What is wrong with our system?

[KSP]

I don’t think we should judge how rich or poor Singaporeans are by the people we know.


If we walk around the pasar malam night market. There are so many stall owners standing the whole night just to make the few hundred dollars and that is before deducting the overheads. Are Singaporeans rich or poor?

If we walk around chinatown at night we can see so many homeless sleeping on the benches? Are Singaporeans rich or poor?

If there are so many Singaporeans willing to throw $100 away just to get into the casino and that is excluding the money they might lose later on. Are Singaporeans rich or poor?

[tamarind]

KSP:

I don't think we should judge how rich or poor Singaporeans are by the people we know.

You are absolutely correct.

Everyone should only trust official sources of information, not what you hear from your friends.

Please read this :
http://www.singstat.gov.sg/news/news/op19022010.pdf

Median monthly household income from work among all resident
households declined by 1.9 per cent from $4,950 in 2008 to $4,850 in 2009.

[Donkey Kong]

I think I have opened my eyes wide wherever I go.


Ordinary uncles/aunties have 800k to lose to Lehman Bros. Car showrooms packed with pple signing contracts when COEs are heading 45k. Condo showrooms flooded with pple. Reporter interviewed one gal, she said she bought 3 units. :?

May be the data is based in IRAS input, which may not be accurate. Example, a humble technician in stat board, runs a successful tuition centre. Another technician night time, import/export fruits from overseas. These technicians official salaries only 3k. But have side lines. :celebrate:

Think it was reported in the latest news: those homeless pple actually gained 220k from sale of their HDB flats.
Frontline interviewed one camping at Changi, he has 100k in bank.
:?

But, my heart goes to those senior citizens collecting cans/cardboard. Ever saw them fighting for drink can till police arrived. sad huh?
She got injured, blood dripping. Just for a tin can.

[jedamum]

Donkey Kong:

I think majority of Singaporeans earn more than $5k. Looking at those around me, the lowest paid guy is a diploma holder, earning 8-9k. He is driving a big Honda. The rest are above 10k. I am the lowest paid.

no offence, but no wonder your wife feels pressurized; is she comparing herself to those around your family/friends?.
i belong to the minorities and those 'surrounding' me....i dunno how much they earn cos what good or difference will it make to compare such things (unless one is on an ambitious track). and whenever dh brings up the comparison, i will digress cos there are other people who are much much worse off than us.

[Donkey Kong]

As long as I have roof over my head and kid can perform better than me in school, I don't mind how much other make. :celebrate:


The system in Singapore is not conducive for entrepreneurs. We need to survive in the long run. :lol: In future, We don't want our sons and daughters to work overseas and send money home like the FTs here.

We need to have strong local companies to compete in the world. :celebrate:

[Donkey Kong]

minnie2004:

I also think PSLE may be the killer of kids' creativity and curiosity. The future of a kid is being determined way too early. To do well in primary school is not so difficult as long as the kid works hard. However, real talents are often late boomers, who are being punished by the system.


My kids are still in kindergarten so I have yet to experience the pressure. But according to a parent I talked to whose daughter just went thru PSLE, the 6 years in primary school \"killed her daughter's childhood\" .

Depending whether kids are auto or manual. Auto ones no need to push. But, Mums are very important. My friends said: Oh, my wife settled everything. In fact, I don't know what's happening in schools... :lol:

Mum very important right? :lol:

But, my wife asks me solve so many questions.....

ok, very simple, kids study primary school is like we study another time for them! :celebrate:

[Andaiz]

Donkey Kong:

ok, very simple, kids study primary school is like we study another time for them! :celebrate:

Don't say liddat, really when kids study primary school it is like we study another time with them! :hi5:

Donkey Kong, don't mind if I be quite honest yah? (say upfront first mah!) The \"ordinary\" uncles/aunties who put those money into Lehman Bros either put them there to get their kids through overseas college and uni education; or had those CPF money leh! Blood money meant for retirement. The Car showroom and condo showrooms packed with ppl buying are ppl who buy on credit and then have to pay the bank loads of interest. So things may not seem what they appear to be at first flush.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for striving for excellence and the \"good things in life\" but we need to remember that these things do come with a sacrifice - could be time away from family, sleep, worry, etc etc all for the name of progressing onself. It really all boils down to what YOU think is important in your life and HOW you want to live it!

So to answer your question, there is nothing wrong with our system...just something wrong with the way we try and keep up with the Joneses, oops, the Tans, Ngs and Lees.... :stupid:

[tamarind]

[quote]
May be the data is based in IRAS input, which may not be accurate. Example, a humble technician in stat board, runs a successful tuition centre. Another technician night time, import/export fruits from overseas. These technicians official salaries only 3k. But have side lines. [/quote]All income is taxable. Even if you win TOTO, you still must pay tax. The government employs some very clever people to chase taxes, don't even think about cheating, they will find you and the penalty is heavy.

How many humble technicians do you know run successful tuition centres ? I also wish to have a sideline that earns thousands of dollars a month, how come I cannot do it ?

I live in the HDB heartland, where most Singaporeans live. All my neighbours and are not well off. Please do proper research before making any assumptions.

[csc]

[quote]I don't think we should judge how rich or poor Singaporeans are by the people we know.

[/quote]Agree with this one.

Our judgement should also not be clouded by what these people buy or do. It must be based on core statistics.

I have a friend who does not drive, dresses really humbly, eats simply , carries obsolete handphone and guess what ?
He's the richest among us all... he does not work , he's a landlord! He owns a few properties and rents them out!

Now, let us take a look at some of my younger relatives who carry sleek i-phones and branded handbags, marries at very posh hotels, drives nice cars - let me tell you - they are definitely not cash or asset rich. And their salary is not impressive either.

[corneyAmber]

csc:

[quote]I don't think we should judge how rich or poor Singaporeans are by the people we know.

Agree with this one.

Our judgement should also not be clouded by what these people buy or do. It must be based on core statistics.

I have a friend who does not drive, dresses really humbly, eats simply , carries obsolete handphone and guess what ?
He's the richest among us all... he does not work , he's a landlord! He owns a few properties and rents them out!

Now, let us take a look at some of my younger relatives who carry sleek i-phones and branded handbags, marries at very posh hotels, drives nice cars - let me tell you - they are definitely not cash or asset rich. And their salary is not impressive either.[/quote]Think I mentioned before, the truly rich do not flash their wealth. In SG, hard to know the rich and poor thru stats because people have many other ways they get their income, eg. past few years there are many rich people because of enbloc sales and then they downgrade, so based on salary alone is also not a good gauge.