gst hike, good news coming our way

GST hike 'a necessary measure' 'View it as a way to grow the economic pie: Minister Teo' The GST is going to grow the economic pie. Is this how our economy is going to grow...by raising GST? Or by increasing the population size? Or by bringing in more foreign workers? Or by increasing prices of housing, I mean high end private properties? Never mind. What is important is growing the economic pie for who? Who is going to get the most out of this increase in GST and economic pie? Who is going to get all the raises and the big chunk of the raises? Obviously it must be the people down the line, the lower middle income group. These people can look forward to a brighter future and a big bonus. Each would probably get $5k to $10k going by the trend and the declared objective of the GST. How about 10% of what the President got for his raise?

nkf story - a wrong is a wrong is a wrong..

More accolades for Durai PN Balji, Editorial Director of Today paper wrote another scintillating accolade on Durai. '...Durai operated with the shrewdness of a politician, the zeal of an evangelist, the sophistication of a businessman, the smoothness of a marketeer and the killer punch of a lawyer.' In his article, no where did he mentioned anything wrongful, that what he done was wrong and unacceptable. What about the patients that suffered because of the mismanagement? What about the hurt inflicted on all the innocent and sincere Singaporeans who donated generously to the NKF but now taken as fools, naive beyond salvation? What about all the actors and actresses, all the dignitaries that were robed in to shore up the prestige of the charity but now looking like asses? I think all these talks of talents and greatness should be stopped unless we want to tell the Singaporeans that it is good and respectable to be clever in mismanagement. Where is the conscience of the people, what kind of moral values are we trying to impart to the people?

invite foreigners to insult us

Do we invite foreigners to our homes and allow them to insult us and tell us to get out? This seems to be the latest development in the game of foreign talents and welcoming more people to our shores, as citizens. Many well meaning people have been singing praises of foreigners and how important they are to our survival in the future. And this message has sunk into the heads of many foreigners and Singaporeans alike, that we need them to save us. And they believe so. Some Singaporeans also believe so. And foreigners are even telling us that if we are uncompetitive, want high salaries and less work, then we should ship out. They are willing to come here to work harder and for less. The remarkable thing is that some Singaporeans do agree wholeheartedly to this kind of argument. There are Singaporeans who are working overseas as foreign talents and understand how tough it is competing against the locals. And they have achieved some success in doing so and can empathise with the foreigners working here. They understand the logic that more work and less pay is the only way to fight the competition. Singaporeans can no longer rely on the stupid idea that they must be paid first world salaries when others are willing to work for less. Admittedly this reasoning is logical and true. There is no pleasant alternative in a globalised world. Singaporeans must work more and be prepared to earn less. Would there be any profession where the incumbents dare to say they are over worked? Or after being given more perks and increments, have the audacity to ask for less work and responsibilities? Now that this new living mantra is the accepted conventional truth, it can only be expected that life will be a bit tougher for the lazy or less talented Singaporeans. So what can we expect them to do? Are they expected to tighten their belts and fight with foreigners for jobs here, asking for lesser pay? Is this a fair equation? Foreigners are hungry, have no stake or responsibilities here. They can live with less. Should we allow them to proceed to compete with our own people for jobs on unequal terms?

The other alternative is for talented Singaporeans to rough it out like our foreign talents. Go forth and seek for new pastures. And there are jobs galores overseas. Singaporeans are in high demand as foreign talents and logically will be getting better pay in foreign lands. Strange isn't it? Why are Singaporeans in great demand overseas but not wanted in their homeland? Or is this a game of musical chairs? We export our unappreciated talents overseas and welcome foreigners to take their places. Would we reach a stage that the more able Singaporeans will be found living overseas and their homes rented and occupied by foreigners? If this is the likely development, what kind of nation or society will we become? Citizens of the world? The Filipino and Indonesian maids went overseas to earn foreign exchange and left behind an empty nest. Some returned to find their nests occupied by strangers and they were no longer wanted or could not fit into the new equation. Would we pay the same price if this happens to us? And very likely the price will be much higher. For instead of the women folks being abroad, our able men folks are the one that are missing from home. A home without a man or a nation without its men or talented men can have unimaginable consequences. This is our home. This is our land. What would it be like if our homes are now overseas and our land becomes the homes of foreigners?

amending the penal code

It has several months since the govt announced its proposals to amend the Penal Code, with good reasons of course. Many things were outdated since the Penal Code was first written. I was looking for some changes to foreplay in the bedroom being erased from this reference book on acceptable social behavior. So far nothing heard of it. Maybe we need more explicit explanations on why foreplay is important in parliament before monks and priests can understand what they are for. Foreplay does not need to end up in sex. The Workers Party must have done some serious work on the amendments that they finally held a public forum on this subject. Two major points were reported in the press. 'Twenty years for assaulting an MP with the intention of preventing him from doing his job, up from seven years now.' This is a very necessary move as the MPs are rare talented men and women who have step forward to serve the people, sacrificing for the nation. They should be protected by the law as best it can, from harm. Further, with some MPs being so rich, there is always the possibility that they will be target for extortion or even being kidnapped. The twenty years sentence should be a good thing to protect them from harm's way. 'Two years for being part of an unlawful assembly, up from the current six months.' The WP said this is significant. I can only see goodness in it. My retirement plan has just been firmed up. In my twilight years, when I need a roof over my head, to be fed and clothed, I can now join an unlawful assembly to earn my two years of reprieve in the modern and safe condo in Changi. I would actually recommend that it be extended to 3 years. Then anyone needing this charitable service can renew it every 3 years by demonstrating for it. The empowering of the judges to cane, jail and fine a guilty person cannot be more timely. Despicable people, liars, hypocrites, pet poodles and rubber stamps of charitable organisations should be fined, jailed and caned. If not, many charitable organisations will be exploited and robbed of their funds and be discredited, and people will no longer have faith in charitable works. And the people needing help will be left in a lurch. It is a serious and shameful crime and nothing to be proud of. It is no laughing matter. It is disgusting to praise such people as heroes and talents to be emulated. This is the only country in the world that continues to praise criminals and cheats as talents. Now I know why no one feels any shame but pride.

counter insurgency in cyberspace!

PAP moves to counter criticism of party, govt in cyberspace. This is the headline in the Straits Times today. Now, cyberspace is shaping up and is shaping ideas and viewpoints. And PAP is taking it very seriously. The ST said, 'The PAP is mounting a quiet counter insurgency against its online critics.' Wow, counter insurgency, the choice of words could send jitters throughout cyberspace. Insurgency is the new dread word replacing Communism. Communists were sent to jail. Insurgents are dangerous especially of the terrorist kind. Would cyberspace critics and commentators, bloggers and forumers, be treated as insurgents? Then the paper added that the PAP has sent members to forums and blogs to rebut anti establishment views and putting up posting anonymously. I have a few anonymous bloggers in my blog, www.mysingaporenews.blogspot.com, displaying some characteristics that I am getting suspicious. But then again it must be my imagination or ego to think that my little blog will invite such interest. Further, they were there not to rebut but to post cynicism without any justifications, and personal attacks. So I shall rule them out as little brats. Definitely they don't deserve to be members of such a distinguished outfit for they don't rebut intelligently and came through as mindless little boys. Rebuttal by PAP in cyberspace is healthy and a move in the right direction. They need to explain their actions and to dispel any false accusations or allegations. Otherwise, falsehoods, if repeated too often, may be taken as truths, or at least to the gullibles or casual readers. But certainly they need to start out first by cleaning up YPAP forum. That is the most humiliating piece of advertisement paid and run by the PAP to discredit itself. It is the most nonsensical thing to do.