A good list of screw ups but I think some people might be against your inclusion of point number 3.

Nowadays I’m against growing number of FTs in our country, eating up our country resources and basically making live harder for the locals without having the “drawbacks” of being a Singaporean like serving the country etc

I notice that the title mentions “screw-ups” but the introduction writes “piss off the general population”. These two have pretty different meanings, in my opinion. For example, I wouldn’t consider the issues of foreign worker housing, foreign talent and ERP “screw-ups”, but they are certainly policies that “piss[es] off the general population”.

How about giving us a ATM card which allows to draw money from CPF account? You know, like you would draw money from any bank.

The sad thing is that with F1, hotel rates went up so much that it actually DROVE TOURISTS AWAY. Overall, visitor numbers dropped and even with big-spender F1 groupies, total spend was down too.

Transport Fare Hikes in addition to ERP? Double whammy. Damned if you do (take public transport). Damned if you don’t.

For a complete list of price hikes, check out:
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2007/08/the-relentless-rising-cost-of-living-in-singapore/

Some more salient ones:
Jan 30: MediShield premiums to go up for better cover. YEARLY premiums for basic MediShield insurance are set to increase – by about $120 for most people – to ensure that subsidised patients saddled with big hospital bills will get better payouts. (Straits Times)

April 25: Sharp hike in kindergarten fees. SOME 1,500 students attending the seven PAP Community Foundation (PCF) kindergartens in Woodlands will see their fees shoot up by 30 to 100 per cent. (TODAY, April 25.)

June 18: ERP rates in CBD to go up, 5 new gantries added. About half of existing ERP gantries islandwide will see their rates increase from July 7. (CNA) (Straits Times)

Electricity rates actually went up 3x from the article.

August 30: SINGAPORE‘S public hospitals have raised ward charges in the last two months. The increases at Alexandra Hospital (AH), Changi General Hospital, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and SGH took effect at the beginning of July. Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the National University Hospital (NUH) raised their fees this month. (Straits Times).

Oct 6: SingTel increases local fixed line subscription and call rates. SingTel is increasing its local fixed line subscription by S$10 a year from January 1, 2009. Residential customers will therefore pay S$110 per year in subscription and business customers will pay S$160 per year. (CNA)

Oct 23: Singapore’s September inflation up 6.7% on-year. Singapore’s consumer price index rose 6.7 per cent in September compared with the same period last year. (CNA)

I wonder what is the author’s views on the TC investment ?
I wonder am i right to say no one is interested to know where else money is invested in or how much is not much that is affected by the lehman thingie?
Where is the source of funding?

I wonder is it absolutely mission impossible , no way , no solution to prevent walkovers?

I am not clear.

yours truely,
Ho Pinkie

Did you miss the casino investment? I think that’s the biggest mistake in the past 5 years.

There could be 3 possibilities why they still continue and go ahead with all the price hikes even when so many citizens protested.
1. they need alot of $$$ to cover up the huge losses on practically all their $$$billions foreign investments thus, depleting into the country reserve which is the people’s monies,
2. intentionally pressurizing its older citizens to leave the country so they can just do away with all this heavy burden upon their shoulder, so they can and will continue to bring in more FT welcoming them with ready citizenships to replace those who are leaving or already left the country for good,
3. continuing to implement more or increase taxes to the extent that there would be huge amount of $$$ surplus in the shortest span of time, so they can just go ahead and highly reward themselves again and those who are willing to be their coffers and those who can cast more votes for the coming GE.

anymore possibility, pls feel free to add up here.

I have another thing to raise as well.

POLY FARES ARE TOO HIGH! Government must tell SBS (Shameless Bus service) to lower or make our fares fair

Let’s be honest…in the end at the next election…some cash bonus from our dear leaders will ensure that they will win by a bigger margin than the last election.

CPF Compulsory Annuity scheme, being forced down onto citizens who have no say at all on what to do with their own hard earned money.

“Allowing the car population to explode and then installing more ERP gantries to tax usage”

As a driver, it is so true. Worse is now my estate HDB open car park is always full. sigh.

#9

Well only those “blind” people would be bought over by the “package” but I’m amazed that there are indeed a lot of this kind of “blind” people in Singapore.

#12

I think it’s abit harsh to label others as ‘blind’ just because they have different concerns from you. After all, before our own ‘awakening’ and increased awareness weren’t most of us ever like that in the past?

To you, they might be blind, but to them, they are just doing what they feel its best for them in resolving what they care about – the ‘bread and butter’ issues. To them, covered walkways and lifts are things that they care about, things that are tangible and directly affect them.

12) Komenos on November 12th, 2008 10.50 pm +0 #9

Well only those “blind” people would be bought over by the “package” but I’m amazed that there are indeed a lot of this kind of “blind” people in Singapore

Yes, I agree but I also observed the no. of “blind” people already woke up and can see now, do not understimate the power of the people when they finally realised they has all the while been cheated through and through by the one they chosen all these years.

The next GE is interesting because the current crop of youths (around 18-20 year olds) will be able to vote and I can tell you there are many who are anti-establishment (be it those who are more politically aware and/or sick of the same ruling party or those who are opposing for the sake of opposing). I know more who lean against the establishment in my social circle than outright PAP supporters.

You have missed out the most important reason: The outrageous minister’s salary which has been increased three times since the last election. Now a minister earns in one month what many people will take one whole life to earn.

Some more:
* Labelling Singaporeans (heartlander/cosmopolitan, post-65/pre-65, etc)
* Stop at two policy
* Graduate mother policy
* Making citizens pay for public infrastructure
* Outsourcing public services (estate maintenance, road-sweeping, etc)
* ‘Corporatising’ stat boards and utility & public transport companies
* Requiring almost every public service to be self-funding
* Not clearing dead wood from public service

Continuing their tactic of bullying, bankrupting or black-painting opposition politicians.

Result: No plausible opposition; walkover; no check-and-balance in parliament.

Exactly and well said here, it is the younger lions that the ruling party is fearing cos they are our highly qualified and knowledgeable teams that will not succumb to rubbish talks and bullshits, they are and will be our future leaders of singapore and do not be surprise apart from the present opp parties, there would not be just 1 or 2 newly formed parties emerging anytime to take over all these present bunch of good-for-nothing so called elites. Unless the present ruling party plays very dirty but then again don’t forget the world is now watching singapore very closely, so either they play by the rule or . . . . . you guess what can happen.

It’s all very subjective.
What is poison to you may be wine to others.

#13) Chorus
“To you, they might be blind, but to them, they are just doing what they feel its best for them in resolving what they care about – the ‘bread and butter’ issues. To them, covered walkways and lifts are things that they care about, things that are tangible and directly affect them.”

I would call them blind not for having different concerns, but for not realising that blackmail never ends until they stop paying it.

To tiredsingaporean

1. they need alot of $$$ to cover up the huge losses on practically all their $$$billions foreign investments thus, depleting into the country reserve which is the people’s monies,

We are their ATMs, any time they make $$mistake we have to pay for it. Most of the essential businesses here are owned by the gov and GLC. When they need $$ just increase the prices. Thats simple, nobody will protest in singapore.
See the investments outside singapore, all screwed. Only businesses in singapore are profitable because we have “rules” to bully singaporean.Ask our GLCs to increase prices in malaysia, indonesia, thailand …etc see what will happen?

3. continuing to implement more or increase taxes to the extent that there would be huge amount of $$$ surplus in the shortest span of time, so they can just go ahead and highly reward themselves again and those who are willing to be their coffers and those who can cast more votes for the coming GE.

We pay low income tax? think again. all price increases are artificially created by them.
all the bullshits about “rental rate is still lower than HK, NY…etc” think again. They tell you the good thing but carelessly didnt tell u that HK has 1 billion people behind them. what do we have ?

What a perceptive person you are, Josee 100.

I take it that you do not represent the whole of singapore? From my perspective of your “screw-ups”:

1. “Invest billions of dollars into Merrill Lynch, Citibank and UBS at the wrong time and price…” Nobody can invest at the right time and place or pick the bottom. If the value is fair value, when you hold for a long time, you will still gain.

2. “Not being pro-active in resolving the Lehman Minibond Fiasco” – when the milk has already been spilled, whether you cry immediately or cry 20 mins later, makes no difference. Besides, many investors also admitted that they went into the Lehman deal knowing the risk but they took a chance. Different from HK – they all went in blind.

3. “Proposing to house foreign workers in a middle-class neighbourhood (Which other country does it?)” – Please grow up and don’t be so class-conscious. We are all human beings, regardless of the colour of our skin. Besides, they are taking the jobs that Singaporean shun and loathe.

4. “Approving electricity hikes at the time of recession (Again, which other country does it at the onset of a recession?)” – there is a need to expand the infrastructure to support the growing needs of the country and the hike also helps people to be energy conscious to help save the world from global warming. If price go up, use less lah!

5. “Increasing GST from 5% to 7% (and making a huge budget surplus in 2007 and at the onset of a recession. If they pay themselves top dollars and call themselves ‘world-class’, surely they would have foreseen the crisis approaching. Some economists have already pointed out the trend around that time.)” – Look at Chen Shui Bian. If you don’t pay your top official high pay, they will be tempted. Increasing GST but reduced corporate and income tax – you only telling half-truths. Furthermore, but still lower than other countries. The rich consumes more, so pays more GST, it’s good!

6. “Opening the floodgates to an excessive number of questionable ‘foreign talent’ into the country (depressing our real wages & driving up housing prices)” – This is a supply and demand issue. Local companies want to hire FTs because locals want high pay and refuse to do dirty jobs. With FTs doing menial jobs, locals just focus on working in higher pay jobs. Your real wages depends on your worth to the company hiring you. Nobody owes you a living.

7. “Allowing the car population to explode and then installing more ERP gantries to tax usage” – Why restrict car population? Are you trying to restrict the freedom for people to purchase what they want? ERPs saves manpower and is effective in controlling jams. Don’t you realise it is much smoother when you are travelling on CTEs in the morning? If it is not working, instead of complaining why not you suggest something better?

8. “Keeping ineffective leaders like Chan Soo Sen around – Remember how he screwed up Joo Chiat and now he attended a diploma-mill’s graduation ceremony? (And they call him ‘world-class’ and pay him top dollars)” – How can you generalise this man as a screw-up just because he made a couple of mistakes? Are you perfect? Joo Chiat is a much better place to live and to work in now, compare to 10 years ago.

9. “Giving scholarships freely to ‘foreign students’ while expecting ‘local talent’ to take up bank loans (get themselves into debt) or use their parents CPF money to pay for their own studies.” – my friend, scholarships are given to the cream of the crop, which includes locals. This encourages them (foreigners) to stay in Singapore and contribute to society. We improve because other more talented people around them are better and we learn from them.

“Under-investing in public transport – Sardine-packed trains. Fewer bus routes.
Hyping up F1 Race while the general public sees little positive spin-offs. Instead workers in CBD need to put up with road closures and traffic jams.” – Packed trains during peak hours are expected – why you so pampered? Got aircon, bus lanes, TV in bus not enough for you? Having the F1 puts Singapore in the world map and generate future interest and potential long term gains for the country – why are you so narrow minded? Can people have a little tolerence for the road closures for a couple of weeks when they can be working in the area for the last 3 or 4 years?

“Sheding responsibility during the Mas Selamat case. Isn’t it weird that Ministers in other countries will step down to take responsibility if a serious error is committed but not ours?” – The right people already been reprimanded and dealt with. Why still flogging a dead horse? No jail in the world is perfect but as long as the lesson is learn, let’s close rank and move on.

There is no such thing as a perfect decision. There will always be pockets of people who disagree with certain policies because such policies do not benefit them; but on the whole, in my opinion, Singapore Gov is on the right track.

Whatever decision taken by the PAP, sweet or bitter, is in the best interests of the people. Perhaps people cannot see and realise it in the short term, but they’ll soon come to realise the benefit it brings to society and Singapore. Sometimes, one need to take the bitter medicine to see results and cure. History has shown.

Whatever decision taken by the PAP, sweet or bitter, is in the best interests of the people. – physician (#24)

The question is whether PAP is still acting in the interest of The People. Hence the remainder of your claim in #24 becomes invalid.

To #23)

Wah ! Your arguements sound exactly like those comments that have been coming from PAP ! Are you Woody Goh ?

I read with amusement and of course anger at some of the latest PAP’s hiccups. I wouldn’t list all of them as screw-ups as some have pointed out certain policies may be bitter medicine – bad for the time being but will be good in the future for our country. Nevertheless, I could see most of the points raised are in one way or another related to money issue. It goes to show how much our country has attached ourselves to the importance of monetary value.

I remembered when GST was raised from 5 to 7%, GCT was the PM then and he delayed the impending rise for about half a year due to the SARs epidemic. If I am correct, LSL was asking for the rise then. He was abit paranoid about topping up the govt coffers all this while as PM and perhaps his training and experience in economics may have influenced him along this trend. He was also Finance Minister for a while while being PM and only recently relegated that Finance post to Tharma. It goes to show how much importance he attaches to money matter.

This is actually not wrong. In Australia here, the financial crisis has burnt a big hole in the budget and they are now facing a deficit of more than few hundred billion dollars. Only yesterday, NSW annouced a mini-budget which essentially is clawing back some revenuefrom the public here. Imagine just three weeks ago, they have announced a budget to expand the economy – each Aussie will get up to $1000 in cash!

Some of their mini-budget measures in NSW include the axing of the following:

1. North west metro – 12 bil total

2. NSw lotteries – 1 bil total

3. Health cut – 500 mil a year

4.Waste services mgmt – 300 mil

5. Free travel for all students – 470 mil a year

6. $50 back to school allowance for each student – 60 mil a year

7. Job freeze cutting up to 6000 non-frontline workers – up to 150 mil a year

8. Closing of a juvenile dention center and other cuts to juvenile justice – 17 m a yr

9. Travel perks for MPs and ministers – 15 mil a year

These cuts will produce a budget of $3.3 billion in savings for the NSW state.

Now come the charges that the NSW public will pay to top up the state coffers:

1. Anti-congestion toll on the Harbour bridge and Harbour tunnel of $4 in peak periods. $3 for the reminder of the weekdays and $2.50 overnight. This will fund 300 new buses.

2. Families charge $45 bus pass fee for each primary school student and $90 for each high school student up to a maximum of $180 per family yielding up to $58 mil a year – this used to be free for the family.

3. Train fares rises of up to 12% on top of inflation yielding $79 mil a year.

4. Ferry tickets up extra 50 cents per trip to fund $7m repair of wharves

5. Cost of green slips up $10 a year

6. PArking space levies increased from $950 to $2000 a year to the CBD and N Sydney and from $470 to $710 to St leonardo, Chatsworth, Parramatta and Bondi Junction.

7. Annual license fee for childcare providers of $700 to $1100 from Jan 2010.

8. Property transfer fee doubled from $92 to $194 raising $16.5 mil a year.

9. A 2 per cent land tax on land holdings worth more than $2.25 mil raising $170 mil a year.

10. Coal levy increases worth extra $500 mil a year.

11. Extension of land holder duty to catch complex land buying schemes

12. First home buyers scheme capped to homes of up to $750,000.

It is unlikely that the public will vote for the current Labour govt ever again.

I wouldn’t list all of them as screw-ups as some have pointed out certain policies may be bitter medicine – bad for the time being but will be good in the future for our country – Gilbert Goh (#27)

Gosh.. you are starting to sound high on MSM propaganda.

Read Sydney Times, not Straits Times!

“I remembered when GST was raised from 5 to 7%, GCT was the PM then and he delayed the impending rise for about half a year due to the SARs epidemic. If I am correct, LSL was asking for the rise then. ”

That raise has to be justified not hookwinked and force the citizen to accept whatever rot the gov give. Didn’t it has become a custom for the gov to raise GST after every election whether if there is really a real need for it ? Just because this clown delay GST hike doesn’t mean he has the right to demand the hike in the first place ! What stupid budget deficit the deceitful gov talking about when there is high possibility that most of the surplus end up in Temasek and GIC ? How is it that no one even question the budget deficit come about ? Never believe the crap gov told you about until there is full accountability and transparency.

I have lived Australia for sometime, I don’t mind if it is expensive place to live if I can have choices, and I believe that Australian government is heavily scrutinized by the public to do the right thing, and that been the “high” cost of live might be genuinel due to operational cost and not due to stupid inept and moronic investment of irresponsible gov that pay off by using citizen’s taxmoney. The fact that Singapore hookwinking the citizen for more than 4 decades destroy the trust of the republic. I’m sure you know that from the minibomb issue. If the MM and gov could blatantly do that unjust act to the investors publicly and openly, I wouldn’t even dare to think of the thing done privately and in secrecy. It must be that worst.

24) physician on November 13th, 2008 1.32 am
Whatever decision taken by the PAP, sweet or bitter, is in the best interests of the people. Perhaps people cannot see and realise it in the short term, but they’ll soon come to realise the benefit it brings to society and Singapore. Sometimes, one need to take the bitter medicine to see results and cure. History has shown.

Dear Physician (or so you claim to be),

When you see the fragile samsui women who toiled their whole lives ending up with bent backs building Singapore literally brick by brick and then discarded like an old cardboards when they outlived their usefulness, tell me, how apt is your statement?

When you hear the govt telling you that since we are a nation not given to savings therefore the govt has to ’save’ your money on your behalf for use when you grow old (age 55 was originally deemed old), and then see the definition for ‘old’ keeps changing like you would your underwear, tell me, how apt is your statement?

When our forefathers supported and worked alongside the old guards, they were a very happy lot and because they were so happy, they entrusted everything into the hands of the old guards trusting that their best interests will be taken care of.
In comes a new batch of new guards who destroys this trust and keeps changing its promises, looking outward more than it should inward and thus undoing all the goodness of the old guards, tell me, how apt is your statement?

43 years, if this is not long term enough for us to judge them, tell me, how long more must we give them before we see “the long term results”?

Actually, I’d throw my support behind those who say that some of these policies are bitter medicine that yields better long terms benefits. Of course, they’re policies that pisses people off, but hey, they ultimately will benefit the country.

For example, the issue about rising car ownership and ERP gantries… I see it as part of the larger plan of shifting the cost of driving from owning a car to driving itself. This will benefit, for example, a family who may find it too costly to drive to work daily, but can use the car for a family outing during weekends. It’s a policy I support.

And then of course, there are quite a number of real screw-ups.

31) Jackson Tan
they’re policies that pisses people off, but hey, they ultimately will benefit the country.

On the surface, this sort of reasoning makes a lot of sense. But try scratching the surface a little and you will see than when it is (mis)used as a reason for introducing all sorts of bitter pills that it really defies all the logic that were used in the first place.

This also begs the question: For the country or for the people?

The reasoning is manipulated by the PAP govt to indiscreetly introduce all sorts of policies than goes against the interests of the people – some of which are so hotly debated on this platform.

Bitter pills, yes, acceptable. History has proven that the people can take bitter pills.

But there has to be a balance. It cannot be the people all the time taking the bitter pills. The state has to take one or two from time to time.

“For example, the issue about rising car ownership and ERP gantries… I see it as part of the larger plan of shifting the cost of driving from owning a car to driving itself. ”
No one says it is bad except that it is misused to generate profit ,and to even put into residential area which has no traffic congestion ?
So please don’t distract the issue, the main issue people concerning now is the the use of ERP as business profit to who know where.

If the ERP generate profit, it should go into helping Singaporean not with bulk go back into Temasek and GLC or who know where . You can even have gov telling us that ERP does not generate profit, now I ask you, Is it half-truth or what ? It’s time this gov stop giving Lim’s Sweet Say anymore.

Govt promised in the last election that we will move forward. However, the only ones here whose lives have improved are the foreign workers coming here who have found jobs at our expense. For most of us the quality of life has stagnated or even become worse.

Govt promised in the last election that ppl who vote for them will have their precints upgraded. Just how much of the upgrading has actually been carried out?

Govt promised in the last election that ppl will have jobs. Now economy is in recession and their hype about the IR balloon has burst.

“Govt promised in the last election that ppl who vote for them will have their precints upgraded. Just how much of the upgrading has actually been carried out?”

CAVEAT EMPTOR – let’s voter beware. The gov already says if it is too good to be true it is. Make sure they eat their words in the election.

CAVEAT EMPTOR. The PAP government doesn’t disclose a lot, so voter beware! Voting for PAP is just like buying DBS HIgh Notes 5.

After you realised how big a mistake you made in voting PAP despite PAP’s mis-representing and hard-selling themselves to you, you are still responsible for your own loss.

Nobody will step in to save you too, and the government will constantly remind you that it is your fault, and you deserve the shit for voting them.

there will be early election saw from yesterday SHit Times. I really hope the opposition is ready for early election and not caught surprise. Problem with opposition is that I felt they always aim at border line win. I say they should start planning for a big expansion. West is a heavily industrialised area and should be included in their “wish list”.

Quality of speech is important in rally, solution is usually important to get in touch with the common people. How to bring down transport fare, utility fare, control inflation etc. Solution to a problem can never be a music to ears always. Such as problem of public transport. I felt that the problem with our current transportation failed because they expand too fast. When you start extending the MRT, control on upgrade or even increase the number of bus should be curbed. However, PAP choose to burden the operation of having mobile TV, changing those of non-air con to air-con, worst I can think of is the double link bus which the length cause conjestion (in the first place, they don’t have the brain to think why in the past bus is usually double deck then stretching the length). I think the older generation that managed the transportation must have seen the problem. Upgrading of bus stop to fasinating design with no practical function sometime with water still splashing in during storm.

All these mistakes were made because PAP tried to please the public too much. Opposition should be practical and not too much on what the people want but rather the people need. While PAP failed on that, I really hope opposition can correct that. At the same time. I believe most Singaporean supporting the opposition want a co-operative opposition and not a internal conflicted one. Malaysia is a good example, after winning the ruling party, what did they do now? They messed up because they want to completely eliminate the ruling and increase their power. Forgetting the fact that people are actually still waiting for their need to be met! Thanks

Please don’t prove LKY is right, opposition! If not you will lose a lot on “U Turn” vote when LKY make his point. I might not be a politician, but thumb of rule should be working towards the “needs of people”. Not enage in too much fight but convert the people to work with you. It is working with the people you get respect. Btw, LKY in early part of his life actually setup a table at china town area to give free legal consultation? Now the PAP has lost touch with their people, maybe the opposition want to regain that ground back!

GST 5% to 7% – Government should have foreseen that it is speed up inflation since at that time the price of crude oil was rocketing up. I fail to understand the scholar ministers fail to see the connection.

Investment in Shin Corp, Merrill Lynch, Citibank, UBS and now ABC learning etc – I suppose that our financial and economic analysts are just not “world-class” enough to understand the risks of credit default swaps, CDO and sub-prime debacles. Just like the Minibond issue – MAS classified Minibond prospectus under “DEBENTURE” instead of “STRUCTURE PRODUCT”. No wonder so many “non-vulnerable” investors are also “con”

Minibond fiasco – MAS not taking the leads in resolving the issue BUT take the high ground that “BUYER” beware! It does not take responsibility that it has been negligent or hookwind in approving misleading information in the brochure and prospectus by Lehman Brothers and allowing this toxic product to be sold in Singapore.

If you look at the long term investment returns of Temasek [18%] and GIC [4.5%] which is just below par especially If you EXCLUDE the profit that they made in privatizing [selling] off many GLCs that were in their portfolio. These GLC were monopolies and all they have to do is to charge more for services to Singaporean thereby increase the GLC profit and sold them higher valuation. A case in point is the recent 21% increase in electricity charges. The aim is to increase the profit of SP, sold them at higher price to private investors and claim glory in getting higher returns for Temasek/GIC.

The awesome turn out for WP rallies last time resulted in WP winning ZERO GRC.

Very interesting and perplexing phenomenon.

Selamat wong – the ultimate buck container

27) Gilbert Goh Keow Wah on November 13th, 2008 5.49 am

Are you sure you wanna compare 1st world with 1st world?
Yes / No?

Depending on your reply, we can have a discussion.

Your answer please.

38) Dr. Albert:- “Btw, LKY in early part of his life actually setup a table at china town area to give free legal consultation? Now the PAP has lost touch with their people, maybe the opposition want to regain that ground back!”

Not possible for opposition party to set up a table at china town area.
No police permit will be given !!!
Hence , illegal gathering if the table is set up regardless of permit !!!

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Money/Story/STIStory_301763.html

OIL PRICE IS NOW BELOW USD56.

NOT LONG AGO, BUSINESSES USED THE OIL PRICE EXCUSE TO COMPLAIN THEY TAK BOLEH TAHAN. THEN, THE PRICE WAS AROUND USD120. SO THEY HIKED. THAT BEING THE REASON.

NOW, THE PRICE IS MORE THAN 100% LOWER. AND YET SOME BUSINESSES STILL USE THE OIL PRICE AS EXCUSE TO HIKE BY WHOPPING AND SHOCKINGLY HUGE MARGINS.

THE ULTIMATE QUESTION FOR ALL YOU EDUCATED SINGAPOREANS :

1. WHY THEY CAN DO THIS?

2. WHY PRICE NOT LOWERED TO BEFORE LEVEL WHEN OIL PRICE HAS DROPPED TO SUCH LOW LEVELS WHEN THE REASON USED WAS SPECIFICALLY HIGH OIL PRICE???

ITS MY PERSONAL OBJECTIVE TO SEE TO IT THAT THIS QUESTION IS ANSWERED CLEARLY AND SATISFACTORILY TO THE PEOPLE.

SHOULD THE REST OF YOU JUST SHUT UP AND REMAIN SILENT FOREVER?

23) Annoymous wrote: “There is no such thing as a perfect decision. There will always be pockets of people who disagree with certain policies because such policies do not benefit them; but on the whole, in my opinion, Singapore Gov is on the right track.”

It is true that there is no such thing as a perfect decision, but since the Ministers are paid millions and possibly more than the American president, you would expect better decisions.

In your opinion, the SingGovt is on the right track. What do you mean by that? The country is about to face some of the biggest challenges in the coming years and all the government does is to remind Singaporeans constantly of their past achievements (which are very great, no doubt about that) but there is no brilliant insights by any of these leaders of how to bring about transformational change to Singapore. On the other hand, you have a bunch of highly paid and highly educated technocrats who are out of touch with the rest of society. Since the onslaught of the financial crisis, you often hear the Ministers say: “Watch out for yourself. The govt is not going to take care of everything” and many people are saying “I will look after my self interest”. Is this the right track you are talking about: a self-interested government and a self-interested populace?

cAN SEE HERE STILL GOT QUITE OF NUMBER OF pap SUPPORTER…. More ERP NVM, Electricity hike NVM, GST increse NVM, wrong investment NVM, Mas selamat escape NVM….!!!! I think we got more more years to suffer!!! Good more years for Lees family!!! Heard Lee brother coming to politic, let c whether is true!

40) Politics is what it is
The awesome turn out for WP rallies last time resulted in WP winning ZERO GRC.

I recommend that you read Robert Ho’s article (#31, Robert HO on November 12th, 2008 8.03 pm) on the other thread titled 20 Years of The GRC: A closer look (Part One).

I don’t think there will be GE soon. PAP is not stupid to call GE during this bad recession time. They are hoping that come 2011 the economy will improve and the ground would be sweeter for the GE. Besides they have just increased the Ministers’ salaries threefold, and they want to enjoy their astronomical salaries for at least two or three years and not risk their outrageously lucrative positions so soon. If they had wanted to call the election now they would not have increased the GST and the Ministers’ salaries. It’s commonsense.

I am indeed sadenned to note that websites such as TOC are being flooded by SDP symphathisers and loyalists. Those who follow the SDP and all the redundant and lazy Opposition must be very impressed they’ve blind followers such as these- trying to effect change.
I can assure you, Opposition will never win next elections, not even a GRC.

44) Bee Bee

Excellent!

Physician (#33)

History only proved that PAP made decisions in the best interest of the people. Whether PAP still makes decision in the best interest of the People remains debatable. If PAP indeed has the widespread support you implied, where are the PAP loyalists on TOC? Are you the only one?

what happen to the case of the NSman who got ragged by his firemen colleagues. disgusting that such a thing can happen. can the minister in charge please give us an update and his assurance that such thing will never happen again. now i feel unsafe about putting my son into NS!

Referring to 42):

There are many way to help actually. Some means do not actually require permit. Do not want to elaborate here because there are too many 007 here if you know what I meant.

Somehow, early or no early election. Opposition need to be prepared and not caught pant down the last minutes. I suspect that although it might seem disadvantage to PAP to have a early election but I see more worst if they wait for another 2 years. By then, younger generation will very much nominate the working population. Thus this group of people will not listen to PAP shit.

Not that they support opposition but rather PAP is no longer able to satisfy their materials need with a simple one time hand out. This is the reality of Singapore, sad to say.

Yes, I agree with Donaldson. The decisions made by the PAP thus far had produced good and benefits to the country. However, we’re still unsure about future decision-making. That is why mechanisms are in place to ensure that any decision taken in the future is not in the best interests of the party, but the people of this country.

The decisions made by the PAP thus far had produced good and benefits to the country. – physician (#53)

This is a sweeping statement. It is mathematically improbable that all decisions that PAP made had produced any benefits to Singapore.

#54

……. unless one have eyes that look like the letter S with two downward strokes, and have them in the pockets.

41) Ante Molly:

Sure why not? You can start first.

wow, anonymous,mind me asking how much did PAP pay you to defend their every screw-up as good?

let me debunk your “arguments” one by one again, just like you have debunked josse100 to show you above how “perspective” you are too.

I think most singaporeans living in other 1st world countries do not really understand nor appreciate their kind of democracies.

I think PM once said that australian politicians wasted their time in arguing with each other. He thinks it is much better to have one mini-god to make all the right decisions. It may be more efficient but not better.

Democracy is very much a process. How you get to the decisions rather than who made them.

Not point comparing with other countries when ideologies differ. Whether Singapore is on the right track depends on how singaporeans actually feel. Governance is about people. If more people are feeling unhappy, you can’t be on the right track.

Actually, I feel the biggest screw up is we singaporeans relying on a one-sided government to be able to make the right decisions. That we believe that a monopolistic government will provide the check and balance to be effective.

Notice from the postings that singaporeans (many of them) will reamain screwed for some time to come.

“there will be early election” ?
That means there is going to be GST hike again. Can Singapore Betting Society allows betting of GST hike ?
Choices include (with Probability):
- No Increase (0% Wait Long Long)
- 8% (10%) (1% ? When in history it happens before)
- 9% (30%) though traditionally go by 2% increase
- 10% (60% consider the heavy loss of taxmoney, and it takes 30years to recoup)

Judging from the ridiculous loss of taxmoney, I bet it is going to be the GST increase to 10% because the government once remind us to eat bitter medicine now than to eat it later. Well that means “If you going to eat shit, may as well give you the worst shit.” Indeed 2008 may the year of “Shit” I ever experience. Let pray that the gov doesn’t deliver another major ‘Shit’ to citizen for Christmas present. Anyway gov can’t control the shit they create because the AngMoh always report the Shit mess. Only those who read and trust the MSM doesn’t know the shit they getting into. No free lunch, so the price of shit must come from somewhere else. Even a moron can guess who will be paying for the shit.

Sad but true. I have a feeling something big is coming our way next month. Let hope I’m wrong.

“The decisions made by the PAP thus far had produced good and benefits to the country. – physician (#53)”

Since when Lucky Tan kept a disciple ?

But try scratching the surface a little and you will see than when it is (mis)used as a reason for introducing all sorts of bitter pills that it really defies all the logic that were used in the first place.

This also begs the question: For the country or for the people?

The reasoning is manipulated by the PAP govt to indiscreetly introduce all sorts of policies than goes against the interests of the people – some of which are so hotly debated on this platform.

- gemani (#32)

Exactly, it becomes an evil when employed as an excuse, but that should not undermine the real bitter pills actually which are good for the country.

Oh, and I refer to the country because it is more than the people in the sense that it includes future generations. But mostly, the country is about its people, now and future.

No one says it is bad except that it is misused to generate profit ,and to even put into residential area which has no traffic congestion ?

So please don’t distract the issue, the main issue people concerning now is the the use of ERP as business profit to who know where.

- Daniel (#33)

So I suppose if ERP still exist (and increase in number), but the profits are put to, say, subsidise public transport, this will no longer piss people off?

I think this item is on the list because drivers are irritated by having to pay even after owning a car (reminds me of the Hitler video). I’m not certain if changing how it’s used will affect their opinions.

My apologies for awful formatting in my above reply.

“I don’t think there will be GE soon. PAP is not stupid to call GE during this bad recession time. They are hoping that come 2011 the economy will improve and the ground would be sweeter for the GE.”

The problem is can MM Lee wait that long ? He isn’t young anymore, isn’t he ? How many old guards still remain ? It make sense for the ruling party to call early election while MM is still around. This is viable strategy to leverage on the old man. Which is worse ? Election with or without the old man ? Since when the event of election isn’t influenced by the old man ? The old man is prominent in every election and do influence the voter whether you like it or not. I think MM still command respect for people, especially those who still believe that MSM is the gospel of truth. There are still majority who believe in MM but not his son.

“So I suppose if ERP still exist (and increase in number), but the profits are put to, say, subsidise public transport, this will no longer piss people off?”

At least it will go some way reducing the angst, won’t it ? But then why screw those who buy and use cars too ? The ERP is becoming too extreme now, oh wait, the worst is yet to come, in the future, no more ERP gantries, only ERP Satellite which they are trialing next year. No more beep anymore, silent increase according to your mileage ! subsidise also no use. Give you ten cents, take back $1. Can the business of ERP be privatised ? I want to invest in it, should earn money.

I don’t know what will happen to the next few generations. If you have children, maybe you should consider migrating.

Much are said than done! I wonder how these people have time just to bicker about the govt and the PAP! They ought to conduct themselves in more responsible and as patriotic citizens than just bicker for almost anything the govt. does. I wonder how many here are proxies or stooges?
As much as you criticised the govt, of handling of almost everything, follow that up with your concrete alternatives for those problems raised. It is always easier to be in the opposite fence and just said NO! to everything….
As much as I waste time reading your views, it would be alot fruitful if you could be sensible and intelligent enough to come out with counter measures!! Don’t waste your time bickering about the govt…see what you can do for the govt….or at least make some sensible suggestions!

i came here after typing at google “screw the” “Singapore” “Government” .
seriously speaking i have a big screw up about them also,

Singapore is a peanut, yet we have prime minister, senior minister mentor , don know here and there. But what i know USA SO big also dont have SO MANY crappy positions.

Their crazy high pay is our TAX. Few times more than US President.

Singapore very big ar? got so jialat to manage? Do they really deserve the ridiculous pay?!

RISE UP SINGAPOREANS!

I feel so ashamed when i see aunties on the news ” I LOVE U” to the ministers during the election! i wondered if their paid to do it? or just pure dumb

23) Anonymous

What a “great” defense you have set up for them, but sad to say, the foundation is too weak and it will collapse easily.

However, i don’t have the time to rebuke everything so i will just challenge one point “Look at Chen Shui Bian. If you don’t pay your top official high pay, they will be tempted.”

Isn’t that ironic, so you are saying that their high pay reduce their temptation for
corruption? then you imply that if they are given lower pay, they may be corrupted? then isn’t a it sign of them been corruptible in this case? if a person wants to serve the country to his utmost, he won’t request a high pay to reduce chance of corruption.

So in the end, your defense have a big loophole, they are not here to serve the people, but here to earn the money and they need high pay to reduce their temptation for corruption?

so to 23) Anonymous, please rack your brain to think up of a more solid defense before posting. as for the other defense, there are so many loopholes but i don’t feel like rebuking so many stuff at one go.

Hi physician,

Woa! What a sweeping statement? I am in awe of your perception, so can you bring up and inform us which decision that the PAP have made that produced good and benefits to the country? Maybe it does some good for the country, however i don’t think it does much good for the people dude.

So their decision, or lack of, that helps SGP become the first asian country to enter recession produces goods and benefits for us too? Fantastic, now i have an optimistic view about this.

“is not in the best interests of the party, but the people of this country.” Now now, is that true? Look into your heart and answer me? is it really for the people? what about the poor that Dr Lily Neo tries to help? and in the end, she was retort by our dear minister…so it is for the good of the people huh? woa…

and lastly, to 66) V S RAAJ

Congrats! you have the attitude that is similar to Panther and the likes…and i think you may be another one of them?

“As much as I waste time reading your views, it would be alot fruitful if you could be sensible and intelligent enough to come out with counter measures!! ”

I wish you will be sensible and intelligent enough to be more tactful. A person who pop out and question other people on their intelligent most probably suffer from a lack of it too. Since you post in such a way, perhaps you can tell us what are the alternatives that you can think of instead of insulting my fellow TOC friends here. Or do you just pop by to criticize like some other people that we have seen?

“Don’t waste your time bickering about the govt…see what you can do for the govt….or at least make some sensible suggestions!”

Since you say that you are wasting time reading the comment, didn’t you happen to read up on the constructive comment that people like Gilbert, Gemami, Mr Tan etc has provided? I bet you must have omit the good stuff and hear only the bad.

and regading your question on proxies or stooges? Maybe you are one of them?

You ungrateful people. If not for PAP would you have gotten your education. Look at Indonesia huh. we got hdb, got job, got F1. housing prices are down now, but will go up again.

some singaporeans are just lazy and don’t deserve help. if u don’t have enough money its because you did not save. if u don’t enough, it’s cos you’re stupid. what you want?!

personally my stand on ministers salary scale is simple. You pay peanuts you get monkeys, you pay too much you get wolf.

Teo Kian Boon (#71),

I don’t deny that the previous generations of PAP government did their job well. But ever since LKY stepped down as Prime Minister, it is pretty obvious what direction Singapore is heading. Why are you blinded by PAP’s past achievement when what is important now is Singapore’s direction?

Blind leading the blind? That’s PAP for you. The not-so-blind and abled Singaporeans are already emigrating while the not-so-blind and incompetent Singaporeans are stuck in Singapore lamenting about PAP policies while still voting PAP at the election booth.

LOL Teo Kian Boon, you sound as if our PAP work for free. If I were to be grateful, I would be grateful to people like Tan Tock Seng who choose to help people when he get rich. This is the kind of people that make Singapore proud.

Please lah, you obviously are one of those that had been living in the mountain too long. There is a common saying, to earn 1000 is easy but to save 1000, hum… Let see, 250 electrical bills, 160 for 3 tins of baby milk, 45 for mobile phone bill, 10 for resident phone bills, 120 for transportation fees, 300 for parent allowance, 250 for wife allowance, 14 x 2 = 28 for 2 packets of disposable diapers consists of 54 pieces each. Injection for baby every three months 120 polyclinic mind you (cheapest) and the list goes on and on.

So please mr. Teo, for average family household income is around 1800 (after CPF) with wife not working if not still need to pay for people to take care. Which also exclude sick, little dinning out occasionally, house maintenance and TC payment etc. Worst still when come to festive season like the Chinese new year. You sound as if there is a lot of jobs that come with a descent pay to be grabbed.

Then why government now talking about minimum wage huh?!?? Teo I hope to can wake up and open your bats eyes. Don’t use imagination.

Teo Kian boon. Your words are loud, but your understanding of what is going on around you are laughable. If Singaporean so rich, why bother to Q up every wed, sat and sun in hope to extend their credits from little part of their 1800 at the Singapore pool booth?

I think you are right, these people should be grateful to PAP to make it so convinence for them to place their bets by having so many betting stations all over Singapore island. So they have more chances of winning and get more money to save. LOL

Mr 71) Teo Kian Boon

“You ungrateful people. If not for PAP would you have gotten your education.” Nope, I am not thankful for them. They did encourage education, but the one that send me through and gets me a good education is parents, so i am grateful to them, not to MIW.

Please, “Look at Indonesia huh.” use a little of your cerebral power. if you want to compare, use another economic “tiger” and don’t just compare with our neighbour.

Your last statement really reflects on your I-level. some people, even if they are smart may not make ends meet, partly due to the typical wage rate in singapore that doesn’t increase in-line with inflation and other issue.

So Ah Teo, wake up, crawl up from the well and see the world for what it is, instead of making comments that seems so hollow.

I laugh at this article. Temasek made US$1.2B from ML (when BOA bought over) Furthermore, no bank has been pardoned by this crisis. UBS is a sound investment. It’s wealth management is uncomparable. A chance to buy at a low price, who would not want? Citibank. Too big for the US gov to let it fall. In terms of assets, Citibank is still the biggest in the world. That bank has the guarantee from the US gov. Can you find a guarantor better than that?

My sister works in HK and she said the HK gov is doing nothing in the midst of this crisis. So may I ask, in what way is the Singapore government copying HK?

Furthermore the Gov did try to control the ‘exploding’ car population. They slapped huge amounts of tax but we still love our cars. What to do?

“Surely they would have foreseen the crisis approaching.” They didn’t and nobody did. Even the US gov was in denial. Until today nobody knows how big or messy the subprime is. Let it go.

Hyping up F1 race. You know how envious the other Asian countries were of our race? You know how glad the Western countries were? It was front-page on so many newspapers around the world.

Under-investing in public transport. Quite the opposite. I recently came back from England and have seen a massive increase in quality of our trains and buses. Packed trains and buses at peak hours is common in every single country. Live with it. And it is just a 20 mins ride on the train at most. Is it that hard?

Giving out scholarships freely foreign students. What to do? Not enough intelligent Singaporeans so why not offer to people who are more than willing to serve Singapore?

#gyc

Just because the London (or Tokyo or New York ) transport system is very crowded, then it is all right for ours to be also very crowded?
Why can’t we strive for even better standard? Must we be satsified to be forever a poor copycat ?

The ever increasing university fees are a very big burden to Singaporean. Many parents need to work like mad or use up their entire saving to finance their children .Many students have to start paying bank loan immediately upon graduation. Just some times ago, it was reported that there are female undergraduates moonlighting as social escorts to support their education.

On the other hand, about one quarter of the total places in Singapore universities are reserved for foreign students, many of them on free scholarships. Besides free university fees, they also have generous allowances. Upon graduation, they don’t need to pay back a single cent and just have to work in Singapore for 2 years. This is called “serving Singapore”

Government and citizens relationship is akin to parents and children. If the parents preferred to only take care of outsiders & left his own children to swim or sink on their own, what will be the consequences?