Something gotta give

The pay hike in the public sector will push the private sector to follow suit. The only limiting factor will be the bottom line. In the private sector, pay hike can only be sustainable when the organisation is making money and not because someone else is paying more. Then we have the rise in rental in commercial and residential properties. And we have our famous GST increase plus all the increases. Suddenly no one is asking whether we can be competitive when everything is going up. Can we compete with China and India with our rising cost? Or we have a magic formula that says cost is no longer an issue and we can continue to raise our operating cost and remain competitive? I can only see foreign workers and FTs playing a greater role in our economy and at the expense of our citizens. Something gotta give. The investors have voted with their feet in the past. And they will do so again. And if Malaysia plays its cards right with the IDR, more companies will relocate. The slack may be taken up to some extent by the IRs. Would we face the same predicaments when job losses were the order of the day? Or would the pay hike brings about more talented solutions to our past problems when the world economy swings the wrong way?

Car Parking going up

Brace up for higher parking charges in the town areas. The rich people said parking in these areas are cheap even when one is sure to find a lot in the Orchard Road area. And they cannot understand why parking lots are always available. Normally charges will go up when demand is so high that you cannot find a lot to park. Or in the case of the expressways when the roads are jammed. Now the reason is because it is cheap. Cheap according to who? To people who earn hundreds of thousands a month? My goodness, another case of 'how much is enough.' And for the heartlanders, don't worry, their turn will come when they compare the price difference and conclude that parking in the heartland is real cheap.

Front Page News

The front page of a newspaper is always reserved for the most important news of the day. Today, the most important news in Singapore are: 1. JI and terrorism. 2. Young superstar, boy won top film awards 3. Measures to cut children drowning 4. How to make strong coffee. These are the things that Singaporeans are worried or concerned about.

A sickening feeling

Does anyone know how it feels to work your shit out for one whole bloody month to take home $1000 and hear that other people earn $100,000 in one day? How would such lowly people think and feel? Don't blame them for begrudging. They do not know how to begrudge. They are just going bonkers! It just reinforces their sense of helplessness and unworthiness in living. Looks like it is time for the arsehole to just shut up.

myth 132

It's not about money I am very disappointed with the Singaporeans. How can they ever think that the Ministers are only thinking of the pay hike for themselves? These are able and honourable men handpicked by a proven system that would have checked them through and through. And one of the things they would have carefully assessed is greed. These are leaders who have stepped forward and sacrificed their huge private sector pay to serve the people. As Dr Yaacob had said. 'Really it's not about me, it's not about the Cabinet...' It is all about the future, the well being of the nation and people. The pay hike is for future leaders to come forward to serve the country. And future leaders can only be attracted by at least $2 million, maybe more. This is only the beginning. I hope the people really think carefully and support the pay hike. The fact that the current ministers are getting paid now is only incidental. See, Hsien Loong has even donated the pay hike to charity. And you can expect more of them to do so. And don't accuse them of ostentatious generosity. It is all about you, the Singaporeans, who are going to benefit from this pay hike.