Singaporeans must not sell their HDB flats

This is a serious call. Never, never sell your HDB flat! Yes it will appreciate in value at the way things are moving. But that is not the main concern. Many Singaporeans think that they could reap a handsome profit by selling their flats, maybe a couple of hundred thousand which could buy them the new car, the holidays, that new wardrobe or to splash around for a while with the new found wealth. This call may come too late for some who had already done that and live to regret it. The problem is that once the flat is sold, even with the same money untouched, will not be able to buy another similar. The price would have run away. And how could those who splurged on their profits and ended up with lesser money in their CPF afford another similar flat? The only people that may think of selling for a quick profit are those that already have alternative accommodation and have no need to buy another flat. On the other hand, those whose incomes are increasing substantially may want to sell and upgrade, assuming they could afford better housing. Once again, those who are thinking of a quick profit to feel rich for a while, better not try. There is no turning back and you will only be worst off than before. That's how some ended up living in the parks and beaches.

Good news for HDB and property owners again

New MRT line driving property boom in Bukit Panjang. COV $120k for 5rm and at least $30k for the rest. Singaporeans are getting richer again, without having to work for it. Just sit on the property and ask for higher price and they will get it. For those who cannot buy HDB flats, pray hard that the bubble will burst. But this will not happen as the price inflation is carefully managed and everyone can afford one, be it 1rm, 2rm or bigger. Everytime there is an increase in $100k, it means someone will have to work another 10 years for nothing just to pay for it. We are a country of happy property owners.

How real are polls and reports?

Singapore is the most desired country for migration and its population could go up by 200% if those who wanted to come are allowed to come. But the US is still the most preferred country to migrate to. Wow, we are number one again. If one ask anyone from a third world poor country if they want to migrate to a first world country, would they say no? If the survey were to be conducted in India or China, at least 1% would say they want to come to Singapore and we would have 20 million instant citizens. If the survey were to ask the respondents about Australia and that there is no racist policy to keep them out, at least 50 million each from India and China would be there in no time. So how much good can we attach to a survey like this? And of course as been pointed out, if 10 million want to come here, our population will be inflated by 200%. If 30 million want to go to the US, its population will only go up by 10%. In percentage term the US is less favoured than us. It is like surveying 5 people and claim that 100% of the respondent say yes.

So, littering by fliers is ok?

If the ST is the official mouthpiece of the govt, then littering by fliers is ok. I say if. Of course ST is not the mouthpiece of the govt and its position is not necessarily the position of the govt. It just exercises its right to express its view and position on any issue it wants. This morning's editorial on littering by housing agent is blaming the Singaporeans for being too well taken cared of, a spoilt lot. It asked, why can't the heartlanders just pick up the fliers and put them into the dustbins? Let's see, 3 or 4 fliers daily, at different times, will mean that the heartlanders will have to perform this cleansing daily a few times if they did not want the flier/litter to adorn their entrance. Why should heartlanders be responsible for clearing the fliers left by someone else? They are not simply nuisance as I have said. What if all the spoilt heartlanders just let the fliers accumulate in the corridors? It is not a matter of just the cleaners to come cleaning. It is a slum in the making. The heartland will become another third world slum, with litters everywhere. Is this the standard that we want, permitting litters to be strewn everywhere? Heh heh, I love the idea.

Why need foreign talent in finance?

Look at the three local banks that we have, big strong and financially sound. These banks were built, brick by brick, under conservative and traditional principles and practices of banking. They grow in a slow pace, under strict regulations and scrutiny. Their conservative and traditional practices have lagged them behind the multinational American and European banks, the Citis, Goldmans, the Morgans, the Lloyds, Barclays and the UBS. These American and European banks grew rapidly during the period of liberalisation and deregulations. But then many grew big fast and quick and went pop fast and quick as well. In banking and finance, the hare and tortoise race is still applicable in many ways. With the benefits of hindsight, the Americans and Europeans are trying to rein in the free wheeling days when high finance is nothing more than a casino and selling snake oils. Liberalisation and deregulation were what they demanded and what they got, and the whole system nearly collapsed with trillions lost across the world. The situation is best summed up by an article in the ST by Howard Davis, former Chairman of Britain’s Financial Services Authority and now director of the London School of Economics. He quoted Andy Haldane from the Bank of England, …‘Only when markets were deregulated and liberalised from the early 1970s onwards did finance once again leap ahead…. He argues that much of the apparent growth in value added has in fact been illusory, based on increased leverage, excess trading and banks writing deep out of the money options, for example, credit default swaps, a US$60 trillion (S$80 trillion) market in 2007....What all these strategies had in common…was that they involved banks assuming risk in the hunt for yield – risk that was often disguised because it was parked in the tail of the return distribution.’ The era of fool’s gold may be over and America and Europe may not see its heyday sooner. But fear not, for if America and Europe ‘over constrain the finacial sector, risk may migrate outside the regulatory frontier, where it will be harder to measure and monitor.’ And this is where Singapore can step in. The rejects from the American and European financial industry are welcomed here to do their damages. Our local banks is in need of these foreign talents to spurt growth, to grow as big as Citibank, Lehmans, Goldmans, Morgans, the Bears and Stearns and the likes. Shall we or shall we not welcome these foreign talents into our financial industry? They will bring growth and innovation and boost our productivity and bottom line practically overnight. We don’t have to wait a millenium to grow our local banks to super banks. They can be super banks with the foreign expertise and their innovative banking practices and writing off debts. Banks need to take risk, high risk, and operate like casinos if they want rapid growth and high yield. With our greed for instant growth, like our infamous instant tree formula, we have no choice but to embrace these foreign talents with open arms. PS. Below are the causes of the financial crisis listed in Wikipedia. You can actually tick those that are applicable and happening here to see the risk that we are exposed. 1 Background and causes(2007/8 financial crisis) * 1.1 Growth of the housing bubble * 1.2 Easy credit conditions * 1.3 Sub-prime lending * 1.4 Predatory lending * 1.5 Deregulation * 1.6 Increased debt burden or over-leveraging * 1.7 Financial innovation and complexity * 1.8 Incorrect pricing of risk * 1.9 Boom and collapse of the shadow banking system * 1.10 Commodities boom * 1.11 Systemic crisis * 1.12 Role of economic forecasting

US carriers the perfect targets

'Setting the stage for a possible conflict, Beijing has grown increasingly vocal in its demands for the U.S. to stay away from the wide swaths of ocean — covering much of the Yellow, East and South China seas — where it claims exclusivity. It strongly opposed plans to hold U.S.-South Korean war games in the Yellow Sea off the northeastern Chinese coast, saying the participation of the USS George Washington supercarrier, with its 1,092-foot (333-meter) flight deck and 6,250 personnel, would be a provocation because it put Beijing within striking range of U.S. F-18 warplanes. The carrier instead took part in maneuvers held farther away in the Sea of Japan. U.S. officials deny Chinese pressure kept it away, and say they will not be told by Beijing where they can operate. "We reserve the right to exercise in international waters anywhere in the world," Rear Adm. Daniel Cloyd, who headed the U.S. side of the exercises, said aboard the carrier during the maneuvers, which ended last week. But the new missile could undermine that policy.' The above is extracted from an article by ERIC TALMADGE, Associated Press. The article is about China's new missile technology that is specifically developed to take on the American aircraft carrier group that is proving to be a menace in the East China Seas. The Americans have enjoyed naval and air superiority over all nations for a long time. This superiority is now being negated by the Chinese missiles that have the precision to knock out an aircraft carrier. It would be a cheap missile against a big, high value and worthy targets in terms of lives and machinery. Going down with an aircraft carrier will be several thousand crews and several hundreds of aircraft. A good bargain definitely. The Americans will now have to be very careful pushing their sitting ducks in the waters around China. They will come within the range of these high precision missiles designed specially to take them out of the equation. It is no more an invincible task force. It is a lame duck! The arrogance of American raw power has met its nemesis.

Pavlov’s Law in action

Pavlov is famous for his experiment in substituting a stimulus to elicit a desired response. Animals can respond for instance to a bell or a light and salivate as if it is responding to a food stimulus. After reading the papers these few days, I can relate to how we train our young to respond to money as a stimulus. Little school children were given tickets to watch YOG programmes but have to sign an undertaking to forfeit a $5 deposit if they did not turn up. If we keep training our children to respond to this money stimulus, soon their minds will respond to it in a predictable manner. It will be very effective when they become adults. Do not litter or you will be fined. Our streets will be cleaner. We can save a lot of time and trouble teaching children to behave responsibly as a rightful thing, as an ethical thing, as a good thing. Just use the money stimulus will do. Efficient and effective! No need to explain and explain on the whys. Pavlov called this kind of reaction as conditioning. The circus, the zoos and bird parks around the world also use this method very effectively to train animals to behave in the way they want them to.

We have overcome

Asia Insurance Building was the tallest building. Bukit Timah Road was the longest Road. Two battalions armed with 303 rifles and a few guns, we used them for ceremonial salutes today, were all we had. We had 3 tiny reservoirs and had to depend on Johore for our water supply. Each family had 8 to 10 children, mostly uneducated, under employed, and crammed into attap huts or Chinatown cubicles. There were unemployment and shortage of housing. Small businesses had to pay protection money to secret societies to remain in business. We had several small family banks run by self taught businessmen. We overcame the odds. Asia Building is now dwarfed by HDB flats. Longest road is either AYE or PIE. We have an armed force equal or better than anyone in the region. We are self sufficient in our water needs. We have full employment, solved our housing problems, educate our people to the highest level possible. Now what? We have housing problems all over again. We have unemployment among our own people in spite of full employment. We cannot solve a little flooding problem. We do not know what to do with littering by flyers. We built 3 large local banks that operate in the international market, all by our local talents. Now we are sneering at our local talents that they were not good enough to run these banks, and we need to employ foreign talents to run them. And very likely none of these foreign talents even know how to start a banking business. We have one of the world’s highest saving rate only to find out that many will not have enough money for retirement. A visit to the dental clinic or hospital is like offering oneself to be robbed. Maybe it is true that our local talents are hopeless, despite paying them top dollars. That is why we are struggling with little petty problems and got caught off guard now and then. Those days when we could overcome all odds and surmount all problems, no matter how big are over. We can’t even come out with a simple fare structure for public transport and the oldies/students have to subsidise the able, and no one can do anything about it. They just put up a show of protest and live with it, as what had happened to all the unpopular policies. What is happening?

YOG and empty stadium

Why students not attending YOG events despite being given free tickets? Why, maybe transport fare is too expensive. You think travelling around is free and the students got so much money to spare?

War crimes in Sri Lanka and Myanmar

America is behind the war crime investigations in Sri Lankan and Myanmar under the UN umbrella. How come there is no war crime investigation against America in Vietnam, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Guantanamo? Why were there no war crime tribunal against the indiscreet killing of civilians in Nagasaki and Hiroshima by the Americans. And pushing it a little back, why no crimes against humanity against the Americans for slavery of Africans and genocide against the Red Indians? When will the UN grow some balls to initiate war crimes or crimes against humanity against the Americans?

How much are the fare increases?

We know that the fares were raised. We know that it was meant to be a fairer system. We know that 3 out of 4 commuters would benefit from the fare hike and 1 out of 4 would have to pay more. How much more and how much less? We also know that the transport companies would lose $88m in revenue. Really? Let’s look at some numbers. I am using what I know to extrapolate the impact on all the commuters. A senior citizen will save 15c if he travels a short distance of 4/5 stations, (68-53). If he travels longer distance, he would have to pay 18c more(86-68). Before the changes, a senior citizen pays 68c for maybe 24 stations. With the new changes, the transport company would even out the reduction in the first 4/5 stations from commuters who travel the next 4/5 stations. Subsequently the rest of the journey or more than 10 stations will be pure additional profits. Give away 15c for 4/5 stations and collect 18c from the next 4/5 stations is already a profit. The rest of the journey collects 18c. Not bad a formula. How could they lose $88m? And the same principle is applicable to students and normal fare commuters. The percentage increases could be much more in the normal fare category. When you collect more and give out less, I think the profit is enormous rather than losing $88m. I stand to be corrected on the exact numbers as I am just extrapolating from the fares of senior citizens. SMRT are cordially invited to provide the exact numbers here.

The financial industry getting darker

With more big players coming here to operate dark pool electronic trading, the activities in the finance industry will surely get darker. Dark pool operations are against the merits of transparency. Ronald Arculli, chairman of Hong Kong Exchange said that ‘dark pools pose a “systemic risk” to financial markets because of their lack of transparency.’ However, when the industry practice is less then virtuous, playing in the dark side seems to be easier to accept. Many experts in US and Europe have cried out loud against this practice and have told of the dangers it presented. It is also unfair to the rest of the investors for not having such information and trading in the dark. It is no longer a level playing field when information is withheld by some parties. Stock exchanges that see it their responsibility to provide and level playing field and transparency need to re examine themselves and ask if they are violating the very principles and regulations that are supposed to uphold. Will dark pools turn out to be as toxic as toxic notes and mini bonds one day? Welcome to the dark side.

Why are the oldies complaining about fare hike?

The recent fare hike, or to put it better, fare adjustment, was not meant to be a fare hike. Whether commuters, especially the senior citizens, travel longer or shorter distance, need to make a transfer or not, there will be a saving. I am a senior citizen and I am speaking on my first hand experience. I am benefitting by adjusting my pattern of travelling. Before the fare hike, if I travel 1 station or 2 stations, I would have to pay 68c. If I travel 5 stations or 11stations, I would still pay 68c. With the new changes, if I travel 1 station or 2 stations, I will have to pay 53c. If I travel 5 or 11 stations, I will have to pay 86c. My normal route will mean that I will have to pay 18c more one way or 36c more daily. This is a 26% hike every day! Now, how can I benefit from the changes? I figure out that if I get in at station 1 and out at station 2, I will save 15c (68-53). So if I break up my journey into ten trips, in and out of every one station, I could save $1.50 per trip or $3 daily. Wow, I am saving more than the 36c hike daily by changing my travelling pattern! Can make money some more. I am an oldie and my mental faculty may be a little faulty. Please don’t take advantage of oldies. And thank you for helping me to save $3 daily.

The virtuous deaf frogs

The fare hike was meant to benefit the commuters. But it is ok that 1 out of 4 got to pay more. Lily Neo was furious and asked, 'Is the minister aware of the frustration and anger of many...on the ground? Raymond Lim 'acknowledged that some seniors face "significant fare increases". And it was an agonising decision that the Public Transport Council had to make. Then what? Stop whining and move on? Hey, the little money that the seniors have is crucial to their daily lives. Every cent counts. It is not a matter of whether they can take bus, mrt or taxis, it can mean going with one meal less or trying to make ends meet. Many of these seniors did not earn $2m or $3m a year. The few cents may be nonsense and meaningless to people earning millions, but please don't brush it off as just too bad. Do something and not let the poor seniors being robbed of their cup of kopi O.

Vandalism or littering allowed?

Inserting flyers into people’s doors and gates is not vandalism and not littering. Ok, I accept that. Is it trespassing when they are not wanted? It is public nuisance when the owners would have to make the effort to throw them away? Is it a fire hazard when too many are left around and a lighted cigarette could set them ablaze? Is it a security risk to the owners when the flyers are a tell tale sign that the owners are not in for a long duration? Who should be responsible if someone slips on the fliers and get hurt? But it is so complicated and confusing an issue that our top talents in Parliament could not come out with a clear position. The fliers’ owners claimed that they have to do it to generate business. And some jokers even agree to it, saying that they cannot prevent people from doing business. What kind of bullshit is that? Why are the nasi lemak and kalipok boys and girls and small time hawkers not allowed to peddle their wares? Oh they got no licence, never pay protection money is it? Why should flat owners be troubled by the fliers and have to clear them away? What if the owners opened their doors and the fliers drop onto the floor, and left there? Is it littering on the part of the owners? The fliers are litters and will litter the whole corridor. When have littering been allowed? What happen to the $500 fine for littering? This looks like another serious and complex problem, like loan sharks and motor insurance scam, no one is able to solve. It’s not elementary, Watson. So the people should continue to be harassed and bombarded by fliers and they can do nothing about it. And Parliament too cannot do anything about it. It is just doing business. Did I see a big bull somewhere? Shall someone engage a prominent lawyer to clarify the legal position on this? There must be a position, black or white. Of shall it stay grey forever, impossible to solve?

I am back!

Practically every week there will be news on LKY making some calls on national affairs. After his revolutionary statement that there shall be no retirement age, the reports are the surest sign that he will be standing in the next GE. I believe he was the man who advised Deng Xiaoping to replace the old Chinese leadership with younger men and women in charge. China has done so and their leaders are mostly younger than ours now. We still have LKY, Jayakumar and Chok Tong in an age group that makes the Chinese leaders look boyish. So, why the dramatic change to keep the oldies going for as long as they are still kicking? Is it dearth of leadership, dearth of good political leaders? China is a big country with depth in talents. We don’t have the luxury. Look at the banks and you will understand why. The locals are just inept, not good enough, and you just cannot risk the banks with them. So there is a need to keep looking for foreign talents when the locals are just not good enough. For political leadership, things are a bit trickier. PRs cannot be political leaders for one. They need to change their ICs to pink. Only pink can do. For any newly minted citizens, preferably they should be pinkies for a few years to lend some credibility to be our political leaders. There is thus an urgent task to find and attract more foreign talents to boost up the quality of our political talent. In the meantime, the oldie trinity of LKY, Jayakumar and Chok Tong would still be needed to warm the seats and hold the fort. If this theory is true, then soon we could be seeing a Clinton, Brown, Gandhi or a Hu becoming our PM and leading us to a brighter future. Let’s welcome the foreigners with open arms. It is quite sad that with 2 million people we could carry ourselves to the first world. Now with 4/5 million people we are saying that our future will be doomed without more talented foreigners coming here to help us.

Is Superbug another health crisis?

The fear of H1N1 has just subsided after hundreds of millions of dollars were spent to stock up the vaccine by fearful nations, particularly those countries that have a lot of money to pay for the drug. The pharmaceutical companies must be very thankful for the monetary windfall for a crisis that was blown out of proportion and is now seen as not worst off than another variation of the common flu. The new hype, Superbug, is catching the attention of news hungry media. It is seen as another big thing by the European experts, and the monetary potential for big profits is very tempting. The Superbug is claimed to have its origin in India. The Indian health authority is not amused and angry that India is being picked as the culprit for the bug. And they too are questioning the vested and commercial interests of parties crying wolf. Could this be another cry wolf episode and a money spinner? Or would the world take this less seriously as the H1N1? Would WHO raise the alarm and pronounce this as another epidemic waiting to happen? Let’s hope that this is a false alarm. Let’s hope that countries were not made to waste precious money to hoard vaccines that may not be necessary. In this case there is no vaccine available for the next 10 years. But huge sums of money will have to be set aside for R&D to come up with a wonder drug. What if this is real? How are we going to be affected should we be found to harbour a big pool of carriers living in our neighbourhood? One thing for sure, our economy will shrink immediately if we are to repatriate in bulk, all the foreign workers from affected countries. There is a health risk and an economic risk. Our HDB flats will be vacant with no more tenants or foreign talents vying to buy resale flats. The property bubble will surely to burst, not because of a world financial crisis, but a Superbug. I recall the Year 2000 bug and how that also led to a crisis of worldwide proportion. This Superbug is an interesting development that could prove comical.

Notable quote by Lee Hsien Loong

"Let us welcome them with an open heart, help them to fit in and encourage those who will become citizens to strike roots here. If we do this well, by the next generation, their children will be native Singaporeans." Lee Hsien Loong The future of Singapore is looking very bright and exciting. We are going all out to woo the brightest talents from all over the world, including those who helped in one way or another to create the world's biggest financial collapse, to work with us. Yes, if we handle this well, Singapore's future will be rosy and good. And we have hundreds of billions in our reserves that would serve our future well too. And the large reserves will come in handy to the financial experts coming into our shores. Together with GIC and Temasek, if we manage these monies well, we may not have to work in the future. The money will work for us, with the help of all the financial talents. We are talking about our future getting better and better. Presumably we are doing very well now. And yes, many are doing excellently today except for the few oldies that needed $20 to help out in their transport fare and a few who have to live in the parks. Tell them not to worry, the future is looking really good, that is, if we handle the situation well. What if we did not do it well?

$20 for senior commuters

Gan Kim Yong is dishing out $20 from his CCC fund to senior citizens affected by the recent fare hikes in public transport. Only those who are 60 and above and have less than $1,500 monthly family income qualified. It is expected that this will cost the CCC $20,000. This is a one time payment though there is possibly of further payments. Is there a real problem affecting the senior citizens? After all it is only a few cents per trip. And this is not enough even to buy a can of soft drink. So why the hooha? Gan Kim Yong had received many complaints during his meet the people session. So there is a real problem. Other MPs are also getting more complaints on the same issue. If there is a problem, how is a one time $20 going to help remove the problem? Is this just a gesture of kindness or a temporary measure while the MPs are seeking a real solution to the plight of the poor oldies? Should those who made the decision to increase the small and irritating few cents of financial burden try to do something, like donating their bonuses to help them? After all their bonuses can come to several hundred thousands each and quite likely paid by these small increases? I don’t think anything will happen as the small hike is going to bring in many benefits to the oldies in the future. The hike is a good thing, helping the oldies. It becomes ridiculous to dish out more money for the oldies when they are supposedly benefitting from the hike. Or is it?

The Bankrupt of America

‘The US is bankrupt and it doesn’t even know it. Economy won’t be big enough to handle US$4 trillion in entitlements owed to 78 million baby boomers. Let’ get real. The United States is bankrupt. Neither spending more nor taxing less will help the country pay its bills….’ This is the heading and first paragraph of an article in Bloomberg, by Laurence Kotlikoff, Professor of Economics at Boston University. Yeah man, The US of A is a bankrupt country. And it is still strutting its stuff everywhere thinking that it is still the big boy in town. But the best part of this fiasco is that they think that they can act rich and spend their way out of this rut. They are going to print and print more greenbacks for the Americans to go on spending. This is the happiest solution that anyone can ever think of. In fact it is ingenious. A bankrupt spending like a millionaire and as if there is no tomorrow. And the problem will go away. When is America going to carry a bowl and go a begging in the streets of London?

Notable quote by Seelan Palay

“Before we begin, I’d like to clarify that I’m in the dock in shackles, cuffs and chains not because I have committed any crime. I am here in this state because of another unjust law administered on behalf of the PAP Government.” Seelan Palay I copied the above quote from jacob 69er. Seelan was speaking to the judge just before the proceeding of his trial. I totally disagree with the way we treat and handle our political activists with cuffs and shackles. Do we have to be so mean? They are not criminals and not violent. Many are well educated and responsible citizens. The Americans have their Guantanamo and think it is an acceptable thing. And the world kept quiet about the whole sordid happenings there.

A frightening and uncanny similarity

Please read the extract below from an article by Laurence Kotlifkoff, an economics professor of Boston University. ‘We have 78 million baby boomers who, when fully retired, will collect benefits from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid that, on average, exceed per capita GDP. The annual costs of these entitlements will total about US$4 trillion in today’s money. Yes, our economy will be bigger in 20 years, but not big enough to handle this size load year after year. This is what happens when you run a massive Ponzi scheme for six decades straight, taking ever larger resources from the young and giving them to the old while promising the young their eventual turn at passing the generational buck. Mr Herb Stein, chairman of the Council of economic Advisers under US President Richard Nixon, coined an oft repeated phrase: “Something that can’t go on, will stop.” True enough, Uncle Sam’s Ponzi scheme will stop. But it will stop too late….’ Just think of our CPF scheme, and also the public housing scheme. The ever increasing price of HDB flats, direct from HDB or resale, is like taking from the young to pay the oldies. And of course, promising the young that the housing bubble will go on expanding, never ending, and they will reap their millions tomorrow. How long can this go on? Or as Stein above said, ‘Something that can’t go on, will stop?’

What is $10 million?

This is a statement that a friend of mine used to gripe about. He was cheesed off when he heard this statement made by an elite. That is another world of successful people who have made literally tons of money and $10 million is not money to them in the real sense. It is better that we come down to earth and talk about $100k. What is $100k? Some foolish people take this just as a number. What is $100k if the resale price of a 3 rm or 4 rm flat goes up by that amount? To the owner or seller of the flat, wow, I am richer. Think again. What is this amount to the young couple earning a combined income of $3k means to them? It simply means that they will have to work for 3 years for nothing, and that is if they did not spend a cent, to earn $100k to pay for the flat. In reality, people who earn $3k can at best save $500 pm. This means his debt or burden because of this $100k increase in the price of a flat will drag him down for at least another 10 years. For those foolish people who cannot see any meaning in a $100k increase in public housing price, please sleep on it. Or you may want to rubbish it as another gripe that is best not spoken and not heard. It is the problem of the losers.

Be thankful for the gripes

What would this island become if there is no gripes? One thing for sure, we will continue to see 3,000 public flats being built annually and the resale price of 3 rm flats could be $1m by now. And yes, our population will have hit 6m! And SMRT will be happily recruiting pushers to push the commuters into the sardine packed trains and happily announcing more profits. What else could happen? Ministers would be laughing to the banks with $10m salary. Floods in Orchard Road will be time for celebration and parties. Car insurance would be more expensive than the value of the car itself. And there will be many more mind blowing stuff that would be taken for granted, or as normal and acceptable. Gripes are like symtoms of a sickness. The symptoms appear, crying for attention to treat the disease. Failing to heed will only see the disease going from bad to worst. Imagine if there are no symtoms, like no gripes, the victim could be dead sooner without knowing why. Be thankful, be very thankful, that the people are whining and griping. Only deaf frog would not be bothered with whining and griping. They would not know and live in their own state of oblivious bliss. And some choose to be deaf frogs. The drones of vuvuzuelas are irritating. But they serve a very important purpose. Why have Reach? Waste of time and money indeed, if griping is seen as unhealthy and to be ignored, buried under the carpet. Don't want to know. Put on that 4m smiles and everything will appear fine.

Japan PM apologises to South Korea

Japan PM Naoto Kan apologises to the people of South Korea for the humiliating colonisation of Korea in the early 20th Century. The thought of colonising a people of another country, robbed them of their pride, culture and identity, treating them like animals and murdering them at their fancy, is something unthinkable today. How could any country go around thinking of colonising and subjugating another people of a different country? Such thinking was prevalent during the days of colonialism. Prior to that, hunting slaves was also acceptable in the European world. Though the world has changed since then, the domineering thought of superior race and of controlling other inferior races is still in existence in many countries. And some Japanese are still harbouring this grandeur of their past supremacy. The apologies by Kan has been attacked and rejected by some extreme quarters in the Japanese govt. It is disgraceful to make such an apology as far as this group of people is concerned. They would not apologise for the humiliation and atrocities inflicted on the lesser races, especially to the Koreans and Chinese and other Southeast Asian countries. Would Japan really repent and denounce their past militant doctrine given the fact that there are still many 'conservatives' who would want to relive their past glory? America is encouraging the remilitarisation of Japan as a lackey to wage war with China. Would this foolish act of the Americans, in unleashing the animal in the Japanese psyche, lead to more turbulent times in Asia? There is no honour in war and in invading another country. It is gangsterism at its worst.

We are doing it for Singaporeans

The govt is doing it for the sake of the Singaporeans. This is the most explicit commitment made on National Day by Hsien Loong. We need to bring in more foreign workers for the sake of Singaporeans. Can’t the Singaporeans understand what the govt is doing? What else were done for the sake of the Singaporeans? Higher GST, for the sake of poorer Singaporeans. Higher HDB prices, for the sake of Singaporeans who have bought their flats earlier. Higher minimum sum and Medisave, for the sake of Singaporeans during old age and when hospitalised. Higher medical fees, a world class medical care for the sake of Singaporeans. Higher public transport fare, for the sake of Singaporeans, benefits akan datang. The govt has been doing so many good things for the sake of the Singaporeans. Why are Singaporeans still complaining, whining and griping? Are the Singaporeans so dense that they cannot appreciate what the govt is doing? Look at the foreigners, they know exactly what the govt is doing and know how good they are. And they are very appreciative of what this govt is doing and fully support this govt. The dense Singaporeans should talk to the foreigners and get enlightened. KNN, the $100 levy to enter the casinos is also for the sake of Singaporeans.

Would your parents love you less?

Would your parents love you, or love you less, just because you are a little slow, a little dull, a little complacent? No, parental love transcends all the superficiality of physical perfection or human perceptions of goodness and cleverness. No parents will send their children packing because they are less able, and replace them with other people’s children. It is always children first, under all circumstances, and the more disadvantaged the children are, the greater the parental love and attention. Parents are protective and will sacrifice everything to care for their children. Would parents, deserving to be parents, bring home other people’s children to share the bowl of rice with their children, on the presumption that other people’s children will in the end make life better for their children? And why would other people’s children care for the well being of other competing children? Is this a fallacy or a high falutin theory? No worthy parents would ever think of bringing home better looking or more able children to replace their children, to bestow them with loving tender care. They make do with what they have, their less than perfect children. Most parents would continue to provide more, to make sure their less able children will not be disadvantaged. That is what true and genuine parenthood is all about.

Singapore’s two addictions

Be in Ice or Heroin, an addiction is an addiction. The danger of all addictions is that it takes more and more to get the same high. This means it cannot be stopped or hell will break lose. It is a vicious and very destructive cycle. Our country’s two main addictions are OPM and OPT. OPM comes from statutory boards and the CPF. These money becomes cheap loans to be invested, some called it gambling for big stakes, for high returns. Theoretically it sounds good, borrowing cheap money to invest for big returns. The problems come when the returns are not enough to pay for the low interest or the high operation cost. Then what? Don’t pay back! But this cannot do. The payback can be delayed, even for generations, but the time must come when someone will call for payback time. The Americans have been very successful in borrowing OPM and thinking that it was a good thing. It was a good thing when they can afford to pay back. Now their debt has ballooned to a point that they cannot pay back. It becomes a debt that is too big to pay back and too big to default. The consequences are grave. We are intoxicated by OPM and happily plunging into the same deep end as the Americans, thinking that there is no need to pay back. The truth is that no matter how many spins and schemes can be created to delay the payback, the spins and schemes only add to the gravity of the problem. There is no running away unless we strike lottery. For the last ten years or more we have depended heavily on OPT, Other People’s Talent. We saved a lot of cost to produce these talents and we used them cheaply, making more savings. Our whole economic growth formula is now dependent on OPT. Like OPM, it is another deadly drug. There are side effects to the addiction and there is a big price to pay for. No drugs that give one a high does not come with a price. What is this price and when will be pay back time? For the moment, we only see the good side of OPT and OPM. But like all good things, they are too good to be true. Anything that is too good to be true is dangerous. And the more dangerous part of it is that we cannot see the danger of it. The fundamental economics principles of hard work, thrift, small but genuine profits, not easy profits, high productivity, better goods and better services are discarded for high risks, high returns, for easy profits that we don’t have to work for it. Like the Americans creating all kinds of fictitious and worthless paper products to be sold to the suckers. Worthless notes, toxic notes, derivatives, are illusions that will go pop as they designed to do. OPM and OPT will also go pop one day. They cannot keep piling up with no limitations like turning on the tap and they will keep following. And like all fixes, you need more of them to sustain the next high.

South China Sea, an issue of US Commitment or Interference

Chua Chin Hon, ST’s Bureau Chief in Washington, wrote an article titled, ‘South China Sea issue a test of US Commitment’. The article can best be summed up as a western interpretation of events in South East and East Asia and the role of US to take charge as the undisputed Empire. It touched on how China was staking its claims to 80% of the South China Sea and how this would have rattled the littoral states. It took for granted the US position that 80% of the four oceans are part of their national interest without mentioning how the countries of the world would react to it. Then it pointed to the increasing Chinese military presence and drills as unacceptable developments while the huge military exercises of the American naval fleets in the East China Sea, Yellow Sea and South China Sea as how things should be. What is pertinent in the article is America’s leadership role in Asean. After Hilary Clinton’s attack on China’s position in the disputed South China Sea islands, which provoked a strong reaction from China, the Americans were quick to use this as an excuse to stake their claims to leadership in Asean and their role to lead Asean against China. As Ernest Bower of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS) remarked, ‘If you rattle the cage with China like this and depart, you probably can’t be forgiven.’ And Bower added, ‘To be honest, there’s enough pressure now, particularly with the Chinese reaction, that it may require the Americans to take a leadership role (at this stage).’ This is exactly the intent of the Americans. Provoke a crisis situation and instigate the innocents to be a party to a dispute with the Americans as the undisputed leader. In Bower’s words, ‘I don’t see many Asean countries with the political courage to stand up and take the lead when the elephants are butting their heads.’ The Americans do not see the Asean countries capable of taking on the Chinese in a contentious situation when military is needed. Only they are capable of fighting a big country like China. Would the Asean states be dragged into a confrontation with China instigated by the Americans? The relationship between Asean and China has been one of diplomacy and peaceful negotiation. And Asean was and is able to take on China on an equal basis with no fear of China’s use of force. Would this stance be changed and Asean becoming another SEATO, an extended arm of the American Empire set to pitch against China in a military contest? Or would Asean be wise enough to steer clear of the American scheme of things and remain neutral and independent? The US is coveting a leadership role in Asean and this is the real issue, a test of Asean’s resilience and independence from big power domination. Has Asean been less effective over the years without carrying a mighty sword to the negotiating table and now see it necessary to have the backings of a superpower to conduct its dealings? Would Asean be goaded into a confrontation with China and turn Southeast Asia into a war torn region like the Middle East? This is what will likely to happen if the US is allowed to lead and dictate how Asean shall behave.

Notable Quote by Allan Snyder

‘I will be most distressed if my son comes back with a string of As. Going by my research, it would mean that he is probably not going to do anything exceptional.’ Allan Snyder, Director, Centre for the Mind, University of Sydney. Would words like these give comfort to our mothers and fathers of children without straight As and with some struggling at the bottom of the heap? I am no expert in education or predicting the future of children or assessing their potential. According to Snyder, his research shows that the champions and successful people have nothing to do with their academic achievements. Many have been very successful, even in technical and professional fields, without having straight As. Quite a number were drop outs from schools. The Americans have many luminaries in this category and so do we. Some billionaires in our midst would have been in the Normal Stream of our education system. The mystical thing is that their talents are not in the books. They are gifted or blessed to shine in different fields. How then can we persuade our parents to view things from a different perspective and not just straight As? Are there ways to change the mindset, change the branding and labelling, to accord recognition and acceptance of talents that are not academic geniuses but geniuses in their own rights in other fields? Where shall we start? We have been bungling with this notion of academic brilliance equals success and a good life, which is generally true but not the absolute truth. We need to take a different path, jump into the river or swim the ocean, to find ourself and our own meaning in life. Straight As will in all probability end up being a good civil servant, a good employee, and nothing spectacular. Many of the great inventions today came from non straight As students.

Aerial Photos of NDP

NDP Aerial Display

Just a few aerial pics of the NDP taken earlier.

National Day Message, A Retake

Every National Day is a time for reflection about what this country is all about. National Day brings to light the meaning of nation, and the perennial question being asked is whether we are a nation, or are we getting there. After 45 years of strenuous nation building exercises, sadly, we acknowledge that we are not getting near there. It is still a work in progress. Maybe this is a blessing. Why should we want to build a nation when we can have the best of both worlds? We can have the best people, the most successful people coming here to live in the best city modern history can provide, and we don’t have to be bothered with the responsibility of looking after incompetent and loser citizens who could not make the grade. Just simply tell them to go else where and the vacated place can be quickly filled up by more able and talented individuals who are hungrier and less demanding. An indirect way is to make the cost of living so high that they will quit voluntarily. Should we therefore be craving to build a nation? Or are we chasing a construct that is no longer relevant to a small city state? A hotel, a piece of prime land for those who can afford the best, with no obligations or commitments, no responsibility, run by a mercenary force of hardnosed businessmen should suffice. Let’s be real and pragmatic and reinvent ourselves. Ooops, ourselves is no longer relevant. There is no us or them. Only the board of directors of a prime estate offering its space for those who appreciate how well it is being run. No citizen to please, no need to plan for social security and cheap public services. Pay for what you get and pay to live here. Nothing is free. The present citizens can always opt out of the scheme, sell out, clear their CPF savings and move on. Let this be the last National Day and everything shall start anew on 10 August, no citizen, no NS, no govt services, no social services, no subsidies, no handouts, no entitlement mentality, no gripes. And no need to be bothered by unreasonable and demanding citizens. Ah, no need to build cheap public housing. Sell private properties only, to the highest bidder, to the one who can pay the highest market price. Welcome to the world’s Best Run Private Real Estate. PS. Of course I am talking cock. The difference is that I know I am talking cock.

More flats to be built in 2011

Mah Bow Tan has come out to assure the first time home buyers that more flats, to the tune of 16,000 units will be built next year, and more to come if the demand is there. It is good that he has implicitly acknowledged that there is a serious mismatch in the demand and supply of HDB flats and is trying his best to meet the penned up demand. The current spate of new flats being offered would ease the demand somewhat and perhaps slow down the surging prices of resale flats. This does not in anyway help those first time buyers that have been adversely affected by the shortage over the last few years. Many have to put off their marriage plans, baby making plans and whatever plans. Even with the current measures, it means that they will still have another 3 years to go before anything will happen. It is still a consolation that there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Would Mah Bow Tan stop at this? How would he compensate those that have missed the boat to get a HDB flat and were booted out of the HDB scheme when their incomes exceeded the $8000 ceiling, while trying to get a flat when the supply was low. And the policy then did not give first time buyers higher priority? And there are those that would now have to pay for much higher price HDB flats because they could not get their flats earlier. These first time buyers were callously dismissed by HDB and fell victims to its slow building phase and are adversely affected both in their plans to set up family as well as financially. Their plight cannot be ignored and the boosting of building programmes did not in anyway help this group of buyers or alleviate their problems. Some are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, not enough savings to buy private and not eligible for HDB. Let’s see whether Mah Bow Tan would consider doing something for these people, or would he say just too bad, water under the bridge. Let's move on. Their problems were not totally of their own doing and Mah Bow Tan should shoulder some of the responsibility for not anticipating the mismatch of supply and demand. They have every right to demand HDB to reconsider their cases and bring them back into the HDB scheme. _________________

3 most costly expenditure of Singaporeans

The 3 most expensive items that Singaporeans have to throw their money at are property, car and hospitalisation. A simple flat is likely to cost an average Singaporean $1m by the time he pays up his mortgage. The cars which he would have to purchase in his lifetime would range from $300k to more than a $1m, to an average Singaporean. The rich would spend more than $1m for a car, let alone several million dollar cars in the backyard. Then, given the fact that a Singaporean will live past 80 or 90, the luck of spend a month in hospital could cost him another few hundred thousand. Add another $500k to raise a child through university, geeze, that's quite a lot of money to pay in one's lifetime. But Singaporeans are rich, so not a problem paying for them. Time to celebrate National Day for the good life and able to pay for it.

HDB flats are cheap and good

Kudos to HDB, said Chan Kok Wah in a letter to the Today paper forum. I agree with him completely. HDB flats are so cheap, when compare to the prices of private developers. They are extremely cheap when compare to those in HongKong and Tokyo. We should be so grateful that our public housing flats are so cheap when comparing with the two most expensive cities. Why don't we look closer and compare with what the Malaysian govt is giving to their people? You can get a 3 rm landed property for MY$120k. And this is about $50k! My god, if our $500k 5rm flat is cheap, I will go crazy trying to find a word to describe the Malaysian public housing. It all depends on what one is comparing. We are very good at using the worst to tell our people how fortunate we are. We never use the best in other countries to show how bad we are. Cheap, cheep, chip. Next please.

Who is littering my country?

Singaporeans are being blamed for the increasing littering on the streets. If this be so, our education system has failed badly. Our anti littering campaign has failed badly. Our heavy fines and CWOs have failed miserably. It saddens me to think that all the education and campaigns and fines could not teach our people to keep our streets clean. Don’t forget our toilets are still the dirtiest among the world’s worst. How then could we call ourselves a first world city with first world people and with first world etiquettes and conducts? Living among us there are more than 1 million foreigners, maybe 1 million. Would they be the one who are doing the littering and dirtying of our streets and toilets? I would suggest that we set up a task force to catch some of these culprits and check on their identities. If most of them are Singaporeans, then the schools are not doing enough. If most of them are foreigners, then we should know what to do. Living in our midst, in HDB estates, the school children, the foreign workers and the office workers, there are many foreigners. We need to know why are we failing in cleaning up our city and raising a population that takes pride in keeping our country clean.

The Rules apply to babies and toddlers

There was an impressive news clip last night showing how serious SMRT was in enforcing its No eating and No drinking rules in the trains. The officers were meticulous to the word, very professional and polite, checking on commuters eating or drinking in the trains. For babies or toddlers sucking their milk bottles, they cordially invited the parents and babies to their staff room to drink in comfort and privacy. Now this is nice. I hope no one will come out with a betterer idea to provide special feeding rooms for babies and toddlers in every station, with hot water and wash basins as well. Please don't get any idea on this. This is my country. I love my country. I celebrate National Day on this.

Time to buy another car

COE is down. It was $36k last month and now $32k. Cars are now getting cheaper. Better hurry down to place my order for the next one before the price goes up again. I am hearing everyone saying, cheap, cheap and cheap. (It was $10k a short while ago.) I will call the car salesman today and place my order. How much to bid for the COE, any amount, no problem. If he wants to bid $100k also can. I know that I don’t have to pay for that sum as the monkeys cannot afford to pay so much. So many monkeys will scramble and count how much they could afford before submitting their bids. And knowing that they don’t have much money, how much could they afford to bid, $30k or $40k? They would exhaust every little savings they have. That is all they can afford. To me and those who are, ahem, very comfortable, what is a few million? So bid $100k, bid lah, what is the problem? The system is so kind to people like us, bid high high but no need to pay high high. : ) I love this system. It is an amazing system, very well conceived. Sometimes I feel sorry for the monkeys.

Ding dong policies

The family is the core unit of our nation building. We want our young to get married, have children, at least two. We want them to be filial, to visit their parents, look after and care for their parents. And better still, 3 generation family under one roof. We want our womenfolk to be productive, to go to work and provide that second income to pay for cheap HDB flats where one pay check is not enough. On the other hand we build flats that are smaller and smaller. Not only that the flats cannot accommodate 3 generations together, with 2 or 3 children, there is no room for a maid which is becoming a necessity to many families. The car park fees keep going up. How to visit parents when every hour is charged? How to be filial and stay overnight with parents when over night parking fee is doubled? Don’t they want the children to visit their parents, spend time with their parents, to share quality time with the family? And the parking fees for second car of children who want to spend more time with their parents are so costly. And instead of providing for adequate car parks, they only know how to increase the fees to keep people away. Parking is not just parking. It is a social activity, an essential family activity, an activity related to filial piety. It is also an activity where grandparents can help to look after the grandchildren while the parents are at work. The parents don’t just come back to pick up their children and scoot off immediately. The parking policies, providing inadequate car parks and prohibitive parking fees are anti social and anti family. The shoe box flats are also anti family and anti procreation. You mean you don’t know? Ding dong, ding dong, like two balls banging against each other happily ever after. It is unbelieveable to think that this doubling of carpark fees is universal and applicable to all car parks whether they are full or half full. Will it be implemented like dat?

Manifesto of Reform Party

Below are the 19 policy pledges of the Reform Party that I copied from its site. This is a list of 19 policy pledges that are on the top of our agenda for action when we gain a majority in Parliament: Providing Cheaper and Better Lower-Income Housing by releasing more land for house-building and allowing the private sector a greater role Universal health insurance to be funded through current CPF contributions replacing current Medisave and Medishield schemes Basic Old Age Pension payable to all provided they have worked and paid into CPF for a sufficient number of years Reform of CPF to make contributions above those necessary to fund health and unemployment insurance and basic pension voluntary Universal child benefit scheme (as part of Guaranteed Minimum Income) to replace current tax breaks that heavily favour women on higher incomes Guaranteed Minimum Income for those in work to replace current Workfare system and to be integrated with child benefit and tax system A Minimum Wage to encourage businesses to raise productivity Reforms to Foreign Worker Policy to ensure that business gets the skilled labour it needs but that our own citizens come first Reductions in or exemptions from GST for certain categories of goods like food that form a higher proportion of total expenditure for those on median incomes and below Universal free and compulsory education from pre-school through to secondary level Expanded university enrolment and increased investment in improving quality of education for everyone Increased assistance for older workers and women re-entering the labour market to retrain and acquire new educational qualifications Reduction in NS to 18 months initially with aim to reduce it to one year as soon as feasible Requirement for new citizens and PRs to do NS or to pay lump sum tax instead Privatization of Temasek and GIC and distribution of equity to Singaporean citizens of more than five years standing Continuing Business and Foreign Investment Friendly Environment coupled with low tax rates Greater help and support for local SMEs to grow world-class companies Abolish restrictions on freedom of expression to encourage creativity and innovation necessary for a 21st century knowledge-based economy Reduce waste and inefficiency in government starting with slashing ministerial salaries and replacing it with performance-linked earnings tied to indicators directly related to your welfare I am sold to these pledges. I just want to add one point on the housing policy. Do away with salary ceiling. If we build enough flats, there is no fear of those who earns a bit more fighting with those who earn lesser. Forcing young people to buy expensive private flats is wicked. Also, every citizen who has served NS should be entitled to buy a flat from HDB as a recognition for his sacrifice to the nation. I support all the 19 pledges.

Are we at war?

My eyebrows were raised when I read an article by Ong WeiChong in the ST today. The article 'Preserve the link between citizens, SAF' mentioned our soldiers involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I quote, 'As part of the multinational effort to restore stability in Iraq, 998 SAF personnel were deployed in Operation Blue Orchid in and around the Iraqi theatre from 2003 to 2008. The SAF presence in Afghanistan to date has included provincial reconstruction teams, medical teams, a weapon-locating radar team, an unmanned aerial vehicle task group, aerial refuelling aircraft teams and artillery trainers. The technicality that Singapore is not at war does not disguise the fact that SAF personnel are operating in a war zone.' Fortunately, I believe, we have no casualty yet. What if one of our boys come back in a black plastic bag? Would he be considered KIA, killed in a war? I pray nothing of such will happen to our boys. Such missions are not the same as those in Meubulah during the tsunami crisis when our boys were there to provide and assist in humanitarian aids.

A warning to triple A countries

The Americans continue their provocations against the North Koreans with more military drills and a series of offensive anti North Korea media reports. Many western reporters have been roped in, including some from Asia and even Singapore, to write derogatory and biased reports about North Korea and Kim Jung Il. Now they are intensifying their provocations by attempting to freeze North Korean bank accounts in US banks and western banks that the US could manipulate. And they cry out loud that the North Koreans are provocative. But the western world and the American lackeys could not see any provocative acts on the part of the Americans. What did the North Koreans do to be branded as provocative? Could not they react to such provocations by the Americans? The freezing of North Korean bank accounts is a warning to all the triple A countries that their turn will come. These Asian, African and Latin American countries should take heed of this warning and move their money out of America and American banks, including those banks that are American allies, particularly those in Europe. They should park their money in banks that the Americans cannot lay their hands on or touch them. But if they choose to be silly and continue to park their money in American and European banks, they will have to take the risk of their money being frozen one day.

Work to live longer

LKY has said it and proven this to be true. He is a living example. Yesterday there was a letter to Today’s paper disputing this claim and quoting two research papers, one by Japanese Nobel Laureate Dr Leo Esaki and another by Dr Ephrem Cheng of the University of Alberta. Both papers pointed to people living longer if they retired earlier than later. The studies based on American workers in AT&T and Boeing, Lockheed and Lucent concluded that employees who retired at 65 died within two years of retirement. On the other hand those who retired at 50 or 55 could live up to 85. Is there a contradiction or conflict in LKY’s position and those of the two academic. Actually no. What is important is that people who retire early should continue to work on a part time basis and ‘at a more leisurely pace, without the stress of the daily grind.’ And, ahem, that is what LKY is doing. He had retired from the premiership many years back and is working at a pace comfortable to him, without the stress of the daily grind. For those who are going to continue to work and retire after 65, the study says they will die within two years after retirement. But there is a little hope. If they just stay on the job, they may live and work till the day they die, may be 80 or 85, provided the job is still there for them. The food court cleaners are the best example. They will live to a ripe age, working happily in the food court. But my experience in the food courts is that none of them appear happy. They are mostly grumpy, grouchy, hot temper and quarrelsome, anything but happy.

Solving problem Singapore Style

We have just solved the night car parking problem in HDB car parks. We have solved the jams in our road system, we have solved gambling addictions among Singaporeans, we have solved our housing problems. We have solved the problem of not able to get quality politicians by using money. We solved the corruption problem too. Even insurers of motor vehicles have learnt the trick. We have solved many problems by applying the same principle, using money. How we used money to solve problems can be classified under two distinct categories. The first is to throw money at the problem. The more money thrown at it, the faster will the problem be solved. The second method is to make the affected party pay for the incompetence of the organisation. In applying this method, every problem becomes a money making opportunity. I think problems are most welcome as problems will end up in boosting the bottom line. Naturally the second method is the preferred choice. The smarter Singaporeans are aware of this and are afraid to raise new problems as their own pockets will be affected. The ignorant will continue to raise problems to be solved with their pockets being emptied. A few outstanding problem awaiting to be solved. The recurrent flooding in Orchard Road and many other areas, and the crowding in MRT trains. The solutions are at hand.

Should Singaporeans be angry?

In a discussion in PAP's Facebook, it was claimed that a PR by the name of Fahim Hameed had called Singaporeans scums for not appreciating the things the govt have done for them. I am not sure how true this is, but it sounds real as several blogs have reported on it. Should Singaporeans be angry to be called scums by a PR they invited to live with them, to make money here, and also to enjoy our hospitality? I think they should not and there are many reasons for it. In the first place, the PRs are here to help the Singaporeans, help to create jobs for Singaporeans, help to increase GDP growth, have in population growth, help to improve our genetic pool, help Singaporeans to be more productive and competitive. And Singaporeans can sell their flats and make profits from the PRs too, or rent out rooms for pocket money. Be grateful, Singaporeans. And to have a PR to call Singaporeans scums is actually an honour. If Singaporeans are scolded by lesser talents, then it will be an insult. But PRs are normally more talented. And to be insulted by a better talent is no shame. Singaporeans should instead say thank you to this Fahim Hameed. Without Fahim, Singaporeans would not know that they have become scums in the eyes of FTS.

The Booms and Fear

Seah Chiang Nee posted an article in the Malaysian Star paper titled, GDP up, but no cheer heard. It is a true reflection of the sentiment on the ground. Who cares or is interested in the 15% GDP growth? Who would such a number benefits? Only those that will benefit from it will be quietly patting themselves of the good news and the goodies coming their way. The surprising reaction is that the booming economy is going to lead to more fears. The fear of high inflation and higher cost of living. The first frightening news is the arrival of another 100,000 foreign workers to meet the demand of a booming economy. What this simply means is that more people crowding the public facilities and transportation system. Higher property prices. More social problems, more competition by cheap labour. Singaporeans would likely ask, what is in it for me? Economic boom, bigger reserves, GIC and Temasek’s holding in record high. For who, benefit who? Singaporeans would be lucky to be given an angpow of a few hundred bucks. The trouble is that no sooner than the angpow is received, they will be taken back in many other ways. The public transport companies have already started to raise their fares by a whopping 40% and the people are asked to tolerate and wait for it to benefit them. This is new. In the past, they give first before taking back. Now take first then give and probably take back more later. Maybe this will answer Seah Chiang Nee’s observation on why no cheer for a booming economy.

The Cocks are crowing

With the high ridership in public transport system, particularly the trains, all kinds of brilliant and silly ideas are being churned out. There are actually no brilliant ideas at all but mostly silly ones. They are as silly as those offered and implemented to reduce road congestions. All ends up with the motorists paying more for being caught in slow traffic and jams. The silly ideas being bounced around will do the same thing. They will increase fares without improving the situation. The problem must be addressed first if we are to solve the overcrowding in trains. The problem is simply too many commuters and too few trains, like too many cars and too few roads. Some of the ideas like employing staff to shove commuters into trains were happily suggested as if it is a fashionable and acceptable thing because the Japanese are doing it. It is obnoxious to shove people around like animals into a cage. Never learn or do silly things just because a developed country is doing it. Think first, on what is good, reasonable and desirable in a first class transport system. Don't copy blindly. Another silly idea is to charge more for peak hours like ERPs. Another stupid idea of course. Most of the commuters are not rich and have to arrive at their places of work on time. Stop thinking of fleecing the poor commuters on an inefficient or inadequate system. The overcrowding is a simple manifestation that the train system is unable to cope with the increase ridership. You need more trains running or more lines. On the contrary you need to bring down ridership. The latter is no go as the public are encouraged to take public transport and give up their cars. Wait till another 100,000 foreign workers join the crowd. The signs of over capacity are there for all to see. The island is overcrowded and the infrastructure is straining. The flooding is another sign that there is just so much space left and further development or demands on space will lead to system breakdown. Say again, 6.5 million or 10 million population is our target? We need more people to ensure economic growth? It is time to stop adding more sardines into the tiny can.

Inviting a wolf into a sheep pen

Asean's invitation of the US to play a bigger role in the region is like inviting a wolf into a sheep pen. The US is notorious for warmongering. In fact it thrives on wars. It depends on wars to survive, to keep its weapons industry going, its huge military forces and weapons useful. Starting wars and propagating wars is the US way to sustain its economy and keep itself relevant. Wherever the Americans are, there will be wars. The latest casualty is Pakistan. It had many years of peace without the US. The moment Musharraff went dining with George Bush, the country was plunged into warfare. And it is still at war. The other notables are Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran and Korea will be next. And to keep an incessant series of wars in the pipeline, it is sowing seeds in the Asean region, encouraging the Asean states to stand up to China with their backings. The Filipinos used to do that by arresting or harrassing Chinese fishing boats. Of course they knew that they had the Americans behind them to pull the whiskers of a sleeping dragon. Would Asean be thrown into a state of turmoil and warfare? Will Southeast Asia be no longer a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality? We will have to see how silly the Asean leaders are and the consequences of playing with fire.

The Return of LKY

There is no doubt who is in charge in Singapore. Whatever the ministers are doing, there seems to be tacit approval before they could be passed as govt policies, except for trivial policies and issues. And when things get rough, LKY is there, the real goalkeeper. He is the final stage of defense and will not let anything go pass him. With his declaration that there should be no retirement age, no retirement, work till death do us part, LKY has announced his return to politics and govt. It is very likely that he will run for Tanjong Pagar in the next GE. I see this as a good sign. We never have anyone that is near his calibre after all the years of scrapping the bottom of the barrel and paying multi million dollar salaries. LKY is still the man that everyone looks up to, locally and internationally. And he is everywhere today, a little slower but not his grey matter. He could talk his way out against the best minds anywhere. He is still sorely needed to run the country and keep things in order. Let's return LKY to power and resume his rightful position as the PM of Singapore in the next GE.

Good news for first timers

This is the headline in Today paper. It reported that 95% of 4 and 5 rm flats in two BTO projects in Bukit Panjang and Jurong West will be set aside for first timers. So, should first timers be happy? What about those first timers that have been kicked out of the HDB queue and no longer eligible because of the low building rate in the last few years? Many young professional couples would have breached the salary ceiling after 2 or 3 years of work and if they did not get the flat in time, if they found a partner late, they will no longer be able to buy HDB flats even if they are first timers. And their plight is that they will be forced to pay through their noses for private properties. It is like hanging a huge debt on them just when they are starting a new life. It is a very cruel situation for young people to be forced to take up huge housing loans because of mismanagement in public housing policies, or is it an imbalance in supply and demand? And they have to pay the price for the imbalance. Where is the good news to this group of first timers? The media shall do a survey on how many young couples have been forced out of the system and put out a story on this. With housing prices shooting to the sky, every Singaporeans must be eligible to buy a HDB flat. They have served their time in NS, and are expected to fight to defend this country. Why should they be deprived of a public housing flat when new citizens who have not done any contributions to the country, no NS, are eligible to buy public housing?