TR EMERITUS

After reaping all the dollars from the CPF accounts through the artificially inflated prices that were deliberately pushed by Mah’s HDB and URA policies – he has left all those high priced property owners in the lurch. When property prices begin to slide with his sudden belatedly U-Turn policy, the banks will be calling on those high priced property owners to make-up the difference between real market values and their mortgaged loans. This matter was discussed as early as October 2009 in some of the forums and blogs, and the superior Minister from the Pro Alien Party was adamant that he did not need any correction. Again, without any apology another U-Turn is made surreptiously under the guise of wisdom to take “early corrective actions” now – when it is already too late. Will this government of the Pro Alien Party assist the “high priced home owners” who committed to their purchases over the last 3 to 4 years, and keep the banks from hounding these mortgagees ? All these problems of housing shortages, over priced land sales that affect housing costs, are the handiwork of another self-acclaimed talent from the Pro Alien Party. From the Ministry of Communications – Minister Mah left Singaporeans with the dubious assurances that telephone call charges by the minute will be LOWER and FAIRER for households. From the Ministry of Transport – Minister Mah left Singaporeans to bear the high road taxes of 400 percent increase beginning from 1982, and gave the false assurances that Road Tax will be LOWERED to a level before the increase when ERP system is extensively installed. Have we seen any further reduction in road tax when ERP is charged in both direction of travel during two daily peak period – going to work and returning home, and on all major expressways as well as secondary main roads; that include an inner and outer business district zones. Now we have heard him claim that there is no bubble, and no housing shortage – that Singaporeans are to be blamed for not owning a home as we are simply too choosy. Singaporeans should give him one clear choice to confirm his dubious career at the upcoming election. Atobe  Read More →

Singaporeans are warming up to the opposition ahead of the next general election, judging from the favorable response shown by Toa Payoh residents to a joint Reform Party/Singapore People's Party walkabout last Sunday outside Toa Payoh library. According to volunteers who were present, they were warmly received by the residents, especially veteran opposition leader Mr Chiam See Tong who was undoubtably the star attraction as many clamored to shake hands and to have their photos taken with him. Some also recognized Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam as the elder son of respected late opposition leader Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (JBJ) as he was fondly known by, with a few stopping by to discuss with him on the latest socio-political developments in Singapore. An economist by training, Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam had won many fans among young Singaporeans for his in-depth knowledge and understanding of the economic issues faced by Singapore and his proposals outlining an alternative vision for Singapore. Irene Ho, a RP volunteer wrote: "I am touched that there are many residents following us while we did our Joint-walkabout (SPP & RP) today! Not exactly paparazzi but more of being a “silent” loyal supporter following us. Many of them didn’t want me to say much about what our newsletter is about and get straight to asking how much each cost & immediately took out their wallet to pay for it!" Subramaniam Thirumeni felt the change is a positive one: "There was a time when people would avoid being in the vicinity of opposition party members. Many would avoid purchasing party newsletters. It is heartening to see that people are beginning to shed the fear. The times they are changing." Mr Chiam See Tong has already indicated his desire to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in the next general election. It is not known if Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam will be part of his team. With the ground sentiments shifting in favor of the opposition, the PAP is likely to lose a few more seats including a GRC in the next general election due to be called soon. View the photos of RP/SPP's joint walkabout here.   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 →

From the Singapore Democrats Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has mastered the art of speaking nonsense while looking intelligent. He did this when he spoke on the hot-button issue of foreigners flooding Singapore during his National Day (ND) Rally speech on Sunday night. His first statement already is dubious. Mr Lee says that the GDP for the first half of the year was 18% year-on-year and that this growth created "lots of jobs" and as a result "unemployment has gone down". Not true. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reported that the the actual numbers of the jobless increased by nearly 25,000 between March and June this year. Seasonally adjusted figures show that around 68,100 Singapore residents were out of work in June 2010. The number of unemployed did decrease towards the latter half of 2009. But what good is a ND Rally speech when we cannot depend on the prime minister to use up-to-date information rather than spin us using data that's more than half-a-year old? Worse, the MOM report shows that those who remained unemployed after six months is on the rise. This means that not only are more people losing their jobs, those who lost their jobs are finding it more difficult to find a new one. Mr Lee completely ignored this point and nonsensically concluded that the "economy has shaken off the recession" and happy days are here again. The last time another Mr Lee said this, telling Singaporeans that we were entering into a "golden period", our economy fell off the cliff triggering the worst economic crisis in our history. More foreigners, please The Prime Minister used this spin to justify the PAP's policy of bringing in yet more foreign workers. We already have 2 million people in Singapore (out of 5 million) who are not Singaporeans. He tells us that he wants to bring in more foreigners "so that in the long term we can rely less on foreign workers". Did the PM think that he was talking to kindergarteners? The Government is still intent on increasing our population to 6.5 million which will mean that foreigners will eventually outnumber Singaporeans in this country. It is this kind of rubbish that makes Mr Lee's ND Rally speech so insulting and infuriating. Then as if to make his point that we are relying less on foreigners, he assures us that instead of allowing 100,000 foreigners into Singapore this year, the Government will bring in only 80,000. Already everywhere we turn see foreigners doing everything. From hotels to hospitals, kopitiams to counters at shopping centres foreigners fill every niche in Singapore. Foreigners have even moved in on the prostitution and gangland scenes. And the PM thinks that taking in 80,000 instead of 100,000 is going to make a difference? It is like choosing between tweedle-dum or tweedle-dee. The PM must get serious. Read rest of article here.    Read More →