CPF – Monthly protest rally at Hong Lim

Han Hui Hui and Roy Ngerng will be holding monthly protest rally at the Hong Lim Park on the CPF issues. One immediate problem that comes to mind is their ability to continue to attract the number of people to Hong Lim on a sustained basis. Last Saturday’s rally was a test case for the people’s willingness to keep going to Hong Lim to show their support for Hui Hui and Roy and the return of their CPF money. It was tentative and could have been a big disappointment if only 200 people turned up. The possibility was there given the fact that it came so close to the last protest and with so little publicity on the event. It turned out that the crowd was there to keep the fire burning.
 
From past experience, it has been proven that Sinkies would kpkb for a while and would soon lose interests in whatever they were unhappy about and the whole thing was forgotten with time. There was no follow up and all issues died a natural death. Would this CPF issue die a natural death like everything else? Would the people persist with greater tenacity to keep the issue and pressure on the govt to make changes to the scheme? If the support for the protest rally dies off, then all things will return to normal. And the govt will know that Hong Lim Speakers Corner had served its wonderful role, to let the people let out steam and the temperature will cool down as expected.
 
23 Aug for the next protest rally is just a short while away. Hui Hui and Roy are following the practice of biting and not letting go, like a rotweiller. It is like taking a bite and sinking the teeth in. Saying sorry is not enough, must also explain. Keeping rubbing in, keep repeating to put the victim under pressure. This is how to keep an issue alive. Not following through, a couple of kpkb sessions, will not achieve any results.
 
So, would Hui Hui and Roy’s new approach, to keep pounding the road, keep hammering on the issue, to keep it alive, work? It may if they can gather enough crowd to be at Hong Lim. It may if the people do not get tired and start to give Hong Lim a miss when the protest rally is on. How long would Hui Hui and Roy be able to keep the flame burning? It is not easy even if an issue like CPF touches everyone’s pocket where it hurts.
 
Would the daft Sinkies behave differently this time and would also bite in and refuse to let go, and keep coming back to Hong Lim to kpkb every month?

Kopi Level - Green

IF HDB owns the HDB flat and the land it sits on.

‘IF HDB owns the HDB flat and the land it sits on.
When we "buy" our HDB flats.
Why do we pay for cost of land+cost of construction?’
 
This phrase was posted by an anonymous blogger as a comment in my blog. Does this ring a bell? All HDB dwellers bought a 99 year lease on the flat from HDB at a price that the govt said is very affordable. Affordable means how much one can afford to pay and does not take into consideration the real value of the flat or the cost of building it. The affordable concept is all about how much the buyer has in his pocket, or in his CPF.
 
How is the price computed and what is the cost of building the flat is TOP SECRET, guarded closely by the govt. After years of barraging the govt, all the people got was a stone wall. The govt that prides itself for transparency and demanding everyone to be transparent would not be transparent on the cost of building a flat. Any hypocrisy?
 
The govt has also finally admitted in Parliament that at the end of 99 years, the flat will go back to the govt as it is on a lease. The question is whether the price of the flat, the lease, consists of the lease for use of the flat and the lease on the land it sits? If this includes the lease of the land, then how is this price? Is it based on the sale of the land for 99 years or the lease of the land for 99 years?
 
And as rightly pointed out by many, if the lease of the HDB flat is for the use of the flat, why are the lessee made to pay property tax, made to pay for maintenance and upgrading of a property that does not belong to them? If the property is run down, shouldn’t the owner of the property and the land be the one to pay for its refurbishing? Windows falling off, ceiling leaking etc, whose responsibility?
 
There are many issues to be addressed, who owns the land, who owns the flat, who is supposed to pay for property tax, who is supposed to pay for refurbishing and upgrading of the property and its surrounding?
Who is the real owner? Would the MPs ask these questions in Parliament and would the govt admit that it is the actual owner of the land and the flat?

Kopi Level - Green

There is a need to protect some trades and professions for citizens

The need for FWs in the construction industry and some harsh vocations is recognized by the govt and the citizens. No one is complaining about hiring foreigners to take up jobs that citizens shunned. Hiring of foreign workers in these jobs has become a necessity and not a choice.
 
On the other hand there are many jobs that Singaporeans would want to do, not highly skilled but could provide them with decent incoming. These jobs do not need ‘foreign talents’ to compete with the citizens. The profession of taxi driving is an area of last resort, the fall back position of many PMEs to earn a decent living. This has been in a way protected for citizens. Is there a change that foreigners are now allowed to be taxi drivers? Foreigners turned citizens to become taxi drivers cannot be of any talent, and cannot be of better than Singaporeans to replace Singaporeans. It would be dreadful and shocking that one day foreigners are preferred to Singaporeans to be taxi drivers because they are more talented. Would that day come?
 
There are foreigners, citizens and PRs, engaging in many professions that Singaporeans are quite happy to be in without the need to be terribly talented and highly qualified. Entry barrier to these trades are fairly low, eg insurance agents, housing agents, recruitment agents and stock broking agents. Should the govt allow free access to these trades by foreigners? What kind of expertise and extra talents or contributions would foreigners bring in to add value to these professions? There is really no need to allow foreigners to be in these trades. What is the point of having PhDs and masters graduates to be in these trades to compete with the citizens?
 
When would the govt have a change of heart, a change of policies to protect some trades for the citizens? When would the prostitute mindset be changed? Opening these trades to foreigners, even new citizens, is a threat to the quality of life of Singaporeans and cannot be allowed if the interests of the citizens is to be protected. Opening our economy and country cannot be a blank cheque to open up everything, and stripping off our panties. Some vital parts must be protected from uninvited intrusion to retain some dignity and self respect.
 
No entry signs must be erected in some areas. There are things that are sensitive in nature, critical and important to the average citizens and cannot be given away freely without affecting their lives. The govt has no obligations to provide good jobs and vocations to foreigners, but owe a big responsibility to make life better for the citizens. Or am I wrong, that this govt owes the citizens of the world good jobs and a good life, not to its citizens?
 
When would the policy makers descend from the high clouds to understand what is going on at ground level?

Kopi Level - Green

What is the national narrative?

We have the CPF issue hot on everyone’s lip with a protest in Hong Lim gaining momentum. Last week’s low profile protest, with very little publicity and came closely after the last protest, still managed to draw a significant crowd. The organizers are persistent on this issue and making it a monthly protest and calling for more support. The next protest is on 23 Aug.
 
In the main stream media, there is another narrative, about two penguins and a little penguin. This may be about a couple of books for the kids in the library, but it is occupying a lot of pages in the msm, just like the Pink Dot Party at Hong Lim a couple of weeks ago. And we have the pro LBGT taking the NLB head on. What’s missing are Pastor Kong and those wearing white.
 
What should be the national agenda for the people to be concerned with? Who should be setting the agenda? Is the CPF important enough to the people to be the narrative of the day? Should it be in competition with the pink agenda of the traditional family versus a non traditional family of two males and child?
 
Has the national agenda been hijacked? The msm seems very happy to be talking about the pink agenda rather than the CPF. Is the penguin book more important as a national narrative than the CPF? Would any of these two issues be fit to be part of the natcon? Oops, natcon is over.

Kopi Level - Green

Kishore – Don’t worry, be happy

At least this is the message I got after reading Kishore’s article over the weekend. His article has one major point, Singapore is history. We used to be number one in many things and many countries came to learn from us. Singapore was their model state. Then they learnt and adapted from us and are now better than us. And we are not going anywhere anymore.
 
Kishore quoted Dubai, turning its airline and airport into the number ones, overtaking us. The disciples have overtaken the master. And Dubai is only a small example of Singapore sliding behind. China came to learn from us in the late 70s, 80 and 90s. Now China has overtaken us in everything, yes everything, and getting better. They built better cities, created more jobs, producing more graduates, became a manufacturing hub of the world with many big brands, they have stable leadership renewal. Everything that is good they learnt from us, and everything that is bad they rejected.
 
The next big thing is Malaysia and the mega city in Iskandar. If they played their game right, Singapore would become a satellite town of Iskandar. Would they be able to press all the right buttons? They have done well till now and if they don’t press the wrong buttons, they will be on their way to overtake us.
 
Well, Kishore said we would not enjoy another 50 years of growth like before. Neither would there be another LKY to turn a ‘fishing village’ into a first world city state. We will have more migrants, but not the same type as our forefathers. The next batches are simply mercenaries like everyone of us. Everyone is treating this place like Zouk, to have a good time. Zouk would be history soon.
 
So, what else is there to do? Enjoy, party, be happy for as long as we can. Next year would be party time for Singapore. We have the money to splurge and feel good. Hope it is not the last fling. Hope it is not the last hurrah, the final celebration before everything comes crumbling down.

Kopi Level - Yellow