High property prices good.

It is high only because our economy is doing well, an indicator of prosperity and also high wages. Why are there sudden measures to curb high property prices? We are receiving plenty of confusing and conflicting signals nowadays. One day good one day something else. Plenty of supply, no panic but panic building. Why are people, especially the young, still complaining when their salaries are also shooting to the stars? The only problem I can see is that while their salaries are heading for the stars, the prices of properties are reaching to another dimension, and they are continuously chasing and not getting near. Then again it is their fault because they are not talented enough to earn faster and more. The developers and speculators are always delirious when property prices are soaring. They have no responsibility to anyone except their own greed and profits. They will do anything to double or triple their profits at all cost. Who cares about the well being of the people in general. The bulk of the people just want a decent place to stay, a roof over their head that is affordable. I want to print this word in very small prints, 4 or 6 points. Cannot say it too loud. Otherwise people will scream that it is definitely AFFORDABLE. The govt has a very big responsibility for the well being of the majority of the average citizens. The rich and able will look after themselves and speculate in properties and all things to get richer. The small people in the middle are not so fortunate and could only depend on their Very High Salaries but not high enough to pay for the affordable flats and to get by. They cannot afford to chase the property prices dictated by the speculators and developers or the blameless, market forces. These innocent, and losers, will end up as bigger losers. The govt has a responsibility to take care of them by correct policies. Mindless market policies will definitely lead to disillusion among the masses and will alienate them to vote for a party that will look after their welfare. Govt has the choice of looking after whichever sector of the people they want to. They can choose to continue to feed the fat cows and they can choose to care for the lean goats. High property prices are good. Keep raising. Don't stop. Don't build and strangle the supply and let the price rises. 80% or 90% of the people will be very happy and grateful.

Our public housing are affordable

Who is complaining that our public housing prices are high and not affordable? The higher prices are due to our higher incomes and increased prosperity. And for those who are complaining, be advised that nothing is expensive. It is only a matter of whether you can afford to pay for it. So don't complain if you can't pay for it. To those who can, it is simply affordable.

Singaporeans to thank the foreign workers for...

Singaporeans should thank the foreign workers for the two casinos on our shore. Without the foreign workers coming here we would not have the casinos. This is how great their contributions to our economy and growth. Thank you. Please come all your gift bearing foreigners. What else are you bringing for us?

The Master Skill

It is the time of the year to call for more training and skills upgrading. We need to raise our skills, go for more training to improve productivity, and then to increase our income. I fall nicely into the group of 45 to 65 that needs more training and better skills. I need them, for I have another 20 or 30 years to go. Like I said earlier, enough time to start another family or to build a new career. The future suddenly brightens up. So much to look forward to. In the past I was only looking for whatever little money left in the CPF. Now got chance to start a new career, go for job interviews and asking the organisation about promotional prospects. Feeling like a new person again. Got to search for my certificates and testimonials and dust away the dusts, and make photocopies of them. Now, how to write an application letter? Forgotten how, too long ago. Training first. Come to think of it, if I could have gone for the right training and learn a master skill, then there is no need to go for more training at this young age of 60. Is there such a master skill that one can acquire and become a knows all for good? There must be one that allows one to be so skilled that one can switch industries and jobs like changing clothes and still continue to enjoy high pay, high perks and high bonuses year after year, unending. And the best part, no more training needed. And one's value and talent and skill get better everyday. Can anyone advise me on where to learn this master skill? Or is there such a master skill?

Time to stop the £$%&* $100 levy

I have so many flowery superlatives to describe this casino entry levy, but again, better to keep it to myself. By now many will know what this levy is all about in the most negative ways. It is anti Singaporeans, anti PRs, anti business, and makes the casino operation and business look so awkward. It keeps away the people that should be in the casino and flood the place with undesirable and unwelcome visitors like foreign workers. And it creates so many unnecessary trivial issues and a lot of work. Best, more Singaporeans will be caught trying to sneak in without paying. The two casino operators are serious business people who have put up billions of dollars upfront. The least that we could do is not to make it difficult and tedious for them to run a proper business. They are prepared to play ball, accept every rule that we impose on them, no matter how inconvenience and nonsensical. They are willing to cooperate with the govt completely, not to trangress or violate any of our sensitivities. We need to give them a break and make the profits they deserved. And in return they are going to provide many jobs and spawn many supporting businesses which are good for our economy and our people. What I would recommend is to scrap the levy for all Singaporeans and PRs except for those that have been excluded for crime and self exclusion orders, and whoever that were excluded for good reasons. We cannot discriminate against our own citizens in our own home. The reason to prevent people from gambling with the levy is plain naïve. How can we open a casino and prevent people from gambling? The people who want to gamble will find places to gamble, away from the two casinos, in Batam or Genting or underground casinos. The levy is nonsense towards this intent. The levy should be applied to foreigners instead, especially those that are not going to be beneficial to the business. This will help to recover some of the revenue loss from Singaporeans and PRs. But not all foreigners need to pay entry levy. The high rollers should be exempted for obvious reasons. For ease of implementation, make use of the credit cards. Foreigners who carry gold or platinum cards should be exempted. A small token of say $30 or $50 should be imposed on those with other credit cards. No credit cards, no entry. Let the ownership of credit cards be the controlling factor for admission. And credit card companies should be warned not to abuse this requirement and issue cards recklessly as credit cards will now be in demand by foreigners. This is good for credit card business too. Whatever revenue loss in levy could be recouped from more patronage and gamblers allowed into the casinos. The revenue for the govt could be more. Applying the levy on foreigners will also allow the current system and equipment for collection of levy to remain in use and not a white elephant to be put away. We have come so far down this road to allow casinos in our shores. Let’s be serious and let the business thrives and grows. This is big business incurring big investments and cannot afford to fail both for the operators and for our economy. The levy requirement is just not conducive for the business. And I am claiming intellectual property rights to these outrageous recommendations that are bound to raise a lot of eyebrows and ruffle feathers. But make no mistake about these, the recommendations are serious, practical and pro business. The levy on Singaporeans is simply dysfunctional and would anger many Singaporeans and PRs. How could we introduced apartheid against our own citizens and think that it is fair and good? 5 already got caught on the first two days of operation. I hope my suggestions will be accepted and the two casino operators should consider paying me a handsome consultation fee for it. And the govt should also pay me a sum double that the casino operators are willing to pay me for telling them to do something they dare not do, that is necessary for the good of the business and to create more employments. Would there be a minister tough enough to admit that my audacious recommendations are what that needs to be done, and to tell the administrators that this is the way to go, and of course to pay me my rightful dues. Of course no one needs to pay me anything as no one is under any contractual agreement to do so.