Aljunied is now the Hougang of yesteryears

Hougang was then the only stronghold of the WP. It was like a tiger’s den and any PAP candidate going there would be devoured, meal for the tiger. PAP candidates treaded Hougang in fear. Many had fallen and many more will fall again.
 
Aljunied GRC has taken over this role as the most formidable opposition stronghold and a bigger one. In the past, there were sneering calls for Low Thia Khiang to step out of Hougang to challenge the PAP. Some even suggested taking on a biggie or lead a team to take on the PM. Today, the ground has changed. Some quarters are throwing the same kind of challenge to the PAP to send a strong team to Aljunied to face defeat. It is a dare from the supporters of WP, with so much confidence that they had for Hougang and now for Aljunied. Aljunied is the GRC to take but many will fall like the retaking of Hougang.
 
It would be something if Low Thia Khiang would to throw a challenge to the PAP in the next GE to send a strong team to Aljunied. And he could peppered it with comments like no fight, very disappointing, and looking for a good fight if the PAP team is weak and eventually lost Aljunied again.
 
Such thoughts would never be in the minds of anyone. Every GRC or SMC would be an uphill struggle and likely to lose except for Hougang and at one time Potong Pasir. Now there is Aljunied, a 5 seat GRC for the opposition side to make their war cry.
 
And this is very intimidating and it is unlikely to see anyone from the PAP bravely standing up to volunteer for this great opportunity. Those who have said they needed a good fight, this is the time to prove what they said, to take up the cudgel in Aljunied. The days of Goh Keng Swee, Rajaratnam, Lim Kim San, Hon Sui Sen, Barker, Ong Pang Boon, Ong Teng Cheong when they would just carry a GRC wherever you put them were long over. There is no more such heavyweights to depend on today.

Kopi Level - Green

World’s 4 'most peace loving' countries signing military pacts

The world’s four ‘most peace loving’ countries have been going around signing military pacts and buying and selling arms to one another, all in the name of advancing regional peace and stability. The US, Japan, India and Australia, have been very busy inking defence agreements. The latest by Modi and Abbott, ‘They agreed to hold regular meetings at the level of the Defence Minister, conduct regular maritime exercises and convene regular navy to navy, air force to air force and army to army staff talks.’
 
On the other the ‘most belligerent country’ China according to the West, has been going around the world signing trade pacts and free trade agreements, the latest with Australia and the state of Tasmania.
Countries signing trade pacts are offensive and dangerous. Military pacts are peaceful, friendly and for peace. Just believe the western media and the Empire and their cronies and you will have world peace. Don’t believe in countries that go around to trade and promote economic growth.
 
India got no money and time to build Smart Cities but got a lot of time and money to buy and build more submarines to tell the world the Indian Ocean belongs to India and no one can come in and practising big power hegemony in South Asia. At the same time it is conducting war games in East China Sea and South China Sea. All very friendly acts, to promote peace and stability. No need to mention what the Americans and the Japanese are doing. Australia thinks and acts as the sheriff of South East Asia. Just wondering when would it be overrun by Indonesia.

Kopi Level - Green

An education centre or snake oil selling centre

We promote our City as a regional education centre. We allow all kinds of schools and universities to set up shops here to teach and to issue certificates, diplomas and degrees. Is there a need for quality checks? Or it is caveat emptor, the schools and their operators do whatever they want, the students go and do whatever they want, the Govt has no responsibility to the quality of the education services provided, the Govt may not even recognized their certificates or degrees issued?
 
In the banking industry there is some minimum guarantees for the deposits, at one time by the Govt. In the stock market, many investors are complaining about fly by night operators, companies listed in the market but turned turtles within months or a couple of years and then closed shop. Many got delisted for fraudulent accounting and businesses. Who is responsible for this? Caveat emptor?
 
The big question, shall there be some standard or criteria be set so that unwary students who honestly come here to get an education did not get snake oil instead? Would anyone be responsible or is it fair to the students and their parents for putting out good money, honestly, believing in the Singapore brand, to give their children an education but the certificates and degrees were not recognized at the end of the day? When there is no accountability or responsibility, anything can happen. Is this the nature of things that we want just to do business and collect some fees?

As a Govt and a country promoting education, can anything go, got quality or no quality, recognized or not recognized, does not matter as long as they can run it as a business and there are people, students, willing to register and to pay for it? Willing buyer and willing seller good enough?  Can this same principle be applied to other products and services? Can anyone import or produce and sell food products freely, with no questions on the standards and quality of the food? Or can anyone bring in cars that are not safe or did not meet engineering and design standards or quality to sell here?
 
Our education scene is like the Wild Wild West, like our infamous shopping centres. Buyers beware! No one is responsible for fakes, frauds and snake oils?
 
As a regional education centre, does the Govt think that it has no duty to ensure that the products and services are of certain quality and standard, or at least they are recognized by the government as employers? Singapore has a reputation for quality and reliability. The Singapore brand? How would the consumers think if the money they paid expecting quality education turns out to be something else?
 
Can a Singaporean student attending a private university here expect that the degree be recognized by the govt when applying for a job? This is the least that can be expected. Is the education scene too cavalier? 

Where is this thing called moral obligation or responsibility? What is ethical consideration?

Kopi Level - Green

Banks/credit cards -So long no hike interest rates

The banks are raising their credit card interest rates to more than 24% per annum and cash advance interest to 28% per annum or more. And the perfect reason to do so, so long never raise, so it is a good justification to raise.
 
No one is questioning whether 24% and 28% are very high interest rates to pay. Of course it is still very low compare to the loan sharks. Would anyone be saying cheap, cheap, cheap? Now, on the other side, the banks are paying their depositors never before extremely low interest rates. Would this be a factor for the banks to lower their rates instead of hiking them? Oh, it is a commercial decision. Or like boh cheng hu. Or would anyone yell cartel or price fixing?
 
On the other hand, could the consumers tell the banks, so long never cut rates, so it is time to cut some rates? Why must interest rates be one sided, up and up and up when saving rates is down and down and down?
 
As long as it is a business decision, there is no cause to argue about morality or right or wrong. It is about profits. And the banks can be praised for making the right commercial decision. Now I can understand why Jover Chew and all the rogue retailers are not doing anything wrong. They are only making commercial decisions. It is a business, and profit is the only reason for making such decisions.
 
So consumers can expect the banks to keep raising interest rates every few years by claiming that they have not raise rates for a long time. Soon they will be competing with the loan sharks to see who is charging higher interest rates. Using the formula of time as a factor to raise rates, there is no limit to how high the banks can raise their interest rates. And there is no law against it, all perfectly legal.
 
What is wrong with charging more and collecting more? New morality or self serving morality?

Kopi Level - Green

Going hysterical over SGX glitches

Everyone is showing how concerned they are over the second stoppage of SGX as if the end of the world is coming. Actually it was nothing more than a pimple. What should be really serious are the dying stock market and the consequences of the financial market and financial centre when the market goes kaput. But this has been going on for so long that the dying stage is accepted as normal and a dead stock market is something no one wants to know. Depending on one’s definition, the market to some has long been dead or in ICU.
 
So we have so many people acting angry, condemning the SGX. What happened to deregulation, self regulation and self inspection of pimples in one’s backside? These are the good things, the good stuff, the right stuff and in a way contributed to the recent lapses. No, not true, just a little bit of bad luck I supposed?
 
The only sensible call, or wake up call, is from the Small and Middle Capitalisation Companies Association to demand an independent inquiry. To the rest of the regulators or overseers, this is not necessary at all. Now, aren’t anyone curious why this Association suddenly finds it necessary to demand for an independent inquiry? Shouldn’t it be sufficient for SGX to conduct its own inquiry by appointing its own independent directors and senior officers or board of directors to do the same like the previous glitch? Why is this one so different that this Association is demanding an independent inquiry?
 
It is a good call and a necessary call. But at most it will find out the causes of pimples and acnes. Would anyone think it necessary to call for an independent board of inquiry on the fate of the SGX and why it is dying and when it is going to go kaput for good? Oops, this BOI is only necessary if people acknowledge that the market is dying. If people still believe that the market is doing roaring business and in the pink of health, any call for a BOI is simply superfluous.
 
Maybe this is an over exaggeration. The market will not die, will never die, as long as the computers are kicking and doing the buying and selling. Only the traders will die, the remisiers will die, but the broking houses will not die either, they would simply downsize or reduce in numbers. And everyone will still be having a party and singing hallelujah, Christmas is around the corner, let’s pop the champagne and celebrate another good year.

Kopi Level - Green