Tahir – a pleasant and energising story of faith

One does not need to be in the government, in the seat of authority, to want to do good for the country and its citizens. One does not need to be the richest man in the world to start to give away his wealth, to share with the have nots. One needs not be the richest man in Indonesia to do that, to think of country and people. His wealth is reported to be US$2.1b, not very rich among the billionaires in Indonesia, not among the top 5 or top 10 in Singapore. But he is very rich in his heart.

His mission is to do good, not only for the Indonesians but also around the globe. His largest contribution is US$100m in a joint fund with Bill Gates to help the poorest in the world and to eradicate polio. He never forgets he is Indonesian and has set up many charitable organisations to help his people in the areas of education and healthcare.

His main thrust is to see no Indonesians working as maids abroad but as trained professionals in the fields of nursing and sales. To achieve this he has spoken to 5 governors to offer him buildings and training centres and he would provide the teachers, training programmes, food and lodging for the women trainees. This mission is not limited to the 5 governors he spoke to and could expand into other provinces. He is not in the government but what he is doing is what every government would be thinking and be doing, to do good for its people, to uplift their lives.

In God he trusts and he believes that God has provided him with the means and opportunity to give back to his country and people. He is grateful and he spends his time thinking about helping others, to share his wealth with the less privileged. He was not born rich, he made his own money but did not forget that there are many out there that need a little help that his money can make things happened for them. He helps others by giving out his own money. He does not talk about helping others with OPM or taking the money from the people he is helping.

His two Mayapada hospitals provide free medicare to the poor. The cost of a heart surgery is his hospital is less than $8, actually free. No subsidies needed, no govt grants needed.

The world is a much better place when you have rich people feeling rich by sharing their wealth to help others and not by counting the monies in their bank accounts and collecting properties after properties to show that they are rich. Rich people like Tahir have the blessings and approval of God to be what they are and to do what they are doing for the good of other needy people. God bless. Amen.

These are the concluding paragraphs of a Sunday Times article today. ‘He says people should pursue wealth as a means to do some good for the community or mankind, not as an end itself. The biggest and most glorious objective in life is to be a blessing to others, creating their happiness…Otherwise, like the Taiwanese say, you are so poor that money is all you have.’

Nevermind if this is too idealistic and the pragmatics would scorn at such comments when pursuing wealth is all they want to do, to be dignified with all the money they have acquired. See my million dollar cars and my mansions!

PS. I am not a Christian and not pushing for any religion. When believing in God can make a man to do good, that is all that matters. Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom. One can choose not to fear God or any gods.
Tahir is an Indonesia and Singapore PR, a Nantah alumnus.

A degree course for politician wannabes – Lesson 5

This course will deal with a fundamental assumption of what makes a good politician. The first assumption is of course by blood. It is in the DNA. If the papa or mama is politician, then the sons or daughters must be good politicians. Like kingdom rules and kingdom comes. The princes and princesses would become kings or queens, never mind if they are duds due to inbreeding. It is no surprising that many sons and daughters are now in politics and carefully handpicked because of their pedigrees. The fallacy of this assumption is best seen in history books. All the history books recorded that dynasties and monarchies that were succeeded by the children all failed. Those that survived were nominal or for ceremonial purposes when they need not have to prove that they are duds. All they need to do is to talk about saving the environment or saving animals. When they have to prove their worth, it always failed. The other great assumption here is that politicians are damn good in identifying political leaders and can make political leaders. All they need to do is to have a tea session to decide who can be a politician who cannot. Of course they need to prove themselves first in their fields of expertise or are scholars to start with. If they are pedigrees or have blue blood, the tea session is only a formality. The results speak for itself. No further elaborations needed. Another assumption that is related to this tea session is how to qualify to be invited for tea? This assumption is that when one is good in his field or profession, can earn a lot of money, then that one is good to be a political leaders. If one cannot do well in his field, cannot earn a lot of money, academically unsound, not mentality unsound, one is not good. This assumption says a successful professional, be it doctor, lawyer, soldier, academics or govt scholars, or married to one of them, will be a natural to be a political leaders. In reality we know that people are gifted differently, some are good at one thing or something but not good at other things. A good doctor or lawyer or soldier does not mean he will become a good political leader. Anyone thinks this is untrue? Sure, there will be some doctors, lawyers, soldiers or professionals that would turn out to be good political leaders. Librarians, peanut farmers, movie actors, football club managers all can become political leaders. Soldiers too. The fact is that there is no straight forward correlation between one profession and another to become a good political leader. It is a farce to think this is a god given formula. It is worse to think that one can be a good soldier, good lawyer, good doctor, good academic and also a good political leader all rolled into one. It would be a biological fluke. The great philosophers were never great political leaders and great political leaders were never great philosophers. It is a desirable combination for a philosophical king. In reality, maybe one in 500 years or 5000 years. To believe in this assumption often led to lawyers, doctors or professionals who were damn good in their professions and making damn good money and thus demanding for the same money or more to be political leaders but ended up as duds and being over paid for what they are completely clueless as political leaders. A political leader cannot be made, and if made, often turns out to be anything but a political leader. Many great political leaders are self made, by the forces of history, to be there at the time of needs, to do the necessary and to be seen as great leaders. But then again it does not mean that no one can become political leaders, good or bad not an issue. Historically, many were made political leaders for all kinds of reasons and circumstances. Shakespeare said in the Twelve Nights, ‘Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them.’ Well at least he is talking about greatness be they born, achieve or thrust upon them. Some are anything but great. Think about the assumptions mentioned above and their applications and how effective or ineffective they can be. There is no one model to get a great political leader. And most political leaders that were great were not rich. Those that were rich were often kicked out from the seat of power, in disgrace.

Basic Healthcare Scheme – The straw that breaks the camel’s back

Some Singaporeans woke up yesterday morning and thought they had a pleasant surprise when they read the main media headlines. Medisave Minimum Sum Scheme scrapped. For the self employed oldies, no longer need to top up until they reach 100 years or older.  The good news was proven not to be. It was like the devil and the deep blue sea. In place of the Medisave Minimum Sum, with a current ceiling of $43,500, a new scheme has been introduced, called the Basic Health Scheme with a limit of $49,800. Your money in the Medisave Minimum Sum account would be transferred there. And those below 65 could expect this sum to go up and up over the years. Whatever in your Medisave Minimum Sum would not be safe. You can kiss them goodbye.

This BHS is supposed to be better designed to cater for the oldies’ medical care in old age. It also means that the oldies would not be spared from paying to the Medishield Life Scheme even when they are jobless, without any income and dying. Oh, no worry, the BHS would pay.

When a Govt thinks it is alright to make the oldies pay with their coffin money, their life savings, when they are old and jobless and have no income, the Govt lost its moral right to govern. When they would not spare the oldies and think it is alright to take their last few dollars in the name of looking after them, it shows a callous and ruthless mindset completely devoid of compassion and human decency.

There is no point talking about this anymore. Opposition parties better quickly get their acts together, offer an alternative that does not rob the oldies of their life savings. Fleecing on the old and helpless and jobless is ethically unacceptable for whatever farcical excuses. The opposition parties must come out with a plan to provide free coverage for the oldies, not necessary the whole works to keep them alive, hooked to a machine, or expensive surgery and drugs that would cost a bomb. Just provide basic medical care in Class C wards free for the oldies to pass away in dignity, with minimal pain, and with no fear of money not enough and hoping for charity. Many are wishing a quick death when they have nothing to keep them going. Stop the crap that the oldies want to live forever. Only those with millions in their savings would want that. Those that want to live forever would be to afford anything. No need to worry about them.

Oldies 70 and above are mostly in full retirement, some already retired by their mid 50s when they became unemployable due to the FT scheme. Many would hardly have anything left to live by. Many would be dependent on their little savings or children to take care of them. Spare them from the burden of paying medical insurance premium and to live in peace, to be respected and honoured as senior citizens, not to be troubled by having to find money to pay medical insurance.

This is the minimum expected from a caring and people centric govt. This is expected of political leaders that rule with a heart, not those with bad hearts, not mechanical hearts that cannot feel. Vote for any party that would look after the old and helpless, not parties that would want to rob them of their coffin money when they are old and feeble and money no enough.

This is the last straw. It reveals the kind of outrageous values and thinking in sick heads. When they say they got good hearts, don’t believe them. Very likely mechanical hearts or transplants from animals or clones.

Former SEC Director Admits The Truth: The Market Is Rigged

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/10/2015 19:00 -0400
 
For more than a decade, John Ramsay kept his mouth shut about how rigged the US equity market was.
 
As SEC Director of Trading & Markets, Ramsay tells Bloomberg he "had red tape over his mouth," but now he is "uncorked."
 
“I’ve been able to find my voice on these issues in a way I couldn’t have done when I was in the government, because you’re always limited by internal politics and not wanting to get too far out in front of the agency,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been a little bit uncorked.”
 
Having joined Brad Katayama's IEX Group (infamous for the Flash Boys' exposure), Ramsay is calling out the “convoluted” and "illogical" pricing rules of major stock exchanges and compared the $25 trillion U.S. stock market’s structure to the Death Star of "Star Wars."….
 
“The current market ecosystem is not sustainable, and significant changes are coming one way or another,” Ramsay said in a speech delivered at a New York technology conference in September.

Ramsay said his opinions grew more critical in recent years as he watched the market fragment into 11 public exchanges and more than 40 less-regulated private venues such as dark pools.

Trading became more complex and prone to technological malfunctions in the face of rules that were supposed to boost competition and create new choices for investors, he said.

He outlined how the market lost its way: conflicts of interest among brokers, a two-tier system favoring the speediest and a general sense that today’s rules have been crafted to the benefit of insiders.
 
The full article is referred to me in my blog and can be read at http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-10/former-sec-director-admits-truth-market-rigged
 
What is so important about this article?
 
In short, John Ramsay admitted that the New York SEC is running a rigged stock exchange trading system. It means that the management of New York SEC is committing a crime against the people for operating a rigged trading system. It means that the regulators of the New York SEC also knew and are accomplices to this crime.
When the people that are responsible to maintain law are breaking the law to cheat the masses, can you beat that? They knew and they did nothing, not even want to talk about it until they left the govt? And those remaining in the govt continue to live with and promote the rigged system.
 
Should these people be prosecuted in the American courts of law?
 
Now, that is an American problem for the Americans to solve. The big question, is our SGX operating the same rigged system? Ok, here I must vouch to say the right thing, that the SGX would not commit itself to a rigged system as they know that it is criminal. Our honest and highly ethical officials would not commit such crimes against the people. They know that they would be prosecuted if they dare to.
 
But I would like the SGX and MAS to review the trading system to double and triple check that our system is indeed free from riggings like the New York SEC. It must be that way. And should they find anything fishy, suspicious, they must take all efforts to remove them or they could be found equally guilty for not doing anything one day.
 
We have trust in our govt, administrators and regulators not to do the darn things the New York SEC is doing, not to approve the operation of a rigged system. If they cannot tell whether our system is rigged without their knowledge or understanding, if they don’t know like the toxic notes and bonds, they should call in people like John Ramsay and Paul Volcker to give their expert opinions to clear any doubts about our system.
 
There is no harm inviting such righteous and knowledgeable people who know the thieves and what the thieves are doing to review our system. It would be money well spent.
 
What do you think?

Bring back Koh Beng Seng

Where is Koh Beng Seng? For those who did not know him, he was a highly respected top civil servant, the Dy MD of MAS. When he was in charge, the top bankers were Singaporeans. He told the MNCs that they had to train local bankers to take over the running of the banks. He stated the terms and conditions for their right to operate their banks here. That policy, if I am not mistaken, was the brain child of Dr Goh Keng Swee.
 
What happens today happened during his absence. All his pro Singaporean policies approved by the then Govt somehow seemed to have been dumped into the thrash bin. And some silly buggers pretended not to know. Some suddenly worked up and saw the dearth of local bankers. Some pretended to be jumping high and low wanting to train locals to be top bankers. Some simply issued pink ICs to foreigners and say ‘Look, Singaporeans appointed to top jobs”.
 
Sleeping or was there a policy shift? Super talents being paid out of this world salary cannot be stupid right? They cannot fall asleep on their jobs right? They cannot be negligent and not do the due diligence right? They cannot plead ignorance as an excuse for such a serious failure in allowing the banking industry and other industries to be dominated by foreigners and wasting a whole generation of our local talents right?
 
Where is Koh Beng Seng? We need him back to right the wrongs over the last 20 years, to regain control of the banking and finance industry for our very own citizens. Or he is now unemployed or an underemployed PME waiting in line for Job Fair? Or has he been sent for training to be a waiter or security guard? Or maybe he is happily driving taxi? Just kidding. For a man of his talent he would be in demand anywhere.
 
Koh Beng Seng was one of the best in his time. I am sure he has many more good years to serve in a field he knows best, for the good of the country and people. Look at the pathetic state of affairs now without him to steer the ship, without knowing where the ship is going or sinking? The banking and finance industry is like a ship without a compass, without a captain, floating in the high seas.
 
Maybe I am just ignorant. There is a new compass, a new captain and he knows exactly where the ship is heading and what he is doing, but Sinkies did not know.