‘Singapore plans to build more recreation centres in the suburbs to draw
migrant labourers away from the city after a rare riot in the congested
Little India district last year, a report said Monday.
The multi-million dollar centres are the latest in a series of
government measures to better manage areas where foreign workers
congregate after the rampage by South Asian labourers on December 8
injured 39 people and saw 25 vehicles destroyed….’ TRE
It is something that has to be done. We have more than 2m foreigners
working and living here. The rich foreigners have already bought their
homes in the private estates, some renting out HDB flats and many living
in the dormitories. 50% of the population here are foreigners and it is
lucky that they did not take up 50% of the space and facilities here.
It is simple arithmatic. You have so many people you need to provide
them the living space unless they can be canned away after used.
Oh, while they are finding new and cheap land for the foreign workers, I
hope they would be able to find some cheap land to build more nursing
homes for our oldies instead of sending them to JB, Batam or Bintan. If
we can find space for foreigners, we should have the decency to find
space for our old and forgotten citizens.
Funny no one is trying to talk about appreciating their contributions in
building this city. And no one is sending them encouraging letters to
show how we value them. But many are writing such loving letters to the
foreign workers here today. And no one is trying to socialize with them,
to make them feel wanted, to make them feel not so lonely or neglected.
Really funny right if you can remember all great things the people are
suggesting to make the foreign workers feel at home here. Our oldies can
go to Bintan, Batam and JB, who cares?
Kopi Level - Green
5/16/2014
The Devil is in town
Obama swiped through Asia recently and in the process told his hosts
that America would be here to fight with them. It was as good as telling
his subjects to go ahead to provoke and even attack China, and if China
retaliates, the Americans will come out in full force to back them up.
With this kind of blank cheque to start wars, the Pinoys and the
Vietnamese wasted no time to try their luck. Vietnam sent their ships to
ram Chinese ships and oil rigs. Now they are burning Chinese factories
and killing Chinese, including Hongkies and Taiwanese in Vietnam. The
Pinoys started to arrest Chinese fishing boats again. Tension has gone
up several notches. The Japanese are talking tough with Abe eager to try
his luck with China as well.
And the Americans are hollering at the Chinese for reacting. China is provocative, China is escalating the tension and bullying its neigbhours. Really? Who is bullying who? The Vietnamese are ramming Chinese ships and oil rigs and killing the Chinese in Vietnam. What have the Chinese done? The Pinoys are arresting Chinese fishing boats. The Americans are descending from heaven like angels, not the devils, and the American pivot into Asia is for peace. But since their arrival, tension is rising and their cronies are acting like mad cowboys, provoking and attacking China and daring China to react.
Vietnam and the Philippines are trying to rope in Asean to challenge China as a united front. Some Asean countries are also eager to act as the good boys of the Americans and are also thumping their chests. The devil must be happy. China is now having trouble with little pesky countries that think they can wallop China.
It is about time that China kicks butts and to flush out the devil behind all the tensions. There is no other peaceful ways to deal with provocative and aggressive little pests and the evil Empire. All they need is a big stick behind their backs to put them in their places.
The seed of war has been planted by the devil. And the Americans are shouting that China is aggressive and provocative. How many Asean countries would go along with the devil to start a war in the region? The devil is setting the agenda for Asean countries. Either you are with the devil or against the devil. There is no neutrality. I must say Obama has done well. For flirting with a few Asian countries and a few days’ work he has started a fire that will burn down the Asian countries and stop them in their peaceful path for economic growth. Asia has had peace since the Americans were booted out of Vietnam. Now they are back and war is around the corner. And this time the Devil has done better by having pesky countries to do the fighting themselves.
Kopi Level - Green
And the Americans are hollering at the Chinese for reacting. China is provocative, China is escalating the tension and bullying its neigbhours. Really? Who is bullying who? The Vietnamese are ramming Chinese ships and oil rigs and killing the Chinese in Vietnam. What have the Chinese done? The Pinoys are arresting Chinese fishing boats. The Americans are descending from heaven like angels, not the devils, and the American pivot into Asia is for peace. But since their arrival, tension is rising and their cronies are acting like mad cowboys, provoking and attacking China and daring China to react.
Vietnam and the Philippines are trying to rope in Asean to challenge China as a united front. Some Asean countries are also eager to act as the good boys of the Americans and are also thumping their chests. The devil must be happy. China is now having trouble with little pesky countries that think they can wallop China.
It is about time that China kicks butts and to flush out the devil behind all the tensions. There is no other peaceful ways to deal with provocative and aggressive little pests and the evil Empire. All they need is a big stick behind their backs to put them in their places.
The seed of war has been planted by the devil. And the Americans are shouting that China is aggressive and provocative. How many Asean countries would go along with the devil to start a war in the region? The devil is setting the agenda for Asean countries. Either you are with the devil or against the devil. There is no neutrality. I must say Obama has done well. For flirting with a few Asian countries and a few days’ work he has started a fire that will burn down the Asian countries and stop them in their peaceful path for economic growth. Asia has had peace since the Americans were booted out of Vietnam. Now they are back and war is around the corner. And this time the Devil has done better by having pesky countries to do the fighting themselves.
Kopi Level - Green
5/15/2014
Howard Zinn – Food for thought
"We were not born critical of existing society. There was a moment in
our lives (or a month, or a year) when certain facts appeared before us,
startled us, and then caused us to question beliefs that were strongly
fixed in our consciousness – embedded there by years of family
prejudices, orthodox schooling, imbibing of newspapers, radio, and
television. This would seem to lead to a simple conclusion: that we all
have an enormous responsibility to bring to the attention of others
information they do not have, which has the potential of causing them to
rethink long-held ideas."
Howard Zinn, 2005 , Political Science Professor
Howard Zinn, 2005 , Political Science Professor
Minimum sums schemes for ministers
I am very concern for our ministers. They are so used to their high
income and high living. If they did not save enough they will not be
able to live the same lifestyle when they reach 80 or 90. The CPF
minimum sums will not be enough for them to spend in a year. The CPF
must do something to help them when they retire. We as citizens must
reciprocate the kindness and compassion and care shown to us by the
minister and in turn do something good for them.
I would like to recommend that the CPF designs a special scheme for the ministers like putting $1 mil every year into their retirement fund. Their minimum sum should be at least $5 mil so that they will have a generous payout when they are retired and start to draw down on their savings. Wait a minute, $5 mil minimum sum may be insufficient. An average Sinkie with an annual income of $50k needs a combined minimum sum(MA and RA) of nearly $200k to ensure a similar or decent lifestyle, so the CPF said. How much should be the combined minimum sum for a minister earning $2 mil pa? Simple arithmatics, $2mil versus $50k, works out to be 40 times. So what is sufficient for the average Sinkie at $200k would mean a minister need $8 mil to be set aside in his minimum sums to be able to live well like he is now. No downgrading of the quality of life.
It takes a lot of money to service the mansions they owned, the big cars and the servants to look after the properties. $8 mil minimum sum is just about right. And the Medisave Minimum Sum must be enough should they be warded in private hospitals.
CPF, Please don't fall asleep. You need to take care of the ministers when they retire, you need to plan ahead for them. Make sure they don't squander their monies on mei meis, the expensive ones. Make sure they have enough minimum sums in their MA and RAs to live well into the 80s and 90s. You do not want them to suffer a drop in their standard of living would you? CPF must take good care of the ministers as well. They deserve to be very well taken care of, and the CPF is the right body to look after their interest, plan on how much they should set aside, plan on how to best use their life savings. They deserve better for taking so good care of the citizens by ensuring the citizens have a lot of money in their CPF to retire. The citizens must be grateful and do something for them too.
What do you think?
Kopi Level - Green
I would like to recommend that the CPF designs a special scheme for the ministers like putting $1 mil every year into their retirement fund. Their minimum sum should be at least $5 mil so that they will have a generous payout when they are retired and start to draw down on their savings. Wait a minute, $5 mil minimum sum may be insufficient. An average Sinkie with an annual income of $50k needs a combined minimum sum(MA and RA) of nearly $200k to ensure a similar or decent lifestyle, so the CPF said. How much should be the combined minimum sum for a minister earning $2 mil pa? Simple arithmatics, $2mil versus $50k, works out to be 40 times. So what is sufficient for the average Sinkie at $200k would mean a minister need $8 mil to be set aside in his minimum sums to be able to live well like he is now. No downgrading of the quality of life.
It takes a lot of money to service the mansions they owned, the big cars and the servants to look after the properties. $8 mil minimum sum is just about right. And the Medisave Minimum Sum must be enough should they be warded in private hospitals.
CPF, Please don't fall asleep. You need to take care of the ministers when they retire, you need to plan ahead for them. Make sure they don't squander their monies on mei meis, the expensive ones. Make sure they have enough minimum sums in their MA and RAs to live well into the 80s and 90s. You do not want them to suffer a drop in their standard of living would you? CPF must take good care of the ministers as well. They deserve to be very well taken care of, and the CPF is the right body to look after their interest, plan on how much they should set aside, plan on how to best use their life savings. They deserve better for taking so good care of the citizens by ensuring the citizens have a lot of money in their CPF to retire. The citizens must be grateful and do something for them too.
What do you think?
Kopi Level - Green
Are Sinkies crazy, stupid or what, too clever?
There are more than 700k Work Permit holders working here. Last night’s
Talking Point’s topic was about whether to integrate these foreign
workers or to leave them alone. The general view was that Sinkies must
take the initiative to reach out to these transient workers, to get to
know them, to organise activities for them or to participate in their
activities. One went further to suggest that the foreign workers should
be involved in our grass root activities, even patrolling to keep the
place safe. My eyes are rolling. I could go on to elaborate more of the
things the panellists would want to do to make these workers feel
appreciated, to tell him how grateful we are for them to build our
homes, roads and infrastructure and to help to grow out economy. I would
like to add that we should invite them to our homes on their festivals
or holidays, and likewise when we are celebrating ours. We should also
celebrate their birthdays and show them how caring and gracious we are.
It keeps me thinking. How much time does an average Sinkie has to socialise and integrate with the foreign workers? Does an average Sinkie has time for his/her parents, siblings, Sinkie friends and neighbours? Or are they so tired after work and would like to have some moments of peace and rest for themselves? There is this presumption that the Sinkies have a lot of free time and a lot of energy and money to spend time with the foreign workers. Their well being is our responsibility, the responsibility of all Sinkies.
There were some sensible views expressed, like these are workers here to make a living. Give them a decent place to live, to rest and to play. Give them decent working environment, take care of them and make sure they are paid. Don’t cheat on them. These are the responsibilities of the average Sinkies? What about their employers and recruitment agents who benefited from their labour and fees? What about the govt that collects fees from the workers to be here? Shouldn’t it be their responsibilities to take good care of them?
Do we need to integrate them to our way of life or we integrate into their way of life? Are they citizens that are going to be part of us? Are they PRs that are here on a long term basis to live with us and try to be one of us?
There is one very serious issue that ‘seow’ Sinkies are taking for granted. These are very nice people, like the rioters in Little India. I have to be fair here when making this comment. In every community or group of people, the majority are nice or decent people. These include the Sinkies. But in every group, including Sinkies, there is always that 5% or 10% that could turn bad when given the opportunity or temptation. You want to take the risk with them? You know which one is going to be bad? You want our innocent young girls to go and socialise and play with them?
One source of trouble with people is familiarity. When people get to know someone too well, they get to know the weaknesses and vulnerability of that person. When people are invited to your homes, they get too familiar and could have naughty and dangerous ideas. Think of the stranger you brought home and trusted to take care of your old parents and children. There are that 5% to 10% that could bring harm to you while you try to be very nice, very gracious, very caring and very clever.
My view, very subjective, is that the foreign workers should be left alone to live their lives as long as we don’t mistreat them, don’t exploit them, don’t abuse them. There is no need to want to be too clever or too nice. But there will also be the 5% to 10% of Sinkies that would want to be very nice to them. Go ahead and be nice.
Do not force it upon the average Sinkies to go and socialise and integrate with strangers they have nothing to do with in their lives. Do not ask for trouble when there is no need to. Do not create the familiarity and the temptation to bring harm to oneself or family members when there is no need to. They live their lives and the Sinkies that choose to live their own lives should stay that way.
Sinkies don’t ‘kee seow’ and ask for trouble that you would curse yourself later on. Many will be lucky and have good experiences and stories to tell. Better to treat each other at arms length, unless one has good reasons to be connected out of necessity or work, and be cautiously and tentatively respectful and safe. Often kindness does not beget kindness but harm and pain. That is the hard truth in life. But of course, for those who have so much time and love for the foreign workers, do not be affected by my cautionary comments. Go and do what makes you happy and make the foreign workers happy.
Kopi Level - Green
It keeps me thinking. How much time does an average Sinkie has to socialise and integrate with the foreign workers? Does an average Sinkie has time for his/her parents, siblings, Sinkie friends and neighbours? Or are they so tired after work and would like to have some moments of peace and rest for themselves? There is this presumption that the Sinkies have a lot of free time and a lot of energy and money to spend time with the foreign workers. Their well being is our responsibility, the responsibility of all Sinkies.
There were some sensible views expressed, like these are workers here to make a living. Give them a decent place to live, to rest and to play. Give them decent working environment, take care of them and make sure they are paid. Don’t cheat on them. These are the responsibilities of the average Sinkies? What about their employers and recruitment agents who benefited from their labour and fees? What about the govt that collects fees from the workers to be here? Shouldn’t it be their responsibilities to take good care of them?
Do we need to integrate them to our way of life or we integrate into their way of life? Are they citizens that are going to be part of us? Are they PRs that are here on a long term basis to live with us and try to be one of us?
There is one very serious issue that ‘seow’ Sinkies are taking for granted. These are very nice people, like the rioters in Little India. I have to be fair here when making this comment. In every community or group of people, the majority are nice or decent people. These include the Sinkies. But in every group, including Sinkies, there is always that 5% or 10% that could turn bad when given the opportunity or temptation. You want to take the risk with them? You know which one is going to be bad? You want our innocent young girls to go and socialise and play with them?
One source of trouble with people is familiarity. When people get to know someone too well, they get to know the weaknesses and vulnerability of that person. When people are invited to your homes, they get too familiar and could have naughty and dangerous ideas. Think of the stranger you brought home and trusted to take care of your old parents and children. There are that 5% to 10% that could bring harm to you while you try to be very nice, very gracious, very caring and very clever.
My view, very subjective, is that the foreign workers should be left alone to live their lives as long as we don’t mistreat them, don’t exploit them, don’t abuse them. There is no need to want to be too clever or too nice. But there will also be the 5% to 10% of Sinkies that would want to be very nice to them. Go ahead and be nice.
Do not force it upon the average Sinkies to go and socialise and integrate with strangers they have nothing to do with in their lives. Do not ask for trouble when there is no need to. Do not create the familiarity and the temptation to bring harm to oneself or family members when there is no need to. They live their lives and the Sinkies that choose to live their own lives should stay that way.
Sinkies don’t ‘kee seow’ and ask for trouble that you would curse yourself later on. Many will be lucky and have good experiences and stories to tell. Better to treat each other at arms length, unless one has good reasons to be connected out of necessity or work, and be cautiously and tentatively respectful and safe. Often kindness does not beget kindness but harm and pain. That is the hard truth in life. But of course, for those who have so much time and love for the foreign workers, do not be affected by my cautionary comments. Go and do what makes you happy and make the foreign workers happy.
Kopi Level - Green
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