Hri Kumar’s suggestion on defence tax on PRs and foreigners

With so many outcries on the grave disadvantages Sinkies are facing vis a vis PRs and foreigners, finally the plea has landed on the ears of Hri Kumar. And he has proposed to level the playing field a bit more in favour of Sinkies. His suggestions, since Sinkies serve NS, the PRs and foreigners too need to contribute to our defense for enjoying the protection provided by our soldiers. He is talking about some taxes to be levied on the PRs and foreigners.

The principle is right and no one can argue against such logic. What were disturbing were the kind of excuses and protests being made by some of the commentators. This is one of the comments from former NMP Paulin Straughan, ‘Yes, it is important for us to distinguish Singaporeans from non Singaporeans, because citizenship should matter in any country. But in doing so we have to be careful…the tone with which we introduce it is important and also how we differentiate should not stand out from what other countries do so much so that we stand out as a place where if you go there as a foreigner you will be shortchanged.’

Now what is this all about? The underlying assumption is that we need foreigners who are more talented than our locals to come here. True? Look around you and ask yourself how many are real talents? Two, this island is not really that attractive and the foreigners will go somewhere better? Really, go where? Which country is so happy to open their legs to be screwed by foreigners so willingly?

The third point is more hurtful. We must be careful with our tone so as not to offend the foreigners woah, and we must not shortchanged them. Sayang, sayang, please don’t get angry, please come, we need you…. Bull shit! We have been shortchanging our Sinkies for so many years and in so many ways and hurting our citizens in favour of foreigners for too long. Why no one bothers to say anything about shortchanging the Sinkies? Can shortchange the Sinkies but not foreigners?

What do you think?

Hong Lim Rally - Do not ignore us!

How many Sinkies out there feel strongly about the increasing population and more foreigners that are going to be brought into this country without their consent, and despite their disapproval? The voices of objection have been spoken and the 77 men and women have heard it. They don’t take heed. They are ignoring the people of this island that called this island home and wanted to fill it up with more and more people. After creating this life time crisis, they are offering another solution that could lead to a many life time crisis as the only solution.

No, the people, excluding the 77, did not want more people here. No, they want growth but through other means. No, there must be other ways to create growth without having more people. There can be growth without increasing the population. There can also be growth with 5m or 4m people. Whose theory is it that without population growth there can be no economic or GDP growth?

GDP growth and population growth are not inseparable, that they must go in tandem, that without one you cannot have the other. They are not inseparable twins. The people want growth but not the huge population that will be introduced into this little piece of rock. Don’t ignore the people, don’t ignore the more than 5m people.

This Saturday’s Hong Lim Protest Rally could be our answer to the Tea Party Rally, our very own Kopitiam Rally.

Under building and overbuilding are both troublemakers

The Govt did a marvelous job in solving the housing problems left behind by the colonial masters. It was sheer neglect, disinterest, to build for a growing population after the war. But that was what colonial masters were. They only looked after their own interests, not so much the interests of the colonized people if they could get a way with it.

It was a mammoth task to house a population that was huddled into clusters of attap and zinc roof huts, dilapidated old buildings of cubicles spreaded across the island. The massive rebuilding of the city and country was achieved within a matter of a decade or slightly more. The people were well housed and with a few to spare. One could buy a flat like walking into a departmental store.

Then came the brilliant idea and logic of a super talent. Too many flats not sold meant a lot of assets unused or under used and a heavy cost to the Govt. Get rid of them! And so they did. Then came the next flawed logic. Build only when the demand was firmed. Place the order and pay the deposit first. Only then would the Govt start to acquire the land, do the planning and design and then build. It would take 4 or 5 years. But that was the price for a clinically systematic Govt that prided itself of super efficiency at the expense of the people. There would be no wastage. Every unit of flat built would have an immediate buyer/owner who waited for the last 5 years.

The policy was not to build in advance but to under build. And now we have the gigantic problems of today with housing prices shooting through the roof, with many young people having to wait and wait for their flats. With many marriages delayed, babies delayed and all the consequences of a housing shortage.

Now another new and enlightened wisdom has surfaced. We shall build in advance, we shall over build to provide for future needs. Whoa, like dat oso can. Macam masak masak. Yesterday like that cannot, not like that is the brilliant answer to a wronged policy. Would anyone be crying out loud that a few hundred billions of assets be laid in waiting and costing a lot of money and interests to the Govt? Tiok boh? How can build so many flats in advance and waiting for buyers? Now, who is so clever to come up with such a policy? KNN, I also dunno what is right or wrong, what is good policy or bad policy. Toss a coin to see which one is good or bad.

Is this what super talent is all about? Is this why we have to pay millions for the crème ala crème?

The real test of a Sinkie

There is no need to ask any high brow question about what is a Sinkie. There is no need to know about shared values, culture, experience growing up and all the craps of what not, can speak the language or know the history of the island. The real test comes when there is a crisis and a letter or a public announcement that all adults must register at specified centres for service to the country. This is not necessarily restricted to NSmen. Every Sinkie will answer the call, will go to the reporting centres to sign up. There will be no question ask, no second thoughts. Cause they know that they are Sinkies and this is their country and this is what they have to do.

When a Sinkie has to question himself if he has to sign up, if he wants to sign up, or should he take the next flight out, nationhood has failed. It may have already. How to expect foreigners or new citizens, don’t bother about PRs, to report to the centres when many don’t even want to do NS? A Sinkie is a Sinkie by nature, it is in him or her to serve the country when needed. No erat erat, no reasoning on whether it is good or bad, or what is there for me, they will answer the call of the country.

At least I know that the older generations did just that, before NS came into effect. Being a citizen is a part of the psyche of a citizen, something like falling in love, no need any reasons or justification. I wonder how many of the new citizens, forget about the PRs, will react when there is a crisis and a general mobilization.

Quote by Joey, a blogger in TRE

This is a quote by a blogger in TRE to my article on How much GIC and Temasek have contributed to the public coffer. And I take liberty to modify it a little. This is the original comment, ‘People working harder and harder for lesser and lesser to feed an elite group which is getting fatter and fatter.’

This is my extended version…People working harder and harder for lesser and lesser to buy smaller and smaller flats at higher and higher prices and the elite getting richer and fatter.