Stock Exchange down, hit by power outage

I thought it was the stock exchange of some 3rd World country. This is rare to happen in Singapore. Another one in 50 years incident. MAS is not looking too please and is following up closely with the SGX. The latter is investigating into the cause of this technical glitch that froze trading for 3 hours.
 
Trading was resumed after normal trading hours, from 5.15pm to 5.45pm for stocks and as for derivative tradings, it restarted at 7pm and closed at 2am. This looks like a trial run to align SGX with the European and American bourses. SGX and local traders should treasure this golden opportunity to trade at the same time as the western bourses, live trading man. Maybe 24 hour non stop trading is in the air.
 
The media also reported that the SGX invested in a $250m state of the art trading system that was the fastest in the world, running at 100 times faster than the old system or 3,000 times faster than the blink of an eye. Then yesterday it was hit by multiple power supply issues.
 
My thoughts, maybe it was under utilized as the high speed super computer was designed to run fast and with high volumes. And when the volume is so small there could be a mismatch, that the computer is unable to cope with low volume. This is like driving a Lamborghini on first gear in Singapore roads at 10 kph. Do it everyday and it is going to cause unusual wear and tear and will damage the machine that is made to go fast in free ways.
 
Anyway SGX is investigating the causes of this outage seriously. My wild guess is unlikely to be the cause. If funnily this is the cause, then they should sell off the super computer and go back to the old ones, if it has not been sold to the garang guni man by now. It would be a case of too good, too fast, too over power for an inactive stock exchange that is too small to match, and shrinking trading volumes. Maybe it is good to slow down and go back to the old system, and not to let the supercomputers take advantage of small and slow retail investors.
 
Speculation that it was a cyber attack was categorically denied.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Singapore property prices set to rise again

There is a new trend in property usage and this will create a storm in the property market. Luxury hotels will sprout everywhere to cater to the super rich, and the demand is rising. Bluebell and Boxer were checked into the best hotel available in town, into the Royal Suite that provides all the finest things in life that money can buy. Spa, manicure, scented room, room service for anything the couple need. They can eat as much food as they like, buffet style, with wines and champagne or ala carte room service. The hotel is equipped like 5 stars, swimming pool, gym, massage parlours, 24 hour CCTV security system, anything to make the hotel guests happy. Aromatherapy and facial masks are in things for the guests as well. Pipe in music, 40 inch Led TV in the bedroom are standard furnishing. I think their pyjamas must also be specially designed and of specially made material.
 
Bluebell and Boxer happens to be pedigree dogs. Their owners would want the best for them. Oh by the way, they sleep on the best leather pillows and lay under the finest linens. The in thing today is building luxury hotels for pets like dogs and cats. And this is taking off in a big way. Soon there will be hotels for other pets as well. And many property investors are jumping into the bandwagon to buy up properties, HDB also can I think, to be renovated into 5 star hotels for dogs.
 
They say it is a dog’s life not for no reason. Everyone is standing up on a stool to brag how they love dogs and animals. Ministers and politicians too. In the past you need to be a scholar general to be invited to join politics. The new niche credential is to be dog lovers or animal lovers.
 
Our dogs are going to live it up, if they have rich and powerful masters looking after them. Foreign dogs will do better as their pedigrees are more desirable than our pariah dogs. The famous hotels that are having high occupancy rate are The Waginton and Petopia, Tekka or Hougang Hotel. Both are bungalows and not HDB flats by the way.
 
Property savvy investors can smell the money and will know where to put their money to make more money. Now it is all about dogs and cats and animals. Senior citizens can move to Bintang, Batam and JB. We need the land for luxury hotels and their high end and high living guests.
 
Our taxi drivers are slow in not jumping into the act. They should redecorate their taxis for the comforts of dogs. And security agencies would also see a new business. These luxury hotels also need security guards to guard the dogs. Mmmm, what is happening? I thought they used to have guard dogs to guard the rich. Now we have security guards guarding the dwellings of dogs!
 
How about dog crematorium and columbarium in district 9, 10 and 11? They already have dog café and restaurants and all doing very well. The nail painting industry would soon have branches for dogs as well.
Dog’s live in hotel suites! Human beans live in dog kennels? Would that be the day? No wonder people are aspiring to be dogs and behaving like dogs.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Singapore International Commercial Court(SICC)

Parliament approved the concept of setting up an international court to arbitrate international legal disputes here. As rightly pointed out by Shanmugam, international disputes are now handled in London and New York and there is a void that Singapore can fill. A Singapore International Court is our contribution to the international legal system, to provide a neutral judicial court for parties that do not feel comfortable going to New York and London. These western courts have been the default arbiters for international disputes and also have issues that some parties, especially Asians or countries that are not on friendly terms with New York and London, are not comfortable with.
 
SICC will fill this void and ‘will bank on Singapore’s outstanding “brand name” for good governance, low corruption and efficiency, its highly regarded judiciary and high quality legal services’. Well said. This is our capital, our unique position, our strength, to provide a neutral and fair justice system that is not beholden to any country or superpower. If SICC can do that, it will have its work cut out for it. No matter how good the reputation of New York and London, the western and American bias are not comfortable and at times unfavourable to some litigating parties.
 
Let’s hope the SICC bench consists of Singaporeans and not be another New York or London with no Singaporean faces. It will be as good as saying Singaporeans are unfit to serve in the international arena, that Singaporeans are half bakes and yes, the courts must be filled by foreign talents. We have to be ourself and take pride in being Singaporeans, real true blue Singaporeans, not those given a new pink IC. There is something special in true blue Singaporeans that is intangible and much more valuable than just pure academic abilities. The Singapore Govt must trust Singaporeans to have the ability to be the best, as good if not better than New York and London. The last thing we want to do is to become a branch of New York and London and share the same disease. Those legal minds in London and New York do not have 3 heads and 6 limbs. They are like us, with a head, a pair of eyes and 4 limbs.
 
I read the report in the media and there is no mention of foreigners becoming the judges in SICC. I hope it will stay that way, and SICC will surpass New York and London in providing justice to all, the Singapore way. We must raise the profile of the Singapore Brand, be proud of the Singapore Brand, and not be another bastardised brand. We don’t have to become bastards to be good.

Kopi Level - Yellow

An open plea to the Prime Minister – The fate of Singaporeans

This is a very sad letter from a citizen to the Prime Minister on how local talents are rapidly being replaced by foreigners under the open leg wide wide policy. Foreigners are brought in with very high pay and Singaporeans are sacked and have to go to 3rd world countries to earn lower pay while leaving their family members behind. And more 3rd world talents are brought in to fill the gaps. This is the process of Dalitisation of Singaporeans. Here is the abridged letter from Delwyn Yee. Full letter posted in The Real Singapore.
 
Dear Mr Prime Minister,
 
My name is Delwyn Yee Zheng Ting, aged 21 and I wish to discuss a very dire issue regarding my father Dallas Yee Kok Keong aged 48.
 
My father is a very hardworking man who was working for Jaguar Landrover as a manager and was forced to resign by his superior who is a Canadian. This particular superior was a bully. He draws a high salary and would always push all the work to my father who was already very busy but my father was way too good a person to make a fuss with him….
 
3 months ago, my father was called up by his Canadian boss and was told that my father had to either resign or be sacked by the company. The reason he gave was they thought my father would also resign like the rest of the managers. They told my father that the company had already employed someone else to replace him. This was even before my father’s resignation….
 
My father had no choice but to resign and was told to leave the company immediately….
 
Thankfully, my father, having a good reputation in the industry, was immediately approached by Jaguar in the Philippines. He had to accept the position because he had no choice. He left with my younger brother and sister and my step mother. I am now studying in Poly and cannot go with him. Now I am living alone in Singapore with my family so far away. Is this fair? Is this fair to me or my dad?
 
I really hope that you can come up with something to bring justice. Why are so many foreign talents allowed to work in Singapore even when they didn’t have the necessary skills?.....
 
I know foreign talents are important. But my father is also a talent. He has 30 years of experience in the industry and has been hard working. Why should he lose his job for no good reasons and now have to leave Singapore to work in the Philippines?
 
Please understand that I miss my father and my siblings. I am now all alone in Singapore. The foreign talents came in to Singapore and now Singapore talents have to leave and families break up. Is this what Singapore should become?
 
Your faithful citizen
Delwyn Yee Zheng Ting
 
Is this an isolated case or this is the trend? Is this good for Singaporeans or killing Singaporeans. How many of you agree that this is good? Don’t answer first, wait till your turn comes to be sacked by the foreigners?
 
不见棺材不流泪
 
I do not see anything is going to change as they are going to stick to their tough and hard policies. What suggestions? Deaf frogs would not listen. They are too full of themselves.

Kopi Level - Blue, thank you

PAP Dream Team for Aljunied GRC – Redbean’s Choice

The PAP fielded a very strong team in the last GE in Aljunied. Led by the highly intelligent Foreign Minister George Yeo, the other members included Minister Lim Hwee Hua, Parliamentary Secretary Zainul Abidin, MP Cynthia Phua and newbie Ong Ye Kong who was no light weight, touted to be of ministerial material. This was a very strong team but lost. If this is an indication of the strength of the WP team, PAP would have to field an even stronger team if it seriously thinks of taking back Aljunied. Anything less would be no go. It could also opt out by sending a token team of newbies like the young commando team at TecK Ghee in the last election to try their luck. By doing so it would be losing Aljunied by default.
 
Putting a strong team of ministers is going to be a difficult choice. How many ministers would want to risk losing their multi million dollar income to volunteer for this battle? Hsien Loong too would not want to risk the few talented ministers he is left with in case they also join George Yeo in the private sector.
 
My solution, assuming that PAP wants to take back Aljunied, wants to send a strong team, and having ministers to volunteer for the job, is to field Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan and Raymong Lim. They would even volunteer for it if given a chance. This is exactly the situation that PAP stalwarts would want to prove their loyalty and bravery to fight for PAP. It is an honorable duty I am sure.
 
And don’t dismiss them as not ministers. The pension each is drawing, if I am not wrong, could be more than the whole team of WP MPs’ income or near there. They are really heavy weights and befitting to take on the WP with their experience in the game.
 
To add weight to them, if PAP still does not think they could pull it off, PAP could draw on the weight and drawing power of Chok Tong and LKY. With these two super heavyweights, it is a sure win formula. They would definitely answer the call of duty if needed. Chok Tong would love to serve another term as ESM. And for winning Aljunied, he could be honoured with the title Senior ESM. As for LKY, his charisma and aura would give me many additional votes for sure.
 
The only problem with this team is the lack of a minority candidate. So either Chok Tong or LKY would have to be sidelined. But the good news, PAP would be spoilt for choices for a strong minority candidate. Hsien Loong could volunteer Vivian or Yaacob for the job. They are unlikely to volunteer themselves, just my opinion. And with either one in the team, no one can say there is no incumbent minister like the last team. Perfect match.
 
For those who are thinking of the missing female touch, and still aware that there is a Sylvia Lim in the WP team, and wanting a female candidate, the top choice would be Intan. Then you will have a female candidate and a minority candidate in one to pull in female voters and minority voters.
 
For those who would want a minister in waiting like Ong Ye Kung, it is unlikely that he would return to Aljunied, there is no better choice than Janil Puthucheary. Both have the same pedigree of being scions of former Barisan Socialis MPs. Both are ministerial material. And having Janil PAP will have a 3 in 1 candidate that is difficult to find today, ie a minority, a ministerial caliber and a son of Barisan Socialis, to win them votes. And oh, maybe a 4 in 1, using a new citizen to show to the new citizens and potential new citizens that they too can become MPs and ministers too. Janil’s will be able to attract all the votes from ex Barisan Socialis supporters, new citizens and of course the minority groups.
 
Wow, this minority candidate is going to give Hsien Loong a pleasant headache, so many attractive candidates to choose from. Having considered all the pros and cons, my first Dream Team would be Wong Kan Seng, Mah Bow Tan, Raymond Lim, ChokTong and Janil. My second Dream Team would be the first four and Intan. Janil beats her in many areas, ministerial caliber, Barisan Socialis roots, and will be a model for new citizens and more foreigners would even take up citizenship because of him.
 
Either of these Dream Teams would be hard to beat for the WP. Low Thia Khiang would be scratching his head with no reply to the weight they carry.
 
Good choice or not?

Kopi Level - Blue, Thank you