After 4 years when he last brooded about the 10m population for
Singapore, Liu Thai Ker is at it again. 10m pop is not only necessary
but good for Singapore. He is not going to give up. In a way I can agree
with him. It is like a multi millionaire saying it is good to be a
billionaire. The only difference is why the need to grow population to
10m and then what if 10m is reached.
Let’s put aside the cost of having a 10m population instead of a 5.5m
population. It is like a soldier’s problem versus a major’s problem. One
is a soldier’s little problem, the other is a major problem. A 5m pop’s
problem is different from a 10m pop’s problem. Don’t just look at
economic growth alone. There are plentiful of other issues that would
accompany a 10m pop.
Housing a 10m pop is no issue. Like Josephine Teo
said, you don’t need much space to have sex. Singaporeans used to
squeeze 10 to 15 heads in a small cubicle. Squeezing 10m pop into this
piece of rock is no different. Sure can.
Let’s ask this question, why is there a need to grow pop to 10m? Is this
the meaning of growth, of existence? Economic growth is not dependent
on just population growth. There are many ways to growth without growing
population. Growing population to gain economic growth is suicidal, a
sure way to self destruction, just like growing the population of mother
earth.
Up to a point, more heads in the island is counter productive and
destructive, like a family having 2 to 4 children and one with 10
children and still producing. What for? What is the point? What is the
meaning of it all? Growing population for the sake of population or the
flimsy excuse of economic growth? No population growth means no economic
growth?
Heard of one trick pony? Even one trick pony already admits that growing
population is easy but no longer workable and not sustainable in the
long run.
For those who are commuting by trains, the packed train is getting very
uncomfortable and irritable and very stressful. For those who are
travelling in the comfort of their limousine, they would not appreciate
what life is like squeezing in the packed trains with strangers, some
smelly, some foul and some roguish, selfish and hostile.
What do you think?
11/11/2017
11/10/2017
CPF - Return to basic principles
The CPF scheme was and is a retirement scheme to provide some income for
the retirees when they have reached their retirement age. They should
then be living off their savings in their golden years. The original CPF
scheme ends at 55 when all obligations came to an end when a person
retires, take out his nest egg of a life time savings to decide how he
is going to use his money. This is what a retirement savings scheme
should be.
With longer life expectancy, perhaps it is logical and reasonable to extend the retirement age to 65 and the CPF scheme ending at 65. Under a normal retirement scheme like the original CPF scheme, a person should have enough savings to live the rest of his life of another 15 or 20 years. Under such a situation, the relationship with the CPF in terms of more contribution to the scheme should end. No one should need to contribute further into the CPF scheme as life after 65 can be terminated any moment.
A person should be allowed to withdraw every cent he has in the CPF. No such nonsensical things like minimum sum this and that, no such nonsense as pledging half of his assets to the CPF forever till his death.
However, the CPF scheme should offer to the people options to buy annuities or whatever medical insurance if they wanted to, strictly on a voluntary basis. Anyone can still voluntarily choose to contribute and save more if so desire with the CPF offering them more attractive terms. The important point here, the key principle, is voluntary. No one shall be compelled by legislation to continue to be stuck in the CPF scheme under whatever farcical schemes without their consent after the retirement age say at 65. Period..
A retirement scheme is to provide the savers an opportunity to retire comfortably and financially to live through his golden years. A retirement scheme is not to hold on to his money forever, after his death with many leftover to spare. There would be exceptions when some people may outlive their savings by living to the 90s and 100s. These are rarity. And one must not forget that the CPF is only one source of income to provide for the retirees. Many have other forms of support from families and relatives and other sources of income. The CPF is not the only source of financial security. At the very worst case, there would be a few that the state can pick up the tap. Why not, after living off the cheap loans from the savings of the members over a life time, it is only fair and equitable and ethical that the govt provide this last safety net.
The current CPF has been turned into a little monster when the people contributing to the scheme are held at ransom while others are feeding on the scheme like parasites, depriving the real owners from access to their money. And some happily think this is their money and not the savers money and suka suka would think of ways to take away this money from the real owners by legislation. This is unethical, immoral, and dishonourable. Only very mean people can go on living on the people's life savings as if it is money there up for grabs, with no owners. Anyone who claims that the CPF savings is not the owner’s money has very little conscience of justice and fairness. Anyone going along with this kind of devious thing is just as guilty.
The CPF scheme must have a termination date when all obligations to save would come to an end and anything more should be voluntary. Legally all money saved must be returned to their rightful owners to enjoy their hard earned money saved over a life time. Tentatively under the present life expectancy, a good ending point is age 65 plus or minus a couple of years and nothing more.
People should not disguise themselves as angels to control and keep the money from the CPF members for as long as they want while dipping into the fund for their own benefits.
With longer life expectancy, perhaps it is logical and reasonable to extend the retirement age to 65 and the CPF scheme ending at 65. Under a normal retirement scheme like the original CPF scheme, a person should have enough savings to live the rest of his life of another 15 or 20 years. Under such a situation, the relationship with the CPF in terms of more contribution to the scheme should end. No one should need to contribute further into the CPF scheme as life after 65 can be terminated any moment.
A person should be allowed to withdraw every cent he has in the CPF. No such nonsensical things like minimum sum this and that, no such nonsense as pledging half of his assets to the CPF forever till his death.
However, the CPF scheme should offer to the people options to buy annuities or whatever medical insurance if they wanted to, strictly on a voluntary basis. Anyone can still voluntarily choose to contribute and save more if so desire with the CPF offering them more attractive terms. The important point here, the key principle, is voluntary. No one shall be compelled by legislation to continue to be stuck in the CPF scheme under whatever farcical schemes without their consent after the retirement age say at 65. Period..
A retirement scheme is to provide the savers an opportunity to retire comfortably and financially to live through his golden years. A retirement scheme is not to hold on to his money forever, after his death with many leftover to spare. There would be exceptions when some people may outlive their savings by living to the 90s and 100s. These are rarity. And one must not forget that the CPF is only one source of income to provide for the retirees. Many have other forms of support from families and relatives and other sources of income. The CPF is not the only source of financial security. At the very worst case, there would be a few that the state can pick up the tap. Why not, after living off the cheap loans from the savings of the members over a life time, it is only fair and equitable and ethical that the govt provide this last safety net.
The current CPF has been turned into a little monster when the people contributing to the scheme are held at ransom while others are feeding on the scheme like parasites, depriving the real owners from access to their money. And some happily think this is their money and not the savers money and suka suka would think of ways to take away this money from the real owners by legislation. This is unethical, immoral, and dishonourable. Only very mean people can go on living on the people's life savings as if it is money there up for grabs, with no owners. Anyone who claims that the CPF savings is not the owner’s money has very little conscience of justice and fairness. Anyone going along with this kind of devious thing is just as guilty.
The CPF scheme must have a termination date when all obligations to save would come to an end and anything more should be voluntary. Legally all money saved must be returned to their rightful owners to enjoy their hard earned money saved over a life time. Tentatively under the present life expectancy, a good ending point is age 65 plus or minus a couple of years and nothing more.
People should not disguise themselves as angels to control and keep the money from the CPF members for as long as they want while dipping into the fund for their own benefits.
11/09/2017
3 aircraft carrier groups in western Pacific
The USS Nimitz, USS Ronald Reagan and USS Theodore Roosevelt are
conducting a naval exercise with the Japanese Navy. What are they up to?
Two of the most wicked countries scheming to plan a preemptive strike
at North Korea? These monkeys still think war is an option when nuclear
weapons are in play and desperately wanting to go to start a war. Do
they think that this is going to be a limited war that will be over in a
few hours or a few days?
Pray hard that it would be that way. The North Koreans are not Arab countries that are hapless and unable to hit back. They have every weapon ready and the slightest sign of an attack could be the signal to let go everything they got. Would there still be a Tokyo standing? How many Japanese cities would go up in smokes and would Japan still be habitable? And they are counting on the Chinese and Russians standing idly by and doing nothing while they devastate North Korea, their close allies, with nuclear weapons that would put both Russia and China and their people at risk of nuclear fallouts?
Be very sure that once started, it would proceed to its natural end when nuclear bombs would be flying all over the sky and many would be hitting American and European cities as well. It would be armageddon, no two ways about it. Don’t even think that it would be anything else. The days when the Evil Empires can go around hitting any country with impunity is over. The lessons learnt by the Russians and Chinese about Iraq and Libya have put them on full alert of the wicked intention of the Americans. Strike again and they would strike back. Syria is the last stand. There will be no more Iraq or Libya to fall to the evil Empire. North Korea, Iran and Syria are untouchable. Don’t ever try.
The mad and dangerous men in Washington and Tokyo are clear and present dangers to their people and to the people of the rest of the world. They still think they can hit the North Koreans and the North Koreans cannot hit back.
Look at this video again and again. Only 10 minutes.
https://youtu.be/6tKzBB2dJ94
This is the fate awaiting the Americans and Japanese should they be reckless and mad enough to think of attacking North Korea. Any attack on North Korea will be an attack on China and Russia. The North Koreans, Chinese and Russians will hit back. The Americans must not doubt the capabilities of the armed forces of these countries.
There is no way that the North Koreans would attack the Americans unless the Americans struck first. Only silly little countries are still clinging to the American lie that North Korea is a threat to them. The Americans must stop crying wolf that the North Koreans are going to attack the Americans first. The real devils are the Americans and now also the Japanese, with encouragement from the Americans. The South Koreans would be sacrificed. They are dispensable. In the American calculus to attack North Korea, the South Koreans are not in the equation.
Can the American people stop the evil men and women in the White House and the Pentagon who are seeking wars and not peace? The USA must stop behaving like a rogue state. They can continue to stage murders like 911 in homeland USA but not elsewhere.
PS. At this point in time, the Americans must not make any silly move that is mistaken by the North Koreans that they are attacking them for them to hit the button first. The consequences of such a mistake are unbearable to both countries and the rest of the world.
Pray hard that it would be that way. The North Koreans are not Arab countries that are hapless and unable to hit back. They have every weapon ready and the slightest sign of an attack could be the signal to let go everything they got. Would there still be a Tokyo standing? How many Japanese cities would go up in smokes and would Japan still be habitable? And they are counting on the Chinese and Russians standing idly by and doing nothing while they devastate North Korea, their close allies, with nuclear weapons that would put both Russia and China and their people at risk of nuclear fallouts?
Be very sure that once started, it would proceed to its natural end when nuclear bombs would be flying all over the sky and many would be hitting American and European cities as well. It would be armageddon, no two ways about it. Don’t even think that it would be anything else. The days when the Evil Empires can go around hitting any country with impunity is over. The lessons learnt by the Russians and Chinese about Iraq and Libya have put them on full alert of the wicked intention of the Americans. Strike again and they would strike back. Syria is the last stand. There will be no more Iraq or Libya to fall to the evil Empire. North Korea, Iran and Syria are untouchable. Don’t ever try.
The mad and dangerous men in Washington and Tokyo are clear and present dangers to their people and to the people of the rest of the world. They still think they can hit the North Koreans and the North Koreans cannot hit back.
Look at this video again and again. Only 10 minutes.
https://youtu.be/6tKzBB2dJ94
This is the fate awaiting the Americans and Japanese should they be reckless and mad enough to think of attacking North Korea. Any attack on North Korea will be an attack on China and Russia. The North Koreans, Chinese and Russians will hit back. The Americans must not doubt the capabilities of the armed forces of these countries.
There is no way that the North Koreans would attack the Americans unless the Americans struck first. Only silly little countries are still clinging to the American lie that North Korea is a threat to them. The Americans must stop crying wolf that the North Koreans are going to attack the Americans first. The real devils are the Americans and now also the Japanese, with encouragement from the Americans. The South Koreans would be sacrificed. They are dispensable. In the American calculus to attack North Korea, the South Koreans are not in the equation.
Can the American people stop the evil men and women in the White House and the Pentagon who are seeking wars and not peace? The USA must stop behaving like a rogue state. They can continue to stage murders like 911 in homeland USA but not elsewhere.
PS. At this point in time, the Americans must not make any silly move that is mistaken by the North Koreans that they are attacking them for them to hit the button first. The consequences of such a mistake are unbearable to both countries and the rest of the world.
11/08/2017
Kishore Mahbubani – Premature retirement
It was a piece of gloomy news that Kishore is retiring from his mentor’s
namesake LKY School of Public Policy in yesterday’s media. I look at
this development with a lot of misgivings. Kishore is just touching 70,
at his prime for an academic and many good years to come. In the
academia, people grew with age and experience. Many of more senior age
are still plodding along well and good, but not many are of his caliber.
Like him or disagree with him, Kishore is an independent thinker, a very rare specie in an island where everyone thinks he is an angmo descendant after years of being fed with a western diet and believing that hamburger is good for him, his daily bread. Many of these pseudo Asian intellects are veneer thin western droids manufactured and made in the USA and thinking exactly like replicas of little USAs.
The departure of Kishore will lead to a vacuum that is difficult to fill but will be filled as they, as usual, would go around the world looking for another foreign talent to shit over the locals, oops, I mean Singaporeans. Is there anymore Singaporeans left that could think independently as an Asian? Many would think very carefully what they are going to say to be politically correct.
How many Singaporeans could have the honour of being invited to address American Ivy League universities? How many Singaporeans could sit in the same forum panel to discuss world issues with the best in the world without fumbling like a school boy?
Kishore is one of the brightest academics and thinkers that we have produced, of the LKY era. He was LKY’s favourite showman. Now that the LKY era has been eclipsed so would those that rose with that man. With Kishore passing on, not many of the pioneers of his stature would be left standing. And who is there to fill the void? I don’t see anyone filling his shoe and yes, better look for another foreigner of unknown background but a string of glittering degrees from God knows where waiting to be discovered as another fraud.
The grass is greener over the other side. There is novelty in foreigners, many passing off as young genius in the eyes of the gullible and naïve red dot that don’t believe in its own people.
With his experience and reputation, I don’t think Kishore is going to fade away just yet. There will be others that would appreciate his thoughts and ideas. Singapore’s loss is another’s gain. Another case of exchanging our talent with foreign duds is in the making.
Did someone said Singapore is getting dirtier? Must be the rubbish that are being welcome here.
Like him or disagree with him, Kishore is an independent thinker, a very rare specie in an island where everyone thinks he is an angmo descendant after years of being fed with a western diet and believing that hamburger is good for him, his daily bread. Many of these pseudo Asian intellects are veneer thin western droids manufactured and made in the USA and thinking exactly like replicas of little USAs.
The departure of Kishore will lead to a vacuum that is difficult to fill but will be filled as they, as usual, would go around the world looking for another foreign talent to shit over the locals, oops, I mean Singaporeans. Is there anymore Singaporeans left that could think independently as an Asian? Many would think very carefully what they are going to say to be politically correct.
How many Singaporeans could have the honour of being invited to address American Ivy League universities? How many Singaporeans could sit in the same forum panel to discuss world issues with the best in the world without fumbling like a school boy?
Kishore is one of the brightest academics and thinkers that we have produced, of the LKY era. He was LKY’s favourite showman. Now that the LKY era has been eclipsed so would those that rose with that man. With Kishore passing on, not many of the pioneers of his stature would be left standing. And who is there to fill the void? I don’t see anyone filling his shoe and yes, better look for another foreigner of unknown background but a string of glittering degrees from God knows where waiting to be discovered as another fraud.
The grass is greener over the other side. There is novelty in foreigners, many passing off as young genius in the eyes of the gullible and naïve red dot that don’t believe in its own people.
With his experience and reputation, I don’t think Kishore is going to fade away just yet. There will be others that would appreciate his thoughts and ideas. Singapore’s loss is another’s gain. Another case of exchanging our talent with foreign duds is in the making.
Did someone said Singapore is getting dirtier? Must be the rubbish that are being welcome here.
11/07/2017
Asean countries should trade less with China to avoid dependency
In an article by a Sulaiman Daub posted in the mothership.sg, he
advocated that Asean countries should trade less with China to avoid a
dependency relationship with China and came under the influence of
China. In his piece he quoted this,
'In a paper published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), academic Sanchita Bandu Das argues that China is using its growing economic strength to advance its political agenda in Southeast Asia, including its strong position on South China Sea issues and negotiating for the use of Chinese technology, supplies and workers for China-financed infrastructure projects.'
The same article also mentioned 'white elephant' projects initiated by China like the BRI, ports in Sri Lanka and highways in East Malaysia. There is some logic to this kind of thinking. And there are alternatives to just trading and depending on China for infrastructure building. The assumption is that the govts of these countries engaging in trades with China and with China making more profits are daft, especially those that joined the BRI, built ports and highway that are white elephants and have no or little benefits to their countries. I would not try to argue on behalf of these govts and leave it to them to justify their 'stupid' actions.
While trade in these cases favoured China, it is true that these countries need not continue trading with China. They can choose to trade with Japan and the West. But if the products from these countries are too expensive and they could not afford them, they can always look to India for Make in India products. I think these products, if available, would be much cheaper than China's and would be a good substitute. India could replace China to build highways, ports, high speed trains and mobile phones etc.
As for infrastructure projects like the ports in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan govt can send trade delegations to Europe, USA or Japan to invite them to build instead of China. Oh, England is a good candidate too, the former colonial master that looted the island but forgot to build a decent port like what the Chinese are building for the Sri Lankans. Likewise countries in land locked Central Asia can follow this option or dispense with the 'white elephant' projects since they are white elephants and remain isolated and cut off from the maritime trade routes..
Actually the Americans are having the biggest trade deficit with China compares with the Asean states. The big question, why would the Americans continue to buy China and not buy European or Japanese products or the cheaper Indian products? The Americans cannot be so stupid right? And this applies to more than half of the world that chose China as their number one or number two trading partner despite the trade deficits. Stupid or what?
China, unlike the colonial masters that came to rob and loot these former colonised countries with gunboats, negotiates and trades with these ex colonies on a willing buyer willing seller basis. No guns pointing at their heads. If the govts of these countries, given all the options available, they are not stupid for sure, still choose to trade with China, there must be some logic to it.
I would like to see these 'disadvantaged ex colonies' steering away from trading with China and choose to buy more expensive products from the West and Japan or cheaper products from India. That is only logical when they put everything under the microscope to compare prices and benefits.
Who is the idiot?
PS. The Indians have conceded that the Chinese are making products that are cheaper than the Indians in India. Even the Indian gods are made in China.
'In a paper published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies-Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), academic Sanchita Bandu Das argues that China is using its growing economic strength to advance its political agenda in Southeast Asia, including its strong position on South China Sea issues and negotiating for the use of Chinese technology, supplies and workers for China-financed infrastructure projects.'
The same article also mentioned 'white elephant' projects initiated by China like the BRI, ports in Sri Lanka and highways in East Malaysia. There is some logic to this kind of thinking. And there are alternatives to just trading and depending on China for infrastructure building. The assumption is that the govts of these countries engaging in trades with China and with China making more profits are daft, especially those that joined the BRI, built ports and highway that are white elephants and have no or little benefits to their countries. I would not try to argue on behalf of these govts and leave it to them to justify their 'stupid' actions.
While trade in these cases favoured China, it is true that these countries need not continue trading with China. They can choose to trade with Japan and the West. But if the products from these countries are too expensive and they could not afford them, they can always look to India for Make in India products. I think these products, if available, would be much cheaper than China's and would be a good substitute. India could replace China to build highways, ports, high speed trains and mobile phones etc.
As for infrastructure projects like the ports in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan govt can send trade delegations to Europe, USA or Japan to invite them to build instead of China. Oh, England is a good candidate too, the former colonial master that looted the island but forgot to build a decent port like what the Chinese are building for the Sri Lankans. Likewise countries in land locked Central Asia can follow this option or dispense with the 'white elephant' projects since they are white elephants and remain isolated and cut off from the maritime trade routes..
Actually the Americans are having the biggest trade deficit with China compares with the Asean states. The big question, why would the Americans continue to buy China and not buy European or Japanese products or the cheaper Indian products? The Americans cannot be so stupid right? And this applies to more than half of the world that chose China as their number one or number two trading partner despite the trade deficits. Stupid or what?
China, unlike the colonial masters that came to rob and loot these former colonised countries with gunboats, negotiates and trades with these ex colonies on a willing buyer willing seller basis. No guns pointing at their heads. If the govts of these countries, given all the options available, they are not stupid for sure, still choose to trade with China, there must be some logic to it.
I would like to see these 'disadvantaged ex colonies' steering away from trading with China and choose to buy more expensive products from the West and Japan or cheaper products from India. That is only logical when they put everything under the microscope to compare prices and benefits.
Who is the idiot?
PS. The Indians have conceded that the Chinese are making products that are cheaper than the Indians in India. Even the Indian gods are made in China.
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