5/06/2013
Enemies of the State
The second major protest Rally against the Govt’s White Paper to increase the population to 6.9m went off smoothly on May Day. The international media were there to cover the event to brief the world of the kind of democracy and freedom of expression in this First World model city with a mixed of western democracy, Confucianist mandate of Heaven and a tinge of dictatorship. I hope I would not be called up to meet Sue for mentioning the taboo word like dictatorship. But that was on a placard during the Rally. It read, ‘We need a new dicktator’.
It is good that such irritating protest is gradually being accepted by the Govt without bringing in Sue into the picture though Sue was mentioned many times in the speeches of the speakers. Sue is a famous national icon and often sent a chill down the spine of unwary Singaporeans who talked too much, the opposition politicians, the comic writers and yes, the bloggers as well. One just does not know how far one has crossed the rubicon. They called it the OB markers.
Many things happened prior to the May Day event in Hong Lim with many fearing for the safety of Gilbert, the organiser, and the cancellation of the protest Rally for some unknown reasons. There were some correspondence between Gilbert and the authority in the innocuous guardians of Parks. Though the police did not ask for anything, Gilbert received a kind reminder by the Parks minder that it would be appropriate for him to apply for a Police permit to hold the rally. Somehow, this friendly gesture became a kind of nightmare and many people read many things into it. Of course it was silly of them to do so as it was just a formality for the Parks minder to do the necessary. And Gilbert did the necessary by politely replying to the Parks’ guardians that there was no requirement to do so. It all looked so polite and friendly, but there were great tension and trepidation coming out from the exchange, of course there was nothing to it really.
Why was there an element of fear being spread around with people saying that they would not attend the Rally to avoid being troubled? And there were many discussions in the social media with the pro rally activists trying to dismiss the fear element and the opponents playing it up. Gilbert and his team were somehow seen as enemies, being watched closely be unseen eyes, and as if something nasty could happen to them. Why should it be in a democracy for the people to fear the people they elected to be their Government, to look after them and protect their interests? It is a difficult contradiction, must be.
Recently many bloggers and activists had their encounters with Sue and were sweating cold sweat instead of thinking of having a good time with her. Are they also enemies of the State? Many bloggers were openly threatened and harassed in social media by forces that assumed that they had the right to do so and acting as if they were the law, or above the law. I too was harassed and attacked daily and threatened for acts of sedition, and may have the good fortune of meeting Sue. There appears that certain groups of people are seen as enemies of the state and are living life dangerously without having to commit any crime but just because they did not agree with policies of the authority, or have different viewpoints.
Are the citizens living in fear of the dark forces in a democracy? Is there really something out there, forces that will devour citizens in the name of the State, in the name of Sue? Who are the real enemies of the State?
5/05/2013
Ominous signs to slow down
The
latest discovery in the MRT story is rail crack. Monday morning peak hour,
crack was found on the North South Line causing massive jams and delays to the
train service. Subsequently the speed of all trains was slowdown as a precaution.
MRT quoted an incident in England that resulted in several
deaths due to rail cracks.
The
main cause of rail cracks is metal fatigue contributed by a combination of
temperature, age and uneven wheel. Are
these the signs of an ageing system that needs either a complete overhaul, a
complete change or just simply to slow down, and things will be ok again? Or we
really need a change, a new system to replace the ageing system that is getting
sicker by the day and there is no other option left?
Monday’s
morning the East West trains were also travelling at much slower speed. Would
this be the new beginning, a new trend of travelling in our MRT system, our not
so rapid transport system?
Looking
at the bigger picture, our rapidly maturing economy may also need to slow down
to avoid overheating and heart burns. Everything is running at full steam for
so long and maximized to yield results but getting marginal or diminishing
returns. Even our workers, those past expiry date types, are still recycled
into the job market to keep the economy going. The Dad’s Army is still kicking
in the food courts and hawker centres.
And
strangely, the PMETs, some very much younger, have been pulled out of the
system before their expiry dates. But this is a different story altogether.
Maybe they should consider themselves lucky to be able to slow down and not be squeezed
dry for another few more years. We need much younger and more talented workers
to drive the economy faster than the lazy and not good enough PMETs, we need to
bring them in to replace the locals for a more energized economy. No losers
allowed.
Our
cars are retired when many were still in peak conditions and could run for
another ten years or more. Our housing is being pulled down only to rebuild
with more levels to increase the yield. Our land are harvested to the fullest,
every inch must be made useful. We are running out of training grounds for
NSmen and soon there will be no land for military camps.
We
need to slow down. The symptoms being thrown out daily by the MRT are ominous
signs that we cannot go at the same speed anymore or we risk more breakdowns
and accidents. Heed the warning signs and avoid going over the cliff. There is no remedy to ageing.
A big stride in Singapore Malaysia relations
Since the sealing of the new land swap deal between Hsien
Loong and Najib, relations between the two states have improved beyond anyone’s
imagination. There wer more joint developments and more meetings and friendlier
comments on both sides, patting each other’s back. This is definitely good for
both countries going forward and for people to people relations. Iskandar
Economic Zone now got a big boost with Singapore
becoming the anchor tenant and biggest investors.
I know things are looking good and fine but did not know
that it could be that fine until yesterday when Abdul Ghani, the incumbent
Mentri Besar of Johore, paid a friendly visit using the second causeway from
Gelang Patah. This is not all. It was
reported that it was part of his election campaign to woo Malaysians working in
Singapore. And I
thought Lim Kit Siang too would make the same friendly gesture. But he
chickened out, did not want to give the wrong impression and be accused of as a
branch of the Singapore PAP. DAP has its root in PAP during the days when Singapore
was in Malaysia.
So we will miss seeing this grand old politician from across
the causeway in Jurong. Let’s hope this friendliness will continue and come
2016, our ministers can visit Iskandar to campaign among the Singaporeans
working or staying there. Iskander is likely to see the presence of many more
Singaporeans and could justify a visit by the contesting candidates.
This is a good start for a closer Singapore Malaysia
relationship. Nice. Singaporeans should not kick a row about applying for
police permit to campaign in Singapore.
Malaysia could
also then extend the same courtesy to our politicians in the next GE. Let’s be
abang adek again.
And it is good that no negative retorts were heard when
Najib said that there was no Chinese school in Singapore.
In the past there would be some rash reactions to a comment like that from
either side of the causeway. Our relationship with Malaysia
has matured to some degree.
Further improvements are hopeful. If travelling could be
made more convenient, Singaporeans more warmly received, more Singaporeans
would be selling their HDB flats and buy up properties in Malaysia.
This would be a win win solution. Singaporeans could make a killing by selling
out their million dollar HDB flats to FTs, and Malaysian developers benefiting
from selling more properties to Singaporeans.
A slight drawback is that Singaporeans that sold their HDB
flats would never have the chance to buy another property in Singapore
again. The prices would be beyond them. They would be perpetual PRs in Malaysia,
and may be better to take up Malaysian citizenship if they are welcomed to do
so. Malaysia
will also see a property boom but this will lead to some inflation and higher
cost of living, and jams at the two crossings. With the larger land mass, these
changes could easily be absorbed unlike a small island like Singapore.
Overall it would be good for Singapore
with Singapore
island becoming the land of rich foreigners and FTs, a great vibrant city,
while Singaporeans migrate over to Malaysia.
Singaporeans can also move nearer to the nursing homes in Johore as well as
landed properties for after life.
5/04/2013
We are not the cheapest
As Hsien Loong put it in his May Day message,
‘We have spent many, many decades nurturing this reputation
for reliability, for openness. We have made a name for ourselves; not
necessarily the cheapest place but a competitive and dynamic city that’s worth
paying the premium for. And we must keep that reputation because otherwise
we’re dead.’
So, do we believe that we don’t have to compete to be the
cheapest? We have so many advantages, tangible and intangible, that all the
foreign businesses will be salivating to be here. Think SPGs aplenty. What a
life! Let those who want to leave, let them go. Be selective, shrink a little
to relief the pen up appetite for more FTs. We can start by getting rid of
those businesses that are here and employing mainly FTs. The Govt can start by
getting all GLCs to employ Singaporeans first.
Why be threatened by a few businesses and buckled under
their threats of not investing here? What would Goh Keng Swee and his
colleagues do when faced with such rubbish threats? Do we believe in ourselves?
Do we have confidence in our system and infrastructure that the businesses need
to pay a premium and not getting a Singapore
discount? We have world best universities with Angmoh professors that would
turn out graduates as good as Angmohs, if not, would still be better than third
world universities right? With so many high quality third world FTs replacing
our local graduates, I think I may be wrong on this count.
We have world famous man made gardens that cost us a
fortune, F1s, casinos, safe and secure streets to party till the wee hours.
These don’t come free. There is value for money. The more expensive the better
right? This one surely right. We keep on raising university fees to raise the
quality of our education, and also medical fees for better medical services and
professionalism. We have all these good stuff within 15 mins of driving, in a
world class city. Want cheap cheap, go to operate in third world countries lah.
See, I also can sell koyok for my country. It is time to
seriously relook and restructure and take in only those that are beneficial to
our bigger game plan that compliment and not sabotage our social and economic
development of our people. We want to continue to be in the First
World and not downgrade to cheap cheap Third World.
Swee boh?
I can also sing a song of being cheaper and cheaper and
cheaper or else all the foreign businesses will run away. Singaporeans must
tighten belt, compete with all the hungry workers. It is market forces at work.
The song I sing depends on my mood and the weather.
Can we afford not to be selective?
As
our Govt continues in its relentless drive for growth, without growth no salary
increment, it has become something like the Hokien saying, 什么南鸟都要。Who can say don’t want
growth and don’t want salary increment? But can they say got increment must be
more than inflation? Got $200 increment, inflation and cost of living eat up
$500, good huh?
We have three national universities and several semi govt funded universities. Now
we have this thing called NUS Yale University that is costing a bomb
for the infrastructure and the foreign staff being brought in. Not forgetting
all the great professori in the other govt universities. Do we really need this
NUS Yale University and all the expensive
foreign professors that are paid so handsomely that all of them is looking more
handsome than before arriving here? Yes, our students will also become more
handsome and would earn just as much as them or more.
We
have F1 supposedly bringing in more revenue indirectly than the direct cost.
This is necessary, I think, as all the rich and super rich need a past time
like the F1 to kill their boredom. And all the hotels, retail shops and
supporting businesses will get more businesses. Simply put, it is good for
business and the indirect income is more than the millions spent. The
businesses must be grateful for this govt largesse.
We have a super expensive man made garden.
This one sure brings in more tourists to spend more money here. One day it may
get into the Guinness Book of Record as one of the new 7 wonders of the world,
man made wonders. Then Singapore would be known world wide
and the publicity is worth every millions spent on its maintenance. And the
people got to enjoy the great plants in them.
We
allow all kinds of industries and businesses to operate here. Many businesses
need not be here but because we are so good, good in everything,
infrastructure, power that never break down, water that comes out of the tap
without fail, MRt that never stop, and a world class workforce, world class
workers to support the businesses. And if the workers are found not good
enough, too expensive, the businesses can import their own workers, or at least
most of them. Just make sure they have some pieces of papers to say they are
talents.
And
we are selling properties like hot cross buns with great profits. We have unlimited land and we can afford to
keep selling and selling. The sky is the limit. We can build higher than the Tower of Babel or deeper than the deep
blue sea. In this sense, we have no land constraints. That is why 10m population
is no big deal. I am thinking of 50m or more. Our ingenuity beats the world
hollow.
We
are never short of talents. We just import them. No need to grow them from
young. No need nurseries or pre schools or primary schools. We bring them in
like ripe durians, minus the trees. We are bringing anything that walks on two
legs and called them talents. We can have the old and mature ones. We can have
the young ones, just pay for their tuition fees, food and accommodation and
hopefully they turn out good. We can have those that came with papers, fake
ones also can. No worry as long no one knows. Just pray no one blow the whistle
and everything will just look fine.
Everything
is about generating money and more money. With land no longer an issue as the
sky is the limit, we crave for more and more people to fill up our land, to
create more economic activities, it is easier than manufacturing, to generate
more revenue and money, but there is a little hitch. Somehow the average people
are finding money no enough, and money disappearing everyday, even those in the
savings. They said inflation is under control, no problem.
Can
we be more selective in what we want, what we do, what we allow to come in,
what kind of businesses we want, and how we spend the money that we made so
easily? Or shall we adopt the gambler’s mentality of easy come easy go? We have
so much money, spend lah! Just keep on buying anything we fancy, more angmoh
professori and FTs, F35s, or buy anything in the name of investment, short term, long
term, or very long term as long as it is not gambling.
We
are such a blessed city, with God’s grace, everything will just go on fine. And
everything is just looking fine. Bring in the people to increase economic
growth. No need Samsung, Apple or Toyota. Our products are people
and unlimited good value added land.
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