Comments on: Re-thinking our economic expectations

By: George

George — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:26:03 +0000

I am sorry to disappoint many of our bloggers above. Admission to PAP membership is not by application but by invitation only. It had been tightly controlled for many year.There is no easy route into PAP. One had to be selected and invited to join. There are many way one could seek one fortune e.g. travel abroad and start anew which some Sinkaporean had done. Popular places like Australia, New Zealand, USA and UK – all the English speaking countries. A small country with no natural resources is alway going to struggle to compete with giant like China, India and eventually Indonesia and Malaysia. Manufacturing industry will be history soon and to compete in the high technology sector is no easy task either. China and India are moving into those sectors as well. The financial sector will take a few years to recover from the USA subprime crash. Those who are adventurous will take the risk and travel abroad leaving behind the comfort zone.

By: WeallareRetards

WeallareRetards — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:57:02 +0000

Join PAP and lick a$$ all the way to a Minister level . Job security for life. $1 million plus a year and can talk and fart at the sametime.

By: abel

abel — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:19:25 +0000

When we go for high growth(it seems obsessively) then Spore will
perennially undergo a boom & bust cycle with resultant job losses
and retrenchments which translate into some severe social dislocations
particularly for the older Sporean worker when one is in his mid or late
40s salaried at about $3k monthly, then has to undego retraining and
gets another job which usually pays less than half his former salary
whilst his expenses are on a steady increase due to upgrading, a
child or two taking his/her “A” levels or studying in the Polytechnic/
University, caring for aged parents/parents-in-law, owning a car, etc.,
thus this disiullision Sporean will probably emigrate during his mid50s.

By: WKC

WKC — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 07:30:54 +0000

Singapore may have become a so-called First World nation but where is the wealth? In whose hands? The government, of course, and successful businessmen. And government ministers and the elite in society. Maybe, something like the 80-20 ratio [or even 90-10] seems to apply. – 80%/90%of the wealth is in the hands of only 20%/10% of the population. What about the remaining 80%/90%? They can enjoy the peanuts!

Would the government share its wealth with the people? Some of it of course, but very, very little.

But that’s the style of this government. Tax a lot. share a little. First, build as huge a surplus as possible, through every kind of taxation if possible, then hand out the peanuts. But take it back if possible after the election.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:08:03 +0000

Get out of Singapore.

I did that.

Get out of the stress and worry.

I am now living in an LDC.

Life is good to me.

Just a simple life.

Bonnie

By: tiredsingaporeans

tiredsingaporeans — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:32:38 +0000

Before I pay the standard road tax of estimated $700/yr for a 1200cc car, now with the ERP, I still have to pay something like $500/yr but my average monthly ERP charges I am paying is abt another $250/month, see how much is the difference? what rebate are we talking about her????? this is cut throat and is extortion business for the motorists monopolised by the garments.

By: moshedyan

moshedyan — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:25:05 +0000

i just want seek lta opinion on traffic jam pn a saturday
in bencoolen street/bras basar road?
is many people so riched that they needs to go bencoloon street
just to pray to kuanyin?
if that is not the case
is albert square/simlimsquare/berlingston square
an orchard road shopping class standard?
if that is still not the case
why on earth
do lta charged 300% on erp poles on a saturday from 12noon till 8pm?
just because we nneds to pray and buy spare parts
doesn’t mean we have to pay 3 (THREE) times the amount
so lta thinking
is perhaps we should leave the weekend car @ home on a saturday and take the buses/mrt with a spoilt computer in 1 hand while the other hand we hold on to the standing pole perhaps?
and mind you peeps
simlimsquare is on par rental with shenton way
dollarfordollar
now with this lta profitdriven scheme
more merchants cried
for their buisness only thrived on weekends
on weekday ley?
its a weepin lane
where literalLEE
you can used it as a bowling ally
~sigh~
so much for our kind prince the prime minister trying to help us
the local merchants…

By: Balajian Skuravi

Balajian Skuravi — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:07:24 +0000

Given that NO ONE OWES YOU A LIVING,
Why employ singaporeans given that their salary includes CPF contribution payable by the employer?

is business not all about THE BOTTOM LINE?

Lets not kid ourselves.

I BELIEVE THE BUSINESS RENTALS NEED TO GO DOWN IN THIS CRISIS.

I BELIEVE THE CPF should either be :

INCREASED FOR PRs TO THE SAME LEVEL AS CITIZENS OR

REDUCED TO THE SAME AS PRs IF NOT BOTH REDUCED FOR EMPLOYER CPF.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FOREIGN WORKERS SALARIES MUST BE SET ACCORDING TO MINIMUM WAGE SYSTEM.

Employers must not be expecting too high a bonus and actually accept less earnings by not retrenching too many workers in this crisis. who knows, for 1 million less bonus they give to themselves, this could save hundreds of jobs.

But then, employers are rich and by being rich and elite does not mean a person is Honest, Transparent or has Integrity, kind or generous or care for the poor. it just means the bank passbook has more zeros. PERIOD.

words can be spoken by anyone as beautifully as a poem. Just hire a poet to write for you. What is spoken need not be practised or the truth.

By: David

David — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:46:45 +0000

If Singaporean are forced to live under constant dilemma of having a job, why should we be paying labour union every month. If I know my living are is full of thieves and robbers, should I not get a guard dog with teeth than one without?

By: collective bargaining agreement

collective bargaining agreement — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:55:31 +0000

Hi,

singapore is news’d to be very solid bombastic like safe,stable and nice nice.
our education system is news’d to be solid bombastic producing people who can, erm …. not rejurgitate i have to say, but study study good good.

For thess and many other reasons alone,
wages for singaporeans should be higher . Even more so when u consider the 1st world status.

in short, businesses wanting to operate here should pay more to our citizens.
and I hope rentals will come down for them as well as the corporate tax.
Like this ,there is surely hope for 1st world pay and not just pay and pay.

paying and paying sarks!

By: Wah Bian A

Wah Bian A — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:19:48 +0000

About property prices:

Rapid rise in property prices or rental in relation, will lead to rapid fall in prices. Seen all the hot money (local and overseas) coming in to pump up property prices in 2006/2007?

The poor will suffer more as the rich who would have owned multiple properties would have sold theirs for a fat profit or gone en-bloc and then those marginal investors would start to come in to play in the property market, lured by these fat profits.

But time for profits are short and the stalement, like it is now, will lead to more forced-selling and then bankruptcy.

Stable prices should be the objective for a stable economy.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:30:05 +0000

I think saying that wages is the ONLY reason for high cost of doing business in Singapore is a bit short sighted.

The government’s policies have also created spiralling costs for businesses too (not just for the people), including rental, utilities and basic infrastructure costs.

If these were curtailed, the push factor wouldn’t be as big

IMHO.

By: aiyoyo

aiyoyo — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:07:20 +0000

aiyoyo

gentle reminders, did ELITEs reming themself when investment sink?

commoners want their $ back, invest/spend themself..

commoners want simple, less/no pressure lifestyle..

why come to this stage, just look at advanced countries, what happen to them now?

believe simple is the best.

aiyoyo

By: GST offsed pack

GST offsed pack — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:02:51 +0000

GST offset package given for GST hike.

My question is why hike to begin with?

okay, lets say you have bombastically good reasons again, where does the offset package monies come from?

is there a LOOP we are seeing?

regards
69′ner of the show “ERECTION is COMING” (erection of a lampost)

By: Blind Man

Blind Man — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:58:47 +0000

Please give me back MY CPF money and there is no need to have national service.

Thank you for giving us this GENTLE reminder during this recession.

Please repeat your GENTLE reminder to us during the election. I am sure the PAP will get more votes.

Maybe you should have it as your slogan.

By: DP

DP — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:39:30 +0000

What we people fail to realise is that when you are earning millions, a 20-30% pay cut does not do you much damage. Best of all you know you will never be retrenched no matter how you screw up. The assurance that you will always be in power makes them more detached to the reality the population is facing. You are in your comfort zone. Why do they behave as such?. Because we have surrendered power and have failed to use our votes to make them accountable. When the fear is there that they might not have a job if they do not perform, then they will work for the people. Please wake up.

By: singaporean

singaporean — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:52:56 +0000

100% job security.

lose public money won’t get sacked
lose dangerous terrorist won’t get sacked
gamble away public money, also won’t get sacked.

what more u want?

By: SZ

SZ — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:44:56 +0000

12) pugdragon

i am with you…don’t join the force that we detest

By: Cancel NS

Cancel NS — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:05:28 +0000

One more option that Andrew Ong did not list out – to leave the country for a more respectable democracy. Although I fit into the “easily satisfied” category, I choose to emigrate. It is less stressful then having to wonder perpetually if one would fall victim to the next economic cycle exacerbated by the heartless PAP policies.

Also as moshedyan has pointed out, it is actually easier to be an entrepruener overseas.

By: Cancel NS

Cancel NS — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:58:12 +0000

Agree with pugdragon.

Btw, strange that in other democracies, the elected MPs and Ministers are civil SERVANTS who are indebted to their voters and have a duty to provide for the welfare of the citizens. Singapore is one strange democracy whose voters/citizens are replaceable economic units by foreign workers “talents”.