I like to chronicle the list of pressing issues and frustrations that Singaporean are facing today which I will elaborate in future blogs. By coming up with a list, it help me to stay focused and not stray away unnecessary into random ranting.
1) mass immigration influx particularly over the last 5 years
2) high housing cost
3) rising inflation
4) income disparity gap
5) loss of national identity & cohesion
6) low fertility rate
7) excessive ministerial and senior civil service compensation
8) healthcare cost
9) bloated SAF
10) lack of representation in Parliament for close to 40% of the population
11) overloaded public infrastructure eg transport
12) tranparency of government reserves and investment (Temasek, GIC..)
13) GLCs
14) lack of enterpreneurship
15) lack of clarity of purpose and mission with organizations like NTUC, PA
16) casino impact
17) ministerial accountability eg Floods, Mas Selemat
18) excessive GST & related taxes
19) education system issues
20) lack of support for retirees & sick
21) energy issues & hydrocarbon footprint
22) CPF
23) low productivity & economic competitiveness
23) weakening of social contract between the PAP dominated government and the people
Wow, I am surprised that when I sit down and list them, it is such a long list. Within each item, there could be a number of related issues too. To think that we have a parliament where the majority of the MPs are always singing praises of the government. Among the list, I think item (6) will most likely ruin Singapore as a nation in the long term.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Monday, 21 March 2011
Some Observations about PAP candidates
From recent observations from the media, PAP aspiring new candidates can broadly be categorised to come from the following segments of the population:-
1) Civil Service/SAF
2) NTUC
3) Banker
4) Lawyers
5) Doctors
I would like to make a few comments on the composition of such a makeup
1) Most of them do not have experience working for the private enterprises where more often than not, careers are not smooth sailing and subjected to the twist and turn of the market.
2) There are no enterpreneurs in the group as it is often the case. PAP seems to have difficulty engaging the most unorthodox and creative segment of the population
3) For most of them, their work exposure are mainly in Singapore so they are often lacking the ability to understand how things tick outside Singapore
4) For some of them, it could even be suspected that they are joining the PAP to enhance their careers.
5) Most important of all, the selection fall way short of representing the entire populace
By throwing up this sort of people after the supposedly intricate and meticulous selection process, I think the PAP is not regenerating itself with the vigour and passion that is required if it is to lead Singapore forward onto more uncertain terrain.
On the contrary, the opposition has in this coming election been able to come up with some passionate and inspiring people who have chosen to tread the less down-trodden path.
Unlike the past, the opposition has close up the gaps and in some ways outshone the PAP in terms of the potential candidates that they throw up for GE2011.
1) Civil Service/SAF
2) NTUC
3) Banker
4) Lawyers
5) Doctors
I would like to make a few comments on the composition of such a makeup
1) Most of them do not have experience working for the private enterprises where more often than not, careers are not smooth sailing and subjected to the twist and turn of the market.
2) There are no enterpreneurs in the group as it is often the case. PAP seems to have difficulty engaging the most unorthodox and creative segment of the population
3) For most of them, their work exposure are mainly in Singapore so they are often lacking the ability to understand how things tick outside Singapore
4) For some of them, it could even be suspected that they are joining the PAP to enhance their careers.
5) Most important of all, the selection fall way short of representing the entire populace
By throwing up this sort of people after the supposedly intricate and meticulous selection process, I think the PAP is not regenerating itself with the vigour and passion that is required if it is to lead Singapore forward onto more uncertain terrain.
On the contrary, the opposition has in this coming election been able to come up with some passionate and inspiring people who have chosen to tread the less down-trodden path.
Unlike the past, the opposition has close up the gaps and in some ways outshone the PAP in terms of the potential candidates that they throw up for GE2011.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
The Japanese Tragedy
The people in Japan are still reeling in the aftermath of the most devastating earthquake, tsunami and the ongoing risk of nuclear contamination emitting from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plants ever to have rocked Japanese history.A substantially large area of north-eastern Japan has been laid to waste within a few split seconds at the hand of mother nature.
I share my sympathy to all the people who are affected in one way or another by this most tragic catastrophe especially to those helpless victims who have perished during the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. I silently pray for those who are rendered homeless that they may be able to find the strength to recover and go back to their normal lives in the shortest time possible.
Above all, I am impressed with the way how the Japanese people bravely and stoicly took this montrous calamity in its stride. There are no riots, no looting and no mass hysteria. There is a strong. sense of "shared" responsibility amongst the Japanese in face of adversity.I doubt there is another populace on this planet that is able to react more courageously. I salute the selfless personnel braving the risk of excessive radiation exposure to relentlessly fight to cool down the nuclear fuels located in the damaged plants. These are huge risks that the fronline staff willingly undertook to try to save their compatriots and homeland from further radiation fallout at their own personal costs. What they are taking are existential risks and they know it. It may be possible that some of these valiant men may have to suffer from the side effects of excessive radiation exposure that may cost them their lives later on if we can relate to the experience of the Chernobyl meltdown
I also contemplate that if a disaster will to happen in Singapore, will our citizenry be able to react in a commendable manner? I have my serious doubts. In most likelihood, the nation will collapse with the rich, foreign workers and the new citizens probably being the first to pack their bags and go. There will be mass looting, I would conjecture given the lack of a group identity and sense of "shared" purpose that we are all Singaporeans with a common future and deep affection for this tiny red dot. I doubt we will be able to find the same number of selfless men in our SAF and SCDF who will be able to cast aside the risk to their personnel lives in a brave effort to save their fellow countrymen and their country from further destruction.
If I have to make such a reflection twenty years ago with a much younger and less prosperous Singapore, I would probably be less pesssimistic on our collective social cohesion and ability to stand together in face of severe hardships. Such it the resultant outcome of close to two decades of relentless insistence that you need to pay top dollars to those holding ministerial portfolio, to those in the SAF, to those in civil service, to those in PAP-related grassroot organization and to those in GLCs. The concept of service and sacrifice have been chipped away sliently and obscure in the process. The huge influx of immigrants over the last 5 years have diluted our national cohesiveness and our ability to care for each other just because we are all Singaporeans. Like it or not, there is a price to have to pay for the so called "progress".
I share my sympathy to all the people who are affected in one way or another by this most tragic catastrophe especially to those helpless victims who have perished during the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. I silently pray for those who are rendered homeless that they may be able to find the strength to recover and go back to their normal lives in the shortest time possible.
Above all, I am impressed with the way how the Japanese people bravely and stoicly took this montrous calamity in its stride. There are no riots, no looting and no mass hysteria. There is a strong. sense of "shared" responsibility amongst the Japanese in face of adversity.I doubt there is another populace on this planet that is able to react more courageously. I salute the selfless personnel braving the risk of excessive radiation exposure to relentlessly fight to cool down the nuclear fuels located in the damaged plants. These are huge risks that the fronline staff willingly undertook to try to save their compatriots and homeland from further radiation fallout at their own personal costs. What they are taking are existential risks and they know it. It may be possible that some of these valiant men may have to suffer from the side effects of excessive radiation exposure that may cost them their lives later on if we can relate to the experience of the Chernobyl meltdown
I also contemplate that if a disaster will to happen in Singapore, will our citizenry be able to react in a commendable manner? I have my serious doubts. In most likelihood, the nation will collapse with the rich, foreign workers and the new citizens probably being the first to pack their bags and go. There will be mass looting, I would conjecture given the lack of a group identity and sense of "shared" purpose that we are all Singaporeans with a common future and deep affection for this tiny red dot. I doubt we will be able to find the same number of selfless men in our SAF and SCDF who will be able to cast aside the risk to their personnel lives in a brave effort to save their fellow countrymen and their country from further destruction.
If I have to make such a reflection twenty years ago with a much younger and less prosperous Singapore, I would probably be less pesssimistic on our collective social cohesion and ability to stand together in face of severe hardships. Such it the resultant outcome of close to two decades of relentless insistence that you need to pay top dollars to those holding ministerial portfolio, to those in the SAF, to those in civil service, to those in PAP-related grassroot organization and to those in GLCs. The concept of service and sacrifice have been chipped away sliently and obscure in the process. The huge influx of immigrants over the last 5 years have diluted our national cohesiveness and our ability to care for each other just because we are all Singaporeans. Like it or not, there is a price to have to pay for the so called "progress".
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Singapore Fertility Rate
The hot issue of Singapore's declining total fertility rate was a key focus at this year's National Youth Forum, where Mr Goh was a guest-of-honour. Mr Goh said: "Those who can't afford to have children never had problems over affordability. They just have more children. And those who can afford, in fact, do not have more than one or two or so. So there's that contradiction over there, which suggests that having children in fact is a rather complex issue."
I think Mr Goh still does not get it. The reason I would be inclined to think so is that Mr Goh has been having a rather secure and smooth sailing career for too long. Likewise over the years, he has been working with or surrounded himself with people from the civil service or SAF where their jobs are too relatively secure and stable.
If you are in the private sector, you would have realised very quickly albeit depending on which line you are in that your job is always on the line. You could be fire any day due to reasons that are totally out of your control. In most cases, it has neither to do with ability or attitude. When whole industry collapses, there is really no place where you can hide. There is also a high rate where skills and experience are made redundant with the increasing pace of change in technology and emerging industries. In short, careers in private sector can be very disruptive.
Thus, I would surmise that one of the main reason singaporeans are not willing to have kids or more kids is not really an attitudinal issue. The more important factors are the uncertainty and the constant need for new adaption that come as part and parcel of private sector jobs. You could be drawing $15K per month and be the top performer this year but you know jolly well that you could be fire the very next day for whatever reasons. Finding similar jobs get increasing difficult as one get older and almost impossible once you hit 45. Young people starting out at 25 could not envision where they can be 10 years down the road, let alone 20.
Given such backdrop, why do people want to have kids as it going to be at least a 20+ years commitment?
If you look at the birth rate during the Asian Financial Crisis, it dropped. Why, becuase people became uncertain about the future so they postpone having a child. The dot-com crisis hit only smaller segment of the population so the effect may not be so accentuated. The SARS crisis is too short. Our TFR hit record low in 2010 recently, guess what? The 2008/2009 Financial Crisis!!!Remember, there is a delay effect of about 10 months.
I have this conjecture that married people in the civil service (including teaching) and SAF tends to have more kids that those working in the private sectors, especially the highly volatile ones.
I think Mr Goh still does not get it. The reason I would be inclined to think so is that Mr Goh has been having a rather secure and smooth sailing career for too long. Likewise over the years, he has been working with or surrounded himself with people from the civil service or SAF where their jobs are too relatively secure and stable.
If you are in the private sector, you would have realised very quickly albeit depending on which line you are in that your job is always on the line. You could be fire any day due to reasons that are totally out of your control. In most cases, it has neither to do with ability or attitude. When whole industry collapses, there is really no place where you can hide. There is also a high rate where skills and experience are made redundant with the increasing pace of change in technology and emerging industries. In short, careers in private sector can be very disruptive.
Thus, I would surmise that one of the main reason singaporeans are not willing to have kids or more kids is not really an attitudinal issue. The more important factors are the uncertainty and the constant need for new adaption that come as part and parcel of private sector jobs. You could be drawing $15K per month and be the top performer this year but you know jolly well that you could be fire the very next day for whatever reasons. Finding similar jobs get increasing difficult as one get older and almost impossible once you hit 45. Young people starting out at 25 could not envision where they can be 10 years down the road, let alone 20.
Given such backdrop, why do people want to have kids as it going to be at least a 20+ years commitment?
If you look at the birth rate during the Asian Financial Crisis, it dropped. Why, becuase people became uncertain about the future so they postpone having a child. The dot-com crisis hit only smaller segment of the population so the effect may not be so accentuated. The SARS crisis is too short. Our TFR hit record low in 2010 recently, guess what? The 2008/2009 Financial Crisis!!!Remember, there is a delay effect of about 10 months.
I have this conjecture that married people in the civil service (including teaching) and SAF tends to have more kids that those working in the private sectors, especially the highly volatile ones.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Mr Goh Chok Tong and his Sendo Earthquake comment
Below is Mr Goh Chok Tong comment on the recent monster earthquake and subsequent tsunami crashing into the shores of north-eastern Japan.
“How many of you followed the latest tragic events in Japan with the tsunami…and then put into context our floods in Singapore against that kind of disaster. I am not saying we shouldn’t do anything about the flood. But the amount of noise you made with just sporadic flood compared to the Japanese. I saw them on TV. Very stoic looking. You don’t see them crying. This has happened, just get on, that’s the kind of spirit you want to have and you call it nation building.”
While Mr Goh correct to point out that this is a very tragic event that happened in Japan and should all pray and hope that the victims can recover and Japan as nation will overcome this tragedy in time to come. However, I cannot agree that he compare an earthquake of such magnitude (measuring about 8.9 on the Richter scale and rank the 4th largest recorded earthquake of all times) which is the result of an act of God or an uncontrollable natural disaster (whichever way you may be inclined to think) with floods which engulf our major residential an commercial prime district which are more likely due to human incompetence in drainage planning and execution. The very different in the nature of the two events will warrant very different reactions from the populace. While one cannot rant and pinpoint blame against an event of the nature like the Sendo earthquake but the blame for the floods that submerge part of Orchard and Bukit Timah district lie squarely on the shoulder on Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and his ministry for environment and to a certain extent on the incumbent government.
The fact that Mr Goh did not suggest that we do not do anything about the floods is telling because it does implies that there are pre-emptive actions that we can do to prevent the floods but we did not do. Against an event of the scale of the Sendo earthquake and subsequently triggered tsunami, there is actually nothing wthin the means of mankind to prevent it from happening.
“How many of you followed the latest tragic events in Japan with the tsunami…and then put into context our floods in Singapore against that kind of disaster. I am not saying we shouldn’t do anything about the flood. But the amount of noise you made with just sporadic flood compared to the Japanese. I saw them on TV. Very stoic looking. You don’t see them crying. This has happened, just get on, that’s the kind of spirit you want to have and you call it nation building.”
While Mr Goh correct to point out that this is a very tragic event that happened in Japan and should all pray and hope that the victims can recover and Japan as nation will overcome this tragedy in time to come. However, I cannot agree that he compare an earthquake of such magnitude (measuring about 8.9 on the Richter scale and rank the 4th largest recorded earthquake of all times) which is the result of an act of God or an uncontrollable natural disaster (whichever way you may be inclined to think) with floods which engulf our major residential an commercial prime district which are more likely due to human incompetence in drainage planning and execution. The very different in the nature of the two events will warrant very different reactions from the populace. While one cannot rant and pinpoint blame against an event of the nature like the Sendo earthquake but the blame for the floods that submerge part of Orchard and Bukit Timah district lie squarely on the shoulder on Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and his ministry for environment and to a certain extent on the incumbent government.
The fact that Mr Goh did not suggest that we do not do anything about the floods is telling because it does implies that there are pre-emptive actions that we can do to prevent the floods but we did not do. Against an event of the scale of the Sendo earthquake and subsequently triggered tsunami, there is actually nothing wthin the means of mankind to prevent it from happening.
Friday, 11 March 2011
Singapore President's Salary
I note that Parliament on Thursday approved the allocation of an additional $1.25 million to the Civil List, which specifies the salaries of the President, his personal staff, and expenditure.
The amount set aside for the President's salary is $4,267,500, up from $3,376,800. The entertainment allowance remains unchanged at $73,000. The amount for staff salaries increases by $471,600 to $4,532,400.
Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said these increases were to cater for an additional staff officer to support the work of the Council of Presidential Advisers, a Butler Manager to meet the increased demand for butler services at the Istana, and to meet higher variable payments on account of strong economic growth.
My Comment: Is there really a need to pay such a high salary plus a team of entourage to a President whose role is largely ceremonial. Come on, Singapore is a small country, this is utter extravagance! Barrak Obama, the executive President of the United States, a person of immense talent and gift for oration is paid probably in the range of 1/10 of our President.
The amount set aside for the President's salary is $4,267,500, up from $3,376,800. The entertainment allowance remains unchanged at $73,000. The amount for staff salaries increases by $471,600 to $4,532,400.
Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said these increases were to cater for an additional staff officer to support the work of the Council of Presidential Advisers, a Butler Manager to meet the increased demand for butler services at the Istana, and to meet higher variable payments on account of strong economic growth.
My Comment: Is there really a need to pay such a high salary plus a team of entourage to a President whose role is largely ceremonial. Come on, Singapore is a small country, this is utter extravagance! Barrak Obama, the executive President of the United States, a person of immense talent and gift for oration is paid probably in the range of 1/10 of our President.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
High Housing Price - Does it hurt the PAP Government?
The answer to the question in the title seems pretty obvious, doesn't it.
Well, I would like to argument that the sum tangible outcome of the public sentiments towards high housing price may not hurt the PAP government as much as what many would like to think. Why is this so?
Firstly, there is this thing called entrenched interest. And there is this other thing called self-interest. There are a substantial portion of citizens out there who are living in landed properties,private apartments and high-end HDB flats who have cleared or almost cleared their outstanding mortgages. For most mortals, they will invariably experience a saccharine feeling when they get hit by the daily bombardment of advertisements in the paper or otherwise telling them that their properties are now worth much more than the original purchase value. Most will even secretly hope it will go higher as then they will feel even richer, though much of that is not realisable unless the property is sold. Remember, these people do not have a mortgage or very little mortgage left to service. It is like buying at stock and seeing its price shooting into the atmospheric region over a matter of a few years or months.
High property prices hit hardest on those salaried workers who are about to settle down in their lives and are thinking about how to purchase their first property.
To sum up, high property prices, in itself will not cause the PAP government to lose an election and I believe the incumbent goverment knows that pretty well. Through the concept of home ownership and rising property prices, the government has actually built safety "ballasts" into our election system to determine an outcome favourable to the incumbent. So, it is of paramount importance that the opposition cannot be seen in the eyes of the public as trouble-makers bent on overturning the system, advertently or not.
Well, I would like to argument that the sum tangible outcome of the public sentiments towards high housing price may not hurt the PAP government as much as what many would like to think. Why is this so?
Firstly, there is this thing called entrenched interest. And there is this other thing called self-interest. There are a substantial portion of citizens out there who are living in landed properties,private apartments and high-end HDB flats who have cleared or almost cleared their outstanding mortgages. For most mortals, they will invariably experience a saccharine feeling when they get hit by the daily bombardment of advertisements in the paper or otherwise telling them that their properties are now worth much more than the original purchase value. Most will even secretly hope it will go higher as then they will feel even richer, though much of that is not realisable unless the property is sold. Remember, these people do not have a mortgage or very little mortgage left to service. It is like buying at stock and seeing its price shooting into the atmospheric region over a matter of a few years or months.
High property prices hit hardest on those salaried workers who are about to settle down in their lives and are thinking about how to purchase their first property.
To sum up, high property prices, in itself will not cause the PAP government to lose an election and I believe the incumbent goverment knows that pretty well. Through the concept of home ownership and rising property prices, the government has actually built safety "ballasts" into our election system to determine an outcome favourable to the incumbent. So, it is of paramount importance that the opposition cannot be seen in the eyes of the public as trouble-makers bent on overturning the system, advertently or not.
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