Good old vintage wine

Choktong is turning out to be a wise teacher for the opposition and the population at large, telling them what politics and electioneering really are. During the election campaign it is alright to promise whatever the people want or whatever the contending party thinks the people want. No need to worry about how to get the money to do it. It will only be an issue after the election. And by then, when elected, the whole govt machinery is there to find the money to fulfil the promise. Opposition parties need not worry about being thrown questions of how are they going to finance their election pledges and promises to the people. GST is a great instrument for the future. Higher fees, charges, fares etc are all the cards that they can play. So in the next election, just ask the people what they want and promise to deliver when elected. More upgradings, more hospitals, more parks, more free porridges, more shark's fin soups, more mee siam, more handouts, more education or whatever accounts, even more discounts on HDB conservancy charges. 3 months discounts follow by paying for the rest of your life. Opposition parties could even up the offer by giving 6 months discounts. The opposition parties and the people have a lot to learn.

oil price down, prices still up

When petrol prices were shooting to US$80, companies quickly jumped at the high fuel cost and jacked up prices and fees. Now petrol prices are returning to ground level but no one seem to want to do anything. Or they are hoping to hold on with the high prices for as long as they can, and reaping all the additional profits? Commercial business logic!

Property prices shooting through the roof!

Property prices shooting through the roof! Long queues are back at the launching sites of new condo developments. People fighting to join the queues. New properties were quickly snapped up. Prices set to rise further! The good times are back. People are now rich again and all crazily chasing after a new property bubble. Then we are hearing several complaints about how genuine are all these hypes and whether the buyers are genuine buyers. Is it marketing or misleading information on the property front? Is it responsible reporting? Where is the line drawn between acceptable marketing tactics and painting a false picture?

The substitute villian

The substitute villian Jayaraman must be kicking himself sore and asking what the hell is going on? He is an innocent man trying to provide some light on what actually happened to the scandal earlier. Now he is being grilled by so many lawyers as if he is the guilty one. Shouldn't he be asking to be paid for the hard work he is doing, or performing? And to be fair to him, who else would have that kind of memory to remember the details of things happened so many years ago? Ask any of the legal counsels there what they did 3 weeks ago or what they ate for lunch, they would be just as lost...I can't remember...

myth 110

'I want, I want Syndrome' Singaporean should get out from this 'I want, I want Syndrome'. I am referring to Singaporeans expecting the govt to offer them with goodies or goodies the govt thought out for them. And Singaporeans are so happy and grateful for all these goodies, thinking that they are getting them for free. Unfortunately nothing is for free. Someone will have to pay for them. And very likely themselves. So adult education accounts, upgradings, $500 million for parks etc, all needs money. Where will the money come from? GST? Of fallen from the sky? Singaporeans would be better off if they say no to all these goodies. No, we don't need that $500 million park. We don't need golden trees that bear jewel fruits. Give us the money instead. Even if they did not get the money saved, at least there is no justification or reason to increase taxes to pay for it. If I were the govt, I will be very happy to give everything to the Singaporeans as long as they ask for it. Why not when they are so happy to have them, and they pay for them as well. What would be more troublesome would be when they said no, we don't want any of them. Just save the money and effort. Just don't raise GST or any more fees. And thank you very much. The moral of the story is that the more is spent, the more taxes will be raised. No free lunch?