while frequenting the bars.

Though Morgan’s highest standard passed was not even PSLE but completed Secondary 4, he turned down the bouncer’s offer. He was to lead a team of salesmen to distribute Van Houten and Nestle products. The father of his brother in law happened to be one of the Three Oxes of Tanglin. The ward of Tanglin was shared by these three seniors of the area. They were the bosses that operated the underground trades, bars, gambling, prostitution, etc etc. The job offered to Morgan was like godsend. How many who failed the Senior Cambridge Examination could enjoy such good fortunes of landing two jobs on their lap, without lifting a finger to write an application letter?

The supervisor job came with a decent income and a mini van as his personal vehicle. Life was good for a 16 year old. And life began at night, in the bars of Balestier, Jalan Besar and Geylang. Drinking and smoking and merry making with his salesmen and new found friends every night was Morgan’s routine. Daylight was spent in his office in a prewar house in Kuok Road that served also as a warehouse for his sweets, chocolate and confectionary goods.

Kuok Road was a busy street especially during lunch hours. Traffic was heavy as it was a favourite haunt for food in one of the lanes behind the old Orchard Wet Market, the present Robinson Shopping Centre. Morgan’s first encounter with the power of the triad bosses came when one of his salesmen reported his goods being stolen from his van. The vans were normally parked along side the shophouses for loading and unloading. Apparently someone found the unattended vans easy target. It was a short distance from the warehouse. It would take a couple of minutes for moving the goods in and out of the warehouse. This was good enough to walk by to lift a few boxes of free chocolates or merchandise.

The matter was raise with his father in law. A stakeout was arranged. The loading and unloading went on as usual. The thief struck but was bundled into a waiting van by a few men in double quick time. He was never seen or heard of again. With such powerful friends in the background, life was easy for Morgan. He spent his free time inside the warehouse practising his nanchaku, made famous by Bruce Lee.

Lunch time was noisy and busy in Kuok Lane. One such routine afternoon was interrupted by the shouting of Ah Siong’s voice. Ah Siong was a childhood friend of Morgan and share the same academic achievements with flying colours. Morgan roped him in as a salesman. Morgan went out to check the commotion. Ah Siong’s van was in the middle of the road and a Datsun was in a parking lot he was attempting to back into. Apparently the Datsun driver drove head on into the slot while Ah Siong was attempting to reverse into it. Ah Siong was there first and he related the incident to Morgan. ‘Get out’, Morgan pointed to the driver. This was ignored and the driver walked off. He was stopped by Morgan who told him in a harsher tone, ‘Get out or else…’

By then the driver too was getting agitated. He waved a card at Morgan and shouted that he was a police officer. Morgan was not to be intimidated and snatched at the card. The plain clothed police officer withdrew his card swiftly. Morgan moved in at great speed, a skill he learnt while being a national fencer. It was followed by a lightning punch that connected the officer’s jaw. He spun around, dropped and hit the road. Before Morgan could make further attacks, he heard the slamming of doors of another car behind him. Out came several police officers in plain clothes.

The officers were there for lunch and were furious that Morgan attacked one of them. One stretched out to grab Morgan, wanting to drag him into their car. This was blocked by Morgan’s oversized arm and the officer gave an ‘ouch’ cry as his arm was thrown off. While the officers kept threatening Morgan to go with them, Morgan coolly swaggered into his office, lighting a cigarette along the way. Then he warned the officers not to step into his office. He told the officers to send a marked police car if they wanted him to go to the station.

A moment of truce and silence took over from the noisy shouting and threatening voices. The crowd gathered to watch the excitement. Ah Siong and the other drivers also retreated into the warehouse. All of them were shivering in their pants and wondering how the matter would turn into. It was a serious matter to strike at a police officer. They were more frightened when the police car came to whisk Morgan away. They could only think of the worst. The police of the time were noted for being tough with the criminals and the triad members. Entering a police station, in the hands of the law, getting manhandled and rough up were the normal courtesy extended to their uninvited visitors. In this instance, Morgan was likely to be given a good bashing for his thoughtless attack on their comrade in arms. Beating a police officer was unheard of in those days, or even today.  Morgan must have gone bonkers. It was senseless and reckless.

Morgan beating up a police officer was hot news. It went ‘viral’ and the whole underworld came to know about it. They laughed at the stupidity of this new kid in the block and expected Morgan to be taught a good lesson for it. At least, Morgan was famous in the wrong way, a notoriety in the underworld of triads and hoodlums.

Morgan sat waiting at a table in the backroom of Tanglin Police Station at the junction of Orchard Road and Scots Road where Ion now stood. Soon a tough and gangster looking officer came and plunged himself on the table in front of Morgan. He stared down at Morgan, slammed his palm onto the table. It was their way of shattering the light out of any wrong doers. Short of lifting Morgan up in the air to shake him out, this was the best he could do. At 18, Morgan was big and not an easy thing to lift even for a well built man.

Morgan was not impressed or startled. It was a test of grit and will. Seeing that his antics had no effect, the officer began unbutton his shirt. The tattoos flashed out from his chest. Morgan also unbuttoned his shirt, and there were tattoos as well. Morgan also had tattoos over his arms and back. His favourite was a man leaning on a lamp post with his head bowed. This was etched on his upper left arm. Four Chinese characters below the tattoo read ‘chiat pah tan si’, or ‘eat full wait die’.

The confrontation between the officer and Morgan were more verbal and posturing, with each trying to size up the other. Morgan was allowed to make a call. (To be continued)

China must intensify its effort to control it territories in East and South China Seas

The last flexing of muscle by Japan in scrambling eight F15s to intercept China’s surveillance aircraft over Diaoyu Island is a rude reminder that China cannot continue to act like a gentleman. It has to act like a gangster when it is dealing with gangsters. China must continue to patrol its islands in East and South China seas, both in the air and in the seas. Let the Japanese or who ever try to fire at Chinese aircraft or ships. When they do so, it is time for China to test its weapons in the satellites, in the seas, under the seas, and its SAM batteries. It must take down the aggressors who fired first to mean business.

The West and the Japanese are retuning to the past when gunboat diplomacy, use of military force, is the language of international policies. Should China chicken out in the face of these confrontational acts, not only Japan and the USA will be emboldened and be more aggressive and provocative, the pesky countries will jump into the bandwagon to have a party at China’s expense.

Is China militarily up to it to take them on? It better be, as the cards are stacked for a military confrontation with Shinzo Abe in power.

GIC, a comforting change

Ng Kok Song, the 64 year old veteran Chief Investment Officer of GIC has retired. He is replaced by a younger Lim Chow Kiat, 42. This move is not only comforting but also reassuring. Song Seng Wun of CIMB also agreed that it is a good move to promote from within.

My beef is more than that. With the influx of so many foreign talents, some dressed up as Sinkies waving their pink ICs, it is so scary that many of them will sit in many strategic positions in govt or govt linked companies. I never like the idea of foreigners or new citizens taking up such important positions, managing Sinkie money and assets. I can be trusting and generous in thinking that human nature can also be good. But never be too trusting of strangers. Important positions are best left to true blue Sinkies. This is their home and this is where they belong and where their interests lie.

Let’s hope the Govt will take this point very seriously and not foolishly give away important and strategic positions to foreigners, including PRs and newly minted citizens. The Govt must be prudent and ever vigilance over national interests and the wealth and assets of Sinkies. It is also a way of developing our own human resource and talents, providing them the opportunities to be groomed into such positions.

The banking and finance industry is in a very pathetic state of development where locals will not make it to the top unless father happens to be boss man. So only foreign talents will be given the chance to try and experiment in top banking positions. This piece of GIC news is crucial and hopes it will be the new trend to use Sinkies for such strategic and important appointments in the private and public sectors.

Charity begins at home.

Lee Hsien Loong taking legal action against blogger Alex Au

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaks to media representatives from Singapore and India in this file photo. PM Lee is taking legal action against blogger Alex Au for allegations made in a post about the sale of computer systems used by town councils. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA

Alex Au has written a 4 part article on the Town Council Management System and its sale to AIM. In the article he touched on many pertinent details of the saga that may prove to be too much for the Govt to ignore. It seems that there were allegations made against Hsien Loong amounting to corruption. This has led to the issuance of a letter by Davinder Singh from Drew and Napier demanding that the article be removed.

Alex Au has since complied and had the article taken down. It was also reported that he had made an apology in his blog as well. But is this the end of his trouble with the Govt? If the above quote is correct, Hsien Loong is going to take legal action against him. At this juncture I am not sure if taking down of the article and an apology will be sufficient or will the Govt or Hsien Loong continues to sue him for defamation.

8 hour paying job

In general, the pay for an employee or office bearer is computed based on his contribution for an 8 hour day or 44 hour week making up to a month. An employer can expect an employee to be at work for 8 hours daily or its equivalent. Some employees may moonlight, take on a second job elsewhere but on his own time, and do not infringe on the 8 hours of work time committed to his employer. In such instances, all is fair and the employer may not want to interfere with the employee’s other preoccupation as long as it does not affect his work.

An employee that takes on two jobs, with two full pay during his normal working time is actually doubling his pay by working 4 hours for each job daily. If he takes on 4 jobs, his working hours per job is only 2 hours daily and his pay, assuming the same for each job, will be quadrupled.

Imagine someone having 8 or 10 jobs over the same 8 hours working day, his contribution to the organization is 1hr or less per day for each job. And he is being paid fully for 8 or 10 jobs. These are simply wonder men and wonder women.

Readership of mysingaporenews.blogspot.com

After 8 years of blogging, mysingaporenews has become a staple diet for many Sinkie bloggers and those hungry for alternative viewpoints. The readership has spread far and wide among the English speaking world. Other than Singapore, the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Malaysia, Australia, Germany, Russia, Canada and Hongkong constantly registered high readership. Viewers also came from Taiwan, Sweden, Poland, Ukriane, China and India and occasionally from some other countries as well.

Today the blog has a pageview of 1,457,524. The daily pageview has also risen from an average of 3,000 to about 4,500. A total of 6,780 articles have so far been published with at least an article a day.

Mysingaporenews is quite an international publication in its own way. Its articles have been reposted in other social media aggregators like Temasek Review Emeritus, Singapore Daily and Singapore Alternative News, to name a few.

Keep up the good effort guys and gals.

PAP in an awkward position

It is not what you think. It is not a 69 or 66 or a 99. It is neither about Michael Palmer. The PAP has always been on the right side of things, or on top of things. This time it is like the gun is pointing at the wrong direction, at the PAP. The AIM thing is looking very awkward for the PAP.

This time the Town Council or the Town Council Chairman, or the directors of AIM are all synonymous with the PAP. They are the PAP. Now there is a certain act that the legal counsels will say that there is a prima facie case to answer. All the facts are on the table, or almost all. And the people are asking for more. There are many questions being asked and the answers are still yet to come forward. Whatever answers that have been given were not acceptable, not good enough.

Soon the people are going to ask the PAP to come clean, to be transparent, to tell all there is to tell. Now this is familiar ground, not aiming at the opponents but at PAP. All the guns are trained, big and small, but without the firepower of a coordinated PAP machinery, ministers, MPs and the IBs and more. But in terms of breath and depth, it is far more reaching. It is the people that are taking the PAP to task.

The PAP is now in the dock. Everyone is asking questions. The people want the truth and nothing else will do. The people are making very uncomfortable but reasonable demands on the PAP to come clean and tell all.

Would there be answers? Or would the questions, like the questions on the construction cost of a HDB flat, or the money in the SWFs, be left unanswered? The people are standing on high moral grounds and wanting answers from the PAP. The PAP is in defense, in damage control mode. The people are setting the agenda and the mood of questioning. It is awkward, very awkward. The Michael Palmer saga was awkward until some went into hiding. This one is extremely unsettling.

Our sacred Constitution

I read some articles that we don’t really have a Constitution though we have one. The rationale is that when a constitution can be changed at the whims and fancy of law makers, it is no longer a constitution. There is some merits to this kind of explanation. Constitution is the highest document and must be highly respected and guarded, protected and not to be trivialized. Anyone thinking of changing any part of the Constitution must give a damn solid reason to do so, and the citizens must also agree to the change.

With the influx of foreigners into this little piece of rock, with the original citizens being diluted and some may even disappear or become a rarity, some of the fundamental legislation may be subject to attack by the newcomers who are growing and will become a substantive force to reckon with.

One of the main pillars of our country is the four official languages that are sanctioned in the Constitution. Correct me if I am wrong. With foreigners becoming more in numbers to our very own minorities, it is only a matter of time before some will insist that their language be made an official language in addition to the four existing language. Some may even suggest the removal of lesser used language to be removed. Possible?

Let’s hope there will not be such a day when our Constitution comes under such attacks. This part of our Constitution is sacred and no new citizens should even think of amending the Constitution to adopt their new languages or whatever. The new citizens are here to adapt to our way of life, and our Constitution, no the other way round. They are here because our way of life and our Constitution are better than those they left behind. It cannot be the other way, that they came from a far worst place, a way of life that they seek to runaway from, to want to change our way of life, and our Constitution to be like them. It sounds ridiculous, but it will happen if we are not careful or if we are silly enough to do it.

The depth of internet discussion on current issues

The key issues in the internet over the last week were AIM, bomb threat and the Punggol East by elections. Netizens were fully engaged in very serious and heated discussions over these issues and the intensity and volume of discussions must be a sign that they are things of great concern.

In contrast, reports of these issues in the main media were brief and scant and lack of continuity. This could be one of the drawbacks of the main media as they could not spare the space for a sustained discussion in depth and breath. And in the case of AIM and the bomb threat, both were promptly reported in the internet before the main media picked them up.

The main media is now finding it tough to play catch up to the ongoings and issues in the social media. The availability, timeliness and the space for in depth and engaging discussion in the social media will be an act very difficult for the main media to follow. The main media’s role is likely to be on reporting incidents on a once off basis, and this may not even be timely. The other role it can continue to play is to put up a monologue article, a one sided affair where discussion and engagement is rare and minimal or non existence. It is like a talk down instrument, telling the readers, informing the readers, and that is about it.

The social media is going to change all the news reporting and discussion on national or people issues to beyond what the main media can envisage. It is a totally new form and way of communication and journalism. It is engaging, alive and interactive and timely.

Home prices hit record high!

According to the latest URA report, ‘Singapore home prices climbed to a record in the fourth quarter after developers sold more homes,…’

This is a terrific piece of good news for all flat and landed property owners. I am also exceptionally pleased with this news as my little flat is going to be $1m soon. Then I can sell and migrate to some little corners of China or Thailand, or maybe Australia to spend my twilight years away from this dynamic and rich city.

Or maybe I will join my children in Europe and stay with them with all expenses paid. Whatever left over after my last days can be willed to them.

And there are people comparing Khaw Boon Wan with Mah Bow Tan to see who is worst. Now, now, I think that is a wrong approach, wrong attitude. Should compare who is better. I think Boon Wan is getting better and betterer with the housing prices under his charge.

The little misgiving I have is that my children will not want to be back here anymore. Both have very good post graduate papers and living abroad is no big issue to them.. Both will trade their places, and allow some foreign talents to take their places here. I think they will find it more cost effective to spend their money in other less costly countries. At least they have a choice. For the next generation of young Sinkies with no choice, I am sure they will all be most happy to buy the million dollar HDB flats and the multi million dollar private properties.

All will call themselves millionaires but taking public transports. They will probably be invited to enjoy the bungalows of their maids for holidays in the Philippines, Indonesia, India or Myanmar. And all Sinkies can live happily as millionaires in their flats, and to downgrade to smaller flats during their twilight years with nothing to worry about except don’t get sick.

Blurring the lines between foreigners and citizens

People living in Singapore should relate to one another as human beings first instead of trying to “pigeonhole” one another according to nationality, said Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Chan Chun Sing.

“When we look at an issue, let's try not to pigeonhole each other as a Singaporean or a foreigner, which can complicate the problem,” said the Minister, who was speaking to an audience of about 600 community leaders at the annual National Community Engagement Programme Dialogue on Saturday, reported the Straits Times.

I totally disagree with this approach to blur the lines between foreigners and citizens. The issue of citizens first and foreigners second has been thrashed many times and we are just beginning to see some difference with priorities and benefits skewing back to favour citizens. We must not allow anyone to blur the line again and let foreigners think they should be treated better than Sinkies or that both are equal.

This is our country and foreigners are foreigners. Foreigners are fair weather immigrants here to make money and to disappear when things are not to their liking. We can treat them fairly and decently but must always remember that foreigners are not citizens. The Govt is voted to be the govt by the citizens to look after the citizens. The interest of foreigners must be incidental and not be given priority or preference over citizens.

We even have 4 ethnic groups in our identity cards to define the differences. Why should we ignore the difference between foreigners and citizens especially when they crossed the line?

Algorithm trading is anathema to a healthy stock exchange

The fundamentals of a healthy stock exchange trading system are all about fair trading, equal opportunities, level playing field and transparency. All relevant and price sensitive information must be disclosed at an appropriate time to ensure fair play. Otherwise it will be insider trading and a violation of the exchange by laws. Buyers and sellers are to submit their bids into the trading system in a transparent manner for all parties to know what is going on. Hiding bids, placing fictitious bids or acts to confuse or deceive other traders and investors are also forbidden and can be punished by the stock exchanges. In short, no one is supposed to have an advantage over other parties by virtue of financial power or technology. No even unfair access to sensitive information.

In algorithm trading, many of the fundamentals of stock trading and stock exchange by laws have been violated and breached. The practice of allowing funds or brokerages to plug their super computers into the exchange system is itself a violation of fair trading and level playing field. How could these funds and brokerages be allowed to have such an advantage over other traders that did not have such expensive facility/equipment and access to time sensitive information to their advantage? Many exchanges even facilitate the big funds to hide and conceal their intent and bids to buy or sell, creating a false market. Innocent traders could thus be deceived of the market depth and spread with such computer assisted trading process.

Algorithm trading also takes advantage of size and speed. It is incredulous for an exchange to allow algo traders with such an advantage of time, making profits in micro seconds, and think nothing about it. It is criminal for exchanges to allow algo traders to trade in big volumes to bulldoze and to corner stocks, to distort the real value of shares and the market.

Computer technology must be harnessed to facilitate and ease trading without creating an unfair and unlevel playing field. Algo trading cannot be allowed into any stock exchange trading system if it violates the by laws and trading rules and regulations. For a fair and equitable system, as the traditional stock market used to be, it is best that such a system is closed and no external computer system is allowed to tap into it to take advantage of other investors and traders. The justification of algo trading to facilitate huge trading volumes cannot be the reason to give it an unfair advantage to profit from the system. Big traders and volumes should be entered into the system in a transparent way, by human operators, with the same advantage and disadvantage of manual input.

The regulators and authorities of stock exchanges shall bear the responsibility to ensure a fair and equitable trading system for all parties, big and small. Failing to do so is to be an accomplice to a crime against the victims for unfair practices. It could also be seen as an approval to allow foul practices in the stock market.

Computer technology like algorithm has reached a point when it can be very dangerous and unfair to other traders, and also the ability to create havoc and serious glitches to a trading system. The official position of the New York Stock Exchange on the May 2010 freak crash of Dow Jones is that it was totally an act of the computers, a computer ran amok. The truth is more than meets the eyes, and there is likely to be a culprit that profited from the 5 min crash and making a pile for himself. Algo trading has no place in the proper operations of a stock market. It is there to cheat, to take advantage of innocent traders, it is unfair trading. Algos were not developed at a very high cost, with very expensive equipment and technology, for nothing. They are designed to make huge profits by relying on the power of hi speed computers. Someone must pay for it. The more expensive is the system, the more treacherous it is and the more it demands for payback.

Do not be deceived by algo or computer trading. Like big foreign funds and hot money, they are not here to do charity. They have one common mission, to make as much money as they could, from the unwary and innocent lay people and traders. Algo trading is a Frankenstein in the stock market. For stock markets to survive and tradings to be healthy and fair, it must return to a close system where every human trader enters his bids the same way, in a transparent manner be it big or small amount. Allowing computers and algos to do the trading is a sure way to the demise of a stock market, a matter of when.