TR EMERITUS

Written by Our Correspondent The beleaguered Singapore government has finally issued an arrest warrant for former Romanian diplomat Dr Silviu Ionescu after failing to secure much needed cooperation from the Romanian authorities to extradict him back to Singapore. At the same time, Interpol has also issued a 'Red Notice' against Dr Ionescu, meaning that those manning entry and exit points in member countries will be on extra alert for the wanted man, with a view to his arrest and extradition. Dr Silviu was involved in a hit-and-run traffic accident last year December which robbed the life of a 31 year old young man while leaving three others injured. A hearing at the Singapore Coroner's Court two weeks ago reached the verdict that Dr Silviu was the driver behind the black Audi A6 responsible for the accidents. For some inexplicable reasons, Dr Silviu was allowed to leave Singapore three days after the accident by the Singapore police though he was a prime suspect in the case. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not apply to the Romanian government for a waival of Dr Silviu's diplomatic immunity either. Foreign Minister George Yeo commented on the accident nearly a month later in which he made a forgettable remark to the media that "what happened was very bad." The Singapore government continued to sit on the problem while the Singapore police took their own sweet time to investigate the case till Dr Silviu made a sensational revelation that he had been "set up" by the Singapore government in February this year. Only then did the police finally "conclude" the investigations with the Attorney-General Chambers pressing 13 charges against Dr Silviu a week ago. The Romanian government has only suspended Dr Silviu from work and did not reveal if it will take action against him. In the meantime, Dr Silviu continued to taunt Singapore from Romania and making scurrilous accusations against the Singapore government, much to its chagrin and embarrassment. There are no extradition agreements or treaties between Romania and Singapore which means that the Romanian government has no power to coerce Dr Silviu to return to Singapore. From Romania, Dr Silviu can easily slip into neighboring Bulgaria, Moldova and Serbia and "disappear" from the surface of the earth. It remains to be seen if the Singapore government can successfully bring Dr Silviu to justice. All these would not have happened had the relevant authorities been "more on the ball" and stopped Dr Silviu from leaving Singapore in the first place. In 2006, opposition candidate James Gomez was stopped at Changi Airport by the Singapore police for "intimidating" a civil servant before the election. He was subsequently let off with a stern warning. It would be a different story if Dr Silviu was deemed to be "interfering" in domestic politics as what happened to former U.S. diplomat Mandelson who was expelled from Singapore in 1988.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook discussion on this article here and invite your friends to do so as well to raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.   Copyright © 2009 – 2010 The Temasek Review (If you are going to reproduce this article on your blog or forum, please provide a link back to ours) Related articles: >> Dr Silviu Ionescu: I was "set up" >> Dr Silviu on guilty verdict: “This is bull****” >> Dr Silviu Ionescu doesn’t think much of verdict >> Subhas Anandan wants $100K compensation for widow of deceased accident victim >> Quietor”wayang”diplomacyintheescapeofDrSilviuIonescu >> Confirmed: Dr Silviu Ionescu is the driver >> Email interview with Yenny Young, wife of Mr Tong Kok Wai >> Dr Silviu Ionescu: fact remains that I was not in the car at the time of the accident >> Investigating or procrastinating: Dr Silviu Ionescu still holidaying in Romania >> George Yeo on Romanian embassy car crash: What happened is “very bad” >> Online petition calls on Romanian govt to make ex gratias payment >> Dr Silviu Ionescu: I took cab to notify car theft >> Eye witness saw driver quarreling with a young girl in the car >> Dr Silviu Ionescu: I have no connection with the case >> Dr Silviu Ionescu flagged taxi at Sungei Kadut >> From Romania with love: The Great Singapore escape of Dr Silviu Ionescu >> Singapore police has not ruled out Dr Silviu Ionescu as a suspect in its investigations >> Romanian diplomat suspected to be driver of Audi in hit and run accident at Bukit Panjang  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent Mr Mah Bow Tan may be the world's most expensive National Development Minister, but it seems that he lacks some basic understanding of statistics. In an extensive interview with the Straits Times on 7 April 2010 to defend his dismal track record, Mr Mah claimed that contrary to populat opinion, housing prices have not moved faster than household incomes in the past decade. To substantiate his claims, he revealed figures collated by the HDB and Department of Statistics which shows that the median household incomes actually outstripped resale home prices from 1999 to 2009: "So, when people say prices have moved faster than incomes, it's not true...Realistically, in the last 10 years, prices have moved in tandem with income - except the last year. And this was an anomaly," Mr Mah added. [Source: Straits Times, 7 April 2010] An unsuspecting reader will be completely deceived and misled by the Straits Times yet again, but thanks to the internet, we know that the statistics were fudgy at best and not an accurate reflection of the reality on the ground. The trick lies in the base year used in the computation of the statistics, according to Reform Party member Hazel Poa. Ms Poa is a former PSC scholar and a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Finance before venturing out herself to start her own business. The statistics used by Mr Mah appeared to be so because the prices of resale HDB flats are low and remain stagnant during the years 2000 - 2006: As we can see from the above figures, the RPI remains in the range of 101 - 104 from 2000 to 2006 and only start picking up in 2007 before reaching a record high in 150.8. The price increase is contributed largely by the rising demand fueled by immigration in the face of limited supply of new flats built by HDB. The ruling party had made known its ambitious plan to increase Singapore’s population to 6.5 million via immigration as early as 2005. However, only slightly more than 11,000 new flats were built between the years 2006 – 2008 when there were over 90,000 PRs and 20,000 new citizens alone in 2008:   [Source: HDB Financial Report 2008/2009] 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: Due to the ruling party’s liberal immigration policy, foreigners now made up 36 per cent of Singapore’s population, up from 14 per cent in 1990. The influx of PRs also contribute to a spike in the prices of resale flats as they have higher spending prowess and are willing to spend more. The Straits Times reported a Taiwanese couple paying a record $650,000 for a four room flat in Bras Basah lately. Another Indonesian PR forked out $653,000 for a 4 room flat in Queenstown. Now if the base year is shifted to 2006 when the prices start picking up instead of 1999, the graph will appear to be drastically different: [Source: Hazel Poa's blog] As the above graph has depicted clearly, if the base year of 2006 is used, the resale price index (RPI) would have far outstripped that of median household income (MHI) Ms Hazel Poa has rebutted and demolished Mr Mah's claims completely in a very short, sweet and succinct reply on her blog here. It is most embarrassing that a millionaire PAP minister can make such a juvenile mistake and present a half-truth to Singaporeans. Perhaps Mr Mah can consider taking some simple lessons in statistics from Ms Hazel Poa who will surely be glad to share her knowledge with him.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join the discussion about this article on our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to help us raise awareness among fellow Singaporeans.   Debunking official myths of HDB flats series: 1 Part 1: Singaporeans are “owners” of their HDB flats 2. Part 2: HDB flats are affordable to most Singaporeans 3. Part 3: Rising prices of HDB flats generate wealth for Singaporeans   Related articles: >> 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  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent First, it was Singapore companies putting up jobs to recruit Malaysians in Peninsular Malaysia and now it seems that Sabah has been "conquered" by Singapore too. Due to the PAP's ultra-liberal labor policies, Singapore companies are free to employ foreigners with few restrictions. In other countries, foreign migrant workers are employed strictly in sectors with a chronic shortage of local workers. For example, Australia has a detailed scheme stipulating the industries which are allowed to employ foreigners. In the United States, employers have to show that they try at least three times to recruit a U.S. citizen failing which can they hire a foreigner. There are no such regulations in Singapore - the PAP opens the floodgates to foreigners while exhorting Singaporeans to remain "cheaper, better and faster" at the same time. Despite evidence showing otherwise, PAP leaders continue to insist that there is no evidence that Singapore companies are hiring foreigners over Singaporeans. PAP MP and NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Madam Halimah Yacob said in an interview with Straits Times two days ago that based on her "counter-intuition", foreigners are not preferred by employers. “Wise employers know they should look strictly at merit so that they get the best talent for the organisation.” [Source: Straits Times, 7 April 2010] We invite Madam Halimah Yacob to look at the job ads found in the Sabah Times on 4 April 2010 sent to us by an angry Singaporean: He added: "Dear Editors, Please refer to the Sunday copy of “The Sabah Times.”   Like our Sunday Times, the Sunday version of the Sabah Times is the least read and the most expensive to advertise. Yet, ¼ of the classified in the papers for jobs were dedicated to vacancies in Singapore.   At closer scrutiny, you will realise that they offer jobs with the age range between 16 -50 years old. Furthermore, the salaries were anywhere between RM 1,900 to RM 3,600 (equv. SGD 826 – 1,560). Given the cost of living in Sabah is even cheaper than peninsular Malaysia, these is considered lucrative jobs to the locals in Sabah, although they may not considered the fact that living in Singapore during their employment period will be astronomical compared Borneo.   What grabbed my notice was that they are vacancies up to the age limit of 50. This would mean that cheaper Sabahans will compete with retirees in terms of jobs. How is the retiree in Singapore able to compete with a Sabahan’s expectation? The cost of living is grossly different. Low wage foreign workers have the options of cheap rentals in dormitories or slumps in Geylang and Chinatown. The average retiree will still have an expensive house to maintain, utilities and conservancies to pay.   Does this mean an end to the Singapore dream? What can a person do if he can neither retire nor find work to support himself?   It comes as no surprise that the main stream media is trying to generate debates on euthanasia to push the agenda for it’s legality according to the desire of the state. And we now know why." A wide range of jobs are offered by the Singapore employers such as airport cleaners, food court attendants, supermarket cashiers and electricians. These are jobs which are NOT shunned by Singaporeans. In fact, many Singaporeans in their 50s and 60s are willing to accept them. Why then are these Singapore companies recruiting from Sabah? Are Sabahans more "hard-driving" and "hard-striving" than Singaporeans too? Our elderly workers are forced to accept a CPF cut when they reach 50 years of age and face the constant threat of being replaced by a cheaper foreign worker. What job security is there to speak of? Is it a surprise that the median income of our lower income group has remained stagnant for the last few years with the easy availability of cheap foreign labor? Singaporeans must realize that they will never have any economic rights under the despotic PAP rule without reclaiming their political rights first. Unless Singaporeans vote out the PAP in the next general election, they will soon be relegated to being second class minorities in their own country of birth being swarmed by the hordes of foreigners that the PAP is mass-importing to replace them.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans.   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: >> 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 →