天变 - Change of mandate

Dynasty change or rise and fall of empire/regime are inevitable, like the advent of natural calamities, droughts, floods, earthquakes etc. Often such epic changes of history will be preceded by a series of warning signs that things are not going well and change is eminent. The tears of 2011 were shed in vain. They were genuine tears of regret, to do things right, to right the wrongs. But victory and success often blinded the fools and they would plod down the path of self destruction. And absolute power makes ignoring the pains and cries of the masses easier. Just give a little lip service, we cared, we are compassionate, we empathized with your shit life but what to do? Work hard, tighten your belt and trust us, live within your means and accept your lousy fate.

The slew of events that happened quickly, one after another, did not happen by chance. They were designed, not by anyone. I am looking at the developments and the turning of the wheel of fortune from a fatalistic perspective. No regime in power would want to do itself in. Neither would they want to dig their own grave. But dig they would and would keep on digging, thinking that it was meant for their enemies without having a clue that it was their own grave. They would trip and fall into the freshly dug grave many a times, only to pull themselves out with an embarrassing grin, but would keep digging. The warning signs that it was there for them did not haunt them. They could see no wrong in what they were doing. They were too conceited and deluded to think otherwise. They wanted the enemies to fall in and be buried. How could they be buried in the grave instead? Not logical, cannot be.

The enemies need not do anything. The enemies could afford to go on their lives normally without having to lift a finger in a time like this. Let the devil do its own work. It is unbelieveable that this is happening and getting more frequent, more hilarious and serious in nature. Game over is the natural outcome.

Zhu Geliang must be smiling, having read the stars correctly, he is waiting for the moment to come. His order to his men, do nothing, let the enemies bury themselves. When good men are leaving and only the mediocre are joining the camp, it is a sure way to the end. Go with the flow, not the flow of men but with the tide of history.

What is an appropriate name for Sin City?

Sin City used to be famous for many things, clean and green, efficiency, honesty, safe and drug free, a good place to do business, study and bring up family.  Visitors were always in praise of our clean and green country. Lately Sin City has been associated with some less flattering names like Loan Shark City, Rat City and a few others that I could others. The latest is Garbage City.

And jokers and jesters, mainly Sinkies, are blaming Sinkies for a bad habit, that we are guilty of turning our city into garbage. The Sinkies are the convenient whipping boy as usual. The foreigners are so nice, so clean and so cultured. What party at Laneway musical festival? I swear I was not there. So don’t blame me. Does any of these jokers and jesters know that for every Sinkie there is a foreigner in our midst. And in public areas, public transport, for every 3 Sinkies there are likely to be 7 foreigners. I would like to tell the jokers and jesters to stuff their mouths with their own garbage.

Oh, I like Garbage City or City of Trash for another reason. Sinkies have degenerated from an industrious and highly motivated people that won the admirations of the world into a people best know for being daft, lazy and unmotivated and even suffering from entitlement mentality, like demanding to be paid millions or else. Yah, we even turned ourselves from a proud, disciplined people to a dirty and irresponsible people that would litter the whole island that we called home.

Well, real or bluff, or just a perception, Sinkies are now regarded by the thrash foreigners making a living here as thrash, and likewise by Sinkie jesters and jokers. We are now a people, walking around like mobile thrash. When there are so many thrash in the City, calling it a Garbage City is really appropriate. Instead of a City of Daft, or Daft City, Garbage City sounds quite nice actually. A city full of garbage, living zombies walking around like garbage, worse than people from the 3^rd World. No wonder they are despising and looking down on Sinkies and taking over the country to turn it into their clean and modern 3^rd World slum city, like the grounds after the Laneway musical.

Welcome to Garbage City when the residents are walking garbage. This can be a new selling point to bring tourists here, to see daft walking garbage. And the high class Sinkies would bear witness with their testimonies.

Medishield Life – Not a comprehensive health plan for sure

When Medishield Life was mooted, there were a lot of expectations that this is it, a comprehensive national health insurance scheme to replace all the bits and pieces that did not fit together, with a lot of gaps and a lot of unnecessary overlapping. Here there is, a newly cocked up, oops, I mean cooked up plan to take care of everyone from cradle to grave, no one will miss out.

And yesterday it was passed in Parliament in the second sitting like a miracle cure all drug. Everyone in Parliament is elated, so proud of being part of this process to bring this baby to life. A great achievement that would go down in history, a historic moment that everyone wants to be counted in.  No need to read the fine prints.

So, is it really that fantastic a scheme? What does it seek to achieve or to replace? Let me think, I thought, yes I thought, it would replace all the schemes in the CPF and those private insurance.  I thought it would replace the Medishield A and B plans. And I think that’s it. Someone was asking me, you mean this comprehensive, national, compulsory and mother of all insurance scheme that was praised sky high by the MPs only replaces the CPF Medishield Plans?

What about the Medisave, what about the Medisave Minimum Sum Schemes, still existing in toto, still got to put money in them like before, still increasing every year? So what, does it mean that the Sinkies would now have to pay for this comprehensive national health plan, and still got to sink in money into the Medisave and still got to have their money locked up in Medisave Minimum Sum, and the amount keeps adjusting upwards with inflation, with no age or time limit?

Wah lan, what is happening? Cover head, cover bottom, cover front, cover backside. The only thing that is not covered is the people’s money, keep going out into all the schemes.

So, are the Sinkies better off? Sure, except that their money in the CPF may not be enough for retirement. And for those who are not working, the jobless and retirees, got no money to put into all these schemes, maybe they would get some subsidies to help them pay for all these schemes.

Did Sinkies ask the govt for it? Did Sinkies ask the govt to help them? Never mind, the govt will help even if the Sinkies did not ask the govt to help them and then point the finger insisting that the daft asked for help, asked for it. It is another entitlement thing, the govt is entitled to come out with any schemes and make the people pay. Sinkies are also entitled to govt help for all kinds of schemes to make life better for the Sinkies, except Sinkies ended up paying. Sinkies must be very grateful for all the help from the govt. What a blessing.

Want the govt to help some more?

Medishield Life – What is so comprehensive about it?

This is touted as a comprehensive national health insurance for all Singaporeans and PRs, a ‘health care safety net that leaves no one behind’. The only thing comprehensive, other than including all Singaporeans and PRs, is the collection of premiums. Here no one is left out, no one is left behind even if you are 100 years old. You PAY ok! And if you are working overseas, you PAY ok! Whether you are paying another insurance premium overseas that is mandated by the host country of your residence, you still must PAY. Any exceptions? I have not heard of any.
 
I will talk about what this Medishield Life is NOT comprehensive in another article later. So, what is the real intent of this Medishield Life other than the broadcast altruistic mission of providing every Singaporean and PR with a national health plan? Anyone wants to guess? And mind you, the govt provide the national health scheme, you PAY!
Oh, the govt is contributing $4b in subsidies. When is the subsidy money coming from? Where is the subsidy money going to? Anyone wants to guess? It would be more exciting and look more generous if the premium is jacked even higher and the subisidy, instead of $4b, make it $40b. Again, ask where is this money coming from and going to? Definitely not a cent goes into the people’s pocket.
 
Think what this Medishield is to you, what it means to you and your pocket. Who is the real beneficiary of this scheme? Must be You right? The answer is so easy.
 
The bill was passed after the mandatory and expected routine of asking questions but nothing change. The bill was passed lock, stock and barrel. The MPs may ask 100 or 1m questions, they will remain as questions. Period.
 
Would anyone want to know why the govt does not say it out loud that the scheme is a NON PROFIT making scheme? Is it so difficult to assure the people that this scheme is all about providing health care to the people and not to make money from the people?
Does anyone want to know why people must pay and pay until they die, if they are so ‘heng’ or so ‘suay’ to live to 100 or 200 years old?
 
Does anyone want to know why Sinkies must be made to pay for two insurance premiums if they happen to work in another country?
 
Does anyone want to know if excess premiums be ploughed back into the scheme to reduce the burden of the people or would it be, like excess S&CC be dumped into another dark hole, as reserves, and people continue to be made to pay happily ever after?
 
What is the assurance that medical fees are allowed to spiral uncontrollably, by ‘market forces’ and nothing can be done about it, like HDB property prices?
All the MPs are so happy about this scheme that they must be popping champagne to celebrate a job well done. And the people must also be so happy and grateful for this scheme. Any more great schemes in the pipeline?

Taking national security for granted?

Magdalene Choo, a research associate at the Institute of Policy Studies conducted a survey on Singaporeans’ attitude towards national security. She was concerned and so was the IPS about our national security. She may want to relate the thinking of Singaporeans and how it would affect out national security. This is a very serious study and I believe the relevant national intelligence agencies would also have our national interest in their minds and would have been monitoring the threats to our country.
It is a good effort to raise the interest of our peoplke with regards to our national security and not to take our national security for granted. This is our country and if Singaporeans are not interested or concerned with our national security, then it is an area of grave concern.
 
We have spent a lot of money and resources on our national security and defence. Our young men have devoted their whole life to the country and paying a very heavy price for it, including family members and compromising their career development.
 
The question is, what is the point of worrying whether the people are interested or concerned with our national security when the Trojan Horse in inside our country? And it is not just one Trojan Horse but many. What is more important is that people who should be concerned with our national security must be thinking about our national security and not compromising on our national security? How safe are we as a country when more than half of the population are foreigners with questionable affiliation, loyalty and interest to our national security? How safe are we when our economy and vital professions and installations are run or dominated by foreigners?
 
What kind of joke is this? I can remember the joke about the British pointing all their big guns at the sea when the Japanese came in from the Malayan mainland. We are concerned that the people are not interested in our national security when we don’t mind sleeping with strangers or inviting strangers into our homes? Do we have any intellect? Do we know where the threat to our national security is coming from? It is like the sheep all up in arms guarding the pen when wolves made up half of the flock in the pen.
 
How stupid can Singaporeans be?