lydia slaps Ass loong for us, hahahahaha....
From: sgnews 12:51 am
To: ALL (1 of 1)
1589.1
Expats score at expense of others
THE recent National Day Rally speech made an entertaining watch. Although I was highly impressed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's oratorical skills in addressing various issues of concern, I shall comment on only one.
Mr Lee noted how the sandwiched class constantly bemoans affordability issues such as owning a car in Singapore. I am one such person, and the matter strikes a loud chord indeed.
The reason more 'households' own cars is because more expatriates are living and breeding in Singapore by the day (consequently, the Government is giving them more land for international schools, bravo), and thus their 'households' add to the numbers. These expatriates receive interest-free car loans from their employers on top of their salaries and hardship, housing and relocation allowances.
While I concede that globalisation is a necessary evil, here and elsewhere, why does our Government make life so much rosier for these foreigners while dealing with Singaporeans in a by-the-way manner?
It has been widely noted that Singapore has ceased to be for Singaporeans. Talented, educated, young Singaporeans are displaced, disenchanted and more desperate in their quest to find their place in a society they once regarded and revered as their home. Some are just waiting to leave at the drop of a hat.
I propose that the way to quell such worries among the sandwiched class, at least on the issue of car ownership, is that everything be reasonably Singapore-centric.
As Mr Lee pointed out, it makes no sense to riot and protest over external occurrences we have no control over, like oil prices. What does make sense, however, is to do what we can internally - by setting a price-discrimination mechanism. Clearly, it makes sense to have one category of cars and roads for Singaporeans and another for permanent residents and expatriates because if people must be taxed, it should be those who are literally 'fly by night' and not loyal Singaporeans.
Hence, ideally, prices of fuel at petrol stations should be double for anyone who is not a pink IC holder, and the cost of owning a car should be at least 50 per cent higher.
The same restrictions apply in other areas such as property, education and the civil service, so why not in transport?
Lydia Rahman (Ms)
From: sgnews 12:51 am
To: ALL (1 of 1)
1589.1
Expats score at expense of others
THE recent National Day Rally speech made an entertaining watch. Although I was highly impressed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's oratorical skills in addressing various issues of concern, I shall comment on only one.
Mr Lee noted how the sandwiched class constantly bemoans affordability issues such as owning a car in Singapore. I am one such person, and the matter strikes a loud chord indeed.
The reason more 'households' own cars is because more expatriates are living and breeding in Singapore by the day (consequently, the Government is giving them more land for international schools, bravo), and thus their 'households' add to the numbers. These expatriates receive interest-free car loans from their employers on top of their salaries and hardship, housing and relocation allowances.
While I concede that globalisation is a necessary evil, here and elsewhere, why does our Government make life so much rosier for these foreigners while dealing with Singaporeans in a by-the-way manner?
It has been widely noted that Singapore has ceased to be for Singaporeans. Talented, educated, young Singaporeans are displaced, disenchanted and more desperate in their quest to find their place in a society they once regarded and revered as their home. Some are just waiting to leave at the drop of a hat.
I propose that the way to quell such worries among the sandwiched class, at least on the issue of car ownership, is that everything be reasonably Singapore-centric.
As Mr Lee pointed out, it makes no sense to riot and protest over external occurrences we have no control over, like oil prices. What does make sense, however, is to do what we can internally - by setting a price-discrimination mechanism. Clearly, it makes sense to have one category of cars and roads for Singaporeans and another for permanent residents and expatriates because if people must be taxed, it should be those who are literally 'fly by night' and not loyal Singaporeans.
Hence, ideally, prices of fuel at petrol stations should be double for anyone who is not a pink IC holder, and the cost of owning a car should be at least 50 per cent higher.
The same restrictions apply in other areas such as property, education and the civil service, so why not in transport?
Lydia Rahman (Ms)
