myth 75

'Many Singaporeans are having a hard time' Despite some of the posts made here that Singaporeans are not doing well, not competitive, some trying to make ends meet, Singaporeans are actually, mostly, quite wealthy. A simple means of explaining this conclusion is to use the affordability formula. At the top, Singaporeans can afford some of the most expensive housing and cars. That will surely qualifies the rich Singaporeans as very well off. At the lower end, Singaporeans also can afford almost anything, even the much complained public transport system, public health, education, public housing etc. All these are priced according to the affordability formula which has proven that Singaporeans can afford them. And there will be small increases every now and then based on affordability. And the decision is made only when Singaporeans are found to be able to afford them. So when the next round of increases come about, don't worry, the Singaporeans can afford them. So, who says Singaporeans are poor or in financial trouble when they can afford so many good things, the best education system, the best medical and health care, the best transport system, housing, etc etc. It is a myth that Singaporeans are having a tough time. At the worst, they can opt to go for cheaper foreign brides and cheaper jobs overseas. Only when it is officially announced that Singaporeans cannot afford to pay for them then it may be reasonable to say Singaporeans are having problems.

the east asian nuclear club

While the cry for intervention and war against North Korea is being hyped by the Americans for their own good reasons, the East Asian countries know that it is for their own good that war should never occur in their soil. Any modern war involving big regional powers is going to be very devastating and the consequences are unthinkable. Let their leaders be wise enough and not be led by the Americans into a suicidal war among themselves. The confirmation by North Korea that it has successfully conducted an underground nuclear test today has seen calls for Japan, South Korea and even Taiwan to go nuclear. This arms race is going to increase the risk for Japan. Balancing against a North Korea is bad enough. If Japan goes nuclear, it cannot stop South Korea from doing so. Taiwan is either the dark horse or the joker in the pack. If all takes the nuclear road, Japan will now have to grapple with a more complicated situation as all the other countries, including Taiwan, are potential enemies of Japan. A nuclear North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan will give Japan a big headache. The only beneficiary in this nuclear stand off is North Korea. The Japanese and South Koreans and the Chinese, must find a solution to placate the North Koreas even to increase aid to the North against the American provocative position. War is not an option. The carrot is the only sensible alternative and collectively they need to make an offer that the North Koreans find it difficult to resist. The Americans can continue to beat their war drums. The East Asian states must find an amicable peaceful solution for their own future.

imported inflation?

1970 A fresh graduate started at $1,000. Cpf 6%. Take home pay $940. Mother got $200. $400 went to car and maintenance. Left with $340. Still a lot of money then to swing around. 2006 Fresh graduate gets $2000/$2800. CPF 20%. Take home pay $1,600/$2,240. Mother gets $400. Balance $1,200/$1,840. Owning a car will be down $1,200 average a month. ($500 for instalment, Insurance and road tax $120, petrol $400, parking and ERP $180). For those earning $2,000, forget about owning a car. For those earning $2,800, $640 left. $640 today is nothing compare to $340 in 1970. Are we better off? Oh imported inflation? ARF and road tax are not imported inflation. So is insurance which is pegged to the high price of a car due to taxes. ERP and parking are not imported inflation. Even petrol is not all imported inflation if the tax element is lower. Singaporeans should not think that by increasing their wages, they are better off. The wage increase is only meaningful to people who are earning $100K or $1 mil annually. To these people, 10% increment means $10K or $100K increment. To those earning $30K annually, it is only $3K, barely enough to cover the rising cost of living. It is a case of piling at the top of the heap and pinching at the bottom. And the conventional wisdom today is that this is a good thing, a natural thing caused by globalisation.

how not to tell your neighbour off?

I was in the lift with this old man neighbour. Once in the lift he blared out at the haze problem and was in total disgust about how a neighbouring country could be so irresponsible, and thoughtless. We were so close, and anything they do could affect us. The burning will send the haze to us and adversely affecting us. I nodded in full agreement. Neigbours must be mindful of what they are doing and how it would affect their neighbours. So I told him once I had this thoughtless neighbours who would cook in the corridor during a festival or dry his laundry there as well. The smell was unbearable. Neighbours have to be discipline and not to do unpleasant things to neighbours or the neighbour would have no choice but to tell them off. This part I did not say as it will be too blatantly direct. I have told this neighbour off twice. He got this bad habit of stuffing a small white stick into his mouth and it would be stucked there, spraying smelly smokes into the air. And he would do that inside the lift and the lift would smell for the next few hours. Now whenever he sees me he will stub it out. But when I am not around, he will do the same and the smell in the lift will not lie. Told him off a second time about the cigarette butts at the lift lobby. He was the obvious culprit. His defence was that the cleaners will come and sweep. Anyway, to him, the lobby is clean enough compare to other HDB lobbies. He was annoyed by my airing of displeasure. At least there is no cigarette butt around since then. This is the selfish nature of man. For his own convenience he would do it. But when others did it to him, he will complain. But the haze is an international thing. It is the act of a collective group of people and with a govt that is supposed to regulate such activities and good neighbourliness.

myth 74

'The govt failed to deliver a Swiss standard of living' Many have accused the govt of failing to live up to its promise to give the people a Swiss standard of living. But how fair is this criticism? Some may not yet attain this high standard of living. And it is expected that some will never reach there. The less able must be expected to live and feed on less. The widening income gap is only a natural and uncontrollable state of things caused by globalisation. The people must be realistic and cannot expect everyone to reach the Swiss standard of living in such a short time. Some will get there first and some later. One day all will get there. As of today, many who used to live in HDB flats have already move into huge bungalows and have enough fortune to last at least 5 generations without having to work. And all because of the govt and all the good policies to raise the standard of living of its people. The govt has achieved what it set out to do, at least partially. This is telling the whole truth, the whole picture and not half truth. Telling half truth is to blame the govt for not doing what it promised. This myth that the govt has failed has to be debunked. The govt has made it happened to many Singaporeans to attain the Swiss standard of living, even surpassing it.