Janil Puthucheary – best speech in Parliament

Janil’s call for free public transport at pre peak hours was touted as the best speech in Parliament. Many MPs are out in full support of his suggestion that between 7am to 7.45am travelling in public transport should be free to ease congestion. I also support free transportation. Who doesn’t?

But this is a very bad idea, an idea that is floated without much thinking. Do the MPs know that even before 7am the trains are already full, may not be as jam packed as peak hours, but with very little room for more? I am not sure about buses. This only shows that the MPs are all living in lala land.

What could happen when travelling is free as proposed? All the foreign workers will jam up the train as it would mean saving or earning another dollar or so, which is big money to them, for being earlier by half an hour or one hour. Who would be the victims, our school children, especially the girls. With the trains packed with foreign workers because it is free, the sex starved foreign workers, in big numbers, are likely to behave wildly. Just for this reason alone, the idea should be stuffed.

The rest of the commuters who tried to wake up earlier to avoid the crowd will end up being squeezed like peak hours. It defeats the whole purpose to encourage people to be a bit early to beat the crowd. The pre peak hours, when free, will be worst than peak hour rush.

I know I shoot and post with very little thinking. But this proposal is a sign of lack of thinking, no thinking at all. I would suggest to the MPs to take the train before 7am and check out for themselves and then think how it would be like when it is free.

The best suggestion in Parliament actually came from Baey Yam Keng. While all the MPs are caught up in the foreigners taking over our PMET jobs, he was so cool to talk about food as a unifying factor for unifying the people. Cool. Definitely this idea is better than free travelling in pre peak hours.

Tan Chuan Jin, the man in the mirror

Tan Chuan Jin is the man in the right place and the right time. He could come out a hero or be totally messed up by the shitty situation that has caught up with him. He is in a position that is no different from Boon Wan when he volunteered to clean the housing shit. Unfortunately the problem was too big for his half hearted measures and property prices are still running out of control with more genuine buyers sucked into the property sink hole with all their savings and future incomes. The hole is getting bigger and unplugged still.

The job market that victimizes and discriminates against Singaporeans and favouring foreigners did not happen yesterday. It was allowed to grow in strength for years, and the problem is not going to be solved by a battalion of men. It is an enormous mess of discrimination, victimization, questionable qualifications and experience, fake qualifications, phantom employees, quota bashing or cheating, etc etc. And there is a whole ging gang of players all feasting on a system that has gone haywire. How many hundreds of thousands of foreigners are now employed here and how many should not be here? How many have deprived our own citizens from having decent or good paying jobs through foul or unethical means? How many of our citizens have been cheated? How many vultures are laughing themselves crazy at the stupidity of our system or no system that allows them to do as they pleased at the expense of our own citizens who have lost their jobs?

Tan Chuan Jin has a plate full in his hand. And he needs all the help and resources to clean this mess up, not on alone, but with the support of several ministries and the cabinet. The situation did not reach this level of complexity and enormity for no reasons. Just like the housing problem, it is not easy to step out of this quagmire that was allowed to be there in the first place. How did it happen? How did the housing problem happen? Dunno leh. It just happened.

Can Tan Chuan Jin do anything to change the situation? All the eyes are on him. He is in the spotlight and the chances of him being dragged along by this tsunami are greater than he staying afloat to claim the prize at the end of this rough ride. He not only needs to undo the mess but to restore the job market to support our citizens, to favour our citizens, to strengthen the core of Singaporeans in Singapore. It is a mammoth task awaiting him. His plate is full. All the Singaporeans are looking to him as a savior of jobs and to reclaim our country from the foreigners.

The baton changes hand in China

Another decade passes, another few good men giving way for new leaders to take over the leadership of China, to continue a long and arduous task of bringing a people, 1.3b to be exact, to enjoy a higher standard of living, to live in peace and prosperity, to be safe from foreign aggression and exploitation, to be equals among equals in the community of international citizens.

China has been blessed with having good and honest leaders to be in charge since the early and tumultuous years of reviving and modernizing an ancient country and people. The years under Mao Zedong, the pioneering leader that reunited a broken nation were marked by big experiments and changes that swayed the country from extremes with deadly consequences. But things got better after Deng Xiaoping took over, from the remaking of a country to the rebuilding of a nation and uplifting the lives of its people. It was no sheer game playing. It was a serious endeavour that could make or break a country and its revitalized people and an emerging new nation rising from abject poverty.

Following Deng came two able leaders in Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji to continue his work. They did what was necessary and handed the baton to Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao. The flame of a new China continues to glow in greater brilliance under their charge. They could achieve more, though there were still much to be done given the immensity of the task.

Now these two meticulous and no nonsense leaders are stepping aside for another two new leaders in Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang to carry on. On hindsight, the most serious and dangerous task of Hu and Wen must be the removal of Bo Xilai from the top leadership. It could be disastrous for Bo to take over the helm given the mess he and his wife got into. China could have fall back by several decades if corruption and abuse of power when dishonourable and dishonest men were put in charge. It was a close shave as Bo was slated and in contention for the top post.

China is now in good hands again, and with two able and honest men in charge and ten more years of continuity, stability and growth.

Neo colonialism - When state institutions start to buy up Singapore

‘The Indian Express, 5 Mar 2013

The State Bank of India (SBI) is investing in accommodation-based property in Singapore, ensuring higher grade housing requirements of its expatriate staff, a media report said today.

According to the report, SBI would want to purchase at least 10 to 20 more units to house staff as it ramps up its local presence.

SBI had recently advertised for purchasing high grade apartments, ranging from 1,100 to 1,400 sq ft in size, near to main schools and rail-based transit system….’

When national institutions start to buy up Singapore piece by piece on top of rich foreigners doing so, the developers and property owners will all be laughing all the way to the banks.

Is this a good thing for Singapore and Singaporeans? I reckon soon Singaporeans will be selling out every thing and finding out that there is no place left for themselves except to go somewhere else. The short sightedness of the Govt is becoming legendary.

Singapore is going to be bought out by foreign countries without needing a military invasion.

The xenophobia backlash

Singaporeans are one of the most generous, friendly and hospitable people as far as welcoming foreigners into their country are concerned. Singaporeans are mindful of their immigrant past and have a soft spot for immigrants. Some still think they are immigrants, and passing by, just like the new immigrants. They could not appreciate the fact that this is now a country, their own country, fought, won and built by their forefathers. It is no longer a no man’s land.

Over the recent years, Singaporeans have increasingly become a minority in their own country. Many jokers still cannot see this fact and still harping about becoming a minority in 2030. It is here and now. They are already a minority. Of the 5.3m residents, 3.3m are considered to be Singaporeans by virtue of citizenship. How many of these are true blue Singaporeans? Many are new citizens. The reality is that every one other person is a foreigner now. Could be more!

All this is fine as long as the Singaporeans are doing fine. Trouble has started to brew when the number of foreigners has given them increasing confidence to disregard Singaporeans as irritants. Singaporeans are being scolded, beaten and chased around by foreigners while the Govt continues to lay the red carpet for foreigners, giving them the tag as foreign talents and here to help the daft Singaporeans.

Even Singaporeans wearing foreign dresses for a party, an innocent gesture without any malice or bad intention were attacked for racism by foreigners. Singaporeans are tarred by foreigners as racists and xenophobic in their home land. How dare the foreigners!

And things are getting worst in the job market when Singaporeans are losing out in job opportunities by unfair anti Singaporean practices. With a few hundred thousand foreigners gainfully employed, with high paying jobs, with full employment, many Singaporean graduates are having difficulties getting a job. Many PMETs have been booted out to be substituted by foreigners. Can you believe that?

The evidence in workplaces to discriminate and victimize Singaporeans is everywhere. Someone is sleeping or closing one eye. The xenophobia is not Singaporeans against foreigners but foreigners against Singaporeans in Singapore.

The Hong Lim Rally was an event where Singaporeans gathered to show their despair at the pathetic state of affair in the country, when Singaporeans are being ousted out from jobs, and may eventually be from their own country. There was anger and sadness. But this will not be for long if things continue to go against Singaporeans.

It is heartening to hear Tan Chuan Jin, Christopher de Souza and a few other MPs calling the Govt to do more for Singaporeans. They have openly acknowledged in Parliament that Singapore is for Singaporeans, finally. Tan Chuan Jin is going to give more teeth to his Tafep, Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices, to investigate discriminatory practices against Singaporeans in work places. He would have to do more to mean business, to be seen to be doing something real. Job priorities must go to Singaporeans.

Christopher de Souza is asking the Govt to introduce control measures on the purchase of properties by foreigners to protect Singaporeans. He has suggested that the policies of the Australian Govt are a good model to adopt. Hopefully this will not be discarded and thrashed by vested interests.

The Govt must take heed of the plight of Singaporeans and their interests in Singapore. It is unacceptable that Singaporeans be discriminated and victimized in their home country. Any politician that still call for more foreigners, protecting foreigner’s interests at the expense of Singaporeans will see their political career prematurely terminated in double quick time. The situation is dire. Singaporeans are about to break out from their meek and docile persona. The backlash against foreigners practicing racism in Singaporean and xenophobia against Singaporeans, discriminating against Singaporeans in job opportunities will no longer be tolerated.

The Govt got to act fast and swift to manage the anger of the Singaporeans and to protect their interests from the invading hordes of foreign economic bandits.

Financial Institutions Discriminate Singaporeans

Financial Institutions Discriminate Singaporeans Recruiting in Favor from One Single Country

Today, there is an article Lianhe Zaobao admits that Singaporeans are discriminated in job market. What particular striking is a part of the article showing rampant discrimination against Singaporeans job seeker… Last year, TAFEP ( Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices) received feedback that foreign managers in some financial institution hire in favor of their own country people, rather than hiring Singaporeans.

TAFEP contacted these financial institutions. The senior managements agreed that certain departments do have many employees from one single country. The senior managements claim that they will hire more Singaporeans.....

The above article by Veritas is reposted in TRE. It is a terrible state of affair for Singaporeans to be discriminated in their own country. This is possibly another first that Singapore has achieved. There used to be policies that favoured foreigners but these have been watered down after anger flared in the social media. Now this. How could it happen? What is the Govt going to do about it?

Some new Singaporean Realities

Forget about car ownership. Owning a car will be beyond many Singaporeans even if they are graduates. Many will never own a car in their life time, I am not referring to just the average Singaporeans but the PMETs. This is a grudging reality. Many average Singaporeans used to able to own a car, second hand also good.

Having problem getting a job for new graduates or older PMETs will become an unpleasant part of Singaporean job seekers while watching foreigners who are nothing better landing the jobs. Accepting foreigners having jobs in their home country while they themselves going jobless not because the Singaporeans are less qualified or less able is a very painful reality to face. Can anything be done with the Singaporean first policy?

Getting a public flat may no longer be the right of a citizen. While many would still be eligible, they would have to queue and compete under the same terms and conditions as new citizens. For those who are excluded, disqualified or forbidden to buy a public flat under the present terms and conditions, I dunno what to say. Shall I say just too bad. The rules are such and they are being excluded by the policies of Govt they helped to elect to power.

While on this issue, owning a bigger flat or private property will be a fleeting dream to many Singaporeans. The entry barrier is now so high that it is better for the average Singaporeans to resign to their HDB flats. And many, including PMETs, would have to contend with a 4 rm flat. As wage earners, private properties that cost several millions or tens of millions is just for day dreaming.

The CPF savings are looking more like the Govt’s money. Other than taking some out to buy a home, many would barely be able to touch their CPF savings in their life times. And be prepared to be wiped clean when hit by a major illness.

The days of free medical or paying a small fee for medical services are history. Singaporeans must take care of their health as the saying health is wealth is becoming a new reality. Singaporeans cannot afford to fall sick, so they said. But the Govt said no worry, no Singaporean will be deprived of medicare. That’s very comforting.

Many Singaporeans are getting use to the new realities and started to talk about taking public transport as better than their own cars, and to be happy living in a 4 rm BTO flats that are better designed. The aspirations for bigger flats or private properties will soon be forgotten.

Contorted justifications for bigger population

The arguments put forth by Professor Ng Yew Kwang at the seminar on the Population White Paper were at best elementary. Any A level students would be able to come up with better reasons than those put up at the seminar. I was reluctant to waste my time on this but with the main media giving it so much coverage as if that view was a good and reasonable view, I would thus offer my two cents worth to join in the talk cock session. I would not put in too much effort as it is really a waste of time. So I will just talk about the few points printed in the media.

  

 .Having a large population may not necessarily be bad, as it could lead to better developed infrastructure and employment opportunities.

Who doesn’t know this? The problem is the will to provide the infrastructure and what is a large population given a limited space available.  At 5.3m, we are now living through the unhealthy aspects of space constraints and inadequate infrastructure. And the fact that the population has gone up dramatically over the last 10 years, the question to ask in response to 1 above is why aren’t the infrastructure be better developed? It cannot be due to ignorance of the lack of talent or the lack of foresight. It is elementary. The truth is that large population would not automatically lead to better developed infrastructure or adequate infrastructure.

As for employment opportunities, the question is for who? We have several hundred thousand foreign PMETs here gainfully employed but our locals, the young graduates and the older PMETs, are either unemployed or under employed. So what is the point of creating more employment opportunities for foreigners when our own citizens are not gainfully employed? I say, keep your employment opportunities if it is not to benefit the citizens.

2.   With a smaller population there would be correspondingly fewer roads and lower bus and train frequencies. The degree of competition between companies would also be less.

Let me answer the second part. With the number of transport companies we have, is there any real competition? Even if we add in a couple more, would there be real competition? Come on, let’s not kid ourselves and be an ivory tower academic.

Smaller population therefore fewer roads and bus and train frequencies. Agree. Bigger population would mean the other way. Also agree. The issue is not how many more or how many less but what is adequate or sufficient or what is comfortable for a good quality service and life style. Over providing is bad and under providing is equally bad. Bigger population with more bus and trains and higher frequencies may not be enough. Lesser population with lesser of the same may be more than enough. See the picture? The argument is quite stupid isn’t it?

3.   Through immigration, these issues would be addressed and entrepreneurial migrants would set up businesses that create hiring opportunities.

Really? We can see how inadequate our infrastructure is today with the influx of immigrants. It simply means that immigration is not the answer but something else. And only immigrants have entrepreneurial skills, can set up businesses? Bullshit lah. You mean there are no entrepreneurs among the locals?  And not all the new businesses are desirable or could complement the economy to better the quality of living here.

4.   These migrants would also “provide locally unavailable skills which make certain business ventures possible”.

Such ventures could be provided by some migrants, but the real stuff is provided by the MNCs, the big corporations, not migrants. True or not?

I think I have said enough on this seminar. One thing comes out very clearly, that the professor was looking at one side of the coin and totally ignoring the negative side that comes with high population. There are many negative consequences, bad consequences and social and political costs to pay for. So are the environment and the quality of life for having so many people squeezed into this small piece of rock, higher cost of living and stressful competition for jobs, goods and services.

To be a fair and serious piece of work or recommendations, both merits and demerits must be put out for airing for people to have an informed view of what is good or bad, or which is better.

KNN.

In Malaysia, violent robbery is so rampant, but so far no police action is taken.

 

Subject : MALAYSIA -- Always be alert nowadays for our own safety.

Where are the fucking policemen. Countless crimes happened at Petrol Stations but
no actions taken.

Dear Friends,

I just got my windscreen fixed today. Pls spent some time to read on & share out to your loved one to increase public awareness.

On Day 15th of Chinese New Year (Chinese calendar Valentine Day), Me , my husband Yip & my girl Xin Yu (7 years old) go through a Unforgettable Morning in Kota Damansara. We almost got Robbed at seksyen 4 'Shell petrol kiosk ' the one opposite Petronas near Tropicana Medical Centre !

We scheduled to reach kelana jaya Lrt at 6 am, we leave from home around 5.40am, half way, my husband felt my car tyre don't have sufficient air, he stop by Shell seksyen 4 to pump at 5.50am. There is no one there except 2 foreigner worker in the shop( the shop was locked).

When my husband come down from the car, I immediately locked the car door(that is what I usually practice). He just started to pump, came a motorbike with 2 Malay guys, one of them come near my husband. Telling him " jangan bising! Wallet mari!" At the same time showing him the motor tyre lock in his hand, if my husband refuse, he will use that to attack him. When I saw the Malay guy get near him, I felt very uneasy in my heart, everything happen so fast, in split second, i saw my husband shouting while running ask me to go!(drive away) he run away bcoz he know I already locked my car & there is no chance for him to come in bcoz the robber are too near my car.

 

By running away he hope to lead the robber to chase him & to be away from us but when the robber saw him run so fast, he come back to attack my car, he uses the motorbike tyre lock & bang on my driver side window,in few seconds time, I manage to jump from the front passenger seat to the driver seat & on the second bang, I manage to reverse my car& go( thanks to my 8 mil tinted film , it save our family life, at least it last 2 knock, it buy me some time to drive away). i then drive towards my husband direction, it was so scary at that time, my right side view is totally out bcoz of the cracked window, I can't open the door even my husband was nearby coz the robber was really near him, it will endanger him as well, so while he is running towards the counter, I try to escort him there, I drove pass the counter but to my suprise the Shell staff did not even help to open the door, they just stood inside & watch.

 

I stop my car ,  feeling very scare bcoz I can't see my husband, my daughter at the back of the car cried very loud when she saw that both the robber now are on the motorbike chasing my husband the opposite way, she cried "pa pa", hearing her crying , my fear from level 10 change mode immediately to Anger level 10. Immediately, I reverse my car & in my heart , if those robbers ever touch my husband I will bang them with my car if I need to! Seeing my car coming very fast towards their motor bike, the 2 Robbers run away & I quickly open the door for my husband & we are safe.

 

Thank you God for protecting us despite just minor external injury of my husband Yip, bcoz he fall while they chase him & me twisted my right hand for turning the wheel super fast. We make police report after that & go to tropicana medical centre to get treatment. Moral of the story, be very alert & careful whenever you are irregardless of petrol kiosk or public places especially car park that are quiet, day or night. I would like to take this chance to thank God again for giving me & my husband Yip & my children another chance to live this life again. Thank you so much :)

Tolong, tolong, give back our dreams

4 senior citizens posted an open letter in TRE pleading to the PM to give back the Singaporean Dream of 5Cs, car, condo, credit card, country clubs and cash to their children. It was only a few years back that Singaporeans were all in their highs, dreaming of the 5Cs, to do good in life. Everyone was full of confidence to achieve his dream of a comfortable and better life. The appearance of this letter is kind of a sudden and exudes a sense of despair that things are not getting better.

Is this a true version of the state of affair in the island or just the imagination of some desperadoes? Housing prices are still shooting to the sky, COEs hitting $100k for a car, everyone is still going on holiday. Life must be good and many citizens must be living a life of plenty. A HDB resale EC costing more than a million while a new HDB penthouse is more than $2m. And they are all being taken immediately. They must be very affordable.

Why is there such a despair call? Boon Wan is promising that 2030 will see the life of Singaporeans getting even better with better quality living. Who is out of touch, who is misleading?

Let’s look at the 5Cs. Car is going to be a very rare and expensive item that many Singaporeans will not be able to afford. Their lives will be centred around taking public transport or if they can afford it, taking taxis. One C down. Condo living, this seems to be very affordable as all the launches was a sellout at whatever price. So this C is still standing. Credit cards are being issued to the Singaporeans like toilet papers and everyone is holding a handful in his wallets. So this C is doing very well, not considering the credit is stretched to the limits.

Country clubs are getting cheaper and cheaper from the heady prices they used to fetch. Are Singaporeans forming a queue to snatch up these goodies? Apparently not. So this C is losing its lustre.

What about cash? It is a well know fact that Singaporeans are asset rich but cash strapped. All the cash are wiped out quite quickly now with the new rulings on car purchases and the high property prices. Many are switching to credit cards from cash. Hopefully this interchange is sustainable to provide the people with a good quality life.

What is left of the 5Cs is probably 2, condo and credit cards. Car is out, country club not so attractive, cash a bit of a problem to many except the very rich.

What then is the new Singaporean Dream? Good public transport system, 4 rm HDB flat, more credit cards, and the chance to emigrate? And not to forget, to make new friends with the new citizens and PRs and foreigners, to learn new way of life and new languages? Another controversial dream, retiring early as jobs are getting rare for Singaporeans above 50.

Sinkie or Singaporean or a simpler term

When I used the term Sinkie to refer to Singaporean, it was more or a convenience without any negative connotations. Over time the term Sinkie has becoming more meaningful and prophetic. Many Sinkies or Singaporeans are having this sinking feeling and feeling very unease about it.

Many Sinkies would not mind using this term in its most innocent sense. I also notice that some feel very offended by it and get very heated under the collar. They all prefer to be addressed as Singaporeans. I must say that for Sinkies to want to be called Singaporeans is a good thing. There is still pride and identity left in this diminishing specie. Those abroad, some taken up PRs or foreign citizenships, still feel very Singaporean in them. You can take away his citizenship but you cannot take away their Singaporeaness, of having been a Singaporean.

Would Singaporean be a dying breed just like the peranakans? I will henceforth, in due respect to those Singaporeans who just want to be called Singaporeans, to avoid using the term Sinkie. I will have to find a shorter version to type.

There is still hope that the identity of true blue Singaporeans may survive the current crisis it is going through. Only when Singaporeans want to be Singaporeans, to want to maintain this unique identity in us, not some international citizen label or hotel guests that can go any where they like, will this Singaporean identity continue to exist in the form that we know, a kind of special feeling. But it is a losing battle if we are to constantly dilute it with more and more foreigners that are quite different from us. Another 1.6m is going to do more damage not just the characteristics of being a Singaporean, but we will become more like them, another new concoction, another rojak in the making.

Judge GIC by its long term results

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Ng Kok Song, the retired Group Chief Investment Officer of GIC summed up his views by saying that an organisation like GIC should be judged by its performance over a longer time frame. How long is this time frame is relative and subjective, but definitely not over a year or a handful of years. This kind of view is reasonable in general for a Sovereign Wealth Fund or any funds managed by the fund managers. Investment is a long term process as against gambling or daily trading. The volatility of the assets and equities under management may fluctuate wildly in the short term or even daily when there is a major event or crisis happening. The value of the assets or funds under management could plunge or swing up in response to such events. This is equally true of big institutions, or even the performance of govts. It is thus unfair to wallop a non performing fund over a short interval of time or during a crisis.

Today’s corporate culture and practices are often based on short term performance, or at least the remuneration and reward system is geared towards an annual payout. This has resulted in the management and executives planning and working for instant rewards and instant gratification. And the accounting system and reward packages, bonuses, payouts, handouts, perks, etc etc are all based on short term results or annual results. A good performance in a year could earn the management their life time income. A poor performance in a year could earn them half a life time income. A disastrous performance in a year could earn them multiple life time incomes.

What is the problem? Many fund managers, top management, and even govts, want to be rewarded immediately, on a year to year basis. This is natural as their tenure is short and could be terminated quite quickly. And they all want to be judged over the long term so that their bad performance can be averaged out to look better over time, or maybe a windfall or a lucky streak some years ahead could turn their fortune around. Or they could have left when bad times are here or the bad times that were hidden in the books could not be hidden any longer. The Olympus Camera company is one such example.

Last year, our Govt recorded a once in a life time GDP growth rate of 15%, much higher than any country in the world. And their super world class salaries were given an added boost with super world class bonuses based on this once in a life time growth rate in a year. Like any big institutions, the next few years may end in the red, no growth or minus growth, it doesn’t matter, the big bonuses are already in the bank accounts.

I somehow think the equation or formula is not very right. I thought since performance is best to be assessed over a long term, the remuneration or reward system should also be designed to be paid out over a long term as well. Both will thus average out the performances and the rewards in the long run. Tiok boh?

Why like that one? Still cannot figure out why? Heard of head I win tail you lose? To be reasonable, honest, responsible, accountable and respectable, and to be real, rewards and bonus system of an institution or govt must be in line with the performance assessment system. If the reward is based on immediate payout for the year’s performance, then the measurement must be based on a yearly basis. If not, it is simply screwy.

I like simple logic that every layman can understand.

Sunday morning's joke of the day.

Anyone looking for a joke, please go to TRE and read the article, NTU's Professor speaks against anti immigrant policies. Ok, before I got misunderstood. It is a sick joke. Unbelieveable! I am truly astounded by the pearls of wisdom.

Our parents planted this Singapore tree for us

Singaporeans and the early migrants and the pioneering political leaders, not today's, built Singapore into what it is today. True blue Sinkies must not forget this truth. The political leadership today, many were just born yesterday with the exception of a few oldies, do not build the rich and prosperous Singapore but enjoying all the benefits and privileges that came from yesterday's sweat and tears.

Today, we are inviting so many foreign talents to enjoy the fruits of our parents' labour, the labour of yesterday's generation. And these foreign talents are here to replace the children of yesterday's hardworking Sinkies. They are all sitting in high places, earning big bucks and talking rubbish about why we need them and how able and talented they are. And to bring in more foreign talents at our expense.

True blue Singaporeans must not forget that what we are today is a gift from our parents who slogged for it and getting very little in benefits. They planted this big tree for us, not for foreigners. The foreigners did not plant the tree but are here to pluck the fruits.

True blue Singaporeans can be generous and share some of the fruits to others but not to impoverish themselves and their children and future generations to come.  Singapore is what it is today not because of the foreigners that are here today.

My Sunday morning rumbling sermon.

I have received more negative feedbacks on my tongue in cheek post that no car can be quality living. That post had gone viral in a small way, circulating quietly in some circles, disagreeing with what I said as many see car ownership as quality living. I too feel the same. The convenience of a car, to live a lifestyle free from the unsatisfactory public transport and dependency on someone else for your transport needs, is a very desirable item. Let no sycophant con you into believing that the public transport system and taxis can replace the role of owning a car. There are many other factors attached to car ownership, emotional and psychological and a sense of well being and independence, freedom.

The sycophants too will try to talk the people into believing in living in ever smaller homes that are ever more costly as progress. What is the point of reclaiming more land and expanding the social space in the island when they will be filled to the brim by more heads and bodies? Quality living must come with more space for everyone and allowing reasonable car ownership. This is one of the major reasons why people are objecting to the 6.9m population.

The crappy answers that more infrastructure and homes will be built to alleviate the problems that the people are facing now is bull shit. The whole situation will be back to square one, a crammed environment with people everywhere living in close proximity and bluffing each other that it is quality living. Why are people running away for the weekend to the North, or fly away to some islands, weekend escapees?

We need the comfort of space and more space for everyone. Not more heads and bodies to fill up whatever available space in the name of economic growth. Economic growth is to lead to better quality of life and quality living, not to become sardines in a can.

This sickening mindset got to change, got to go. While the elite have their ample private space and freedom to own their many cars, the average Sinkies are deprived from such luxuries and constantly told to make do with what they have and be happy and be grateful, and to believe that that is quality living. The Sinkies are not daft anymore and will not believe in the stupid soothsayers who are really no better than the average Sinkies but happen to be in a privilege position of power or hold a few more pieces of papers.

Walk the talk and ask themselves if they would like to live the way an average Sinkie is living, in a small flat and without the convenience of car ownership? Many young men and women are going to be very disappointed when they step into adulthood, wanting better and finer things in life only to find them unattainable unless they belong to a very exclusive and small group of elite, exceptionable abilities or from very exceptional families with exceptionable inheritance.

Gone were the days when young men of average family background could go swinging around, dating girlfriends in their cars or borrowed family cars. We need to bring back some of the convenience of the good old days, more leisure time and space, more living than working, more pleasure than pressure.

200,000 Sinkies overseas

I heard this number being thrown around at the Hong Lim Rally? What is this 200,000 number about? 200,000 Sinkies, adults and children, working adults, those emigrated, what about Sinkie students overseas? It is still a substantial number of sinkies relative to a core of now 3.3m citizens or about 6% of us. I was thinking of having them back to strengthen the Sinkie core with some carrots. Unfortunately this is going to be futile.

There is no way for these Sinkies to return and make this island their home all over again. The cost of living, the cost of buying a home, buying a car will have made many broke. Even if they have a 3,000 sq ft property in their current place of residence, liquidating the property would not be enough to buy a 4 rm HDB flat and may have nothing left to buy a cheap car. Who would want to trade their kind of lifestyle to come back home? Who would want to come home to a highly competitive and stressful little island? What quality of living? The only thing good about this island now is to make fast money and to migrate to somewhere else for a more leisure pace of life. And that is what the FTs and PRs are doing. And the daft Sinkies will be stuck here for good. Ok, I digress.

As for the young and more mobile set, having studied abroad and working there, the problem facing them would be the same. How to afford to come home? Financially it just does not make sense, or not meaningful to come back to this small place and to pay a fortune for it, in a way, to be robbed of all the savings.

This place has become too expensive for any Sinkie to return. And return for what, for more reservist duties and in camp training?

What do you think?

Singapore will become a slum within a decade - Sg_Boleh

My article on ‘Buy Singapore goods, employ Singaporeans’ has been reposted in TRE and has drawn a comment by a blogger. ‘Sg_Boleh: if we implement redbean’s recommendation, Singapore will become a slum within a decade.’ I am wondering if he is a foreigner incognito or a child that was born only yesterday. He is completely ignorant of the fact that Singapore is today exactly because Singaporeans built it to what it is and becomes very attractive to the foreigners to want to be here to parasite on our success. It is not the other way, that it was built by foreigners. Now, which idiot will tell you that it is the foreigners that are here to help Singaporeans

Many of these foreigners are here because they either could not help in anyway to make their countries better than Singapore, their countries could not offer them a better paying job, could not offer them a better quality living, and are here because we have done it and offering them something better that they would never dream of at home.

Yes, Singaporeans turned this little swamp into a little paradise. It is not a fantasy. The truth is that the foreigners are turning it into a slum, with all their dirty habits, and if nothing is being done to curb their influx, this island will become more like their home countries. It is a great insult to say that Singapore will become a slum if the jobs are filled by Singaporeans.

I will like to offer a challenge to the foreigners to go back and turn their third world countries to what Singapore is today, then I will respect their abilities and talents.

Now who is this idiot Sg_Boleh to insult Singaporeans that we are incapable of running our own country, from Third World to First World? We are now First World, and only now that we are bringing them in to take advantage of us in swarms, like locusts. Singapore will continue to prosper without them. And should the foreigners return to their home countries, their home countries would still be the third world slums they are and will not be able to catch up with Singapore for the several decades to come.

LKY – Declining populations make peaceful neighbours

This is an article purportly written by LKY and published in the ST today and in the March edition of Forbes magazine. His thesis or views in the article is simply that an expanding population is good reason for countries to conduct wars while a declining population will kill the urge to do so. He then went on to quote Japan and Germany in the Second World War when their respective TFRs were 4.1 and 2.6

LKY then concluded that countries like US and Europe, including China with low TFRs would be less likely to go to war for the same reason as the old Japan and Germany, for lebensraum or living space. They wanted more space for a growing population then. Today, Japan and Germany would be less likely to go to war as their TFRs are low, both about 1.4.

The countries that are likely to go to war according to his article would be India and the African countries, all with high TFRs. India has a TFR of 2.6 while the Africans vary from 4 to 7. Africans are highly dangerous!

It is thus glaringly inconsistent and incoherent to use a single factor like TFR to determine the temptation of a country for war. There are definitely more than just the TFR that will push a country to war. The Africans, even if they want more space than the Sahara Desert, would not have the means and ability to do so. War will come to them more because they are weak like in Mali.

In the case of the USA, the most belligerent warring state of modern history, TFR is totally irrelevant. And today’s Japan is likely to go to war with China and North Korea to keep the islands it seized as war booties. Nothing to do with TFR surely.

What about Singapore with a TFR of 1.2, which is definitely a very peaceful country, a good neighbour. But when it pushes its TFR to 2.1 would Singapore then become a warring state, wanting lebensraum for its expanding population? I think if one is to apply this logic, it is safer and better for Singapore to maintain the present 1.2 TFR, maintaining the current population than to go with the White Paper recommendations for 6.9m population and leading to a need for more living space and … how about war? 2.1 is relatively more prone to war than 1.2 right? Logical?

What do you think?

Buy Singapore goods, employ Singaporeans

‘Humble: February 28( A blogger in TRE)

Local SMEs, Singaporeans are like your families. They are like your parents, brothers and sisters. If your brothers are in difficulties, definitely you will try your best to help them. It’s the same also to the Singaporean Talents who work for you. You must advise, help, train them because they are your families. Why are you not patriotic? To help your countrymen? Why you think Singaporeans are lazy and useless? As far as I know Singaporeans are the most hardworking people, if you pay them right….’

If my memory is right, I think there were campaigns like buy local or buy Singaporean goods or something equivalent. This call was to give business to our local enterprises. Would it be out of tune to call on Singapore companies and businesses to employ Singaporeans first? Would it be too much to expect the Civil Service, Statutory Boards and GLCs to employ Singaporeans first and to only employ foreigners when the skills are not found in Singaporeans. Can these Govt agencies take the lead and set a good example?

I am in Singapore because I have better skills than any local here -Victor Vassiltsov, a Russian FT. This comment by an FT speaks of a policy that if a foreigner is better than the local, it is ok to employ the foreigner. Compares this to Australian immigration policy that will only take in skilled foreigners in vocations and trades when there is a shortage or when the skills are not found in Australians. The Australians only employed foreigners when they could not find Aussies to fill positions, not that the Aussies were less able. When the Aussies can fill a position, no matter how talented or better is the foreigner, sorry, we will call you.

If the Singaporean policy or practice is to employ anyone that can prove to be better than a Singaporean, then Singaporeans will have to step aside. And when we open the door to the world, to countries that have hundreds of millions of people or billions of people, it is only natural that many will be better than Singaporeans. Shall we replace all the Singaporeans with foreigners that are better than Singaporeans? We can also replace the ministers and MPs too using the same logic and reasoning.

So what is left of Singaporeans? Is this the reason why some people refuse to accept the slogan Singapore for Singaporeans? Anyone that is better can take over the place of Singaporeans?

If this should not be the case, or should not be allowed to happen, perhaps it is timely to call on the Govt and local businesses to employ Singaporeans first. We need to save the Singaporean specie. Many are unemployed or underemployed because the Govt and businesses can find alternatives, sometimes cheaper, in hiring foreigners. Some are qualified, some may be better, and some are under qualified or even fraudsters with fake qualifications and experience.

Employ Singaporeans first must be a national policy and supported by private businesses as well. Or is this just another empty call, irrelevant and impractical and will chase all the businesses away? Before the influx of foreigners, we were doing just this, depending mainly on our limited manpower resources. Now we have many highly qualified and experienced PMETs, no one should be left redundant unless of his own choosing. Employers must also note that the cost of living for Singaporeans is very high and they need to be paid adequately to get by.

This is also the call in Hong Lim. Should this call be ignored as voices from the lunatic fringe?

White Paper, sealed and buried

Parliament is over, Hong Lim Spring is over, is the fate of 6.9m or a bigger population than the present over? Can the 77 MPs touch their hearts and say they have the authority from the people to bring in another million or 1.6m people into the country? Or would they just keep quiet, assumed that they have the authority even if the people disagree, because it is passed by Parliament, so they can go forward to execute the proposals in the White Paper?

Given the widespread unhappiness and anger, would the Govt bother to consult the people, have a real conversation with the people and get the consent from the people to go a head with this ambitious, dangerous and unpredictable path of a bigger population that may prove too big to handle? This act will change the whole demography of the nation, the social and political landscape as well.

My personal view is that the Govt owes it to the people to seek their permission to change the whole fabric of this nation. They cannot ignore the people, not 77 men and women against the wishes of 3.3m citizens. No minister in the cabinet, not even the PM, is big enough to make this change. A referendum on this is the most decent thing the Govt should do. It is not a matter of you know best and you would shoulder the responsibility should an epic failure befallen this island in the future. No one is qualified to carry this responsibility. And worst, none of the 77 would likely to be around when the crunch hits.

Is the White Paper sealed and buried and not to be spoken again?

The article below written by Fred Goldstein is published by Workers' World of workers.org

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Pentagon spreads anti-China hacking lies

By Fred Goldstein on February 25, 2013 » Add the first comment.

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The Pentagon, imperialist cyber warfare’s central headquarters.

Feb. 25 — Dramatic front-page headlines in the New York Times accusing the People’s Liberation Army of China of being behind computer hacking in the U.S. have all the earmarks of a Cold War-style propaganda attack on China.
This bellicose attack comes at the same time that new leadership is about to take over in China. It comes in the context of the U.S. “pivot” to the Pacific and the buildup of military forces there directed at China. It comes at a moment when the Pentagon is facing the prospect of budget cuts. And it comes at a time of intractable economic crisis, when the U.S. government and the financial authorities are desperate to shore up the economy.
Seeming to surface out of nowhere — in the midst of debates about budget cuts, gun control, immigration reform, maneuvers over cabinet appointments and so on — this sudden flare-up of hostility is a dangerous step forward by anti-China hawks in the Pentagon and the establishment.
The China-hacking smear campaign was based upon a 60-plus-page report sent to the New York Times by the computer security firm Mandiant. The Times wrote a 3,000-word lead front-page article, replete with code names, charging that internet protocol addresses pointed to a building in Shanghai that allegedly housed a unit of the PLA.
The Chinese government and the PLA have strenuously and categorically denied the charges. They called the charges irresponsible and pointed to the lack of any proof. Other U.S. experts in cyber security pointed out gross inconsistencies in the report and asserted that no one can pinpoint the location or origin of a computer breakin by the IP address alone. It is common practice among hackers to conceal their origin by directing the IP address to a false location. (Jeffreycarr.blogspot.com/2013/01/ — search for “China”)
Be that as it may, what stands out is that the hacking story is being used politically to stir up suspicion and hostility against China and the Chinese military, even though all the alleged targets of the hacking were economic, i.e., unnamed private corporations.
The Times reported this incident in a sensational manner, conjuring up images of China destroying U.S. electrical grids, water supplies, communications systems, ad nauseam. The leap from alleged economic corporate spying, which takes place on a regular basis among all major companies and all governments, to a lurid military-spun fantasy about subversive Chinese aggression is calculated to stir up antagonism against China.
‘Cyber security’ & the military-industrial complex
Mandiant is a cyber security company that has cashed in on the recent anti-China boom. It works for the Fortune 100. Cyber security is a $30 billion industry, and Mandiant had revenue of $100 million in 2012, up 60 percent from the previous year. (Reuters, Feb. 22)
Mandiant operates out of Arlington, Va., and is tied to the military and the CIA. Its CEO and founder, Kevin Mandia, has worked for Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force intelligence. Its chief security officer, Richard Bejtlich, has worked for the Air Force Internet Warfare Center and the Air Intelligence Agency.
They are part of a growing wing of the military-industrial complex. For example, a keynote speaker at a Mandiant-sponsored conference held at the Washington Ritz-Carlton hotel last October was retired Gen. Michael Hayden, former head of the National Security Agency and then of the CIA. Hayden is part of the Chertoff Group, run by former head of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff.
It should be remembered that the U.S. and Israel developed the Stuxnet virus, which sabotaged Iran’s nuclear facilities. This is far more than mere espionage. It was an act of warfare. These are the forces behind the report.
The Times story and the Mandiant report are nothing less than a “nongovernmental” attack organized by the U.S. government and the Pentagon to lay the basis for further military measures against China.
The report was leaked to the New York Times. It could have been handled in a completely toned-down style or behind closed doors, the way many matters of the gravest importance are handled. Making it public in such a dramatic way was the real political aggression. Buried in the Times article on the report was the admission that the Times has a “business relationship” with Mandiant.
The Times is the most prestigious mouthpiece of the U.S. ruling class. It could never have issued such a sensational blast at the PLA without prenotification and thorough consultation with the Pentagon and the State Department, as well as the White House. In fact, President Barack Obama previewed the attack with a strong reference to “our enemies” and cyber attacks in his State of the Union speech. This was clearly a coordinated offensive.
It should be recalled that former New York Times reporter Judith Miller worked with the Bush administration and the Pentagon to sell the Iraq war, writing front-page articles about how Saddam Hussein was stockpiling “weapons of mass destruction.” She and the Times were ultimately discredited when the reports proved false, but they helped pave the way for the U.S. invasion.
Similarly, the timing of the race to push forward the Mandiant report was partly driven by the Pentagon’s plans to bolster its Cyber Command staff from 900 to 4,900. Thus the report was also aimed at protecting this projected increase in a key Pentagon program at a time of talk about general austerity and Pentagon cutbacks.
The capitalist media are understood by Marxists to be an integral part of the capitalist state. They are sometimes described as the fourth arm of the state — the means of ideological and informational compulsion. The treatment of the Mandiant report was truly a state-to-state transaction, giving the capitalist government a safe distance should it find it diplomatically necessary to dodge and double talk.
Critical time for China
This report was a shot across China’s bow just when new leadership is about to take over. It is a flagrant threat and an attempt at destabilization. Washington and Wall Street are demanding that China move more vigorously toward abandoning state-owned corporations and state planning and open up wider to a complete takeover by the capitalist class and imperialism.
The top agencies of the U.S. government, the imperialist think tanks, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank — all are pressuring the Chinese leaders to make more political space for the bourgeoisie to organize in China under the slogan of “reform.”
The new leadership under Xi Jinping takes over after the previous leaders crushed the left wing at the top of the party, led by Bo Xilai. The new leaders are now faced with an encouraged and stronger right wing. This newest, most brazen threat to China’s armed forces is undoubtedly calculated to send a message to the new leadership that the U.S. wants to see a deepening of capitalist reforms and opening up to imperialism — or else.
U.S. ‘pivot’ toward Asia
These actions must be seen as part of Washington’s so-called “pivot” toward Asia — a euphemism for increasing its encirclement and military pressures on China. The present media attack is directed at the element within China regarded by the Pentagon as its primary adversary in the world: the People’s Liberation Army.
The so-called “pivot” is not new. It comes after a long history in which U.S. imperialism, and particularly its admiralty, have regarded the Pacific Ocean as a “U.S. lake.” The recent application of this doctrine is the “pivot” and is part of a multipronged offensive.
Consider some recent history:
Both the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations escalated military pressure on China. Clinton moved a vast arsenal of naval and air weapons systems to Japan and Guam. The Bush administration sent an additional carrier force to the Pacific and announced the deployment of more submarines to the region.
The Obama administration went further. It expanded its joint naval exercises with Japan to prepare for the defense of disputed islands, abandoning the historic hands-off U.S. position. The U.S. sent Marines to Australia and restored military cooperation with Indonesia and New Zealand. Over the last three years the Obama administration has carried out the largest joint military exercises in Asia since the Korean War.
In January 2010, the Pentagon sold advanced military equipment to Taiwan, an island historically part of China that is politically separate only because it became the refuge of counterrevolutionary armies driven from the mainland in 1949 by the Chinese Revolution.
In July of that year, the U.S. and south Korea carried out a major military exercise in the Yellow Sea simulating war with China.
Washington has also strengthened its south Korean puppets militarily and is programmed to set up a theaterwide anti-missile system involving Taiwan, south Korea and Japan — all aimed at China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
In addition to military moves, anti-China economic measures are in the works. A Trans-Pacific Partnership that would include most of the nations in the region, plus the U.S., has excluded China.
Pentagon wants contracts, not cutbacks
The Pentagon is under pressure to make cutbacks in military spending, both from the masses who need the money and from the bankers who want to grab the money. The global suspicion generated by the hacking headlines is calculated to bolster the cyber war capabilities of the Pentagon and justify its huge budget by painting China as an “enemy” that must be defended against. It is supposed to provide support for new weapons systems that the Pentagon has in mind for its encirclement of China — including new generations of missile ships, long-range drones, new piloted bombers and ballistic missiles. All can be deployed outside the range of China’s defenses.
These types of big-ticket items were built up during the Cold War against the USSR and China, and made the military-industrial complex the dominant economic and political force in U.S. capitalist society. The anti-China hacking story is part of the campaign not only to ward off budget cuts but to increase the hundreds of billions of dollars handed over to the Pentagon for war
Finally, this attack comes at a time of stagnating U.S. economic growth that has led to mass unemployment and underemployment and declining wages. Because the masses have little money to spend, Pentagon spending becomes more integral to holding up the economy. It should be noted that with a dip in Pentagon spending in the fourth quarter of 2012, the economy shrank 0.1 percent.
The working class and the oppressed peoples must not be taken in by the attention-grabbing headlines against China and the PLA. It is the workers in both countries who will suffer from any escalation of Cold War-style tension generated by the Pentagon and the White House.
Schools are closing, hospitals are being shut down, social services are being cut, no money is spent on jobs, and prisons are filled with predominantly Black and Latino/a youth. The capitalist profit system is bringing more and more hardship to the people.
The enemies of the workers here are not the Chinese people or the Chinese government. The real enemies are the big capitalists who are running society into the ground at the expense of the masses. And one of the biggest concentrations of avaricious capitalists is military contractors — merchants of death who profit from war and war preparation.
As for “hacking,” technology is the product of the millions of people who have created it, not just in this generation but going back to long before the pyramids were built. This technology was created by humanity; it should belong to humanity as a whole to be used for its benefit. No group of avaricious monopolists should be allowed to own, control and use it against the people.

High quality living according to snake oil sellers

The snake oil sellers are still peddling their deception to the daft Sinkies that small is better, public transport can replace car ownership and the quality of life will be better. In 2030 it will be even better, but no one is telling the wide eyed Sinkies how much it will cost them for the better quality living, how big will be their flats and whether they can still own a car.

To me it is very simple. Quality living must come with bigger space for leisure, bigger homes for children to grow up, private personal space and no need to cram like sardines every where. And car ownership is a desirable item to provide that quality living, the freedom to move around for leisure with the family, for convenience. For some, a car is an absolute necessity, not a luxury. And these must not cost an arm or a leg to own one or a life time of slavery to pay for them.

We had them before, when we were poorer on the whole. We have become richer, some very rich, but we are telling the not so rich people that these necessities and niceties are now beyond their reach, that they must make do without them, smaller homes and living space to cram more children into them. How can the quality of life be better in living in pigeon holes? Progress? How can the quality of life be better depending on public transport, or taxis, compare to private cars?

It is time to stop deceiving the daft Sinkies that these are progress and better quality of living. We can only return to better quality of living with more space and lesser people. And mind you, a smaller economy with lesser people will not compromise on the quality of life. Life is for living and pleasure when one can afford it, not to slave and work just to live and to live in little nooks and corners.

Economic growth that leads to being squeezed and being deprived of the nicer things, basics like bigger homes and car ownership, is bad economics. Economic growth must lead to better quality of life in all ways. Otherwise the economic growth is as good as no growth and better to do without. And another 1.6m people are something that we can do without.

Still want to con people to live in dog’s kennel and claim to be better quality living? Woof, woof….

Mysingaporenews is a Singaporean blog

I couldn’t believe that I have posted some 7,000 articles in this blog over the years. When I started I wanted this blog to be a very provocative blog, teasing and tearing at the conventional thinking process, challenging the readers to look at things from different perspectives. I hope I have not failed in doing this. I just got screwed by several bloggers in TRE in my latest post on ‘Not owning a car is better quality living.’ What is apparent is that the readers read everything I said at face value, even with so many hints that it was not meant to be what it appeared to be. Only a few who have got used to my style and the innuendoes were able to see the subtle meanings and cynicisms from under the table. : )

The other major line of thought in this blog is that it is all about Singaporeans, about the interests of Singaporeans and the well being of this island. There is a Singaporean Spirit in us, among us, a string that weaved through the hearts of all Singaporeans as one people. It is there and still there, but flickering and may go off if we are not careful. I am not sure if the underlying mesage gets through, that readers can feel a greater sense of being Singaporeans, and feel responsible for this island and wanted to be and to do something no matter how small for this country.

As for the non Singaporeans, this blog may give them an idea of what being Singaporeans is all about, and the story of Singaporeans and how this island state is evolving, a continuous work in progress, or in regress.

The idea of national interest, country and people, have been in my vein, probably imbibed through the years when I was in uniform and then as a civil servant in Mindef. I was at one time even lecturing in the National Education Course. So this blog is kind of a continuation of what I was doing officially then and unofficially now, in educating Singaporeans about their country and what is happening to their country. Don’t let the Singaporean Spirit die. Don’t let anyone kill it. This is a constant banging at the consciousness and the subconscious, to kick the morose mind to a state of awareness and to take cognizance of what is happening. It is only when Singaporeans become more aware and politicised and understood what is happening around them would they stand up to play a more active role in the making of their country.

The affairs of the state, the well being of the country and its people, are not just the responsibility of a chosen few, the elected few. It is a matter that concerns every Singaporean, it is not just an economic matter, material well being, but a matter of the heart. Every Singaporean, a civilian, a civil servant, men and women in green or in blue or in civee, must always have the interests of the state and people uppermost in their minds, guiding their actions for the good of the nation and people. Only then can the people as citizens of this country continue to exist as one people and one nation. Anyone who loses this moral compass and strays, and compromises these principles for the wrong reasons would have to answer to his conscience and his children and grand children in times to come.

After writing so many articles over so many years, there is a big risk of going astray and walk down the wrong road like all human beans do. Every now and then it is nice to take stock and realign the compass to stay on the course. If our country ends up in the hands of foreigners and not our children, we are to be blamed.

I used to work in the little zoo in Tanglin and often have tea with the bird keepers in the bird park down the road. Those were quite some time back, Most of the bird keepers have retired, and so were the zoo keepers. I hope this blog will be able to bring more Singaporeans together to think and be like Singaporeans and not let the flame of nationhood be extinguished by the presence of too many foreigners and new citizens that may have different dreams from us.

Keep the Singaporean Spirit alive in each and every one of us.

$600,000 lifetime payouts cum benefits for Singapore citizens

This is the number that is being paraded as the amount a young Sinkie couple with two children will receive from the Govt. In many countries, such an amount is equivalent to a very rich man. But in Sin City it is nothing, and the amount is only subsidies or handouts from the Govt. I am sure many people from across the world will be salivating on this news. Singapore is indeed a very rich country and the Govt is giving away money, plenty of money, to its citizens.

Why would anyone not be rushing to be a citizen here? And why would a Sinkie be unhappy with the new citizens who are likely to receive a fair amount of this $600,000. You get paid generously to be a Singapore Citizen. Why would a Govt give away so much money to new citizens who barely live in the island, pay the taxes or contribute much to the country?

Hear already angry liao. Our Govt so generous with giving away our money to new citizens. Now you know why the true blue citizens are angry. It is not just citizenship and the rights to the normal privileges of citizenship but big money in the forms of big subsidies plus outright cash.

Shouldn’t the Gov’t be more discriminating in who to take in and how much to give to them taking into consideration their contributions and length of residency? And with this type of money the Govt is giving, it should advertise it in the international media and there will be a very long queue of foreigners wanting to come here. Then the Govt can pick and choose only the deserving ones, plus stating all the conditions out front, like NS and if abscond, must return the subsidies and benefits. Can’t be giving all the money away for nothing right? There is no free lunch and no charity to Sinkies, why to foreigners who turn new citizens?

Singapore for Singaporeans!

Sorry ah, I just feel like shouting this empty slogan for one last time before it is being buried for good. Yes, the Sinkies have built this country from a swamp to a first world city. But looks like the Sinkies are not being able to do better going forward.

What is needed now are the foreign talents to come and help the Sinkies to move forward to improve their lot and turn this into a better country for Sinkies.

Sinkies must be grateful that these talented foreigners are here to help built this island. They could all remain in their home country and build their countries into first world, better than Sin City. You see the big sacrifice? Now they have forsaken their own countries, letting their homeland to rot, some still stuck in third world status, only to come here to help us. I am sure their countries will miss their great talents and contributions and their own people will be calling them traitors or ingrates.

Be thankful Sinkies. Singapore for Singaporean slogan should, yes, rightly be an empty forgotten slogan. Let’s utter the new one, Singapore for FTs. They rightly deserve it aren’t they, quitting their countries for our sake? Perhaps someone should hold a rally for this new slogan at Hong Lim to honour the FTs. Singaporeans are history, I mean true blue, born and bred Sinkies.

What do you think?

What is a true blue Singaporean?

I think many would like to know what this term means. The true blue Singaporeans will definitely know without having to scratch his head. You can see a true blue Singaporeans here and overseas by his mannerism, his lingo and his interests. There will be no mistaken identity. The new citizens, many will not be able to pass off as a Singaporean here or overseas. Our Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasians are a unique kind, different from their counterparts from whatever countries. Only those that are not, or those who refuse to acknowledge the true blue will pretend that they don’t know or very difficult to define. Let me attempt a definition and I don’t expect everyone to agree.

First, all those who were here in 1965 and were citizens or subsequently made citizens is a true blue Singaporean. All born and bred and served NS is another. All those new citizens who have served NS is also another. This latter category is to accept new citizens who are willing to serve the nation like all NSmen.

For the ladies or those who are not eligible to do NS, a 10 year citizenship should be a reasonable time to qualify one as a true blue Singaporean. This condition is used so as not to disqualify the newcomers/citizens or to alienate them. We welcome our new citizens as one of ours after some time. The 10 year is arbitrary of course.

Then there are true blue Singaporeans who ran away because of NS or other reasons, economic, education etc and still very Singaporean. They are still true blue except that they have run foul of the NS law. They could return and be one of us, after paying their dues.

All the children of true blue Singaporeans are true blue Singaporeans. No question about this.

Now, would my definition be inclusive enough? I think these terms would at least draw some lines as to who is or who is not. There will be exceptions outside these parameters and could be treated differently on a case by case basis. Not that difficult isn’t it. No need to scratch the head for another ten years with scholars to come up with these simple criteria.

Any disagree? Go ahead, no problem.

Not owning a car is better quality living

One of the measures introduced in the 2013 Budget that will come down hard on the people is the control of car ownership. It hits the people in two ways, higher ARF, lower loan allowed and lesser time to repay. On face value many Sinkies aspiring to own a car as a convenient mode of transport will have red faces and veins protruding from their necks. Those that really need a car for business, for ferrying little ones or ancient ones, or physically difficult ones, will be less forgiving. I am expecting a public outcry on this alone.

But putting the anger and disappointment aside, not buying a car is really a good thing. Really, trust me. Look, this is a depreciating asset that will run out of value in 10 years. It runs out faster than the 99 year HDB flats. Why pay so much for it? Further, public transportation is so cheap, convenient and efficient. There is no need for a private car.

And with the prices of cars getting only more expensive, taxi fares, even if they go up, will still be so much cheaper. There are plenty of rooms to raise taxi fares as there is a big gap between the fares here and the big cities. So enjoy the cheap taxi fares when you can before someone claims so hard to get a cab.

Actually the Govt is doing the people a big favour by discouraging those that cannot afford to buy cars not to buy one. Too expensive lah. But if you can afford it, can pay for higher ARF and put up bigger cash payments, ok lah, go for it.

Many people will be saving a lot of money for not buying cars. It is like people saving money by not going to eat in restaurant. It would be different if people don’t eat or can’t afford to eat in order to save some money. Eat they must, just like some people cannot move without cars. For such desperate cases, just too bad. Sure the Govt will empathise with them, hand over heart. No, cannot say if cannot afford cars take public transport lah. This is a cruel thing to say. Politically incorrect. By the way, with another 1.6m talented foreigners coming in, they too will need cars. Let them pay the COEs and ARF and the Govt can redistribute to the needy citizens. Good huh.

The quality of life sure will not be affected, just like living in smaller flats will not affect the quality of life as well. Think quality of life will be better as promise in the White Paper.

No support for stay at home caregivers

'AWARE calls for greater support for women who have left or stayed out of the workforce due to their caregiving responsibilities. Ministry of Manpower figures show that as many as 68 percent of women who are not in the workforce identify caregiving responsibilities as the reason why they are not doing paid work.'

Let me try to explain, but let me clarify that this is just my opinion, I am speaking in my personal capacity. I think the Govt would prefer the well educated mothers to remain in the work force to contribute to the economy and the GDP. In return they not only pay taxes, they also help to make the maid industry more vibrant, employing more maids, and more levies to be collected, not forgetting helping to pay for the mortgage of our super expensive flats and properties.

I know that having the mothers directly and personally taking care of the children is a benefit that no money can buy. Nothing beats mothercare and the love and devotion of mothers caring for their children. But we need to be practical and pragmatic. The economy needs to be lubricated and it is second best to have the maids to bring up the children. Grandparents would be good too, as caregivers.

Remember that everything is about the economy and GDP. Even having babies is for the economy and GDP. We exist not to live but to support the GDP growth so that more people can be paid handsomely.

It is preferable to have caregivers contributing to the economy than looking after babies and children. There is always the reliable and dependable maids to take over mothercare.

Belligerent Japan and the evil Empire

Tension in East and Southeast Asia is mounting with the return of the Americans and its pivot to Asia military policy. Though its official comment is to remain neutral and not to be involved in the disputes between the countries in the region, covertly it is more than obvious that the Americans were behind the rising tension by agitating and coaxing its proxies to confront China and North Korea. Japan and the Philippines have taken on a very belligerent stance against China and the North Koreans that they would otherwise be more cautious, particularly the midget Philippines.

The rest of the Asean state, with Vietnam now adopting a less hostile position, are walking on tight rope trying not to take sides and ended as pawns in the big powers’ chess board.

By far Japan is the most belligerent of the lot, even threatening to take pre emptive strike against the North Koreans like they used to do during Imperial Japan. Let’s hope they carry out the threat and let the North Koreans dispense a few nuclear bombs over Japan to mean business.

The Japanese threat is not play play. Abe repeated it in Washington when he met Obama. And very likely they have tested water with China that found it serious enough to pay a visit to Russia to get an assurance that should it happen, both Russia and China would take the side of the North Koreans. Not sure if the South Koreans would allow their historical enemy to obliterate their brothers and sisters in the North. It would be so pathetic if the South Koreans would to allow the Japanese to kill Koreans again or even join forces with the Japanese to kill their own brothers and sisters.

With regards to China, the Japanese are increasingly getting more hostile and provocative, buying out China’s islands, chasing Chinese civilian ships and aircraft and increasing its military budget to add more military ships and aircraft in the disputed area. It even made demands to China like in the 19th and 20th centuries and calling China belligerent as if it was the good boy being oppressed by China. Abe said it would not tolerate China’s attempt to take back Diaoyu Islands. This was the same kind of Japanese rhetoric in the past when they bullied China and invaded China. China and the Chinese people would not take this lying down. The truth is that Japan is still occupying Chinese territories, chasing Chinese civilian ships and arresting Chinese fishing boats.

The Japanese are doing all these with the US behind the picture, thinking that the combined force could threaten and bully the Chinese and the latter would not be able to retaliate. They still believe that the Chinese would let them run wild in China.

The Americans will conveniently fly the American defence treaties with the Japanese and the Philippines to tell the Chinese they will come in if China would to act. The Americans think the Chinese will not act.

And they blame the Chinese for raising tension and become more assertive and belligerent. The Chinese have so far only laid claims to those that are rightfully theirs, those that were seized when China was a weak country. On the other hand, young upstart like the Philippines that only became a country a few years ago wanted to lay claims to territories that the Chinese have claimed long before the name Philippines was even known.

Who are the real trouble makers, the belligerent ones? The Chinese will fight the Americans when forced to. They have done that in Korea and supported the Vietnamese risking a direct confrontation with the Americans in the Vietnam War. The Chinese even openly declared that they would defend Iran if the US launches an attack against it. They would do so if the Japanese and the Americans would dare strike North Korea. So too would the Chinese fight the Americans if they are provoked to defend their territories in the East and South China Seas. The Americans know this.

The Americans and the Japanese are playing with fire together with some Southeast Asian countries in trifling with the new China.

Poor George

'An outspoken associate professor for journalism in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has been denied tenure, sparking an outcry and raising questions over academic freedom in Singapore.

Cardiff University professor Karin Wahl-Jorgensen tweeted said that he was denied tenure “on the grounds of quality of teaching and research”.

…Wahl-Jorgensen, who revealed that she was one of the reviewers for George’s case, said she was “outraged” at the decision not to grant him tenure, and that it could have been “because he sometimes expressed political opinions”….'

The above is quoted from Yahoo News. All I can say is poor George. At the rate it is going, our universities will be staffed by the best professors from the US and Europe. It may be another measure to strengthen the Sinkie core in the Universities, be reducing the number of Sinkies and replacing them with quality professors.

Needing more land to avoid overcrowding

We need all the reclamation and yes, going underground, to expand the space for more gracious and comfortable living. The future of Singapore is underground, the new frontier of quality living. So Sinkies, this term is finding better relevance, sinking deeper into mother earth.

‘State media is already championing the idea. In September, the Straits Times newspaper characterized underground living as the "next frontier" for Singapore. It said Singaporeans may one day "live, work and play below ground in vast, subterranean caverns that make today's underground malls look like home basements." The Building Construction Authority, which oversees a new agency responsible for surveying underground, said it could become reality by 2050.’

Actually, what is the point of land reclamation and building downwards when the new space will be eaten up immediately by 1.6m more people? If only the population can be capped at this level and more space be created, there will be more space for everyone, bigger housing, more recreational facilities, more parks and greeneries to give one a sense of space and freedom. Similarly what is the point of cramming people into concrete jungles and with patches of greens, and with each housing unit getting smaller, everyone getting smaller space, in public and in homes? The quality of life must come with space and more space to move around to run around, to allow more roads and thus more ownership of private vehicles.

Creating more space only to stuff them up with more people is not improving anything or changing anything. More sardines in more sardine cans. Is that an improvement in lessening overcrowding or quality of life? Oh, my apologies, smaller space does not mean lower quality of life if well planned, like an airconditioned dog’s kennel.