6/27/2019
Inflation or money not enough
Parking fines to increase by as much as 40%. Illegal parking fines for vehicles would be raised from $50 to $70, an increase of $20 or 40%. Parking fines for not putting parking coupons, time gaps, delays, over parking, tailgating at ERPs etc etc all raised.
The last revision was in 1991, so long ago. Inflation must be the reason after so long never raise. Everything goes up, so parking fines must also go up. It is the natural order of things or else how to increase salaries?
Or is this another sign that money is not enough for the govt, and this is another area to squeeze more money for the govt to pay bigger salaries, bonuses, increments or some may say, lose money in long term investments?
We have several hundred billions under GIC, Temasek and MAS’s management invested for higher returns. If the net return is 4%, not miraculous 15% or whatever, for every $100b we should get $4b back. For $800b, my estimate, could be more AUM, we should be getting $32b in ROI. I am talking about net, after less salaries, bonuses and other costs, this is not small change.
Why still so desperate for small change like raising fees, fines, and anything that can be raised? And toying with more CPF schemes? The flogging of the CPF horse is a dangerous and desperate move. Anytime this horse may be flogged to death.
According to thenewpaper report, between the years 2016-18 average annual illegal parking notices issued was 260,800. Even at $100 per piece, it would be $26m only. Really small change and after knocking off salaries and other cost, there is nothing much left. The only good thing is that it creates more parking attendant jobs.
A housewife, Mrs Alice Lim, was quoted to welcome the news of the increase, higher fines mean less parking offences. Brilliant thinking, just like you know who. Who would have this kind of thinking? What’s wrong with fines? What’s wrong with collecting more money when the people are so happy to be fined, and to pay and pay?
To make motorists and Sinkies happy, the fines should be higher. Then everyone would be saying, see lesser parking offences. Not sure if this is a way the non motorists are going after the car owners.
Inflation or money not enough
Parking fines to increase by as much as 40%. Illegal parking fines for vehicles would be raised from $50 to $70, an increase of $20 or 40%. Parking fines for not putting parking coupons, time gaps, delays, over parking, tailgating at ERPs etc etc all raised.
The last revision was in 1991, so long ago. Inflation must be the reason after so long never raise. Everything goes up, so parking fines must also go up. It is the natural order of things or else how to increase salaries?
Or is this another sign that money is not enough for the govt, and this is another area to squeeze more money for the govt to pay bigger salaries, bonuses, increments or some may say, lose money in long term investments?
We have several hundred billions under GIC, Temasek and MAS’s management invested for higher returns. If the net return is 4%, not miraculous 15% or whatever, for every $100b we should get $4b back. For $800b, my estimate, could be more AUM, we should be getting $32b in ROI. I am talking about net, after less salaries, bonuses and other costs, this is not small change.
Why still so desperate for small change like raising fees, fines, and anything that can be raised? And toying with more CPF schemes? The flogging of the CPF horse is a dangerous and desperate move. Anytime this horse may be flogged to death.
According to thenewpaper report, between the years 2016-18 average annual illegal parking notices issued was 260,800. Even at $100 per piece, it would be $26m only. Really small change and after knocking off salaries and other cost, there is nothing much left. The only good thing is that it creates more parking attendant jobs.
A housewife, Mrs Alice Lim, was quoted to welcome the news of the increase, higher fines mean less parking offences. Brilliant thinking, just like you know who. Who would have this kind of thinking? What’s wrong with fines? What’s wrong with collecting more money when the people are so happy to be fined, and to pay and pay?
To make motorists and Sinkies happy, the fines should be higher. Then everyone would be saying, see lesser parking offences. Not sure if this is a way the non motorists are going after the car owners.
6/26/2019
Singapore must not be dragged into another war in the Middle East
The world’s number one warmonger is again busily trying to build another coalition to start a war with Iran. After raising tension in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, the Evil Empire is telling the world that the region is unsafe for shipping and the ships must be protected. Protected by who and against who?
From the recent spate of false flag incidents when tankers were attacked by American fabricated incidents, it is crystal clear that the tankers were attacked by the Americans and used as excuses for American naval forces to protect them. They started the fire and asking for payments as the fire fighters.
Freedom of navigation is paramount, tweeted the American gangster Pompeo. Actually other than some African or Somali pirates, the region is fairly safe, definitely no risk of being attacked by the Iranians. It is in the interest of the Iranians to keep the region safe as they are a major exporter of oil. Only troublemakers like the Americans would want to raise tension in the region and invited themselves in as the policeman.
And mind you, this is not for free. All the ships in passing the region have to pay protection money to the Americans. The Americans are roping in other countries, calling it a coalition, but really a bunch of gangsters demanding protection money or their ships would be attacked by them. The American gangsters have created another new phrase, ‘proactive deterrence’, for a group of willing or unwilling nations to provide material and financial resources to do the American bidding as partners of a high sea gangsters, collecting protection money or else.
Let’s hope Singapore is wise enough this time and not be arm twisted to be another gangster and has its hands dirtied and bloodied. Singapore does not have to be an unwilling gangster of the high seas. Singapore has choices, can train anywhere else, can buy arms from elsewhere, even in China if the Americans close down our training bases in the US. We can close down Changi Naval Base to the Americans. The Americans have no other alternative choice, there is no place safe and convenient and strategic like Singapore for the Americans to park their war machine. Where else can the Americans go other than Singapore?
Singapore must stand firm on this, no more being a member of an international mafia and accomplice to international crimes against humanity.
6/25/2019
When money 'chiat buay leow'
That was not wayang. There was no need for him to wayang. That was true Leadership. A 20% pay cut will translate to about RM$10 million.
Now, look at the PAP government. Not too long ago, Goh Chok Tong even had the audacity and cheek to publicly lamented that PAP Ministers are not paid enough despite them getting from our taxpayers, in a very small population, the highest political salaries anywhere in the world!
To add insult to injury, he was also quoted as saying that those who earn under S$500,000 annually in the private sector are mediocre. Senior Counsel Edwin Tong was quoted that his many tens of thousands of dollars in monthly political salaries were also tough on him because he has to support his in-laws too etc. I wonder if he is aware that there are too many married men out there earning much, much lesser than him and are also supporting their in-laws too?....
The above is part of an article posted in TRE by Simon Lim. It reflects on the hypocrisies and realities of people with too much money and some crying money not enough while some knew that it is near insanity to keep wanting more. Sure, the more the merrier, so many said so. Who want not want to have more money?
The pursuit of money for the sake of money, or to have more money than your neighbour would lead to no end. There would come a time when people get an awakening and realise enough is enough. Maybe those with so much money need not feel shameful that their neighbours are earning many times more, need not have to compare with others that are earning millions everyday.
Many people really have money chiat buay leow, depending on their lifestyle, that they could do something more interesting in their lives, more meaning and satisfying than chasing for more money.
Lim Kok Thay is one of them, so is Donald Trump. And there are many in China, including those in top political office and the new rich that regard national pride more than anything else.
When money not enough, it is fair and normal to want more, but up to a point when more money could become quite meaningless in the sense of diminishing return, so much more for what?
When one has only 20 or so years to live, many only a handful of years to live, how much more is needed when one already have millions and dunno what to do with the money?
And there is Mr Oon of Tian Tian Lai chicken rice stall at Maxwell. He also has money chiat buay leow in his own way. Different people have different definition of money chiat buay leow. Some earning millions and still money not enough. Read this as reported in theindependent.sg,
Singapore—Kindness and support come in many ways indeed. For one food stall owner, helping the country’s elderly comes in the form of 100 free plates of Hainanese chicken rice every Wednesday for seniors of the Pioneer Generation, Singaporeans born on or before December 31, 1949.
“The government does it their way, I do my own”, said Mr Oon who owns Uncle Sky (Tian Tian Lai) Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre, stalls #01 and 02.
Not only that, Mr Oon does his part for the Merdeka Generation as well. Every single day, both the Merdeka and the Pioneer Generation are given a whopping 50 per cent discount on the chicken rice dish at his stall. This means, instead of paying S$3, the members of the Pioneer and Merdeka Generations only pay S$1.50 for a delicious meal.
Seniors get a numbered card with which they can claim their meal at Tian Tian Lai—a card that allows them to have not just one but two meals a day.
Mr Oon says he will make the daily discount available until “the stall is no longer around”.
6/24/2019
Black Day in DBS Vickers - How can there be trust?
Sanjay Perera - Is this how trust is built?
'In a speech on ‘Effective, Accountable and Inclusive Governance’ ‘PM’ wannabe Mr Heng said some interesting things. He states:
“By drawing diverse ideas and perspectives to explore issues, experimenting with possible solutions, finding common grounds, we can overcome challenges and seize opportunities together.”
Indeed, through insisting that different voices in parliament from alternative parties is not a good thing (unless he no longer mouths the ruling party’s monolithic chant of ‘One Party To Rule Them All’), he cannot possibly mean what he is saying.
Since he wholeheartedly supports the shameless Fake News laws he cannot be serious in what he asserts....
To allow Dishonourables to cling onto office, to bully citizens, to stifle dissent and alternative views, to proudly proclaim yourself a price-is-right-politician who is reluctant to serve without the right monetary incentives: if that is not a sign of the dark souls that have taken over government, what is?...'
The above was posted in TRE by Sanjay Perera.
I would like to mention only two points. Until everyone gets his/her CPF savings back, not hijacked by all kinds of schemes, can see but cannot touch, when you borrow from your CPF for some extenuating situation, you still have to pay interest, even if you are pass 55, or about to die, in your 60s, 70s, 80s etc etc... where can there be trust?
Secondly, I have just experienced what bullying citizens, stifling dissent and alternative views, etc etc meant. Just ask the remisiers in DBS Vickers what they have gone through and they would share the same feelings...it is darkness without a sign of light.
How can there be trust? How can there be, to quote Heng Swee Kiat, 'explore issues, experimenting with possible solutions, finding common grounds, we can overcome challenges and seize opportunities together'.
Does Swee Kiat or Hsien Loong know what is happening in DBS Vickers? Do they know that there was a Black Day in DBS Vickers during a townhall meeting last week when everyone wore black?
'In a speech on ‘Effective, Accountable and Inclusive Governance’ ‘PM’ wannabe Mr Heng said some interesting things. He states:
“By drawing diverse ideas and perspectives to explore issues, experimenting with possible solutions, finding common grounds, we can overcome challenges and seize opportunities together.”
Indeed, through insisting that different voices in parliament from alternative parties is not a good thing (unless he no longer mouths the ruling party’s monolithic chant of ‘One Party To Rule Them All’), he cannot possibly mean what he is saying.
Since he wholeheartedly supports the shameless Fake News laws he cannot be serious in what he asserts....
To allow Dishonourables to cling onto office, to bully citizens, to stifle dissent and alternative views, to proudly proclaim yourself a price-is-right-politician who is reluctant to serve without the right monetary incentives: if that is not a sign of the dark souls that have taken over government, what is?...'
The above was posted in TRE by Sanjay Perera.
I would like to mention only two points. Until everyone gets his/her CPF savings back, not hijacked by all kinds of schemes, can see but cannot touch, when you borrow from your CPF for some extenuating situation, you still have to pay interest, even if you are pass 55, or about to die, in your 60s, 70s, 80s etc etc... where can there be trust?
Secondly, I have just experienced what bullying citizens, stifling dissent and alternative views, etc etc meant. Just ask the remisiers in DBS Vickers what they have gone through and they would share the same feelings...it is darkness without a sign of light.
How can there be trust? How can there be, to quote Heng Swee Kiat, 'explore issues, experimenting with possible solutions, finding common grounds, we can overcome challenges and seize opportunities together'.
Does Swee Kiat or Hsien Loong know what is happening in DBS Vickers? Do they know that there was a Black Day in DBS Vickers during a townhall meeting last week when everyone wore black?
6/23/2019
North Korea - What the West did not want you to see or know
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/north-korea-china-ties-xi-jinping-visit-11648808
The above is a short 3 minute clip of Xi Jinping's recent visit to North Korea. What is interesting is to note the infrastructure of North Korea, roads, buildings and the people, what they are wearing, the common folks and their residents etc etc.
Are these the images of a poor country suffering from famine and abject poverty that the evil West want you to believe in? The West have been spreading their white lies about North Korean since the end of the Korean War, imposing trade sanctions and conducting military exercises threatening to invade North Korea. They hope to destroy North Korea. And if they are unable to, they spread white lies to make others think North Korea is about to habis, finito.
Do not believe in white lies. Open your own eyes to see the truth, things that the West did not want you to know. Be liberated from the oppression of western imperialism.
PS. Listen to this American introducing a China made phone, One Plus, in Mandarin in America, so fluent and eloquent. 5 min clip.
The above is a short 3 minute clip of Xi Jinping's recent visit to North Korea. What is interesting is to note the infrastructure of North Korea, roads, buildings and the people, what they are wearing, the common folks and their residents etc etc.
Are these the images of a poor country suffering from famine and abject poverty that the evil West want you to believe in? The West have been spreading their white lies about North Korean since the end of the Korean War, imposing trade sanctions and conducting military exercises threatening to invade North Korea. They hope to destroy North Korea. And if they are unable to, they spread white lies to make others think North Korea is about to habis, finito.
Do not believe in white lies. Open your own eyes to see the truth, things that the West did not want you to know. Be liberated from the oppression of western imperialism.
PS. Listen to this American introducing a China made phone, One Plus, in Mandarin in America, so fluent and eloquent. 5 min clip.
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