Update 24 Apr 2013 - Other Side of The Singapore Story
Voice of a young mother in Singapore: NO to 6.9 million people
"Just hope that our government will realize our desperate pleas before we descend into a state of national chaos. that wouldn't benefit anybody.
Sometimes I don't even bother keeping up with the parliament as I feel that our PAP speakers, especially the new ones, seem to not make sense when they speak. I understand that they're a bunch of elite scholars who have studied so high up, greatly educated. Yet what we need are leaders who listen to us, who understand where we are coming from."
Like the minister who said that it is possible to survive on a wage of $1000 a month and afford a HDB. If you want to prove a point, show it in action. Don't just talk only. Why wouldn't he give up his luxurious lifestyle and show us how he survives on $1000 for maybe a time frame of just half a year?
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What’s quality of life for Singapore?
Our government’s recent position on increasing the size of the population hinges on the premise that Singapore citizens should be able to continue to enjoy a “high quality living environment” in the future. A denser Singapore could still be “liveable” and with economic growth comes job growth, good prospects and a high quality of life, it said.
What makes for quality living? No two persons think alike on this matter. One may aspire for a bigger car, while another longs for cycling lanes on main roads for a low-cost, pollution-free and safe commute. Rather than assuming what constitutes a high quality of life, let’s discuss what Singaporeans want now and in the future.
International benchmarks exist to guide such discussion. Mercer’s annual Quality of Living ranks cities based on factors such as political, social and economic environment, socio-cultural environment (which includes censorship and limitations on personal freedom), public services and transportation, recreation, housing, natural environment, schools and education.
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The road to higher quality of life and a stronger nation
What happened to the well being of Singaporeans in the last 10 years?
If the well-being of Singaporeans has not been hurt, you think you can
get thousands of Singaporeans to stand in the rain demanding change from
the govt on 16 Feb 2013 at Hong Lim Park. Doubling of the cost of
housing, stagnant wages caused by the foreign influx does not hurt the
well-being of Singaporeans?
The SBF is so obsessed with protecting
interest of its members, it has become blind to the plight of
Singaporeans.Throughout the last 10 years, the SBF was perfectly
alright with Singaporean workers’ well being compromised so long as .its
members benefited from govt policy ..for them to say they are worried
about us when their real intention is to protect the short term
interest of its members is pure hypocrisy.
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High quality living according to snake oil sellers
It is time to stop deceiving the daft Sinkies that these are progress and better quality of living. We can only return to better quality of living with more space and lesser people. And mind you, a smaller economy with lesser people will not compromise on the quality of life. Life is for living and pleasure when one can afford it, not to slave and work just to live and to live in little nooks and corners.
Economic growth that leads to being squeezed and being deprived of the nicer things, basics like bigger homes and car ownership, is bad economics. Economic growth must lead to better quality of life in all ways. Otherwise the economic growth is as good as no growth and better to do without. And another 1.6m people are something that we can do without.
Still want to con people to live in dog’s kennel and claim to be better quality living? Woof, woof…
High quality living according to snake oil sellers
It is time to stop deceiving the daft Sinkies that these are progress and better quality of living. We can only return to better quality of living with more space and lesser people. And mind you, a smaller economy with lesser people will not compromise on the quality of life. Life is for living and pleasure when one can afford it, not to slave and work just to live and to live in little nooks and corners.
Economic growth that leads to being squeezed and being deprived of the nicer things, basics like bigger homes and car ownership, is bad economics. Economic growth must lead to better quality of life in all ways. Otherwise the economic growth is as good as no growth and better to do without. And another 1.6m people are something that we can do without.
Still want to con people to live in dog’s kennel and claim to be better quality living? Woof, woof…
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The missing passion
Sadly, that is not really the case for some. Why do i not feel the passion anymore? The patriotism had died off from me. The pride of being a citizen no longer exist within my blood. There is no happiness being associated with my country. There is nothing to anticipate and look forward to. The future looks really dark for younger generations And all hope seems lost.
Of course we can argue that changes and new rules are inevitable and we should work together as citizen to fulfill the government’s objective and make the country prosper. But honestly.. Whats its for us? What do we get in return? We can only get a “place”(Not home) that is harder to live in.
So do we work to make our country a happier place to live in and grow our community bond or do we just blindly strive for economic excellence in a country. Are we happy? Why the use of the GDP as a benchmark for our country’s success? Why don’t we simply use the number of smiles on the faces of passengers in MRT trains as a gauge for a country’s success? How can we make people smile on trains instead of making their usual complains. What is important honestly? The country itself or the people that makes up a country. What’s the point of having a financially rich economy when the people are not happy?
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Shifting into reverse gear
Open the newspapers today and it’s all about cars. First-timers can’t afford cars, car calculations, car history, exploding car (Ferrari exploded in Teban Gardens)
What’s interesting is that there are ways to drive a car, even a sports car, without owning it. BT reports that leasing is back in vogue and will be even more popular. So instead of putting 50 per cent cash down for a new car in the hope of finally owning it, why not just pay “rent’’ every month and the car returns to the leasing company when the lease is up. A German full-sized sedan costing about $340,000 will require a $170,000 cash down, with monthly instalments of about $3,100 over the newly imposed five-year tenure. But it can be leased for between $5,500 and $7,200 a month over four years, BT helpfully reported. Then the car goes back to the leasing company.
What about leasing a Porsche? You can do that too, provided you put down a cash deposit (at $83,000 for a Porsche Cayenne). You pay about $3,000 a month. After two years, the company will buy the car back from you – at 40 to 50 per cent of market value.
Leasing rates have gone up over the years apparently, so you’d better be getting a move on if you want your butt on the driving seat, although I wonder how many Porsche drivers will admit to having their supercar on a lease…But I guess it’s better than wearing a fake Rolex.
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Singaporeans must save $5033 a month for a 'çomfy retirement'
According to HSBC's latest study Future of Retirement: A New Reality, in order to live comfortably during retirement, people in Singapore indicate that they will require 66% (or two-thirds) of their current annual household income which works out to be S$60,400 or S$5,033 per month.
This is 68% more than in the last 2011 study where the figure was S$3,000.
Singapore’s income replacement ratio, together with Australia (also 66%), is the lowest across 15 countries surveyed where the global average is 78%
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The Goatherd and the Wild Goats
I was really amused about this Aesop's fable - One of the Wild Goats, turning about, said to him: “That is the very reason why we are so cautious; for if you yesterday treated us better than the Goats you have had so long, it is plain also that if others came after us, you would in the same manner prefer them to ourselves.”
IMO, it it similar to PAP's immigration policy. Any other governments in this world does this to its own citizens?
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Related:
related:
Tackling poverty the 'kuih lapis' way
Setting a poverty line may not be helpful
A minimum wage for Singapore?
The Poor & Homeless in Singapore
Other Side of The Singapore Story
No homeless, destitute, starving people in S'pore. Poverty has been eradicated
Singapore “Swiss” Standard of Living
Growing Up With Less
What's Quality Of Life For Singapore
Worldwide Qualityof Living Survey
Better Life Initiative: Your Better Life Index
World-wide Quality of Living Survey
