What is wrong (or not wrong!) with the PAP nowadays?

[Mdm Koh]

3Boys:

Mdm Koh:

[quote=\"3Boys\"]

Of course generate income lah! Would you rather we be Greece??

As an individual, how much income tax did you pay this year? Now compare to other equivalent countries in the world. Hint, Singapore has the 3rd lowest income tax rate amongst developed countries, behind Hong Kong and Ireland.

Now look at GST. Amongst developed countries, how are the sales tax levels like? HK does not have, it is the exception.

After you've looked at those figures, then you tell me if garment is milking its people.

Tharman said in a speech some time back, nearly half of garment operating budget comes from investment income. That is a truly staggering figure, an incredible feat of fiscal prudence and foresight and discipline.

Any credit given?

None of that matters if Singaporeans do not feel that our lives have improved. Our tax rates are lower than that of other developed countries, but so are our wages. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that comparing only tax rates doesn't provide the full picture. Perhaps you could share with us if our purchasing power is comparable to that of the citizens in other developed countries. And I don't mean the purchasing power of the top 10% of high earners, but the purchasing power of the middle class and lower-income group.

I am kinda tired of doing research on behalf of nay-sayers.

If someone can tell me how PPP is a superior measure of well-being, then I be convinced to use that stat, because by that measure, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan are ahead of New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland.

So are the citizens of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey better off than those of New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland, because the PPP says so?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29[/quote]I asked you because you sound like an economics expert! :rahrah:

Hmm... not saying that PPP is a \"superior measure of well-being\", but just saying that low tax rates and high GDP, which the government has often cited as evidence of its superb policies, are similarly inadequate gauges of well-being among the citizens.

Thanks for bringing up the point about the PPP of people in Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. I guess you agree, too, that a single wonderful statistic doesn't mean that the people of the country are not suffering.

[AC_Power]

I agree with 3Boys that in terms of managing our economy on a macro level, the PAP government has done a good job.


However, like many have said, voters can only give them the vote of confidence if they really feel that their lives have turned for the better because of their good governance.

Honestly, what PAP needs to do right now, is to improve the housing and transport infrastructures. If they can improve on these 2 areas, i believe they would be able to win back majority of the voters.

[limlim]

3Boys:

Tharman said in a speech some time back, nearly half of garment operating budget comes from investment income. That is a truly staggering figure, an incredible feat of fiscal prudence and foresight and discipline.

Any credit given?

Did he talk about losses by TH? And the Lehman investments by TCs?

Any punishment given?

[limlim]

3Boys:

Where are you pirate, you light the fire and then siam :siam: ....? :mad: :mad:

err.. you expect pirates to stay and babysit after the deed is done meh..? :evil:

[limlim]

pirate:

Then, they had to keep bus fares low to placate commuters, many of whom can jolly well afford higher bus fares. The result is the operators have to suppress the pay of bus drivers. Let bus/mrt fares go up. Then give transport vouchers to those household whose income is less than $x per household member and who do not own a car.

Just some examples. Flame on! :evil:

I would be more willing to pay higher fares IF it is not a private entity but a nationalized entity.

bcoz I can be more sure the money and profit goes into running costs and improving the service and not some :censored: rich pple's pocket.

[limlim]

Why why TCs are collecting ever increasing S&C charges? to pay for development of expensive software and sell cheap to coy like AIM?


To renovate and re-renovate a newly renovated infrastructure with no practical improvement or benefits to residents? And At the same time failure to ensure essential facilities like Lifts are reliable, well maintained and easy to use (no poorly designed hard to press buttons).. smelly environment even from high floors.. what the :censored: is the TCs doing..?

[Nebbermind]

3Boys:

Nebbermind:

In some countries, there are social benefit beyond working years, free education even in uni. Etc the benefits just different


To me, it's money held by the govt on behalf of you.

And who pays for that?

That's why I said it's a different packaging...and return to you in diff forms.

end of the day, whatever % deducted from your pay isn't that dissimilar.

[Nebbermind]

ngl2010:

I agree with 3Boys on this. Otherwise, we have to pay high tax. My question is where do the money from COE and ERP is used for? Can't it be used to subsidize public transport?

How come must subsidize public transport when these coys are having healthy profit and their higher management getting $million pay?

[pirate]

limlim:

I would be more willing to pay higher fares IF it is not a private entity but a nationalized entity.


bcoz I can be more sure the money and profit goes into running costs and improving the service and not some :censored: rich pple's pocket.

Both SMRT and SBSTransit are majority owned by Temasek. Which :censored: rich pple are you referring to?

If the higher fares are meant to pay the bus drivers, how does it go into the rich pple's pocket? Surely there can be ways, from the regulatory and management standpoint, to make sure it does not go into rich pple's pocket? It is up to the transport regulators to set adequate standards. The transport regulators can, for example, set the standard that 90% of bus drivers must be Singaporeans. It can set safety standards that drivers should not be permitted to drive more than x hours a week. For that, voters can and should hold the regulators and ultimately the transport minister accountable, no?

I feel that this thing about nationalization is barking up the wrong tree.

[3Boys]

limlim:

3Boys:

Tharman said in a speech some time back, nearly half of garment operating budget comes from investment income. That is a truly staggering figure, an incredible feat of fiscal prudence and foresight and discipline.

Any credit given?

Did he talk about losses by TH? And the Lehman investments by TCs?

Any punishment given?

Why should there be? If your stock broker makes 10 calls for you, loses money on 3 and makes money on 7, and turns in a good profit overall, do you take him to court for the 3 he got wrong?

The whole concept is warped.