6/12/2014

Huffington Post: Is Singapore the perfect country of our time?


‘You land at Changi Airport after flying for what seems a lifetime, and you're naturally disoriented, even before you hit the customs booths that feature bowls of mints, dire warnings about the death penalty for those bringing in drugs, and digital comment cards asking if the service was to your liking. Duck into a public restroom and you'll be exhorted to aim carefully and to "flush with oomph" for the sake of cleanliness. Outside, it's tropical sticky but impeccably clean, in a city inhabited by Chinese, Malays, Indians, and a multiplicity of guest workers from around the world -- all speaking English.’
 

My simple answer to this poser is yes, Singapore is the perfect country for the English speaking rich. You can live here, feel very at home, and flaunt your wealth in perfect safety and do as you please minus the small irritation of no gum chewing, and no drugs. If you can live with these two minor misgivings, Singapore is the perfect city to live in.
 

And the best part, it is going to be better and better, provided you can afford the convenience and luxury of peace, safety and stability at a price. Not many can afford it, not even the millionaire citizens. Many would be here for the last time, downgrade, have a good fling with life until their last dollar is spent and off to another paradise. Their children would have to find their own way except for the scions of the very rich.
 

Everything is superbly fine in Singapore. The only thing rotting is the core. The Singaporean core, the original people that built this wonderful city, will shrivel and eventually cough out like the stone of a plum. The new core, assuming that they are just as good, will take their place so that this unbelieveable city of prosperity and opulence will go on and on.
 

Even the CPF scheme is designed that way though not spoken. The average citizens can only enjoy their wealth by trading their citizenships that allowed them to withdraw their lifesavings. This would allow them to be rich in a cheaper country of their choosing. If they stay put, many would not be able to afford the high cost of living when a cheap small car would cost $100k, and a cheap 3 bedroom public flat would cost nearly half a million Sing$. A private apartment of the same size would cost a million easily and treatment for a major illness will cost more than the price of a 3 bedroom flat. This is small change for the super rich but would bankrupt the average citizens.
 

Yes, Singapore is the perfect place to be in, for those who can afford it when a few hundred thousand dollars are small change, when paying $10 daily for ERP is small change.

Kopi Level - Green

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Singapore - a country designed for the rich, ruled by the rich and built by the poor & daft.

Anonymous said...

"Yes, Singapore is the perfect place to be in, for those who can afford it when a few hundred thousand dollars are small change,...."
RB

Tiok.

That's why foreign billionaires, those listed or unlisted by Forbes, are attracted to come here. But most likely not to live here everyday. It's so hot an humid and crowded, once they step out of their district 10 bungalows.

Anonymous said...

With the continue downward trend of the ruling party votes, we could soon see the opposition parties coalitions became ministers? From the 3 subsequent election after the 2011 GE due to development of mobile internet the access of news faster and wider?

With the rapid development of mobile internet, soon mostly people were using the mobile internet, rather then the Main Stream Medias like the past, so likely the ruling party votes continue to drop rapidly?

As the opposition is more supportive of using the massive $300 billion or more reserves to develop the small and medium size Singapore companies to sell high end products to increase the profit margin so that can pay the worker higher, like some of the small advanced countries?

With the empowering of locals rather the foreign investments of the past which many of the foreign investment shifting to the China or cheaper locations due to rising cost?

Most foreign investments likely put their lower end labour intensive industries to the cheap countries?

Singapore the Dutch Albert_Winsemius planned Singapore earlier success using cheap labour intensive industries was now obsolete as china opened up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Winsemius?

Singapore oppositions, more likely to model and use the North Europe states models empowering the local to develop an innovative and high standard of design standard?

The oppositions are likely to provide free education to tertiary? The high level education likely to develop to high end industries and knowledge intensive industries?

Retrenchment benefits due to heavy competition for jobs?

Enhanced old age benefits?

Massive birth stimulus, some advanced countries their birthrate is as high as 1.8?

Massive stimulus to build high end industries to export high margin products, in contrast to the foreign investments which usually the lower margin products?

Which will brought higher standard of living?

Lesser using the new immigrants to stimulate and boost the economy?

Massive development of the tourism industries to entice the tourists to spend more of Singapore tourism, which Singapore from average of 8 millions reach 14 millions tourist?

Presently Singapore cleaners earn only around $800 to $1000?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

In the skeptic community, The Huff Po has a well-earned tarnished reputation for their hopeless reporting on science, and promotion of nonsense masqueraded in science-sounding jargon -- mainly from the hoards of new age idiots walking around wearing magnets and crystals, sipping rip-off "alkaline" water from BPA-free containers, and chanting mantras in languages they don't understand. Fucking retards.

This particular article about Singapore however, is well written and accurate. This time, I must give kudos to the Huffington Post. Good job.

Singaporean drive to succeed trumps the US anyday. America is meritocracy driven; carrot, no stick. Singapore meritocracy is driven to succeed (carrot) but with a very important stick: fear of losing or termination -- kiasu and kiasi.

At this point in history, Singapore kicks everyone's ass, as far as national development goes. Including USA, EU, China and India.

Got meritocracy? Singapore IS meritocracy!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

At this point in history, Singapore kicks everyone's ass, as far as national development goes. Including USA, EU, China and India. Matilah Singapura

Wrong. At this point in history, FTs in Singapore kicks everyone's ass,....Sinkies are dead and gone or goner.

Anonymous said...

,....Sinkies are dead and gone or goner.
RB 1:23 pm

Of course. Or else why would PAP want to get so many FTs? Or why would Ah Loong said Sinkieland belongs to all?

Just by numbers and low fertility rate alone (last heard was 0.81, below one!!!), Sinkies have already lost their clout. They are now a spent force, from their heydays in the 70s and 80s.

Anonymous said...

Maybe PAP knows that there are not even enough loser Sinkies to vote PAP out?

Anonymous said...

New Immigrants

The importing of 30K new immigrants per year could worry the new citizens of Singapore?

The Punggol East By Election, show the swing of 10 percent votes which is unexpected, show the new citizens don't support using newer and newer citizens to boost the economy? The are worry they could lose their jobs to newer citizens?

The locked up CPF for life is the most important issue too as 37 of the income per month was locked up for life?

The new citizens at PE like felt the pain of rising cost of living, after the 2011 as everything gone up, due to what give in 2011 need to take back double?

New citizens are less support using increase importing people to boost the economy?

The increase of immigrants could push up demand and the cost of hospital, education, flats & facilities like MRT etc, the quality of life?

Relentless increase in new citizens could take away the older new citizens or the children jobs or depress their pay?

The new citizen could prefer the Singapore First Party ideals of empowering Singaporean through the use and development of technology, various stage of using the medias to encourage innovation, designing & branding the product to sell to higher margin?

Rather then supporting low end foreign investment which is cost conscious?

Own countries develop multi national companies don't worry of moving to cheaper base, like foreign investments? Which can reduce the income gap?

Imagine Singapore claimed to be a developed first country with cleaners pay between $800 to $1000 per month?

The better alternative is to enhance the SMC, to become successful international brands the can enjoying higher margin so that to boost the economy and increase the birth rates as more Singaporean are more confidence of their future?

People give birth because they are more confidence of their children future or they can birth up their children, to much competition from foreigners from cheaper countries, could bring a heavy toll on their confidence of their children future?

Anonymous said...

The two SWFs must have invested billions in overseas companies, some of which could be nothing better than our SMEs. If they could allocate some of these monies to grow our SMEs, some could blossomed. Heard they don't even invest in Creative Tech.

b said...

"此处不留人,自有留人处."

Just leave this place for the very rich and let the very rich fix the pap. When the middle class is fast disappearing, the very rich will also go away because no more lobang for them.

b said...

Singapore is now like an expensive mistress with expensive maintenance costs but nothing to boot.

Anonymous said...

Why new immigrant vote WP in Punggol East in BE?

With the continue downward trend of the ruling party votes, we could soon see the opposition parties coalitions taking over? Which numerous policies they don't support?

The locked up of CPF forever scheme, as more and more of them aware they can't get back their CPF, that explained why the massive swing of votes to WP, many vote the opp hopping to get back their CPF?

With the rapid development of mobile internet, soon mostly people were using the mobile internet, rather then the Main Stream Medias like the past, so likely the ruling party votes continue to drop rapidly?

The new citizens usually better educated and more likely to be middle class then average Singaporean?

Opposition is more likely of using the massive $300 billion or more reserves to develop the small and medium size Singapore companies to sell high end products to increase the profit margin so that can pay the worker higher, like some of the small advanced countries?

With the empowering of locals rather the foreign investments of the past which many of the foreign investment shifting to the China or cheaper locations due to rising cost? Which the ruling party using the obsolete method of the past competing on cost?

Most of foreign investments likely to their lower end labour intensive type of industries to the cheap countries, where policies favour the cost?

Singapore success due to Dutch Albert_Winsemius planned Singapore earlier success using cheap labour intensive industries from foreign investment, was now obsolete as china opened up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Winsemius?

Singapore oppositions, more likely to model and use the North Europe states models empowering the local to develop an innovative and high standard of design standard?

The oppositions are likely to provide free education to tertiary? The high level education likely to develop to high end industries higher margin and knowledge intensive industries?

Retrenchment benefits due to heavy competition for jobs?

Enhanced old age benefits? Where many old people clean table and pick cardboard, sell tissues & cans?

Massive birth stimulus, some advanced countries their birthrate is as high as 1.8?

Massive stimulus to build high end industries to export high margin products, in contrast to the foreign investments which usually the lower margin products?

By employing the local and new citizens it reduce wages gap, as more and more citizens will more likely to compete for the new ciizens for jobs, and likely to repress their pay and their children?

By empowering local it will bring higher standard of living, less competition from low cost foreign labour?

Lesser using the new immigrants to stimulate and boost the economy, the white paper of 6.9millions an addition of 1.6 million new immigrant?

Massive development of the tourism industries to entice the tourists to spend more, Singapore from average of 8 millions reach 14 millions tourist?

Presently Singapore cleaners earn only between $800 to $1000?

buaytahan said...

dun be fooled.
'new' citizens are shareholders here, net stakeholders.
they can restore citizenship of their country of birth .

http://www.cfo.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1362%3Adual-citizenship&catid=145%3Aintegration-and-reintegration&Itemid=833

Article 13
http://www.china.org.cn/english/LivinginChina/184710.htm

http://mha1.nic.in/foreigDiv/OCI.html

these are just 3 and were found fairly quickly via google.

still looking into indonesia, thai and malaysia...basically SEA.

"Veni, vidi, vici" - Julius Caesar

Anonymous said...

New citizens too become old citizens very soon. As they do not have the fear factor, they will soon become opposition supporters. Expect massive polical change, supported by new citizens.

Anonymous said...

Matilar, I am back in sg. Knn u wasting people time again posting nonsense. Go write your books lar

1) how to boast about sexual power when both tiny are missing
2) the art of incest
3) the guide on how to bull shits
4) how to irritate people and waste their time daily
5) learning to be thick skin and flameproof
6) how to tahan when your ass kena fucked
7) how to act as patriot when you are a traitor
8) how to act and look normal when you are actually insane
9) learning to speak when a cock is stuck in your mouth
10) how to con your sisters and daughters to continue having sex with you without reporting to the police.
11) How to develop multi tasking skill. Sharing of secret on Learning how to type on keyboard posting commentary on blog when there is a hard cock pushing in and out in matilar mouth.
12) How to cook two tiny to be delicious enough that the pigs would eat them.
13) How to brag about your intelligence when you have none and how to tahan when both mouth and ass kena screwed at the same time.

Anonymous said...

What I fail to understand is, why don't those who are not satisfied with the way Singapore is going leave the island and settle somewhere else? I understand you can take all your savings with you and as RB indicated the money taken out of the country would be enough to enable these quitters to live a very comfortable lives. Why waste your life in a place you are not happy? There are those who would love to settle in Singapore, work hard and grow their family. My advice to those who feel unhappy to leave and not waste their lives here in Singapore. Many FTs who are more hard working and capable are very willing to take your place. Those who come to take your place are likely to be more beneficial to the growth of Singapore. So, please do not bitch too much, roll up your sleeves and work harder. If you cannot do that, then you know where Changi is. Just buy a ticket, board and plane and sayonara.

Anonymous said...

Singapore is the perfect place for PAPigs to breed and thrive.

Anonymous said...

When they breed you bleed.

Anonymous said...

Yes but what do we need to do to change the situation? That's the more impt question. I know, I know, the immediate response is change the govt. But then what?

Anonymous said...

/// But then what? ///

Then we "encourage" PAPigs to leave.

Anonymous said...

I know. I know.
First we change government.
Then we have a National Conversation with the PAPigs.

Anonymous said...

And then all the problems will solve by itself???

Anonymous said...

Of course.
The PAPigs are the problem.
Get rid of the PAPigs.
No more problems.

b said...

>>530

Firstly, since the gov also not happy, why not you try to ask them to migrate leh? Secondly, you think so easy to migrate meh? Age is a barrier to enter many countries as immigrants. The pigs know exactly and that is why so many made redundant are above 45s. They are as good as lock up here without a job and maybe killing a pig is the only option out.