feedback, reach or blackhole?

Amy Khor has described that the Feedback Unit was once a Blackhole. Things only get in and nothing gets out. Ver daring. Now with the change in name and a bigger reach, would things still be the same? 'Public consultation is now part and parcel of all major policy initiatives.' Hsien Loong said. 'Through the process of consultation, discussion and engagement, we can get Singaporeans to understand issues better, build a consensus on the direction forward and a common vision of Singapore.' Active Citizenry is now encouraged even through blogs. Does this means that all blogs by citizens or just those created by Reach? I have posted the case of a couple wanting to buy a 3 rm flat instead of 4 rm in this blog. Apparently for the couple to write to the press they must have hit the wall. No one is going to review their case. The policy cannot be changed. Their problem is that their monthly income exceeded the limit for 3 rm flat marginally and they are not willing to spend too much money on a 4 rm flat. There are many people out there who are very careful and prudent with their money and would not want to be caught in the one upmanship lifestyle. There are a couple of anonymous bloggers responding to my post and instead of engaging in a discussion to explain the policy, they started by attacking me on a personal basis. To them the policy is right and anyone who complained and air disagreements are stupid and disruptive. Where did they come from and why are they setting themselves out to attack other people's views? These are the new thugs in cyberspace. Instead of reviewing at the straight jacket solution, their minds are closed. No one can disagree with govt policies. Would setting up Reach make any difference if such people were to be administrators of govt policies?

spend what you have

A couple wrote to the Straits Times forum pleading with HDB to allow them to buy a 3 room flat instead of 4 room flats because their combined income is more than $3000. This $3000 limit qualification to buy 3 room flat is another one of those outdated policies of anti thrift and forcing people to spend more against their wishes. Why must people be forced to eat sharksfin if they do not wish to? Many policies are in this genre. If you have some money, you must spend what you have. And when the time for retirement comes and you have no money left, it is your own funeral.

schools of the future...got future or not?

I have posted an article on how the banding of schools could help to release the competitive nature of schooling and also reduces stress among the parents. With more schools being banded together as good instead of a few, it is a big relief. The social stigma of being in a lousy school can be unbearable and embarassing. While streaming and gifted programmes laid on the wayside, now a new concept is up, futuristic schools, all 15 of them. Concepts aside, how good are they in creating value and becoming relevant and useful can be discussed in a different platform. But how would another 15 schools add or lessen to the stress of parents? Will parents now see this as another in thing and their children must be in these Schools of the Future or their children will have no future to look forward to? It would be good if these 15 schools will add into the current pool of IP, Independent and top band schools to give parents more choices for their children. If we have 50 or more schools of different brands and shades to be considered good in the eyes of parents, then more of them will be happier as more children can be accommodated in these schools. Let there be more 'good' schools and more happiness around.

lim teck ghee, resigned for academic integrity

Lim Teck Ghee, director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies(ASLI) and a former United Nations' adviser has resigned from. He rather stands on his academic truth than to remain in a position to produce political truths. His report on the bumiputras controlling 45% of publicly listed equities has incurred the wrath of the bumiputras who pronounced that it is inaccurate and irresponsible. And the future Prime Minister of Malaysia, Khairy, had said that damage has been done. In other words Lim Tech Ghee is history. The sin of Lim Teck Ghee is to write an academic report from an academic's point of view and according to academic discipline. What he has forgotten is to ask the masters what kind of results they want. But then again, knowing his integrity to his profession he would rather not do it if that is the case. Now we know the wonders statistics can do. The results can be fined tuned to what the masters want them to be. Just juggle the inputs and you can statistically prove anything you want. I salute Lim Teck Ghee for his professionalism and righteousness.

myth 76

'What problem?' Today I have a problem. For months I have been dwelling on some of the unpleasantness of our society which people regard as problems. This morning I am scratching my head to find a problem or issue to write about, but could not find any. Isn't that a problem? Or is that a happy problem? We no longer hear of people flying down from the highest flat or trying to stop a moving train. All the cost of living issues were resolved with so many grants and schemes to help the people. Medical cost is now affordable, and so were education and tuition fees. And the minute increment on public transport fares too was a non issue. Where else is there a problem? NKF already forgotten, no point talking about it. Minister pay also accepted as a natural thing. And the good news is that property prices are rising and people are rushing out to buy higher priced properties. These must be signs of good times are coming back. Other indications will be what the MPs are doing. If there are really a lot of problems, Parliament will be packed with MPs raising issues for the people. But with so little issues to raise, they can take a little break or go on leave. And what's better to do than go hip hopping and karaokeing! These are the pleasant things of a nation doing well. Everything going according to plans, economy doing well, stockmarket reaching new highs. Doesn't matter when commissions are reaching new lows. I am going to cut my CD with all the beautiful evergreen songs like 'What a wonderful world' or 'Yesterday' and 'Today,' 'I believe I can fly,' or 'Fly me to the Moon.' And I am going to sell them for $300 a piece, and I am very sure many people will be eager to buy them. And of course the proceed will go to charity. And every CD will have my handsome smiling face on it to keep the buyer company. Welcome to my world, ...miracles is all I have....

how to tell the truth

Though it is not unexpected, I still felt terribly disappointed when I recently read that Umno vice- president Muhyiddin Yassin wanted Asli to retract its 45% bumiputera equity ownership estimation. He said the report was a challenge to the government’s integrity and described it as irresponsible and ‘rubbish’. He said the government should take action against Asli if it failed to retract the report; that Asli should also admit the report was wrong to prevent a polemic that would affect racial unity. He further said: ‘The report is rubbish and cannot be used. As a Malay, I am angry and I think it was done with malice. The report may have an agenda that aims at forming a polemic among those who believe the report to be true. They will definitely blame the government for revealing the wrong facts’. The above was quoted from an article in Malaysiakini. What it amounts to is like swearing, 'In god I shall tell not the truth and anything but the truth.'

another comedy

Mahathir attacked the Asli finding which made nonsense of his past positions and his son quickly came out to retrieve the report as erroroneous. Where is the error? It is just a different report using different criteria and assumptions. And to insist that the bumi control of the national wealth is stuck at 18% is not only misleading but also confirms that the bumi are simply backward or with below par intelligence. For after more than 35 years of affirmative actions and unequal opportunities they are still unable to improve their lot. Isn't this depressing? What are they telling the world?

april fool on oct 9!

Now this could be the biggest joke of the 21st century. UN and the Americans all hopping mad about the North Korean nuclear test and threatening sanctions and punitive measures only to discover that the test was the result of an earthquake which the North Korean knew and pull it off as a nuclear test. How the world was made to look silly by a North Korean trick! This is really unimaginable. Classic North Koreans.

what it costs an average guy to live here

Let me paint in broadbrush of what an average hardlander of 25 years will need to live in Singapore against what he earns in the next 40 years of his life. I prefer the word hardlander than heartlander for obvious reasons. Assuming a nett income of $2000 plus bonus or $30k per annum. Total income for 40 years $1.2 mil What he needs to spend. 1. 4 room flat ($250k plus interest) $500k 2. Monthly household expenses($1k pm) $480k 3. Personal expenses($300 pm) $144k 4. 1 child up to self supporting $150k These 4 items alone will wipe out all his income. Forget about owning a car. And there are many other expenses and social obligations to take care of. As a hardlander, his increment is not going to be substantial to offset the constant increase in cost of living. So he will, for his whole life, living from hand to mouth, at $2000 nett income.

an american comedy

Ever since the North Korea detonated that device, I was all in stitches. I could not believe my ears to hear all the jokes that came after this incident. The first came from Hill, from the US State Department. He said that even if the North Koreans have tested a nuclear device, the US will not recognise the North Koreans as a nuclear power. So? Does it mean that if the US refused to recognise a nuclear power, that power is not a nuclear power or no longer exists? I can't believe this can come out from a senior state official? The next big laugh was the admission that despite all the satellite technology, all the monitoring stations, all the intelligence gathering, all the leading edge technology, the West did not have a clue if it was a nuclear bomb or just a lot of TNT! You mean that they did not know what the hell hits them? The best joke came from the North Koreans. They literally have the US by their balls. The North Koreans have announced that if the US is not coming back to the negotiating table, they are going to test fire a nuclear tipped missiles! Wow! How could they say that and do it? The interesting thing now is that the US has no answers to the North Koreans' antics and negotiating tactics. What's next Uncle Sam? They claimed to have all contingencies thought out but the North Koreans seem to be one step ahead of them. This latest threat of another test is something the US very likely did not think of. And John Bolton, the US Ambassador at the UN, quickly pronounced that 'This is the way North Korea typically negotiates - by threats and intimidations.' What Bolton is saying is that the US never threatens or intimidates anyone or even the North Koreans! What a joke! I can't stop laughing. It is hilarious. And he added another one, that this is a standoff 'between North Korea and the rest of the world'. Really? Which world is he referring to? I have never feel the slightest threat from North Korea. I am just enjoying the drama and excitement of how one party, a big bully, trying to impose its will on a smaller nation and expect everyone to dance to its tune. This is great fun.

bushism, a new world religion

What is Bushism? It goes something like this...Whoever believes in me shall be my friend forever. The little other details include creating lies and the believers must believe without questioning, and telling the believers not to believe in facts and pretend that they are not true. Take an example, by today, almost anything that needs to be known about the lies that Saddam Hussein possessed WMD have been revealed. There is no WMD and the intelligence reports were fabricated to justify the invasion of Iraq. Another example is the detonation of a nuclear device by North Korea. The American State Department said they would not recognise North Korea as a nuclear power. So North Korea is not a nuclear power. So Bushism believers will believe that Saddam Hussein possesses WMD and North Korea is not a nuclear power. Bushism is attractive as it means one is a friend of a new god and is blessed. But the most dangerous part of this belief is that many people around the world really believe that Saddam Hussein did possess WMD and the intelligence reports on it were true. Also, North Korea is not a nuclear power so does not possess any nuclear weapons. And as long as the believers blindly believe in what they are told to believe, everyone is happy, especially this new god.

unreplied postings

hi all, my apologies for not replying to some posts which i have read in my email. i tried locating them in the blog but could not find any traces of them. if i can find them i will respond to them. this is the limitation of a blog unlike the forum format. you are all encouraged to post at my www.redbeanforum.com for easy referencing. flipping through the older posts to find a response in the blog is very tedious. regards

'ignorant fools' according to eliza ng lai kuan

Religion and religious understanding and tolerance is in the limelight again. And this has prompted a reader, Eliza Ng Lai Kuan to write a letter to the Today paper chastising every 'ignorant Singaporeans' for not knowing the different religious dates and meanings of the different believers. In her view, it is totally unacceptable for people living in a multi cultural and multi racial country not to know about the culture, religion and practices of other races. Could they be or should they be? The schools are supposed to teach these subjects. There are the regular national education programmes and campaigns organised at national level. But the understanding is still very poor. Blame the people! Are we asking too much? All the children are already struggling to keep up with their exams, would they have time to memorise all the different aspects of religions and cultures that they have no interest in? Lets be realistic, many people will just want to live their own lives without a care of how other people live their lives. It may be a national objective to educate everyone in these issues, but many just do not have the time, the capacity, the memory or the interest to want to know them. How many people really know or want to know or bother to know?

Sometimes back I wrote about the numerous complains of people being beaten up on the streets and that the police could not apprehend the one who caused hurt to the victims. The case of the doctor being beaten up is still vivid probably in everyone's mind. This morning I read another case of a boy being beaten up quite badly and the same response came from the police when his parent made a complain. The injury was not serious enough, ie 'no loss of life or limb' as reported in the Today paper, thus it is a non seizable offence. Is it ok now to go around beating whoever one does not like? Non seizable offence and the police cannot do anything. Just make sure the injury is not serious enough. Is there anything wrong or inadequate with our laws or is it a case of implementation? I am going to stay indoors from now on, to be safe. I am quoting this incident from a letter by a Zarina Jaffar in the Today paper.

the world of bullies

The world of bullies The danger of this world turning into a hell hole of fire is to see how national leaders behave like neighbourhood bullies. Hit them hard if they cross the line. That is what they are going to do to the North Koreans. Diplomacy is now club carrying. The bigger the club the better, and the one who is ready to use it carries the biggest voice. Can the world really strike at North Korea with military force? Is sanction and provocative punitive measures effective solutions to the drum up crisis? Is the world expecting the North Koreans to be running around threatening every other nation? The North Koreans simply did not have the means and neither the intention. Why are all the silly men behaving like cavemens. All geared up and ready for a fight? The Koreans, both North and South, have no history of attacking another country. The Nations that have such experiences and are likely to do it are the countries that are rounding up the world to hit out at the Koreans. The Americans and the Japanese are infamous for conducting wars and invading other countries. And they are at it again, calling on the world to do it in North Korea. Is diplomacy and sensibilities dead?

myth 75

'Many Singaporeans are having a hard time' Despite some of the posts made here that Singaporeans are not doing well, not competitive, some trying to make ends meet, Singaporeans are actually, mostly, quite wealthy. A simple means of explaining this conclusion is to use the affordability formula. At the top, Singaporeans can afford some of the most expensive housing and cars. That will surely qualifies the rich Singaporeans as very well off. At the lower end, Singaporeans also can afford almost anything, even the much complained public transport system, public health, education, public housing etc. All these are priced according to the affordability formula which has proven that Singaporeans can afford them. And there will be small increases every now and then based on affordability. And the decision is made only when Singaporeans are found to be able to afford them. So when the next round of increases come about, don't worry, the Singaporeans can afford them. So, who says Singaporeans are poor or in financial trouble when they can afford so many good things, the best education system, the best medical and health care, the best transport system, housing, etc etc. It is a myth that Singaporeans are having a tough time. At the worst, they can opt to go for cheaper foreign brides and cheaper jobs overseas. Only when it is officially announced that Singaporeans cannot afford to pay for them then it may be reasonable to say Singaporeans are having problems.

the east asian nuclear club

While the cry for intervention and war against North Korea is being hyped by the Americans for their own good reasons, the East Asian countries know that it is for their own good that war should never occur in their soil. Any modern war involving big regional powers is going to be very devastating and the consequences are unthinkable. Let their leaders be wise enough and not be led by the Americans into a suicidal war among themselves. The confirmation by North Korea that it has successfully conducted an underground nuclear test today has seen calls for Japan, South Korea and even Taiwan to go nuclear. This arms race is going to increase the risk for Japan. Balancing against a North Korea is bad enough. If Japan goes nuclear, it cannot stop South Korea from doing so. Taiwan is either the dark horse or the joker in the pack. If all takes the nuclear road, Japan will now have to grapple with a more complicated situation as all the other countries, including Taiwan, are potential enemies of Japan. A nuclear North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan will give Japan a big headache. The only beneficiary in this nuclear stand off is North Korea. The Japanese and South Koreans and the Chinese, must find a solution to placate the North Koreas even to increase aid to the North against the American provocative position. War is not an option. The carrot is the only sensible alternative and collectively they need to make an offer that the North Koreans find it difficult to resist. The Americans can continue to beat their war drums. The East Asian states must find an amicable peaceful solution for their own future.

imported inflation?

1970 A fresh graduate started at $1,000. Cpf 6%. Take home pay $940. Mother got $200. $400 went to car and maintenance. Left with $340. Still a lot of money then to swing around. 2006 Fresh graduate gets $2000/$2800. CPF 20%. Take home pay $1,600/$2,240. Mother gets $400. Balance $1,200/$1,840. Owning a car will be down $1,200 average a month. ($500 for instalment, Insurance and road tax $120, petrol $400, parking and ERP $180). For those earning $2,000, forget about owning a car. For those earning $2,800, $640 left. $640 today is nothing compare to $340 in 1970. Are we better off? Oh imported inflation? ARF and road tax are not imported inflation. So is insurance which is pegged to the high price of a car due to taxes. ERP and parking are not imported inflation. Even petrol is not all imported inflation if the tax element is lower. Singaporeans should not think that by increasing their wages, they are better off. The wage increase is only meaningful to people who are earning $100K or $1 mil annually. To these people, 10% increment means $10K or $100K increment. To those earning $30K annually, it is only $3K, barely enough to cover the rising cost of living. It is a case of piling at the top of the heap and pinching at the bottom. And the conventional wisdom today is that this is a good thing, a natural thing caused by globalisation.

how not to tell your neighbour off?

I was in the lift with this old man neighbour. Once in the lift he blared out at the haze problem and was in total disgust about how a neighbouring country could be so irresponsible, and thoughtless. We were so close, and anything they do could affect us. The burning will send the haze to us and adversely affecting us. I nodded in full agreement. Neigbours must be mindful of what they are doing and how it would affect their neighbours. So I told him once I had this thoughtless neighbours who would cook in the corridor during a festival or dry his laundry there as well. The smell was unbearable. Neighbours have to be discipline and not to do unpleasant things to neighbours or the neighbour would have no choice but to tell them off. This part I did not say as it will be too blatantly direct. I have told this neighbour off twice. He got this bad habit of stuffing a small white stick into his mouth and it would be stucked there, spraying smelly smokes into the air. And he would do that inside the lift and the lift would smell for the next few hours. Now whenever he sees me he will stub it out. But when I am not around, he will do the same and the smell in the lift will not lie. Told him off a second time about the cigarette butts at the lift lobby. He was the obvious culprit. His defence was that the cleaners will come and sweep. Anyway, to him, the lobby is clean enough compare to other HDB lobbies. He was annoyed by my airing of displeasure. At least there is no cigarette butt around since then. This is the selfish nature of man. For his own convenience he would do it. But when others did it to him, he will complain. But the haze is an international thing. It is the act of a collective group of people and with a govt that is supposed to regulate such activities and good neighbourliness.

myth 74

'The govt failed to deliver a Swiss standard of living' Many have accused the govt of failing to live up to its promise to give the people a Swiss standard of living. But how fair is this criticism? Some may not yet attain this high standard of living. And it is expected that some will never reach there. The less able must be expected to live and feed on less. The widening income gap is only a natural and uncontrollable state of things caused by globalisation. The people must be realistic and cannot expect everyone to reach the Swiss standard of living in such a short time. Some will get there first and some later. One day all will get there. As of today, many who used to live in HDB flats have already move into huge bungalows and have enough fortune to last at least 5 generations without having to work. And all because of the govt and all the good policies to raise the standard of living of its people. The govt has achieved what it set out to do, at least partially. This is telling the whole truth, the whole picture and not half truth. Telling half truth is to blame the govt for not doing what it promised. This myth that the govt has failed has to be debunked. The govt has made it happened to many Singaporeans to attain the Swiss standard of living, even surpassing it.