Thursday, December 22, 2011



SINGAPORE: Singapore's second guide dog for the blind has arrived.
21 December 2011

Bred and trained in Australia, she has found her new home in Bukit Panjang in central Singapore.

Esme looks just like any two-year-old Labrador, but she's not a pet when she has her working harness on.

For vision-impaired Cassandra Chiu, Esme acts as her pair of eyes, and an indispensable guide.

So too much friendly attention is not always a good thing.

"This is a working dog, it would be best if she's not distracted with pats and treats because she has to stay focused on what she's doing in getting me safely from one place to another," said Ms Chiu.

Singapore law allows for guide dogs on trains and buses, and also in restaurants.

But not everyone welcomes Esme.

Dr Francis Seow-Choen, chairman of the Guide Dogs Association of the Blind, said: "Cassandra, in the last few days has been going on the MRT, buses, but in the more individualised forms of transport like taxis, there are queries, there're rejections. When you go into malls there're still rejections.

"(The guide dogs) are very well trained, they don't make a noise, they don't bark, they don't chase little animals or children. Therefore people can put their fears to rest that these dogs will cause a disturbance, because they will not."

After undergoing training almost her entire life in Melbourne, Esme is now in the final stage of her settling-in programme in Singapore.

For this, her Australian trainer Aaron Horsington was here for a week.

"Working with people like Cassandra, and being able to see the dog moving on and providing that person with a service... that's very meaningful. Seeing that end product really is what keeps me going back again, and starting with the next group of dogs," he said.

The cost of training guide dogs is high - about S$40,000 per dog for a two-year programme.

But for Ms Chiu, The Singapore Guide Dogs Association of the Blind paid for Esme and her training.

Ms Chiu will be responsible for Esme's daily maintenance, but this, Dr Seow said, is inexpensive.

"The costs, once you get the dog, are minimal. We encourage our clients to feed their dogs dry food, which actually comes up to about S$1 a day," said Dr Seow.

Dr Seow said they are also looking at insurance for their guide dogs in the future.

"Unfortunately, the symbol of being vision-impaired in Singapore has been the white cane for a very long time. Hopefully, in time to come, Singaporeans will recognise that there is a different form of mobility for vision-impaired individuals as well," said Ms Chiu.

With both Ms Chiu and Esme leading the way, the association said it is expecting four more guide dogs from Victoria next year.



I didn’t know how rare guide dogs are in Singapore. Esme is only the second one in Singapore.

I had the fortune of meeting the first, Kendra and her owner Mr Alvin Ng not once but twice!

Kendra was really lovely and obedient and she sat quietly under the seat on the bus which I didn’t even notice until she got up.

I first know about guide dog almost 30 years ago when I watched a documentary on TV. I am a little surprise that Singaporeans are still ignorant of them and the rights they have.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

What greed had done to this county.

SMRT suspends bus driver as coma victim's condition worsens
20 December 2011


SINGAPORE: Bus operator SMRT has suspended the driver who was said to have braked abruptly and caused a passenger to fall on Sunday. The victim, 54-year-old Madam Ding Weibo, has since slipped into a coma and her condition has apparently worsened.

Mdm Ding's husband, Mr You Bujia, said: "There are now complications with her lungs, and she has started to develop a fever. Her urinary tract is also infected. Her brain has also started to swell, so that's not good news. When my daughter heard the news, she almost fainted."

Mr You said the doctor has told him to be prepared for the worst.

An SMRT spokesperson said the company has an intensive training programme, of up to one-and-a-half months, to ensure its bus captains or what it calls "Service Leaders" (SLs), are equipped with customer service and safe driving skills.

The spokesperson added: "Trainees will go through a Service Proficiency course which comprises operating technical and safety features on the bus, dealing with demanding passengers and emergencies, and understanding the public transport system such as the fare structure and bus schedules, to name a few.

"In addition, SLs are required to undergo a ten-day on-the-job training to familiarise themselves with their bus routes."

After the first year on the job, they also have to attend a two-day refresher course to learn about advanced safe driving techniques.

SMRT also revealed that the driver involved in this incident has worked in the company for two years.

SMRT has suspended the Singaporean driver from his duties, as investigations continue.


This is sad that it causes someone life to surface the problem of lousy training programme and the poor quality of drivers of public transport.

Personally I felt the quality of bus driver had dropped over the years.

I remember when I was young the ride was much smoother and the drivers more helpful.

Nowadays you get unmotivated drivers who drive like shit.

Taxi drivers are not much better, these days I keep getting taxi driver declaring they don’t know the way to where I am going and ask if I know.

Note it is not asking me which why I would like to go and I am not going to some super remote island but these idiots actually are totally clueless!

F you lah! Have some pride and study the street directory if you want to be a taxi driver.

So what happened to our “world class transport system?”

The main reason is they had all became like our Men In White, Money Money Money.

They all want maximum profit so the CEO can get big fat pay cheques.

So they cut down on maintenance, trainings and staff cost.

Therefore trains and tracks break down, drivers get lost, more accidents due to in-experience drivers, etc.

On top of these poor standards, they still increase fares!

Amazing!

You screwed up big time and you still want more profits.

These greedy people have a first class ticket to hell now.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Overpaid idiot.





SMRT CEO apologises for train disruption
16 December 2011 CNA

SINGAPORE: SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa on Friday offered her sincere apologies to all commuters affected in Thursday night's five-hour MRT network breakdown on the north-south line.

Speaking at a news conference Friday afternoon at the SMRT Headquarters, Ms Saw promised a full investigation into what caused the breakdown.

She said SMRT will learn from the incident and improve on giving better information.

"We do apologise especially those who experienced considerable inconvenience... What we can promise is that we will spare no effort in preventing such an occurrence," said Ms Saw.

"I will personally look into improving our incident management plan, especially in the areas of giving timely and better information, as well as crowd management, in both our stations and in the trains," she added.

SMRT cited a possible alignment problem in the rail system as the cause of the disruption, and deployed some 60 staff to test for alignment on Thursday night after the incident.

However, the exact point at which the alignment was off has not been established yet.

The disruption affected 127,000 passengers, and some 1,000 commuters were also trapped in each of the four trains that stalled.

More than 300 staff who were not working at that time were activated to help commuters.

SMRT acknowledged that the rail network has grown, and hence is more complex. It said this made it difficult for the operator to execute its emergency plans.

SMRT said it will review its standard operating procedures.

SMRT also said it will be working to improve its communication strategies. This includes possibly broadcasting recorded announcements in four languages.

SMRT has also apologised for the "income opportunity" template that was used by SMRT Taxi on Thursday following the train disruption.

It said this was a "very bad mistake", and the right template should have said "service disruption".





With her million dollar salary she still can screwed up.


This is what we call pay lots of money but still get monkey.


She should be sacked!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Sad Singapore

Youths arrested for stealing money from newspaper vendor
CNA 14 DEC 2011

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested two youths, aged 11 and 12, for stealing from an elderly newspaper vendor.

Madam Son Ah Hon, 71, sells newspapers at Block 174 Yishun Avenue 7.

The two primary school student suspects stole from her twice on December 2 and 7.

On both occasions, Mdm Son was manning her news stand alone.

Mdm Son said: "I told them I didn't have the newspaper they wanted and told them to leave. After a while, they came back again and kept asking for newspapers. They kept walking around and banging on the back door of the stall. All of a sudden, they grabbed the money and ran. They snatched my purse. One took the cash container, the other took my purse. I screamed for help, but no one came."

The suspects fled with cash totalling nearly $100.

Police arrested the youths on Tuesday.

The two youths are now released on bail pending further investigation.



When I first saw this report during yesterday evening news I was totally disgusted and disappointed with what our youth and society had became.

These 2 bastards not only prey on the weak but they bloody did it twice.

To me they should be shot as I doubt they will be of any use to the society.

I absolutely hate people who prey on the weak, if you have balls, you go and rob the banks or Lee Kuan Yew. Bloody weak ass targeted this old poor woman who still has to work at 71 to feed herself.

These news reported all the sad facts on what our society has become, youth with no moral, seniors still have to struggle to make ends meet and lack of social courage as no one came to help Madam Soh.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Substandard

Husband used wife's IC to enter casino 9 times
ST online 14 Dec 2011


A man who used his wife's identity card to enter a casino was on Tuesday fined a total of $6,000.

His wife was fined a total of $3,000 after pleading guilty to two charges of abetting him to use her IC to enter Resorts World Sentosa casino last December.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Elena Yip told the court that on the evening of Dec 20 last year, Philip Oh Choon Aik suggested to his wife that he could use her identity card to enter the casino.

The 45-year-old, who is self-employed in the piping industry, could not enter as he had applied for a National Council for Problem Gambling exclusion order.



I think the Casino should be fined as well and the security sacked for letting a man entering the casino with a women's IC.

Either she look like a man or he look like a woman, the joker on duty is sleeping on the job.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Lost and Found. Really?

The most common misplaced item at Changi Airport
12 December 2011 CNA

SINGAPORE: Are travellers getting more careless? Well, between January and November this year, some 15,600 items were lost and found at Singapore's Changi Airport - more than the 14,000-odd belongings recovered in 2010.

So what's the most common misplaced item? The answer: mobile phones.

In 2010, 1,800 mobile phones were found. Between January and November this year, some 1,700 mobile phones were recovered.

At the airport's "lost and found" storeroom, there's a treasure trove of various odds and ends, much like an antique junk store. Here, the items are catalogued according to the months in which they were found.

For example, in November 2011, someone left behind a giant mirror. In December, a walking aid was found. There is also a stuffed dog. And, get this - someone left behind a giant television set.

Changi Airport Group's senior assistant for ground operations, Aslihan Tanay, said: "When we receive a lost item, we'll generate a report. Items will be kept for about 60 days, after which we'll incinerate it. This is because we want to protect the privacy of the owner. Perishable items such as bread, cakes, flowers, will be disposed within 24 hours."

Changi Airport Group's customer service officer, Germaine Victoria, said: "We had this Indian couple transiting through Singapore going back to India. And they actually lost their bag which contained their travel documents as well as valuables and 10,000 Australian dollars. We actually managed to find the bag for them within a few hours and they were able to make it back home with their bag and they were very happy."

So, if you misplace something at the airport, there's hope you can get it back.

In 2010, 57 per cent of lost items were returned to their rightful owners.


I wonder how many percent of people who lost their belonging actually managed to get them back in Singapore on the whole. CAG claims 57% in the airport.

I knew a few people who lost mobile phone in taxi and public places in Singapore and none of them actually manage to get their phones back even after extensive search and report to the authorities.

I guess there are lots of greedy people out there.

I also doubt whether CAG is telling the truth that they will incinerate unclaimed lost item after 60 days.

What if you find a wallet with USD$600 in it? Is it illegal to incinerate notes?

I hope the donate money found.

What if you find a 500 years old classic violin that may be one of it kind? Don’t tell me GAG actually burnt it to ash.

I knew some organisation do auction off these unclaimed property after a period of time and the money are donated to charities. I think this is a much logical way of dealing with lost properties.

Maybe you can incinerate phones and hard disks which may contain sensitive information and may cause you a lawsuit but who care about your privacy if you lost a stuff dog, walking sticks or a book at the airport in a foreign land.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Cyclist problem

Fewer people caught for illegally modifying electric bikes
11 December 2011, CNA

SINGAPORE: Fewer people were caught for illegally modifying their electric bicycles in the first four months of this year.

The number dropped by more than 10 percent to 264 compared to the same period last year.

But some like Mr William Ong were caught repeatedly.

Mr Ong has been caught three times in five months for riding an illegally modified bicycle.

He had paid some S$1,000 for an electric bicycle which had been approved by authorities.

But he was slapped with a S$500 fine for adding a button that powers up the bike automatically.

Mr Ong said he knew it was illegal to do so, but added the modification allows him to ride uphill with ease, because he has leg problems.

He was fined S$300 the first two times when he borrowed his friend's illegally modified bike to ride.

Mr Ong said the modifications were done by someone at a bicycle shop, who had warned him that it is illegal to do so.

But when Channel NewsAsia news team visited the store, the shopkeeper denied having done so.

In a reply to Channel NewsAsia, the Land Transport Authority said merchants who illegally modify electric bicycles may be fined up to S$500.

Repeat offenders may be charged in court.


Fewer people caught do not imply there are fewer offenders. It also can imply that less enforcement is being carried out by LTA or Traffic Police.

There is a increase in motorised bicycle in Pasir Ris and also I have encountered many near missed personally by cyclist riding on pedestrian walk ways.

Many of these cyclists have no proper lightings and travelled in a high speed.

Not once did I see any enforcement.

The police are busy protecting the VIP and I don’t know what LTA suppose to do.

The case above involved Mr Ong is a mockery to the law as well.

He was caught 3 times in 5 months but still no one is stopping him. Shouldn’t he be charged in courts the 3rd time?

LTA please explain why he was not charged as per your reply to Channel News Asia.

Over the years many pedestrian are injured, some fatal, by cyclists travelling on pedestrian walkway and so far the authority are not doing enough to prevent the problem from getting worst.

I am just waiting for the day when a cyclist kills a VVIP doing his walkabout. Till then nothing will be done for peasants (lesser mortals) like us.

So keep a lookout for the killer on wheels next time when you talk a stroll home.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Comfort Fucked up way of increasing profit.

Post here for my reference. Bloody blood sucker.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Half hearted effort

Lim Boon Heng 'to work on retaking Aljunied GRC'
ST Online 02 NOV 2011

The ruling party's fight to take back Aljunied GRC is on. To helm the task, it has roped in its former party chairman Lim Boon Heng.

Party sources told The Straits Times that Mr Lim, a former Cabinet minister and MP for Jurong GRC who left politics before the May General Election, has started recruiting People's Action Party (PAP) activists to join a task force to win the group representation constituency back from the Workers' Party.

He met a number of branch activists individually in October, said a source who was invited…….


If you ask me this is a half hearted attempt to “retake” Aljiunied GRC.

First they sending in cry baby Lim Boon Heng who to PAP is a expired Minister which has nothing to lose, lots of money and still a big ego that still need to be fanned.

If they are serious about taking back Aljunied why not let Lee Hsein Loong, Chan Chun Sing or Heng Seng Keat to lead the charge?

I don’t think PAP will want to risk losing another Minister which they are grooming.
In fact I don’t think anyone in the current cabinet is better then George and PAP will still fall no matter who they send to Aljunied during the 2011 GE.

In fact I am just curious which Minister will they send to re-take Aljunied? PAP has not lost a Minister in a GE before and whoever they sending there in 2016 will be risking his million dollar pay check.

So now Lim Boon Heng is working the ground, note PAP did not say he will be the one leading the team in Aljunied, but my guess it will most likely be him if he is still around.

If PAP still continue with their arrogant attitude and still choose to ignore the voices of ordinary Singaporean they will not only risk to lose Aljunied but other GRC in 2016.

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Paying lots for shits

Civil Service 'will adapt as needs change', says top civil servant
Top civil servant calls for more heart in policy making, implementation
ST Online 1 Dec 2011


Singapore's public servants are known for formulating policies with their heads, but they will have to craft policies with more 'heart', and move away from a 'one size fits all' approach.

This is a key way in which the Singapore public service will adapt in response to a changing relationship between the state and its people, said Head of Civil Service Peter Ong on Wednesday.

He was delivering a lecture at Malaysia's Razak School of Government, in the inaugural Chief Secretary Forum meant for heads of civil service from other countries to share their experiences in leading and serving their respective countries.

In his first overseas speech since becoming Singapore's top civil servant last year, Mr Ong emphasised the need for the public service to be nimble in the face of global uncertainties and changes in the citizenry.



Strangely the efficiency and remuneration of Civil Servant are not proportional.

In fact judging from the attitude and pay they should rename Civil Servant to Civil Boss or Civil King.

Sadly we are attracting the wrong kind of people for the top to “Serve” the people.

A good read is this SDP paper on Minister Salaries.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Why SPF Commissioner should be sacked.

After 27 years on the run, the law caught up with him
TODAY Nov 29, 2011

SINGAPORE - Over the past two decades, Lee Hong Mun involved himself in charitable acts, such as providing free haircuts and spiritual advice through his dual trade as a barber and a medium.

The law, however, caught up with the 57-year-old, who had been on the run for the past 27 years over a fatal slashing incident.

In the High Court yesterday, Lee was convicted and jailed seven years for manslaughter.

The incident took place in November 1983, when Lee and his childhood friend, Chan Whye Keong, fought with stall assistant Ng Tian Soo over a mahjong debt.

Court papers showed that Mr Ng had owed money belonging to one of Chan's friends and that Lee was roped in to help to recover the debt. Lee had used a kitchen knife to slash Mr Ng, who was then 37 years old, several times, while Chan used his belt to strike the victim.

Chan was subsequently arrested and jailed for seven years but Lee fled to Hong Kong that same year.
Lee returned to Singapore from Malaysia five years later by hiding in a car boot.

However, he did not turn himself in to the authorities and continued to live his life normally - operating his King George's Avenue hair salon and raising two sons.

It was only in April last year that the police eventually arrested Lee during a routine check at a betting outlet.

In the High Court yesterday, defence lawyer Josephus Tan argued in mitigation that, although Lee was armed with a knife at that time, it was for self-defence. He also pointed out that Lee had no criminal record and "led a useful and opened life".

Justice Lee Seiu Kin, who presided over the case, acknowledged that Lee lived his life productively but agreed with prosecutors that he should be jailed not less than seven years. "A life was lost ... (and) society must exact penalty," he said.



This show how “efficient” the Singapore Police Force is.

A man committed a serous offence can hide in tiny Singapore for 22 years and live a normal live. In out custom did a good job by allowing him to enter Singapore in a car boot.

In fact this guy is just unlucky that he was being caught during a routine check which imply the police is not actively look for him, in fact I think they stop looking for him 27 years ago.

Meanwhile they probably are using their man power to do this and this.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Elite got special report for doing ordinary things

Sim Ann gives birth to baby boy, 1st MP to do so while in office

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Law, Ms Sim Ann, has become Singapore's first MP to give birth while in office.


Her son, weighing 3.2kg, was born at 3pm on Tuesday, four days earlier than expected.

'I feel good. The recovery was quick and the baby is fine,' she told The Straits Times last night.

'So far, so good. We're getting used to each other,' said the mother of three. She and her husband, Dr Mok Ying Jang, 44, have a seven-year-old son and a daughter, aged five.


I was browsing through the states publication over the weekends and beside being bombarded with news or our MEN IN WHITE conference I saw the above.

First thought was SO WHAT?

Hundreds of Singaporean gave birth everyday so what if one of the party members did.

Maybe it Sim Ann likes to declare to the world she is not attending the party conference because she has better thing to do?

Congratulation to Baby Mok for entering the world with no money, career and education problem for the rest of his life and he already got a head start from the average Singaporean.

So now Sim Ann will enjoy her free medical care and maternal leaves out of tax payer money.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The extend of their Greed




How ministers qualify for pensions
Yahoo News 22 NOV 2011

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that retiring ministers must serve at least eight years in office to be eligible for a pension.

Replying to a question by opposition Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC Pritam Singh on Monday, he disclosed that the pension is based only on the pensionable component of the salary and not on the total monthly salary.

This pensionable component has been fixed since 1994, and so it has been decreasing in proportion to the total monthly salary, reported Channel NewsAsia.

Other components of the annual salary such as the 13th month payment, annual variable component and performance bonus are also not pensionable, said the prime minister.

He pointed out that a minister is only eligible for the maximum pension after he has served for 18 years as an office holder and will receive less if he serves a shorter period.

The maximum pension is about 10 per cent of his annual salary before his retirement.

Lee also said the value of pension a minister is able to receive upon retirement is fully considered when ministerial salaries are set against the benchmark.

He said a committee reviewing the ministerial salaries – due to release its findings in December – also includes a review of the ministers’ pension scheme.



There is absolutely no end to these people greed.

I am totally disgusted by our Minister’s endless demand of money and they even twist law and argue ridiculous to squeeze more money from Singapore Citizen.

First let talk about figure.

Hsein Loong’s annual salary is about US$2,856,930 our dear Minister’s is about US$1,6M.
Say 10% pension works out to be US$280,000 a year for Hsein Loong and US$160,000 for our Minister that mean Hsein Loong will get US$28K a month and out parrot Ministers will get US$16K month. Even more then current Member of parliament.

Mind you these are tax payer money and this money is on top of the free medical they will be getting till they go to hell.


Pension scheme still are available for these super rich Elites while the rest of us have CPF.
Why this double standard Hsien Loong?


I can only come up with one think in mind. Greed.


These bastards are so greedy that I think they can enter the Guinness Book of Record for it.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Half hearted effort from the Transport Ministy

LTA studying commuters' travel patterns to ease jam
21 November 2011


SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority is studying how to manage train travel patterns and will make their ideas known soon.

Minister of State for Transport and Finance, Josephine Teo, gave this update in Parliament on Monday.

She said parallel buses have been introduced along train lines where loading levels have been heavy.

But commuters still prefer trains as taking buses may mean a longer travel time due to road conditions.

She added that the upcoming Downtown Line should ease travel loads when it opens. And changing travelling behaviour of commuters may need more work.

Mr Cedric Foo, the chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport, said: "Other than just supply-shaping, can we look into demand-shaping?

"In other words, how to further incentivise commuters to travel pre-peak hours through discount?

"Today, there's a 30-cent discount but can that be increased?"

Mrs Josephine Teo said: "Since the enhanced discount for pre-peak travel was introduced, the numbers are not completely in yet.

"But anecdotally, the shifting of behaviour has not been great.

"And it looks like more needs to be done to encourage people to travel earlier.

"The feedback that has been given is that often, our commuters value their sleep more than what they have to pay."




I will be keeping a look out for the study report. I hope it will not be another “this is it but we cannot do anything” report.

But end of the day I personally think the solution is not that difficult but rather do the government and the transport operators want to do it or not.

Firstly to ease peak hour crowd, the bus and train operator just have to increase the frequency of trains and buses to the max. E.g let say you have 20 stations on the East West line you just have to pack the maximum allowable trains that the infrastructure can take say about 20 trains, one for each station, running at the same time. I guess that squeeze in even more.

Josephine said commuters still prefer train over parallel buses that have been introduced along train lines where loading levels have been heavy. Try reducing the fare for these buses by 50% and I am sure more people will take the bus.

Frankly I don’t mind taking a longer time if I can get a seat and it is cheaper when I take the bus.

Cedric brought up a good point. 30 cents definitely is not an incentive for you to travel before peak hour, in fact what can you buy for 30 these days.

Try to give 50% discount off the fare and I am sure there will be more off-peak commuters.

Note for off-peak travel they are asking you to go to work early. How come they are not encouraging you to go to work later? The government is scheming for you to work longer hours.

In fact I think a good way to ease traffic congestion is to stagger working hours and let people work from home.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Singapore's Isabelle



SEA Games: Singapore complete clean sweep in table tennis
17 November 2011




JAKARTA: Before they went into action here at the 26th SEA Games, Team Singapore's table tennis stars walked the playing hall and the streets without any fuss.

It was a very different story on Wednesday.

The team of eight were mobbed by local fans at the Soemantri Brodjonegoro Sports Complex after sweeping all five of the gold medals on offer in table tennis.

It was an all-Singapore affair on the final day of table tennis, with world No 4 Feng Tianwei claiming the gold medal in the women's singles and Gao Ning emerging as the men's singles champion.

Feng, 25, proved too good for her younger team-mate, Isabelle Li, the 17-year-old debutant.

There was tremendous support for the two Singapore women in the stands, that also featured a contingent of Team Singapore supporters, including chef-de-mission Dr Tan Eng Liang.

Feng was never troubled, wrapping up the final 4-0 (11-3, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5) in 35 minutes.

Said the defending champion, who also picked up a gold in the women's doubles: "I think today Isabelle was not so used to my style and I played better and was more steady.

"Isabelle is a player with a lot of promise. She's good and she just needs to work on her aggression and attack."

Feng returns to Singapore on Thursday before departing for London on November 21 to compete in the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals.

Watched by her family members and friends, last year's Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Isabelle was delighted to finish second on her debut.

"There is still a gulf in standard between us, and it was a hard match for me. This is my first time competing against Tianwei and it was a very special moment for me playing against a world champion and world No 4," said the teenager.

In the men's singles final that followed, it was sweet revenge for veteran Gao Ning, who notched a 4-0 (11-6, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8) victory over team-mate Yang Zi. The 29-year-old had lost the Commonwealth Games gold to Yang in New Delhi last year,

Gao Ning, who claimed his third successive singles gold in the event, said: "It's a good feeling. I think I prepared more sufficiently this time around and clinched the crucial points."

With five golds and four silver medals from five events, table tennis is the most successful sport for Singapore here.

Selection issues had dogged the paddlers ahead of the SEA Games, as the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA) got into a tangle with the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC).

It was eventually resolved, and speaking on Wednesday, STTA president Lee Bee Wah said: "I'm very proud of them, especially our younger players Xuejie and Isabelle. I think the results speak for itself ... the STTA wants to groom younger players.

"In future, the policy of sending one set of senior players to get medals and another set of younger ones for development will remain (for SEA Games)."

Chef-de-mission Tan, a vice-president at the SNOC, personally congratulated Lee on the team's success.

"Our congratulations to the paddlers and the association for winning five gold medals. They deserve our fullest and heartiest congratulations.

"The younger players, especially Isabelle and Pang, they have done well to reach where they are, and it's good for them and table tennis," he said.



I am so happy and proud of Isabelle being a true blue Singaporean and manage to beat a China Born “Singaporean”.

Just imagine if there is no Feng in the team, Isabelle may just be the SEA game’s champion.

Personally I do not support these “buying” of foreigner, give them a citizenship and let them represent Singapore.

It is different if one migrated here and Singapore developed him or her to represent Singapore.

If he or she is already trained and just because his/her home country has quota of sending them to world championship and these players has to seek second home in Singapore then it is not too correct.

To them Singapore is just suckers for putting someone on the world map of sports.

In fact I think fame is not so important. We don’t have to win an Olympic medal by importing foreigners.

We should spend more time and effort to develop our own people. True blue Singaporean.

Isabelle stands a good chance of being one of the world best. I think we should be spending more money on Table Tennis then those idiotic swimmers who try to speak like American.

Looking forward to see more or Isabelle in the future, and congratulation for winning the silver medal.

Monday, November 14, 2011

MP talking rubbish.

We’ve become a more gracious society: ESM Goh
Sat, Nov 12, 2011


Over the years, the level of graciousness among Singaporeans has improved, said Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong on Sunday.

Speaking as the guest of honour at the first Singapore Kindness Movement conference, Goh noted that the habit of spitting in public is not as widely visible and common as compared to the past years.

He also observed that Singaporeans have grown more polite when speaking on their mobile phones at the public places, albeit there are still cases of people being inconsiderate.

“In my view, I think we have become more gracious,” said the former prime minister.

The Member of Parliament also mooted the idea of creating a “4G Home” which stands for “Great, Gracious, Generous and Green home” for the whole of the Marine Parade group representation constituency, which he represents.

This movement could later on be extended to the other parts of the country, he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin, who is also MP for the GRC, said that Singaporeans can choose to be kind and gracious or not to those around them.

“We all make those choices every day. How we treat our family members, how we treat our neighbours. When we walk out and we see them, do we smile? Do we greet them? When we know they’re rushing, do we hold the lift for them,” he asked.

“All these little actions doesn’t cost you anything,” he pointed out, adding that doing such acts of kindness would eventually become second nature in people if done regularly.

Tan also reminded parents that they also had a role to play in instilling positive values in their children. For instance, he said that the way parents interact in public could have an influence on the behaviour of their children.

“Do we as parents pay attention to the way we talk in front of our children, the comments we pass about the neighbours, about people out there. We are sometimes very loose in the way we way talk,” he said.

William Wan, general secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement Council, also stressed that the kindness movement is not a top-down but more of a bottom-up approach.

“This is a movement; this is not a government thing. This should be a people thing,” he said.

And this year’s campaign theme “Say Thanks, Make Someone’s Day” aims to ensure that Singaporeans are able to participate even through the simplest act of kindness, he said.

The conference was held in conjunction with the World Kindness Day which will kick off at Orchard Road on Sunday. Around 30,000 yellow gerbera daisies will be given out to the public and they are encouraged to spread the idea and pass it whenever they witness any act of kindness.



Has this guys been living in the cave for too long or maybe he built his ivory tower too high?

It is a joke that Goh comments that our society is more gracious, maybe when compare to 1 day ago but to me it has definitely gone from bad to worst.

If it is really a more gracious society now as Goh, MP for Marine parade, said then what are we even wasting tax payer money to launch this year Kindness movement reminding Singapore to say a simple “Thank you”.

Look around you Goh, look at the tissue reservation culture in our hawker. Opps I forgot you don’t have you daily meal there.

Look at people not giving up reserved seats to those in need. Opps I forgot you don’t travel on public transport.

Look at the amount of litters over the weekends. Look at the mess people created during meals. Do people thank those aunties and uncles who clean up the tables at foodcourts?

Step out of your damned comfort zone and see with you own eyes before passing useless views. You don’t live like normal Singaporean so you have experience how “Gracious” we have became.

Friday, November 11, 2011

More stupid Elites

Smaller flats have not lowered quality of life: HDB CEO
Nov 11, 2011


SINGAPORE - The shrinking size of public flats here has not lowered Singaporeans' quality of living, according to Housing and Development Board's (HDB) CEO Cheong Koon Hean.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a housing forum yesterday, Dr Cheong noted that there are now fewer people living in one flat which works out to increased living space per person.

"Our families are smaller. In the old days, we have very large families living in a flat. Today, the family is two, three, four (people)," she said.

As a result of rising land costs and the need to keep flats affordable, the size of HDB flats has shrunk by 5 to 10 per cent over the last two to three decades. For example, a five-room flat in Bukit Batok Central built in 1989 has a floor area of 121 sq m, compared to 110 sq m for a similar unit built in 2003.

Based on official surveys, the average household size was 3.5 last year. In 1980, it was 4.9.

This means an occupant of a 110 sq m five-room flat today will have 31 sq m of space, while a resident of a 121 sq m five-room flat in the '80s had about 25 sq m of space. Dr Cheong added that interior design also plays a part in creating good living space.

"In many global cities of the world or big cities, people do pay attention to how they do the inside of the flat as well as optimising the use of furniture and storage. It can be a very comfortable living environment," she said.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail concurred with Dr Cheong: "The modern Singapore family is much smaller and living in a bigger place compared to previous generations, and with amenities. The quality of life is not affected."

Mr Ismail added: "And people have a choice to buy three, four or five-room flats."

Still, Mr Ismail noted that with the high property prices, the lower income with many children will be most affected as they have "no choice but to buy within their means, and that means a smaller flat".

Size matters

Suntec Chesterton International head of research and consultancy Colin Tan disagreed with the suggestion that the smaller flat sizes have not compromised the quality of living.

Mr Tan pointed out that today's modern family needs "at least" a three-bedroom flat with one room for the domestic help or the in-laws.

"And when the children grow up, families will want separate rooms for daughters and sons," Mr Tan said.
Mr Tan noted that unlike the private sector, the HDB does not reduce the size of the kitchen. Instead, it builds smaller bedrooms and this is where Mr Tan believes has the "biggest impact" on the quality of life.

He also argued that Singaporeans, who have become more affluent, have a greater number of possessions which require space. Said Mr Tan: "People who have lived in bigger flats will feel that their quality of life has gone down."

Some flat owners pointed out that it is the size of the unit that affects a couple's decision on the number of children to have. Ms Priscilla Raj, 28, who lives in a five-room Build-To-Order flat, said she was not satisfied with the size of her flat, which might deter her from having more children.

The mother of one said: "(The size) will affect your quality of life - there's no space to have your in-laws or friends to stay over. The cramp makes you feel that you're living in a cell."



Bravo Cheong Koon Hean, you made yourself sound like an idiot on public media trying to justify your organisation greed by building smaller flats while selling them at record prices.

First of all I bet this Koon Hean doesn’t even live in HDB nor she has many friends living in one of her product.

Here is like having someone who eat shark fin everyday telling the person who drink tap water it is good enough to have water as long time ago people dink from the drains.

This again highlighted the poor quality of leadership in government stats boards who are appointed without knowing the needs and hardships of average Singaporean. (Remember the SMRT CEO?)

How will you expect these Elites to do a good job providing the needs of the peasants?

They do not use the product the sell and they are out to maximise profit for their company.

Now we know they are quite stupid as well as they try to tell us how good HDB flats and SMRT are.

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Casio Scum

MBS jackpot winner to finally get her dues
Nov 10, 2011


SINGAPORE - A hawker who got into a dispute with Marina Bay Sands (MBS) after she was denied her full jackpot winnings will be getting the money after all. The MBS said yesterday that it has agreed to pay Madam Choo Hong Eng 58, the full sum of S$416,742.11.

An MBS spokesperson said in a statement: "Marina Bay Sands regrets any confusion over the numbers displayed when Madam Choo Hong Eng won the Lotus Evora slot jackpot in our casino ... After carefully reviewing this matter, Marina Bay Sands will pay the patron the amount that was displayed on the slot machine."

The spokesperson added: "We deeply regret the inconveniences caused."

Mdm Choo had visited the casino at MBS on Oct 18. She hit the jackpot but the casino told her that the machine had malfunctioned. She was offered a sports car worth S$258,962 and S$50,000 in cash instead. But Mdm Choo refused the offer, in the knowledge that there was CCTV camera footage and witnesses to support her account.

Mdm Choo told Channel NewsAsia yesterday that she was notified by her lawyer of MBS' decision to pay her the full winnings in a letter dated last Friday when she was in Taiwan.

Mdm Choo, who had earlier asked the Casino Regulatory Authority to intervene, signed the letter of acceptance at her lawyer's firm yesterday. According to Mdm Choo, she will receive the money three days after MBS receives the letter of acceptance.

Mdm Choo said she will donate about half of her winnings to charity.



Damned these big establishments. Trying to con and threaten normal people on the street.
What you expect when you run a casino? Only want people to lose money in your premises?

Casino owner are indeed the biggest scum around.

Another reason not to gamble, casino is around because you are losing lots of money.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

My 6th mobile phone





Ok to me it is just a phone.

I am neither pro-apple nor anti-apple.

I know people out there who swore by apple and keep boasting about it and also there are some who are at the other extreme condemning it.

Well everything have pro and cons, to me it is just a smart phone.

Looking back this is my 6th phones for the past 12 years. This can be considered as little compare to people around me.

I can say I am clever person in this aspect and not like those that keep changing to the latest phone whenever they are available.

Technology has indeed come a long way.

Decay of Moral in Singapore

MOE develops tool kit for character education
08 November 2011


SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) has developed a resource package to help schools create their own curriculum for Character and Citizenship Education (CCE).

The tool kit provides checklists and broad approaches that teachers can take.

Teachers will need to be supported through professional development courses and relevant research materials.

But Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat said parents must not be left out of the equation.

"Parents play the most critical role in the upbringing of the children, in inculcating the right values and building the character of their children," he said.

"Indeed, parents are the ones who know their children best. So there has to be a very strong partnership between the parents and schools, and also between the schools and the broader community.

"If you look at the sources of influence on the values and the character of our students, the sources are much more diverse and varied than it was in the past.

"Therefore, it's important to pull all these elements together into a coherent whole."

The tool kit sets out several broad approaches.

These include integrating CCE into the school's academic subjects, co-curricular activities and staff development programmes, as opposed to treating it as a standalone subject.

Schools should also customise their programmes based on the profile of their students.

In North View Primary School, for instance, students put themselves in the shoes of others during lessons on empathy.

They take turns manoeuvring their classmates on wheelchairs, and picking out safety pins from rice while being blindfolded.

These are some ways to give students a feel of what it is like to be disabled.

Primary 6 student Wong Xin Pei said: "I was starting to get irritated after only a while. Then I realised how hard it was for the visually handicapped to go through their entire lives without being able to see what's around them."

Examples such as what's taking place at North View Primary are included in the new tool kit, to guide teachers along.

The tool kit lays out some broad approaches, including treating values not as a separate subject, but something to be integrated into everyday school life.

Teachers will be given the flexibility to customise programmes based on the family background and profiles of the students, and they'll also be given the support and resources to do so.

But schools can't do it alone.

Unlike other subjects, determination, responsibility and self-confidence can't be tested.

Mr Heng said the effort will take time to bear fruit, and the only gauge is how well students internalise these values.

North View Primary said it will form focus groups involving students and parents to ensure that the teaching of values is on the right track.



It’s about time they start to emphasis more on the moral of our youth.

They may be too late as the parents of these youth already has not much morals and they certainly will influent their children more then what the school can.

I have seen countless selfish parents letting their child run wild, screaming their head off at public area causing a nuisance to the pubic while they either chat with their friends or doddle on their phones.

I have seen countless parents behaving badly in front of their kids not settling a good example.

They grab as more they can eat at buffet, cut queues, litter and are rude to others.
So what moral will a child have if he or she grows up in this kind of family?

Children imitate adult and they spend more time at home then school.

If you don’t have time to love, educate and discipline your child then don’t have kids.

They will only grow up to be another irritating adult.

No wonder youth these days have screwed up life and even beat up their parents.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

"I enjoy, you suffer". A good idea indeed.

Government policies won't please all: DPM Teo
Government's job is to make decisions after taking in different feedback
ST 03 NOV


If everybody wants an MRT service, someone will have to suffer the dust and noise of a station being built, perhaps near his home.

And if roads are to be widened, people will have to accept that some trees may have to be cut down to make space.

Citing these examples of trade-offs that decision-makers have to make, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Wednesday sought to show that not everyone will be happy with every decision made by the Government.

Nevertheless, it is the Government's job to make decisions, even when they are tough and unpopular, he said


The question is, are you will to suffer a little by giving up part of your pay package for the well being of average Singaporean.

It’s easy to ask other to scarify while you and the Elites enjoy all the fruits and champagne.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Highest paid Puppet

S'poreans have limited understanding of Elected Presidency: survey
01 November 2011 1100 hrs


A survey by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) found that Singaporeans appear to have a limited understanding of the Elected Presidency.

The survey was conducted within two months of the August presidential election, Singapore's second since 1991 when the Elected Presidency was created.

The first was in 1993, when former Accountant-General Chua Kim Yeow and former Deputy Prime Minister Ong Teng Cheong contested.

The IPS survey sought to understand the factors behind voters' choices.

The 2,025 respondents were asked which of 11 statements described the roles of the President.

Of these 11 statements, only five were aligned with the government's interpretation of the office.

Forty-two per cent got six or more correct and only one per cent was able to identify all "correct" and "incorrect" statements.

Representing Singapore in foreign relations was the most recognised role, with 94 per cent answering correctly, but respondents were unclear over whether the President is allowed to speak publicly on national issues.

Fifty-seven per cent agreed with the official view that the Elected President could not speak unless advised by the government.

Seventy-five per cent said 'yes' when asked if the Elected President could speak on issues he thinks are important.

The survey found that among the top three roles that shaped a voter's choice, the top two did not fall within the official interpretation. These were, "to ensure that the government manages the economy wisely" and "to ensure that the government does what it promised in the general election".

The third most important role was the President's veto powers over the reserves. This, IPS said, reflects the level of opinion and expectation the public has over the office.

Presenting the results on Tuesday, Dr Gillian Koh of the Institute of Policy Studies said the gap in understanding corresponded with statements made by candidates in the presidential election during campaigning period.

The senior research fellow said more education is needed.

She said: "I think the level of opinion in our findings can be due to a couple of things. First, [that] the institution of the Elected Presidency is very young, is extremely complex. And second, it is put to the vote. So people feel that with a mandate that is from the ground, it should actually allow the President to do much more than what is actually stipulated."

As for characteristics of candidates, respondents valued honesty, fairness and the ability to represent the country well, with a score of 4.5 and above out of five points.

Independence from political parties mattered less, scoring 3.5 points. The majority of those who said it was important were from low-income groups and the lower occupational classes.

Respondents were also less concerned about picking a candidate whose views on national issues ran parallel to theirs.

The survey found that in general, the higher the income and education levels of respondents, the more knowledgeable they were.

This same group also tended to be more critical of the system, and more likely to support change. For instance, they were more likely to agree that political parties and social organisations and unions should not be allowed to endorse candidates.

As with the May general election, the Internet played a significant role as a medium of communication, particularly among younger respondents earning higher incomes.

However, newspapers and television remained the top two sources of information across respondents and also had a bigger influence over voting decisions.

Among websites cited, Facebook was the most commonly read while Channel NewsAsia website was rated highest among respondents aged 21-29, those who were most highly educated and who were most knowledgeable about the Elected Presidency
.



People generally don’t care about the role and function of our President simply as we did not have a say on who we want until recently since Mr Ong time.

If you ask the man on the street, the general feeling is that our President is just a puppet, opps, a symbolic one.

The role and functions are not clear and I remember is just keep changing and only until the recent presidential election that we got some surprising enlightenment from the cabinets on the limiter power or shall I say non existing power he have.

Then why is he pay so much?

Maybe Tony should get 1/3 of the pay since only 1/3 of Singaporean voted for him.
Just wondering is he still getting his pension on top of his president’s salary?

Grossly imbalance our society is if you ask me.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Again PAP ask you to change instead of themselves

Parliament's for "serious discussion, not just criticism"
30 October 2011 1840 hrs (SST)

PERTH, AUSTRALIA: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that Parliament is a place for serious discussion and not just criticism.

Mr Lee added that Parliament is not just a place to hold either the government or opposition to account.

Instead both sides should participate in solving problems together, or Singapore would be worse off for it.

He was speaking to the Singapore media at the end of the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth on Sunday.

Earlier this month, Singapore's Parliament sat for the first time since the May General Election, and members shared their thoughts on the measures needed for the country to prosper.

Mr Lee said that while the opposition had put a lot of effort into their parliamentary speeches, it remains to be seen if they will participate in helping to solve problems.

"This is not just a show, it's not just theatre. This (Parliament) is a place where we are discussing very serious business and where we have to make very difficult choices for Singaporeans on behalf of our voters," he said.

"And I think as government, it's our responsibility to speak the truth to Singaporeans and I think it's the opposition's responsibility also to acknowledge the truth and to speak it, whether or not it's politically advantageous to them," added Mr Lee.

On Singapore's economy, Mr Lee said that there are dark clouds on the horizon, referring to the latest report from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

The MAS report said that Singapore's economic growth will stall over the next few quarters before seeing a modest recovery late next year because the long-term structural problems in Europe will not disappear soon.

Prime Minister Lee added that Singapore is also facing slowing growth because the economy is more mature.

"For a developed economy, 3, 4% (growth) is not bad. Of course, we've been used to 5,6,7 (percent), or even more in the past, but it's a different phase. When you're an adolescent, you grow and shoot up inches every year. When you're mature you hope to grow, not necessarily taller but wiser and better," said Mr Lee.

On the government's move to raise the minimum qualifying salaries for foreign professionals and skilled workers, Mr Lee said that the government knows it has been painful for employers.

He added that accepting a lower growth rate is the price to pay for managing the population size in Singapore.

Even with these challenges, Mr Lee said Singapore should not be too downbeat. He said Singapore hopes to have quality growth - improved productivity for better wages.

Mr Lee also pointed out that he had met various leaders at CHOGM, all of whom expressed admiration for Singapore and said the country has done very well.

Referring to his meeting with Western Australia's Premier Colin Barnett, Mr Lee said it is keen to develop links with Singapore.

Mr Lee concluded that Singapore is "not doing badly", but can do better.

On CHOGM which had focused on reforms, Mr Lee said it would not be easy to transform the Commonwealth.

Calling the Commonwealth an "old boys' club" brought together by a shared history, he said members work together where they can but they also have disagreements.

On the failed proposal to appoint a watchdog for human rights, Mr Lee said Singapore's support will depend very much on whether such a commissioner will be productive.

The proposal for an independent commissioner on human rights, democracy and the rule of law was one of the reforms called for by an "Eminent Persons Group" that CHOGM itself commissioned two years ago to help it maintain relevancy.




I agree that the parliament should be a place for constructive debates.

But how many times did the government put bill up for debates when it had already been passed?

How many times did the PAP government themselves drawing their million dollars salaries but still call for assistance? Waste of tax payer money if you ask me.

I have no problem with the government making mistakes.

My main problem with this administration is their gross salaries.

Are these people worth being the most expensive cabinets in the world?

I admit there are a few good men in there but they are also what I call “YES MAN” which cannot do anything as long as there is a party whips in the PAP controlling these Member of Parliament.

But don’t forget, it is the people from your constituency that voted you in the represent them, strictly speaking you work for them and not for your party. Gosh they even pay your salary as well.

For Hsien Loong to make this statement, he must look at his own policy.

Can the current government open to criticisms and put bills for parliament debates before passing them?

Can the PAP for once work and think for the man on the street rather for themselves and the elites?

Can Hsien Loong stop thinking debates with the opposition parties are a waste of time and he need to “fix” them?

Talk is cheap. Just do it and the people will see for themselves Hsien Loong.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Modern day slaves

S'poreans' top worries: All about $
Lack of money is one of the causes of all unhappiness among Singaporeans.
Tue, Oct 25, 2011
my paper


AS THE age-old adage goes, money is the root of all evil. But money - or the lack of it - is also the root of all unhappiness among Singaporeans.

The top three causes for unhappiness here: Insufficient personal savings, growing expenditure in the last six months and the current state of the economy. In addition, the most unhappy group of citizens are young adults aged between 18 and 29 years old.

These are the findings of The Happiness Report, a study on the happiness quotient of Singaporeans released yesterday by integrated marketing-communications agency Grey Group
Singapore. The study was conducted in June on 200 Singaporean respondents of all races aged 18 and above.

Happiness was also hotly debated in last week's parliamentary sessions, after Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim suggested that Singapore use an index of happiness and well-being to gauge the
country's growth instead of relying on just gross domestic product.

In a separate study on the effect of material success on perceived quality of life, Dr Christie Scollon, associate professor of psychology, noted that material wealth is an important part of Singaporeans' conception of "the good life".

"There is a shared consensus that material wealth equates to the good life," said Prof Scollon, who teaches at the Singapore Management University's School of Social Sciences.

"Think of the 5Cs and how everybody knows what they are," she added.

Rising inflation may have also played a part in making Singaporeans unhappy.

The latest figures released by the Department of Statistics yesterday showed a 5.5 per cent increase in the consumer price index last month, compared to that one year ago, due to higher costs for housing, transport and food.

The Happiness Report also noted that a higher percentage of working women are unhappy as compared to their male colleagues.

Grey Group Singapore chief executive Subbaraju Alluri called this "the most revealing finding of the study".

He said that, with 57 per cent of women here in the work force, this points to the fact that a large number of them are juggling their roles and responsibilities at work and in their families.

"Roles for women in Singapore have become more stressful than ever before. The other potential reason could be the corporate glass ceiling that some women face, with the long hours they put in not being reflected in their career progression," said Mr Alluri.

Added Prof Scollon: "They may have so many roles and obligations to fulfil that they often feel guilty while doing one thing, because it means not being able to do something else.
"In short, the modern woman is overly burdened."



First I think the sampling size of 200 is too small. 200 out of 1 million Singaporean in the workforce is like 0.02%. Not even the tip of the iceberg.

So this Grey Group Singapore make itself sound not very professional here. I wonder what their point of publishing this “finding”. Publicity perhaps?

I got to say the findings are nothing new and I bet the result will be more negative if the sample size increases. So maybe the Grey Group don’t want to make the government look too bad while trying to have some publicity at the same time?

Back to the findings.

Singapore is well know for high cost of living, long work hours, competitive education system, inefficient public transports system, place with the most expensive private transports in the world, moronic Ministers and absent of basic consumer rights.

In short I don’t think Singaporean are a happy bunch, the only happy people in Singapore are the Foreign Trashs…. Talents I meant.

With high cost of livings, Singaporeans have to work longer hours with no minimum wages while competing with cheap foreigners workers. While our government slipping champagne in their ivory towers.
The county has became an efficient money making machine with slaves tied town by housing loans and expensive health care. We have forgotten how to take time off, go for long holiday giving up some material wealth like cars and condominiums.

Monday, October 24, 2011

The quality of our Ministers are shocking.

Low: Better, faster and perhaps cheaper ministers?
Yahoo! Newsroom – Sat, Oct 22, 2011


Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang and Labour chief Lim Swee Say from People's Action Party (PAP) locked horns during the final day of the 12th Parliament's first meeting on Friday.

As the last speaker to speak from the opposition bench, Low -- the MP for Aljunied GRC -- took aim at Minister Lim Swee Say’s oft-repeated slogan of “cheaper, better, faster” and said that “perhaps we will start to see better, faster ministers at work and perhaps cheaper (ones) after the ministerial salary review is completed”.

He also urged the government to ask itself why Singaporeans commonly perceived the government to be "more concerned with paying its ministers well than about the welfare of the people."

In reply, Lim – who is the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office as well as chief of the NTUC labour movement —said that his “cheaper, better, faster” slogan was referring to products and services and that comparisons were unfair.

“There’s a fundamental difference,” he said in his speech. “What the NTUC and the tripartite partners and pursuing are cheaper, better, faster products and services, and a cheaper, better, faster economy, not a cheaper, better, faster workforce.”

The East Coast GRC MP also said he was at a loss for words when Low said he felt that ministers served out of self-interest, accusing opposition MPs of taking credit for "the good things" that the government has done since the May General Election by saying that the presence of opposition MPs have brought about policy changes.

Separately, Low also urged the People’s Action Party to refrain from using “doom and gloom” scenarios when debating health care and welfare policy trade-offs.

“I urge the PAP to step out of the shadow of doom and gloom of certain pitfalls of Western liberal democracy and work towards a First World Parliament in our own way,” he said.

Low was defending Non-Constituency MPs Gerald Giam and Yee Jenn Jong's earlier calls for the government to spend on affordable and adequate health care, housing and retirement financing.

Both NMPs were then reminded by Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, Lee Yi Shyan, of the pitfalls of a welfare state, citing the example of a debt-ridden Greece and its welfare system.

In rebuttal, Low said "it is high time the PAP MPs refrain from using this as a red herring to kill debate on alternative solutions and mechanisms to those proposed by the government."

Low added that the government had used the term "policy trade-offs" to defend decisions that benefited them instead of the people. Low gave the example of the decision to build the integrated resorts with casinos and the government "highlighted the benefits to our society over the related gaming and social ills -- never mind the trade-offs," said Low.

Low however did commend the PAP for its "resilience in response to ground reaction" and added that it was not the opposition MPs, but rather the voters that should really claim the credit for recent changes as they had voted more opposition in and that the result is that the PAP takes a serious look at what is happening.

Both Lim and Low also eventually agreed that national interest would remain above their own partisan ones.



In my opinion Lim Swee Say is just another useless Minister.

Think carefully what had he contributed since taking office since 1996. Now he is a Minister in Prime Minister Office doing God’s know what.

What Low pointed out here is nothing new and the Men-In-White had been smoking out and pushing the reality away again and again.

It just gave the man on the street a feeling that the Men-In-White are not willing to scarify there high salaries for the progress of the national at all. They also chose to bury their head in the ground telling themselves there is not much problem with the county since they win most of the parliament seats.

But they forgot how unfair the election process was.

The fact is our Minsters are over paid for the quality of work they provided. Period!

So take a damn pay cut and work you ass off dear Ministers!

People will see and judge for themselves and will choose to keep you around if they deem you are good.

No need to fight for the credits with the opposition. This only reflects how desperate you are.

Lee Yi Shyan also sprouted nonsense but saying it will be the end of the world for Singapore if the government makes health care, housing and retirement financing more affordable.

If the government can’t even or don’t want to work to improve the basic necessity for its people then it is only correct that it is to be replaced.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Shocking quality of our defence minister.

All NS men treated equally regardless of background: Ng Eng Hen
20 October 2011

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said his ministry is acutely aware that all NS men must be treated equally, regardless of their background.

Dr Ng said the equal treatment for national service has been and must remain a cardinal principle, because without strict adherence to this fundamental tenet, the commitment to NS will be severely eroded and the institution of NS weakened.

Replying to questions in Parliament on the disruption of Dr Patrick Tan, the son of President Tony Tan Keng Yam, Dr Ng said the disruption was in accordance with prevailing policies to obtain his medical degree. Also, a longer period was granted to those admitted to US medical schools.

He assured Singaporeans that neither Dr Patrick Tan, nor any other individual who has disrupted, was given any preferential treatment because of their "connections".

Dr Ng said the policy to allow full time national servicemen to disrupt for medical studies in Singapore dates back to 1973. However, he added that from 1992, disruption for overseas medical studies was no longer allowed as the number of local medical graduates had met SAF's needs.

Dr Patrick Tan deferred his NS for 12 years for a PhD. He re-enlisted in 2000 after having obtained both his medical degree and PhD, and was deployed to the Defence Medical Research Institute in view of his training.

Dr Ng said: "There was no preferential treatment given to Patrick Tan, or any other individual who has disrupted, because of their 'connections'. Let me emphasise to all, including commanders on the ground, that no NS man should be accorded preferential treatment.

"I would like to further assure Singaporeans that Mindef implements a policy of selective disruption for university studies fairly and openly, in accordance with existing criteria. Mindef shall henceforth publish the list of all those disrupted for university (education) annually on a routine basis for public scrutiny."



Isn’t it amazing that the sort of crabs one can says.

Can MINDEF please explain why did you ask me to declare do I have a relative in the SAF and if so what is his/her rank on the first day of my recruit life if there is no preference treatment?

Oh I forgot Cedric Foo answered that a few years ago, he practically said MINDEF indentified white horses so to ENSURE they will not be given preference treatment.

Dumb ass! If really no preference treatment, there should not be any identification at all so commanders have to be fair to each and every soldier.

Ng Eng Hen is beating around the bush here when trying to explain Toni’s Son case.
Basically he just blamed it on old policies.

He failed to explain base on what did Patrick was granted his disruption, he failed to give a statistic on how many applied and rejected during that periods and who is in the committee that review these.

Was Tony Tan the then Minister of Defence in the reviewing committee? If not did the committee know Patrick was Toni’s Son?

This is important as, Gosh! Who will reject your boss son’s application you tell me.

Eng Hen also failed to tell us how many other were given a 12 years deferrer and how many others were posted to Defence Medical Research doing lab work while attaining a Sergeant rank during National Service.

Was this post specially created for Patrick? If not which other NSF were in this position before and after Patrick and please do also tell us what Patrick contributed during his time there.

We are not stupid like you Eng Hen.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Failed to do your job? Well just put others down.

Bhutan is not the 'Shangri-la on earth', says Khaw
19 October 2011


SINGAPORE: The measure of happiness has been a topic of debate in Parliament over the last few days, and constant references to Bhutan have been made as well.

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan joined the debate, saying he visited the small nation a few years ago and the romanticised version of the ancient kingdom did not fit the reality he saw there.

In his speech in Parliament on Wednesday, he said Bhutan is not the "Shangri-la on earth" that some make it out to be.

Mr Khaw said: "Most of the time, I saw unhappy people, toiling in the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products. They have studied us because Singapore is also a tiny nation, living next to big neighbours.

"We have successfully transited from third world to first, and managed to create a functioning and harmonious society for our people. In their minds, Singapore could well be the Shangri-la and they want Bhutan to emulate Singapore."

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Manpower and National Development Tan Chuan-Jin weighed in on the discussion on what some perceive to be the government's obsession with economic growth at all costs.

He said the pursuit of GDP should not be an end but a means to an end.

Mr Tan said the main preoccupation at weekly Cabinet meetings has been to provide for Singaporeans and Singapore.

He added that the government is not perfect and there are things that it can do better and it will do its utmost.

"Life cannot be whittled down into an efficient equation, however effective it may be. Not everything is an economic digit; some of the most important things in life cannot be quantified. At the end of it all, it is about us as Singaporeans, and the future we want to build for our children. And we as the government must have the courage to play our role to lead and do the right things," said Mr Tan.



Instead of doing his job improving the life of Singaporean and making Singapore a nice place to live in, Khaw Boon Wah has to gunned down Bhutan as they are measuring their people happiness index.

So Boon Wah said he saw many unhappy people there toiling the field, worried about the next harvest and whether there would be buyers for their products. Hey you don’t have to go all the way there to see unhappy people. Look at your own country!

Isn’t most Singaporean working long hours days after days worrying about our rice bowl and high cost living and whether will there be a pay cut or will we lose our job to cheap foreign workers soon.

In my mind Singapore in the last county in the world that will be the Shangri-la and I nearly chock on my breakfast when I read Boon Wah suggestion.

For God’s sake we are not even close, Boon Wah where have you been?! Come down from your ivory tower and see for yourself!

Newbie Minister Chan went on saying the government is not perfect. Well if you are the most expensive team in the world you jolly well be damned it!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Equality is what the Elites tell you when they need your votes

Our diversity must not divide us: President Tan
10 October 2011


SINGAPORE: President Tony Tan Keng Yam has called on Singaporeans not to allow diversity to divide the country.

A key theme of his Opening Address to the 12th Parliament is how Singapore has to manage an increasingly diverse population, with different demands, expectations and needs, and still remain a cohesive society.

Dr Tan acknowledged that Singapore's politics is becoming more diverse and open, as more people are contending to represent different groups and interests.

"This is positive for Singapore. But in the heat of the political tussle, we must not forget that we all share the same goal, namely serving the people," he said.

"Hence all sides must take a long-term, national perspective, put society's interests above their own, and find the right way forward together despite different views and preferences. Only by getting our politics right and keeping it constructive and responsible will Singapore make progress."

President Tan shared a word of caution that Singaporeans should not forget to be sensitive to issues which can divide society.

"Our diversity must not divide us. Fault lines in our society have to be carefully managed. We have done well in strengthening racial and religious harmony. Now we must try hard to prevent a new fault line from forming between local-born Singaporeans and recent immigrants," he said.

"The government is slowing the inflow to ensure that new arrivals not only contribute economically, but also embrace our values and integrate into our society. Singaporeans, for our part, should help them become part of our Singapore family, just as our forefathers settled here in earlier generations."

President Tan said the govern¬ment will work closely with the people, engage Singaporeans more extensively on issues, tap their ideas and foster a greater sense of shared ownership.

"Singaporeans are active partners in our shared future, not passive bystanders as we progress. Citizens need to make the effort to think through the issues, weigh the options, and make the compromises and choices," he said.

One platform for such an engagement is the new media.

However he added: "On the Internet, truth is not easily distinguished from misinformation. Anonymity is often abused. Harsh, intemperate voices often drown out moderate, considered views.

"Other countries struggle with this problem too. We must find ways to use the new media constructively, to connect with the digital generation and sustain fruitful conversations on issues concerning us all."

President Tan also outlined some of the plans the government has in mind for different segments of society including the lower income, middle income and those who have done exceptionally well.

He also mentioned senior citizens and the younger generation. He said the underlying objective of the government's programmes for the people is to ensure that all citizens will always have a place in Singapore regardless of their background, religion or race.

Dr Tan said: "To achieve this, our economy must grow. This is basic to improving our lives. High rates of growth will become more challenging as we grapple with the limits of our land area and population size, and as our income level reaches that of developed countries. But we should still make 3-5 percent growth per year, and bring everyone along, provided we work together closely and wisely."

He added: "Our success is defined not just by material progress but also by our values and ideals. We want a fair and just society that ensures the well-being of every citizen; a gracious and compassionate community whose members care for one another; and a truly special Singapore, where our children can grow to be the best that they can be."

For lower-income Singaporeans, Dr Tan said Singa¬pore will continue to be a country where they could improve themselves and do well as the country progresses.

For the majority in the middle, President Tan said Singapore will always be a country where they can enjoy the fruits of their labour and have ample opportunities to move ahead.


For those who do exceptionally well, Singapore will continue to offer many opportunities to excel - a secure, nurturing base camp from which they could scale the heights of the world, said the President.

For senior citizens, Dr Tan said Singapore will always be their home where they can spend their silver years with peace of mind.

And for the young, "Singapore will be the place to pursue your dreams and fulfil your promise", said the President.

Concluding his address to the Parliament, President Tan said that very few countries have been able to achieve what Singapore has done and he called on every Singaporean to build on the strong foundation together for a better life and a brighter tomorrow.



Undoing community bonding
ST FORUM 13 OCT


LAST Saturday, a friend invited me to an event organised by the People's Association (PA) at Cheng San Community Club.

The ticket cost $12 per person, and a high-tea buffet was included. In attendance were Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Ang Hin Kee and PA chief executive director Yam Ah Mee.


While I appreciate the efforts of the PA and community clubs in organising such community-bonding events, it left me with reservations.

I was flabbergasted to discover that the organising committee, judges, sponsors and other VIPs enjoyed their high-tea in a closed air-conditioned room while the rest of the guests had theirs outside under a tent.

Why was there a 'divide' for an occasion aimed at community bonding?

On the same day, across the road from the PA event, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was officiating at an event marking the completion of an upgrading programme.

According to press reports, he emphasised that the Government was determined to improve citizens' lives, and this included community bonding.


What happened was unfortunate because the grassroots leaders who organised the community-bonding event were undoing what the Government is trying to achieve.


Lum Yan Meng



I simply love it when the Government scored own goals.

Actions speak louder the words and this double standards by PA just threw Toni’s words out of the window.

I borrow a quote from Animal Farm:

“All Animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” - George Orwell, Animal Farm.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The miser

Govt to give US$100k to Red Cross for flood-hit nations
The Singapore Government will contribute $127,000 to kick-start the Singapore Red Cross' appeal. -
Tue, Oct 11, 2011

The Singapore Government will contribute US$100,000 (S$127,000) to kick-start the Singapore Red Cross' appeal for donations for Thailand, Cambodia and other countries in the region affected by recent floods, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.


Talk about being a miser, and what ironies that the most expensive government in the world is donating a mere US$100,000 to various countries affect by the flood.

For God’s sake if you so stingy please don’t report this as you will become a joke.

To put into perspective Lee Hsien Loong’s Salary is about US$2,856,930 and our Minister earn about US$1,600,000 a year.

Gosh US$100,000 is even less then the monthly pay of the greedy PM, hey it’s even less then what a Minister’s monthly salary.

Sad.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Yet another reminder of their greed.


They tried to do it quitely but here I am keeping it on record for yet anther fare increase for our public transport.

So folk you already paid more over the weekend.

Bloody blood suckers.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Long overdue.

Six PAP Central Exco members step down
The memberse had proposed to step down to facilitate leadership renewal in the party.
-myp
Thu, Oct 06, 2011


The People's Action Party (PAP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) has accepted the resignation of six members who had proposed to step down to facilitate leadership renewal in the party.

They are Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Goh Chok Tong, Mr Lim Boon Heng, Mr Wong Kan Seng, Mr George Yeo and Mrs Lim Hwee Hua.

The CEC has also decided to confer upon Mr Lee and Mr Goh the title of Honorary Past Secretary-General, in recognition of their outstanding service and seminal contributions to the PAP and Singapore.

The new members to fill these six vacancies will be chosen through a poll of PAP branch chairmen and cadres representing PAP branches, district committees, the Women's Wing and Young PAP.

The selection is expected to be completed by next month's party convention.



It is only right that they step down and they are no more in the cabinet. I can’t believe it took Lee Kuan Yew 11 years after he step down as Prime Minister and Goh Chock Tong 7 years to do this.

I guess that pay must be good.

Please note the infamous Mah is still in there!! Gosh!

But I still think Lee Kuan Yew will still has some influent in the Party one way or another.
So now Woody has a super long title.

Honorary Past Secretary-General of People Action Party Emeritus Senior Minister MP for Marine Parade GRC Goh Chock Tong!

Must need a very big name card to fit all that in.