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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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TOC
Yearly ritual.
Govmin uses Nat Day celebrations to link PAP with govmin, you guys point it out.
Wht don’t you juz reprint what you wrote last yr? And add something to bring it up todate. )))
Another round of Lame Speeches from a government whom ‘has done enough’ to help the people…
I wonder… how lame a speech will this year’s be… ?
So expensive! These reminds us of those plasma TVs at HUB Hub in Toa Payoh. What a waste of $.
Andrew,
Do the opposition MPs have it as well, or do only the PAP MPs have these billboards. Also, at whose instructions are these billboards put up?Are the MPs the ones who asked for it or is it just an attempt by the grassroots leaders to please the MPs?
D
the mps would have better reasons to put up banners if they refrain from putting their bloody photos on it. self promoting only leads to criticisms. btw maybe i am wrong as our mps are all very the talented and so do not make mistakes, even in deciding to spend on banners.
do not forget the burning of good monies, the firework display every year causes heartache to me…………..its literally burning monies when it could be put into greater use such as helping some ‘FIRST WORLD’ citizen from the heartlands. Why are there so many old people collecting cardboard and drink cans? Or is the heartland a forgotten land? Hmmm………one wonders what is the definition of FIRST WORLD?
you all not happy dun go out & show your frowny faces to the new ciizens okie? the old timer S’poreans are encouraged to be nice & gracious to the newly converted citizens to show we welcome them, even if they are a threat to our or our future generations’ ricebowls.
lol…
Maybe their argument is to give the banner producers work. Some people always say forumers don’t give solutions or suggestions. Here’s my suggestion which will generate real jobs for all sorts of academic people and also non-academic people:
Why not have a BIG Dinosaur exhibition in 4 different locations (N, S, E & W of Spore). Create them as real as possible, make them to size, make them move, use real tropical forest props. Do proper research and exhbibit with text of details to include time of their existence, their actual sizes & diets etc. It will be a hit with children (& they can learn so much more than in the classroom) as well as adults, and also tourists who may come just to see the exhibition. Can Spore do anything orginal like that? Actually, not so original because UK already has it but still, it would be great to see this in Spore. Can you imagine if Msia does it and tourists incl Sporeans flock there to see it?
Its time the Govt show people what Spore education can produce and what Sporeans can REALLY do, and celebrate NDP with a real difference, not with the disgusting banners.
42) Can’t agree more with you. It’s a total waste of our money. Would we loose face with our neighbours, don’t think so. With an increase of 40% more people asking for help from the CDCs’ , they should think seriously about putting up all these displays. We are struggling to survive, PM even with a job! Imagine those without a job? You won’t give two hoots.
Sometimes we need to put all our differences aside at certain times. One such moment is national day. this is the day our country gained independance and with a lot of hard work we have made progress. Let’s celebrate to make this a moment to remember in these very difficult and trying times.
it is just like a family member who celebrates a birthday or a wedding or a special moment. dont we put our differences, if any, aside and ensure that the moment will be special and will be remembered always?
“Some people always say forumers don’t give solutions or suggestions.”
Those some people only want to see & hear their type of solutions and suggestions.
To begin with, cut GST.
Looks like last year’s complaints fallen on deaf ears. Already . the same old
nauseating billboards are springing up all over the island again.
Make me wonder are we celebrating ND or are we glorifying Pappie politicians?
#61 cut gst
Those ‘some people’ also want to see & hear only solutions and suggestions that benefit a certain group of people.
The Govt’s defence against cutting GST is that it will benefit the rich more, as they are the ones who spend more and so end up with more savings. Of course I don’t buy this silly reason. Firstly if it encourages the rich to spend more (to have more savings), it will generate business for everybody. Secondly if the Govt are really that fair to the average or poor citizens, they would have waived the maid’s levy (fixed sum) & collect the revenue in rated income tax instead. They would reduce food court rentals so that the ave or poor who eat there won’t have to contribute to Govt coffers (again fixed sum).
I suspect the reason the Govt won’t cut GST is because it forms a huge income from foreigners in the country. They hv to eat and spend on basic needs no matter how poor. This double edged sword can only be dreamed up by our elite talents – Exploitation of own citizens (to accept cheap labour) and exploitation of foreign workers.
BTW, there should be zero GST on basic food or suvival items in the shops or supermarkets like in UK.
Angelina,
their pathetic policy has always been “We win, you lose” and this mentality has always been so since independence.
Daniel,
They are able to do this with ST as their propaganda machine to psyco the public with “We win, you win”; sharing the ‘nation’s weath’. With the internet, things can get interesting.
They also think that the ‘quiters’ still have Singaporean PAP psycoed mindset. Quiters live in other countries, many in real first world countries and many are further educated (thats properly educated for the first time), and have now woken up.
“They are able to do this with ST as their propaganda machine to psyco the public with “We win, you win”; sharing the ‘nation’s weath’.”
In fact, they are getting smarter now. They are marketing full force to implant the impression of “We lose, you win” in mainstream media, of how they spend millions to help the poor, and how they heavily subsidise the hospital bills, and how they help those H1N1 victims. But action louder than words, only when one is the victim can one realize the hogwash in the goverment. Everything comes back to money.
A government that seek to exploit business opportunity at expense of citizens is not worthy to govern. The worst thing ever happen to a nation is be leaded and exploit by business-politican who pretend to be government. Singaporean must realize that as long as such thing happen, Singaporean will always be at losing end.
We have money-greedy leedership not passionate leadership and it’s time for a change to bring those order back.
all these budgets already approved…cannot don’t spend and return or else next year difficult to have the same or more budget…….
when budget is approval liao, must use up you know, cannot le it “go to waste”.
hmmm, i wonder if there are instances where any portion of approved budget is returned…
or am i dreaming?
#63 Singapore likes to compare to Europe and they are at 12%. After next election, GST would be up from 7% to 10%. That I assure you. I also believe they would do a pay review and peg their pay to “private sectors” like SIA, Capitaland which are GLCs. ha ha ha
#22 PAP will still win – Agreed, Singaporeans are kiasi and kiasu. They WILL PAY (thinking its free) for upgrading and get some GST credits, complain like hell but then when they see the ballot boxes, they think its better to opp votes to PT and Hougang voters. ha ha ha
Life is going get very tough, average citizens are going to marginalised BIG TIME. Foreigners are imported to replace us and babies. Think about this? When did you ever depend them on hand outs? Or did you ever depend on them for jobs and living or what you are paying every month?
PAP is lame and outdated. That’s because they are not even a political party at all maybe.
This wasteage of town council revenue adds to a long list of abuses of using public funds for propaganda purposes of the MIW.
In any case , I am of the view that there is no purpose in celebrating National Day when the citizens have no freedom or say in how the country is being run. Noting is done to further the rights and interest of citizens. Instead everything is being done to dilute the population with undeserving, obnoxious, filthy pseudo foreign telents.
There is no future for our children and no graceful retirement for the citizens. What is there to celebrate, the demise of the nation and the extinction of its citizens???
Yes, GST is likely to climb in the coming years.
patriot
all these years gahmen came up with many ideas including national day celebration is just propaganda to show the world who they are. in actual fact, they run out of solution.
it just crap! lot of us struggling to survive and frustrated and here you celebrate is just simply for themselves.
#70) IMS
“#63 Singapore likes to compare to Europe and they are at 12%. ”
Dear IMS,
Please note that food items are ZERO %. Items such as alcohols, ciggies, garments, etc are taxed.
If I live in Timbaktoo and the system works better for me and my family there, I would also like to compare Spore to it, anything wrong with that?
Anyway, I do ‘like’ to compare to Europe because the Gahmen always blow their trumpet that Spore is the Best, Spore is First World, Spore’s strength is democracy, progression, transparency and accountability. Some even say other Western countries (US, Canada, Europe) are ALL collapsing and going bankrupt.
I just got an email with lots of BIG Govt projects coming this way, surely something must be going well over here, not just my experience.
Those national day billboards and bannerettes remind us the images of North Korea (passing the authority from father to son). During national day, PAP Flags are carry by constituencies & marching-pass the VIP stand.
It’s sort of reminding us who is in charge, putting fear in your heart (you can call it Brain-Washing).
On 4 July Independence Day in US, you won’t see Obama face all over USA.
For 31 August, Malaysian National Day, you won’t see Malaysian carrying Barisan National Flags.
Why?
Because National Day is for the People, is for the Citizens regardless of race, religion, different political backgrounds. It is a day of re-collections how a nation goes so far With The People who have contributed and still contributing.
Not a day specially cater for PAP.
Even without PAP, there will be still National Day .
After a couple of weeks later, PM Lee will be bull-shiting Again in Nation Day Rally…….YAWN.
Maybe the next authentic National Day is when the old man kick the bucket. The Day of Liberation.
I am impressed! The billboards are getting larger every year! The one at the road junction opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza, put up by Tanjong Pagar GRC, is magnificent! It’s so huge it conceals a good part of the HDB block behind it. The larger than life images of our esteemed leeches … oops … leeders, beaming as they gaze at the $$$ which only they can see, is inspiring!
We should spend the money on supporting those who lost their jobs…feed their children first …help Singaporean to survive through this though time ……
We are not spending where the money counts now. With unemployment rate sets to rise further and GDP shrinkage, I am wondering how much did we spend on NDP alone.
Rather than previously leveraging on our armed forces and govt resources and minimising spending, we are now spending more on advertising and promotion on MPs/Ministers in town councils on the pretext of getting more to celebrate this festive period.
While companies who support NDP will be happy to have such lavish spending, I will like to see a cut at least to ensure that cost are reined in, and money saved can go to helping those who are unemployed, have lost their housing, in the lower income bracket and who have sick elderly to look after.
I believe most will agree that the best birthday celebration is to help the less fortunate by seeing less fireworks, fewer aircraft flying by and certainly fewer posters of MP/Ministers.
this economic downturn has cast a spotlight on how inflexible our taxpayers monies are spent, many can do with more help to tide through difficult times. if the retrenched are often told to be more flexible when seeking new jobs & to moderate expectations in terms of salary, the only social responsible thing to do is to set an example.
taxpayers money should be used more prudently, its always easy to tell others to be flexible & moderate expectation, its another story to actually practise it!
50) ABC
///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.////
I thought that too. And also the giant photos of Mao.
Celebrating our nation’s birthday is a good thing.
Giant billboards of politicians, I do not agree.
I noticed this trend starting in recent years. And the billbords are getting bigger and staying longer. I believe some are like permanently there.
are we celebrating the unexpected birth of singapore in 1965 ( actually pap was short-sighted and we got expelled from malaysia after 2 years merger, in hindsight, the person envisioned an independent Singapore is David Marshall, he is the trye founding father of an independent Singapore.
Or
Are we celebrating 50 years of pap rul since 1959 ?
The ruling party claim credit for this self rule and infact, it was (again) David Marshall who lead a delegation for talk in UK in 1956 that lead to self rule.
Is Singapore entering to ta similar situation of personal worshipping as the saw in the final years of Mao ?
Interesting topic and comments.
Personally, I have never thought much about National Day before, and I don’t like to join the crowd there since young even when I have the chance. Perhaps, I could not associate the National Day as Singaporeans Birthday (reasons already given by most of you).
The people whom the celebration is for should have a say in how it is to be celebrated, isn’t it? We never get a chance. Perhaps, the ruling party need to remember that they are now dealing with vocal voters who can think and express their ideas, unlike in the past where voters just follow laws. (Not not voters are now lawless.)
Maybe we should all have “a minute of silence” on 9 Aug to reflect on ourselves and our country….. and what we can do now to have a better place to live in the future…. (ahhh… it just reminded me of Michael Jackson’s Top Hits, “Heal the World”. )
correction to #84: “(Not that voters are now lawless.)”
National day is now a PAP day. The PAP spent a lot of money on the billboards, banners, fireworks and performance costumes that could be spent on more meaningful things like creating recession jobs or financial assistant to the needy people. Now National Day is just another day to showcase PAP propaganda and PAP’s “contribution” to the nation. PAP did claim it contributed to the high GDP growth of the nation, but this could not be done with hardworking Singaporeans and PAP enslaving and sucking us dry.
I just wonder how much of taxpayers $$$ were being spend on all these giant pap billboards around the island. It seems they are being put up everywhere and getting bigger each day.
I think we citizens should celebrate National Day with joy as a Singaporean. That we have this beautiful island where our family, loved ones and friend can call home.
It once was a “beautiful island” but is now turned into a concrete jungle occupied by unloving people because we are ruled by dictators.
It once was a “beautiful island” but is now turned into a concrete jungle occupied by mechanically passionless and loveless people, ruled by dictators. What is there to be joyous about? Many children grow up without parents around, and many parents never saw their children grow up, many families never find time to even eat a meal together, many elderly bear with their illness, the disabled stuck within their 4 walls etc etc. Yes, Spore is a place we can call home, do many really have a choice?
Why can’t the fireworks displays be scrapped this year, so much money going up in smoke when so many are out of work
89) Rafflesian
You point of view is noted. But I am sure you have to agree that it may not be represenattion of the view of all in SG.
If one considers 9th Aug as celebrating PAP day or FamiLee day, then those billboards and posters are necessary.
An independent survey may show ~ 50% of citizens do not consider S’pore a nation. So, what national celebration are we talking about with a divided people ?
You point of view is noted too.
But I am sure you have to agree that it may not be represenattion of the view of all in SG.
I agree the need for those billboards and posters of politicians are debatable. I personally do not agree with having them for National Day.
///An independent survey may show ~ 50% of citizens do not consider S’pore a nation. So, what national celebration are we talking about with a divided people ?////
are we a divided people?
that is mere speculation, unless and until the survey is done , we do not know.
“that is mere speculation, unless and until the survey is done , we do not know.”
Even if the survey is done and is positive, what can be done anyway ?
Last time, there is a lot of speculation on the loss of Temasek, and the loss finally report out from the horse’s mouth, so in the end, all still gonna move on, the father, the son and the jinx still live happily after. So what is the point of wasting time doing survey if you already know the answer ?
95) Daniel
Noted your comments. But that is another topic alttogether. Wherea the post #93 was suggesting a survey to see if Singapoerans consider SG a nation or not a nation, I do not know how do we do a survey with regards to the loss by Temasek,
hi KopitiamApek,
some things ask also won’t get the truth, things like this, its the silence that speaks the loudest!!
^.^
Hi KopitiamApek,
the truth is in the words unspoken! besides can we really trust everyone? sounds like voting…
-.-”
” I do not know how do we do a survey with regards to the loss by Temasek,”
True enough it is another topic. But from another perspective, it is indirectly linked. How much accountability Temasek has towards the general public (as it is using large pool of public reserve too) also affect how we feel of Singapore as a nation. For we know that whole Singapore is run as monarchy and which high official benefit greatly from the structure regardless of whether loss and gain, whereas the citizens are made to pay for their honest mistake and share little when they gain, how well can we feel it as a nation ?
” I do not know how do we do a survey with regards to the loss by Temasek,”
It is pointless to do a survey anyway where our instinct tell us Temasek is nothing more than scam to the public. If they are misusing public money , manipulate statistic and doing illegal practice that is not open to the public, it is no difference than con-man. To think that there is no Ong Teng Chong to do the check and balance, that is how frightening the gov can be, giving a false sense of assurance to the general public.
I don’t really care about National Day Celebrations. The reason is that it’s the same boring stuff year in year out. So I treat it as just another holiday.
On the other hand, I also think it is important for us to remember this day, especially the younger ones. This day reminds us how we became a nation of Singaporeans.
I think we should not mix the current economic problems with national day celebrations. Today’s economic problems are not unique to Singapore. They are global in characteristics.
In fact, I think there is a good reason to spend on celebrations because when the consumers spend it also means that someone in our society will be employed. If nobody spends, then we will only aggravate unemployment.
The only problem about National Day Celebrations seem to look more and more like a PAP family day every year as someone pointed out earlier. I think the day our Parliament is represented with a better balance of both ruling and alternative voices, the view of National Day will be interpreted by Singaporeans in the appropriate way.
98) Daniel on July 5th, 2009 11.31 pm
///True enough it is another topic. But from another perspective, it is indirectly linked.///
Agree with you. There is a link. Come to think of it, every topic in TOC will be linked one way or another, if it is an issue affecting SG.
(Unless we are talking about MJ’s untimely departure, than I cannot see its link. But I never underestimate the ingenuity of posters here to find that link, and somehow blame that on gahmen too. I have been disappointed so far, non have suggested : ) )
Sorry, couldn’t resist writing that, now back what where I was…
As the chance of being link is pretty high, I am of the opinion that staying on the topic will compartalised the topics better, and make discussions more meaningful and focussed.
Hope you do see my point.