10m population – Crossing the line of diminishing return

Liu Thai Ker’s keynote address at a forum organised by the Business Times of SPH in collaboration with Singapore Institute of Building Limited yesterday (31 Jul) is drawing unusual flaks in the social media. He is singing the same sick mantra of growing population for economic growth and wanting more immigrants in the little island. More than 160 comments (in TRE) have been posted in the thread about the 10m population that Liu Thai Ker said was needed for Singapore to be a sustainable country. If this belief is true, Singapore would have perished long ago and all the small countries should not exist.

The netizens were not angry with Liu Thai Ker personally. But for him to repeat this folly is just unbearable. And they are looking for a scapegoat to vent their anger. Liu Thai Ker was in the right place to take the blows. To have 6.9m or 10m or 20m is just a matter of adjusting to a life in a more dense piece of rock. Can, sure can. The people would also become denser or be condensed.

It is not a matter of can or cannot. It is a matter of whether the people want to go down that road. It is not even a matter of being sustainable or not sustainable. There are many schools of thoughts on this and no one is wiser. It is not an absolute solution that we go this way or we will perish. Come on, is there a genius out there that can be sure of this, that there is no other ways?

By the same belief, I would not even grant it the privilege of calling it a logic, the Australians must be dumb to have so few people in a continent bigger than China, India or the USA and with a population of about 20m. The economists for growth will be screaming ‘fools’. The architects and property developers will be shaking their heads for the lost opportunities to build more buildings and fill up the land with more people. Wonder who is crazy?

Why do we want to keep building and building and to add more and more people into this piece of rock? What for? Oh, economic growth!  We have gone pass the law of diminishing return when every extra effort will give smaller and smaller returns. We are in a new level, a level when every extra effort, or increase in population, will lead to an increase in pain. The more people we put into the island, the higher will be the cost of living, the stress on the socio eco system, the infrastructure and the demands on the people. It will lead to more stress and more pain, on the people and on the systems and structures.

Those who are living in the confines of 50,000 sq ft properties would not know or feel that this is happening. Some wise crackpots are even telling the people that living in 600 sq ft flat for a family of 4 or 6 is fine, no drop in the quality of life. We used to have that kind of environment in the 50s and 60s, 8 or 10 people living in a cubicle. That was the quality of life. They escaped the squeeze by spending time outside the cubicles. Today the people are better off with aircon comfort in shopping centres and the great pubs and nightspots.

The people are saying they did not want this kind of squeeze. Why should their lives be screwed by a few people who want to push this belief through, even got it rubber stamped in Parliament? The govt has heard the cries and the felt the anger. But it seems to choose the deaf frog way, not wanting to listen and now we have a line up of snake oil sellers paraded to sell this koyok of more population. Who is the crazy one? The people must decide on this. The people have rejected the PWP. If the govt wants the moral authority to carry this through, it must call for a referendum before destroying this island for the Singaporeans and their children. Turning a deaf ear is not a solution. This is the people’s call, not the call of a handful of individuals, and definitely not the call of snake oil sellers.

Kopi Level - Red again. 

Tastefully offensive

TASTEFULLY OFFENSIVE

                         http://youtu.be/h6uq4OCla2c

View this. It was on America's got talent. They are not so uptight as a people and a society. They know how to have fun.

VEP- Trying to understand the decisions

The VEP and Toll fees hike is turning into another mini crisis or pain among the transport operators and travelers on both sides of the causeway. When one hiked the other party also wants to hike. It can be Singapore first or Malaysia first, doesn’t matter. If Malaysia does it, Singapore’s standard reaction will be, we will match the hike.

For the party who made the first move, one can quite safely deduce that they must have done some homework, some analysis on the numbers and the reasons for hike. Let’s hazard a guess on the reasons why LTA decided on the fee hike. The first point is likely that the govt needs money and someone was told to look for more revenue sources. Can the CPF issue be a factor where some changes will take place to return some money to the people to appease them? A second reason is to relate the cost of driving on our roads with comparatively higher COEs that the Singaporeans are paying. A third reason, too many vehicles on the road and a need to limit foreign vehicles coming in. But this third reason is contrary to the need for economic growth, to have more economic activities, more people and vehicles in the island. Raising fees would definitely lead to lesser vehicles coming here if they could avoid it, lesser Malaysians driving in for leisure, and lesser Malaysians shopping here and thus affecting the Great Singapore Sale. Oh, GSS is over already I think.

A fourth reason, would this affect those Singaporeans buying properties or setting up factories at Iskandar? What kind of impact? Likely to be negative, but is it good or bad for Singapore?

LTA must have played with the different combinations on what would be the desired fee hike and the acceptable consequences. So lesser vehicles, lesser people coming in are acceptable trade offs for the increased in revenue. And if the Malaysians retaliate by raising fees on their side, even lesser vehicles and people coming in, but with a corresponding match in toll fee hike, the increased in revenue is good.

What would be the motivating factors for the Malaysians to do so? The first is political. KNN anyhow raise VEP to make Malaysian vehicles pay more. Must hit back to show them we cannot be makan or bullied. Another reason, well, using the political excuse will be popular with the people, but better still, can raise revenue also. This is like killing two birds with one stone. Can tekan the Singapore govt and appease the Malaysians. Got balls!. The third reason, or haven’t thought of, what if this leads to lesser Singaporeans coming into Malaysia? Would it affect the tourist dollar, would it affect the sales of properties at Iskandar and the bigger plan of turning Iskandar into a shining pearl? What about the ordinary Malaysians crossing over to work and the children taking public transport to schools? This last question going to be susah.

What both sides must have thought through would be the likely effect of choking up the causeway and the second link. People, goods and money will not flow so smoothly through these two links. It would definitely affect the economy the wrong way. It is like throwing a spanner in the works by both sides.

Why would the two govts want to do these things? In Singapore’s case, boh lui is a likely to be a big factor. For the Malaysians, it is like trying to fight a battle only to lose a war.

Kopi Level - Green

Ebola – Are we safe?

With our open leg policies, are we safe from Ebola? MOH said Singaporeans should not be alarmed as the transmission is by direct physical contact of body fluids. Also ‘there is low travel connectivity to West Africa, where the current outbreak remains limited to’.
 
Just don’t be alarmed, which means what? There is little connectivity from here to West Africa. But there are indirect connectivities to West Africa by travelers from all over the world. The disease is posing a health epidemic across the whole world. Every country is alarmed and raising checks and quarantining travelers.
 
Pray it doesn’t hit us. Our jam packed trains are not going to be very helpful if one joker is affected. Remember Murphy’s Law. Pray, pray hard.

PS: This is the scary part. 

'The incubation period of EVD varies from 2 to 21 days. Patients are not known to be contagious during the incubation period but become contagious once they begin to show symptoms which include sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, joint pain, headache and sore throat. This can be followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, stomach pain, red eyes, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases bleeding. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for EVD.' Copied from a post in TRE.

Kopi Level - Green

The shifting and changing intolerance

We were once an immigrant country. We have the blood of immigrants. A stroke of luck, we became the owners of this island that we made it our home. We were generous to foreigners coming here. We welcomed them and extended our hospitality to them. Practically every foreigner who sat foot here went home in praise of our generosity.
 
When foreigners were small in numbers, when they came as tourists and just passing by, things were good for both them and us. They came to enjoy our little island paradise. We gave them a pleasant stay and a happy memory to bring home. They came and they left fulfilled.
 
As more and more foreigners came and stayed, things changed. We started to feel some annoyance and irritations in the beginning. But never mind, the govt said we should welcome them for all the good reasons. The govt did not tell us the bad reasons and the consequences of having too many foreigners living with us.
From rushing for a seat in the train, a seat in the hawker centre, we find that we had to compete with the foreigners for living space. Our space has been invaded. We need to share our space with the foreigners. The level of tolerance fell. They are becoming more than an irritant.
 
And more came. We suddenly woke up and realized that we had to compete with foreigners for jobs, for housing, for education, for the right to earn a decent living, for everything. The level of tolerance became intolerable. But we were polite, we bowed our heads, gave way to the foreigners. Many PMEs resigned to their fate to become taxi drivers and security guards. They deserved it as they had given up the fight. We gave way, we gave up our better lives and jobs to let the foreigners have a better life.
 
The foreigners were very nice people. When they were new, small in numbers, they were polite and a bit fearful of the owners of the land. They gave way to us, avoided offending us. Things started to change when their numbers increased, when they became familiar with the system and the docile owners. They started to get annoyed with our presence. We became an irritant to them.
 
They even ganged up to steal our jobs, our space, took our convenience for their convenience. Now they even discriminated against us, the owners of the land. They told us they were smarter, cleverer, and they were here to help us. They started to despise us. They thought they were superior to us, they have every right to be in this land of ours. We must give way to them. If we are not happy, they told us to move out.
The arrogance became rudeness, became offensive. They did not like us and did not have to like us. They did not like our presence. They even gave us the hostile stare in the trains like we should not be there. They called us xenophobic.
 
The foreigners are getting intolerant of us, the citizens, the owners of this land. The Little India Riot is not going to be the last. When they are big in numbers, there is nothing to stop them from beating us, from violence, from rioting, and worst.
 
The intolerance level has changed, the intolerance has changed side. They cannot tolerate our way of life, our cooking, our festivities, the noise we created. The foreigners, because of their numbers, and the docile and daft Sinkies allowing them to do as they pleased, are growing intolerant of us, the citizens here.
 
What’s next? Would they be thinking of chasing us away, the citizens, out of our homes, our country? Can you believe that? Threatening citizens, shouting at citizens and beating citizens? In the trains they would rush for the seats first, ignoring the citizens. They have become very comfortable here, too comfortable with the daft citizens. They can makan the citizens. The citizens must not offend them or else.
 
Welcome to the new 3rd World?

Kopi Level - Green

Gaza Massacre – All quiet on the Western Front

When China sneezes or stretches its arms or legs, the whole western media would be up in arms lashing at China for being assertive, being aggressive and all the jazz. The tirades of vindictive news and so called analyses would flood the front pages of western media, filled with hatred, contempt and vehemence and sting. All China did was to trade, to protect their territories against pesky little countries who came around scratching. And no one was killed or even wounded. But in Washington, the crazy trigger happy cowboys would be asking for blood, for sanctions or military intervention. Many Arab and Middle Eastern countries were victims of such western hatred against Asians and Africans. At the slightest excuse they would bomb them out of existence.
 
The Gaza Massacre has been going on for weeks, and the death toll has passed 1,000 and increasing daily and rapidly. Where are the bleeding heart western journalists and media and their cries to protect the weak, the innocent, the old and the young? Silence, total silence.
 
Israel can go on killing the Palestinians, but the western journalists and media will be very quiet. They just dunno what to say? So would the crazy cowboys in Washington. Killing the Arabs is normal. Israel is friend.
Where are the tough talks of sanctions, sailing the 6th Fleet into the Mediterranean as a show of force to stop the Israelis from massacring the Palestinians? Fat hope. They are in it together. The great White God would not move a finger to save or protect the coloured people. Let the killing continues.
 
God bless.

Kopi Level - Green

An American experience

This is an often quoted story of why the white Americans would move out of their neighbourhood once a black family moved in. It is stereotyping to a certain extent but it is a general rule other than the exceptions. The value of the properties in the neighbourhood suffered an immediate fall. No white Americans would want to live in a smelly slum, crime infested, and different social behavior or way of life.
 
The value of a neighbourhood is affected by the people living there. The value of properties in Bukit Timah and Tanglin will plunge if it is turn into a smelly slum akin to the US. The value of all properties in Sin City will fall if 3rd World people flooded the island and make this their home. The Singaporeans will just move out.
And you cannot expect the 3rd World people to retain the character of the island when they are in the majority. When they are small in numbers, they would comply with the current social norms and behavior. Notice the increasing litters, empty beer bottles all over the island? What happened to the clean garden city?
When they take over, their norms and behavior will be the new normal. Go visit their favourite haunts in the islands and feel that you are in their country and ask yourself is this what you want for your Sin City?
 
Your HDB flats would not be the same when the foreigners and foreign workers moved in. They lived under different norms, different comfort levels, different cleanliness and hygiene standards. The value of the flats in the block will be affected once the foreigners become a majority tenants. It will be like the American neighbourhoods. But they could move out. In Sin City, many could not afford to move out and would have to bear with the new normal brought about by the new comers.
 
From 3rd World to First World and back. Can we really remain as a 1st World city if half of the people here are from the 3rd World, with 3rd World social habits, cultures, norms and standards? We are even losing our clean and green image and the daft asses are blaming the Singaporeans for it. Progress?

Kopi Level - Green

CPF an asset or liability to the govt?

We have been told that our CPF is part, or a major part, of our national reserves. It must therefore be an asset. As such, it is good to keep growing the reserves with more and more CPF money in it. And as an asset, you don’t have to worry about returning it. Our national reserves cannot be used anyhow right? It would need the President’s approval, if I am not mistaken, to touch our national reserves. So to touch our CPF money, which is part of the reserves, is unthinkable. Can see cannot touch. It is sacred, part of the national reserves. A govt can only spend the surplus revenue it generated.
 
What if the CPF is a liability to the govt, a borrowed fund that must be returned? If our CPF is a liability, then there would be no incentive to keep it in the reserves but to reduce it when there is a surplus, to reduce the liability. And if it is a liability, the funds managing it must also be thinking about redemption by the members. When CPF members hit 55, they are going to withdraw their CPF savings. But when funds managing the CPF money do not think it is a liability that is subject to withdrawal and redemption, there is no need to ensure that the fund is liquid to meet such requirements. The funds can invest for the long term, and when there is no need to return, and the long term can be forever.
 
Why is the CPF saving the nation’s reserves when it is the people’s money that must be returned? Is this an international convention, an accounting convention, to regard the people’s savings as national reserves and an asset that does not need to be returned?
 
Can anyone clarify on these contradictions?

Kopi Level - Green

Singaporeans should go the dodo way

I am starting to question myself as to who really built this city. One thing for sure, it cannot be Singaporeans. Singaporeans are simply daft and got no talent. If there are any Singaporeans with some talent, they can only be found in the govt, earning millions happily paid by the daft to control them.
 
There was this great city paradise once called Singapore that was handed to the Singaporeans. Now it is turning into a 3rd World slum, or soon it will be one. The Singaporeans are so ungracious, they are so unkind, they are so wicked, this part is true if you know how some of them abused their maids, and they are xenophobic also.
 
And the island, once the cleanest city state in the world, is now getting so dirty with litters and rubbish everywhere, it is going to become a slum. It must be the fault of the daft Singaporeans. And despite years and years of education and no littering campaigns, they still cannot cut this bad habit and keep on littering. Look at the beer bottles and plastic bags all over the place, in public parks, in open fields, everywhere.
The Singaporeans are incorrigible, cannot be taught to be gracious, to look after a clean city handed to them for safe keeping. And they can all boast about being 1et World citizens, being very well educated, but they could not keep their little island clean.
 
No wonder the govt is replacing them with foreigners from the 3rd World that are better in all ways, even in cleanliness. The foreigners came to sweep the grounds and keep the grounds clean. The foreigners are very nice people, very kind, very gracious, and do not litter.
 
As for the Singaporeans, they don’t even treat this island as their country and feel very happy to litter everywhere, dirty everywhere, because it does not belong to them. It is good to have the foreigners here to teach the Singaporeans how to live well and live clean, keep their city clean.
True or not? Do the Singaporeans deserve to go the dodo way?

PS. Every silly bugger, local and foreign, is pointing the finger at the Singaporeans. This must be the right thing to do, so I just join the bandwagon, in Singaporean bashing.

Kopi Level - Green

CPF – No good reason to hold back the people’s money after 55

Over the years, and in the last few weeks, many people have been regurgitating the same few reasons for the govt to withhold or retain the people’s life savings for as long as the govt so decides. And none of the reason is acceptable, reasonable, logical, sensible, justifiable, morally ethical, believeable… without sounding deceitful, childish and foolish, to hold back the life savings of a few million citizens of sound mind, sensible, responsible, mature, knowledgeable, experience and financially able to manage their own money. Many of those reaching 55 are well educated men and women holding very responsible positions in top management, professionals, but all lumped together like the ignorant, reckless, irresponsible and uneducated peasants that would throw away all their money in a moment of fancy or be cheated of everything.

The top reason, what if they spend all their money quickly? So?
The next hot favourite, what if they spend their money on pretty mei meis or go to Batam or Bintang or Lijiang? So?
What if they go to the casinos and gamble everything away? So?
What if they splurge on cars or luxury items to live like a king for a few days? So?
What if they really did not know how to manage their money? So?
What if they got cheated by the con men and con women? So?
What if they adopted some pretty god daughters who happily addressed them as sugar daddy? So?
What if they stand on top of a building and threw all their money away? So?
What if they live to 80, 90 or 100 years? So?

There are many reasons that we cannot think of, cannot imagine of, that a person would squander all his money withdrawn from the CPF? So? For every one of these reasons, or a combination of these reasons, or for all the above reasons, is it good enough a reason for the govt to withhold the money of all the innocent, sensible and responsible from them at 55?

The act of withholding all the people’s money just because of a few that would squander their money away, one way or another, is as good as condemning every one reaching 55 as idiots, irresponsible, imbeciles, and stupid. All will be found guilty and must be punished for a crime they did not commit or would not commit but on the assumption that they will commit. What kind of reasoning is that? What kind of justice is that? Everyone presumed guilty, presumed to be reckless and irresponsible with their money?

Such a reasoning and action cannot even hold water in a 3rd World country where the majority of the people are uneducated and ignorant. We are talking about a population of educated, widely travelled, experienced, knowledgeable and responsible people at the prime of their lives and would remain so for another 20 or 30 years! Why can’t they be trusted with their own money? Which boy or girl in the govt said so?

And this is not even an issue. There is no good reason to retain or keep a person’s life savings from him when he/she reaches 55. Absolutely no good reason. Period. Even if he is of unsound mind, his family should have the right to take care of him and his money. This is private matter. What has the govt got to do with it?

To accede to such logic is a very dangerous precedent. In the same thinking, all the people can be put in jail to protect their lives as some are found to jump onto train tracks or walked into the reservoir. Could a well educated populace be stupid enough to say such reasoning is good, healthy and ethically correct to be used to restrict or restrain the freedom of the people and the use of their money? It is unbelieveable that some really think it is ok.

What right has the govt to meddle with the people’s money? It is not your money, dummy.

Kopi Level - Green

The history of mercenaries or foreigners in uniform

In modern history, the practice of using foreigners or employing foreigners in uniform was likely to originate from the colonial powers. The European powers, the Japanese, all recruited foreigners to be soldiers and policemen, to assist them in controlling their colonies. The British were notables for having army units in big numbers, regiment sizes, in India to govern the Indian subcontinent. And during the wars, these units were ordered to fight side by side with the British soldiers.

The Japanese recruited the Koreans and Taiwanese to rule their colonies in Southeast Asia, as defensive forces, guarding installations and some as fighting units. What was clear in the composition of these foreign uniform units was that they were used to control the colonies and foreigners. The Japanese would not, never, use the Koreans or the Taiwanese in Japanese soil to guard and check the Japanese citizens.

This was the same for the British and other European powers. The foreign soldiers would only be used to control the subjects of the Empire, never to control and to have authority over their own kinds. The Indian military and police units were used to control the Indians and rule India. The Gurkhas too were to control the colonies and to defend the Empire. And these units were always commanded by the British or the Europeans in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

No sensible country with some pride and dignity, and ‘thinking’, would recruit foreigners and give them authority over their own citizens. There is also the security risk of foreigners revolting against the masters as had happened in India and right in Singapore by the Sepoy Line units.

Today, would there be countries that would voluntarily go ahead to recruit foreigners into their military and police forces to have authority over their own citizens, to guard and rule over their own citizens? What would it look like if a country recruited foreigners to ‘protect and defend’ its territory, to guard its immigration points, key installations and depots and to ‘protect its people’ or to prevent its people from mischiefs or civil disobedience? What would it be like if the foreigners in uniform were to arrest the citizens for whatever reasons or to shoot at the citizens?

And the ultimate security fear, if the foreigners rebelled and take over the country? The British, Japanese and European powers were too smart for that. They only used the foreigners to guard and rule over foreigners, and with their own officers in charge. They were the masters and would rule the foreigners, never the other way. Never would they allow foreigners to rule over their people in the days of Empires.

Things have changed today with the blurring of nationalities and citizenship. The karmic retribution has resulted in the colonial masters having to absorb subject people from their former colonies to be their citizens, and to be in uniformed. And the dark Africans and Asians could be arresting English men and women in the streets of London or French in Paris. But it would not happen in Japan. It is unthinkable to the Japanese to have foreigners in uniform in their homeland and to have authority over the Japanese. Japan would still be Japan and belong to Japan. England and many European countries are gradually being colonised by the very people they colonised in the days of Empires. There is a process of reversed colonisation in Europe.

Kopi Level - Green

VEP – The most expensive ERPs

Singapore govt decided to raise vehicle entry permit fees for vehicles coming in from Malaysia. Easy revenue! What’s wrong with collecting more money? Malaysia also agrees and decides to raise fees for vehicles going through Malaysia, in and out. Both govts are now very happy as they will be the winners, collecting more money for the coffers. Some say it is a tit for tat reaction by Malaysia. And to be one up on Singapore, it is raising toll fees for vehicles entering and exiting Malaysia as well. Singapore govt responded by saying it will match whatever increases the Malaysians will imposed. Tit for tat?

Who would be unhappy, the commercial vehicles that have no choice but to go in and out of both countries. The cost will just go up. The visitors, the tourists from both sides would also have to pay more. The workers working in both sides of the causeway would also have to pay more. Then the people from Singapore who have bought homes and living across the causeway would have to pay more too. It will become very unattractive if they have to commute daily to Singapore. The new charges will be quite prohibitive for those who thought the homes were bigger and cheaper.

The bigger picture, Iskandar Economic Zone, all the property developers too, would be affected. The advantages of lower cost over Singapore would be eaten up in no time if fees and taxes keep going up. Those people eyeing properties in Iskandar, or those wanting to relocate their businesses would have to recompute their costs and the comparative advantages.

Actually the commercial vehicles coming into Singapore would not bear the cost. They would simply pass the buck. And many businesses would also do likewise. The main casualties would be the developers and the Iskandar project. Would investors get cold feet, would potential property buyers get cold feet knowing that out of the blue some rules will change against their favour?

On Singapore’s side, the masses would be the one paying for the VEP hike and toll fees. The food, vegetables, fruits and goods coming from Malaysia would just be priced higher. And those who holiday in Malaysia often, or those who went in for their daily shopping, would no longer find it cheap to travel there. Some retail businesses in Johore would be affected for sure.

While everyone would have their pockets affected in one way or another, both the Malaysian and Singapore govts would be the beneficiaries and their coffers fattened. Or is it a conscious decision to reduce the flow of people and goods from both sides? Oh, one positive point, the roads on both sides of the causeway could be freer with less vehicles. And the jams at the Causeway would be relieved.

Looking at it from another angle, it appears that one made the decisions consciously with clear objectives in mind, a decision made using the head. The other made all the decisions with the heart, and not sure what would be achieved and the negative consequences.

Kopi Level - Green

CPF not the only way in retirement plans

For those who have been following the public discussion on the CPF schemes and how it should be tweaked into a better system must be very assured of how good the improved version 1.01 would be, or must be. The experts have them all worked out. The new system would be carefully structured and calibrated to apportion the CPF savings for retirement, for medical, for emergencies, for sudden short of funds, and for the savers to retire comfortably with no worries.

I would not hazard to guess how much one would need to put into the CPF to have peace of mind and no financial worries in the golden years. And it would likely have to prepare the people to save enough to live till 100 years.

All this sounds so good. The main assumption is that the people can afford to save all the money they need to save. Question, what about those who cannot afford to save? What about those who don’t even have enough to meet their daily needs?

There is also this tussle between saving enough to retire and live comfortably or a scheme that treat the CPF as one of many other provisions for old age, and that a compulsory scheme should only dictate one to provide for the minimum or basic needs. Even the Medishield Life which I thought was on the right track in providing for the basic coverage, there are people, rich people, who wanted the Medishield Life to provide for B1. If this is an upgrade for those who are able to pay for more, it is fair. If this is used by the rich for their rich nees, and used as the premise for computing the premiums for all, then the not so rich would end up sharing the cost of the rich.

I still think that such compulsory schemes should be designed to cater for the lowest denominator, the basics while the extras should be an options for those who demands for them and able to pay for them.  Do not make the poor pay for the fancies of the rich in a public compulsory scheme. And the CPF must not be thinking of becoming the only means of savings and thus must be loaded up for a comfy retirement for the rich. People have many other ways to provide for their retirement and CPF is not the only way. Do not impose a savings schemes on the people that cannot afford to have one. And do not make the CPF the mother of all savings schemes to provide for everything under the sky. Not many can afford such a comprehensive and rich scheme, or need such a scheme. Many would rely on family support for their golden years and even regard the CPF as superfluous.

There are many roads leading to Rome.

Kopi Level - Green

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

While the Muslims here and the rest of the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan, the killings of the Palestinians continue in Gaza. More than 1,000 Palestinians have died in this new violence after three Israeli boys were killed in West Bank. Where were the Western human right provocateurs and govt when they are needed to put a stop to this slaughtering of the civilians? Killing Palestinians is ok

The Israelis are in total control of the West Bank and Gaza and with overwhelming superiority in fire power, they would use them happily and readily with no hesitation. There is no inhibition on the part of the Israelis as no Arab country could do anything, and no Western country will lift a finger to stop the killings. And any Arab country that dares to intervene would only incur the fury of the Israelis and the West. It is a one sided sideshow that is allowed to go on unrestrained. The Western powers would simply look the other way, and the only power that could restrain the Israelis has little reason to do so.

The Palestinians, their lives and their right to live as ordinary people, were abandoned by the West the day they moved the Jews into their land. They could only cry and cry but helpless and powerless. So were the Muslim countries as the world’s Number One superpower would not allow anyone to come to the aid of the Palestinians. Obama might shed a few crocodile tears as if he bothers, to make a show of it. Most of the time the Americans would act so civilise, please talk, no military intervention like they did in Iraq, Libya, Syria and elsewhere, to do anything but forcing the Israelis to stop. They have been ‘wayanging’ for the last 70 years. And the daft Arabs and the Muslim world are still placing hope on the Americans and the Western powers to save the Palestinians. They never learn, they did not know who is the real devil behind the killings.

This must be the biggest joke of the century. Would the West spare a thought for the poor Palestinians? Oh, why should they? The Palestinians are the bad guys, the Israelis are the good guys. Didn’t they kill 3 Israelis boys? The revenge killings of more than a thousand Palestinians did not make the Israelis the bad guys. And good guys will only support the good guys.

If only the balance of military power is not one sided, the Israelis would not be so trigger happy to strike. They knew that they are in control and it is up to them to dictate, to attack or not to attack the Palestinians, to kill or nor to kill the Palestinians.

Would anyone wish to send best wishes to the Palestinians in the equivalent of Hari Raya Aidil Fitri? Power is right, might is right. If the Palestinians want to live a decent life, they have to be as strong as the Israelis, but that is not going to happen with the Americans and the Western powers on the side of the Israelis. They would not allow the Palestinians to be military strong to take on the Israelis.

More protests at Hong Lim on Gaza killings? Would there be justice for the Palestinians? Who decides? Who is behind it?

Kopi Level - Green. Thank you everyone.

CPF - If they spend all their savings then how?

Heard Chuan Jin using this same argument again at the CPF forum. So? Is this an acceptable reason for the govt to hold back the people’s life savings? Many people would not have enough savings in their CPF anyway. This is a normal scenario in all countries. But very few would be so desperate to need govt handouts. So?

Whether people spent away their life savings prematurely, many would not have anything left or enough to feed themselves past 70 anyway, is a different problem and a different matter. Many would have other means and sources of income to keep them going. And for those who don’t have any money left, not necessary squandering their CPF savings away, as they just did not have the means to save enough, not clever enough to earn millions, what is the govt going to do about them?

Just because some people have some savings in their CPF, does it mean that the govt can grab hold of this money on the excuse or pretext that they would spend them and would have nothing in old age? How many have the good fortune to have enough savings to last through their lives?

What is the govt going to do with people that have no savings and still need to live on? These are stupid people, irresponsible people, they deserve to starve to death? Smart people and responsible people may also end up in such a situation through a stroke of bad luck or misfortune.

It is not a reason or a good reason for the govt to hold on to the people’s money in the CPF on the ground that they people would spend them and left with nothing. Many would spend them, for the right or wrong reasons. So? Is this a justifiable reason, morally and ethical reason to hijack the people’s savings, all the people’s savings, because a few may need help? Even God would not have the audacity or arrogance to make such a decision, to take the people’s money away from them.

Life is not so simple as one would expect it. Save, save a lot, be thrifty, be responsible and you will be alright. Some of the super talents and millionaire ministers may end up bankrupt and needing govt assistance one day.

What is the problem with the govt’s justification to withhold the people’s life savings, to manage it at its own discretion, without needing the consent of the people, the owners of the money?

What is the govt going to tell those who would not live past 65 or 70 and did not have the chance to spend their life savings to live a few good days or a few good years. There will be more who would not benefit from their life savings due to premature death than the few who would need govt assistance.

Please tell the people it is your right as a democratically elected govt to do such a thing.

Kopi Level - Red. Where is everyone?

World of Internet Brigade revealed

‘Much has been mentioned within the internet about the existence of the PAP Internet Brigade (a.k.a “PAP IB”), but few know how this secretive group operates, and who their puppet-masters are. The Singapore Hall of Shame (SHS) was given exclusive access to their inner workings thanks to one of their former members; Agent Kelly.

My Compass

The SHS plans to publish a series of articles, shedding light on their structure, their identities, and their methods. As a start, we explore the secretive Facebook Group, “My Compass”.

There are 4 “My Compass” administrators whom co-ordinate communication strategies for 260 members. Access to this by invitation-only group, is via recommendations of existing trusted members.

  

Upon receiving instructions by the administrators, unquestioning members spring into action to counter unfavourable chatter forming against PAP members or its linked entities. They operate in large numbers with the primary objective of drowning out negative comments and derailing the discussions on the internet.

In addition, they also monitor Facebook activities of opposition parties, and call for reinforcements to help counter statements that are critical of the ruling party. On mundane days, typical actions including like-ing the FB pages of the PAP MPs to boast the popularity of MPs. Some of their communications and actions are captured below:’ This is part of an article posted and reposted in several sites in the social media.

A people’s initiative, spontaneous, not financed by any body. What does this mean? On one side there is a group that is financed by a powerful organization, not sure if they are paid, to attack other bloggers and stirred shit in the social media. This is a very unethical thing that no respectable people will do, and no respectable organization will support and finance.

On the other side, there is a group of vigilantes formed by the people to defend those people being attacked. There is righteousness and high moral ground on the side of this group of people to defend justice against rogues and mercenaries out to harass and unnerve innocent people.

With these two groups of people engaging in battle in the social media, who would likely to be respected by the masses? Who would look like the evil doers, the despicable and the shameless?

The Singapore Hall of Shame group is like the freedom fighters taking on the gangsters. It would really be nice if they could expose the rogues and shame them in public. They would bring disgrace to their families if they are made known to be engaged in such hideous activities against their fellow men. And if they can be linked to whatever organizations, it will look ugly and embarrassing no matter how they denied their associations with such unethical practices.

Would the presence of the SHS bring about the end of such dubious activities in the social media or at least restrain their masters from going all out to embarrass themselves thinking that they could get away with it? The internet is very transparent despite the veneer of anonymity. All activities can be traced, by both sides.

Kopi Level - Green

SIA was just so lucky

According to all the information floating around, an SIA plane, ‘SQ 351 was 25km or just 1min 40sec behind MH 17 at 777′s cruise speed of 905km/h’. Whew! I doubt the rebels were monitoring the IFF or transponders codes the aircraft was sending out. Why did they shoot at MH17 and not other aircraft? One theory, they were aiming at Putin’s aircraft that was expected to be there about the same time. If that was the case, it could not be the works of the rebels as they are pro Russians. Here’s the Freudian Slip.

If it was the work of the rebels, and if they have IFF equipment, it is unlikely for them to want to shoot down a Malaysian aircraft. Malaysia is on friendly terms with the Russians. Any agency with IFF capability would know what they were shooting at and could decide otherwise. For any agency knowing that it was MH17, and to shoot it down, it must be done on purpose.

The other scenario that they just shoot at anything that was moving without knowing what it was could be a possibility. But would the culprits, whichever party, be so reckless to shoot at anything that moved and risked shooting down a friendly aircraft? It all points to the possibility that the culprit knew who they were shooting at.

If it was pure chance, trigger happy reckless rebels that did not care what they were shooting, what the hell was going on, then SIA was just sooooo lucky and MAS was just soooo unlucky. This is not a mindless and purposeless war, anarchy, with everyone was just shooting for the sake of shooting. No, do not think the people involved are stupid, did not know what they were doing. Give them some respect and credit for knowing what they were doing.

Could such a decision to shoot down an aircraft, possibly a civilian aircraft on a know flight corridor be made without thinking, without knowing what aircraft it was? The people with an agenda would want the world to believe what they want to make out of it.

Like the sinking of the Choenan, who would be blame for the downing and who would gain from it? These may give some idea as who could be behind it.

Kopi Level - Green

Cost of land of HDB flat

Roy Ngerng wrote in his latest article claiming that the cost of land of an average HDB flat is about $200,000 for a $300,000 flat. This will be raised in the 3rd ‘Return Our CPF’ protest rally at Hong Lim on 23 Aug. I am not sure how Roy derived at this number. Taking it as a good estimate, presuming Roy has done his homework, let’s see what this figure means?
 
Assuming that Roy is talking about a 1000 sq ft flat. And assuming that the block is 24 storey high. Now multiply that $200,000 by 24, it will give $4.8m. It will mean that each sq ft of the land will cost $4,800. Is this a reasonable sum to pay for a 99 year lease land on which a 99 year lease flat is built on? And the figure will be a staggering $6,000 per sq ft if it is a 30 storey high block of flats, and more if higher.
 
How much is the land cost in the private sector? Looks like Roy’s number is too high, or is it another undiscovered truth that Roy is going to talk about?

Kopi Level - Green

Getting tough on the US isn’t easy

William Pesek wrote an article in the Today paper titled, ‘Getting tough on China isn’t easy’ on 22 Jul. He quoted Hillary Clinton’s statement in 2009, ‘How do you deal toughly with your banker?’ I have thus redirected the same question and ask, ‘How do you deal toughly with your gangster debtor?’
 
China has bought up over US$1.3 trillion of Treasury Bills and in a way financing and paying for the Americans’ extravagance that often ended in China bashing. Most of America’s international policies were targeted at China and backed up by a huge military expenditure, to contain China, ironically paid by China. And the Americans are complaining about China, how to contain China to prevent it from overtaking the Americans as the world’s number One economy and military power.
 
This is the strangest relationship of the 21st Century. China paying the Americans to support a huge military force that they used to threaten China in every disagreement, dispute or contested situation, ranging from economics, trade deficits to regional squabbles far away from the American continent.
 
And the best part, the US is trying to get tough with China, talking tough with China and very eager to use force against China to prove who is in charge, financed by China. And China is paying for the aggressive and provocative stance of the Americans. The Americans are the friendly party, the non provocative one. The Chinese are the aggressive one, the provocateur. And the Americans are sending its military everywhere to confront the Chinese in business suits and bags of goods to trade.
 
From China’s perspective, it must be very tough lending so much money to a thug, an international gangster that only believed in the use of force and went about carry guns and bombs instead of peaceful negotiation. And this thug is threatening not to pay what he owes to China and devising all kinds of schemes to wash away its debt, printing money and more money that China cannot do anything about. Would China be able to get its money back if this gangster borrower decides not to pay? It is really very tough when the gangster puts his big gun on the table in every discussion as a show of force.
 
China is really finding it very difficult to get tough with this borrower, with debt up to his eyebrows, and demanding to borrow more when it does not have the same big gun to bring to the table to say no. Isn’t it precarious to lend so much money to a thug that China has no means of overpowering and worst, the thug is challenging the lender to a fight whenever an opportunity presents itself? It is playing wargames in China’s courtyard and telling China what can you do about it.

Who is finding it tough with who?

Kopi Level - Green. Nearly Blue. Thank you and kopi on me on 23 Aug at Hong Lim.

CPF – What is there to tweak?

To many CPF members, all they want is to get their money back at 55. What is there to tweak? To the govt, it could mean a few things. They believe they were doing all the right things and could afford to be deaf. Now when the muffler had be snatched away, they found the noise too painful to bear, and with a lot of genuine complaints that cannot be ignored, that what the govt was doing to the CPF was unacceptable. Apparently the govt is acknowledging that not all is well.
 
Credit must go to Roy and Hui Hui and their team of speakers, not forgetting the protestors that spent time and money to get to Hong Lim, rain or shine. No one can keep a rotting carcass in a box forever without the stench reaching out to hit everyone.
 
Now is tweaking time instead of scheming time. And the govt is going to tweak the CPF, but it is still not going to return the money to the people at 55. This part die die cannot be tweaked. So, would all the impending tweaks mean anything or change anything?
 
What is the main issue? What is the main bugbear? Would the tweaking deal with the real problem, the real unhappiness of the people?
 
What do you think? Roy, please tell them the truths, gently, nicely. If they don’t understand or don’t want to understand, keep repeating, keep repeating.
 
The govt is still practicing selective listening. The part on returning the money at 55 is still not heard, would not be heard.

Kopi Level - Green. Nearly Blue. Thank you. Kopi for those going to Hong Lim on 23 Aug on me.