S'pore citizens email SDP to pour out frustrations with PAP
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Your emails
From time to time we post emails from our readers. Due to the many emails that we receive, however, we are unable to publish all of them. In this instalment we highlight issues ranging from Ho Ching to HDB flats.
We welcome your letters and even though we may not be able to reply to all of them, we are grateful that you have written and assure you that we will note their content.
To level the playing fieldHi,
I am writing in to express my concern over the influx of immigrants who have taken away our jobs by storm.
I contributed over the years, yet, the newspapers continuously brag that we the locally born Singaporean are not able to do this do that. We are always the first on the retrenchment list. Is this good in the long run?
I will like to suggest that we impose a significant increase in PR, FW, FT levies. i.e. Instead of allowing companies in employing anyone they like, Singapore must impose additional levies on the above mentioned groups.
As there are approximately 1 million to 1.43 millions PRs in Singapore, if we increase the levies of each PR, FT by minimum 1K for each PR employed, companies will have to think twice before employing FT as the cost to employ them would be significantly higher.
However, such increase in levies which increase the government's coffer cannot be used to justify for Ministers' pay raise. Instead, this levies must be used to create jobs for the locally born Singaporeans.
At present, I see lots of unemployed and underemployed Singaporeans. We need to bring food for the family.
If we do not help the local community, all the locally born Singaporeans will be in trouble. I strongly believe we need alternatives in the Parliament before those who shake legs collect all their pays and preparing to flee the country anytime from now.
Please kindly help as the situation is really bad now among the locally born Singaporeans.
Please help. Please. This is a distress call.
SINGAPOREAN
Ho Ching and SGD 10kDear SDP,
I was very shocked and almost choked on my breakfast coffee when I read the following news (below): Ms Ho giving out a miserable 10K(!!) out of her how many millions and billions.
JM LEE
New premises of Muhammadiyah Welfare Home open in Bedok North
Riz Sunawan
Channel News Asia
19 June 2010
A shelter and rehabilitation centre that has been operating from pre-war bungalows in Mountbatten now boasts of spanking new premises and facilities.
The Muhammadiyah Welfare Home is now operating in Bedok North.
Its new premises were officially opened by Executive Director and CEO of Temasek Holdings, Ho Ching.
She also donated $10,000, on top of the same amount by Temasek Holdings.
The home has new facilities like a library and computer lab.
It is also raising more funds through a welfare fiesta that will be held until Sunday.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1064347/1/.htmlOn HDB's Studio Apartment
Hi Dr Chee,
I write to share my thoughts on HDB Studio Apartment.
It started as a way to help very poor families who have no income to retire.
HDB will buy over their existing 3 room apartment at market value and sell them a studio apartment with 30 year lease and return the balance from the sale.
It was deemed a success because these people need not pay anything and subsequently receive monthly allowance. (Balance from the sale of their apartment)
Because it was deemed a success now they have extended the scheme to anyone who turns 55.
I understand that the ones at Limbang CCK was over subscribed the last I checked there were many units returned to HDB meaning no takers. How is this so?
Who would want to invest 85K on a 30 year lease, you are to return to HDB should you wish to give up.
If you would to convert this to 99 years is equivalent to $280K for a 35sq metre apartment.
What is the market subsidy for this apartment?
Which organization in this world would lease their property for 30 years contract, if it is leasing why can’t HDB lease out on a yearly basis?
For those who bought their 3 room HDB flat from $6,700 to $13,000) to sell the apartment back to the government in exchange of a studio apartment in addition the balance to be reimbursed monthly. I would say these people benefited from the scheme.
For those who don’t have a apartment to exchange to cough out $85K for a 30 year lease is a bit overboard plus the promise to return the balance of whatever balance with the remaining lease we are really at their mercy with their ever changing rules and laws, and when one is dead there is no fight.
HELENPaying for unavailable HDB season parking
Dear SDP,
I have bought a season parking. The authority sold me a useless season parking whereby the carpark is fully occupied.
It was 1am when I reached the car park where I had paid for a parking lot. Hence I moved to another carpark beside. The authority fined me for doing so and despite writting in for appeal twice, the authority still insist that I pay for the fine.
Is there anyone left in this country where I can approach for such injustice?
LEONARD
Singapore's huge public debtDear Sirs/Madam,
I would like to raise an important issue which I hope that with your assistance, be raised on a more public forum.
Given the financial crisis that is besotting the EU, I would think the issue of Public Debt could be something interesting to the average singaporeans.
It is not a very well known fact that Singapore has one of the highest public debt - GDP ratio in the world. (6th highest in fact) (note that Singapore's 2009 GDP was about US$ 235 billion). See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt
Looking at the list, its not surprising that countries like Greece, Italy are in the list. Countries that have been in the wrong limelight of the EU Financial Crisis.
Number one on the list is Japan - and the economic problems of its economy has been ongoing since the great bubble burst of 1990. (The lost decade or should we say decades is a very well known espression to describe Japan's economic problems).
So the big question here is WHY our country (the so called great Singapore model) has accumulated such huge public debt? Where is the money for this public debt going to?
One of the biggest reasons that countries like Greece, Italy, Japan have huge public debt is their state welfare system (life time pensions, minimum wage laws, unemployment benefits to name a few).
The Singapore Government has always prided itself on being a non-welfare state and always hit out at any critics of our system.
Well obviously the citizens of Singapore do not enjoy life time pensions, minimum wages nor unemployment benefits.
So the important question is WHERE is money that we have "borrowed" going to (based on est 2009 numbers - almost US$250 Bn)? Certainly not in the average singaporean's pocket!
Thankfully, there are concerned singaporeans like myself debating this as you can see here:
http://forum.channelnewsasia.com/viewtopic.php?t=352067&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=50
With elections coming up, I sincerely hope that the SDP can raise up this issue and make our government more accoutable.
Thank and best regards,
KT
Retrenched Matured Civil ServantsDear Mr Chee,
The Singapore Governemnt has over the past few years been quietly retrenching thousands of matured civil servants on the pretext of restructuring. I am a retrentched civil servant who have given decades of loyal service but nnow having difficulty in finding a job. Many of my fellow retrenched civil servants are disllusioned and want to help bring about changes in our political consitions.
On the other hand, the PAP leaders have been increasing political posts like many mayors, MM, SM and NCMPs, hosting YOG and other conferences at public expenses. The hosting of YOG was in response to China deliberately leaving Singapore out of the 2008 Olympics Torch Relay.
I urged you to pose questions (see below) to the PAP government over party rallies at the coming elections. By posing questions which come from our local citizens, you can avoid libel suits which the PAP likes to bring against the opposition political parties in Singapore. This will open the eyes of our citizens that the PAP leaders are hypocrites and only care about feathering their own nests.
The questions are as follows:
1. How many civil servants and employees in Statutory Boards have been retrentched over the past 5 years?
2. How many political posts has the PAP government created for its political leaders and party members?
3. How many foreigners and PRs are being employed in the civil service and Statutory Board in preference over Singapore citizens?
4. Why is the government spending millions of taxpayers' money on the YOG when majority of Singaporeans are not interested and the government has to boost interests among local citizens?
5. Does the Singapore government feel a sense of responsibility in the Thailand unrest since it was Mdm Ho Ching of Temasek Holding and the PM's wife who bought over Shin Corp from Thaksin in 2006 which triggered the military intervention and bloody protests in Thailand.
6. This question from a Singapore citizen who have dealings in property market is that "Did the DPM Wong Kan Seng or members of his family put on sale a property worth S$9milion in recent years?
Thank you.
WEE C.H.
Is Singapore being taken seriously by other countries?SDP,
As a new citizen, I am deeply hurt and ashamed that other countries and their diplomats are not taking our government and laws seriously. Consider these facts (I will start alphabetically):
1. China: Singapore has spent billions in assisting China in the Suzhou industrial park and training Chinese public officials in Singapore. But China repays us by pointedly leaving Singapore out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Torch Relay. A stingling slap that resulted in the PM, Ministers and officials (Vivian, Teo Ser Luck, Ng Ser Miang) rushing to save face by hosting the YOG 2010 which cost tax-payers minillions of dollars. Now efforts are needed to generate buzz to galvanise excitment among the people for YOG. By the way, Singapore with its extremely humid and hot weather, will need to brace itself for brickbats from athletes from temperate countries who can't take the heat in August. Did our PM, Ministers and officials consider this before rushing to host the YOG?
2. Indonesia: When the Tsunami struck Aceh, Singapore took the opportunity to curry favour with Indonesia by rendering assistance, etc. Indonesia repays us by banning export of ssand to Singapore thus hampering Singapore construction activities. Another slap in the face! What has MFA got to say about this?
3. Romania: It appears that even Eastern European nations like Romanis holds Singapore government in low regards. To date, the Romanian government has yet to repatriate the diplomat who killed a Singapore PR and injured two Singapore citizens in a car crash. Is the governemtn hoping that this whole matter be blown away and forgotten? MFA has still not informed the nation what steps have taken to prevent repeat of such tragic incident.
4. Saudi Arabia: Recently, a Saudidiplomat beat up a Singapore citizen after he told the diplomat that he has parked his car at a lot meant for the handicapped. this shows how little respect foreign diplomats have for Singaporrre laws. I am sure this case will be quietly squashed as Saudi Arabia is an oil rich nation which Singapore can ill-afford to offend. Everything will be swept under the carpet.
Finally, my wife and I are wondering whether we have made the right decision in taking up Singapore citizenship, as we are embarrassed by the callous attitude towards this nation by other countries.
LIMReview of weighting given to Mother Tongue in PSLE
Hi SDP,
Please do something to save Singapore:
1. HDB issue
2. Monther Tongue issue
3. Low income family
Thousands of fund meant for low-income families, but I suppose only 10% of Singaporeans know how to and where to apply for it. Out of this 10%, maybe only 5% get the fund.
Why lower the PSLE Chinese standard????- the Person who think of this must be someone who don't know Chinese.
- Chinese is our roots, the most valued things that we can leave to our children.
- First, you put Chinese as 2nd language, then the Universities lower the requirement for Chinese, now the PSLE again.
- You people are laying roads for those patato Chinese and those oversea Singaporeans, putting Chinese-speaking persons as 2nd citizens.
We have already lost our dialects (Hokkien, Teochew...) in the younger generations, now we are losing Chinese. You might as well ask Chinese-speaking Singaporeans to migrate to China or Taiwan, and import all the English-speaking, "smart" people in.
This government's decision makes people so angry, and I can tell you, the PAP will lose at least my vote in the next election.
CHIA
Yishun AreaDr Chee,
I’m a resident in the Yishun housing estate. May I know is the party intending to contest in the Yishun area during the coming General Elections?
The reason I’m asking this question is because I'm dissatisfied with the state of facilities in the Yishun housing estate. I notice that there is a lack of overhead bridges for residents to move around in my residential estate.
I have a younger brother who suffers from a sickness which affects the way he walks. Therefore crossing the road at traffic junctions is inconvenient for him since he can’t walk at a normal pace like a normal person.
As there is not many overhead bridges in Yishun, his option is limited when he needs to go to the coffee shops at Khatib Central to buy some food.
As a result, he has to cross the road at traffic junctions in order to get to the coffee shops. He has complained many times about this problem to me.
Therefore, in my opinion, building more overhead bridges in the Yishun housing estate would benefit those residents who have difficulties walking or moving around due to sickness.
LS