The relative truth

What is truth is all relative and depends on a person's background and what he/she wants to believe in. Some once exclaimed that $600k is peanuts. Temasek and GIC lost several tens of billions, near to $100 billion, but no one really bats an eyelid and no one say that it was a huge sum. Today we heard MAS lost $9.2 billion and the phrase used is this - 'So heavy were its losses that they wiped out about 80 per cent of MAS' combined gains of $11.29 billion in the preceding two profitable years...' Why was this loss described as so heavy when several tens of billions were simply another loss? If I were to put it, I will say $9.2b loss is peanuts. The truth, the real truth, depends on the person saying it, and the people listening to it also have their own truths and interpretations of the truths. When Chiam See Tong asked for some money from the reserves to be used to help the citizens, the response was that it would kill the golden goose. And I think he was not even thinking of a billion bucks. After losing several tens of billions, the golden goose is still healthy and swaggling around, still can afford to loose a few billions.

HDB flats are heavily subsidised

'New HDB flats are heavily subsidised and the board's priority is to help those who need such housing the most, such as those who are buying a flat for the first time and families who cannot afford private housing.' This is from a reply by Chan-Wong Jee Choo Lily, Dep dirctor, HDB. I am wondering whether old flats were heavily subsidised? I am also wondering how heavily subsidised were the flats at Duxton Pinnacles when they were sold at about $200k more the than the first launch at market prices?

Immoral morality

How could these two words be lumped together? It is either moral or immoral and not inclusive. In life, the moral and immoral parts are obvious, but the immoral morality part is kept under a veil. Sometimes what is obviously immoral is not so immoral and what is obviously moral is more immoral than anything else. Prostitution is an industry that easily fits into the immoral realm. So is the casino and gambling industry. But the prostitutes are trading their services for a fair price, wiling buyer willing seller. And the customers normally go away satisfied, provided the service does not include hidden diseases. The casino is what it is and because of that it is so well regulated that the risks are all upfront. The hidden cameras, loaded dices and electronic controls are not allowed to be introduced to cheat the customers, though some still do illegally. Actually I should call these industries moral immorality as distinct from immoral morality. Now what is immoral morality? The banking institutions, the financial industry are reputable industries, administered and regulated by man of principles and high morals. Today, their moral standard go as far as this statement, and no further. We have experienced and been hurt by the toxic products, frauds, misrepresentation, flawed systems, exploitation of technology against small investors, regulations and systems favouring the big funds without the small investors having any clue to it and thinking that the odds are fair. The casinos are fairer. At least the gamblers know the odds and know that they got to be careful with the casino operators. In the case of the finance industry, the trust is a given, but misplaced. Oh there are exceptions to the rule. Some are highly principled and moral, integrity beyond dispute. Now, did I give a good explanation of immoral morality? All their accomplices are meant to be people of high morals and will uphold fair play and walk around with a hat saying moral responsibilty is their name.

Would Singapore become another Mexico?

Brookes Business School was ordered to close by the MOE for issuing fake degrees. Now its subsidiary, Stamford Global Learning is also ordered to close. The former had 400 students while Stamford Global has 40. How would this affect Singapore's reputation as a world class education centre? Would Singapore be avoided like Mexico from the H1N1 flu, in this case, fake degree flu? To quote an affected China student, 'If people in China hear about this, fewer of them will come to Singapore.' This is not the first time such things happened. Is it so difficult to avoid such a mess? Just a few phone calls to the universities concerned will do the trick. Maybe it is too troublesome, too big a job. Maybe it is nobody's responsibility. Oh, free market, self regulations, caveat emptor. Now I am wondering how serious is this fake degree flu and how far it is going to spread. Totally irresponsible.

Potong Pasir and Hougang getting upgrading

The sun rising from the West? The two opposition wards are not only going to get the upgradings, they are queue jumping, as their turns are not due yet. Unbelieveable, how can opposition wards cut queues and get rewarded ahead of govt controlled wards? This must surely be signs of maturity, magnanimity and generosity. This is what an all inclusive society is all about. No one will be left behind.