Singapore political system another casino?

 The total amount of deposits forfeited in the 2025 GE is $364,500. This works out to be more than $10k per opposition candidate. The total cost to a losing candidate that lost his deposit would be at least $20 per head to participate in the election. And this does not include the time and other resources needed, the hard work of campaigning and walking the ground.

What is the motivation of these candidates to work so hard, to pay so much to run an election when the chances of winning is very slim? Are they doing it for altruistic reason, for Singapore, to serve the people? These are very honourable goals for the candidates to pursue, selfless and big sacrifices.

From another angle, it is like going to the casino to place their bets. The winnings, about $200,000 per annum for 5 years as an MP, ie about $1m in rewards. $20,000 bet for a million is better than the winnings in a roulette table that pays 1 to 36. If they can make it to be a minister, that is where the jackpot is. Looking at the CVs of most of the candidates, other than business owners, barely a handful would be able to make $500k a year.

The winning ratio would be much higher if placing the same amount for a Toto bet when the winnings could be $5m or more. No need for all the hard work and walking the ground and to put up a smiling face to all the hoi polloi.

To many of the candidates, throwing down $20k or more for an election is not a small sum. For the political parties, losing the deposit of a GRC is $67,500 each. They need deep pockets to finance such enterprise. Hopefully they are getting sound financial support from their supporters.

Would the opposition parties continue to come back every GE to place their bets and be willing to lose their deposits again and again? Would they continue to make sacrifices to serve the people and country?

Perhaps the payout should be tweaked so that there will be less punters trying their luck in future GE. After all, $200k for a part time job is a huge sum of money for the punters. Very likely 90% of Singaporeans could not earn $100k a year in full time jobs, and 70% of Singaporeans are earning less than $70k working full time.

And MP job is only part time and still earning big money in their full time occupation. If the fly by night punters find the payout is not enough for their trouble, they may not want to risk $20k running for an election. The GE would then be contested by people sincerely wanting to contribute to the nation's well being.

What do you think?

China US trade talks in Switzerland

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer will attend the talks in Europe for the United States, their offices said.

Vice Premier He Lifeng will attend for Beijing, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. CNA


After threatening, pleading, begging, lying about talking to China, finally a meeting is arranged between the two states in Switzerland, not in the US. China would not go to the US as demanded by Trump to kiss his ass. China demanded a meeting in a neutral country, in Switzerland. And the Americans have to agree or else no talks.


The Americans are sending their Treasury Secretary Bessent for the talks and asking for Cai Qi, Xi's most trusted politburo member for the talks. Instead, China is sending a junior minister in Vice Premier He Lifeng for the meeting. No senior Chinese leader would want to meet up with the American gangsters.


This is China's way of telling the Americans that China is only listening and not serious in wanting to negotiate at this point in time until the rogue Americans back down from their hostile and aggressive tariffs. Return to square one then only serious talk can begin.


All the lies about China backing down, wanting a deal, or having talks with the Americans as claimed by the Americans were all lies. China is resolute to fight to the end, even to completely decouple with the American economy. China will now wait for Trump to go down on his knees to beg for negotiation. China knows that in less than 3 months the American consumer market would collapse and there will be uprising and rioting in every city in America. Boeing closing down plants, automobile giants closing down plants, supermarts closing, unemployment soaring, farmers going bankrupt....


China is in no hurry for a deal. Trump is desperate and panicking. Trump wants a deal asap. Xi is squeezing his balls and waiting to hear him screaming in pain. Trump is expecting China to kiss his ass, begging for a deal? Carry on dreaming.

"The two countries' escalating trade war gravely threatens their economies as well as global stability. Given the urgency of the situation, why aren't they communicating? Yale Law School's Susan Thornton weighs in." CNA


Again, this comment is trying to pain China as equally to be blamed for this trade war, that China is escalating. No, China did not escalate this trade war. China did not start this trade war. It is the Americans. China only responded to the hostile American behaviour. Stop blaming China. The rascal is the Americans, Trump and his clowns in Washington. Trump is the menace to the whole world and to the Americans.

China supporting South Asian countries against India US control

The USA wants to use India to control countries around South Asia - Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Kashmir. Any closing of ranks among countries bordering India is seen as a threat.
With Pakistan and Bangladesh closing military links, that is seen as a bigger threat to USA and India's agenda. More so with China's involvement in economic developments in Bangladesh. Now is the time for the USA to push more weapons to India, economically beneficial and geopolitically fundamental, especially against China in Bangladesh and elsewhere in South Asia..

China's sale of weapons to Pakistan and ultimately to Bangladesh is a significant threat to India vis a vis the USA. China's access to ports in Pakistan and Bangladesh is also posing problems for India, that had been trying to cut China off its BRI reach.

With Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan moving closer to China, it is decimating India's attempts to control these few countries. These countries have realized they have been betting on a lame horse like India and have seen the progress of countries betting on China. Even the Africans, far from what is happening in South Asia, have seen the significance of betting on China.


Anonymous

Trump calling all American children to make sacrifices for his stupid tariff wars

It may be still several months away before Christmas, but the reality is that replenishing the empty shelves may not be coming that early, as supplies have to be made under new contracts that should have been struck as of now, today. But such contracts are still hanging in the air, waiting for someone to wake up and blink.
Chinese manufacturers need to prepare raw materials, prepare logistics and production schedules to make products that are required as far down the road as Christmas. It is not a case of resorting to magic or at the snap of a finger as what Trump had in mind. Everything sounds so easy for conman Trump, as easy as asking Mexico to pay for the wall, as easy as winning trade wars, as easy as settling the Ukraine War within 24 hours and as easy as imposing tariffs that is the most beautiful word discovered by Trump. The mind of a kindergarten kid, no less.

Trump thinks getting back deported migrant workers is going to be a piece of cake, in particular for the agricultural and F & B sector when the shit really hits the fan and when food shortages get really serious. Doing so means walking back on his earlier gloating of giving such jobs back to the voters, who are not interested in doing such back breaking jobs. It will be the same with manufacturing jobs, or sweatshop jobs that the voters are not conditioned to take up.

We have not yet seen the worst yet with stockpiling over the months, and by mid or end of May, all hell will break lose in the USA. That record deficit indicates how much stockpiling had been going on in March to tide over the present crisis, but not for long.


Anonymous

Michael Petraeus - Angmoh tua kee

 This Polish blogger Michael Petraeus, better known as ‘Critical Spectator’ in TRE, recently stirred up controversy again by making disparaging remarks about everyday Singaporeans. He is so interested in the affairs of Singapore and Singapore's election. Some Singaporeans would flip in front of him because he is a white man. The angmoh tua kee syndrome is very deep in this ex British colonial city state. Anything angmoh is good, big, strong and friendly. The English version of this angmoh tua kee syndrome is called Pinkerton Disease.

I tried to check on this angmoh tua kee and found one of his sites where he claimed a lot of things that he can do, to provide services to companies, company solutions, marketing, advertising etc etc, claiming that he has a lot of working experience and contacts. I checked out his linkedin page. The page is as good as empty although there were some loose messages there. There is no trace of who he is, where he has worked, no past experience and occupation, no companies associated with him, no friends. If he is a business professional, he would be very proud of his working experience, his qualifications, education, alma mater, and the companies he had worked with. All blanks. Perhaps after reading this he may quickly update his personal profile in linkedin to make it more real to the gullible and unwary.

Another telltale sign, he apparently does not work for any company ie unemployed. Where is his source of income? Stationing in this most expensive city state needs a lot of money to survive. With no direct income, why would a Poles be here, and spending time interfering in Singapore politics and the politics of Asia and South East Asia? How could he survive and pay for his living expenses doing sweet nothing?

For people who are cynical or politically aware, this is a typical CIA operator. Only foolish Singaporeans would be easily taken by this angmoh tua kee without wanting to know who he is, what he is and where he is coming from. Or any Pinkerton is a white god, to bow to, and to idolise and to be happily screwed by this angmoh tua kee.