ge round 24: waiting for balaji

It is not a matter of registering or not to register. Singaporeans must not continue to behave like the pavlov's animal. When a bell rings they will behave exactly how they have behaved before. When the govt said register, and all starts running to register without thinking if they need to. Just register for safety. Don't play with the law. And they do not bother to ask whether they need to register. When are Singaporeans going to start to think, to question? I am not trying to be rebellious by not registering. I just want to know if I need to register. The whole blogosphere is asking for a clearer definition of who should register. The govt needs to come forward and make it clear to the people. We have all been talking about transparency, communication, feedback, and this is what is needed now. It is the responsibility of the govt to make the rules clear to the people. They cannot come out with something wishy washy and let the people try to figure out what it means. Every blogger and forumer is waiting for a clarification from Balaji.

round 23:can this blog continue to post during election?

podcasting not allowed.. bloggers can discuss politics, but must register with the media department authority if they persistently promote political view.. now that would cover everything under the sky.. what are political views? it can mean anything, from a mp taking lunch at a food court to how many times a mp goes to the toilet. and do people in kopitiams talking politics also need to register with mda? so much for more freedom of expression.. why are singaporeans not allow to talk about singapore politics? this is our life, our country.. barring foreigners from interferring with our politics maybe acceptable.. but to gag singaporeans on talking politics is unacceptable.. oh, singaporeans have been blamed for being apathetic about politics huh? singaporeans not interested about what is happening in singapore? and when singaporeans talk about singapore's affairs, must register with mda? now who is killing singaporeans interest in our national affairs? is this the way to encourage singaporeans to be interested in how the country is being run? come on, the country belongs to singaporeans and concerned singaporeans must be allowed to discuss what is happening to the country and to comment on things that are unacceptable or wrong.. speak out about issues that concerned them.. or all these calls about speaking out are not meant to be taken seriously? how would it be if there is a clean sweep? or maybe all singaporeans should shut up and forget about what is happening to the country.. is that what liberalisation means? what opening up means? are we progressing? or do we want to head the way myanmar is heading?

new discovery - cpf rulings are rigid!

wow. finally the mps discovered that cpf rulings are too rigid.. and these include prohibition from withdrawing money to pay for a member's last hospitalisation bill.. didn't know that such rulings can exist. we got to thank eng hen for introducing some flexibility to reduce the difficulties faced by cpf members especially those who are terminally ill.. for this group they can withdraw their cpf earlier.. now ain't them lucky.. now there is an excuse for early withdrawal.. when one is limp. for the restrictive cpf regulations to continue for so long without it being addressed in parliament would be a good case for more genuine opposition candidates.. just wondering why the ruling party mps did not raise them or just discover them. maybe with eng hen's willingness to introduce more flexibilities, all the tough rules and regulations in cpf will be a thing of the past.. all it needs is a good minister to change them, or the alternative is for genuine opposition mps to raise them in parliament..

higher toll at the causeway

it is about time malaysia put a stop to singaporeans going over to pump cheap petrol and buying cheap local products, and enjoying cheaper hospitality and services.. for every trip that a singaporean drives in, he will save at least $20.. and if he goes to the maximum, he could save even $50.. and all at the expense of malaysia. now this is not good.. how can singaporeans go over and take advantage of a cheaper ringgit and lower cost in malaysia? malaysia is right to level the difference. malaysia is now pondering on levelling a $20 ringgit for every car that goes into malaysia, including the thais.. that is the wisest thing they have come up with after all these years.. in fact $20 ringgit is too low.. a reasonable and more equitable sum shall be $50 ringgit per car.. and when the new causeway bridge is up, then it should be $100 ringgit per car.. anyway for those singaporeans who have to go over, they have no choice but to go.. so malaysia must be brave enough to charge what is fair to them.. and singaporeans can afford to pay. and they must increase to $50 ringgit now.. then by the time the bridge is ready, they can add another $50 ringgits.. to increase all to $100 ringgit in one go is too much.. learn from singapore, increase a bit every year.. $50 now, next year $60, then $70, and when the bridge is operational, $100. that's the way to go.. why make your goods and services cheaper than singapore for singaporeans to take advantage of? if malaysia did not charge singaporeans more, than it is an unfair situation and malaysia is on the losing end.

asean unhappy with india and china

asean is unhappy with india and china for not interfering or putting pressure on myanmar to take the democratic road and allow more freedom and rights to her people. having failed in all attempts, the next logical thing for asean is to do a regime change.. and since asean is so adamant in interfering with myanmar's domestic affair, it should go all the way.. but asean cannot use the wmd formula to invade myanmar.. the formula has been found unworkable and myanmar definitely has no wmd.. unless of course cultivating and selling opium can be considered wmd. maybe asean should seek the advice from george bush or rice.. they would have better and more ingenious solution to the myanmar problem.. but asean must not forget that interfering in other nation's domestic affairs run counter to asean's principle of non interference and could set a precedence for other big powers to interfer in asean state and even do a regime change.