Happy Chinese New Year to anyone who happen to see this post and wish you a propserous year with great health.
Sorry, I still have some comments on the recent hot topic of the Population White Paper. I am finding the government on serious FT addiction that could possibly hurting ourselves. Just like someone taking drugs like caffeine, a little of bit of it give you a great kick but once you get addicted and taking large amount, it will harm your life. Similarly, the Singapore government saw that the importing of FT has given them a good economic growth, so now they are addicted to it looking for greater growth. But this is dangerous as in the end it will just hurt ourselves. We will become less productive, have lower childbirth and in the end losing our identity. Just like an addicted drug abuser, Singapore will just become an empty shell, without any soul.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Friday, 8 February 2013
Singapore National Security At Stake
If we reach the proportion of Singaporean just being 55% of the whole population, this will be a very dangerous threat to our national security. This just like we only own 55% share of a company. It just need to take 6% of us to swing to the other party and we will lose the ownership of the company. Same for our country, we will be threatened by the foreigners when this day happen to our country and we are no longer the masters of our homeland. What is use of having high economic growth and strong military defence? In chinese words, this is bu gong zhi puo, meaning loss without being attacked.
This is an extract from Mr Low Thia Khiang as printed in TODAY:
"During the early days of independence, there was a company that came to Singapore to invest and wanted to put their tank on Singapore soil and threatened that, if it could not, then it would withdraw. (Then-DPM) Dr Goh Keng Swee said, 'Stand firm on that'. I think we need PAP leaders to stand firm to the MNCs and say, 'Look, this is our way.'"
The reply from Mr S Iswaran is amusing to me, saying we need to be more cautious. During that difficult times, we willing to stand firm to protect our rights, why are we now, in a much better position, legs become so soft? The calibre of our PAP leaders has dropped so much since the retirement of the PAP pioneers.
I also like to take this opportunity to remember our late President Ong Teng Cheong, who passed away today, 11 years ago. He is among the last batch of high calibre minister who is on our side. if not for him to push for building MRT, our transport will be in a much worse position.
This is an extract from Mr Low Thia Khiang as printed in TODAY:
"During the early days of independence, there was a company that came to Singapore to invest and wanted to put their tank on Singapore soil and threatened that, if it could not, then it would withdraw. (Then-DPM) Dr Goh Keng Swee said, 'Stand firm on that'. I think we need PAP leaders to stand firm to the MNCs and say, 'Look, this is our way.'"
The reply from Mr S Iswaran is amusing to me, saying we need to be more cautious. During that difficult times, we willing to stand firm to protect our rights, why are we now, in a much better position, legs become so soft? The calibre of our PAP leaders has dropped so much since the retirement of the PAP pioneers.
I also like to take this opportunity to remember our late President Ong Teng Cheong, who passed away today, 11 years ago. He is among the last batch of high calibre minister who is on our side. if not for him to push for building MRT, our transport will be in a much worse position.
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Building Stronger Singapore White Paper
After reading the news on Population White Paper, I feel the focus is in the wrong direction. They should focus on building a stronger and resilient Singapore, and population topic is a subset of it. So I also come out with my own Building Stronger Singapore White Paper, although honestly, I don't know what constituet a white paper. I do not have the relevant knowledge background so this paper may be flawed, but I welcome all feedback, comments and criticisms.
Building Stronger Singapore White Paper
1. Reduce Income Gap
a. Implement Prof Lim Chong Yah’s shock therapy as solution. It will not result higher living cost as painted by the government because the increase in low and middle income earners will be offset by the freeze in high income earners.
b. By increasing income of the low income earners, we can slowly reduce the subsidies to them once they can be self-sufficient, which give them back the dignity of being independent. However, we must still maintain subsidy the special group of people who still need help. The removal of subsidies will also remove the administrative costs of maintain the current complicated subsidy structure.
c. Even US and China are already taking steps to address the income gap issues, but there is no concrete action from our government. A good example to follow is from Obama’s policy of increasing taxes on the super rich, maybe top 10% and reduce tax at the lower end.
2. Poplulation Planning
a. While the government should still encourage people to get married and give birth, the focus should be on those families wanting to have more babies but not doing it due to difficulties. One of the main issue that has been highlighted many times but the government seems to be ignoring it is the work-life balance. With our current stressful lifestyle and long working hours, it is definitely not conducive to have more babies. So work-life balance is one area the government needs to look at it immediately to achieve high birth rate.
b. The government seems to be half-hearted in implementing measures to improve birth rate. They should make more daring move to implement multiple policy to show the encouragement of family building. A few examples here:
i. Reserve COE quotas to family with your kids. The high COE price only benefits the rich, especially those who already own a car but getting another car.
ii. More subsidy for families with kids, eg transport, childcare, medical
c. Yes, we still need foreigners. There are some low value jobs that are not worth for the majority educated Singaporeans, and that could be better oursourced to foreigners, such as construction workers and domestic helpers. We should maintain a core of 70% who is holding citizenship. As long these people take up citizenship and have a stake in Singapore, they should be conisdered Singaporeans, no matter where they are born. However, if there is a trend that these Singaporeans give up their citizenship easily, there should be measures to discourage it.
3. Economic Growth
a. Instead of blindly chasing economic growth with influx of foreigners, the government should employ top economic advisors to identify the niche area that Singapore can excel with our current population. The purpose is to generate economic growth most efficiently even without foreigners import. Of course, the benefit of economic growth should be distributed equally to all Singaporeans. Currently, it seems only the top earners are enjoying the benefit while the income for the rest of the people is not able to catch up with the high inflation.
b. We need to train the locals in areas that support the niche industry that can generate the high growth. Locals should be given the chance to work in these areas instead of giving the employers the easy way out by employing trained foreigners from overseas.
4. Higher Passive Income
a. You often seen financial advisors talking about passive income from investments, the country should also do the same. Currently, we already have GIC and Temasek investing our reserves, and that should continue. Since Singapore is already a developed country, it is difficult to maintain high economic growth, but we can invest in those high developing countries to reap benefits from their growth. Hopefully, there will be a day when these passive income is enough to support our comfortable reserve level, thus freeing the tax collected to fund policies for Singapore good.
5. Education
a. I agreed with the direction that the current Education Minister Mr Heng Swee Kiat is taking. Education is only about memorising as much knowledge as possible as these may not be relevant in future. It is about character building and learning to survive in the competitive world. Kids should learn to be resilient and able to do well in whatever area to improve Singapore future, then we do not need foreigners to do the high value jobs.
6. Housing
a. I also feel rest assured with the current Minister Khaw Boon Wan in charge of housing as he has a very good record during his previous job as Health minister. They should continue to build more. It is not easy to have exact supply of flats to meet demand since building flats need a few years and things may change during this period. However, there is less opportunity costs to have surplus than shortage.
7. Transport
a. Talking about transport, I missed the kind of minister like the late Ong Teng Cheong who pushed for the building of MRT, else we would have been in a worse situation. The government should build more MRT lines. Having more buses on roads would worsen the traffic conditions on the congested roads.
b. I find it strange on the current transport operator structure. My view is SMRT should take over the management of all MRT lines and SBS should manage all the buses. For SMRT, the retail business should be operated separately as a separate entity.
8. Resource Planning
a. We should have proper planning on the usage of our scarce resource such as land, water and energy. The newater is a good initiative and we should also tap on the solar energy.
b. We should really reduce our golf courses as they took up a large area, yet it only benefits the very few privileged ones. There are already quite a number of golf courses just across the causeway
9. Defence
a. We are a small country with a small population. So the government will need to have a very good ready strategy to defend the country in terms of crisis.
b. It is important to ensure we have the top defence technology and soldiers are well trained to use them. National service is still required.
10. Strong Identity
a. Last but not least, a strong Singapore identity is required for a country, else it will just be an empty shell that will easily break.
b. The current government seems to have lost touch with the ground and keep focusing on the macro issues. We should build strength with ourselves to meet the challenges of the world and not keep asking help from foreigners to boost our growth. It is just like taking drugs, too much will come back and hurt ourselves.
Building Stronger Singapore White Paper
1. Reduce Income Gap
a. Implement Prof Lim Chong Yah’s shock therapy as solution. It will not result higher living cost as painted by the government because the increase in low and middle income earners will be offset by the freeze in high income earners.
b. By increasing income of the low income earners, we can slowly reduce the subsidies to them once they can be self-sufficient, which give them back the dignity of being independent. However, we must still maintain subsidy the special group of people who still need help. The removal of subsidies will also remove the administrative costs of maintain the current complicated subsidy structure.
c. Even US and China are already taking steps to address the income gap issues, but there is no concrete action from our government. A good example to follow is from Obama’s policy of increasing taxes on the super rich, maybe top 10% and reduce tax at the lower end.
2. Poplulation Planning
a. While the government should still encourage people to get married and give birth, the focus should be on those families wanting to have more babies but not doing it due to difficulties. One of the main issue that has been highlighted many times but the government seems to be ignoring it is the work-life balance. With our current stressful lifestyle and long working hours, it is definitely not conducive to have more babies. So work-life balance is one area the government needs to look at it immediately to achieve high birth rate.
b. The government seems to be half-hearted in implementing measures to improve birth rate. They should make more daring move to implement multiple policy to show the encouragement of family building. A few examples here:
i. Reserve COE quotas to family with your kids. The high COE price only benefits the rich, especially those who already own a car but getting another car.
ii. More subsidy for families with kids, eg transport, childcare, medical
c. Yes, we still need foreigners. There are some low value jobs that are not worth for the majority educated Singaporeans, and that could be better oursourced to foreigners, such as construction workers and domestic helpers. We should maintain a core of 70% who is holding citizenship. As long these people take up citizenship and have a stake in Singapore, they should be conisdered Singaporeans, no matter where they are born. However, if there is a trend that these Singaporeans give up their citizenship easily, there should be measures to discourage it.
3. Economic Growth
a. Instead of blindly chasing economic growth with influx of foreigners, the government should employ top economic advisors to identify the niche area that Singapore can excel with our current population. The purpose is to generate economic growth most efficiently even without foreigners import. Of course, the benefit of economic growth should be distributed equally to all Singaporeans. Currently, it seems only the top earners are enjoying the benefit while the income for the rest of the people is not able to catch up with the high inflation.
b. We need to train the locals in areas that support the niche industry that can generate the high growth. Locals should be given the chance to work in these areas instead of giving the employers the easy way out by employing trained foreigners from overseas.
4. Higher Passive Income
a. You often seen financial advisors talking about passive income from investments, the country should also do the same. Currently, we already have GIC and Temasek investing our reserves, and that should continue. Since Singapore is already a developed country, it is difficult to maintain high economic growth, but we can invest in those high developing countries to reap benefits from their growth. Hopefully, there will be a day when these passive income is enough to support our comfortable reserve level, thus freeing the tax collected to fund policies for Singapore good.
5. Education
a. I agreed with the direction that the current Education Minister Mr Heng Swee Kiat is taking. Education is only about memorising as much knowledge as possible as these may not be relevant in future. It is about character building and learning to survive in the competitive world. Kids should learn to be resilient and able to do well in whatever area to improve Singapore future, then we do not need foreigners to do the high value jobs.
6. Housing
a. I also feel rest assured with the current Minister Khaw Boon Wan in charge of housing as he has a very good record during his previous job as Health minister. They should continue to build more. It is not easy to have exact supply of flats to meet demand since building flats need a few years and things may change during this period. However, there is less opportunity costs to have surplus than shortage.
7. Transport
a. Talking about transport, I missed the kind of minister like the late Ong Teng Cheong who pushed for the building of MRT, else we would have been in a worse situation. The government should build more MRT lines. Having more buses on roads would worsen the traffic conditions on the congested roads.
b. I find it strange on the current transport operator structure. My view is SMRT should take over the management of all MRT lines and SBS should manage all the buses. For SMRT, the retail business should be operated separately as a separate entity.
8. Resource Planning
a. We should have proper planning on the usage of our scarce resource such as land, water and energy. The newater is a good initiative and we should also tap on the solar energy.
b. We should really reduce our golf courses as they took up a large area, yet it only benefits the very few privileged ones. There are already quite a number of golf courses just across the causeway
9. Defence
a. We are a small country with a small population. So the government will need to have a very good ready strategy to defend the country in terms of crisis.
b. It is important to ensure we have the top defence technology and soldiers are well trained to use them. National service is still required.
10. Strong Identity
a. Last but not least, a strong Singapore identity is required for a country, else it will just be an empty shell that will easily break.
b. The current government seems to have lost touch with the ground and keep focusing on the macro issues. We should build strength with ourselves to meet the challenges of the world and not keep asking help from foreigners to boost our growth. It is just like taking drugs, too much will come back and hurt ourselves.
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Singapore Population White Paper - 1st Post
This is the first time I am blogging, took quite some time to navigate on how to use it. When I read some news, I always have some thoughts and don't know where to express so I think blogging is a good way to do it.
This is also my first post, not sure what to start with. Maybe I will start with the current hot topic on the Population white paper. This is already a very sensitive topic so I think PAP did a wrong move by naming it as Population White Paper, leaving the impression that it producing a research to justify its policy to increase population. They should come out with something like a Singapore Future white paper and research on how popluation planning can contribute to a better future. I will come out with an alternative "white paper" of my own that focus on a better Singapore Future in my next post.
I also just read a remark made by PAP MP Teo Ser Luck. Here is the extract from Yahoo! News:
"On Tuesday, Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Teo Ser Luck told reporters that the building of more childcare centres in Punggol East would be ‘difficult to facilitate’ as PAP are no longer the representatives for the area, having lost the seat to WP’s Lee."
It is very shocking to me that he made such comments. Setting up Childcare centres is one of the paramount factors in improving child birth so government should do it wherever there is a need, regardless of which party managing the constituency. I am sure WP MP will be very willing to cooperate if the government is pushing for more childcare centres in Punggol East. Is this a sign of the character degrading of PAP MPs?
This is also my first post, not sure what to start with. Maybe I will start with the current hot topic on the Population white paper. This is already a very sensitive topic so I think PAP did a wrong move by naming it as Population White Paper, leaving the impression that it producing a research to justify its policy to increase population. They should come out with something like a Singapore Future white paper and research on how popluation planning can contribute to a better future. I will come out with an alternative "white paper" of my own that focus on a better Singapore Future in my next post.
I also just read a remark made by PAP MP Teo Ser Luck. Here is the extract from Yahoo! News:
"On Tuesday, Pasir Ris-Punggol MP Teo Ser Luck told reporters that the building of more childcare centres in Punggol East would be ‘difficult to facilitate’ as PAP are no longer the representatives for the area, having lost the seat to WP’s Lee."
It is very shocking to me that he made such comments. Setting up Childcare centres is one of the paramount factors in improving child birth so government should do it wherever there is a need, regardless of which party managing the constituency. I am sure WP MP will be very willing to cooperate if the government is pushing for more childcare centres in Punggol East. Is this a sign of the character degrading of PAP MPs?
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