TR EMERITUS

OPINION With public disgruntlement and anger at its misrule for the last 5 years at an all-time high, the increasingly unpopular PAP regime is in damage-control mode, unleashing a series of short-gap measures to appease native Singaporeans and to add more new citizens to the electoral registry rather than to address the root cause of the problems. In fact, some of the new policies appeared to be targetted at PRs to encourage or coerce more of them to take up Singapore citizenships just in time before the next general election so as to ensure the PAP's continued political survival which is now in serious doubt following a series of lapses of such catastrophic proportions that even its propaganda mouthpiece media has difficulties covering up its incompetence. From the recurrent spate of floodings, sky-rocketing property prices, rising social tension between locals and foreigners to the YOG fiasco, the PAP doesn't seem to get anything right nowadays. Its gaffe-prone ministers are more adept at peeving Singaporeans off than to allay their concerns and anxieties. As National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan admitted himself: [Source: Straits Times] Let us examine the latest slew of measures announced by PAP ministers: 1. Reducing the intake of foreigners from 100,000 to 80,000 next year Will 20,000 less foreigners make Singapore any less crowded? PM Lee has a history of flip-flopping. Last year, he promised Singaporeans that he will "moderate" the inflow of foreigners. Half a year later, he appeared to renege on his words by promising to bringing in 100,000 foreigners (excluding their families) next year. Now, he is singing a different tune altogether. What we need is not a reduced inflow of foreigners, but a complete revamp of the current immigration policy which is untenable in the long run. 2. $9,000 for existing NSmen as a "reward" for their contributions How can such a paltry sum ever compensate those who have sacrificed two precious years of their lives in service of the nation plus another 10 years more of reservist obligations? How many NSmen will actually get the money given that those who have completed their NS cycles are excluded from the award and the amount will be deposited in three tranches in CPF which is like empty figures in the air? Forget about the $9,000 which is an insult to our contributions to the nation. Just get the new citizens like YPAP leader Sinha Shekhar to serve two years of NS or community service and everybody will stop complaining. 3. 16,000 new flats to be built next year If HDB can build so many flats in a single year, why didn't it build more flats between the years 2006 and 2008 when the flood-gates are flung open to immigrants? Only about 11,000 new flats were built in these three years resulting in the sky-rocketing prices we see today. These 16,000 flats will take three to four years to complete before they are ready for occupation, hardly a scant consolation for young couples who are waiting for a roof over their heads. 4. New property rules to curb speculation The new housing rules penalized Singaporeans more so than the new citizens and PRs who own properties overseas. How is HDB going to check if they do not own overseas assets when they purchase HDB flats? On the other hand, genuine Singapore upgraders will find it tough to afford another 10 percent downpayment if they do not sell of their existing properties. HDB should just ban PRs from the resale markets or impose a minimum residency period before they are allowed to purchase resale flats to stabilize prices. 5. One billion dollars to upgrade train signalling system SM Goh revealed it will cost S$1 billion to upgrade the train signalling system to increase capacity and reduce the waiting time for commuters. Again, the results won't be manifest till years later meaning that Singaporeans will have to put up with the big squeeze for the time-being which raise questions why the government did not anticipate the increase in population and beef up our transport system to prepare for the inevitable when it has so much time to do so. Furthermore, the upgrading is likely to lead to high transport costs for Singaporeans as warned by SM Goh. Remember - nothing is free in Singapore. Whatever the PAP "gives" us now, we probably have to "pay back" ten times later. 6. Forcing PRs to become Singapore citizens: This is almost unheard of anywhere else in the world. We have heard of people waiting for years to become U.K, U.S, Canadian and Australian citizens but over here, we have a thick-skinned government which issued veiled threats to get PRs to renounce their citizenships to become Singaporeans and to add salt to the injury, the response from them isn't positive at all. Instead of cajoling the PRs to take up Singapore citizenships, the government should study on how to make being a Singaporean more attractive. Why should PRs become Singaporeans when they can enjoy all perks associated with citizenship minus its responsibilities? The PAP's move to shore up its flagging support base is reminiscent of that of Barisan Nasional which gave out citizenships to Indonesians before the 2008 Malaysian election. Of course it didn't help much and BN still lost its two-third majority to a resurgent opposition. Singaporeans should not be deceived again by the latest "wayang kulit" put up by a desperate PAP regime to placate them ahead of the next general election which may prove to be a watershed in the history of Singapore. On the eve of the 2006 general elections, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled a "Progress Package" for Singaporeans. What happen after he was rewarded by the voters with another 5-year term? GST, ERP, COE, S&C and cost of living went up, especially that of public housing. The pay of PAP ministers increased by more than 100 percent resulting in a bloated government. Why do we need so many ministers and MPs including two former Prime Ministers in the cabinet for a small country of only 700 square kilometers in size? We are a democratic republic, not a fascist feudal one-party state like communist China. We need more opposition in Parliament or even a change in the ruling party in order to clear up the mess left behind by the PAP regime. The next election may be the last window of opportunity for native Singaporeans to reclaim ownership of their beloved country after which they will surely be overwhelmed and dominated by the PAP regime and the hordes of foreigners it is mass-importing to perpetuate its political stranglehold forever.   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 →

During its latest walkabout at Jurong West on Tuesday, Reform Party leaders and activists did a door-to-door walkabout by knocking on each and every single unit in the HDB flats to introduce themselves to the residents. "Is there anybody at home? This is the Reform Party?" I have to say at least twice for both in English and Chinese, for every door that I knocked. And I need to say it loudly so that no matter which part of the flat, the resident might be at, they will be able to hear me," wrote RP volunteer Irene Ho on her Facebook. It was a tireless task which prompted a new volunteer to comment: “Wow, you guys have been doing this? This is so tiring.” The Reform Party has been conducting two walkabouts weekly for the past one year or so. This week is especially heavy as they are going to conduct four walkabouts with a special one scheduled this evening at Joo Chiat to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa with Muslim Singaporeans. [Above: The RP team at Jurong West. View the full gallery here] According to Irene, doing walkabouts is very tiring, sweaty and time consuming especially when they are not enough volunteers and the same people are always the ones doing it. When RP was conducting its walkabout at Blk 932, two Indian gentleman approached them at the void deck and commended the activists for their efforts in standing up for Singaporeans. One of them Mr Tamil said: "Are you guys from Reform Party? We really appreciate what you are doing - working towards a Singapore for Singaporeans! We will support you for fighting for the interests of Singaporeans. Something must be done now! If we, in our generation, can be displaced by the foreigners, what will happen to our children?" His friend, Mr Lingam added: "How do I get involved and get more information about Reform Party? Tamil is always the one calling me and telling me to read this and that on Reform Party. I would love to help!" As we can see from RP's recent activities, it has a committed team of leaders and activists who are working hard daily to serve fellow Singaporeans. Unfortunately, the biased mainstream media has almost never covered their walkabouts thereby giving the erroneous public misconception that it has been "inactive". RP needs every bit of help from Singaporeans to counter the mammoth PAP grassroots machinery. The PAP enjoys an unfair advantage by misusing public resources to serve its political interests. The Reform Party will be conducting a walkabout today at 8pm at  Joo Chiat Complex, 1 Joo Chiat Road 420001 (at Main entrance). Irene would like to invite all Singaporeans to celebrate Hari Raya together with our Muslim brothers and sisters: "I am a Singaporean with Chinese ancestry. I don’t celebrate Water Festival but I would like to celebrate Hari Raya with my fellow Muslim Singaporeans therefore I will be joining the Reform Party’s walkabout at Joo Chiat Complex 1 on 9/9/2010. Join me!" Please email Jeisilan at [email protected] to enquire about the above event.   Related articles: >> Reform Party to wish Muslim Singaporeans a Happy Hari Raya >> Reform Party leader: We have an oversized govt for a small country >> Reform Party walkabout at Jurong West, 05/09/2010 >> Kenneth Jeyaretnam asks netizens to step forward to fight for democracy >> Netizens express support for Reform Party >> Reform Party leader voices concerns over police harassment of netizens >> Favorable response from Toa Payoh residents to RP/SPP walkabout >> Reform Party’s response to PM Lee’s National Day Rally speech >> Reform Party calls for a more rational labor policy >> National Day message from Reform Party >> Kenneth Jeyaretnam: 45 percent of Singapore’s GDP goes to foreigners >>Proposed strategem for Reform Party for next 10 years     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 →

北京日报, 8 September 2010 征战新加坡职业联赛的北京国安二队与新加坡幼狮队在7日比赛中的群殴事件，昨天一经新加坡媒体披露立即在中国足坛引起轩然大波。国安俱乐部总经理高潮昨天向本报记者表示，俱乐部将着手调查事件的原委，如果有国安球员存在违规行为，俱乐部将严惩不贷。 场上群殴 多人受伤流血 打架事件发生后，新加坡《联合早报》昨天第一时间做了报道，随后国内媒体纷纷转载了该报道，网上也出现了双方打架的视频。 国安二队基本上都是20岁左右的年轻球员，由于该队在国内的实战机会较少，因此俱乐部今年把该队送到新加坡参加该国职业联赛。7日的比赛，双方上半场就发生了一次冲突，当时两队球员在国安禁区内争抢位置时发生身体接触，两名国安球员倒地。随后，其他国安球员一起冲上去围住了对方的肇事者，双方爆发了更大规模的肢体冲撞。主裁判和助理裁判及时进场劝阻，但未能将双方拉开，对方球员在几名国安球员的推搡下连连后退，其中一人还被国安球员击中背部倒地。 更大规模的冲突发生在下半场，对方一名球员带球进攻时被国安球员凶狠地铲倒，主裁判向国安球员出示黄牌。当国安球员纷纷走回本方半场时，对方一名球员从身后拉住了一名国安球员的球衣，并与其发生了身体接触，另一名国安球员见状马上跑过去推开了对方球员。而在球场另一端，一名国安球员也遭到了对方的推搡，最终导致双方多名球员缠斗在一起。随后，双方替补席上的球员也加入了打斗，场面顿时乱成一团。 据目测，双方参与打架的球员有数十人之多。在双方教练和工作人员的力劝下，打斗终于在几分钟后平息，对方两名被打倒的球员迟迟站不起来，被救护车带离球场。一些国安球员也不同程度地受了伤，有的头部被打出了血，有的鼻梁骨骨折。最终，主裁判不得不提前终止了比赛。 高潮表态 违纪者送回国 高潮获悉此事后，第一时间与国安二队主教练郑小田取得了联系，在基本了解了事情来龙去脉的情况下，向分管俱乐部事务的中信国安集团公司领导做了汇报。 据了解，国安二队有一名队员鼻梁骨折，其他球员没有太严重的伤势。俱乐部高层叮嘱郑小田先稳定队伍的情绪，不要接受媒体采访。 事发之后，新加坡足总立即对事件展开调查，并发表声明称，凡是参与到冲突中的人都将受到严惩。 两队的球员、教练、官员，包括比赛监督将接受新加坡足总的问话，比赛录像也将作为处罚的重要依据。不过，据国安二队教练介绍，新加坡媒体公布的一些关于打架的照片和视频，都带有明显的倾向性，多是国安球员攻击对方的场景。 昨晚，高潮到石景山体育场观看了国安与国奥的比赛，但一直惦记着远在万里之外的二队。他告诉记者：“首先必须了解事情的经过，随后才能做出相关的处理决定。如果我们的球员出现了有损中国足球形象的行为，俱乐部绝不姑息，该送回国的肯定会送回国。” 国安俱乐部打算让负责俱乐部青少部工作的副总经理魏克兴火速前往新加坡处理此事。 本报记者 高炜 Source: sports.sina.com  Read More →