Sandwiched class needs more govt help

A Lim Wan Keng wrote in the ST forum today asking for changes to the stupid and outrageous HDB income ceilings that put many genuine home buyers in a fixed. With inflation running like a wild horse, many middle income earners would quite easily exceed the $12k ceiling. And the prices of HDB DBSS and exec condominiums are not cheap either. Why is this ceiling still in place when it is as obsolete as the thinking of its originator? Haven’t the message sank in that it is and was not affordable though some jokers insisted that it was?

Lim Wan Keng’s case, family growing but income exceeded ceiling and cannot upgrade to exec condominium, and not rich enough to be robbed by the private developers. This is the kind of fix the pro active, thinking and caring govt is placing on its citizens.

But she should count herself lucky as she already owned a HDB. What about those for some reasons like getting married late and found their income exceeded the ceiling and don’t even qualify as first timers? All inclusive society, no one is left out, every first timer will be able to buy a HDB. My stinking foot!

And there are many who have bought twice from the HDB and wanted to upgrade or downgrade as their needs have changed, or finances have changed. No way. After two bites of the cheery, that’s it. It is such thickness in the head that makes life very difficult for the Sinkies. With a lifespan of 70 to 80 years or more, the needs for housing will change. Two times are definitely inadequate and the buyers would be stuck in a shitty situation except those who could upgrade. If they are in some financial binds and need to sell, they will be in bigger shit.

Then there are those divorcees or from broken families. It is their faults huh? What is inclusiveness and caring all about?

Would there be a change in mindset and silly rules and regulations made by silly people be thrown into the dustbins? As for the too rich for HDB and too poor for private properties, vote for a change of govt if they want a policy change. There is no way for stubborn mules to change their mindset. There is no way to talk to the arrogance of power, or deaf frogs who think they are so right.

Don’t give the dumb craps that too many are waiting in the queue. Just go and build for the people. A roof over the people’s head is of utmost importance. Don’t give the excuse of the speculators making lesser profits. Make it clear that public housing’s main purpose is a home for every Sinkie. Profit is secondary and good if there is and good if there isn’t. Let the speculators go and speculate in the private sector.

Let all Sinkies be allowed to buy and own a public flat and also allowed to speculate in the private property sector. One as a home for all time, one to get rich if possible. Don’t mix the two. They can co exist. Do not force the young people into big debts by forcing them to buy private.

Singapore’s money stashed in Swiss Banks

How much money did Singaporeans stashed away in the safe haven in Switzerland? According to Swiss banking data, foreign money deposited in Swiss Banks amounted to 1.53 trillion Swiss Francs or about US$1.6 trillion. Of these, UK has a 20% share or about 300b Swiss Franc followed by US at 18%. This is followed by Germany, France, Hongkong and Japan with Singapore at 14th position. Singapore is ahead of countries like Australia, Italy, Netherland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE and even India. The latter is ranked 55th .

How much is the net amount Singaporeans hid away in Swiss Banks for safety reasons and who are the real owners? A ballpark figure could be in the region of US$50b to US$100b. This is no small change for a small little island, standing way above the heads of bigger countries like Australia and the oil rich Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Interesting numbers to ponder over, the whys and the whos.

Justice for the small Sinkies

The cost of going to court is becoming very prohibitive to many ordinary Sinkies. It can be worst than hospitalization especially when there is no equivalent of the Medisave or the 3Ms to lower the cash outlay. There is a piece of good news announced by Wong Meng Meng, Law Society President, that measures have been taken to allow the average Sinkies to have their legal matters settle through Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as arbitration, mediation and adjudication. Such methods would spare the average Sinkies from expensive legal bills payable to the courts and the learned counsels for their services.

Many minor or frivolous cases have been applied for judicial judgement that were not necessary, and often an abuse of the legal system by parties that have the money to do so and to use the court as their hatchet men. Poor Sinkies who have no money to engage brilliant counsels often have to suffer injustice at the mercy of the rich rogues. And it is this very injustice that the Law Society is trying to prevent, to ensure that all Sinkies could have a fair hearing and justice, and not be deprived of justice because they could not pay for it.

The ADR methods or alternative method to allow petty and frivolous cases to be heard in a manner without prohibitive legal fees is something that is badly needed for the average Sinkies. Maybe appearance in such courts should be made simpler and less costly by not allowing legal counsels to represent their clients. The military has been practicing such a system for ages. The litigants could explain their cases or maybe with the assistant of a court appointed representative if they are unable to do so. Such cases are normally factual in nature and a good judge should be more than adequate to assess the merits of the parties involved.

Such an alternative will free the courts and legal counsels to handle more important legal conflicts and issues. And legal counsels could upgrade themselves to a higher level of litigation instead of petty quarrels between neighbours. It is quite malu for learned counsels to be making their pile from petty quarrels of the small people.

With the opening up of the legal practice and the establishment of an international arbitration centre, legal counsels could have plentiful of meaningful and rewarding cases to handle and need not depend on poor Sinkies to feed their overheads and profits.

There is plenty of money to be made in serious legal disputes. Spare the average Sinkies from hefty legal fees. Spare the courts to deal with legal issues befitting the attention of the judges. Spare the legal counsels to attend to cases that will tax their training in law schools and their understanding of the law, and an improvement in their incomes.

And most important, allow the average Sinkies the right to justice without having to pay an arm or a leg, and preventing the rich rogues to abuse the courts to attack their victims.

Sinkies are getting naughty

Why are there so many skepticism and criticism about the Woffles case? The law is the law. The Law Minister has explained it clearly on the technical aspects of the law and why it was administered that way. The AGC has also done the unusual, to explain the legality and correctness of the law. The Sinkies should be very grateful that the AGC was kind enough to explain the position to show how fair and proper is our legal system. There is absolutely no favouritism or any undoings.

Now, would Sinkies just accept that it is the law, simple and clear, fair and just? How could laypeople question the legality of the law when the two most authoritative person and body in charge with administering justice in the country have already said that it was right and proper? So what if senior counsels also have their doubts?

Sinkies must accept the law of the country. This country is ruled by the rule of law. And when the law says so, it says so. Let’s move on and let the good surgeon go about with his practice to make many more beautiful people happy. And good thing nobody was hurt.

And like all fairy tales, they all lived happily ever after. A happy ending. Won’t that be nice?

Humanitarian and disaster relief centres everywhere

‘Thailand and the United States have agreed to set up a working group to jointly develop a regional humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief training and readiness centre at U-Tapao airport in Rayong.’

The Americans are setting up such centres everywhere in Asia, from Vietnam, Thailand to the Philippines and Singapore, maybe Indonesia and Malaysia next. Such centres are set up wherever American military bases are not present like in South Korea and Japan.

On paper the Americans are spending a lot of money and resources to save the world with such centres. Are these centres really for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief work? Your guess.