Why I am trying to write this is because I am sick of narrow
minded singaporeans complaining about their life and singapore.
Living in a bubble. Please appreciate what you have and enjoy your
life, because trust me you guys are living good. Thank you. I am
just a singaporean trying to do a little for my fellow countryman
and inform the masses so we dont look like dumb spoilt brats to
foreigners.
I been here for 4 years and found that singaporeans complain
alot about low wages, high property prices, high taxes. But you
see, most singaporeans have not lived in other countries and
therefore 'Think' that they are being surpressed. I used to think
that too so i cant really say much. Trust me the world out there is
alot worst !
After only being here for 4 years and you have now been
influenced by the Singapore past time at whining too ?
It is simply pathetic that you will want to whine at
Singaporeans when your 4 years here have barely scratched the
surface of life in Singapore.
What you have seen is basically the surface skin that probably
your over-paid wages allowed you to cope with the cost of living
here, when the bulk of the population is still reeling from the
effects of deep wage cuts in 2005 that have yet to be
restored.
Most Singaporeans were misled for 14 years that by GCT that
Singapore will have a SWISS Standard of Living before he handed
over his PM seat to LHL.
Unfortunately, by the end of his term, GCT did not
succeed in achieving a SWISS Standard of
Living for Singapore, but had instead burdened Singapore
with a very high SWISS Cost of Living.
You all are being protected and shelter by the goverment. Just
give you a little hint, do you know that singapore is ranked 26
when it comes to quality of life In the World.
What do you understand by the term "Quality of Life" ?
Would you reconsider your position after reading that the
‘Quality of Life is more than Material
Wellbeing: GDP as an Incomplete Measure of Singapore’s
Development’ (*1) ?
Why does Singapore qualify as the top ranking city in terms of
Infrastructure only, but fail to be anywhere near the
OVERALL ranking
that went to 5 European Cities ? (*2)
Protected and sheltered by the Government ?
Is it not a fact that the Government is holding Singaporeans to
ransom by targetting to house 90 per cent of the Citizens in
Public Housing ?
In a separate thread in this Speakers' Corner - ‘Cost of building HDB
flats – finally an answer ?’ (*3) - it had noted
from a ChannelnewsAsia report that SES Mainboard-listed
BBR Holdings announcement that it has secured a S$104.2
Million contract to build 7 blocks of flats in
Yishun Neighborhood 4 - that comprises 864 homes, a Child
Care Centre, a Roof Garden, Communal Amenities and site works, as
well as contigency works.
This will result in the 864 flats to have an average
cost of $120,602 per unit.
The referenced thread had also indicated that
- "With the latest HDB new
4-room flats at Punggol (Punggol Residences BTO) selling at an
average price of $293,000 (price range of $264,000 to $322,000
divided by 2), does it mean that the HDB stands to make a
profit of about $172,398 per flat,
or a profit margin of about 143 per
cent?"
With such profits, is it not in the Government interests
to target 90 per cent of the population to stay in the
HDB units that are being built with loans borrowed from the
CPF Savings, and then sold to Singaporeans at 143 per
cent profit margins that suck the CPF accounts dry ?
Protecting the Citizens when at the same time holding the
Citizens to ransom ?
Here in the USA, many people lost their homes due to the housing
collaspe and now live in tents or the streets. I would say
singaporeans are lucky that their properties have always risen in
value. Medical insurance is way too expensive 2000/year for myself.
Many people in USA rather die than see a doctor and millions are
without insurance (unable to see a doctor). A classmate broke his
thumb and it cost him 15000 USD to fix it. My aunt was involved in
a car accident and 5 stitches and one night in the hospital totaled
$60,000 !!!!! Can you believe it?
In singapore at least you have poly clinic. Around my university,
we cant come out after 9pm because we are afraid of getting shot.
Trust me its dangerous. Kids walking on the street get shot by
stray bullets. The unemployement is 10% national-wide and detroit
has unemployment at 30%, meaning 3 people out of 10 you see on the
street dont work at all.
The "housing collapse" was due to the "collapse of the financial
system" that handout loans freely to those who were unable to see
through the repayment of the loans - and had nothing to do with the
"housing collapse"
Health Care system is subject to unchecked abuse of the
insurance, and as Obama had pointed out, the insurance company are
inflating the premiums as the hospitals are over-charging for the
services dispensed.
The ultimate loser is the US Citizens who have no voice to
defend their interests, as the politicians cut deals with lobbyists
that represent insurance corporations and health care
providers.
Is that the fault of the country called US citizens or is
that the fault of the politicians ?
Life is as dangerous in the USA as it is in the Philippines,
where a security guard can shoot across a busy streets with cars
running in both directions at peak hours, or any where on this
globe.
When the bullet is marked for you, and your expiry time on
earth is up, there is nothing that will stop you from moving
on from this life - wherever you maybe on this globe.
Income taxes are 30% or more, meaning three days out of then you
work for the goverment. Taxes are raising too. Property taxes are
10% on a property, eg. $20000 a year for a $200000 dollar house.
University rates are 40,000 half a year, compared to a few thousand
you pay in NUS.And many students have to work and study at the same
time because they just cant pay it.
So please. Dont complain.
What makes you think that Singapore is paying any less Tax then
the income tax of 30% or more in the USA ?
Even though on the surface Singapore's Tax Regime may seem to be
reasonable in terms of direct tax chargeable, it is
the indirect revenue collection methods that will eat up
the larger portions of the income.
The indirect taxes are collected from the GST that is
applied across a whole array of essential goods and services
that are provided by a group of Government Linked Companies and
Government related public bodies such as the NTUC.
The other indirect taxes include the Petrol Tax,
COE, PARF, Stamp Duties,
Why do people migrate to Sweden despite its taxes
being higher than in the USA (*4) ?
Why do the Swedes have a higher birth rate despite
the higher and wide array of taxes that the Government depend on
revenues (*5) ?
Is it not an irony that despite all the best efforts at
adapting the various government policies - Singapore birth
rate refused to move any digit ?
