6/11/2015

George Yeo – Reversal of economic trends

I was reading George Yeo’s observation of the bigger economic trends in the region. It took just about one generation for the economic trend to go one full circle and for the trend to be reversed. Rewind the clock to 1980, Singapore was at its peak in manufacturing and looking for a qualitative change in its economy, from labour intensive manufacturing and low wage economy to high value added and high wage economy. Remember knowledge based economy(KBE)? China was opening up and needed all the jobs it could get, low skills, low wages were all gratefully welcomed by China to create jobs for a hungry economy. Singapore was happy to transfer the low wage manufacturing industries to China and China was grateful for it. MNCs also moved and we hollowed out our manufacturing economy.

Just past 30 years, today a new trend is emerging. China has grown so much that it is thinking and planning to move up the skills level to high value added industries. China is planning to move out its low skill labour intensive manufacturing industries to Southeast Asia! What, what?  And the countries in the region will be benefitting from the relocation of low skill manufacturing back to the region. China is moving up the economic ladder to provide higher skill and higher paying jobs. It is returning the low skill and low wage industries and jobs to the region.

Singapore is going to be a beneficiary too. We are so well prepared to absorb all the low skill and low wage jobs once again. Now you know why we need 6.9m and then 10m population. We have topped up our labour force with plenty of low skill labour hungry for any jobs and any pay. Singapore can become a low skill manufacturing hub once more with plentiful of cheap labour available. China would be most happy and generous to return the favour.

Singapore could look forward to a new phase of low skill manufacturing activities. We don’t have enough cheap labour then, today we have plenty of them. If this is not enough can always import more workers from the region. 10m should be a good number to start with to cater for the manufacturing boom coming our way. 

Singapore is going to get a new lease of life as a low skill manufacturing hub and more economic growth.

Mount Kinabalu or kena balu – Any lesson learnt?


Mount Kinabalu or kena balu – Any lesson learnt?

Kinabalu or kena balu, is going to be a big lesson for many people. The survivors learnt a very painful and frightening lesson for being saved from the jaws of death. The victims did not live to retell the lessons they have learnt. Their parents would have to live a life time with a void in their lives and must have regretted letting their precious children to take up the challenge. They have to bear with the painful longing for a child that should be still with them but no longer.

I would not want to comment whether the MOE and the teachers have learnt anything. From some comments in the media, obviously many have not learnt anything and are clamouring for more children to take up this challenge to prove they could be better children when it was totally unnecessary at this tender age.

The only sensible people that have learnt something are the wise ones in the Malaysian govt in Sabah. They could see the danger and the ridiculous nature of 12 year olds climbing Kinabalu.  For what?  They did not think the climb was suitable to their more rugged children. But our city folks disagree and think our children are fit to take up the challenge and that this is a good thing. There is a saying ‘die’ also dunno how to write. City folks are cleverer?

All I can say is ‘to each his own’. Those who think this is a good outing to mould their children to be better adults, to become leaders over a weekend, please do as you please. The MOE, the principals and teachers who also agree that this is a good and exciting thing for 12 year olds, please do as you please and organize more trips.

Parents please think doubly hard on the value and the risk involved and decide yourself what is best for your children’s good. Yes, you decide. It is your child and you have to live with your decision for whatever outcome.

Intelligence cannot substitute for wisdom. Wisdom is often acquired from painful lessons experienced by self or by learning from events like this. The daft will never learn.

Kena balu tau.

PS. You don't need another earthquake to create a downpour of stones and rocks. Any severe weather could turn the mountain into a treacherous obstacle course.

Grabtaxi – another hell in the making


A taxi driver called Ah Tan posted a Grabtaxi application form in TRE and highlighted that application is open to foreigners. This is his short post,

 
‘My primary concern is why even “foreigners” are allowed to apply to be grabcar driver. This Driver Apps similar to Uber X is employing “Foreign Trash” to run parallel private car services as opposed to Taxi Co, PA, PB plate drivers…

Most of the PMET already downgrade to become taxi drivers and now these “FT” will very soon eliminate us for good…..

I lost hope of writing to “authorities” and our “MSM” and that’s why I write to you people here.

Can anyone in the community help to highlight and investigate these issues?

Thank you very much and hope to see more beautifully written articles published by anyone in this community as I am just another dropout from school.’

 Ah Tan the Taxi Driver

Ah Tan is concerned about the PMETs losing their jobs in this protected vocation once it is open to the foreigners. What is more serious is the unknown devil in the foreigners. Are we going to let these unknown unknowns drive our wives, girl friends and children and be at their mercy? The thought of them being driven around by psychopath and sex fiends is unimaginable.

This is a highly dangerous development and must be killed immediately. I hope this is not the case and the govt must not be caught sleeping and allow this to happen.

Protect our citizens and our loved ones. I know many are in love with foreign shit. And this is the type of foreign shit that we don’t need. This is definitely not foreign talent that the govt is talking about. Foreigners driving taxis is unacceptable. Period.

The people must demand that the govt put a stop to this. The govt must respond to this matter urgently to inform the people if this is happening and what the govt is going to do about it. This is a matter of national, personal and social security. We cannot afford to have foreign unknown elements participating in this vocation.

Lui Tuck Yew, the ball is in your court and an immediate respond is warranted. What is the situation?

6/10/2015

Malaysian authorities considers barring Mt Kinabalu to climbers below 15


‘Meanwhile, the Malay Mail reported today (9 Jun) [Link] that Sabah is considering only allowing children aged above 15 years to climb Mt Kinabalu in the wake of recent tragedy involving primary school children.

State education director Datuk Jame Alip said he had spoken about the matter to state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, who is also the state executive councillor in charge of education.

“We will bring it up in our next meeting. For me, 15 years seems like a more reasonable age,” he said, adding that he was extremely saddened by the deaths of the school children from Tanjong Katong Primary School.’

The above was part of an article posted in the TRE. I think this decision by the Malaysian authority is going to make many Singaporean parents very upset. From comments by parents reported in the main media, they are all for their children climbing Mount Kinabalu. The trip will bring a lot of good to the children, leadership training, survival skills, have a good understanding of nature and mountain and a lot of other goods that a 12 year old can learn.

I hope Malaysia would seriously consider banning those below 15 year old from climbing Mount Kinabalu. But maybe no problem really, if cannot go to Mount Kinabalu they can go to climb Mount Everest or Mount Kilimanjaro. Singaporean children are very adventurous and their parents are all for mountain climbing to help them grow up as well rounded individuals.

Malaysia must be prepared for a petition from Singaporean parents pleading  to allow 12 year old Singaporean children to climb this easy mountain. The mountain is suitable to our children to climb.

Ok don’t get me wrong. I am just expressing the sentiments and desire of those Singaporean parents who think climbing Mount Kinabalu is a piece of cake for 12 years old. I dunno about the rest, but I would not allow my 12 year olds to climb that mountain. And if anyone would ask me for a second opinion, my answer is a NO. I may be an exception, kiasu and kiasi. I really admire those brave parents and their exceptional children that would definitely turn out to be better adults after climbing the mountain.  

All of us have many mountains to climb in life but this is a mountain that I rather choose to miss, or at least would not recommend young children to climb. Would the school principals and teachers think that this is necessary and would want to bear the full responsibility if something like this happens again?

And if there is a petition to ask the Malaysian govt to drop the idea of banning children below 15, I would not be a signatory for sure. I rather be safe than be sorry.  I would actually say a word of thanks to the Malaysian govt for the ban as it is a responsible thing to do. Never mind if there are parents that still want their children to climb mountains and would not mind sending them to the Himalayas or Tanzania. That is their choice.

American treachery by Dr. Sawraj Singh


American treachery by Dr. Sawraj Singh -  http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=46070

I saw a beautiful comparison of the railways in China and India, titled Indian Elephant Vs Chinese Dragon: Snail Rail Vs Bullet Train, done by Headlines Today (an Indian news channel) and available to watch on Youtube.com. For the comparison, two Indian reporters travel in one of the best trains in each country. One reporter travelled from Shanghai to Beijing on a bullet train, while the other travelled from Delhi to Jaipur aboard a train known as the Ajmer Shatabdi….

What these reporters have shown by comparing the railway systems actually represents the overall situation in both countries. Mao’s China gives the impression of a disciplined, harmonious, and tranquil society; while Gandhi’s India, where order and discipline have almost completely disappeared, pushing the country to chaos bordering upon complete anarchy.

While the Indian reporters presented a very balanced and fair comparison, the western media, with its ulterior motives, continues to present a very biased presentation. Nowadays, they are clamoring about the Indian economic growth rate exceeding the growth rate in China. The western media, which is bent on proving that India is going to overtake China, should watch this presentation by the Indian reporters. They may realize that their predictions are unlikely in the foreseeable future….

Why is the western media doing this? The obvious reason is that the West wants to use India as a sacrificial lamb. They want us to do their fighting and suffer the consequences. They want to shift the arena of the Third World War from Europe to South Asia. India has to see through the West’s ulterior motives and try to protect its own interests. We should not fall into the trap which the West has set for us.

Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at

The above extracts are from an article written by Dr Sawraj Singh. The rest of the world should take note of his advice to stay out of the American scheme to drag everyone into wars. They are instigating the Asean countries to join them in a military conflict with China which would definitely drag in the Russians into the fray as well. While the Americans fight wars away from their homeland, the wars fought by those dragged into it, in the case of South China Sea region, will be in their front yards and would lead to attacks in their countries. So far, touch wood, only the silly Pinoys and Japanese think that it is a good idea to go to war with China. The Malaysians are showing signs of backside itchy recently.

The Americans are stirring more shit in Europe and dragging the G7 countries to go along to confront China and Russia. In the 19th Century they manipulated the League of Nation in the 8 country invasion of China. Now they are trying a similar trick to lead another 8 nations to attack China, the G7 plus one or two stupid Asean countries. But the China they are facin today is not the same militarily weak China of the past. And China would have allies to join force to repel the invaders.

The Evil Empire is trying its evil best to provoke a world war for their own interests and lure the rest of the world to die for them. Would the rest of the world wise up, excluding the G7 that are in cahoot with the Americans to dominate the world?