Mistrust of the Govt is the new normal

I can think of a few more mistrusts or distrusts. CPF is your money, CPF is not your money, CPF is your money, CPF is not your money.... Now my head is spinning. Which statement to trust or mistrust or distrust?
Your CPF savings is very safe, 100% safe. No one is going to rob you of your CPF. Who to trust? Can I have my money back? Now, who is taking hold of my money and not returning?
 
Singapore belongs to everyone here. Is this true or false? I am scratching my head.
We are listening to you. Please give us your feedback. Ok, here is the feedback. No 6.9m population. Can trust this will not be the case? But mistrust of the govt is the new normal, so no need to worry if 6.9m will be a reality.
 
More foreigners mean more good jobs for the citizens. To trust or not to trust? So govt is not bringing in more foreigners. Can trust or not? Then again, mistrust is the new normal, so anything can.
Knn, dunno can trust the banks when you put your life savings with them? Don’t worry, mistrust is the new normal. How could life go on living under the shadow of mistrust as the new normal?

Kopi Level - Yellow for two consecutive days.

The innocence and naivety of Meritocracy and FT talks

My hair stands every time these two topics were raised or discussed even by the supposedly intelligentsia. Most of the experts or naïve experts were talking in a vacuum, meritocracy regardless of race, colour or creed or nationality. Immigration is good, it is good to bring in the talents to boost our economy. It is also good for Singaporeans to work overseas, no need to come back. Fill up the island with more talented foreigners, 6.9m or 10m, the more the merrier.
 
As a country, meritocracy must not only be spoken but practiced within the framework of nation and citizens. Meritocracy to pick and groom the best among Singaporeans is theoretically a sound concept. We need to nurture and bring out the best among our people. To extend this meritocracy concept to other nationalities is idiotic at best and criminal at worst. When the interest of nation and citizens are exposed to be raped by foreigners in the name of meritocracy, it is as good as allowing an economic holocaust on the citizens.
 
Let our citizens work overseas and bring in more foreigners, talented or fake talented never mind, to work and live here in their place. Stretch this example to the extreme, with 70% of the citizens working and living abroad and 30% left in the country, what kind of country would it be? Look at it simply, at 6.9m with the citizens, the original citizens reducing to less than 40 percent, an absolute minority, it is a matter of time when they will become inconsequential and insignificant as a people of this country.
 
While the innocents and naïve preached and worshipped meritocracy unthinkingly, they forgot that the newcomers would not be as idiotic as them and practice meritocracy like these idiots do. What if the newcomers practice their own form or meritocracy to exclude the true blue Singaporeans? When they become an absolute majority, would they kick aside the original Singaporeans to favour their own kind? While we are a majority here, we can still impose some kind of order to protect the interest of the citizens. When the foreigners become new citizens and become the majority, will they be as innocent and naïve as our daft Sinkies and practice meritocracy and free immigrations like what the daft Sinkies are doing? Even today, when they are still in the minority, their practices are all about them and us and they have no qualms or reservations to get rid of us in favour of their own kind.
 
When Sinkies become a small and inconsequential minority as the population grows, as the number of migrants becoming new citizens grows, would there be a place for the original Singaporeans? Or would they be history and be at the mercy of the new Singaporeans?
A country is not a corporation that can hire and fire regardless of nationality. A country is about the interest of its citizens first and foremost. Even then, many corporations are practicing hiring the same kind against the others.
 
Can our innocents and naives think and talk meritocracy and immigration without thinking about the interests of the citizens? They cannot afford to as the mistake or sin against the citizens will be irreversible. There is no room for such idiocy.
 
We cannot talk about meritocracy and foreigners like we are a big country with a big local population like India or China. These countries cannot have enough of foreigners to turn themselves into a minority in their own countries. They have the critical mass to ensure they will not be history. And they will not be traitors to their own people even if they are daft enough to do so. The critical mass itself will protect their people, identity and interest.
 
We can lose our country and our place in the sun if idiots take charge of this country and bring in foreigners to replace us citizens in big numbers.

Kopi Level - Yellow

The USA failed in Iraq?

Many political analysts are putting the blame on the Americans for failing to create an Iraq run under democratic principles. They said all the institutions of democracy collapse within two years after the Americans pulled out similar to Vietnam. And what was left behind is a more chaotic, divisive Iraq that is on the verge of a full scale civil war.

I can appreciate the dumb western political analysts and self appointed saviours of Iraq and the middle eastern states for believing that the Americans murdered Saddam Hussein and brought down his dictatorship was for the purpose of democracy, freedom and human rights. It is really disappointing for middle eastern political analysts to think likewise.

Democracy, human rights and freedom were just the catchphrases used to dupe the Arabs and the world that the Americans were all well meaning. Whether Iraq becomes a democratic state is a non issue. If Saddam was pro Americans like the Shah of Iran, he would still be in his palace and killing his opponents and with the full support of the Americans. The dreadful state of affair and the killings and crippling of a few hundred thousand Iraqis by the American invasion must be a sad result of freedom and human rights for the Iraqis. The country has been torn apart.

These daft analysts are condemning the Americans for a failure. The Americans are quietly congratulating themselves and popping champagne in celebration for turning Iraq into a war torn state that would be in a mess for decades to come. The Americans have succeeded in what they set out to do to the Iraqis in particular and the Arab states in general. They must not be allowed to live in peace, to be rich and powerful. The Middle East must be in a constant state of flux and disorder.

The situation in Iraq is exactly what the Americans set out to do, chaos and in a state of war and confusion. Having achieved their objective, the Americans have moved out their forces to create the same scenario in Asia, to create tension, incite wars and turn the states in Asia into another Iraq and a bickering Middle East.

The silly Asians are no smarter than the Arabs and are yelling for war like heroes, warriors and soldiers. Aquino just officially backed the remilitarisation of Japan led by Abe despite the vivid memories of Japanese massacring hundreds of thousands of Pinoys in WW2. They could not see the consequences of war to their countries and people and the region. They love every minute of the Americans’ presence in the region and are so grateful to have this evil Empire supporting them in a new war they hope to start fighting.

They have forgotten about what happened to Iraq and the Middle East. Asia has enjoyed nearly 40 years of peace in the absence of the Americans. They have recently moved back in and tension is rising with war imminent in East and Southeast Asia. How many silly Asian leaders are willing to be led into another war by the Americans and the Japanese?

Kopi Level - Yellow

This is a gem by Douglas Chua

Douglas wrote a piece that appeared in the ST last Saturday. His article’s title is ‘Political commentators, get real’. He stated 3 points on the issue of claims that the govt is losing the public trust. Here they are and I quote:

‘First, there is no need to be apologetic because there is no such thing as a 100 per cent mandate in a democracy.

Second, there is no urgent need to appease and regain the trust of the minority that is dead set against the Govt.

Third, it is absurd to surmise that vandalism in Toa Payoh and the Prime Minister’s move to seek redress from a blogger indicate an erosion of the people’s trust in the Govt.’

From his frequent posts, Douglas is also a political commentator and is entitled to his views and so do others. What Douglas surmised is that there is no erosion of trust against the Govt and only a minority is dead set against the Govt. I am not sure how he knew that those against the Govt are a minority and I too am not sure if it is a minority or a growing majority. Only on the day of reckoning would the truth be out.

In the last GE, the PAP/Govt won with an overall majority vote of 60%. Since that fateful day, a Presidential Election and two by elections were held. Did they indicate a shift in the popular vote for the Govt? Or these were exceptions, not the same. One is a PE and the other two were by elections so they don’t count.

Since then, more issues and grievances have appeared with the people marching to the otherwise quiet as a cemetery Hong Lim Speakers Corner to protest against the Govt. These kinds of thing have never happened before. But of course they were a vocal minority just like the people shafting money in Roy Ngerng’s hands were a minority. There is nothing to worry about. The Govt still has 60% of the votes and would still be voted to power in the next GE. All is fine. Just ignore the noise and the vocal minority.

I also believe that the Govt and all its supporters feel the same way. They have the support of the majority and they can afford to ignore the ‘minority’. I am so agreeable with Douglas Chua on his assessment of the political landscape. There is a little thing missing in my belief, my conviction. Somehow I got this niggering feeling that things have changed since the last GE. But it is good for the morale to believe otherwise and don’t be disappointed when the belief turns out to be just a belief.

Kopi Level - Yellow

MH370 – Suckers are born every minute

‘Australian authority to announce new search area for MH370
(Xinhua) Updated: 2014-06-23 09:50

CANBERRA - The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed with Xinhua on Sunday that the agency is working on analyzing existing data and information to refine a new search area for the missing Malaysian Airline flight MH370.
Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan said the new search area will be announced by ATSB on Wednesday.
Dolan told local media earlier that the new search area would be hundreds of km south of where the first phase of underwater search had covered….’
 
When is Australia an authority on where the MH370 was supposed to crash? After 3 months of wild goose chase, is China still willing to be led by the nose by the Australians to search in God knows where in the hope of finding MH370?
 
What expertise or information that the Australians had or in possession to be in an authoritative position to tell China and the rest of the interested parties where to find MH370? If there is anyone that really has some clues on the missing aircraft, it must be the Malaysians. Even Immarsat’s satellite pings were more like fabrications. If China is so desperate to look for the aircraft, it is better that they rely on their own resources and intelligence network whose information would likely to be more reliable than all the western countries can provide.
 
China should stop being a sucker or a gullible and willing victim of misinformation. The western countries are likely to lead them by the nose on another wild goose chase.

Kopi Level - Yellpw

Irene Yap – An honest revelation of human ugliness

Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about physical features. I am talking about ugliness within as opposed to inner beauty. The cries of Irene Yap in a public forum must have touched many hearts. Many could feel her anguish and cry with her. How could a society allow a 76 year old lady to go begging the govt for the return of her life time savings? And how could people think that her plea was annoying, and even suggesting that she was mad?
 
Where is the human milk of kindness? Oh, there is a kindness movement promoted by the govt and the grassroot leaders are supposed to spread this kindness message among the people. In the case of Irene Yap in the public forum, I must say that kindness and empathy for the unfortunate were totally absent. It looked more like a farce for people to get agitated by an old lady begging, not for charity, but for the return of her own money. Can people be so vile and contemptuous?
 
Irene Yap’s case has been turned into a tragi- comedy. The tragic part is obvious. And it gets worse when people could not empathise with her plight. How can anyone be annoyed with an old lady pleading for her money? And how could anyone think the whole episode was a comedy? If you look at the candid video clip, you cannot fail to notice a woman in red, literally ‘chio kah peng’. In hokien this can be translated into ‘laughing until falling off the chair’. Yes, a woman, supposedly a grassroot leader I think, was having a good laugh while Irene Yap was nearly in tears.
 
This woman in red laughed until her whole body fell forward with her head nearly hitting the ground. It was a boisterous and spontaneous uncontrolled laughter. What could have caused her to be so hilarious? The pathetic plea of an old lady they thought was mad and talking nonsense? Or was it something that her neighbour, another grassroot leader sitting beside her, said about Irene Yap?
 
Where is the empathy? The display of intolerance and impatience to the old lady was shameful. Really. Unfortunately, Irene Yap is now a celebrity for the wrong reason. Perhaps Roy Ngerng and Han Hui Hui could invite her to Hong Lim on 12 July to make her plea once again in public. The crowd in Hong Lim would definitely share her grief and feel sorry for her. There will also be another kind of crowd that may go there for a good laugh, like the woman in red. ‘Chio kah peng!’. Now where are William Wan and his movement of kind people? No kind people? No one think it right to admonish the two women like they scolded Sinkies for being xenophobic or rude to foreigners.

Kopi Level - Green

Mayors and more mayors

We have how many mayors in this little piece of rock? 5, 6? Do we need so many mayors? We don’t have any mayors before. What can the mayors do that the MPs cannot do? More important is who is paying their salaries?
 
We are having a bloated political machine, with so many ministers, second ministers, senior ministers of states, ministers of states, parliamentary secretaries, chairman of this and that committee etc etc. Why do we need to have such a big govt and paying so much for it? Can we have a smaller govt and do away with all the excessive political appointments?
 
Mind you, it is money from the people, paid by the people. I hope this kind of practices will be stopped and not copied by future govts in power. It is so easy to create more and more appointments and pay and pay since it is OPM. The money must come from somewhere. It does not come from their pockets but the people’s pockets.
 
Political parties must not be given a blank cheque to pay and pay with the people ended up paying for it. The people are not daft and know what is happening. It is ok to create more and more appointments and pay and pay if it is your grandfather’s company and paid by your grandfather..

Kopi Level - Green

CPF – Between the devil and the deep blue sea

The Hongkies have this saying, money earned is to spend. What is the point of making so much money and not spending it? I think they have a point. There are many misers who would earn and earn and build a mountain of savings but live poorly only to pass away leaving behind a fortune that they never have the good fortune to enjoy.
 
The Sinkie philosophy, or at least this is the official philosophy, is to save and save. Don’t spend, keep it for tomorrow. With this kind of con talks, oops, I mean wisdom, Sinkies will all end up with a lot of savings and feeling very secure and rich for a tomorrow that may not come. Many will die very very rich, but the end result is that other people will be spending their money for them, to enjoy their life time savings for the stupidity of Sinkies.
 
The more painful part, when the rich save, they save their extra cash and still enjoy a rich life, every moment of it. When the not so rich or poor save, they actually have to tighten their belt, forgo something today and hoping they could have a bit of something tomorrow. And the saddest part, they deprived themselves of the present, eat less, enjoy less and could end up unable to enjoy a tomorrow that did not come. They lose out upfront and lose out at the end.
 
Which is a better wisdom, to spend now or not to spend now? In the former, at least one gets to enjoy the present. In the latter, one loses out in both ends in the case of the not rich. In this either or case, isn’t it better to live now than hope for a better tomorrow?
 
The ideal is of course moderation. Save a bit when one can, save a lot when one can, and hope to live an easier life tomorrow. As for the conmen that advocate people to save and not to eat now, be careful and don’t be duped by them. Many conmen only give con advice for their benefits.
 
PS, saving a lot of money is the privilege of the rich. For the poor who don’t even have enough to eat, saving is double tragedy when forced upon them. In the case of CPF savings, how many died before they could spend a single cent on themselves?

Kopi Level - Green

Stock broking – Missing the woods for the trees

Jimmy Ho, President of the Society of Remisiers, spoke on the pathetic tales of stockbroking and the signs of doom and dismay. It is a dying industry that nobody wants to know. The Govt, MAS and the SGX are in a state of denial. They are not going to talk about it. Anyone who opens his mouth will have to tell how the industry is growing, more trading activities and a bright future in the horizon.
 
Jimmy Ho has listed several factors that contributed to the demise of the industry. Unfortunately I have to disagree with him. Yes, those are factors that are bringing down the industry, but they are not the main cause for what is happening today. It is not contra trading, it is not CFD, it is not no lunch break. It is the elephant in the room that no one wants to see or talk about.
 
The main cause of this near collapse of the stockbroking industry is something very basic, very fundamental. Really, nobody knows what it is? They are all the experts who have been in the business for ages and they cannot be missing the woods for the trees.
 
But don’t worry, they would not want to know, they would not be telling. They will let it happen, like the Lehman bonds and toxic notes. Then they will all plead ignorance. Dunno leh. No one will be held responsible when the market collapses totally. It is nearly there. It is unbelieveable that no one is crying wolf when the wolf is already in the chicken coop and devouring the last chicken.
 
This is negligence to the highest order. The market is very healthy and will get better. Don’t worry, the problem is contra trading. Contra trading will be stopped and all will be well. Seriously, trust me.
The truth is that the market has collapsed but no one is admitting. No one wants to be the harbinger of bad news.

Kopi Level - Yellow

NDP theme – Honour every Singaporean

This year’s NDP theme is to honour every Singaporean. It has been a long time that being Singaporean is an important thing. After a couple of decades of honouring foreigners and foreign talents, finally someone starts to notice that there are Singaporeans that deserved some recognition.
 
A reader wrote to Today’s forum to honour our past and forgotten heroes. There were so many historical figures that fought and die for this country. This reader, Edwin Teong Ying Keat, recalled a Tan Chong Tee of Force 136, a military unit set up by the British and its soldiers were mainly locals, fighting against the Japanese that many SE Asian countries today want them to return to be our policeman. To remind the people of Force 136 is proper and important at this juncture given that most young people have forgotten about these heroes and the cruelties inflicted on our forefathers by the barbaric Japanese soldiers in WW2.
 
For those who are still harbouring on the idea of honouring the foreigners, now that everyone of them is claiming credit for building this island into an economic powerhouse, we have not forgotten them. Maybe next year our NDP theme shall be honouring every foreigner and foreign talent, the new migrants. And many Sinkies can also feel like them, shouting, ‘We are immigrants too!’, ‘We are also foreign talents before.’ And all Singaporeans can hug the new migrants and foreign talents like one people.
 
With such a theme, it would make the statement that Singapore belongs to everyone here, new or old, more meaningful. After all the Sinkies never believe they own this place. It is ok to share with the whole world, and welcome everyone, especially the talented, as Singaporeans. Singapore will be the country for everyone, everyone is welcome. Sinkies don’t own this place. Sinkies are foreigners too, albeit earlier migrants, nothing special.
 
How about that huh? A NDP theme to honour every migrant, new and old, with Sinkies calling themselves migrants and very happy to share or give away their country to foreigners? When a people do not even know that they are the masters of their land and willingly share or give it to foreigners, they deserve to lose it. The honour foreigners theme would level the playing field between new migrants and old migrants ie Sinkies. And Sinkies love that I think. Sinkies love a level playing field to compete with foreigners in their home country, or in a place they do not believe belongs to them. They too are migrants, forever migrants and very proud of it. And before every Sinkie forget they are migrants, let’s celebrate being migrants. Just hope they don’t end up as new migrants in other countries, after being chased out from this island they once owned and called home.
 
Be happy sharing your home country with the whole world. This island belongs to everyone here. Let’s hope this year’s theme of honouring every Singaporean is not the last time Singaporeans are honoured here.

Kopi Level - Yellow

More excuses not to return CPF money at 55

A blogger by the name of Gemini wrote an article on this issue and posted in the TRE. He/she quoted an ST article as THE good reason, and I repost a bit of it here,
 
Sunday Times, March 12, 2006  - Mistress island
 
Welcome to Pulau Amat Belanda, second home to many Singapore men who visit their ‘weekend wives’ there
 
There is an island near Batam that receives, almost exclusively, male Singaporean visitors.
When the men get off the boat, they pay 25,000 rupiah (about $5) to register with the security men. Their passports are checked, and details such as their names, IC numbers and Singapore addresses noted.
Then they head to the homes of their ‘weekend wives’, rooms rented in stilted wooden houses. This is Pulau Amat Belanda, 30 minutes by boat from Sekupang port in Batam, an island that is a red-light district all on its own.
 
Almost every male visitor to the Indonesian island has an ‘exclusive’ relationship with a woman there, to whom they give a cash allowance of between two million and five million rupiah ($350 to $900) every month to keep them from straying….

The reason to hold back the people’s life savings is because they kept mistresses, not because they lost their money and begging the govt for financial assistance. Let’s be very clear about the justification of Gemini’s rationale. It is the men’s amorous activities that justified holding back their money in the CPF. From the article, these men are rich and can afford it. Their scandalous lifestyle is not acceptable to many on legal, moral or social grounds, but is that a good reason to hold back their life savings in the CPF? Is this not a judgment call on moral grounds to keep the men from straying? Can this be the reason to be a blanket cover to hold all the men’s money in the CPF just because of a few sexy men? And can this be a blanket cover for the holding back of the CPF money of women as well?
 
This is really frightening. Imagine if the govt are made up of men and women who think like Gemini. The next thing they will do is to freeze the accounts of rich men and women in the banks. Come to think of it this is quite possible given that there are so many priests and priestesses among the few good men and women in power. And if such a reason is seen as good, right, logical, acceptable, I have many more good reasons to keep the men and women from withdrawing their monies in the CPF at 55. My list will be so long that it will fill a library and will take 56 man years to write them down. So I will spare you people the agony and time reading them.

Kopi Level - Yellow

My dad always there for me, says PM

If you want to know what is the meaning of ‘ho mia’ in Hokien, the title of this post says it all. How many people could say it at the age of 62? Hsien Loong is really so blessed. At this ripe age when he could be a grandfather, he still got a father above him and children below him.

Some would wish they could say the same thing at 50. Some would like to say the same thing at 40 or even 30. No, some will be very happy if they can say it at 20. KNN, some don’t even have the chance to say that at 10.

Count your blessing Hsien Loong. You have a damn good life to have a father that is always there for you at 62 and to be walking side by side with him as the PM of a country.  Maybe I shall not say count your blessings but share them with others. Many are not so fortunate and have to be their own father from very young, with no father to be there for them.

He is what people like to say, ‘ho mia kia’ or ‘chin ho mia’ When one is exceptionally blessed, it is good to share this blessing with others.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Retirement fund or fund for a rainy day

A blogger b said that the CPF fund is for retirement and not meant for a rainy day. This is a very simple way of saying what the CPF money is all about. It is for retirement. It is not to be kept forever like the nation’s reserves, waiting for that rainy day that may not come. Oops, our CPF is also classified as the nation’s reserve, so how? If it is the nation’s reserves then it is right to keep it forever for that rainy day right?

Can I say wrong? Everyone who contributes to the CPF never think of their savings becoming the nation’s reserves to be kept for a day when the country needs it, not you need it, it could be both. The people putting money into the CPF are very clear that it is for their retirement. A retirement fund is simple to be returned to them when they retired. When did they retire? It used to be 55. Then change to 60, then to 62, then to 65. What happens if retirement age is raised to 80? Possible, can? 100?

At this moment, retirement age is 65, I think. So rightfully the money must be returned to the people to use for their retirement. Tiok boh? Is the Medisave Account, with a huge minimum sum, a retirement fund? How did this animal come about? Why shouldn’t this be returned to the people when they retired? Or is this another fund to wait for a rainy day? If wait for rainy day, then cannot take out until the rainy day comes. If it comes, be grateful of this rainy day fund. But it may never come.

How many people put their savings in the CPF for a rainy day? Who changed the CPF from a retirement fund into a rainy day fund?

There is no point putting money into a retirement fund when you cannot take it out when you retire. It defeats the meaning of a retirement fund. Can anyone see the difference that I am making, or what b said? Is it so confusing? Who is still unable to make out the difference between a retirement fund and a fund for rainy day? A fund that you cannot take out when you retired is not a retirement fund.

Kopi Level - Yellow

AVA said food from Fukushima ok for consumption

During the recent visit by Japanese PM Abe to Singapore, he had talks with Hsien Loong and Hsien Loong announced that Singapore will lift the ban on food from Fukushima. Abe was so happy and thankful to Singapore.

There have been many reports in Japan and internationally about the effects of radiation on the people, animals and plants of Fukushima. Animals and plants are showing signs of mutations. Children are seeing a spread of symptoms of cancerous growth.

How safe will food products from Fukushima is still getting people the creeps. Is it a wise decision to lift the ban on food from Fukushima? I personally would not each anything coming from Japan.

Below is a series of my photopaintings of Japanese Koi. I called this Fukushima series in recognition of the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown. The mutated shapes of the koi have nothing to do with Fukushima or radiation. It is just a result of a method of photography that I have developed called the Art of RAR, or Art of Reflection and Refraction.

Irene Yap’s case, a follow up reported in ST

I just read the ST this morning and there is a report on Irene Yap’s case. According to Amy Khor, CPF is trying to help Irene to withdraw her savings. However, Rene still has to abide by CPF’s regulation, ie that she must leave a minimum sum or pledge her property to the CPF before she can take out all her savings.

What is this minimum sum that is being introduced by the CPF that effectively said the people owe the CPF a sum of money and if this sum is not placed in the CPF, either in cash or a pledge with a property, then a sum equivalent to the minimum sum must be kept in the CPF.

Two points to this, the first of course is why should a retiree be compelled to keep a huge sum of money with the CPF when he should be living his golden years and enjoying his lifelong savings? Oh, he must keep the money, a minimum sum that is growing every year and now about $200k, so that he would not be a burden to the govt in case he squanders his money with mei meis or in Batam. It is for his own good. The govt is so caring. See my middle finger? I can’t hold it down.

The other point is that Irene is from a generation that should not be affected by all the new regulations introduced before her time. The minimum sum should not be applicable to her and those of her generation and to several generations. It should not be applicable to everyone if one rejects this ‘govt is your father’ and has the right to keep your money for your own good idiotic reason.

The CPF is the people’s money for their retirement and how they want to spend their money in retirement is none of the govt’s business. Don’t give people the crap that if they squandered away their money who is to pay for them to live on? Not the govt for sure. This is not a welfare state. And do not insult the intelligence of the people to find their way to survive without the need to beg the govt for a meal in the hawker centre, foodcourt or the restaurant.

From Amy’s and CPF’s reasoning in the ST, they are all so willing to help Irene. But the likelihood of Irene getting all her money back from the CPF is as good as zilch. She must comply with the minimum sum requirements, ie a ransom that she has to pay to the CPF. Actually no, they don’t call it ransom. They call it for your good or for the good of the members that they must make the people pay out front inn the form of the minimum sum.

So Irene’s case is as good as close and Irene can kpkb till the cow comes home. Amy Khor and the CPF will be on their knees trying to help her. I am so touch, but the answer is still no. Because CPF rules say so.

Irene should pray for a miracle to get all her money back from the CPF.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Devils in disguise

‘A woman is accused of forcing one of her two maids to eat her own vomit, making her strip and taking photographs of her naked. Her husband is accused of hitting both maids numerous times.
According to a report in The Straits Times, IT manager Tay Wee Kiat, 37, and his wife, sales manager Chia Yun Ling, 39, were in court yesterday to face 32 charges, mainly of maid abuse.
 
Tay - with 21 charges - allegedly hit Indonesian national Fitriyah nine times, and Myanmar national Moe Moe Than six times, with canes, a metal clothing hook and a bamboo stick at his Yishun flat in 2012. He is also accused of making the women slap each other.
 
On one occasion, he allegedly forced an incense bottle into the mouth of Ms Fitriyah, 32. He is also accused of attempting to bribe her by offering a month's salary and a flight home in exchange for not reporting him to the police.
 
Chia, who faces 11 charges, allegedly slapped both maids and caned one of them.
 
On one occasion in June 2012, she allegedly pulled Ms Than's hair, pushed her to the floor and stepped on her chest. She is also accused of making Ms Than strip before taking photos of her.
The most serious charge is that Chia allegedly used a funnel to force sugar down Ms Than's throat, and when the woman vomited, she forced her to swallow her own vomit.’
 
I saw the above post in Therealsingapore. It is unbelieveable that such things still happened in this Sin City and keep repeating and repeating. Obviously there are a lot of sick people around and some are actually devils in disguise. And with so much publicity given on such abuses, it seems that these devils are not taking heed and will just keep on abusing their maids. Or is it a case of punishment too light and the message has not sink into the minds of these sickos? What happens to the modus operandi of sending a message across by a few harsh punishment to stamp such cruelties from repeating? Caning is definitely a good option to stop the devils from inflicting hell on their victims.
 
Such acts of cruelties cannot be tolerated under whatever circumstances, not in a country that keeps parroting on kindness, graciousness and about being first world. When would the signal be sent, loud and clear, to instil fear in the devils in disguise that they will suffer even more severe punishment than what they dealt to their victims. Where is the human decency to do something right for once, regardless of race, language and nationality?

This is the time to be unkind to the inhumans to be kind.

Kopi Level - Yellow

A glaring misgiving that was conveniently ignored and forgotten

A controversial honest discussion on the CPF had a troubled beginning when Roy Ngerng, Kenneth Jeyaretnam and a few others invited themselves to the party only to be disinvited. Kenneth somehow still managed to gatecrash the party only to create more controversies arising from his 8 point remarks on Hri Kumar’s ‘dishonest’ honest public conversation. And Hri Kumar returned the compliments by making his own statements on what he did not say as what Kenneth said he said. Now there is an ongoing big ding dong battle between the two key contestants of the honest conversation.

The prelude to this battle was a woman with an amazing cheongsam that was videoed while making some rude remarks on a 76 year old aunty making a desperate cry for the return of her CPF money. The whole social media was on fire with netizens throwing nasty things at the cheongsam woman who was revealed as a PAP grassroot leader by the name of Jean Ang. Netizens had a field day digging out everything they could find on Jean Ang and calling her all kinds of unpleasant names. And before the furore died out, the woman who took the video of the cheongsam woman that went viral was knocked down by a car and landed in hospital. More rumours appeared about how this accident could be linked to the video. In the meantime nothing was reported in the main media despite the uproar in the net.

What was depressing is that the poor 76 year old aunty was totally forgotten. Netizens were angry with the cheongsam woman for her rude gestures. Hri Kumar and Kenneth were crossing swords with each other over who said what. No one seems to bother about the reason for the desperate plea of the aunty. She was inconsequential. There are more important issues and scores to settle.

Irene Yap’s problem was that her money was locked up in her CPF account. Under all circumstances, anyone of her age should not have any more entanglements with the CPF. She should have withdrawn all her money from the CPF and ended her relationship there and then. Her fault was to choose to leave some of her money in the CPF to earn higher interest. Her fault was not knowing that once the money was left in the CPF, it would be subject to all the new regulations rolled out by the CPF. She cried in vain for the return of her money. Hri Kumar’s best reply to her was that she knew the law and regulations and that’s it. Her money will stay where it is and nothing else can be done. And no one in the govt, so far, has said anything about her case and it seems that there is nothing else she could do or no one would be doing anything. Is there anyone listening to her plight? Or she only has herself to blame as the law is the law?

Where is the empathy, where is the kindness, where is the compassion for an old lady caught by the hard side of the law? Is there anyone listening? Or everyone is deaf? Does anyone feel that something could be done for her? Does anyone walking the corridors of power think she deserves some assistance? Or is it a case of how much does she wants, $500, $5,000 or to return her everything in the CPF? Is there merit to her grievance?

Irene Yap is not alone. There could be many in the same situation as her. They are an anomaly in the system, or in a system that took them for granted, and this should be rectified to let them live in peace in their golden years. Why made them live in misery and anger for the want of their money back?

Is Irene Yap’s grievance important at all?

Kopi Level - Yellow

Roy Ngerng’s case – Rumour mongering galore

With the defamation case against Roy still waiting for its appearance in court, the kopitiams are flooded with all kinds of rumours. I must caution all readers and listeners to such rumours to be guarded and not to take them as truth until they are verified. Just received a post that is posted in newnation.sg. This is definitely a rumour with half truths. Here it is.
 
‘CPF blogger Roy Ngerng’s potted plant outside his HDB flat along the corridor has been investigated for the suspected breeding of dengue mosquitoes.
This after a barrage of sanctions have supposedly been levied on Ngerng, where he was sacked from Tan Tock Seng Hospital yesterday for using Facebook when he should be nursing and speaking on a grass patch over the weekend at Hong Lim Park.
And there are murmurings online that his hawker father has been called out for cleanliness issues at his stall.
Singaporeans from all walks of life, who do the mozzie wipeout steps, said they feel the shit this time has really hit the fan.
Hong Gan Leow, a local, said: “First, he got fired. Then his dad kenna arrow for cleanliness. Then now his potted plant suspected of spreading dengue.”
“When they’re out to get you, they’re out to get you. Wonder what would happen next? Roy Ngerng’s dog investigated for suspected rabies and quarantined?”
At press time, Ngerng’s dog has been investigated for rabies and quarantined.’
 
The only truth in the above post is the sacking of Roy by TTSH. I have no confirmation on the part that the ‘char kway teow’ stall of Roy’s father had been subject to inspection by the NEA or his plants being investigated for mosquito breeding. The civil servants are highly regarded for their integrity and would not be so stupid to conduct such investigations at a time like this to put them in a compromising position, subject of rumour mongering, and have their integrity questioned. I don’t believe in such rumours and people are advised not to believe in them.
 
Should there be any inspections done, it must be coincidental and part of the inspection programme. There is nothing to it and nothing to do with the defamation. Definitely cannot be as it is so easy for the public to put one and one together and cry foul. Knowing the political sensitivity of the defamation suit, the likely thing to happen, even if an inspection schedule had been planned months ahead to check on the cleanliness of hawker stalls and mosquito breeding, the civil servants would be smart enough to delay the inspections to avoid casting the govt in a bad light.
 
People should read the above post in newnation as a political satire or a political joke at most. I don’t think any civil servant in his right mind would do such a thing as it would do more harm to the image of the govt than good. Trust our civil servants to do the right thing.

Kopi Level - Green

30 years from now, what would historians be writing?

What would the historians be writing about Singapore in 30 years time? Would they be writing in praise of a great cosmopolitan city flourishing and a shining example for the world to envy and want to emulate, like what it is today, a great city that many countries still hold it in awe? Or would the historians be writing about a failed state in ruins, or no longer an independent city but a colony of some bigger powers? Historically, all the failed states believed that they were doing well moments before the curtains fell. Everything was just fine and under control.

At this moment, all of us are like fish in an aquarium and are making the best of what we have and perhaps thinking how good life is here. And life is really extremely good for some that they would not think of anything else and tomorrow can only be better. While we push and shove against each other for more space and comfort, while more fishes are poured into the aquarium, we are still adjusting and adjusting very well, like the proverbial frog in a boiling kettle.

We will acclimatise and get use to our environment for as long as we can adapt and we don’t break down, or the system does not break down. While the pressure builds up, would we have the chance to pull the plug before that breaking point is reached? Would we have the foresight to see it, feel it and be in time to avoid it? Or we are already there and still ignorant of it, in denial, or conning ourselves or being conned that everything is fine, it is in fact very good? I think it is the latter, with many congratulating themselves on how well they are doing. Life cannot be better and why are the losers complaining?

Would the historians in 30 years time be writing about the missed opportunities to save ourselves from the decadence of a city state when all the red lights are flashing everywhere, when disastrous policies were pushed through one after another as good policies, right policies? Today, no one in a position to make a change is seeing any wrong. There is no wrong. We are doing the best we can with all the right policies and things can only be better tomorrow. By then, with the benefits of hindsight, would they be asking how could the citizens allow a great city be destroyed in a matter of a decade of bad policies? Of course I am presumptious. How could that happen?

Perhaps they would be writing about the golden years of the first 3 decades of the 21st Century and more good years to come, and paying tributes to the wisdom of the leaders of today.

What do you think?

Kopi Level - Green 

Singapore owes its success to Pinoys and foreigners

This appears to be the message that foreigners are trying to tell the Sinkies. Never mind who planted this message in their heads. I chanced upon this Pinoy, Nathan Allen, writing this to his countrymen in response to a hate post by a Sinkie.
 
‘It kills me that Filipino workers are being treated with so much disrespect - even though for decades they have helped Singapore become the economic powerhouse that it is today. Reportedly, even the nationalists who fought for independence and helped build the Singapore we know today were influenced by the national hero of the Philippines - Dr. Jose Rizal.’
 
I am not blaming Nathan Allen for thinking so, that Singapore owes its success to the foreigners here for turning it into an economic powerhouse in the last decades. The assumptions here must be that the foreigners are very talented and without them Singapore would not be what it is today. If this is true, the same foreigners, with their talent and hardworking nature, must also have turned their own countries into economic powerhouses as well. This is straight forward logic. If they can make Singapore a power house, they must also be able to do the same to their poor and 3rd World countries.
 
The truth is that they are mostly the third or fourth rate talents of their countries. The top talents of their respective countries are doing very well at home as their elites, and there is no need for them to leave their countries to eke a living elsewhere. Many of the foreigners that are here are those that could not find decent jobs at home, not good enough. Shouldn’t they be grateful that Sin City found them so good to give them good jobs and good pay? Or maybe Sinkies are so untalented that these third and fourth rate foreigners are better than them and could easily find employment here than Sinkies?
 
Another strange phenomenon is that the top talents of these foreigners remained in their home countries but could not turn their countries into economic powerhouses. How could these third and fourth rate talents managed to turn Sin City into an economic powerhouse? Maybe these third and fourth rate talents are the real talents of their countries and if they were given a chance to replace their top talents at home, they could turn their countries into economic powerhouses just like they did for Sin City.
 
Do I sound logical? Why are these foreign talents so able to turn Sin City into an economic powerhouse while their countries remained as struggling economies, economic slum houses? What is the problem? My logic is flawed? Third and fourth rate talents could turn Sin City into economic power house but their first and second rate talents at home could not do the same to their countries?
 
Funny logic? Or 3rd World third and fourth rate talent’s logic?

Kopi Level - Green