tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85571928822051374652024-03-05T20:38:01.115+08:00Under the Willow TreeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger250125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-71556138813216460222012-12-01T18:14:00.001+08:002012-12-01T18:15:35.431+08:00Drivers' Strike Crushed, Authoritarian Order RestoredJust hot off the press:
5th bus driver to be charged, 29 repatriated
Updated 04:54 PM Dec 01, 2012
by Amir Hussain
SINGAPORE - A fifth SMRT bus driver will be charged in Court on Monday for his involvement in this week's illegal strike, while 29 others will have their work permits revoked and be repatriated.The rest involved will be issued warnings by the Police, but no further action Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-559418404326201622012-10-14T01:05:00.001+08:002012-10-14T01:07:29.813+08:00Singaporean Men are PatheticI can't believe that this article has appeared in the news:
"A young Singapore man has appealed publicly to Minister in Prime Minister Office Grace Fu during a townhall meeting recently to stop foreign men from ‘stealing’ Singaporean women from local men.
During the Q&A session, he complained that Singapore men are losing out in the race to the altar because local women are Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-53183954413341436852012-04-19T21:33:00.001+08:002012-04-19T21:33:12.446+08:00The Negative Calculus of Foreign TalentShocking Fact: Only 1.7% of foreigners working in Singapore pay taxes.
The rest of the 98.3% are here freeloading off our economic infrastructure to earn a living without contributing a cent to the public purse.
These freeloaders are leeching off our transportation, healthcare, housing, education and national defence. Not only are they not paying a cent in taxes, they are the cause of massiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-19982521403291397612012-04-10T00:56:00.003+08:002012-04-10T01:04:55.841+08:00In Defence of 'Xenophobia'Much has been made about Singapore's growing aversion to the foreigners. Many PAP politicians have been quoted 'warning' Singaporeans against xenophobia, and various bloggers are writing about how Singaporeans are getting unreasonable in their attitudes towards foreigners.
But hold on a minute, are Singaporeans really xenophobic? Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-12168315497198771872012-04-05T02:04:00.002+08:002012-04-05T02:07:06.319+08:00Singapore in 2050 - A Chinese ProtectorateThis coming August, Singapore will celebrate 47 years as a nation state. Many of us take for granted Singapore's autonomy as a sovereign nation. But in this post, I explain why I think that in 47 years time, there is a very significant probability that Singapore will no longer be an autonomous territory.
The last 15 years of economic and social mismanagement by the PAP Government have set the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-37123112503136735512012-03-27T10:39:00.001+08:002012-03-29T23:51:37.584+08:00Make Community Service Compulsory For All Foreign ScholarsI refer to the article "NUS scholar fined S$3,000, gets 3 months community service" and applaud the disciplinary action taken by university provost Tan Eng Chye against the improper and insensitive behaviour of Sun Xu. In particular, I applaud the community service 'punishment' and would like to make a suggestion that all foreign scholars be required to complete compulsory community service as a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-56078180949916251352012-03-24T00:59:00.003+08:002012-03-24T01:14:27.194+08:00Good Job, Singapore Democratic PartyI have only just found the time to peruse the SDP's healthcare plan and while I do not necessarily agree with everything the SDP has to say, I must commend the SDP for gathering a team of experienced healthcare professionals, policy academics and other concerned Singaporeans to put together a credible proposal for the future of healthcare in Singapore.
It is indeed heartening to know that there Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-75413461726373140492012-03-23T09:00:00.000+08:002012-03-23T09:00:03.378+08:00Undergrad Girl Turned Stripper - A Case of Misguided ParentingA sensational piece of news has been circulating on the internet about a 22 undergrad Singaporean girl who became an online stipper to satiate her appetite for attention.
S'porean girl becomes online stripperinSing.com, 19 Mar 2012...She had begun uploading ordinary photos of herself onto the Internet and to her surprise, garnered many praises for her good looks.Netizens would leave messages forUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-39047714985397787372012-03-22T09:00:00.000+08:002012-03-22T09:00:02.922+08:00PAP Finally Comes to its SensesAfter 15 years of madness, the PAP has finally come to its senses.
Ever since the 1997 National Day Rally speech when Goh Chok Tong announced the PAP shift in economic policy to open Singapore's doors to foreign talent, the PAP has gone on an ideological and public relations offensive to market and defend the foreign talent policy. At all levels, the policy was dogmatically defended - from the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-63205014082830441742012-03-21T20:45:00.003+08:002012-03-21T20:45:30.865+08:00Irrational Exuberance in the Singapore Property MarketOnce upon a time in singapore, $800,000 would buy you a nice 1,200 sq ft condo in a decent location with full condo facilities. If you lived in one of these apartments, you would have been considered a relatively rich person and would have obtained one of the key achievements in the Singapore dream.Fast forward to the present, however, and things are completely different. Today, the same $800,000Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-1339012866280458602012-03-17T15:36:00.001+08:002012-03-18T01:09:49.086+08:00Wage Hikes Across Asia...Singapore's low-income wage earners have seen their wages stagnate since the late 1990s. Their counterparts in the region, however, are getting better news. Wall Street journal reports Tuesday [link] that minimum wages are getting a boost throughout many countries in Asia.
China's Wage Hikes Ripple Across AsiaWall street Journal | By JAMES HOOKWAY in Kuala Lumpur, PATRICK BARTA in Bangkok and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-14769567810957101352012-03-13T22:01:00.001+08:002012-03-13T23:08:19.926+08:00The Staggering Gap between Singapore's Rich and PoorOfficial statistics by the World Bank indicate that Singapore has the highest Gini coefficient in the developed world. The Gini coefficient is an abstract mathematical economic indicator that measures the extent of income inequality in a country. Yet one doesn't have to be an economics guru to understand the extent of inequality in Singapore. Simply by browsing the newspapers, Singaporeans have Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-73009056628696370142012-03-08T20:47:00.000+08:002012-03-09T00:30:57.059+08:00Lui Tuck Yew and the Private Sector Delusion (and why you need to buy more personal accident insurance, now!)Even after experiencing the worst public transport disruption in Singapore's history, minister for transport Mr Lui Tuck Yew is adamant that the government's public transport model is sound and that train and bus operations should stay in the hands of the private sector. The retired rear admiral yesterday reiterated the age-old PAP dogma that the profit incentive delivers the best outcomes for Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-21095590762381135162012-03-07T19:44:00.000+08:002012-03-09T00:07:44.959+08:00Tuition Obsession: A Singaporean DysfunctionSingapore is in some ways, a deeply dysfunctional society. You know so when you read mind-blowing headlines like this:
Parent pays nearly $6,000 a month in tuition feesMaureen Koh | The New Paper | Tue Mar 6 2012Her son is a straight A student in a top boys' school here yet this mother spends $5,800 a month on his tuition.Her son, who is in Secondary 3, attends classes for English and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-24124300895687811052012-02-27T23:35:00.003+08:002012-02-27T23:35:51.096+08:00The Unfortunate Story of Yeo Chong LinToday in the news we read the story of Mr Yeo Chong Lin.
Tycoon gives $1 inheritance to each of his childrenSin Chew Daily/ANNSaturday, Feb 25, 2012
Shipping tycoon Yeo Chong Lin is giving only S$1 (RM2.40) inheritence to each of his four children.
The 77-year-old Singaporean did not leave a single cent to his girlfriend of six years.
Instead, Yeo left his entire 5$45 million fortune to his Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-41913354910835711602012-02-27T23:31:00.001+08:002012-02-27T23:31:13.140+08:00Seriously SMRT, what on earth is going on?I wanted to blog about this issue when I saw the news article last weekend about a 2nd rail clip being found in 4 days. But today, I open the news and then I see that a 3rd (!) rail clip has been found in a week!
3rd MRT rail clip found dislodged near Ang mo KioFeb 17, 2012By Lin zhaoweiAnother dislodged rail clip has been found below an MRT viaduct - the third in a week.This 10cm, palm-sized Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-87956821618618733012012-02-26T12:42:00.001+08:002012-02-26T14:57:38.812+08:00Why it Pays to be a Foreign Talent PR in Singapore, Today!!Singapore is a great place for foreigners to live, work and play! Just take the example of Mr Peter Breitkreutz, an Australian citizen who came to work in Singapore and who fell in love with the country!
Mr Peter Breitkreutz is an Australian citizen who attained his Singapore Permanent Residency (PR) in 2008. Mr Breitkreutz is currently a Senior Vice President of Citibank in Singapore, and is Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-90147062895988722132012-02-24T19:22:00.002+08:002012-02-25T12:00:00.250+08:00In Singapore, the Rich Get Richer... while the rest of us Struggle with InflationA couple of headline news in the Business Times caught my attention today. The first is regarding record high price for a luxury bungalow plot in Nassim Road:
Peter Kwee sells Nassim Rd plot for about $47.8m$2,000 psf on land area is a new high for a GCB on Nassim RoadBy KALPANA RASHIWALA(SINGAPORE) Motoring tycoon Peter Kwee is said to have sold a vacant plot along Nassim Road for about $47.8 Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-85794235695254290812012-02-24T19:13:00.000+08:002012-02-24T19:13:42.273+08:00Nonsensical Forum Letter on Cheap Foreign LabourA letter by a certain Ng Ya Ken was published on the TODAYonline Voices section. It contains several nonsensical and idiotic statements that I would wish to debunk. Note: I have no affiliation with SPP and have no vested interest in defending the SPP.
Cheap foreign labour: Who's responsible?Letter from Ng Ya Ken 04:46 AM Feb 22, 2012
THE Singapore People's Party's chairman, Mrs Lina Chiam, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-81442131228215577572012-02-24T19:00:00.000+08:002012-02-25T14:01:24.839+08:00Tin Pei Ling Next in Line to Sue TR Emeritus?Channelnewsasia reports that TRE and Lee Hsien Yang have reached an "amicable settlement". Lee is reportedly satisfied with the deletion of the allegedly defamatory comment and the expression on the part of TRE.
Mr Lee's lawyer said: "My client is satisfied that his requests have been met, that the false and defamatory postings have been removed and that TRE' has acknowledged and expressed Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-14073891742141486142012-02-23T21:38:00.003+08:002012-02-28T00:35:43.835+08:00Budget 2012: Thoughts on the $1.1 billion Bus FundHere is my take on the $1.1 billion that Tharman announced the Government will be setting aside to help alleviate the public transport problem. While there are not many details currently released on how the partnership between the Govt and the PTOs is going to be structured, IMHO the Govt should follow these principles in structuring the public-private partnership.
1. The Government should own Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-498014256445507162012-02-23T02:04:00.000+08:002012-02-23T23:57:04.502+08:00A History of Defamation Suits and Other Similar Actions in Singapore1987
Lee Kuan Yew sues Far Eastern Economic Review for defamation. Damages unknown.
1988
J.B. Jeyaretnam sued for slander for allegedly implying that Lee Kuan Yew had abetted Teh Cheang Wan's suicide and helped to cover up Teh's corruption. Jeyaretnam was found guilty and was ordered him to pay damages of S$260,000 plus costs to Lee.
1994
International Herald Tribune and journalist Philip Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-51867449721975950202012-02-22T12:30:00.000+08:002012-02-22T12:30:01.005+08:00Tharman's 2012 Budget Speech & the Spectre of Government FailureOne of the key features, if not the key feature of the 2012 Budget Speech, is the reduction in foreign worker dependency ratio ceilings (DRCs) and Man-Year Entitlement (MYE) quotas. Stung by the results of the 2011 general elections, the PAP has u-turned on its pro-foreign worker stance and the Minister for Finance has stated unequivocally to businesses that they must reduce their dependence on Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-73722097948616271632012-02-21T19:38:00.000+08:002012-02-21T19:43:09.356+08:00An Open Challenge to PM Lee Hsien LoongIn the light of the recent events surrounding PM Lee's lawsuit threat against TR Emeritus, I would like to issue a challenge to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the Board of Directors of Temasek Holdings, to put to rest, once and for all, the doubts and rumours surrounding Ho Ching's appointment as CEO of Temasek Holdings.
Instead of wasting time and money on unleashing lawsuit Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8557192882205137465.post-7191649373713747072012-02-20T19:47:00.001+08:002012-02-20T20:13:34.243+08:00PM Lee's Lawsuit Threat is a Serious Strategic MistakeFollowing in the footsteps of Minister for Law K Shanmugam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lawyers have served a letter to TR Emeritus over a commentary the latter published which, amongst other things, "alleged that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong secured or was instrumental in securing the appointment of his wife, Mdm Ho Ching, as the chief executive officer of Temasek Holdings (Private) Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9