Just in clarification with your post, I take full responsibility
for my own actions. That was started by me and no one else.
And if i may plead indulgence, may i answer that question on 5
favourite policies? You can scold me if i presume to go ahead.
5 Favourite policies ( actually there are more)
-----------------------------------------------------
1. Increase in GST:- We have no natural
resources, thus social spending will have to come from our pockets.
No one is going to help us but ourselves. There are some who may
not have good opportunities in life, or faced in setback and would
need our help. GST monies would help to fund them, give their kids
a good education and escape the poverty trap. Furthermore GST is
based on free will. If you don't need to buy, you don't need to
pay. The more you buy, which shows your spending power, the more
you pay GST which will help our fellow countrymen.
2. Increase in ERP:- No one wants to
continually pay. But in Spore, we are limited in size. IF you don't
need a car, then don't buy one. You will escape such charges
easily. Public transport in aircon comfort is still avaliable, and
is no loss of 'face'. Even Wall St exec walk, talk buses, the rail
lines.
3. CDCs:- the creation of one stop CDCs to help
the less well off. Currently the complain is that the elderly gets
$300 a month. You and I know it is not enough. But with 20% GST,
they will be able to draw more. No point crying that they draw only
$300 if you are not willing to contribute.
4. Increase in ministerial
salaries:- Hot potatoes. Already much debated,
But a necessary even though unprecedented measure to combat
corruption and MORE IMPORTANTLY, bring in talents, the educated to
help administer the country, run our economy and protect our
reserves for your kids to live in a better and improved Singapore
of our common future.
5. Fighting inflation:- a.) they source for
cheaper products around the world, buy in bulk and charges less
than other international corporate shopkeepers.
b.) they meet up with reformed or semi-reformed dictators,
such as N korea, Libya and Russia, whom had been relatively quiet
nowadays, to not only help bring about change through better
administrative insights, but bring about more trade with our
country.
c. ) the increase in our dollar, so as to help the working
population cope with increased in prices, ( but i fear
for our exporters)
d.) EDB's increased activities to woo foreign investments
into our country, through the use of cheap foreign workers and
experience foriegn talents, which in turn adds more job
to our workers. And upgrading grants to help the young and old
to upgrade their skills so that they too may be gainfully
employed.
Want more? But it wouldn't be fair. Why not you or others
here tell me what are your hated policies and why, so that
others may see if it is intellligent critically or
critically ignorant.
It seems strange for you to be replying to me, feels as though
its a case of cloning but I shan't speculate. With regards to your
policies,
1. Increase in GST. Singaporeans already contribute to CPF
coupled with the existing GST. It is also a known fact that we
charge the one of the highest amount of taxes for alcohol and
cigarettes. Our "losers"(according to our MM) do contribute to GST
too. If the true motive is to prevent the expansion of the income
gap? Shouldn't there be a more effective way which would exempt
those whom the government aims to bring out of the poverty trap?
How much is enough? With our reserves and state owned companies not
enough for such funding?
2. Increase in ERP. Yes, I agree, Singapore is small and owning
a car is a luxury to some extent. But you do realise that with
exhorbitant road taxes and the COE which is Unique Singapore, we're
paying a heft price for such a luxury already. If the true motive
of putting up more ERP gantries is to improve the flow of traffic,
should something more effecient such as improving our road
infrastructure be implemented? To increase ERP charges together
with more gantries in itself is a regressive policy. Furthermore,
ERP charges also bear down on taxi passengers. Coupled with
increase in taxi fares, I wonder how badly cabbies are
affected.
3. CDC. I concur that these one stop CDCs do assist our people
in one way or another, however please refer to point 1 as stated.
There should be better ways to assist our people.
4. Ministerial Salaries. Here we go again. The main idea that
the government tries to drive home to justify their wages is to
prevent corruption and attract talent into our civil SERVICE. I
agree that our ministers need to be well paid and well fed, but how
much is enough? 6 times that of Mr. George Bush? Thats ridiculous!
Some say that in itself is open corruption, but I will stop short
of making such allegations or "slander" as a certain someone on
these boards would put it. If we need to fork out such
astronomical sums to attract talent into our civil SERVICE, I
question where their allegiance lies. Their own interests and
pockets or the interests of the public of whom they are duty bound
to render their SERVICE. Please take note that they are serving
their country and people and that in itself should take precedence
over monetary gains.
5. Fighting inflation. How does bringing in more foreign workers
fight inflation? You claim that these foreign workers create
employment opportunites for locals, but is that really the case?
Even if that holds true, any employment they create in itself is
cancelled off by the ones that they hold. Coupled with the host of
social problems that we all associate with them especially the
PRCs, is it really a wise move?