Sometimes I wonder why some forummers here are so generous dispensing information and "tips" about the Iskandar project - especially to Singaporeans to tempt them to "upgrade" to cheap landed properties over there?
By and large a great majority of forummers, perhaps after a stressful day in the office or company come to this forum to let off steam, to poke fun at some people or air some opinions. Few level-headed people take them seriously. After all the forum has been, or still is, associated with the less holy realm. The unwary coming to the Home page may click on the other "Asian Values" link which leads to the more juicy website.
Are these people so altruistic in going out of the way to help the scarcity and kiasu scared mentality of Singaporeans who are alarmed by the recent surge in demand for private and public housing brought about by the ever-growing Singapore economy and prosperity?
Of course the immediate gain for these people will be more unwary people jumping into the band-wagon, leading to greater demand for the houses and more appreciation in their properties which they can dispose off at a handsome profit in future years, or at the first sign of trouble!
These are smart people. Who would pour in their life-savings and buy houses in some desolate jungles or mangrove swamps in some frontier land or cowboy towns, or brave half a weekend waiting for CIQ clearance to go to their weekend home? Or worse the horrifying true events of MSC - Muggng, Shooting and Car-jacking - just to name a few - a meaning given by no less a no-nonsense man as the former Prime Minister and Minister Mentor?
Personally I have many Malaysian relatives, colleagues and close-friends working in Singapore but have kept their option open to become citizens. They earn their money in Singapore, but invest in land and houses back in their hometown or KL or PJ or Ipoh - hoping to rest on their fortunes from all these pent-up demand from land-scarce Singapore. Their own flat here is easily worth three or four back home, or easily a large landed compound house with spare change. Sometimes they shake their heads trying to understand S'poreans - while them non-bumi M'sians are trying to get out of the country for good, some S'poreans are clamouring headlong to enter the country - no less influenced by the recent feel-good political relationships often plagued by blow-hot and blow-cold relationship since Separation. S'poreans as foreigners buying houses in Malaysia is vastly different from local Malaysians buying houses in Malaysia, they say.
However, events that are happening, or had happened, in Malaysia that have direct or indirect implications are contrary to the "glorious land" that these people have painted. Look at the many cock-ups they muddled themselves in - such as imposing sales of cooking oil, sugar and petrol to S'poreans, the latest being the CIQ double-index finger scanning and entry-and-exit stickers. They insisted on building the crooked bridge to spike S'pore leaders - only to demolish it half-completed later; they still want to demolish the Causeway - believing that all problems regarding CIQ or pollution will be washed away by the current in the Straits.
Just read any Malaysian newspaper - be it The Stars or The New Straits Times or even that former Malaysian FT of LittleSpeck Seah Chiang Nee, the former editor of Singapore Herald in 1970 which was closed down by the Government because of dubious foreign funding and taking on the government in many national issues. They always reserve a article or two on any negative aspects of Singapore they can find. Occasionally I don't mind investing some time to amuse myself reading them to find out how ridiculous these Malaysians can be.
S'poreans are wise, but some time they can become panicky and over over-solve their problem. Instead of one casino, they built two for insurance. Instead of letting the rivers flow into the sea, they dammed up every river they can find to ensure that the Malaysians don't use water as a bargaining chip to arm-twist or brow-beat the country. They save and save as though there is no tomorrow - so much so that their savings is more than many First World countries including Britain and France. They equipped their air force into the biggest in the region.
To cut the long story short, learn to appreciate history and understand from it. Shake with one hand with your friends, but keep the other hand on your weapon nearby. Never underestimate the wisdom of our leaders.
By and large a great majority of forummers, perhaps after a stressful day in the office or company come to this forum to let off steam, to poke fun at some people or air some opinions. Few level-headed people take them seriously. After all the forum has been, or still is, associated with the less holy realm. The unwary coming to the Home page may click on the other "Asian Values" link which leads to the more juicy website.
Are these people so altruistic in going out of the way to help the scarcity and kiasu scared mentality of Singaporeans who are alarmed by the recent surge in demand for private and public housing brought about by the ever-growing Singapore economy and prosperity?
Of course the immediate gain for these people will be more unwary people jumping into the band-wagon, leading to greater demand for the houses and more appreciation in their properties which they can dispose off at a handsome profit in future years, or at the first sign of trouble!
These are smart people. Who would pour in their life-savings and buy houses in some desolate jungles or mangrove swamps in some frontier land or cowboy towns, or brave half a weekend waiting for CIQ clearance to go to their weekend home? Or worse the horrifying true events of MSC - Muggng, Shooting and Car-jacking - just to name a few - a meaning given by no less a no-nonsense man as the former Prime Minister and Minister Mentor?
Personally I have many Malaysian relatives, colleagues and close-friends working in Singapore but have kept their option open to become citizens. They earn their money in Singapore, but invest in land and houses back in their hometown or KL or PJ or Ipoh - hoping to rest on their fortunes from all these pent-up demand from land-scarce Singapore. Their own flat here is easily worth three or four back home, or easily a large landed compound house with spare change. Sometimes they shake their heads trying to understand S'poreans - while them non-bumi M'sians are trying to get out of the country for good, some S'poreans are clamouring headlong to enter the country - no less influenced by the recent feel-good political relationships often plagued by blow-hot and blow-cold relationship since Separation. S'poreans as foreigners buying houses in Malaysia is vastly different from local Malaysians buying houses in Malaysia, they say.
However, events that are happening, or had happened, in Malaysia that have direct or indirect implications are contrary to the "glorious land" that these people have painted. Look at the many cock-ups they muddled themselves in - such as imposing sales of cooking oil, sugar and petrol to S'poreans, the latest being the CIQ double-index finger scanning and entry-and-exit stickers. They insisted on building the crooked bridge to spike S'pore leaders - only to demolish it half-completed later; they still want to demolish the Causeway - believing that all problems regarding CIQ or pollution will be washed away by the current in the Straits.
Just read any Malaysian newspaper - be it The Stars or The New Straits Times or even that former Malaysian FT of LittleSpeck Seah Chiang Nee, the former editor of Singapore Herald in 1970 which was closed down by the Government because of dubious foreign funding and taking on the government in many national issues. They always reserve a article or two on any negative aspects of Singapore they can find. Occasionally I don't mind investing some time to amuse myself reading them to find out how ridiculous these Malaysians can be.
S'poreans are wise, but some time they can become panicky and over over-solve their problem. Instead of one casino, they built two for insurance. Instead of letting the rivers flow into the sea, they dammed up every river they can find to ensure that the Malaysians don't use water as a bargaining chip to arm-twist or brow-beat the country. They save and save as though there is no tomorrow - so much so that their savings is more than many First World countries including Britain and France. They equipped their air force into the biggest in the region.
To cut the long story short, learn to appreciate history and understand from it. Shake with one hand with your friends, but keep the other hand on your weapon nearby. Never underestimate the wisdom of our leaders.
The few that are, are soon promoted back to the head office. 
