Is it wasteful to create a retail electricity market and ask consumers to speculate on the pricing of electricity?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2381
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2381
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Wisdom of the Crowd
Vote on these issues and win a prize (to be distributed on 1st of each month).
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/active_issue.aspx
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/active_issue.aspx
WOTC - Landslide win for Boris Johnson
Wisdom of the Crowd: 65% of the respondents said that the landslide win of Boris Johnson is good for the UK. 35% disagreed.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1756
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1756
WOTC - Install water filtration system
Wisdom of the Crowd: 74% of the respondents said that it is advisable to install a water filtration system in the home. 26% disagreed.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1755
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1755
Monday, December 30, 2019
A mess with opening up of electricity market
Hello, I want to pass this message to LHL.
Your open market for electricity is in a mess.
I signed up with Keppel Electric to have their supply to my office a few years ago.
Someone came a few months to renew the contract.
Today, another person came to my office, also wanting to renew the contract.
Does Keppel Electric have a proper record of the renewal?
I don't know what is the status now.
Why does LHL want to introduce this kind of complicated and costly measures?
He could have just asked SP Services to reduce the electricity charges by 20%, instead of opening up the retail market.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2376
Your open market for electricity is in a mess.
I signed up with Keppel Electric to have their supply to my office a few years ago.
Someone came a few months to renew the contract.
Today, another person came to my office, also wanting to renew the contract.
Does Keppel Electric have a proper record of the renewal?
I don't know what is the status now.
Why does LHL want to introduce this kind of complicated and costly measures?
He could have just asked SP Services to reduce the electricity charges by 20%, instead of opening up the retail market.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2376
Get e-payment adopted rapidly in Singapore
I send this open letter to PM Lee on how to get e-payment adopted rapidly in Singapore.
Agree or not?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2371
Agree or not?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2371
China will issue its digital yuan
I give my views on the impact of the digital yuan that will soon be introduced by China.
Singapore has a choice to continue its slumber, or to wake up. I suspect it will continue to sleep and fall backwards.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2370
Singapore has a choice to continue its slumber, or to wake up. I suspect it will continue to sleep and fall backwards.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2370
Risk and cost of using currency notes
My friend said.
Why are Singaporeans so slow in accepting electronic payment?
Do they realize that currency notes can be easily faked? What would happen if some crooks flood the market with fake Singapore dollar notes?
When you accept a US dollar note, do you realize that it may be faked? With so much US notes floating around, there is a high chance that you may be receiving faked notes.
Apart from fake notes, the handling of currency notes is also inefficient and costly. Merchants have to count the notes and give change. When they bank in their notes, they also have to count. The bank also has to count.
Apart from China, India is also moving to e-payment in a big way. And very fast also.
Will Singapore prove to be among the last countries in the world to move to e-payment?
Wow! This is serious.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2369
Why are Singaporeans so slow in accepting electronic payment?
Do they realize that currency notes can be easily faked? What would happen if some crooks flood the market with fake Singapore dollar notes?
When you accept a US dollar note, do you realize that it may be faked? With so much US notes floating around, there is a high chance that you may be receiving faked notes.
Apart from fake notes, the handling of currency notes is also inefficient and costly. Merchants have to count the notes and give change. When they bank in their notes, they also have to count. The bank also has to count.
Apart from China, India is also moving to e-payment in a big way. And very fast also.
Will Singapore prove to be among the last countries in the world to move to e-payment?
Wow! This is serious.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2369
Changes in habits are need to make streamlining work
We need to streamline our bus network to improve efficiency and reduce operating cost.
We have to change the current network of 350 bus services. This is too many. We need to reduce it to 150 bus services.
Change is needed. For people who say that the current network should be kept, there is no way that streamlining can happen without change.
Another important feature of the change is the need to have an additional transfer in most cases. Transfers between bus services are easy as it occurs at the same bus stop.
Commuters are already used to make transfer from bus to MRT service, and that is much more inconvenient. It requires a lot of walking.
So, commuters should accept one more bus transfer to improve the efficiency of the bus network. Indeed, if the network is efficient, the travel time will be shorter. The fare will also be cheaper.
I do not understand why some commuters insist on keep a large network of bus services and avoid transfers, and expect the fares to be kept low. It cannot happen.
For streamlining to work, commuters must be prepared to accept changes. True or not?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2368
We have to change the current network of 350 bus services. This is too many. We need to reduce it to 150 bus services.
Change is needed. For people who say that the current network should be kept, there is no way that streamlining can happen without change.
Another important feature of the change is the need to have an additional transfer in most cases. Transfers between bus services are easy as it occurs at the same bus stop.
Commuters are already used to make transfer from bus to MRT service, and that is much more inconvenient. It requires a lot of walking.
So, commuters should accept one more bus transfer to improve the efficiency of the bus network. Indeed, if the network is efficient, the travel time will be shorter. The fare will also be cheaper.
I do not understand why some commuters insist on keep a large network of bus services and avoid transfers, and expect the fares to be kept low. It cannot happen.
For streamlining to work, commuters must be prepared to accept changes. True or not?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2368
Road safety along Orchard Road
Is there a need to worry about traffic safety along Orchard Road?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2367
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2367
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Should children in Xinjiang be sent to state "education centers"?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - World led by women?
Wisdom of the Crowd: 14% of the respondents said that it would be better if the world is led by women. However 86% do not agree.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1754
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1754
WOTC - Relax ban on footpaths for food delivery
Wisdom of the Crowd: 98% of the respondents said that the ban on the use of PMDs on footpaths should be relaxed for food delivery under certain conditions.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1753
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1753
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Do not allow extreme caution to cause inconvenience
There is a tendency to adopt extreme caution to the extent that it cause inconvenience. We should adopt a more practical approach, rather than to be restricted unnecessarily.
I will illustrate my point with an example.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2366
I will illustrate my point with an example.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2366
Receipts are needed to recover GST
A person wrote to the St Times to complain about the wastage of paper in printing receipts for small purchases, e.g. supermarkets, etc.
I agreed. The receipts are hardly needed.
Another person replied that his company's accounts dept always insist on getting a receipt to recover the GST.
How wasteful. We are creating a lot of work, and wasting a lot of paper, just to handle GST. This is the hidden cost of GST that many people do not realize.
I call the GST system a "bits and pieces" system. We collect GST, refund it, collect again, etc. It is so wasteful and adds a lot of administrative cost.
I dislike the GST system of collecting and refunding "bits and pieces". I prefer that GST be entirely abolished and that the lost GST revenue should be recovered from income tax - if indeed it is necessary.
I believe that we can abolish GST without the need to replace the revenue, as the govt runs a big annual surplus.
If some revenue is needed, it can be collected as a tax on certain "luxury items", rather than collected GST in "bits and pieces".
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2365
I agreed. The receipts are hardly needed.
Another person replied that his company's accounts dept always insist on getting a receipt to recover the GST.
How wasteful. We are creating a lot of work, and wasting a lot of paper, just to handle GST. This is the hidden cost of GST that many people do not realize.
I call the GST system a "bits and pieces" system. We collect GST, refund it, collect again, etc. It is so wasteful and adds a lot of administrative cost.
I dislike the GST system of collecting and refunding "bits and pieces". I prefer that GST be entirely abolished and that the lost GST revenue should be recovered from income tax - if indeed it is necessary.
I believe that we can abolish GST without the need to replace the revenue, as the govt runs a big annual surplus.
If some revenue is needed, it can be collected as a tax on certain "luxury items", rather than collected GST in "bits and pieces".
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2365
Streamline the bus network
The govt has increased the public transport fare by an average of 7% on 28 Dec 2019. It is a hefty increase.
This increase could have been avoided if the govt reduces the operating cost by streamlining the bus network.
I have given this suggestion a few months ago. The revised network will reduce operating cost and actually reduce the travelling time. However, it does require commuters to make an additional transfer.
Read this
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=1817
If you prefer to avoid the fare increase and accept a streamlined network - vote Agree.
If you prefer to pay the higher fare and enjoy the current wide network - vote Disagree.
This increase could have been avoided if the govt reduces the operating cost by streamlining the bus network.
I have given this suggestion a few months ago. The revised network will reduce operating cost and actually reduce the travelling time. However, it does require commuters to make an additional transfer.
Read this
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=1817
If you prefer to avoid the fare increase and accept a streamlined network - vote Agree.
If you prefer to pay the higher fare and enjoy the current wide network - vote Disagree.
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. Is it good for LTA to stop the car pooling service between SG and JB?
2. Shouild CPF release the name and details of the complainant?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC: POFMA will suppress free expression of views
Wisdom of the Crowd: 88% of the respondents said that POFMA will suppress the free expression of views. 12% said that POFMA is useful to correct falsehoods.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1751
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1751
WOTC: Elevated walkways to MRT stations
Wisdom of the Crowd: 69% of the respondents like to have elevated walkways to link MRT stations to nearby streets. 31% said that it is too costly.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1751
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1751
Saturday, December 28, 2019
A good system of naming roads
Malaysia has a good system of naming their roads.
I quote this example. The main road is Setia India. The side roads, branching from this road are Setia Indah 1, Setia Indah 2, Setia Indah 3, etc.
The small roads branching from Setia Indah 1 are name as Setia Indah 1/1, Setia Indah 1/2, Setia Indah 1/3 etc.
They do not need to look for so many different names. The numbering system makes it easy to locate the side roads and even the smaller roads.
The names of the side roads and smaller roads are also kept short.
Do you agree?
I quote this example. The main road is Setia India. The side roads, branching from this road are Setia Indah 1, Setia Indah 2, Setia Indah 3, etc.
The small roads branching from Setia Indah 1 are name as Setia Indah 1/1, Setia Indah 1/2, Setia Indah 1/3 etc.
They do not need to look for so many different names. The numbering system makes it easy to locate the side roads and even the smaller roads.
The names of the side roads and smaller roads are also kept short.
Do you agree?
CPF released complainant's details
The govt said that it was necessary to release the name of the complainant in this matter. See their explanation.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/cpf-board-personal-data-release-online-citizen-12215766?
I do not agree. There was no need to release the name, as it was not relevant to the issue. They could have continued to use a pseudonym as the facts of the case were correct.
The fact that the other agencies were "actively assisting" her is irrelevant. She did not receive the timely help that she needed.
The disclosure of the actual name is an unnecessary invasion of privacy and a form of intimidation. It should not be done in this manner by an "official body".
Do you agree?
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/cpf-board-personal-data-release-online-citizen-12215766?
I do not agree. There was no need to release the name, as it was not relevant to the issue. They could have continued to use a pseudonym as the facts of the case were correct.
The fact that the other agencies were "actively assisting" her is irrelevant. She did not receive the timely help that she needed.
The disclosure of the actual name is an unnecessary invasion of privacy and a form of intimidation. It should not be done in this manner by an "official body".
It was also ridiculous for the post to be issued jointly by several agencies. Surely one agency could issue it on behalf of the other agencies? It is this kind of wasteful practice that make it difficult to change bad practices, as so many "cooks" are involved.
Do you agree?
CPF contribution for older workers
CPF contribution for workers above 55 years should be voluntary. This applies to both worker and employer contribution. Why?
I give my reasons here.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2364
Give your vote in that article. OK?
I give my reasons here.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2364
Give your vote in that article. OK?
Bus contracting system
Many people are puzzled - why does the govt increase the bus fares when SBS Transit is making a big profit?
Here is the explanation
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2363
Here is the explanation
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2363
Urgent action needed to block spam calls and SMS
Most people have received dozens of SMS from unsolicited callers advertising online betting schemes and loans.
See this
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2355
It is very easy for the "authority" to stop this calls. But they prefer to do nothing. It is a very sad state of affairs.
How can this be stopped?
In the SMS, there is always a number to call. Someone is holding that number. The police could have contacted that number and talked to the caller. The call can be recorded for evidence.
The caller can be traced and charged for abuse of the Do Not Call register. The first offence can be penalized lightly. Subsequent offenses can be penalized heavily.
Why does the police not adopt this approach? I wonder.
See this
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2355
It is very easy for the "authority" to stop this calls. But they prefer to do nothing. It is a very sad state of affairs.
How can this be stopped?
In the SMS, there is always a number to call. Someone is holding that number. The police could have contacted that number and talked to the caller. The call can be recorded for evidence.
The caller can be traced and charged for abuse of the Do Not Call register. The first offence can be penalized lightly. Subsequent offenses can be penalized heavily.
Why does the police not adopt this approach? I wonder.
Oversight of condo manager
You can recall that the general manager of Ang Mo Kio Town Council was found to be corrupt in favoring certain contractors in return for entertainment and other benefits.
How can the town council, which include prominent MPs and the PM, have avoided this risk and taken steps to ensure the integrity of the quotation process?
What has happened in the AMK town council could have happened to other town councils and to the councils of many MCST (i.e. condominiums) in Singapore.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2362
How can the town council, which include prominent MPs and the PM, have avoided this risk and taken steps to ensure the integrity of the quotation process?
What has happened in the AMK town council could have happened to other town councils and to the councils of many MCST (i.e. condominiums) in Singapore.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2362
A better way to help retrenched workers get employment
The govt spend $1 billion a year on the SkillsFuture fund to provide training for older workers to get new skills and to help retrenched workers to get re-employment.
So far, the anecdotal evidence is that this training did not help many people to get re-employment. The money goes to provide general training that are "interesting" to the workers, but are not effective in helping them to get a job.
Is there a better way to use the money?
Here is my suggestion.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2361
So far, the anecdotal evidence is that this training did not help many people to get re-employment. The money goes to provide general training that are "interesting" to the workers, but are not effective in helping them to get a job.
Is there a better way to use the money?
Here is my suggestion.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2361
Is SkillsFuture used effectively?
The govt is wasting a lot of money on SkillsFuture and is also continuing the Skills Development Fund (SDF) that has lost its purpose? Do you agree?
Read this
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2356
Read this
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2356
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. What are your views about economic prospects for 2020?
2. Should Singaporeans stand united with the government?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC: Ministers have abused POFMA
WOTC: 100% of the respondents said that the ministers have abused POFMA for their own purpose, rather than to establish truth.
See their reasons in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1750
See their reasons in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1750
WOTC: Employment of PMETs have increased?
Wisdom of the Crowd: 97% of the respondents do not trust the figure from MOM that employment of PMETs have increased in 2019.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1749
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1749
Friday, December 27, 2019
Policyholder was not told about options other than a policy loan
A woman called me. She wanted to engage me to help her to deal with a problem.
20 years ago, she took a loan on her life insurance policy. The loan carried an interest rate of 5.5%. She did not repay the loan for all of these years and the loan, with interest accumulated to more than $15,000.
She now learned that she had an option of en-cashing the bonus on her policy, instead of taking a loan.
Why didn't the servicing staff of the company told her about this option?
She could also have surrendered her policy at that time, either in part or in full.
Anyway, the value of the bonus would also have accumulated over the past 20 years, although it may not be at the same rate as the interest of 5.5% charged on the loan.
There was no way of finding out if the servicing staff had told her of these options. It would be difficult to argue about what she was told or not told 20 years ago.
She could have also raised this issue at any time during the past 20 years.
I declined to take up her case, because it does not have any merit.
I told her over the phone - sorry, I have to end this call.
http://fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=662
20 years ago, she took a loan on her life insurance policy. The loan carried an interest rate of 5.5%. She did not repay the loan for all of these years and the loan, with interest accumulated to more than $15,000.
She now learned that she had an option of en-cashing the bonus on her policy, instead of taking a loan.
Why didn't the servicing staff of the company told her about this option?
She could also have surrendered her policy at that time, either in part or in full.
Anyway, the value of the bonus would also have accumulated over the past 20 years, although it may not be at the same rate as the interest of 5.5% charged on the loan.
There was no way of finding out if the servicing staff had told her of these options. It would be difficult to argue about what she was told or not told 20 years ago.
She could have also raised this issue at any time during the past 20 years.
I declined to take up her case, because it does not have any merit.
I told her over the phone - sorry, I have to end this call.
http://fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=662
A "rip off" investment to catch the penny wise pound foolish
An elderly woman went to a bank. The relationship manager (RM) introduced her to a life insurance policy. He asked her to invest $300,000 into the policy for another 40 years.
The woman approached me for my guidance. I asked her to make a donation of $150 to FISCA. She never came back.
I hope that she did not buy that policy. It gave a yield of 0.2% p.a. for the first 20 years. If she kept the policy for 40 year, the yield would be between 2.6% and 3.9% depending on projected investment return. It is not guaranteed.
The woman is unlikely to keep the policy for 40 years. She would be senile at that time.
It is a bad investment.
If she terminated the policy during the first year, she would suffer a loss of $60,000. The surrender value would be $60,000 less than the invested sum.
The life insurance cover is negligible.
Why should the policy cost so much? It is a "rip off" policy to catch the unsuspecting buyer.
The distribution cost, which is used to pay the RM and the bank, is $30,000. Here is a person who refuses to make a donation of $150 and is not aware that she is paying $30,000 to the RM for selling her this bad investment.
Penny wise, pound foolish!
Could she invest in other safe investment to earn a better yield. Most certainly she can.
If she invest for 20 years or longer, she should invest in an index fund, such as the STI exchange traded fund. The risk is minimal. The long term yield is likely to be between 4% and 6% p.a. It is not guaranteed, but quite safe for a long term investment.
Read here
http://www.fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=661
The woman approached me for my guidance. I asked her to make a donation of $150 to FISCA. She never came back.
I hope that she did not buy that policy. It gave a yield of 0.2% p.a. for the first 20 years. If she kept the policy for 40 year, the yield would be between 2.6% and 3.9% depending on projected investment return. It is not guaranteed.
The woman is unlikely to keep the policy for 40 years. She would be senile at that time.
It is a bad investment.
If she terminated the policy during the first year, she would suffer a loss of $60,000. The surrender value would be $60,000 less than the invested sum.
The life insurance cover is negligible.
Why should the policy cost so much? It is a "rip off" policy to catch the unsuspecting buyer.
The distribution cost, which is used to pay the RM and the bank, is $30,000. Here is a person who refuses to make a donation of $150 and is not aware that she is paying $30,000 to the RM for selling her this bad investment.
Penny wise, pound foolish!
Could she invest in other safe investment to earn a better yield. Most certainly she can.
If she invest for 20 years or longer, she should invest in an index fund, such as the STI exchange traded fund. The risk is minimal. The long term yield is likely to be between 4% and 6% p.a. It is not guaranteed, but quite safe for a long term investment.
Read here
http://www.fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=661
Wisdom of the Crowd - prizes to be distributed on 1 January
Vote on these issues and win a prize. Prize to be distributed on 1 January.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/active_issue.aspx
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/active_issue.aspx
WOTC - Change in HDB rules
Wisdom of the Crowd: the participants prefer to see the following changes in HDB rules - Govt to buy back old flats at fair valuation (40%), allow expiring lease to be extended (32%), relax use of CPF savings for old HDB flats (15%), allow citizens to opt out of CPf when they rent flats (12%).
See the details in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1748
See the details in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1748
WOTC - Negative govt policies
Wisdom of the Crowd: the participants choose the following govt policies as affecting citizens most in a negative way - insecurity of jobs and inadequate pay (57%), inability to withdraw savings at age 55 (26%), HDB lease decay (15%)
See the details in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1747
See the details in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1747
Story telling about Tesla and other shares
I invested $63,000 in Tesla shares 6 months ago and by now made a gain of $56,000 (89% gain). This is due mainly to good luck.
Want to know how to get good luck? Attend my story telling session here:
https://tklcloud.com/Event/whats_on.aspx
You can download the Powerpoint Slides here:
http://s3.tklcloud.com.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/T99/191211140702974_My%20experience%20with%20speculative%20investments.pdf
Want to know how to get good luck? Attend my story telling session here:
https://tklcloud.com/Event/whats_on.aspx
You can download the Powerpoint Slides here:
http://s3.tklcloud.com.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/T99/191211140702974_My%20experience%20with%20speculative%20investments.pdf
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Grab to apply for digital bank license?
I saw a report that Grab is applying for a digital banking license in Singapore. I am not able to verify the authenticity of this report.
Assuming that it is true, what are the services that Grab intends to provide to their customers?
They have an advantage in that Grab has a large customer base that has deposited money in their e-wallets for Grab rides. If not, they have the credit card numbers of their customers and use it for making payments.
What other services can Grab provide, under the digital bank license?
I believe that they will encourage their customers to deposit a larger sum with them, and earn interest that is higher than that offered by the bank on short term deposits. If the interest rate is 1% p.a., it would be attractive to customers.
Perhaps Grab can also offer consumer loans?
Maybe, with a banking license, Grab can go out and enrol merchants for digital payments, similar to AliPay and WeChat Pay.
Any views?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2351
Assuming that it is true, what are the services that Grab intends to provide to their customers?
They have an advantage in that Grab has a large customer base that has deposited money in their e-wallets for Grab rides. If not, they have the credit card numbers of their customers and use it for making payments.
What other services can Grab provide, under the digital bank license?
I believe that they will encourage their customers to deposit a larger sum with them, and earn interest that is higher than that offered by the bank on short term deposits. If the interest rate is 1% p.a., it would be attractive to customers.
Perhaps Grab can also offer consumer loans?
Maybe, with a banking license, Grab can go out and enrol merchants for digital payments, similar to AliPay and WeChat Pay.
Any views?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2351
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. What is your opinion of Lee Hsien Loong?
2. What is your opinion of Boris Johnson?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - Is Brexit positive for the UK?
Wisdom of the Crowd: 94% of the participants said that Brexit will be positive for the UK. 6% said that it will be negative.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1746
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1746
WOTC - Genocide of the Rohingas
Wisdom of the Crowd: 42% of the participants said that Aung San Suu Kyi should take responsibility for the genocide of the Rohingas. The other 58% disagree.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1745
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1745
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Avoid these dirty words
I consider "tweak" and "calibrate" to be two dirty words, when they are used by ministers.
Why? Read this article.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2347
Why? Read this article.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2347
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Was the phase one trade deal between USA and China good for these countries?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - Did the CISCO officer acting correctly?
Wisdom of the Crowd: 42% of the respondents said that the CISCO officer was right in kicking the PMD rider to stop him from riding dangerously. 58% disagreed.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1744
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1744
WOTC - Should Anwar Ibrahim be the PM of Malaysia?
Wisdom of the Crowd: 60% of the respondents said that Anwar Ibrahim should have a chance to be the PM of Malaysia. 40% disagree.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1743
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1743
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Spawn more employment opportunities for our Pioneer Generation
Last Friday morning I chanced upon an elderly female on the sidewalk at Victoria Street. She asked me for directions to Coleman Street in order to attend a job interview.
I gestured to her the routes. However she did not appear to fully comprehend my explanations. To assuage her anxiety, I offered to walk her from Victoria Street to her place of interview. I learnt from this 65 years old lady that she was recently retrenched from her company. She was displaced by another new employee of Vietnamese nationality; a 26 years old female for the office cleaning job.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2346
I gestured to her the routes. However she did not appear to fully comprehend my explanations. To assuage her anxiety, I offered to walk her from Victoria Street to her place of interview. I learnt from this 65 years old lady that she was recently retrenched from her company. She was displaced by another new employee of Vietnamese nationality; a 26 years old female for the office cleaning job.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2346
Improve timing at pedestrian crossing
I use the pedestrian crossing at Yio Chu Kang Road, before KLC International, almost daily.
After pressing the button, I often have to wait for 1 or 2 minutes before the green man appears. During this waiting time, the road may be clear of traffic, and yet the green man does not appear.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2345
After pressing the button, I often have to wait for 1 or 2 minutes before the green man appears. During this waiting time, the road may be clear of traffic, and yet the green man does not appear.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2345
Improve communication with customers
Many organizations in Singapore have an inefficient way of communicating their customers.
I often get a call on my mobile phone from an "unknown number". It is usually a land line. I do not pick up the call, because it comes an an inconvenient time or it might be a marketing call that I wish to avoid.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2340
I often get a call on my mobile phone from an "unknown number". It is usually a land line. I do not pick up the call, because it comes an an inconvenient time or it might be a marketing call that I wish to avoid.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2340
Goodbye to Digi
I have been using Digi for my data access in Malaysia for the past two years. I have been an active customer and has bought their data plan on many occasions when I visited Malaysia.
I will now be saying goodbye to Digi. I will not be using their service any longer.
Quora: How does the Xi JinPing of China tackle the Trade War? Will Trump win?
Masao Miwa, Always interested, especially Asia Answered Aug 8, 2018
First, Xi Jinping is not a Donald Trump. Xi let’s his trade experts manage the trade situation that has China’s best interest at heart. Xi will be kept informed as conditions progress. China has been meeting and coordinating trade with other Asian countries. Trump has isolated the US. To replace US imports to China, trade representatives are getting new agreements from alternate sources. China is also making changes to her agricultural lands to replace imports from the US.
China’s exports to the US represents 18% of her total world exports, so while important, survivable. It won’t go to zero, but certainly something less than 18%. Much of China’s imports from the US are agricultural products and aircraft. They are replaceable with alternate suppliers.
Part of the equation, intentional or not, the Yuan has dropped in value, so it offsets some of the tariff damage on exports. We’ll see how this plays out as the damage becomes more visible. Right now, China’s focus is on technology and domestic consumption. The trade problem appears to be only with the US. Other countries have no trade disagreements or as in the case of the EU, they are talking about trade concessions and opening the China market wider to them. The world, including China, is moving to accommodate the US trade war.
China reportedly lining up countries against US in pending trade war
https://www.barrons.com/articles...
First, Xi Jinping is not a Donald Trump. Xi let’s his trade experts manage the trade situation that has China’s best interest at heart. Xi will be kept informed as conditions progress. China has been meeting and coordinating trade with other Asian countries. Trump has isolated the US. To replace US imports to China, trade representatives are getting new agreements from alternate sources. China is also making changes to her agricultural lands to replace imports from the US.
China’s exports to the US represents 18% of her total world exports, so while important, survivable. It won’t go to zero, but certainly something less than 18%. Much of China’s imports from the US are agricultural products and aircraft. They are replaceable with alternate suppliers.
Part of the equation, intentional or not, the Yuan has dropped in value, so it offsets some of the tariff damage on exports. We’ll see how this plays out as the damage becomes more visible. Right now, China’s focus is on technology and domestic consumption. The trade problem appears to be only with the US. Other countries have no trade disagreements or as in the case of the EU, they are talking about trade concessions and opening the China market wider to them. The world, including China, is moving to accommodate the US trade war.
China reportedly lining up countries against US in pending trade war
https://www.barrons.com/articles...
Monday, December 23, 2019
A bad idea to buy insurance to cover vet fees
There is a trend towards buying insurance to cover vet fees for treatment of pets.
It is a bad idea.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2334
It is a bad idea.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2334
Prisoners should be required to work to offset the cost of keeping them in jail
Some people argued that prisoners should not be required to work because it is "forced labor".
I disagree.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2333
I disagree.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2333
Quora: Does China’s threats of retaliation contradict the message that China does not need the U.S. as a trading partner? Why or why not?
Masao Miwa, Always interested, especially Asia Answered Dec 13
Currently, US trade represents 18% of China’s exports. However, because of actions by the US to threaten that trade with tariffs, China is moving to reduce the threat to her economy by trade and investments with the other countries. China’s trade as a percent of GDP has been falling since 2006, from a high of 64% to 38% in 2018, which puts China in the bottom quartile of dependence on trade. That trend will continue.
China Trade to GDP Ratio 1960-2019
List of countries by trade-to-GDP ratio - Wikipedia
The issue is not just trade the issue of Huawei and 5G has more to do with China’s technology rise than trade. Huawei’s trade in the US before the ban was small but increasing, especially selling to small rural carriers, its mobile phone business was almost zero. In spite of Huawei’s ban to US markets, Huawei continues to sell well to the rest of the world and domestically. Other Chinese companies are recognizing the dangers in trade with the US and are creating their own backup plans for sourcing and for sales. You see a decoupling going on, one that won’t change overnight, But for sure it is occurring. US tech companies will be the big losers, same as happened to US soybean farmers, the China market lost because of US policies and actions.
Keep in mind there are other sectors that are being affected by the trade war. These are for the US to lose if Trump keeps pushing for demands China will not accept. Foreign affiliate sales are falling, tourism is falling, student enrollment is falling, and FDI dropped off a cliff in 2018. All are inputs of wealth from China that don’t show up in the trade figures. All these sectors are falling because of the trade issue and the general tone of the US against China. From meddling in China’s domestic affairs to bans and sanctions, all create a tone of retaliation and opposition instead of building on working together in peace.
“According to many in the United States, however, these flows are imbalanced to America’s disadvantage. Look no further, they argue, than America’s large trade deficit, which amounted to more than $622 billion in 2018, with China accounting for some $378 billion of it.
But there are serious problems with the simplistic cross-border trade-deficit metric – not least its failure to account for the business conducted within a foreign country’s borders. In 2016, (the latest year for which data are available), US multinationals, including their foreign affiliates, generated $5.8 trillion in sales in foreign countries.
That figure not only dwarfs direct US exports, which amounted to $2.2 trillion in 2016; it exceeds the $4.1 trillion in total sales by all foreign multinationals in the US market. When it comes to sales in foreign markets, therefore, the US had a “surplus” of $1.7 trillion in 2016 – three times larger than the US trade deficit of $502 billion that year. This has meant major profits for US multinationals: the ratio of overseas sales to foreign direct investment (FDI) implies that companies are doubling their initial investments.
Geographically, US multinational sales and FDI are concentrated primarily in Europe. In 2016, European sales by US multinationals reached $2.8 trillion, or just under half the global total. But FDI amounted to $3.3 trillion, meaning that every dollar of FDI produced $0.85 of sales. Europe thus represents a below-average market for US multinationals.
The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region – which ranks second for both US trade and sales by US multinationals – is more lucrative. APAC accounted for just over 29% of US exports in 2018, but 39.5% of imports, producing an overall trade deficit of $506.8 billion. But, returning to 2016 figures, US multinationals recorded $1.58 trillion in sales in the APAC region, while delivering $881 billion of FDI. For every dollar of investment in APAC, US multinationals gained $1.80 in sales.
One country is driving up this average: China. In 2016, US multinationals made $345.3 billion in sales, while investing $97.3 billion. That translates to an impressive sales-to-FDI ratio of 355%, up from 267% in 2009. (The much lower European ratio – 85% in 2016 – reflects a downward trend, from 123% in 2009.)
US companies’ sales in China dwarf Chinese firms’ sales in the US, which amounted to just $35 billion in 2016. In fact, by this measure, the US has a “surplus” of $310 billion. That is $2 billion larger than America’s bilateral trade deficit with China, meaning that, considering cross-border trade and overseas sales together, the positions of the US and China are roughly balanced. Meanwhile, US multinationals continue to reap huge profits in China – profits that, barring ill-advised interventions, will continue to grow.”
How will the US-China trade war affect corporate America?
“Chinese travel to the U.S. fell another 2.4% in the first quarter of 2019. The pullback has taken a toll because Chinese tourists stay an average 18 days and spend an average of nearly $7,000 per trip – about 50% more than other international tourists, according to the U.S. Travel Association.Aug 9, 2019”
Slump in overseas travel to US is expected to continue through 2020
“Chinese enrollment in US universities is falling — several schools reported declines of one-fifth or more. Administrators and observers say trade conflicts and US concerns about the security risks posed by visiting Chinese students appear to be accelerating the trend.Sep 24, 2019”
US universities are seeing steep declines in Chinese enrollment amid political tensions, and it's hurting their wallets
“"It dropped from tens of billions of dollars several years ago to virtually zero. It's actually a contraction now. If you include sales of Chinese assets in the United States and add back in the investments, you still don't reach zero, you actually end up still somewhat below zero."”
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-08-11/Chinese-investment-in-U-S-falls-off-a-cliff-J4TCRNOUdq/index.html
So where is that wealth going? Europe and Asia are the prime benefactors. Trump’s obsession with the trade deficit is throwing out the baby with the bath water.
Currently, US trade represents 18% of China’s exports. However, because of actions by the US to threaten that trade with tariffs, China is moving to reduce the threat to her economy by trade and investments with the other countries. China’s trade as a percent of GDP has been falling since 2006, from a high of 64% to 38% in 2018, which puts China in the bottom quartile of dependence on trade. That trend will continue.
China Trade to GDP Ratio 1960-2019
List of countries by trade-to-GDP ratio - Wikipedia
The issue is not just trade the issue of Huawei and 5G has more to do with China’s technology rise than trade. Huawei’s trade in the US before the ban was small but increasing, especially selling to small rural carriers, its mobile phone business was almost zero. In spite of Huawei’s ban to US markets, Huawei continues to sell well to the rest of the world and domestically. Other Chinese companies are recognizing the dangers in trade with the US and are creating their own backup plans for sourcing and for sales. You see a decoupling going on, one that won’t change overnight, But for sure it is occurring. US tech companies will be the big losers, same as happened to US soybean farmers, the China market lost because of US policies and actions.
Keep in mind there are other sectors that are being affected by the trade war. These are for the US to lose if Trump keeps pushing for demands China will not accept. Foreign affiliate sales are falling, tourism is falling, student enrollment is falling, and FDI dropped off a cliff in 2018. All are inputs of wealth from China that don’t show up in the trade figures. All these sectors are falling because of the trade issue and the general tone of the US against China. From meddling in China’s domestic affairs to bans and sanctions, all create a tone of retaliation and opposition instead of building on working together in peace.
“According to many in the United States, however, these flows are imbalanced to America’s disadvantage. Look no further, they argue, than America’s large trade deficit, which amounted to more than $622 billion in 2018, with China accounting for some $378 billion of it.
But there are serious problems with the simplistic cross-border trade-deficit metric – not least its failure to account for the business conducted within a foreign country’s borders. In 2016, (the latest year for which data are available), US multinationals, including their foreign affiliates, generated $5.8 trillion in sales in foreign countries.
That figure not only dwarfs direct US exports, which amounted to $2.2 trillion in 2016; it exceeds the $4.1 trillion in total sales by all foreign multinationals in the US market. When it comes to sales in foreign markets, therefore, the US had a “surplus” of $1.7 trillion in 2016 – three times larger than the US trade deficit of $502 billion that year. This has meant major profits for US multinationals: the ratio of overseas sales to foreign direct investment (FDI) implies that companies are doubling their initial investments.
Geographically, US multinational sales and FDI are concentrated primarily in Europe. In 2016, European sales by US multinationals reached $2.8 trillion, or just under half the global total. But FDI amounted to $3.3 trillion, meaning that every dollar of FDI produced $0.85 of sales. Europe thus represents a below-average market for US multinationals.
The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region – which ranks second for both US trade and sales by US multinationals – is more lucrative. APAC accounted for just over 29% of US exports in 2018, but 39.5% of imports, producing an overall trade deficit of $506.8 billion. But, returning to 2016 figures, US multinationals recorded $1.58 trillion in sales in the APAC region, while delivering $881 billion of FDI. For every dollar of investment in APAC, US multinationals gained $1.80 in sales.
One country is driving up this average: China. In 2016, US multinationals made $345.3 billion in sales, while investing $97.3 billion. That translates to an impressive sales-to-FDI ratio of 355%, up from 267% in 2009. (The much lower European ratio – 85% in 2016 – reflects a downward trend, from 123% in 2009.)
US companies’ sales in China dwarf Chinese firms’ sales in the US, which amounted to just $35 billion in 2016. In fact, by this measure, the US has a “surplus” of $310 billion. That is $2 billion larger than America’s bilateral trade deficit with China, meaning that, considering cross-border trade and overseas sales together, the positions of the US and China are roughly balanced. Meanwhile, US multinationals continue to reap huge profits in China – profits that, barring ill-advised interventions, will continue to grow.”
How will the US-China trade war affect corporate America?
“Chinese travel to the U.S. fell another 2.4% in the first quarter of 2019. The pullback has taken a toll because Chinese tourists stay an average 18 days and spend an average of nearly $7,000 per trip – about 50% more than other international tourists, according to the U.S. Travel Association.Aug 9, 2019”
Slump in overseas travel to US is expected to continue through 2020
“Chinese enrollment in US universities is falling — several schools reported declines of one-fifth or more. Administrators and observers say trade conflicts and US concerns about the security risks posed by visiting Chinese students appear to be accelerating the trend.Sep 24, 2019”
US universities are seeing steep declines in Chinese enrollment amid political tensions, and it's hurting their wallets
“"It dropped from tens of billions of dollars several years ago to virtually zero. It's actually a contraction now. If you include sales of Chinese assets in the United States and add back in the investments, you still don't reach zero, you actually end up still somewhat below zero."”
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-08-11/Chinese-investment-in-U-S-falls-off-a-cliff-J4TCRNOUdq/index.html
So where is that wealth going? Europe and Asia are the prime benefactors. Trump’s obsession with the trade deficit is throwing out the baby with the bath water.
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. How should pet owners deal with climbing vet fees?
2. Public transport fares are likely to increase due to better service standards
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Bus contracting model
The bus contracting model has improved services for commuters and allowed the bus companies to make good profits. But the fares has to increase soon.
The fare increase can be avoided, if the Land Transport Authority improve the efficiency of the bus system. Currently, it is operated quite wastefully (this is my opinion).
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/…/the-big-read-bus-contract…?
The fare increase can be avoided, if the Land Transport Authority improve the efficiency of the bus system. Currently, it is operated quite wastefully (this is my opinion).
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/…/the-big-read-bus-contract…?
WOTC - a virtual telco operator has suspended its operation
Wisdom of the Crowd - 78% of the respondents said that the current system of managing the virtual telco market (which has lead to a telco suspending its operation) to be wasteful and unsatisfactory.
See their reasons in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1742
WOTC - Who is negligent in causing the death in the Bukit Batok fire
Wisdom of the Crowd: The respondents voted on the party responsible for the death in the Bukit Batok fire as follows - town council (59%), MP (29%), nobody (7%), SCDF (5%).
See the detailed voting in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1740
See the detailed voting in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1740
Death of victim in Bukit Batok fire
I asked this question in a survey - who is responsible for the death of the victim in the Bukit Batok fire?
Only 5% held the SCDF to be responsible. I disagree. In my view, they should hold the largest share of the blame.
See my reasoning here.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2332
Only 5% held the SCDF to be responsible. I disagree. In my view, they should hold the largest share of the blame.
See my reasoning here.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2332
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Helpful PRC nationals
Forest City provides a free shuttle from the transportation hub to Bukit Indah mall at scheduled hours. I went to the transportation hub to take the free shuttle.
I could not find a bus marked with Forest City. Instead, I saw a Causeway Link bus. The bus was nearly full, occupied by PRC nationals.
I asked if the bus was going to Bukit Indah Mall. Yes, it was. I asked what was the fare.
Several of the passengers answered in Chinese - it is free.
This was actually the free shuttle arranged by Forest City. They engaged Causeway Link to provide the shuttle service. The bus carried the Causeway Link name and was not repainted with Forest City colors.
After the shopping in Bukit Indah, I had to catch the return shuttle at the scheduled time. I was not sure where the pickup point was.
There were a queue of people down the road. Most of them looked like PRC nationals. I asked them - is this the pickup point for the shuttle bus to Forest City.
The gentleman answered - yes it was. He explained the expected arrival time and departure time.
That was very helpful.
I found the PRC nationals on both occasions to be helpful and alert. They were quick to give helpful answers, and were not shy.
Perhaps they were the more wealthy people, as they must have bought a property in Forest City and are staying there on holiday or more permanently.
I have read about PRC nationals misbehaving badly outside of China. But I have also seen PRC nationals that behaved in a helpful manner.
I could not find a bus marked with Forest City. Instead, I saw a Causeway Link bus. The bus was nearly full, occupied by PRC nationals.
I asked if the bus was going to Bukit Indah Mall. Yes, it was. I asked what was the fare.
Several of the passengers answered in Chinese - it is free.
This was actually the free shuttle arranged by Forest City. They engaged Causeway Link to provide the shuttle service. The bus carried the Causeway Link name and was not repainted with Forest City colors.
After the shopping in Bukit Indah, I had to catch the return shuttle at the scheduled time. I was not sure where the pickup point was.
There were a queue of people down the road. Most of them looked like PRC nationals. I asked them - is this the pickup point for the shuttle bus to Forest City.
The gentleman answered - yes it was. He explained the expected arrival time and departure time.
That was very helpful.
I found the PRC nationals on both occasions to be helpful and alert. They were quick to give helpful answers, and were not shy.
Perhaps they were the more wealthy people, as they must have bought a property in Forest City and are staying there on holiday or more permanently.
I have read about PRC nationals misbehaving badly outside of China. But I have also seen PRC nationals that behaved in a helpful manner.
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. Who do you prefer as the next president of America.
2. Which characters is positive for the next president of America?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - Preferred naming system for HDB estates
Wisdom of the Crowd: The respondents voted the naming system of the roads in the following estates to be the best - Ang Mo Kio (35%), Toa Payoh (32%), Hougang (13%), Sengkang (10%), Punggol (10%).
See the breakdown of the votes i
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1739
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1739
WOTC - Use numbers for road names in Sengkang and Punggol
Wisdom of the Crowd: 77% of the respondents prefer the names of the roads in Sengkang and Punggol to be renamed to use numbers. 23% prefer to keep the existing names.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1738
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1738
Friday, December 20, 2019
Wisdom of the Crowd
Vote on these issues and win a prize.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/active_issue.aspx
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/active_issue.aspx
WOTC - Build separate lane on road for cyclists and PMD riders
Wisdom of the Crowd: 54% of the respondents want a separate lane to be built on the road for cyclists and PMD riders.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1737
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1737
WOTC - Lighten the school syllabus
Wisdom of the Crowd: 86% of the respondents want the school syllabus to be lightened for three reasons.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1736
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1736
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Impeachment of US presidents
In 1973, the impeachment process started against President Richard Nixon over the Watergate scandal. The investigation took one year. The House of Representative decided to take a vote on two articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress.
Before that vote was taken, Nixon resigned as President. At that time, it was clear that the vote would succeed and the matter will be taken to the next level at the Senate.
In 1998, the House of Representative passed a vote to impeach President Bill Clinton for lying under oath and obstruction of justice over the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
The process went to the Senate but did not obtain the two third majority that was necessary to remove him from office. President Clinton served the remainder of his term of office.
In 2019, the House of Representative passed a vote to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power over the withholding of military aid to Ukraine for political gains and for obstruction of Congress over its investigation.
The process now goes to the Senate.
Before that vote was taken, Nixon resigned as President. At that time, it was clear that the vote would succeed and the matter will be taken to the next level at the Senate.
In 1998, the House of Representative passed a vote to impeach President Bill Clinton for lying under oath and obstruction of justice over the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
The process went to the Senate but did not obtain the two third majority that was necessary to remove him from office. President Clinton served the remainder of his term of office.
In 2019, the House of Representative passed a vote to impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power over the withholding of military aid to Ukraine for political gains and for obstruction of Congress over its investigation.
The process now goes to the Senate.
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. Ong YK will review the MOE practice of holding back certificates due to arrears.
2. Is it all right for the state to conduct surveillance in the public areas?
3. Should organizations make it easy for their customers to send emails?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
2. Is it all right for the state to conduct surveillance in the public areas?
3. Should organizations make it easy for their customers to send emails?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Beijing’s blueprint for a digital totalitarian state
New York Times:
Phone scanners, facial-recognition cameras and other technologies are heightening the authorities’ ability to spy on China’s nearly 1.4 billion people, according to police and private databases examined by The Times.
Individually, none of the tracking techniques are beyond the capabilities of other countries, including the U.S. But together, they could propel China’s spying to a new level, making its cameras and software smarter and more sophisticated.
The surveillance networks fulfill a longtime goal of ensuring social stability, but it’s unclear how well the police are using the capabilities, or how effective they are.
Big picture: The surveillance push has empowered the police, who are taking a greater role in China under President Xi Jinping and using fears of unrest to win power and resources. They can track criminals as well as online malcontents, sympathizers of the Hong Kong protests, critics of the police and more. It often targets vulnerable groups, like the Uighurs.
Quotable: “You’re uncomfortable with it,” said one technology worker. “But if you don’t do it, then there’s no possibility of living a life. There’s no way out.”
My view - we have to trust the state (whether China, America or Singapore) to use the surveillance for the right purpose, i.e. to preserve law and order).
Phone scanners, facial-recognition cameras and other technologies are heightening the authorities’ ability to spy on China’s nearly 1.4 billion people, according to police and private databases examined by The Times.
Individually, none of the tracking techniques are beyond the capabilities of other countries, including the U.S. But together, they could propel China’s spying to a new level, making its cameras and software smarter and more sophisticated.
The surveillance networks fulfill a longtime goal of ensuring social stability, but it’s unclear how well the police are using the capabilities, or how effective they are.
Big picture: The surveillance push has empowered the police, who are taking a greater role in China under President Xi Jinping and using fears of unrest to win power and resources. They can track criminals as well as online malcontents, sympathizers of the Hong Kong protests, critics of the police and more. It often targets vulnerable groups, like the Uighurs.
Quotable: “You’re uncomfortable with it,” said one technology worker. “But if you don’t do it, then there’s no possibility of living a life. There’s no way out.”
My view - we have to trust the state (whether China, America or Singapore) to use the surveillance for the right purpose, i.e. to preserve law and order).
Did not bank in a refund cheque
I received a refund cheque from SP Services on closing of an account some 18 months ago. I forgot to bank it in. I wonder where the money went? Maybe, it becomes part of the profit of SP Services?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2321
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2321
Relax the ban on use of PMD on footpaths
I sent this letter to the Straits Times Forum Page, but they refuse to publish it. I wonder why.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2320
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2320
WOTC - Parents send their children for tuition
Wisdom of the Crowd: 83% of the participants said that it is bad for parents to have to send their children for tuition.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1735
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1735
WOTC - Decision of AHTC on the 2 MPs
Wisdom of the Crowd: 59% of the participants said the govt should respect the decision of the AHTC council and stop harassing them. 41% said the council should respect the decision of Parliament in passing the motion for the two MPs to recuse themselves from financial matters.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1734
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1734
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Is there a solution to the HDB lease decay?
Should the government extend the expiring lease for a modest lease premium?
I give my views here.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2319
I give my views here.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2319
Koh Brother results for 9 months of 2019
I have a significant investment in Koh Brothers. I saw their results for 9 months of 2019, i.e.
https://repository.shareinvestor.com/rpt_view.pl/id/b14007c37ddd5be3c386162ed3ae261489ee7ba96139e04545ca498c6b389add/type/si_news
They make a net profit of 0.81 cents for 9 months or 1.08 cents for 1 year (pro-rata). Compared to the current price of $0.21, it shows a PE ratio of 19.4 times. This is somewhat high, so it reflects that the company is only marginally profitable.
The company has a net asset per share of 72.2 cents, which is 3.4 times of the current price of 21 cents.
The cash and bank balance is a healthy $53 million or 12.8 cents per share, which is 60% of the share price.
Koh Brothers have a large order book of $906 million which represents 2.6 years of their revenue.
I am quite encouraged by the results. The current price is quite low. I may increase my investment.
https://repository.shareinvestor.com/rpt_view.pl/id/b14007c37ddd5be3c386162ed3ae261489ee7ba96139e04545ca498c6b389add/type/si_news
They make a net profit of 0.81 cents for 9 months or 1.08 cents for 1 year (pro-rata). Compared to the current price of $0.21, it shows a PE ratio of 19.4 times. This is somewhat high, so it reflects that the company is only marginally profitable.
The company has a net asset per share of 72.2 cents, which is 3.4 times of the current price of 21 cents.
The cash and bank balance is a healthy $53 million or 12.8 cents per share, which is 60% of the share price.
Koh Brothers have a large order book of $906 million which represents 2.6 years of their revenue.
I am quite encouraged by the results. The current price is quite low. I may increase my investment.
India targets the internet again
From New York Times.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is increasingly employing a tactic used by authoritarians, not democracies, to stifle dissent.
India severed connectivity 93 times this year alone and 134 times last year, more than any other country, according to a monitoring group. The closest competitor, Pakistan, had 12 shutdowns last year.
Last week, the authorities in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura shut down the web after protests against a new citizenship law that will ease the path of non-Muslim migrants. And Kashmiris have not had internet access since August.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is increasingly employing a tactic used by authoritarians, not democracies, to stifle dissent.
India severed connectivity 93 times this year alone and 134 times last year, more than any other country, according to a monitoring group. The closest competitor, Pakistan, had 12 shutdowns last year.
Last week, the authorities in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura shut down the web after protests against a new citizenship law that will ease the path of non-Muslim migrants. And Kashmiris have not had internet access since August.
Source: SFLC.in, a legal advocacy group in New Delhi, tracked India’s shutdowns since 2012 using reports from journalists, advocacy groups and citizens.
Government explanation: The authorities say they are trying to stop the spread of misinformation, which can outpace their efforts to control it.
Big picture: The shutdowns are part of the tightening grip of the Modi administration, which has jailed hundreds of Kashmiris without charges, intimidated journalists, arrested intellectuals and suppressed negative economic reports. Critics say Mr. Modi is chipping away at India’s traditions of democracy and secularism.
Government explanation: The authorities say they are trying to stop the spread of misinformation, which can outpace their efforts to control it.
Big picture: The shutdowns are part of the tightening grip of the Modi administration, which has jailed hundreds of Kashmiris without charges, intimidated journalists, arrested intellectuals and suppressed negative economic reports. Critics say Mr. Modi is chipping away at India’s traditions of democracy and secularism.
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. Should households install a water filter system?
2. Is the landslide win by Boris Johnson good for the UK?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - AHTC refused to recuse 2 MPs from financial decisions
Wisdom of the Crowd: 92% of the respondents to this survey agreed with the decision of AHTC to refuse to recuse the 2 MPs from financial decisions of the town council, in spite of the motion in Parliament.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1733
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1733
WOTC - Police call Gilbert Goh for questioning over Hong Lim Park rally
Wisdom of the Crowd: 67% of the participants said that it is unfair for the Police to call Gilbert Goh for questioning in conjunction with the presence of a foreigner at the Hong Lim Park rally.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1732
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1732
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Does POFMA deals with facts or with interpretations?
Wah. POFMA can now be used to handle "interpretations" and not only "facts". Really? It is getting ridiculous.
Quote:
“PAP spends S$167 million on Grants & Bursaries for Singaporeans, but S$238 million on foreign students??” wrote Mr Lim, who is representing blogger Leong Sze Hian in a defamation case involving Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
This implies that MOE spends less on Singaporean students than on foreign students, which is "false and misleading", states the Factually article.
The annual budget of MOE is S$13 billion, almost all of which is spent on Singapore citizens, and the S$167 million cited by Mr Lim refers only to bursaries for Singaporean tertiary students.
Unquote:
What Lim Tean said is factually correct. The two figures of $167 million and $238 million are factually correct. What the government objects is the "interpretation" of the facts.
Since when does POFMA law, as it is passed, apply to "interpretations"?
I disagree with the interpretation of the government in addressing the issue. It is clear to me that the government does spend more on the foreign scholars, compared to the local scholars.
I also disagree with the government's approach to lump the full budget of MOE in the comparison. I think they are confusing the issue and misleading the public.
But, hey, this is just my opinion. Each person is entitled to his opinion.
POFMA is bad. And it has been abused against a few parties recently.
Tan Kin Lian
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2314
“PAP spends S$167 million on Grants & Bursaries for Singaporeans, but S$238 million on foreign students??” wrote Mr Lim, who is representing blogger Leong Sze Hian in a defamation case involving Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
This implies that MOE spends less on Singaporean students than on foreign students, which is "false and misleading", states the Factually article.
The annual budget of MOE is S$13 billion, almost all of which is spent on Singapore citizens, and the S$167 million cited by Mr Lim refers only to bursaries for Singaporean tertiary students.
Unquote:
What Lim Tean said is factually correct. The two figures of $167 million and $238 million are factually correct. What the government objects is the "interpretation" of the facts.
Since when does POFMA law, as it is passed, apply to "interpretations"?
I disagree with the interpretation of the government in addressing the issue. It is clear to me that the government does spend more on the foreign scholars, compared to the local scholars.
I also disagree with the government's approach to lump the full budget of MOE in the comparison. I think they are confusing the issue and misleading the public.
But, hey, this is just my opinion. Each person is entitled to his opinion.
POFMA is bad. And it has been abused against a few parties recently.
Tan Kin Lian
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2314
What are facts and what are falsehoods?
All politicians tell lies - regardless of the color of their party.
OK, they do not actually lie, but they misinform. They take some "facts" and "massage" it to give an impression that is favorable to them.
They have been doing it for decades.
It does not matter if the misinformation are given over TV, radio, newspapers, flyers, election rallies or social media.
It is unfair for them to stop the misinformation over social media, when they other channels are not blocked.
It is also unfair for one party, which is the government in power, to have the monopoly of decide what are "facts" and what are "falsehoods", especially when it comes into the realm of interpreting the "facts" to mold the perceptions of the people.
So, this is why POFMA is bad, especially when it is abused by the people in power to stifle a different perspective held by their opponents.
A case in point is the issue - is the government spending too much on educating foreigners at the expense of local students? This issue should be debated and not stifled by POFMA.
Agree?
OK, they do not actually lie, but they misinform. They take some "facts" and "massage" it to give an impression that is favorable to them.
They have been doing it for decades.
It does not matter if the misinformation are given over TV, radio, newspapers, flyers, election rallies or social media.
It is unfair for them to stop the misinformation over social media, when they other channels are not blocked.
It is also unfair for one party, which is the government in power, to have the monopoly of decide what are "facts" and what are "falsehoods", especially when it comes into the realm of interpreting the "facts" to mold the perceptions of the people.
So, this is why POFMA is bad, especially when it is abused by the people in power to stifle a different perspective held by their opponents.
A case in point is the issue - is the government spending too much on educating foreigners at the expense of local students? This issue should be debated and not stifled by POFMA.
Agree?
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. Does POFMA suppress the free expression of views?
2. Should the ban on use of PMD on footpaths be relaxed for food delivery
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Review the ban on PMDs using the footpaths
Over the past few weeks, I have seen several food delivery riders using their PMDs on the pavements.
They ride slowly, well within 10 kph, and do not cause any danger to pedestrians.
Among the riders are a young school girl (she looked like one) and three mature adults (of both genders). They have to make a living.
I like the government to allow registered food delivery riders to use the pavement provided that they ride at less than 10 kph and the food delivery platform takes up liability insurance for any injury caused by the use of the PMDs.
The platform should also modify their incentives to limit the number of deliveries per hour, so that there is no need for the riders to speed.
We have limited space in Singapore. We should share the space and use the space carefully and be considerate to other users.
They ride slowly, well within 10 kph, and do not cause any danger to pedestrians.
Among the riders are a young school girl (she looked like one) and three mature adults (of both genders). They have to make a living.
I like the government to allow registered food delivery riders to use the pavement provided that they ride at less than 10 kph and the food delivery platform takes up liability insurance for any injury caused by the use of the PMDs.
The platform should also modify their incentives to limit the number of deliveries per hour, so that there is no need for the riders to speed.
We have limited space in Singapore. We should share the space and use the space carefully and be considerate to other users.
WOTC - Route for Cross Island line
Wisdom of the Crowd: 63% of the participants prefer the Cross Island Line to skirt the nature reserve, in spite of the higher cost.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1731
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1731
WOTC - Change to national anthem
Wisdom of the Crowd: 98% of the respondents are unhappy with the change in musical composition of the national anthem.
See their reasons here.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1730
See their reasons here.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1730
Are foreign scholars treated better than local scholars studying in Singapore universities?
Dear POFMA office,
I invite you to check my statement and issue any correction order. Thank you.
Many Singaporeans have the perception that the government gives better funding for foreign scholars, compared to local students. Why is this the case?
The government said that education in Singapore is largely funded by the government. However, they require the parent to contribute to a small portion of the cost of education by paying a small fee.
Some parents are unable to pay the fee, or did not bother to pay the fee. This has led to the practice for the school to hold back the education certificate until the fees are paid. It has caused stress and embarrassment to the students.
Are foreign scholars required to pay the fee, as their contribution to the cost of education?
I suspect that they are not required to pay this fee, and indeed that the government gives them additional funding to cover the living expenses in Singapore.
So, the funding for each foreign student is very much higher than the funding for Singapore students.
What about the funding for local scholars, who study in Singapore. Do they get the same benefit as foreign scholars who study in Singapore? Are they provided with an allowance to cover their living expenses?
If not, should the local scholars be treated the same as the foreign scholars?
Please provide the facts in the Factually website and issue me with the POFMA correction order. I will be delighted to post the "facts" as decided by the POFMA office.
Tan Kin Lian
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2308
I invite you to check my statement and issue any correction order. Thank you.
Many Singaporeans have the perception that the government gives better funding for foreign scholars, compared to local students. Why is this the case?
The government said that education in Singapore is largely funded by the government. However, they require the parent to contribute to a small portion of the cost of education by paying a small fee.
Some parents are unable to pay the fee, or did not bother to pay the fee. This has led to the practice for the school to hold back the education certificate until the fees are paid. It has caused stress and embarrassment to the students.
Are foreign scholars required to pay the fee, as their contribution to the cost of education?
I suspect that they are not required to pay this fee, and indeed that the government gives them additional funding to cover the living expenses in Singapore.
So, the funding for each foreign student is very much higher than the funding for Singapore students.
What about the funding for local scholars, who study in Singapore. Do they get the same benefit as foreign scholars who study in Singapore? Are they provided with an allowance to cover their living expenses?
If not, should the local scholars be treated the same as the foreign scholars?
Please provide the facts in the Factually website and issue me with the POFMA correction order. I will be delighted to post the "facts" as decided by the POFMA office.
Tan Kin Lian
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2308
Monday, December 16, 2019
WOTC - System of democracy in Singapore
Wisdom of the Crowd: 98% of the participants are not happy with the system of democracy in Singapore. 2% are happy with it.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1729
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1729
WOTC - Is Batam an interesting place to visit?
Wisdom of the Crowd: 50% of the participants find Batam to be an interesting place to visit. The others find it uninteresting.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1728
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1728
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. MOM said that employment of PMETs has increased019
2. The ministers used POFMA fairly to correct falsehoods.
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Elevated walkways
There is no need to quarrel about whether the footpaths should be shared with PMD riders.
Many cities have built elevated walkways, and they seem to work better than our footpaths.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2303
Many cities have built elevated walkways, and they seem to work better than our footpaths.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2303
Strong views
Do not give strong views out of ignorance or prejudice.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2302
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2302
WOTC - Visit Batam
Wisdom of the Crowd: 57% of the respondents have not visited Batam or visited it more than two years ago. 43% visited Batam more recently.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1727
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1727
WOTC - Internal dispute in PKR
Wisdom of the Crowd: 63% of the respondents expect the dispute within the Partai Keadilan Rakyat to continue for a few more years.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1726
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1726
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Insurer refuses to pay under "as charge" plan
Some people buy an expensive medical insurance policy that covers all treatment in a private hospital and can claim for the full amount "as charged".
They pay a hefty premium for this cover, thinking that they do not have to worry about the charges.
This is not the case. Here is a dilemma of a policyholder who paid a bill of several tens of thousand dollars and the insurance company refuses to settle the claim until the doctor reduces the bill.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2301
They pay a hefty premium for this cover, thinking that they do not have to worry about the charges.
This is not the case. Here is a dilemma of a policyholder who paid a bill of several tens of thousand dollars and the insurance company refuses to settle the claim until the doctor reduces the bill.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2301
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Which change in rule on HDB do you like most?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - International media's criticism of POFMA
Wisdom of the Crowd: 94% of the respondents agreed with the criticism of the international media on the POFMA law in Singapore. 6% said that they should mind their own business.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1725
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1725
WOTC - Allegation of corruption at the highest level
Wisdom of the Crowd: 86% of the respondents said that there is justification for a person to alleged that there is corruption at the highest level of government. 14% disagreed.
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1724
See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1724
Should windows open outwards or inwards?
A German, who has lived in Singapore for several years, asked me - why does HDB build the windows opening outwards? In Germany, most of the windows open inwards. It will be easier to clean the windows, and it takes away the risk of old windows falling down to the ground.
I told him that one possible reason is that in our hot climate, most people keeps the window open and by opening outwards, it does not take space inside the flat.
He said that we do not need to open the window fully. It is possible to open the window just at an angle, so that it does not take too much space.
This raise another question. Do most of our new flats now use sliding windows, or swing windows?
Can HDB and condo owners share your views?
I told him that one possible reason is that in our hot climate, most people keeps the window open and by opening outwards, it does not take space inside the flat.
He said that we do not need to open the window fully. It is possible to open the window just at an angle, so that it does not take too much space.
This raise another question. Do most of our new flats now use sliding windows, or swing windows?
Can HDB and condo owners share your views?
Friday, December 13, 2019
Govt faced two conflicting problems with HDB lease decay
The govt faces two conflicting problems with the HDB lease decay. if they do not understand the contradiction, they cannot find a solution.
What is this contradiction?
How can it be solved?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2293
What is this contradiction?
How can it be solved?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2293
A ridiculous way to communicate with customers
DBS Bank is adopting a ridiculous approach in handling communication with their customers.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2292
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2292
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
1. Should the CISCO officer who stopped the PMD rider be penalized?
2. Should Aung San Suu Kyii be penalized for the genocide of Rohinga people?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
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