Political party manifesto 4

I used to think that the people that form the lowest strata of our society and struggling to live a decent life may be just about 10%. With the shrinking dollar and a higher cost of living, this group could be much bigger. Any family of 4, with two school going children and has a household income of less than $3k a month is tough. And any family with 4 or 5 kids will need at least a $4k income to get by. For living decently in this island, we shouldn't be talking about subsistence level living or we might as well use the poverty stricken Africans as our yardstick, a $3k to $4k family income is barely enough. And if prices are going up, as they are expected here, surely, every year, the income will get smaller and smaller. Another way to look at it, for some individuals, is to say, forget about these people. They buck up and work harder or they live as they are. But political parties have to adopt a different stand from private individual views. They are to work for the people, all the people, at least that must be their declared objective. This must be clearly defined in their manifesto and supported by their actions. If they can't make it materialised, at least they must be seen to be pushing for it. There are at least 50 to 60% of the voters that will buy such an idea.

The unabashedly pro govt press.

P N Balji, Editorial Director of mediacorp, confirmed the unabashedly pro govt media stance and does not apologise about it. And the main reasons, other than a string of others that he gave, is money. Money is everything. And he quoted LKY saying, 'Once you have growth, all the problems can be managed.' Quite true. All money related problems can be solved with money, especially greed. The problem is whether money is used to solve the problems or whether the problems can be solved by money. What is scary is that money can buy everything, even the way media reports and its contents, especially the unabashedly pro govt one. What happens if money runs out? In the longer run, when all Singaporeans are driven by money, this drive for money will turn them against the interest of Singaporeans. That is for sure when all they think of is money for themselves and nothing else. Does it make any difference where the money comes from? Could foreign agencies provide the money for news that are favourable to them and get the msm to print it? Good luck Singapore. The other part of Balji's comment is the drying up of ideas in the msm to captivate the interest of its readers. With a press that is so predictable, focussing on reporting pro govt news, which may not necessarily be bad, what else is there to interest the readers. Where are the alternative views to generate discussions and thinking? Have no fear. The role of the msm is now confined to one of reporting facts and events. The role of providing commentary, interesting commentaries, opposing views, alternative views, lays squarely on the lap of cyberspace. The blogs and internet forums are the new sources of views on events and issues. Thank you msm for relinquishing your role and concentrate on what you now do best, factual reporting without views or commentaries.

The right to die

Visited a nursing home or a hospice? I assure you that it is not a pretty sight. My respect for all the care givers in the homes, paid or volunteered. Many of the inmates are no longer able to look after themselves. Can't see, can't hear, can't move, can't talk and can't think. And everything must be done for them. Is it a good thing to keep them living in those conditions? Are they living and enjoying life, or are they serving penance for a life not worth living? Many kind hearted souls will swear and fight tooth and nail to keep them alive and going. Life is precious. Anyone with a different view? We are not meant to live forever in this physical form. We come and we go. Different religions and races have their theories and teachings on what come next. Some may believe that this is their one and only existence. Some believe that there is life after death. Some believe that one's spirit lives on forever. The question is whether people should be preserved to live with such indignity, in such a pathetic condition, and celebrated as living. Living life must be living life, not suffering life, immobilised in bed. A lot of education needs to be done to prepare people to live and die gracefully and respectfully. People must not be imprisoned in their dysfunctional bodies in this world one day longer that they have to be. They must be set free to roam the universe, to carry on living as a free spirit. We have the right to live and also the right to die, in dignity. A lot of work must be done in this neglected area that has been left to chance and the opportunitists. We need some of our best talents to be trained in this field and to enlighten the ignorant masses on what life and living is all about and remove the fear of dying. Dying is the last act of grace. A beautiful moment to a new life. Dying is to live again. PS. Exclude the violent and unnatural deaths for they are not meant to die through natural wear and tear.

celebrating singaporean - Glen knight

This man had done wrong, punished, paid his price and live life again peacefully. He has come to terms with his past and taken them in his stride. He is like a buddhist who has found the meaning of letting go. He retreated from life in the fast lane and lives simply on the peripheral of civilisation, doing his things quietly and contemplating on nothing. The man has returned with the youthful enthusiasm to live life again at 62. You can see that he is happy and has no signs of lingering anger or unforgiveness. This is a reformed man, a born again man. Fallen, picked himself up and walks again. Singaporeans have a lot to learn from this man on the lessons of life and humility, and to regain self respect in the face of adversity.

Be mindful

I am not going into a discourse on Buddhism. Political leaders too need to be mindful of the life they want for the people and how the country should move forward. There is this opposing pull of forces to run the full capitalist way and the softer socialist way. The former will let things run their full course, where human nature and the law of the fittest survives will not be restrained. The latter, a more humane look at the inequalities of people and their social makeup that make them less able to pursue their dreams. Criticism of this path is that people are lazy and deserved to be in the doldrums. There will be such people, no doubt about it. Taking the capitalist road, a lot of wealth will be generated and a lot of rich people will be made. At the same time a lot of people will get poorer and less able to get by. In the long run, the pool of the very rich will shrink as they are supreme in their abilities to accumulate wealth at the expense of their less able countrymen. The system will breakdown unnaturally and there will be a new beginning. The role of the govt, with all the powers vested in their hands, has the privilege of being god, to allocate resources and wealth to the people. It has to be mindful where the wealth and resources are going and whether that is the best direction to take. For the last few years, we are seeing this relentless pursuit of money within the govt and outside the govt. The private sector, with money as their only motive while obligation to nation and society as incidental or not in their mindset, will push for the highest return they can get, at all cost. They will maximise profits for short term benefits and ruin the country in the long run. The future of the country is not their concern. Instant gratification, money is. We are seeing cost increases in properties, rentals, services and goods and salaries going only in one direction as if it is the law of gravity, that cost can only go up. The consumers will eventually bear the brunt of everything until they can bear no longer. Forget about the top 20% when their income will always outrun the rising cost and will not matter to them. There must be a price to all these. When will it stretch to a point where it snaps? It is dangerous to slow down growth by shackling the enterpreneurial drive of the able. They must be allowed to push to the limits of efficiency and returns. They are the growth drivers. What can the govt do to keep the less able part of the population more wealthy without increasing their income and pushing up cost? This is the other danger of losing our competitiveness. Rising cost will drive us out of business. Stretch their dollar! The people can live better and feel richer if the cost of 'their' living can be restrained and keep low. Housing, transportation, medical, education, food and essential services can be kept low to increase the value of every dollar these people. This will create a 'controlled economy' at the lower end when govt intervention is necessary to make life more manageable and without pushing up cost to an unbearable state. There can be two economies existing side by side, like two systems, one country. The full force of capitalism and free enterprise shall be allowed to run their 'full' steam in one economy and a managed one for the people who are mostly not so talented but needed to form the base of a thriving nation. This makes the human world different from the animal kingdom. It is the animal farm but subject to how the animals want it to be. This is the mindful part.