The love of tangible measurement

One dear MP Mr Vikram Nair had been criticized on the online world after his relentless attacks on how Chen Show Mao intend to justify the cost of more social spending. It is fair to ask whether such costs can be sustained. But then again, it’s a matter of choice. Spending on society usually reaps benefits that are intangible. Comparatively, the government seem to prefer spending on items that reap tangible benefits, such as throwing money to Temasek Holdings, GIC and yes, even our privatized transport operators SBS and SMRT. Spending money one way or another is just spending. There is no discrimination in absolute terms.

The questions we should be asking are whether we can afford to spend more on society, whether the disadvantaged group needed help and what are the government’s priorities. It’s simply a matter of political will. If the government don’t think it’s important, the political will to spend more for society won’t exist. With our fiscal surplus running into the billions, I say Singapore can well afford it. Of course, I wouldn’t know how many more billions were lost through ‘tangible spending’ in investments headed by the Prime Minister and his wife. Maybe we lost so much money that the government can no longer afford? And does the disadvantaged group needed more help? I wouldn’t know. But if the Gini coefficient is used as a blunt instrument, then maybe yes, we should contribute more help. 

If Vikram Nair is indeed sincerely worried about the sustainability of spending more on society, I am worried how on earth Singapore can afford to pay their ministers millions upon millions of dollars a year despite their less-than-desired performance. I am also very worried how the public can continue to force subsidize inefficient privatized public transportation operators and yet there is nothing we can do. Since Mr Vikram is really worried about the fiscal health of the government, maybe he should be asking these questions instead of attacking the opposition for the sake of opposing. If every cost need to be substantiated, I would say the cost of having certain MPs in Parliament is a complete waste of tax payer’s money.

P.S. I will post another post on the ridiculous subsidy of S$1,100,000,000.00 to SBS and SMRT when I have more spare time.

Happy Lunar New Year

A very happy Lunar New Year to all readers. Just came across an article from Yahoo and thought it’s a rather nice read:

For the link, click here.

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It was a memorable and bold moment in Singapore journalism. Earlier this week, a dogged reporter’s patience and persistence combined with a brave editor’s decision to throw caution to the wind ended in an exclusive that brought back memories of the good old days of old-fashioned reporting — and put the government in an embarrassing spot.

The Chinese evening newspaper, Lianhe Wanbao, went ahead with a report on the corruption investigations into the activities of two top public service officers — Singapore Civil Defence Force chief Peter Lim Sin Pang and Central Narcotics Bureau chief Ng Boon Gay — without a government confirmation. It named names and gave details, like the involvement of a woman in the scandal, knowing fully well that there was a chance — a very small chance, maybe — that it could get some important details wrong.

When the government statement came — on the same day but after the paper had published the report — the news had already caught fire with the on-line world hammering out posts and reports and raising pointed issues that ranged from transparency to arrogance.

The most damaging statement, unintended though it was, came from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. In response to media queries, it said that the narcotics man was arrested on Dec 19 and the civil defence boss on Jan 4, many days before the government put out its statement on Jan 24.

It was too long a lapse and was made worse by the rapid-fire news cycle punishing even those who take a couple of  hours to come out with its side of the story.

Why this long delay?

In response to a query by The Straits Times, the government said the investigations are continuing and “it is only  fair that we accord the officers assisting with investigations a fair hearing in accordance with the civil service disciplinary process and the law.”

It is understandable that you want to give those involved, especially when the investigations are still on-going, a good shot at fair play. That occasion passed when the two were arrested. That was the moment when officialdom should have bitten the bullet and said: The tipping point has been reached.  And we have to go public with the story.

But it remained silent until the unlikeliest of sources — the traditional media, fed by a regular diet of press releases and official speeches — put the story in the public domain.

The end result: A government caught with its back against the wall and in a reactive mode.

High pay and low corruption

When the Parliamentary debate on political salaries took place from Jan 16 to 18, the one critical point that never came up was that of a clean Cabinet and civil service. The silence on this issue was understandable because corruption in high places in government is extremely rare. But this new development, where two very senior public service officials were under investigation for “serious personal misconduct”, could have been brought up and could have added a new dimension to the debate.

The salary-corruption link is important. High pay was one way to discourage officials from wanting to have their palms greased. Lee Kuan Yew highlighted that point when he pushed vigorously for top salaries. No reasonable-minded Singaporean would have expected a corrupt-free public service, even with high pay; those who want to get round the laws will always find loopholes to exploit.

But you can make sure that corruption cases are as rare as possible. And that corrupt officials, once exposed, will face the full brunt of the law.

Even ministers have not been spared. Former National Development Minister Teh Cheang Wan, who was praised by Lee Kuan Yew a number of times, chose to end his life when he faced the heat of an unyielding group of anti-corruption officers way back in the 1980s.

Making the CPIB report directly to the PMO gives them the latitude and freedom to investigate even the high and mighty without too many encumbrances.

All these could have made the Parliamentary debate more meaningful and relevant. But an opportunity to explain the historical backdrop and context to Singapore’s war on corruption was lost.

The ruling party kept silent; so did the Opposition. I am more inclined to sympathise with the members of the Opposition because there was no way for them to have information on the latest investigations.

Lessons not learnt

Since GE 2011, the government seems to be on its backfoot with communication blunders becoming a regular occurrence. From the Mas Selamat case (official statement was issued four hours after the terrorist escaped from the Internal Security Department’s detention centre) to the wrong signatures on YOG appreciation certificates (Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that it was an embarrassment but not a disaster) to the PAP’s electoral defeat in Aljunied (Lee Kuan Yew warned residents that they will repent if Opposition won), it is clear  that the government has yet to get a handle on how to communicate effectively in a new world.

That is really strange. This is not a stupid government, it has done a lot of good things for its people, it is respected overseas and its model of governance is highly sought after.

Yet, one of the basic attributes of a smart government — squaring with its citizens and carrying them along — seems to be missing.

P N Balji has more than 35 years experience as a journalist. He is now a media consultant.

Humour: Yam Ah Mee

The unlikely star of the GE2011. It’s time to adjust our emotions, pull back from all that heart aches and high from the General Elections.

Strangely, all these mixes are soooo catchy. I am going to download it to my iPhone. Lolz.

I will be taking a small break before writing again on the policies. Some policies will be repeated (I mean, how many worthy policies are there anyway?) as and when I have new thoughts about them. I would want to write on CPF soon.

Suppression of Freedom of Expression: To keep you in line

Chanced upon a rather bias but funny nonetheless video. And I thought what great life lessons those cartoons are!

Then there’s another one lesson you should be AWARE of:

and finally, another spoof done by talented Singaporeans:

Humor: Take a break, since it’s ‘Cooling’ day

I came across a funny article on Facebook. It’s humorous and intelligently suggestive. Enjoy:

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Hi. My name is Tay Lide. I am 24 years old this year, and currently an undergraduate student. I am not a scholar, I am not a leader in any CCA, I am not the editor of the campus newspaper. But I weigh almost 100kg.

I come before you with a humbled heart. This may perhaps be the hardest decision of my life, but I am going to take the step.

Too long have we focused on the irrelevant issues of ministerial salaries, housing prices and government arrogance. It is time that we turn our eyes on THE most pressing issues. Those that matter to the hearts of all Singaporeans.

Over the past two decades, I have seen a steady decline in our standards of living. Kids are getting obese, like me, the elderly are growing bellies, but both age categories are becoming more and more upset with the state of our nation. Something has to be done. I implore you to look around yourselves, and ask what has led to such a degradation of our society. Personally, I stay in Bishan, where the problem is probably the worst and most deep-rooted of all.

I shall hold you up no further. The dire problem at hand that plagues the whole of Singapore is

The lack of good food.

In the past twenty years, I have seen my favourite stalls close one after the other. Some have accomplished much with their woks, and moved on to live prosperous lives. Others are simply too old, and decide that it is time to retire to a home away from the stoves. Yet nothing is being done to ensure the sustainability of this industry. I blame this most on the incumbent government. Their incessant decisions of upgrading and development have embroiled the hawker community in a state of turbulence. Every time we allow a hawker centre to be refurbished and renovated, we lose a few good men (and women).

I give you the example of Chomp Chomp Food Centre, situated in Serangoon Gardens, under Aljunied GRC. Chomp Chomp used to be food mecca. Even the Eskimos came here to try out Satay Bee Hoon. But today, Chomp Chomp has become nothing more than just another heaty and oily plot of land. The char kway teow of old has become chao tar, the sumptuous porridge has become mere sludge and the satay… I can’t even bring myself to talk about the state of satay in Chomp Chomp.

Recently, I met an elderly lady at a void deck during my house visits. As she held my hand, I felt her trembling as her tears began to stream and wet my very nice leather shoes. She recounted her happy days when she could simply walk downstairs to the nearest kopitiam, and enjoy a good bowl of wanton mee. Even when she got sick of it, she could turn to prawn mee, nasi padang, or the occasional splurge on tze char.

But today, none of these excellent foods exist in her vicinity any longer. She is left with one measly mixed vegetable rice stall, which she survives on for about 10 meals a week. The food is never right: too salty one day and too bland the next. The rice is dry and hard, hurting her gums as they grind between her oral cavity and her dentures, but she has no other choice but to force herself to continue eating. For she, like the rest of us all, has to place survival first, and her taste buds second. Due to the lack of good food, her husband left her, and her children moved to another housing estate. Although they live just nearby in Toa Payoh, they are simply too occupied with queueing up for Koi Bubble Tea to come home and take care of their mother.

This is a serious problem that severely affects us all. A hungry man is an angry man. But a hungry man who eats bad food is nothing short of a honey badger (Search YouTube for honey badger if you don’t know what that is. Tsk.) The problem looks to be spreading rapidly. Soon, we may find ourselves facing the worst lack-of-good-food situation that Singapore has never seen before.

But I have a dream. The dream isn’t very important.

I am establishing a new political party, known as the Crazy Appetite Party, or CrAP for short. Our party seeks to advance the lives of all Singaporeans, such as to establish a more sated nation.

Our party logo consists of an abstract dinner plate, represented by a blue circle (which is the most common design on dinner plates) and a fork. The fork is the icon of our hopes of digging in to good food. The fork is pointed downwards, because that is how forks are used. The fork looks as if it is moving in a swift motion, a result of our intern’s suggestion that we angle the fork slightly.

I have sought out grassroot leaders like Moses Lim and KF Seetoh to campaign with me, even though they prefer meats to grass. Also on our team are Felicia Chin and Rui En, because they are chio Singaporeans. There are no other reasons. Judging from how people think that even Nicole Seah and Glenda Han are chio, we should stand a good chance of winning those votes in our favour.

I have decided to implement a few changes, if we are to be voted into government. I will go into extremely intricate details, as I anyhow outline them one by one.

Reduce Ministerial Salaries

Clearly, 3 million SGD a year is overdoing it. But 200 free buffets a year should do it.

Stringent Ministerial Requirements

Utilizing scholars and high-achievers are elitist. Ensuring they have a BMI of over 30 isn’t.

Rising Housing Prices

Housing prices in Singapore should be pegged to the cost of Australian pork. Young couples seeking to start their new homes will be offered varying discounts, dependent on your haggling with the butcher.

Grow and Share Packages

If we are to grow and share, it has got to be McDonald’s latest Double Chicken McGrill. Low weight families will be given more McDonald’s coupons, and high weight families will be given even more.

The Need for Opposition Voices in Parliament

Opposition voices are vital to democracy. They must be heard. So we promise to listen hard, even while they are stuffing their faces with free Geylang Beef Hor Fun, which will be provided at every parliamentary session.

Dangling Upgrading Carrots

There are two serious problems to this. Firstly, every time we upgrade, some of our best hawkers decide to call it a day. Secondly, who likes carrots anyway? Remember, we are a pro-meat party.

Influx of Foreign Talent

While Singapore has enjoyed international cuisine for the longest time, some foreign cooking are clearly not welcome. Nobody queues for the Szechuan Delights stall in Canteen 2, or Beijing Fengwei in Canteen B. It is inherently obvious that such foreign talent is no longer welcome on our shores.

Dealing a Blow to the GRC System

The primary aim of this motion is to ensure that lesser candidates are not able to ride on the coattails of senior candidates into parliament. Firstly, senior candidates must wear coats without any coattails. Secondly, slippery pudding will be applied onto the hands of all junior candidates, so that they cannot grip properly.

Widening Food Standard Gap *Edited*

Many among our electorate have approached me with concerns about the fast increasing food standard gap. As aforementioned, I live in Bishan. There is only one good chicken rice (Kim San Leng) and one good nasi padang (Bishan St 11 kopitiam). It is to my understanding that there are other fellow Singaporeans suffering in Woodlands and Yio Chu Kang. Rest assured that this will be prioritized as one of my greatest concerns. Income gap? What the heck is income gap?

Increase in GST *Edited*

Many fear that GST will be hiked up to 10% after these elections. I would like to appeal to all citizens to not worry. GST will be cut to zero for all food items. Afterall it’s Goods and Services Tax, not Foods and Sushi Tax.

Rising Cost of Living *Edited*

Many of our elder voters have expressed concerns that their kopi-o prices have increased over the past few Lunar New Years, only to never see them return to their original cost. There has been a method of cutting costs that mothers have been using. Start bringing around your own 3-in-1 coffee, and con the kopitiams into giving you free hot water. The model excuse would be, “I need to make milk for my baby.”

Renaming Singapore’s Constituencies and Estates *Edited*

If we are to successfully drive Singapore through this revolution without getting slapped, Singapore must rebrand itself as the rightful food haven it is. A few suggestions are as follows:

• Bishan – Beefshan
• Nee Soon – Bee Hoon
• Tiong Bahru – Tiong Bak Hu
• Pioneer – Pieneer
• Potong Pasir – Potong Ice-cream
• Pasir Ris – Pasir Risotto
• Macpherson – Macdonalds
• Tanjong Pagar – Tanjong Agar Agar (contributed by 沧桑)
• Paya Lebar – Kaya Lebar (contributed by 沧桑)
• Raffles Place – Waffles Place (contributed by 沧桑)
• Boon Lay – Boon Lay’s (contributed by 沧桑)
• Sentosa – Samosa (contributed by Ernest Sim)
• Jurong – Lontong (contributed by Zhen Jie)
• Woodlands – Foodlands (contributed by Zhen Jie)
• Clementi – Lemon Tea (contributed by Liang32)
• Sembawang – Sambalwang (contributed by Leeson)
• Thomson – Tomyam (contributed by wahkau)
• Holland Village – Horfun Village

*Edit* Some have been asking about my track record. I shall be publishing my health booklet as soon as possible. Hopefully I am not 35 seconds too late.

As I leave you on cooling off day, I implore you to keep your food warm. One of the worst cases of murder that we have learnt about letting food cool off is the terrible factual report on Goldilocks and the Three Bears (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Three_Bears).

Coincidentally, ponder carefully on the importance of your vote. 民以食为天. You are voting not only for your future, but also your chillren’s future and your chillren’s chillren’s future.

Remember, your vote is secret. There is nothing to be afraid of. Vote for change.

Thank you.

Take five: Humour

This youtube video is funny. And it’s such a masterpiece. Who said Singaporeans are no talents?

Why is there a need for such a blog?

Like many bloggers, as the new media forms an increasing important role in online content generation, the purpose of writing this blog is to lash out non-partisan criticisms on the public policies and behaviors of the Singapore government. As a Singapore citizen, I see an ever increasing need to provide alternative views to a state controlled media that is partisan, bias and selective in news reporting.

The ruling People’s Action Party or PAP is expected to receive the bulk of criticism due to the following reasons:

• As the ruler of the country since independent, obviously they are fully responsible for all public policies rolled out to date.
• Utilizing scheming unfair tactics in preventing fair play for opposition, the PAP deserved to be doubly scrutinized and criticized.
• By monopolizing the country’s reserves, constituency powers, laws and elite circle, the PAP deserved to be and should be criticized and carefully scrutinized.

That is not to say that other political parties will not be criticized.  However, because the aim of this blog (like so many other similar ones) is to balance the highly bias views of the national media, it will be bias against PAP. This blog, while I tried to be as rational and as logical as I can, is deliberately sensationalized. I made no qualms in admitting that is my writing style. I do not wish for this blog content to be neutralized through word censorship.

Disclaimer: This entire blog forms my own opinion and I do not belong to any political party.