Comments on: Recession over: Really? Time to increase fees?

By: The dual economy of Singapore | Support Site for The Unemployed

The dual economy of Singapore | Support Site for The Unemployed — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 21:23:21 +0000

[...] a future when higher GDP figures only serve to justify ministerial salary hikes, GST increases, fees and fare increments whilst giving the ruling party even less reason to address an inevitable growing inequality and a [...]

By: Winston Cheng

Winston Cheng — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:34:42 +0000

“MM Lee warns of dangers of slow growth if productivity does not increase” (CNA, Feb 18)

Productivity = Higher Output at lesser cost. Was MM talking to himself and his cronies when he said the above?

By: on a personal note

on a personal note — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:28:40 +0000

Recession is over or not is not as important as whether the People’s income general has it made Progress or not and whether the Quality of Life and Cost of Living has improved and thus progressed or not.

These are to me the main KPIs we should focus on.

Recession over can still mean in the Trough for extended inknown periods of time.
The next Financial crisis is , as Always, an Unknown Unknown.
Who can guarantee and say what the next 5 years is gonna be like? I like to see if there is such a person and ask him his basis for his claims.

Is it an Aspiration or is it a Guess or a Guarantee?

By: David

David — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:12:03 +0000

If local educations are not considered as talent, why bother to increase fee? Ultimately foreigners who earned their degree or diploma overseas seem quite well sought after by PAP.

By: ApApA

ApApA — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:59:24 +0000

When Singaporeans not producing enough, the demand for education is less right?
But how come education costs keep increasing?

Demand and Supply theory wrong again? in Singapore?

By: Strategist

Strategist — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:42:42 +0000

If the fees for Singaporeans are not increased a little and the fees for PRs are increased, the PRs may be more unhappy. We must not forget about the contributions of PRs and foreigners???
Of course how much we value the contribution of Singaporeans in National Service is an issue. Are the differences in the treatment of PRs and Citizens sufficient to balance the NS contribution?? After we are so used to preaching there is no free lunch.

By: People Arrogant Party

People Arrogant Party — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:39:54 +0000

Whenever PAP wants to increase fees, they cite recession is over, economy is recovering. Whenever they want to depress workers’s pay, they cite recession as reason and Singapore has lost its productivity. All can be reported within a few days, contradicting their stands, in order to justify their policies. So which should we believe now? Singapore economy not picking up or is recession over? It is time we bring in a more productive alternative parties to serve us than having a clueless PAP playing with words and fixing statistics at whims and fancies.

By: sad but true

sad but true — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:17:23 +0000

and that idiot Loong keep asking why Chinese are not reproducing, having kids. Make Education free for singapore citizens up to Poly and ITE level – same as our JC students. Then you will see more kids being produced. Either that or put more money into the Psst Sec Education account of all Singapore students to cover that $2000 per year for 3 years……If the Children of Singapore is important, this Govt must put the money where the mouth is. If not, I see spiralling fees, eg Poly engineering course increasing and more Singaporeans not reproducing.

By: they need $$$ to recoup losses

they need $$$ to recoup losses — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:03:41 +0000

they need to show a healthy balance sheet before election.

By: HowSmartAreYou?

HowSmartAreYou? — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:34:40 +0000

“If we really want to widen the distinction between Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) and foreigners, why can’t we just raise fees for PRs and foreigners, instead of raising fees for Singaporeans too?”
How about fees are lowered for citizens but stay the same for PRs and foreigners? That way no one lose… Hold on, I understand now… Singaporeans prefer to lose if foreigners lose even more… Smart?

By: prestonborlamparloon

prestonborlamparloon — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:23:44 +0000

[i]when the Govt knew that they were the ones who could not keep the high value scalable production[/i]

why did it happenned? how did it happenned?
asked simwonghoo..he will give you his answers…
NUTs is the keywords..NoUTurns…
1st of all our arrogant overpaid ministers think so highLEE of themselves when they were the ONEs who RAISED productions/manufacturin cost from rentals to logicstics includin a hefty foreign levies..henceforth the words is foreign talents…
any logical simple businessman would asked…
why should i produced my goods in singapoor when i could hav done the same(maybe a little lower rougher workmanships) but @ 1/3 of the costin? i asked the very same Q here few months ago..can you buy the world cheapest wired 2pin/3pin multiac adapter @ $1..yes 1 singapoor dollar from a $1 store? in singapoor.. i have to pay for the same product @ $7 onwards…in a $1 singapoor shop…

By: Justforlaughs

Justforlaughs — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:14:38 +0000

mon Feb 20, 2010 19:10

We used to produce “ipods” but as our costs of business increased tremendously and China has become the undisputed manufacturer of the world. Without strong local high value product brands and a manufacturing sector that is highly dependant on foreign companies’ presence who then moved out to China, it is unavoidable that our manufacturing sector was significantly erroded, that is why the Govt had to open Casinos to fill the GDP void left by the manufacturing sector and promote service sectors.

I do not have the answers as a commoner who loves my country. However I think it is wrong for the Govt to bash the people who happens to be the world’s most hardworking workers with words like lazy and “spurs-not-in-hide” when the Govt knew that they were the ones who could not keep the high value scalable production resulting in lower productivity.
Service line in the case of Singapore is not scalable, period. Do not blame the people.

By: CJ

CJ — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:36:47 +0000

Looking back; Slow Growth, High Growth… what’s the difference?
People still slog to cope with Costs of Living! Times are bad, increase this and that, times are bad, also increase this or that. So where is the DIFF???
I believe the rich & of course the government will feel the differences.

By: Hum

Hum — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:18:14 +0000

Rovk made very intelligent observations.
If more singaporeans become or think like him, i must admit, i would believe that singapore will Change.

But then,very few people think from a national perspective. People seem to think from a Self perspective. As long as people themselves are not affected by work or cost of living, they will not bother to care how those affected feels. I think this is human nature in a way.

its always, self self self. What’s mine is mine and what’s yours should also be mine mentality.
how many actually care about the society at large?

By: rovk

rovk — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:50:59 +0000

These city to city cost of living comparisons are misleading. Singapore is not a city, it’s a country. If you are Japanese, and you find the cost of living in Tokyo too high, you can always go to Okinawa to retire, where it’s cheaper. Or Kyoto, or ….any of a number of cities. You are entitled to move to the Japanese city of your choice. You don’t have to emigrate internationally, you don’t have to satisfy anyone that you are a worthy immigrant, you don’t have to beg immigration officials of a foreign country or pledge allegiance to it.

If you are a Singaporean and you find the cost of living here too high, well you just live with it. If you live in Bedok, retiring in Ang Mo Kio isn’t going to mean any significant reduction in your cost of living. You’re stuck.

So we need to compare Singapore’s cost of living with the cost of living of other countries, not cities. I suspect that makes Singapore the most expensive country in the world. Aren’t there any studies that address this?

By: mon

mon — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:10:07 +0000

//Justforlaughs
why can’t you produce “Ipods”?
How come the other tigers can do it?
Do they need to steal sand?

By: The Real Question We have to answer to ourselves

The Real Question We have to answer to ourselves — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:44:46 +0000

Those who still cannot make up their minds should think about this question.

After the coming election results is announced, what is gonna come our way in the next 5 years in terms of :

1.Job security : no money no talk. no money no honey.
2 Cost of living : what fees will or can be hiked? what fares or tarriffs can be hiked ?
3. Min Sum : how can it change? Technically, can it change and change?
4. Who will voice up for you ?
5. How many new citizens will there be in the next 5 years?
6. How many new PRs will there be in the next 5 years?
7. How many new FW will there be in the next 5 years?
8. How many new FTs will there be in the next 5 years?
9. How much more over priced will flats be thanks to cash rich foreigners if not PRs etc?

How will you retire? 1st that guy needs to retire indefinitely.

By: spirited-centred

spirited-centred — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:29:34 +0000

#tiredsingaporean
Actual money are not there anymore, just rough papers everywhere around the globe. Thats why they need to raise money through issuing bonds lately.

By: spirited-centred

spirited-centred — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:23:49 +0000

I can also predict the two casinos is going to reduce our workers productivity cos they need to skip work and take MCs to patronise the casinos. When these workers lost millions of dollars, they got no money to spend at neighbourhood shops and shopping centres, so more people and more family suffers. There will be downward spiral for all these small business. Only the foreigners (casinos owners & workers) and government (more taxes and entrance levies) are the winners. We Singaporeans are the great losers.

By: spirited-centred

spirited-centred — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:17:35 +0000

He is the greatest prophet of all times who can predict anything shortest one-year time frame or anything in 20 to 30 years time when he is non-existence. Anything in between he is not sure because if he predict wrong he going to loose a lot face and also blemish the Singapore brand name.