I was moved to tears

last SG · 2006-05-06T01:55:03+00:00

Originally posted by MS: [b]WE DO NOT SERVE THE LEE FAMILY! WE DO NOT SERVE THE PAP! WE SERVE OUR OWN HOMELAND CALLED SINGAPORE!!![/b]yes yes...

abao SG

Originally posted by neeyh:
i would rather trust a party that has been successful in turning Singapore to what it is today.

15 posts = no credibility
100 post = commited

zheshi SG

Waste of time and money.. but why there are people still doing it.. Either they are trying to test the system or they have a passion to serve the country, the peoples in the nation, to try to change some of the systems which they think would help the country.

Not everyone are willing to waste their time and effort to do all this, u could hear that people always complaining about the goverment. But mostly it all talk and no action... where is the actions?

Please respect them, though some of them may proof not to be up to stranded compare to their counterpeers.. but i would say there are heros.. in the eyes of a fews... At least they try to stand up and let their voices be hear...

tigeer2 SG

i love their passion,

but winning power over the PAP its.
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.Fucking impossible

Rock^Star SG

caramon., your words in your very first posting invoked some emotions in me.

I attended the WP's rally at Serangoon Stadium last night. Already knew what Low, Gomez and Sylvia would talk about. Then, in oder to avoid the massive people jam, I left at about 945pm. As I walked out past the stadium, I heard the pledge being recited. Tears of patriotism welled up my eyes immediately. The last time I ever had such a strong feeling was singing Majulah Singapura in the NDP contingent 2000.

For the PAP supporters out there, I'm positive that you have your own reasons for voting them. Singapore has been registering really impressive figures and stats in the international arena. I must also admit that the opposition has done little service to itself over the years. Every election that I can remember as far back as 1991, their main strategy has always been criticism of the PAP's policies. So the question is, "what's the solution?" Normally, the opposition does not really focus on that.

Qualifications of candidates have indeed improved tremendously, though they still have none of the "ex-army generals or coporate super high-fliers". The opposition today is very weak in parliament, my question is, "What solution is there to propose? Isn't it pre-mature now?" If all the opposition can do is only criticise now, then so be it. Didn't PAP start off this way? When the opposition gets stronger down the years, more quality candidates will join and that's when I hope to see WP become the government, at least in my lifetime.

Vote for PAP to stay in power and you will only pay and pay. Bloody MBT and his ERP, car mortgages, house mortgages, and bloody hell, I heard that GST will be increasing to 7% (my inside news) after the election. I don't struggle in Singapore and dare to say I'm comfortable enough. I can enjoy a "hippie's" life anytime. But what about the average housewives who have to buy vegetables and groceries everyday?? 7% GST kills. What abt the average joe who pays 30 years of HDB mortgage, depletes his CPF savings and cannot meet the CPF minimum sum for retirement?? PAP's policies are going wrong in many areas.

Lastly, please look at Japan. They have the world's second largest economy and look how many different parties and PMs have come through......BUT they are still an economic power. Please stop being naive and still think that only PAP can secure our future.

off_service SG

I think Minister Mah is the one who started to COE, not ERP. ERP is the idea of our current Minister of Transport, if I'm not wrong.

freakass SG

Let us put aside PAP and the opposition for now. I have a question to ask and I hope to see really interesting and smart replies.

We all hate the high COE, road tax and ERP charges in Singapore, especially current car owners and most probably future car owners too.. It makes owning a car in Singapore so darn expensive! However, the main reason for making ownership of cars in Singapore expensive is that we seriously do not have enough roads to accomodate high numbers of cars. Next, even if the number of cars have been limited by high COE and road tax, we still face the problem of traffic jams in certain areas due to peak hours, therefore the ERP was implemented.

We complain about the high costs of car ownership in Singapore, but at the same time we do not want to be caught in a jam every now and then. So anyone has any brilliant ideas to solve the above problems? (Make car ownership cheaper but at the same time not having over-congested roads in Singapore)

udontknowme SG

better late than never.

freakass SG

Regarding the high petrol prices, the Singapore government has got no say over it. So please do not blame the government. The only thing you can do is to start digging deep into the ground and hope to see crude oil Mr. Green

will4 SG

What about the proposed increase in 7% GST?

freakass SG

Read my question properly. I said put aside PAP and the opposition. I just want to hear some brilliant solutions to the problems that I mentioned. Nothing to do with any political party.

royceyap SG

The following is my 'boiling' response to ST forum regarding an article that featured Mr Khaw. Well, it was not published the next day (as expected) and the editor reply to me was

"Thank you for writing to us. We do appreciate your making the effort.

We receive 70 letters on average each day. Limited space means we can publish only about a dozen every weekday.
This means having to make often-difficult editorial judgments on which letters to publish.

We regret we are unable to publish your letter this time, and hope you will appreciate the constraints on space we face every day.
We hope you will continue taking an interest in the Forum Page."

Anyway, I cc my comment to Mr Khaw and in the words of my friend, "Are you crazy?" Well, I had to give my full name and address to ST Forum and it makes no difference to me.

I refer to the article, "Ministers' pay high? They can earn much more outside" (ST, 3 May).

Choosing to be involved in public service requires a big heart and a social-conscious mind. It is disheartening to know that we have to equate the earnings in order to attract so-called capable people. If they can earn much more outside, then let them go outside as we really dont need them. Please be sensitive to thousands of Singaporeans whose earnings are less than 1% of the ministers pay. When doing your walkabouts, dear ministers, look in the eyes of that old lady picking cans from rubbish bins and tell her that you understand her struggles.

It is not right to equate one's earning with capabilities as the said capabilities may not apply in all fields. I don't need an eye surgeon to empathize my daily livelihood struggles. I need someone who can come down to my level, understand my frustration of waiting for 15 minutes for a bus to go to work and couldn't board it because it was fully packed, being "sardine-packed" in the MRT during peak period, giving away $5 for my ezylink card at no fault of mine, etc.

Ministers pay IS an issue for many Singaporeans. Please do not deny it. No amount of justifications will ever be right. I know, because I am one of the thousands of Singaporeans earning less than 1% of the ministers pay."

Corrigendum: In my moment of outrage, I made a mistake as I earn less than 10% of the minister's pay. Laughing Can't help it lah, very du-lang already when I read the article. Nevertheless, I still maintain my stand about thousands of Singaporeans earning less than 1% of the ministers' pay.

will4 SG

I think for Spore, to have a car ineed expensive but unless something can be done to ensure traffic jam wil not reach intolerable level.

X-men SG

We all are tax payer so its really weird we dont get the same deal… or those staying at specific areas pay less tax?? No right?

basilee93 SG

why u think like that ..so depressing Crying or Very sad

well look on the bright side everyone is thinking that the PAP are gonna lose 1 GRC (the gomez one) CCK and the AP will hold back PP and hougang
seriously i hope they lose Pr-p cause the magad is really useless Mr. Green

vaxjunior SG

Hi, I think that this is a great question to ask...esp in light of the constant criticism by the ruling party of opposition party (and everybody else) for not being able to come up with credible alternative.

First, I agree that car ownership in Singapore has to be controlled one way or another. The social cost is too high (i.e. traffic jams) as the cost of time wasted just travelling around to go to work or to do business is just too high. I am now living in the Washington DC and the bloody traffic is always a big problem. They have tons of statistics to show how much that is costing the people in terms of wasted time and productivity. I was also in Korea a few years back and on the one hand they are proud of the fact that Koreans can own on average about 3-4 cars per household, they were also complaining of the massive jams in Seoul. In other words, there is much wisdom in keeping the car population in Singapore in control.

Second, I don't agree however that the cost of every mode of transportation in Singapore should be increasing. Especially public transport run by public/govt organizations (trying to be private). I propose that the monies collected from the ERP/COE should be used to subsidise the operations of public transportation. I don't see the rationale that all monies collected by the government via whatever form (e.g. income tax, property tax) should go to a general coffer so that we can see a grossly over exaggerated reserve. Now that everyone is hurting with the gas prices being in the 70dollar a barrel stratosphere, the govt or whoever is in charge of the transportation (PTC e.g.) should step in and give us who care about the environment/or who can't plain afford the car a "break". Like the show, Something's got to give. You can't expect us to just keep coughing up money.

This "solution" is not rocket science and in fact is a practice used here in Virginia and Maryland. The state tolls monies are used to pay for extra roads and other public transportation. Their problem here is that they are not getting enough money and are even contemplating increasing tobbacco tax to subsidise public transportation (so that they can ease traffic jams). I hope this qualifies for a ok response to this teething problem.

This is also in line with the overall societal equalization - the rich should not just get richer. They should also shoulder more of the cost of society. Because in the same line of thought, those who are given more, more is expected of them.

Blue Dolphin SG

A very interesting perspective. Cool

There is one question though, which is how much do we expect the rich to keep coughing up the money?

freakass SG

Now this is what I call quality reply! This is the kind of reply that will set everyone thinking instead of arguing. A balanced argument with a mature writing style. Persuasive with solid facts and experiences. Not biased against any individual or group. No senseless defamation. Reply was obviously given based on what he personally felt and not swayed or affected by who or which party he supports.

vaxjunior! We need more people like you in this forum! It makes the forum a much more pleasant place to chat in. Different views and opinions are raised in such a mature and polite manner, with no intention to start a vicious argument... WELL DONE!

By the way, I totally agree with what you said, especially the part on public transport.

snow leopard SG

agwee too, that it offers fresh perspective from other cities ...

reyes SG

See? My point exactly.....

Everyone and anyone with an average IQ can figure out that being opposition is all work and not returns.

Yet, these obviously not stupid people willing to do it.

What else can it be? PASSION.

well said bro. i have utmost respect for all good opposition party who has the courage to do so. what does these ppl tends to gain? nothing. they do so because they believe singaporean need someone to represent them to say No to the PAP. they believe singaporean need a choice.
but unfortunately, i have to agree that most singaporean indeed are too concern with their personal benefits above all.
anyway, irregardless of the outcome of the election, i would like to say well done Low thia kiang, steve chia, Goh meng seng, chia tik lek, chiam see tong.
i hope what you all have done the past week will ring a thoughts in the younger generations, that we indeed do have a choice.

snow leopard SG

with regards to city transportation, i am of the opinion that the car we have today is no longer suitable for todays' megapoli. not only are we enslaved to oil by it, it is also not energy efficient and polluting as well.

fuel cell cars does not really resolve the pollution problem because the energy that is required to recharge the fuel cells comes from burning some other forms of fossil fuels in power stations. hybrid cars that promise greater efficiency and lower fuel consumption is also not the answer because it still uses up too much oil.

from the time the car was invented, it was meant to be a family car, for the enjoyment of the family. but if you look on the roads today, and you see the number of people sitting in those cars, especially on weekdays, more often than not, it is only the driver himself or with one other passenger. we have built ourselves cars meant to carry an entire family when most of the time we use it to carry just one person - ourselves.

the bulk of the energy that comes from burning oil is used to transport this 1-ton piece of metal everywhere we go, when what we really want is to transport one or two 60 kg persons. the present day car is clearly not optimised for city travelling, we really need a different sort of car to optimise traffic and economise oil usage. it would be as lightweight as a motorcycle but yet offer the protection of a car. this is no fiction and can be found here:

http://www.carver-europe.com/

if only companies like Toyota, General Motors would take the initiative to mass produce these cars of the future, we would revolutionalise tomorrow's city travelling.

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