Wow! So who is lying?

I suppose the website at http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp
can't lie right?

Oh wait a minute. I found that if I buy 4 Pints (/2.27L) bottle is even cheaper!

Sainsbury's British Fresh Semi Skimmed Milk, 4 Pints 2.27L
£1.29/unit
£0.57/ltr

Wow! So did Harlequin really went to live in UK before? We are talking about today's price. Harlequin talking about a few years ago price should be even cheaper right?

chrisloh:

I was shocked with your quoted price and did a serach:

Found that Sainsbury's British Fresh Semi Skimmed Milk, 2 Pints 1.13L @ £0.89/unit or £0.78/ltr only

Here you are the link:
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp

Harlequin:

1L of milk in carton is at £4.99.... not branded, just the supermarket house brand.... and that's no VAT levied.

Very simple, you ask Singapore govt to exempt all basic necessities and then see what rate of GST they can quote to maintain same GST collection if they do such exemption then you will know right? They have all the figures and only their figures can satisfy you since I know you are their very loyal follower..................................................


The reason why they don't want to basic necessities exemption despite know that GST impacts the old, retirees, and low income people the most, & they refused when other people have floated the same idea to them, already tell us a lot that the difference is very substantial............................................

As I goggled, I found:
\"VAT is a regressive tax: the poorest people spend a higher proportion of their disposable income on VAT than the richest people.\"

3Boys:

kaking:

It is a fact that UK exempt all basic necessities from their VAT, that is why their VAT needs to be high. Without the basic necessities exemption, obviously it can be very much lower, and obviously 3% is just an estimate but I believe should be around there, and I didn't pass it off as fact, hence I say is something like 3%........
[quote=\"3Boys\"]Pure speculation on your part. Try not to pass it off as fact.

In lieu of data, I have a hard time believing your numbers. Why not 4%? Why not 6%? Why not 18%?

Without knowing the potential contribution of basic necessities to the tax base, one can never make any kind of estimates. And I bet you don't know what that is. And not knowing what that is, 3% is just a number plucked from the air (just an estimate, as you say).

My guess is that it would be at 15%. There, my guess, as good as yours.[/quote]

Hello, why you make until so complicated? You trying to say Singapore ministers and civil servants so clever and deserve millions $ salary cannot figure out how? Cannot figure out then also don't know how to copy? Can just copy UK right?


If UK govt and civil servants paid so lowly already can solve the problems donkey years ago and still using the same solution, you mean Singapore millions $ salary ministers and civil servants don't know how to copy? Like that not too clever lah, how to justify the millons $ salary?

pirate:

kaking:

I already tell you that UK exempt all basic necessities from VAT.
VAT stands for Value Added Tax, which is equivalent to the name of GST or Goods and service Tax used in Singapore. Different names, but same meaning and applies similarly to goods and services, but different countries have different exemptions. I will just tell you about UK since I am most familiar, the rest you can go find out yourself. Please do a Google, and you will know this fact.

And I suppose you were also going to tell us that the exemption on \"basic necessities\" leads to some very interesting and esoteric distinctions and legal arguments about whether a particular thing is a \"basic necessity\"? Such esoteric things such as whether something is a bread, cake, pastry or something else; or whether a first edition Ian Fleming novel costing thousands of pounds is a \"book\".

In the Singapore context, suppose we say rice is a \"basic necessity\", what about that organic Japanese rice that cost 10 times as much? If we say meat is \"basic commodity\", what about Kobe beef or Kurobata pork? Are mooncakes with gold leaf at $200 per box bread? Is that $17 a litre organic goat's milk from Australia milk? Is a $250,000 17th century antiquarian book a book? What about that $10,000 autographed copy of Lee Kuan Yew's latest book? Is a $200 book on criminal law a textbook? Is that water I use to fill up the swimming pool in my GCB or the electricity I use to heat it up \"basic necessity\"?

It is a nightmare to administer and it is a bureaucratic nightmare for businesses.

Oh, wait. You didn't tell us.

It is a fact that UK exempt all basic necessities from their VAT, that is why their VAT needs to be high. Without the basic necessities exemption, obviously it can be very much lower, and obviously 3% is just an estimate but I believe should be around there, and I didn't pass it off as fact, hence I say is something like 3%........

kaking:

If UK can don't give exemption for all basic necessities like Singapore, their VAT will probably be equivalent to something like 3% of Singapore's GST!

3Boys:

[quote=\"kaking\"]Invalid and totally irrelevant comparison that only an ignorant will compare just like that.

In UK, VAT is 20%, but all basic necessities are fully exempted from GST.

So, you are just comparing apple to orange.

As far as I know, most, if not all european countries exempt basic necessities from GST/VAT.

Singapore should spare a thought for the retirees, unemployed, and low incomes by exempting all basic necessities from GST.

Wow! Strong words!

People are talking about GST, and using VAT in other countries as benchmark are TOTALLY IRRELEVANT and INVALID!

Perhaps I should talk about the colour of the sky instead. Would that make me less ignorant?

Show us the data on HOW many countries in Europe exempt basic goods from GST completely, HOW many have reduced GST on basic goods, and how many don't have any exemption at all.

C'mon now, since you challenge my numbers, put up some of your own.

[/quote]

3Boys:

Pure speculation on your part. Try not to pass it off as fact.

I already tell you that UK exempt all basic necessities from VAT.

VAT stands for Value Added Tax, which is equivalent to the name of GST or Goods and service Tax used in Singapore. Different names, but same meaning and applies similarly to goods and services, but different countries have different exemptions. I will just tell you about UK since I am most familiar, the rest you can go find out yourself. Please do a Google, and you will know this fact.

By posting those big numbers from Europe and then saying the below:
\"10% for Singapore? If we keep spending the way we do, I'd be surprised it not hit 25% by 2050.\"

giving people impression that 10% GST for Singapore is no big deal and can hit 25% by 2050, you are already telling us that 10% GST is low in comparison to those other countries big VAT numbers. This is totally misleading. Singapore's GST if 10% is super big BECAUSE Singapore doesn't exempt basic necessities from GST!

If UK can don't give exemption for all basic necessities like Singapore, their VAT will probably be equivalent to something like 3% of Singapore's GST!

3Boys:

kaking:

Invalid and totally irrelevant comparison that only an ignorant will compare just like that.

In UK, VAT is 20%, but all basic necessities are fully exempted from GST.

So, you are just comparing apple to orange.

As far as I know, most, if not all european countries exempt basic necessities from GST/VAT.

Singapore should spare a thought for the retirees, unemployed, and low incomes by exempting all basic necessities from GST.
[quote=\"3Boys\"]Sweden VAT - 25%

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

Denmark VAT - 25%

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/customs-and-vat

Finland VAT - 24%

http://www.vero.fi/en-US/Tax_Administration/News/Changes_in_VAT_on_1_January_2013%2825751%29

France VAT - 19.6%

10% for Singapore? If we keep spending the way we do, I'd be surprised it not hit 25% by 2050.

Wow! Strong words!

People are talking about GST, and using VAT in other countries as benchmark are TOTALLY IRRELEVANT and INVALID!

Perhaps I should talk about the colour of the sky instead. Would that make me less ignorant?

Show us the data on HOW many countries in Europe exempt basic goods from GST completely, HOW many have reduced GST on basic goods, and how many don't have any exemption at all.

C'mon now, since you challenge my numbers, put up some of your own.[/quote]

Fully agreed, but I will bet that after 2016 GE, GST most likely will go up! 1%? 2%? 3%? Nobody knows.

Dora1:

3Boys:

[quote=\"Dora1\"]Well, I'll first like to ask where did all the money from land sales, housing stamp duty, ABSD, COE, ERP go to? We have been seeing insane rises on all these in the past few years. Show us the books first. How much extra has been collected from all these as compared to previous years. Can these fund the extra medical and housing benefits announced recently? If not, how much is the shortfall?

Land sales are one-offs, ABSDs are one-offs, you can't keep supporting perpetual social programs with one off items.

Land sales may be considered one off owing to the limited land size in singapore. However ABSDs are stamp duties that come with every property transaction that fits certain criteria so these are definitely not once off.
I am not against increasing Taxes if the poor can benefit. However I do not agree to the concept that we must look at increasing GST as the first option every time there is request for more benefits for the poor. GST increase will impact the middle income aka sandwiched class most as they are always the ones who marginally miss out on most of the benefits, and yet some of them have 3 generation together so certain expenses are inevitable.
Other forms if taxes increase could be increase in income tax of the highest few income brackets, we have one of the lowest income tax for the ultra rich. Or increase stamp duty for the ultra expensive properties or cars.
What I'm saying is GST should be the last resort as it impacts everybody on the ground.[/quote]

Invalid and totally irrelevant comparison that only an ignorant will compare just like that.


In UK, VAT is 20%, but all basic necessities are fully exempted from GST.

So, you are just comparing apple to orange.

As far as I know, most, if not all european countries exempt basic necessities from GST/VAT.

Singapore should spare a thought for the retirees, unemployed, and low incomes by exempting all basic necessities from GST.

3Boys:

Sweden VAT - 25%

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

Denmark VAT - 25%

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/customs-and-vat

Finland VAT - 24%

http://www.vero.fi/en-US/Tax_Administration/News/Changes_in_VAT_on_1_January_2013%2825751%29

France VAT - 19.6%

10% for Singapore? If we keep spending the way we do, I'd be surprised it not hit 25% by 2050.

Not so fast! Luckily they promised not to raise GST for next 4 (or 5) years after sensing the ground is not right in the just past GE?


People on the ground are speculating that GST will be 10% after 2016 GE. Will that happen? What do you all think?

Oppsgal:

http://www.todayonline.com//business/gst-hike-more-likely-if-govt-needs-raise-revenue-new-initiatives

:gloomy: :gloomy: :gloomy:

:yikes: 10%... :moneyflies:

Children learn from their parents, and when their parents don't practise fairness, democracy, and meritocracy (will only pay lip service outside but tell their kids when at home to work on connections and that getting there is most important regardless of what they do and how they achieve it), is it any wonder that many kids characters are real crooked nowsadays?


What more can we say when policies seemed to be tilted to favoritism based on some crooked reason, like because you did very well in P3 exams, viola, you are exempted from competition in PSLE & O levels and guaranteed into best IP schools?

MM Lee's daughter quoted a very good example in newspaper of RJC student tricking his friends and playing politics to try to win some scholarship?

Remember that Wee Sue Ming incident?

What do all the above tell us?

Harlequin:

All schools are good schools, Mr Heng has never once said \"All schools are equal\"!

\"Teach less learn more\" is to say that students shouldn't be spoon fed all the way, we are already getting close to the muggers' nation, the more one is taught the more the reliance, learning should be a journey of seeking out, not closing in, map path, zoom and feed, and then straight to the exam hall.

When the parents make their children learn/study mainly for exam score, in the process of mugging/spoon feeding the parents unwittingly killing off the willingness of learning, it then makes learning a pain.

Children at times are the victims of their parents kiasu-ism. Kindly don't make them stop thinking, exploring and learning, or else the purpose of education is reduced to only schooling and mugging.

Sigh.

No, I believe they are very similar in nature, that is church believes they are doing the right thing, but the govt / govt bodies which enforces the law think they are wrong in the eyes of law.


In one case, the Church says there is adultery, they have right to fire the employee because it damages the reputation of the church.
In the other case, the other Church says they are transferring money to facilitate cross-over project, for the benefits of the Church and propagating teaching of Jesus and Christianity, and the money belongs to the church and the church directors have the right to dictate how they are being used and invested anywhere and moved around.

However, in the first case, the govt says the Church is wrong in the eyes of law.
In the second case, the govt also says the Church and their directors are wrong in the eyes of law.

3Boys:

kaking:

You are saying church has ground and MOM is wrong?

What is your view of City Harvest Church case where the AGC is charging the pastors and CHC directors for illegally transferring money around?
From legal points of view, AGC think it is wrong.
What would Jesus / Bible say about this?

At the end of the day, whose view matter?
Remember, we now live in a lawful country and society, not one only bounded by the Bible and the Church in the ancient days (and not everyone are Christians). Those who think otherwise better think hard?

Chill bro.

This is very different from CHC case, in fact, its the exact opposite.

Read through the whole thread to understand.......