New session in Parliament

What impresses me most during the keynote speech by the President is Nathan's health. He seemed to be getting more youthful by the day. He was so radiant, relaxed, well fed, and looked like he will live for another 50 years. The fountain of youth must be somewhere in the Istana. His motherhood speech was comprehensive and covered everything that needed to be said. Now comes the implementation part which the ministries are expected to do the due diligence. One recommendation I have in mind is to raise property prices, both private and public. This is the best strategy 'in helping companies stay viable and continue to employ workers.' It will 'strengthen our revenue base', and the excess profits can be accumulated as reserves for a rainy day. With higher prices of properties, the private developers can make more profits, provide better jobs and pay their employees very well. In the public housing sector, the profits can be used to help those who needed help. Never mind if the buyers would have to pay a lifetime for the little space they bought. They can feel good to live in a half a million or one million dollar flats. Compare to Hongkong, our flats are still very cheap and very luxurious, endearing homes. In Hongkong one will have to pay a fortune for a 90 sq m. Here it is so affordable. Our 3 rm flat is like a mansion! So liveable. Our standard of living (and cost of living) is improving by the day.

The new 9 tier hospital bill system

It guarantees smaller bills. The subsidy ranges from 10% to 75%. A family with an income of $5,600 will still get a 10% income. Great, finally someone realises that a family income of $5,600 is nothing and bearly sufficient if spread across several adults with such a high cost of living. The question is whether a family income of $5,600 would translate into some money to be set aside to pay for hospital bills of $5k, $10k or $50k if the family is so 'sway' to be hit by a major illness. The article in the Today paper by Neo Chai Chin also includes an example of a Mrs Wong, 65, 28 days in a 8 bedded ward and a family income of $4000. Her bill of $2,500 today will become $2000 with a 40% subsidy in July 1. The best part is that she does not need to pay any cash. Wow, my mother will say 'free ah, no need to pay ah, govt so good!' In Mrs Wong case, $800 will be paid by MediShield and $1200 by Medisave. See, not only smaller bills, but no bills actually. Go in and stay and all paid for. Where on earth could one be so fortunate to stay in a world class hospital and literally for free? Only in paradise. For those with bigger income, they will have to stay in more expensive wards and a comparatively more expensive bills. Whatever the ward they choose, if income is above $5600, no subsidy. But they should thank god that they have bigger incomes to pay the bills. Lucky fellows.

Parliament in session

Parliament will reconvene again this week and there were expectations of change in view of the global economic crisis and its severity on the life of the average Singaporeans. This group in my definition will be those living in 4 and 5 room flats. The 3 roomers and smaller flat owners were obviously hit more. And the middle income, even in the lower end of the private housing sector were also not spared as well. I have only one wish for a change. The Ministry of Housing and Development needs a new minister and a new set of policy that is pro Singaporeans, does not eat up every cent of a Singaporean's income and then ask why Singaporeans do not have enough savings for old age. The grotesque profits as seen in Duxton Pinnacle do not go down well with a govt that is caring and wanting to give every Singaporean a decent home and stake in this country. Unless some jokers think that a decent home in Singapore is a 3 room flat. My endearing home to Singaporeans must mean better and afforable homes relative to their income. Singaporeans used to aspire to a 5 rm flat or better. At the rate that prices of public housing are being pushed upwards, many could only be contented with just a 3 rm or 4 rm flat. Maybe that is the reason why HDB is building more smaller flats for the people. My endearing home of bigger flats, private properties should be a message for the rich foreigners being invited here with red carpets. Singaporeans should count themselves lucky to have a 3 rm or 4rm flat as their endearing homes if this is the way things are moving.

I missed the pinkdot party

Oh dear, I was caught up with running an errant and missed the party altogether. I would love to share the pictures if I were there. About a thousand people were there. Anyway, the pics at TOC and a few other blogs were marvelous. Now I am kicking myself for not being there. The message is simple and clear, from the pics. The pink people are a happy lot, and beautiful too. If only we have more pinks among us, we will definitely be a happier place. Make love, not war. The same message from the sixties. Congrats to the authorities for approving the event. Definitely no violence or social security problems to be expected. The pink people shall also be happy that the non pinks were not there to jeer at them or pick a fight. It is inclusiveness and acceptance.

Mas Selamat's beard and....

The privilege of owning a blog is that one can write anything one likes, the most trivial, and paste it as the main news. You can't do it in the major media when readers paid for what they read. So here I am, on a Sunday morning, writing about the beard of Supermas. There are many angles I can approach this serious topic. I can compare how long it has grown since his escape, measurement can be in inches or centimetres. I can also talk about how handsome he looks, with or without his beard. I can also talk about his barber or hairdresser. He could have received a cut from a famous one in Orchard Road or Scudai. But this must be kept as a secret or his hairdresser will become as popular as Supermas overnight. Maybe he is already thinking of a poster or putting up an advertisement in the paper of his famous client. Should I go one step further and spin a theory that he cut his own beard and hair? Would anyone want to prove that this can be done? I am still waiting for the Mas Selamat look to become a fad. If that happens, you will see the images of Supermas all over the streets, in Singapore, JB and Batam. They may even hold swimming contest or Selamat look alike contest, or competition on overcoming the obstacles that Supermas had to go through in his escape. Now thie latter should be a good TV live serial. Contestants can compete with each other to see who can complete the obstacle course first. The first obstacle must be climbing out of a toilet window. Next, dashing to the fence. This should be followed by climbing over barbwire fence. I presume that security fence should have barbwires. Next, a 26 km limping run to the woodlands. The grand finale should be the river crossing with a choice of flotation devices. Contestants can choose whichever is suitable for themselves. And for this grand finale, there will be spotlights shining across the river, police patrol boats and civilian boats that can hit or crush the contestants to knock them out. Would that be an interesting proposition? How handsome Supermas looks with his beard and moustache.