Breaking News:
Bernard Madoff, who was charged with defrauding thousands of investors in the US of some US$65 billion, has been handed a 150-year jail term. (BBC)
Andrew Loh
It is that time of year again, as National Day approaches, when our Members of Parliament show their patriotism. To do so, billboards and bannerettes are springing up all over the island, as they did in previous years. They are huge, colourful and according to some, an eyesore. Also, they cost quite a bit of money.
In a time of Singapore’s worse recession in its history, where thousands are out of job and struggling to survive, one would have to question if such ostentatious show of patriotism is necessary.
In a Straits Times report on 29 June 2009, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that “low-income families approaching the CDCs have increased by about 40 per cent” and, in another report on the same day, the Finance Ministry revealed that “more than 780,000 HDB households will receive $60 million of utility rebates in July.”
Clearly, Singaporeans are finding it tough to cope with living costs.
It was not too long ago that PAP-run town councils were found to have invested in toxic financial products and had lost S$16 million in the process. In a bid to dismiss the losses as small or insignificant, the government revealed that the PAP-run town councils have accumulated, over the last 20 years, S$2 billion worth of reserves in their sinking funds. (Channel NewsAsia)
This writer wrote to the Ang Mo Kio – Yio Chu Kang Town Council last year to ask about the cost of the billboards and the bannerettes. The reply from the town council was that “the total cost of each billboard is $3,300”. The town council said it paid for one billboard “per division/SMC and the rest are borne by the respective CCC through their own fund raising.” The cost of electricity for the spotlights which lights up the boards at night costs S$100 (for two months) for each billboard. The town council had put up 7 billboards in the AMK-YCK constituency but said that “for the rest, we leave it to the CCCs to install at their own costs.” It had also installed 1,336 bannerettes in the area.
While we may understand that MPs would like to celebrate National Day and show their patriotism and solidarity with the nation, we should also question if such spending is necessary, especially in these uncertain times.
In Aljunied GRC constituency, the town council has even introduced electronic LCD screens on its notice boards at the void decks. (See picture, below). Is this necessary?
Would it not be more prudent and helpful for the town councils to use the funds spent on these billboards to help families which are struggling with utilities bills and service and conservancy charges instead?
In an interview with the Straits Times two days ago, on 27 June 2009, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong lamented that residents still do not feel they have a stake in the governance of their estates and that there was a “missing link” in the relationship between the town councils and residents. Indeed, his fellow PAP member, Mr Lim Boon Heng, felt that “we have not yet imbued the sense of personal and collective responsibility in the residents.” (Straits Times)
One would, instead, question the sense of responsibility of the town councils in how they are spending funds collected from residents.
Finally, commenting on the town councils’ investments in December last year, Minister of Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan also defended the town councils from accusations of being non-transparent in how they spent their funds. “It’s absolutely transparent,” he said, “because this is not a secret society activity where there is secrecy and so on.” (AsiaOne)
The Online Citizen would thus like to encourage our readers and all Singaporeans to write to their respective MPs and ask about the costs of putting up the billboards and bannerettes (and for Aljunied residents, the cost and necessity of the LCDs).
Also, we welcome our readers to take pictures of these and send them to us at theonlinecitizen@gmail.com and the replies they may receive from their town councils.
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Finally NDP is here. Time to celebrate and millions of money gone!!!! CHeers!!!!
eh,
“necessary” to give business to companies that are contracted to make these billboards & banners?
businesses must survive to provide jobs mah, then in turn employ staff. local or not i dunno lah…
Election coming, so they took chances to promote.
celabrating? what?
with cost of living so high, wages getting lesser year after year for lesser mortal like us, less chance of getting job (competing with FTs influx) and do as you wish?? life here is such that you have pay bill, it adding fine on top it and still cant pay, probably cut off for utility and take back by hdb if still cant back instalment. so celebrate??
i have no mood. i just cant help it and having to worry what if i cant put 3 meals on the table for my family.
Another purpose of the NDP is to showcase our new toys to our neighbour in the North that Singapore is NO pushover. Don’t play play with Singapore.
celebrate more new citizens in our midst?
The AYG’s torch relay already seems like MIW’s torch relay…sigh
Giant sized billboards and banners.
MIW are clearly using money from Lesser Mortals to promote the ruling elite. No need to cough up their own money and they continue to earn millions plus $179,000 per year tax-payers’ funded penions from age 55………..brilliant!!!
hi Rockeye,
MSK can attest to that!!
LMAO…
Yes we needed all this otherwise a lot of our ladies like Vicky knows only “Butter Factory” but doesn’t know who is the MP. At least a check with all the Ah Ma and Ah Pak in housing estate shows that they know who their MP is but they don’t know what is “Butter Factory”.
If “Butter Factory” goes out of business that is non of my business but we cannot allow our MP to go out of business, they are choosen to serve.
The banner with Lui Tuck Yew is good. They can reuse it if and when he wins the next election. “Hi, I’m back. Thanks for voting for me.” LOL
Where is Lionel De Souza?
Can he write something about taxpayers money being use to buy propaganda props. What a waste of money it is.
Lionel, these is the best time for you to speak up.
There are many reasons for celebrating our national day: some good, some with ulterior motives. Anyway, we have hundreds of billions in our reserves and the expenditure for ND is peanuts, esp when Temasek and GIC could cut loss a few billions at the wrong time. To LKY & PAP it is their well-earned money.
wait till u see e actual NDP..heard they are doing a terrorist attack demo..how exciting..I suppose they can rope in WKS to play e role of a hero..thru his boldness n intelligence..he out witted e enemy n thus saved e day…
OMG, these are my idols, the leaders who have keep us afloat even in such economic situation… We should honour them! Don’t you think so?
I ever asked about the LCDs and someone told me that the LCDs are mounted by third party who raise funds through seeking advertisements… They said Town Council need not pay. Plus the third party have to pay Town Council for the Electricity consumption. So so shshhh… Salah info already.
10) Gorang Pisang
Your reference to Vicky’s account of her experience at TTSH is redundant and I am sure this is not a place for you to put up your ad hominem arguments.
You make another error by equating the existence of banners to the knowledge of which Member of Parliament represents the respective constituencies. There is no doubt a correlation but I do not see a causal link.
It is sweeping generalisation to assert that all of our aged citizens know who represents them in the Parliament and it bewilders me as to how you came up with the notion that they are unaware of what “The Butter Factory” since it was featured in both the Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao.
I remain puzzled as to why you actually believe that the existence of banners and billboards ensure that the Member of Parliaments do not “go out of business”. It is another intangible assumption to assert that all Members of Parliament have “chosen to serve”, aren’t you committing a fallacy of single cause?
Any study of basic economics principles will also serve to enlighten you and your brethren on how the closure of “The Butter Factory” will affect the economy and all of you too.
As many would notice, your comments are merely bitter remarks with almost no logical basis. Try not to abuse your freedom of speech as a form of compensation for the freedom of thought which you seldom put to use.
To Yang: I would prefer to have millions of dollars to spend and you have a computer use, as opposed to squarting in one corner in a Third World Singapore now. You probably still a baby when your father and grand father when building the country.
it is a waste of money instead give to the people who cannot pay their housing bills
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong lamented that residents still do not feel they have a stake in the governance of their estates and that there was a “missing link” in the relationship between the town councils and residents.
Of course. When residents write in to ask for the financial status of the Town Councils, they are denied their right to answers. Moreover, the People’s Association is intruding into voluntary space in Singapore by managing community volunteers. Now, it is an extension of the People’s Action Party. Anti-PAP Community volunteers are not welcomed in the People’s Association.
Lets not forget, that they also put up banners and boards during normal periods (non-festive)…..so the total cost should be colossal.
Luckily, people like the author are a minority in Singapore. Else, goodness knows what will happen to this country..
=.-
You will be surprised. After all these they will still get 66% mandate and 98% seats at the next election! Or even better.
And maybe 9 NCMPs for the loser opposition. Provided there are 9 or more of them, that is.
Guys, what is the cost of the banners when you compare it to the firework? Everytime, I see fellow singaporean admiring at the firework, I really wonder if they know we are burning our tax payer money in a matter of minutes? Then again, what can we do right?
Thanks for specking my mind.
$3,300 for a billboard? That can feed a family of four for god knows how many day! Instead it was decided that $3,300 is better thrown into the drain.
What about the opposition wards? Are they doing the same?
From what i know,I believe that the LCD screens are run by third party,and they also bear the costs,and that the Town Council does not need to pay a cent.besides,they also attract attention,let u know latest news,and also give a slightly high-tech feel to the estate,why not?.
i agree that in this difficult time, the Govt should be more prudent with their spending.
From a macro perspective, the Govt has adhere to a prudent fiscal policy which allows them to launch SPUR initiative which helped saved many jobs.
Think we are in a much better shape as compared to our neighbouring countries.
From a micro i.e Town Council perspective, SGD $3300 per billboard is not a small amount but it was mentioned that each town council only paid for 1 billboard, with the are paid via fund raising.
so don think it will affect the indv town council’s budget.
The use of LCD seems like a creative way to me. It can be reused for all occasions and it can also play videos.
Thus the total cost over the long run is actually lower than a billboard!
They can even rent out advertising space to earn extra revenue for the town council.
# gorang pisang…u are back with your pisang tricks….but I’m sure you got a earful from WD Tan…
but i wonder if you understood what was said….
nevermind…your anger is being channelled somewhere….
TOC….National Day……is not PAP Day…….
For decades they have been putting their big faces on billboards at the cost of residents. Now that Goh Chok Tong lamented that it does not forge closer ties with the people living in heartland, such extravagant spendings should be scrapped and amount saved to help the poor and needy. The TC people really have no sense of priority and practicality. I believe partly because we have overpaid our service & conservancy charges every month for them to exploit the excess cash on hand. I will be going around to take pictures and send to TOC when the day comes.
Those banners are just excuses to promote themselves. Most of those banners have huge photos of the MPs but nothing much to do with National Day. Makes me wonder whose birthday is it anyway.
I thought they were for the Hungry Ghosts Festival :)
Is it necessary?
Don’t forget that you do not make up all of Singapore.
There are many people of many kinds, needs, and wants. We all know that everyone cannot be satisfied. So why not?
Everyone deserves to celebrate one’s birthday… the question is how?
1. To celebrate with oblivious attitude as if nothing had happened?
2. To throw a bigger party than the previous years (even though now there is already a big hole in the pocket?)
3. To have a low key celebration?
etc…
Anyhow, Singaporeans already used to the ‘thick-skin’ and ‘buay kia lang tu lan’ style.
Well, some people do need it to vent their frustration. You can’t meet the clowns (if you lucky enouhg to even meet them) and point middle-figure at them, but at least you do that in poster so it is very useful. Who knows someone might so angry to throw dog pooh if not their shoes at the poster.
Didn’t we know that all these posters are for wayang to show to the world how much our gahmen love the citizens ?
“Bernard Madoff, who was charged with defrauding thousands of investors in the US of some US$65 billion, has been handed a 150-year jail term. ”
Huh… so unlucky ? Ours lost $58 billions and more still live happily after scott free and have no regret. Poor Bernard Madoff.
Aiyah, dun be lidat lah. The poor business got good lobang making banners, trying to survive recession. Why u must kepo?
What is so significant about celebrating National Day? What are we celebrating?
Why not have each MP donate half their wages for August towards the Community Chest as a National Day gesture. Make this a tradition.
Lets see if they still want to celebrate after that
There are group of people and their families depending on these billboards for a living: the companies, the designers, the photographers, the painters, the carpenters, the transportation companies etc etc.
The government and town councils should disclose the amount of money that they spent on the billboards and banners to show that they are indeed helping the local economy by putting up more and more and bigger and bigger billboards and banners in the name of celebrating 50th years of nation building.
it only shows how passe they are! who on earth..during this time and age will stiil buy such propaganda gimmicks? It’s stupid and a pure waste of national resources!
National Day is no more than a PAP campaign financed by the State Budget. Every year, we see soldiers saluting to MIWs who will make a spectacular entrance to Parliament. I want to see bipartisanship. I hope all MPs (PAP, Opposition and Nominated) will all don on Orchid-themed attire to attend National Day together. This may be symbolic, but if PAP can’t accept Opposition and NMPs as partners in nation-building, all the reforms that PAP been talking is no more than a shadow puppet show.
I fail to understand the necessity for giant National Day billboards featuring out-sized MPs and pint-sized others.
Town Councils, please use the mandatory collection of conservation and service charges wisely. The money collected is for maintenance of HDB estates, not to glorify MPs who happens to be Mayors etc.
When HDB households are in arrears, they are hauled to court. Why? Because the money are needed for the maintenance of HDB estates.
Here, we have Town Councils spending mandatory collection on non-maintenance expenses.
How is the money spend on billboards contribute to the celebration of National Day? Better use of the money would be to help the needy, waive the arrears in C&S charges. At least those helped can appreciate National Day.
aiyoyo
solve commoners living issues 1st la elites…
celebrate, still commoners need to go thru high price daily life, how?
alamak solve the problem, ensure ok, then clebrate ma…
celebrate celebrate then back to reality – see the sky high prices, head big leh..
sad story
aiyoyo
The gov should not insult the citizen’s intelligence. Call a spade a spade, it should be called PAP Day not National Day. A national day should include every nation being include opp party, Dr Chee, dissident, activist. The fact that only people that approved by PAP shown that it is PAP Day. Military hardware ? Why still show off and behave like communist China ? What they should have do is to show the software, which is the citizen.
So August 9 is PAP Day not National Day until the gov start to accept and respect every individual.
Do we need national day? Almost all Singapore nationals are forced to emigrate or left for greener pasture elsewhere and we have foreign trashs from different nationals multiplying in this little island. So where is our national identity? are we proud to call it national day when this govt is incapable of protecting its Singapore citizens. Gan Kim Yong said never bow to Singaporean, than where is the sense of pride for him to stand in front of the stadium and get saluted by Singaporean-in-arm. Since Singapore is being messed up by the white-uniformed men, it would be shameful for them to wave their flags at us and still smile like nothing has happened.
eh 21) panther
what will happen to this country leh? Don’t say say must elaborate.
Are we all going to celebrate National Day in sadness ?
Oh ! I mean; does National Day brings sadness and reminds the citizenry to feel let down by their Leaders in the Year Past ?
patriot
Frankly speaking the National Day means nothing to me. I don’t even watch NDP on the TV these days. Unpatriotic? Maybe. But what’s there to be pastriotic about in this lil country?
As i am staying near aljunied, i drove past the place to take a look at the LCD before i head for work.
Judging from the location of the LCD, i don think it’s a town council notice board. i.e its not paid by the town council.
it should belong to CCC (if i am not wrong), which is paid by the grassroot organization where funds are raised via fund raising (i.e no Govt $ involved)
When I drove pass the big banners at the side of the road, I tot I was in North Korean, with many banners showing the “Our Belove Leader” of the country.