Colling off period for General Election

There will be no new posting in this blog of article or comments for Friday and Saturday - to observe the colling off period. Postings will resume on Sunday. 


If you want something to read, you can read the past postings in this blog, or in the general election portal (www.easyapps.sg/sgep) or in the websites of the political parties (see the blog list on the right).


Have a great weekend.

Cast your vote for change on 7 May 2011

Received in a SMS

A week ago, a group of courageous Singaporeans began a campaign to win the hearts and minds of their fellow citizens. They have limited resources but are driven by conviction, passion and a desire to do what is right for Singaporeans. 


They echoed how we feel in their speeches. They inspired us with a vision for a better tomorrow. They fought their best fight they could what what little resources they had to give us a chance to bring about a change in Singapore.


After 45 years, this country has reached a cross-road, these men and women have done all they can against great obstacles to create an alternative path that leads to a better future.


It is now up to us which path we choose to take ... 

Future for our children

Dear Mr Tan
Something happened this morning that prompted me to send this email:-
Early this morning at about 3.30am, i brought my son to the A&E Department of a govt-reconstructed hospital.  There were 3 doctors on duty, out of which 2 are FILIPPINOS, I did not get a closer look or talked to the 3rd one to ascertain her nationality.  This was a vast difference from 1 or 2 years ago when I visited the same A&E department where the doctors spoke in an accent that I am familiar with.
Anyway, after the doctor has examined him, the doctor asked my son to go a nurse who would administer Vandoline to him.  The nurse heard his cough and immediately asked him to cough a few times, and asked him to go back to the doctor to be re-examined.  
Apparently, the sound of his cough could signify that he has contracted a certain virus "Croop" (think so as I can't really understand the Doctor's accent).   He brushed the nurse's comments aside.  
The second time we went in to see the doctor, he heard my son's cough and voice and decided to prescribe a medicine for him, which i think it's for the virus "Croop" as I heard the same nurse saying "I told you just now".
This incident speaks a lot to me:-
(a) The entry to our medicine faculty is very stringent and limited.  I have heard students who can't get into the local university end up going overseas to study medicine.  Isn't it strange that the Goverment are so stringent with fellow Singaporeans and turning away talented Singaporeans, yet so openly embracing foreign doctors?
(b) Do they get Filippino doctors due to lower costs, thereby marginalising our local doctors?  I have seen alot of Filippino nurses in hospitals, this is the first time I see Filippino doctors, 2 out of 3 some more.
Can you imagine the future for our children?  I have always felt our education system is very stressful for children.  The Government have taken away their childhood and now they will be taking away their future if we continue to give mandate to our Government for the slack foreign policy!
A concerned mother


MY REPLY
Many citizens have the same concern. We need to vote alternative people into Parliament on May 7.

Don't rock Singapore's foundations

I received this e-mail for posting in my blog

Having read this, I feel that there is a lot of truth in what “feedmetothefish “ is saying, so I feel I should share it. It is just not true that the success of Singapore is due to just one man, LKY. There were others like Goh Keng Swee, Rajaratnam, Lim Kim San, Toh Chin Chye, Hon Sui Sen etc. whose contribution to the success of Singapore is significant. Most important of all, the success of Singapore is due to the hardworking people of Singapore. It should be common sense to all that all the citizens of Singapore contributed to the success of Singapore – the workers, the teachers, the taxi drivers, the small stall holders, the civil service, doctors, lawyers, office workers, managers, etc. all have contributed to the success of Singapore.

I tend to agree that even without LKY, Singapore could have succeeded anyway. I agree that the thing that irritated Singaporeans the most is the obscene pay rise of the ministers whose pay were already sky high. Couple this at a time when the poorer segments of the population were having a hard time struggling with high inflation (increase food prices, electricity, transport, rental etc) without any pay rise to adjust for inflation. The average Singaporeans have effectively become poorer.  I agree that our ministers should be highly paid. I think that 300,000 to 500,000 should be enough. 2 million or 3 million is ridiculous and immoral. Our leaders should take pride in public service and not just for the lure of money.  Read on and let me know what you think.

Vote for change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9TxiEYo7ww&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Nicole Seah speaks at Tampines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDJ3FGf_7v0&feature=youtu.be

My brother inlaw and some of my school mate will be doing the right choice.

Francis 

Call to supporters of opposition parties

Dear Mr Tan

 Please help to pass the below message to your reader.

 Thank You.

Pang

 Dear all opposition supporters

Though each of the opposition rallies attracted tens of thousands spectators, and there may be in total 200,000 attended the rallies, but 200,000 is only 9.09% of the total voters of more than 2.2 millions.   

Majority of the 90.91% (2 millions) of voters may not be aware of those issues raised during the rallies. So please work hard to convince these voters to vote for oppositions.

British book makers

My friend told me that the British book makers are expecting the PAP to lose 2 GRCs and 3 SMCs. This means that 10 to 15 opposition MPs will be elected into Parliament, but the PAP will still form the government. He thinks that Aljunied is a sure loss for PAP, based on the estimate by MM, and the other GRC could be Holland Bukit Timah (as Tan Jee Say is quite capable) or Bishan Toa Payoh.

Ministers with no responsibilities

Dear Mr. Tan
Please post this view in your blog.
I live in Bishan Toa Payoh, My family will all be voting for Mr. Chiam See Tong of the SPP. I want to share our reasons.
Why do we still need Mr. Wong KS of the PAP to continue as Deputy Prime Minster, when he actually has nothing to do? He has already given up the portfolio of the Home Affairs Ministry. The $3 million in salary that he draws each year can be better spent to help the needy and the poor.
I also find it a waste of public funds to pay the high salaries for Mr. Goh CT and Mr Lee KY.
If these people are willing to donate all of their salary to charity, and still enjoy the other perks of government, I will change my opinion of them.
I heard from a friend that several of our ministers own many properties outside of Singapore. Is it possible for the new Parliament to ask all office holders to declare their assets, as is the practice in many countries?
Thank you.


REPLY\
You have good points. Perhaps the other votes in Singapore will bear these points in mind when they cast their vote on 7 May.

TKL speech at NSP rally on 4 May 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKw8ahcS1Oo&feature=youtu.be

Chairman MAS reply on the 4 petitions

Let us go back more than 2 years. 4 petitions on the mini-bonds and toxic products were given to MAS. They refused to meet representatives of the petitioners. This is SM Goh's reply on why MAS could not meet any group of investors. He said "market sensitive information".

What market sensitive information? Is this the reason to refuse to meet people who have been victims of mis-selling? Why so aloof and stay in ivory tower? Actually, there is no market sensitive information-it is just a lame excuse.

SDP rally at noon at UOB Plaza

I will be speaking as a guest speaker at the SDP rally to be held on 5 May noon at UOB Plaza. Look forward to see you there.

TKL speaks at NSP rally on 4 May

Here is my speech as guest speaker at the NSP rally. TKL website

Why vote for Workers Party - Gerald Giam

Dear Mr Tan,

Polling Day is just two days away, on 7 May 2011. As you are aware, I am contesting as a Workers' Party candidate for East Coast GRC.

I would like to request your help in spreading the word and encouraging your friends and family who live in East Coast GRC (Bedok, Fengshan, Siglap, Changi, Simei) to please give me their support. I have visited almost all the HDB flats and landed properties in the constituency of 120,000 voters, however your word is still more powerful on your friends than my word is.

Below are some talking points you could consider forwarding to your friends. It's from my election rally speech last night. Please forward it to your friends, and ask them to forward it to their friends and family.

Thank you and happy voting!

Gerald

REPLY
I will ask all my friends and readers of my blog, who lives in East Coast GRC, to support and vote Gerald Giam, Png Eng Huat, Glenda Han and the other members of the WP team. I wish them all the best. Plrease read this message from Gerald Giam
http://easyapps.sg/sgep/admin/file.aspx?id=142

Open letter to Prime Minister Lee

I write this open letter to Prime Minister Lee on the changes that are needed to bring Singapore to the next phase of its future. Read TKL website.

Do you agree with this open letter? Share your views here.

Open letter from Tan Kin Lian

I have written this open letter to my fellow citizens of Singapore and urge them to vote for a MP who can be their voice in Parliament. I also discuss the consequence of four possible outcomes of this election. This should give courage to voters to vote for change. Please help to circulate my open letter. See TKL website or click here.

If you endorse this open letter, please give your particulars here.

Here are the people who endorse the letter and agree for their particulars to be published.

We need compassionate MPs

http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2011/05/paps-cynthia-phua-and-her-most-famous.html

Vote for Change II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1tzIRkIFs0&feature=related

Investment Alert

The home page will now show the new articles that have been posted for members. To view the articles, you to login with your user id and password. Membership is free.

http://easyapps.sg/assn/Org/Default.aspx?id=8

An act of defamation?

I received this email.

Dear Friends,

 Mr Goh Chok Tong said of the National Solidarity Party: "My sense is that it is a "No Substance Party"

Is this an act of defamation? Mr Goh is implying that the other party is inferior people. Would this comment hurt their working careers and personal relationship?

Unemployment rate

Hi Mr Tan,

 

I heard sometime back that the Spore unumployment rate dis-continue to count an employed person after 6 months.  It means that if a person is unemployed, he'd be included in the % for first 6 months only.  Could not recall where this info was from, and did not know if it's true. Also, is our way of computing unemployment rate same as other countries like US, UK?  If you have the answers, please post it in your blog.  Thanks.

REPLY

I am not familiar with the calculation fo the unemployment rate in Singapore. Let me ask some readers of my blogs.

Affordable housing?

http://easyapps.sg/sgep/admin/file.aspx?id=139

FISCA website - Singapore REITS

There is a list of REITS in Singapore with financial figures and the recommendation of a stockbroker. You can find it in the member section of FISCA (www.easysearch.sg/FISCA).

You can view the bottom right panel of the FISCA home page to see the new postings for members and the public. You have to login to view the postings for members.

Many REITS are giving a yield of 6% or higher. Before you buy these REITS, you should attend the talk organised by FISCA (see Events tab) to learn about what to look out for.

Vote buying

This citizen is disgusted with a minister giving ang pow to the elderly, which she say is similar to vote buying. Letter to SGEP

Arrogant men in white

Extract from someone's facebook. 

An hour ago, some men in white came knocking at my door. They greeted my mom & I, shook our hands while their photographers snapped pictures relentlessly. One man handed my mom a folded flyer and pointed his photo on the flyer to her saying, “That is me.” 
Another man looked into my house, saw that there were more people in the house and commented loudly, “Five more inside. We have seven votes now.”
And the man who pointed himself out in the flyer looked at us and said in a telling tone, “You all are voting for us.” With that, he turned and went into my neighbour’s house.

Dear sir,
I agree with you that there are seven votes. But with due respect, please, please don’t be so arrogant and assume that all seven votes will go to you. (Wait a minute, why the need to “respect” when you don’t deserve it to start with?)

So, why did you pop up at my house all of a sudden? All these years while your team members are governing our estate, why have we not seen any of your faces at all? Well, if you feel guilty about neglecting us, I don’t mind you coming over to say hello and to CHAT. I’d be glad to spend time with you in a Q&A session. But do not come disrupt me from my favourite “Criminal Minds” playing on cable at that time, show face in front of the camera and TELL us (like your boss always does) what to do.
Beng Tian

No proper accounting system

Dear Mr Tan 
I read with much interest on the articles on election, especially on the topics about reserves. I wonder who knows the figures in our reserves. Based on the link below, http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/02/president-ongs-interview-with-asiaweek-revisited/ it gives me a feeling that there is no proper accounting system and the power of a President. Pls publish this in your blog. 
Trinia

Vote for Change III

An excellent video. Watch it and decide on 7 May to vote for change.

Vote bravely in this general election

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v53_cx1gC9I&feature=player_embedded

Message from Nicole Seah

Nicole Seah calls on Singaporeans to elect MPs who can be their voice in Parliament. Read this message.

What Happened After 7th May 2011

kohsl88.blogspot.com.

Tan Jee Say speak of Goh Chok Tong

http://www.youtube.com/user/TODAYdigital#p/u/1/ZoyAIBJcCWg

WP Pritam Singh

http://www.youtube.com/user/TODAYdigital#p/u/4/HBbBmRh9Ibs

Collapse of PAP is not a great concern

I received this e-mail sent my Michael to his friend James.

Dear James,

Thank you for your sharing. This May 7th's GE will be a watershed one. However, with 82 parliamentary seats are contesting out of 87. More Singaporeans worry about voting for the Opposition might result in a 'dangerous' freak outcome where the PAP is left hamstrung in government, or even no longer in charge of Singapore. But many others, they believe that it's important to trim the excesses/fats of the PAP and change its arrogant attitude. The check and balance is crucial and for the general good of people. They argue that the infrastructure and civil service belong to people of Singapore not PAP, in which the PAP can not take away. With that, they are fairly confident that Singapore can carry on the business as usual. Moreover, when the opposition forms a coalition government, some of the 'YES' men/heavyweight ministers in PAP will jump ship, and they can be recruited to join the new government. So the issue of a collapse of PAP should not cause a great concern.

 

We, the ordinary/loyal citizens of Singapore(loving Singapore is our second nature) can only hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

 

May God bless Singapore and all Singaporeans always!

 

Michael

Threatening the people of Aljunied

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/aljunied-voters-will-regret-choosing-wp--mm-lee.html

When will he stop?

Does he know no other way of persuading people?

Did he forecast wrongly that led to the development of the current situation in Singapore, and Aljunied in particular?

Will he be threatening all other Singaporeans too?

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/pap-loses-aljunied-voters-5-years-repent-mm-155825423.html

More and more people are angry and disgusted by MM's raw threat to the people of Aljunied.

Why is he so desperate?

I had a conversation on this matter with my wife. I said I was surprised that MM and the SMs and other Ministers are so worried about losing incumbent Minister George Yeo, that he is made out to be so indispensable to the PAP and the nation. Then my wife uttered the mother of all philosophical remarks: "What if Minister George Yeo were to die tomorrow, by natural causes? What will MM, the SMs, the Ministers, the PAP and the nation will do?" I was stumped, of course, at the simplicity with which she dispensed the ridiculous notion of indispensability of anyone, be it MM. the SMs, the Ministers, and the others.

SDP Jarod Luo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4_0Pa8FT3A&feature=related

SDP Dr. Ang Yong Guan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuoCd7Kbc7o&feature=related

Osama bin Laden killed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzPBcBJ-oI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLrd87bSixU

Blackout on 6 and 7 May

I will not be posting any blogs or comments for 6 and 7 May. This is to observe the law on the blackout for the day before and on polling day. Although the blackout is for news affecting the election, I will be imposing this blackout on all postings, as it is difficult to judge what is or is not considered as affecting the election. Blogs and comments posted before 6 April will not be affected.

Tan Kin Lian

Workers Party East Coast Team

The team from the Workers Party contesting the East Coast GRC is quite impressive. Here are the Youtube videos of their rally speeches:

Eric Tan Heng Cong
Png Eng Huat
Glenda Han
Gerald Giam
Mohamed Fazli bin Talip
         
I know Eric Tan, Png Eng Huat and Gerald Giam. They are capable people. But, you can listen to their speeches and judge for yourself.

Letters to SGEP

There are many letters from the voters, that have been posted in this special section of SGEP. If you wish your letter to be published, send to sgeportal@gmail.com

Emotional Burden on Aljunid residents

Dear Mr Tan,
 
I refer to George Yeo's statement that now WP is coming in to contest in his ward and he feels uncomfortable and labeling it as causing Emotional Burden to his residents.
 
What is wrong with swaying voters? I thought that is what elections are all about. Just because the WP come in and contest in his GRC suddenly is causing ‘Emotional Burden’ (EB) to residents?
 
GY did not suggest how not we should not cause the EB syndrome in future. Suggest that all Oppositions stay in their respective Constituencies and not move about so will not cause any unnecessary EB to anyone?
 
Then what should the people label the fear-mongering tactics that the PAP employs on all the residents? ‘Traumatise’? The PAP should not traumatise voters in time of elections instead.
 
Kind regards,
Jason Yeo

NSP Nicole Seah at Whompoa Rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxD7_8nZjjA&feature=email

WP Png Eng Huat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFFv7hT1Pzc&feature=related

Straits Times Editorial

http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/2011/04/hidden-agenda-of-straits-times.html

WP Glenda Han

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKxq0XxQ1-8&feature=email

Same old story

http://www.temasekreview.net/2011/04/27/lee-kuan-yew-telling-old-%E2%80%98grandmother-story%E2%80%99-again/

Mr. Brown and the election

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2011/04/the-mrbrown-show-gee-ahruh-see-music-video.html

Singapore Parliament needs alternative voice

A citizen writes about the pressing need for an alternative voice in Parliament.
http://easyapps.sg/sgep/admin/file.aspx?id=127

Make the government sit up and listen to the citizens

Dear Mr. Tan,
 We need our citizens to put things right in this momentous junction of Singapore history.  We who believe in a just and fair society must do all we can to not allow autocratic and dictatorial rule to ever happen in Singapore.  The PAP is no more the PAP of yesteryears.  It is leading Singapore down a slippery of destruction if it does not stop controlling its political thought and its citizens' desire for freedom of speech, care for the poor and under privilged, a comfortable living standard for the average family, free from anxiety of escalating costs of living like housing, transport, health care, etc. We need to make the Government sit up and listen to its citizens before it is too late.  


KSL

LKY on how to cope with the cost of living

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1125935/1/.html

Here is a reply from a reader:
http://easyapps.sg/sgep/admin/file.aspx?id=126

Investment losses of GIC and Temasek

Dear Mr Tan
I am a resident of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and follows political news of my GRC very closely before I made my choice on 7 May. I was shocked on Mr Vivian Balakrishna's response to Channel NewsAsia last night when he said the portfolio of GIC and Temasek are back to pre-crisis peak and hear him saying the following:-

"In other words, there is no loss on national reserves. They are going around claiming losses on national reserves and town council reserves are pure fabrication." by Vivian Balakrishna.

As I am a homemaker and not well versed with statistics, I decided to just do a check on the internet and with a simple touch of finger, the following report appears:-
“Temasek Holdings sold its stake in British banking giant Barclays in December and January, at an estimated loss of between 500 million (S$1.2 billion) and 600 million pounds, sources told the Straits Times”. (Straits Times, 4 June 2009)

Lower gains made by Temasek due to the losses incurred does not equate to NO LOSS. No wonder he blows the YOG buget. Thanks to Vivian who has been helping me on my decision.

Heather

Estimated share of votes of PAP

This survey attracted 91 participants over night. Each participant has to ask at least 10 of their relatives, neighbors, friends and colleagues on how they will vote in the general election. The results are shown in TKL website.  Direct link here.