Tharman the untarnished, a possible next PM

Tharman has won praises from many quarters for his press interview last week and the balanced comments he made on several key issues that are hot in town. This has prompted Seah Chiang Nee to devote an article on him and sounded the possibility of Tharman becoming the next PM.

This could really be a reality as Tharman is possibly the only key minister that is relatively unscarred by controversies over govt policies. His eloquence and cool cucumber demeanour has stood him well with the people of all races. And who knows, come 2016, if some of the key ministers were booted out during the GE, Tharman could be a natural choice as there would be no one good enough left on the table.

Tharman could be a good choice for many reasons. He comes across as a fair and decent minister, not racist, very Singaporean and a strong believer of meritocracy. So the other races would not have anything to fear that he would fill the cabinets with ministers based on racial affinity. And even if he does so, it would definitely be based on meritocracy, that he could not find enough good ministerial candidates from the other racial groups and he has no choice but to take the difficult choice. And who can fault him then, even if hypothetically, 50% or 70% of his ministers are Indians but chosen based on meritocracy, the pillar of Singapore’s success formula? And being sensitive to the other racial groups, he would not take such a route if he can avoid it, and a more balance cabinet with some moderate changes is the likely outcome. Or he could fill his cabinet with the dream team in politics, by bringing in the best in America and Europe. We could have Obama, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condolezza Rice, George Brown, and whoever in Europe. Just issue them a pink IC and they would be instant Singaporeans and can become ministers. Then there will be new a meaning to the term PMET, M would stand for Ministers and MPs that were replaced by these FTs. Our unique meritocracy policy is simply the best, the most flexible and practical solution to a borderless world and a progressive Singapore.

So far Tharman’s star is shining bright and providence could have its own way to propel Tharman to be the next PM no matter what people may think that the population is still not ready for an Indian PM.

My read is that 2016 is going to be an interesting year and anything can happen, the PAP losing power or losing its two third majority in Parliament, including Tharman becoming the next PM and a cabinet of newly minted citizens as ministers are not far fetched.

Now you are thinking.

Night Festival - A piece of RAR Art

Night Festival series. A painting created by Mother Nature.

Worried for Boon Wan and the HDB

Since Boon Wan’s revelation that HDB was losing money for every flat it sold and the amount was a scandalous billion dollar annually, he has been questioned and ridiculed by many bloggers who simply could not believe in what he said. Some of the attacks were quite personal and very unpleasant. What is more worrisome are the losses incurred by HDB now and later on.

According to Boon Wan, the annual losses over the last few years were about a billion, ie every year but not sure how many years he was referring to, no matter how many flats were built. The building programme was ramped up only last year after he came into office. The number of flats built was very small during the watch of his predecessor that led to the current housing problem and high property prices. So, how much is HDB losing for every flat that it sold? And how much will HDB be losing if the population increases to 6.9m? At 6.9, HDB will need to build another 400,000 units to house the increase of 1.6m people at 4 person per flat.

Let me hazard a guess. Taking a best case scenario to do a rough calculation, the building of 50,000 units under Boon Wan, and using his annual $1b loss, HDB should incur a loss of $20,000 for every unit sold. Tiok boh? If $1b is the loss when only 10,000 units were sold, then the loss per unit should be $100,000.

To build another 400,000 units, the loss could be in the region of $8b to $40b depending on which number one is using. This is a serious amount to lose and a big sum to save if the population is not increased and there is no need to build the 400,000 units of flats.  Would it be prudent and make more economic sense not to increase the population to incur more losses? But this is not all. Boon Wan is trying to bring down the prices of HDB flats from an average of 5.5 years of the buyers annual income to 4 years. This would definitely add to the losses that HDB would have to incur. I am terribly worried as to where the Govt is going to find the money to subsidise these losses. Yes, this is a lot of money and it must come from somewhere and someone would have to pay for it.

Maybe Boon Wan has already worked out the sums and the public need not have to worry. The flats will be cheaper and the losses would be taken care of, somehow.

PS: The original $80b to $400b is wrong and should read $8b to $40b. I have amended the text above.

Leslie Chew, would a gentler touch be better?

As expected, the social media and the opposition would have something to say regarding the arrest of Leslie Chew, the cartoonist. Cherian George has spoken and so has SDP, calling for a gentler touch and no need to use the sledgehammer to smash an ant. Unfortunately their calls could make things worst.

It is not right for Leslie to use the term ‘racist’ on the Govt as it is accusing the Govt of a very serious act. The part on the judiciary is also touchy as the integrity of the judicial system is being questioned. But the reaction by the Govt is seen as being too harsh, over reaction. The question is whether a call to retract the statement would be good enough, and for added measures an apology in his comic front page.

Leslie Chew is just a small guy, ok his cartoons are rubbing people up the wrong side. What I feel is necessary is for Leslie Chew to do some damage control by cleaning up the false or wrong image that he has painted of the judiciary and the Govt, to right a wrong and close the matter. Arresting him just make the matter looks so uncomfortable for a first world country. Other than the converts who would believe in anything, how many would really believe the accusations by Leslie Chew? Many would brush it off as some wild accusations. It is as good as calling an angel a rapist when it is obvious that that is not true.

Going too hard on Leslie Chew may send a message, 杀鸡吓猴, and many messages to the world the kind of society we are living in. What happens to the kinder society and the gentler touch?

Yes, Leslie Chew has printed something unsavoury. How much damage is done by Leslie Chew’s comment to deserve a police arrest? The whole world is watching. After this, the Govt may need to mount a bigger PR exercise for the smear that came with the handling of this case.

More PMETs retrenched

The majority of people losing jobs last year were PMETs, forming 54% of the 11,000 made redundant. The percentages for 2010 and 2011 were 35% and 42% respectively. The other interesting point is that the PMETs that were retrenched were getting younger, in the 20s, 30s and 40s, not necessarily the 50s or older.

The dicey part of this information is that without job security in Sin City, these PMETs that were retrenched are going to have a hard time, really bad time. Not only they have a family to look after, school going children, there is also the 30 year mortgage to pay for. 

Job security in Sin City is a top most concern to all Singaporeans. They cannot afford to go without work for at least 30 years. And for these PMETs to lose their jobs at such early ages this is troubling even if they could find a replacement job fast. Any long break without an income is dire.

Isn’t this frightening? And we have several hundred thousand foreign professionals being employed here while our locals are getting the butts every now and then. This is no joking matter. As a country we cannot afford this kind of situation to get worst. It will only aggravate the already big pool of unemployed PMETs and will cost a heavy strain on the social fabric of our society.

The Govt and MOM cannot be cavalier with this problem as it will hit more and more citizens across all industries. The govt service may be affected too, including those in uniform or in civilian if the direction is not reversed.