On the covering page of Today paper is a full page on the COE system
with the question ‘How do you fix the COE system? There are three more
questions following this, ‘Why not make car buyers pay what they bid for
their COE? Or should COE just be balloted? What should COE categories
be based on?
The unhappiness over the COE system has been on going for many years.
Occasionally people would raise their grievances for a while but soon
forgotten. The Govt knows best and this is the best system they could
come up with. The fact that this system is coming up for criticism year
in and year out and for Today to put it in an exclusive page and a TV
programme dedicated to it speak a lot about how good or shitty the
system is.
Why is this system allowed to go on for so long? The answer is obvious.
Or maybe everyone can see the problem but our super talents could not.
Their thoughts are more intelligent and they could see all the merits of
the system but the farmers could not. So, like the clever deaf frogs,
they knew that this is the best way to go and no time to waste listening
to the daft.
Everyone in the street can see the flaws of this system, how is it that
the Govt thinks that this is the best and is willing to overlook the
flaws? Now I am being silly. Where got flaws? Let me tell you the merits
of this system. If I am very rich, I can guarantee myself getting the
COE and paying the least despite bidding for $1m. See, the system is so
good to me, the rich man. And who is the one suggesting that I should
pay the $1m that I bidded? Don’t be stupid can. How can you make me pay
$1m for a COE? I only bid to make sure that I got the certificate with
no intent to pay the million dollar lah. Siao.
As for the Govt, it is so generous to make sure that everyone pays the
lowest successful bid. How can anyone blame the Govt for being so kind?
Imagine paying $1m for a COE and another bidder pays $50 for it? Such
injustice cannot be allowed. The Govt must be fair to all the bidders.
Everyone pays one price, the lowest price. See, fair or not? The people
must be very grateful to such a considerate Govt that thinks for their
own good.
And if everyone were to pay what he bids, it is so complicated and
messy. It will drive everyone nuts to compute the exact amount for every
car during transfer or rebates or whatever. With one price, so easy to
calculate, use fingers also can.
Doesn’t the system encourage everyone to bid as high as possible knowing
that they need only pay the lowest? Doesn’t this in a way lead to the
price to be artificially higher than it should be? Really ah, cannot be
lah. Buyers still only pay for the lowest bid so even if the price is
unusually higher it is okay what. Good for Govt revenue and money can be
used to improve public transportation and roads better. It is a good
thing.
Shouldn’t the bidders pay for the price they bidded since it is their
own free will to bid high? Cannot, not fair for the rich to pay higher
COE and the poorer buyers pay lower COE. The Govt must ensure that there
is fair play for everyone. Have you heard of leveling the playing
field?
This COE system is about as good as it gets. Now who thinks he is
smarter than the super talents and wants to change the system? Every
good idea has been thought through and found to have other problems and
not workable in the long run. Let’s stick to this present system and
move on. No need to waste more time on it. But if it is just to allow
the people to let off some steam, then it is ok to talk about it and let
the people think, for once, that they are smarter than the super
talents and have cleverer ideas to contribute. There is a saying that
the fools may have something wise to learn from ya? Swee boh?
7/16/2013
When the police cannot protect the citizen, who will?
‘The police came down took our statements separately and this is what Officer Lynkamillah told me:
1. They cannot arrest Sonuvabitch because it's not in the rulebooks, despite having assaulted a girl.
2. They issued me a medical form to go to the hospital for check ups. Best part? I HAVE TO PAY THE BILL! No compensation whatsoever.
3. I have to go down to the central police station to speak to whoever I need to speak to in order to pursue the case IF I wanted to. Which means at the moment there are no investigations whatsoever and they cannot charge Sonuvabitch for anything.
4. Since Sonuvabitch holds a pink IC, the case would take about a year before anything is done.
Excuse me?
That is the biggest insult I've heard all night. I was assaulted and nothing can be done. I put my trust in the police because I thought they would protect a normal citizen like me. Never have I been more wrong. The way Officer Lynkamillah was so apathetic and not the least bit apologetic, about not being able to haul Sonuvabitch's ass to lock up, really disappoints me.
And I quote them, "You will not be arrested if you or your friends punch Sonuvabitch back."
The above is posted by a Etterorua Red in The Real Singapore in her post, ‘I was punched twice by some guy and police said they can’t arrest him.’ The two girls were insulted by a stranger who made them up to be prostituted and insulted them by taunting them for $20. She slapped him and got punched twice. Called the police and regretted for wasting her time.
If the police are not there to protect innocent citizens from being beaten up, who is there to protect the citizens? Is it now a sport to beat up Singaporeans and walk away? Just make sure it is not grievous hurt and it will be fair game. The police will come if summoned, take down the statements and you got to say thank you to them. You have to pay for justice by engaging a lawyer to sue the attacker, provided you have his particulars and the money to pursue the case. For the not so rich Sinkies, tough.
What is happening to this City? Can the citizens feel safe any more? Can anyone blame her for saying, ‘I have lost complete faith in humanity and in the police?’ What do you think? Should the citizens be protected from assault, from being beaten up?
Would we be facing a situation when the bullies would say, 'I beat so what? Sue me lah, sue me lah!'
1. They cannot arrest Sonuvabitch because it's not in the rulebooks, despite having assaulted a girl.
2. They issued me a medical form to go to the hospital for check ups. Best part? I HAVE TO PAY THE BILL! No compensation whatsoever.
3. I have to go down to the central police station to speak to whoever I need to speak to in order to pursue the case IF I wanted to. Which means at the moment there are no investigations whatsoever and they cannot charge Sonuvabitch for anything.
4. Since Sonuvabitch holds a pink IC, the case would take about a year before anything is done.
Excuse me?
That is the biggest insult I've heard all night. I was assaulted and nothing can be done. I put my trust in the police because I thought they would protect a normal citizen like me. Never have I been more wrong. The way Officer Lynkamillah was so apathetic and not the least bit apologetic, about not being able to haul Sonuvabitch's ass to lock up, really disappoints me.
And I quote them, "You will not be arrested if you or your friends punch Sonuvabitch back."
The above is posted by a Etterorua Red in The Real Singapore in her post, ‘I was punched twice by some guy and police said they can’t arrest him.’ The two girls were insulted by a stranger who made them up to be prostituted and insulted them by taunting them for $20. She slapped him and got punched twice. Called the police and regretted for wasting her time.
If the police are not there to protect innocent citizens from being beaten up, who is there to protect the citizens? Is it now a sport to beat up Singaporeans and walk away? Just make sure it is not grievous hurt and it will be fair game. The police will come if summoned, take down the statements and you got to say thank you to them. You have to pay for justice by engaging a lawyer to sue the attacker, provided you have his particulars and the money to pursue the case. For the not so rich Sinkies, tough.
What is happening to this City? Can the citizens feel safe any more? Can anyone blame her for saying, ‘I have lost complete faith in humanity and in the police?’ What do you think? Should the citizens be protected from assault, from being beaten up?
Would we be facing a situation when the bullies would say, 'I beat so what? Sue me lah, sue me lah!'
7/15/2013
You can play the game, so can I
WASHINGTON: The United States told China in talks on Thursday it was
"very disappointed" that Beijing did not hand over US intelligence
leaker Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong. (Quoted from CNA)And
elsewhere around the world people are standing up to defend Snowden. In
Germany, the Germans too are calling to defend and protect this man.
‘Demonstrators stand in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to show their
support for US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden. (AFP/Ole Spata)
The Americans were furious. This is how it feels when another country harbours or protects your dissidents. China has been furious for too long and for too many times when the Americans snubbed them in their face by protecting and even smuggling Chinese dissidents out of China and hosting them in big publicity events in the US to embarrass China. Of course the Americans could not remember how many times they did this to China and other countries. And now they are furious over Snowden, they are feeling hurt!
This is the beginning of a game that if the Americans can play, others too can play. If the Americans can spy and snoop at other countries, conduct cyber espionage and attacking other countries computer systems, other countries too can do the same to them. American exceptionalism is now international exceptionalism. Everyone has the right to play the same game. And there will be more Snowdens and Assanges coming out of America.
America must get use to being on the receiving end from now and going forward. Just like cyber hacking, the US can hack China and China can hack at the US. It is two way traffic. The days when American can do anything to any country as it liked is over. America can no longer fly U2 spy planes over the territories of other countries to photograph whatever they fancied freely. They may be tempted to fly drones instead. But be warned that other countries can do likewise.
The world has changed and America no longer can dominate and dictate to the whole world. So, would America now hand over Chinese dissidents to China?
The Americans were furious. This is how it feels when another country harbours or protects your dissidents. China has been furious for too long and for too many times when the Americans snubbed them in their face by protecting and even smuggling Chinese dissidents out of China and hosting them in big publicity events in the US to embarrass China. Of course the Americans could not remember how many times they did this to China and other countries. And now they are furious over Snowden, they are feeling hurt!
This is the beginning of a game that if the Americans can play, others too can play. If the Americans can spy and snoop at other countries, conduct cyber espionage and attacking other countries computer systems, other countries too can do the same to them. American exceptionalism is now international exceptionalism. Everyone has the right to play the same game. And there will be more Snowdens and Assanges coming out of America.
America must get use to being on the receiving end from now and going forward. Just like cyber hacking, the US can hack China and China can hack at the US. It is two way traffic. The days when American can do anything to any country as it liked is over. America can no longer fly U2 spy planes over the territories of other countries to photograph whatever they fancied freely. They may be tempted to fly drones instead. But be warned that other countries can do likewise.
The world has changed and America no longer can dominate and dictate to the whole world. So, would America now hand over Chinese dissidents to China?
Vivian Balakrishnan: Help hold down health costs
Vivian spoke to a batch of graduating medical students about the higher
callings of medicine and the need to hold down medical costs. Though the
call is genuine it is only going to be another vain effort just like
the rising cost of properties and the general high cost of everything.
The high medical cost is something that the new graduates cannot do anything about. They are like someone caught in a high speed treadmill and unable to stop running. The high cost is partly contributed by their seniors in the profession who more or less set the standard for pricing their expertise. But they too are victims of a vicious cycle of high inflation.
Who is the culprit for high and ridiculous medical cost? The medical professionals have to foot the bills for their practices and also to earn enough to live well and with dignity. A large portion of their cost is property cost either in rentals or in acquiring the property for the practice. And property is also needed for the medical professionals to live well. In other words, the main culprit is high property prices. Who is the bugger causing high property prices?
And there is a whole lot of other prices and costs going up and passed to the consumers. The high cost of owning a few luxury cars, the expensive lifestyle and holidays etc etc will be borne by the consumers for sure. The sad part is that many consumers of medical services are the average Sinkies that barely have $10k in their savings and medical bills can come to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands.
How can medical cost be brought down? How can young medical graduates help to bring down medical cost when they have to quickly earn enough to cover their investments in the medical education and the overheads, properties for practice and living, and all the trimmings of a good life they are looking forward to? We cannot expect the doctors to live poorly can we?
What has happened to this noble profession that was once so highly regarded to one that is no different from another money making profession? Who contributed to this devious state of affair? It is easy to make such a call to keep medical cost down, or any cost down. Does the high inflationary system allow it to happen? Who is responsible for the high inflationary system?
The high medical cost is something that the new graduates cannot do anything about. They are like someone caught in a high speed treadmill and unable to stop running. The high cost is partly contributed by their seniors in the profession who more or less set the standard for pricing their expertise. But they too are victims of a vicious cycle of high inflation.
Who is the culprit for high and ridiculous medical cost? The medical professionals have to foot the bills for their practices and also to earn enough to live well and with dignity. A large portion of their cost is property cost either in rentals or in acquiring the property for the practice. And property is also needed for the medical professionals to live well. In other words, the main culprit is high property prices. Who is the bugger causing high property prices?
And there is a whole lot of other prices and costs going up and passed to the consumers. The high cost of owning a few luxury cars, the expensive lifestyle and holidays etc etc will be borne by the consumers for sure. The sad part is that many consumers of medical services are the average Sinkies that barely have $10k in their savings and medical bills can come to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands.
How can medical cost be brought down? How can young medical graduates help to bring down medical cost when they have to quickly earn enough to cover their investments in the medical education and the overheads, properties for practice and living, and all the trimmings of a good life they are looking forward to? We cannot expect the doctors to live poorly can we?
What has happened to this noble profession that was once so highly regarded to one that is no different from another money making profession? Who contributed to this devious state of affair? It is easy to make such a call to keep medical cost down, or any cost down. Does the high inflationary system allow it to happen? Who is responsible for the high inflationary system?
Setting the agenda, calling the shot and making monkeys running around
Just when the cleaning of the hawker centre dispute was fading away,
Vivian Balakrishnan threw down the gauntlet in Parliament, calling
Sylvia Lim and Pritam Singh and the WP names and challenging them to sue
him in court. Initially some might have thought that this was the
position of a minister trying to make his mark. Then the PMO issued one
statement after another to support the stand of Vivian and confirmed
that it was the stand of the Govt to hold the WP to account for what
they said and done in the hawker centre cleaning issue. The Govt is
questioning the integrity, honesty and trustworthiness of the WP. The
Govt is taking the fight to the WP and demanding the latter to pick up
the gauntlet and do battle.
Low Thia Khiang has replied that he would not pursue this matter and have a run in with the PAP that would be time consuming, energy sapping and financially draining on the limited finance of his party. A drawn out battle is something that the WP would not want to be dragged into. They would rather continue with what they have to do to serve their constituencies and not politicking to win a battle with the time and place and agenda set by the PAP. They would want to leave the matter as it is and let the people decide whether they have done wrong or whether they are worthy to be voted in again.
The PAP has in a way decided that the WP is guilty and wanted this to be confirmed in this chosen battle, preferably in court, to be judged by the court. They are taking on the roles of judge and executioner. The WP chose to have the issue be judged by the people like in Hougang and Punggol East. Let the people be the final arbiter of who is right or wrong, or who is good or bad.
The question is how important is this issue over the other major issues that are left in the air and the many national issues that the people are unhappy about? Obviously the PAP would think that this is of paramount importance and needs to be settled. The WP may disagree and want to move on to deal with other more pressing and important matters, and would see this as simply politicking and bickering for votes.
At the recent DBS Insights Asia Conference, Hsien Loong was quoted to advise whoever governs Singapore to ‘try very hard to keep the politics clean and straight, constructive,’ and, ‘where you’re solving problems and not just slogging it out, fighting with one another’. There are two points here, keep politics clean and straight, and avoid bickering and politicking to score political points. How would these points measure up with the PAP upping the temperature on the hawker centre cleaning issue and not to let it pass and not to move on?
Low Thia Khiang has replied that he would not pursue this matter and have a run in with the PAP that would be time consuming, energy sapping and financially draining on the limited finance of his party. A drawn out battle is something that the WP would not want to be dragged into. They would rather continue with what they have to do to serve their constituencies and not politicking to win a battle with the time and place and agenda set by the PAP. They would want to leave the matter as it is and let the people decide whether they have done wrong or whether they are worthy to be voted in again.
The PAP has in a way decided that the WP is guilty and wanted this to be confirmed in this chosen battle, preferably in court, to be judged by the court. They are taking on the roles of judge and executioner. The WP chose to have the issue be judged by the people like in Hougang and Punggol East. Let the people be the final arbiter of who is right or wrong, or who is good or bad.
The question is how important is this issue over the other major issues that are left in the air and the many national issues that the people are unhappy about? Obviously the PAP would think that this is of paramount importance and needs to be settled. The WP may disagree and want to move on to deal with other more pressing and important matters, and would see this as simply politicking and bickering for votes.
At the recent DBS Insights Asia Conference, Hsien Loong was quoted to advise whoever governs Singapore to ‘try very hard to keep the politics clean and straight, constructive,’ and, ‘where you’re solving problems and not just slogging it out, fighting with one another’. There are two points here, keep politics clean and straight, and avoid bickering and politicking to score political points. How would these points measure up with the PAP upping the temperature on the hawker centre cleaning issue and not to let it pass and not to move on?
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