My first part dealt with the right to live decently and respectfully in a home with sufficient breathing space, not in a dog’s kennel. Just because someone thinks that the average Singaporeans deserve only a space as big a dog’s kennel doesn’t mean that Singaporeans have to accept it. Vote in a govt that will give Singaporeans bigger and cheaper homes and cheaper car ownership. The servants must decide who they want to be their masters.
The related issue is that Singaporeans must not allowed a govt to dictate to them that it would build flats for them and only be ready in 3 to 4 years time. The govt must anticipate the demand and build ahead of demands with flats available at short notice, better over the counter, like selling luxury cars. If they can’t do a simple thing like this why pay them so much?
Please keep the crap excuse that the govt must not over build and landed with 10,000 or 20,000 units hanging in the air. That is stupidity. Decide how much supply is needed, and how many flats to be held as reasonable stock with a bit of give and take. It is a policy decision after weighing the opportunity cost. Million dollar super talents should be able to think and plan ahead and not be floored by a small problem like making housing available at short notice.
The arrogant policy of building only when there is sufficient firm demand is bull. F the bugger. Pure arrogance of the highest order. Only in a master servant relationship or a king subject relationship would such thinking be tolerated. 3 or 4 years wait is just too long. Unacceptable!
Secondly, every Singaporean must be entitled, yes entitled, to buy a public flat. If the govt refuses to let them buy, then what is the purpose of National Service, to defend what when one does not even have the right to buy a public flat and does not have a place to stay? Don’t give the crap that there is always the resale market or the private market.
As citizens, all must be treated equally in issues like basic housing. No citizen must be left out in an inclusive society. Maybe inclusive means something else. All citizens are one, and citizens of the country. The PRs are not citizens. If PRs can buy public flats (a citizen and a PR can form a family unit), why are citizens that pledged to defend this country deprived of this right? Ridiculous or not?
12/13/2011
Foreigners can buy HDB shops
I just found this from the HDB website.
Q: 01 Are foreigners allowed to purchase HDB shops?
[ Commercial Tenants & Lessees > Managing Your Sold Shop ]
A: HDB has no objection to the purchase of the shops by foreigners who are above 21 years of age and are not an undischarged bankrupt.
Foreigners who want to speculate on Singapore properties can go and buy HDB shops. No need to buy residential flats.
Dunno got find prints and any other conditions? Or this is it?
Q: 01 Are foreigners allowed to purchase HDB shops?
[ Commercial Tenants & Lessees > Managing Your Sold Shop ]
A: HDB has no objection to the purchase of the shops by foreigners who are above 21 years of age and are not an undischarged bankrupt.
Foreigners who want to speculate on Singapore properties can go and buy HDB shops. No need to buy residential flats.
Dunno got find prints and any other conditions? Or this is it?
Justice – redbean hates America
I am just using this comment from blogger justice to start a discussion. Lately I have posted several articles that pointed out the faults and flaws of American involvements in Asian and African affairs. Some will find my views rather unconventional as they are completely against the norm, against what was reported in the main media and the western media. These media only have good things to say about the Americans and nothing else. Everything the Americans said and did must be right and good, and ethical, morally righteous.
Now what I am saying or writing are contrary to this belief or version of the truth. Unfortunately what I have written are factual and no one can dispute the facts as untruths or distorted truths. So the only position that they can take me out is that I am anti Americans. Is that so? It is like some doggies who would come here and failing to argue against my points, would attempt to attack me personally. They could not disagree with me as the doggie’s heads are empty of ideas, or they are here simply tasked to discredit me.
The comment by justice is slightly different. The adaptation of the nick justice is an indication that justice is important to him, right and wrong matters. But be careful, what is right to A is not necessarily right to B. I welcome all bloggers to disagree with my views and my facts, tell me my facts are wrong, that what I said did not happen. I will be proud of them. Put up strong and sensible arguments against my position, and this will make the discussion more interesting and enlightening, and educational.
Why are my views so difficult to accept to the WOGs? When one is fed with eggs and bacon every morning and hamburgers every meal, eating porridge and chicken rice is strange and difficult to accept. Probably they may think eating porridge is for poor peasants or eating chicken rice is just not the right thing to do.
For two centuries, the western media have ruled the world and fed the readers, western and eastern readers, with their sets of world views and western oriented ideas of righteousness. The world is seen from Europe and America, and what is good for Europe and America is good and vice versa. Their dominance over the rest of the world cannot be challenged and must stay that way. They even have the audacity to want to manage the rise of China or any country outside Europe and America. It is fair that the westerners accept that kind of world view and positioning.
Why should Afro Asians accept that kind of views? Are Afro Asians supposed to be ruled and led by the westerners, to be fed views and on how to think, to be made to think like westerners and in the interests of westerners? What is education all about? Would Asians and Africans start to think and see the world differently from the west and in their own interests? Would they dare to think differently from the west, from the western media, disagree with the distorted and one sided truths that are fed to them? Would they look at the west, what the Americans are doing and ask, are they doing the right thing, the good thing or the bad thing?
Would there be a revival of Afro Asian civilization, a renaissance of sort, when the Afro Asians could take positions in their own interest, or in the interest of justice and moral high grounds? Would they dare to challenge atrocious views that are obviously biased or distortion of truth? Or would they continue to be dominated by the west, even in their thinking, that everything west is good and right? It is not a matter of being anti west or anti Americans. It is a matter of being yourself, being confident of yourself and your world view. I used to tell some of the bloggers, when one is a student, one often quotes so and so say this and that. Those are learning phases, a time when our ideas are young and we need to learn from more mature and intellectual minds. As we grow older, and hopefully worldly wise, after seeing a life time of controversies and contradictions, it is time to form our own opinions about things and about what is right and wrong, what is good for us, what is not, and what is justice and what is treachery or high falutins.
My articles and views are not necessary right or agreeable to all. But one thing for sure, they are provocative and force one to think and disagree. That is what my blog is all about.
Now what I am saying or writing are contrary to this belief or version of the truth. Unfortunately what I have written are factual and no one can dispute the facts as untruths or distorted truths. So the only position that they can take me out is that I am anti Americans. Is that so? It is like some doggies who would come here and failing to argue against my points, would attempt to attack me personally. They could not disagree with me as the doggie’s heads are empty of ideas, or they are here simply tasked to discredit me.
The comment by justice is slightly different. The adaptation of the nick justice is an indication that justice is important to him, right and wrong matters. But be careful, what is right to A is not necessarily right to B. I welcome all bloggers to disagree with my views and my facts, tell me my facts are wrong, that what I said did not happen. I will be proud of them. Put up strong and sensible arguments against my position, and this will make the discussion more interesting and enlightening, and educational.
Why are my views so difficult to accept to the WOGs? When one is fed with eggs and bacon every morning and hamburgers every meal, eating porridge and chicken rice is strange and difficult to accept. Probably they may think eating porridge is for poor peasants or eating chicken rice is just not the right thing to do.
For two centuries, the western media have ruled the world and fed the readers, western and eastern readers, with their sets of world views and western oriented ideas of righteousness. The world is seen from Europe and America, and what is good for Europe and America is good and vice versa. Their dominance over the rest of the world cannot be challenged and must stay that way. They even have the audacity to want to manage the rise of China or any country outside Europe and America. It is fair that the westerners accept that kind of world view and positioning.
Why should Afro Asians accept that kind of views? Are Afro Asians supposed to be ruled and led by the westerners, to be fed views and on how to think, to be made to think like westerners and in the interests of westerners? What is education all about? Would Asians and Africans start to think and see the world differently from the west and in their own interests? Would they dare to think differently from the west, from the western media, disagree with the distorted and one sided truths that are fed to them? Would they look at the west, what the Americans are doing and ask, are they doing the right thing, the good thing or the bad thing?
Would there be a revival of Afro Asian civilization, a renaissance of sort, when the Afro Asians could take positions in their own interest, or in the interest of justice and moral high grounds? Would they dare to challenge atrocious views that are obviously biased or distortion of truth? Or would they continue to be dominated by the west, even in their thinking, that everything west is good and right? It is not a matter of being anti west or anti Americans. It is a matter of being yourself, being confident of yourself and your world view. I used to tell some of the bloggers, when one is a student, one often quotes so and so say this and that. Those are learning phases, a time when our ideas are young and we need to learn from more mature and intellectual minds. As we grow older, and hopefully worldly wise, after seeing a life time of controversies and contradictions, it is time to form our own opinions about things and about what is right and wrong, what is good for us, what is not, and what is justice and what is treachery or high falutins.
My articles and views are not necessary right or agreeable to all. But one thing for sure, they are provocative and force one to think and disagree. That is what my blog is all about.
Singaporeans should welcome the taxi fare hike
The result speaks for itself. The taxi fare hike has achieved the results that commuters wanted. All the complaints about no taxis, long queue and long wait for taxis is now over. Commuters need only pay a little more to get a taxi faster. Isn’t this what taxis are all about compare to taking buses and MRTs? The taxis provide a different level of service, more privacy, more comfort, faster and convenience. It is only right that commuters have to pay more.
And taxi drivers need to have their incomes raised given the high cost of operation and high cost of living. Let’s be fair to them. And now they need not have to work so hard, and longer to get the same or a bit more income.
Some drivers may complain of lower income yesterday. This will be pass as commuters get use to the higher fare. It is all psychology, nothing to worry about. To those who have to depend on taxis, it is an essential service and they have no choice, no matter how high is the fare, they will have to take taxis. There is a captive market for the taxi operators. And if the buses and MRT slacken and the services deteriorated, or if they put less trains/buses out or curtail their operating hours, the taxi drivers will find more commuters going back to them.
I still find it too cheap and not good enough. When I can snap a finger and a taxi will quickly coast in front of me, smiling and so courteous to pick me up, don’t mind paying higher fare, then I will start to take taxis. You pay the price for the quality of service. Higher price, better service mah. Now stop complaining, just pay.
And taxi drivers need to have their incomes raised given the high cost of operation and high cost of living. Let’s be fair to them. And now they need not have to work so hard, and longer to get the same or a bit more income.
Some drivers may complain of lower income yesterday. This will be pass as commuters get use to the higher fare. It is all psychology, nothing to worry about. To those who have to depend on taxis, it is an essential service and they have no choice, no matter how high is the fare, they will have to take taxis. There is a captive market for the taxi operators. And if the buses and MRT slacken and the services deteriorated, or if they put less trains/buses out or curtail their operating hours, the taxi drivers will find more commuters going back to them.
I still find it too cheap and not good enough. When I can snap a finger and a taxi will quickly coast in front of me, smiling and so courteous to pick me up, don’t mind paying higher fare, then I will start to take taxis. You pay the price for the quality of service. Higher price, better service mah. Now stop complaining, just pay.
12/12/2011
How much can Premium Outlet take from Orchard Road
The JB Premium Outlet selling branded goods has started with a big bang. Singaporeans as usual are visiting there to check the competition. When there is good bargain you can count on the Singaporeans to be there. I am quite pleasantly disposed to the competition given the cut throat business here. When everything is being charged a premium as if Singaporeans have no other alternatives, Premium Outlet is JB is most welcomed.
How much would it be able to snatch from Singapore, particularly from Orchard Road? The crème ala crème tai tais and the super rich would not be tempted by the inconvenience. But there is a section of the converts that are price sensitive and would not mind the hassle. The lesser the hassle, the greater will be this group. If Premium Outlet can take on 30% it will be good. This will force the rentals to go down or the shops to close down. And if they could take on 50%, then Orchard Road would not be the same again.
Why am I feeling good about this? But of course, the Malaysians have a lot of work cut out for them and they could easily unwind everything and all the goodwill and it will be back to square one.
How much would it be able to snatch from Singapore, particularly from Orchard Road? The crème ala crème tai tais and the super rich would not be tempted by the inconvenience. But there is a section of the converts that are price sensitive and would not mind the hassle. The lesser the hassle, the greater will be this group. If Premium Outlet can take on 30% it will be good. This will force the rentals to go down or the shops to close down. And if they could take on 50%, then Orchard Road would not be the same again.
Why am I feeling good about this? But of course, the Malaysians have a lot of work cut out for them and they could easily unwind everything and all the goodwill and it will be back to square one.
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