The relentless rising cost of living in Singapore

[kuasimi]

Originally Posted by AlexanderArnold

Vote no also no use .

Power are drawn from voters. If WP is helpless and PAP is powerful, voters are to be blame.

[kuasimi]

https://www.facebook.com/workersparty/


http://www.wp.sg/sylvia-lim-will-not...hike-comments/


Sylvia Lim will not apologise to House over GST hike comments


I had written to Speaker on Monday evening, 5th March, to inform him that I wished to make a statement in the House concerning the exchanges I had with Ministers Heng Swee Keat and Shanmugam during the Budget Round-up on 1st March.

The next morning, on Tuesday, 6th March, Speaker informed me that the Leader of the House also wished to make a statement on the matter. I was not informed of when she would do so. She subsequently made the statement that same morning at the start of the sitting, while I was on my way to Parliament. She has extended a copy of her statement to me by email.

Speaker Sir, after the debate on 1st March, I have had time to track back what led me to have the impression and suspicions I articulated during the exchanges with the Ministers. I would like to share these findings.

Since 2013, the PM had said that our expected increases in spending would require more tax revenue. Finance Minister Heng had also made a similar statement in last year’s Budget, saying that the Government was studying how it would raise revenue through new taxes or raising tax rates. These statements were very general and did not specify any timeframe for the raising of taxes.

In November 2017, during the PAP Convention, PM Lee announced definitively that the Government would be raising taxes, as Governmnent spending on investments and social services grew. He further stated that Finance Minister Heng was right when he said raising taxes was not a matter of whether, but when. PM’s statement was made on 19 November 2017, with the Budget Statement for 2018 just three months away.

Naturally, these announcements concerning tax increases set off public discussion and speculation. Three days later, on 22 November 2017, the Ministry of Finance issued a statement that PM Lee’s announcement at the PAP Convention was “in line” with a much earlier statement by DPM Tharman when he was Finance Minister in 2015. DPM Tharman had then said that the revenue measures that the Government had already undertaken would provide sufficiently for increased spending planned until the end of the decade. In reporting the MOF statement, Channel News Asia commented as follows:
“The Ministry’s statement came after Mr Lee’s comments on the impending tax hike triggered public discussion that the Government is making a U-turn.”
MOF further stated that planning for the issue “now” would allow the Ministry to “better ease in the needed measures, and to give our people and businesses some time to adjust”.

The MOF statement did not definitively say that there would be no tax increase in this Budget. The fact is that raising taxes in the Budget and only announcing it in the Budget Statement was what the Government had done in the past.

Hence, the uncertainty over whether taxes, and in particular GST would be raised this Budget, continued even after the MOF statement. This was fueled further when MOF office-holders kept up the discussion on raising taxes in the immediate run-up to the Budget Statement, saying they were working on “when”. Prominent economists went on record to predict that the GST rate would be raised in 2018 or 2019. Such economists included those from UOB, Ernst & Young, and DBS.

What is notable is that nowhere in the discussions just before Budget 2018 did the Government publicly commit that it would not raise GST before 2021. This was only announced on 19th February during the Budget Statement.
As an Opposition MP, it is my duty to watch every move and signal from the government, for the future of Singapore and welfare of Singaporeans.

Hence, I admit that I did suspect the Government intended to raise GST. However, the Government contributed to this suspicion by its non-denial of reports and economists’ predictions of an immediate GST rise. Based on the sequence of events, I believed the Government could have intended to raise the GST rate at this Budget.

Thus, during the heat of the exchanges at the Budget Round-up, I articulated my suspicion. In doing so, I believe I was doing my duty as an MP to convey ground concerns, reactions and confusion. I did not accuse the Government of being untruthful as alleged, and neither had I intended to accuse the Government of dishonesty.

I do not accept the over-characterisation the PAP Ministers have put on my words and intentions, based on their own interpretation borne out of over-active imagination and over-sensitivity.

Since the Government has now strongly refuted that it had any intention to raise GST immediately, I can accept that my suspicion then may not have been correct.

[kuasimi]

https://www.facebook.com/workerspart...8560268493879/


Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap question Chan Chun Sing on the relationship between Opposition MPs and CDCs, and about whether there is a conflict of interest when a candidate who lost a General Election and who is a political party's constituency branch chairman is also the PA grassroots advisor for that constituency or ward.

Low Thia Khiang asks Chan whether he thinks that PA ground activities headed by grassroots advisors who are PAP MPs, or prospective/former PAP candidates are considered as "political outreach."

Catch Chan's replies here.
Vid credit: Channel NewsAsia

[KelongPresident]

It is certainly common knowledge who does PA work for .

[LumChengHa]

Originally Posted by KelongPresident

It is certainly common knowledge who does PA work for .

Agreed , common knowledge .

[kuasimi]

Originally Posted by KelongPresident

It is certainly common knowledge who does PA work for .

As long as voters are fine with footing the annual $1 billion dollars bill for PA to run the PAP Grassroots, then PA Grassroots will not be a reason for voters to vote against PAP. Voters should bear this PA issue as a factor to vote against PAP.

WP has its own grassroots too but foot its own bill. This is why WP Grassroots can be partisan and politicized.

https://www.facebook.com/wpcf.sg/


https://www.facebook.com/WPVolunteerNetwork/?ref=py_c



But PAP Grassroots draws it funds and manpower from taxpayers funded Government agencies like PA, CCC, RC, CC etc but yet only serve the interest of PAP, not residents or Singapore. Over 50 years, many residents had disputes with PAP MPs but it is easy to guess that these Grassroots Leaders which were suppose to serve the residents would take the sides with the PAP MP.


This is where the dislike and gripes against Grassroot Leaders came from. If taxpayers are footing the Grassroots bill, at least stay neutral. The neutral Grassroot Leaders are but minority only.
Those Grassroot Leaders in management positions and are decision makers in Grassroots Organisations are definitely not neutral but only Pro-PAP.

If PAP foot its own bills for PA, CCCs, RCs, CCs etc then nobody will complain that these organisations serve exclusively the interests of PAP only.
But $1 billion dollars a year of taxpayers money to feed these thousands of rank and file in the PAP eco-system and PAP still dare to tell us that Singapore has not enough money to spend thus need to raise taxes every few years.

From urban legends, these Grassroot Leaders are like school prefects and RCs are like prefect rooms where these Grassroot Leaders spend time gossiping about WP, play games and spreading bad tales in the neighbourhood about WP. e.g. PRC Grassroot Leader Yang Yin. The Grassroots Leaders every year will go overseas for Retreats paid by taxpayers. e.g. Michael Palmer and Laura Ong. Why are taxpayers footing bills for such activities?

https://www.todayonline.com/ge2015/w...-organisations

WP calls for overhaul of grassroots organisations
By KELLY NG


SINGAPORE — The blurring of lines between grassroots organisations and the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has placed opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) on an uneven playing field, said Workers’ Party candidates yesterday.

At the party’s rally in Punggol East, Ms Sylvia Lim, Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Lee Li Lian called for a “radical overhaul” of the People’s Association (PA) and Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs), so as not to cripple the development of an inclusive society.

Reiterating the party’s stand that the PA should come under the President’s purview, Mr Singh said this would allow Singaporeans to protect themselves “from any political party that uses grassroots organisations to unfairly benefit itself”.

Recounting his experience as MP for the Eunos division of Aljunied GRC, Mr Singh said he was denied use of PA-managed facilities in his ward: “This is the simple reality of the PA in opposition wards — an organisation that supposedly exists to encourage greater communal harmony.”



The structure of grassroots organisations here has rendered the PAP’s calls for an inclusive Singapore a “hollow and insincere” one, he said.

He also accused CCCs of “doing the PAP’s political bidding”, as opposition supporters are told to leave the committees. Community groups under opposition parties do not receive funds from the PA, he added.

CCCs, which come under the PA’s purview and are funded by it, oversee the other grassroots organisations in each ward. According to the PA website, CCCs plan major grassroots activities within the constituency, oversee local assistance programmes and organise fund-raising projects and national campaigns.

“If you think grassroots equals to PAP grassroots only, that’s an insult to our democracy,” said Mr Singh, who claimed that residents in opposition wards are sidelined when it comes to estate upgrading.

While the former PAP-run Aljunied Town Council received about S$4 million per year between 2009 and 2011, the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) received none between 2012 and this year, he added.

And while 17 out of 50 improvement projects proposed by AHPETC have been approved “after 18 months of trying”, Mr Singh said work has not started on any of them.

“Unsurprisingly, an elected opposition MP has no say (in) prioritising projects in the constituency ... All (the proposed projects) are very practical requests,” he said.

CCC chairmen are “indifferent” to helping Opposition-run wards, he added, because the infrastructure enhancements would be built on “highly visible” town council property.

“Should such (facilities) be built, residents will realise that living in an opposition (ward) is no different from living in a PAP ward. In the PAP’s world, this cannot be so, even if it means short-changing and punishing residents,” he said.

Ms Lim, the WP chairman, and Ms Lee, the incumbent in Punggol East, also questioned whether state organs such as the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) were the PAP’s political tools.

Ms Lim recounted an instance when Ms Lee was not invited to an HDB-planned welcome party for Rivervale Arc residents. Instead, the guests were grassroots adviser Mayor Teo Ser Luck and Dr Koh Poh Koon, who was the PAP candidate in the 2013 Punggol East by-election.

“How did this happen? Is HDB, a government department, helping PAP campaign against a WP MP? HDB even had the cheek to ask AHPETC to ‘stand-by’ its cleaners to clean up after the event,” said Ms Lim.

“The odds are greatly stacked against you (as a WP candidate) ... We don’t have huge political affiliates like the (labour movement) to secure us jobs. We don’t have the luxury of being reshuffled into safe seats under the coat-tails of a heavyweight minister,” she added.

Ms Lee, who rounded off the three-hour rally, said that her efforts to lobby for more basic amenities for Punggol East have come to naught with the MND.

She said that despite an impending population growth in the constituency, the MND had “no plans” to include more markets and food centres, as there were “adequate food and beverage facilities nearby”.

“Residents of Punggol East, you know the situation more than anyone else. Are these enough? Is it right that basic facilities are not being provided for you despite the area getting more and more crowded?” she asked the crowd.

Yesterday, Ms Lee also shared about national policies she hopes to change if elected for a second term, such as having two Certificate of Entitlement (COE) categories for motorcycles, depending on their engine capacity.

This would spare low-income despatch drivers from competition for COEs with owners of more expensive motorcycles, she said.

[ibanezjem555]

One fine day, when White Monkeys no longer in power, the issue of using public money for political outreach via PA will be opened up. Then, LHL could be old and senile, pinky's pubic hair got a few white strands, must lan lan go court to fight case, they cannot rest in peace as public tide turn against them.

Marcos kenna, MaoZD and gang of four also kenna.. matter of time.. then 38OR also kenna confiscated by new govt in retribution.

[kuasimi]

Originally Posted by kuasimi

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/201...grassroots-mp/


"the grassroots leaders... A lot of them are doing very good work but they don't get time in the media," ang mo kio grc mp, intan azura mokhtar, said on monday. "but because of one incident, (they) get highlighted."

dr intan was giving her views about public reaction to chinese national and singapore permanent resident, yang yin, who is embroiled in a legal battle with the niece of an 87-year old woman with whom he had had “a close relationship”.

The niece of the elderly woman, madam hedy mok, is applying to the court to suspend the lasting power of attorney which has given mr yang control over her 87-year-old aunt's assets.

Mdm mok is accusing 40-year old yang of having taken advantage of a vulnerable woman who was was diagnosed with dementia earlier this year.

Mr yang, a tour guide, moved into madam chung khin chun's $30 million gerald crescent bungalow after the two met while mdm chung was on a trip to beijing in 2008.

Mr yang moved into mdm chung’s home a year later.

He is now alleged to have taken over her assets worth $40 million in total and brought his family to live with him in mdm chung’s bungalow.

He is also accused of cutting off contacts between mdm chung and her close friends, and of selling her jewellery and art, emptied her bank accounts and sacking her long-time maid and driver.

60-year-old mdm mok, who owns a travel agency, took legal action earlier this year to revoke mr yang's guardianship of her aunt's $40 million assets.

The case has sparked online debate with many accusing mr yang of being a gold digger and of manipulating the elderly woman just so he could get his hands on her substantial assets.

"he would frequently make physical advances towards (madam chung), shamelessly hugging and kissing her in front of myself and the maids and driver," said madam chang phie chin, 84, a friend of mdm chung of 50 years.

"he would have his meals with (madam chung), uttering sweet nothings to her,” she said.

"the defendant now has sole authority and control over my aunt's assets and personal welfare, leaving my aunt in a vulnerable situation,” mdm mok said in her affidavit. “i deeply fear for my aunt's safety and well-being as the defendant has shown that he has neglected her welfare and is merely manipulating her for his own benefit."

however, when contacted by the media, mr yang said he is “leaving everything to the court to decide.”

“my family and i are fine and we believe that the law is fair and just,” the straits times on monday quoted him as having said.

He added, "i have prepared my court affidavit, which i will make public in the next few days."

it soon emerged online that mr yang, besides being a singapore pr, was also active in the grassroots, a fact which mp intan has now confirmed.

Intandr intan says mr yang "is one of several [grassroots]leaders in ang mo kio grc helping foreigners integrate into society."

“he came to help out during grassroots events,” said dr intan, who is a member of prime minister lee hsien loong’s grc team.

She added, however, that mr yang “doesn’t hold a position” in the grassroots.

Mr yang has apparently been quite active in the grassroots, nonetheless, and has been photographed together with several mps and prime minister lee.

*read "the talented mr yang" for more on the case and mr yang's background.

:d:d:d:d:d:d

[kuasimi]

https://mustsharenews.com/rc-volunteers-flyer/


The Workers’ Party’s Jibe At Fengshan RC’s Grassroots Volunteer Flyer Is Pure Genius


Workers Party’s Jibe At RC
Just a few days ago, the Workers’ Party’s (WP’s) Mr Gerald Giam exposed an Residents’ Committee (RC) in Fengshan for its carrot-dangling methods of recruiting grassroots volunteers.

Netizens were unimpressed, to say the least, and criticized the RC for attracting the wrong kind of volunteers.

The Workers’ Party was quick to grab the opportunity with both hands and took a jibe at the RC by creating a tongue-in-cheek spoof of their door flyer — and it was pure genius.

WP’s Version
In a Facebook post, WP uploaded an image of their own door flyer, and called for netizens to sign up as a volunteer.









Shots were fired from the get-go as the Workers Party mocked the obvious grammatical error that the RC somehow failed to spot when producing their flyer.

Who is eligibility? I don’t know, do you?


Volunteering For No Perks
The RC had came under fire as they promised perks for those who signed up with them as a volunteer.

Meanwhile, WP straight up admitted they didn’t offer any such benefits for their RC volunteers.

Instead, it offered:

Free meals (leftovers from events)
Free exercise from manual labour
Eternal love and gratitude
Ultimately, volunteering is an altruistic act and this is what one would expect from conventional volunteerism.

Well-Received
WP’s ingenuity was generally well received.












Alas, not everyone was on the same page, with many totally clueless about the context of the whole situation.









Naysayers got in the act too and said their two cents’ worth.





Fengshan MP and PA Speak Up

On the flyer controversy, Fengshan MP Cheryl Chan revealed that “the ground-up initiative had been misconstrued” and that “volunteers give their time out of passion and commitment” reported The Straits Times.

The People’s Association also tried to clarify matters with their own Facebook post.





We’re not entirely sure this has helped to diffuse the tension though.

Well Played, WP
The WP’s quick-witted response to the RC’s door flyer is certainly deserving of applause.

They may have offended some, but those who it reached should be mature enough to realise it is merely satire.

Featured Image from Facebook and Facebook

[kuasimi]

Originally Posted by kuasimi

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/201...grassroots-mp/


"the grassroots leaders... A lot of them are doing very good work but they don't get time in the media," ang mo kio grc mp, intan azura mokhtar, said on monday. "but because of one incident, (they) get highlighted."

dr intan was giving her views about public reaction to chinese national and singapore permanent resident, yang yin, who is embroiled in a legal battle with the niece of an 87-year old woman with whom he had had “a close relationship”.

The niece of the elderly woman, madam hedy mok, is applying to the court to suspend the lasting power of attorney which has given mr yang control over her 87-year-old aunt's assets.

Mdm mok is accusing 40-year old yang of having taken advantage of a vulnerable woman who was was diagnosed with dementia earlier this year.

Mr yang, a tour guide, moved into madam chung khin chun's $30 million gerald crescent bungalow after the two met while mdm chung was on a trip to beijing in 2008.

Mr yang moved into mdm chung’s home a year later.

He is now alleged to have taken over her assets worth $40 million in total and brought his family to live with him in mdm chung’s bungalow.

He is also accused of cutting off contacts between mdm chung and her close friends, and of selling her jewellery and art, emptied her bank accounts and sacking her long-time maid and driver.

60-year-old mdm mok, who owns a travel agency, took legal action earlier this year to revoke mr yang's guardianship of her aunt's $40 million assets.

The case has sparked online debate with many accusing mr yang of being a gold digger and of manipulating the elderly woman just so he could get his hands on her substantial assets.

"he would frequently make physical advances towards (madam chung), shamelessly hugging and kissing her in front of myself and the maids and driver," said madam chang phie chin, 84, a friend of mdm chung of 50 years.

"he would have his meals with (madam chung), uttering sweet nothings to her,” she said.

"the defendant now has sole authority and control over my aunt's assets and personal welfare, leaving my aunt in a vulnerable situation,” mdm mok said in her affidavit. “i deeply fear for my aunt's safety and well-being as the defendant has shown that he has neglected her welfare and is merely manipulating her for his own benefit."

however, when contacted by the media, mr yang said he is “leaving everything to the court to decide.”

“my family and i are fine and we believe that the law is fair and just,” the straits times on monday quoted him as having said.

He added, "i have prepared my court affidavit, which i will make public in the next few days."

it soon emerged online that mr yang, besides being a singapore pr, was also active in the grassroots, a fact which mp intan has now confirmed.

Intandr intan says mr yang "is one of several [grassroots]leaders in ang mo kio grc helping foreigners integrate into society."

“he came to help out during grassroots events,” said dr intan, who is a member of prime minister lee hsien loong’s grc team.

She added, however, that mr yang “doesn’t hold a position” in the grassroots.

Mr yang has apparently been quite active in the grassroots, nonetheless, and has been photographed together with several mps and prime minister lee.

*read "the talented mr yang" for more on the case and mr yang's background.

:d:d:d:d:d:d

[kuasimi]

Originally Posted by ibanezjem555

One fine day, when White Monkeys no longer in power, the issue of using public money for political outreach via PA will be opened up. Then, LHL could be old and senile, pinky's pubic hair got a few white strands, must lan lan go court to fight case, they cannot rest in peace as public tide turn against them.

Marcos kenna, MaoZD and gang of four also kenna.. matter of time.. then 38OR also kenna confiscated by new govt in retribution.

PAP's 'honesty' and 'integrity' relies on Power to control rather than relying on constant scrutiny from all parts of society to prove the 'honesty' and 'integrity'. e.g. Western governments.

This means there might be skeletons in the closet to be exposed if PAP loses power. This also will mean PAP will resort to all means to stay in power to avoid having skeletons being exposed. This also means many people need to be sacrificed. Bad political environment for Singaporeans.

Compare to western elected politicians who are more relax about losing power, PAP politicians seem extra sensitive to losing power or get voted out. It is like there are many things they are afraid might be exposed.

[ibanezjem555]

Bcos once White Monkeys lose power, all will be exposed like AIM, HoJinx eternal appointment at Temasek, PA. That's why they so scared go n hunt down nay-sayers.

Better for them to put more effort in questioning Keppel fiasco than trying to fix Sylvia.. shows what type of maddogs n madbitches they are..

[SuperTank]

Why is this forum talking so much about politics recently? Also got what Fast goal and selling enhancement drugs. This section of the forum is drifting away from the core.. No wonder losing audiences....

[kuasimi]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...-khaw-10020252


Cheap public transport fares popular but 'not sustainable': Khaw Boon Wan


Fares are currently being reviewed by the Public Transport Council to "better track total costs".


SINGAPORE: The fare formula for public transport is being reviewed to better track total costs, as the Ministry of Transportation (MOT)'s budget rises for upcoming infrastructure upgrades.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament on Wednesday (Mar 7) that while Singapore's transport fares are currently "affordable", the Government also needs to ensure the sustainability of the transport network.

"We must be careful that (fares) are not priced too cheaply, as maintaining a high-quality transport system requires resources," he said. "Cheap fares are popular, but they are not sustainable."

The current formula is "inadequate", he said, and the Public Transport Council (PTC) is reviewing it to take into account "total costs".

"I am confident that they can work out a fair and sustainable arrangement. Please support the PTC when they make their recommendations," Mr Khaw said.

Noting how massive investments are being made to improve the transport system, Mr Khaw said that it would be "a disaster" for public transport subsidies to spike against declining revenue.

"Over the past five years, improvements to public transport services have increased operating costs by about 60 per cent," he said. "One major contributing factor is the large increase in network capacity as we opened new lines and added more buses and trains."

"This huge cost increase has been borne by the Government," explained Mr Khaw. "Against such rising cost, fares have gone down by 2 per cent over the same period."

"Every dollar spent on transport is a dollar less for other expenditure – like schools, healthcare and security," noted Mr Khaw, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure.

MOT’s budget is now the second largest among ministries, after the Ministry of Defence and ahead of the health ministry, Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Education, he added.

Source: CNA/fr

[DisGraceFool]

even the government stepping in to help with the transport network the mrt system still breakdown or even become worse .