rethink on cpf

With the concept of retirement at 55 being thrown into the rubbish bin, the cpf and the huge minimum sum that has to be retained is no longer relevant. I have written about this issue but not getting any response from any one. Is there anyone thinking and agree that CPF policies need to be changed in view of all the changes in the lifestyle and working life of the people? If someone is working and earning a decent income to keep himself alive till 70 or 80, is there still a need to have 100k or 200k in his CPF when he dies? Or have we to live with this straight jacket policy under someone important enough say something?

set the talents free

I find it very unfair to keep the best talents in the govt and pay them a miserable salary that is below what they should earned. We should free these talents and their enterprises and encourage them to join the private sector and join the list of billionaires. That is their destiny, as they are gifted people and must not be restrained by being cooped up in public service. Let them serve their terms in public service and then release them to prosper. By doing so, not only we have many rich and happy individuals, we will also have many talents with bright ideas to help revitalise the private sector, and the nation will benefit too. And with so many young talents waiting in the wings, it will allow them to get promoted faster, and be happier as well. And the younger and eager talents will be out there to push themselves to serve the people and nation better. It is all for the good of the nation to spread out our talents. Just look at the brighter side, if all the ministers and top civil servants above 50 were to join the private sector, we will definitely have a more vibrant and creative climate and more companies and corporations will surge to the forefront internationally. No need foreign imports. The approach of keeping these talents and limiting their pay and having to justify to a people that do not believe in public services being overpaid is bad for the country. We must think creatively and find a solution that will benefit the poor talents that are kept in the public services from becoming billionaires in their own right and abilities. Set them free.

myth 126

6.5 million people is a big squeeze Far from it. If we plan properly, build upwards and downwards and using the best technology, Singapore can easily take in 30 million. Just build the whole island like the Tower of Babel. Use steel and glass. Yes a lot of glass, like a glass tower towards the heaven. We will be the most futuristic city, fully airconditioned, and several layers over layers. Bukit Timah will become a mole hill when all the surrounding buildings are 3 or 5 times taller. And we can connect everywhere, at different levels, with travellators. No need cars and no need petrol. With the whole Tower of Babel adapted to become a solar cell, we can maximise the use of clean solar energy. That will be the future of Singapore. A glass city of the future, built by the best minds money can buy.

our vessels still in indon hands

Britain is putting all diplomatic pressures to secure the release of the 15 marines arrested by Iran. And if these fail, the next phase could be war. We have our vessels arrested by the Indonesians, which is supposed to be our friend, and a neighbour with close relations with us. It is appropriate that we try all diplomatic means to secure their release. So far nothing works. Next could be to table it at ASEAN meetings or later at the UN. If all else fails, what cards are there left for us to play? Should we let the Indonesians arrest our vessels illegally or under false pretence and let it be, be compliant? The Indonesians claimed that investigation is still going on. What kind of bull is that? If it is smuggling, it is smuggling. If there are sand there are sand. It does not take more than two days to find out these facts. Or are they trying to cook up something to justify their illegal acts? With the vessels in their control, and with so much time, they can do anything they want to them and present whatever evidence they want. Who is there to stop them from fabricating evidence?

minister's pay debate

Finally we are seeing a real debate going on. The issue of minister's pay is being discussed everywhere and by everyone. And the points raised are serious and relevant, not polemics or hogwash. Many valid points have been put forth by the public, mostly to oppose the linking of minister's pay to the private sector, or the current formula. Some even question the multiple hats that senior servants are wearing, which to me, is not an effective utilisation of a man's ability no matter how supertalent the person can be. Everyone is limited by the 24 hours we have per day and minus all the rest hours and time for food, bed and R & R, there are just a few hours left. And expecting a super talent to take on 5 or 6 important appointments with the same limited hours is just asking too much and expecting too much. Dilution will be the consequence of such a hectic demand, or skimming through the details will be another. One point that I would like to add is that civil servants and minister's are getting double or almost double what they are getting today. I am not referring to the perks and other benefits that they could derived from their appointments but pension. They are entitled to pension which is 2/3 of their last drawn salary for life. This is a very significant portion of their pay that have not been included into the current formula. Many have raised the issue of public service and private sector employment as two different kinds of fish and rightly cannot be compared the way it is being done. We need people with passion to serve the nation and be paid reasonably well and not exorbitantly well, like the private sector whose main interest is profit to pay themselves. If money is what they want and their main motivation, then let them join the private sector. There are always brighter and more eager young talents to take over their places. No one is indispensable. As it is, the top echelon of civil servants are very well paid, including ministers. This is the view of the masses. It is the junior officers that were doing the donkey work and being paid like national servicemen. The recent survey of new graduate salary is a glaring example of how underpaid are the young officers. They will simply leave. For those at the senior levels, resignation is not a problem and should be encouraged to share their expertise and talents with the private sector. Let the debate continues. It will be good if the MPs and senior civil servants will also share their views on this.