How to stop a train from colliding into another train

My friend is an engineer involved in MRT system. We worked in LTA for many years. Later, he worked for an engineering contractor and is involved in the engineerng work for the new MRT stations.

We discussed the need for a signal system in MRT trains.  He said, why can't each train install a system that will stop one train collding into another train. That is a simple system.

I agred with him totally. Many expensive cars now have a collision avoidance system. This kind of system can be installed on every train. If there is a large obstacle in front, the train will slow down immediately and stop automatically.

We both agreed that this system is essential and should be installed on each train independent of the central control system. Why are our trains only rely on the central system? It seemed to be quite "stupid".

Why does LTA install an expensive signal system on the MRT?

Each MRT line is dedicated to be used by trains on that line. The trains do not cross from one line to another.

During peak periods, the train arrives at each station every 90 seconds. The distance between one train and another is about 1.5 km. This is a very long distance, compared to buses and cars on the road.

It is easy to drive a train. After arriving at a station for 30 seconds, close the door and drive at 60 km to the next station. The driver can make sure that the train is aligned at the station, so that all the doors can open for passengers to alight and board the train.

it is easier than drive a bus.

Why is there a need to install an expensive and complicated signal system that cost nearly $100 million for each line? After spending this sum of money, we now get trains being delayed often due to "signal problems".

i do not understand why the LTA should spend such large sums of money and still get so much problems.

Can someone help to explain the rationale of their planning?

Why does the Indonesian couple need to fight AIA for 10 years over a fake policy?

I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd - Why does the Indonesian couple need to fight AIA for 10 years over a fake policy?

76% of those who replied said that the regulator had to step in earlier, instead of letting the client fight a big insurance company. 12% said that the court should not let the case drag on for so long. 2% blamed the lawyer for dragging the case. This made a total of 90%.

The remaining 10% said that the case took so long because it was complicated.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=438

Will President Trump impose trade restrictions on China in 2018?

At the end of 2017, President Trump made some statements about imposing serious trade sanctions on China.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Will President Trump impose trade restrictions on China in 2018?

Only 2% said that it would lead to a serious trade war between the two super economies. 98% said that it will not be serious.

See the breakdown of the votes in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Should Singapore celebrate its bicentennial of its founding by Stamford Raffles in 2019?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

A bad idea to force doctors to contribute to National Electronic Health Record database

The government plans to pass a law to make it compulsory for doctors to upload the medical records of their patients for each occasion that the patient sees the doctor. The data is to be upload to the National Electronic Health Record database.

I think that this is a bad idea. The doctors would be wasting a lot of time to upload information of minor ailments of patients.
Most of the records would be not useful and would clutter up the database.

As a first step. I suggest that only hospital stays and medical checkups be uploaded into the NEHR database.

The government can encourage patients to go for a medical checkup at regular intervals by subsidising all or a large part of the
cost. In return for the subsidy, the patients have to agree that the report would be uploaded into NEHR.

At a later date, the doctors should be required to report certain types of major medical conditions.

I believe that this approach would achieve the goal of getting just-in-time medical data of patients without inposing a heavy
burden on doctors.

How did PM Lee perform in 2017

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - How did PM Lee perform in 2017

The results of the votes are terrible for PM Lee. 94% gave him an unfavorable rating.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=436

How did President Trump performed in 2017?

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - How did President Trump performed in 2017?

The results of the voting are somewhat favorable towards President Trump

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=435

How can we give a better deal for hawkers?

Hawkers are facing a difficult time, with high rentals and cost of labor.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - How can we give a better deal for hawkers?

45% of those who voted said that we should build more hawker centers and rent them out at lower rentals.

28% said that the government should give a subsidy to each hawker to cover part of the rental and the cost of labor.

15% said that each stall should be allowed to employ one assistant free of levy.

11% said the customers should accept that food prices will have to increase in the near future.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=434

Why does it take longer to clear immigration at Singapore end, compared to JB end?

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Why does it take longer to clear immigration at Singapore end, compared to JB end?

35% of the people who voted said that Singapore wants to impose stricter control for security.

33% said that Singapore has now become quite inefficient in processing the immigration checks.

18% said that the Malaysian side is taking a lax approach towards immigration control.

14% said the government wants to discourage Singaporeans from visiting Malaysia.

You can see the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=433

Should China continue its restriction on burning coal for heating?

China has introduced restrictions on burning of coal for heating. This has caused many poor families to go without heating during winter, as they cannot afford the higher price of gas for heating.

I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd - Should China continue its restriction on burning coal for heating?

47% of the people replied that China should continue its restriction to reduce pollution.

32% saId that the government should subsidise the price of gas for low income family.

The remaining 21% said that China should relax its ban until a cheaper alternative becomes available or during winter.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=432

Paying a consulting fee to an intermediary

Mr. Tan, do you support giving of bribes through an intermediary?

Reply
I do not support the giving of bribes through an intermediary.

I would prefer to do business in those countries where there is no need to give bribes.

If I can get sufficient business to keep my workers employed and to show a healthy profit, there is no need for me to engage in questionable activities.

However, if I do not have sufficient business and face the risk of laying off my workers, who have their livelihood with my company, I will find ways to get sufficient business to sustain their livelihood.

This may involve giving a consulting fee to an intermediary.  If this is the practice in that country, and if the other competitors are engaged in this practice, I would find it necessary to be involved. This will be a last resort.

I would make certain that the legal document forbid the intermediary from giving bribes and carrying out illegal activities.

The Keppel saga is getting more messy

The Keppel saga is getting more messy.

http://www.fcpablog.com/…/at-keppel-it-wasnt-a-rogue-employ…

My view:
I do not agree with the step taken by the current board and management of Keppel Corp.

It is cowardice for the current management to admit that the previous management were involved in giving bribes to the Brazil government officials.

It is true that the previous management did pay consulting fees to the intermediary to take care of the local arrangements. It is understood, and perhaps stated in writing, that the local arrangements had to be made without breaking any law.

If bribes were given, it is the intermediary who had commited the crime and broken the law.

The intermediary might have testified, under pressure, that he was authorised by the Keppel management to give bribes. This should be a matter between the intermediary and the previous management of Keppel.

The current management of Keppel has no right to admit that the previous management had committed any wrong doing. It is for the previous management to testify if they did or did not authorize the giving of bribes. I am certain that they would deny this allegation.

I understand that the corporate lawyer of Keppel also expressed some regret for his involvement in preparing the legal documents. This is still not conclusive that the previous management was engaged in bribery.

I worry about the quality of our corporate and government leaders today.

Tan Kin Lian

My views about Forest City

An online news website, Free Malaysia Today, invited me to give my views about Forest City.

I sent the following answers to their questions:

1. Forest City has been successful so far. I am impressed with the fast pace of its development. You can see many apartment blocks being constructed. Most of the units have been sold. I have bought an apartment unit and get to learn how the developer carried out its marketing. I wanted to buy a unit in a block that has started construction but was told that all the units were fully sold. I have to book a unit in a new block that has not started. The developer would start the construction only after most or all the units were sold.

2. I invited an Indonesian family to stay in Forest City for the Christmas holiday. They booked a unit as they wanted to send their son to attend the international school. They also liked the Malaysia My Second Home program and wanted to enjoy permanent residency under this program. I believe that there would be many families in a similar situation.

3. I have no comment on how the massive development would help Johor in the long run. I believe that the Johor government must have felt that this project would be beneficial to the state before they approved its development. I also understand that the state government and the sultan's family had a stake in Forest City.

4. There is the risk that the many development projects in Iskandar will contribute to an over-supply of property. In my case, I am looking at my purchase as a long term investment. I do not intend to rent it out or to sell it over the short term. The property is freehold, so I would be able to keep it for many years, and pass it to my children and grand children. I like the concept of Forest City, which is being developed as a future city with a separation of people from vehicles and is ecologically friendly. I hope that Forest City will become successful and that many people will choose to live there, so that it does not become a white elephant.

kinlian@gmail.com

Which factor will cause the biggest swing away from PAP at the next general election?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Grace Fu ask Leon Pereira to apologize

Why does Grace Fu insist that Leon Pereira apologise to the House of Parliament for making a wrong statement about the reporting by Mediacorp?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Will Nicole Seah do well at the next general election under the Workers' Party?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

How will journalists make a living?

I met an old friend who was the leader of the journalist union. He has now retired.

I asked him about the career prospects for journalists. We agreed that the future is bleak.

The mainstream newspapers are downsizing and reducing their staff, including journalists. The online news website cannot survive also. How are they going to employ journalists?

The bloggers report news on a voluntary basis. They are not able to verify the accuracy of the news. This has contributed to the dissemination of unreliable or fake news.

I suspect that online advertisements, which is the mainstay of the revenue stream of Google and other websites, will also see diminishing revenue streams. People are now tired of the online, intrusive advertisements.

How will journalists make a living?

Will Singaporeans be prepared to pay for reliable news on the Internet?

Give your vote in

www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Did Keppel Offshore and Marine acted wrongly in the Brazil situation?

Recently, Keppel Offshore and Marine paid a big penalty to settle a suit involved alleged bribery of officials in Brazail.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Should a company gives bribes when tendering for big jobs in a country where bribery is prevalent?

46% of the people who voted said that the company should not be involved in giving bribes even if they will not get the contract.

31% said that the company should adopt the business practice of the country awarding the contract.

13% said that the matter should be left to the country awarding the contract and America should not be involved.

11% said that it is all right to give a consulting fee to an intermediary to faciltitate getting the contract.

A total of 54% disagree with the penalty that had to be paid.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=431

How to promote hawker culture

Mr. Tan

The government is trying hard to promote the hawker culture. I think that the only thing that they could do is to look at how the culture begins to understand the real issue.

Hawker centres in Singapore begins as streets stall. It was usually starts up that did not have a huge capital. To survive the hawkers improvise the recipe to charter to the local taste.

hence much if not all the hawker food emphasis on affordable ingredients and outstanding skills.

I believe that there is only one thing the government could do to keep the culture alive. That is to provide a platform for new start ups to revive the culture in its own. It could be done by permit of night markets similar to those in the region. Those who prefer to dine in categorise hawker stall could still enjoy their food there but those who are willing to try the streets stalls will have their choices too. After all, growth comes in stages, any attempt take away any part and the growth will stop or even mutate.

even if the government make the new hawkers goes for training, it is always a good platform for them to try it out at street stalls before they make it to a real hawker stall. In some countries, some street stalls are famous in new recipe when the operators trial their recipe while in business much like how our early hawker did. In hawker centres, it is tough to do this.

Above is my personal opinion, there might be other view on the issue, I am happy to hear different views on this.

Contributed by Tan Yee Fong

Simulation for General Election 2020

The simulation for the General Election 2020 is now ready for your viewing.

Click on this link:
http://tklcloud.com/election/const.aspx

Select the swing against PAP, e.g. 20% and watch the results for each constituency being displayed.

To enjoy this simulation, you should record the results on a piece of paper as it is being displayed.

After all the results are displayed, you will see a summary of the seats won by each party.

You can run the simulation again and select another swing.

Enjoy.

Ranking of ministers

This is the ranking of the ministers based on the perception of the voters in The Wisdom of the Crowd.

You can see the trend of the voting over the past weeks in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/ChartJS.aspx?Section=Minister

Bad experience with AIA Financial Guardian

Chin Hua Yak posted this comment about AIA Financial Guardian.

It was the first policy I bought immediately after I got my first job after graduation. Although, I studied Financial Maths and was para-legal trained, it was my first "real" lesson on "Misrepresentation" ... lol. I made a thick submission on my own case to AIA's self appointed adjudicator but no point ... Up till now, they are still deducting "money" from my account to pay the premiums ... But I opted not to pay them any more premiums ... although my 3rd party agent, a relative; advised me to continue to pay more premiums which around year 2000 would require me to pay until age 90+ yo to breakeven ... lol.

Just imagine that ... if I put all the premium monies into a saving account and compound it at just 2%, say by year 15; it would have more than doubled twice in 15-30 year by now, or by another X 4 or 5 times by age 90+ ... lol. Don't forget in those days of high interest rates, simply 5-10% returns or yield without any problem ... My estimate above would be compounded by several more folds ... lol.

Simulation of general election 2020

Happy New Year. My simulation site for General Election 2020 will be ready today.

You can see the simulated results for each constituency and a summary of the total seats won by each party - assuming a 0% to 25% swing against the PAP.

This simulation is based on the assumption that all the constituences will be contested by the same parties as in 2015 and their standing remain as before.

What will happen to Bitcoin in 2018?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Do you expect war in the Korean Peninsula in 2018?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

What was the problem with AIA Financial Guardian?

Many people were caught with the AIA Financial Guardian. It was a big scandal about 15 years ago.

The problem occurred much earlier. About 30 years ago, AIA launched this policy and sold more than a hundred thousand policies (my guess) to parents to save for their children.

What was this problem? Is there a lesson for the younger generation who put their trust and savings in life insurance policies, only to have a big regret a few years down the road.

Read this article
http://www.fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=552

CAR-T as a treatment for cancer

My friend is familiar with the new technique to treat cancer called CAR-T. It has recently been approved for treatment in America.

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/research/car-t-cells

This technique is especially suitable for the treatment of lymphoma.

My friend is convinced that PM Lee has taken leave to try this technique. He said that lymphoma is never truly cured and has to be treated again every few years.

I think it is highly speculative. Nevertheless, if this is true, I like to send best wishes for PM Lee for a successful treatment.

Is PM Lee largely responsible for the setbacks faced by Singapore during 2017?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Do you have faith in the fourth generation leadership for Singapore?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Ali Baba is acting unreasonably against ezbuy

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Is Alibaba acting reasonably in disrupting the service provided by ezbuy?

81% disagreed with the action of Ali Baba based on four reasons. Only 9% supported teh action of Ali Baba.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=430

Customer engagement officer will not help

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Will the chief commuter engagement officer help to improve the performance of SMRT?

43% of the people who voted said that this is an attempt to deflect the public from the real issue. 41% said that SMRT faced an engineering problem which cannot be solved by commuter communication. The total of negative votes is 84%.

The remaining 16% said that this move is helpful.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=429

Why does the Indonesian couple need to fight AIA for 10 years over a fake policy?

Read this
http://www.straitstimes.com/business/couple-wins-suit-against-aia-over-fake-68m-policy

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Struggle with inadequate income

We are now able to buy many quality products from China using the online websites at prices that are a small fraction of the price that were sold a few years ago.

This means that our earnings can buy many quality products, leading to a better quality of life.

Sadly, this is not the case..

A large part of the earnings goes to pay for housing mortgage and the high cost of living, e.g. medical expenses, food, etc. It leaves so little to buy the quality products.

It is a bad vicious cycle. Instead of getting a better quality of life, we continue to struggle with inadequate income.

Suggestions to improve productivity

Singapore has been struggling to achieve productivity growth for the last 40 years. It is described in this article.

https://likedatosocanmeh.wordpress.com/…/singapore-is-in-t…/

I wish to describe the steps that I would take to improve productivity in Singapore:

a) Eliminate unnecessary work
b) Simply processes
c) Introduce automation and innovation
d) Set the right strategy and policies

This is explained further here:
http://www.tankinlian.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=1453

The government must take the lead in achieving national goals

Beijing has achieved achieve much progress in reducing pollution. Well done to the government of China.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/…/beijing-may-be-starting-t…

This shows the fallacy of LHL's government. He believes that many things can be left to the free market. He is mistaken.

The government must take the lead in achieving national goals. They cannot be left to the "free market".

It is necesary for the government pay attention to the national goals and to take the necessary and effective actions to achieve the goals.

A more secure and efficient voting system for elections

This is only one step towards a more efficient voting system.
https://www.todayonline.com/…/voters-be-electronically-regi…

The second step is to allow electronic voting, with safeguard against manipulation of the votes. It is explained here
http://tklcloud.com/election/page/1

Some surprise findings from Google.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/12/20/the-surprising-thing-google-learned-about-its-employees-and-what-it-means-for-todays-students/?sw_bypass=true&utm_term=.7b05f9577010

Quote:
In 2013, Google decided to test its hiring hypothesis by crunching every bit and byte of hiring, firing, and promotion data accumulated since the company’s incorporation in 1998. Project Oxygen shocked everyone by concluding that, among the eight most important qualities of Google’s top employees, STEM expertise comes in dead last. The seven top characteristics of success at Google are all soft skills: being a good coach; communicating and listening well; possessing insights into others (including others different values and points of view); having empathy toward and being supportive of one’s colleagues; being a good critical thinker and problem solver; and being able to make connections across complex ideas.

Those traits sound more like what one gains as an English or theater major than as a programmer. Could it be that top Google employees were succeeding despite their technical training, not because of it? After bringing in anthropologists and ethnographers to dive even deeper into the data, the company enlarged its previous hiring practices to include humanities majors, artists, and even the MBAs that, initially, Brin and Page viewed with disdain.
Unquote:

95% disagree with the law minister

Do you agree with the law minister that the public should not influence the sentencing made by judges?

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

55% said that it is good for the judge to know how the public feels, in the absence of a jury system.
40% said that the judge should be able to make their judgment without being influenced by the public opinion.
5% said that the judge may be unduly influenced by public opinion.

Only 5% agreed with the law minister. The other 95% disagree with him.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=425

How can pop idols manage their stress?

Recently a popular popular Korean pop idol, Kim Jong-hyun committed suicide as he was not able to manage the stress and depression.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - How can pop idols manage their stress?

56% said that they should get professional help as this is part of their lifestyle.
29% said that they should accept that their popularity may be short term and allow other people to take over.
Another 15% chose two other options.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=426

Avoid spending too much money on private hospital

A mother suffered from some pain in the lower body. There was a waiting time for investigation in a public hospital. The children decided to send the mother to a private hospital.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Was the expensive investigation necessary?

60% said that the mother should visit a general practitioner or a polyclinic and get the advice of a doctor.
62% said that the government should find ways to stop the wasteful use of Medisave.
Another 13% chose two other options.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=427

Will President Trump impose trade restrictions on China in 2018?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

How did PM Lee perform in 2017?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

How did President Trump perform in 2017?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Loss of $40 million in Skills Future scam

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - How was it possible for a syndicate to cheat Skills Future of $40 million in fake claims?

54% of the people who voted said that the administrator is grossly negligent to allow this situation to happen. 32% said that an internal staff must be involved in the syndicate. 14% are positive towards the administrator.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=424

How can we give a better deal to hawkers?

How can we give a better deal to hawkers, so that they can provide food at affordable rates and still can earn enough for their effort?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Jakarta Airlport train started operation

The airport train in Jakarta has started operation. It will reduce the travel time from the city to the airport and avoid the horrendous congestion.

I don't think that they need to spend $100 million for a signal system!

Article

An opportunity to earn consulting or referral fee

SPRING and IE Singapore are promoting the concept of the Smart Factory Industry 4.0 which includes using data analytics to improve efficiency and reduce manufacturing cost.

We wish to share with you a Smart Factory Data Analytics software tool that can help manufacturers to reduce their manufacturing cost. This tool was developed over the past eight years based on the consulting experience of the creator, Mr. Moses Tan.

We invite you to attend a seminar to learn about this software tool. After you become familiar with the tool, you can introduce it to manufacturers and earn consulting or referral fees.

This training course is conducted by Moses Tan, CEO of LeanCost Solutions in collaboration with Tan Kin Lian & Asociates Pte Ltd.

Click here to register

An effective way to deal with corruption

I met a senior person who reported directly to Robert Kuok. I asked him how RK dealt with corruption when he ventured into China in the early days when corruption was rampant.

He shared this story with me.

RK was developing a golf course in a province in South China. The local official, who gives the development permit asked RK - If I approve this plan, how many free golf membership can you give to me?

RK replied - I can give you as many golf membership as you want, but the question is - do you dare to receive them?

The local official went back and consulted his family. The following week, he came back with the signed approval but did not ask for the golf membership.

What made the local official change his mind?

My friend said that the local official was afraid that RK might complain to the top people in Beijing and the local official could be punished severefly for corruption.

I do not know if this is a true story, but this is another way to deal with corruption.

Why does it take a longer time to clear immigration at the Singapore end?

In recent years, it takes a longer time to clear the immigration at the Singapore end, compared to the Johor end.

I asked this question - Why does it take longer to clear immigration at Singapore end, compared to JB end?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Why China relax its restriction on burning of coal?

China has imposed restriction on burning of coal for heating. This is to reduce air pollution. However, poor households are not able to afford gas for heating.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of The Crowd - Should China continue its restriction on burning coal for heating?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Two reasons to buy an apartment in Forest City

I invited my Indonesian friend and his family to spend Christmas eve at Forest City.

On Christmas day, the family decided to buy a small apartment at Forest City. They wanted to send their eldest son to attend the international school in Forest City in two years time.

As an property investor, they also get the right of permanent residency in Malaysia for the family. This would be useful in case there is a recurrence of racial riots which occured twenty years ago.

The cost of the investment was RM 800,000. They could afford it within their family budget, although they were just a middle income family.

I did not expect the family to be so decisive and to make this investment. They told me that they had been considering this matter for some time. They decided to make this important decision when they saw the opportunity.

I expect that many other families in Indonesia will follow their example.

Consulting fee for big contracts

Recently, Keppel Offshore & Marine agreed to pay a penaly of US422.2 million to settle a charge that it offered bribes to the officers of the awarding company to secure several large projects.

In some countries, it is necessary to make these payments to ensure that the company will be awarded the contracts, but the payments were made indirectly as consulting fees to an intermediary.

Was KOM adopting a bad corrupt practice when such a practice appears to be prevalent and necessar to secure the contract?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Which economic strategy should the government take?

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Which economic strategy should the government take?

Four options were provided for voting. They include keeping the cost of living low, providing heavy subsidy for education, health care and housing, introducing a minimum wage and reduce the price of housing.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=420

Which is your preferred low cost airline?

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Which is your favorite low cost airline?

36% of those who voted preferred Scoot/Tiger. 22% preferred Ais Asia and 22% preferred JetStar. The remaining 20% dislike budget airlines.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=423

Do you like Air Asia?

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - What are your views about Air Asia?

61% of those who voted had a favorable impression of Air Asia. The remainint 39% had an unfavorable impression.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=422

Should banks impose a charge for cash withdrawals from ATMs

One key reason why Singapore prefer to use cash is that it is free to withdraw cash from ATM and to deposit cash in the banks. However, cash payment is inefficient and takes a lot of time of staff.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Should banks impose a charge for cash withdrawals at ATMs?

91% of those who voted prefer to keep the current arrangement and continue to withdraw cash for free. Only 9% are willing to pay a fee for cash withdrawal in return for a higher interest rate on savings or a lowering of the charge for card payment.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=418

We does HDB want to build 17,000 new flats in 2018?

I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd - Why does HDB want to build 17,000 new flats next year?

40% of those who replied said that it is to prepare for an increase in the population - which is an option that most Singaporeans dread. The other 60% gave three other reasons - which are more positive.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=417.

Smart Factory Data Analytics

SPRING and IE Singapore are promoting the concept of the Smart Factory Industry 4.0 which includes using data analytics to improve efficiency and reduce manufacturing cost.

We wish to share with you a Smart Factory Data Analytics software tool that can help manufacturers to reduce their manufacturing cost. This tool was developed over the past eight years based on the consulting experience of the creator, Mr. Moses Tan.

We invite you to attend a seminar to learn about this software tool. After you become familiar with the tool, you can introduce it to manufacturers and earn consulting or referral fees.

The seminar introduces the concept of lean manufacturing in a simple and fun-manner. It includes a hands-on demo and case-study of how a manufacturer use the software to implement an aggressive and feasible factory cost reduction program.

Click here to view the PDF of the presentation.

If you are interested, you can register by clicking one of the link below.

9 Jan 2018 from 2 to 5 pm

12 Jan 2018 from 2 to 5 pm

This seminar is now offered FREE, so act now. A certificate of attendance will be given to each attendee.

If you have any question, you can reply to this email.

Mr. Moses Tan
Principal Lean/TPM Consultant
LeanCost international Pte Ltd

In collaboration with
Tan Kin Lian
Tan Kin Lian & Associates Pte Ltd.

Is Alibaba acting unreasonably against Ezbuy?

This article explains the dispute between ezbuy and Alibaba.

http://www.straitstimes.com/…/ezbuy-refutes-alibaba-groups-…

Is Alibaba acting reasonably against Ezbuy? Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Will the communication chief in SMRT make a difference?

Will the chief commuter engagement officer help to improve the performance of SMRT?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Travel insurance may not pay for flight cancellation caused by the airline

It is bad for the insurance company to reject a claim for a delayed flight that is due to the fault of the airline.

Although the customer can get compensation from the airline, the compensation is hardly enough for the distress and expenses that have to be incurred.

For example, the family may have to skip some of the events during the journey.

In the past, the travel insurance policy pays a cash sum as a benefit, i.e. it is not related to the actual amount of the loss.

Now, it is excluded from some travel insurance policy issued by this company.

Read more at:
http://www.fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=550

Not willing to participate in this kind of survey

I have often been approached by government agencies and respectable associations to participate in a survey. The promised that it would take 10 minutes to complete the survey.

I clicked on the link and found that it is a multi-page survey.

I stopped at that point and replied to the respected agency or association:

REPLY:
I refuse to answer any survey that present the questions to me one page at a time.

I want to see the all the questions before I decide to participate in the survey.

If I find that the questions were crafted in an inconsiderate manner, looking for answers to "unreasonable questions", I will also refuse to participate.

I do not believe the statement that it would take me only 10 minutes. I have been cheated often.

Rejected travel insurance claim

The travel insurance policies sold many years ago were quite straight forward. The travel insurance policy sold today can be quite complicated. What you expect to be covered may not be covered.

Do read the policy document carefully and decide if you really want to buy the travel insurance.

A policyholder made a claim for the cancellation of the flight. He was told that the policy does not pay for cancellation made by the airline.

Quote:

Section 4 – Trip disruption
What we do not pay
12. Claims that result from flights being cancelled due to any fault on the part of the airline such as aircrew rotation, rescheduled flights or operational requirements, or mechanical breakdown of the airplane in which you have a pre-booked flight.

We regret to inform you that if you have missed your flight due to any fault on the part of the airline (for whatever reason be it operational requirements) will not be covered under your Travel Insurance.
Unquote:

Here is the link to the policy document. I find it quite difficult to understand the coverage and the exclusion.
https://www.income.com.sg/forms/policy-conditions/travel.aspx?ext=.pdf

My experience with a colonoscopy

When I was 62, I went to a private hospital to carry out a colonoscopy. I was told that it was necessary after passing age 60.

The procedure cost $1,500 plus another $500 to remove a polyp. The doctor told me to come back in 5 years time for the next examination.

Seven years later, I decided to go to a polyclinic to get an appointment as a subsidized patient. It was told that there is a waiting time. It is okay with me.

The polyclinic doctor asked many questions to determine if the colonoscopy was necessary. I told the doctor that I was told that it was advisable to carry out the procedure every five years.

Sorry, Mr. Tan. I still have to ask these questions to determine the necessity. Suddenly, the 5 years interval become not applicable.

I told the doctor that my previous procedure discovered a polyp that was found to be benign. Okay, it is now advisable to carry out another colonoscopy.

I had an appointment at KTP Hospital at a date that was more than a month away. I was not in a hurry, so the waiting time was okay.

I had to attend a pre-surgery appointment at KTP Hospital. I had to go through the interview again to determine if it was necessary. The earlier report from the polyclinic did not matter. I gave the doctor the same reply "I had polyp earlier". That opened the door.

I also had to go through financial counselling. The charge, after government subsidy, was estimated to be $1,000.

I did some research on what a colonoscopy cost in other cities, including Sydney, Australia. It was lower than $1,000 in a private clinic.

The operation was uneventful. They did not find any polyp at this occasion. The final bill came out to $600. I asked why was the estimate given by the financial counselor so much higher? I did not get any explanation.

I am certain that if I was paying in full as a private patient, I would not be asked any question. Our public hospital are in the business of making profit.

I do not like the PAP system of running Singapore. It is wasteful and result in costly medical procedures. It is also harmful for ordinary people.

Tan Kin Lian

Should the expensive bill be avoided?

Many people seek early investigation and treatment in a private hospital and incurred a large medical bill. Was it necessary for them to incur this expense?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Was the expensive investiation necessary?

A mother suffered from some pain in the lower body. There was a waiting time for investigation in a public hospital. The children decided to send the mother to a private hospital.

It was not a serious condition. The treatment cost $10,000. It was deducted from the Medisave account of the children.

Is there a real need for the investigation to be carried out immediately, at great expense?

Would it be helpful for the mother to visit a general practitioner or the polyclinic to establish the need to be investigated early?

How many families are faced with this type of problem. How much of the Medisave savings are being wiped out which could have been avoided?

How can pop idols manage their stress and depression?

Recently a popular popular Korean pop idol, Kim Jong-hyun committed suicide as he was not able to manage the stress and depression.

I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd - How can pop idols manage their stress and depression?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Public should not influence sentencing given by judges

Do you agree with the law ministers that the public should not influence the sentencing made by judges?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Give reward to hackers who expose weaknesses in internet portals

Recently, Mindef announced that they would give attractive prizes for hackers to hack into their internet portals and expose their weaknesses.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Is it a good idea for Mindef to hire hackers to test the weaknesses in their internet portals?

46% of those who voted said that it is a good approach, but 54% disagreed for three reasons.

You can see the breakdown of the votes in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

An expensive cafe may succeed

A new cafe opened in a new condo and charge price that is more than twice of other outlets.

I asked this question - Will a cafe charges, that charges twice the price of ordinary outlets, be viable?

To my surprise 71% said that it will succed and gave three reasons. Only 29% said that it will not.

You can see the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=415

Will BlueSG be successful?

A new car sharing operator called BlueSG has started operation in Singapore. It plans to increase its fleet considerably.

I asked the question - Will the electric car sharing scheme operated by Blue SG be successful?

80% of the people who voted said that it will not succeed. 20% said that it will.

You can see a breakdown of the reasons in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=414

Fake claims of $40 million in Skills Future

A syndicate cheated Skills Future of $40 million in fraudulent claims. This is a staggering sum. Was the administrator grossly negligent or were some internal staff involved in the fraud?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

First instalment payment of $24,000 was not received

Mr. D bought an special endowment plan from a large life insurance company. He paid a monthly premium of $1,000 for 5 years, making a total contribution of $60,000. The premium stopped after that.

The policy was supposed to pay to Mr. D a cash payout of $24,000 at the end of the 5th 10th and 15th year. The total payout would be $72,000.

When Mr. D received the cheque for the final payment at the end of the 15th year, he realized that he had only received one payment previously. On further investigation, he discovered that he did not receive the first payment of $24,000.

Find out more about this case in
http://www.fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=548

Trading in crypto currencies should be banned

SINGAPORE: The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is urging the public to "act with extreme caution" and understand the "significant risks" they take on if they choose to invest in cryptocurrencies.

Read here.

My comment:
This advice will not reach the relevant people.
It is better for the trading in cryptocurrencies to be banned - following the approach taken by some other countries.

$40 million Skills Future scam

SINGAPORE: Five suspected members of a criminal syndicate have been charged with a series of offences, which resulted in close to S$40 million in fraudulent claims being paid out by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).

Read here.

My comment:
I know that such a scheme will be subject to abuse and fraud. I worry about the ability of the Workforce Development Agency to manage the fraud.

They should not allow the fraud to reach such a scale. They should use data analtyics to identify the potential fraud and to take action much earlier.

If they are more pro-active, they fraudsters would not go to this extent.

What is smart data analytics? The scholars in charge of our government agencies could consult me. It is not tht difficult. It is really a matter of common sense.


I will write about it earlier.

How much more will you pay for a freehold property?

What should be the difference in price between a freehold property and a 99 year leasehold property of the same size and in the same location?


Will you pay 5%, 10%, 20% or 30% more for the leasehold property?


Remember, at the end of 99 years, the leasehold property is worth $0 while the freehold property will continue to appreciate in value.


Most people are surprised with the answer. Make your guess and check the answer here.

Non graduates can also do well in the workplace

Some people say that the pay for a non graduate is too low. So, they will do their best to get a degree.

They should also realize that the pay for the mediocre graduates are also poor. Worse, many of them cannot get a job and have to drive a private hire car.

The pay for a non-graduate may be low at the start. But it should increase over a few years, which is the same time that someone has to spend to get a degree.

Some jobs are dead end without any prospect for improvement. But it largely depends on the worker.

If the worker has initiative and is willing to spend time to continue learning and to acquire better knowledge and skill, e.g. through self study, he will have the prospects for advancement.

I know of many people who made progress on their own, without going to the university and without a degree. I happen to be one of them, so I can speak from personal experience. But I now of many other people who are more successful than me.

I will continue to advocate an alternative to getting a paper degree, especially for people who are not academically inclinded. The best gauge is - if you cannot make it to the local university, it is better to consider other options.

Tan Kin Lian

Strong competition between Comfort Taxis and Grab

Comfort Taxis and Grab are competing strongly to gain market share.

I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd - Is the fight between Comfort and Grab good for consumers?

48% said that it is good for consumers. But 52% said that over the long term, it will not be good. It is wasteful.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=409

Are we already a smart nation?

PM Lee has set out the goal for Singapore to be a smart nation. Recently, a minister announced the initiatives that were taken and the progress made.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Are we already a Smart Nation?

10% of the people who voted said that we have made good progress in the new initiatives.

The other 90% said that we continue to be backward.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=412

Strong measures taken by police

Recently, the police used strong measures to break into premises suspected of operating an illegal brothel.

I asked the question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Do you agree with the strong action taken by the police against the illegal brothels?

Here are the votes:

62% disagreed with the approach of the police. 38% supported it.

You can see the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=411

Thank goodness, we are insured

Mdm X upgraded to a private shield. Some time later, she went to a private hospital for cancer treatment. The medical bill amounted to $300,000.

The family thought - thanks goodness, we are insured. Otherwise, we will not be able to afford paying this bill.

Really?
Read about what happened:
http://www.fisca.sg/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ID=546

Which is your favorite low cost airline?

Which is your favorite low cost airline?
Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

What are your views about Air Asia

What are your views about Air Asia.

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Making an unjustified criticism

I wish to quote another example about how people misinterpret the view of another person and start to attack that person.

For a long time, I advocated that people with spare money should keep their savings in CPF retirement account to enjoy the interest rate of 4% plus bonus. The interest rate is attractive for the low level of risk.

I also supported the view that people in need of money after passing age 55 should be allowed to withdraw their money. They should not be forced to keep their money to be paid out in installments over their lifetime.

Each person should make his (or her decision) based on his financial circumstances.

Somebody forgot the first part and remembered my second part. When he learned that I had kept my savings in CPF retirement account up to age 70, he criticized me for advocating the members should be allowed to withdraw their CPF at 55. He said, why do I recommend people to withdraw their savings at 55 when I kept it until age 70.

Many people have this bad habit of attacking another person based on a misinterpretation of his view. They do not attempt to check or clarify the view. But they feel entitled to make an unjustified attack.

I have another sad observation. There are bystanders who help to convey the unjustified attack, when they should take the opportunity to rebut it.

We need to have people with character and a sense of what is right or wrong.

Will the quick response teams be effective?

The police has established quick response team to patrol the crowded places. Will they be effective?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Which economy strategy do you prefer

Which economic strategy should be taken by the government?

I give four options for you to vote in
wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Continuing decline in birth rate

The government has been trying to increase the birth rate in Singapore for the past three decades. The failed miserably and the birthrate continue to decline.

What are the main reasons for the continuing decline? I asked this question in the Wisdom of the Crowd.

Three factors accounted for 98% of the votes.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=407

Check medical history before accepting the application

I know of a few cases where the insurance company rejected a medical claim on the grounds of alleged non-disclosure of a past medical condition. Usually, the insured was not aware about the medical history or the need to disclose it. The medical bills can come to several tens or thousands of dollars.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Should MAS disallow insurers from rejecting claims due to alleged non-disclosure of past medical history?

Here are the votes:
a) 58% said that the insurer should check on the medical history before accepting the application, rather than at the time of processing the claim.
b) 15% said the the insured is not aware of the need to disclose the medical history.
c) 13% said that the insurance policy should have an indisputability clause which bars the insurance company from disputing the claim on the grounds of non-disclosure after 1 year.
d) 8% said that the agent does not do a good job in asking for this information in the application.
e) 8% said that the current practice is satisfactory. The consumers should be responsible to disclose the past medical history.

A total of 92% said that the current practice should be changed.

You can view the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=408

Some questions about citizenship

Here are some arguments why citizenship should not be revoked so easily. If a person has committed a crime, he should be punished according to the law, but the citizen should not be revoked.

It also brings the question about whether citizenship should be given out so easily. This is a separate question, but it is worth considering as well.

https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2017/12/16/can-citizenship-be-revoked-due-to-criminal-acts-even-though-one-is-already-punished-by-law/

I hold the view that citizenship should not be given easily and it should not be taken away easily.

I also hold the view that the burden of citizen should be shared equally. It is quite ridiculous that local born male citizens have to served two full years of national service and another ten years of reservist duty whereas new citizens escape this burden.

This burden can be made fairer by paying the citizens a market salary for the time that they have to serve in the military service.

Tan Kin Lian

Pay for hawker assistant

How much should a hawker assistant be paid a month for 40 hour work week?
Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Should the citizen of the S League player be taken back?

Recently, the government took back the citizenship given to a S League player for being involved in a global match fixing scam.

I posed this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Should the citizenship of the S League player be taken away for global match fixing?

58% are in support of this action. 42% are against it.

You can view the breakdown of the votes and the reasons in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=406

Did Li Shengwu scandalise the court?

The Attorney General is charging Li Shengwu for scandalising the court by referring to a "pliant court system" in one of his Facebook post.

Did Li Shengwu scandalised the court? What does the ordinary people think?

You can see their votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=402

Click on the Facebook or Google logo to sign in.

Will Seah MM take over as CEO of SMRT?

Seah MM was recently appointed as chairman of SMRT. Later, he resigned from his full time job to focus totally on SMRT.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Do you expect Seah MM (current chairman) to take over as CEO of SMRT?

a) 35% said that he will be appointed as executive chairman but Desmond Kuek will remain CEO.
b) 25% said that Seah MM will quite likely assume the position of CEO, replaceing DK.
c) 20% said that this is part of the plan decided earlier.
d) 12% said that this change is likely to happen within the next six months.
e) 8% said that this is not likely to happen.

A total of 57% expect Seah MM to take over as CEO while 35% expect that he will be executive chairman and DK will remain as CEO fo SMRT.

View the breakdown of the votes in 

http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=401

Should the government worry about the increasing number of elderly in the population?

Over the years, the government has been expressing concern about the increase in the elderly in the population.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Should we worry about the increasing number of elderly in the population?

Here are the replies:

a) 67% said that the government does not provide a pension to the elderly, so the elderly will not be a burden to the state.
b) 14% said that the elderly can downgrade their property and get cash for their living expenses.
c) 11% said that most of the elderly can take care of themselves financially.
d) 8% said the the elderly will be a burden to the resources of the state.

A total of 92% said that the concern of the government is misplaced.

View the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=405

Should condo apartments be allowed for rental under AirBnB?

The government passed a regulation recently to disallow apartments in condominiums to be rental out for short term stays. Recently, the government sought public consultation over this issue.

I asked this question in The Wisdom of the Crowd - Should condo owners be allowed to rent our their apartment for short term stay under AirBNB

Here are the votes:

a) 36% said that short term rentals should be disallowed as it affects the neighbors.
b) 28% said that short term rentals should be allowed in condominiums, similar to the practice in private landed properties.
c) 28% said that this should be allowed provided that it does not disturb the neighbors.
d) 8% said tht it should be allowed but the guests cannot use the condo facilities.

A total of 64% are in favor of short term rental of condo apartments under AirBnB but they have some conditions to the use.

View the breakdown of the votes in
http://www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg/chart.aspx?ID=404

Should banks impose a charge for ATM cash withdrawals?

Should banks impose a charge for cash withdrawals from ATMs?

Obviously, the answer is NO. But what if they banks offer a higher interest rate on deposits and reduce their charges on credit cards?

Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg

Bleak prospects for retail sector

My friend is in the retail trade, online business. He said that the retail sector in Singapore faced two big problems:

a) There is a big over-supply of retail space. Too many malls were buit and sold at high prices. The landlord needs a high rental to pay the mortgage and get their expected return. But the retailers cannot afford these rentals as the customers are spread around too many malls. Business is poor.

b) More customers are now buying online. The recent entry of Amazon into Singapore will pose a big threat to stores selling branded goods. Amazon is able to see the goods at half the prices of the retailers. Even the non-branded products are affected by the online merchants.

c) There is some hope for the F&B sector as they are not affected by the online stores. But these operators are affected by the high cost of wages, due to government levy on foreign workers and the reluctance of locals to take up these jobs. These outlets are also struggling.

The positive side is that the rentals for retail sector will have to fall by a lot. At that time, the F&B sector may be able to survive. But that will take a long time to sort out.

The REITS (real estate investment trusts) will soon feel the pain from lower retail rentals and lower occupancy.

This is a bleak prospect for the retail sector.

Tan Kin Lian






Tan Kin Lian

Why does the government want to build 17,000 new flats next year?

Why does the government want HDB to build 17,000 new flats next year?

There are four possible reasons. Give your vote in
www.wisdomofthecrowd.sg