Defying folk lores and traditions

Human beans have survived several thousand years and have progressed in many fields. Advancement in science and technology, knowledge and information, have led the human beans to discard many age old beliefs and superstitions for the better. The next lunar new year is the year of the Rabbit. It is a more agreeable animal and hopefully a less traumatic but amiable year. Wedding bells will be abundant looking at the bookings in the posh hotels. There is also the dragon baby to look forward to. The young of today are not only adventurous and financially comfortable, that is before they are robbed of a few hundred thousands to buy that property and the car, and would want to splurge for the best on that special day in their lives. Among other things, they want it to be memorable, and different. Yes, that day must be different from anyone else. The wedding is a very important event in the life of any human bean across all cultures. The Chinese is very particular about this event and have developed a long list of do’s and don’ts to abide by. A wedding is like a red letter day, a red occasion, a joyous occasion, and everything must be red as humanly possible. Red dress, red packets, red pigs, red beddings, red candles …. One taboo colour is black. Black symbolises everything that is contrary to red, darkness, sadness, evil, mourning etc etc. I have seen several weddings in black! At the wedding dinner, the groom wore black, black table cloth, black eating utensils, all for wanting to be different. A friend of mine had a black wedding dinner for his son. Of course he could not object as the young have their own ideas. His business went down hill after that eventful day and everything he touched he lost money. Coincidence, maybe. Those in touch with the gossip circles must have heard of more dreadful stories that followed after a black wedding. My advice is never defy traditions for the sake of being different. And having a red wedding or any colour except black is not going to cost anything more. The young should not be too adventurous on their wedding day. You would not know what is installed in darkness, or who will come along to attend a black wedding. And a little more, everything must be in pairs. Numbers must be even and not odd. Odd numbers but in even quantity eg four ones or threes are acceptable. Just be careful, huh.

Where is Jack?

A loan shark runner was sentenced to 5 years behind bars and 24 strokes of the rotan. Thanks to District Judge Jasbendar Kaur for a deserving punishment. This runner burnt cars, set things on fires outside innocent dwellers in HDB flats, threatening and targeting innocent people when he could not get to his real targets. The damage he caused were more than $100k in cars burnt. He did all this to repay the loan shark called Jack whom he borrowed $3000. Good that he is behind bars and waiting to be caned. But where is Jack?

I have failed…

Yes, I have failed in my mission to bring down medical cost. Over the last four years, instead of bring down medical cost, they have spiralled by very substantial amounts. I am talking about increases of 50% to 90%. I must thank Salma Khalik for her data to confirm, without any doubt, that I have failed very badly. I think I should from now on stop talking cock about medical cost and how to bring it down. And now for the good news about rising medical cost. Salma Khalik has interviewed Boon Wan and these are some of the good news and developments in the medical field that partly contributed to the high medical cost. 1. Don’t worry, despite the big hospital bills, the patients have no difficulties paying them. Isn’t that comforting? 2. And there are the wonderful 3M schemes to pay the bills, some up to 100%. So no need to pay more cash, maybe $3 only. 3. And the bills could be even more if not of the brilliant scheme to move not so sick patients out of hospitals to community hospitals and nursing homes. Big savings there. 4. Day surgery also plays a big role in cutting down the overall bills. 5. The hospitals have also been very customer oriented, to ensure patient satisfaction and allowed them to choose non standard items that are not subsidised. So they cannot complain about higher bills. And definitely they are happy to pay more to be better satisfied. 6. The best part, the bottom line ‘We have good high standard public hospitals that are affordable because of 3Ms. Ok I have failed. On the other hand Boon Wan has done a terrific job and we have a very high standard of medical care at very affordable prices. This reminds me of HDB flats affordability. The only difference is that HDB you got to pay. In medical bills, no need to pay, or pay very little, because 3Ms pay for you.

Buying up Singapore

The Malaysians are getting more aggressive in their forays into foreign business. In economic terms, being aggressive is ok. The Malaysians have a big picture and a new ball game to play in Singapore. With everything on the table for sale, the Malaysians are making hay while the sun shines. First they bought over GK Goh Stockbrokers, now they are buying Kim Eng Securities. In Singapore, the stockbroking business is seen as a sunset industry, dying. So Singapore stockbrokers have been advised to sell off this dying business. In Malaysia they must have been advised otherwise. They must still believe that it is a golden goose that will lay more eggs into the future. Who is right and who is wrong only time will tell. In the Malaysian big plan I think they will not stop at just buying two broking houses. Next could be one of the big banks. DBS should be very attractive when the price is right. How about SIA? This will be the apple of their eyes to replace MAS. And if they can buy over PSA, there is no need to worry about Gelang Patah. They can even promote PSA to the fullest and export all their goods through Singapore. And they would probably need a 3rd and 4th links. There are many more worthy assets to buy over. Keep the momentum going. This is simply brilliant. While Singapore is strategizing on how to integrate into Malaysia, Malaysia has its own idea on how to integrate Singapore into Malaysia.

Changing values and changing morality

Not too long ago there was this brilliant businessman with an equally brilliant idea to profit from his trading business. Oh, they don’t called businessmen brilliant then, but astute. Today they will probably tagged them as super talents if they can come up with devious schemes to max profits, even if it means fleecing their customers. What the businessman did was to simply corner the rice market, a monopoly or a cartel, and then control the demand and supply of rice. He could then determine whatever price he wanted. Nothing spectacular, and no need a Ph D to come up with such a scheme. But making huge indecent profits at the expense of the customers was not an acceptable thing to do, then. The govt immediately swung into action. It needed to protect the interest of the people. That was the morality and value of the day. A govt importing agency was set up to counter this move. The businessman was outsmarted and lost, his scheme was not allowed to become a reality. And the people’s interest was safe guarded. Morality and values have changed. Today, anyone with any idea or scheme to fleece their customers and max profits for the organization will be treated like a hero. They will ascend the ladder to super talent status. Take the staple rice as an example again. This time round, if someone is to come out with an idea on how to profit from this item, I think he would be patted on the back and say ‘Good work’. The idea could be something like this. Ok, first the moral justification. This must be put right first, even if it is rubbish. But must still make it sounds right. Rice is a staple food, and a scarce resource. People should not waste rice. Importing rice is also a drain on our foreign exchange. With such reasons in place, now the brilliant scheme can be enforced. Because rice is so important and cannot be wasted, people must be encouraged to eat less rice and waste less rice. How to do it? Hit the people where it hurts, their pockets. The price of rice shall now be double. Profit immediately doubles. But this is not enough. Each household is rationed at 2 kg of rice per month. Household consuming more than 2 kg shall pay a surtax of 30%. What is this for? How to justify this? Elementary, this is to educate the people on the importance of rice and not to waste rice or eat too much rice. See, more profits coming in. Wow, with such a brilliant idea, I am even thinking betterer than the professors from the best universities in the USA. I think I shall award myself the title of Eminent Professor of Economics. And Wally will say, hehe : ) And Matilah will say don't talk cock, so and so has written this in his book in year 1955.