PAP:Bad Leedership in times of trouble?

[makapaaa]

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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - PAP:Bad Leedership in times of trouble?</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>

Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">Lola (Langusta) <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">Nov-8 11:35 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 4) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>2305.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Another interesting blog post by Lucky Tan
http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2008/11/recession-bad-leadership-in-times-of.html
<HR>Recession : Bad leadership in times of trouble?

A month ago, I wrote No leadership in times of trouble.
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2 days ago, I had to sit through lunch with a group of young angry people. They were so angry over so many things - high HDB prices, electriciy bills, fear of being jobless, congestion on the roads, overcrowding on the MRT etc etc - I had to get them to calm down and eat their lunch instead of ranting or we would have been stuck at the foodcourt for a few hours.

“If we just send away the foreign workers now, it will do us harm. For example - companies which are already in difficulty and they hire half foreign workers and half Singaporeans and you tell them that foreign workers must go out. And when you take Singaporeans, his cost will go up and the company may close. And if the company closes, even the half who have jobs may lose their jobs" - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
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Another day another explanation why so many foreign workers are needed. This time he contradicted his own and his ministers' previous explanation that foreign workers are not here to "keep wages down". If they are not here to keep wages down, why would cost go up when Singaporeans are hired. A few years ago, our demographics post-baby boom had limited us to slower economic growth. The PAP govt realised that slower economic growth can be overcome by importing foreign labor. Why is high economic growth important to the PAP? There is a belief in the PAP govt that with economic growth everything else can be solved. We did not go for what other govts went for - which was a moderate foreign workers policy - sustainable and beneficial to the citizens. We had a foreign worker policy on steriods - we brought in more foreign workers per capita than all other countries (except oil rich middle-eastern states?). The numbers overheated the housing market making expensive for Singaporeans to own a home, overcrowding in public transport, rising costs and exacerbated a worsening income gap. It was a simple formula the PAP applied to get the GDP outcome it wanted : MORE INPUT = MORE OUTPUT = HIGHER GDP. The economy did grow in all sorts of bubble like manner but it was all a numbers game. Along the way condescending explanations were thrown at Singaporeans. One of more insulting ones was to call Singaporeans "small minded" when they expressed their fears and concerns over this policy. Other explanations include "foreign workers create jobs for Singaporeans"....but most people are asking what would the right numbers to maximise the benefits to Singaporeans...and for that one they never got an answer.
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In 2006, PM Lee argued strongly for a casino against the objections of the population. Many of us spoke against the social ills that it will bring and many were wary that the casino boom was its tail end with so many governments (Thailand, Vietnam, Phillipines etc) jumping onto the same bandwagon. Most people knew that trying to overturn a bad idea of the PAP govt would be futile but they felt so strongly about it they spoke up and put up a petition anyway. PM Lee then shocked us all by granting 2 licenses instead of 1 as if to slap the faces of those who stood up against his govt casino idea. 2 years later, the casino boom ended, they have to turn down the lights and scale down the shows in Vegas to save costs...Sands is going bankrupt. Genting plans to delay the opening of its casino. A few days ago Sands' stock spiked up on rumors that the Singapore govt will step in to help them with their fianances. While our govt is known for throwing money to salvage bad ideas (remember Chartered Semicon..? ABC Learning?...Micropolis?) many of us hope they will make an exception this time and not use tax payers money to help Sands.....
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"It occurred last Sunday, when a train commuter refused to give up his seat to a pregnant woman even when he was asked. Instead, he blamed it on the tough life, reported The Straits Times’ news portal.The episode was photographed by an eyewitness, who quoted him as saying, ‘Life is already full of suffering, why should I reward her (the pregnant woman) for bringing one more life into this world?’" - [Link]​

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[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4></TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>2305.2 in reply to 2305.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>(cont)

The worrying thing about the ranting I had to sit through 2 days ago at the food court is that we are only at the onset of bad times. If you recall, the so-called "good times" were actually already quite bad for many Singaporeans. The income gap growing and incomes were stagnant or falling for the low income groups. The lack of political will to solve these problems during the "good times" means we have to carry them all the way into the recession. As with every recession, retrenchments will come....first a trickle then a torrent. If the leadership is indecisive and their reponse to the impending problems unsystematic, we will see both fear and resentment. If the govt acts the same way it acted when the minibond fiasco, Singaporeans will be in for very hard times. Many govts have already put in safety nets and clearly articulated their game plan to ease the suffering of the populace during this recession. Do you know what to do when you need help? Where to go? What kind of help you can get? ....Singaporeans don't know because its leaders have not said much about what needs to be done to help them in this recession. Grab a Hong Konger and ask him the same questions. They know because they have put in place a comprehensive safety net for troubled times and this was the subject of much debate for many months. Barak Obama has not even taken office when he held a press conference a few days after winning the elections - that he has an economic team in place, he will increase jobless benefits and he will implement a stimulus package immediately upon taking office if President Bush cannot get one done before the end of this year. Obama will get a roadmap and gameplan ready even before he steps into office.
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Singaporeans paid for world class leadership....yet the uncertainty for Singaporeans will be high as we enter this recession. We are still getting explanations about why Singapore Power has to raise its tariffs .....is that all we are getting? Explanations why we have to suffer more pain as the economy worsens. We did not pay this govt so much to give explanations on why they can't do things better for Singaporeans...we paid them for leadership...and we are seeing little of it as we face the worse recession in many decades.
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"Take your family to the movies, shop, dine out at restaurants and hawker centres, go for your regular foot massage, indulge yourself at a spa, take a taxi, donate to charity and so on..."
- SM Goh Chok Tong 6 Nov 2009
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"Sir, how do Singaporeans know they won't lose their jobs after spending that money? Are you going to take care of them?..."
-Lucky Tan
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" the gahmen want to say to you...
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You die, your buisness
Thats life, shit happens
Dont expect us to take care of you
You die, your business
Dont try to blame us
Cause we got more important things to do"
-Mr. Brown show 27 Oct 2008.
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During the Asian Crisis, I remember seeing long queues of people outside MP's offices. People were lost, desperate and needed help urgently. The MP had to make "on-the-spot" decisions on what to do to help them. I believe given the high household debt levels caused primarily by the rising cost of living, the problem is much worse this time round. ...but the govt don't seem to have learnt the lessons of the past that a comprehensive system has to be in place to lessen the unnecessary suffering of Singaporeans. There just doesn't seem to be any leadership in this crisis.....just more explanations on why the govt can't get things done right....​

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[makapaaa]

>>>but the govt don't seem to have learnt the lessons of the past that a comprehensive system has to be in place to lessen the unnecessary suffering of Singaporeans. There just doesn't seem to be any leadership in this crisis.....just more explanations on why the govt can't get things done right....<<<
But 66% Sporns lagi worse! Kena screwed by the Papayas till they are addicted to it!

 

[snrcitizen]

There just doesn't seem to be any leadership in this crisis.....just more explanations on why the govt can't get things done right....

The word "explanations" is a euphemism for "excuses". All we are hearing are just excuses (aka BS) from the MIW.

 

[Man in the streets]

Asshole loong F88K his mouth !



Another day another explanation why so many foreign workers are needed. This time he contradicted his own and his ministers' previous explanation that foreign workers are not here to "keep wages down". If they are not here to keep wages down, why would cost go up when Singaporeans are hired.

 

[DerekLeung]

What we can do as responsible citizens !

We can exemplify and exacerbate the situation !
Take customer and service provider relationship to another higher level !

If you dislike the system or there appears to be lots of foreigners ! Some appears so upfront and some you need to do some investigative work !

Doesn't mean that with foreigners you can survive better in Singapore because you are cheaper !

The need to move along and forward thinking as Singaporeans together with the smart and stupid ones ! If they say the can win with foreigners, we can always try to prove them wrong !

From this day onwards, we BOYCOTT and we BOYCOTT hard !

 

[chinkangkor]

We did not go for what other govts went for - which was a moderate foreign workers policy - sustainable and beneficial to the citizens. We had a foreign worker policy on steriods - we brought in more foreign workers per capita than all other countries (except oil rich middle-eastern states?). The numbers overheated the housing market making expensive for Singaporeans to own a home, overcrowding in public transport, rising costs and exacerbated a worsening income gap.

JTC, GLC companies and various commercial landlords are big beneficiaries of this economic growth at all cost policy. The high rentals they charge have contributed to high overheads to businesses big and small, while wages continued to be depressed.

Foreign workers and PRs should be retrenched first and rebates given to companies to offset high rentals. In this way, S'poreans can keep their jobs and companies can continue to operate here.

 

[Bigfuck]

If your life is totally desperate and cannot take it anymore, go see your MP. If your MP tells you something callous, you know what you got into parliament and need to do the right thing.

 

[myfoot123]

Please note clearly that when PAP mentioned skill upgrading. It means you need to downgrade from white collar workers to blue collar workers such as cleaner, security guard, taxi driver, waiters....etc and accept lower pay while they generously award scholarship to foreigners.

When GCT asked Singaporean to spend, it was not long after an MP asked Singaporean to eat within our means...buy cheap bread, cheap rice, non-branded food and be financially responsible

In every crisis, other leaders are quite systematic provide peasant-centered solution. Whereas only SINGAPORE LEADER, either dissappeared without a trace or provide party-centered and yet anyhow hantum a contradicting speech to see how peasant react. I suspect this could be the result of being overly-paid that made them too complacent and self-centered and presumtious. I hate PAP and saying it is an understatement.