Notable quote by Redbean

'It is criminal if any Singaporean is not allowed to buy HDB flats under any flimsy excuses while PRs and new citizens are allowed to do so.' - Redbean

Monks, priests and nuns agitated

They are fuming mad at Resort World Sentosa for providing free buses to the little tropical paradise. I don’t believe that providing free services can incur such a wrath from the holies. Ok, there is nothing free under the sun. We don’t believe in freebies or anything can be free. Actually they are against luring the poor unthinking masses to gaming, or gambling to sound callous. How can RWS encourage the poor people to gamble in their casinos? I heard that at least 60% are going there to enjoy the resort and not to gamble. And many are retirees who probably can’t even afford to pay the $100 entry fee. So what the fuss is all about? Is it the gesture, the act of luring people there and they will be tempted to enter the casino? Or is it an act of providing free transportation that is intolerable? With the $100 entry levy, I would think that it will be prohibitive enough to keep the poor out of the casino. And those who can afford to pay the levy surely can afford to lose. So no need to worry lah. Now go back to your prayer rooms. Still something must be done. No need to carry the stick to force people from getting on the free buses. Just make them sign an undertaking not to go to RWS to gamble. Can or not? If not good enough, check their pockets and make them declare that they did not bring more than $100 to Sentosa. That should fix them from entering the casino. Now they will be saved, protected from evil. For added safety measures, to prevent people from gambling, please close all the toto outlets in the hardlands and supermarkets. Please also tell the stock exchange not to operate through lunch hours with no lunch breaks. And no online trading. The latter is encouraging gambling even in the homes. No need free buses, can gamble in the bedroom, kitchen and toilet, with a laptop. I think I have brought out many good ideas to be raised in house of gods on how not to encourage gambling.

Notable quote by Julia Gillard

'The Labour's main purpose is to serve the people' - Julia Gillard, PM Australia. Am I dreaming? Is she stupid or what? Maybe she is being naively idealist. If she is to stick to her serving people idealism, Australia will continue to lag behind other developed countries. If she wants to lead Australia to become the most properous nation, be Number One, be betterer than America, she will need to change her tack. She must rule Australia and tell the Australians it is for their own good. Australia needs a heavy dose of pragmatism in govt. A govt that knows what is good for Australia, and just do it. The people may be unhappy, may complain repeatedly, but they will continue to vote for a govt that will bring them progress. Promise them growth of 15% annually. Promise to double the value of their assets. Promise them that they will all own their properties, the size of Singapore's Istana each. How could the Australians refuse such prosperity? How to get there? Have an open door immigration policy and bring in the best talents money can buy. Not the prostitutes, maids, cleaners or construction workers. Be selective. A 15% growth in quality population will easily give Australia the 15% growth promised or more. Then play the property card. Build as many properties as possible and sell to the Australians. Then let free market forces to inflate their prices and all Australians will not only be property owners, but millionaires too with million dollar properties. Be ambitious and let the population grow to 200m. Then build an armed force as powerful as Singapore. Oops, I mean America. And be the number one superpower to replace America. And all they need is to pay their ministers top salaries. I think they can afford to pay more than what Singapore is paying and get the best talents to be in govt. All it costs the Aussies is 3 pieces of kangaroo meat per Aussie. And if they still cannot find the talents, they can always look to Singapore for help. I am sure we will have all the talents they want. Australia can be the number one superpower with the richest economy and the richest people. All it needs are some pragmatic policies. Forget about serving the people. Run the country, rule the people. That is the real formula for success. Always believe that the people are mindless and needed to be led and governed for their own good. PS. Matilah will be pleased with my suggestions. Borderless world, no restriction to immigrants, 'free' market economy, meritocracy....He is the ideal candidate to be Gillard's advisor from the red dot. He has all the experience and qualifications for the job: )

Say No to 6.5m

Mah Bow Tan has announced that he would be using the 6.5m figure for planning purposes. Just planning only lah! I think he used 5.5m in his earlier plans and we have seen the great results. Flats get smaller and more expensive among other things. And there were huge distortions in supply and demands for public housing. Let’s see if he can do better this time and not caught by surprises again. My big surprise is that they have a planning department doing planning. What would 6.5m do to our infrastructure? I visited a friend in Hougang, in a small corner that was left with a few landed properties. Around them were high rise HDB flats that made their existence look so small and out of place. There were many low rise properties in the area, but no more. And I think the few left will be no more soon. That will be the fate of low rise properties if our population growth is unrestraint, or coveting that 6.5m target. When it is hit, they will be thinking of 10m. It will never end. In the not too distant future we can expect that they will have to downsize the Istana as well. Perhaps build an Istana on top of some new pinnacles like the Noah’s Ark on top of Marina Bay Sands. But before that, all the landed properties in District 9, 10 and 11 will have to make way. How else can the island keep on taking in more people? I am asking a silly question. HDB flats can also be downsized to 500 sq ft. After all the family size is getting smaller and with some choosing not to multiply. And one of the things that we can do in approving future citizens is to pick them according to size to fit into our micky mouse flats. Only those below 5 ft tall qualify to become new citizens. I am just talking about the consequence of space. There are many areas that will have to face the brunt of this 6.5m nonsense. Ha, I am talking nonsense again. We have plenty of space to build on, above and below, and land reclamation. Do Singaporeans have a say in the making of their country? Can the elected govt do anything it thinks fit without the consent of the people? In crucial matters like this 6.5m thing, Singaporeans must take a stand. Everyone has a stake in the well being of this country, for themselves and their children. No one shall be given the power to do whatever he wants to the country. The country belongs to all the citizens. If this is a bad thing, Singaporeans must stand up and say no.

Caught off guard, caught by surprise

"On housing, Mr Goh acknowledged that the surge of immigrants in 2007 and 2008 caught the Government by surprise. But the Government had not stopped them from coming because the booming economy needed workers. Mr Goh also acknowledgedthe National Development Ministry 'did not provide for the sudden surge' in its housing plans." The above was reported in the ST on 7 Sep 10. I may be caught by surprises every other day. It is a normal occurrence for an ordinary mortal to be hit by the unexpected in daily life. But for a top talent whose bread and better is to plan ahead, plan for all eventualities, to be pro active, is it inexcusable to be caught by surprise? That’s what they are being paid for. Ok, there can be exceptions as we are not god, and there are acts of gods that are difficult to prepare for. Was the influx of immigrants unpredictable, an act of god? They swarm onto our shores overnight? Were their needs for housing surprising, so difficult to anticipate? I am really surprised that top talents, being paid top dollars were taken by surprise by such events. It is unlike a thunderbolt that can strike anywhere anytime. Now, is there anything else that is surprising? This is how many mortals would have reacted to all the surprising comments. On the other hand, look at the admissions as a sign of humility. You don’t get this kind of things happening often. Yes the election is around the corner. It is still an admission that, well, they are not gods or immortals after all. Let’s be kinder and accept their confessions of not being on top of the problems. You people don’t be like dat can? Let’s be more gracious and look at things in the proper perspective. PS. An interesting point to view this admission is that Mah Bow Tan will be the sacrificial lamb to take the heat off the party, and will not run in the next GE. Anyone want to put a wager on this?