Of Living Hell and Paradise

Of Living Hell and Paradise I was in Chinatown during the CNY to take in the sight and I strayed into the little corners around Sago Lane. The very old of Chinatown are there. Many of them. Yes they are alive, heart pumping and breathing. But are they living? There are many of these pathetic souls that can be found in all corners of the heartland. Sitting in the void decks or some little corners oblivious to what is around them. They have defied nature, humans have distorted the course of nature, when they should have moved on and be in paradise. Many still cling to the idea that keeping people alive for as long as they can is a good deed. Life must be preserved on this living hell for as long as possible. And now we have created this enormous problem of the aged, not knowing how to deal with them. For nothing can be done unless youth can be restored and vitality returned to their fading lives. What could have been done is to make them live the last leg of their lives with dignity and with peace and without pain. The latter medical science can do quite a bit. For them to live with 3 decent meals, without worries should be the minimum the country can do for them. What is the cost of 10 packet of 3 in 1 coffee or tea a day? Or 3 meals of sweet potato porridge and vegetables or beancurd? For the lonely and destitute and unable to work, shouldn't they be taken care of by the state? Or shall we say that they deserved to be where they are? It is very cheap to provide some free meals and coffee for those above 60 or 65s in the citizen's corners. It would not cost more than a couple of hundred bucks per head to do it. Not all senior citizens will need them. Only a handful will. Welfare state? It is welfare in a way and a necessary one. Whose fault to keep them alive for so long when their bodies are no longer useful for work to pay for their own living cost?

babies are national assets

Medishield to reach newborns This is another very good scheme. Babies are national assets, boys or girls. The country must give them the best medical care to raise them into productive adults. This is like organisations calling their human resource as the most important asset of the company but...treating them like shit. The country has been encouraging the people to produce more children in a declining birthrate. And without the children coming, the country will perish unless replace by foreigners. If the country treasures these babies, shouldn't their health at these early stages of their precious lives be the concerned of the country and the little cost of insurance be paid out by the state? If we can pour in so much money on beautifying the parks and canals, don't these babies deserve better?

Celebrating Singaporean - John Chen

John Chen the Singer I take my hat off to John Chen for doing something he loves. He was an academic turned politician and now turns singer. Go for it John, do the things that make you happy and enjoy life. Don't be a slave to money. How many people can take such a dramatic turn in life? Ok, he has made his dole. And that is exactly what making money is for, to earn enough to buy oneself the freedom to be what one wishes to be. I can see John Chen a happier person, more joyful and younger even. He is now sporting a new celebrity look, so different from his past expressionless, dull academic and politician image. Let's see more Singaporeans follow his happy path.

china less attractive with higher corporate tax

China is raising its corporate tax on foreign companies from 15% to 25% while lowering the local companies' tax from 33% to 25%. This would make Chinese corporate tax very much higher than our 18/20%. Would this make us now more competitive than China? No doubt China has other comparative advantages like a huge market and a huge labour pool and can afford to raise its taxes. MNCs will have to make their assessments as to where will give them the best value. And Bintan/Batam with their own sets of problems that make operating there unprofitable, Singapore will now be slightly more attractive as a preferred destination. Oops forgot to mention India as another choice market. But we still have to lower everything to make ourselves competitive, except wages. But we have comparative advantage in having a big pool of local and foreign talents that can command higher wages. So not a problem there. Oh, workers level, that is another story.

an act of war?

An act of war? Banning sales of sand is a commercial decision, an unfriendly one at worst. Banning granite sales is similar in nature. All these are within the rights of a sovereign nation. Indonesia can choose to sell or not to sell to us. We can negotiate for a fair price, even make them an offer that they cannot refuse. But when all else fails, we find alternative sources for our supply. Then it was reported that 12 barges and 12 tugboats were arrested for carrying granite from Indonesia. And with the Indonesian Foreign Minister and Trade Minister confirming that there was no ban on granite, the cargoes were legitimate and with legal papers. They cannot be breaking any Indonesian laws. And they were carrying our flags. This wrongful seizure of our shipping vessels is a very provocative act, an act of hostility. Many countries have gone to war for such a hostile act. And this is repeated 24 times, with 24 of our boats arrested while conducting legitimate activities. Singapore cannot take this quietly. We must demand their immediate release with compensation. We must demand an apology. We must demand that the commanders involved in such hostile acts between two friendly neighbours be sacked. These are the least Singapore should do to remain a respectable sovereign nation or be forever compliant. Forget about all the acts of kindness and offering of help. These are never appreciated and regarded in most instances as acts of pretension. They are seen as an appeasement by a small nation trying to curry favours from a big nation. Singapore should reassess how it conducts its relations with its neighbours. It should be on an equal basis, cordial, friendly and mutual respect. No necessity to run like a eager beaver to offer help when help was never seen in that light.

40 looking at 80

When you are 45 or 50 and staring down the future and knowing that you have possibly another 30 or 35 years to go, and you are jobless and unwanted. My god, is this the fate of older Singaporeans? And what can one look forward to if the likely jobs available are menial or manual works like cleaners and sweepers. And what if the whole country's infrastructure is being upgraded to world class with world class facilities, luxuries and world class price tag? The Age Committee would have to come out with a miracle, like a wonder drug that can make old people younger and marketable.

what a powerful committee!

Age Committee The most powerful committee yet formed today is the Age Committee to tackle unemployment among the senior citizens. 4 ministers, 5 ministers of state and a parliamentary secretary. Singapore and the senior citizens' problems are in good hands.