Majority of Singaporeans disappointed with 2010 Singapore Budget
February 24th, 2010 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
Contrary to what was said by the PAP MPs and reported in the state media, the majority of Singaporeans are disappointed and unhappy with the 2010 Singapore Budget unveiled lately by Finance Minister Tharman.
The PAP MPs have been singing praises of it in unison while the Singapore media has been focusing on the hike in foreign worker levy to placate Singaporeans angry with the ruling party’s pro-foreigner policy.
In an open forum conducted by Yahoo which has attracted more than 200 comments so far, many Singaporeans posted their frank views on the Budget.
Don wrote:
“Kind of disappointed. Was looking for more incentives to promote Singaporeans to have more babies given the recent talk about the need to increase the birthrate.. benefits provided to families will hardly scratch the cost of bringing up a child.. Also, hope the foreign worker levy will not apply to maids… if not that is another hit to potential parents who is considering getting some help around the house after childbirth..”
Nat added:
“Why am I not surprised that there is a deficit in the budget report? Because it was for 2009! If I did not remember incorrectly, that was also the year of the economic crisis, and the poor investment decisions of many in Senior Management of Government and Quasi Government who lost much of our monies….It seems those who are running government nowadays has nothing better to do than tweeking things whenvever they feel bored – just to make it look like these officials are doing something useful.I can only say that Singapore instead of getting better, Singapore is deteriorating…what a sad state of affairs it is for those of our generation who have worked so hard to make Singapore what it was today, and then to be slowly but gradually destroyed…”
cskp felt the foreigner issue was not dealt with adequately:
“From my understanding of the budget speech , the problem of foreign workers are not fully dealt with and is too general . In my opinion , it should address the foreign worker situation into two broad categories . One group being the construction and service industries and the second group are the professionals, managerial and executives . I belong to the second group . I returned to Singapore after 8 years working in China and after one year with the same company , I was retrenched . There are 3 other foreigners in the same team and the company chose to retrench the local , given all of us have the same set of skills to perform the job. There are several factors , one being office politics , too many foreigners within the same team , protecting their own interests . Having a boss who is also a foreigner didn’t help. What I’m trying to relate here is we have too many foreigners across all sectors and there is no level-playing field when your bosses and your other team members are all foreigners , discriminating Singaporeans in their own backyard.”
Maddie L is now afraid of taking “incentives” from the ruling party:
“I m disappointed. Nothing much was addressed on the higher and ever increasing costs of living, I m afraid of taking incentives from gov, because in the past it shows how they give you one dollar and take back 10dollars from you. LIke the SP services increasing constantly despite it uses natural gas and transport, ERP and housing keep getting more costly. Plus this increasing productivity to me is like asking you to work hard and longer and we all know that it takes forever for our pay to be increased by bosses.”
The chorus of discontent expressed by Singaporeans is an indication that the ruling party is fast losing the support and confidence of the people to run the country.
Despite its frequent trumpeting of its “achievements”, many Singaporeans can attest to the fact that life has not improved for them. In fact, it has become more stressful to live in Singapore due to a combination of stagnant wages, rising cost of living and increased competition with foreigners.
The ruling party has screwed up its immigration policies big time by importing too many (unsuitable) foreigners into Singapore within too short a period of time without putting up a comprehensive social safety net for Singaporeans.
As Wacko puts it succinctly:
“Let’s sum up all. I bet the govt vote% will be lower than the last election 66%. You get what it mean??”
The ruling party is likely to win less votes in the next election and if the opposition is able to work together and field credible candidates, it may even lose its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.
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82 Responses to “Majority of Singaporeans disappointed with 2010 Singapore Budget”
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Hahahaha..
200? That’s majority?
There must be 400 Singaporeans in all of Singapore.
In the last recession in 1998. After recovery they are first to increase their pay and hike up taxes. The population leave it to the last after squeeze much juice. This is always the PAP style.Now this is the second recession. In the comming recession they will do it again. The PAP MP laugh with their eyes close. Haaaaaaaa—–Haaaaaa
no money, no talk,if u wanna talk u need 2 talk abt monies
200 people? That’s not even an appropriate sample for it to be taken into context. But I’m glad Singaporeans are waking up from their slumber, after being misled for so many years.
I bet these views only represented the connected minority and that Singaporeans, due to their education, see things on the surface only, not bothering to see,read and listen between the lines…*sigh*
You obviously don’t know what statistical sampling is. So you think ST asked 2.6 million people when they said the “majority” of S’poreans love the budget????
How is Finance Minister Tharman able to push a budget pledging billions over the next 5 years to raise productivity when this government’s term is to end by 2012 latest?
That’s like a committee of an organisation trying to spend the budget of the next committee, that has not yet even been elected.
Is it legal? Can anyone enlighten me?
ah yes… 200 people is certainly a representative sample of the broader Singaporean population. particularly if they comment on the internet. that surely must make them the most accurate barometer of sentiments of Singaporeans. and wacko’s comments above must be the most succinct conclusion of the very incisive, thorough, objective and critical analysis of how the Budget will impact the long term development and progress of Singapore. the chorus of discontent will definitely end in a crescendo of PAP’s eventual demise!
and we know this because TR went through all the arduous trouble of quoting from a grand total of five people out of 200 who commented on the most dazzling congregation of brilliant minds that is the open forum of Yahoo.
wow! i’m impressed! thanks TR!
waits its 200 comment not 200 people. Maybe the 100 ppl who comment twice also representing their friend, cousin and future gf.
@crc:
Ignore the source, and consider the facts. Budget 2010 is a non-affair, and compared to previous years of directly crediting cash into you bank account, this time it gives you reliefs here and there which many do not qualify for.
Eg. Medisave top-up (yay, that pays for my daily expenses) but only for folks over a certain elderly age.
Foreign worker levy, a purely political move which solves neither economic nor social issues.
Education grant – what good is that when you don’t have jobs?
To add insult to injury, there are no bonuses for NS men.
And trust me, it’s good to be skeptical of everything, but TR is much more trustworthy than an incorrigible ‘nation-building’ press.
Actually majority of the people don’t read, don’t care or bother what the budget says. They only care if there is money deposited in their bank account and do they need to top up their CPF.
When I read the comments on this page, I feel a little disappointed with the myopic views that Singaporeans have. The budget 2010 does not provide short term/immediate relief like the previous years where Singaporeans were given GST credits, but it is intended to be long term. Yes, we would all welcome having cash credited into our accounts, but it is precisely because our Government has been thrifty and well-planned that we have surpluses in our reserves. Look around you in this time of worldwide economic crisis! How many countries who are as tiny as us are able to have surplus in their reserves? Even the Big Brother is running into large deficits. Providing education grants and increasing productivity is a means of ensuring that Singapore is continuously competitive (given the China has a large pool of talent which will cost less than us). There are definitely other areas that the Government should examine such as standard of living and cost of living, but in this time of economic downturn, we may want to focus on the things that can provide us with a competitive edge so that we have more cushion to fall back on when the next recession occurs. Before we make sacarastic remarks, we should always do some research and think through.
200 Singaporeans or 200 opposition supporters? Can the opposition come up with such a comprehensive budget like the PAP? Dream on!
Show some gratitude to the PAP! If not for them, will you be here today?
Stop biting the hand which feeds you!
@Humble one
I am quite tired of waiting. How long should we wait? Till we retire? So are we going to suffer for the next 10-20 years and then enjoy, only to tell us that there are some more changes and we need to wait another 10-20 years?
Looking ahead on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 8:17 pm
Because they are assuming that they will again win the next election.
@PAP supporter
I think each of us played a role. All of us worked together as a nation to make it what it is today.
To be fair, the PAP did lead us from a 3rd world to 1st. And we did worked hard to make it happen. But I think we have paid our dues and we should move on.
Let’s not dwell on the past and lets focus on the present and future.
Right now many of us are thinking that there are certain areas which are not fair to us as S’poreans.
It is not about whether the PAP is good or bad, what matters most is how does it affect S’poreans.
hello TR
Majority of employee class Singaporeans are still unaware that they will be driven to extinction soon. In George Yeo’s reply to kojakbt_89 about RWS hiring Singaporeans, he said that:
“MOM’s policy is to set dependency ratios and leave it to companies to operate freely within them. I don’t think MOM will release data for specific companies. CPF info is confidential. Why not get an MP to ask the question in Parl, PAP or Opp or NMP? But under MOM, no MFA please.”
http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=3in1kopitiam&msg=29090.1
So what does dependency ratios mean? The answer can be found from MOM website:
http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/work_pass/work_permit/application/requirements/computation_of_company.html
e.g. For a Services Sector company (dependency ratio 50%) with a total of 10 employees, they can hire 5 PRs and 5 foreigners. You see, a company can don’t hire a single Singaporean citizen and still comply with MOM regulations without breaking the law. This is because PR and Singapore citizens are considered as “local”. We also know how easy it is for foreigners to obtain Singapore PR nowadays.
http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/work_pass/work_permit/application/requirements/Services_Sector.html
PAP supporter on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:50 pm said
“Show some gratitude to the PAP! If not for them, will you be here today?
Stop biting the hand which feeds you!”
I say, if not for them, there is every likelihood that we would not be here today in this deep shit.
And I say, show some gratitude and stop biting the hand which is trying to wake you up and warn you of the disaster ahead.
I’m disappointed by the heading of the article – it already seems to reflect a biased view of the correspondent, alike The Straits Times.
What majority? Is there ample evidence to show that majority of Singaporeans are unhappy with the budget?
Or perhaps if you had meant majority of Singaporeans on a small sample size on Yahoo forum, perhaps you should state it clearly then. Otherwise, it is just plain misleading.
By your prediction of “The ruling party is likely to win less votes in the next election and if the opposition is able to work together and field credible candidates, it may even lose its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.” It is obvious that this is a blatant one-sided article based on the writer’s opinion.
I am also disappointed.
“Show some gratitude to the PAP! If not for them, will you be here today?
Stop biting the hand which feeds you!”
papsupporter, if it wasn’t for the support of the people, will the pap be able to make Singapore what it is today?
Just imagine if they can do it if the people were as selfish as the prcs here who do things like hijack buses and stage sit-in protests to get what they want instead of compromising for the common good of the country.
It is blind ignorant FOOLS like you that will doom the country by allowing foreign scum to overrun it.
TO: New Threat on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:50 pm
In response to your statement”I am quite tired of waiting. How long should we wait? Till we retire? So are we going to suffer for the next 10-20 years and then enjoy, only to tell us that there are some more changes and we need to wait another 10-20 years?”, i have a question.
Why are you sitting and waiting for the Government to make changes and better your life? If you believe that the government isn’t doing enough, you need to respond in a constructive manner.
@ Don’t be fooled on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 8:49 pm
Your observations are on the right track. It is a non-affair.I read a good sample and I also agree with “Humble one on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:25 pm” of the “myopic views that Singaporeans have”.
The $1.1 billion productivity enhancement budgeting spread OVER 5 YEARS is absolute PEANUT, annualised as rated against the total budgetary spending. Ministerial pay already a large percentage compared to this expenditure item. People see things on the surface – not the substance nor totality of significance.
And the little “giveaway” could even found silly comments among a few when the truth is that budgetary deficit tied the Government’s hand. In short the Govenment has got no surplus to give – A NON-AFFAIR and MSM boasted that majority expressed satisfaction with this Budget.
What satisfaction they got – apart from having their eardrum being disturbed momentarily hear of this budgetary event news? After the budget, how do you know no new surprise levy to take away what little they give you?
Nobody depends on bugetary “give” for survival – no employment in totality is the worse curse for many with family burden.
And if the productivity spending drive increase productivity by 100%, it will only lift our productivity gain from 1% in the last 10 years to 2% – in effect adding 1% to the GDP. What does that do for this economy in terms of job creation of this 1% gain in GDP -if at all attainable of 100% gain in productivity.
In substance, nobody asked why productivity is so slow of growth. Ask those on the operating managers what is the causes of it.Migration of all kinds – the workplace is filled with cheaper but low quality migrant, SO A LOT OF TIME, ENERGY, CONCENTRATION, FOCUS AND PRODUCTIVITY IS LOST IN INTENSIVE CLOSE SUPERVISION, CO-ORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION from management and from work teams co-ordinating among themselves.Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and even HK’ers don’t have this kind of PRODUCTIVITY BOTTLENECKS.
And on the roads, congested – everything gets slowed down once infrastructure is overloaded. Imagine if you are the boss and waited an hour in the banking Q or in a hospital Q, you lost an hour of time in productive work. So what does this productivity training do any good for you when productivity bottleneck is choked by unsustainable overload of migration influx on all facilties and services. THERE IS A POINT OF NEGATIVE RETURN in all factor input including time resources.
WHAT THE BUDGET SHOULD HAVE REALLY DONE IS INCREASE THE LEVY FOR FOREIGN WORKERS BUT USE THAT MONEY BACK TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY IN EXPORT DRIVES GENERATE INCOME AND TO CREATE JOBS. THIS IS REAL PRODUCTIVITY GAIN. FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF EFFORT, I GET MORE REVENUE AND PROFITABILITY AND SPREAD OVER MY OVERHEAD OVER LARGER UNITS OF OUTPUT. MY COSTS WILL BE LOWER AND VALUE ADDED HIGHER.
INSTEAD THE GOVERNMENT POCKET THAT MONEY SO THAT MINISTERS COULD GET HIGHER PAY AGAIN?
how stupid of this budget’s priority. They think productivity is just squeezing more out of labour and material input and NOT EXPANDING THE OUTPUT SIDE OF THE EQUATION WHICH THE GOVERNENT COULD FACILITATE BUT DID NOTHING IN THS BUDGET EXCEPT SLAPPING THEIR OWN BACK IN SELF-PRAISE.
WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!!!!
@Anonymous, crc, Alpha
I see that you guys (or gals), in trying to criticise TR, failed to see that you are slapping yourselves in your face.
The Straits Times article, in saying “Majority of Singaporeans are happy with the 2010 budget”, also relied on about 200 feedbacks received from the REACH website. So, what say you? TR is as credible as Striats Times reporting? Please read carefully before you criticise. I think you owe TR a sincere apology.
@PAP supporter
i need to chop off that hand that fed me since there is deep wound that is bleeding me dry now. If not,I will lose me life in the long run.
@ Don’t be fooled:
while there are still much about your comment that i don’t agree with, i certainly appreciate that there is at least some amount of analysis and justification as to why the 2010 budget is disappointing.
and i agree that i am also disappointed that there aren’t much ‘goodies’ and ‘ang baos’.
one interesting observation though, if the govt did give a lot of goodies and ang baos, i am sure TR will still have tonnes of disparaging things to say about the Budget. like how it is trying to bribe voters la, how it’s only the prelude to worse times to come, etc etc…
I am disappointed as well.
Dear TR, some people may find it easy to say that your responses number is not enough to reflect a majority.
I would like to clarify that majority of Singaporeans don’t even know what the budget is about and what it means for them.
But for Singaporeans in the know and reading alternative media like myself, we are of course disappointed.
Anonymous on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:17 pm,
Kojak? A single-tracked anti-establishment fanatic who’s in cahoot with a spammer with anger management problems?
Yawn.. he’s never spoken with any business owners, right? Maybe he doesn’t really care about the welfare (or rather votes) of business owners and their families and the Singaporean dependencies on these businesses.
The title is clearly inaccurate. You cannot extrapolate majority of comments on one internet webpage to mean majority of Singaporeans. Please do brush up on your reporting.
@PAP supporter on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:50 pm
“Show some gratitude to the PAP! If not for them, will you be here today?Stop biting the hand which feeds you!…..you say?
PAP simply took over what the British left ;PAP did NOT build Singapore but the British did.
Go and read some history about Singapore..I read this historical book written by 3 Englishman published sometimes in 1919(?)…about the history of Singapore from 1819 to 1918; before LKY was born.
Very interesting and informative.Great details and statistics on SG demographic and how it grew…Singapore was already a great city well before the birth of LKY…In fact LKY ancestors migrated from Palembang(Sumatra)to SG precisely to take advantage of fortunes which SG offered.Since Palembang itself was the greatest Chinese outpost even before Singapore or Malacca.
People from all over the globe flocked to Singapore well within 30 years of it’s founding by Raffles in 1819..Particularly from Malacca.
Singapore was shinning even before PAP came into being or hatched.Because of the British foresight to use our greatest asset–the PSA !
The government is too anxious and eager to grow Singapore by anxiously importing so many foreigners and talents, offering them PR and citizenship in the blink of eyes.. The MRT is getting overcrowded very morning and evening rush hour now.. even during off peak hour, you can see a group of passengers.. The implementation of ERP didn’t solve much of the jam problem… The government need to come up with some more constructive solution before the problem really hit us if they are importing more “citizens”. Do we have to increase so much in population and get our little island so overcrowded… i.e. like Shanghai and Hongkong? Another thing is, the peak hour charges for taxi should eliminate.. to divert some traffic from MRT to cab; some may consider taking cab instead of owning a car for places with no MRT; and utimately this will create some employment opportunity too, as cabbies.. as there are still a lot of people out of job. I just attended a company’s cocktail party, just the other day.. Organised for its clients. Majority of these attendees in the party, who are of senior positions, are either foreigners or foreigners with a PR or being offer a citizenship. I can really feel the heat and stress like most Singaporeans, on this ever-increasing foreign talents, competiting with us over senior positions… in this little crowded island
@ PAP supporter on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:50 pm
” Show some gratitude to the PAP! If not for them, will you be here today? Stop biting the hand which feeds you!”
You are one of those whose mindset is exactly like
No PAP = You DIE
Make no mistake, we are grateful to the pioneer old guard and some 2nd generation leaders. But it doesn’t mean that we have to continue to support the current group if somethings are seriously wrong. Please get rid of the blind faith, otherwise we are heading for crash. If there are no sensible, logical, rational and fearless voice to challenge and debate with PAP,
how would you know whatever they do are correct? Don’t tell me there are debate in parliament, those are mostly fake and put up just for show, the few OP’s are too weak in strength to provide a meaningful challenge.
Btw, Nation building requires great team work, capable national leaders and diligent people are both needed and both are as important. While you said that we bite their hand, we can also say that they bite ours, while we make our living from businesses or our employers, they make their living from us, the people. Get it?
The opposition is silly, I challenge them to come up with an alternative Budget and let us compare. Dont just criticise the Government to score cheap political points with the electorate. Anyway, I am confident the PAP will win at least 70% of the popular vote in the next election, given our strong economic fundamentals and increasing standards of living in Singapore.
If we seriously believe that the electoral process will bring meaningful change to our daily lives we are even more delusional than we care to admit.
Look at history, name me an authoritarian regime which has willingly relinquished power at the ballot box.
It is more likely that the state turn the gurkhas on us and the country burning before they leave the office.
@PAP_Loyalist
You can carry on with your mental masturbation.
The only way they can win more than 70% is by CHEATING. Period.
I would love to see a new government and see which army Old Fart going to bring in.
Don’t rate gurkhas too high unless they are bullet proof.
Nowaday these gurkhas are commercialize lot. They are not in the same league as their forefather.
TR you too presumptuous to assume the dissatisfaction to represent the majority based on just a straw poll.
Personally I am also disappointed but have no feeling if my feelings are the same with those of the majority.
Maybe you can conduct an on-line survey
@PAP_Loyalist on Thu, 25th Feb 2010 1:16 am
I do not agree with you, I feel and hope that PAP will return to power at the next elections but with less than 60% of the seats.
This will be a real win win for Singapore and even PAP as this will help bring them down to earth from the arrogant self assuming state that they can do no wrong when they have done so many things to upset so many citizens.
@Humble One
Yes. I have done waiting.
I am already trying to respond in a constructive manner.
FYI, not all of us are “waiting for the Government to make changes and better your life”. If we feel that the govt is doing a good job, we weren’t be here at TR giving comments.
FYI, I m not even interested in politics.
Like most of us here, we just feel that the recent policies doesn’t benefit SG at all.
I think it is reasonable to expect that if we are paying our govt such high salaries, we expect less trial and error in their policies.
@PAP_Loyalist
Can you tell us what you are happy about in the budget?
I’m a singaporean woman. Why should I give birth & bring baby to stressful spore island to suffer?
My hb & I married for 1 year but
- no house for baby. we are renting a room.
- no $$ for baby. we have to pass 2k to our parents monthly and save $$ to buy a house.
- no time for baby. my company always demand me to bring our work home to do at night. where got the time & attention to spend on baby?
- risk losing my job. some companies fire female staff once they know they are pregnant
SgWatcher on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 11:17 pm
You got it all wrong!
Singaporeans should be dissatisfied with the Budgets and TR got it right contrary to what is claimed in MSN.
The budget did NOT deal with the underlying substance of issues faced by the economy – the lack of sizeable successful export-driven industry sectors of our own.
@ those who support PAP – PAP does make Singapore grow… and most importantly, it makes the people in their organisation burst with $$$ in their pockets…
@ those who do not support PAP – the ending is clear… PAP still win because all of us do nothing but to work like a slave in offices and write in comments like that…. how useful is that? and even if PAP’s votes drop, they will still win cos there is uncertainty if there is new government, and us being singaporeans the kia-si ones, will play safe to save our own backside…
happy new year…
To PAP supporter,
Excuse me…who are actually paying the “bitten PAP hands” the monies, benefits of such hard labour and sacrifices for their upkeep these past many years?
It has always been the peoples of singapore from way back till now. The “bitten hands PAP” should be grateful to us and should NOT be biting the peoples hands who have been feeding them for so many years…and get what ultimately…what exactly? More indirect/direct taxes? More glib insults? More wayang? More BS policies? What…what quantifiable value or quality of life are we exactly getting? To become the peasants always in all but name is it! Or something even worse then peasants…mindless slaves is it! For god sake, we are in the 21st century…not some 12th Century noble class and peon class crap.
So who is biting whose hands actually? Please re-think on this independently and be better for it. You deserve better!
If all else fails, please go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF3D2oiy6YA
If still fail…guess you have to go here then:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eesZBfTj0cU
Sad for myself and for everyone else in singapore : (
@ humble one
THe only reason that the gahmen have surplus is because we SAVED our hard earn moneies. Do remember that this gahmen just lost billions in investment and rescue schemes of foreign banks.
@PAP supporter
Admire your loyalty, but this PAP is NOT the PAP of 1960s and 1970s. This PAP is a money greedy party that give themselves yearly increment in salary with our MONEIES…. THAT MEAN WE ARE THE ONE FEEDING THEM!!! not the other way round
@PAP_Loyalist,
I believe majority need to chop the PAP hands off before they help themselves with even more money. At this rate plus the losses in Billions, even you have to consider biting their balls off instead of licking them, right ?
“The PAP MPs have been singing praises of it in unison”
Of course they are all happy and will jump to support the Budget, because their salaries will be increasing sooner with all the extra levies. Only the private sector salary remains the same in “freezing” position at ridiculous market rate and no MPs care less about it! It is not a matter of PAP or the oposition. It is about people’s rice bowl and their lives.
MPs should look into the private sector salary scale and give a strong wake up call to “sleep acting” employers to pay according to the work being done. Most of the workers are stressed with multitasking at a lower so called “market rate” pay.
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
JOBS FOR FOREIGNERS, NS FOR SINGAPOREANS
I think PAP are running out of ideas as the young talented scholars ( within the PAP ) are deprived from empowerment and do as instructed.
Firstly, we gave PAP e chance to mould us into a 1st world org
Secondly, less foreigner means more opportunities and better payscale
Thirdly, babies are not made from cocoon, I watch my wife endure each day and bein paid for a mere $3k BB bonus over 2yrs jus to suffice our responsiblities wif excruciating liabilities ard us
We aint bitin e hand dat feed us.. We jus wana b feed rite…
Lastly, e reason we succeed is due to our sacrifice to enables e stability of our very own economy not thru our products..
But to e very important source of our very own soil.. US!!!
Cmon guys wake up.. I believe TOTO can be rigged.. So wat do u tink?
Prove urslf wrong dat ur voice can b heard by e rite vote. Sum1 is so not getting my vote no more.
Voicing 4 our children and e nex generation, we’ll suffer by e law dat we voted for..
Coz I dun nd dat packet of rice, I worked for mine…
i kinda disappointed with the bubget announce…i have 2 babies and the living standard is rising forever, i was expecting more relief for us who need to work hard and late and have lesser and lesser time with our loved ones.
I have posted the following comment in the Yahoo forum and that forum is now shutdown due to “community guidelines”, as explained by Yahoo:
As a professional at the age of 60 years old, I am disappointed with the 2010 budget. First of all let me show you how those tax reliefs do not really mean anything to me:
1. Parents/grandparents reliefs – They died long ago.
2. Spouse relief of S$2,000 – This spouse relief has been there since colonial era, although minor adjustment made during the LKY era but in real money term the relief has shrinks substantially.
3. Dependant relief – My children as grown up long ago
4. Medisave top-up of S$300 – To me, this is more of a gimmick hopefully that those mostly less educated senior citizens would buy it. I don’t see how it really benefit people in my age group considering the amount is less than 1% of the minimum medisave amount that needs to be maintained with CPF Board. My last medical bill was more than S$16,000 with one minor operation in NUH. The explanation notes said that it benefit about one million Singaporean and cost the government S$310 million – my interpretation is that we have a Singaporean population of about 4 million of which 25% of them are 50 years old or older. Is this a fact or we have mixed up between Singaporean and PR.
5. Medifund of S$200 million/ElderCare Fund of S$200 million – It sounds good to me but I guess I will never benefit from it for either I cannot afford the cost of the medical treatments even after the relief or the attitudes of some of those arrogant staff specially assigned to handle elderly patients, such as those handling cancer patients in TTS as complained by patients. I will prefer to die than to be mistreated.
6. OSEA top-up – I am far beyond the era.
7. Lifelong learning benefits – I don’t see how I could benefit from it unless I wish to downgrade to manual worker. I promise to pray and make donation to church or temple if I get a pay rise or bonus increase. My bosses will fire me if I express my intention to take up courses – it will take away the free overtime hours I have to put in.
8. Donations encouragement – In my opinion this is only for the rich and the corporate world. I donate within my means with or without encouragement from the government.
9. Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) – I am neither a high or low income worker, so I got stuck in between.
10. There was an example of a family living in a 3-room HDB flat having an overall income of S$2,600 per month that could expect a total of S$2,900 benefits this year – First of all I don’t see how a couple could afford that 3-room HDB flat with the market price of such flat gone beyond S$300,000. They could either rent a 2-room flat forever or live at the road side with their parents. The example did not mention about their children and that was exactly what I thought – How dare they have child?
Other than the above comments, I would also like to express my opinion on other issues of the Budget 2010:
a. The government is intending to spend about S$5.5 billion for the next 5 years to raise productivity of which S$2.5 billion to be spent on Continuing Education and Training (CET) – I would believe that corporations (mainly foreign and government related corporations) will benefit most, and wonder how many Singaporean could benefit from this budget amount. If this budget truly aims to help Singaporean then it may probably benefit Singapore for the long run but if big portion of this budget goes to foreign corporation and/or foreign workers than I would like to ask why should we train those foreign workers to compete with us? The government should show the studies made on the subject to convince us that the main beneficiaries are Singaporean and those devoted to the country.
b. Raising Foreign Worker Levies – In my opinion the increases rarely scratch the surface of the employment problems of local workers. The saving of majority of our foreign talents of one month’s salary of about S$1,500 is equivalent to the saving of about one year if they would to work in their home country but S$1,750 monthly wages will be pathetic basing on current cost of living in Singapore. This poor Singaporean will not afford wife or child if he is still single and if he is married he will be in trouble – unable to buy those “affordable” HDB flat, may need to abandon his parent for cost reason and no kid. So maybe we should send this poor Singapore to further his education but unfortunately his foreign bosses won’t agree to that. Those foreign bosses will prefer sending their “graduate” drivers/workers and upgrade their cheap labors for few possible reasons: they came from the same country; this worker is happy of his income considering the very low cost of living (less than 20% of Singapore COL) in the country he came from; this worker will perform any work assigned including driver, cleaner and/or helper’s work as foreign talent…
c. In my opinion, the main problem average Singaporean facing is the high and ever increasing cost of living and the main reasons for the high cost of living is our government’s dependent on revenues derive from these group of average Singaporean. Cost of properties is directly and indirectly affecting the cost of doing businesses and living here – an example is cost our 3-room flat has increase more than 30 times for the last 35 years or so but the increase of our income is again pathetic in comparison. In my opinion, we should ensure that our HDB flats are within reach of Singapore and PR should pay the so call “market price”. The PR could become Singapore easily as we all know but their problem is that they prefer to have the benefits of both worlds – make as much money as possible (including the sale of their HDB flats when they leave this poor country), use these money earned here to spend in their home country (including much cheaper housing) and return to their home country for retirement after they have made enough money and withdrawn their CPF sum. Singaporean are left with spiraling cost of HDB flats, unfair competition with cheap foreign talents from country with much lower cost of living, discriminated and ostracized in his own country with the supports of our government.
In Singapore, every government service is above cost and the subsidy are just market subsidy. I don’t understand how can they run into deficit ?
The budget is not helping lower to middle income family. All the reliefs of Education, spouse, property tax, U rebates and Medisave topup(Old folks) do not put cash into your pockets. They are just reliefs. For a struggling family, cash is king. What reliefs are useful if you dont have a stable income? What purpose to have a worker sent for skills upgrading and stuffs when he is about or have lost his job?
Raising levies on FT only meant to increase the coffers of the GOV, it is not intented to solve the social fabric problem of FT overcrowding our infrasture and jobs. The pittance increased in levies will not stop jobs going to FT but help increased the revenue collection by 300% for the GOV. Empolyers just pass the buck back to FT workers and consumers. How can such a lousy “throw money to solve problem” solution by our million dollars Minster? They still got the cheek to ask 8.8% pay raise?
These are the dirty tricks hallmarks of a pappies gov and the blatant wayang to the people their commitment to solve the problem. Only a FOOL will beileved. Internet has made them lousy liars incapable of putting up a good show.
The only solution to all SINGAPOREANS PROBLEMS is not productivity but to VOTE PAP OUT. OR REDUCED their 2/3 MAJORITY.
cskp,
what you said is 100% correct. When the company here employ an Indian boss, they will try to bring in their own people regardless of whether they can it locally. Some Singaporean are just idiots to believe in competititon but in reality, foreigners are forming their circle here to protect each other interest but the Singaporean still live naively to believe in competition.
Lee Hsien Loong has betrayed all Singaporean!!!
The Government has delivered on matters concerning policy, has helped widened Singapore’s social safety net to ensure that no one is left behind as we move forward together as a country, and I have faith that our Government will do just that in future; if they cannot perform and deliver results, then I dare all of you to vote them out, but the reality is different. They are delivering, they’re doing what they’re mandated to do by us, the people. Even then, if you look at Opposition parties, most of them are seriously bankrupt of alternative credible policies to even match PAP’s sound policies. Do you really trust the country’s future, including its economic prospects, to an amateur untested Opposition? Even their candidates lack quality!
Vote out LHL to save Singapore !!!
Deny PAP the 2/3 majority so that it cannot do what they like, make mistake as they like without having to consequence of their mistake !!!
Budget does little to address main issues faced by S’poreans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24zEOkWT6Oc&feature=player_embedded
@PAP_Loyalist on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 1:16 am
No one is left behind? We still see old folks working as cleaners for $700 or so, which is probably less than what the same job is getting 10 years ago… Old folks collecting cardboards, empty drink cans.. So who has moved forward?
I have always voted opposition in the past, and will continue to do so until we have true checks and balances in parliament, and a govt who listens to citizens’ concerns..
1. Talking about Feb 2012 GE? When the last Ge was in Jan 2006. And with a 5 years term should it in Jan 2011? Can any Singaporeans even though the MSM obviously can’t and report 2012 instead??? Why???…. OR…
2. Is it because that the standard 5 year has quietly been extended to 6 and we’re all UNAWARE??? EXCEPT of course the MSM ‘Mouth-Piece’ of pappy???
3. And to nerds like PAPSupporter… Please LAH!!! Haven’t I shared with you and your likes elsewhere in TR THAT Wisdom of…
“A nation without vision is soon gone”!!!
And didn’t I point out the key and operative word in it???
Please tell me which word it is??? I give you till to nigh or at most tomorrow morning!!! CLUE: It is not about just the governance. Pick the right word in the above wisdom quoted and tell us why convincingly to and I won’ call you “nerd” again!!!
Hello!!! Are you there and still around PAPSupporterSSS???
You look at things from a completely emotional, perverted and narrow angle. There are programmes available to help these old-folks, but what if they refused them to stay “financially independent”? Help is always there, but what if someone simply refuses on the basis that he/she wants to continue working? There are plenty of such cases.
NS Man no extra bonuses, yeah, great budget indeed.
Just a thought. I think whatever camps you belong to, you should not deny the fact that the PAP has thus far been doing a great job for Singapore Inc. There will always be those who are disgruntled for one reason or another and surely some must have legitimate reasons to be unhappy. It is for the ruling party to identify this lot to help them in the best possible way. Ideally, no one should be left behind when the country progresses. While track records show the PAP is likely to win again in the next election, it is perhaps better not for the PAP to win by an overwhelming majority as this could lead to arrogrance. In Singapore, the problem with the opposition is that the individuals are not well united. You can’t have too many chiefs to fight an uphill battle. There should be a genuine united front able to evolve credible alternative ideas for the country. The opposition party that will be able to do well will be the one that: (a) dares to recognize that the PAP has thus far been doing an overall excellent job and (b) sell the idea that there is a need for a credible opposition to ensure there are checks and balances. Be brave and go for broke – group people like Chiam See Tong, Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim, Sin Kek Tong and Kenneth Jeyatetnam in a GRC fight and the chances of winning a GRC will be enhanced. I am trying to be neutral and see the views of different camps. Make rebuttals by all means but in a gentlemanly way, I hope.
@PAP_Loyalist
So you feel that our govt FT policy is good for us? In the long run? Please explain why you think it is good?
The big strategic political problem with PAP’s Singapore is that the political playing field has become so distorted and skewed that it is heads I win, tails you lose for the Opposition.
If the PAP performed, or seemingly, they will claim,they performed; if things are not so good, as in these last year, they’ll say vote us out if you dare. (And they even dare to raise their salary in your face in a bad year close to election.)
For the political playing field, engineered by LKY, through the many years in absolute power, has seen to it, that it sucks up all talents and monopolise all and everyone that can do any good for the party and the the party’s vision of its state. (The people’s vision, if any, don’t matter.) Those that are any of real political competition are neutralised, exiled or incarcerated and hammered into timidity and submission.
It is a situation good for a party, obviously, but I do not think is good for a nation. One party states are not the most common in the world, and all are of odious reputations, and of repressive and oppressive regimes, from Zimbabwe, North Korea, Mynamar, to China.
And it is not from these countries that you get the ipod, Microsoft, Google, etc. Of course LKY and PAP likes to think or believe that Singapore is the exception, eg we have Creative Technologies, and maybe some more sooner or later. But if you are one who assesses chances and minimise risk taking, you probably bet on it happening later than sooner.
Also consider the behemoth China and its rebel island state, Taiwan. I am sure you will agree that the latter has a far more vibrant and bustling economy and with far more innovations and creativity. And Taiwan of course beats Singapore hands down in all these areas, and then some more.
A nation cannot be entirely hinged on just the successful performance of its political parties, even on a single party. A nation cannot collapse just because its political parties throw chairs at each other in parliament, stage sit-ins at its airports, and fabricate false charges against its opposition.
Is Singapore so fragile that one term of poor or alternative government can cause it to collapse in every dimension? Should not the greater dynamicism in politics in turn spur a greater dynamism in other aspects of Singapore society too, even as the AWARE controvesy and saga spur a greater sense of civil activism amongst usually apathetic Singaporeans, at least for a while?
And in any case we have had no experience whatsoever – and therefore no learning opportunity – for what life can be under an alternative government with a credible and strong opposition countering it. Despite all the risks, there is the possibility of some real and truly valueless lessons, and potential social advancement and political progress that can be attained if only we dare step out of our stale, molly-coddled, kiasu and kiasi shell and indeed vote with our hearts instead of our mere stomachs. And it have been said, no venture, no gain.
@So What
It’s interesting that you made mention of “behemoth China and its rebel island state, Taiwan”. I think your historical perspective needs a little re-alignment there. Pardon me, but allow me to recant the historical facts.
It was the Communists who rebelled against the Kuomintang government of (Nationalist) China after WW2 and took over the reigns of government through force in 1949, forcing the retreating Nationalists into their last stronghold on the island of Taiwan, where they fortified their positions bracing for a fight to the end (which never came).
The communists proclaimed a new People’s Republic of China and put their party leaders into political office. There has been no elections since 1949 up to the present. What they have was an election of party leadership. So, in effect, it was the rebels who took over power of China. At the other end, the elected Nationalist government, or vestiges of that government, continued to claim their “democratic” representation and rightful government of China, making their seat in Taiwan, and they have been conducting regular elections since. That was the reason why they consider themselves as the Republic of China.
This had created a headache for the United Nations as they are 2 claimants to being the representative of China – a rightful one (ROC) and the rebel one (PRC). But, as we are all well aware, the world is governed by money, and money talks. If your government is in control over an economy supported by a population of 1 billion people, your voice is more influential than the other claimant, whose economy is supported by a population of less than 30 million. Commercialisation is a numbers game.
All the countries with advanced economies, having much to lose, have switched their recognition of the representative government of China to the PRC over the last 40 years. Unfortunately for ROC, there are now only 23 states which recognise its political existence and maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, all of which are governments of small economies and small third world countries, viz. 4 in Africa, 6 from Oceania, 12 from Central & South America, and only 1 in Europe (Vatican City). These are all small states that do not leave any imprint in UN policies.
Even our PAP government is playing it safe by not recognisin Taiwan politically, but maintaining only trading & bi-lateral relations. That’s why ROC does not have a High Commission here, but only a (Trade Representative Office) in Singapore.
However, as it grows in strength, the situation may change in the future. Who knows what the future holds. Taiwan is now the 18th largest economy in the world, with total trade amounting to almost US $500b (2008). Its foreign exchange reserves of US $300b is ranked 4th largest in the world. That is probably why besides Singapore, the governments of US, Japan, India, South Korea, Russia, a few other smaller countries, and even PRC China maintain bi-lateral relations with Taiwan. The size of its economy and its effect in world trade cannot be disregarded.
So What on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 7:03 pm
I THOUGHT YOU PUT THOSE VIEWS ACROSS VERY WELL.
The obsession with political stability breeds complacency, inertia for and INDEED FEAR of change in a changing world obstructing risks taking and experimentation with new modes of thinking and behaviour to succeed in this evolving world.
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT.
How can past formulae holds the key to our future when change will force irrelevancy, redundancy and displacement all that is “status quo”?
In a nutshell of corporate strategy thinking
Strategy + structure = performance
If strategy is out of alignment or structure non-accomodative or facilitating of strategy, performance failure must be the necessary outcome.
And in an evolving turbulent conditions prevailing on the globalised stage, the failure to change strategy is fatal. And if the world forces you to change strategy (aka economic strategy) but you stubbornly refuse to re-design your structure ( aka political structure), how can you not get sub-optimal performance?
Politics becomes the biggest hindrance to economic progress. So what is the solution – change the political structure. And Singaporeans has to do it even the Government of the day refuses.
The only other choice is economic oblivion.
It’s kind of sad, that government could take 200 comments from millions of people to do their budget for all singaporeans. In hard times where as companies are tightening staff salary due to foreign workers competition in the job market. Which tax relief that my family qualify that the government gave out so proudly in the budget 2010.PLEASE GOVERNMENT WAKE UP WE SINGAPOREANS IN REALLY NEED OF HELP NOT SOME KIND OF TAX RELIEF THAT 1/2 OF THE COUNTRY DO NOT EVEN QUALIFIED.
@ PAP_Loyalist on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 1:16 am
I do NOT know how you came to the fanciful assertions and conclusions you did.
“The Government has delivered on matters concerning policy, has helped widened Singapore’s social safety net to ensure that no one is left….. They are delivering….”
delivered on matters concerning policy??? How many Ministers, living on staring-at-the-truth in total denials finally succumbed to internet publishing to confess of having “caught off-guard”. And the ESC report on migration influx and nuclear energy option saw a turnaround within 48 hours. Yes, they did delivered on policy FAILURES from housing to national security to gross economic mismanagement and luminary failures in wealth management. And nobody left behind?? I don’t care about Gini Coefficient exclamation make oil and water looks at perfect mix and lot of natural gas as well. These are of past tense context.
“And they are delivering…”???
Really?
ESC took 9 months of a high-powered committee’s careful consideration and recommendation including nuclear option. Backflipped within 48 hours – how many nuclear power plant engineers in that team or came from the nuclear industry? I can’t figure that one out when you asserted, in comical jest of self-entertainment perhaps,
“Opposition parties, most of them are seriously bankrupt of alternative credible policies to even match PAP’s sound policies. Do you really trust the country’s future, including its economic prospects, to an amateur untested Opposition? Even their candidates lack quality!
Perhaps, you could be more illuminating to answer the following questions
1. In the worst of economic crisis requiring mid-term of 5 year mandate an aggressive ESC review of the economy, how did the Government managed to achieve and deliver a Budget which one measure of its vibrancy by a few tax “relief” to voters, a marginal increase in foreign worker levy, and $1.1 billion productivity spending over 5 years ( exaggeration of a puny $200 million per year peanut) and a 8.8% ministerial salary increase???? THE SMALLEST UNIMAGINATIVE SOLUTION TO THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS POLICY PRACTICE???
THE WORST ADMITTED ECONOMIC CRISIS COULD ONLY PRODUCED THE MOST BLAND TASTELESS BUDGET RELEVANT TO DRIVE, STIMULATE AND FACILITATE A CHANGE OF ECONOMIC DIRECTION SINCE INDEPENDENCE??
2. Why is BIG CRISIS encouraging of only small baby steps of monetary and fiscal policy which is evident to me a blank of policy initiative and ideas – is this not bankrupt of policy alternatives inside the Government?
3. Or is this the usual recent habit of Government policy formulation of no achievement – the most “effective” policy they could come up with is the SIMPLEST SOLUTION TO THE BIGGEST PROBLEM SYNDROME – exactly like dumping this place with migration influx as the economy slides into rapid decay disintegration???
4. How can the economy is said to be delivering when the aggregate forecast growth is 5.5% (mid-range between 4.5% to 6.5%) in 2010 and a negative actual growth of 3.5% in 2009 after $20.4 billion fiscal stimulus? That is to say a net 2% growth over 2 year interval measuring to 1% growth per year while they pumped in 10% increase in population base to lift domestic consumption spending??
You are either ignorant of reality or informed statistcis of the Government’s publishing or you read too much of the “national-building” news publishing of delusion and public deception. Or is it not? Or are you part of that public deception of delusional assertion – supported only by your preferred loyalist slant here??
@ PAP_Loyalist on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 1:16 am
I do NOT know how you came to the fanciful assertions and conclusions you did.
“The Government has delivered on matters concerning policy, has helped widened Singapore’s social safety net to ensure that no one is left….. They are delivering….”
delivered on matters concerning policy??? How many Ministers, living on staring-at-the-truth in total denials finally succumbed to internet publishing to confess of having “caught off-guard”. And the ESC report on migration influx and nuclear energy option saw a turnaround within 48 hours. Yes, they did delivered on policy FAILURES from housing to national security to gross economic mismanagement and luminary failures in wealth management. And nobody left behind?? I don’t care about Gini Coefficient exclamation make oil and water looks at perfect mix and lot of natural gas as well. These are of past tense context.
“And they are delivering…”???
Really?
ESC took 9 months of a high-powered committee’s careful consideration and recommendation including nuclear option. Backflipped within 48 hours – how many nuclear power plant engineers in that team or came from the nuclear industry? I can’t figure that one out when you asserted, in comical jest of self-entertainment perhaps,
“Opposition parties, most of them are seriously bankrupt of alternative credible policies to even match PAP’s sound policies. Do you really trust the country’s future, including its economic prospects, to an amateur untested Opposition? Even their candidates lack quality!
Perhaps, you could be more illuminating to answer the following questions
1. In the worst of economic crisis requiring mid-term of 5 year mandate an aggressive ESC review of the economy, how did the Government managed to achieve and deliver a Budget which one measure of its vibrancy by a few tax “relief” to voters, a marginal increase in foreign worker levy, and $1.1 billion productivity spending over 5 years ( exaggeration of a puny $200 million per year peanut) and a 8.8% ministerial salary increase????
THE WORST ADMITTED ECONOMIC CRISIS COULD ONLY PRODUCED THE MOST BLAND TASTELESS BUDGET RELEVANT TO DRIVE, STIMULATE AND FACILITATE A CHANGE OF ECONOMIC DIRECTION SINCE INDEPENDENCE??
2. Why is BIG CRISIS encouraging of only small baby steps of monetary and fiscal policy which is evident to me a blank of policy initiative and ideas – is this not bankrupt of policy alternatives inside the Government?
3. Or is this the usual recent habit of Government policy formulation of no achievement – the most “effective” policy they could come up with is the SIMPLEST SOLUTION TO THE BIGGEST PROBLEM SYNDROME – exactly like dumping this place with migration influx as the economy slides into rapid decay disintegration???
4. How can the economy is said to be delivering when the aggregate forecast growth is 5.5% (mid-range between 4.5% to 6.5%) in 2010 and a negative actual growth of 3.5% in 2009 after $20.4 billion fiscal stimulus? That is to say a net 2% growth over 2 year interval measuring to 1% growth per year while they pumped in 10% increase in population base to lift domestic consumption spending??
You are either ignorant of reality or informed statistcis of the Government’s publishing or you read too much of the “national-building” news publishing of delusion and public deception. Or is it not? Or are you part of that public deception of delusional assertion – supported only by your preferred loyalist slant here??
@ PAP_Loyalist
I notice you and Humble One are no longer commenting.
But I hope you are still reading the comments.
Please have a look at the article below.
Please look at the “Legal Charge and Conviction”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharman_Shanmugaratnam
“Nation-building” publishing says “majority” are happy with Budget 2010.
SERIOUSLY funny that AFTER SO MANY DAYS PAST AND CYBER RUMBLINGS, SM. GOH join the media “warfare” to assert that “this year’s Budget may be seen as “unexciting” to some Singaporeans”
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20100301/tap-829-sm-goh-says-budget-2010-transfor-231650b.html
He ventured further to claim that it is nonetheless strategically important because it is a “transformational” Budget.
I DON’T KNOW HOW “TRANSFORMATIONAL” this tacitly acknowledgedly “unexciting” budget is or could be transforming the economy with no major spending initiative other than disporportionate rise in Ministerial salary of 8.8% when the economy tanked to negative growth.
The only transformational aspect I could see is “DO NOTHING” TRANSFORMATION along the lines of ESC recommendation which they “accepted” WITH SOME DEGREE OF IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE and then backflipped of key planks within 48 hours.
Of course the “national-building” new publishing is extremely excited with the aclaimed “migration influx” and nuclear option to FULL FRONTAL but when it was reneged 48 hours later, both “transformational” news did NOT even made it to FULL BACKSIDE publishing.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS CALLED NATION DECONSTRUCTION INGENUITY LOST IN THE MUDDLE AND CONFUSION OF IRRATIONAL EXUBERANCE.
As a matter of fact about the world is changing fast and so we must also “adapt”! And thus F1 ans also CASINOS Are now BORN over his living body. OOH NO! He didn’t go back on his word about “over his dead” body on casinos. But then… AND SO HE DID didn’t he with Singapore Pool on gambling expansion nation wide under GCT’s ambit as PM? NATION WIDE Toto, 4D, Horse Racing and many others to occupy the retired and retrenched helpless minds not like ONE-BIG-ISLAND-WIDE CASINO Already ARE???
Who is more morally “DAFT”??? US or the one who loves to DEMEAN even others who have voted for him and ut him up there… out of fear or does not matters for they gave him vote!!! BETRAYED!!! Indecency makes man Sick to The Bones as sturmtruppen said elsewhere in TR!!! PAP YAKS and IS YAKKS
the budget shows that the govt don’t have enough money. period. this is a regressive budget. look at budget from other countries in the past,we are in a similar state to signal a start of our decline.
but don’t worry, levies, gst, taxes will be raised. they are trying for a balanced budget anyhow. we will continue to have a deficit, if not managed properly, will slowly balloon. aging population is the main cause.
i will not be fooled. i will not vote for this budget.
I am very disappointed not in the budget but rather with these highly paid individual, they are a disappointment! nothing is good for the us people of Singaporean. Look at the elderly, what benefits do they get ? See the workers, so afraid of foreigner taking over their jobs, Hawkers are paying very high rents to do business, Electricity is forever high, etc etc etc., do any of these people raise any good and pratical issue about these ?? for the benefits of us ? Increase this, increase that, are they only good at these ? DISAPPOINTMENT ! DISAPPOINTMENT ! DISAPPOINTMENT !
@PAP_Loyalist:
ok we get it.pap is the greatest and countries like usa,japan,china should all follow sg model of gov.we know we should be forever grateful to pap for what they did and continue to not question their actions and continue to trust them……
mind if i ask”WHAT KIND OF WEED ARE YOU SMOKING????!”U STILL ADHERE TO THE CONFUCIAN STYLE OF BLIND OBEDIENCE??? or has the mental masturbation that u so frequently give urself,has made u unable to even see things from another perspective.
we sure as hell know pap is one of the worse gov around,only a notch below north korea’s.and nothing will change our perception of that,not even till hell freezes over.and of course we sure as hell know we cannot get you to see things from our perspective.so why bother coming here and trying to make us out as villains???
one thing is for sure,lee kwan yew is going to die.and i will be here to witness it.on top of it,it will be good riddance once and for all.
and if you cannot accept that,in the words of a certain old man,that’s your problem.
now get out of my uncaring elite face!!!
Someone artistic should come out with a serious looking guy pointing his finger and saying “THE NEXT ONE COULD BE YOU … replace by a foreigner”
8.8% payrise for PAP…how do they justify this pay increase. I’m sure Obama have bigger issues than that, and he did not asked for a 8.8% for his current US 400K per year salary.