The details of the inquiry on the Little India riot are being reported
fully in the media. The transparency index is as good as 100% with
everything in the open. So far, other than the experts in the COI
committee, the witnesses are also proving to be experts themselves. The
two Certis Cisco officers are giving very good and expert views on the
situation on that night and on how the riot could not have happened if
the police were well trained to handle such a situation and acted
swiftly to arrest the trouble makers before the situation worsen. This
is a valuable piece of information that the police should take note of.
Maybe the police should recruit them into the force to conduct lessons
on riot control. These are officers who have lived experience in a real
riot, something like soldiers with war experience, been there, very
valuable people to have.
Another thing that surfaced from the expert opinions is that the foreign
workers were really like little innocent children, very nice but very
soft. And the woman bus attendant was like Hercules, rough handling
them. And with a push these construction workers from very polite
environment in the villages, would be sent flying. I am exaggerating
here. It was reported that they fell down when pushed by the woman
attendant. The bus operators must take note of this and hire gentler bus
attendants to handle the construction workers with more tender loving
care, like little children. It is just not nice and not proper to
manhandle these men, oops, I mean children, or treat them roughly, like
shouting at them or pushing them around. Maybe a male attendant would be
more gentle and can do the job better than a strong woman.
Maybe it was the pushing and the rough handling by the woman bus
attendant that made these very nice construction workers very angry and
wanted to kill her and burn the bus, according to the expert eye witness
at the scene who understood Tamil spoken by the rioters.
There are so many valuable information and lessons to be learnt from the evidence coming out from the COI.
2/25/2014
Short sell reporting a prudent move
Goh Eng Yeow wrote about the plans by SGX to level the playing field to
require short sellers to report their short positions. This is a fair
statement to keep all investors posted with timely information of what
the big boys are doing in the market. The important point is that the
information will be made available to all in a timely fashion and not
some that are privy to information to take advantage of those that are
in the dark.
The SGX has another disclosure measure introduced last year that required investors to indicate their short positions as and when executed in the SGX system. The purported objective is to disclose such short positions to the public and investors, another level playing field effort. All short positions will henceforth be reported by SGX the next day. This seems very fair but is that so?
What happens is that for those computer traders who have their super computers plugged into the SGX system will have immediate information of any short positions and could capitalize on it instantly. They don’t have to wait till the next day to know the short positions. They have real time short selling information to take advantage of.
So, is there a level playing field? With computers plugged into the SGX to have real time information when other small traders do not have, how fair is the system?
Is there an elephant in the room?
The SGX has another disclosure measure introduced last year that required investors to indicate their short positions as and when executed in the SGX system. The purported objective is to disclose such short positions to the public and investors, another level playing field effort. All short positions will henceforth be reported by SGX the next day. This seems very fair but is that so?
What happens is that for those computer traders who have their super computers plugged into the SGX system will have immediate information of any short positions and could capitalize on it instantly. They don’t have to wait till the next day to know the short positions. They have real time short selling information to take advantage of.
So, is there a level playing field? With computers plugged into the SGX to have real time information when other small traders do not have, how fair is the system?
Is there an elephant in the room?
Anger mounting with more MRT disruptions
SMRT had another major disruption on the North South Line at peak hours
yesterday morning between Yew Tee and Kranji. And from a 10 minute delay
it went on to more than an hour, affecting the most vulnerable group of
commuters, students rushing to schools to take examinations. The anger
and frustration were all over the net. Some of the comments posted by
the youth and quoted in TRE are here:
Dory Shi Min: That is really nonsense. Board train at cck at 6.50 now is around 7.30 I still haven reach kranji. Hello I am having school exam
Zzq Alex: 10 min delay announcement at first then plus 20 min delay announcement then plus another additional 20min delay announcement…. Total stuck in train for 50 min… Now another 20 min delay announcements
Sky Oo: BULLSHIT!!!! Train faulty for 15min ? I waited 1hr30min and i am still stuck in the train haven reach destination. Poor service provider. We do not want word we are looking for action
Sue Salleh: What a sucking Monday SMRT!! And thanks as i’m in one of those affected train!!
Jeff Wong: Thanks for making me late for work today. I still could not board my train from woodlands for 30 mins already. The next interval at 6 mins during this peak hour. Come I clap for you.
Cheong Soon Hao: Can use cable tie fixed? I’m stuck for 30mins plus and counting
Dolphin De Esther: I am late for work…how mrt is gng to compensate tat?
WaOne Ketari: F**k you and ur management f**kin a***holes…!!!!!
Irene Kaea: SMRT you did it on purpose right? So that you can fine people $500 when they try to squeeze in the train when its full! If you want increase fare for more efficiency please show us, not breakdown everytime. Or is it we have no choice but to use your service so you dont give a fk about it and keep increasing price as n when you like?
Choi Dong Soo: Well done u wana raise the transportation fees for this crap service???
Alissa Ash Burn: On Monday… AGAIN? Why don’t u deploy your engineers on Sunday to do checks so it’s good to go for the peak hours???? Tts service for the people. We are not taking the train for free u know.
Justin Peh: Still say “smrt rank among better rail operators in international standards”?
There is no point belabouring on improving services and cutting down disruptions. It is better to look at the bright side. You may be wondering what can come out from these daily breakdowns that have become a new normal. For one, the engineers and management will gain first hand experience on trouble shooting, fire fighting and how to react to such failures on a daily basis. The experience earned would be of great value. They could then be as experienced as those engineers from 3rd World countries that have chalked up mountains of CVs for tackling frequent breakdowns in their train systems. Very experienced men.
Our public transportation experts could then use the experience to work in 3rd World countries to compete with their seasoned engineers and management, to prove who have handled more breakdowns and therefore better qualified for employment. From a recruitment point of view, somehow the ones that have more experience in a failed system are more attractive than those who worked on a system that has few breakdowns and their impeccable maintenance regime were not noticed. On home ground, the SMRT needs not have to recruit 3rd World engineers and experts anymore now that the chaps here are just as experienced as them.
Give it another few years we would have a highly trained and experienced team of engineers and experts that the last 40 years failed to produce. Not bad huh?
In every dark cloud there is a silver lining if you care to look for it. And now no one would dare to employ a sales girl to manage a complex engineering system. It is proven that an orchestra cannot play Mozart or Beethoven when the conductor is a bus driver no matter how talented he is in driving a bus.
PS. Students from the Republic Polytechnic were greatly affected by the train fault and many students unable to take their exams. Grades were affected even though SMRT late slips were given to the schools. Students would have to take another exam normally for students with MCs.
Kopi level - Green, nearly Blue
Dory Shi Min: That is really nonsense. Board train at cck at 6.50 now is around 7.30 I still haven reach kranji. Hello I am having school exam
Zzq Alex: 10 min delay announcement at first then plus 20 min delay announcement then plus another additional 20min delay announcement…. Total stuck in train for 50 min… Now another 20 min delay announcements
Sky Oo: BULLSHIT!!!! Train faulty for 15min ? I waited 1hr30min and i am still stuck in the train haven reach destination. Poor service provider. We do not want word we are looking for action
Sue Salleh: What a sucking Monday SMRT!! And thanks as i’m in one of those affected train!!
Jeff Wong: Thanks for making me late for work today. I still could not board my train from woodlands for 30 mins already. The next interval at 6 mins during this peak hour. Come I clap for you.
Cheong Soon Hao: Can use cable tie fixed? I’m stuck for 30mins plus and counting
Dolphin De Esther: I am late for work…how mrt is gng to compensate tat?
WaOne Ketari: F**k you and ur management f**kin a***holes…!!!!!
Irene Kaea: SMRT you did it on purpose right? So that you can fine people $500 when they try to squeeze in the train when its full! If you want increase fare for more efficiency please show us, not breakdown everytime. Or is it we have no choice but to use your service so you dont give a fk about it and keep increasing price as n when you like?
Choi Dong Soo: Well done u wana raise the transportation fees for this crap service???
Alissa Ash Burn: On Monday… AGAIN? Why don’t u deploy your engineers on Sunday to do checks so it’s good to go for the peak hours???? Tts service for the people. We are not taking the train for free u know.
Justin Peh: Still say “smrt rank among better rail operators in international standards”?
There is no point belabouring on improving services and cutting down disruptions. It is better to look at the bright side. You may be wondering what can come out from these daily breakdowns that have become a new normal. For one, the engineers and management will gain first hand experience on trouble shooting, fire fighting and how to react to such failures on a daily basis. The experience earned would be of great value. They could then be as experienced as those engineers from 3rd World countries that have chalked up mountains of CVs for tackling frequent breakdowns in their train systems. Very experienced men.
Our public transportation experts could then use the experience to work in 3rd World countries to compete with their seasoned engineers and management, to prove who have handled more breakdowns and therefore better qualified for employment. From a recruitment point of view, somehow the ones that have more experience in a failed system are more attractive than those who worked on a system that has few breakdowns and their impeccable maintenance regime were not noticed. On home ground, the SMRT needs not have to recruit 3rd World engineers and experts anymore now that the chaps here are just as experienced as them.
Give it another few years we would have a highly trained and experienced team of engineers and experts that the last 40 years failed to produce. Not bad huh?
In every dark cloud there is a silver lining if you care to look for it. And now no one would dare to employ a sales girl to manage a complex engineering system. It is proven that an orchestra cannot play Mozart or Beethoven when the conductor is a bus driver no matter how talented he is in driving a bus.
PS. Students from the Republic Polytechnic were greatly affected by the train fault and many students unable to take their exams. Grades were affected even though SMRT late slips were given to the schools. Students would have to take another exam normally for students with MCs.
Kopi level - Green, nearly Blue
2/24/2014
Long winter for property market?
This is the headline of a report in the Mypaper today. It lamented that
the hopes for some of the curbs to be removed did not materialized and
the cold remains in propertyland. It said, ‘It was a letdown for
property players, who were hoping to see policies such as the additional
buyer’s stamp duty rolled back.’
Yes it is a letdown for the property players who had made a killing in the last few years. The property bull run lasted for more than 10 years and after a year of cooling measures when prices barely changed the property players are crying father and mother.
On the other side of the equation, ‘The non changing of the policies basically creates a buyer’s market for another one year or so…Serious buyers will be able to buy a property at a fair discount.’ Said Mohamed Ismail of PropNex.
Whose interests should the govt take care of first, the serious buyers that have been given the short end of the stick or the propery players that are gaming for more profits?
The fact is that even at today’s prices, the serious buyers are buying at a high with prices doubling or tripling for the last decades. What is another 10% or 15% fall in prices? I fully agree with Tharman’s decision not to remove any curbs as it is really too early to do so. The high prices only profit the speculators and hurt the serious home owners real bad. It also undercuts the quality of life when people are forced to buy smaller and smaller homes and paying more and more.
The policies for home buying must serve a national objective, the welfare of the people and the quality of life must be paramount. The drumming of property players must be the least of concern to a responsible govt that cares for the people.
What is this long winter shit?
Yes it is a letdown for the property players who had made a killing in the last few years. The property bull run lasted for more than 10 years and after a year of cooling measures when prices barely changed the property players are crying father and mother.
On the other side of the equation, ‘The non changing of the policies basically creates a buyer’s market for another one year or so…Serious buyers will be able to buy a property at a fair discount.’ Said Mohamed Ismail of PropNex.
Whose interests should the govt take care of first, the serious buyers that have been given the short end of the stick or the propery players that are gaming for more profits?
The fact is that even at today’s prices, the serious buyers are buying at a high with prices doubling or tripling for the last decades. What is another 10% or 15% fall in prices? I fully agree with Tharman’s decision not to remove any curbs as it is really too early to do so. The high prices only profit the speculators and hurt the serious home owners real bad. It also undercuts the quality of life when people are forced to buy smaller and smaller homes and paying more and more.
The policies for home buying must serve a national objective, the welfare of the people and the quality of life must be paramount. The drumming of property players must be the least of concern to a responsible govt that cares for the people.
What is this long winter shit?
Denise Chong’s agenda on more immigrants
The ST does not publish articles on social and political issues in the
city for no reasons and one is not wrong to assume that every article is
carefully screened and approved before appearing on print. The weekend
article by Denise Chong, a young journalist on the politics of envy or
jealousy by Sinkies against the influx of foreigners here is no
exception. What is the message?
Here is just a small quote to give an idea of what she is pushing and approved for printing.
“I guess no matter how comfortably some have feathered their own nests, the psychological weight of seeing other people with nest eggs that are 20 or 40 or 60 million times bigger can sour contentment they might feel about their own more modest success.”
Why is a young journalist pushing so hard for more immigrants to come on board in this tiny island that is already over populated and squeezing the citizens out in many things, jobs, space, owning properties and cars? Why are there people who are so adamant, stubborn and persistent to want to flood the island with more foreigners? Why is it that now with a 40% of foreigners here, and targeted to be 50% or more in 2030 is a good thing and the more the merrier? What is the agenda?
What is the intellectual level of a young girl to push such a serious matter of national interest that would impact the whole population into the future, and to be worthy of being published in the official media? Or this is just an innocent view of a young girl and has nothing to do with the officialdom?
The citizens are crying foul, feeling squeezed and deprived and marginalized and wanting to stop the influx, and here is another journalist trying to stuff it in with no heed to their pain and anger, even giving them a dig as being selfish and green with envy. Would we want to see more foreigners coming in to take on top positions in the ministries, stats boards and the govt offices in general? Do we want to see a new citizen as our permanent secretary, head of our armed forces or the police, or even the intelligent services?
Do we see any difference between foreigners, new citizens and the original born and bred citizens, or that they are simply the same and the citizens should make way for these ‘foreign talents’? What is good for a country or the citizens if the foreigners are here and took over all the top jobs in the country?
How many more foreigners do we want to flood this island before we say enough is enough? Are we a country, a nation, or just another fuck shop?
Here is just a small quote to give an idea of what she is pushing and approved for printing.
“I guess no matter how comfortably some have feathered their own nests, the psychological weight of seeing other people with nest eggs that are 20 or 40 or 60 million times bigger can sour contentment they might feel about their own more modest success.”
Why is a young journalist pushing so hard for more immigrants to come on board in this tiny island that is already over populated and squeezing the citizens out in many things, jobs, space, owning properties and cars? Why are there people who are so adamant, stubborn and persistent to want to flood the island with more foreigners? Why is it that now with a 40% of foreigners here, and targeted to be 50% or more in 2030 is a good thing and the more the merrier? What is the agenda?
What is the intellectual level of a young girl to push such a serious matter of national interest that would impact the whole population into the future, and to be worthy of being published in the official media? Or this is just an innocent view of a young girl and has nothing to do with the officialdom?
The citizens are crying foul, feeling squeezed and deprived and marginalized and wanting to stop the influx, and here is another journalist trying to stuff it in with no heed to their pain and anger, even giving them a dig as being selfish and green with envy. Would we want to see more foreigners coming in to take on top positions in the ministries, stats boards and the govt offices in general? Do we want to see a new citizen as our permanent secretary, head of our armed forces or the police, or even the intelligent services?
Do we see any difference between foreigners, new citizens and the original born and bred citizens, or that they are simply the same and the citizens should make way for these ‘foreign talents’? What is good for a country or the citizens if the foreigners are here and took over all the top jobs in the country?
How many more foreigners do we want to flood this island before we say enough is enough? Are we a country, a nation, or just another fuck shop?
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