Taxes must rise for social spending to increase: Ng Eng Hen
Yahoo News 31 Aug. 12
The money needed for increased social spending can only come from higher taxes, says Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, reiterating a point made recently by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Speaking on the sidelines of a forum on the prime minister’s National Day Rally speech on Thursday evening, Ng said Singapore’s ageing population necessitates higher social spending by the government.
He noted that by 2025, there will be roughly two to three working adults for every elderly person in Singapore. The Ministry for Community Development, Youth and Sports also estimates that by 2030, elderly people aged 65 and above will form almost one-quarter of Singapore's citizen population.
“Our society is ageing, we will have more aged people, and we want to take better care of the disadvantaged and disabled,” he told reporters. “Just by numbers alone, even if you spend the same amount, social spending has to increase.”
Responding to a question posed in the forum and addressing an audience of about 200, Ng said, “If you want more social spending, you have to find the money only from taxes.”
Lee had said in his speech on Sunday that taxes would have to be raised within the next two decades to fund higher social spending. He also explained that, though people have said the government could rely on reserves to finance the increase, it has already in a way been doing so through the use of returns from investing the reserves.
When asked by a forum participant about the possibility of using budget surpluses to fund the nation’s increments in social spending, Ng pointed out that the government does not have surpluses, noting that PM Lee had even mentioned in his rally that it took out S$8 billion from Singapore’s reserves in the last financial year.
“If our economy grows, if the size of the economy grows and revenues come in, then perhaps we don’t. But as you know, we have some limits of growth in terms of labour and our land, so our economy is projected to grow one to three per cent,” Ng added.
“But these are issues I think that are best dealt with when we need to, it’s just that we first have to determine the national conversation — how do we better take care of the disadvantaged groups... and then decide from there how much, what we need, what we can afford and how (we can) husband our resources to take better care of them. I think that’s a better conversation."
This guy is nut! I wonder how he became a Minister but again history has proven that you don’t really need one to be in the Cabinet.
Ok I agreed with him that we need money for “social spending” and raising taxes is just one way of generate the fund.
First we must look at who you are taxing to fund your social spending and the money needs to be really given to those who really need help. Are you taxing all Singaporean to buy a gold taps or fund a Singer career?
I have a few suggestions on how to increase fund for social spending.
First cut the Minister’s pays, after all they are public servant and already have all the benefit of transports, medical and pensions.
Tax should increase only for the top earners in the country and reduced for the rest. This is so because the rich must have social responsibilities to the society since they earn their wealth from the people.
Although our population are ageing but technology is improving, so why should taxes be increased for the next 20 years? In fact it should remain the same if not cut due to advancement of science.
Finally what is happening to our reserve and country investment? If GIC earns from its investment, which it claims, then these profits should be used to fund social spending and not just for the government to play with. These are money belong to Singaporean.
Eng Hen scenario above is like:
You give your father 20% of you salary as an allowance. But on top of this you need to pay rental and utilities. Your father wants to rent his flats to an expat and he reduces the size of your room but increase the rent yearly. Meanwhile he used the money he earn from your allowance and the rental fees to gamble in the casino and claims he won every time but now he is asking you to give him more allowance for the next 20years so he can take care of you when you stop working.
Face palmed!
Showing posts with label Dumb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dumb. Show all posts
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Myopic tunnel vision by these idiots.
Disruption seemed to be better managed, says Minister Lui
Mar 16, 2012
Compared to the train service breakdowns in December last year, yesterday's North East Line (NEL) disruption - which was due to faults discovered before the train services began - seemed to be better managed, said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.
SBS Transit's larger fleet of buses, which could be activated to ferry affected customers, and the smaller number of stations involved helped alleviate the situation, said Mr Lui.
So did the lessons learnt from the disruptions on the North South Line - operated by SMRT - on Dec 15 and 17 last year, which resulted in the two train operators working closer together.
"Even if there's a situation that affects lines run by SMRT ... we could see an improvement on the situation compared to the past," said Mr Lui, who was speaking to reporters outside Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station (picture) where he was assessing the situation.
There were announcements informing commuters about the disruption, unlike in December when announcements were made only on the affected lines, he noted. Since then, SMRT and SBS Transit have also come together to allow free travel on bus services that serve affected MRT stations during a disruption, in addition to the bus bridging services.
During yesterday's disruption, commuters could travel on SBS Transit's 124 or SMRT's 190 services for free - but commuters were generally unaware of this, Mr Lui said. "We need to do a better job to make sure that people know that there are other services that are also free," he said.
Mr Lui pledged that the authorities and the operators would carry out a thorough check on the entire NEL for symptoms "that may point towards other problematic areas along the line".
But he added: "The feedback and the update that I have gotten from my people in the operation centre is that they believe that it is confined only to the stretch between Outram and HarbourFront."
I think Tuck Yew is missing the point.
Yes there is definitely an improvement the ways the transport operator handle this incident but the question is, WHY IS THERE A DISRUPTION IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Now MRT disruption seen to be a norm these days and SBS Transit and SMRT must explain why this is so.
Lack of maintenance? Cost cutting? Lousy design?
Is there anymore underlying problem that are waiting to disrupt the system and are all angles covered to prevent future disruptions?
To me all these checks should have been done long ago when the first disruption happened. I guess they are still trying to save on the maintenance, worst still they don’t know what underlying problems are there in the system.
This is what you get for putting “yes man” who only care about profit as CEOs.
Tuck Yew is going to F them for giving him bad publicity now.
Mar 16, 2012
Compared to the train service breakdowns in December last year, yesterday's North East Line (NEL) disruption - which was due to faults discovered before the train services began - seemed to be better managed, said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.
SBS Transit's larger fleet of buses, which could be activated to ferry affected customers, and the smaller number of stations involved helped alleviate the situation, said Mr Lui.
So did the lessons learnt from the disruptions on the North South Line - operated by SMRT - on Dec 15 and 17 last year, which resulted in the two train operators working closer together.
"Even if there's a situation that affects lines run by SMRT ... we could see an improvement on the situation compared to the past," said Mr Lui, who was speaking to reporters outside Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station (picture) where he was assessing the situation.
There were announcements informing commuters about the disruption, unlike in December when announcements were made only on the affected lines, he noted. Since then, SMRT and SBS Transit have also come together to allow free travel on bus services that serve affected MRT stations during a disruption, in addition to the bus bridging services.
During yesterday's disruption, commuters could travel on SBS Transit's 124 or SMRT's 190 services for free - but commuters were generally unaware of this, Mr Lui said. "We need to do a better job to make sure that people know that there are other services that are also free," he said.
Mr Lui pledged that the authorities and the operators would carry out a thorough check on the entire NEL for symptoms "that may point towards other problematic areas along the line".
But he added: "The feedback and the update that I have gotten from my people in the operation centre is that they believe that it is confined only to the stretch between Outram and HarbourFront."
I think Tuck Yew is missing the point.
Yes there is definitely an improvement the ways the transport operator handle this incident but the question is, WHY IS THERE A DISRUPTION IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Now MRT disruption seen to be a norm these days and SBS Transit and SMRT must explain why this is so.
Lack of maintenance? Cost cutting? Lousy design?
Is there anymore underlying problem that are waiting to disrupt the system and are all angles covered to prevent future disruptions?
To me all these checks should have been done long ago when the first disruption happened. I guess they are still trying to save on the maintenance, worst still they don’t know what underlying problems are there in the system.
This is what you get for putting “yes man” who only care about profit as CEOs.
Tuck Yew is going to F them for giving him bad publicity now.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
There is no excuse for Greed.
Drawbacks on pegging ministers' pay to that of foreign leaders
Mr Teo pointed out the differences between Singapore and other countries in terms of size, make-up of population and philosophy of governance
Tue, Jan 17, 2012
my paper
There are drawbacks with the suggestion that ministers' salaries here should be benchmarked to those of foreign leaders, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.
Mr Teo, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, said: "Political pay levels and structures based on domestic political considerations in one country may not correlate with the conditions in another."
It is thus more apt to benchmark and structure political salaries here to local economic and social conditions, such as employment level.
Mr Teo was putting forth the motion to endorse the recommendations of the Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries set up by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last year.
Beyond political factors, Mr Teo pointed out the differences between Singapore and other countries in terms of size, make-up of population and philosophy of governance.
He went on to explain how Singapore has to assemble the Cabinet from a smaller pool of able people, as compared to places with larger populations such as Britain and Japan.
Reiterating the importance of Singapore's leadership selection "more so than in other countries", he said: "We are a small, multi-ethnic country, set in a volatile region and facing the full force of global competition; our challenges are complex and many."
He added: "We are a city-state which is critically dependent on good governance to survive, sustain ourselves and achieve success."
The key recommendations of the committee include pegging the ministerial pay to the median income of the top 1,000 Singaporean earners, with a discount of 40 per cent.
With the proposed changes, which the Government intends to accept, Mr Lee's pay will be equivalent to that of the 382nd Singapore Citizen income earner - with a total annual salary package of $2.2 million.
Mr Lee had stood at the 175th position in 2010 with a salary of $3.1 million.
Mr Teo also revealed that the top 1,000 earners here earn $1.3 million or more, based on data from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.
The data also showed that 48 per cent of them held senior- management positions across industries such as retail and health care.
During the debate which followed, Workers' Party Member of Parliament (MP) Chen Show Mao proposed pegging ministerial salaries as multiples of an MP's allowance as they "are first and foremost elected as MPs to serve and represent the people".
With ministerial pay pegged to that of the top earners here, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Inderjit Singh called for high standards of accountability.
He said: "If a minister consistently performs poorly and less than satisfactorily, the Prime Minister should be quick to replace him, as is done in the private sector."
Actually it is interesting to see what kind of lame excuse PAP give for having the most expensive cabinet in the world.
The fact is it is totally wrong and no matter what excuse they give is ridiculous.
Look at Teo’s explanations, it only makes him look like an idiot or maybe they think Singaporeans are just plain stupid.
Teo explain we need higher pay because we have a smaller pool of people to get into politic.
Huh? But are these people qualified? Isn’t it easier to run a smaller country? Isn’t it more difficult to run the United States, United Kingdom and China?
And I am pretty sure we are not the only "small, multi-ethnic country, set in a volatile region and facing the full force of global competition; our challenges are complex and many." in the whole word.
I don’t care about Hsien Loong pay position in the country has dropped. The fact is he is being paid by tax payers and his salary is way above what an average Singaporean get.
This is morally wrong.
In fact if he or any of the cabinet think they want to be rich then they should jolly well join a private sector which they claims they can easily get in to and then they can be the number 1 paid Singaporean in this country.
Mr Teo pointed out the differences between Singapore and other countries in terms of size, make-up of population and philosophy of governance
Tue, Jan 17, 2012
my paper
There are drawbacks with the suggestion that ministers' salaries here should be benchmarked to those of foreign leaders, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.
Mr Teo, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, said: "Political pay levels and structures based on domestic political considerations in one country may not correlate with the conditions in another."
It is thus more apt to benchmark and structure political salaries here to local economic and social conditions, such as employment level.
Mr Teo was putting forth the motion to endorse the recommendations of the Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries set up by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last year.
Beyond political factors, Mr Teo pointed out the differences between Singapore and other countries in terms of size, make-up of population and philosophy of governance.
He went on to explain how Singapore has to assemble the Cabinet from a smaller pool of able people, as compared to places with larger populations such as Britain and Japan.
Reiterating the importance of Singapore's leadership selection "more so than in other countries", he said: "We are a small, multi-ethnic country, set in a volatile region and facing the full force of global competition; our challenges are complex and many."
He added: "We are a city-state which is critically dependent on good governance to survive, sustain ourselves and achieve success."
The key recommendations of the committee include pegging the ministerial pay to the median income of the top 1,000 Singaporean earners, with a discount of 40 per cent.
With the proposed changes, which the Government intends to accept, Mr Lee's pay will be equivalent to that of the 382nd Singapore Citizen income earner - with a total annual salary package of $2.2 million.
Mr Lee had stood at the 175th position in 2010 with a salary of $3.1 million.
Mr Teo also revealed that the top 1,000 earners here earn $1.3 million or more, based on data from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.
The data also showed that 48 per cent of them held senior- management positions across industries such as retail and health care.
During the debate which followed, Workers' Party Member of Parliament (MP) Chen Show Mao proposed pegging ministerial salaries as multiples of an MP's allowance as they "are first and foremost elected as MPs to serve and represent the people".
With ministerial pay pegged to that of the top earners here, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Inderjit Singh called for high standards of accountability.
He said: "If a minister consistently performs poorly and less than satisfactorily, the Prime Minister should be quick to replace him, as is done in the private sector."
Actually it is interesting to see what kind of lame excuse PAP give for having the most expensive cabinet in the world.
The fact is it is totally wrong and no matter what excuse they give is ridiculous.
Look at Teo’s explanations, it only makes him look like an idiot or maybe they think Singaporeans are just plain stupid.
Teo explain we need higher pay because we have a smaller pool of people to get into politic.
Huh? But are these people qualified? Isn’t it easier to run a smaller country? Isn’t it more difficult to run the United States, United Kingdom and China?
And I am pretty sure we are not the only "small, multi-ethnic country, set in a volatile region and facing the full force of global competition; our challenges are complex and many." in the whole word.
I don’t care about Hsien Loong pay position in the country has dropped. The fact is he is being paid by tax payers and his salary is way above what an average Singaporean get.
This is morally wrong.
In fact if he or any of the cabinet think they want to be rich then they should jolly well join a private sector which they claims they can easily get in to and then they can be the number 1 paid Singaporean in this country.
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.
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."
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."
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Amazing words from a PAP Minister.
Minister Yaacob Ibrahim also congratulates Dr Tony Tan on behalf of Muslim community
04:46 AM Aug 31, 2011
SINGAPORE - The results of the recently-concluded Presidential Election showed there was "strong support" for the ruling People's Action Party, even though voters were divided between two "very good" candidates in the form of former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan and former Ayer Rajah Member of Parliament Tan Cheng Bock.
This was the view of Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim, who was speaking to reporters yesterday after attending morning Hari Raya prayers at the Assyafaah Mosque.
Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, congratulated President-elect Tony Tan on behalf of the Muslim community.
Adding that Dr Tony Tan has done a lot for the Muslim community, Dr Yaacob noted that Dr Tony Tan was at Assyafaah Mosque some years back - following 911 - "trying to reach out to the Muslim community, trying to explain what is it we can do together with the country, with the nation, to strengthen social cohesion."
Dr Yaacob disagreed with suggestions that Dr Tony Tan's razor-thin winning margin of 0.34 per cent reflected a political divide among Singaporeans.
Pointing out that the combined vote share for Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock - both former PAP MPs - was about 70 per cent, Dr Yaacob said:
"There's strong support for the party in that sense. But it's clear that there are people who are divided, as explained by the Prime Minister, (who) were basically having to decide between two very good candidates."
In a press statement issued after the official results were announced on Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that voters "faced a difficult choice between Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock".
Mr Lee had added: "This explains why the winning margin is so narrow, and why the winner only gained slightly more than one-third of the total votes. Nevertheless, under our first-past-the-post system, the election has produced an unambiguous winner, who has the mandate to be the next President."
Dr Yaacob said the process of electing Singapore's seventh President reflects a maturing democracy, "that we're able to agree to disagree".
He added: "But most important thing is, as the Prime Minister has said, now we have to move forward and build the nation together."
Speaking to reporters at the Istana's Hari Raya Puasa open house yesterday, outgoing President S R Nathan - who will step down from office today - described Dr Tony Tan as "a highly capable person, very approachable, a person who carries himself well". Mr Nathan said: "I'm sure he will be a great asset and the pride of Singapore... I'm sure he's got the experience and the ability to deal with it."
I try to refrain from writing about the PE2011 since the result is heart wrecking and I more or less have moved on but the papers keep printing boot licking articles praising Tony’s amazing win is really too much for me to swallow.
Now Yacob is thinking we are as stupid as him and is trying to score points for PAP.
In the first place the presidential election is not supposed to be political and the candidates cannot be from any political parties and should be non partisan.
Yacob now trying to add politic into this election result thinking Singaporean are stupid by basically is adding up the 2 formal PAP’s members votes and claiming victory for the incumbent.
This has brought the art of self denial to a whole new level. Amazing!
The fact about PE2011 is Tony had won, scraping through by winning 35% of the votes.
He has won but majority of Singaporean did not want him to be the President of Singapore.
This is the hard truth.
04:46 AM Aug 31, 2011
SINGAPORE - The results of the recently-concluded Presidential Election showed there was "strong support" for the ruling People's Action Party, even though voters were divided between two "very good" candidates in the form of former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan and former Ayer Rajah Member of Parliament Tan Cheng Bock.
This was the view of Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Yaacob Ibrahim, who was speaking to reporters yesterday after attending morning Hari Raya prayers at the Assyafaah Mosque.
Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, congratulated President-elect Tony Tan on behalf of the Muslim community.
Adding that Dr Tony Tan has done a lot for the Muslim community, Dr Yaacob noted that Dr Tony Tan was at Assyafaah Mosque some years back - following 911 - "trying to reach out to the Muslim community, trying to explain what is it we can do together with the country, with the nation, to strengthen social cohesion."
Dr Yaacob disagreed with suggestions that Dr Tony Tan's razor-thin winning margin of 0.34 per cent reflected a political divide among Singaporeans.
Pointing out that the combined vote share for Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock - both former PAP MPs - was about 70 per cent, Dr Yaacob said:
"There's strong support for the party in that sense. But it's clear that there are people who are divided, as explained by the Prime Minister, (who) were basically having to decide between two very good candidates."
In a press statement issued after the official results were announced on Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that voters "faced a difficult choice between Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock".
Mr Lee had added: "This explains why the winning margin is so narrow, and why the winner only gained slightly more than one-third of the total votes. Nevertheless, under our first-past-the-post system, the election has produced an unambiguous winner, who has the mandate to be the next President."
Dr Yaacob said the process of electing Singapore's seventh President reflects a maturing democracy, "that we're able to agree to disagree".
He added: "But most important thing is, as the Prime Minister has said, now we have to move forward and build the nation together."
Speaking to reporters at the Istana's Hari Raya Puasa open house yesterday, outgoing President S R Nathan - who will step down from office today - described Dr Tony Tan as "a highly capable person, very approachable, a person who carries himself well". Mr Nathan said: "I'm sure he will be a great asset and the pride of Singapore... I'm sure he's got the experience and the ability to deal with it."
I try to refrain from writing about the PE2011 since the result is heart wrecking and I more or less have moved on but the papers keep printing boot licking articles praising Tony’s amazing win is really too much for me to swallow.
Now Yacob is thinking we are as stupid as him and is trying to score points for PAP.
In the first place the presidential election is not supposed to be political and the candidates cannot be from any political parties and should be non partisan.
Yacob now trying to add politic into this election result thinking Singaporean are stupid by basically is adding up the 2 formal PAP’s members votes and claiming victory for the incumbent.
This has brought the art of self denial to a whole new level. Amazing!
The fact about PE2011 is Tony had won, scraping through by winning 35% of the votes.
He has won but majority of Singaporean did not want him to be the President of Singapore.
This is the hard truth.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
PA and HDB shows PAP's true colour
MND, PA on leasing sites on HDB land in Aljunied
They explained in joint statement the reasons behind leasing 26 sites on HDB land within Aljunied town.
Wed, Aug 24, 2011
The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the People's Association (PA) explained in a joint media statement the reasons behind leasing 26 sites on Housing & Development Board (HDB) land within Aljunied town.
The following is the joint statement.
At the request of the PA in May, the HDB has leased 26 sites on HDB land within the Aljunied Town, to PA for them to organise community activities.
Such requests are not unusual. From time to time, HDB has received similar requests from other Government agencies or civic organisations, including religious bodies. Where they are legitimate, HDB has approved such tenancy requests.
In this instance, PA has explained to HDB the reasons for their request. First, PA has been using such sites frequently to conduct community activities.
PA intends to continue organising such activities in order to carry out their mission of promoting bonding among the residents.
Second, PA has had no difficulty getting access to sites managed by the PAP Town Councils. However in Hougang, PA and the local grassroots organisations have had many difficulties getting access to Town Council sites.
PA was concerned that they might encounter similar difficulties in Aljunied. To avoid unproductive wrangling, PA decided that it would be best if they could lease their own sites.
PA has further assured the HDB that they would ensure that their leased sites would be fully open to all residents so long as the activities were non-political in nature.
HDB had carefully assessed the request and approved it. The Aljunied Town has many open areas. In approving the request from PA, HDB has ensured that there will be sufficient open areas to meet the demand from other users.
Indeed, there have been occasions when organisers of grassroots and community events applied to use sites managed by Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), and were told that they were expected to invite the local MP.
It was only on August 19, 2011, that the Chairman of AHTC stated publicly that the town council would not impose any condition on whom the organisers could invite, when using sites managed by AHTC.
PA welcomes this new position of AHTC, and is likewise lifting its current restriction on invitees for events organised by non-GROs on sites leased by PA from HDB, as long as they are of a non-political nature
More on Worker Party’s ELECTED MP being unfairly treated by HDB and PA.
MND and PA issued a press statement trying to justify what they did. Gosh even the loser PAP Desmond had a mini press conference complaining he had difficulties securing venue for his God’s know what even using God’s know whose money in Hougang.
Loser Desmond is not even ELECTED, he is just like you and me, ordinary Singaporean who is serving his master more then the people of Hougang.
PA should states incident on all occasion when and where did they failed to access to Hougang Town Council Sites. They may be already booked for other events in the first place! Idiot!
Stupid PA even slap itself in the face by justify its action of taking over sites in Aljunied so to prevent “unproductive wrangling”.
Stupid HDB shoot itself in the head by handling over these sites without telling anyone. Now they are indeed in deep shit for siding with PA.
Moreover why suddenly PA want to take over sites in Aljunied only? Are you sure only this Town Council is “unproductive”? In fact to be fair you should take over all sites in Singapore and manage them yourself till you faint.
Now who say PA is for Singapore. Just look at who are on the board.
They explained in joint statement the reasons behind leasing 26 sites on HDB land within Aljunied town.
Wed, Aug 24, 2011
The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the People's Association (PA) explained in a joint media statement the reasons behind leasing 26 sites on Housing & Development Board (HDB) land within Aljunied town.
The following is the joint statement.
At the request of the PA in May, the HDB has leased 26 sites on HDB land within the Aljunied Town, to PA for them to organise community activities.
Such requests are not unusual. From time to time, HDB has received similar requests from other Government agencies or civic organisations, including religious bodies. Where they are legitimate, HDB has approved such tenancy requests.
In this instance, PA has explained to HDB the reasons for their request. First, PA has been using such sites frequently to conduct community activities.
PA intends to continue organising such activities in order to carry out their mission of promoting bonding among the residents.
Second, PA has had no difficulty getting access to sites managed by the PAP Town Councils. However in Hougang, PA and the local grassroots organisations have had many difficulties getting access to Town Council sites.
PA was concerned that they might encounter similar difficulties in Aljunied. To avoid unproductive wrangling, PA decided that it would be best if they could lease their own sites.
PA has further assured the HDB that they would ensure that their leased sites would be fully open to all residents so long as the activities were non-political in nature.
HDB had carefully assessed the request and approved it. The Aljunied Town has many open areas. In approving the request from PA, HDB has ensured that there will be sufficient open areas to meet the demand from other users.
Indeed, there have been occasions when organisers of grassroots and community events applied to use sites managed by Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), and were told that they were expected to invite the local MP.
It was only on August 19, 2011, that the Chairman of AHTC stated publicly that the town council would not impose any condition on whom the organisers could invite, when using sites managed by AHTC.
PA welcomes this new position of AHTC, and is likewise lifting its current restriction on invitees for events organised by non-GROs on sites leased by PA from HDB, as long as they are of a non-political nature
More on Worker Party’s ELECTED MP being unfairly treated by HDB and PA.
MND and PA issued a press statement trying to justify what they did. Gosh even the loser PAP Desmond had a mini press conference complaining he had difficulties securing venue for his God’s know what even using God’s know whose money in Hougang.
Loser Desmond is not even ELECTED, he is just like you and me, ordinary Singaporean who is serving his master more then the people of Hougang.
PA should states incident on all occasion when and where did they failed to access to Hougang Town Council Sites. They may be already booked for other events in the first place! Idiot!
Stupid PA even slap itself in the face by justify its action of taking over sites in Aljunied so to prevent “unproductive wrangling”.
Stupid HDB shoot itself in the head by handling over these sites without telling anyone. Now they are indeed in deep shit for siding with PA.
Moreover why suddenly PA want to take over sites in Aljunied only? Are you sure only this Town Council is “unproductive”? In fact to be fair you should take over all sites in Singapore and manage them yourself till you faint.
Now who say PA is for Singapore. Just look at who are on the board.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Law Minister don't know the Law?
Elections do not change president's powers
By Tessa Wong
LAW Minister K Shanmugam said on Friday that the process of direct elections does not change the scope of the Elected President's powers as set out in the Constitution.
And the Constitution states that the President can speak on issues only as authorised by the Cabinet, he said at a Institute of Policy Studies forum.
"If a head of state challenges the Government, he will be acting unconstitutionally," Mr Shanmugam added.
The 1991 amendment to the Constitution, which made the presidency an elected position, gave the president veto powers in five areas, including the spending of past reserves.
He was speaking at an Institute of Policy Studies forum on the role of the roles, responsibilities and power of the elected president. Ambassador-at-large Professor Tommy Koh and constitutional expert Professor Thio Li-Ann also spoke at the forum, which was held at Orchard Hotel.
Every once in a while one of these over paid brainless goof will say something that is totally STUPID and therefore make themselves the laughing stock for the rest of their life.
What this Idiot basically is telling you that the incumbent do not fear the President as he is their Puppet.
“the President can speak on issues only as authorised by the Cabinet”
To me I think Shanmugam has just shot himself in both his feet.
He is showing how dumb he is and how arrogant the PAP is.
Now one more of these PAP guys go into the History of stupid quotes.
By Tessa Wong
LAW Minister K Shanmugam said on Friday that the process of direct elections does not change the scope of the Elected President's powers as set out in the Constitution.
And the Constitution states that the President can speak on issues only as authorised by the Cabinet, he said at a Institute of Policy Studies forum.
"If a head of state challenges the Government, he will be acting unconstitutionally," Mr Shanmugam added.
The 1991 amendment to the Constitution, which made the presidency an elected position, gave the president veto powers in five areas, including the spending of past reserves.
He was speaking at an Institute of Policy Studies forum on the role of the roles, responsibilities and power of the elected president. Ambassador-at-large Professor Tommy Koh and constitutional expert Professor Thio Li-Ann also spoke at the forum, which was held at Orchard Hotel.
Every once in a while one of these over paid brainless goof will say something that is totally STUPID and therefore make themselves the laughing stock for the rest of their life.
What this Idiot basically is telling you that the incumbent do not fear the President as he is their Puppet.
“the President can speak on issues only as authorised by the Cabinet”
To me I think Shanmugam has just shot himself in both his feet.
He is showing how dumb he is and how arrogant the PAP is.
Now one more of these PAP guys go into the History of stupid quotes.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
PAP newbies Parrots
Labour candidates criticise opposition
TWO new People's Action Party (PAP) candidates from the labour movement on Wednesday criticised opposition parties for introducing candidates only now, after the announcement of Nomination Day, and for using the elections as training ground for young suicide squads they are sending to GRCs helmed by senior ministers.
NTUC assistant secretary-general and PAP candidate for Aljunied GRC Ong Ye Kung said Singaporeans will have less time to get to know opposition candidates, as a result. By contrast, the PAP introduced its new faces earlier and let the public 'scrutinise us upside down', he said.
Mr Ang Hin Kee, chairman of NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute and a PAP candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC, responded to a Singapore People's Party idea to send a suicide squad to Ang Mo Kio GRC, to take on a PAP team helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Mr Ang said the opposition should consider if their aim in contesting was to serve residents or to use Ang Mo Kio as a training ground.
He added that response to the PAP manifesto has been good as residents are happy that the PAP wants to build a future for their children.
ST 20 Apr
I was waiting for the PAP newbies to talk rubbish and presto. These two started the ball rolling after Tin Pei Ling.
Firstly there is seriously wrong with the Union being so close to PAP. Union represent the Singapore workers and their leader work for PAP?
Does not make sense at all. What about conflict of interest my friends?
This 2 parrots are saying that the opposition should name their candidates sooner so the PAP can “scrutinise them upside down”.
Hello does it matter?
It is still a week to nomination day and so what when PAP introduced their candidates earlier? Many people still don’t know who the hell are these newbies and what have they done to make them the special one.
Think Tin Pei Ling is the most famous among the PAP newbies. The rest does not ring a bell to me.
In fact we don’t even know much about some of the existing PAP MPs nor what have they contributed to our nation.
I only know who is Ex Ang Mo Kio’s MP Wee Siew Kim after his famous Elite daughter Wee Shu Min incident.
Christopher De Souza? Hawazi Dapi? Heng Chee How? Hri Kuma Nair? Lam Pin Min? Ong Ah Heng? Zaqy Mohamad?
Who the hell are these people?
These 2 jokers even criticised the opposition for sending “young suicide squads” to GRC helm by Senior Ministers.
So? What is wrong with this?
If the people decided they prefer Sweet Young Things then some Old Farts to represent them in parliament then who are you to say anything? You two have not even win a single vote yet and already you talk like a MP.
Moreover some of these GRC are not tested and until recently we only know only 66% of the people in Ang Mo Kio love the Secretary General of PAP.
Singaporean deserve to have the right to vote and for this I have to thanks all Opposition parties.
TWO new People's Action Party (PAP) candidates from the labour movement on Wednesday criticised opposition parties for introducing candidates only now, after the announcement of Nomination Day, and for using the elections as training ground for young suicide squads they are sending to GRCs helmed by senior ministers.
NTUC assistant secretary-general and PAP candidate for Aljunied GRC Ong Ye Kung said Singaporeans will have less time to get to know opposition candidates, as a result. By contrast, the PAP introduced its new faces earlier and let the public 'scrutinise us upside down', he said.
Mr Ang Hin Kee, chairman of NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute and a PAP candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC, responded to a Singapore People's Party idea to send a suicide squad to Ang Mo Kio GRC, to take on a PAP team helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Mr Ang said the opposition should consider if their aim in contesting was to serve residents or to use Ang Mo Kio as a training ground.
He added that response to the PAP manifesto has been good as residents are happy that the PAP wants to build a future for their children.
ST 20 Apr
I was waiting for the PAP newbies to talk rubbish and presto. These two started the ball rolling after Tin Pei Ling.
Firstly there is seriously wrong with the Union being so close to PAP. Union represent the Singapore workers and their leader work for PAP?
Does not make sense at all. What about conflict of interest my friends?
This 2 parrots are saying that the opposition should name their candidates sooner so the PAP can “scrutinise them upside down”.
Hello does it matter?
It is still a week to nomination day and so what when PAP introduced their candidates earlier? Many people still don’t know who the hell are these newbies and what have they done to make them the special one.
Think Tin Pei Ling is the most famous among the PAP newbies. The rest does not ring a bell to me.
In fact we don’t even know much about some of the existing PAP MPs nor what have they contributed to our nation.
I only know who is Ex Ang Mo Kio’s MP Wee Siew Kim after his famous Elite daughter Wee Shu Min incident.
Christopher De Souza? Hawazi Dapi? Heng Chee How? Hri Kuma Nair? Lam Pin Min? Ong Ah Heng? Zaqy Mohamad?
Who the hell are these people?
These 2 jokers even criticised the opposition for sending “young suicide squads” to GRC helm by Senior Ministers.
So? What is wrong with this?
If the people decided they prefer Sweet Young Things then some Old Farts to represent them in parliament then who are you to say anything? You two have not even win a single vote yet and already you talk like a MP.
Moreover some of these GRC are not tested and until recently we only know only 66% of the people in Ang Mo Kio love the Secretary General of PAP.
Singaporean deserve to have the right to vote and for this I have to thanks all Opposition parties.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
GST
“Mr Tharman said the bulk of GST is collected from higher-income groups and foreigners, so cutting the rate would benefit them more.
He said that based on 2010 collections, the bottom 20 per cent of Singaporean income earners contribute only about 4 per cent of all GST paid, while the bottom 60 per cent contribute roughly 16 per cent.”
ST Mar 03 2011
Last Saturday on the CNA political forum Finance Minister Tharman again argued that GST for staple should stay as it is to help the poor echoing his parliament speech on 03 March and by PM Lee statement when he was Finance Minister in 2003.
Up till now I still cannot make sense to this argument put for by these two multi millionaires who are suppose to be quite bright.
Firstly how much collected from GST are channel back to the poor? Nobody know.
Secondly it is only logical to cut GST for Staple product. Rich people don’t eat more rice then the poor. Yes they do eat better food at high end restaurants but the money spent on basic necessity should be the same for all, both rich and poor.
We are not asking for the GST to be cut across the board but let it remains for luxury item like air tickets, restaurant, branded goods and be eliminated from the staples.
So since the riches spent lots and lots on high ends stuff then the high income earners are indeed paying more GST.
Tharman argument for foreigners paying for GST is not 100% too especially if the go the GST rebates before the leave the country.
He said that based on 2010 collections, the bottom 20 per cent of Singaporean income earners contribute only about 4 per cent of all GST paid, while the bottom 60 per cent contribute roughly 16 per cent.”
ST Mar 03 2011
Last Saturday on the CNA political forum Finance Minister Tharman again argued that GST for staple should stay as it is to help the poor echoing his parliament speech on 03 March and by PM Lee statement when he was Finance Minister in 2003.
Up till now I still cannot make sense to this argument put for by these two multi millionaires who are suppose to be quite bright.
Firstly how much collected from GST are channel back to the poor? Nobody know.
Secondly it is only logical to cut GST for Staple product. Rich people don’t eat more rice then the poor. Yes they do eat better food at high end restaurants but the money spent on basic necessity should be the same for all, both rich and poor.
We are not asking for the GST to be cut across the board but let it remains for luxury item like air tickets, restaurant, branded goods and be eliminated from the staples.
So since the riches spent lots and lots on high ends stuff then the high income earners are indeed paying more GST.
Tharman argument for foreigners paying for GST is not 100% too especially if the go the GST rebates before the leave the country.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Quotes from Our Dear Millionaires
Received this list from a friends.
The words they said speak for themselve..... Gosh!
" For a person who runs a million-dollar charitable organisation, $600,000 is peanuts as it has a few hundred millions in reserves." - Mrs Goh Chok Tong
"If you don't include your women graduates in your breeding pool and leave them on the shelf, you would end up a more stupid society...So what happens? There will be less bright people to support dumb people in the next generation. That's a problem." - MM Lee in 1983
"Save on one hairdo and use the money for breast screening." Lim Hng Kiang
"Only 5% are unemployed. We still have 95% who are employed." - Yeo Cheow Tong
"Retrenchment is good for singapore. If there is no retrenchments, then I worry." - SM Goh
"We must encourage those who earn less than $200 per month and cannot afford to nurture and educate many children never to have more than two... We will regret the time lost if we do not now take the first tentative steps towards correcting a trend which can leave our society with a large number of the physically, intellecually and culturally anaemic." - MM Lee in 1967
"Contrary to public perception, the White Horse classification is not to ensure that sons of influential men gets preferential treatment. Instead it is to ensure that they do not get preferential treatment."- Cedric Foo
"I give you an example: you put out a fun podcast, you talk about 'bak chor mee'; I will say "mee siam mai hum", then we compete." PM Lee Hsien Loong
"I don't think that there should be a cap on the number of directorship that a person can hold." - PAP MP John Chen who holds 8 directorships
.
"It's not for the money because some of the companies pay me as little as $10,000 a year." - PAP MP Wang Kai Yuen who holds 11 directorships.
"We started off with (the name) and after looking at everything, the name that really tugged at the heartstrings was in front of us. The name itself is not new, but what has been used informally so far has endeared itself to all parties." - Mah Bow Tan on the $400,000 exercise to rename Marina Bay as Marina Bay.
"Having enjoyed football as a national sport for decades, we in Singapore have set ourselves the target of reaching the final rounds of World Cup in 2010." - Ho Peng Kee
"I would want to form an alternative policies group in Parliament, comprising 20 PAP MPs. These 20 PAP MPs will be free to vote in accordance with what they think of a particular policy. In other words, the whip for them will be lifted. This is not playing politics, this is something which I think is worthwhile doing." - SM Goh
"If you want to on a bar top, some of us will fall off the bar Top. Some people will die as a result of liberalising bar top dancing¡ a young girl with a short skirt dancing on it may attract some insults from some other men, the boyfriend will start fighting and some people will die." - Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
"People support CPF cuts because there are no protest outside parliament." - PM Lee
"Singaporean workers have become more expensive than those in the USA and Australia." - Tony Tan
"No, it was not a U-turn, and neither was it a reversal of government policy. But you can call it a rethink." - Yeo Cheow Tong
"¡I regret making the decision because, in the end, the baby continued to be in intensive care, and KKH now runs up a total bill of more than $300,000¡" - Lim Hng Kiang, regretting the decision to save a baby's life because KKH ran up a $300,000 bill
"Without the elected president and if there is a freak result, within two or three years, the army would have to come in and stop it." - MM Lee Kuan Yew
"Please do not assume that you can change governments. Young people don't understand this" - Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, post-2006 General Elections
"How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?" - Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
"People could buy frozen food instead of more expensive fresh food" "They could opt for house brand goods, which cost less than others. " - PM Lee
"Based on figures provided by ComfortDelGro, Singapore's biggest taxi operator, cabbies are pocketing about $11 more a day, earning about $318." - Mr. Raymond Lim
"GST hike is to help the poor." - PM Lee
"'I mean, we are different. This was a lapse, what to do, it's happened." - PM Lee
'You know, the cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government. You get that alternative and you'll never put Singapore together again: Humpty Dumpty cannot be put together again...and your asset values will be in peril, your security will be at risk and our women will become maids in other people's countries, foreign workers.'
- MM Lee - Justifying pay hikes for Singapore ministers, The Straits Times, 5 April 2007
'This should never have happened. I am sorry that it has.' - Wong Kan Seng
Lim Swee Say:
Every month, when I receive my CPF statement, I feel so rich and the best part is, I know the CPF money won't run away. CPF will still be around for a long, long time to come. Not only is it earning good interest, my capital is protected.
Leaving the best for last...
"Right now we have Low Thia Khiang, Chiam See Tong, Steve Chia. We can deal with them. Suppose you had 10, 15, 20 opposition members in Parliament. Instead of spending my time thinking what is the right policy for Singapore, I'm going to spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?"PM Lee Hsien Loong, 3 May 2006.
AND last but not least, here's what MM Lee said in April 2007:-
........you have to pay the market rate or the man will up stakes and join Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers or Goldman Sachs and you would have an incompetent man and you would lost money by the BILLIONS.....!!!!!!
The words they said speak for themselve..... Gosh!
" For a person who runs a million-dollar charitable organisation, $600,000 is peanuts as it has a few hundred millions in reserves." - Mrs Goh Chok Tong
"If you don't include your women graduates in your breeding pool and leave them on the shelf, you would end up a more stupid society...So what happens? There will be less bright people to support dumb people in the next generation. That's a problem." - MM Lee in 1983
"Save on one hairdo and use the money for breast screening." Lim Hng Kiang
"Only 5% are unemployed. We still have 95% who are employed." - Yeo Cheow Tong
"Retrenchment is good for singapore. If there is no retrenchments, then I worry." - SM Goh
"We must encourage those who earn less than $200 per month and cannot afford to nurture and educate many children never to have more than two... We will regret the time lost if we do not now take the first tentative steps towards correcting a trend which can leave our society with a large number of the physically, intellecually and culturally anaemic." - MM Lee in 1967
"Contrary to public perception, the White Horse classification is not to ensure that sons of influential men gets preferential treatment. Instead it is to ensure that they do not get preferential treatment."- Cedric Foo
"I give you an example: you put out a fun podcast, you talk about 'bak chor mee'; I will say "mee siam mai hum", then we compete." PM Lee Hsien Loong
"I don't think that there should be a cap on the number of directorship that a person can hold." - PAP MP John Chen who holds 8 directorships
.
"It's not for the money because some of the companies pay me as little as $10,000 a year." - PAP MP Wang Kai Yuen who holds 11 directorships.
"We started off with (the name) and after looking at everything, the name that really tugged at the heartstrings was in front of us. The name itself is not new, but what has been used informally so far has endeared itself to all parties." - Mah Bow Tan on the $400,000 exercise to rename Marina Bay as Marina Bay.
"Having enjoyed football as a national sport for decades, we in Singapore have set ourselves the target of reaching the final rounds of World Cup in 2010." - Ho Peng Kee
"I would want to form an alternative policies group in Parliament, comprising 20 PAP MPs. These 20 PAP MPs will be free to vote in accordance with what they think of a particular policy. In other words, the whip for them will be lifted. This is not playing politics, this is something which I think is worthwhile doing." - SM Goh
"If you want to on a bar top, some of us will fall off the bar Top. Some people will die as a result of liberalising bar top dancing¡ a young girl with a short skirt dancing on it may attract some insults from some other men, the boyfriend will start fighting and some people will die." - Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
"People support CPF cuts because there are no protest outside parliament." - PM Lee
"Singaporean workers have become more expensive than those in the USA and Australia." - Tony Tan
"No, it was not a U-turn, and neither was it a reversal of government policy. But you can call it a rethink." - Yeo Cheow Tong
"¡I regret making the decision because, in the end, the baby continued to be in intensive care, and KKH now runs up a total bill of more than $300,000¡" - Lim Hng Kiang, regretting the decision to save a baby's life because KKH ran up a $300,000 bill
"Without the elected president and if there is a freak result, within two or three years, the army would have to come in and stop it." - MM Lee Kuan Yew
"Please do not assume that you can change governments. Young people don't understand this" - Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, post-2006 General Elections
"How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?" - Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
"People could buy frozen food instead of more expensive fresh food" "They could opt for house brand goods, which cost less than others. " - PM Lee
"Based on figures provided by ComfortDelGro, Singapore's biggest taxi operator, cabbies are pocketing about $11 more a day, earning about $318." - Mr. Raymond Lim
"GST hike is to help the poor." - PM Lee
"'I mean, we are different. This was a lapse, what to do, it's happened." - PM Lee
'You know, the cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government. You get that alternative and you'll never put Singapore together again: Humpty Dumpty cannot be put together again...and your asset values will be in peril, your security will be at risk and our women will become maids in other people's countries, foreign workers.'
- MM Lee - Justifying pay hikes for Singapore ministers, The Straits Times, 5 April 2007
'This should never have happened. I am sorry that it has.' - Wong Kan Seng
Lim Swee Say:
Every month, when I receive my CPF statement, I feel so rich and the best part is, I know the CPF money won't run away. CPF will still be around for a long, long time to come. Not only is it earning good interest, my capital is protected.
Leaving the best for last...
"Right now we have Low Thia Khiang, Chiam See Tong, Steve Chia. We can deal with them. Suppose you had 10, 15, 20 opposition members in Parliament. Instead of spending my time thinking what is the right policy for Singapore, I'm going to spend all my time thinking what's the right way to fix them, to buy my supporters votes, how can I solve this week's problem and forget about next year's challenges?"PM Lee Hsien Loong, 3 May 2006.
AND last but not least, here's what MM Lee said in April 2007:-
........you have to pay the market rate or the man will up stakes and join Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers or Goldman Sachs and you would have an incompetent man and you would lost money by the BILLIONS.....!!!!!!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Stupid Service
Location-based SMS ads for all cellphone users
The SMSes can be sent to specific shoppers when they are near the shops.
-Tue, Jan 06, 2009 my paper
ADVERTISERS can now cheer the prospect of reaching over four million mobile-phone subscribers - more than 80 per cent of the population in Singapore.
SingTel and StarHub have joined M1 in a partnership with Singapore Press Holdings' (SPH) location-based advertising SMS service.
This allows advertisers "to reach all three telcos' subscribers in a timely manner", said Mr Raymond Teoh, assistant vice-president of SPH Marketing Division's Interactive Business Unit.
The SMSes can be sent to specific shoppers - based on their age, gender and economic background - when they are near the shops.
The service, first launched in November 2007, is available to all customers of the three telcos, and is free of charge.
Talk about stupidity.
The article above is trying to portray that everyone is keen to have this service.
Gosh who like we care it is FREE. Big Deal!
I don’t even want to receive these SMS at all. I do hope they have an op out option.
Which idiot will pay the advertiser to watch his advert? Brainless!
The SMSes can be sent to specific shoppers when they are near the shops.
-Tue, Jan 06, 2009 my paper
ADVERTISERS can now cheer the prospect of reaching over four million mobile-phone subscribers - more than 80 per cent of the population in Singapore.
SingTel and StarHub have joined M1 in a partnership with Singapore Press Holdings' (SPH) location-based advertising SMS service.
This allows advertisers "to reach all three telcos' subscribers in a timely manner", said Mr Raymond Teoh, assistant vice-president of SPH Marketing Division's Interactive Business Unit.
The SMSes can be sent to specific shoppers - based on their age, gender and economic background - when they are near the shops.
The service, first launched in November 2007, is available to all customers of the three telcos, and is free of charge.
Talk about stupidity.
The article above is trying to portray that everyone is keen to have this service.
Gosh who like we care it is FREE. Big Deal!
I don’t even want to receive these SMS at all. I do hope they have an op out option.
Which idiot will pay the advertiser to watch his advert? Brainless!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
A example of dumb solution.
Easing the train crush :First parallel bus service to run from Monday, but commuters say trains may still be faster
Tuesday • July 1, 2008
Leong Wee Keat
COMMUTERS living in the north will have another travel option heading to work or home starting Monday, even as Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) changes kick in.
Service 128, a new basic bus service :operated by SBS Transit, will ply between Ang Mo Kio Depot and Shenton Way Terminal — the first bus allowed to run alongside sections of mature rail lines with heavy passenger loading, and where there is limited scope to quickly expand rail capacity during peak periods.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had previously not allowed this, as it was deemed a wasteful duplication of resources.
This new service will cover 13 MRT stations along the North-South and East-West lines and will stop at selected bus stops between stations en route.
SBS Transit spokeswoman Tammy Tan said each trip is expected to take about 74 minutes from end to end, barring poor traffic conditions.
Commuters that Today spoke to welcomed the option, but some voiced concerns over reliability and speed.
Bank administrative officer Chua Kim Choo noted that her premium bus often got caught in slow traffic as it travelled from Yishun to the city. She wondered if it would be the same for the new service.
A check of the route found that a stretch of Bishan Road, for example, was not covered under the bus lane scheme. However, as Service 128 reaches Thomson Road and beyond, it should be accorded priority, as those roads are mostly covered under the scheme.
Some commuters also suggested extending the service to areas in Yishun, while introducing new ones along the East-West Line, such as from Bedok to the city.
But lawyer Tan Hee Joek said he would stick to the trains, even if it meant not being able to get into one initially, or squeezing with others during the morning crush.
“Even if I miss one or two trains due to overcrowding, I am still guaranteed a faster ride to the office,” he said.
The LTA said “more such services would be implemented along other heavily-loaded sections of mature rail lines in future, if conditions required it”.
The introduction of Service 128, along with the 76 premium buses in operation, provides commuters with more choices, including motorists switching to public transport.
From Monday, motorists will also generally pay more at 32 gantries in the Central Business District cordon at various times of the day.
While noting recent public transport improvements, motorist Murray Lim said he is not ready to give up his car yet. “I’m in sales and I often need to run around with my goods, which can be quite heavy,” he said.
This rather a ridiculous method of “expand rail capacity during peak hour”.
I guess this is what they want you to believe.
Isn’t it easier to “ease train capacity” just by increasing the frequency of the trains?
I sense that the real purpose is to reduce the number of cars on CTE during peak hour and for God’s sake can’t they just be honest about it?
And as what LTA said, “..provides commuters with more choices, including motorists switching to public transport. “ Which in turn makes the train and buses more crowded.
This is not a very good solution to “expand rail capacity.”
The Elite drive and the peasent take take crowded public transports.
Tuesday • July 1, 2008
Leong Wee Keat
COMMUTERS living in the north will have another travel option heading to work or home starting Monday, even as Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) changes kick in.
Service 128, a new basic bus service :operated by SBS Transit, will ply between Ang Mo Kio Depot and Shenton Way Terminal — the first bus allowed to run alongside sections of mature rail lines with heavy passenger loading, and where there is limited scope to quickly expand rail capacity during peak periods.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had previously not allowed this, as it was deemed a wasteful duplication of resources.
This new service will cover 13 MRT stations along the North-South and East-West lines and will stop at selected bus stops between stations en route.
SBS Transit spokeswoman Tammy Tan said each trip is expected to take about 74 minutes from end to end, barring poor traffic conditions.
Commuters that Today spoke to welcomed the option, but some voiced concerns over reliability and speed.
Bank administrative officer Chua Kim Choo noted that her premium bus often got caught in slow traffic as it travelled from Yishun to the city. She wondered if it would be the same for the new service.
A check of the route found that a stretch of Bishan Road, for example, was not covered under the bus lane scheme. However, as Service 128 reaches Thomson Road and beyond, it should be accorded priority, as those roads are mostly covered under the scheme.
Some commuters also suggested extending the service to areas in Yishun, while introducing new ones along the East-West Line, such as from Bedok to the city.
But lawyer Tan Hee Joek said he would stick to the trains, even if it meant not being able to get into one initially, or squeezing with others during the morning crush.
“Even if I miss one or two trains due to overcrowding, I am still guaranteed a faster ride to the office,” he said.
The LTA said “more such services would be implemented along other heavily-loaded sections of mature rail lines in future, if conditions required it”.
The introduction of Service 128, along with the 76 premium buses in operation, provides commuters with more choices, including motorists switching to public transport.
From Monday, motorists will also generally pay more at 32 gantries in the Central Business District cordon at various times of the day.
While noting recent public transport improvements, motorist Murray Lim said he is not ready to give up his car yet. “I’m in sales and I often need to run around with my goods, which can be quite heavy,” he said.
This rather a ridiculous method of “expand rail capacity during peak hour”.
I guess this is what they want you to believe.
Isn’t it easier to “ease train capacity” just by increasing the frequency of the trains?
I sense that the real purpose is to reduce the number of cars on CTE during peak hour and for God’s sake can’t they just be honest about it?
And as what LTA said, “..provides commuters with more choices, including motorists switching to public transport. “ Which in turn makes the train and buses more crowded.
This is not a very good solution to “expand rail capacity.”
The Elite drive and the peasent take take crowded public transports.
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