TR EMERITUS

Since Temasek Review published a few articles on Joo Chiat YPAP leader Jack Lin XinLi insulting Singaporeans, we have received numerous emails from our readers providing information and leads on Jack Lin. Most of the information were related to his identity which we have already ascertained but today we received an interesting Tip-Off from a Netizens who claims that he has known Jack Lin for quite some time on Trevvy and can confirm that Jack Lin is Gay. Although the informant also offered "so much dirt to dish on him from his ex-boyfriends to his secondary school days to his army days", we (Temasek Review) felt that we would be stooping low to Jack Lin's level if we were to also publish those, thus we have omitted the juicy part out of respect for a fellow Human Being. We reproduce the informant's email in full, less contact information.  Readers please draw your own conclusion.   Message: Dear Editor, I am writing this to you on the understanding that this is an anonymous tip off as I do not wish to be drawn into this for personal reasons, but yes I can confirm that Jack Lin Xinli is indeed gay and uses the moniker DarkLord on Trevvy. I have been a user on Trevvy for many years since it was founded and have had many arguments with Jack Lin - and it has gotten intensely personal this year. As a gay man, I felt that it was be somewhat unscrupulous to out him in order to get back at him; after all, I have read some of the anti-gay remarks here on your website and it is disturbing to say the least. Jack Lin is a repulsive figure because of his deeds, not because of his sexuality. But be warned, Jack Lin has SEVERAL monkiers on Trevvy - note that as soon as Jack Lin was "outted" as DarkLord, DarkLord disappeared altogether from Trevvy and was replaced by "judger" and "luckybaby". It is so blatant that it is DarkLord using a different moniker - after all, DarkLord has something to say on anything and everything on the "Crying Out Aloud Singapore" (local current affairs) forum section - and suddenly, luckybaby has something to say on everything in the same way in DarkLord's absence. His tactics are less than intelligent, as luckybaby is intensely supportive of DarkLord and knows exactly whom his enemies are. If you were to dig a bit deeper into Trevvy (it is free to register and access the forums) - have a look at some of the more audacious things that DarkLord has said there over the years and how he is a vile, rude, vicious bitchy queen - no topic is taboo, from gay sex to politics and he claims repeatedly to be a PAP insider. I had complained a few months ago to the Joo Chiat PAP grassroots network and only got a reply that said that they would look into the matter. And in typical PAP manner, they swept the matter under the carpet. I am so glad that Jack Lin has finally shot himself in the foot by going too far. I have so much dirt to dish on him from his ex-boyfriends to his secondary school days to his army days - where should I begin? However, I am not without conscience - let him be judged for his mistakes; but is his personal life open for scrutiny as a result? Don't get me wrong, I think he is a vile piece of crap who deserves all the hate he is getting at the moment - but even I know when the line should not be crossed. Anyway, you have my email - drop me a line if you wanna chat.   Informant  Read More →

OPINION There are some who think things will get worse if MM goes, and eventually when he is no longer there. Then, there will be no one to crack the whip. One can be sure, despite all his Act of God claims, he’s kicking ass over the floods. and the rising prices of public housing. According to reports, Yaacob sat behind him looking like a whipped puppy when he made the cryptic statement that ” not enough had been done” on the flood issue. One certainly wonders if there will be anyone to come up with the ambitious ideas that LKY had/has. And if they do, is there anyone serious enough and tough enough to realise them. Things like the cleaning up of kallang river, and the building of marina barrage, whether or not it works, could never be carried out by a “namby pamby” lot now. He has caused the problems now and is also part of the problem. He has stamped out potential leaders, in all areas; insisted on total obedience and promoted materialism. If he had retired, he could have been there to really advice those who took charge, instead of having to go in to bat for them. It’s ridiculous that these guys are hiding behind him and being so dependent on an 86-yr-old man. But their poor calibre is the result of his policies. There is also no one (brave enough) to rein him in, like his old colleagues would have done in the early days. They would have shot down this latest mad plan to have an intellectual class, and talked him out of allowing so many foreigners into the country in such a short time. He’s had an intellectual class all along. It’s not working. This lot go by the rules and the numbers, completely forgetting they’ are not dealing with robots. The social aspects of things are not factored in. And they dont know what to do when things dont work out. Their minds are not flexible and he wants still more of such crap?! One can foresee bigger problems — Indonesia will cut back on gas sales. There IS going to be a screw-up on water. How much does it cost to produce now next to Mahathir’s 40 cents dd? Has anyone even asked? Were there re-negotiations after Mahathir left? One Johor contract ends in 2012. It does not look it will be renewed. And how do you build homes underground in the future if there is already not enough space for drains now? And for sure all his little new citizens are not gonna just accept things like (us) the scared sheep do now….in 10 yrs time. They’ll be screaming about having more foreigners. Why is nothing being done about using our many islands — for homes, to grow food? They could have food factories e.g highrise vegetable, rice growing units, on them. Basically, some could even say he’s been a damned bad parent. He has not let his child go and learn on its own, make its own mistakes. One can sometimes feel quite sorry for him. MM, that is. For sure, he’s disappointed with how things are turning out, but no one dares tell him it’s his fault, and being a stubborn egoist, he’s not going admit it. Not even to himself! For all that he has achieved and done..and to be fair..he has achieved a lot… some might also believe ,despite his years, he still hasn’t learnt……….   EDITORS' NOTE: The above is posted as a comment on our site by a reader Orange Singapura   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 →

HDB with its reactive housing supply is the biggest culprit for the current run-up in housing prices. HDB resale prices are breaking record levels because new supply from HDB cannot address the increased demand for ready flats, coming mainly from new PRs. New HDB flat supply in recent years is offered on a BTO basis. HDB put up the project, commerce the construction only when enough buyers commit, and deliver the new flats 3-4 years later. As HDB no longer offers completed flats that are ready for immediate occupation, buyers looking for a ready flat can only buy from the resale market. This results in a pent-up unfulfilled demand for ready flats. Thus the frenzy in the resale market, ballooning prices and high COVs. Just look at the overwhelming demand when HDB offered some leftover ready flats in the end of last year. In short, there is a structural temporal mismatch of demand and supply of HDB flats, and this situation will persist unless HDB reverts to offering completed flats under walk-in selection as a supply buffer. But would HDB want to do so? BTO makes their job much easier. They don't have to plan ahead and manage the inventories. Just wait for committed orders to come in, so that they can never get it wrong! Why are we paying our ministers and senior civil servants who shirk from taking responsibility so much? In addition, I would like to point out the need for a capital gain tax on property transactions. The buy-to-let investors are pricing out the (the really genuine) Singaporean owner-occupant buyers.   We need to curb the excessive investments, particular from the foreign and institutional investors parking money in our small property market. This will protect our property market from the whims of international capital flows and global liquidity conditions, and prevents our property prices from drifting away from fundamentals.     Edmund Khor  Read More →