A sad accident

Foreign student fainted and fell into the MRT tracks and both her legs were run over by the train. She has been here only a few weeks and wanted to learn English. Now she is going to live her life without her legs. Some are angry why there are no dividing screens to prevent people falling into the tracks. I ask, why can’t the trains slow down as they approach the station to a more reasonable speed to allow the driver to slam on his brakes in an emergency? Why didn’t the driver stop in time? I have seen many crazy drivers coming to a screeching halt at traffic junctions even when they knew that the lights are red from a distance. Is it such a big hustle to slow down the trains? If they can go down to a speed enough for emergency brakes, you don’t even need the expensive dividing screens. Oh ya, the whole system will slow down and people will kpkb. As I have suggested, the trains can go on a higher speed in between stations to catch up for lost time. Ok, I am ignorant of how the train operates. Maybe it cannot be done and need a $6 billion system to improve it. It may be difficult to stop in time when someone intends on suicide and time it at such that the train is near enough before taking the plunge. In normal accidents, there could be some time interval to see the impending accident. Anyway, the best solution is to stop operating the trains. _________________

Only 20% wants to emigrate

A survey by the Institute of Policy Studies found that only 1 in 5 of the Gen Y wants to emigrate from their home country, called Singapore. Only 20%, why so little? My God, if 20% of China or India’s population would want to emigrate, that would be more than 200m from each country. And won’t it be surprising that a world class country has so many of its future leaders wanting to quit? The biggest communist country and the biggest third world democracy may not have so many citizens wanting to quit. How’s that for comparison? And one of the reasons quoted for living is stifling? Mentally or physically? Wait till we have 6m or 10m population then we will know what stifling means. But by then the state would have convinced the people that stifling is progress and the only way for growth. And the people will get use to it and probably adjust their waistline to be trimmer, so that there will be more space when travelling in public transport. Don’t worry, 20% only, too little. If one member in every household wants to emigrate and they said only, it cannot be serious lah.

A little reflection

After the initial shake out, with defections, break aways and a big doubt on where the opposition was heading, I thought the next GE will be more of the same. The bunch of opposition parties will just strangle themselves and their chances to be elected. How not when they could not even keep their own houses in order and show that the only thing they could do well was quibbling over their little differences when they could not even think of winning more than two seats? For those who are hoping for change and a brighter future, it was depressing to say the least, and bleak. Since the initial hiccups, two changes have taken place. First, the PAP’s announcement of new candidates is rubbing the people the wrong way. They thought they could throw anything they want at the people and all will be accepted, as there were no better choices from the opposition camp. Newly minted citizens to replace and rule over Singaporeans at a time when the pain of having too many foreigners here just did not go down well to the true blue Singaporeans. And to train bright and chirpy newbies at public expenses, it is no longer cheap to pay for an MP today, is also not well received. The next big development is the coming forward of better and better candidates from the opposition camp. After so many years of longing for better candidates from the opposition, this dream is coming true. We are seeing many good candidates, some excellent, standing up to be counted. This is an opportunity that the people have been waiting for and they better not waste this chance to do what is necessary for the good of their children and the future of Singapore. Squandering this chance will send the wrong message to more good people volunteering to serve the people and country. These are brave and able men, coming forward willingly, not waiting for an invitation. The people need to return the favour and tell these men and women that they are most welcomed. And hopefully, several more will step forward at nomination day. These will be the things that will cheer up the disillusioned and helpless Singaporeans, to have an alternative instead of more of no other choices. I am feeling a little better now, and in higher spirit looking at the forces that have been lined up. The opposition may not defeat the ruling party in this GE. But it looks good that several GRCs and SMCs will be there for the taking. And we shall have a more balance Parliament with more balanced views for the good of the people.

It was April Fool!

I know the GE is around the corner and everyone is getting quite uptight. But when a good April Fool joke is started, can’t the people just take it as it is, and have a little laughter? Pei Ling traumatised and was counselled by Dr Fatimah. Nice one. Who says PAP politicians are all deadpan and can’t joke? And Chok Tong is good at surprising people with his jokes, and on April Fool Day is quite an appropriate timing to put people at ease. Unfortunately no one is in the mood for jokes. No one remembers April Fool anymore. Must be the inflation or the housing prices, or the foreign worker bugging them. Chok Tong getting his dementia, or should he use his dementia joke as an excuse to get out of this since people are not appreciative of him? This is likely to be the last joke before things get serious and all the knives are out as the GE approaches. Enjoy it while it lasts.

The Great Singapore Debate that wasn’t

Touted as a must watch political show on earth, oops, I mean in Sin. The PAP sent in its best speaker of Parliament, the opposition sent in, supposedly their best. Ok, a mismatch as far as class and oratorical skills, and ability to deal with the issues were concerned. But the whole show was a disappointment. It was a show about time keeping. Yes Sir, your turn now. Sorry Sir, time out. Next, you there. Sorry you got only 30 sec. OK, next one. Quick, quick, oops, your time running out. Dong! Was it a debate? What was more important, the issues in discussion or keeping time? Oops, sorry, I got to go now. No time to write some more. See you next time. Bye.