11/20/2016

Causeway politics – a strategic choke point

The Causeway is like the aorta in our blood circulatory system. A block or choking the Causeway/aorta could immobilized the heart and leading to death. Keeping this Causeway open is critical to both countries. But at some point in time, there are factors that would favour one side and gave the idea that keeping it close, choking it, would be a good thing to do. At this point in time, many of the good things are on the side of Singapore, economics, security, social etc, would favour Singapore even if traffic flow at the Causeway is not optimum, or slow. It seems that choking the Causeway is more favourable to Singapore than Malaysia at this point in time.
 

The Malaysians want to raise Causeway toll fees, why should Singapore allow the Malaysians to profit from higher toll fees and not Singapore. They jump, we jump, they raise, we raise. This seems to be the mantra of the day.
 

A decade or two forward, when the Iskandar Economic Zone took off with massive Chinese investment and infrastructural development, when Tanjong Pelepas and Pasir Gudang became more efficient, just to service the factories and their goods in Johore, when KL becomes the land transportation hub for rail and roads to China and Europe, when the Isthmus of Kra is cut and ULCC by passed Tuas Port, what would be the effect of choking the Causeway?
 

What would happen when the faster, cheaper and more efficient HSR takes over as the preferred mode of transportation to Europe and China, replacing the ships and the sea routes? What would happen when goods from Singapore got held up at the Causeway and unable to catch the land road to Europe and China? When the Iskandar becomes a boom town, like Shenzhen to Hongkong, the poultry and farm produce from Malaysia may not find it necessary to travel further south than the IEZ?
 

When economic activities shifted to Malaysia, like the factories of Europe and America shifted to China, the Causeway could become a lifeline for Singapore to access Malaysia and the land road up north. Choking the Causeway could cause a heart failure and total and permanent disability for the whole body system. Keep the Causeway free flowing then could mean a life and death situation to the Singapore economy. It be would Malaysia's turn to want to choke the Causeway to its advantage.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shift shift lah. Who the fuck cares. People (both sinkies & foreigners) will simply move to where the money, jobs & opportunities are. Who gives a shit about shitapore? We're here only becoz can make money. Else we fuck off.

Anonymous said...

// ...... decade or two forward, when the Iskandar Economic Zone took off with massive Chinese investment and infrastructural development, when Tanjong Pelepas and Pasir Gudang became more efficient, just to service the factories and their goods in Johore, when KL becomes the land transportation hub for rail and roads to China and Europe, when the Isthmus of Kra is cut and ULCC by passed Tuas Port, what would be the effect of choking the Causeway?......//



Ha ha ha ha ha

Is that some kind of crystal ball or fortune telling?

What about the possibility both sides sink back to fishing kampungs and lions are spotted again roaming the forested areas?

Anonymous said...

Si Guess that is the price to pay for pissing off China

Anonymous said...


Wah! Wah! Wah!

The pictures you painted this nice sunday morning.....Singapore finished!

Singapore finished? Singapore Finished? Singapore finished?

The answer.....just ask yourself.......what is Singapore good at!

Everything.....? Nothing..................?

Be happy and worry less!

Anonymous said...

What happen if they decide to build a new international Airport. Cheaper and software can be bought with money.

They have land and also a Sultan that understand stability. Venture with Singaporean and China already.

I think it will happen. Unfortunately some of us may not live to see it, Sad.

Anonymous said...

It is for real that China is undercutting Spore progress, Cik Mahathir said to skin the cat some yrs ago, Cik Najib got no choice but to co-operate with China for economic reasons & his failed 1 MDB. It seems like ASEAN only Spore take the side of US but Trump isn't gonna give a shit in this tiny pi Sai as our PeeAm offends US & China. End of day Spore is in deep shit, in times to comes this little red dot become out of sync with the world & its economy goes downhill, what can Sinkies do now?...

Anonymous said...

...when Tanjong Pelepas and Pasir Gudang became more efficient, just to service the factories and their goods in Johore,...when the Isthmus of Kra is cut and ULCC by passed Tuas Port?
RB

Aiya, not to worry, as long as there is the Causeway and not a bridge where ships can pass through the Straits of Johor, Tanjong Pelepas and Pasir Gudang can never overtake Tuas Port lah. Study your geography, if u still don't know what I mean.

Isthmus of Kra? That will be at least a few decades down the road, if at all. Anything can happen in a few decades time, maybe the opposition will be ready to replace PAP as govt?



Anonymous said...

Shenzheng was a ulu town. From HK it had a high way to connect to various shenzheng towns, which was again similar to olden days singapore. Now these towns along the way such as Long Kung are talking about town planning very similar to Singapore current city view with high rise buildings.
Someone said Iskandar has Shenzheng potential, i have never doubted the day will come.

The author was straight to the point. Some days, there is no need to come to Singapore to do shopping. In fact, if we drive up, we can easily find modern shopping centers in JB, right up to Malaca. I will find living in Johor has more varieties than living in the restricted Singapore: buy everything is expensive, even one bowl of noodle. IN Johor you can have a varieties or prices and setting. Coffee shops are far cheaper than shopping mall in aircons.

I do not see the reasons for Malaysians to come to Singapore. I think these people are visiting their relatives more to shopping in Singapore. That s why Orchard road shops are taking their well deserved rest. Many shop owners retire early to be "with their family".

I have becoming more clearer now about situation in Singapore. It is a place good for nothing. Ask what does Singapore produce, good at what? None other than none. I was with someone at Chinatown, was asked that very straight question. I thought there could be some stalls at China town i can introduce. None, most stalls are closed, at 7pm plus. If we were in JB, i would introduce him to go WongAhfook hawker center. I miss the cheap mutton soup. U wanna have mutton soup in Singapore? U must cook at home, there is no seller. That is Singapore under pinky for 20yrs. People cannot afford to sell mutton soup, not to talk about buy mutton soup. No purchasing power.

Conclusion is this: Malaysia still grows at 4.3%, Singapore is growing at -4.1%. You can draw conclusion what will be the future for Singapore comparing to JB.

Anonymous said...

People cannot afford to sell mutton soup, not to talk about buy mutton soup. No purchasing power.
10:28 am

Tiok, no purchasing power. But only to some extent. But don't forget a lot of people also may not like mutton soup, just like Ang Mo cannot than durians.

U know or ever eat bak kut teh? Also very expensive what. At least 6 or 7 Sing dollars a bowl with prime ribs. But still a lot of people selling, u know.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10.36 am, I think you mean cannot tahan durians, not cannot than durians.

Anonymous said...


So Singapore will finished? So Singapore will finished?

So want to packed up, take yr cpf and quickly "run road"?

So how? So how? Any suggestions? Any suggestions?

Anonymous said...

Not every Sinkie has no purchasing power lah.

At least 70% Sinkies have enough purchasing power to be at least happy to vote for PAP. Of course that also include new Sinkies lah. Some of these new Sinkies even have purchasing power to buy a few high end condos, u know.

And to PAP or any govt in a one man one vote system, this is what really matters. And this is why PAP like foreigners very much, and have converted many to citizens so that they can vote.

Anonymous said...

"The Malaysians want to raise Causeway toll fees, why should Singapore allow the Malaysians to profit from higher toll fees and not Singapore. They jump, we jump, they raise, we raise. "

So "What's wrong with collecting more money?" asked the Emperor whose name cannot be mentioned.

ANSWER:
It depends on how far sighted you are.

Anonymous said...

And this is why PAP like foreigners very much, and have converted many to citizens so that they can vote.
10:46 am

Tiok. That's why PAP not scared of those daft, money no enough, or jobless PMETs turn taxi/Uber drivers or security guards and other kpkb Sinkies, doesn't matter whether they kpkb on Internet or otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Malaysia still grows at 4.3%, Singapore is growing at -4.1%.
10:28 am

Singapore is very strong in non oil and high end manufacturing eg pharmaceuticals. So if this drop, then of course non oil GDP also drop lah. But this industry never employ many people so the impact on jobs is not great, unlike mass volume manufacturing which is already long dead in Singapore.

That's why PAP still have the numbers to win elections, and contributed in no small part by many foreigners who become Sinkies and who also took away the PMET jobs of Sinkies by being cheaper and better.

Anonymous said...


Who is going to be Singapre's 4th PM?

Anonymous said...

Who is going to be Singapre's 4th PM?
11:23 am

If from PAP, doesn't matter who, if he/she is more or less like Hsien Loong. I don't mind even if he/she is a Malay as long as he/she is from PAP.

But if from opposition, it is a big deal to be Singapore's 4th PM, big enough to be even considered as a miracle for it to happen.

Anonymous said...

@ November 20, 2016 11:23 am

Who the fuck cares?
The sampan is sinking.

We've been suffering MRT breakdowns for at least 6 years now.
You think our Generals can fix the sampan if they can't even fix a train system in one of the smallest countries in the world?

Anonymous said...

You think our Generals can fix the sampan if they can't even fix a train system in one of the smallest countries in the world?
11:34 am

It's a matter of whether they can win big in elections, and not whether they can't even fix a train system in one of the smallest countries in the world or any other matter, whether big or small.

Anonymous said...


Like Taiwan's KMT, the WP can a grand meeting with President Xi!

How about it?

Possible?

Anonymous said...

How can the Singapore sampan be sinking when we have not even set up a Commission of Inquiry to find out if we are sinking?

The sampan is sinking only if the COI says that we are sinking.

Anonymous said...

"Singapore is very strong in non oil and high end manufacturing eg pharmaceuticals
Anon 11:12AM
I think you are not in the total picture of the economy.
Phama in Singapore has never been a significant factor. Its only 8% of the total manufacturing sector. Electronic is still the major sector. This sector is dying in ICU coma.
Phama is a fluctuating figure, can never be the leading engine for economy.

Anonymous said...

Singapore is not competitive in tourism. Its hotel occupancy rate is dropping.
Go to the town to find the most average hotel charging 200 per day.
The current occupancy rate is around 75%, on average, one room only take $150 p day.

I look at the Chinatown's poor boring situation to estimate the tourists staying period, the best if i were tourist, i stay 2 days and will run over to KL.

Anonymous said...

Phama in Singapore has never been a significant factor.
12:16 pm

Whenever there is a drop in non oil GDP, the news will always mention pharma. That shows its significance.

Yes, the other sectors are dying or already dead, but that had happened for a long time already, so already factored into previous calculations.

Remember, the drop or rise in non oil GDP is relative, not absolute, meaning as compared to previous quarters.

Anonymous said...

Talking about tourism, foreigners who are real tourists don't even want to be in Singapore. When they are in this region, their choice is Bangkok or other places.

The so called "tourists" and arrivals in Singapore are in fact looking for work on social visit passes.

So don't be surprised if there are many overstayers.

Anonymous said...

So funny that sg plan to go ahead to rectify the TPP without USA which is like 70% of the total. Rectify for what? Eat too full nothing to do ?

Anonymous said...

Singapore needs the TPP? Its not so significant because those countries promised to push ahead with TPP : Japan, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore (CNA) have free trade agreements with sin city. The agreement TPP might add spices to current agreement as it is a secret document. Probably Japan can be useful for exporting to the ang mor countries, not so much for Singapore.
The increased trade volume will be absorbed by Malaysia ports.

Even Malaca has a Malaca Gateway with a port to cater for China ships cargo. Singapore probably stations with US war ships, China cargos are not "convenient" to go through PSA.
Without China s cargo, and with Malaysia keep developing ports for cargos with China, increase in transhipments will be taken to Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

I think whichever way u look at it, sg is toast lar

Anonymous said...

In next few yrs, Sin City is heading towards Doom..Sin City Doomsday is approaching..till someone ( a Yrump-like Saviour) come to save these tiny pi Sai else it's as good as slowly diminishes into 'out of sight' ( as China is progressively getting rid of Sin City ports, eventually its Changi Airport becomes a 'ghost airport' with 'phantom' travellers seeking here for short stay or seeking for job opportunities ( probably leave after finding no jobs)..

Anonymous said...

TPP is about free movement Hillary said: her dream, countries with no borders.
Small countries must give local jobs to jobless from big countries. Once the vacancies filled up, locals will have good jobs created by these big countries jobless men and women.

This is the basis. Just pass a few generations without good jobs and let the generals enjoys the prestige to cater jobs to Najibs, Turnbull, Modi s kakis. Najib, Turnbull, Modi under TPP and CECA. When big countries run short of pmet, they will remind their new PM to return the favor to Ah loong, let sin city jobless to drive taxi in their countries. By then, after 20 30 40 years, as Ah Loong put it for foreign investors, all might be 100 year old, the world will have no poor people alreadi.

Need 40 years from now to wait for good jobs.

Anonymous said...

Need 40 years from now to wait for good jobs.
November 20, 2016 4:17 pm

Yes. And Ah Loong will still be alive to guarantee it.
Buy maybe you won't be alive to collect on the guarantee.

40 years. The Lee ku ku guarantee.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:51pm
Its the real scenario. Ahlong will be 104 year old and still as the head man. When Modi told his young pm to return the favor, give jobs to sinkie pmets as taxi drivers at mumbai, the Ahlong aid tell Ahlong, Modi says on the phone to return u the favor.
Ahlong has already develop dementia and poor hearing. He hears his aid says Moody and return flavor. So Ahlong says. Moody? how dare u get moody. I want curry flavor. U want what flavor i dont care a damn about u.
The aid says yes sir. Then Modi calls. Ahlong has long forgotten him. On the phone, he says who moody? U also moody? I dont need you flavor. I want curry flavor for my noodle. Instant noodle was the standard lunch for all sin city. No dinner, only one meal a day. That is 40yrs later. But 70% are all that happy to vote for Ahlong as long as he stands for the job. 1 Jayaken said it right: sinkies deserve it. In every sense of it.

Anonymous said...

AL is very angry with Trump not that Trump gives a shit about him or how he feels now that the TPP is off the table. Without the TPP very hard for economy to grow further very jialuck for next election.

Unknown said...

600 years ago, Admiral Cheng Ho made a big mistake by not colonising Melaka and the rest of the lands from Singapore to Siam Empire, Borneo islands and Philippines. Before that, if Chinese will to send something like 5,000 strong army to Melaka, the land is theirs. The Portuguese did that barely with a hundred of their people.

600 years later, LKY also made the same mistake of not bringing along Johore, Melaka, Sabah and Sarawak as part of Singapore territory. Now the corrupted Melayu DUMNO are greedy and immoral of everything.

Virgo 49 said...

Nasib, clever and cunning politician. No need to build crooked bridge or break the causeway and let the ships thru to Pelepas or Gudang.

Now thick friends with China with both same agenda to Hamtam sinkieland. Many years you enjoying vast revenues of your port status.

Now we gonna have the Melaka Gateway. Between Negri Semibilan and Malacca an industrial park. Another PLUS highway to East coast benefiting the rural states of Pahang, Kelantan, Trengennu.

Later, they cut the Istmus of Kra with the Thais..see whether you cut grass and boil soup or not. That's why Loony Loon is so desperate to have the.TPP ratified.

You how Lian go and sighted the PRC.

Now kena screwed wholesale.

Deserved it.

Anonymous said...

Given that Singapore and Australia have such military close ties.
maybe Singapore can persuade Australia to sell away their territory with a price.

- Western Australia.

In doing so, Australia can spent less money on defenses because Singapore would defend threat emerged from Indonesia

Those boatload of refugees would come to Western Australia ( Singapore territory)

Australia dont need to expel them.

Singapore would give VISA FREE to all Australian people.
Singapore would allow Australia people to work and reside freely in Singapore territory, western australia
Australia resident can become MP and vote in the election.

b said...

Singapore housing will become cheap because no foreigners want to come here. The roads will become less crowded. The gov can become smaller. There will be less people. There will be less pollution. Sg will be nice and cosy again.