ckmpd's news clippings - consolidated

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Cicak:

"Singapore is first and foremost as outpost for the West. LKY job is to make it very habitable for the Whites. The Whites can do what they like, except critize LKY. That is the deal. So they enjoy themselves with weekly "drug" parties, with impunity guarenteed. Even the elite locals partake in this degrading pleasures and also get away with it. Read Alan Shadrake book for details. Briefly, the whites can get away with just about anything. Democracy? what democracy. Singapore is a colony, a neo colonial structure designed to perputuate white supremacy. Just like Hong Kong, the democratic party thinks being a colony is more democratic than as a part of China. That is the level of political understanding of Hong Kongers. Singaporeans are no better. The white man is always be better than the local singaporeans. Sad, but real. "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Paulin Straughan:

“Our workforce has logged the longest hours’ work, yet our productivity figures are among the lowest in the world. We have a situation where we are living in the office and yet doing very little — something is wrong” .

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From The Singapore Democrats:

"Today, workers have little or no bargaining power resulting in their exploitation. Elderly workers still toil for little pay. NTUC runs supermarkets and holiday chalets instead of fighting for minimum wage. Foreign workers are brought into to displace and replace Singaporeans.

And every year the prime minister insults our intelligence by telling us how much the government has done for the Singaporean workers. Meanwhile the wage gap grows and inflation bites in."

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

By John Bertlelsen:

"Challenging the Lee family in Singapore is a formidable undertaking. By calculation of the US-based attorney and former Singaporean dissident Gopalan Nair – who was jailed for it on a visit to Singapore -- the Lees have set a world record in filing defamation suits and a second one by never losing one, although in Singapore’s notoriously pliable courts when it comes to government or Lee family actions. The family has filed charges against virtually every major publication in Asia, including the Economist, Time Magazine, the Financial Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal (Asia) and its predecessor, the Asian Wall Street Journal, the now-defunct Far Eastern Economic Review and AsiaWeek, among many others. As near as can be determined, the family has never attempted to sue outside of Singapore.

In the only case on record where the family ventured out to other courts, Lee Wei Ling, the head of the Neurological Institute, attempted to bring charges in London against Simon Shorvon, the former principal investigator of a medical research project in Singapore, on allegations of professional misconduct. The London charges followed a long series of actions against Shorvon in Singapore. Witnesses told the British High Court in England that the alleged offenses by Shorvon by the Singaporeans were so minor that they weren’t worth bothering with."

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Money Is King:

"Singapore(and LKY) is the creation of the Brits. Because of them LKY can stay in power(of course with further help from the US). So they must prop up LKY at any cost. Look at all the dictatiors in the world. All of them were overthrown. But LKY will live to a ripe old age - the most successful despot in the world - courtesy of the West. Singapore is now an outpost of high security value to the West - hence it must not be allowed to "fall". The subsequent government might not be so friendly to the US! So the FT was roped in to give a boost to LKY. His goverment is made up of people who are not allowed to have an ideology - they will be told what to believe in after they are in the government. Only one person will tell them what to believe in. That man is LKY. What if he dies? That is the danger. After LKY there is no one trained to lead. All those with ability, principles,honesty are from the opposition. That tells you something about the PAP government. No one wants to join them. If the PAP continues to govern with an iron fist using 3rd rate ministers etc, then singapore is finished. This is the legacy left behind by LKY. I hope he does not put up a monument in his own honour when he dies. "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Manda_la on PAP's proposed Code of Conduct for internet forummers:

"They know they lost the cyber war in GE2011, which led directly to their dismal electoral victory, with their first-ever loss of a GRC and the worst-ever overall result since independence.

They know too that if this goes on things are going to get from bad to worse for them in future elections. So this C-of-C is the best that they can come up with to muzzle dissenting netizens' voices before the situation becomes unsalvageable.

I predict that they will fail miserably in the attempt and in failing they stand to lose even more future votes from those who see this move for what it is. "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Anonymous on PAP's proposed Code of Conduct for internet forummers:

"perhaps they should be allowed to go beyond talking CoC, so they can experience the consequences. everyone knows what happens when you seal a boiling pot and the steam has nowhere to escape. and the pot is definitely bubbling away.

people's feelings are being stoked by every almost-daily train breakdown, every price rise, every absurd annct such as being able to buy a $100k flat with a hh income of $1k. throw in the current hot weather... "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Anonymous on PAP's proposed Code of Conduct for internet forummers:

"It's information CONTROL.

Cyber warriors should now be sharpening their tools to do battle. And beware of the many moles in our midst.

They stand out by their divisive and poorly disguised writing and arguments"

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Anonymous on the MRT breakdowns:

"In the early days of MRT operation, the trains were operating in near perfect condition. There was hardly any significant breakdown.
During this period, PAP boosted that perfect MRT operation was the result of PAP's effort and the perfect operation of MRT trains was PAP's achievement.

Now, during these few years, when MRT trains break down in the East-West, North-South or Circle Line,
PAP says that the train breakdown is SMRT problem,
the train breakdown is not PAP's problem.

Now, during these few years, when MRT trains break down in the North-East Line,
PAP says that the train breakdown is SBS problem,
the train breakdown is not PAP's problem."

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Anonymous:

"The mediocre papist Leegime has screwed up the lives of ordinary Singaporeans bigtime. How long more can u tolerate such ineffective government ? They have been fooling Singaporeans thru half-truths, lies and withholding of vital informations. They have been using the controlled media to indoctrinate Singaporeans"

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Lucky Tan:

"Let's get this very clear. Low wage workers are lowly paid not because of globalisation or technology. Our low wage workers are the lowest paid in the developed world as a result of the massive foreign influx in the last 10 years. Yet on Labour Day the PAP message to workers is they have to get their productivity up first before wages rise. Our workers have been underpaid for the current productivity level due to PAP policies. "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Lucky Tan:

"I truly appreciate more people from the establishment especially those previously closely asscociated with the PAP speaking up on these issues and urging the govt to make serious changes to their policies. These people cannot be accused of doing so because they are out to oppose the govt or other political reasons. The PAP should seriously listen. What Tommy Koh is saying is no different from what I've been saying and similar to what Chee Soon Juan and what an increasing number of Singaporeans think should be done. The rising social and political discontent will reach dangerous levels in we stay on our current path Ultimately, what Singaporeans want is have these serious problems more effective addressed and many remain hopeful the PAP can get it done. However, there will be a point when time runs out and most Singaporeans conclude that the PAP has other interests that stand in the way of making life better for Singaporeans. "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Lucky Tan:

" After one decade of applying the wrong remedy for a decade, they now claim that increasing productivity is the key. However, we know this is not true, in the US where productivity has been increasing there was no corresponding increase in wages due to the wage-productivity gap. The increased productivity simply went to raising profit margins and CEO salaries. Singapore workers have far less power than Americans to bargain for better wages when productivity goes up because of the foreign influx. Also, as long as companies have access to cheap foreign labour, there is little incentive to improve productivity. I'm certain, based on the current set of policies, we are going to waste another decade and hundreds of thousands of low wage workers will continue to struggle in the coming years. "

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Lucky Tan:

"As of June 2010, our workforce consists of 1,712,600 Singaporeans (“citizens”), 334,700 permanent residents (“PRs”) and 1,088,600 foreigners.

PR+Foreigners make up 45% of our workforce.

In June 2001, they form 36% of our workforce.

Our workforce from 2001 to 2010:-

The number of Singaporeans grew by 16%.
The number of PRs grew by 91%,
The number of foreigners grew by 58%.

The workforce grew by 34%"

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Jayna:

"The PAP of today is not the PAP of the 60's to 90's. They are complacent, incompetent, greedy and lazy choosing to gorge their bank accounts fat with multi-million dollar salaries instead. Meanwhile we suffer with transport breakdowns, depressed wages, overcrowding, foreigners throwing insults at us… the list goes on.
If the PAP was indeed as competent as they used to be, we wouldn't be this unhappy. :("

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Son of S:

"The 80 odd PAP parliamentarians have not produced a single idea that benefits Singaporeans for the last 20 years, roughly coincident with the time they held our throats and demanded to be paid orders of magnitude more than even the office holders of super power nations. Indeed their mission statement as they sit in office is to not rock the boat, never say anything that has not been said by the top men in the PAP pack. So unused are they to voice any original thoughts that, when they speak we feel bored because it is the same old stuff trotted out without thinking the thoughts that the words conjure, like someone singing a song in a foreign language. Thus the only economic plans that we feel the impact of is the flooding of the country with immigrant workers and the freely bestowed citizenship to foreiners. The great deluge is to serve two functions says the PAP, enhance the GDP and gift Singaporeans with foreign babies to augment the aging population.That both targets are deleterious to the well being of Singaporeans have been well elaborated by commentators to this forum.
The point is that the 80 odd PAP Parliamentarians have not contributed to any plan for 20 years which benefit Singaporeans . Even the deluge was planned by one or two two brains at the top of the PAP cadre.. All 80 brains are shut down, offline, off service in fear and trembling for their continued tenure.
In Cybernetics there is a rule that the controller must have requisite variety as compared with the thing controlled. Two brains to plan everything that happens in Singapore is certainly very low in requisite variety in the governing body. What a waste of public funds to have 80 odd , yes men in the controlling body, likened to the chorus in Greek play who do nothing but tell the audience the state of affairs as the play progresses.
If the 80 odd seat warmers in parliament are shut off from the action for one reason or another, then the SDP HealthCare Plan and prof Lim's proposal to ramp up the lowest rung of salaries while keeping the top rung constant should be taken seriously by this parliament. If these scarce offerings are brushed aside because they are inconvenient or not invented by the PAP, it behoves the PAP to produce plans, any plans at all."

 

[ckmpd]

Re: $0.9B SMRT scandal?

I'm sure there're pros and cons to privatisation and nationalisation. What I'm hoping is for the govt (not PAP) to consider carefully what's in the best interests of Singapore and Singaporeans. I accept that there may be short-term discomfort. But we also need to see immediate efforts to relieve acute problems. Surely that's not too much to ask.

I agree with what you said. The pap must be objective and truly work for the well being of all Singaporeans. The pap must go beyond working for themselves and their own people. MRT was built with tax payers money but given to SMRT free to run on profit basis. The main beneficiaries are TH and SMRT shareholders at the expense of MRT travelling singaporeans. Profits and dividends are given to SMRT management and shareholders. Singapore tax payers paid fort he infrastructure and SG mrt commuters paid high tickets prices and bear with congestion, mrt breakdowns, etc.

The pap has been negligent in running the mrt by appointing their own unqualified people to run and messed up our mrt

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

From Oxygen:

IF THERE IS NO SOUL SEARCHING AND DRASTIC CHANGE IN POLITICS AND ECONOMIC STRATEGY AND DIRECTION (not merely cosmetic dopey tokenism), Singaporeans must take a immovable stance – that is, go all out for a REGIME CHANGE in 2016. If not, we will all perish – I AM CERTAIN OF THIS.

Singapore is for Singaporeans, not the vested interest of the dominant power coalition"

 

[ckmpd]

Re: Crumbling of Singapore?

Fom BohLee Sue:

"PAP only know how to take care of themselves and their lapdogs.

They pay the civil servants too well to carry out their dubious policies and not to squeal on them.

They pay their generals well so that they can be protected in case of a Spring.

They pay their CEO’s well in GLCs so that they can tell them where to spend our money.

As for the ordinary man in the street-you die your business. Don’t be a burden to the PAP!"

 

[ckmpd]

Re: $0.9B SMRT scandal?

I saw a lot criticisms against the former CEO for screwing up SMRT. I'm curious in who sanctioned her appointment in the first place? Clearly when they brought her in from DFS, her experience in retail must have been a priced asset. In all fairness, the retail at MRT stations has become really good. But what's the use of great retail experience when the trains won't work?

If there's someone who deserved equal if not more criticisms, it should be the people who brought her in. Quite clearly an error of judgement in the appointment.

Exactly..that's why singaporeans have pointed their fingers at Saw PW, Ho Ching and LHL..

all are culpable for the mess in SMRT. None can escape liability for the mess