Singaporeans are basically kia su and also kia see - and
this largely explains for the continued existence of the PAP to be
in power, and for the manner in which the PAP can ride rough shod
over Singaporean rights to be politically heard.
Looking at the results of the PAP rule since the last election,
matters did not turn out as the PAP has promised.
The return of the PAP to Government has not resulted in an improved
economy (this was blamed on the September 11 incident), and also
to the dismal performance of the US economy, as well as the
Japanese economy, and also to the international scene with
terrorism that has come closer to home) it seems that with or
without the PAP, and similarly, with or without the Oppositions -
these external crisis will occur to affect Singapore and
Singaporeans.
So what is the big deal of voting in PAP or not?
Since the last election, with the PAP in control of the Government,
the number of jobless has increased (as reported in November
2002, the jobless rate has reached 85,000 which is about 0.5%
more); and the Secretary-General of NTUC has warned that more
Singaporeans will likely loose their jobs in 2003.
The present jobless situation is contrary to the PAP's election
slogan which declared "job security with PAP" - and as events had
happened, there was a flurry of "enforced" bank mergers that
resulted in retrenchments to avoid duplication, and the number of
jobless in Singapore has never been higher throughout the history
of Singapore.
Despite the dampen economic situation, the soon-to-be New PM (now
only a DPM and FM) has ignored public sentiments (so as to prove
his strong mettle to execute an unpleasant task) and decided to
increase GST by 33.33% - increasing GST by ONE percentage point,
from 3% to 4%
This is done despite the good counsel from an old hand in the mould
of PM Goh.
When the situation get worse, it will not be a result of the bad or
poor policies of the PAP Government, but the blame will be placed
on the policies of the Governments of the USA, Japan, China, Saudi
Arabia, and European Community which will affect Singapore as we
are plugged into the World Economy.
The present damp economic situation in Singapore both in the
manufacturing sector, as well as in the retail sector can only be
made worse with the GST increase.
Any other country on this Globe will be vocal in opposing such an
increase during this poor economic period with the prospect of
further joblessness.
The compensation handed out (to make-up for GST implementation and
increases)- to each household of four working adults can amount to
only $900 per household.
Yet by the end of the first year of GST3% implementation, the
previous Finance Minister Richard Hu was able to report a huge
surplus in tax collections despite the widely announced large
subsidy that the Government had boasted will cost the Government
dearly.
The current proposed Singapore Shares to be paid out again to
compensate for the 33% increase to the GST, raising it by 1%,
bringing it from 3% to 4% is supposed to help Singaporeans
again.
This is just a lollipop to sweeten the bitter medicine that the
kia su and kia see Singaporeans have again been hoodwinked to
swallow.
To review the claim that the PAP Government stand to lose more by
paying out a compensatory sum to soften the blow in implementing an
increase GST, let us do some simple calculations.
The average Singaporean household of four persons will spend
monthly about $1,500 on essentials, another $1,500 on transport,
and about $1000 on non-essentials which will total about $4,000
monthly, or $48,000 annually.
At 4% GST, the Government will collect $1,920 per household.
From a population of 4,000,000 (average of 4 per household),
1,000,000 households will pay the Government $1,920,000,000 or
$1.92 Billion Dollars.
Watch what will be the total payout compensation package to be
announced, it will be only a fraction of this sum.
Here again, the poor Singaporeans will miserably complain about
being made poorer, but when election period comes around - they
will again have the "kia see" attitude to vote in the PAP.