Provide dedicating parking zones for shared bikes

I suggest that the government should provide dedicated parking zones for shared bikes as part of the public infrastructure.  They should be located next to bus stops, MRT stations and shopping malls.

The users should be required by regulation to leave the shared bikes at the docking stations. This will allow the shared bikes to be docked in an orderly manner and also help other users to locate them.

It will help to promote the use of shared bikes and encourage the users to exercise as a healthy lifestyle habit.

Review the Privacy and Data Protection Act

The Privacy and Data Protection Act (PDPA) was passed in 2012.

Over the past five years, I have been asked to give my consent for my personal data to be collected by the organization whenever I call their call center. If I have to submit a form, I am also asked to read several praragraphs explaining that I have to give my consent for the personal data to be collected.

I have encountered the request for consent a few hundred times.

Surely, this consent is not necessary and could be dispensed with?

If I call a call center or submit a form, I know that my personal data will be used for that transaction. Do I have any choice at all? If I do not give my consernt, how can I get the service that is needed?

This request for consent was caused by the requirement of the PDPA. It states that "Organisations may collect, use or disclose personal data only with the individual's knowledge and consent (with some exceptions)".

I suggest that th requirement for the customer consent be removed.

It can be quite tiresome for the customer to spend a minute to hear this message, when they have to worry about getting the request or transaction to be accepted.

Wisdom of the Crowd - results

Here are the results of the voting in The Wisdom of the Crowd.

a) Should taxis be allowed to deliver goods for ecommerce companies? (50 Votes )

Majority say "Yes".But other voters have some concern. Find out more at:
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=207

b) Is Lee HL practicising double standard when he did not sue his siblings for defaming him? (53 Votes )

More than half says "Yes". Find out the views of the others at
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=205

c) Will US sanctions against Russia lead to a trade war or serious conflict? (47 Votes )

The views are varied. Find out here.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=206

Give your votes on the active issues in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Lee HL's style of government

I am unhappy with Lee HL's governemnt. They refuse to engage the public on issues of public interest, made odd decisions, and even refuse to explain their decisions to the public.

Here are some examples:

a) Design of the curved bridge between Singapore and Johor Bahu (Thank you Tuanku for bringing it up).

b) Why did it take 7 years to discuss this issue between the two governments and end up with an odd design.

c) Why did they charge Li Shengwu for scandalizing the court when many people like Kenneth Jeyaretnam had made stronger statements and were not charged?

d) Why did they expel Prof Huang Jing for "being an agent for a foreign country" when he was apparently doing his job to talk to people and get inputs for our government.

e) Why do they consider a person who has been involved in a senior positon with their party for 20 years considered to be suitable to be elected as an independent president?

Lee HL's highly paid ministers and civil servants must think that the ordinary Singaporeans are idiots. They are right. 70% are idiots for voting this kind of government.

Wisdom of the Crowd - new issues

Here are the new issues for your voting

a) Is it proper for the Johor Sultan to object to the design of the bridge?
b) Why does the experts plan a curved bridge for the RTS between Singapore and Johor Bahru?

Vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Wisdom of the Crowd - results

Here are the results on the voting at the Wisdom of the Crowd.

a) What will happen to President Donald Trump? (54 Votes )
The top choices are that he will complete one term or will be impeached.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=202

b) What will America do about North Korea? (47 Votes
Nearly half of the Crowd thinks that America will continue to ask China to deal with the problem. The next choice is a limited military strike.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=203

You can vote on other issues and win a prize.
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Superannuation in Australia is better than CPF

Check this video out

https://vimeo.com/145196703

Look how easy it is for me to make investment switches for my own superannuation investment and how much control I have over how my money is invested.

Look also at how much returns I'm enjoying. Depending on the fund I choose returns can be anything from 3.4% p.a. for Bonds up to 16.99% p.a. for Global Environmental Opportunities (e.g. renewal energy and its related areas).

CPF is a ponzi fund by comparison. With CPF you get no choice I believe. And a terrible ROI of 2.5% right? I don't see ANY benefit at all with CPF. They make it complicated to access information and it's rigid rules mean that you essentially have no power to decide how your money is invested.

Superannuation in Australia is fantastic by comparison.

Also the website of my super fund shows me the returns over time for the one dozen or so options I get to choose from. I am able to vary the time period and see the graphs adjust immediately. I take note of the peaks and troughs and decide on which investment option based on my own stomach for risk and return.

Most of the investment options are very well managed and therefore I choose the one with the highest returns. When that fund falls, the other funds also fall with it but the fall is mostly similar in magnitude. The gains however can be double for the same period. So over time, I actually gain more by investing in a "higher growth" option.

This particular super fund I'm with has been voted Australia's "best super fund" for a number of years. The competition among super funds also results in better investment products and scrutiny from consumers and super fund consumer groups.

I hope you find this insight useful.

Singapore Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS)

The Singapore Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) will be operational by 31 Dec 2024, i.e. 7 years time. It has already been discussed for 7 years since 2010. I wonder if it will really be completed by the deadline or will be further delayed by more discussions.

When it is operational, I expect that it will take the people who now travel by buses and train. There will be a joint clearance (I hope) so the time spent at the checkpoints will be reduced considerably.

In 7 years time, I will be 76 years old. I wonder if I can still travel to Johor Bahru? I also wonder if I will still be around?

Performance of ministers and agencies

The performance trend of ministers and agencies are now starting to show reliable results. The trend has stopped falling and is now moving slightly upwards for a few ministers and agencies. We now have sufficient number of votes (average of 200) to give a reliable indication.

http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/ChartJS.aspx

Among the agencies, bus performed best with a score of 48. MRT performed worse with a score of 18.

Among the first group of ministers, DPM Tharman has the highest score of 56. The lowest scores are for PM Lee with 23 and Khaw Boon Wan with 20.

Among the second group of Ministers, Lim Hng Khiang has the highest score of 33 (but the score keeps dropping). The lowest score in this group are for Lim Swee Say with 23 and Chan Chun Sing with 21.

Among the third group of ministers, Tan Chuan Jin has the highest score of 33. The lowest score goes to Grace Fu at 21.

Wisdom of the Crowd - new issues

Here are the new issues for you to vote and win a prize.

a) Will the construction of the Kra Canal pose a big threat to Singapore's economy
b) Should new citizens and permanent residents be required to serve National Service?

Vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Wisdom of the Crowd - results

Here are the results of the voting in The Wisdom of the Crowd.

a) Why does the government take so long to reduce the jam at the causeway? (57 Votes )

The Crowd does not know the real reason. The answers are quite mixed.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=200

b) Will a joint immigration clearance help to reduce the jam at the causeway and second link (57 Votes )

Over 90% said that this is a good idea. It is a wonder why our highly paid civil servants and ministers are unable to see it and to work with the Malaysian side to implement it. We have incompetent leaders.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=201

You can vote on the current issues in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Follow the German system

Many young people opt to get a degree because the pay of a graduate is much higher than a non-graduate. We now have a situation that there are too many graduates and not enough good paying jobs. Many graduates are unemployed or have accepted part time or low paying jobs. The supply and demand has gone out of balance.

Germany has a better way to deal with this challenge. They encourage young people to become apprentices and get the skills and work experience of their vocations. The apprentices earn an allowance through their work and spend half the time attending schools specific to their vocations.
After completing a 4 years apprentice, they earn a salary that is slighly lower than a graduate. The difference is about 10 percent.

Germany has a strong economy because its workers have skills and experience and are able to command high pay.

Wisdom of the Crowd - new issues

Here are the new issues for you to vote.

a) Will there be a contest for the Presidential Election?
b) Should a by-election be called for Marsiling Yew Tee GRC after Halimah Yacob steps down?

Give your vote in www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Vote on the other issues and win a prize.
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/page/115

Reserved presidential election - three possible outcomes

There is a strong likelihood that the presidential election will be a walkover. This is how the Crowd will respond to the walkover.  20% will accept the outcome. 80% will be unhappy and will show their displeasure in one of three ways.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=181

If there is a contest between Halimah Yacob and Salleh Marican, this is how the Crowd would vote. 71% will spoil their votes and the remainder will be split between the two candidates. Halimah will get more votes than Salleh.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=139

If there is a contest between Halimah Yacob and Abdullah Tarmugi (a former minister), the spoilt vote will reduce to 60%, but Abdullah will get 7 times the votes given to Halimah. Perhaps he is perceived as being independent and more suitable than Halimah.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=186

Transport minister's statement is absurd

Transport Minister asked the journalists to fix the MRT breakdown, if they are so smart. (75 Votes )

80% consider his statement to be absurd.
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=199

Halimah Yacob as candidate for reserved President

Just out. Here are the results of the voting on the question - "Will you accept Halimah Yacob as a candidate for the reserved Presidential Election? (71 Votes )".

Only 10% say "Yes". The others said "No" for several reasons.
Find out at:
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=198

Acting for a foreign country to influence our foreign policy

I am quite puzzled about this accusation that the Prof Huang Jing is "acting for a foreign country to influence our foreign policy". (Disclaimer: I do not know Prof Huang Jing).

We need various sources of reliable information to conduct our foreign policy.

Our ambassadors are based in foreign countries and they have to talk to leaders and influential people (including think tanks) in those countries and convey their views to our government.

They also have to convey our government's views to these leaders and influential people, and get them to be on our side, i.e. to influence their foreign policy in our favor.

Similarly, the ambassadors of other countries based in Singapore have to contact our leaders and influential people. They will also have to convey the views of their government to our leaders and influential people and get our people to understand and be supportive of their foreign policy.

All these activities are part of diplomacy and should be treated as normally acceptable activities.

When our influential people get the feedback, they should pass them to our government leaders. It is the job of the government and foreign minister to decide on foreign policy after getting these feedbacks.

Surely our foreign minister is able to handle and evaluate the feedback? Surely Prof Huang is doing his job to provide the feedback to our government? Surely all feedback is meant to influence our foreign policy?

What did Prof Huang did wrong?

Wisdom of the Crowd - new issues

Here are two new issues for you to vote.

a) Will Li Shengwu be convicted of contempt of court?
b) Why don't the two governments introduce joint clearance at the causeway and 2nd link?

You will get this prize after voting on 10 issues.
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/page/115

Click on "Vote" to submit your vote.