Proof that Singapore is tops!

[freedalas]

Hey Leongsam, why waste time and effort to post so many of such articles that don't mean a single thing to the ordinary folks in S'pore? Other than LKY and his PAP croonies who have to look to self-praise and self-patting of one's own back, nobody would cast an eye on such articles let alone read them. In any case, for every one article praising the PAP there are twenty articles criticising the PAP. So let us not waste further resources with such articles that are best send straight to the waste basket.

 

[Leongsam]

Hey Leongsam, why waste time and effort to post so many of such articles that don't mean a single thing to the ordinary folks in S'pore? Other than LKY and his PAP croonies who have to look to self-praise and self-patting of one's own back, nobody would cast an eye on such articles let alone read them. In any case, for every one article praising the PAP there are twenty articles criticising the PAP. So let us not waste further resources with such articles that are best send straight to the waste basket.

It's actually the other way round. You can actually find far more articles praising Singapore than criticising the country especially from foreign sources which admire the pragmatic approach to running a country. The critical articles come from those with an axe to grind eg that loser Indian hiding in the USA, a gay blogger who resents the law disallowing him from engaging in anal sex and a handful of others who fell out of favour and are now trying to discredit the government for obvious reasons.

Then there are people such as you who, although well intentioned, do not have the intelligence to be able to view the Singapore political scene in a fair and rational manner. I know you mean well and have the interests of your fellow Singaporeans at heart. However, you have been misguided in your approach to solving the problem. If you want to help someone, giving them a handout isn't the right method. All it does is make things worse.

 

[Leongsam]

This guy is even more provocative than I am...

2/26/2012


http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/meritocracy-singapores-success-formula.html


Meritocracy – Singapore’s success formula


The truth hurts. What Baey Yam Keng has said is nothing but the truth. Singapore is successful because we practise meritocracy regardless of nationality. If a person is talented, he is more than welcome than daft Sinkies.


The daft Sinkies must not be so narrow minded, so short sighted. We must support the govt policies of bringing in more talents, give scholarship to foreign talents. If our citizen’s children are not bright enough, then they are not deserving of any scholarship.


And this meritocracy thing must be the pillar of our City if we are to succeed. We shall build the best City in the world filled only with talents and super talents from all over the world. Non talents pissed off, even if they are Sinkies.


Sinkies that have no talents shall know their proper place. There are places like JB, Batam and Bintan or more far away places to go to. Only when the dull and daft Sinkies move out of this City, can this City claim to be a world best City for the world best talents and people.


Ok. Let’s be a bit compassionate to the Sinkies. Those who want to stay but with no talent, there are many jobs available other than those CEO jobs reserved for talents. Cleaning tables, washing plates are aplenty.


All Singaporeans must rise up to the challenge to make this City a world class City. Make the best of it if you can. See how the rich and successful are buying properties worth tens of millions and a car costing several millions. If you cannot afford these items at these prices, you know that you don’t deserve to be here, citizen or no citizen is immaterial. This City is the City for talents based on merits.


Any Sinkie that can make it to be a talent here will find living in this City very rewarding. And he will know that he gets there based on meritocracy, nothing about citizenship has its privileges. No talent citizens, make it or move out.
Posted by Chua Chin Leng aka redbean at 9:27 AM

 

[freedalas]

It's actually the other way round. You can actually find far more articles praising Singapore than criticising the country especially from foreign sources which admire the pragmatic approach to running a country. The critical articles come from those with an axe to grind eg that loser Indian hiding in the USA, a gay blogger who resents the law disallowing him from engaging in anal sex and a handful of others who fell out of favour and are now trying to discredit the government for obvious reasons.

Then there are people such as you who, although well intentioned, do not have the intelligence to be able to view the Singapore political scene in a fair and rational manner. I know you mean well and have the interests of your fellow Singaporeans at heart. However, you have been misguided in your approach to solving the problem. If you want to help someone, giving them a handout isn't the right method. All it does is make things worse.

Actually, for people in my category, our main discontentment with the PAP is despite all the so-called achievements that are soundly praised by articles such as those u cited, is that the ordinary folks are finding it more and more difficult to live in S'pore. Yes, on the surface, S'pore indeed look good to people outside the country and they would therefore attribute this to a good govt, but for our very own citizens, even the middle-class are struggling to meet the demands of lives here and very stressed out. Soon this middle-class will disappear and polarised into the wealthy and the poor. The young people are also getting very disillusioned and they can't see a future as the old adage of working hard to success no longer seems to be the case anymore; it's simply one of the rich getting the richer. It is towards these negative consequences of the PAP's policies who may worked over the short term but clearly won't be the case for the long term that people like us are highlighting in this forum.

Separately, for the very poor, I do take your point that simply giving them handouts is not the solution. But these people need a very big lift to break out from the poverty circle before they can get themselves back to the work place and society. Being at the most basic subsistence level, monetary assistance is the all-important help they need most. Unfortunately, the criteria is overly strict and even if they do qualify, the amount is simply too meagre. So we are merely asking the govt not to put out such stringent criteria such that many do fall through the cracks and the amount handed out can't really sustain them especially in the present high inflation rate climate. Believe me, these people do not just laze around waiting for manna to fall from the sky. They do have their dignity and would want to work, and most do in fact, but just that their pay are simply too little (due to influx of cheap foreign labor) for them to make ends meet. So people like us find it gross injustice for the PAP to gloat about how well they had govern S'pore and yet the lower rungs of society are largely abandoned.

 

[Leongsam]

but just that their pay are simply too little (due to influx of cheap foreign labor) for them to make ends meet. So people like us find it gross injustice for the PAP to gloat about how well they had govern S'pore and yet the lower rungs of society are largely abandoned.

Let me make a suggestion... since cheap foreign labour can't find jobs and can't make ends meet in their own country, their solution is to come to Singapore to work. It then follows that if Singaporeans find they can't make ends meet, why don't they get a work permit to work in West Australia in the mining industry where take home salaries are in excess of AUD100,000 a year. There is no reason why Singaporeans can't play the same game.

No country in the world can guarantee a well paying job for EVERYONE. Resourceful individuals look further afield for opportunities. They don't restrict themselves to their own backyards. That's what all the Banglas are doing.. they go overseas.

No matter who is in power, the govt of Singapore will always face an uphill task of keeping the economy going. It's an unlikely country with very few options but to run very fast just to stay in the same spot.

If you look at the welfare state model around the world, very few have any long term chance of survival. Greece is a terminal case and on its last legs but countries such as NZ and Australia are going to have to cut back on welfare payouts and minimum wage levels soon or they'll be going broke too.

Why do you want a system that it is proving to be a failure the world over implemented in Singapore?

 

[freedalas]

Let me make a suggestion... since cheap foreign labour can't find jobs and can't make ends meet in their own country, their solution is to come to Singapore to work. It then follows that if Singaporeans find they can't make ends meet, why don't they get a work permit to work in West Australia in the mining industry where take home salaries are in excess of AUD100,000 a year. There is no reason why Singaporeans can't play the same game.

No country in the world can guarantee a well paying job for EVERYONE. Resourceful individuals look further afield for opportunities. They don't restrict themselves to their own backyards. That's what all the Banglas are doing.. they go overseas.

No matter who is in power, the govt of Singapore will always face an uphill task of keeping the economy going. It's an unlikely country with very few options but to run very fast just to stay in the same spot.

If you look at the welfare state model around the world, very few have any long term chance of survival. Greece is a terminal case and on its last legs but countries such as NZ and Australia are going to have to cut back on welfare payouts and minimum wage levels soon or they'll be going broke too.

Why do you want a system that it is proving to be a failure the world over implemented in Singapore?

Again I do get your points and they are valid ones. But I honestly don't believe that the level of the govt's assistance to the poor and needy here has not reached a point that we are at the brink of a full blow western welfare system. In fact, we are quite far from it. To be fair to the PAP they had guarded well against such a scenario this but at the same time, I think they have overdone it and is too conservative with their assistance because what they are handing out are grossly insufficient or the criteria too strict. There's still some way to go and knowing how tight-fisted this PAP govt is (not necessarily a bad thing), it will ensure that we won't suffer the same fate as Europe for instance. Like u, people like us also do not wish to see S'pore ending up like these western states with indiscriminate welfare systems, but the situation in S'pore is too much under-helping.

 

[Leongsam]

Again I do get your points and they are valid ones. But I honestly don't believe that the level of the govt's assistance to the poor and needy here has not reached a point that we are at the brink of a full blow western welfare system. In fact, we are quite far from it. To be fair to the PAP they had guarded well against such a scenario this but at the same time, I think they have overdone it and is too conservative with their assistance because what they are handing out are grossly insufficient or the criteria too strict. There's still some way to go and knowing how tight-fisted this PAP govt is (not necessarily a bad thing), it will ensure that we won't suffer the same fate as Europe for instance. Like u, people like us also do not wish to see S'pore ending up like these western states with indiscriminate welfare systems, but the situation in S'pore is too much under-helping.

The govt is worried that once welfare takes root, there is simply no turning back. In the Western nations, things started out in a reasonable and measured manner too. However, politics being what it is, election campaigns became a contest of who was willing to hand out more freebies and we can see the net result.

Welfare started off for the temporarily unemployed in countries such as the UK, OZ and NZ. The system has been expanded by successive governments and now include whole families who have been unemployed their whole lives. They also get free housing courtesy of the state. There are cases where 3 generations are living under one roof and not A SINGLE FAMILY MEMBER has a job. However, that doesn't stop them from having sky TV in their living room and 3 cars in their garage.. all courtesy of the taxpayer.

Being an unwed mother carried a stigma in the mid 20th century and society felt sorry for these girls and welfare benefits were extended to them so they could look after their children full time. Fast forward to this day and age and you'll find that being an unwed mother has become a profession. Many pocket $2000 per week in total benefits as a reward for producing 5 children in 5 years and some of them aren't even sure who the fathers are.

Singapore must not go down this road. It will be a disaster.

 

[freedalas]

The govt is worried that once welfare takes root, there is simply no turning back. In the Western nations, things started out in a reasonable and measured manner too. However, politics being what it is, election campaigns became a contest of who was willing to hand out more freebies and we can see the net result.

Welfare started off for the temporarily unemployed in countries such as the UK, OZ and NZ. The system has been expanded by successive governments and now include whole families who have been unemployed their whole lives. They also get free housing courtesy of the state. There are cases where 3 generations are living under one roof and not A SINGLE FAMILY MEMBER has a job. However, that doesn't stop them from having sky TV in their living room and 3 cars in their garage.. all courtesy of the taxpayer.

Being an unwed mother carried a stigma in the mid 20th century and society felt sorry for these girls and welfare benefits were extended to them so they could look after their children full time. Fast forward to this day and age and you'll find that being an unwed mother has become a profession. Many pocket $2000 per week in total benefits as a reward for producing 5 children in 5 years and some of them aren't even sure who the fathers are.

Singapore must not go down this road. It will be a disaster.

Reading what u elaborated on how things turned out to be in other countries though it all started with the best of intentions, I do agree that it would be a slippery road indeed. But if solely for this reason, the govt is with-holding its hands to grant further assistance to the needy, then this group of people can only be suffering more and more and it would be a meaningless existence for them. Do u think (I 'm asking this sincerely) there's some room for the govt to move yet without ending down the slippery road?

 

[Leongsam]

Do u think (I 'm asking this sincerely) there's some room for the govt to move yet without ending down the slippery road?

Yes there is plenty of room for the government to move at the present moment assuming that Singapore is as rich as it makes itself out to be.

However, this is not the solution in the medium to long term as giving the disadvantaged more money for a "leg up" can only ever be a temporary measure. If it is turned into a permanent solution, the queues for handouts will just get longer and the recipients will become more demanding as has been the case in the Western nations. Once the floodgates are open, there is no way you can reverse the process.

 

[Leongsam]

A Liverpool girl goes to the welfare office to register for child benefit.
"How many children?" asks the welfare officer.
"Ten" replies the Liverpool girl,
"Ten?" says the welfare worker.
"What are their names?"
"Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan and Nathan"
"Doesn't that get confusing?"
"Naah..." says the Liverpool girl, "It's great because if they are out playing in the street I just have to shout 'Nathan yer dinner's ready!' or 'Nathan go to bed now!' and they all do it.
"What if you want to speak to one individually?" says the curious welfare worker.
"That's easy," says the Liverpool girl... "I just use their surnames"

 

[freedalas]

A Liverpool girl goes to the welfare office to register for child benefit.
"How many children?" asks the welfare officer.
"Ten" replies the Liverpool girl,
"Ten?" says the welfare worker.
"What are their names?"
"Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan, Nathan and Nathan"
"Doesn't that get confusing?"
"Naah..." says the Liverpool girl, "It's great because if they are out playing in the street I just have to shout 'Nathan yer dinner's ready!' or 'Nathan go to bed now!' and they all do it.
"What if you want to speak to one individually?" says the curious welfare worker.
"That's easy," says the Liverpool girl... "I just use their surnames"

Humorous but I got the message and appreciate what u are saying. I accept that the S'pore govt need to be more prudent as compared to these western countries. But at the end of the day, the poor and needy in S'pore truly require help, especially monetarily. There is no two ways about it. It's my sincere hope that the govt could calibrate its approach to render more financial aid such that it offers them more hope and yet at same time avoid the slippery road towards a total welfare state. Thanks bro for the meaningful exchange.

 

[Lovenest]

How to compare managing a red dot with a larger country? Else next they demand to be paid billions instead of millions...

 

[eatshitndie]

http://www.hvs.com/Content/3223.pdf

Record-Breaking Performance by Singapore Hotels

Zhang Jiahao, ASSOCIATE
HVS Singapore

David Ling, CHAIRMAN
HVS China & Southeast Asia

Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) of hotels surged by 15% to S$212 in 2011, from S$185 in 2010. The stellar RevPAR is driven by a combination of higher average room rate ( ARR) and occupancy rate achieved by hotels in Singapore. ARR of S$245 for 2011 coincides with the previous peak recorded for 2008, and 13% above the S$217 achieved in 2010. On the other hand, the 2011 occupancy rate at 86% broke the previous record of 85% in 2010.

Higher Capital Valuesfor Hotels in 2011

The better market performance and investor sentiment in 2011 drove up the average hotel capital value for the Upscale/Luxury segment by 10% to S$905,299 per room, from S$822,313 per room in 2010, according to the latest Hotel Valuation Index produced by HVS Hospitality Services. This is 3.6% higher than the previous peak of S$873,865 achieved in 2007.

[snip]