Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Singapore's approval of China's vaccine

This Washington Post article described the approach taken by the Singapore authority towards the China vaccines. I think that the WP is trying to instigate trouble between Singapore and China.


Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues


1. Is China bullying smaller countries in the region?
2. Is China abusing the human rights of Uighurs in Xinjiang?

Vote in
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WOTC - Ministers comment on Myanmar

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 62% of the respondents said that our ministers should not comment on the situation in Myanmar.


Offer of $4.10 for Capitaland stock

 I give my views about the offer of $4.10 for Capitaland shares. It represents an appreciation of 23% over the last traded price of $3.31.


Hehehe. I hold 70,000 shares in my cash and SRS accounts. I bought this stock because it was under-valued. The offer reflects a fairer value for this stock.

Monday, March 22, 2021

My investment in China Suntien (0956.HK)

 I bought 180,000 shares of China Suntien at average of $2.42 during the past two weeks. The price has gone up 21% to $2.94. My investment had appreciated by $93,600 (SGD 16,000).


China Suntien is a green energy company. It explores for and utilizes new and clean energies in Mainland China. The company operates in two segments, Natural Gas, and Wind Power and Solar Energy.

I chose this company because the share was traded in HK exchange at a discount of 77% from the price in Shanghai.

At this attractive discount, the price earning ratio is 7.27 times and the dividend yield is 5.15%. If I do not enjoy this discount, the financial figures is not attractive.

There is an excellent opportunity to buy shares at a big discount. I adopt this strategy for my stock investment.



WOTC: Governor of Texas relax covid measurs

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 60% of the respondents disagree with the decision of the governor of Texas to relax the covid measures.


Allow retired ministers to sit in policy making bodies

The two senior negotiators in the China delegation to the Alaska meeting with the US were Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi (the current foreign minister).


I checked the background of Yang Yiechi. I was surprised to learn that he is more senior than Wang Yi. Indeed, YJ was the foreign minister of China from 2007 to 2013.

I was amazed that he did not retire from public life after completing his term as foreign minister. He remained in the policy making body of the Chinese Communist Party and was in charge of foreign affairs. WY reports to him.

This is how China retained the experience of their senior ministers, even as they stepped aside for younger ministers to take over their role.

The depth of the expertise and experience of the government leaders in China is remarkable. It accounts for their impressive performance in Alaska.

I hope that Singapore can learn from this lesson and keep our retired ministers in useful roles in the government.

Timing at pedestrian crossing

I pressed the button at the pedestrian crossing for the green man to appear.


On many occasions, the green man did not appear within 1 minute. I crossed the road when I saw that the traffic was light.

After a while, I decided to ignore the green man at pedestrian crossing where the green man took too long to appear.

One day, I will be caught for not observing the traffic regulation on the use of pedestrian crossing. I will go to court to give my reason. I expect to lose the case and to pay the fine for the traffic offense.

I will gladly pay the fine.

I wanted to put forward the point that the people in charge should be considerate when they exercise the authority given to them.

At the pedestrian crossing, I expect the green man to appear within 1 minute. A more appropriate time is 30 second. The only exception is when the traffic is unusually heavy.

If the green man does not appear in a minute, how much longer must I wait? What if the traffic light failed? Should I wait the whole day?

I call on the Land Transport Authority to reset the timing in all the pedestrian crossing for the green man to appear within 1 minute, or even more quickly if the traffic is light.

Be considerate to the pedestrians.

https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=4114

Sunday, March 21, 2021

WOTC - Statement by foreign minister about approval of vaccine

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 83% of the respondents support the statement by the foreign minister about taking an independent stand on approval of the vaccine.


Saturday, March 20, 2021

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

 



1. How do you view the conclusion of the US China talks in Alaska?

Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

WOTC - MFA statement on handling of Myanmar protesters

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 64% of the respondents disagree with the MFA statement on the handling of Myanmar protesters.


WOTC - Urban farming in Singapore

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 83% of the respondents are positive about urban farming in Singapore.

Confusing message from Transit Link

 I received this message from Transit Link after registering my credit card.


You can now use your card to pay for bus and train rides.

If your card comes with EZ-Link/NETS FlashPay functionality, please proceed to the nearest General Ticketing Machine (GTM) located at any train station to switch the payment mode of your card to contactless payment by placing it on the card reader and following the onscreen prompts. Your card can be used to pay for bus and train rides immediately after switching the payment mode.

I have no idea if my card come with the said functionality.

Anyway, when I used the card, it said that I have "low balance". I looks like I have to go to the GTM machine to switch the mode before the card can be used.

If this is the case - why give me such a confusing message?

This kind of idiotic process is quite common in Singapore. It is part of our national culture to be convoluted (as practiced by LHL), confusing and inconsiderate.

Transit link app works poorly

 I faced a lot of trouble to use my credit card to pay for my bus fare. It reflects a convoluted and confusing process designed by people who do not understand the experience faced by the public.

Friday, March 19, 2021

WOTC - Voting in elections

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 58% of the respondents said that a person should be a citizen for at least 5 years before they are allowed to vote.

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues


1. Likely outcome of Alaska meeting between US and China
2. Should we spend $8 billion to build a network of underground walkways?

Vote in
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Network of underground walkways

 I walked 1.8 km (2,500 steps) from my office in Midview City to Bishan North Shopping Mall.

I walked in the hot sun. The insane ministers require me to wear a mask. I perspire and could not breath.
I suggest that the Transport Minister build a network of underground pedestrian walkways, about 600 km, connecting all parts of Singapore to the town center.
The total cost is only $6 billion (hey - it cost less than the $8 billion spent on the North South Corridor).
The underground pathway will be cool and sheltered from the sun and rain. It allows people to walk a long distance without crossing traffic lights.
Walking is good for health.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

 

1. How can America stop its hate crimes?
2. What is China's contribution to the world?
3. When will the US Fed increase interest rate?

Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

Simplify password for websites

 I have a message for website administrators. Allow the users to set the password to any length or format they they wish. Do not impose any requirement on the password, or insist that the password be changed at regular intervals.


Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

 



1. How can America stop its hate crimes?
2. What is China's contribution to the world?

Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

WOTC - Control of social media

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 45% of the respondents said that action should only be taken against people who deliberate create false information on social media.


Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Industrial REITS in Singapore

 I give my views about industrial REITS in Singapore. They are recommended by several analysts, but I prefer to avoid them.


High tech farming in Singapore

 I wish minister Chan all the best in this endeavor. I support his move towards high tech farming. I hope that he can make it a success.

Who knows - we might even be able to grow cotton with high tech farming, and not get cotton from sheep. Hehehe!

WOTC - Coping with the covid pandemic

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 49% of the respondents suggested that people who continued to be impacted from the covid pandemic should be allowed to make withdrawals from the CPF savings.


Special covid vaccination centers



It is a good approach to set up special covid vaccination centers. They have to deal with large numbers of people who needs to be vaccinated.

Being a special center, they can handle a large throughput in an efficient manners.

It is a bad idea to use polyclinics to handle the covid vaccination. It is inefficient and costly.

I hope that the Ministry of Health recognize the advantage of special vaccination centers, and set up more of them.

A better system to elect leaders

 The system used in western democracies is flawed and is subject to interference from foreign powers. There is a better system to select leaders.


Sunday, March 14, 2021

Cross Island Land - tunnel cost

The Land Transport Authority has awarded a contract of $356 million 3.2 km tunnel. 

The cost is $111 million per km.

Here are the details of this contract. 
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lta-awards-356-million-contract-for-cross-island-line-tunnel-works

The Boring Company started by Elon Musk claim to be able to build a tunnel at $10 million USD per mile. This tunnel has a diameter of 12 feet.

https://www.boringcompany.com/faq 

While the size of the tunnel that is needed for 2 tracks of the MRT train is bigger, I wonder if it justify a cost that is 10 times more. 

Maybe, we should look at more efficient ways of digging tunnels?

https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=4086

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

 



1. Which is the most useful social media platform

Vote in
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Excellent customer service from OPPO phone

 Transfer to new OPPO phone

I bought a new OPPO phone.
I have to transfer the data and apps from the old phone to the new phone.
I had trouble.
I went to Oppo website and entered a live chat.
The service from Oppo is excellent!
The help staff responded to me immediately.
He advised me to use the Clone Phone app in the old phone and the new phone.
It worked well.

I commend Oppo for their excellent customer service.
I did not have to wait for someone to attend to me.
I do not have to go through all types of troublesome process to get help.

Their service beats the customer service of most large organizations that I deal with.
The most troublesome organizations are the government agencies in Singapore and the large commercial companies in Singapore.
These troublesome organizations should learn from the process used by Oppo.

Well done, Oppo.

WOTC - Quality of the ministers

 Wisdom of the Crowd: 75% of the respondents have a negative opinion about the quality of the government ministers in Singapore.


Cosco Shipping group - holding company and subsidiaries

I share my views and financial calculations on the holding company and subsidiaries of the Cosco Shipping group.

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