Broken Promises of Casino?

[Papsmearer]

You sound like a typical Sinkie. You complain that the PAP runs a nanny state that controls all aspects of life but in the same breath demand that the govt exercises even more control over what is an entirely personal choice.

Nobody in Singapore is being forced to gamble. They do so out of their own free will and they have to be responsible for their own behavior and accept the consequences of their actions.

Demanding that the govt impose controls on gambling will makes you no different from the conservative muslims who force women to cover themselves from head to toe in order to deter sex crimes.

I can't help thinking that if the opposition loonies in Singapore gain power, Singapore will end up with it's own version of the Taleban where any activity which is deemed by people such as yourself to be "undesirable" is banned or severely restricted. You could start off by banning spaghetti straps and "bigini" tops. They cause undue stress on the male sinkie population.

U are so full of shit. Nobody forced the chinese to smoke opuim either. Yet, an entire nation and entire generation was addicted to it. A vice is a vice. Its human nature to participate in vices. Hence u have drinking, smoking, womanising, drug taking, gambling, etc. Some people are more susceptible to being addicted to a particular vice than others. However, when you put the enticement in front of them, and deliberately tempt them to participate, than u dramatically increase the odds of them being addicted. This is what GMS is saying.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

The following is a comment by a reader of my blog:


I was not so anti-casino in Singapore. Ever since an incident happened within my social circle, my view has changed, 180 degrees.

One of my close friend, lets call him Eugene, used to be a hardworking chap, look after the family, played with his two kids, enjoyed 天伦之乐.

No so much anymore a month after the casino opened in Singapore. His new addiction is to 'rush' to the casino at Marina when he has the free time. Sometime he created "free time" just to cure his itch. Quarrels with family members has increased in frequency over his self-justified 'small harmless gaming' habit.

As he is a good friend for many many years, I am watching how he 'progresses' with his new venture. I have told him off many times but each time the risk of losing this long time friendship increases with each kaypoh wake up call from me.

I can see in a short time, his family will disintegrate if he continues with this 'small harmless gaming' habit.

At times when he lost some 'small amount' of money, he will lament that the casino is location so conveniently in Singapore. The entry levy of $100 is absolutely a non-deterrent for many a people like him because it is 'easy to recover the levy'.

From him, I have also come to learn that the levy has a validity of 24 hours. If you enter the casino in the afternoon, you can still enter the casino the next day as long as it is within 24 hours from the last entry.

I am sure there are more people like him. The social problems are snowballing now...

Dreadful isn't it?

I can only hope for the best for his family, especially his two kids.

Winston

 

[jw5]

This problem is only a segmental one. It adversely affects only a small segment of the population. Highlighting the ills of gambling or what a bad decision the government made is not going to have any impact on the majority of Singaporeans.

Those who don't go to the casinos won't care. Those who go but can afford to lose small amounts or can exercise self control won't care. (In fact this group would be annoyed if the casinoes were to be taken away) Only those whose families have been adversely affected by one or more out-of-control gamblers in their families will be upset. These are the people who should be reminded. Get their real stories and real life accounts. Better still if they can tell it themselves. Remind them that a bad decision has been made on their behalf. Get them to influence others to vote wisely.

Making a statement to all Singaporeans won't help. The majority of Singaporeans are an apathetic lot who don't care what happens to others, if they themselves are not adversely affected. Social justice to a typical Singaporean is getting back their money from a failed investment product.

 

[Watchman]

 

[singveld]

You sound like a typical Sinkie. You complain that the PAP runs a nanny state that controls all aspects of life but in the same breath demand that the govt exercises even more control over what is an entirely personal choice.
.

well said....
basically opposition are same as PAP. All are sinkies. Both use the same old method to solve problems, the only difference is different party.

GMS, be brave, make a manfesito, to lift the ban of porno magazine and porno dvd and chewing gum. Do something useful for sinkies, not little thingy like stopping free bus to casino.
so what if you are in power, you think you can close down the casino, the casino company will sue your arse in international courts.

 

[axe168]

Why can't the PAP be open and call a spade a spade, and call the casinoes "casinoes"?

Ever wonder why sewage water is called "NEWater" or Chicken Feet is called "Phoenix Claws" - when served ?

Farmers will say "CHEAP".. and we will say "INEXPENSIVE".. both have the same meaning, however, only one smoothens your ears..

 

[UpYoz_olo]

Dear Sam and others,

It is not my promise to keep the local population out of gambling woes. It was PAP's promise, in order to win support for building these Casino Resorts, that it could possibly set rules and regulations to keep the locals out of casino gambling woes. Thus, we see $100 levy and such.

Most importantly, they claim that the Casino can survive like those successful model with 80% foreign patrons and onl 20% locals. But they have fallen short of these promises.

My job as opposition politician, is to keep the ruling party in check on what they have promised. I didn't create that kind of promises, rules and regulations to win support from Singaporeans. If the Casinos or PAP are trying to break their promises, then it is only right for me to raise these issues. I am simply playing my role.

Goh Meng Seng

You are a disappointing politician. Why keep plying your trade here and get ridiculed by all and sundry. It speaks volumes of your political acumen and savvy. Even Chee Soon Juan did a better job than you.

You should seriously consider a job of a jester. I'm sure many in this forum agree with me.

:oIo:

 

[UpYoz_olo]

U are so full of shit. Nobody forced the chinese to smoke opuim either. Yet, an entire nation and entire generation was addicted to it. A vice is a vice. Its human nature to participate in vices. Hence u have drinking, smoking, womanising, drug taking, gambling, etc. Some people are more susceptible to being addicted to a particular vice than others. However, when you put the enticement in front of them, and deliberately tempt them to participate, than u dramatically increase the odds of them being addicted. This is what GMS is saying.

You should quickly gather your belongings and move to this place called HEAVEN. There is still a few slots available to accomodate people like you. That place have no sin.

:oIo:

 

[Tan Kim Kim]

You are a disappointing politician. Why keep plying your trade here and get ridiculed by all and sundry. It speaks volumes of your political acumen and savvy. Even Chee Soon Juan did a better job than you.

You should seriously consider a job of a jester. I'm sure many in this forum agree with me.

:oIo:

Many sinkies thought CSJ was bad, I used to be 1 of them until GMS came along :oIo::oIo:

 

[axe168]

Making a statement to all Singaporeans won't help. The majority of Singaporeans are an apathetic lot who don't care what happens to others, if they themselves are not adversely affected. Social justice to a typical Singaporean is getting back their money from a failed investment product.

Yes I agree..

To date, I have yet to see any opposition stand firm on social justice or building a better Singapore Singaporean society.. I have no doubt casinos can help to create jobs - without casinos, SG will be heading for recession in no time. I cant see why we are crying-out-loud for bus shuttle..

Act or legislation without adequate enforcement works mean "nothing" .. Juz look at the Structured deposit by the banks, MAS couldn't care less.. basically, it is for fools to follow, definitely not the elite banks..

These days you can see insects everywhere.. only the bees can sting and create honey..

 

[drifter]

cannot this cannot that ..very soon casino will close down just like " crazy horse " in
Clarke Quay .

i thought casino is to create job and business opportunity ? looks like the transport companies will be the first to close down ..

 

[Rogue Trader]

Goh, I'm glad you have your eye on the casino issue. The social impact brought on by these 2 gambling dens will only snowball with time. I have already heard many stories of heartlanders losing their life savings to these 2 demons. Tragically, these stories will never be picked up by the mainstream media.

Taking on the casino issue will be difficult. It's best you know what you want to achieve.

The 2 casinos are, technically speaking, private entities and not Pap owned. So Pap can deflect all the blame of new social problems to the business owners (like this bus issue).

And unless there is a strong moral authority (like religious bodies) pressuring, these 2 establishments will continue to suck money from all gamblers - tourists and citizens alike. In other words, they will never make a loss and shut down. Left unabated, they will become too powerful for any one to control.

Too bad the opposition will never be able to shut them down. So I believe the answer is regulation. Some state authority must play the active role of protecting all parties.

 

[boring]

U are so full of shit. Nobody forced the chinese to smoke opuim either. Yet, an entire nation and entire generation was addicted to it. A vice is a vice. Its human nature to participate in vices. Hence u have drinking, smoking, womanising, drug taking, gambling, etc. Some people are more susceptible to being addicted to a particular vice than others. However, when you put the enticement in front of them, and deliberately tempt them to participate, than u dramatically increase the odds of them being addicted. This is what GMS is saying.

very well said!!!

 

[boring]

cannot this cannot that ..very soon casino will close down just like " crazy horse " in
Clarke Quay .

i thought casino is to create job and business opportunity ? looks like the transport companies will be the first to close down ..

first of all, casinos shouldn't be exist at singapore, a major social pollutant to this country....

 

[boring]

Many sinkies thought CSJ was bad, I used to be 1 of them until GMS came along :oIo::oIo:

ya u r right, only SINKIES. true blue singaporean r NOT!

 

[silverfox@]

I am a staunch Anti-Casino person. I have delivered a <a href="http://singaporealternatives.blogspot.com/2005/04/speech-presented-in-5-march-casino.html">speech back in 5 March 2005</a> to reason why Casino is bad for Singapore. The PAP has claimed that the successful casino in the world has 80% foreign patrons with only 20% local gamblers. But in Singapore, we have seen that the gamblers in casino here consists of 60% of local gamblers! But yet, they are still marketing the casino to local population!

Apparently, the Casinos have broken their promise of focusing on foreign gamblers. They are not keeping to their own term of success, attracting 80% of foreigners but instead, concentrating on marketing to local population!

The other area of problem is the huge amount of credits that the casino operators could grant to its patrons. We just realize that one Singapore businessman has lost $26milloin to the Casino. This is mainly because the Casino is all willing to grant credit to this man, almost unlimited credit.

I was told that as long as you could put up a $50k deposits, you could possibly get credit terms from the Casino!

My question is this, do Casino operators have any finance license to grant such big loans to its patrons? Are the present laws adequate to cope with such extensive loans or credits given by the Casinos? If Casino is allowed to grant such huge amount of loans/credits to its patrons, then it is apparent that it will become a big money lender as well! Shouldn't it be made to abide to existing finance law?

Most importantly, will PAP do something about it?

Goh Meng Seng

Actually you are talking about the free bus services at heartlands, or talking about credit terms offered by casinos, or talking about the operation of casino which should not have been started?

Mr Goh, you ever buy 4D or Toto before? It's in the heartlands too.

The most comical thing is we want the govt to let us run our own lives and yet here we have people wanting the govt to step in.

OK, so the casinos are already open, no point talking about why the decision to build the casinos is wrong. Instead what is the next step people are looking at?

Ban all Singaporeans from going into the casinos?:o

Everyone should be responsible for their own actions. Harry Quek lose 26million is his own problem. Why should we be freaking bothered as to how much he lost in the casinos?

 

[silverfox@]

No wonder a lot of people say Singapore lang bey kan. Si Mi Lan jiao also complain. Cry father cry mother. This complain, that complain. Right also complain. Left also complain. Nothing to complain, find things to complain. Do things is half fuck standard, complain is world class standard. :o

 

[myo539]

..... Nobody forced the chinese to smoke opuim either... However, when you put the enticement in front of them, and deliberately tempt them to participate, than u dramatically increase the odds of them being addicted. This is what GMS is saying.

On the same note then, no body should have money in their hands. With money in their hands, then they "dramatically increase the odds" to spend, spend and spend - including vices like smoking cigarettes, visiting Geylang and drinking.

Everyone in Singapore should be poor; then the problem of gambling addiction don't exist.

But I still want free transport - not only to the Integrated Casinoes so I can have my dinner, look around the playground and watch the sunset at Siloso or Palawan Beach.

 

[myo539]

The following is a comment by a reader of my blog:


I was not so anti-casino in Singapore. Ever since an incident happened within my social circle, my view has changed, 180 degrees.

One of my close friend, lets call him Eugene, used to be a hardworking chap, look after the family, played with his two kids, enjoyed 天伦之乐.

No so much anymore a month after the casino opened in Singapore. I am sure there are more people like him. The social problems are snowballing now...

Winston

One swallow doesn't make a summer. Just because one elephant swam across the Johor Straits because they smell durian in Pulau Tekong doesn't mean all the elephants in Malaysia will swim to Pulau Tekong. Or for that matter, we should chop down all the durian trees in Pulau Tekong.

 

[myo539]

Goh, I'm glad you have your eye on the casino issue. The social impact brought on by these 2 gambling dens will only snowball with time. I have already heard many stories of heartlanders losing their life savings to these 2 demons. Tragically, these stories will never be picked up by the mainstream media.........

Too bad the opposition will never be able to shut them down. So I believe the answer is regulation. Some state authority must play the active role of protecting all parties.

The issue of whether to build a casino was debated by one and all for more than a year. Now that the reality is right in front of us, we are still debating over it. Even MM Lee who was staunchly anti-casino have visited the two entities and was convinced that his gahment did the right thing - just put in the safeguards. The benefits outweight the potential problems that the casinos may create.

When TV was first introduced in Singapore in the 1960s, a segment of the population also KPKB and thought that all the kids in Singapore will abandon their studies and glue themselves to the TV. Well, TV is now available in every home and kids are still studying and excelling. Those who failed did not blame it on the TV.

When the computer was availabe in Singapore...ditto ditto .... that people will surf pornography (and spend whole day in front of the PC debating with Goh Meng Seng in this Kopitiam whether free transport should be available to the IRs). Well the computer is now in almost every home and offices can't do without it.

This reminds me of the US president Roosevelt who went ahead with building the Panama Canal and then let the people argue over the next one hundred years whether the Panama Canal should be built or not to build.

Let's move on and debate on more important things such as immigration, over-population or increasing cost of living, and high personal income taxes and GST.