Uneasy population numbers

Our population hits 5.4m according to the latest report. Citizens make up 3.31m, PRs 530k and Non Residents 1.55m. Among the citizens the distribution of the Chinese, Malays, Indians and Others is 74.2%, 13.3%, 9.2% and 3.3%. The actual numbers of the races are 2.44m Chinese, 440k Malays, 300k Indians and 110k others.
 
Of the PRs and Non Residents, I am unable to get any data on the distribution among the major groups of foreigners like PRC Chinese, India Indians, Pinoys, Indonesians, Myanmese and Europeans. All I got is one number of 400k non resident Indians. This number is as big as the 440k Malays and much bigger than the 300k local Indians and the 110k Others or Eurasians. The local Eurasians alone could be less than 100k.
How big are the groupings of PRC Chinese, 400K? The Pinoys are estimated to be around 200-300K. The Myanmese near to 200k.
 
What do these numbers mean to our local minorities? Each of these groups can be as big as the largest minority group and much bigger than the Eurasians. The Eurasians are also an absolute minority compare to the foreigners. Soon one might not know that the Eurasians exist as their number is so small and easily overwhelmed, no longer noticeable except in Mediacorp. The India Indians are now more than the local Indians.
 
What would the picture be in 2030? The Malays and Indians would be absolute minorities vis a vis the foreigners like PRC Chinese, India Indians, the Pinoys and the Myanmese? Their combined numbers are now bigger than the combined numbers of Malay, Indians and Others even today, 1.55m against 850k, almost double the 850k. And the numbers did not include the 530k PRs.
 
How should we play this number game? Are we comfortable with numbers?

SGX designates Asiason, Blumont and LionGold as designated stocks

The 3 stocks that were suspended from trading for irregularities will resume trading today but as designated stocks. What it means is that trading is restricted. Sellers can only sell the stocks if they already owned the stocks, or no short selling. Buyers must pay cash out front.

SGX is viewing this episode seriously and would not hesitate to introduce more control measures to prevent it from happening again. SGX has a responsibility to regulate the market, to prevent big syndicates/funds to manipulate the market to their advantage. A fair trading system and a level playing field are two of the fundamental principles that SGX has to guard zealously. Failing to do so is not only irresponsible but will kill the market in the long run. A stock market cannot be rigged to favour any party, big or small. No one is to be allowed special advantage like hooking their computers into the SGX system to have pre knowledge or advanced information that other traders did not have. This is cheating and allowing it is to condone cheating.

Churning, cornering of stocks, buying and selling without change of ownership, this could be done with a few parties swapping the stocks to deceive the regulators, creating a false market like ramping up stocks or selling down a stock, etc etc are offences under the SGX regulations for fair trading. Violating any of these is a serious offence. SGX is always on the look out to ensure that no such malpractices take place in the market.

There are bound to be incidents of such nature in the market. The question is how prevalent and what the SGX is doing about them? How fair and level is the playing field to the small investors? If the market is unfair, if there is no level playing field, if all the above is violated and taking place, who should be responsible?

The events surrounding the 3 suspended stocks, and many stocks would have led to many red flags being raised. Was anyone watching or anyone noticing that the red flags were raised?

Sinkies over reliant on the govt?

How many of you believe in this? Or is it the reverse that the govt is over reliant on the Sinkies instead?
 
Did the people ask the govt for a compulsory Medishield Life? Apparently from the govt’s point of view, it is the people that asked the govt for this scheme. Who and how many? Why compulsory when it is what the people want? Or is it that the govt wanted this scheme? I know many didn’t. And looks like those who asked are going to regret dearly and will be cursed by those they dragged along into this compulsory shit hole.
Did the people ask the govt to keep their CPF savings for as long as the govt wants it? Or is it that it is the govt that wants to keep the money for the people? Who is reliant on whom?
 
Did the people ask the govt to implement compulsory minimum sum schemes? Did or did not? Who started these schemes and who is benefitting from it? The people too reliant on the govt or is it the govt too reliant on the people?
 
Are the people reliant on the govt for their retirement pension or payout? Or is the govt relying on the people’s savings in the CPF for funding?
 
The people have been telling the govt to leave them alone. Please don’t help, please let the people manage their own lives and their own money. Is this over reliant on the govt?

PWP’s last stand at Hong Lim

The turnout at Hong Lim for the Population White Paper protest was deserving of a report in the Sunday Times today. It was 500 strong, much lesser than the first and second protest that saw thousands thronging the field of Hong Lim. Should this be expected? The initial anger aroused by the 6.9m people that will populate this little piece of rock has fizzled out as usual. The internet and the two protests have done their job for allowing the Sinkies to air their frustration. Once that is out of the way, life will go on as normal. No need to say ‘Let’s move on’. It is a natural course of events here.

The Sinkies will be unhappy but just for a while. Once they know that protest will be in vain, they will get on with their lives and there are better things to do, like making more money and churning the property market and aiming for that red Ferrari. The govt can now do what they know best and according to plans. The Sinkies have spoken and all is well. 6.9m it will be.

It must be very assuring and comforting for the govt to know that protest in Singapore is just like that. It is just an expression, nothing more nothing less. No need to send in the troops to quell the 500 people or 5000 people at Hong Lim. Let them enjoy their little moments of feeling important. All protests will die a natural way. Look at the empty ballot boxes case? Forgotten, history! Anyone aiming at anything? Hawker centre cleaning or Rolls Royce bicycles? All forgotten.

Now that this trend is confirmed, I think the govt will be encouraged to loosen the lease and allow it a few feet longer. Let them protest and say what they like. It is healthy. The people will want to protest and the govt will want to do what is right. They may appear to be heading for a collision course, but nay, it is just a public airing, a show of a little unhappiness, like a little sulking.

The govt need not sweat the small stuff the next time Gilbert and his friends apply for another protest at Hong Lim. The govt can even be generous and throw in some freebies like chicken rice to make the protesters happier. Long live the protest spirit in Sin.

Essential services and jobs must be in the hands of Sinkies

The military, the police and other uniformed services are vital organisations that protect the country and people. Jobs in these services have traditionally been filled by citizens and their appointments to key positions are highly guarded. Today it seems that anyone can join these services and many are demanding that PRs must don uniforms, serve in the military as well without any concern about compromising the sensitivity and security of these organisations when non citizens are exposed to them. Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore as PRs are in many ways regarded as locals, another term for being one of us. Or maybe the leaders have thought through this and are confident that it is safe to do so.

There are other essential services like power plants and water supplies. Control of these organisations is a serious matter and leaving them to foreigners would have serious implications. Letting PRs control them should be ok as PRs are locals, one of us? Why not when power plants can be sold and managed by foreigners. Maybe security of these services is no longer an issue. All is safe and sound.

I am wondering what services or industry in the private sector would be regarded as essential services that must not be controlled and managed by foreigners. Again citizens, new or old, definitely do not matter. One given a pink IC, they are safe, one of us. And definitely PR is not an issue either.

Over the last few years, many foreigners have taken over the banking and finance industry, and also the IT industry. Some are PRs and some are still foreigners, and some given the pink IC. How pervasive is the presence of foreigners in these two industries/professions today that should they decide to walk out, go home, the banking/finance and IT support could simply go kaput? Maybe such a thing will not happen no matter what. There is nothing to worry about, just like the Fukushima meltdown would never have happened, but it did happened.

Have the banking/finance and IT professions reached a critical point that foreigners are in effective control, domination and could hold the country at ransom, that they are indispensable as there are not enough qualified and trained Sinkies to fill the vacuum if they decide to leave for any weird reason? For that matter, how exposed and dependent are GIC and Temasek Holdings to foreigners that could cost havoc if they quit? How much of highly sensitive information are now in the hands of trustworthy and dependable foreigners? We nearly have more Goodyears.

The lack of succession plans to ensure that Sinkies can fill up the top banking positions is obvious. After so many years, the industry still has to depend on foreigners to fill the top jobs. And looks like the situation is getting worse by the days when more foreigners are recruited to fill the top management grade positions and being groomed or in place to take over the top jobs instead of Sinkies.

Maybe I am unduly worried as everything is in control and what is the problem when PRs are one of us? There are plentiful of PRs that will be most willing to fill the positions and do the bidding. And a little carrot would be enough to see them turning pink. It is precarious to think that two vital services/professions are dominated by foreigners and with Sinkies either fleeing or not given the chance or being kicked aside.

A little foresight or 20/20 vision is good I supposed, to prevent such dire situation to even exist at the peril of the professions and industries. When is the long term planning for such strategic human assets? 

I heard a fart. C'mon, this is no farting matter.