What I hate about the current Singapore

[WeiHan]

3Boys:

limlim:

why would you spend $ on a piece of useless equipment or medicine you do not intend to eat and solely profit the doctor or hospital just bcoz the money is from medisave?

really makes no sense right?

I wish I could share more here, but when you say \"makes no sense\", you are completely right. Singaporeans say and do many things that make no sense.

Even if some people can't plan properly financially, does it justifies the gov adopt a completely conservative stance regarding CPF?

It is not a if, an ultra-conservative stance pays no price.

[limlim]

usa-sing-1:

limlim:

[quote=\"usa-sing-1\"]

Haha, well if you use this definition as a guide...Singapore is one of the 35 \"advanced economies\" in the world. I pretty much agree with the list...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_country

Why not look at \"purchasing power\" which compares wages to prices.

It should give a more accurate picture of \"standard of living\". I guess SG ranking is quite below..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita[/quote]GDP != purchasing power

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/09/high-living-costs-low-wages-purchasing-power/

http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2011/01/ubs-report-purchasing-power-comparison.html
[quote]According to the report Singapore ranks 11th in terms of cost of living and 43rd in terms of wages. Singapore came in 42nd for purchasing power which is wages relative to the cost of living and Kuala Lumpur is 2 places ahead of Singapore. Singapore is behind Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei and Hong Kong. In 2006 Singapore workers have a purchasing power index of 54.9 (using New York as the base=100), today that figure has fallen to 40.6.

Basically, Singaporeans have been put on a threadmil. As wages go up, the price level of housing, transport and medical care goes up even more. Its like the speed of the threadmill is increased year after year and you are made run harder just to stay on the spot and not fall behind. For the bottom 30% whose wages have remained more or less stagnant for the past 10 years, their quality of life has simply deteriorated. So what is the selling point of this system for ordinary Singaporeans? [/quote]

[limlim]

verykiasu2010:

wage suppression ? another way to look at it is some people are over paid, grossly overpaid, hence the lower cost looks like wage suppression.

If you're talking about GLC.. then I tend to agree.. a good example is PSA.. before the restructuring, there is a lot of overpaid senior staff doing minimum work.. (according to my sources)

But.. for the private sector in general, I strongly doubt so..

[3Boys]

WeiHan:

What are you rumbling about?

I was talking about transparency and accountability.

I am not rumbling about anything, I am merely pointing out that the g'ment is trying to make the CPF do what the CPF is intended to do, that is, act as a retirement fund. You on the other hand, made a speculative comment, completely unsubstantiated, about why the g'ment was delaying CPF payouts. Transparency? I'd like you to be transparent about HOW you actually came to your conclusions. Accountability? How about you be accountable for what you say as opposed to making unsubstantiated, speculative comments and passing them off as truth?

[Claudia]

I strongly believe that government should respect those PRs who are genuinely making their lives and growing their loving families on this beautiful land. Please kindly don’t put more obstacles such as paying extra 5% stamp duty for them to buy their ONLY property to get in some good schools in expensive districts. 5% is a lot of $ for many families. It’ll get in the way with a family’s advanced school planning. To get our kids in good schools requires great planning, efforts, time and $. Everything we do is for our future generation. Government should consider to impose this rule on those who buy for investment purposes to cool down the market.

[limlim]

Claudia:

I strongly believe that government should respect those PRs who are genuinely making their lives and growing their loving families on this beautiful land. Please kindly don't put more obstacles such as paying extra 5% stamp duty for them to buy their ONLY property to get in some good schools in expensive districts. 5% is a lot of $ for many families. It'll get in the way with a family's advanced school planning. To get our kids in good schools requires great planning, efforts, time and $. Everything we do is for our future generation. Government should consider to impose this rule on those who buy for investment purposes to cool down the market.

That's exactly what they're (Govt) doing, isn't it.

PRs can convert to citizens if they are committed to the future of Singapore.

http://i.imgur.com/4zZzJ.jpg\">

[3Boys]

Claudia:

I strongly believe that government should respect those PRs who are genuinely making their lives and growing their loving families on this beautiful land. Please kindly don't put more obstacles such as paying extra 5% stamp duty for them to buy their ONLY property to get in some good schools in expensive districts. 5% is a lot of $ for many families. It'll get in the way with a family's advanced school planning. To get our kids in good schools requires great planning, efforts, time and $. Everything we do is for our future generation. Government should consider to impose this rule on those who buy for investment purposes to cool down the market.

It's sad that the sentiment has turned very anti-foreigner in Singapore. Unfortunately your example is one of those things that will likely stoke more of those feelings. Why do you need to go an compete for a property in a prime district for the sake of a school and stretch for it? Neighbourhood schools are good enough for plenty of Singaporeans, why wouldn't you consider them?

[concern2]

3Boys:

Claudia:

I strongly believe that government should respect those PRs who are genuinely making their lives and growing their loving families on this beautiful land. Please kindly don't put more obstacles such as paying extra 5% stamp duty for them to buy their ONLY property to get in some good schools in expensive districts. 5% is a lot of $ for many families. It'll get in the way with a family's advanced school planning. To get our kids in good schools requires great planning, efforts, time and $. Everything we do is for our future generation. Government should consider to impose this rule on those who buy for investment purposes to cool down the market.

It's sad that the sentiment has turned very anti-foreigner in Singapore. Unfortunately your example is one of those things that will likely stoke more of those feelings. Why do you need to go an compete for a property in a prime district for the sake of a school and stretch for it? Neighbourhood schools are good enough for plenty of Singaporeans, why wouldn't you consider them?

:goodpost:

[LindsayL]

Singapore has no pension system, so CPF serves that purpose (in a different way).

3Boys:

WeiHan:

What are you rumbling about?

I was talking about transparency and accountability.

I am not rumbling about anything, I am merely pointing out that the g'ment is trying to make the CPF do what the CPF is intended to do, that is, act as a retirement fund. You on the other hand, made a speculative comment, completely unsubstantiated, about why the g'ment was delaying CPF payouts. Transparency? I'd like you to be transparent about HOW you actually came to your conclusions. Accountability? How about you be accountable for what you say as opposed to making unsubstantiated, speculative comments and passing them off as truth?

[Irrelevant]

Claudia


Although I’m a Singaporean, you do have my sympathy. Many people do not really appreciate the dynamism of Singapore’s economy is the result of significant contributions from non-Singaporean inputs. We couldn’t have done it alone. I’m pretty confident that our government is well aware of this too.

Unfortunately, these are not normal times. The liquidity that has been pumped by world central banks into the economy is flowing everywhere. Obviously, the prior 6 cooling measures failed to work. I’m not sure whether the property transactions data in 2012 is available in public but whatever the govt have seen, it must have worried them sufficiently to come up with such Draconian measures.

Meanwhile, I wish you luck in securing the future of your children. (There are simply too many variables in life that we have no control over)