News in Brief

Maid's death: Curb on access to tanks [link]

Only town council staff can access water tanks now; cleaner charged with murder

How nice, but how would it prevent Town Council staff from committing murder and dumping bodies in the water tanks?

Better allow only MPs access to the water tanks, except those pesky Workers Party MPs.

Radical Change [link]

So the so called 'Radical Change' is to get rid of some deadwood (who are past their prime), remove some under-achievers, and get some people to work double hard (double portfolio)

Employers all over Singapore have already been doing the same. Get rid of old workers, make existing workers work doubly hard for the same pay.

Although its a very different thing to be paid millions and do the job of 2 men, and being paid $1200 and doing the job of 2 men.

Maybe after next election, PM Lee can go really 'radical' will follow what employers do, employ some foreign MP.

Singapore's latest invention

Singapore's Latest Invention:

The stupid people counter!


Currently, counter stands at 9731...... http://keep377a.com/Signatures.aspx

Non-Sense of Proportion

From parliamentary secretaries to ministers, the top level in the civil service is paid a total of S$46 million annually.

That is 0.13 percent of the total government expenditure or 0.022 percent of GDP.

He said: "If you are going to quarrel about S$46 million – up or down another S$10 to S$20 million – I say you don't have a sense of proportion." [link]

---

On the topic of 'sense of proportion', there are 2772 (based on latest statistics here [pdf file] ) people on social assistance.

They get paid $290 a month. The government's total expenditure on these people is $9,646,560 a year, roughly $10 Million.

That is 0.02% of the total government expenditure, and 0.0047% of the GDP.

Even if the government double the amount to $580 , or award social assistance to double the amount of people (thats another 10 million extra), its only 0.04% of the total government expenditure/0.009% of the GDP.

But even raising it by $30 seems to be an ordeal,almost like raising the amount more more will bankrupt the goverment [link]

Is it not a government's task to bring closer the income gap, instead of widening it?

So Singaporeans, how's that for proportion?

Clap Clap Clap! You win oreadi lor!

Another page from the thick book titled : "Failed policies in Singapore: How we fucked things up"

This is so tragically funny:

"Right now, PRs enjoy the same subsidies as Singaporeans for education and healthcare, and in fact in healthcare, foreign workers also receive subsidised treatment. I think we should make a clear difference – PRs should pay more than Singaporeans but less than other foreigners, there is a distinction. " [link]

Duh! Isn't this what Singaporeans has been complaining about since god-knows when? Now then they realise? WTF?

Halimah Yacob, Chairman of the GPC for Health : "We got feedback from many Singaporeans and even from my own constituents that since everything's equal for Singaporeans, foreigners and PRs, what's so special about being Singaporean? To some extent, short of being nationalistic, PM's message of 'citizens first' is well overdue."

Long overdue? Still got the cheek to say. Clap Clap Clap! Ms Halimah , You win oreadi lor !

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Papering over the cracks

Citizens, look at this big, shiny statue we built to distract you people from the
real problems we are facing in our country!

".....The leaders did not believe in glorifying their place in history. They did not name streets, MRT stations, buildings, stadiums and parks after their colleagues who have died.

I think we should do so from now on so that Singaporeans can remember .... who had made a difference to the lives of Singaporeans. " [link]

If streets are renamed, wouldn't road signs, maps, official documents need to be amended? Would that be a waste of money?

You know a country has jumped the shark , run out of idea , if monuments are erected ; streets and buildings are named to glorify its leaders.

ie:

Saigon ---- during communist rule ----> Ho Chi Minh City
Saint Petersburg ---- during communist rule ----> Leningrad

could this happen.....

Singapore -----> PAPLand?

I somehow think that Mr Wee Kim Wee have a higher chance of getting a *insert street/building/stadium* named after him, than Mr Ong Teng Cheong.

Despite the fact that the latter has (argubly) had more contribution to Singapore.... I'll wait and see.

Ministry of Information & Arts loses to the Interweb.

FEER required to comply with conditions for offshore newspaper: govt

The Ministry of Communications, Information and the Arts says the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act serves to reinforce the government's consistent position that it is a privilege and not a right for foreign newspapers to circulate in Singapore.

The internet pretty much nullifies any antiquated censorship laws we have here.

Click here for FEER's website. [click]

Login required. But no fear, there's always bugmenot [click] for free passwords to access.

Guess what's on the front page? An interview with Chee Soon Juan

So what is this thing about restricting access to foreign newspapers?

Welcome to the 21st Century, MICA.

Only in Singapore, where civil servants can talk about 'Creativity' like they are experts.

32 projects get funding under Creative Community Singapore

SINGAPORE : Singapore's efforts to support and nurture creativity within the community are off to good start.

In the first year since the Creative Community Singapore, or CCS, was launched, more than 200 proposals have been submitted for evaluation, and 32 creative enterprises have got off the ground with S$4 million in funding support.

.... Details of projects supported by CCS are available online at www.creativecommunity.sg

[read more]

This blog recommends that you actually take a real walk, instead of just talking about it.

Wow. Singapore is funding creative/media startups to create a more 'creative' economy. My interest was immediately piqued and I visited the project site : www.creativecommunity.sg

After getting lost in the flash website, finally succumbing to using the sitemap [link], I came across this page: Expert Talk [link]

On this 'Expert Talk' page, one might envision a page where interviews with experts from the field of creativity, or experienced entrepreneurs are posted.

But no..... We have 3 'experts' working in National Parks Board, Ministry of Manpower and Productivity and Innovation Board giving us pearls of wisdom on 'Creativity'.

How can career civil servants, lecture people on how to be creative and entreprenurial?

Typical boring-ass/safe/10 year series type answers from the interview

Q: What would it take to be a creative?
A : Passion and Drive.

Q: What do you see in the future of Singapore’s Creative Industries?
A: More vibrant hubs of the different areas of arts, lifestyle and community.

Q: Is there a place you would go to get creative?
A: Talk a walk through the Tree-Top Trail at MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

Look at the last question.

Can't even be bothered to do a grammar check on their own interview. Talk a walk indeed. So do they walk the talk, or do they talk the walk?

I feel sad for the project.

Only in Singapore, where civil servants can talk about 'Creativity' like they are experts.

--------------------------------------------
Rehash:

Lately there was news that Singapore are going to get 'native' speakers to teach English. See what I had to say about a similar topic one year ago: [click here]

And instead of spending your weekend vegetating in front of the interweb, you might consider taking a real walk in the treetop walk.

If so, please get prepared by reading my post about it. [click here]

Always read the fine print when taking up a job

Always read the fine print when taking up a job:

More than 250 temp staff sought for IMF, World Bank meetings [link]

Said Ms Laletha, "We have to pay market rate, and we want to do that mainly because they're going to be stretched. We expect them to work long hours, to go the extra mile out there and show that Singapore workers are really good quality, service-oriented."

In other words,we pay market rate, but we want you to work harder, and longer than a normal job requires.

Thanks! But no thanks.

When you criticise a one party government, you are a partisan critic

When a columnist becomes a 'partisan player' in politics [link]

"If a columist presents himself as a non-political observer, while explioting his access to the mass media to undermine the Government's standing with the electorate, then he is no longer a constructive critic, but a partisan player in politics"

Wait a minute, I read the article [link] . Where in the article was any political party mentioned?

Oh yeah. I guess when you criticise a one party government, you are a partisan critic. Since there is only one party.

Other funny shite from the letter:

K BHAVANI writes: mr brown must also know that price increases in electricity tariffs and taxi fares are the inevitable result of higher oil prices.

Right.... this reminded me of the golden words of Minister Ng Eng Hen in his election speech:

.... Dr Ng called the WP a wayang party. "Do they have solutions? Can they bring the price of oil down?.... [link]

Question Time!

Question Time: Where are all the opposition parties' photos on Channel News Asia?


Well at least there's two..... out of a dozen over articles.

Given Permission to Oppose

Mr Goh says: "You have a choice - if having opposition is more important, then vote opposition - but if there is a way to get my views put to parliament to somebody, then vote for your interests, vote for upgrading - and your views can be put across in Parliament and if you vote for Eric Low, I can tell PM to let him be the opposition in Parliament." [link]

If an MP needs permission before he can voice an alternative view, do you think his views will be any good?

Is this supposed to be a joke? Or does he think Hougang voters are daft?

Link of the Day

We have a serious problem in Sg [link]

"To link the voters' votes to a local municipal issue such as upgrading belittles the vote - not to mention the discrimination to singaporeans who do not vote the ruling party. A person's vote should be cast on national issues."

So Important

Friends, Romans Foreign Talent and Countrymen! Lend me your ears.

Important news to announce :

Our election candidate has resumed grassroots works.

PAP's new candidate Lim Wee Kiak resumes grassroots work in Marsiling [link]

Scared you don't know, that's why we devote a page just for this news!

Please stay tuned for more such 'important' news like this leading up to the elections!

Proof that Singapore media is not biased

SINGAPORE: Media 'too timid' in election coverage

With Mr James Gomez of the Workers' Party looking on, Mr Viswa accused the media of having a habit of making opposition politicians look bad by taking photographs of them from a low angle and in dim light.

[link]

Singapore Press where got biased? Singapore Press where got only print ugly photographs of the opposition?

Don't Believe? Here's the proof.

There are days when you wish that the press take pictures of you in dim lighting.

Scoring Points?

MP, grassroots leaders rally round family of murdered girl Nonoi

To help the family cope, their MP and grassroots leaders arranged for counsellors and also sent them new mattresses.

Police, volunteers and family members had mounted a wide-scale search for the toddler in the area after she disappeared from her step-grandparents' flat at Block 62 Circuit Road at about 7pm on March 1.

Question I have:

Where were the MP and the grassroots leaders during the wide-scale search? Were they even involved?

I hope they were, if not, it seems like a obvious 'point scoring' move.

I'm no economist, but...

I'm not a numbers-man, or an economist, but.....

I wonder amidst the jubliation over having free-bies, has anyone noticed this -

Dr Ng Eng Hen On WP's idea of using reserves to help the needy and poor

Dr Ng said the PAP government believes in giving only what they can afford, like the workfare bonus which will come from surpluses.

[link]

Singapore to post Budget surplus of S$430m: PM Lee [link]

$2.6b Progress Package for lower-income groups, elderly, NSmen [link]

But wait, if you have $430m surplus, how can you spend $2.6b in freebies?

I thought they said all freebies must come from surpluses?