It was on Channel News Asia, a video clip showing the arrival of South
Korean coastguards in their powered dinghies to save passengers in the
sinking Sewol. The ferry was listing very badly, on its side, and the
ferry’s crew, including the captain, slid down the side of the ferry
into the recue boat. Other than these few people, there were no signs of
other passengers floating around or crawling around the ferry waiting
to be rescued. It was like a sinking oil tanker with only a few members
of the crew to be rescued.
What happened to the 300+ passengers, teachers and children? They were
still waiting inside their cabins as instructed by the crew, waiting to
be rescued. It was so unbelieveable. The captain and the crew should be
organizing the evacuation of the ferry but instead were disembarking
without doing anything. And the passengers in the sinking ferry, inside
their cabins waiting for their orders to evacuate. It was a non event.
There was so much time available for a full evacuation but nothing was
done. No one thought it right or opportune to get all the passengers out
of their cabin into the deck. What were in the minds of the captain and
his crew, that the passengers in the sinking ferry were safe and no
need to evacuate while they left the ship leaving them sinking with the
ferry?
And the coast guards were equally lost as they could not find anyone to
save. Didn’t the captain and his crew told them of the 300+ passengers
trapped in the ferry? There was no urgency to do anything as if there
were no passengers in the ferry? It was so unreal!
This could be Sampan Version 3.0
Kopi Level - Green
5/07/2014
A Petition asking Hsien Loong to resign
A William Lim wrote that he was interviewed by a German media on Hsien
Loong’s comment at an India New Year celebration. The controversial
statement to those present is here, “Singaporeans, new arrivals, people
who are on permanent residence here, people who are on employment pass
here, all participating in one big family…So that we feel that this is a
place which is special, which belongs to all of us and where we all
celebrate one another’s festivals and happy events together.”
William Lim is a 37 year old taxi driver with a Bachelor in Business and Finance. He graduated in 2001 but with no ‘experience working in the finance industry he tried applying for a job, ‘I was asking a gross salary of only SGD$2000 per month, willing to learn from the seniors, willing to work long hours and willing to travel if necessary.’ He didn’t get even an interview. So he is now happily self employed as his own boss, as a taxi driver, a job that some people said is an occupation of choice, a preferred job for experienced and highly qualified Sinkie PMETs that no one wants to employ.
Below are two of the several questions asked on the PAP govt and its immigration policies.
‘1) What was your reaction to Lee Hsien Loong's comment about Singapore belonging to everyone who lives here?
Ans: Disappointed, a leader of a country shouldn't be making this kind of statement. What kind of message is he sending to the citizen of Singapore?
Foreigners coming to Singapore to work or tourist, we Singaporean should show them the hospitality as they are our guests in our country. To tell us that Singapore belong to them too, It's telling us foreigners own a part of Singapore too! It's the most absurd statement that I have came across.
Being a male citizen of Singapore, we are required serve my national service in the form of joining the Army, Police or Civil Defence Force. We serve the nation is to protect our country, our family. If Singapore do not being to Singaporean only, why should male citizens serve to protect the country while foreigner owning a part of Singapore do not need to protect Singapore as well? What kind of logic is this?
2) Why did you decide to start the petition?
Ans: A leader making this kind of statement is not fit to be a Prime Minister of Singapore! Together with a number of miscalculated policies like the 6.9M Population White Paper, the opening of floodgate for foreigners to come to work in Singapore etc.’
One blogger by the nick ‘theonion’ in mysingaporenews.blogspot.sg commented that it was an over reaction, that netizens are making a mountain out of a molehill. His explanation, it was just a feeling, and he said one must read the whole sentence in full, ‘we feel that this is a place which is special, which belongs to all of us’. So according to him, Hsien Loong was expressing a feeling and the part about ‘belongs to all of us’ should be read as ‘feel this island belongs to all of us’ and nothing more to it.
I think a grammar teacher could cut and split the sentence to make different meanings and interpretations out of it. My reply to him is not so much as what Hsien Loong said, or what theonion chose to interpret, but how the people, the general public read it or interpreted it. Apparently many people chose to read it differently and felt offended by it, rightly or wrongly. And now there is this petition in the air.
So how, theonion, what are you going to do about it? Your interpretation may be right, perfectly right to you, but other people don’t care a damn how you read it or explained it. Now, would Hsien Loong or his press secretary issue an explanation to clarify what he said? Or is all the hooha just making a mountain out of a molehill and there is nothing to bother?
In politics it is the perception of the people that matters and not what you said or what you think you said. Would this be a flash in the pan? Inadvertently this has become a controversy out of the blue, another unnecessary storm in the teacup perhaps.
For a while I thought this petition thing is so unreal. Could be a hoax?. So I went to this link, https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Singapore_Prime_Minister_Lee_Resign_from_Office, and sure enough there is a petition. The last count, 1658 have signed the petition.
Kopi Level - Green
William Lim is a 37 year old taxi driver with a Bachelor in Business and Finance. He graduated in 2001 but with no ‘experience working in the finance industry he tried applying for a job, ‘I was asking a gross salary of only SGD$2000 per month, willing to learn from the seniors, willing to work long hours and willing to travel if necessary.’ He didn’t get even an interview. So he is now happily self employed as his own boss, as a taxi driver, a job that some people said is an occupation of choice, a preferred job for experienced and highly qualified Sinkie PMETs that no one wants to employ.
Below are two of the several questions asked on the PAP govt and its immigration policies.
‘1) What was your reaction to Lee Hsien Loong's comment about Singapore belonging to everyone who lives here?
Ans: Disappointed, a leader of a country shouldn't be making this kind of statement. What kind of message is he sending to the citizen of Singapore?
Foreigners coming to Singapore to work or tourist, we Singaporean should show them the hospitality as they are our guests in our country. To tell us that Singapore belong to them too, It's telling us foreigners own a part of Singapore too! It's the most absurd statement that I have came across.
Being a male citizen of Singapore, we are required serve my national service in the form of joining the Army, Police or Civil Defence Force. We serve the nation is to protect our country, our family. If Singapore do not being to Singaporean only, why should male citizens serve to protect the country while foreigner owning a part of Singapore do not need to protect Singapore as well? What kind of logic is this?
2) Why did you decide to start the petition?
Ans: A leader making this kind of statement is not fit to be a Prime Minister of Singapore! Together with a number of miscalculated policies like the 6.9M Population White Paper, the opening of floodgate for foreigners to come to work in Singapore etc.’
One blogger by the nick ‘theonion’ in mysingaporenews.blogspot.sg commented that it was an over reaction, that netizens are making a mountain out of a molehill. His explanation, it was just a feeling, and he said one must read the whole sentence in full, ‘we feel that this is a place which is special, which belongs to all of us’. So according to him, Hsien Loong was expressing a feeling and the part about ‘belongs to all of us’ should be read as ‘feel this island belongs to all of us’ and nothing more to it.
I think a grammar teacher could cut and split the sentence to make different meanings and interpretations out of it. My reply to him is not so much as what Hsien Loong said, or what theonion chose to interpret, but how the people, the general public read it or interpreted it. Apparently many people chose to read it differently and felt offended by it, rightly or wrongly. And now there is this petition in the air.
So how, theonion, what are you going to do about it? Your interpretation may be right, perfectly right to you, but other people don’t care a damn how you read it or explained it. Now, would Hsien Loong or his press secretary issue an explanation to clarify what he said? Or is all the hooha just making a mountain out of a molehill and there is nothing to bother?
In politics it is the perception of the people that matters and not what you said or what you think you said. Would this be a flash in the pan? Inadvertently this has become a controversy out of the blue, another unnecessary storm in the teacup perhaps.
For a while I thought this petition thing is so unreal. Could be a hoax?. So I went to this link, https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Singapore_Prime_Minister_Lee_Resign_from_Office, and sure enough there is a petition. The last count, 1658 have signed the petition.
Kopi Level - Green
5/06/2014
CPF – Where would the deceased money go to?
In my earlier posts I raised several questions as to how the balance of a
deceased member be paid out. It was always in cash to the beneficiary.
Then someone said he received a sum of $40k in his Medisave Minimum Sum
Account from his deceased wife. He was startled and angry. He spent a
fortune on his wife’s medical fee prior to her death. The $40k could
come in handy to settle some of his expenditure but now almost
untouchable, stuck in his Medisave Minimum Sum Account.
How did this come about? I have checked with the CPF and they have confirmed that those who opted under the previous scheme would receive a cash cheque. But for those who have opted for the Enhanced Nomination Scheme, the beneficiary could receive the payment in different ways, into their CPF accounts like Special Account, Retirement Account or Medisave Account. In the ENS case, the money will still be in the CPF but in the beneficiary’s account. This is the enhanced part of the new CPF scheme.
So, when you make your nomination, be very careful and sure that you make the right nomination under the old scheme or under the ENS. If you are not sure, please check with the CPF. You can change your nomination anytime you wish. It is your choice to leave the money as cash to your beneficiaries or to their CPF accounts.
How did this come about? I have checked with the CPF and they have confirmed that those who opted under the previous scheme would receive a cash cheque. But for those who have opted for the Enhanced Nomination Scheme, the beneficiary could receive the payment in different ways, into their CPF accounts like Special Account, Retirement Account or Medisave Account. In the ENS case, the money will still be in the CPF but in the beneficiary’s account. This is the enhanced part of the new CPF scheme.
So, when you make your nomination, be very careful and sure that you make the right nomination under the old scheme or under the ENS. If you are not sure, please check with the CPF. You can change your nomination anytime you wish. It is your choice to leave the money as cash to your beneficiaries or to their CPF accounts.
The Singapore Conversation is in TRE
The real Singapore Conversation where Sinkies speak freely and exchange
their views on core issues affecting Sinkies is in the TRE. Many highly
qualified people are joining this conversation to express their true
feelings as Sinkies. They can see the wrongs in the country, they can
see how the interests of Sinkies have been undermined, eroded and
compromised and are speaking out in protest.
No where in the island can there be a true platform where Sinkies are speaking as Sinkies and expressing their love and concern for their country more than in TRE. It is a no bluff platform except for the presence of some obvious IBs out there doing nothing but attacking the bloggers. You know them by who they are attacking and their emptiness in thoughts. But that is the best they could do since there is nothing between their ears, so don’t expect them to engage in a decent and logical discussion. A few attempted or pretended to be serious, but the hollowness was obvious and you don’t need to read past the second line to know they are uttering rubbish, totally incoherent and illogical, veering towards IMH.
Other than the small distractions to show how shallow these IBs are and having a good laugh, or like some bloggers, giving them a good whipping, the conversation is serious and insightful.
TRE is growing in stature by the days and will draw more and more serious minded people into the site. Sinkies who want to be heard and talk with other Sinkies minus being politically correct, to say the right thing, will find TRE the place to be in.
Anyone, Sinkies or foreigners, who want to feel the real pulse of the country must step into TRE to get the real stuff. For those who want the sanitized or politically correct version, they know where to find them, except in TRE.
Sinkies have a platform to air real Sinkie views, a place for Sinkies to voice their frustrations and unhappiness, to let the people who want to know the truth, not hogwash, to come visiting. To know the Sinkie truth, you cannot miss or bypass TRE if one is serious and really wanting to know.
Kopi Level - Green
No where in the island can there be a true platform where Sinkies are speaking as Sinkies and expressing their love and concern for their country more than in TRE. It is a no bluff platform except for the presence of some obvious IBs out there doing nothing but attacking the bloggers. You know them by who they are attacking and their emptiness in thoughts. But that is the best they could do since there is nothing between their ears, so don’t expect them to engage in a decent and logical discussion. A few attempted or pretended to be serious, but the hollowness was obvious and you don’t need to read past the second line to know they are uttering rubbish, totally incoherent and illogical, veering towards IMH.
Other than the small distractions to show how shallow these IBs are and having a good laugh, or like some bloggers, giving them a good whipping, the conversation is serious and insightful.
TRE is growing in stature by the days and will draw more and more serious minded people into the site. Sinkies who want to be heard and talk with other Sinkies minus being politically correct, to say the right thing, will find TRE the place to be in.
Anyone, Sinkies or foreigners, who want to feel the real pulse of the country must step into TRE to get the real stuff. For those who want the sanitized or politically correct version, they know where to find them, except in TRE.
Sinkies have a platform to air real Sinkie views, a place for Sinkies to voice their frustrations and unhappiness, to let the people who want to know the truth, not hogwash, to come visiting. To know the Sinkie truth, you cannot miss or bypass TRE if one is serious and really wanting to know.
Kopi Level - Green
CPF crossing the red line
The govt seems to be very comfortable with all the changes introduced to
hold back the people’s life savings in the CPF. I must admire the
govt’s confidence that the people will go along, albeit some kpkb, but
nothing will happen. And it is all up to the govt and the CPF account
holders are just hapless daft Sinkies that cannot do anything to protect
their life savings. I am not going to say how far more or what else
would break the camel’s back. In m view the back has been broken and now
it is a matter of how the people will react to this violation of their
life savings.
All the excuses and forced reasons to keep the people’s savings have not gone down well with the people. The majority does not believe any tiny wee bit of what was thought as good and logical reasons. No way. Even if the people are daft, they will not be so daft as to have their life savings snatched from their hands when they badly needed them. Does the govt really feel so confident that everything is fine?
The first red line that was crossed was the change in withdrawal date. The others were the Medisave Account, the Minimum Sum Accounts, the Retirement Accounts, Special Account and the latest, the Medishield Life. It was full withdrawal in cash at 55 with none of the abovementioned. The incremental changes introduced over the years have practically changed the CPF into something else. The CPF is the people’s savings, not a Charity to the govt, not a Pension Fund of the govt. How audacious for anyone to think he can meddle with it like it is his own money or his grandfather’s money?
How could the govt think that it can do all these things and get away with it? The number of oldies affected by these changes will grow daily. And so will be the anger. No? The people have no choice. We the govt will decide what to do with the people’s life savings. We will decide how to make use of the people’s life savings, like it or not, like compulsory payment to CPF Life and Medishield Life. We will change the rules whenever we, the govt, find it prudent and necessary to do so, according to what we think should be done. Your money?
The govt can think that way, can do as it likes. The people, the owners of their life savings would also be thinking how to get their money back. And if voting out the govt is what it takes to get back their money, they will do so. Don’t count on it that the people are hapless and daft and will willingly allow the govt to hold their life savings for as long as it wants and to do as it pleases. The govt has breached the trust of the people by not returning the money to the people at 55. Now it is so hazy as to how much and when would the people be able to get their money back in full.
When would be Judgement Day?
Kopi Level - Green
All the excuses and forced reasons to keep the people’s savings have not gone down well with the people. The majority does not believe any tiny wee bit of what was thought as good and logical reasons. No way. Even if the people are daft, they will not be so daft as to have their life savings snatched from their hands when they badly needed them. Does the govt really feel so confident that everything is fine?
The first red line that was crossed was the change in withdrawal date. The others were the Medisave Account, the Minimum Sum Accounts, the Retirement Accounts, Special Account and the latest, the Medishield Life. It was full withdrawal in cash at 55 with none of the abovementioned. The incremental changes introduced over the years have practically changed the CPF into something else. The CPF is the people’s savings, not a Charity to the govt, not a Pension Fund of the govt. How audacious for anyone to think he can meddle with it like it is his own money or his grandfather’s money?
How could the govt think that it can do all these things and get away with it? The number of oldies affected by these changes will grow daily. And so will be the anger. No? The people have no choice. We the govt will decide what to do with the people’s life savings. We will decide how to make use of the people’s life savings, like it or not, like compulsory payment to CPF Life and Medishield Life. We will change the rules whenever we, the govt, find it prudent and necessary to do so, according to what we think should be done. Your money?
The govt can think that way, can do as it likes. The people, the owners of their life savings would also be thinking how to get their money back. And if voting out the govt is what it takes to get back their money, they will do so. Don’t count on it that the people are hapless and daft and will willingly allow the govt to hold their life savings for as long as it wants and to do as it pleases. The govt has breached the trust of the people by not returning the money to the people at 55. Now it is so hazy as to how much and when would the people be able to get their money back in full.
When would be Judgement Day?
Kopi Level - Green
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