Uniquely Singapore is not a mere slogan. There many things that are very abnormal in Singapore and would together bring the prosperity and good life of Singaporeans to an abrupt ending.
Uniquely Singapore can count on having the most expensive universities in Asia, claimed to be in the company of the top 20 universities in the world but could not produce top talents and leaders and have to import many fake talents from third world and unrecognised universities.
Uniquely Singapore can also count on being the financial centre of Asia but have no local talents to helm the top jobs in the banking and finance industry.
Uniquely Singapore also confounded many with the lack of IT talents in a modern city and went everywhere to promote smart cities using ITs but depending on third world talents to do the job.
Uniquely Singapore is a major sea port that provides and supports trade but has no national shipping line.
Uniquely Singapore is about a govt that professed to be looking after the interests of Singaporeans but would soon find that Singaporeans are a minority and becoming a threaten specie in its own country.
Let me return to this Uniquely Singapore financial centre issue. Could Singapore become a financial centre without a stock market? Bloomberg has written a recent article on the rapid demise of the stock market when there were more good companies delisting than listing in the stock market. The pathetic state of the stock market is there for all to see. And from informed sources, it is likely to end up like NOL, if big broking houses start to wind up their stock broking business here.
The failure of the NOL led to it being sold but turned around immediately by its new owners. What does this say about the NOL story? Was it a rotten apple that had to be thrown away or was it gold but the stupid could not its intrinsic value?
The stock market is dying, the broking houses are not making money. So, is the govt thinking of closing down the stock market and the stock broking business? Do they understand what is wrong with the stock market, why is it not performing and how could it be saved and revived? Or they have conveniently ruled that the stock market is like another NOL, beyond hope, so the logical thing is to close it down, just like the NOL, or like Singapore has no talent, so simply import foreign fake talents?
Can a financial centre survive without a stock market? It is not just the stock market and the broking houses that would be done, but the supporting industries including the banking and finance industry that pays for and supports the real estates, also the industries and corporations that need the finances of the stock market. How serious are the implications with the collapse of the stock market if the govt allows it to wind down?
The closing down of the stock market is unlike the selling of NOL. It is not that the selling of the NOL would not affect Singapore as a major sea port, it will and the full impact would be felt over time. If the govt allows the stock market to collapse by not doing anything about it, if broking houses take their own initiative to close down, the impact could be immediate and many times more severe than selling NOL.
Singapore cannot afford not to have a stock market to have a thriving financial centre. Anyone thinking of closing down the broking houses, any attempt to close down broking houses, must be looked into it immediately. Any act of such nature is like removing the foundation of the house it is built on. Any act that compromises or threatens the viability of the stock market is undermining the whole economy.
When time was good, when the stock market was booming, they forced broking houses to partner with banks or else. Now that market is no good, the banks want to unwind their broking businesses to the extent of retrenchment and even closing the business. How can like that? Which irresponsible bank is going to be the first to shut down its broking house and lead to another wave of retrenchment and unemployment?
Uniquely Singapore, a financial centre without a stock market would bring an end to the successful Singapore Story in double quick time.
What would happen if a Singapore bank closes down its stock broking business?
What would happen if a govt bank closes down its stock broking business?
2/16/2019
Starting wars and creating conflict is the USA's main agenda for world dominance
I must congratulate the Americans for lighting another fire in South American and on the verge of starting another major war in the scale of the Vietnam War. In Venezuela, they have brought in an unknown young punk in the name of Guaido and told the Venezuelans that this is their new dictator, supported, financed and armed by the evil American Empire. This boy dictator, and there are many all over the world that would jump on such an opportunity to become a leader of a country, supported by the American Empire, would not care a hoot about the many lives that would be killed, that the country would be plunged into an endless war with its people suffering great harms and lost of lives and properties. He is only interested in his self glory and ambition to become the dictator of Venezuela. Let there be mercy for the Venezuelans and not allow the evil Empire from destroying them and their country.
In Iraq, under fabricated news of WMD, they invaded Iraq and destroyed the country and its economy and the lives of Iraqis. Until today, they refused to leave. In Syria, under the pretext and guise of fighting ISIS created by them, they moved into Syria. Today, with ISIS practically being wiped out by the Russians, the Americans refuse to move out but instead built several military bases in Syria, including airfields. The AmericanEmpire has invaded Syria and occupying Syria.
The evil Americans are not stopping at Venezuela. It is now promoting another ideological war with China while it is confronting the Russians in many fronts with potential of starting a third world war. This is what the American intelligence chiefs have just fabricated.
'The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment released by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats instead said China is seeking to propagate "authoritarian capitalism" to counter Western liberal democracy, in an echo of the decades-long Cold War.
"Chinese leaders will increasingly seek to assert China's model of authoritarian capitalism as an alternative - and implicitly superior - development path abroad, exacerbating great-power competition that could threaten international support for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law," it said.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/us-spies-elevate-china-rivalry-to-war-of-ideologies-11198142
In Iraq, under fabricated news of WMD, they invaded Iraq and destroyed the country and its economy and the lives of Iraqis. Until today, they refused to leave. In Syria, under the pretext and guise of fighting ISIS created by them, they moved into Syria. Today, with ISIS practically being wiped out by the Russians, the Americans refuse to move out but instead built several military bases in Syria, including airfields. The AmericanEmpire has invaded Syria and occupying Syria.
The evil Americans are not stopping at Venezuela. It is now promoting another ideological war with China while it is confronting the Russians in many fronts with potential of starting a third world war. This is what the American intelligence chiefs have just fabricated.
'The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment released by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats instead said China is seeking to propagate "authoritarian capitalism" to counter Western liberal democracy, in an echo of the decades-long Cold War.
"Chinese leaders will increasingly seek to assert China's model of authoritarian capitalism as an alternative - and implicitly superior - development path abroad, exacerbating great-power competition that could threaten international support for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law," it said.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/us-spies-elevate-china-rivalry-to-war-of-ideologies-11198142
What China is doing in Africa and many parts of the world that were colonised and impoverised by the West is to bring in finance and development in those neglected countries. And this is bad for the American Empire that thrives on wars and instability. The Americans main agenda is to create instability and war all over the planet in order to control these countries by subjecting them to continuous warfare and destruction and spending their limited resources in weapons of wars and destruction.
The African countries are not stupid. They know what is good for their countries, ie development, economic growth and trade. And these are exactly what China is bringing to their countries.
In the same report above, this was also mentioned,
'"This is more than just economics," said James McGregor, chairman of China business consultancy APCO Worldwide.
"Now that China is so successful, there is an ideological battle for which system works best," he told AFP.
"There are a lot of poor and developing countries which have looked at what China has accomplished with awe and admiration, and they are wondering if that system will work for them."'
Even the American scholars have to admit the success of China's economic and infrastructure development in the developing countries but this is intolerable to the evil men in the American govt. They must stop China from helping the developing countries from development and prospering in peace and stability. And they are again using their myth of human rights, democracy and rule of law to con the suckers that theirs is a superior system for the developing countries.
'"This is more than just economics," said James McGregor, chairman of China business consultancy APCO Worldwide.
"Now that China is so successful, there is an ideological battle for which system works best," he told AFP.
"There are a lot of poor and developing countries which have looked at what China has accomplished with awe and admiration, and they are wondering if that system will work for them."'
Even the American scholars have to admit the success of China's economic and infrastructure development in the developing countries but this is intolerable to the evil men in the American govt. They must stop China from helping the developing countries from development and prospering in peace and stability. And they are again using their myth of human rights, democracy and rule of law to con the suckers that theirs is a superior system for the developing countries.
The above American statement should be read this way to reflect the truth and realities,
'"Chinese
leaders will increasingly seek to assert China's model of authoritarian
capitalism as an alternative - and implicitly superior - development
path abroad, exacerbating great-power competition that could threaten
international support for fake democracy, abuse of human rights, and the rule of outlaws,"
it said.'
By the way it is China's policy of non interference in another country's domestic affairs and China never intend to assert any forms of authoritarian capitalism on any country. The people of the respective countries chose their own forms of govt. China would work with any govt chosen by their people in infrastructure and economic development and trade.
China does not conduct regime change or to destabilise countries and start wars like the evil American Empire. In every part of the world where there is instability and war, the Americans are there and have a hand in it.
It is not China, not Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela or any other demonised country that is threatening the Americans, it is the reverse, the evil American Empire is threatening every country in the world. The Americans are a threat to world peace. The Americans are the most evil and dangerous people in the world. No need to be polite to just blame it on their leaders. Deep down, they want to control and rule the world and hold everyone in disgust. This is the true American deceit and wicked intent.
They kept demonishing every country as a threat to world peace when they are the biggest threat to world peace. No, they are not threats but already engaging in wars of destruction and destabilising the world daily for the last 70 years, non stop.
It is not China, not Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela or any other demonised country that is threatening the Americans, it is the reverse, the evil American Empire is threatening every country in the world. The Americans are a threat to world peace. The Americans are the most evil and dangerous people in the world. No need to be polite to just blame it on their leaders. Deep down, they want to control and rule the world and hold everyone in disgust. This is the true American deceit and wicked intent.
They kept demonishing every country as a threat to world peace when they are the biggest threat to world peace. No, they are not threats but already engaging in wars of destruction and destabilising the world daily for the last 70 years, non stop.
2/15/2019
Pedoman Affair – A lesson in diplomacy
It is easy to behave like a busybody shouting at everyone to obey the
rule of law when it is none of your business. The consequence of such
naïve behavior growing out of a big head is to make enemies unnecessary
instead of making friends.
The Pedoman Affair, when a Malaysian govt boat chose to park itself in Singapore territorial water is like the Philippines parking a broken down boat in China’s island and refused to butt off. China is acting with great restraint by not doing anything to the scoundrel’s bad antics and let them make a fool of themselves inn the middle of the South China Sea. In the Singapore case, the provocation is real. It is not a ‘broken down’ vessel that could not move, but a boat deliberately sailed and anchored in Singapore water. And the Malaysian boat just sits there and telling the Singapore govt what can it do.
This is a test of patient and tolerance and diplomacy. China has been facing such antics from the Philippines for years. Singapore now is having its share of what it is like when another country did it to you. And for its past behavior for crying out loud when it was none of its business, Singapore now has no friends to cry out loud to support its position. No one wants to breathe a word in favour of Singapore. Not even the 5 eyes countries that were Singapore’s allies.
The 5 eyes countries would be very happy to gang up to protect their white allies, not an Asian little country, no matter how Singapore professed to be their good friends, good ally. If Singapore were to act like the little boy PM in Canada and call on the 5 eyes countries or friendly countries to tell the Malaysians to back off, would they comply, would they send letters to the Malaysian govt on behalf of Singapore?
Where are all the friends of Singapore? Where is the Philippines that Singapore shouted until it voice went coarse the in South China island dispute and supporting the so called UN backed back lane arbitration court in Haque?
Singapore is looking so lonely in this incident. Somehow there is a lack of busybodies to come forward to Singapore’s aid, to stand beside Singapore. It is indeed a very lonely feeling out there.
But that is ok even if Singapore has no friends coming to stand on its side. It still can punch above its weight. Ya? What is Malaysia when Singapore thought it could even punch countries like China? Why is it so difficult for Singapore to give Malaysia a black eye, to arrest the Pedoman and pull it to Singapore harbor, and to release it later if Malaysia pays a fine, like the Philippines used to do, or to blow it up like the Indons did? Cannot punch above its weight even with Malaysia? Is Malaysia too big and too powerful than China?
Why so much restraints on the part of Singapore to deal with this border interference and provocation issue to the point of looking hapless? Where are all the loudspeakers from the MFA?
The Pedoman Affair, when a Malaysian govt boat chose to park itself in Singapore territorial water is like the Philippines parking a broken down boat in China’s island and refused to butt off. China is acting with great restraint by not doing anything to the scoundrel’s bad antics and let them make a fool of themselves inn the middle of the South China Sea. In the Singapore case, the provocation is real. It is not a ‘broken down’ vessel that could not move, but a boat deliberately sailed and anchored in Singapore water. And the Malaysian boat just sits there and telling the Singapore govt what can it do.
This is a test of patient and tolerance and diplomacy. China has been facing such antics from the Philippines for years. Singapore now is having its share of what it is like when another country did it to you. And for its past behavior for crying out loud when it was none of its business, Singapore now has no friends to cry out loud to support its position. No one wants to breathe a word in favour of Singapore. Not even the 5 eyes countries that were Singapore’s allies.
The 5 eyes countries would be very happy to gang up to protect their white allies, not an Asian little country, no matter how Singapore professed to be their good friends, good ally. If Singapore were to act like the little boy PM in Canada and call on the 5 eyes countries or friendly countries to tell the Malaysians to back off, would they comply, would they send letters to the Malaysian govt on behalf of Singapore?
Where are all the friends of Singapore? Where is the Philippines that Singapore shouted until it voice went coarse the in South China island dispute and supporting the so called UN backed back lane arbitration court in Haque?
Singapore is looking so lonely in this incident. Somehow there is a lack of busybodies to come forward to Singapore’s aid, to stand beside Singapore. It is indeed a very lonely feeling out there.
But that is ok even if Singapore has no friends coming to stand on its side. It still can punch above its weight. Ya? What is Malaysia when Singapore thought it could even punch countries like China? Why is it so difficult for Singapore to give Malaysia a black eye, to arrest the Pedoman and pull it to Singapore harbor, and to release it later if Malaysia pays a fine, like the Philippines used to do, or to blow it up like the Indons did? Cannot punch above its weight even with Malaysia? Is Malaysia too big and too powerful than China?
Why so much restraints on the part of Singapore to deal with this border interference and provocation issue to the point of looking hapless? Where are all the loudspeakers from the MFA?
2/14/2019
Foreign talent - Guilty until proven otherwise
'These
reportedly included a linguistics degree from Vanderbilt University, a
Master’s degree in developmental and child psychology as well as a
doctorate in psychology and education from the University of Paris.
“In 2016, we were alerted by the police that the educational certificates Brochez submitted were forged. Following which, we introduced an additional step of verifying the submitted educational certificate(s) with the admissions office of the respective universities (local and overseas) for applicants whom we plan to hire,” said the spokeperson.
Brochez’s first job in Singapore was with an educational services company, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
He later joined Temasek Polytechnic (TP) from February 2009 to January 2011 as a lecturer for the diploma in Psychology Studies and the diploma in Early Childhood Studies, said the polytechnic.
He taught for three semesters before leaving the polytechnic upon the expiry of his contract.
“In 2014, as part of a regular
review of our policies, we had strengthened our hiring process to
include enhanced background checks with former employers. Our HR
department also contacts the employers to obtain details about the candidate’s employment with them,” said the spokesperson.
While the ministry declined to provide Brochez’s full employment
history, he is believed to have separately set up a private practice in
child psychology.' YahooNewsThe more I read about this cheat and how easy it was to fool our idiots in charge of hiring the more piss off I get. And this is par for the course. How many hundreds of thousands of foreigners have come and go, cheating our idiots for years, decades without being found out and laughing at the stupidity of Singaporeans, a supposedly highly educated and worldly wise first world citizens. And many are still here, probably dept or division heads in charge of well qualified Singaporeans, using their fake degrees.
Shame on all those that let this ruse to go on for so long without doing much to kill the problem.
Shame on those that did not see this as important enough to do anything.
Shame on those that directly or indirectly destroyed the rice bowls of honest and hardworking Singaporean PMETs being replaced by these cheats.
Shame on those who still have a lot of these cheats in their employed currently and not wanting to do anything about it.
This problem must be taken very seriously. Below are some of my suggestions.
1. Treat every foreigner and their certificates with a big caution, assuming that they are all fakes until proven otherwise.
2. Have a stringent regime to verify the certificates with specific procedures to be worked out by the HR practitioners.
3. Any certificate that cannot be verify must be treated as fake.
4. When in doubt, treat them as fakes.
5. Conduct a nation wide exercise immediately to root out all existing foreigners that are currently employed in here.
6. Do not simply believe that by checking with the respective universities would be enough to certify that the certificates are genuine. Heard of syndicates operating within the universities to confirm that the fakes are real?
7. Do not simply rely on past employer references and confirmations to be sufficient proof that the information provided are real. The former employers could have been duped without doing due diligence or could be fake employers.
8. The MOM must conduct a special course for all HR practitioners on how to identify fake certificates and resumes, including all the MOM staff. MOM must not hire foreigners to vet foreigners and their certificates.
9. Make it a crime for intentionally employing foreigners with fake qualifications or for not doing due diligence.
The govt and employers involved in the hiring of foreigners owe every Singaporean a heavy responsibility to kill this disease that is harming our people, country and economy. This is treason.
Singapore and Singaporeans cannot be made the laughing stock to the rest of the world, to be known as the most stupid people and the most easy to be conned by people that have poor or very low level of education, especially from their little villages, and to hire them, pay them handsomely, to manage and be in charge of our silly, stupid and daft but highly qualified Singaporeans.
Imagine Ah Meng being employed as a dept head or CEO to boss around with daft Singaporeans telling them what to do and scolding them for not performing when Ah Meng is the one that did not know the job?
Singapore and Singaporeans are so pathetic, so pitiful.
2/13/2019
SGX, a state of denial
The Incredible Shrinking Singapore Stock Market – by Bloomberg
For the last five years, delistings have outnumbered listings. Does it matter? Not as much as you might think. By Livia Yap and Tom Redmond 12 February 2019
Robson Lee had a decision to make. In his more than two-decade career as a capital-markets lawyer in Singapore, he’d helped more than 30 companies list on the country’s stock exchange, bringing to market everything from a grocery store chain to a pawnbroker. Business had been good, but it was starting to dry up. Lee decided he had to get out. “I saw the decline,” he says. “That’s why I moved.”
That was in 2014, when more companies left the Singapore Exchange than joined it, with S$8.4 billion ($6.43 billion) in value disappearing from the public market….
The exchange’s fortunes have only gotten worse. For the last five years, delistings have outnumbered listings in the market, which had 741 companies at the end of December last year, down from a peak of 782 in 2010. In 2018 the money raised from the 15 SGX initial public offerings, excluding depositary receipts, fell to just S$710.6 million, while 19 companies departed—a net outflow of S$19.2 billion in market value. …
Many of the businesses that have left the exchange in the past few years are well-known in Singapore. They range from GLP Pte., one of the world’s biggest warehouse owners, to Osim International Pte., Asia’s largest maker of massage chairs. …they see as low valuations in the city-state, are seeking more liquid markets that can generate higher stock prices. For example, Lee says, sofa maker Man Wah Holdings Ltd. was taken private in September 2009. Within six months, it was relisted in Hong Kong at about eight times its market value….
The dying Singapore stock market has been staring in the face of the govt, MAS and the SGX. The above Bloomberg article only confirmed what is going on. But no one seems to be perturbed by this sorry state of affair. Either they are in a state of denial or just did not know what to do next. And often they were trying to explain away the problem by pretending that it is ok, normal to be in decline, and some even pretended that this was good. Think of Ah Q mentality.
When would they wake up and face the truth and seriously do something before it is too late? Admittedly Singapore is a small market and cannot compare with the advantages of Hong Kong and even neighbouring SE Asian markets. But to spout nonsense like it is normal for more delisting than listing is telling like when other markets, especially Hong Kong, are getting more listings than delistings. The SGX has now been overtaken by Thailand and Vietnam.
The quality of listings here, as mentioned in the first paragraph, are petty companies that were good enough for Sesdaq or Nasdaq equivalent while the prized and highly valued companies gave this island a miss. Does this say anything? The days of grabbing all kinds of shitty companies to list here were wasted opportunities for not defining the role of the stock market and finding a niche market instead of trying to be big just for being big’s sake and ended becoming a rubbish dump. Not forgetting the billions that small investors have lost when these unaccountable, untouchable and unable to control companies just delist or just let the stock values go to nought. They don’t care about their listings here, where there is any value or no value.
Now the market is filled with many worthless little super penny stocks that only help to undermine the quality of the market and affect the valuation of otherwise quality companies. Good companies are delisting and bad ones remained or wanting to come in because no one wants them.
Whither the stock market without a clear vision and mission and with a pretentious ambition of overtaking Hong Kong as the choice market in Asia? More dangerous derivative trading is going to run this sinking ship aground. Running out of ideas and hibernating in a cocoon, not wanting to see the truth would only expedite the death of this stock market. Its existence today is like a child in ICU and everyday is a bonus.
For the last five years, delistings have outnumbered listings. Does it matter? Not as much as you might think. By Livia Yap and Tom Redmond 12 February 2019
Robson Lee had a decision to make. In his more than two-decade career as a capital-markets lawyer in Singapore, he’d helped more than 30 companies list on the country’s stock exchange, bringing to market everything from a grocery store chain to a pawnbroker. Business had been good, but it was starting to dry up. Lee decided he had to get out. “I saw the decline,” he says. “That’s why I moved.”
That was in 2014, when more companies left the Singapore Exchange than joined it, with S$8.4 billion ($6.43 billion) in value disappearing from the public market….
The exchange’s fortunes have only gotten worse. For the last five years, delistings have outnumbered listings in the market, which had 741 companies at the end of December last year, down from a peak of 782 in 2010. In 2018 the money raised from the 15 SGX initial public offerings, excluding depositary receipts, fell to just S$710.6 million, while 19 companies departed—a net outflow of S$19.2 billion in market value. …
Many of the businesses that have left the exchange in the past few years are well-known in Singapore. They range from GLP Pte., one of the world’s biggest warehouse owners, to Osim International Pte., Asia’s largest maker of massage chairs. …they see as low valuations in the city-state, are seeking more liquid markets that can generate higher stock prices. For example, Lee says, sofa maker Man Wah Holdings Ltd. was taken private in September 2009. Within six months, it was relisted in Hong Kong at about eight times its market value….
The dying Singapore stock market has been staring in the face of the govt, MAS and the SGX. The above Bloomberg article only confirmed what is going on. But no one seems to be perturbed by this sorry state of affair. Either they are in a state of denial or just did not know what to do next. And often they were trying to explain away the problem by pretending that it is ok, normal to be in decline, and some even pretended that this was good. Think of Ah Q mentality.
When would they wake up and face the truth and seriously do something before it is too late? Admittedly Singapore is a small market and cannot compare with the advantages of Hong Kong and even neighbouring SE Asian markets. But to spout nonsense like it is normal for more delisting than listing is telling like when other markets, especially Hong Kong, are getting more listings than delistings. The SGX has now been overtaken by Thailand and Vietnam.
The quality of listings here, as mentioned in the first paragraph, are petty companies that were good enough for Sesdaq or Nasdaq equivalent while the prized and highly valued companies gave this island a miss. Does this say anything? The days of grabbing all kinds of shitty companies to list here were wasted opportunities for not defining the role of the stock market and finding a niche market instead of trying to be big just for being big’s sake and ended becoming a rubbish dump. Not forgetting the billions that small investors have lost when these unaccountable, untouchable and unable to control companies just delist or just let the stock values go to nought. They don’t care about their listings here, where there is any value or no value.
Now the market is filled with many worthless little super penny stocks that only help to undermine the quality of the market and affect the valuation of otherwise quality companies. Good companies are delisting and bad ones remained or wanting to come in because no one wants them.
Whither the stock market without a clear vision and mission and with a pretentious ambition of overtaking Hong Kong as the choice market in Asia? More dangerous derivative trading is going to run this sinking ship aground. Running out of ideas and hibernating in a cocoon, not wanting to see the truth would only expedite the death of this stock market. Its existence today is like a child in ICU and everyday is a bonus.
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