Ah Long to the rescue

The on going tussle between Fifa and our telcos does not seem to be going well. How could it be when one party has so much money overflowing out of its pocket and the other with salivas dripping all over and can't wait to lay its hands on the loot? Today the ST has reported that many parts of Singapore can receive the same broadcasts from Malaysia and Indonesia. That would mean part of the problem is solved or can be solved. No need to be held at ransom by Fifa anymore. And since we have the money, and money can solve all kinds of problems, let's see if our side is ingenious enough to seek the assistance of Ah Longs. No need to pay Fifa hundreds of millions of dollars. Just pay the Ah Longs $20m and he could easily come out with an amicable solution. Let me guess what $20m could do in the hands of Ah Longs. One, he could place them in the hands of his associates in Malaysia and Indonesia and get them to boost up the power of their broadcasts to enable Singaporeans to have good quality reception during the World Cup. Alternatively they could buy a booster and park it somewhere in the island to boost up the broadcasts of Malaysia and Indonesia during the game. Either way, Singaporeans will be able to watch their football live, at marginal cost to all. Win win solution the Ah Long way. Ah Long can be useful sometimes: )

No backdoor MPs

Parliament is geared up for hot debates in the next sitting when the issue of more NCMPs and NMPs are up for debate. I hope it will not degenerate into another question and answer session? I kind of fully agree with the remarks and sentiments of MPs expressed in the ST today. Why make a fuss of having more NCMPs and NMPs when what is needed is quality and not quantity? And why all these backdoor MPs? They don't represent anyone. MPs must be elected by the people, not entering Parliament by the backdoors through all kinds of schemes. An MP that is not elected by the people, is not elected by the people. Period. We need the people to ink in the ballot paper that this is the MP that they want to represent them. Without that, where is the consent of the people to say the MP represents them? NCMPs and NMPs did not earned their place in Parliament. I fully agree with all the MPs who think so. So what's the big deal to be in Parliament? I hope the MPs will take a strong stand in Parliament to remove all the NCMPs and NMPs if they are real in how they feel about the schemes. Please don't just ask questions and take the answers as the end of the story. Fight for your beliefs. If anyone don't think highly of the NCMPs and NMPs, say so when they have the chance to do so, in Parliament.

MAS asking for views on fund management operations

The MAS is reviewing the rules for fund management here and will like to 'consult the public within the next two weeks on proposals to enhance our regulatory regime, to ensure that it remains sound and responsive to the changing needs of the various stakeholders in the fund management industry'. I just have a few comments on this. The presence of fund management here must be for the good of the industry and not here just to suck away all the money from the innocent local investors by unfair practices in the form of preferential rules and regulations, use of technology, sheer size, unfair advantages etc etc. The MAS must ensure a level playing field for all players, big and small. The current practices of different commission rates, no commission rates for house trades giving them an outrageous unfair advantage over small traders must be reviewed. If this is not change, the small traders do not stand a chance and will be sent to the cleaners like many that are already hung and dried. The use of computer technology, programme trading that give the funds an advantage over the small traders too is grossly unfair. Script lendings for funds to exploit their trading strategies against the small investors is another thing that needs to be reviewed. It is different to say that small investors can also borrow scripts to short the market. The volume and tenacity when funds short the market can create havoc and fear among the small investors. Conflicts of interest is another dicey area that must be addressed. Funds buying and selling against clients or trading against clients interests, churning reports to buy when they are selling or vice versa. More bites against auditors or managers of IPOs to ensure that they do a professional job. So far they are getting away scot free when newly listed companies turned turtle within a few years or even months on listing despite the glowing reports and writeups during IPO launches. There are many more areas that the experts and regulators should know best to take this opportunity to provide a fair and equitable trading platform for all stakeholders, big or small. For the moment, the small traders are dead ducks waiting to be served at the dinner table.

Fatuous lust for foreign talents

Thou shalt not cast lusting glances at thy neighbour's talents. But if we do not do so then soon we will sink into the Straits of Singapore. In an island where there is a dearth of talents, only with the influx of foreign talents can we ever think of making it to the next generation. And this must keep going and going. While will are lusting at the foreign talents of other countries, now India is making us an offer that we cannot resist. They are willing to sacrifice their talents for us. They are saying, please take more of our talents. With this offer, all our local banks and GLCs will have no problem filling up all the MD positions. What India should propose is to swap their political talents with ours. One of our political talent for 100 of India's political talents. That should be a reasonable equation given the fact that our political talents are world best. And we can even expand our Parliament, providing more quality jobs for politicians. Make politicians and politiking a profession, with good salary, annual increments, route of advancement, promotion, and of course pension for life. When this is put in place, we will have the best politicians the world can find. Then we can do what India is doing, exporting our political talent to boost our GDP.

Trading talents

I read somewhere that one of the terms for more trades with India is that Singapore must take in more of their talents as a condition. I think this is a brilliant idea. Singapore shall use this model to negotiate with other countries where there is an abundance of talents by offering trade in exchange for their talents. There are many countries with a big supply of talents that they cannot make use of and are most willing to export to this talent dearth island. It will be a win win formula. We get all the talents that we need, and they get to get rid of all the talents they don't need. And the cream is that there will be more trade both ways. Great deals. America, Europe, Japan, even China and Indonesia all have plenty of talents that we need. And don't forget Malaysia too. We can change our tourist logo from Your Singapore to Your Talents. Come visit and see your talents working and prospering here.