TR EMERITUS

At times you really can't feel sorry for the Singaporeans who are facing hardships from unemployment to high cost housing to high cost of living. Compared to the floods that disrupted millions of lives and killed several thousands in Pakistan and China, volcano ash in Sumatra, storms in Australia, forest fires in Russia, civil wars and wars in the Middle East, what we are going through is a drop in the ocean. Count ourselves truly blessed that we do not have to face such catastrophic devastation or casualties to mourn. So I ask myself: what are we bickering about? There is no shortage of things to complain and challenge in Singapore. First on the out tray is unemployment which many accuse it on the massive influx of foreigners who came to steal their jobs followed closely by the contentious issue of so called foreign talent, permanent residence and foreign citizenship. Then there is housing which many blame on the permanent residents driving up demand and prices. We have issues on low income, the escalating cost of living, early retirment, car park shortages, floods and over-crowded MRT lines during peak hours. Quite a basketful of headaches for the government to ponder in a not so distant election exercise. Let us dissect the unemployment issue first. Is it really fair to solely blame it on foreigners? There are countless of jobs waiting for Singaporeans to do but they just chose not to take it up because the wages are too low, the hours are too long and the conditions are too physical. They expect high wages, short hours and aircond comfort conditions. Incredibly even for those who have basic education, they scoff at being security guards, store retailers or service sector jobs. Menial jobs? Don't even mention this to a Singaporean. Unfortunately this is the prevailing mindset across the board and the danger is it is fast becoming a national culture. Truly Uniquely Singapore! Just to prove a point: if a company advertises for a clerical position, no Singaporean applies. But when it advertises for a manager, scores write in. Are we to conclude that Singaporeans are all managerial potential or are we to understand that Singaporeans are too educated to be clerks? The story doesn't stop there. When a Singaporean walks into a job interview he comes with a list of conditions and demands that make even the most experienced HR interviewer cringe. Unknowingly, by their blind and arrogant attitude, ignorance and complacency, Singaporeans are putting and pricing themselves out of the employment market. Eventually instead of taking a hard clear look at themselves for being jobless, they conveniently lay blame on the foreigners for stealing their jobs. In contrast a foreign worker would do the complete opposite. He would gladly do what he had applied to do; no complaint, no pre-conditions. He would do everything and anything requested in his job description and more. And he would do it well to make sure his job is secured for the next two years. As employer, it is only natural that we hire a person to do a job and not to hamper or be an obstacle to the company. With a foreigner, he is at least assured of a staff whom he trains and keeps for the next two years. With a Singaporean, it might not last even three days! Hence, to an employer, hiring a foreign worker is definitely a safer option. Every city with a vibrant economy will definitely see a spiral upward trend in the property market. This happened in Seoul, Shanghai, Bangkok, Hongkong, Tokyo and now Singapore. This is inevitable as influx of foreigners mean more accomodations are required and when demand is far greater than supply, prices skyrocket. That is basic economics. New citizens, permanent residents, dependants and permit holders all vie for a place to stay once they descend onto Singapore. With the jobs they secured openly rejected by Singaporeans, foreigners are in a better position to afford a house in the long term than a jobless Singaporean. They buy, they invest because they need a shelter to call it their new home. So if we have one million foreigners and only 5% buy a HDB resale flat, that would be 50,000 flats changing hands and driving up prices like crazy. Imagine how this consequence would impact on newly-wed couples searching for a home. Wake up! Some of these PR or new citizens are not exactly poor mouse. They are wealthy enough to buy a six-figure HDB apartment in the open market with cold hard cash. Their intention is to stay the long haul and they might have disposed off a lucrative property back home and use the cash to buy a cheaper HDB unit here. When such options are multiplied thousands of times all over Singapore, the effect is catastophic for property prices. Pause to ask yourself: how can a three room flat which say cost $80,000 ten years ago costs $240,000 today? That is 300% increase. The size is the same, the location is unchanged and the flat is a decade older! So if public demand did not drive property prices up beyond the reach of some Singaporeans, then I dont know what did? At this rate, in another 10 years, a 3-room HDB flat might well cost $480,000 an astronomical 600% increase. At this rate, a day will come when a Singaporean rents a room from a permanent resident. Presently there are no legislation to guarantee jobs for Singaporeans first, foreigners second. Or a cheaper resale HDB flat for Singaporeans than a PR. It is an open economy and an even level playing field with no advantage. In any case, PRs are being encouraged to take up citizenship. Once these PRs are converted to citizenship, holding on to a red identity card, they would be accorded the same rights and privelges as a local Singaporean. There would be no difference between him and a local Singaporean. And with a stable and secured job in hand, in fact he would be in a better and stronger position than a local. Yes we are entitled to complain and condemn the government all we want but have we ever paused to ask why and how we have put ourselves into this sorry state. Why can't we behave pragmatically like a foreigner, work hard like a foreigner and endure hardship stoically? Instead of redefining ourselves and find ways to improve the status quo, instead of taking stocks of ourselves and instead of being resilient and fight back for our rights and our jobs, we turn our artillery on the government as though things would change overnight. Look, gormless governments don't create an economic miracle on an insignificant island. Just look at the Obama administration. He promised to turn things around with almost $790 billions of economic stimulus package. Today President Obama is unpopular, more Americans are unemployed and the economy is teetering on another recession. Britain is another fine example. The new Conservative government had to resort to severe austerity measures to cut public spendings to avoid an UK economic crisis. Therefore however much we disagree or dislike the policies or the people running the show, we also must be gracious enough to give credit when credit is due. By and large, let's be honest about it; they have done a relatively good job even if they had stumbled on mistakes before delivering the pie. Tell me, which government in the world doesn't?  Read More →

Two days after it was officially launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the much publicized Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang Facebook has started censoring comments critical of the PAP regime which appeared to contradict PM Lee's earlier post exhorting netizens to post on it. Since the Facebook page was started, it was literally overwhelmed by anti-PAP netizens who posted comments and links on it lampooning the PAP regime and its leaders. Unable to take the barrage of criticisms from Singaporeans, the administrator of the Facebook resorted to the usual PAP tactic of deleting unpalatable comments to save its "face". In a comment posted yesterday, it stated clearly that "political views" will not be welcomed as if politics is a taboo subject: It prompted Mr Abdul Malik to ask why the Facebook page used the photo of PAP MPs from Ang Mo Kio as its thumbnail and not that of the community which caused it to be changed to a logo of the People's Association: Mr Abdul Malik was arrested a few weeks ago by police from Bedok Police Division for criticizing PAP minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan on Facebook which sparked a massive outcry among Singaporeans. The PAP has demonstrated time and again that it is only paying lip service to "engaging" young Singaporeans. It is never interested in listening to their concerns, grouses and worries as evidenced by it turning a "deaf ears" to legitimate complaints from the ground. As one netizen observed wryly, only "ball-carrying" comments are allowed to be posted on the PAP Facebooks and any comment remotely critical of the PAP regime or its leaders will be deleted immediately.   Related articles: >> PM Lee's Facebook flooded with anti-PAP comments >> PM Lee invites netizens to post comments on Ang Mo Kio Facebook   Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

The shuttle bus services to the two integrated resorts may have been stopped, but it is not likely to deter Singapore punters from visiting the casinos, it seems. In an online poll conducted by straitstimes.com, 82 percent of some 200 readers indicated that they will still visit the casinos at the two integrated resorts which confirm the suspicion of many that the controversial halting of the shuttle bus service will have negligible impact on the gambling habits of Singaporeans. Gamblers who are yearning to try their luck at the casinos will find ways and means to go there, with or without the shuttle bus service. The sudden termination of the shuttle bus services, especially the free rides offered by Resorts World Sentosa, sparked a massive outcry among Singaporeans who have been flocking to the two IRs to enjoy the amenities there. PAP minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan who is obviously using the saga to gain some cheap political mileage after his disastrous handling of the YOG said in Parliament last week: “Even with the best preparation, casinos would still ‘test the boundaries’ from time to time. The authority’s handling of the recent violations demonstrated its ability to act decisively and quickly.” In the first place, if the PAP regime is so concerned about Singaporeans gambling, it should not have built the two IRs or allowed the ubiquitous 4-D outlets to "mushroom" throughout the HDB heartland. Its desperate "wayang" to show that it "discourages" gambling by Singaporeans has backfired spectacularly. Not only will it not deters gamblers from visiting the casinos, it penalizes Singaporeans who simply want to spend time with their families at the IRs.   Related articles: >> DrVivian on stopping the free shuttle bus service >> Rebuttal to reasons offered by MCYS for termination of RWS shuttle bus service >> MCYS stopping of IR shuttle bus service is a conspiracy >> Singaporeans pissed off by stopping of RWS shuttle bus service     Please join our Facebook discussion on this article here and invite your friends to do so as well to raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.  Read More →