The (Shadow) Class Struggle

..I am concern about you and your well being; trust me...

Is there a class differential in Singapore? That depends on who you ask, I guess. With 80% or more owning a house/HDB, even the bourgeois is confuse.

bour·geoi·sie

  [boor-zhwah-zee; French boor-zhwa-zee] noun

1.

the bourgeois class.

2.

(in Marxist theory) the class that, in contrast to the proletariat or wage-earning class, is primarilyconcerned with property values.

The working class is fast becoming a a struggling class in classless Singapore where rising costs of living is pushing them lower and lower on the affordability ruler. The stagnation to declining of income, coupled with more educated persons and professionals (PMETs), aged 40s and above losing their jobs, are putting pressure on the starch that holds everyone together for decades.

There is no real discontent nor challenges except the opposing 'noises'; (i)the promise of "we will prosper together" versus (ii)"you are prospering and we are sinking", with the latter getting louder by the day. It didn't help much with conflicting statistics - the official statistics almost always show a rosy picture but the netizens' sources almost always are able to point to selective reporting and deficiencies in the official numbers.

Why not call 'a spade a spade'?

Singaporeans can accept a frank, honest and sincere value proposition. What is it we have not seen? From fishing village, to being an entreport to high finance to gaming/integrated resorts; objections were always mild and the willingness to go it together is firmer than the finest glue on earth.

At the rate foreigners are coming in, its a fact that Singaporeans will become a minority in their own home; what's there to protect them as you would protect your homes? The locals do NS and have reservists' obligations while the foreigners come to feast and get free scholarships is/are an unacceptable equation. Charity begins at home; if you cannot take care of your own (kind), it's shallow and foolish to groom others in the hope they will stay and become one of you/your own!

There is no need, nor allow foreigners, to hide under the emblem "PR". Get it straight. PRs are foreigners. Let us have an honest and sincere relationship. Tell it as it is! Let us go back to basics:  

The Govt do what they are good at - Govern. The people works for their living and the entrepreneurs work on the multiplier and equitably pay their local staffs. Our domestic economy is re-engineered and rejuvenated and let the small industries and 'mom & pop' shops prosper manifesting more choices and opportunities for all.

Protect Singaporeans lives and livelihood. To all foreigners who scream 'xenophobic', allow me to say this; "pack up and go home and ask your own Government to open your door wide to welcome foreigners". We may consider coming to join you together with the 200mil globally unemployed.

When push comes to shove, if & when the locals feel helpless, 'impoverished', hopeless and ignored, many may seek alternative solutions just to ventilate and 'hope for the best'. What's it, I don't know neither can I predict. 'What the mind thinks, it becomes' - quote/unquote.

The future will be as bleak or as hopeful depends on our ability and willingness to re-engineer and share. The rich cannot live in a sea of poor as the more able must lead the mass out of this 'unequal paradigm'. Let us start working and stop bickering for a better tomorrow.

Strictly, there is NO anti-government elements but when & where policies strangle and the noose tightens, you get feedback and responses.

We, the Citizens of Singapore, ..... 

The Government政府, the Mandarins官 & the People人民

The government sets policies and the mandarins execute them. The people either benefit or suffer from the consequences.

When the government acquire land compulsorily at low cost and built flats to house the people, it was a harsh necessity then but accepted. When there weren't enough to go around, population planning was introduced to ease pressures and with lesser mouths to feed, there were more to share. Life was tough but happiness were abundant as we care and share; for the better or worse! We were the master of our own Providence.

Humanity has always been united during adversity and divided when the North-South divide widens.

Policies always served to achieve certain pre-determined goals but their effectiveness, efficacies and relevance may change over time; you may arrive at the right place but at the wrong time!

When Mr Goh Keng Swee decided 'we are price taker', he was a 'hardnose bargainer'; he haggled, slogged and gave to best price to locals, not just any price. Affordability was not measured against the upper half of society but using the layman's ruler. There were pains in army life but there were comradeship, belonging and a common destiny. Foot-nurses visited homes for pre-natal checks, compulsory vaccinations and the 'prevention is better than cure' approach built a healthier citizenry. Education and skills development empowered the people to climb the social ladder.

The Cabinet then included the educated, the citizen-leaders, the labor movement and the commoners. Everyone has a role to play to unite, live and fight as 'one'. The politicians of the day were committed and fighting for a common cause, that is, for the betterment of Singapore & Singaporeans. They were leaders who stand up and speak out for the people, not invited nor 'employed'.

Today's Cabinet comprises of many with scholarly achievement; an admirable mix. Even our Mandarins are academically superb. But, how many can claim to really empathize, understand and share the dreams, fears and aspirations of the mass? I am not doubting anybody's abilities but to think and act 'out of the box and against groupthink', where applicable, is fundamental in steering away from mines of failures and discontent. A successful group needs both, the scholar and the streetwise, guys. Strictly speaking, the army of generals cannot win a war without the soldiers.

My guess is we are paralysed by the 'need for perfection and there is zero tolerance for errors, even signs of weaknesses are frowned upon'. Adding meritocracy and persistent challenges from imports and foreigners, the equation becomes 'survival of the fittest - the Law of the Jungle'!

Many of my foreign friends said Singapore is an excellent nation; clean, green, organised, well developed with good city-planning but ...lacks EQ - the human side, or should I say 'the feel', of life.

I am not just hopeful but confident that Singapore and Singaporeans will unite as one once we get our equation right.

(This article is written with imagination and hopes and is NOT to be misconstrued as speaking against anyone. If anyone feel offended, my sincerest apology)

Alternative Economic Growth Possibilities - Singapore

Singapore positions herself as an open, laizzez-faire economy with a fairly low tax rate. Our growth is dependent on the global economy as we are too small to generate meaningful numbers unilaterally. Nonetheless, we had, and will, survive whatever economic activities and numbers we generate locally. This was proven from the days of fishing village, to entrepot trade, to labor intensive industries, to hi-tech, value add businesses, to today's high-finance & services.

We have been able to survive, outwit & outshine our competitors since our colonial Singapura era to the days of Malaya and Majulah Singapura aka Singapore.

Singapore did well in post-independence with jobs creation (labor intensive industries), provision of housing (Singapore Investment Trusts - SIT, then succeeded by Housing & Development Board - HDB) & defence. The development of the financial sector was swift and tourism was identified too. Except for strategic industries, most others were left to private entrepreneurs. Singapore's economy grew and local demand & the multiplier were in overdrive. Happiness was found in diversity and adversity; most, if not all, have a bite of the cherry. Income inequality was minimum and acceptable and Singaporeans were master of their own destiny.

Singapore entered globalisation and the 'Big Bang' with the foresight and hope that we will become global players one day. But, the consolidation, especially banks & financial houses, in my opinion, were and still remain, detrimental to private entrepreneurship.

*With fewer banks, come fewer loans. The bigger banks may not be interested in small loans; the 'mom & pop' businesses. Cottage industries died along the way. By extension, there were fewer finance-related jobs, lesser competition (banks become the 'buy side' and borrowers the 'sell side'), costs of borrowing go up and the multiplier contracts.

*(Note: Money is the lifeline of businesses. If there were more (small & big) banks around, credit creation would be amplified).

The need to 'grow overnight' through mergers and acquisition and to 'act big' on the global stage is not without faults. Deficiencies in management skills, international exposures, global 'games-rules', cultures, politics and practices were potent threats. Success were far and few in between.

A well planned immigration policy would have resulted in a booming 'local' economy with the building of more infrastructures, houses, telcos-capacity, provision of services to 'new comers' and benefited most sectors. Instead, we hear of shortages of schools, hospitals beds, MRT/transport bottlenecks, higher costs of living as a result of more demand created by more (new) migrants. Has someone forgotten that the local wing (of the economy) is equally important as the overseas business adventures? Have we missed out an internally generated economic opportunity?

We are not late to re-invigorate the local economy and to lessen our dependency on globalization. The government should look towards reducing costs of operations locally so as to encourage a vibrant internal economy. The sprouting of 'mom & pop' shops, cottage industries and niche services will provide employment, boost entrepreneurship and create 'a sense of achievements'; the made in Singapore 'feel'.

It is not enough to encourage hawking or 'hawkering'. Worst, if a big proportion of our university- and professionally- qualified citizens turn into insurance and property agents and taxi-drivers or are permanently displaced (I have high respect for every professions but I thought the years of education may have ended as broken dreams to many & wasted resources).

When tourists visit China, Australia, UK, Thailand, Taiwan and others, they look for night-markets, local 'roadside' food, flea markets, arts & crafts joints; these are small enterprises, alive and kicking. They bring in tourism dollars as well.

What's the point of bringing in foreign investments if they were to employ wholly, or almost fully, their own nationals? Perhaps, it is nice on the GDP but how does this benefits the citizens?

Our internal economy will provide some level of decent demand and earnings if adequately supported and encouraged. The injection of vibrancy, commerce and a sense of belonging will go a long way towards making a happier Singapore.  

We need foreign investments. We must take to the global stage but let us also not forget and retard our internal economy.

Maybe, not all can be big time businessmen but you have to start somewhere.


http://www.todayonline.com/voices/made-spore-feel - published in Todays Papers on 2nd July 2013

Beginning Of The Second Half Of The Year

What have you achieved for the first half of the year?
Worry not if nothing's much been done as you have the other half.
Whatever is half done could be completed soon; it's better than not starting at all.
If you don't try, you will never know success as failures go to those who needn't try.

Not having money is not poor as you have friends around & having a lot of money may not be rich too as you don't know who you can really trust.
Health, contentment, peace & harmony are things money can never buy.
Knowledge & skillsets, unlike money, will always stay with you.
Start to acquire some skills & cultivate knowledge as you would ploughing the field; the rewards know no boundaries.

I achieved next to nothing in the first half but I certainly have sown many seeds, plough the land & ...pray!
I am not religious.
However smart one is, the difference between success & hugely successful is this thing called "LUCK"; we are all made equal except some are luckier.
You can plan, have the best plan, do your best, leave nothing to chances but without Luck, you are doomed.

So what's 'luck'?

Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.


I hope the second half will bring better LUCKs to all.

It's No Fun To Be Poor

When the rich says "its no fun to be poor they are not referring to the poor but to themself".
How would the rich ever understand poor does not equals sad, unable or 'disable'?
Will the rich ever understands what's hunger & deprive?


The poor can stretch his dollar & lives within his means but a dollar is too little to be of any use to the rich.
The rich proclaims that he does 'charity' anonymously; well, how am I (the poor) to know if it's true as I never receive a cent of his help?
Whatever; the rich poor gap is the North-South divide.


When the rich/superior says;
'We will look into it' means 'no idea & still searching for answers'
'We will consider' means 'it may not concern me nor is it my territory'
'There are enough to go round, Don't panic' means 'I already have, you wait'
'No comments' simply mean 'don't ask me'!


The rich (golfer) walks the green while the poor (farmer) ploughs his land.
The rich enjoys the sea, the breeze & his cruiser while the fisherman have all but fish for a living.
The wealthy says 'I share your predicament'; it's giving moral support, meaning 'lip service'.


General Powell said he managed to win the war because his men in the trenches 'fought alongside him'. It's no fun being a foot soldier neither a responsible General. It's comradeship.


We are said to be equal but we are never, or will ever be, 'born equal', 'live equal' nor 'have equal opportunities'. It's the Law of the Jungle.


To all : you any be born poor but never lives poor. Everything being equal, I prefer to have the upper half!

Where Were You When I Needed You Most

What a divided nation we are today...

When there were common grounds to fight & to fight for survival, we fought as one.
We have come a long way; from independence to almost 1st world, from laborious work to value-add, high finance, from living in attap huts to high-rise apartments/HDBs but everything comes with a cost!

“Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.” ― Gautama Buddha 

With wealth, comes class division, knowingly or unknowingly; the 'Haves', the 'Have-Nots', the 'Think They Have' & the 'Have Nothing'.

- The 'Haves' created elitism, carved & ring fenced choice jobs, can do 'no wrongs', have a string of followers worshiping for humanly blessings - up in the ivory tower & surrounded by a sea of poor.

- The 'Have-Nots' & the 'Think They Have' are the middle class & mid-class-to-be; struggling with costs-of-living issues daily & living like a rich-wannabe - Everything is financed & living on borrowed time and borrowed resources.

- The 'Have Nothings' are the un-class or under-class; 240,000 earning below $1,000, with many unemployed, underemployed & displaced; forever in the grip of financial deficiencies & said 'to be lazy and seeking handouts'.

“Most problems, if you give them enough time and space, will eventually wear themselves out” ― Gautama Buddha

From dusts to dusts, someday we will all return to meet the Creator. Everything artificial and hollow will collapsed into nothingness someday. Nations rise & fall, not through lack of foresight but, because of selfishness, greed, disguised goodwill & faking care.

Many do not speak out not because of fear but are hopeful that things will get better. Gags will only create a 'bubble of discontent & resentment' which when implode, like death, will be the equalizer.

Where Were You When I Needed You Most? 

Not enough hospitals beds, costlier healthcare, uncontrolled dengue, MRT breakdown becomes a norm, disconnect public transportation, higher education costs, floods, haze, expensive public housings, increased population without parallel increased infrastructure, curtailed & glass-ceilinged wages with cheap imports... these are not complaints but everyday basic needs. 

The 'Haves' will never understand as everything is affordable because they can afford the price. To expect everyone to be a 'price-taker' is a demonstration of indifference and a gross lack of empathy.

“Awake. Be the witness of your thoughts. You are what observes, not what you observe” ― Gautama Buddha

Mr 'Haves' - you can take all you want but spare some for the mass!

How lost can lost be?

Crossing rivers & climbing mountains are never easy but it can't be any easier with life's challenges.

I have worked hardest, not just hard, tried to work smartly & definitely sincere.
I have put in limitless efforts, tried alternative solutions, even accepting less optimal suggestions; I am, & have been, too accommodating.

In the end, I was sold 'lock, stock & barrel' by my most trusted client, my best partner; people whom I helped without motives plus 'plentiful of gives'. I have traded my trust only to receive absolute betrayals.

I receive minimum to nil reward.

If there is God, HE must be very busy helping everyone except me.
The day when HE stopped helping me, I knew 'I am on my own'; for myself, by myself.
Alas! I'd liked to believe that I wasn't abandoned by HIM but HE is 'looking after others who have more pressing needs than me'!

I have been waiting for, & wishing that, HE will give me a break, a helping hand & plentiful of blessings.

If  HE is too busy, at least, do not test me further.
I am 'dead tired', losing hope, struggling ...I am working with 'back-up' battery.
Without re-charging, I am almost a dried prune.

I dislike my current stature, my position but I like my ability to be able to break out of glass ceiling & crash through obstacles.
I have enough to go on, to fight, to win, to overcome the odds but ...I am only a human.

God; give me strengths, guts, intelligence & help me walk through this sea of uncertainty.
In God, I trust.

Shaolin Kung Fu Masters - Shaolin Documentary

Money & Power

Knowledge is power, power is money...


Study hard, do well in school & you will succeed, otherwise you will be a road sweeper 
These were the words I heard when I was young
Get a degree & you will find a good job & life will be a bliss

Use your initiative, be creative & think out of the box
Ask questions if you don't understand 
Express your ideas, freely & speak out against wrongs & wrongdoing 

Defend the country, your family & your loved ones with your life
Fight against injustice, stand up for rights & help the poor
Meritocracy reign, fair employment & more good years for all/you

Time change & people changes
Many things I learnt when I was younger doesn't seem relevant nor applicable
Obligations remain, equality is elusive, jobs opportunities are rarer 

Promises remained as Promises

The sunny island has gotten more developed & beautiful but crowded with foreigners

With many newbies called PRs, FTs or simply new citizens, our population doubles but our infrastructure remained constant, overused, under maintained & lacking
Fatcat pays kill initiatives, their willingness to work & breed ring fencing & protecting their choice positions & appointments


Everyone suffers but suffering is inversely related to wealth & income
The rich cannot live in a sea of poor
The poor cannot remained poor forever

What does the future holds?

The Truth About Singapore

the everchanging sides of Singapore...


What is right (or reading the right thing) or wrong?

1) in the battlefront - if U don't shot your enemy, he will kill U. ...uummm, killing is wrong!
2) IRs generate revenues & employment ...uummm, gambling is not exactly good nor right
3) our electricity/powerplant were sold/privatized ...uummm, the buyer is normally warrantied certain minimum returns & the consumers (rich or poor) carry this obligation
4) Uni-education does not warranty success in life ...uummm, true, so does this mean we can or should do away with Uni-education? 
5) control, control & more controls are good for U ..ummm, may I do the controlling instead?

Wiseman thoughts or fool's gold?


The mosquitoes are laughing...

Quote from a Forum writer "..Tip-offs about mosquito breeding sites in tree holes are diverted to the National Parks Board, those in potholes on the road come under the Land Transport Authority, drains come under the purview of PUB and places like back lanes are under the charge of the Singapore Land Authority.."

With so many agencies involved, I am not surprise that efficiencies & effectiveness are traded away 'tai-chi' style.

Do U know two different agencies handle 'birds complaints' - Crows, pigeons & other birds?

Maybe, this is job creation or 'protection'! 

I pray that when the/an enemy 'attack' our sunny island, we need not wait for the different units (land, sea, air) to respond because different agencies are in-charge! The mosquitoes are laughing...


Talk to the successful people, chances are U will be advised;

1) Don't give up
2) For every door that closes, the windows are still open
3) I almost give up, but...I made it
4) persevere, be patient, mark your time
5) I can, U can too

All these are very encouraging & motivating but try telling them to a hungry, desperate person with a few mouths to feed.

Those who feast daily will never understand what it means to be hungry!


Some ironies of life;

1) We can ban chewing gum but can't ban cigarettes
2) The regular use of MRT tracks do not get nor require servicing
3) SIA orders new airplanes but needed to 'mothball' a transport plane
4) Our military have one of the most advance attack weapons, potentially adding F-35s, for display but not enough is spent on healthcare & well-being (not welfare) for the citizens.

Last, but not least, the first dengue fatality - the professor said (quote from news reports) 'even if the patient had been admitted two days earlier, it would not have made a difference'! ... Tell that to our SARS team, Sir.

Oh, by the way, I am not a smoker but i'm not against smoking ...just have a good laugh

The Talk City

...talk is cheap but you may need to pay for opinions 

$50,000 - that's what you may need to deposit with MDA if you express too many opinions or your website or blog becomes too popular

To date, more are said than done
Plentiful of promises are said but few, if any, delivered
Funnily, what is said and what is actually done more often contradicts

What is correct & what is wrong seems to have merged and grey (outcome) is an acceptable result.
What is legally correct may not be morally correct; possible? Well, guess its not impossible as the Laws lag behind reality and practices.
合法; literally to mean comply legally, 合情; comply with culture & practices, 合理; comply with reason or reasonably correct
The Rule of Laws must be fair and equitable and the outcome must be consistent as in Case Laws but where the human hand is involved, the weight of Laws can be skewed towards a desired outcome.

As harmless as it may be, respect for the Laws of the Land will erode over time.

The mass are, by and large, indifference and live a 'carefree', non-politisize lifestyle, building upon their own dreams, chasing their dreamed rainbows and running round their own 'Garden @Eden' with lots of space for ventilation, complaints, controversies and self-worthy opinions. In simple term, its a 'world of their own'； the 'Gamers world', where reality and fantasies merged seamlessly.

There is no need to control nor regulate the 'Gamers World'; a world where fantasies and realities merged with plentiful of ideals but few ideas...ideals that float and change with time.

When Mao tried to immotalize his ideas and flood his thoughts throughout the populace with unquestioned authority, the country suffered (economically). Deng swung the pendulum to the other end and free the 'minds and thoughts' of the people and let 'free play' dictates the pace of the future. China enter an era of peace, prosperity and status few can challenge.

Let there be free play of ideas and ideals. There is no monopoly of ideas and wisdom.

If Martin Luther King didn't speak out, today's world may still be clearly black and/or white. For Singapore to breakout into a new era, a new paradigm must be allowed to manifest.