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S’pore needs political reform, not a new social compact

makapaaa

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
[h=2]S’pore needs political reform, not a new social compact[/h]

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August 14th, 2013 |
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Author: Contributions



Political-Reform1.jpg
It’s absurd of former Prime Minister, ESM Goh Chok Tong, to
tick off Singaporeans for piling pressures on the Singapore government.

Apart from the fact that the government’s mission is carry out the will of
the people, it’s also the highest paid in the whole world so naturally the
expectations of the electorate are high.

It’s even more absurd of ESM Goh to suggest that a new social compact needs
to be forged. In a social compact the citizens give up part of their rights. ESM
Goh is deeply out of touch.

May I remind ESM Goh that the world has moved on. The ruling PAP government
is still stuck with a mindset from the last century. What Singapore needs is
definitely not a social compact to perpetuate its repressive rule but political
reform.

Political reform. Two simple words but avoided like the plague by the ruling
regime. Even the military junta in Myanmar has yielded to the demands of the
people, freed the press and embarked on political reform.

Repressive political parties do not willingly give up their core value of
authoritarianism. Often in self-denial, they have to be dealt massive pain at
the polls or be toppled in a revolution as the recent Arab Spring amply
demonstrated.

“Social compact? Goh is so so last century”, my friend Wee said. “What about
his promised Swiss standard of living? Looks like only he and his cronies are
enjoying a Swiss standard of living.”

Roger
Poh


* The writer blogs at http://rogerpoh.wordpress.com.
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
Egypt and Libya have been through "political reform" and look at the shit they're in now.

"Political reform" sounds like a nice battle cry but it makes the lives of ordinary citizens worse not better.
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
You want "political reform" in Singapore? Be careful what you wish for!

************


Egypt 'suffering worst economic crisis since 1930s'


Former finance minister and economist say Egypt is in dire predicament as foreign investment and tourism collapse

Egypt is suffering its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a former finance minister of the country and one of its leading economists have warned.


In terms of its devastating effect on Egypt's poorest, the country's current economic predicament is at its most dire since the 1930s, Galal Amin, professor of economics at the American University in Cairo, and Samir Radwan, finance minister in the months after Egypt's 2011 uprising, said in separate interviews with the Guardian.


Since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Egypt has experienced a drastic fall in both foreign investment and tourism revenues, followed by a 60% drop in foreign exchange reserves, a 3% drop in growth, and a rapid devaluation of the Egyptian pound. All this has led to mushrooming food prices, ballooning unemployment and a shortage of fuel and cooking gas – causing Egypt's worst crisis, said Amin, "without fear of making a mistake, since the 30s".


"Nobody cares about the poor now," Amin said. During comparable crises in the late 1960s, the mid-70s and the late 80s, Amin and Radwan argued that Egypt's poorest were variously shielded from absolute hardship either by state subsidies, overseas aid, comparatively low unemployment, or by remittances from expatriates in the Gulf states. But now one in four young Egyptians is unemployed, household remittances are low, and there is a shortage of subsidised goods.


"You are talking about nearly half of the population being in a state of poverty," said Radwan, a development economist. "Either in absolute poverty or near-poor, meaning that with any [economic] shock, like with inflation, they will fall under the poverty line." Currently, 25.2% of Egyptians are below the poverty line, with 23.7% hovering just above it, according to figures supplied by the Egyptian government.


For most Egyptians, rising food prices are the most critical problem. Some goods have doubled in price since last autumn – catastrophic for the quarter of families that already spend 50% of their income on food.


For Hoda Goma, a Cairo architect, the situation is having a serious effect on her two eight-year-old sons. "They're getting worse at school," she said. "They're getting ill more often. They have these black patches under their eyes and their teeth have got worse."


Egypt currency exchange
A currency exchange in Cairo. The value of the Egyptian pound has fallen by 12% against the dollar since December. Photograph: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images
It is down to their diet, Goma explained. She cannot afford to feed them what they need. Six months ago she spent half her salary on food. Now she says it is closer to four-fifths – not because she is earning less, but because rising food prices show no sign of slowing down.


"Prices are on fire," said grocer Walid Ali. Just last week, Ali would buy a kilo of mandarins for four Egyptian pounds – or 40 British pence – from wholesalers, and sell them for six (60 British pence). "Now I buy them for six and sell them for eight."


As a result, consumers are either buying less, or not buying at all. "It's impossible," said Ali. "I've lost half my customers. People can only afford to buy basic foods." At his two-storey market in central Cairo, the top floor is now entirely empty. Neighbours said all stall-holders on the upper level had been forced to close in recent months.


Inflated food prices are not a new phenomenon in a country that is the world's biggest importer of wheat, where the population has long risen more rapidly than production, and where up to half of the produce rots in the heat on the way to market. But the recent rate of inflation has been significantly raised by Egypt's disastrous economic predicament.


Most problematically, the value of the Egyptian pound has fallen by 12% against the dollar since December. For two years, Egypt's central bank had used its foreign currency reserves to arrest the slide – but with those reserves having shrunk by around 60% since 2011, the bank had to abandon the tactic last winter. As a result, the pound's value has this year fallen further and faster. In turn, it has become much more expensive to import foreign goods – catastrophic for a country that buys in 60% of its wheat, and whose farmers also often rely on imported fertiliser, fuel and animal feed.


"They have a serious crisis on their hands," said the EU's envoy to Egypt, James Moran, who noted that Egypt's foreign reserves had fallen from $36bn (£24bn) three years ago to $14.4bn last month. "This gives you less than three months' import coverage – and in an import-dependent economy, this is quite dangerous."


"We are suffering," said Ali Eissa, the chairman of Nahdet Misr, a farm company which grows potatoes and oranges on 3,000 acres across Egypt. "It's impacted most of our fertilisers, machines, tractors – all their prices have dramatically increased."


The pound's devaluation has also made it harder for the Egyptian government to import fuel. The state has subsidised diesel (along with goods such as bread, cooking gas and fertiliser) since the dictatorship of Gamal Abdel Nasser. But with those subsidies now accounting for over a fifth of the Egyptian budget, and with a budget deficit of 13%, the state cannot afford to support the population at the level it once did. As a result, there are daily shortages at pumps across Egypt, long queues – and, at times, fatal fights.


"Last month, we couldn't find any diesel," said Eissa, who was consequently forced to turn to the black market, where he says fuel prices are between 40% and 80% higher than their legal rate. "The worst thing is that most of the black market quantities are mixed with water – which is breaking a lot of our machines. We have to change the filter, get them maintained, stop the irrigation, stop the tractors."


Mohamed Morsi
The Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi. Photograph: Eraldo Peres/AP
In turn, farmers must sell their crops for higher prices – and with the government also under pressure to cut subsidies, food is therefore increasingly unaffordable for the poorest Egyptians. "The rich can take care of themselves," said Karim Abadir, professor of econometrics at Imperial College London, and a co-founder of the Free Egyptians, an opposition party. "But the poor of Egypt are really, really poor. Their daily diet is just bread. First of all, that's a terrible diet. Secondly, they're not even going to afford that. And the government has nothing in place to provide them with a safety net when they have to raise prices and cut subsidies."


So far, Mohamed Morsi's Islamist-led government has attempted to keep Egypt afloat with short-term measures. It has accepted loans and grants worth more than $5bn from Gulf states such as Qatar, and interest-free fuel handouts from neighbouring Libya. Domestically, it has avoided major economic reforms that might cause short-term upheaval – perhaps fearing bread riots similar to those experienced in 1977, when the then dictator Anwar Sadat first temporarily tinkered with subsidies. Instead, Morsi has focused mainly on meaningless initiatives such as tax rises on peripheral imports such as shrimp and nuts, or closing shops early at night to save electricity. Morsi has also attempted to legalise the controversial sukuk, an Islamist form of government bond that may help to bring in more short-term cash.


"There is no vision, there is no vision whatsoever," said Radwan of the government's current economic ministers. The Egyptian finance ministry did not make any official available for interview.


Along with Amin, Radwan said the initial route out of the crisis was obvious. The government needed to take the lead in restoring calm to the polarised Egyptian street and its tumultuous political sphere. National stability would give investors the confidence to reopen the 1,500 factories that have closed since 2011, and encourage tourists – whose spending was once worth $1bn a month to the Egyptian economy – to return.


"Restore stability, restore tourism, and restore confidence from investors," summarised Amin. Such a process would raise employment, and so lift millions from poverty, gradually allowing the government to end food subsidies for those who would no longer need them.


"It has to be spread over a period of time otherwise the social consequences would be very dire," said Amin. "As you succeed in raising the income of the poor, you [can] reduce the subsidy."


The delivery of a much-delayed $4.8bn International Monetary Fund loan – and a further $12bn in contingent loans from the EU and elsewhere – depends on Egypt's agreement to such reforms. Without the loan, foreign investment – which has fallen by 56% since 2011 – is also unlikely to return.


Radwan said: "I regard the IMF loan, which I was the first to negotiate, and it was turned down, as the key. Not because of the sum. But because if you sign with the IMF, it means you have a sound financial and monetary programme to get you out of the crisis."


Not everyone agrees. Amin sees the loan as too small to make much difference in itself. Instead, he suggests Egypt should enact the reforms the IMF suggests without taking on the debt itself. "What is the use of this $4.8bn sum?" Amin asked. "It is a big sum, but it still less than what tourism used to bring you. The conclusion is that the loan from the IMF is neither necessary nor sufficient. Not necessary because by attacking the real problems, you can dispense with it – and not sufficient, because if you don't attack the real problems it doesn't help you very much. It's only short-term relief."


Whatever happens, while politicians prevaricate, ordinary Egyptians are being ever more compromised by the soaring cost of living. Mostafa, a 30-year-old driver, started dealing hashish late last year when his wife became pregnant, realising his monthly earnings of 1,500 Egyptian pounds, or £150, would not be enough to feed his enlarged family. "Without the drug dealing, I would only have 300 Egyptian pounds [£30] to pay for everything after rent and food," Mostafa said. "How would I be able to support my new children?"


Economists often predict a so-called "revolution of the hungry", should conditions worsen further. But for Radwan, Egypt is already at that stage: robbery rose 350% in 2012 as Egyptians took wealth redistribution into their own hands. "The elite sits there saying the revolt of the hungry is coming," said Radwan. "What do you mean it's coming? Are you waiting for a violent, bloody destruction of the Bastille? It's already there."


Additional reporting by Mowaffaq Safadi
 

TopSage

Alfrescian
Loyal
Egypt and Libya have been through "political reform" and look at the shit they're in now.

"Political reform" sounds like a nice battle cry but it makes the lives of ordinary citizens worse not better.

Those are 3rd world countries. What about S,Korea and Taiwan? They move to a democratic system of govt and not too bad...numerous other examples of countries going from authoritarian rule to democracy successfully... example is almost every country in Europe was under monarchy and under political reforms 200 yrs ago. While they face some trouble now economically...system lasted and sustained for very long.

On the other hand system under undemocratic rule always fall apart faster ...take the 2 examples you gave Egypt and Libya ...the problems is not reform per she but these countries have been under dictatorships for too long and the collapse of dictators unleashed opposing forces which dictators repressed for too long. The longer they take to reform, the more disruptive the reform. Compare them with Israel which is founded as a democratic country in middle east....internally they allow peaceful protests, assemblies etc but long term stability is there. Under Mubarak Egypt had Zero protests but the country was rotting under the peaceful facade and deadly forces were building up.

Same for Singapore, the earlier we reform the better. If we wait until collapse to reform, it would be more disruptive. All this talk about social compact is just rubbish. It is another excuses for pap to
concentrate power and suppress opponents.
 

winnipegjets

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
If sinkapore goes through a similar event like in Egypt, it will be a good thing. The shake up will wipe the country clean of the PAP. I look forward to many bloody sucking PAP ministers, current and ex, and many others put on trial for treason.
 

winnipegjets

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Egypt and Libya have been through "political reform" and look at the shit they're in now.

"Political reform" sounds like a nice battle cry but it makes the lives of ordinary citizens worse not better.

The bitter medicine has to be taken. It depends on the PAP; they could let it be easy or it could stir things up.
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
Those are 3rd world countries. What about S,Korea and Taiwan? They move to a democratic system of govt and not too bad...numerous other examples of countries going from authoritarian rule to democracy successfully... example is almost every country in Europe was under monarchy and under political reforms 200 yrs ago. While they face some trouble now economically...system lasted and sustained for very long.

On the other hand system under undemocratic rule always fall apart faster ...take the 2 examples you gave Egypt and Libya ...the problems is not reform per she but these countries have been under dictatorships for too long and the collapse of dictators unleashed opposing forces which dictators repressed for too long.

Singapore is nothing like South Korea and Taiwan which are homogeneous societies.

Singapore is a hodge podge collection of migrants thrown together by former colonial rule of the Island.

There are many opposing forces underneath the peaceful facade in Singapore too not to mention menacing neighbors who will be only too ready to exploit any weaknesses that emerge if the peace and stability provided by the PAP is taken out of the equation.

Be very careful before you depose of Singapore's greatest asset.... the PAP government.
 

TopSage

Alfrescian
Loyal
Singapore is nothing like South Korea and Taiwan which are homogeneous societies.

Singapore is a hodge podge collection of migrants thrown together by former colonial rule of the Island.

There are many opposing forces underneath the peaceful facade in Singapore too not to mention menacing neighbors who will be only too ready to exploit any weaknesses that emerge if the peace and stability provided by the PAP is taken out of the equation.

Be very careful before you depose of Singapore's greatest asset.... the PAP government.

Homogenous society? Taiwan had their natives, indigenous pple and kmt....american had its huddled masses, .hk colony was also a hodge podge of immigrants,Sikhs , British expats..indigeneous society myth is created by lky...when it was convenient to say he would say we need this and that because we are not homogenous...if homogeneity is so important why is the pap flooding the place with pjnoys, Indians etc ...now they tell us a hodge podge of immigrants is also good
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
Homogenous society? Taiwan had their natives, indigenous pple and kmt....american had its huddled masses, .hk colony was also a hodge podge of immigrants,Sikhs , British expats..indigeneous society myth is created by lky...when it was convenient to say he would say we need this and that because we are not homogenous...if homogeneity is so important why is the pap flooding the place with pjnoys, Indians etc ...now they tell us a hodge podge of immigrants is also good

Taiwan is 98% Han the majority of which are from the same dialect group. It's neighbor is China

Hong Kong is 92% Han the majority being Cantonese. It's neighbor is China.

Singapore is 74% Han and this percentage is dropping rapidly. There are significant numbers in each dialect group. 14% are Muslims and their fertility rate is 80% higher than the Chinese. 10% are Indians evenly split between Tamils and non Tamils. Singapore is surrounded by 300 million Muslims.

There is no comparison.

Without strong and decisive leadership that only the PAP can provide, there would be significant conflict even within the Han Chinese community with each major dialect group fighting for dominance over the rest. In the early days of Singapore's history, the British had to keep the dialect groups apart in order to avoid riots and bloodshed.

If you think this can't happen again. You're seriously deluded.
 

greenies

Alfrescian
Loyal
Egypt and Libya have been through "political reform" and look at the shit they're in now.

"Political reform" sounds like a nice battle cry but it makes the lives of ordinary citizens worse not better.

Political Reform must come after economic success, otherwise the country could create elites and cronies dwelling on its wealth.
 

Dreamer1

Alfrescian
Loyal
Boss Sam is not telling the truth,Formosa has been under the threat of Satan The Great Red Dragon since 1949,Malaysia gladly let LKY left to form his own kindgom - The Lee Dynasty.
Formosa is the Kingdom of God,is is called The TRUTH State,
福穆薩(福爾摩沙)真理國國旗(National Flag of Formosa)
http://blog.roodo.com/esir/archives/16563793.html
奉至仁永慈亽上帝之名
THE ONE & ONLY ALMIGHTY GOD ALLAH JEHOVAH bless Formosa -
唯一的全能神安拉御和華 {華渚}
「神祐福穆薩」
「上帝祐福穆薩」
「耶和華祐福穆薩」
「安拉祐福穆薩」或
「天理王命 祐福穆薩」(Tenri-Ō-no-Mikoto)或
「梵祫(Bahá)祐福穆薩」或
「真理祐福穆薩」
 
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bryanlim1972

Alfrescian
Loyal
Egypt and Libya have been through "political reform" and look at the shit they're in now.

"Political reform" sounds like a nice battle cry but it makes the lives of ordinary citizens worse not better.

have you forgotten the political reforms that brought us here today? if not for LKY reforming the colonial system, we will still be shitting in metal buckets as you like to point out.

50 years on, its time to move on.

is the system broken yet? not completely, but achieving only 1.2m out of 2.0m eligible votes is not a good report card. in PSLE parlance, its called a "C" grade.
 

wMulew

Alfrescian
Loyal
have you forgotten the political reforms that brought us here today? if not for LKY reforming the colonial system, we will still be shitting in metal buckets as you like to point out.

50 years on, its time to move on.

is the system broken yet? not completely, but achieving only 1.2m out of 2.0m eligible votes is not a good report card. in PSLE parlance, its called a "C" grade.

50 yrs ago Singapore was knee deep in Corruption, financial mismanagement, racial strife and high unemployment rate. They have no choice but to reform

Right now almost all Singaporeans have a roof over our head most having access to basic luxury like broadband internet, mobile phones and multiple vacations a year, we are one of the least corrupt countries in the world, one of the richest country in the world, unemployment rate is at 2%. Why the fuck would U want to reform. Only racist and xenophobic losers who have issues with Foreigeners, the same foreigners who are building your HDB, cleaning your roads, cleaning your homes and taking care of your kids. And retarded opposition supporters who believe in stupid bullshit from the opposition that makes no sense and have no link to reality would want reform
 

bryanlim1972

Alfrescian
Loyal
Only racist and xenophobic losers who have issues with Foreigeners, the same foreigners who are building your HDB, cleaning your roads, cleaning your homes and taking care of your kids.

No one has held anything against this class of foreigners; its all the other foreign talents who are the problems.

still fudging the issue. whatever lah, keep your head in the sand. see you at 2016.
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
50 yrs ago Singapore was knee deep in Corruption, financial mismanagement, racial strife and high unemployment rate. They have no choice but to reform

Right now almost all Singaporeans have a roof over our head most having access to basic luxury like broadband internet, mobile phones and multiple vacations a year, we are one of the least corrupt countries in the world, one of the richest country in the world, unemployment rate is at 2%. Why the fuck would U want to reform. Only racist and xenophobic losers who have issues with Foreigeners, the same foreigners who are building your HDB, cleaning your roads, cleaning your homes and taking care of your kids. And retarded opposition supporters who believe in stupid bullshit from the opposition that makes no sense and have no link to reality would want reform

Well said. I have added to your points.
 

halsey02

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Singapore is nothing like South Korea and Taiwan which are homogeneous societies.

Singapore is a hodge podge collection of migrants thrown together by former colonial rule of the Island.

There are many opposing forces underneath the peaceful facade in Singapore too not to mention menacing neighbors who will be only too ready to exploit any weaknesses that emerge if the peace and stability provided by the PAP is taken out of the equation.

Be very careful before you depose of Singapore's greatest asset.... the PAP government.

The PAP government used to be a huge asset to us....but it had become a big asses & a huge plant eating lumbering dinosaur... it is a choice of a political reform & reap what you have mentioned in Syria, Egypt etc..or die a slow death...It is now between the devil & the deep blue sea...we as a nation have to find a middle. In his last years, LKY is saying something about this too...if you read excerpts of his latest book...read between the lines.
 

winnipegjets

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
50 yrs ago Singapore was knee deep in Corruption, financial mismanagement, racial strife and high unemployment rate. They have no choice but to reform

Right now almost all Singaporeans have a roof over our head most having access to basic luxury like broadband internet, mobile phones and multiple vacations a year, we are one of the least corrupt countries in the world, one of the richest country in the world, unemployment rate is at 2%. Why the fuck would U want to reform. Only racist and xenophobic losers who have issues with Foreigeners, the same foreigners who are building your HDB, cleaning your roads, cleaning your homes and taking care of your kids. And retarded opposition supporters who believe in stupid bullshit from the opposition that makes no sense and have no link to reality would want reform

That's how a society dies ...keep living in the past!
If you want foreigners to dominate you, feel free to do so. Let's divide up the island. The east coast can go to the foreigners and you and your PAP. Only sinkees allowed for the rest of the country.
 

ilovesingapore

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
If sinkapore goes through a similar event like in Egypt, it will be a good thing. The shake up will wipe the country clean of the PAP. I look forward to many bloody sucking PAP ministers, current and ex, and many others put on trial for treason.

you are advocating anarchy not reforms
our government is the best
peaceful transformation without any disruption
gradual meaningful changes without any chaos
gentle changes without any social cost
please do not advocate violence
we cannot take it
we cannot sustain it
it is not our style of political transformation
so your suggestion is not acceptable
 

ilovesingapore

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
That's how a society dies ...keep living in the past!
If you want foreigners to dominate you, feel free to do so. Let's divide up the island. The east coast can go to the foreigners and you and your PAP. Only sinkees allowed for the rest of the country.

our suggestion is again disruptive
you keep on taking about foreigners dominating our life here
this is utter rubbish
the core system is very Singaporean
we are in control
foreigners are here at our invitation
to help to contribute and to develop our nation
singaporeans are still in control
please don't spread rumours and lies...
 
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