https://www.facebook.com/TAVSingapor...type=3&theater
Majority of S’poreans are easily satisfied - give them $200 worth of GST rebate voucher and they will happily vote for the PAP and throw out any consideration about the long term good of this country.
Agree? — with Justin Wee.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...o-zero-9336284
COE prices likely to rise as vehicle growth rate cut to zero: Experts
SINGAPORE: As Singapore’s vehicle growth rate is reduced to zero per cent, transport analysts said they expect Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums to go up.
The Land Transport Authority announced on Monday (Oct 23) that Singapore will stop adding private passenger cars and motorcycles to its roads, dropping the vehicle growth rate from 0.25 per cent to zero per cent, in its latest push towards a car-lite society.
Singapore University of Social Sciences transport economist Walter Theseira told Channel NewsAsia that the freeze in vehicle growth rate will lead to an “upward pressure” on COE prices.
“It’s entirely logical that when you have an increasing population and increasing affluence in Singapore, and if demand for private transport on a per capita basis remains exactly the same, the only conclusion is - prices will go up,” he said.
COE premiums were between S$41,617 to S$52,000 for cars and S$4,903 for motorcycles in the last COE bidding exercise on Oct 19.
National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der-Horng said that in Singapore, the desire to own a car is “still very strong” even as supply is cut.
“The supply of COEs comes from two things: One is de-registering the vehicle, another is the maximum allowable net growth of vehicles,” Dr Lee explained.
“Now they are removing (the latter), which means in the future, it will be solely dependent on the number of de-registered vehicles. So these two factors will come together and contribute to a market that has low supply of COEs.”
The shift towards a car-lite society is made even more difficult with public transport reliability issues, Dr Lee said.
“Given our rail system that breaks down from time to time, with certain re-engineering works still ongoing, I think people may not buy the suggestion that I can get rid of my car and just switch to public transport,” he added.
Similarly, Dr Theseira said for certain groups of commuters, owning a car may be more convenient.
“For example, if you’re working on Jurong Island, it’s still extremely difficult to … get there by public transport,” he said.
“There are still a lot of concerns about how friendly public transport is for families with very young children, overcrowding and whether it is safe for the elderly who are not very capable.
“You can always reduce the supply of vehicles, but if you don’t have the necessary improvement in public transportation, what you will produce at the end of the day is a large number of disgruntled commuters.”
Still, Dr Lee said the abundance of private-hire services and an upcoming car-sharing programme may mean people will be more willing to move away from self-driving.
“WRITING ON THE WALL”: CAR DEALERS REACT
Singapore Vehicle Traders Association honorary secretary Jeremy Soh said the move to slash vehicle growth was expected.
“The writing’s already on the wall for the past few years, so I don’t think it comes as a surprise,” he said.
“The cake is not going to get any bigger; it will stay the same size. So, car dealers will have to start looking outside what they are naturally doing.”
CarTimes Automobile managing director Eddie Loo said that car dealers will have to diversify their operations, and pointed to how the Government has been trying to improve public transport and promote car-lite districts.
He will be focusing more on after-sales services, like workshop repairs and insurance renewals. Going into car rentals is an option too, he said.
“It’s not a choice, so we are also moving into the online business,” he added. “Like trying to be a consultant or service provider. This is what we are banking on.”
While Dr Theseira said car dealers could benefit from a rise in COE prices, Mr Loo said sudden fluctuations in the market may lose car dealers a lot of money.
“When we sell one car, we might run into losses if it spikes unexpectedly,” he mused. “We are the only country that sells new cars without knowing how much profit you are going to make.”
However, Mr Soh said the move might remove such speculation in the future, because “the supply of COEs will essentially become a one-for-one replacement”.
“You will know that for cars turning 10 years old, if they don’t renew their COEs, they’re going to be scrapped. So, the COEs will go back into the system,” he said.
“That means in terms of forecasting, you might see some certainty, rather than always having to second guess what’s going to be the next tranche.”
Source: CNA/hz
Quote:
Originally Posted by
iWanker
Basically everything will increase. Last time I can park in a carpark while waiting for my next apptmt etc, now all computerize, every second also got to pay. Every damn thing now is got to pay.
Life is getting tougher n tougher.
Seriously, how much is enough for the govt??
Taxpayers need to pay enough to feed the PAP round table of SMRT CEO, FAS, GLCs, NTUC, Civil Service, Grassroots, Temasek Holdings, Desmond Quek, FAS Presidents, RC members, highest paid Ministers in the world, highest paid Chiefs of Defence Force, Police, Civil Defence Force in the world, AGO , NTUC Chiefs etc.
http://www.straitstimes.com/politics...ng-grow-pm-lee
Taxes will go up as investment needs and social spending grow: PM Lee
SINGAPORE - Singapore will be raising its taxes as government spending on investments and social services grows, said PrimeMinister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 19).
“(Finance Minister) Heng Swee Keat is right when he said that raising taxes is not a matter of whether, but when,” said PM Lee at the People’s Action Party (PAP) annual convention.
PM Lee was referring to Mr Heng’s remarks during his Budget speech earlier this year, where the minister outlined how spending on healthcare and infrastructure will rise rapidly and spoke of the need for new taxes or higher tax rates.
He told some 2,000 party members that “well before that time comes, we have to plan ahead, explain to Singaporeans what the money is needed for, and how the money we earn and we spend will benefit everyone, young and old”.
The spending for Singapore’s economy, infrastructure and social safety nets are all necessary, and are a vote of confidence in the country’s future, said PM Lee, who is PAP secretary-general.
Just as older generations saved and invested, this generation must “plant trees in order that our sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters, will be able to enjoy the shade”, he added.
Economists said a rise in Goods and Services Tax (GST) could be in the works. It was last raised in 2007 by two percentage points to 7 per cent.
UOB economist Francis Tan said GST is the second-largest generator of government revenue, after corporate and personal income tax, so even a 1 percentage point increase will mean potentially very large returns.
As a broad-based tax, GST is hard to evade and also collects from foreigners, said Singapore University of Social Sciences economist Walter Theseira.
Dr Theseira also suggested cutting income tax exemptions as an alternative.
In terms of timing, Mr Tan said the Government would be unlikely to raise taxes the year before a general election.
“PM Lee said we are nearly half way through the term, so it would probably be announced in next year’s Budget,” he said, adding that the move would come on the back of stronger economic growth, which provides some leeway to implement the change.
Both he and Dr Theseira said any rise in taxes should be combined with measures such as GST vouchers to help the lower-income group cope.
In his speech at Big Box in Jurong, PM Lee outlined why government revenue has to increase to match spending.
The Government is helping workers and companies through economic restructuring.
For now, Singapore’s economy is benefiting from the improving global economy. Growth this year may even exceed 3 per cent, better than the initial forecast of 1.5 per cent and the revised forecast of 2 to 3 per cent, said PM Lee.
But to sustain this growth, workers must acquire the right skills and know how to upgrade themselves, while companies must also adapt, upgrade and compete in the global marketplace so they can create jobs for locals, he said. Workers must also be matched to quality jobs.
The Government is working on all three fronts to support workers and companies, he said.
On the social side, annual spending on preschools will double to $1.7 billion by 2022.
At the same time, the proportion of Singapore’s population aged 65 years and above is rising. “Two years ago it was one in nine, last year it was one in eight, this year one in seven, and I joined them,” said PM Lee, to laughter.
On a more serious note, he pointed out that by 2030, one in four will be above 65 - creating greater demand for healthcare.
To keep care affordable, more facilities are being built and health insurance is being improved, which raises state spending on healthcare, he said.
While there is enough revenue for the current term of Government, which will stretch its dollars and make every dollar count, the investments and social spending are costly, PM Lee said.
“We have to make sure that we can afford them.”
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...itable-9420086
As Singapore’s spending needs grow, raising taxes is inevitable: PM Lee
While Singapore has enough revenue for this term of Government, spending has been going up, and will rise further, said Mr Lee, who was speaking to about 2,000 activists at the PAP convention on Sunday.
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s investments for the economy and infrastructure, as well as spending on social services and safety nets are all necessary, and a vote of confidence in Singapore’s future, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 19).
But investments and social spending are costly, and the Government must make sure it can afford them, he said.
Speaking to about 2,000 activists at the PAP convention, Mr Lee said that while Singapore has enough revenue for this term of Government, spending has been going up and must rise further.
And as Singapore’s spending needs grow, he stressed that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat was right when he said that raising taxes is not a matter of whether, but when.
“Well before the time comes, we have to plan ahead, explain to Singaporeans what the money is needed for, and show how it will benefit everyone, young and old,” he said.
Mr Lee added that Parliament will take a mid-term break after next year’s Budget.
https://sbfsg.world/showthrea...=669727&page=3
Please do not belittle MDA staff. MDA staff are well paid and expect same salaries as Disney executives even though MDA has zero media innovations past 60 years compare to Disney staff. MDA staff is good in copying and paste media innovations though. Hard work.
https://www.sammyboy.com/threads/mda...-condo.153621/
https://everythingalsocomplain.com/2...-corals-condo/
MDA CEO buying $10 million Corals condo
Posted on June 2, 2013 by gdy2shoez
From ‘2 Corals at Keppel Bay units sold for over $10m each’, 30 May 2013, article by Melissa Tan, ST Money
DESPITE flat demand in the luxury market so far this year, at least two condominium units with a price tag of over $10 million each were sold over the past fortnight. Keppel Land told the Singapore Exchange on Tuesday that family members of Mrs Koh-Lim Wen Gin, a former Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) chief planner, bought the units at its upcoming project Corals at Keppel Bay. Mrs Koh has been an independent director of Keppel Land since January 2010.
One of the buyers is her daughter, Ms Koh Lin-Net, the chief executive of the Media Development Authority. Ms Koh took office last November and prior to that was deputy secretary of trade at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Ms Koh and her husband Lawrence Low bought a 3,477 sq ft four-bedder at Corals for slightly below $10.1 million, which works out to around $2,901 per sq ft for the second-floor unit.
The option to purchase is dated May 19.
There’s nothing wrong with stat board senior management buying expensive property, of course. What’s interesting about this piece of news is the sheer timing of it and how surprisingly informative it is, in light of MDA’s licensing scheme which requires news sites to fork out $50k performance bonds. That’s $500k in total for 10 websites, just enough for a 4-room HDB flat (but not a condo).
While there are angry bloggers out there complaining about MDA’s rules and how it would impede internet freedom via the #FreeMyInternet movement, it’s ironic how it’s in fact the mainstream media itself which leaked the possibility that the MDA CEO is a multi-millionaire, though the article was tucked quietly in the ‘Money’ section. With such earning power, I’m surprised they didn’t do a better job with the Senior Management rap some years back, like hiring Jay-Z to write and produce it. It could have been called ‘Empire State of MDA’.
According to the Online Citizen, ‘the BLOGGING community – COLLECTIVELY called #FreeMyInternet’, will be organising a protest at Hong Lim Park and an online ‘blackout’ for 24 hours on 8 June where you’re supposed to blanket your website in darkness and make Malaysian protesters wonder if they’re missing out on something. Not ALL bloggers or netizens feel that strongly nor are they pissing their pants about this imminent threat of Internet Panopticon Armageddon, so I’m not sure why TOC decided to drag the whole blogosphere into it.
Unless, of course, I’m not considered part of that ‘community’ but merely a fringe keyboard radical who needs to post tasteful homemade erotica pictures in order to generate enough hits to qualify for MDA licensing.
Mr Brown has become a part of it, naturally. With his musical talent, the #FreeMyInternet cause could at least turn from shouty media activism to funding poor families without Internet and even climb the pop charts like Band Aid’s ‘Do they Know It’s Christmas’ in the event that the outdoor protest or blackout fails. I’m actually hoping for that song to happen nonetheless *fingers crossed*.
I would support #FreetheWorld, #FreetheAnimals, #FreeMyCPF and #FreeBreakfastDay but I’m not sure if our Internet desperately needs ‘freeing’ like how one needs to emancipate a tortured slave. It’s not like I have to key in my Singpass whenever I google ‘How to Create a Homemade Landmine’ (A #FreeMyInternet supporter would whisper in a gloomy tone with slow wagging finger ‘Not yet…’).
It doesn’t seem that urgent for a nobody in the ‘community’ like myself to waste a good weekend protesting when I could be at the World Street Food Festival eating instead, and even if I DID go there and toss some slogans about, I would STILL get lawyers’ letters accusing me of defamation if I blogged drunk, with or without MDA’s crappy rules.
But just to show how ‘free’ the internet already is as we speak, I did some online background checks on CEO Koh Lin-Net for the benefit of anyone thinking of signing the petition because they’re concerned that there will come a day when everytime they open a browser, they’re instantly redirected to a mandatory login homepage with the PAP/MDA logo on it and some ominous marching music in the background which you’re forced to listen to for 20 seconds before you can do anything. Like those Youtube ads.
Koh, an alumni of CHIJ St Nicholas, confessed to ‘skipping classes’ and helping smuggle BEER into school while in Hwa Chong JC. She was also formerly a member of the Computer Club, a head prefect, and Deputy Secretary (Trade) of MTI.
We also know that just before she took over the reins at MDA, Deputy CEO Michael Yap unexpectedly resigned for reasons unknown. An IT guy and adjunct professor of Engineering, Yap was the ‘key driver’ behind the SingaporeONE initiative which made our country the FIRST in the WORLD to have national broadband access.
He also spoke at a TEDxUSC conference in 2010 and strikes me as the progressive, visionary tech-evangelist type. Reminds me of super-pastor Kong Hee too. In the MDA rap video he’s the one in the hip-hop garb and slickest moves. This is one officer who put the ‘Development’ in MDA, unlike what’s happening now, whereby the title ‘Media Restriction and Sanitation Authority’ would be more appropriate. Or MRSA (snigger away med nerds!)
For someone who spent $10 million on an apartment, Koh is well versed of the impermanence of material possessions. In a 2007 review of Herman Hesse’s ‘Siddhartha’, she says:
Now that I’m the midst of the journey, I think it’s a good reminder not to get caught up in material things; that material things at the end of the day will not help fulfill you.
Lee Wei Ling would concur. Such insight really explains buying a humble Corals unit then. She could afford a $300 million house for all you know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ibanezjem555
This is how White Monkeys chut pattern. My OC so shock tax n gst increase, discuss with her sis (both White Monkeys supporter).. then kpkb..
Please lah, this is White Monkey usual tactic. Then, raise Minister’s pay, then followed by civil servants pay ministry by ministry but biggest receipients will be the Perm Sec n Upper Echeleons.
So, what LHL say is true lor.. ownself say ownself spend anyhow.. look at MRT can see aleli.. the CB CEO recruit at start so many armour officers with him go SMRT liao lui.
Many cronies retire already, drawing pension but still go back to ministry and be consultant advisor draw big pay.. one of them is HoJinx sister.. do research n see if i correct or wrong. That ministry need her advice meh ? she contribute what new initiative ? boh lah, sit there, once in a while talk cock n draw pay. LHL sister ? better check her too !
70% vote for it n everyone get it. Next is charge gst for online purchases ! Kashing kashing ! White Monkeys eyes big big.. lui lai liao lo !
This was because your family believed PAP election promises.
http://www.straitstimes.com/business...in-a-few-years
http://forums.$$$$$$$$$$$$.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/%5Bst-experts%5D-gst-hike-announcement-early-feb-2018-possible-tax-e-commerce-5728616.html
Chia Yan Min
Economics Correspondent
Economists and tax experts expect the goods and services tax (GST) to go up within the next few years, with an announcement expected as soon as Budget 2018.
Their predictions follow comments by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who told the People’s Action Party (PAP) convention on Sunday that Singapore will be raising its taxes as government spending grows.
Besides a GST hike, the Government could be exploring alternative avenues for raising revenue, including taxes on e-commerce spending, experts say.
The Government’s expenditure already far outstrips revenue - it expects a primary deficit of $5.62 billion for financial year 2017.
Experts say higher tax revenues are unlikely to come from raising corporate tax rates, given the need for Singapore’s economy to stay competitive. Broad-based hikes in personal income tax rates are also unlikely, because the Government plans to keep taxes progressive.
This makes GST the top candidate for a tax increase.
CIMB Private Bank economist Song Seng Wun said: “The straightforward one is the GST, which has not been touched in a decade.
“At the moment, there is no pressing need to raise it. But it has been more than a decade, and 7 per cent is very low relative to the global average,” he said.
Mr Loh Eng Kiat, a tax partner at accountancy and business advisory firm Baker Tilly, said: “Globally, there is an increasing shift from direct taxes to indirect taxes as governments relook the composition of their tax base and the efficiencies of the relevant taxes.
“In line with these underlying trends, I expect it is more likely for Singapore to raise the GST rate rather than to raise the tax rate for corporates.”
Mr Chia Seng Chye, tax services partner at Ernst & Young Solutions, said the increase is likely to come “fairly soon, within the next one to two years”.
“Our GST rates are considered low relative to some other countries in the region. The average is about 10 per cent.
As for taxing the growing digital economy, Associate Professor Simon Poh of the Department of Accounting at the National University of Singapore’s Business School said imposing GST on e-commerce transactions could come next year.
“This would level the playing field in retail for online and bricks-and-mortar sellers,” he said.
https://www.gov.sg/factually/content...eral-elections
There have been claims on some online websites that the Government will raise the GST after the forthcoming General Elections to fund increased spending planned in the next term of government. There is no basis to these claims, and they are inconsistent with what the Government has recently stated.
In the 2015 Budget Statement in February, DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam stated that the revenue measures the Government had already undertaken will provide sufficiently for the increased spending planned for the rest of this decade1.
Budget 2015 introduced important revenue measures such as the inclusion of Temasek in the Government’s Net Investment Returns (NIR) framework from 2016 onward2, and the increase in the top marginal rates for personal income tax from Year of Assessment 2017. These measures came after moves in recent years to make Singapore’s property tax rates more progressive, with significantly increased tax rates for high value residential properties, offsetting reduced tax rates for lower value homes.
In rounding up the 2015 Budget Debate, DPM Tharman stated, “We have prepared ourselves in advance and that must remain the way in which we plan for our budgets in the decades to come. With the change to incorporate Temasek in the NIR framework and the other tax changes I have introduced, in particular the increase in the personal income tax rate, we will be in a good position for at least the rest of this decade.”3
The Government’s approach remains that of responding to changing circumstances and planning revenue measures in advance of Singapore’s future needs. Through this forward-looking approach, we have been able to meet the growing needs of our people in healthcare and invest in our future, while preserving fiscal sustainability and Singapore’s Triple-A credit rating.
1The Statement for Budget 2015, delivered by DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam, said, “Based on current projections, the revenue measures we have undertaken will provide sufficiently for the increased spending needs we have planned for till the end of this decade.” (Refer to paragraph G38 of the Budget Speech)
2In July 2015, the Singapore Parliament approved amendments to the Constitution to effect the inclusion of Temasek Holding in the Net Investment Returns framework.
3The Hansard record of DPM Tharman’s Round-Up Speech for Budget 2015 is at
http://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/topic…_3%2Bbudget%2B
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skyleon
GST could go up 2 percentage points in Budget 2018: DBS economist
A staggered hike is expected to be implemented over two years to help cushion the impact on households, according to DBS senior economist Irvin Seah.
PUBLISHED 6 HOURS AGO
Chia Yan Min Economics Correspondent
SINGAPORE - The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is likely to be raised by two percentage points in Budget 2018 as Singapore’s spending needs continue to grow, according to DBS senior economist Irvin Seah.
He expects a staggered hike implemented over two years to help cushion the impact on households.
His predictions follow comments by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who recently said that Singapore will be raising its taxes as government spending grows. This sparked speculation among economists and tax specialists about the format and timing of the tax increase.
Higher tax revenues are unlikely to come from raising corporate tax rates, given the need for Singapore’s economy to stay competitive, Mr Seah noted in a report out on Tuesday. Personal income tax rates for top-income earners have also been recently adjusted.
This makes GST the top candidate, especially since Singapore’s rates are relatively low compared with its regional peers.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/business...-dbs-economist
Increase in GST is good news because ex-Transport Minister Raymond Lim say public transport will be free if GST is 8.5%.
Raymond Lim once proposed a way for “completely free” public transport
http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/raymond...lic-transport/
Actually Minister Raymond Lim had once proposed a way to have completely free public transport. Here’s what he said about public transport concessions during a constituency visit back in 2008.
In response to NCMP Sylvia Lim’s call in Parliament on 11 March 2010 for transport concessions for the disabled, Transport Minister and MP for East Coast GRC, Raymond Lim, said: “I’d be very slow in stipulating (to operators) how best to run the concession policy.”
But actually the Minister had once proposed a way to have completely free public transport. Here’s what he said about public transport concessions during a constituency visit back in 2008:
“The money still must come from somewhere, right? It is about 1.5 percentage point increase in your GST. So now it’s 7 (per cent), you want it to be free? You want the GST to go up to 8.5 per cent, to run a completely free bus and MRT system?”
Increase in taxes is good so that expensive civil servants like Perm Sec of Environment can boast about going expensive cooking class holidays in France while Orchard Road got flooded. Taxpayers need to feed the luxuries and expensive lifestyles of civil servants.
http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/200...yong-soon.html
Don’t be harsh on Tan Yong Soon….
Did you notice that I don’t have a single article on our most famous French chef cum civil servant on my blog? I believe Tan Yong Soon is not to be blamed. He is after all just a product of the system.
.
Singaporeans please be understanding. Tan Yong Soon and our top civil servants make about $1.54M a year (after the pay cut!). $46.5K for a vacation is merely 3% of his salary or just a fraction of the interest on his savings account. The misunderstanding is the other way round - Singaporeans should have a sense of proportion and be more understanding why Mr. Tan cannot possibly comprehend that you find his vacation so extravagant because it is not extravagant at all to him.
“…. My colleagues and I feel very bad about this episode, because it stands in contrast to the values and ethos of the service. " - Peter Ho, Head of Civil Service
.
“Gee…ethos and values? Tan Yong Soon has merely exposed the truth about our civil service!”
- Lucky Tan.
.
At about the same time I received my “A” Levels exam results, I received a pile of scholarship applications form from various govt bodies. I took the whole pile and threw them into the waste paper basket. I wasn’t sure what I’ve done to deserve one of these scholarships and what I’ll being signing away if I accepted them. I did pay a heavy price ….. I had to take up a loan to pay for my school fees and gave tuition on weekends to earn an allowance so that I didn’t have to burden ageing parents. So while my friends on overseas scholarships were enjoying skiing lessons on weekends, I travelled all over the island to give tuition to primary and secondary school kids.
No hard feelings…it was a decision I made and I accepted the outcome. A few months ago one of my cousins called up and told me that he had won a scholarship to study in London, he asked me if I can be his guarantor. I agreed and having supported myself through university, I thought it would be a good idea for him to have a “easier life”. I arranged to meet him at the scholarship office to sign the documents. When I got there, the walls of the office was filled with posters of smiling scholars diving, skiing, …and experiencing the good life around the world. I sat down and the public servant did an outstanding job of explaining the T&Cs of the document I was signing.
However, when it came to the bond quantum, I almost had a heart attack - the amount I was asked to guarantee was just short of 7 figures (one reason was my cousin has been with the organisation for a few years and will receive full salary while he is studying). I had a chat with my cousin afterwards and among other things make him promise not to break his bond and get me into trouble.
.
You see the starting point of our top civil servants are all the same - fully paid education with generous allowance even before they put in a single day of work. After that a well paid recession proof job - they can afford a car and say goodbye to public transport the day they start their working life. If they are as successful Tan Yong Soon and climb the ladder in this elitist system all the way to the top, the pay is $1.5M….entitlements aplenty - free medical care, pension etc.
We cannot blame Tan Yong Soon for the lack of empathy because it is impossible for him to understand the struggles of ordinary Singaporeans. He cannot possibly understand what it is like to stay up at night to worry about mortgage payments or having your electricity cut off because you can’t pay for your electricity bills. Peter Ho and Teo Chee Hean are completely wrong to expect humility, the “ethos and values of the service” when the entire system breeds nothing but a oversized sense of entitlement and importance.
When the civil service pay for top civil servants was hiked to astronomical levels, we are told that they are men of rare talents and their leadership is a scarce commodity….it is only scarce because of the elitist system in place that narrows the selection of good men…with rigid beliefs about what makes a man a good public servant. What is so difficult about about the formulation of public policy? The ordinary citizen cannot understand the tradeoffs and what is good for himself?
.
What will bring about the empathy, humility, ethos and values are the things the PAP govt continue to resist - the freedom for ordinary men to express their views and demands democratically. The freedom of ordinary citizens to access information….so that there will be accountability, transparency and competition of ideas. Many of us don’t understand why Tan Yong Soon deserves his $1+M salary …we also don’t understand why our leaders are paid so much higher than those of all other countries. But it is not Mr. Tan’s fault that he paid whatever he is paid, he is just part of a system ….a system that the PAP govt wants to preserve.
.
.“Maybe it made lesser mortals envious and they thought maybe he was a bit boastful. Would people have taken offence if his wife (a senior investment counsellor at a bank) had paid for everything ?” - Charles Chong
.
Teo Chee Hean and Peter Ho expressed great disappoint over Mr. Tan’s article. This will encourage all the other govt mandarins to keep their extravagant ways secret…..yes, the ordinary citizens can feel better once they do not know. In the words of Charles Chong, the fault lies with us lesser mortals who became envious of Mr. Tan. His only mistake was to let us know what we don’t….and the solution is for top civil servants to keep their secrets and keep the people in the dark and that is suppose to lead to great respect for our top civil servants.
Deep seated culture as mention by SMRT CEO?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
retsmas
Not sure the understanding can last for how long if the partner is not a willing one.
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...rform-oral-sex
Witness: I was forced to perform oral sex
IT sales manager also explains why she did not make police report
MS CECILIA Sue, the IT sales manager at the centre of former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chief Ng Boon Gay’s corruption trial, described in graphic detail yesterday how he forced her to perform oral sex on him four times last year.
She teared at times as she told a district court that he wanted sex in parked cars and would force her head to his groin.
She said her encounters with the then director of the CNB happened at carparks at the Hort Park, Sentosa’s Beaufort Hotel, the Singapore General Hospital, and Mount Faber, and usually after they had met for dinner or drinks. She said the sex acts lasted from “split seconds” to minutes.
The 36-year-old married mother of one said she did not like being forced to perform the act, but did not make a police report as she did not want to be disgraced, or hurt her family. Nor did she want to jeopardise her IT contracts with Ministry of Home Affairs agencies. The CNB comes under the ministry too.
Ms Sue had built up relationships with senior officials in some of these agencies over the years, and was known in the industry for having such close links.
Of Ng’s requests for oral sex, she said: “I was irritated but didn’t want to offend him as he’s a high-ranking officer.” He was previously head of the Criminal Investigation Department.
Describing him as a well-connected man, she added: “You never know what will happen if you offend someone like that. Better to make a friend than a foe.”
Ms Sue added she would have done the sex acts “voluntarily” if she loved him, but all their encounters involved his “pushing” her to do it.
She said he apologised after the first time. She carried on meeting him and thought someone of his stature would keep his word.
Ng, 46, faces four counts of obtaining oral sex in exchange for showing favours when Ms Sue was a sales manager at Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) and Oracle Corporation Singapore. He can be fined up to $100,000 or jailed for up to five years on each charge.
His lawyers’ position is that Ng - who was replaced as CNB chief in February - committed personal indiscretions but was not corrupt.
Ms Sue was spotted in the witness room of the Subordinate Courts at about 11.30am yesterday, and waited about four hours while the first witness and her former Oracle boss, Mr Leslie Ong, testified.
When the prosecution said at about 3.15pm that it wanted to call Ms Sue as the next witness, defence lawyer Tan Chee Meng objected because she had earlier been listed as the fourth of five prosecution witnesses.
“Criminal litigation is not ambush litigation,” he said, urging District Judge Siva Shanmugam to adjourn the case till today so he could prepare. But the judge ruled that he expected both sides to be adequately prepared to question all witnesses.
The gallery was packed with reporters and members of the public when Ms Sue took the stand at about 4pm, dressed in a white blouse, black skirt and jacket.
For most of the two hours she was questioned by DPP Tan Ken Hwee, she kept her gaze fixed on the wall in front of her, hardly looking at him, Ng, or the public gallery where Ng’s wife, Madam Yap Yen Yen, sat with family members. She was tearful and appeared distraught when answering questions about the four sex encounters. But she was composed when talking about the IT products she marketed.
It emerged that she and Ng, whom the defence claim were in a relationship since they met in a Tanjong Pagar pub in 2009, met on more than the four occasions which involved sex.
She said they were at lunch some time last year when Ng asked her: “When you want to take in?” When the prosecution asked her to elaborate, she replied that it was “pretty common knowledge” to mean to take in Ng’s sperm.
Although she met up with him, she said there were times she felt uncomfortable and she said no when he asked her twice to see him at a Kranji chalet and to accompany him to Macau.
She was visibly upset at one point when DPP Tan pressed for details that led to the oral sex on Dec 9 last year, after Ng had asked her to stroke him.
“I can’t remember. I don’t want to remember,” she said.
Referring to media coverage since news of the case broke in January, she teared up and said: “All the recent publicity has been killing me.” The prosecution said on Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with depression.
The court adjourned at about 6pm. At least four men surrounded Ms Sue as she walked to a waiting car.
The trial continues today with the prosecution continuing with its questions for her. Ng’s lawyers will then cross-examine her.
[email protected]
[email protected]
The answer is Yes if you got power, money and status e.g. top civil servant.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ex-scdf-ch...074038943.html
Ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim starts serving six-month jail term
Yahoo! Newsroom May 31, 2013
[Update on 26 June: Adding Lim’s commencement of jail term]
Ex-Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) commissioner Peter Lim Sin Pang started serving his six-month jail term on Wednesday afternoon, according to a report in a local newspaper.
According to a report by The Straits Times, Lim was seen surrendering himself at the subordinate courts, dressed in a short-sleeved black shirt and pants, after being earlier sentenced to six months in jail for corruptly obtaining oral sex from Angie Pang Chor Mui in exchange for advancing her business interests.
A further seven charges involving two other women, which he pleaded guilty to earlier this month, were taken into consideration. The remaining two charges against him were withdrawn.
While reading out his sentence earlier this month, District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim stressed that a deterrent one was “clearly warranted” given the “vast amount of public disquiet that the present case has generated”.
She noted that an “uncompromising stance” must be taken against all corruption offenders regardless of their standing, adding that a fine, which was what the defence sought, would “trivialise the severity of corruption committed”.
“With every public servant’s fall from grace, the confidence in the public service is affected and that is a fact which I could not ignore,” she said.
Speaking to reporters outside court later on, Lim’s defence lawyer Hamidul Haq said the six-month sentence was “in our view on the excessive side” and that it was “disappointing”.
“But we will do our best to ensure that justice prevails in the end,” he added, clarifying further that Lim’s appeal was against his sentence and not his verdict.
Lim, who sat hunched in the dock, rubbed his temples as the sentence was being read out. His existing S$15,000 bail was extended for his lawyers to file a notice of appeal.
“Ridiculous” to not know what he did was wrong: Judge
The former SCDF chief was in end-May found guilty of corruption in the sex-for-contracts trial against him, which centred around one count of oral sex he obtained from 49-year-old Pang in May 2010. She was at the time general manager of Nimrod Engineering.
In reading out Lim’s case verdict back then, District Judge Hamidah said it was “downright bizarre and ridiculous” for Lim to say he did not know it was wrong to engage in oral sex with Pang considering he had worked as a public servant for 25 years.
The judge also questioned Lim’s credibility, noting that Lim’s evidence in court was fraught with inconsistencies with his statements to officers from the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
Lim looked emotionless as the verdict was read out by the judge.
The prosecution had contended that Lim, 52, gave instructions to change the 6 April 2011 closed tender for radiation portal monitors to an open one to let Nimrod participate.
The ex-SCDF chief denied it and countered that he was not aware it was a conflict of interest because “nobody pointed it out to him” and that the evaluation process would already have gone though other directors before it came to him for final approval.
During the trial in March, Lim said he consented to oral sex with Pang after she begged “pitifully” and that he had met with Pang with the intention to catch up and chit chat. The oral sex, he said, was spontaneous.
In her decision, the judge noted that Lim was undoubtedly the initiator of the oral sex as he had directed Pang to the spot where it occurred. Hamidah also did not believe there was depth or substance to the relationship between Lim and Pang.
Related stories:
Woman in SCDF sex-for-contracts trial: I gave him oral sex
Sex-for-contracts trial: Star witness grilled over ‘intimate’ relationship with own boss
I didn’t stop and analyse… I liked him a lot: woman in ex-SCDF chief Peter Lim’s trial
Quote:
Originally Posted by
eston
I wonder why you always use old articles ?
This is because Singaporeans are well known to forget fast and have short term memories. The local Media only help keep score for PAP but not against PAP. Media will not help remember bad things about PAP but will help remember bad things about Opposition.
Whatever old articles posted still apply today. Same issues remained today especially on bread and butter issues which remain a core topic for each election for past 50 years regardless how PAP said Singapore had improved materially. The entire world had improved materially and they had no PAP.
Old articles can help measure the credibility of the words and speeches by the Ministers and PAP Government and when bring forward until today, it had proven the Ministers and PAP Government has little credibility in their words and speeches regardless of time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
skyleon
GST could go up 2 percentage points in Budget 2018: DBS economist
A staggered hike is expected to be implemented over two years to help cushion the impact on households, according to DBS senior economist Irvin Seah.
PUBLISHED 6 HOURS AGO
Chia Yan Min Economics Correspondent
SINGAPORE - The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is likely to be raised by two percentage points in Budget 2018 as Singapore’s spending needs continue to grow, according to DBS senior economist Irvin Seah.
He expects a staggered hike implemented over two years to help cushion the impact on households.
His predictions follow comments by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who recently said that Singapore will be raising its taxes as government spending grows. This sparked speculation among economists and tax specialists about the format and timing of the tax increase.
Higher tax revenues are unlikely to come from raising corporate tax rates, given the need for Singapore’s economy to stay competitive, Mr Seah noted in a report out on Tuesday. Personal income tax rates for top-income earners have also been recently adjusted.
This makes GST the top candidate, especially since Singapore’s rates are relatively low compared with its regional peers.
continue reading here :