13/11/2012

Watz Buzzing - 13 Nov 2012

SINKIES SHAFTED BY GOVERNMENT AGAIN: SHIFT



For many years, the Govt has been quietly providing affordable public housing rentals to our ‘foreign talents’ in Singapore. A scheme managed by JTC called SHiFT (short form for “Scheme for Housing of Foreign Talent”) was conceived to help foreigners better settle in Singapore with subsidized rentals.

Under this scheme, foreigners are provided with affordable housing at monthly rental of up to 40% lower than market rates.

The scheme was launched in 1997 and is still available today: Housing
Not surprisingly, netizens reacted negatively. The chief complaint is why the Govt is treating outsiders better than our own people?

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INSTANT CITIZEN, INSTANT WEALTH

This must be the best slogan to attract PRs and foreigners to take up Sinkie citizenship. It is not only a very attractive choice, to live in the world’s riches country with jobs aplenty, there are also many advantages to being a citizen.

Education subsidy, medical subsidy, govt hongbaos, priority for children education etc etc all comes attached to instant citizenship. But all this pales in comparison to the instant cash to be made in housing subsidy. But that is not all. Getting a flat directly from the HDB and selling in the resale market after 5 years is as good as being guaranteed a return of at least 50% to 100% of the purchase price, more likely to be more as prices of HDB flats have proven to go up in 5x, 10x, 15x and 20x.

The new citizens got the govt to thank for for this great opportunity to become a Sinkie and with instant monetary rewards in the hundreds of thousands, not $300 or $400. The govt has made it so easy for them to buy a flat at market subsidized price. The govt also ensures that there will be demands for these flats at market prices which often are several hundred thousands more. The PRs have no choice but to buy from the resale market. Then the silly Sinkies who were too hurried to sell for a small profit, and after two bites of the cherry would now have to buy from the resale market.

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Why I can't support the PAP

For the Singaporeans who still don't understand why I can't fully support PAP. Here it is in summary.

1. The PAP have done an ace job bringing us from fishermen living in zinc squatters to one of the most modern, clean and efficient cities in the world... just in 50 years. Well done to them. However, this is politics, democratic politics based on elections in context of what the country needs that decade. There is no such thing as "We owe them because they brought us to where we are." Who do you think the PAP are? Our parents?! That's their job they're doing. We owe them nothing, since we've paid their wages. For LKY to make that statement at the results of the last elections "You will repent"- reflected poorly on his attitude in thinking that just because he has achieved so much for Singapore we owe it to him for continued support solely for the PAP. He has our respect for what he's done, but he'll never be able to gain more votes than his party has earned for that election simply based on historical achievements.

2. That ruthless approach to a free market economy and aggressive urbanisation and industrialisation is what we needed to assert our ability to survive as an independent nation, which everyone was doubtful of at the time.

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By-election case: How significant is "no cost" ruling?

Last week, a High Court judge decided that the Hougang resident who initiated a case concerning the calling of by-elections would not have to pay costs despite failing in her bid.

Madam Vellama Marie Muthu had asked the court to declare that the Prime Minister does not have “unfettered discretion” in deciding whether or when to call by-elections.
Justice Pillai ruled against her in August. However, he decided not to order costs because of the unusual circumstances surrounding Madam Vellama’s bid, which “concerned public law issues of general importance”. She also did not have a private interest in making the application, he said in his written judgment.

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Darul Arqam disputes sexist allegations

The Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore, Darul Arqam has hit back against an online report that claims its marriage courses advocate violent and sexist behaviour.

The report, which appeared on Sunday on the Egypt-based news website Bikya Masr, said that several attendees of Darul Arqam’s pre-marriage courses were told that husbands should beat wives who refuse to have sex with them, and that these wives would be cursed by angels or Allah.

It also said course materials quote an English translation of the Quran, stating “as to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, first admonish them, next refuse to share their bed, and last beat them”.

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Kopitiam incident: PRC staff who hits SG granny no longer working in Plaza Singapura outlet



A netizen earlier reported an incident on the Net involving a PRC and a Singaporean granny (‘PRC staff hammers elderly SG granny with water jug, Pinoy staff come to her rescue‘). The granny was reported to have been hit by a water jug thrown by a PRC staff working at Plaza Singapura Kopitiam last Sunday (4 Nov) at about 4.30 pm in the afternoon.
The netizen reported:
“There was a disturbing scene in Plaza Singapura Kopitiam on Sunday about 4.30p.m. where right under the daylight many saw a lady from China screaming at an elderly Singaporean lady about 60 years of age. Not only that, she used a water jug to hit her very hard against her left elbow and was about to continue her blow when two Kopitiam Filipino colleagues who were having their dinner break, quickly rushed to intervene, quickly directing the elderly Singaporean lady away otherwise she would have suffered another blow as the China lady defied the elderly lady to continue with their heated exchange.”
The netizen also asked why do Singapore need such “fierce, abusive and bullying foreigner in Singapore working under a work permit and hitting an elderly Singaporean lady like that?!!!”
He added:

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OPINION: Foreigners - 1 Dogs - 0

Singapore Note, 10 Nov 2012
The Incredible Hulk wannabe had been rattling the iron gate of a 60 year old neighbour because his dog barked. Another neighbor actually made two police reports against the foreign talent for threatening her family over, again, barking dogs.
The Paris I visited was very nice to dogs, they even had "poo patrols" to clean up after the four legged animals. ST didn't enlighten on the anti-canine behavior, neither did they make mention of the rabid racism. Maybe they have to have a police report filed before calling in the race card.
Viewed in the context of the special kid gloves treatment meted out to the perverse Asean scholar, one can only conclude that the pro-alien policies are still very much alive. Full story 

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A more deep seated problem in FT craze

The original concept of hiring FTs and foreign sportsmen and women was to use them as a catalyst to stimulate the growth of locals, to learn from them, to be better. And eventually, when our locals have reached a higher skill level and can compete in the international arena and win honours, the scheme could, I think, peters away. The intent was to train our locals, to raise their standards not to replace them with foreign talents especially in sports.

What happens to the quality of sportsmen and women in the few high profile sports like swimming, football and table tennis? You need me to tell you that they are now worst than before? Where are the Pat Chans and Joycelyn Tays and Junie Sngs? In football, where are the Fandis, the Quah brothers, the Rajagopals, the Samads?

We can’t even beat a Malaysian state team when we were Champions in the Malaysia Cup, in many Southeast Asian tournaments. Are we improving or downgrading? How many international table tennis players, locals, have we produced?

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