Wisdom of the Crowd: 93% of the respondents said that minister Shanmugam behaved in an oppressive manner and bullied Leong MW to withdraw some statements that were quite harmless.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2864
Saturday, April 08, 2023
Friday, April 07, 2023
NRIC should be used as a public data
From time to time, I share a post in Facebook that exposes my NRIC. Several people sending private message to warn me about this exposure. I asked them - what is the risk that someone knows my NRIC?
Mostly, they are not able to give me a credible reason. They just think that it is risky to let other people know the NRIC.
To me, the NRIC is a public data, just like my name.
Some people said that the NRIC could be used by a borrower to borrow money from the loan shark.
I do not think that the loan sharks are stupid. They will not lend a few thousand dollars based on a false NRIC. The loan shark may insist on viewing the physical NRIC and will verify that it belongs to the borrower. Maybe a few loan sharks are stupid. But most of them are not.
Throughout the first 60 years of my life, the NRIC is a public data. It is used widely to identify a person.
This practice changed when one person, who happens to hold a senior position in a government agency, decides that it should be a private data. This person also happens to be related to a prominent government leader. I shall call him L.
L was responsible for the SingPass database, which used the NRIC as the ID and password for access. When a fraudster (say F) uses the NRIC of another person to access the SingPass database and gives the wrong password three times, L locks the account "for security reason". This caused inconvenience to the NRIC owner , who has to take a lot of trouble to unlock the SingPass account.
This probably happened to many people, causing a lot of problem to countless NRIC holders and the agency that manages the SingPass database.
To overcome this problem, L then decided that the NRIC should be a private data and not used publicly.
I consider L to be an idiot. He does not need to lock the account. It would take F a few million tries to guess the correct password. Does F has so much time to waste? Even if F manages to have access, he cannot really do much harm.
L should learn how the big social media platforms, like Google and Facebook, manages this issue. They use the email address as the ID to log into the account and alert the account owner if there is a wrong password is used. They do not lock the account.
I use Google and Facebook frequently and do not have any problem with unauthorized access by other parties.
Now, I return to the use of NRIC.
I cannot see any harm that my NRIC is known to the wider public. I do not see how anybody can use the NRIC to access my private information, either from SingPass or other databases that use it as an ID.
It is a common practice for all accounts have to be accessed with an ID and protected by a password and sometimes by a 2FA PIN.
Many accounts use the email address or phone number as the ID, and these are widely know. Actually, the email address or phone number is more risky than the NRIC as marketers can send marketing emails and SMS to the owner. They cannot do anything with the NRIC.
It is clear to me that the NRIC can be used publicly. I am puzzled why so many people worry about the NRIC being known widely. Even if one idiot called L says that it is risky, the people should think and access if it is really the case.
Tan Kin Lian
http://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=5695
Thursday, April 06, 2023
WOTC - Leong Mun Wai's statements in Parliament
Wisdom of the Crowd: 100% of the respondents said that the statements made by Leong Mun Wai did not make allegations without checking the facts. His statements were largely correct, except for the use of the word "guilty" which he had withdrawn.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2862
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. What do the ordinary people of Taiwan prefer?
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https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Tuesday, April 04, 2023
WOTC - Pension age in France
Wisdom of the Crowd: 64% of respondents said that it is unfair for the French government to increase the pension age to 64 years as they had promised a lower retirement age earlier.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2860
Monday, April 03, 2023
WOTC - Presidential election
Wisdom of the Crowd: 92% of respondents said that Lee HY should be allowed to contest the presidential election in 2023.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2854
WOTC - Double standards
Wisdom of the Crowd: 86% of the respondents said that double standards were applied in the treatment of the KOM and LHY issues.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2855
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Did China gave different treatment to Lee HL and Anwar Ibrahim?
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https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
WOTC - A new BRICS currency
Wisdom of the Crowd: 50% of respondents said that it is better to use the Chinese yuan, rather than introduce a new BRICS currency. 43% said that a new BRICS currency is useful to reduce reliance on the US dollar.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2858WOTC - Pension scheme and higher life expectancy
Wisdom of the Crowd: 91% of respondents said that the pension age should not be increased with longer life expectancy. The working population should pay higher taxes to support the pension scheme.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2859Thursday, March 30, 2023
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Should China object to western leaders visiting Taiwan?
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https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Monday, March 27, 2023
Letter to China's ambassador to Singapore
27 March 2023
Dear Excellency
I have read your article dated 23 March 2023 posted in your website (think.sg). You have addressed your remarks to Singapore’s public and asked the question “What should we do?”
I wish to respond to your question and give my personal views as a member of Singapore’s public. My views are not the views of the Singapore government, but they do reflect the views of a large number of people that I interact with in social media platforms.
I have followed closely the impressive progress made by China over recent decades on its internal development and its diplomatic activities with countries around the world.
Global Security Initiative
I am impressed with China’s proposal of the Global Security Initiative, as set out in the GSI concept paper, and believe that it is a good framework to achieve peace around the world.
I also support China’s efforts to seek a political settlement to the Ukraine crisis and hope that it will eventually be accepted by the parties involved in the conflict.
I do not share the skepticism expressed in some quarters about the GSI or China’s approach to resolve the Ukraine crisis. These efforts will take time to be realized, and I am confident that the goals will be realized with patience and untiring effort.
I believe that the positive role and contribution by China can be appreciated more widely, if China takes steps to address the concerns of countries and peoples (who are otherwise positive towards China) on two issues, namely the South China Sea and Taiwan.
South China Sea
On the South China Sea dispute, many countries in the region (which are generally positive towards China) have concerns over the “nine dash line” and its impact on the UN convention on the law of the sea (UNCLOS).
There are different views about the legitimacy of the claim by China on the areas covered by the “nine dash line”.
Rather than continuing with this dispute, I would suggest that China takes a magnanimous approach by allowing the neighboring countries to claim their exclusive economic zones within UNCLOS, in return for recognition by these countries for the China's right to retain control of the islands occupied by China for its military facilities to protect its trading routes (e.g. from being blocked by unfriendly powers).
If the neighboring counties accept the arrangement on these islands, China will recognize their right to develop the fishing, mineral and other resources within their exclusive economic zone for the benefit of their national development.
China has now reached a stage of its development that it can generously give up the rights to these resources to the neighboring countries.
Taiwan
Some countries, rightly or wrongly, hold the view that China is impatient to take over Taiwan within the near future. This appears to be the source of the tension over Taiwan and could be the excuse for some countries to engage in unfriendly activities towards China.
I would suggest that China remove this “excuse” by taking a more patient attitude towards Taiwan, as it has done in the past.
There is no need to allow other countries to harbor the impression that China aims to take over Taiwan in the new future. If political and military leaders from other countries wish to visit Taiwan, let them do so. They cannot do much harm (over and above what they have already done) and their visits may help the Taiwan economy to a small extent.
I hope that the people in Taiwan will realize that it is foolish to spend a lot of money to build a military capability against the mainland, when the money can be better spent to improve the living standards of the people.
As China continues to make good progress in its development and governance structure, many people will realize that China has a better governance model compared to the liberal democracies in western countries (which are falling apart and getting worse over the years.)
Given time, the people of Taiwan will also realize the advantage of the China governance model. I hope that the day will come, in the near future, that the people in Taiwan will elect a government that seeks to integrate with the rest of China.
Conclusion
I hope that the leaders in China can consider my suggestions regarding the South China Sea and Taiwan.
WOTC - Ukraine war
Wisdom of the Crowd: 87% of respondents said that America and Europe wants Ukraine to fight Russia to the end.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2853
Sunday, March 26, 2023
WOTC - Ukraine War
Wisdom of the Crowd: 53% of respondents said that Russia will win the war in Ukraine within the next few months. 47% said that there was be a peace settlement.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2852Saturday, March 25, 2023
WOTC - Recent failures of banks
Wisdom of the Crowd: 69% of the respondents said that the recent failure of a few banks will cause a major problem as other banks in America and globally are likely to follow.
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Is it fair for the government of France to increase the pension age from 62 to 64?
3. What is a better way to save for retirement?
4. Did Leong Mun Wai made allegations without checking the facts.
5. Did Leong Mun Wai act irresponsibly in Parliament?
6. Did minister Shanmugam acted fairly and objectively?
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https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Tik Tok in America
The US Congress is currently scrutinizing Tik Tok's operations to assess whether the app poses a security threat that warrants its prohibition in America. The concern is that the data collected by the app could be accessed and used by the communist regime of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Approximately 150 million people in the US, representing almost half of the population, use Tik Tok, with most of them belonging to Gen Z, although there are also older users and small business owners. These entrepreneurs have found Tik Tok to be an effective and affordable tool to promote their services to customers.
If Tik Tok were to be banned, the users would likely feel angry towards the government and their representatives. They argue that the purported security risks are unfounded, and that those responsible for the decision are disconnected from the reality of modern technology. Many of them do not use Tik Tok anyway.
Tan Kin Lian
WOTC - China's role in Ukraine
Wisdom of the Crowd: 56% of the respondents said that China will fail in its effort to find a peace settlement in Ukraine because the western countries would not allow this outcome.
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart3.aspx?id=2851
Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues
2. Is it fair for the government of France to increase the pension age from 62 to 64?
3. What is a better way to save for retirement?
Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx
Friday, March 24, 2023
US stock market and economy
I share my perspective on the US stock market and economy.
https://fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=1317
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