Taxi fares must go up

With the high operating cost, higher fuel prices etc, it is so unreal to expect taxi drivers to continue to drive their taxis at the same fare. And it is also well acknowledged that our taxi fares are too low compare to the big cities. How can public transport like MRT and buses be allowed to keep going up but not for taxis? If there is any compulsion to keep fares affordable, it must be MRT and buses as these are used by the workers whose income have actually gone down quite badly due to all the increases. There are hundreds and one reasons to support taxi fare hike. One of which is that it is a more than just a means of transport. It is a luxury in a way compares to buses and MRT. We should see the flag down fare increase to $10. That would make taxi driving as a job more attractive and cut down on all the other schemes. And it can do away with all the charges and surcharges. $10 flag down rate is the way to go.

The tooth and fiction of Singapore

More and more people are coming forward pleading for help and assistance. They cannot feed themselves anymore. A can of cheap China produced luncheon meat used to cost $1.30. It is now $2.50, and out of stock. A plate or rice or noodle used to cost $3 but now $3.50 or more. A loaf of bread costing $1.80 is now more than $2. How could the people afford this kind of prices when they live on $290 pm? But what do they expect? Eat in restaurant? But of course this is fictional Singapore. They are just cooked up stories of hard luck Singaporeans. Just someone's imaginations to create a negative impression of this paradise on earth. The true Singapore, he paid $435 million for a condo! Now that is more real. Another bought a 5rm HDB flat for more than $730,000, all for a good sea view. A family is paying $5,000 just for rental alone, and no sweat at all. Another was paying $10,000 but saved $2,000 by moving to the lower floor. And a supervisor with 5 young children could smoke a pack of cigarettes costing $10 daily. And can afford to pay $100 for mobile phone bill for only one of the children. What about me? I can't afford to smoke, or I don't smoke. And my mobile phone bill is a consistent $14 pm, hardly exceeded and used for business and personal matters. And I feel very tight in my pocket. Which is fiction, which is tooth?

Payment for life

How much does a politician contribute to the country and people in a 2 term office to deserve payment for life? This is something that has not been really discussed in parliament or in the msm except in some naughty blogs and websites. It would be interesting to hear this issue debated in parliament. The old belief of political office as a personal sacrifice sounds quite hollow today when remunerations are pegged to market rate or more. Working for two terms and being paid for life is definitely more than anything the market will pay.

End of NKF saga

Matilda Chua was fined $10k for falsifying accounts unrelated to the NKF saga. And this marks the closing of an ugly and amusing chapter of corporate governance and how public donations to charities were simply money under the bridge. On record, former chairman Richard Yong and ex treasurer Loo Say San were fined $5k each for their parts in the saga. The CEO Durai was jailed for 3 months for deceiving the NKF. He is appealing and has yet to serve his sentence, I think. He is probably employed by a big company working in the Middle East as a CEO or something like that. Justice has been done. What happened to all the missing loot? Were they recovered and how much were recovered? God knows. Waiting for a summation of the case in the msm to mark the official conclusion of the case. And nothing more was heard of the infamous Aboobacker. Lucky fellow. How would the ending and punishment affect future corporate governance? Would people be encouraged to repeat the saga, after all it is only a few thousand dollars to pay and the rewards and perks were more than one can bargain for? All in all, the story has a happy ending.

Tharman the first non Chinese PM?

He has risen and risen, holding the two important portfolios of Education and Finance. And speculation is that he is meant for bigger things... perhaps the next PM. His credential is impeccable except for the little skirmish that was long forgiven. Now it is up to Tharman to win the hearts part is easier. Winning the voters confidence that he is going to be the next PM will be trickier. But all things can happen in the city of possibilities.