A more satisfactory ride

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/commuter-satisfaction-in-public-transport-at-9-year-high-ptc/3496014.html
was out 1 day before another train services outages was experienced on the North South line.
My simple take on it was that when you lower your expectation, satisfaction rate will go up.we used to take pride in our national public transport, think that all failures will be rectified swiftly, however, in disappointment we came to the acceptance that our World class public transport system is as real as our aspiration to field a world cup team.
And that the failure has to be taken as a norm rather than an outrage as I can always get a certificate at the counter of MRT to show that I am late thanks to train delay...... they now have notices to help N, O and A level to go to  a nearby exam center when there is a massive train delay. The general level of emergency preparedness went up as emergency due to train outages takes place regularly And that if we keep this up, we may one day finally will be allowed to work from home, not because we embraces the idea but because it makes more sense for people to work from home rather than to lose an hour or 2 due to train outages

On Gold and Schooling

First off, a belated 51st birthday to the nation and may we strive on to see to the 101st eventhough it is unlikely that I will live to see it.

Another belated gift to the nation comes in the form of the first olympic Gold Medal Won by Joseph Schooling in the Rio Olympic Men's 100m butterfly and from here, congratulation to Joseph Schooling on his monumentous win and also a pat on the back for his parents for seeing their hard work coming to  fruition.

While I partake in the joy and celebration, I will have to confess that I did not in any way contributed to his success. His glory is his and his family alone, let us remember this and not to take it away or diminish it.

There had always been questions if Joseph, his parents and even his grandparents are Singaporean, unfortunately for him, he and his parent are as Singaporean as Singaporean gets, which is what I believe, resulting in him and his family having to go through a decade and more of trial and tribulation in order to see all these comes to 50.38 sec of glory and a moment in history on the Podium of the Olympics.

Putting it perspective, if he was indeed some youngling that was talent scouted oversea to be the Golden boy of Singapore Swimming, He will probably be given a stipend on top of all his training and coaching paid for. His parent probably would not have to sell their house just so that he can train and study overseas and compete at a level that pushes him to greatness.

There are some that said that it takes a community that raised a champion, but in this case, I will say that the parents are probably the most important pillar of his success. With his drive and determination, he could probably ace in any other far more lucrative pursuits. Which is why when young Schooling go and tell his dad that he wants to be a world class swimmer, I am glad that Old Schooling did not knock him hard on the head and make him go be a world class mathematician, lawyers or Doctor and deprive us of our Gold Medal.

It was his Dad's dedication and his Mum's gumption that they went to MINDEF to get Schooling his deferment and put up a case so tight that MINDEF eventually relent. Which is a lesson to us parent that when our children have dreams that is big and potential to be greater, our own comfort and dreams might have to take a back seat.

There are some business out thaer that is taking advantage on Schooling's success. Despicable as it may seems, they are not wrong to take advantage of this once in a life time opportunity to ride on Nationalistic euphoria to promote their biz. So long as they do not falsify any endorsement or sponsorship, or take credit that Schooling's success, I will just take it that this is business being business, and that it came only once in the last 51 years.

As for politicians that suddenly became best pals, good uncle/auntie to our newly minted Golden boys, well, I do certainly hope that they take it to heart that the only reason that they partake in this glorious win has nothing to do with what they had done. IT is just sheer luck that Joseph was born in Singapore and that somehow our star shone through that the schoolings did not decide to up and leave for greener pastures when there was so many that stacked against them in achieving this win.

And that it was almost a shrug to explain away why we almost have to watch his win on delayed telecast and that while they flew first class on tax payers' money half way around the world to RIO to shake hand and bask in his glory, there are far too many athletes that are struggling to fund to fly to their next competition and that before crowd-sourcing, they will have to sell the roof over their head to realise a dream so big.

So, I am glad that Schooling stayed Singaporean and win 1 for Singapore. While the Nation owes you a debt. (By the way, the prize money still have to be deducted for Tax and contribution to the National Swimming association or something like that because they did what for him???)
I will just wih all the best in your next competition in the pools or in life.

You sure you can win

I have no idea why, but it seems like one almost candidate got his day of fame making to the news.

Yes, I am talking about Mr Shirwin Eu (#SureWinYou)

http://www.tnp.sg/news/odd-news/defence-shirwin-eu

Let's just say that there is little not to like about the young man. He is a family man, started a family, have a supportive wife, and entrepreneurial as well, after all,  he is an Uber driver shows that he is hardworking and holds down an honest self-employing job, unlike some other contestant.

But most of all, I think he has guts, enough guts to go up and get the form to stand for election and more so for showing up on nomination day. That takes a lot of courage because by simply showing up, he might have been seen as an anti-establishment troll or someone to upset the status quo, and to stand against the power that be and the chief anti-establishment just doesn't goes down well in any case.

He is honest as well, as he can candidly say

“I like to be elected. I like to, eh, enjoy the fame and wealth of this job prospect."

And that he does have detractors and mostly from the opposition supporters, thinking that he is either a lunatic or a troll. If he was successfully nominated, he would have made it a 3 corner fight, spoiling the chance for Dr. Chee

But what he did, in his failed bid for the nomination, highlight the following due process not mentioned in any National Education Material.

 Parliamentary Elections Act
(CHAPTER 218)  

 Nomination papers

27.
(2) 
(b)be signed by a proposer and a seconder, and 4 or more persons as assentors, each of whom must be a person whose name appears in the register of electors for the electoral division in which the person seeks election;
 

Which means that for someone to be nominated, Sherwin needs to find 6 person within the constituency to nominate him.

While some might decry this as being unfair, but just think about this, if  it is somebody that might not have even heard of, suddenly comes to town and run your town for the next 5 yrs, how would you feel?

The only unfairness here is that, if it is someone that  comes from a party that have established grassroots everywhere, party members in every neighbourhood if not every block, the question might not be the rules, but how such an entity has been allowed to exist in the past decades using tax payers money.

Then, there is a need to put down a deposit. Which may sound mercenary, but probably necessary as the campaign, the posters and the rally all cost money. the only point that is hardly fair is to have the deposit forfeited should the candidate fails to garner a certain level of votes.

What is laughable is the point that people takes issue with an independent candidate. Having someone to stand for an election is the democratic process, the only laughable situation is when the election is a walk-over and the saddest part is that having common folk deriding the democratic process and people actively embarking on this process in the hopes to serve them.

interview and performance review

Besides having a little red dot stickers that reminds us that it has been 50 years since we celebrated our independence, let us not forget that this also happens to be the election year. And that, politicians incumbent and aspiring is really in our face to remind us every step of the way  that they are the best choice and that they are the right person for the job.

Which is interesting, that at the crux of us having 50yrs behind, and looking forward to the next uncertain 50, we have to set our mind and think straight.

Now, to deconstruct elections and all its campaigning, it is a nothing more than, " An interview and performance review for the politicians to take on the job of becoming our boss, or if you may, the lords and masters."

Why are they the lords and masters? because they will be solely responsible for the next 5 yrs to decide what we are suppose to do for the next 5 years. If they decided that it is illegal to use the phone while walking or use the camera, you can be arrested for playing candy crash while going to the MRT station....... So, it is a serious matter.

As with all interviews and appraisal, every trick in the book is being pulled out, such as making sure that the playing field is levelled or tilted in the form of election boundary redrawing and such.

Staking claims and introducing new faces and changing a few appointments, there are also people retiring for good measures, or as a transition to a higher position of eminence.

As with all interviews and appraisals, the whole idea is to connect with the other sides, in this case, the voters, to show them the great work that has been so far, through connections by using effigies of eminent statesmen pass and also if all else fails, doles out goodies.

But that, if we talk about great work being done thus far, some of them had to be that bold audacious move to put even more people on this land. And that, as less and less couples are inclined to put more babies as their duties of nation building this increment has to be done through import. While I am not a big fan of that, lets just say that my opposition to that is simply that, in order to pull that off and to convince me that it should be done, show me that our island can support that many people. And this time, my simple exhort is this, show me that our infrastructure is able to cope and that we have facilities that is so under used before you even talk about bringing more in. And while you are at it, fix the bloody train or at least make sure that there is a direct bus to connect me.

In short, this is no longer about what we have achieved for the last 50 years but where we want to go for the next 50. I have my reservation about trusting nation to people that pilfer tooth picks and regales about it on national media and that I am probably had had enough about butterfly lovers as an explanation to oversights.

We the people are grateful for the last 50 but, in order to need the confidence for the next 50 and not a distant memories of the greatness that was coming 2065, please:

Show something concrete
Show that you listen
Show that you care
Show that you can really deliver
Show that you have the solution and not asking me for a solution to my problems
Show that you are worth the money.

Videos and Slap

I do not condone violence and that I believe to express oneself in an act of violence is silly and pointless. Nor do I believe in slapping people and run away, slap is an insult, and that if you can't stand there and gloat over the slap, it is probably not done in righteousness. To slap and run is an act of cowardice and that to slap a young boy because his post offend you, that is probably as heroic as a school yard bully.

Now, I did watch the video, if some of you is wondering, I stopped half way as I was disgusted by it. But I do feel that the boy who made that video is not the problem. He has problem obviously. whether he was prodded to do the video by some misguided people with nefarious design or he was just simply troubled, he needs alot of counseling and maybe even psychiatric help. I am not so sure if a jail term or fine is going to be of any help.

Now, back to the slap. Slapping someone is what they call " Voluntary causing hurt", whatever reason it may be, it is a crime. Now, doing it in front of a court, to someone that you think deserves jail time, that takes it far beyond just causing hurt. It is now sending a message that the slapper thinks that the boy needs to be punished beyond what the court can mete out.The slapper also pronounced the boy guilty, isn't that like telling the judge that he thinks the boy is guilty and deserves punishment, or he is just being the judge and executor all in 1? And doing that in front of the court, is that not slapping the court and the judiciary as well?

It wasn't a random accident, the slapper knows who he was intending to slap and he went there and did just that. Now, imagine, if it wasn't a slap but a stab? The boy is terrible, but did he deserves to be knife and gutted? Or was it someone that once suggested to cut off his.....
 

Mine, yours or theirs

There was this fantastic speech being made in the parliament concerning CPF which was lauded by our esteemed Prime minister, and can be found here
And that I was reading a post by a friend and I would just want to embellish some points.

There was some uproar caused by the following quote

In relation to the use of CPF money, we have heard proponents who say that the CPF monies is theirs. “It’s our money, it’s in our account, it’s our retirement money. I want it out, I will spend it anyway we want.” Fine. Is it our money? Our CPF savings are enhanced and forced CPF savings which are accumulated through our own deferred consumption, through co-payment by our employers and through top-ups from public funds. Is it really my private money? Do I have the right to spend it the way I would spend my own salary? I’m not entirely sure.

I know at the end of the day, that because I’m not the only person contributing to the fund, I cannot be the only person to call the shots as to how I am going to spend it. At the very least, I have a moral obligation to spend it wisely. Why do I say that? Because if I’m not judicious in my spending at the end of the day, who’s going to maintain me in my twilight years – the state? Who? Ultimately it means someone else is bearing it right, another taxpayer. So if I’m not judicious and I’m arguing this is my money, I’m not going to be responsible in my use and if I argue this is your money, you use it anyway you want – I’m not responsible as a citizen. – Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Chia Yong Yong

The first question here is about the ownership. I am wondering if Ms Chia was wondering if she was wondering about the fact that CPF was her own private money? If she has the rights to spend it the she want? if she can spend it like her own salary?

The first question here is about ownership. Is CPF really our own money?
using Singlish, I will say, it is "by right", your own money.
because, it is in name, your money. because like some labour chief once said, he saw his CPF contribution every month and he felt very rich. So, if it is not his, why will he felt rich?

But yet, it is as much my money like the Ang Bao money that my parent kept for me when I was young. It was kept for the future, being saved on my behalf and as I would not know any better. It is mine, in name but sometimes, I hardly see it.

The question here is that, just because it is a forced and enhanced saving that receive top-up from the employer and sometimes, the government, made it any less, mine? I hardly think so. I think that so long as it comes to an account that bears my name, I am responsible for it.

Another point is that, it is because I worked in that company, and that the company is willing to pay my remuneration,  and most importantly, it is considered as part of the pay package offered to me, as such, I will considered this point as moot.

Which comes to 1 point in Ms Chia's statement about being responsible as a citizen. One of the key responsibility of the citizen is that of tax. We pay taxes, which means, we contribute to the national coffer. putting it into prospective, going by Ms Chia's rationale, the government should bear in mind when they spend on the coffer, they should think twice when spending it willy-nilly and we should be consulted, no? We should be accountable to, no? anyway, I shall leave it to another time to dwell on this point.

And this comes to the next point in her discourse about how it is irresponsible to allow the account holder should be allow to use the funds anyway they want. Lets just say that nobody is talking about a carte blanch, but rather, a greater liberty to use the funds when they are in their vulnerable years after 55 whereby they could be retrenched or fall ill while taking a substantial impact in their income.
That has nothing to do with irresponsible spending, more on not being dependant on the public and becoming destitute.

Lets get back to basic. The whole idea of the CPF in its inception is a self funded retirement fund that is based on how hard one has worked during their working life. It spurs the economy as most people worked hard to make sure that they have not just enough to make ends meet, but also to build a nest egg for their Golden Years. To suggest that money is anything less than their own, and to suggest that people worked hard to have better access as irresponsible is derisory to say the least.

Lets just say that we should go back to the basic and make the fundamental changes that is needed to meet future challenges. It is as simple as the following:

1. Improve wage condition for everyone, especially those of lower wages
2. Increase Employer contribution ration

While some will say that this will result in market meltdown and foreign investment exiting en masse. It unfortunately has become inevitable as the minimum sums rise and rise again year after year while my pay seems to be getting nowhere.

How Long and How far

Thanks to a recent change in the nature and location of my work, I did not take public transport that often. I am sure that the statement below was not due to me.

Which does make 1 wonder, what is the capacity that our MRT was built for, because I was once led to believe that, it is a matter of if we choose to board or not.

As such, it is clear that, the recent occurence of train having issue has absolutely nothing to with SMRT or the LTA whatsoever, it is not their fault.

And we,  as commuters, should just





















However, I do have questions

While it is possible that we all staggered our time to avoid over crowding the public transport, can LTA come out with an app that let us indicate our time at the MRT station so that others can decide if they should wake up even earlier to avoid crowding?

Can I tell my boss that I need to clock out earlier so that I will not crowd the MRT on my way home?

Can We have an excuse chit to show to our children's childcare so that we will not be fined when we are late to pick up our kids due to train breakdown?

Can I ask that PTC be finally able to include in their SLA that if there are train breakdown after a fare hike is annouced, they should just pay for the fare hike themselves instead? I mean, I am not asking them to resign or comit Harakiri which is what honourable people did in the good old days

In the mean time, please know that COE just went up and that there will be more Gantry in case you are thinking of driving

And for the rest,

We still need to ask ourselves, how long is the journey going to take and how far that we have to walk to our destination.

Money can't buy

The recent parliament speech by Ms Josephine Teo was indeed inspiring. And that I think she is right in saying that National Service is something bigger than money and that it should not require a higher remuneration in the form of an increase in NSMEN allowance.

Looking beyond materialistic needs, I cannot help but agree with her.

I also think that, besides National Service, the other higher state of calling will be to be called to serve the people through the ballot box. As National Service is a law enshrined to ensure that able bodied men are called to protect our Nation, Electing of the Members of Parliament is a higher calling as it is the people who desired that you represent them.

As such, I think it is only fair that we restructure the MP's pay in accordance to that to reward them.

The first thing I can think of, is that a Member of Parliament should be paid in a multiples of that of a NSMEN. As such, I think a MP should be paid 10 times that of a NSMEN.
Of course, we should also give them other perks.
1 of which I can think of, is that, they should be given free Safra memberships as long as they are in office.

Also, They should be given a card, not unlike that of a Pioneer Generation Card so that they can pay less when they visit GP and Polyclinics. Speaking of healthcare, they should also be given annual $8 heart bypass and also prostate examinations.

They should also be given a fare card that allows them to have free rides on our world class public transport. I will gladly subsidise them if a fare increase is warranted. After all, public transport should not be a lost-making business despite it being a public service and all.

I will think that they will need their everyday expense taken care of, as such. They should be given NTUC voucher of a princely $100 every quarter and entitled to CPF life. They also should be given a subsidised rate to an elder care services in Batam or JB.

I mean, we have to make sure that we spend public fund prudently and also that it is not always about the money but the feel good element for one being elected to serve..... No?

化蝶

近日重温梁祝这经典， 发现原来这典故还挺好用的。
基本上， 已经有成就百搭经典的门道，达到不朽的殿堂。
成就了， 升学宝典，反推经验，书生YY，以及其它不具名引经据典的妙用108式。
但，近期最引人瞩目的， 非引以为'不察' 的引据莫属。
这故事，之所以会成为经典， 升华至续庄周之后，唯一的化蝶，那间私塾的不察有着难以推诿的责任， 基本上，最少，梁祝的两条人命。私塾的不察，有着一定的关系。
别的不说，只是叫祝家小姐把裤子脱下， 大小姐立马打道回府。 梁公子就无需英年早逝， 祝小姐更不用，在大婚之日，玉殒香消了。

所以， 需要正视的，这个典故，也是个悲剧。悲剧的因缘，是一个失察的使然。
失察，是一个失误， 若把失察，当成是一个常态， 造就的，将会是一场又一场悲剧。抱着失察是常态的人， 如果不是变态或是白痴，就是绝对的有严重的心障。将其毁灭跟斩妖除魔的功德无二。
曾经有人说过，祝小姐从未被识破， 无外乎利益与关系二由。 孰是孰非，也以无从考证。

Ashes to Ashes

And in this case, it should not be dust to dust.
It does seems like the dust has settled somewhere in Sengkang and that Eternal Pure Land will need to seek out another piece of land for their business in selling a little piece of paradise in the afterlive

Firstly, I must say that, while there are missteps in how the authorities are handling the matter, the future residence should note that, there will still be a temple there, eventually. And that, despite all the misgivings, religious, superstitious stands, the whole idea probably boils down to, Money.
Money as the possible resale value of the house will go down, the convenience and such. No matter what misgivings that they have, are not really problem, but issues that can be addressed when you have enough money and resources thrown in to mitigate all possible issues.

However, this is where everything  gets interesting. the authorities initially seems to have taken a stand to not spend too much money to address the issues. How is that so?

one of the points raised was that it was part of ancillary function was cremation and funeral services.
but unfortunately, Eternal Pure has the aim of making the ancillary function as the core function of the site.

Another point raise about traffic, instead of improving the road and increase the parking, it came to the point of provision of bus services to the temple and manning of roads to prevent illegal roadside parking.

Guess bus company's bottom line and that traffic enforcement income is set to increase.

But at the end, it does seems that Eternal Pure Land, was found out as a commercial entity with no religious affiliation and that on their website, it was clear that the land was use as a "Premium Columbarium"  

The land in question, besides sitting in the middle of some BTO estates, was not a free piece of land given to some religious body so that they can provide, besides a place of worship, community services and such. It was a tendered and that as with most, if not all tender, it was awarded to the highest bidder. It was a financial transaction and not a good will gesture. As such, should the money be redirected to the residence to mitigate their concern, it would have been less of a bitter pill to swallow. 

On top of which, should the whole columbairum comes to being. All the problem that the residence faced will be brownie points for any politicians who came their way and resolve it for the residence. And naturally, the solution will not be paid for from the MP's allowance or the minister's salary. 

I am glad that the episode came to pass in the way it is. But of course, there are more things to laugh about but that is fodder for another post.

Pronouced Guilty

I am not going to talk or even bother to debate about what was the turnout in Hong Lim Park last Saturday. Be it 3000 or 7000, people showed up, showed solidarity to the cause is enough for the PM to consider a gracious exit in the whole Roy Nerng debacle. while $5000 might seems less than loose change, it is enough to feed a family of four for quite some time, even in Food court.

No, I will not talk about what Roy Nerng suggested, there are enough people out there debating on this topic, and seriously, before Roy said his piece, I have formed my opinion.

What really got me interested is that Roy has been found guilty and being punished!
No, the trial has not started yet. But his Employer, Tan Tock Seng Hospital has past the verdict and pronouced him guilty.

While there are still bloggers out there either taking side for or against him, there is 1 thing that has not come to pass. Roy has yet been pronouced guilty by a court of law and he is not yet guilty of defamation. At least not legally.

What makes it interesting is of following statement by TTSH

In a statement, the hospital said Mr Ngerng, a patient coordinator at the Communicable Disease Centre, was found to have misused his time and resources while at work to pursue "personal and non-job-related interests".

"Mr Ngerng’s conduct was incompatible with the values and standards we expect of our employees. While our staff are free to pursue their personal interests outside work, they must conduct themselves properly, honourably and with integrity. In particular, they cannot defame someone else without basis, which essentially means knowingly stating a falsehood to the public," it stated.

I am just wondering if Mr Ngerng has been using hospital time to blog. Or could it be that he organised the whole Hong Lim event during office hour. Or that he skipped work to go to the Event on Saturday?

The point about defaming someone, well, isn't that the courts job to bring him to trial to prove if he is guilty or not? Or I guess in this case, TTSH knows that he is guilty or is more than certain that Mr Ngerng will be found guilty. But in this case, they had pronouced him guilty as charge.


And if you are wondering why there is such an unilateral move by the hospital, just read the following and form your own conclusion

Separately, the Ministry of Health issued a statement, saying it supports TTSH's decision to terminate My Ngerng's contract, as his "actions show a lack of integrity and are incompatible with the values and standards of behaviour expected of hospital employees."

What the P**

Seems like roof top is where the actions are taking place this week.
Just earlier this week,  a young couple decided that the rooftop of a local polytechnic is a perfect spot to procreate

(And yes, photo was taken and I believe the young couple was invited down by the security off the roof top.)

And within the week, someone did the unthinkable and put up some grafitti on another rooftop for the whole world to see

Now, its nothing new that there will always be some that are disgruntled or even angry with the government and the party that forms it. I am not not a staunch support of PAP. However,I personally does not condone vandalism, especially things with little artistic or information value. In this case, this is venting, pure and simple, and serves little purpose at all.
However, to actually managed to pull off a feat like this, I must say that the person or the group needs to applauded for their bravery as there are little room to stand on and that loosing one's footing there is almost guaranteed death. So, whatever grievance there is, it must be rather serious to do something like that.

What is more interesting here is the reaction. We are in a nation that are not ashamed of censorship, in fact, it is so ingrained in some of us, and especially the media to practice self-censorship, to refrain from crossing the line so to speak. However, some form of censorship made the whole thing laughable

in this case, it seems like PAP has been censored together with FUCK, and makes 1 wonder that if it was realised that at 1 broad stroke, PAP is now a vulgarity that needs to be bleep off as well.

And really, wouldn't blanking up that offending sentence be alot better?

And anyway, the uncensored version had made its way around the internet and most likely circulating a few times on whatsapp and whats not. I guess the next thing to do will be to remove camera phone like SAF red zone or censor every messages and internet posting.


Another laughable attempt will be to claim that, the attempt, which resulted in someone gaining access to the rooftop, spent time to actually paint on the entire wall and was not caught was considered that the security protocol was not breached?

laughter aside, there are now proof that anger is present. angry with the government. And that the handling of the incident is the reason why, a party that refused to see, and denies everything that puts them in a bad light. And I do hope, that some reflection is to be done and not just to have an inquiry that achieves nothing and implementing surveillance that only result in an increase in the Service and conservancy charges.

Lets be equal

Recently, some news that doesn't involved me much happened

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/defence-ministry-considering-more-ways-recognise-nsmen-minister-ng

SINGAPORE — Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said that the Defence Ministry is considering giving more recognition to NSmen by giving them a bigger stake in the country, such as in the areas of housing, healthcare and education.

He also expects the Committee to Strengthen National Service — formed last March to recommend ways to strengthen National Service — to wrap up their recommendations by June.

The Committee has engaged nearly 40,000 people so far and their report is expected to be released in the second half of the year.

Dr Ng was speaking to reporters on the offshore island of Pulau Sudong today (April 24) where he was observing Exercise Golden Sand conducted by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The Exercise involved a 450-strong NSmen guards unit, as well as Armoured Personnel Carriers, disembarking on the island from naval fast crafts while receiving support from Apache helicopters.

About 350 personnel from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) also took part in the Exercise, which will last from 14 to 28 April.

 As you see, I have done my time, got the letter and that I no longer need to worry that I forgotten to inform MINDEF where I fly to since last December.

However, I saw this response

Every person deserves access to housing, education and healthcare, because these are basic requirements for human sustenance and social participation. AWARE disagrees strongly with any link between support for fundamental needs and an individual's status as an NSman, especially when the military may not be suitable for many people, regardless of their gender. AWARE has long maintained that military service should not be held up as the single gold standard of citizen belonging - an approach which this proposal threatens to intensify, creating different tiers of people with different social entitlements and worth.

and I just have to respond. In an age where we have people questioning if NSman should even sit in the MRT train, it is no longer an issue of what this will denies others, male or female. But rather the dues given to the NSman.

It is enshrined by law that National Service is something that is necessary and that failure to comply is illegal, this is not saying that people sign up at the age of 18 just so that they can get ahead in life, get bigger house faster or cheaper, or are given $8 heart bypass.
This is a matter of duty. It is not negotiable, unless of course you are not fit for duty. Which simply means that if you don't perform the duty, you don't get the dues, simple as that.

Now, in case someone is wondering how their cheese are moved, lets just say that  Servicemen and Women do put themselves on the line. To be called back when the duty calls or when the call sign pops up on the screen. This is real, this happens. Not to say that it is not without its risk, despite thick books been written to ensure safety, Servicemen and women had lost their life in the line of duty.

So, really, I don't really see the hue and cries that bemoans the fact that being in military service becoming the GOLD standard of citizen belonging. It does not. Nor will it ever be the only reason to apportion basic needs such as Housing, healthcare and education. It does not.

We have seen that, as of today, there are more scholarship open to non-Singaporean than they are Singaporean. In fact, we were told that the best scholarship we will get is a loan from our parent's CPF, of which we have to pay back (most likely with interest incurred)

And that, we have seen how previous rewards worked. It goes to some vouchers and membership to SAFRA, while I am not complaining, I think more can be done other than to credit some sum of token amount to 1's CPF.

And in case someone thinks that it is unfair that only man can serve NS, I am looking forward to the day that AWARE actually actively lobby the motion that women should serve NS as an act of gender equality.

Let them have their day

To be in all honesty, I have some bad experiences with Filipinos in my workplace.
The same apply to Indian nationals, Chinese from China, Malaysians and Singaporeans.

So, I will not be quick and brand all Filipinos as bad people or scums of the earth. I believe that there are scums on earth no matter where you are, which is why no country is without Police and jails.

Now, neither am I entirely against the idea of having the Filipinos celebrating their independence day in Ngee Ann City, but I do appreciate that they could have been less creative in the use of the Singapore skyline and that if they can use Embassy ground to have it done.

While some of my detractors can say that we celebrate Singapore days in other country, let me clear this up by stating that, no, they are not celebrated on National day. And if you must know, Bastile Day is celebrated in the French residence in Singapore and the Independence day are celebrated in Singapore American School.

I guess what is eating at Singaporeans or rather, those who are vocal against it are not so much a feeling of Xenophobia or bigotry. To put it in a simpler term, there is a feeling that the city is under siege and that there are no longer anybody except them to defend it, if not to the bitter end.

I do not, for once, condone the name calling and that calling the organisers vermin is not helping the cause. But one must looking beyond the name calling to understand where this siege mentality comes from.

To look back, we recently saw us up in spade to have 2 foreign vessels named after armed personnel in the acts of terrorism set up and bombed Mcdonald house, which is somewhere along the shopping belt, far away any military installation. In olden days, that is called asymmetrical warfare, to quote some american, that is an act of terrorism in modern context. and after all the posturing, our minister of defence decided to take the apologies which was later being retracted as it was allegedly taken out of context, at face value.

Coming back to where we are, we are seeing spades of advertisement, first from STB, which was being pulled off air after criticism, and after which, another from Singtel which seems to be pandering to a certain demographics, and with the recent act, seems to have up the ante.

And this is the time, where people would have look to the leaders for leadership, and the leaders; chided the people and brushed away the concern, shaming those who raised the concern.

And if this does not put one into a state of Siege mentality, I am not sure what will.

Please stand at attention

Seriously, Standing and MRT are 2 things when combined, something that I don't Like.
That is until I recently read this post about standing in MRT, and I find it amusing.
That it is suggested that NSMEN should stand in a crowded MRT train.
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/04/04/nsmen-in-uniform-should-stand-in-trains-when-crowded/

I think that it is simply amazing that because the writer spotted 3 servicemen sitting in a crowded train, the rest of the servicemen, must hence forth stand in the crowded train.

Now, first of all, there is a need to define crowded. is it crowded when the writer has to stand in the train. Hence, the servicemen is not allow to sit?

As for the need to re-instill pride, good bearing and decorum to their men. Or do they want me to give that pep talk on their behalf?

I am not sure about pride, but good bearing? where they slouching unbearably? or mayhaps sleeping?
I supposed that they should have at least sit ramrod straight or if the writer have his way, stand at Salang Diri from point A to point B? And to pep talk on the Chief of the services behalf, sorry, I don't know what is his rank, but I am guessing probably a senior officer or a few star at least

I think that nobody in a camouflage smart 4 is thinking of hiding, at least I don't see them applying any tactical cover or remove their rank, unit and name on their uniform. This is to say that they did not feel that they did something wrong. 

Which is coming to the next thing, to write a directive to tell the servicemen that they are to stand in a crowded train, come, may I also suggest that in order to enforce that, MPs and RPs are supposed to enforce that. 


Which comes to another point at the end that the writer mentioned about the NCC days in school. Now, I hate to point out, NCC is a CCA and that it is done once a week or maybe longer during school vacation.

NSMEN serves not a day a week, they serve for 2 years and after that, until 40 or until they complete their cycles, they get called back, for days if not weeks. 

I hate to tell someone that it is work, and sometimes it is hard work. and unless it is clear that the servicemen took up a reserved seats and refused to give it to someone more needy, I think this is plain nitpicking, pure and simple. 

All the talk about appreciating our servicemen comes to naught when we have people who picks on them as such and takes the high horse with little more than NCC experience to boot; That, is an insult to the person which answered the call to protect the nation, who are citizens like you and me. And may lose their life  in the line of duty.

Back for a short while

Haven't been writing for a long time here. So, I am back in case someone starts to look at me at Bright Hill or Mandai.
No Idea how long I will keep this on.......

The truth

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, "(Mr Low) is perfectly entitled to want to win a GRC.

"(But) think carefully because it affects your property value, it affects your neighbourhood, if affects your country, it affects your future."

And I am in total agreement with him, as it reflects not just a plausible future, but what is happening now.

For the last 5 years, PAP was in almost absolute power, and boy, did our property value grows, and that instead of being please by it, I am worried sick. Now, rising property prices does nothing for me, I cannot monetise it and downgrade in the midst of a growing family. I could consider staying in the tent with my family but I am not sure Vivian will like it. The hard truth here is that, should the property price keeps going up, my children may need to spend 40 or even 50 years to service a 700k+ ~ 1mil public housing, and that means that they will need to work to their 90s before they can retire.

On an immediate note, rising property price also means..... increase in rent, and it does not take a mathematician to figure that it all adds up to inflation.

Affecting my neighbourhood, well, with our arms wide open to foreign "talent", I am feeling like the stranger in my homeland. Hey, I am probably leaving in UN. I will not be surprised that some of my local neighbours wither have to move out, or they are attracting artworks on the wall that resembles something like "O$P$" whatever they maybe. And hey, I won't be surprise that a number of wakes that takes place are due to the intermittent train stops that I experienced in MRT. Now, for someone that has taken the MRT since it started, I have seen the peak hour waiting from 3 mins went to 3 mins over the years and sometime improve to a 6 min waiting time, I am a fimr believer in the virtue of waiting but I am not sure the hundreds of people share the same feeling. Sometime, I feel like the human pinball, moving in the molasses of human traffic. Not to mention the help the block cleaning auntie gets to ensure she stay in employment by leaving her all the cans of beers and butts and sometime rice after their gathering.

I am also thankful that all my friends from other country helped me to do my part to fight inflation to make sure that I don't get too much pay to buy stuffs. I have to make sure that I always buy house brand and frozen stuff to make sure that I do not go over budget. And that I am not concern about having 3 meals in hawker center, food court or restaurant, I have my meals at home or in the company canteen as they are the only place that I can afford.

As for my country, I am glad that a good doctor tells us that running a practice as a doctor is actually national service. If I ever have a son, I will tell him that he can be whatever he can be, and that should he ever decide to be a lawyer, practicing law is also a form of national service. Not sure if MINDEF agrees to that though.

As for my future, I am concern of course, I am very sure that JB is a good place to retire and I am sure that I can find a good nursing home there. Hey maybe Batam is also a nice place. provided that I can work to my retirement and that the minimum sum is at 300k when I retire at 85.... after which, I will still try to work at Mcdonanlds or collect cans.... But that is if I can still stay gainfully employed and not displaced by some foreign talent whose only talent is to be able to survive on less as their family are located at their hometown whereby SGD100 can sustain a family of 5 for 3 months. I am also worried that we are not going to increase our GST to help more poor.

I thank the PM and his cabinets for their dedication and I am sure that the million dollar salary is really too little. I am pretty sure that its more good year whereby we have to stay together while they move ahead.

We the citizen

In another 4 day, we will be marking our nations 44th birthday.
one of the event is to get every citizens at exactly 8:22pm to recite the national pledge together.

For those who are unfamiliar or forgotten the pledge, here it is

We the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
base on justice and equality
So as to achieve
happiness, prosperity and progress
for our nation

In case you are wondering, that was reproduced through sheer memory and thanks to 10 yrs of reciting this every morning.....Sorry, I digress

But the question here is that,is it still relevant to the Singapore Citizens, those that pledge to themselves and the nation, day in and day out... in fact, how many still remembers it by heart, and even more so, fulfilling the pledge?

I have no answer to that.... What I have are only questions....

Pledging ourselves as 1 united people, but how shall we unit with those people that comes to our shore offering cheaper wage and take our jobs?

While we tend to be colourblind, how will you feel if you can only buy your prata if you speak tamil or coffee only if you speak mandarin. And people telling you that Kopi-O is wrong.......Do you still go about the regardless of reace, language and religion. As for religion, how will feel as a parent to have a kid coming to tell you that it is all about Adam and Eve and that 1 should no longer offer prayers to ancestors and the dieties and eschew all the time honoured rituals as they are all hethen practices....

To build a democratic society, will mean that we are more democratic then before, pray tell how many actually saw a ballot box and paper. I am 35 and Ihad seen neither. Nor Have I ever seen a referendum being carried out.....

To based on Justice and equality will mean that we are all equal, pray tell that why some people gets off with nary a fine when running down a pedestrian or motorist?

We are supposed to achieve happiness, look at where we stand as a country in the Gini coefficient.....

Prosperity? whose? asked those who got retrenched? or those who are paid million dollars a year by raising GST.

Progress? besides the changing skycrapers, have the society progressed? we may have first world infrastructure..... but do we have or are even allowed to have a first world mind-set?

While I will be reciting the pledge at home at 8:22pm this Sunday, not out of patriotism but rather as an example as a father to daughter, so that she will not grow up cynical.... I am pondering, as we push past 44yrs of national building and edging to half a century, are we building a new national identity or are we tearing up the fabric of nationhood to exposed the fact that we are probably a company being called a nation incidentally as we are on the same island....

Ungreen our Bus

I had done my ICT about a month back and so, I am pretty sure that this lady is not talking about me. But I do find her point of view interesting

I was bringing my children home from Downtown East last friday when a group of army boys boarded the bus with us. Gosh they were so smelly and disgusting that my kids started to make sick faces at me. Their sweaty body touch mine hands and my kids and I glared at them. SAF should really ban their soldiers from taking the bus. Can't they take taxis with their pay? What are our tax payer money for? Somemore they come from tekong dunno got any germs or virus with them. Later they spread to my children and worse to us. Hope the relavant authorities take note

In case you are wondering if this was a figment of my imagination,


http://politics.sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/368533
http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=21523
http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20090721-156196.html

Think Again.

But in some ways, though warped and perverted, I do agree with her.
In fact, I would reckon that its time to give our boys in green their dues and that make it the law that all Taxi are supposed to ferry our boys in Green, when they are in uniform, to anywhere on the island for a flat fee of $2.

That will stop them from spreading their germs to the public and also to recognise them for the work that they are doing and the sacrifice that they are making. It is probably obvious to people reading this, that I am under certain influence when writing it.

As to JusticeLegal, whoever she might or is supposed to be, I have the following in reply.

Dear JusticeLegal,

I have chance upon your short post in SGforum and I will just use this as the platform to reply to you this,

While you might consider yourself fortunate to never have been wife to a NSmen or a full time SAF servicemen, I cannot stop wondering what is the circumstances that induce this, was it that he was found lacking which was why he was never enlisted. OR that he hails away from our shores.
In anyway, calling our NSmen boyscout brings to light that you bear certain misgivings and prejudice against the institution that is SAF. Granted that it does have some shortfall, but unless you are in it, I do feel that you do not have the calibre to brand them as such.
And to top it off, while on thisisland, in the event of war, they will be the one to protect you among others. As such, your remark is unkind to simply diss the men and women that will take up arms and lay down their life to afford you, your hunband and your 2 daughters safety and security.
As for germs, they carry just as any other people. As such, by banning people on our public transport, you are probably no better than those who brought forth the Apartheid? And might I remind you that as your namesake sounds, a learned in law that this will commit our fair government to breach an international law?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_of_apartheid
And to ask the Nsmen to take taxi will be to make them spend beyond their means. Would you happened to know that their allowance is only 350 a month? The taxes you pay is nary enough and that they are bound to have no other employment beyond this. And hence, you are chasing them out of the bus, not to take a taxi but to walk?
And I would like again to remind you that, just as you are the mother to your daughters, they are their mothers' son and that are you not being disrespectful to their mother as well?
And finally, I would like to end this by giving you this advice
Go take a cab yourself. In fact, you should just get a car and be driven around Singapore. Of course, it will be better that you, your daughters get out of this stinky island.

Classy things to say when stressed

Classy things to say when stressed

1. "Okay, okay! I take it back. Unfuck you!!!"

2. "You say I'm a bitch like it's a bad thing?!"

3. "How many times do I have to flush before you go away?"

4. "This day sure was a total waste of make-up"

5. "Well, aren't we a bloody ray of sunshine?"

6. "Don't bother me, I'm living happily ever after."

7. "Do I look like a fucking people person!"

8. "This isn't an office. It's HELL with fluorescent lighting"

9. "I started out with nothing still have most of it left"

10. "I pretend to work, they pretend to pay me"

11. "Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed"

12. "Do they ever shut up on your planet?"

13. "I'm not your type. I'm not inflatable"

14. "Don't worry. I forgot your name too."

15. "I just want revenge. Is that so wrong?"

16. "Not all men are annoying. Some are dead."

17. "Wait...I'm trying to imagine you with a personality"

18. "Ambivalent? Well yes and no."

19. "You look like shit. Is that the style now?"

20. "A hard-on doesn't count as personal growth."

21. "If assholes could fly, this place would be an airport.