S Dhanabalan awarded Order of Temasek

This man has been in the thicks of Singapore's development and transformation from a third world to first world status. He has held many key positions that would make anyone envious of the opportunities he had. And he had done well in these offices. He is well respected and according to Jackson Tai, a man for the masses and more important, inculcating a corporate culture based on integrity and fairness. Now how many big organisations can boast about these values of integrity and fairness and be proud of them? How many are seriously violating every inch of good conduct, fair and ethical practices and masquerading under a big innocent smile?

Celebrating National Day

As Singapore celebrates its 42nd National Day, Hsien Loong made a speech about the glorious achievements we have made for four good years of growth under his watch as the new PM. Among the many things to cheer about, he listed the following: 1. Our athletes are winning medals 2. Our Chefs are winning culinary contests ( should include all the Guinness Book of Records Singaporeans have achieved) 3. Our entrepreneurs are launching new businesses 4. Our students are excelling at all kinds of international events 5. We are gearing up for new and exciting projects, like the Formula One Grand Prix and integrated resorts 6. A clean and corruption free society 7. Disciplined and well educated workers 8. A cohesive, multi racial community 9. A capable and vigilant SAF and Home Team Then he went on to discuss about the problem of widening income gap and how the govt has put in measures to help those who are struggling to make a living. And there were many programmes like Comcare and Workfare to help needy Singaporeans. Actually a widening income gap may not be the real problem if the people at the lower end have enough to eat and are able to pay for their expenses. What is frightening the people and causing hardship and pain to the people is the constantly rising costs and money not enough. The galloping away of costs of essential services and basic necessities is the greatest failure of the govt. It is not a case of these costs cannot be arrested but more a case of a belief that profits are good for all these providers of goods and services. And the govt only needs to give some handouts when there is a need to. Thus the people at the lower end will forever be chasing for money to pay for the increasing costs. And whatever income or savings they have will never be enough. If the costs of living can be curbed and contained, there is no fear of a widening income gap. There is no fear of earning a little lesser as things are not going to cost more everyday. And there is lesser fear that savings, the CPF, the Medisave, will never be enough. There is no need for handouts. Give to the people by not giving. Rein in the runaway costs.

En bloc wealth, real or illusion?

Lucy Huang wrote to the ST complaining that after benefitting from an en bloc sale, she is having trouble finding a replacement unit of equivalent locations as the prices have gone way way up. If she is to benefit from the sale, then she either has to buy an unit at the fringe of the island or downgrade. She is now calling for the govt to intervene to bring down the prices of flats nearer to the city areas. Now, can I say 'Did I tell you?' I think all those who benefitted from en bloc sales should just buy another property, cheaper ones, either smaller or away from the city and enjoy the cash windfall. They can't have the cake and eat it at the same time.

Back where it belongs?

The statue of the construction worker, a foreign talent, is back where it is, taking pride in the company of Stamford Raffles. If these paid workers, who came because we pay them well relative to what they can get at home, and are regarded as doing us a favour, sacrificing for us, then what about our forefathers who worked for less? In those times, their pay and working conditions were even worst than now. Why are we not recognising their contributions but feel so compel to recognise the contribution of these recent foreign talents? Any Singaporeans feel outraged?

Power of the web

Muslim intellectuals easily converted to become radicals and recruited to be terrorists. And the radical muslim groups have been exploiting the web to expound their cause and spread their message of violence. And they are very successful. Now there is nothing more effective than fighting fire with fire. Singapore is going to use the power of the web to fight these deviant websites. We are going to put up slick websites to attract muslim youths to the more positive and correct views of Islam and pull them away from the draw of radical sites. I think they can take the cue from the creative ways of Stomp to attract readership with their young oriented articles and posts and all kinds of attractions. Now we are seeing a new kind of wars being waged in cyberspace, competing for the control of the minds and attention of the youth.