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作者:李显涛 【总理不是CEO】 总理国庆群众大会我是从小看到老，少不更事的时候就随着家中长辈守候在电视机前准时收看，44次的群众大会总算也看会了一些门道。 我拿梁文道在凤凰卫视的《开卷八分钟》来做个类比，梁文道可说是《开卷》的灵魂人物，虽然有时也有其他人代他的班，就是少了他那一分的神韵。无论是评到好书还 是坏书，听他道来就觉得五脏六腑都被熨得很舒服，因为他有一种高于一般的水准，能够一下子就捉到重点和诀窍，所谓“外行看热闹，内行看门道”，文道就是有 门道。 按行动党对政治领袖的要求，总理首先必须是个君子，然后还要是个哲人。领袖 魅力来自于一种哲人般的演讲，在哲理上推动全民、在情理上感动全民、在道理上说服全民去达致一个人人认可的目标。所以这里借用黄明德的概念：“总理不是 CEO”。满脑子想得只是引擎冷了就不好推动，要维持高GDP来保住自己的百万年薪，于是就想用种种甜言蜜语来迷惑自己的“员工”，让他们觉得一切的作为 都是为了他们好。 按照过去三四十次的群众大会，我的总结是一国的总理和他的人民一 年一度的交心谈话，他必须站在高处，反思他一年来的治理，提出一些哲理性的探讨议题，对于今后说明他忧心和关心的所在，形塑全民的思想境界。但是自从李显 龙接手后，境界是一年比一年低，每次都好像是小学生在炫耀自己的成绩册，不好的科目要嘛不谈，要嘛就把它合理化，真的是把全民当白痴吗？ 【车资起价的教训】 我觉得李显龙应该吸取车资起价的教训，尽管之前跟车资有关的官员倾巢而出，如何甜言蜜语出来说明车资起价的“合理性”，主流媒体全面封杀不利言论，结果民调出 来交通公司声望还是逐年降低二三巴仙。我想服务不是问题，有没有准时到站也不是什么大问题，而是大家对与事实不符的甜言蜜语感到反感。 远的就不说，就在总理演说隔天（2010年8月30日）的第一次官方民意对话会上，有六成的出席者对总理在移民课题上的解释不满。会出席民意对话会的人士一般 上可说是对行动党没有成见，这些人里面如果有六成的不满，再加上不喜欢行动党的几成，那李显龙或行动党的民调还要跌多少呢（如果可以做民调的话）？这是为 什么呢？这是因为李显龙的演讲终究没有达到一定的高度来动摇人们的固有看法，说的白一点就是：搔不着痒处。 【随笔南洋网】 随笔南洋网被总理“钦点”，除了李叶明暗爽之外，其实有更多的弊端。新加坡人在网上有那么多的论坛和个人博客关注和积极参与新加坡政治，为何只提一个新移民且是个亲主流、亲行动党的网页，你李显龙是不是全民的总理，还是只是亲PAP人士的总理？ 【要移民融入当地社会的大头梦】 随着资讯网络的进步，有线电视的普及，很多土生土长的新加坡华人了解台湾、大陆比新加坡还多，更何况来自外地的移民？报纸、电台、电视都可以通过网络照旧习惯看家乡的。这点维斯瓦在去年国庆后的国会演讲就曾提及，可是当政者好像不相信。 在新加坡，所有的基层组织都是行动党的，就好像一块肥肉，有很多甜头和滋养，而逐臭之夫去亲近肥肉的目的也千奇百怪，大家只不过照着游戏规则玩，我们的政客就满足于在基层看到这些新移民中的一小部分？他们得到好处之后，会不会也像一些坡人一样消失得无影无踪呢？ 大马论坛  Read More →

Reform Party CEC member Mr Tony Tan Lay Thiam has voiced out his concerns over the recent spates of police harassment of netizens to intimidate them into silence. Last Tuesday, a 27 year old Singaporean Mr Abdul Malik was arrested by the police on the dubious charge of "inciting violence and public disorder" for a comment he posted on Facebook which is critical of PAP minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. Three days later, the Temasek Review reported a police NSman Mr Abdillah Zamzuri who was called up for questioning by his NS police unit for criticizing the Singapore police over the controversial case of Lianhe Wanbao photo-journalist Mr Shafie Goh who was handcuffed for taking photos of flooding at Upper Bukit Timah two months ago. These two incidents sparked a massive outroar among Singaporeans, with many pledging their support for the victims as public confidence in the Singapore police drops to a new low. A former government scholar, Mr Tan blogged that the PAP may be using the police to test the limits of the patience of young Singaporeans: "This could be a beginning of a new phase. A phase where the ruling party would use whatever it takes to silence their dissenters. And they could be testing and pushing the boundary to see how the bulk of Singaporeans reacts to these police involvements and subtly remind everyone to fall in line." He said he had spoken to some young Singaporeans who were appalled by the reaction of the Singapore police: "I have the chance of speaking to some of them and these police questionings have gotten some members of the younger generations wondering what is happening to the Singapore Police Force. Does the police not have more pressing responsibility of dealing with security threats to Singapore, like terrorism and transnational crimes with the launch of the casino?" This is not the first time that the Singapore police has harassed netizens for comments posted on the internet. Some netizens were also called up for questioning for re-posting anti-PAP flyers on the internet under the Sedition Act not too long ago. From the response of netizens so far towards the arrest of Mr Malik, it appeared that the "fear factor" is no longer working. The Singapore police is only going to piss off more people and destroy its own credibility if it continues to arrest and harass netizens without any strong grounds with the intention of intimidating them into slience without strong grounds to do so. Mr Tan ended his post by calling the PAP to give young Singaporeans more space to voice out their thoughts: "The last thing we need is to suppress their thoughts and mute their voices. Give the younger generation the space, I believe we will have a stronger Singapore, because we are prepared to discuss our fears openly and to think of better policies and ideas that can make Singapore a better place." It is highly unlikely for a despotic regime which is intolerant of criticisms to be open to alternative views and dissent. Repression is the only instrument it knows to preserve its power at all costs. Read rest of Mr Tan's article here.   Related articles: >> Dissenting is our right >> Abdul Malik: My thoughts on the YOG games >> Dr Vivian: I don’t care about arrest of YOG critic >> Arrest of YOG critic to squash dissent failed miserably >> Character assassination by Straits Times against YOG critic >> Netizens voice support for arrested YOG critic Abdul Malik >> Outcry among Singaporeans at arrest of YOG critic >> Singapore police put YOG on world map >> Did Dr Vivian lodge police report against YOG critic? >> YOG critic arrested by Singapore police >> Participant of “I hate YOG” Facebook arrested by police 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 →

In a shocking move, HDB announced today that it will be putting up 3,203 flats for sale, the large number in a single launch this year. The flats for sale include 1,408 BTO flats in Yishun and 1,624 balance flats across other estates which are "left over" from earlier bids by home buyers. In contrast, only 3,183 flats were built in 2008 when Singapore accepted 20,000 new citizens and 90,000 PRs who were allowed to purchase resale flats in the open market which raised questions why HDB did not release more flats for sale earlier. [Source: HDB Financial Report 2008/2009] As there are insufficient new flats being built to meet the demands of both Singaporeans and the new citizens, many have to purchase flats in the resale market, thereby jacking up prices in the process. Below is a graph illustrating how the rise in the prices of resale flats coincides with the rise in the number of foreigners in Singapore between the years 2000 and 2008, courtesy of Kojakbt, the moderator of 3in1kopitiam: Till today, HDB still hasn't explained to the public why so few flats were built between the years 2006 - 2008. During a dialogue session with Singaporeans yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan expressed his concerns that a property "bubble" may be evolving in Singapore as a series of measures were taken to curb property speculation. With the elections around the corner, the latest move appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction to the fast rising unhappiness and disgruntlement on the ground at the inability of the government to control the runaway flat prices. However, with the BTO flats taking three to four years to build, it is unlikely to ameliorate the situation immediately. In the meantime, Singaporeans who purchase their HDB flats at today's prices better pray hard that the property market do not crash in the near future as the global economy slows down. While it may be good news for some that HDB is finally releasing for flats for sale to meet the growing demand, it may come as too little, too late for others who have to fork out their life-savings to buy flats in the resale market whose prices hit a record high this year with median COVs of above $50,000 in some mature estates.   Debunking official myths of HDB flats series: 1 Myth 1: Singaporeans are “owners” of their HDB flats 2. Myth 2: HDB flats are “affordable” to most Singaporeans 3. Myth 3: Rising prices of HDB flats “generate” wealth for Singaporeans   Related articles: >> Mah admits there is a property "bubble" evolving >> New rules to prevent private property owners from speculating in resale flats >> Mah blames Singaporeans for strong demand in public housing >> Mah: 16,000 BTO flats next year >> Median COVs hit a record high >> $300,000 for four-room BTO flats in Punggol >> Mah Bow Tan: HDB flats are still affordable to first time flat buyers >> Why Mah Bow Tan’s policy of high HDB flats is wrong >> Letter to Mah Bow Tan on HDB policies >> Singaporean want govt to allay anxiety over HDB leasehold >> Mah Bow Tan embarrassed by Reform Party’s Hazel Poa >> Mah Bow Tan: “Unrealistic” expectations to blame for unhappiness about flats >> Taiwanese PR paid record $ 650,000 for 4-room resale flat >> Grace Fu: PRs are helpful to HDB flat owners selling their flats >> HDB launches “traveling exhibition” to trumpet its achievements in the heartlands >> PAP to upgrade 12,000 HDB households ahead of next election >> Mah Bow Tan: We do not want flat prices to go down >> Prices of resale flats to rise further as PR quota reached >> Taiwanese PR offers $50k COV for resale flat >> Mah Bow Tan: PRs have minimal impact on resale flat prices >> No empirical evidence to suggest that public housing is affordable in Singapore >> When will Singapore’s property bubble burst? >> Why HDB is unable to reveal break down costs of new flats now >> HDB to consider introducing rules to curb property speculation >> HDB blames Singaporeans for not selecting flats when given the chance >> Singaporeans worried about retirement after depleting CPF to pay for over-priced HDB flats >> Mah Bow Tan acknowledged that rising HDB flat prices has sparked “fresh concerns” >> PM Lee: Govt does not have control over prices of resale flats” >> COVs of resale flats shooting through the roof >> HDB resale price index hit record high in 2009 >> Singaporean wants PRs to live in rented flats instead of buying resale flats >> Singaporeans wants PRs to be banned from selling HDB flats at a profit >> Shanmugam: Singaporeans likely culprits for driving up HDB flat prices >> Mah Bow Tan: HDB flats remain affordable >> Means testing for PRs to buy resale flats >> Immigration and public housing: should the govt or people plan ahead? >> Grace Fu: hard to predict demand for housing >> Indonesian PR bought 4-room flat at $653,000 >> Mah Bow Tan asks home buyers to be realistic >> PAP MP blames young couples who cannot get a flat for not planning ahead >> Home affordability: HDB versus the public >> Demand vs supply: so many applicants, so few flats >> Number of applicants exceed number of flats >> HDB to increase supply of flats >> Mah: don’t compare with prices in the past >> ERA: 40 per cent of HDB flat buyers are PRs     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 →