Your emails
From time to time we post emails from our
readers. Due to the many emails that we receive, however, we are
unable to publish all of them. In this instalment we highlight
issues ranging from Ho Ching to HDB flats.
We welcome your letters and even though we may not be able to reply
to all of them, we are grateful that you have written and assure
you that we will note their content.
To level the playing field
Hi,
I am writing in to express my concern over the influx of immigrants
who have taken away our jobs by storm.
I contributed over the years, yet, the newspapers continuously brag
that we the locally born Singaporean are not able to do this do
that. We are always the first on the retrenchment list. Is this
good in the long run?
I will like to suggest that we impose a significant increase in PR,
FW, FT levies. i.e. Instead of allowing companies in employing
anyone they like, Singapore must impose additional levies on the
above mentioned groups.
As there are approximately 1 million to 1.43 millions PRs in
Singapore, if we increase the levies of each PR, FT by minimum 1K
for each PR employed, companies will have to think twice
before employing FT as the cost to employ them would be
significantly higher.
However, such increase in levies which increase the government's
coffer cannot be used to justify for Ministers' pay raise. Instead,
this levies must be used to create jobs for the locally born
Singaporeans.
At present, I see lots of unemployed and underemployed
Singaporeans. We need to bring food for the family.
If we do not help the local community, all the locally born
Singaporeans will be in trouble. I strongly believe we need
alternatives in the Parliament before those who shake legs collect
all their pays and preparing to flee the country anytime from
now.
Please kindly help as the situation is really bad now among the
locally born Singaporeans.
Please help. Please. This is a distress call.
SINGAPOREAN
Ho Ching and SGD 10k
Dear SDP,
I was very shocked and almost choked on my breakfast coffee when I
read the following news (below): Ms Ho giving out a miserable
10K(!!) out of her how many millions and billions.
JM LEE
New premises of Muhammadiyah Welfare Home open in Bedok
North
Riz Sunawan
Channel News Asia
19 June 2010
A shelter and rehabilitation centre that has been operating from
pre-war bungalows in Mountbatten now boasts of spanking new
premises and facilities.
The Muhammadiyah Welfare Home is now operating in Bedok
North.
Its new premises were officially opened by Executive Director and
CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ho Ching.
She also donated $10,000, on top of the same amount by Temasek
Holdings.
The home has new facilities like a library and computer
lab.
It is also raising more funds through a welfare fiesta that will be
held until Sunday.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1064347/1/.html
On HDB's Studio Apartment
Hi Dr Chee,
I write to share my thoughts on HDB Studio Apartment.
It started as a way to help very poor families who have no income
to retire.
HDB will buy over their existing 3 room apartment at market value
and sell them a studio apartment with 30 year lease and return the
balance from the sale.
It was deemed a success because these people need not pay
anything and subsequently receive monthly allowance. (Balance
from the sale of their apartment)
Because it was deemed a success now they have extended the scheme
to anyone who turns 55.
I understand that the ones at Limbang CCK was over subscribed the
last I checked there were many units returned to HDB meaning no
takers. How is this so?
Who would want to invest 85K on a 30 year lease, you are to return
to HDB should you wish to give up.
If you would to convert this to 99 years is equivalent to $280K for
a 35sq metre apartment.
What is the market subsidy for this apartment?
Which organization in this world would lease their property for 30
years contract, if it is leasing why can’t HDB lease out on a
yearly basis?
For those who bought their 3 room HDB flat from $6,700 to $13,000)
to sell the apartment back to the government in exchange of a
studio apartment in addition the balance to be reimbursed
monthly. I would say these people benefited from the
scheme.
For those who don’t have a apartment to exchange to cough out $85K
for a 30 year lease is a bit overboard plus the promise to return
the balance of whatever balance with the remaining lease we are
really at their mercy with their ever changing rules and laws, and
when one is dead there is no fight.
HELEN
Paying for unavailable HDB season
parking
Dear SDP,
I have bought a season parking. The authority sold me a useless
season parking whereby the carpark is fully occupied.
It was 1am when I reached the car park where I had paid for a
parking lot. Hence I moved to another carpark beside. The authority
fined me for doing so and despite writting in for appeal twice, the
authority still insist that I pay for the fine.
Is there anyone left in this country where I can approach for
such injustice?
LEONARD
Singapore's huge public debt
Dear Sirs/Madam,
I would like to raise an important issue which I hope that with
your assistance, be raised on a more public forum.
Given the financial crisis that is besotting the EU, I would think
the issue of Public Debt could be something interesting to the
average singaporeans.
It is not a very well known fact that Singapore has one of the
highest public debt - GDP ratio in the world. (6th highest in
fact) (note that Singapore's 2009 GDP was about US$ 235 billion).
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt
Looking at the list, its not surprising that countries like Greece,
Italy are in the list. Countries that have been in the wrong
limelight of the EU Financial Crisis.
Number one on the list is Japan - and the economic problems of its
economy has been ongoing since the great bubble burst of 1990. (The
lost decade or should we say decades is a very well known
espression to describe Japan's economic problems).
So the big question here is WHY our country (the so called great
Singapore model) has accumulated such huge public debt? Where is
the money for this public debt going to?
One of the biggest reasons that countries like Greece, Italy, Japan
have huge public debt is their state welfare system (life time
pensions, minimum wage laws, unemployment benefits to name a
few).
The Singapore Government has always prided itself on being a
non-welfare state and always hit out at any critics of our
system.
Well obviously the citizens of Singapore do not enjoy life time
pensions, minimum wages nor unemployment benefits.
So the important question is WHERE is money that we have "borrowed"
going to (based on est 2009 numbers - almost US$250 Bn)? Certainly
not in the average singaporean's pocket!
Thankfully, there are concerned singaporeans like myself debating
this as you can see here:
http://forum.channelnewsasia.com/viewtopic.php?t=352067&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=50
With elections coming up, I sincerely hope that the SDP can raise
up this issue and make our government more accoutable.
Thank and best regards,
KT
Retrenched Matured Civil Servants
Dear Mr Chee,
The Singapore Governemnt has over the past few years been quietly
retrenching thousands of matured civil servants on the pretext of
restructuring. I am a retrentched civil servant who have given
decades of loyal service but nnow having difficulty in finding a
job. Many of my fellow retrenched civil servants are disllusioned
and want to help bring about changes in our political
consitions.
On the other hand, the PAP leaders have been increasing political
posts like many mayors, MM, SM and NCMPs, hosting YOG and other
conferences at public expenses. The hosting of YOG was in response
to China deliberately leaving Singapore out of the 2008 Olympics
Torch Relay.
I urged you to pose questions (see below) to the PAP government
over party rallies at the coming elections. By posing questions
which come from our local citizens, you can avoid libel suits which
the PAP likes to bring against the opposition political parties in
Singapore. This will open the eyes of our citizens that the PAP
leaders are hypocrites and only care about feathering their own
nests.
The questions are as follows:
1. How many civil servants and employees in Statutory Boards have
been retrentched over the past 5 years?
2. How many political posts has the PAP government created for its
political leaders and party members?
3. How many foreigners and PRs are being employed in the civil
service and Statutory Board in preference over Singapore
citizens?
4. Why is the government spending millions of taxpayers' money on
the YOG when majority of Singaporeans are not interested and the
government has to boost interests among local citizens?
5. Does the Singapore government feel a sense of responsibility in
the Thailand unrest since it was Mdm Ho Ching of Temasek Holding
and the PM's wife who bought over Shin Corp from Thaksin in 2006
which triggered the military intervention and bloody protests in
Thailand.
6. This question from a Singapore citizen who have dealings in
property market is that "Did the DPM Wong Kan Seng or members of
his family put on sale a property worth S$9milion in recent
years?
Thank you.
WEE C.H.
Is Singapore being taken seriously by other
countries?
SDP,
As a new citizen, I am deeply hurt and ashamed that other countries
and their diplomats are not taking our government and laws
seriously. Consider these facts (I will start
alphabetically):
1. China: Singapore has spent billions
in assisting China in the Suzhou industrial park and training
Chinese public officials in Singapore. But China repays us by
pointedly leaving Singapore out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Torch
Relay. A stingling slap that resulted in the PM, Ministers and
officials (Vivian, Teo Ser Luck, Ng Ser Miang) rushing to save face
by hosting the YOG 2010 which cost tax-payers minillions of
dollars. Now efforts are needed to generate buzz to galvanise
excitment among the people for YOG. By the way, Singapore with its
extremely humid and hot weather, will need to brace itself for
brickbats from athletes from temperate countries who can't take the
heat in August. Did our PM, Ministers and officials consider this
before rushing to host the YOG?
2. Indonesia: When the Tsunami struck
Aceh, Singapore took the opportunity to curry favour with Indonesia
by rendering assistance, etc. Indonesia repays us by banning export
of ssand to Singapore thus hampering Singapore construction
activities. Another slap in the face! What has MFA got to say about
this?
3. Romania: It appears that even Eastern
European nations like Romanis holds Singapore government in low
regards. To date, the Romanian government has yet to repatriate the
diplomat who killed a Singapore PR and injured two Singapore
citizens in a car crash. Is the governemtn hoping that this whole
matter be blown away and forgotten? MFA has still not informed the
nation what steps have taken to prevent repeat of such tragic
incident.
4. Saudi Arabia: Recently, a Saudidiplomat
beat up a Singapore citizen after he told the diplomat that he has
parked his car at a lot meant for the handicapped. this shows how
little respect foreign diplomats have for Singaporrre laws. I
am sure this case will be quietly squashed as Saudi Arabia is an
oil rich nation which Singapore can ill-afford to offend.
Everything will be swept under the carpet.
Finally, my wife and I are wondering whether we have made the right
decision in taking up Singapore citizenship, as we are embarrassed
by the callous attitude towards this nation by other
countries.
LIM
Review of weighting given to Mother Tongue in
PSLE
Hi SDP,
Please do something to save Singapore:
1. HDB issue
2. Monther Tongue issue
3. Low income family
Thousands of fund meant for low-income families, but I suppose only
10% of Singaporeans know how to and where to apply for it. Out of
this 10%, maybe only 5% get the fund.
Why lower the PSLE Chinese standard????
We have already lost our dialects (Hokkien, Teochew...) in the
younger generations, now we are losing Chinese. You might as well
ask Chinese-speaking Singaporeans to migrate to China or Taiwan,
and import all the English-speaking, "smart" people in.
This government's decision makes people so angry, and I can tell
you, the PAP will lose at least my vote in the next election.
CHIA
Yishun Area
Dr Chee,
I’m a resident in the Yishun housing estate. May I know is the
party intending to contest in the Yishun area during the coming
General Elections?
The reason I’m asking this question is because I'm dissatisfied
with the state of facilities in the Yishun housing estate. I notice
that there is a lack of overhead bridges for residents to move
around in my residential estate.
I have a younger brother who suffers from a sickness which affects
the way he walks. Therefore crossing the road at traffic junctions
is inconvenient for him since he can’t walk at a normal pace like a
normal person.
As there is not many overhead bridges in Yishun, his option is
limited when he needs to go to the coffee shops at Khatib
Central to buy some food.
As a result, he has to cross the road at traffic junctions in order
to get to the coffee shops. He has complained many times about this
problem to me.
Therefore, in my opinion, building more overhead bridges in the
Yishun housing estate would benefit those residents who have
difficulties walking or moving around due to sickness.
LS
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