But does the majority mind it?
Apparently not.
thus status quo for half a Century (almost).

I suspect people playing shares and doing business would not want to shake things up. But if you are an employee with kids to raise and fees, housing, loans etc to Pay and Pay…

To employers, singapore’s policies allows them to lower labor costs. But to succeed in this global economy, I am sure its not about labor cost but about a company’s intellectual property and their competency. In short, Singapore should focus on competent companies who would not resort to offering less than 1st world salaries to survive.

Some INC can afford to pay multi-million dollar salaries to many who do not work much because the INC’s people are hard working and cooperative absorbing all sorts of competition pressures and cooperating without any strikes. So, u see, salary is nothing. Its whether the company is competent or not.

Why many European companies doing well and paying 1st world salaries to their european employees and senior management ? Because they can. They are competent companies able to capture the market and make good products and provide excellent services.

they will only listen to the people every 5 years during election times.

Our overpaid ministers will never compare countries that are better than us because it’ll show how much lesser money other leaders will serve for.

Moreover, Tokyo, HK and Taipei are democracies that actually work and prosper. they’ll only mention these countries and compare if they are are democracies who are in turmoil and poverty so that they can look better, praise themselves and insist that Singapore under them is heaven, and that democracy and modest leaders are not ‘the way that works for singapore”.

that is harsh. i see no need to call anyone ‘dog’ and start mocking them. (your points are valid though.)

it does not take much to recognise that we all have opinions and it is natural to disagree.

calling someone ‘dog’ only shows how uncouth you are. that is not the way to go against the establishment. in fact it is ‘extremist’ acts and viewpoints like yours that will provide the perfect ammunition for the establishment.

If you are For the People,
you can bet the People will be behind you.

too many have gone the way of heartwarezine, if you know what i mean?

Pragmatism Extremified.

Also, for bus fare hikes, i don’t see how it’s fair or realistic for student fares to stay unchanged for about twenty years while adult fares are constantly increasing. Why aren’t parents of children, rather than the parents as well as all the other adults, made to pay more for once? Is it another decision based on economics of scale?

And of course, the obscene profits of the PTCs and sanctioned by the PTC–nothing more I need to say.

Thanks. :)

Regards,
Andrew Loh

Thank you for your advice. We will certainly keep it in mind. I think it’s important to note and to know a few things about our event:

1. It is not a demonstration. There will be no colour-coded t-shirts or placards, for example. What the even hopes to achieve is to bring ithe issues to a non-Internet audience. Demonstrating is the last thing on our minds.

2. You are right in saying that civil society needs to grow and inspire others to speak up. That is also what we hope we will do with the HLP event.

3. We do not view ourselves or our website or the HLP event as “fighting” the Govt or anyone, in fact. We view ourselves as concerned S’poreans who have an honest and vested interest in how our country is run and have a say in the policies which affect us.

I also give credit to the Govt, particularly the Prime Minister, for wanting to hear public opinion – this is something which they are not given credit for. Whether the feedback is taken is another thing altogether.

Thanks again. Hope to see you at HLP this Saturday… :)

Regards,
Andrew Loh

Problem is our country is small and yet govt still wants to increase population size, which is suicidal in the long run. This reflects the govt’s short-sightedness in handling public issues.

Never mind lah. Practice makes perfect. Do it once, do it twice and do it thrice. Do it often, it becomes a habit.

Underdogs always have more support. People will give discount lah.

The measurement is really how hard our own pockets are being hit. What, if you are well groomed with Armani suit and tie with strings of Phd and Masters and used to be the No. 1 debater in your uni. Does it really help me.

“FD is also a businessman, having his own media related business under his nickman FD. So, I think that is why he is able to debate with TOC so well. He is in full support of FT and agrees that sporeans should learn to grow up.

If you are a smart businessman. You will probably stay quite and keep a very low profile because every single word that you speak will be picked apart, undergone a ‘fine-toothed comb’ scrutiny and get blown out of proportion if there is even a slightest weakness.

For the first time in many many years, we see a different branch of liberalism from Chee’s tainted past. Fact is, the public could never see liberalism in a good light because it was tainted with Chee (whether or not the media and the Govt had anything to do with it is another issue).

Now we see a moderate liberal section coming up to debate issues of public interest. If you can sustain this momentum, more will be emboldened to follow suit.

You should, however, play smart and by the rules. Do not assume you are smart; fact is, the ruling party is VERY smart. Push and retreat where you can and always live to fight another day.

A few comments on the pro-foreigners arguments at the BlogTv.

1. Foreigners in service industry can raise competing with locals can raise standard and introduce good practices.

We don’t need to open up the job market to introduce good practice and raise service standards. It is the job of human resources training and management.

Competition exists in work place as employees seek to perform and get promoted. There is no need to open up the industry foreign workers to get that.

2. Foreigners usually demand less in pay and compensation.

This is because they can afford to do that with their families in their home countries with lower cost of living. They can work here for a few years and the money saved can do much in improving the living standard at home. The same is not true for locals.

The argument only show the businesses are squeezing the locals with the foreigners. It points the problem to government policies and the GLC that own the malls driving up business costs.

More later.

I dont wish to see TOC kenna debated until they look bad on TV.

I recall the BlogTV where TOC’s view was not convincing the public after FD and his co-host and new citizen and a local businessman who likes FTs countered his views.

Its quite pathetic u know?

FD is also a businessman, having his own media related business under his nickman FD. So, I think that is why he is able to debate with TOC so well. He is in full support of FT and agrees that sporeans should learn to grow up.

I also support FT.
I hope more than 1 million more FTs come here and make the employers happy.

So, just my 2cents advise to TOC. Please stop wasting time at HLP.
Not many will turn up, I predict. But time will tell.

TOC is trying to engage the people.
But if not prepared for debate, you are sending the wrong message.
I hope you are not unprepared.

The top in this case looks at statistics, and constantly compares ourselves to cities with higher prices.

If you look at statistics, for eg: A cabin can hold 30 sitting passengers and 50 standing ones, and only 20 people are standing at any one time.

It doesn’t make any economical sense to increase train frequencies.

What they don’t see (or refuse to see) is how uncomfortable it is to be packed into sardines, or wait up from 6-8 minutes for the train, only to be packed again.

Once again, i would suggest that the Board of Directors of our world-class transport systems take the trains and buses to work everyday for a month. Perhaps then they’ll understand.