PN Balji
Budget 2009 has been praised by many as a budget fit for the times. And in a highly-calibrated statement, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam offered something for nearly every body and went close to the extreme to save jobs and get banks to start lending a bit more freely again.
And if these were not enough, the historic decision to ask the President to dip into to the past government’s reserves was also made.
Extraordinary moves for extraordinary times indeed.
So is it time to throw the dice and call for an early election this year with another three years left for the government’s term to run out?
I don’t think so.
The one thing this Budget lacks is a feel-good factor. As the Finance Minister said quite pointedly: “We cannot say when this recession will end…If we are fortunate and the US government’s fiscal stimulus spurs new demand, we may come out of the recession in late 2009.
”However, many careful observers believe it is equally likely that the recession will last into 2010, and that the recovery when it comes, will be weak.”
There you have it. A long and uncertain road ahead. And a government staring at the worst recession since independence.
This is just not the time for distractions like an election. The unpredicatability and unchartered waters must mean it is all hands on deck for the government to make sure that Singapore and Singaporeans come out of this storm stronger and better.
The job credits for employers to keep their workers and the measures to coax banks to open their lending facilities to companies that are trying to stay afloat look good on paper. But will the bosses and banks bite? Or will they shrug off their social responsibility and lay off workers and continue to be hard-fisted with loans?
These are areas that need careful watching and slick manoeuvering. The hassle of an election should be the last thing on the government’s mind.
There is another equally, if not more, important reason for not rushing into an election sooner than later. The PM and MM have repeatedly spoken about not having found the right fourth generation team to take Singapore into the 2020s and further. The next PM is likely to come from this team. To rush into an election now with that person and team still not in place will be very uncharacteristic of a responsible government.
Then why were letters sent out to civil servants about a month ago to tell them they had been selected as election officers.
I suspect that is to keep the government’s options open…if there is a need to call a sudden election, at least the machinery is ready to swing into action.
Snap elections have been called for some of these reasons: To get a new vote of confidence for a new leader, tackle a major threat like the 9/11 disaster or take advantage of a sweet ground.
All the three conditions don’t exist today.
——-
Arrogant Team?
This is not election year.
“More good years” the PAP slogan.
Infact from GE 2006 till today recession and all the way 2010 are bad.
Citizen are suffering from increasing of,
GST
ERP
Transports
Income Tax
Minister high pay
The less or poor citizen been left and not care off.
So citizen,
If snap election occur,
You know want to do.
52) Lightning Strikes Again on January 29th, 2009 9.57 am
“Please do not put them in the same team as our Health Minister (what’s his name) as I like the work he is doing and sure do not want to lose him in this snap election.”
So what is your view on Mean Testing ? Good ?
Govt’s decision to use the reserves now clearly shows the failure of govt policies since 2006. If they had worked well, we wouldn’t need to use the reserves in the first place.
TV has a financial or economic or shares person telling people to buy shares now. I wonder will this help economy or is the last 2 days STI rally due to the budget or what is the cause? I think keep telling people to buy stocks now may , saying its at very good price now, may cause more to invest and some may still loose big.
52) Lightning Strikes Again on January 29th, 2009 9.57 am
“Please do not put them in the same team as our Health Minister (what’s his name) as I like the work he is doing and sure do not want to lose him in this snap election.”
(a) The same Health Minister who said that Singaporeans should retire in Batam or Johore because things are cheap there and they are near enough for Singaporeans to come back quickly in the event of medical emergencies???
(b) The same Health Minister who has NOT been keeping pace with medical progress in terms of standard drugs available for subsidized patients and has NOT tweaked perf schemes towards patient care but other look-good criteria???
(c) The same Health Minister who pushed thru organ sale for “altruistic reasons”???
The guy is congenial enough. For those who judge a book by its cover, I suppose …….
there are two possibilities. they may hold a snap election, they may not. if they hold a snap election it will be very snappy, after the first angpow is received. if they don’t, then they will wait until the recession is over. then it may be two years or three years down the road.
Honestly, I think the election will come true this year, why? Just say they wait till 2011 & then they call for an election; what will be the situation then? The economy MIGHT be recovering & everything will be dandy & nice, that’s quite a big MIGHT! Judging from the present situation, it’s all gloomy & nobody could really predict what will Singapore be in 2011.
Now, that’s a big factor in the election equation but none bigger than the ultimate & most critical factor which I think is how long will MM live. Will he be able to see the 2011 election or will he meet his maker before that? It’s the most important factor cos I dont think our PM is strong enough to handle Singapore if his dad is no more around. Just look at the Mas Selamat case, he was like MIA for a long while & that shouldnt be the case cos he is the head of Singapore Inc!! How could the CEO goes missing when such a major boo-boo happened to the company? After that, I totally lose confidence in him & to be honest, I dont even trust him if he is just an average Joe on the street selling me tissue paper!! Can you imagine what Singapore will be like when MM does go off? The party might even split into 2 or 3 camps, this will really make things very hard for PM Lee to control the situation that time & I am sure there are some in PAP that dont think much of his capablilities. So I think they will have a snap election & get another 5 more years to fix the problem & hopefully, our dear PM could learn fast & toughen himself up to lead Singapore. I dont mind people are being paid millions but what I cant stand is these people are just sitting there counting their money & giving us lousy excuses & it seems like 2008 was a year of really crappy excuses. Just cos I dont make a few millions a year or am some super A1 scholar mean that I am stupid, ok!!
#53 Mean Testing?
I also hate Means testing as I have to pay more because of my pay bracket which is not sufficient for a 5-week holiday even in NTUC chalet to learn to cook Si Hum(no need to say Paris to cook escargots) but deem too much to stay in a hospital room sharing with more people. However I thought it may benefit the more needy who will be subsidize more by the Govt.
#58 Alex
“our dear PM could learn fast & toughen himself up to lead Singapore.”
Yes he did say that he cried on a National Day Parade one year when it was raining heavily, I wonder how many of us in real life do that. I share your sentiments Alex, I think our fearless PM need to wean off MM and SM. However I do mind the million dollar pay by our PM as it brings up the whole pay scale of our Civil service and makes the private sector have to keep up by raising salary. This vicious cycle makes the labor costs too high in Singapore and makes us not competitive. That is why we are winner in the race into recession by 2 quarters, well ahead of the rest of the world.
59) Lightning Strikes Again on January 29th, 2009 4.36 pm
“However I thought it may benefit the more needy who will be subsidize more by the Govt.”
I feel assured if it is really so. Do you really think so. Market subsidy or real cost subsidy ? If it is cost subsidy, definition of cost please ?
Can anyone tell me. I have not read MSM for a long long time.
54) Jackson on January 29th, 2009 11.34 am
Govt’s decision to use the reserves now clearly shows the failure of govt policies since 2006. If they had worked well, we wouldn’t need to use the reserves in the first place.
———————————–
According to CSJ’s video to Obama, LHL’s pay is 6 times that of the American president. The Singapore cabinet collectively should be 6 times smarter than Bush & Co. that brought this financial disaster to the world.
LHL & Co. should have foreseen the troubles and steer Singapore away from the turbulence. Whenever the opposition parties brought up the issue of the high ministers’ pay MM would consider it a small price to pay for our high quality cabinet.
The govt should consider outsourcing the ministers’ jobs.
If I am to bet on whether there is going to be a snap election this year; when the budget show signs of “short term” working (I reckon it will be end Qtr2 of 2009 before any real ‘measurements’ can be realized), that is where we should expect a snap election within 60 days. Albeit the budget is not more citizen centric, it is by far a good one given the magnitude of this “depression”.
Like I have commented in the Farquhar’s article published here, I sure hope they have gone far enough to help dire Singaporeans more (in particular the basic necessities such as Utilities bill, S&C, property taxes, rentals ..etc for the next 2 years at least ~ all through the interim CPF withdrawal scheme proposition ~ i.e. no actual cash withdrawal as payment arrangement can be through Giro …etc.). I have this uncanny feeling that they may have it installed but decided to wait for the assessment of the success of this budget before upping the ante. The global demand will not return shortly, this is echoed by many economists worldwide. Singapore relies very much on export, and this is where it hurts most. Creating local demand is a necessary short term measure to keep the economy afloat (not that we have a lot of local demand to mention of). I certainly hope the local business communities will do its part to lower their price tags on necessary consumable products to help the already cash strap citizens. Lesser profit for the next 2 years is not too much to ask at times like these. It is better than letting biz closed down. People will remember your good deeds and repay their kindness when the economy turns around.
Regardless, I think we should all vote wisely (if given the opportunity to vote ~ most will be walk over nevertheless). I personally do not think LHL is cut out for the job. If he is, there will be no M&M and S&M. We need a people’s PM for the people. Also, people like WKS, LBH and the likes should be voted off.
Just a layman opinion, I think an election this year 2009 or within two years in 2011, the PAP will win no less than 70 of the 80+ constituencies.
Are there any Opposition Parties now and in the foreseeable two years, capable of giving the PAP a majority challenge? I don’t think so and do not see one in the making.
But, yes, we can reasonably expect a fall in the percentage of supports the PAP will get, however, PAP will still be calling the shots in the foreseeable future.
patriot
63) patriot on January 29th, 2009 10.49 pm
Will GST be lowered in near future, after that?
#62 Edward,
Are you sure ?
Even after the pay cut , LHL’s pay is 6 times that of the American president Obama?
USA cost of living is very high. Yet. I am so confused now, how he can survive on that kind of pay given that the world relies on the strategies he choose to save the world?
oh my lord!!!
Hi Seremban;
my apology, I am unable to answer your question for lack of economic knowledge.
However, I do not recall any fall in taxes other than the fluctuating income and corporate taxes.
patriot
If the Ministers are so “good”, why don’t they just leave the government and setup some companies from scratch. If they are really so talented, these companies will become huge MNCs and create a lot of jobs for Singaporeans. They are free to pay whatever salaries to themselves and no one will complain at all !!!!
Singaporeans are paying S$1.5m a year to the Ministers…… as reward for helping Singapore to be the first country to go into recession and to be the worst performing Asian country (expected) in 2009. Incredible !!!
Forget it. There will be no election this year, not even next year or the year after that. Can’t you see that they don’t even want to hold a by-election after Ong Chit Chung passed away? Why do you think they have deliberately held the first parliamentary meeting only on 2 November 2006 even though the last GE took place on 2 May 2006? The purpose of this 6-month delay is precisely to enable them to delay the next GE for as long as possible, i.e. until 2012.
After raising the ministerial salaries three times recently they surely would want to enjoy their new humongous salaries for as long as possible, i.e. until 2012. For every month that they hold back the GE, the minister would be getting another handsome salary of $200,000.
Mr Leong said this Budget is best ever. So, is there no Feel-good factor?
#69 Anon
They did not hold the by-election because they WILL surely lose the seat due to the by-election effect.
Given the global financial tsunami, the situation in Singapore WILL be much worse one or two years from now. At least there is some feel-good factor now because of the generous Budget. They can win a General Election (but not a by-election) now, with maybe a loss of a few more seats. If they hold the GE later, they WILL lose more seats as the recession or even depression will take its toll.
Nobody is talking about the PAP losing power. They will still be the government of the day and they will still be enjoying the huge salaries.
Hiya Don’t cry on my parade,
You may laugh but I do love my country very much & always been proud of what Singapore had done in the past…until they increased their salary to the level of some super duper CEO of some MNCs & refused to increase the social benefits for our older brothers & sisters. Afterall, these people are the real unsung heroes that created the comfortable life we are enjoying now. Why invest in foreign banks when you cant even take care of the old & sick……that’s a real sin!! I just feel that my country isnt caring about me anymore & my sole purpose here is to generate money for the Inc. I am sorta like a silk worm & when I have produced enough silk for my masters, they will just boil me alive & remove the silk & probably just throw me aside to the birds!!
I just wonder if there’s any more patriotism in any of us & what are we really defending if somebody decides to invade us!! Am I fighting for my family & friends or fighting for some companies that will throw me aside once I have outlived my usefulness. I cant be too sure as I don’t feel secured even in my own backyard cos some FT can take over my place anytime for half the cost & then, what’s in for me? I think it’s NOTHING, even though I paid my dues in the SAF. I am not alone & I am sure many of us are thinking the same too; can we really trust them to help us or lend a shoulder to cry on? Nah, Singapore Inc is all about making money & selling its soul to the devil, in the end, all of will suffer in hell while our masters will be drinking from their golden cups!!
Its understandable why no one is sure when the election will be held.
Hey, no one knows what is going to happen to the economy.
Guesses at best. yours is as good as mine.
So, my take is there is no concrete date set. It all depends……
Don’t cry on my parade, : Alex.
Many of us here feel exactly the same way you do. We too love our country very much, and to allow her to continue to languish in the situation that she is in now, will be a sin we won’t be able forgive ourselves.
Yet, what can we possibly do if this govt continue to turn a blind eye to the love we have for our country? Why are we branded ‘ingrates’ and lesser mortals and bacteria? How can we ever stand and fight for our country if we are continually branded as such?
Will the day ever come where we can trully show our deep affection for our beloved country without reserve? When?
When Obama chides the Wall Street leeches, he has the moral authority to do so, for he does not benchmark his pay against them.
But when LSS or LHL et al tell us we are uncompetitive because of our high pay, they have no such moral high ground to shout from.
I don’t think the decision to call for a snap elections has been set in stone yet.
But the groundwork is definitely there. From all the sycophantic reports in the Straits Times.. to the comment by Nathan saying that the gahmen has “GONE OUT OF ITS WAY” to help the people like the people are a burden to them, and that the people (sorry… LESSER MORTALS) should feel appreciate of the gahmen… it all shows they are trying to pave the way for an elections.
I think the gamble is in deciding if the economy is better now (relatively) or if it will be better by the time they are FORCED to call elections (due to the 5 year timelines)
Saw PM Lee on TV few days ago. He looks weak and old. What happened to him? I remembered seeing him on TV during parliment debate last year and he looks really fit. Hope he’s fit and and healthy. Pray that hard. Cannot imagine what could happen to singapore if PM Lee is sick, and MM Lee not around anymore.
Then its up to our A-team leader, Wong Kan Seng to lead Singapore into the future.
A-team! cannot fight!
NO HORSE RUN!
Alex,
I can assure you that you are not alone. Defned this country if invaded? That is a good one. Who would want to invade Singapore? What is there left of Singapore to invade?
Here’s my take to your question. “Why invest in foreign banks when you cant even take care of the old & sick……that’s a real sin!! ” They invest so the nest egg can grow (so they thought)..but wait, it is not for the older folks like us to enjoy even we have paid our dues. It is for their very own interest. How to show their worth with one of the kind salary package that none in the world can come closed to? I do not term it as sin..it is actually “GREED”.
Some worried for LHL becos he looks sick. Hey, everyone will meet its day, some sooner with grace and some need to suffer before the time is up. I call this retribution. What goes around comes around. How not to get sick under so much curses??? I wonder why. His father albeit ruthless but he is capable. For this LHL, if he is cut out to do what he supposed to do, why need S&M and M&M? Tell me one policy that he implemented single handedly that is really for the good for people? Just need one will do. Can anyone think of one? I see none.
So, Alex, don’t feel bad about what you think. Saying negative things does not necessary mean we are not patriotic. If the boys who are mandated to serve the SAF had a choice, you can imagine how many will do it voluntarily. Sad to say, if you need heaps of money to keep good people to serve the country, it is not because they serve it with love or they have passion for the country and people, it is because of the monetary rewards. I would certainly have my respects for these people if they publicly announce that whatever they earn from now, they will donate it to the charity to help the poor souls who needed it more than they do.
PM is sick? good observation… maybe he feels guility for leading Singapore through so much avoidable shits… you name it and it probably is a real negligence from their part.
MM Lee not around… and you are scared? Silly… you never trusted PM Lee all along, I guess?
Most of you would probably agree that the foreign “talents” or workers are depressing Singaporeans salary.
One of the best/most effective of depressing the ministers salary would be to flood the parliament with the oppositions.
Then they will learn…
Guess what? they probably knew that all along…
78) mon on January 30th, 2009 3.41 pm PM is sick? good observation… maybe he feels guility for leading Singapore through so much avoidable shits… you name it and it probably is a real negligence from their part.
MM Lee not around… and you are scared? Silly… you never trusted PM Lee all along, I guess?
I dunno why both father and son are looking very sick lately, maybe its what we called retribution time for what they done to the people of singapore all these years. In any case, whether they are around or not anymore, singapore will still be around with hopefully with a better team of govt and not anymore of those leeches, we have too many of them already, infact they should be kicked out of their post long time again, wasting taxpapers monies, good for nothing except bootlicking idiots.
seriously, PM is not healthy. He has aged a lot these 2 years. If you observe him carefully, you’d see he has lost a lot of weight. He was quite fit couple of years back. And if you observe his facial muscles carefully, you can clearly tell that it it not normal for someone who age 50+ to look that old.
Could his illness creep back again?
Although I do not really like the ways our country is run, but it worries me greatly even to imagine Singapore without the LEE. PAP may eventually select its next PM but it could result to a lot of power struggle and internal fighting. We may as a result lose the only advantage over our neighbour – political stability, and that may result to lower foreign investment here, leading to lower property prices etc etc.
yea, really, to me MM Lee is the one and only one who is capable of driving the plane. The 2nd and the 3rd are mostly obedient leader who take cue from MM Lee. They are not as commited as MM Lee and clearly w/o his capability of putting fear and controlling people. W/o such leader singapore may crash when MM Lee is no longer around. Maybe the current system MM built up can last for another 5 years to give PM the support he requires. But any longer than that its really question marks. Honestly, PM Lee does not have the ‘fear’ quality his father posses. Not even close. Worst still if PM Lee is sick and may have to hand over his post in a rush manner. Maybe its time to transfer our savings to foreign bank and sell off our property now to avoid singapore currency devaluation in the future.
and this is why its worrying to see that w/o MM Lee singapore may crash.
“Although I do not really like the ways our country is run, but it worries me greatly even to imagine Singapore without the LEE. PAP may eventually select its next PM but it could result to a lot of power struggle and internal fighting.”
Well, this is only all too natural in human power play. If one part is too dominating for so long, the whole structure will collapse if that one part weakens or collapses. Simply because the other parts have not gotten the opportunity (visibillity) to shine and hence command the necessary moral respect from the populace. Too long a visbility (hence familiarity especially to those who feel excluded) may breed contempt.
That is why it is imperative that system should have been designed to avoid this and accept constant & regular changes for people in getting used to a very deliberate yet manageable piecemeal chaotic environment rather than having to face it in one full big blow.
“60) Don’t cry on my parade on January 29th, 2009 4.46 pm
However I do mind the million dollar pay by our PM as it brings up the whole pay scale of our Civil service and makes the private sector have to keep up by raising salary. This vicious cycle makes the labor costs too high in Singapore and makes us not competitive. That is why we are winner in the race into recession by 2 quarters, well ahead of the rest of the world.”
Yes boy, u r damn right. Civil service cost is artificially brought up in which private sector has to pay for via direct or indirect taxes. If it is Ah Kong funds which can always come from the many various forms of rent-seeking opportunites, what kind of KPI are we talking about.
If these so-called public / civil service personnel are so good, they should stay in the private sector to contribute more privately to themselves and also nationally via taxes to perhaps a public / civil service sector possibly run by people whose passion is biased more towards serving the nation for much less than biased more to $$$$.
Hiya Alex and Gemami,
It is good to hear that we love our country Singapore. No matter how I hate the things the government is doing and how blind they seem to be, this is still my country and my home.
For those that are afraid what will happen to us when the Immortals die; don’t be afraid. They are immortals and will look over us from the Heavens (heehaha) . As for us mortals, we will have to elect new leaders who will lead us from the hearts and build a truly democratic society.
(84) No. 1
You are No. 1 lah. Glad you agree.
“86) Don’t cry on my parade on January 30th, 2009 6.48 pm”
You are talking sense and I have no choice but to agree with you. I will be insulting my own sense of understanding if I choose to disagree.
Thank you for your contribution.
“….Maybe the current system MM built up can last for another 5 years to give PM the support he requires…”
That’s partly the problem. When he was strong, he crushed everybody instead of opening up and building strong institutional safeguards for true democratic challengers. Now we know he isnt a real statesman, just another politician.
I daresay that paying multi-million S$ for our Ministers is just corruption that has moved from private to public, with govt sanction. It corrupts the sense of sacrifice n selflessness that shld go with public service. If they are not getting inflated salaries, people generally couldbe more forgiving and feel that the govt deserves support. Now it creates tension and ostracism.
If those of you who can emigrate – better do so unless it is too late!!!!!! No harm having PR in another country and still possess singapore citizienship. From the way we see it, something big is going to happen in Singapore and I suggest you GET OUT! That is all I can say.
#88, If you think that paying multi-million dollars to our Ministers is corruption brought into the public sector please take the lead and fight against it.
PAP’s election strategy is quite obvious:
1. Prior to Budget 2009′s announcement, deny bad economic outlook.
2. After Budget 2009′s announcement, announce economic outlook is bad.
3. PAP knows damn well that no voters will buy pro-business policies for General Election.
4. Hard-sells that PAP’s Budget 2009 includes effort to soften the impact for families and businesses equitably.
4. Direct benefits to household and subsidy are withheld, to be used as carrots for GE 2009′s electioneering.
#90, “If you think that paying multi-million dollars to our Ministers is corruption brought into the public sector please take the lead and fight against it.”
Well, what is yr stand? Do you feel the same way, or you are just taunting?
Will you stand with me and vote against the PAP when the time comes? Until we all feel we’re together in spirit and want to act in the same way, we cannot beat the might of the PAP who will use the state apparatus to defeat us.
#92) whiteraven on January 31st, 2009 11.47 am
#90, “If you think that paying multi-million dollars to our Ministers is corruption brought into the public sector please take the lead and fight against it.”
Will you stand with me and vote against the PAP when the time comes?
…………………………………………………….
Votes for opposition parties candidates are so diffused in the past many GEs that they don’t constitute more than 50% in order to win a GRC or SMC (except for Potong Pasir & Hougang). This is the reason why the PAP has been able to remain as the DOMINANT party during the past 50 years.
Oppostition votes range from 25% to 45% in contested wards lost to the PAP. Although they constitute about 33% of total votes, opposition parties won only 2 seats. This is grossly disproportionate to the votes obtained by opposition parties.
As voters we need one strategy to overcome this problem. Take the Aljunied GRC during the 2006 GRC for example. The WP lost partly because Serangoon Garden was switched and included in Aljunied GRC while Braddell Heights was considered not safe and was moved to Marine Parade GRC under GCT. WP could have won if those who believe in democracy could agree to switch their votes: ‘I live in Marine Parade and GCT will sure win or walk over I will vote for PAP, you live in ALjunied GRC, you vote for WP on my behalf.’ This is a win-win vote for democracy to counter the PAP’s unfair election tactics.
2009 is the 50th anniversary of PAP government in power. GE in 2009!
92) whiteraven on January 31st, 2009 11.47 am
“2009 is the 50th anniversary of PAP government in power. GE in 2009!”
wow! I din know that .
As status quo seems to be the case, DESPITE whatever,
I foresee more 50 years ahead.
I may or may not have to check the pricing of IDR bungalows.
Even there are many unhappiness on the ground,
I suspect no one would form credible alternative party to challenge in the coming election. When there is no competition ….
People got problem trying to make ends meet already, there is no mood to have an election.
With all this bad news day after day, I’m worried about erection rather than election!
Liverpool vs Chelsea, Sun 2 Feb 2009, 12pm on Starhub
#96, The PAP esp Old Man River himself, has always lived and won by the tactic of using all kinds of bogeymen..in the early history, it was the British evacuation, then the Communists, then after Merger and M’sia, UMNO and the racialist extremists, then “mad irrational Opposition parties” whom he “will not allow to knock down what he has spent all his life building up!” So scare tactics is their forte! Times like these are perfect for a snap election using this modus operandi and the electorate is just cheesecake for an old hand like LKY. It’ll just be jell-O. PAP will want to bet on it while he is still alive and kicking, notwithstanding 2 bypasses and a pacemaker. If they postpone the snap election, I also tend to think that they risk losing him,and once the ground turn sweeter, the fear factor will erode and they may even suffer a reversal instead of a landslide victory.
#93, I think we shld see thru their machinations (as the late Dr Lee Siew Choh said) and vote against them so hard that even if they still win (which no doubt they will), they will win with scarily slimmer margins such that more Opposition will not lose their deposits but instead get into Parliament as NMPs. We have to enlarge the dissenting voices in parliament.
The PAP is a bunch of cowards led by the kia su LKY. I challenge them to break up their GRCs into single wards and see if they dare to match the anger of the people at the ballot boxes!!! I wont be surprised much of the cabinet will be gone.
To Balji,
If I may, I would like to invite you to spend a few minutes and watch this video : http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/02/should-singapore-adjust-its-economic-model/
After watching this video, I begin to suspect that this crisis may really be the mother of all crisis in modern times and could take several years to recover.
If this is the case, it would definitely be wiser to have election sooner than later given that a Renewed mandate can be benefitial when executing new policies like …..
Goodday Singapore Talents 10% we have at least.
Dont cry on my parade & Germini
I was born in the 60s & both my parents were ‘wannabe-hippies’; although they were quite Westernised & took things easy, they have always taught me the importance of loving my country & fighting for its freedom. They told me the nightmares they have been thru living under the Japanese & I should never allow that to happen to my children. Of course, that stayed with me for a long time & even though I was pretty young that time, I would show my love for my country with other Singaporeans whenever we attended the Malaysia Cup at Kallang. Well, no doubt, it was a game of football but everybody showed their love for 90 minutes & beyond. No matter if you are Ali, Ah Seng, DeSilva, Muthu or Anderson, it united us behind the boys on the field & we cheered for a common cause. And we didnt need any MPs to dance Ah-GoGo!!
As we got richer with the latest 50” Plasma TV & B&O sound system, our lives seem to have lesser meaning except making money!! We have gotten more afraid to stand up for a cause we believed in & how to blame us when we are all loaded with housing loans, car loans, phone bills, SCV, credit card bills, school fees & almost 101 other debts we have to settle every 30th of the month!! We just have to work like a mule till we die & better don’t fall sick cos most of us are unable to afford the medical fees. We don’t contact our friends or relatives cos ALL of us are hard at work; so what really happened to our lives? WE have ALL become a money generating machine for the Establishment; we are forced to work hard, breed hard, train for IPPT, speak good english (what’s wrong with Singlish anyway?) forever upgrading & re-training to be a waiter or bartender, forever paying taxes & ERPs. So when can we really retire or just sit down & have a nice coffee over a smoke with our old friends without being fine or branded as ingrates or complain kings!!
I really think we work too hard cos of the system & have no time to smell the flowers.