GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS
2008 has been an eventful and challenging year. The world is entering the most serious economic crisis in sixty years. The global financial system has seized up, companies are finding it harder to obtain credit, and economies everywhere are slowing down. Europe and Japan have joined the US in a simultaneous recession. Asia too is seeing a sharp slowdown.
As a small, open economy, Singapore cannot avoid being hit. We earn our living by trading with and servicing the world. So the fall in worldwide demand has hit our exports, our tourism sector, and our broader economy. We have gone into a recession, though growth for the year as a whole is still positive at 1.5%.
The outlook is highly uncertain. At each stage of this crisis, events have turned out worse than the experts predicted. Governments everywhere have been implementing monetary and fiscal measures, rescuing troubled financial institutions and key corporations and pumping money into the economy. But no one is sure how the financial systems and economies will respond, or which policies will work. There is a loss of business and consumer confidence and, hence, one thing is certain: things cannot turn around overnight. Quite likely the global recession will be followed not by a quick rebound, but by several more years of slow growth.
We must therefore prepare for a difficult year ahead, and especially the first half of 2009. Our economy will probably contract further. More companies will be forced to downsize. So far we have not seen many job losses, but I expect more retrenchments in the next few months. We must be psychologically prepared.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO SAVE JOBS
The Government has responded promptly to this economic storm. Our key focus is jobs – keeping people in jobs, helping workers who lose jobs find new ones, and retraining them with new skills. To do this, we have to help businesses ride over this rough period. So long as people have work, they can take care of themselves and their families.
We have already implemented two significant initiatives. The first initiative is the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR), which was jointly launched by the tripartite partners on 1 December. SPUR helps businesses pay for their staff training. The tripartite partners have reported good response. Already, more than 120 companies have come on board, which together will train more than 4,200 workers.
The second initiative is enhancing government financing programmes for companies. This is to ensure that basically sound firms, especially the smaller ones, can still obtain financing despite the tight credit climate, and so keep their operations going. We have also recently reduced interest rates and increased insurance premium subsidies under the schemes. These measures will benefit some 13,500 existing loans worth $550 million and an estimated $3 billion in new loans.
Apart from these two measures, we also lowered corporate taxes in 2008. New enterprises and smaller companies enjoy further tax exemptions, which mean that many pay little or no taxes. For households, the 2008 Budget package included Growth Dividends, U-SAVE, S&CC and Rental Rebates, and top-ups to Post-Secondary Education Accounts. These schemes are helping Singaporeans, particularly lower income families, to tide over the difficult period.
Our next major move will be the 2009 Budget, which we have brought forward to January. The emphasis is still to protect jobs. We will do more to help viable companies to stay afloat and continue to employ their workers. We will introduce measures to help them with their business costs, including rental and wage bills. We are also studying further financing support for companies.
Compared to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, this crisis is more difficult for us to overcome because it is global. Still, it will not last forever. After a few years, conditions will go back to normal, though we cannot expect a quick return to the boom years before the crisis. Meanwhile, a world in recession is not a world without opportunities. In the midst of the storm, we must keep pursuing new growth chances, and look beyond the immediate problems to ensure that Singapore emerges stronger after the downturn. Hence, the Budget will also contain measures to develop our competitiveness and build up new and long term capabilities. Some businesses may not recover from the slump in global demand, but most should survive. We will help them to build up their operations, and also encourage new businesses to grow, so that there will always be good jobs for Singaporeans.
The Budget package will not restore our economy to high growth overnight. But our measures will moderate the impact on Singaporeans, and on our economy. We will continue to monitor closely how events unfold. If more measures become necessary, we have the resources, and the will, to do more to see Singapore through this recession.
MEETING THE CRISIS AS ONE NATION
However, Government help alone will not solve the problem. Every one of us has a part to play. Companies should work with the unions to find ways to cut costs, and consider downsizing only as a last resort. During a downturn, businesses should try hard to keep their core team together, to hold on to their critical knowledge and skills. They should also take advantage of this slack period and the available schemes to build new and better capabilities. Such a far-sighted approach will pay off when the upturn comes.
On their part, workers should go for upgrading and pick up new skills. There are still many good jobs even now. Singapore has attracted exceptionally high investment commitments in the last two years. For 2009, EDB forecasts that investment commitments will be lower, but could still exceed $10 billion. When these projects are completed they will create many new jobs.
In addition, sectors like construction and marine which have not been popular with Singaporeans still offer many jobs. There are also vacancies in the service industry, such as in healthcare and education, the IRs and retail trade, and in the Home Team and security. There are jobs not only for the rank and file, but also supervisory and technical positions for professionals, managers and executives. If you are job hunting, I hope you will venture beyond your comfort zone to take up these available jobs, even if they are not your first choice.
In this difficult period, families must bind together, as Asian societies have always done in times of trouble. We must all fulfill our duties to our parents, our spouses and our children. In particular, we must safeguard our children’s future. Parents must ensure that children continue to attend kindergarten or childcare centre, and keep up their school attendance and school work.
Singaporeans must also take care of one another beyond our immediate families. Community and welfare organisations, as well as grassroots organisations all over the island, have expanded their schemes to help needy citizens – food hampers, Fairprice vouchers, bursaries, and pocket money for needy students. The Government will also continue to play its part, by helping the poor through ComCare. These efforts must be supported by all Singaporeans. If you are able to contribute, do volunteer your help.
TACKLING SECURITY CHALLENGES
Besides the economic downturn, 2008 has also brought political instability and security threats to some countries in our region, making it harder for these countries to focus on their economic problems.
Extremist terrorism is a continuing threat. The recent terrible attacks in Mumbai were a vivid reminder of this. Singapore was not the target, but tragically a Singaporean, Ms Lo Hwei Yen, became a victim. We all mourn her loss. We must also understand what this incident means for our security, and how we can protect ourselves better from the threat of terrorism.
We are doing our utmost to prevent something like this from happening here. Our security and intelligence agencies monitor potential threats closely, and cooperate quietly with their counterparts in neighbouring countries. We are tightening up border security, and taking physical precautions at major events. Ordinary citizens can help in this too, by being on the alert and reporting anything suspicious.
But there is no 100% guarantee that we will never be hit. Therefore, we must strengthen our psychological resilience and our social cohesion, so that should an attack ever occur despite all our efforts, we can absorb the shock, pull together and recover from the blow.
Most importantly, extremist terrorism must not be allowed to undermine our racial and religious harmony. Singaporeans understand that terrorism is a threat to all of us. All religious groups have unequivocally condemned the Mumbai attacks. We need to work continuously to further strengthen this unity, trust and resilience. This is the purpose of the Community Engagement Programme (CEP) – to prepare ourselves to respond to any crisis not as individuals or different communities, but as one nation.
CONCLUSION
Despite the storm clouds, we have good reasons to be quietly confident. Around the world, people recognise that Singapore started with precious little but built a prosperous and cohesive multi-racial nation through our ingenuity and effort. On my recent journeys abroad, I found everywhere a high regard for Singapore. Whether in Latin America, China or the Middle East, people admired what we have achieved, and were eager to learn from our experiences. I was asked many questions about how we tackle our problems, and in particular how we are responding to the crisis. They were confident that we would pull through and wanted to pick up ideas from us. Perhaps that is why the World Bank is setting up a World Bank-Singapore Urban Hub in Singapore, to share some of our experience and expertise with other developing countries.
Singapore’s key strengths are our honest and capable leadership, sound policies which look beyond the short term, social cohesion and talented and hardworking people. These strengths have brought us peace, prosperity and progress for decades, and they will see us through these difficult times. When the environment was favourable, we upgraded and grew our economy, lived within our means and patiently built up sizeable reserves. So when this sudden, severe storm struck, we were ready.
Together, we will overcome this downturn, as we have overcome many previous ones, and emerge stronger from the experience. Together, we can meet the future with confidence.
I wish all Singaporeans a Happy New Year.
—–
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
‘Singapore’s key strengths are our honest and capable leadership, sound policies which look beyond the short term’
that sort of self glorification is just beyond belief…he has a crappy team and still dares to make those statements…
[i][In this difficult period, families must bind together, as Asian societies have always done in times of trouble. We must all fulfill our duties to our parents, our spouses and our children. In particular, we must safeguard our children’s future. Parents must ensure that children continue to attend kindergarten or childcare centre, and keep up their school attendance and school work. [/i]
eer mr prime minister
we all know its a difficult period
who make it difficult for ALL the families in singapore
lunchtime………
you want sea hum or chillie?
please make up your mind
don’t come tellin me i made another honest mistakes…
your parents are good to you
your brother
your sister
and YOUR cousins
all of them are gainfulLEE employed
earning 6 digits monthly salaries
no wondered
your new year speeches is about
FAMILLEE
you want us parents to looked after our children
with so much responsibilties as well?
than you do what?
your ministers do what?
and your mps do what?
childcare?
woah!
$97/per month nia
for an infant that beareLEE kar kar goo goo?
liked i said before
writin a speech is as eazy as abc
(bet with you
you didnt even wrote that new year speech YOURSELF)
i can write even better
rhymed with hans anderson song thrown in…
want to poll the audiences?
your royal highness………………………
Well, it’s a new year and the same crap all around.
When the next progress package? I no money leh.
Leadership? Where?
Just see how they went ahead to implement Means Testing for healthcare costs on 1/1/09.
Ask ourselves these questions:
1. Is the gahmen running so low on funds that they have to cut down on healthcare spending?
Remember the $6 billion dollar budget SURPLUS last year? As far as I can remember, Sg has been running a budget surplus every year. So why the urgency?
2. Why implement it now when we are just entering a full blown recession where the people are having a hard time making ends meet?
Instead of helping the citizens through a tough period, they seem to take sadistic pleasure in creating more hardship for those who have voted them in.
Well, such leaders will reap what they sow.
that my question and concern for the new year.
tick tock ….tick tock….
The year 2008 had been Suay all the way :
1. Flyer trapped 170+ visitors for 7 hours. I was totally ashamed. my sg pride suffered tremendously. Taipeh flyer no such problem, coincidentally, and it celebrated the new year countdown successfully. who is responsible for the smooth operation ? who is accountable for the smooth operation? who is accountable for avoiding such technically-preventable problem? who should have implemented redundancy to the motors? why took so long 7 hours? how should passengers be compensated? is it time to move on?
2. MSK, reportedly a singaporean terrorist, whereabouts still unknown, not a trace.
3. TC toxic products incurred millions of hdb leaseholders’ monies. how much had ever been invested in toxic products in the history of sinking funds? if not for the financial meltdown news coverage, will we ever know? what does this imply ? i wonder what intellectuals have to say? what kind of transparency can be expected that address the questions of intellectuals completely?
4. STI PLUNGED by 49%
5. 10,000 investors’ life time savings gone to dust in a suspected mis-selling fiasco. comparison of HK DBS and SG DBS scenarios.
6. Honesty, Integrity, Accountability, Responsibility Index
7. Kangs and the Tangs
8. ex-NKF chairman wife sentenced in HK.
9. Fare hikes and transparency
A. how much is the real construction cost of a HDB flat?
B. why life upgrading need to pay and pay so much when there is reservoir ? when is reservoir ever used?
i sent cv to a org that says they help you find a job. sent for 2 weeks no reply.
but true enough they helping find job. whether i get a job, only time will tell.
regards
Borlic Soljic
you all have to read the senior political writer chua on ST’s Main Section Page 2.
Its a classic. CLASSIC. total and massive fawning of the Singapore government.
PATHETIC *****.
Comments edited for swear words.
“Singapore’s key strengths are our honest and capable leadership, sound policies which look beyond the short term, social cohesion and talented and hardworking people. These strengths have brought us peace, prosperity and progress for decades, and they will see us through these difficult times. When the environment was favourable, we upgraded and grew our economy, lived within our means and patiently built up sizeable reserves. So when this sudden, severe storm struck, we were ready. ”
And it make me thought that the author who script this for JOker Lee is LuckyTan.
aiyoyo
economy so gloomy but still need to pass-by
hope that commoners can tide over smoothly…
not sure the ELITEs plan/actions effective or not, we shall wait and see lor.
wish TOC merry 2009 & onwards.
aiyoyo
my dear leader, all these things happened we already know. Just tell us those that we want to know or those that we still yet to know. Don’t keep us all waiting till some dead serious thing to happen, then it will be too late. The many people down below are hungry, and when they are left too hungry, they will become angry, then they become crazy, and thats not funny!
‘In this difficult period, families must bind together, as Asian societies have always done in times of trouble’
Ok, I have to admit that GCT’s CNY speeches always bugged me as I am from the so called degenerated West and he would without fail tell us how much better Asian values are. What is it with this racist stuff? You want to tell me I do not care about my family since I am from the West? At least in the country I come from, I don’t see old people forced to dig the dirt and work in food courts. We treat our old people with more grace than that.
I am awaiting the “report card” due in 2011.
PAP self glorification speeches are always targeted at Singaporean. That is where the votes came from. Time for educated Singaporean to differentiate FACT from FICTION, or has our education systems gone all haywire to believe in every word pap said with some honey added by National Media?
My resolution for the year ahead include having National Media “EXPUNGE” and made way for New Media such as Internet forums and blogs and encourage pap’s cronies or lackeys to spar with Singaporean on equal footing.
Why the son and the father keep using these “honest, capable, clean, incorrupt” words to describe their government?
It is as if they do not believe it themselves that it is true.
Theres a saying self praise is International Disgrace.
In short, ask your self this question, have the lives of the people of Singaporeans gotten better ?
If you still choose to delude yourself, then why is the following true
1) Low birth rate
2) Wider income gap
3) More people are moving away from Singapore
4) People are unhappy
5) There is a need to build smaller houses?
I might have missed out the rest… the list is non exhaustive :)
Self glorification is for them to justify their own pay, and their future pay increment…gos, after the past few incidents, he still have the audacity to say “our honest and capable leadership”…and since when was the esteemed transport minister like what he have said…well,maybe capable in helping them earn more $$$
Wake up U 66.6%!!!!
wake the heck up,PLEASE!!!!!….
Pui! what a stupid new year’s message!
‘Singapore’s key strengths are our honest and capable leadership, sound policies which look beyond the short term, social cohesion and talented and hardworking people’
They never fail to blow their own trumpets on any occasion, but fail to see
it’s their policies (GLCs must make profits no matter what) that aggravate the peoples’ sufferings.
‘On my recent journeys abroad, I found everywhere a high regard for Singapore. Whether in Latin America, China or the Middle East, people admired what we have achieved, and were eager to learn from our experiences. I was asked many questions about how we tackle our problems, and in particular how we are responding to the crisis’
Is this from his speech writer and are the people being polite to him?
Funny, on my recent journeys abroad, people seem to have no or adverse opinions of our little red dot.
well…that is another sign of our esteemed leaders ego…and you know what they say will happen after pride…it is the fall
the best part in the straits times fromnt page – who did it most poignantly – PM Lee photo with this speech about a bad 2009, and in the left corner, that starting 2009, we will have means testing.
Leadership gone bad – I mean, they could not delay this for a few more years? Left hand don’t know what right hand is doing, or part of the bitter medicine for all citizens??
They need our votes.
Since they cant make you like them.
they’d better make you poorer so that you NEED them.
Given the reliance on USA,
should ‘it’ be pegged to USA scale?
get what the …. i mean?
Sincerity and honesty is the best policy.
You can bluff all the people some of the time
You can bluff some of the people all the time
You cannot bluff all the people all the time!
Be sincere!
Increasing the cost of living (GST, food prices, utility charges, transport fares, ERP etc) makes people miserable. Don’t wish people happy new year when you’ve caused them unhappiness and pain.
Meanwhile, please get those wasteful Happy New Year Banners of MP’s faeces, out of my uncaring sight!. Who pay for those silly kiasu “afraid to be forgotten faces” banners at road junctions anyway?
New Year Day Speech? The disgusting, hubristic and ad nauseam of self-glorification “our honest and capable leadership, sound policies ” does only one thing. Makes you puke with embarrassment!
We get: Same shit, different time!
We get it all the time!
feedmetothefish
‘On my recent journeys abroad, I found everywhere a high regard for Singapore. Whether in Latin America, China or the Middle East, people admired what we have achieved, and were eager to learn from our experiences. I was asked many questions about how we tackle our problems, and in particular how we are responding to the crisis’
Can’t distinguish from sarcasm or insults in multi-languages?
hmmm aren’t we proud we made haste in moving into a recession?
i suppose other countries would stand to learn alot.. bravo!
U read the figures
More Singaporean Jobless – Why because of FT -
More Able Singaporeans Migrating Why
because it the same old crap being regurgitate out every year
SAME OLD SHIT FROM THE SAME OLD BUNCH
SPARE US
He said,
‘Singapore’s key strengths are our honest and capable leadership, sound policies which look beyond the short term, social cohesion and talented and hardworking people’
Perhaps i think he meant our key strengths are:
1. in our honest mistakes and self-proclaimed Div 1, A-team leadership
2. listening to ‘every month I see my CPF statement, I feel very happy’ sound policies
3. social cohesion and “changes only” within party
4. a talented elite force, and hardworking peasants
You mean you guys didn’t catch the drift?
Kaffein
Ah … finally, a properly written speech. Didn’t find a single instance of Mee Siam in the contents :P
In all seriousness, it is a decent speech intended to reassure people. Now it remains to be seen if he can get the intended policies ready on time and with the necessary detail so we can make sense of it (saying “we’re gonna help you” does not tell us how it’s gonna happen).
I am not too comfortable with the part that says “companies will pay little to no taxes” as an incentive to keep companies afloat. Almost seems like Singapore is now so desperately dependent on companies for the employment of Singaporeans that we cannot afford to let the usual market forces (some will go under, others will rise up) happen.
Kaffein #28 -
Hehe, that part also bugged me but I have come to expect some hubris and trumpet blowing on the part of the PAP.
I think they “got it” but are too proud to admit it. The fact that this is a professionally written speech is a clear sign they are not gonna let LHL (or any other minister) put a foot in his mouth with his impromptu nonsense for now.
The PAPGARMEN contradict themselves!! One hand they say will help us to tide over the recession, on the hand, knows that we will be in recession, started to increase transport fare, ERP price , electricity tariff etc two to three months ago. I myself also shock when my daughter has to pay a second pair of ankle foot orthosis for S$640 before subsidy at Tan Tock Seng Othopaedic Centre in December 08 . The last pair she paid in April 08 cost her S$380 before subsidy. There is a 70% jump in price just within 8 months. The reason given as shown on a notice sign at the payment counter is ” We have not increase price for two to three years, so we have made a small increase in price this time round” 70% increase is a small increase, I wonder what the figure will be like when there is a big increase. For this price , I can buy 4 to 5 pairs on NIKE shoes. As for other medicine , they have all increase by 15% to 50%. If for a disabled person they charged so high fee, do you think the government is sincere in helping the needy from all their compassionate talks.
For four decades , Singapore has been groomed up to be parasite on world economy only such as USA, Japan, China etc. We have not build a well-grounded domestic economy first before venturing out. Example for Japan, Sony first in Japan then sell Sony to the world market. Our economy does not start like this. We only depend on the success of other countries’ brand. That why when they fall we fall completely.
So I don’t think the PAPGarmen is capable of helping us back to high growth, if all other countries that we rely on do not recover.
This time may be a long wait.
Stop dreaming all you singaporeans and wake up to reality now. If its not for this world financial crises to happen, you all will still be sleeping and not knowing that all these years there are so many things that are schemingly hidden from your eyes. Now that we can all see the reality of what has really happened infront of us and still the garment is not or still unwilling to do anything about it instead having the cheek to give lame excuses, always blaming others and not themselves, what do you think these blood sucking elites will possibly do to you this time round when the economy picks up again? JUST USE YOUR BRAIN & THINK!
If PAP carries on, we’ll have a holocaust.
I have this to say:
“Shut up, lah…just shut the hell up! Let people suffer in peace!”
Tan, don’t use big words that you don’t understand. What has ‘holocaust’ have to do with Singapore?
”
Tan, don’t use big words that you don’t understand. What has ‘holocaust’ have to do with Singapore?
”
its closer than you think actually. given the old guy’s penchant for eugenics, the holocaust will never be too far off from his mind.
I don’t know about the others but from from my perspective, I do expect the government to deliver good economic growth regardless of the external economic conditions.
The ministers are paid millions a year. They themselves kept on saying how good they are and the need to pay top dollars to get top talents. Well, if they are that good, shouldn’t they be able to deliver regardless of external factors? If they are not able to do so, it raised the question of whether they are overpaid?
2008…A year to remember…
There were a lot of unfortunate events in 2008…Events that has tested the current gahment again and again…and we get to see for ourselves the hole they keep on digging deeper and deeper for themselves.
As a singapore son…I would want nothing less for this little island of ours we called home…we are beginning to see cracks in this “perfect” place that has been called disneyland with a death sentence…what the rulers failed to see beyond flyers ,F1 racing and nice buildings with reflective ponds are the people that has made this place what it is today.
2009…it is time for the people to wake up…
Big boss wallah wallah did not say anything about the retrenched workers and how are they coping.
Some are really suffering – rice and soya bean sauce for lunch and dinner everyday.
You cannot get to the land as in the country I am living in Indochina. I have sugar cane and fish.and young fruit trees.
I bet some of the retrenched workers will die slowly and painfully from lack of food. How about their offsprings in schools? They will be undernourished and stunted.
No one is looking at this group of new poor and I mean the retrenched workers.
What has happened to the champion of the poor-that don from NUS and who is an MP. Oh! He has gone rich and he has to shut up. He gets his MP’s pay and his pay as an assoc. prof from that ivory tower. Around 25 k per month. Compare that to the retrenched worker-zero dollar.
They do not care. They are allowing them to die in peace.
SCHOLARS’ GOVT.
Hohapata Tariana Hoi Hoi
For this year 2009, i hope we can know clearly
how many citizens lost their jobs or unemployed.
what is reported in news maybe only about large companies.
How about SME and small companies?
I believe their figures all add up.
There is a difference between retrenchment figures and Unemployment figure.
Intellectuals, wanna guess what is the difference?
okie lah, i tell you lah.
to me, retrenchment is when you are retrenched and gets compensation normally.
but i heard rumor that some companies may somehow make employees resign on their own using ‘push’ techniques so that they no need pay compensation for retrenchments.
note that there is a difference between getting sacked and retrenched.
in some countries, if you get retrenched, you can use this reason to get some benefits. If you get sacked or resign on your own, you may not get benefits.
some companies are rumored to make you choose between resigning or getting sacked with bad record in HR. many choose resign.
today
went adhoc job
another towgay thrown in the towel
he packin/movin
from his oneman apartment office
to a secret
hdb location
feel to shy to tell
he said
his indonesian liason/agency just tutop
habest lioa..
poor bloke
2 wives
2 overgrown NUS daughters to feed
All these craps words that means nothing.
One get the feeling that the government is only interested in saving one job: its own job!
There have been frequent revisions to Govt economic growth forecasts of late- always downward!This gave the impression that our economy is even worse shape than it really is and that govt is caught offguard by the severity of the recession we are in.
In such situation, Govt should have deferred any measure that would cause hardship to the people.
It is very MEAN of the govt to proceed with means testing for health care costs now.
Me think the govt attitude is this “Your pain is my gain”
To comment 29
Companies pay little to no taxes is because most of them will not be making a lot of money – in fact, many of the SMEs may not even survive…
Simple equation lah – no income = no need to pay taxes
Sounds like he’s just twisting the facts around to suit his story…
I think LHL made a great speech!
We should be thankful to the our government for our country’s achievement today. In a very small country like singapore, we cannot have too many divided segments. That’s why one good and capable party enough. We are in much better shape compared to other countries and will probably be the first to recover.
Look at how far and successful that we can come under PAP’s leadership. Singapore is the top 3 largest sovereign wealth funds (standing at $500 Billion) in the world and we are not even oil producing country. All these because we have very good people in the government. Even other countries are now learning from Singapore’s policy making.
Why are the commentors (usually the same group) so negative to the government and their pay? Is it a kind of “sour grapes” feeling from all you armchair critics? Lest you forget, you are here enjoying the lifestyle we have now because of PAP’s leadership and we, as a united people, should stand together in tough times and give PAP our full mandate. How many of you are willing to sacrifice your time and career like the PAP leaders for the people? Without PAP, there will be no modern Singapore – we will probably be some fishing village back in the 70s.
And if you are born in another country, I doubt you would even have the time to complain here and there because there are so much corruption and organised crimes. Look at Singapore, so safe and secure, with everything so orderly and easily available. Be thankful for our government.
In the new year, I hope TheOnlineCitizen will also highlight the positive side of PAP’s brilliant leadership and foresight, so that readers can get a balanced view. I
Do you guys think Chee can do better?
[i]Partisan on January 3rd, 2009 6.26 pm I think LHL made a great speech!
And if you are born in another country, I doubt you would even have the time to complain here and there because there are so much corruption and organised crimes[/i]
yeap indeed
new zealands must be full of robbers and rapists
switzerland must be full of muggers as well
which is why
in those countries i mentioned
where have time to complain
for they are so busy tryin to earn an honest living
here
we are so busy in toppin up our erp cards…
next ballcarrier PLEASE…
ole yes
Leanne on January 3rd, 2009 6.34 pm Do you guys think Chee can do better?
the next poster was askin
can chee do better?
how would you know he CANNOT?
who told you that he cannot?
when tengkue abdul rahman kicked singapore out
by not passin water to leekuanyew
he also said
singapore will die of thirst
did you begged the tengkue not to kick us out?
and for those ballcarriers
who are IDIOTs!!!
when poland breakaway from the ironfist rulins…
the 1st independant prime minister
was just a blue collar shipyard foreman
Lech Walesa
who happenned to be a Nobel Prize winner as well
did any of our prime ministers ever been norminate 1?
The last time the ecomony went tail spin, there was this call to “leave no stones
unturned” guess what I will take my hats off to them when they start reducing rentals, utilities, transport charges, guess what it won’t happen.
As for Partisan, we all know how much the PAP have done for Singapore, but open your eyes, maybe you’re too young to experience the 60s, 70s, 80s, , those were growing years for us but we see the difference now. Back then we were able to make money and keep it, but try doing it now. Guess you’re not in the business world, perhaps a civil servant, you won’t have a clue what we are talking about, we now in direct competition with the government companies and up against a system what works against most of us, guess you won’t know what I’m talking about.