Soaring demands, prices hitting new highs

These are the headlines in today's paper. The new HDB launches in Sengkang and Sembawang are greeted by soaring demands. Private properties are hitting new highs in prices. What do these news meant? Demands exceeding supply? We have seen HDB launching BTOs after BTOs in the last couple of months. How can there be unceasing demands? Someone is bluffing right? These demands are fictitious. And the high prices must also be fictitious. I don't believe demands for housing is so high. Not true, cannot be, they may apply but will turn down when offered the flats. These flat applicants are just fooling around. Don't take them seriously. We have BTOs, DBSS and Exec Condominiums? Better don't build Exec Condominiums. Force these people to buy private properties to boost up their prices. Make them pay for it. They are professionals right, got a lot of money right? High pay right?

Najib calling Malaysians to return home

Najib is putting his neck on the chopping block by calling for a change in govt policies, from favouring Malays to helping the poor. It is a fundamental shift to give a kick start to the stalled Malaysian economy but at the same time compromising on the position of Malay supremacy. This line of policy could undermine his position as the PM when the ultras make their war cry. And with Mahathir showing his true blue ultraism, Najib will come under strong pressure and may be ousted from power. So what now? Even if Najib is genuine, how long could he last? One term, half term or two terms? What next when another ultra takes over the premiership? The problem with Malaysia is the inconsistency of govt positions and the tendency to revert to extreme racist policies. Whatever Najib or any new PM may want to steer the country towards a fairer and more progressive system, there is a stronger underlying current that will threaten to derail it. Would any successful professional Malaysians take the bait and return home to rebuild a new Malaysia? I think this is far fetched. Malaysians, what are your views?

How many directorships can a man handle?

This issue was discussed at SMU. JY Pillay said not more than 5 are ‘humanly possible’. I like the word humanly and the inverted commas used by the ST. I am sure there must be a distinction between humans and inhumans. Lee Suet Fern also shared Pillay’s views and added that it was ‘physically very difficult to do so many directorships because the time demands are all bunched at the same time.’ Of course she is very clear on this, she is referring only to humans and not inhumans. The Chairman of Singapore Institute of Directors (SID), John Lim, felt that ‘it should be left to the individual directors and boards to assess the matter’, and an arbitrary number should not be imposed. I am wondering if the individual directors or boards’ decision on the number of directorships is considered arbitrary or objective? Teo Soon Hoe, senior ED and group finance director of Keppel Corp, agreed with John Lim. A limiting number is unnecessary, ‘it is an individual director’s responsibility to ensure that if he sits on any board, he has time for it’. Hmmm, I think I fully agreed with the latter two. Why have regulations and arbitrary numbers to say someone is unfit to do the impossible? Everyone is different and some have inhuman abilities that humans will not understand nor comprehend. And Teo reinforced his position by stressing that it was so difficult to find good directors in this land of no talents. This I agree also. The experienced directors are so hard to come by and are precious resources to be treasured. It was reported that Lee Suet Fern had observed that ‘self regulation has not worked because there are a good number of very egregious instances where people are taking on too many directorships. It is bad for us and bad for the investing public. I accept that all guidelines are arbitrary…but sometimes it’s better to have it than have a free for all and a wild, wild East’. Again Suet Fern is talking about people, the humans, and that makes perfect sense. But if we can find inhumans that are upright and uncompromising, they will be able to act independently always, and 10 or 20 directorships would be chicken feat. Let them decide for themselves arbitrarily. Oops, no I mean independently, with their good judgement. My conclusion, we must know what we are referring to. In the case of humans and humanly possible, Pillay and Suet Fern are right. In the case of inhuman abilities and integrities, John Lim and Teo Soon Hoe are right. I rest my case.

Why are Asian media carrying so many anti China and North Korean news?

It is understandable for western media and journalists to write and post articles that paint a very negative picture of Asian countries that are not in their favour. They did it with a known agenda, to influence the readers and manipulate their thoughts. It is a conscious effort and they are probably paid for it. Some may have an axe to grind, some because of their own prejudices, some of their own ignorance, and many just for the money or for god. T Now, what have Asian media got to do with such mischievious and one sided propaganda? What have they got to gain other than making the countries they reported on angry or even hostile to them? Are they also being paid? If yes, ok. If not, aren't they being foolish, doing someone's dirty work, knowingly or unknowingly? Do they have an axe to grind against China or North Korea? Is there a need to be a pawn in a big power game?

A Singaporean is a Singaporean

Singaporeans should start to call themselves Singaporeans and not Chinese, Malay, Indian or Others. What's wrong with calling yourself what you really are? It may be an artificial construct, but given time, it will sink in and will be accepted by the rest of the world. And Europeans call themselves Americans, the Africans call themselves Americans, the Asians call themselves Americans. And American is a well regarded nationality that they are so proud off. They would not call themselves European Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, but simply Americans. It is time every Singaporean starts to call himself/herself 'I am a Singaporean'. The only drawback is that Singaporeans are so bashful and spineless that they may be smacked by foreigners if the foreigners know that they Singaporeans. It can be quite shameful to be smacked by foreigners in your own country. But that is the price to be paid to be Singaporeans. And that is the price to be paid for not being proud of your own nationality. Any foreigner dares try to smack an American in America or an Arab in his own country, or a Malaysian in Malaysia? No way. Only in a country when the citizens have a mindset that they are inferior, would they allow foreigners to slap them left and right and feel so proud about it. And they need to respect foreigners and respect their cultures too. A Singaporean is a Singaporean, albeit a shameless one.