There was a time when govt policies were enlightened, or were they policies initiated by enlightened men? Housing was a big issue when the colonial govt did not build enough for the people. Families were squeezed into little cubicles, and made do with the squalid conditions, sharing kitchens and toilets with neighbours and everyone.
Housing became a top priority of the govt, to provide every citizen with a roof over their heads, a stake in the country. The govt went further, to provide housing quarters for their employees in the civil service and the uniformed group. Then to encourage home ownership and loyalty to the service/country, priority schemes were launched to help uniform officers to own their HDB flats. Normanton Estate was specially built to house SAF officers as an employment benefit, as an important arm of nation building and the defenders of the country. The uniformed groups were seen as vital to nation building and the security of the country.
Somewhere along the way policies changed. No pension for armed services and no more housing priorities. They were treated just like any organization and will have to bid with everyone for public housing. Are the uniformed personnel less important today than the past? Is housing no longer that important to the people than the past? When prices were really reasonable, and when one could walk into HDB and get a flat within months, everything was fine.
Somewhere down the road, things changed, and policies changed. The new policies must be better and more enlightened, by more talented men. And the people must be happier.
10/12/2011
Another piece of frightening news?
The people may find this piece of news frightening, but to the govt it is good news. The MOM is going to help the oldies again. Dunno why, whenever the govt says it wants to help the people, I got a very strange and uncomfortable feeling. This time the MOM is thinking of reviewing CPF rates for the above 50 uncles and aunties, the vulnerable group that have found themselves having not enough savings after a life time of savings. Dunno why, and nobody knows why. They must have squandered them away in wasteful spending.
So here comes the govt to help them, and very likely to raise their CPF and employers contributions. And the magical scheme called CPF Life will be relooked into to ensure that the annuity will be paid for life. The insurance men are smiling. Tell you what, I don’t like their smile. The longer the payout, or the more the payout, the more will be the pay in. And the longer annuity is to last, the longer it will stay in. As simple as that. If they plan the annuity to last till 120 years, it means whatever money, a big portion will stay in till 120 years. Simply ingenious and logical.
And I can already see how good the scheme is. And it is so good that it will be made compulsory for sure. Our reserves are going to get another boost and the country will be richer, and have more money to invest in big big deals. We can buy up the world.
This is going to be another win win formula, good for oldies, good for employers and good for the national reserves. It can’t be that frightening right?
The people are so lucky. Now they can live till 120 years or more, forever, and there will be more to take.
So here comes the govt to help them, and very likely to raise their CPF and employers contributions. And the magical scheme called CPF Life will be relooked into to ensure that the annuity will be paid for life. The insurance men are smiling. Tell you what, I don’t like their smile. The longer the payout, or the more the payout, the more will be the pay in. And the longer annuity is to last, the longer it will stay in. As simple as that. If they plan the annuity to last till 120 years, it means whatever money, a big portion will stay in till 120 years. Simply ingenious and logical.
And I can already see how good the scheme is. And it is so good that it will be made compulsory for sure. Our reserves are going to get another boost and the country will be richer, and have more money to invest in big big deals. We can buy up the world.
This is going to be another win win formula, good for oldies, good for employers and good for the national reserves. It can’t be that frightening right?
The people are so lucky. Now they can live till 120 years or more, forever, and there will be more to take.
10/11/2011
When a govt discriminates against its own people
Tony Tan talked about an all inclusive society and no one will be left out. Then why are citizens being discriminated by incompetence or bad policies? The citizens who are being barred from buying public flats because of some frivolous reasons, especially earning higher income is a glaring example of bad policies. In the first place, all the young people started with incomes within the HDB ceilings and exceeded only because they could not get a flat earlier. Over the years their incomes are bound to go up. Should not the criteria of income measure be at the time of application when they first started to work?
Then the stupid excuse that they will deprive the lower income buyers from getting a flat, or added to the demand. What kind of bull is that? There is no shortage of land to build public flats. In fact the govt is offering a lot of land to build private properties to be sold to foreigners.
Now, what is the real problem? The truth is that the govt is not building enough or had slowed down the building programme and created the shortage by its own bad policies. It is the artificially created lack of supply that is the problem. So who got blame and who had to suffer for such bad policies or bad planning?
The very own citizens are paying for it. And at the same time there are plenty of flats for new citizens, who are flooding into the market without anyone complaining that they are causing the demand to balloon and resulting in higher market prices. And the affected citizens suffered in silence with the govt refusing to acknowledge its own mistakes. We have many citizens who have done their NS and cannot afford to buy private properties and cannot buy public flats. How can such a situation be allowed to exist in an all inclusive society where no one will be left out?
It is govt logic versus people’s logic, or supertalent logic versus no talent logic. Of course supertalent or govt logic wins, and it is the right logic. This is simply brilliant. Create a supply problem and blame it on the young buyers who happened to earn a little bit more. Just pass the buck to them and force them to buy private. They die their pasar. So wicked.
Then the stupid excuse that they will deprive the lower income buyers from getting a flat, or added to the demand. What kind of bull is that? There is no shortage of land to build public flats. In fact the govt is offering a lot of land to build private properties to be sold to foreigners.
Now, what is the real problem? The truth is that the govt is not building enough or had slowed down the building programme and created the shortage by its own bad policies. It is the artificially created lack of supply that is the problem. So who got blame and who had to suffer for such bad policies or bad planning?
The very own citizens are paying for it. And at the same time there are plenty of flats for new citizens, who are flooding into the market without anyone complaining that they are causing the demand to balloon and resulting in higher market prices. And the affected citizens suffered in silence with the govt refusing to acknowledge its own mistakes. We have many citizens who have done their NS and cannot afford to buy private properties and cannot buy public flats. How can such a situation be allowed to exist in an all inclusive society where no one will be left out?
It is govt logic versus people’s logic, or supertalent logic versus no talent logic. Of course supertalent or govt logic wins, and it is the right logic. This is simply brilliant. Create a supply problem and blame it on the young buyers who happened to earn a little bit more. Just pass the buck to them and force them to buy private. They die their pasar. So wicked.
Daylight robbery
The robbing of motorists continues. We have not heard of the study by CASE on why motor insurance is going up and up like housing prices, despite motorists with clean no claim records and maxing their NCBs. Looks like it is thrown into the waste paper basket oredy. No political value and not worth looking into.
Today the oldies motorists are crying foul. They are going to be slammed with higher motor insurance premium because of their age. Did they say senior citizens should be treated with some respect? What about robbing them of more money? Why not, they are quite helpless. Just tell them they are old and more prone to accidents and it is only logical to make them pay more. A forum writer asked in his letter to the ST for statistical proof that oldies are more accident prone. I think he is asking for it. Statistics is the easiest instrument to bluff people with a little bit of juggling here and there.
Another intelligent reply from another forum letter by a William Tay caught my eye. He said these oldies can afford to drive expensive cars, why are they complaining about a few thousands more in insurance premiums? I love the logic. All those who can afford to buy big cars must pay more premiums. And oldies who can afford to buy big cars must pay lagi more because the cars are big and they are oldies. I second that with all my heart. I am going to give up my car and let the rich oldies go and pay and pay. It will be good for the GDP I supposed.
May I add a few more brilliant recommendations. Make oldies pay motor insurance according to their age, like 65 pays $6,500, 70 pays $7,000 or use the age as a multiplier. I really love the way I think. Maybe the motor insurance company can adopt my suggestion and allow me a free insurance for life. I am so brilliant.
Today the oldies motorists are crying foul. They are going to be slammed with higher motor insurance premium because of their age. Did they say senior citizens should be treated with some respect? What about robbing them of more money? Why not, they are quite helpless. Just tell them they are old and more prone to accidents and it is only logical to make them pay more. A forum writer asked in his letter to the ST for statistical proof that oldies are more accident prone. I think he is asking for it. Statistics is the easiest instrument to bluff people with a little bit of juggling here and there.
Another intelligent reply from another forum letter by a William Tay caught my eye. He said these oldies can afford to drive expensive cars, why are they complaining about a few thousands more in insurance premiums? I love the logic. All those who can afford to buy big cars must pay more premiums. And oldies who can afford to buy big cars must pay lagi more because the cars are big and they are oldies. I second that with all my heart. I am going to give up my car and let the rich oldies go and pay and pay. It will be good for the GDP I supposed.
May I add a few more brilliant recommendations. Make oldies pay motor insurance according to their age, like 65 pays $6,500, 70 pays $7,000 or use the age as a multiplier. I really love the way I think. Maybe the motor insurance company can adopt my suggestion and allow me a free insurance for life. I am so brilliant.
Canadian govt going bust soon
When I read a letter by an ex Singaporean, a Colombo Plan scholar who migrated there and living his retirement in that bitter cold country, I knew something must be wrong. Wong Thye, the ex Singaporean, is now 64 and getting about C$1000 per month of living allowances from the Canadian govt. His wife is also getting the same amount plus other perks, like C$36 free public transport fare for a year, and they are living their retirement in a frugal budget. Their house and car are paid for. And they live off the land, fishing, planting some vegetables, and having fellowship with friends. Quite pathetic. But no fear of big hospitalization bill that will bankrupt them or having to rent out their homes to share with strangers, or worst, to sell it for retirement money.
Compare to the Singaporeans in their 60s, eagerly waiting to go for further training to get a job, to be independent and living with dignity, maybe working till death, now which is better? Not forgetting that life begins at 60, to catch the second wind. And Singaporeans can look forward to a fatter retirement fund in his CPF, don’t expect govt charity, when he retires at 70 or 80. And making sure there is enough savings for the next hospital bill. I think a Singapore at 80 could enjoy the pathetic retirement lifestyle of Wong Thye. And I say the Canadian Govt is asking for trouble.
The Canadian govt has been feeding their retirees from public fund for so many years and must be running a huge budget deficit. And their leaders are definitely not that talented as ours given the small salary they are being paid. How could they manage to pay their oldies from the public coffers for so long while our Govt may go bankrupt if they do so here? And our Govt are so worried that our oldies will have not enough in their CPF savings and are introducing new schemes for the oldies to continue to work, and maybe to raise employer’s CPF contribution to help them.
I think our system must be better, at least the oldies got the opportunity to work till maybe 80, and live with dignity. But I will love to be in Wong Thye’s shoe, having a more relax lifestyle, and still got a house and no need to think of selling it or renting some rooms to earn some money for retirement. And still got a cheap car to drive around, and go for holiday. Now what kind of lifestyle is that, not working and wasting their time away? Look at the quality of our oldies here, fit as a fiddle, never mind if it is cleaning tables or washing plates. It is a very useful life, every moment and second is productive, and independent. Full of dignity and self respect.
Shit, I am going to trade this great dignity and respect and go waste my time in Canada, with no respect never mind, but with a life, a lazy life, and not having to work again. Some may think this is silly thought, but I still think life is more than just working to death and with a saving scheme that is never enough, and wondering when would the savings go kaput on hospitalization bill. And forget about owning a car.
And where got energy to catch the second wind? Walk also panting. For those who are mesmerised by the thrills of working till 80 or till they drop dead, I say, good luck, daffy. So pathetic that at an age when one is supposed to have a little bit of wisdom, one can still be easily conned.
Compare to the Singaporeans in their 60s, eagerly waiting to go for further training to get a job, to be independent and living with dignity, maybe working till death, now which is better? Not forgetting that life begins at 60, to catch the second wind. And Singaporeans can look forward to a fatter retirement fund in his CPF, don’t expect govt charity, when he retires at 70 or 80. And making sure there is enough savings for the next hospital bill. I think a Singapore at 80 could enjoy the pathetic retirement lifestyle of Wong Thye. And I say the Canadian Govt is asking for trouble.
The Canadian govt has been feeding their retirees from public fund for so many years and must be running a huge budget deficit. And their leaders are definitely not that talented as ours given the small salary they are being paid. How could they manage to pay their oldies from the public coffers for so long while our Govt may go bankrupt if they do so here? And our Govt are so worried that our oldies will have not enough in their CPF savings and are introducing new schemes for the oldies to continue to work, and maybe to raise employer’s CPF contribution to help them.
I think our system must be better, at least the oldies got the opportunity to work till maybe 80, and live with dignity. But I will love to be in Wong Thye’s shoe, having a more relax lifestyle, and still got a house and no need to think of selling it or renting some rooms to earn some money for retirement. And still got a cheap car to drive around, and go for holiday. Now what kind of lifestyle is that, not working and wasting their time away? Look at the quality of our oldies here, fit as a fiddle, never mind if it is cleaning tables or washing plates. It is a very useful life, every moment and second is productive, and independent. Full of dignity and self respect.
Shit, I am going to trade this great dignity and respect and go waste my time in Canada, with no respect never mind, but with a life, a lazy life, and not having to work again. Some may think this is silly thought, but I still think life is more than just working to death and with a saving scheme that is never enough, and wondering when would the savings go kaput on hospitalization bill. And forget about owning a car.
And where got energy to catch the second wind? Walk also panting. For those who are mesmerised by the thrills of working till 80 or till they drop dead, I say, good luck, daffy. So pathetic that at an age when one is supposed to have a little bit of wisdom, one can still be easily conned.
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