TR EMERITUS

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is giving a National Service Recognition Award of $9,000 for every national serviceman (NSman) in recognition of their contributions to the nation. Acknowledging that National Service is a "heavy demand" on Singaporeans, PM Lee said the move shows that citizens still come first amidst rising disgruntlement among Singaporeans that they are losing out to the foreigners who have no NS obligations. The sum will be deposited in tranches into the NSmen's Post-Secondary Education Accounts and Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts. All Singapore men have to serve two years of full-time National Service followed by ten years of reservist which put them at a disadvantage in a tight labor market dominated by foreigners who do not have such obligations. Though the move is laudable, the paltry $9,000 can hardly compensate Singapore men for the amount of time they spend in NS and reservist and devalues the sacrifices they have made for the nation. It is only fair that the new citizens go through the same national "ritual" like the rest of us to show their commitment to Singapore before they can be accepted as part of our society. As one irate netizen Vernon Sim puts it succinctly: "Please dun issue us that untouchable 9k. I rather you make all PRs or PRs-Citizen-wanabes to serve 2 years of National Service!. They just can't be enjoying just like that, the perks of living here, and then praising and enjoying the NDP, writing letters to the Forum Page reprimanding Singaporeans for not appreciating the gahmen. SO NOW, As long as they are 40 yrs old and below, no excuses for them not to serve, since all Singapore men have to serve and take IPPT till 40." PM Lee should walk his talk by either lowering the income taxes for NSmen or raising that of the foreigners to sharpen the distinction between the two groups.     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.   PM Lee’s National Day Rally: >> Owners of resale flats must now dispose private properties >> PMLee'soutoftouchNationalDayRallyspeech >> Immigrants will prepare young Singaporeans for more competition >> Singaporeans must accept controlled flow of foreign talents >> Netizens unimpressed by PM Lee’s National Day Rally speech >> Mass immigration won’t affect ethnic composition   The UBS Series: >> Part 1: Singapore has lowest wages and domestic purchasing power among Asian Tigers >> Part 2: Moving towards a Russian standard of living >> Part 3: Why Singaporeans are paupers in a first world economy   Related articles: >> Urgent need for population debate in Singapore >> The fallacy of using lax immigration policies to solve low fertility and aging population issues >> PAP mass-recruiting Taiwanese PMETs to compete with Singaporeans >> Halimah Yacob: Not true that employers hiring foreigners over Singaporeans >> Conversation with a PRC prostitute given Singapore PR by the PAP >> Teo Chee Hean: PAP’s immigration policy has always been “strict” >> How the PAP allows foreigners into Singapore to compete with locals for jobs >> Why Singaporeans ‘fear’ of new immigrants is absolutely rational >> SM Goh reassures immigrants that they are still welcomed in Singapore >> Singaporean working in China lashed out at grouses of Singapore PRs >> Eight reasons why foreign workers will be preferred over local ones >> Declining wages of Singaporeans and the continued denial by PAP leaders >> Halimah Yacob refutes UBS study findings >> Halimah Yacob: Productivity drive will be derailed if foreign worker challenge not addressed  >> Exposing the six major flaws in the PAP’s immigration policies >> Wong Kan Seng promises to tighten immigration policies >> SM Goh: Foreign workers numbers may still rise >> Malaysian car mechanic applying for Singapore citizenship >> PAP launches Singapore Citizenship Journey to help new citizens integrate >> Compulsory for new citizens to attend “sharing sessions” with grassroots leaders >> Wong Kan Seng urged Singaporeans to be more tolerant of foreign workers >> Tharman: Foreign workers increase income of low-income families >> Sylvia Lim: Pace and influx of foreigners over last few years is wrong >> Amy Khor urges Singaporeans to welcome foreigners >> PAP MP wants more money to be spent to make new citizens feel welcomed in Singapore >> Shanmugam: Foreigners generate jobs for Singaporeans >> Vivian happy there are 4,500 new citizens serving as grassroots leaders >> Cosmetic changes made to immigration policy >> SM Goh: New immigrants needed to make up population shortfall >> PAP ministers hailed contributions of foreigners >> SM Goh expressed support for Zhang Yuanyuan >> State media: citizens have more rights over PRs >> Zhang Yuanyuan got her Singapore PR in only 2 months >> Official reply from government on the Zhang Yuanyuan fiasco >> Singapore PRC PR proclaimed loyalty to China publicly >> PRC resident hung China flag to celebrate its National Day >> PRC student in Singapore wants more scholarships for foreigners >> PRC prostitutes solicit for customers on Singapore’s cyberspace >> ERA: 40 per cent of resale flats buyers are PRs  Read More →

Just saw this Chinese article on Lianhe Zaobao: http://zaobao.com/yl/yl100830_007.shtml The writer was asking the government to review the scholarship system. She quoted a recent example of a student from China brought in by the government, which gave her a full scholarship to study. This China student did very well in the exams and went on to a top JC, and subsequently won a Singapore scholarship to study life sciences in Harvard. Mocked Picture However, she got problem finding guarantors who must be Singaporeans. So she looked for her teacher L, and her godfather (godfather has been a guarantor for another student, so he introduced a friend who works in SAF to do so. This SAF guy agreed to become the guarantor without much hesitation). She promised her guarantors, that she will not break bond, she went to US. The last time L and this student met was last Aug when they went to sign the bond. Then off she went to US and did not contact her guarantors anymore. Just two weeks ago, L received a letter from A-star to inform her that the China student had broken the bond! After reading this story, I felt furious! Why are we giving fully-paid scholarships for these students to come to Singapore and scholarships for them to go overseas only for them to take all the good things from us and leave us?? The government is using taxpayers' money to fund these foreigners! PM Lee said yesterday that the government has increased its spending on tertiary education and so school fees will need to go up. But why is the government spending money on foreigners and yet be so calculative with its people? Our students didn't ask the government to increase its spending to build more shiny school buildings for them in the first place! Perhaps we should also have the right to know that how many of these foreigners on Singapore government scholarship stay in Singapore after their JC studies and how many were given overseas scholarships, and how many broke the bond.   Frustrated Singaporeans  Read More →

Following the public outcry over the case of Indian new citizen Sinha Shekhar who subletted his resale HDB flat for rental income while staying in a private property, HDB has introduced new regulations to prevent private property owners from profiteering from their resale flats. Not only is the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of non-subsidised flats increased from three to five years, buyers of resale flats are not permitted to concurrently own both an HDB flat and a private residential property within the MOP. They must now sell their private properties within six months of purchasing a resale flat, according to Channel News Asia. In its press statement, HDB said this will help ensure buyers purchase flats only when they have the intent of staying in it for long term and ensure equitable treatment for all flat lessees during their MOP. The move is likely to be welcomed by many Singaporeans who have been squeezed out of the resale market by private property owners who can afford to purchase another resale flat for subletting, some of whom are new citizens and PRs like Sinha Shekar. A YPAP leader and new citizen from India, Mr Shekhar sparked a massive furore two months ago when he boasted about renting his resale flat for income while staying in a private condominium in a comment posted on the REACH Facebook: [Source: REACH Facebook] In the above exchange, Mr Sinha Shekhar, who is the Head of Rehabilitation at Ang Mo Kio Thye Hua Kwan Hospital, wrote that he paid “really high” for a resale HDB flat and the rent he is collecting is not enough to pay for the bank instalments. Mr Sinha also revealed that he owns a private property, implying that he bought the resale HDB flat NOT for occupation but for rental income. In addition to the MOP, the government should impose a minimal residency period before PRs are allowed to purchase resale flats in Singapore. PRs form some 20 percent of buyers in the resale market and they are contributing to the sky-rocketing prices of resale flats today due to their spending power and ability to pay higher than market value for flats in attractive locations.     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 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 →