Fears of a Black Swan in Singapore General Election 2011

[memphisb]

hold prices possible but of course 'liao' or ingredients lesser.

I rather pay a bit more to fill my tummy as before then pay same and get hungry faster. This is certainly not a smart or value buy. I am not sure about you guys but when i eat in group, it is always better to order a whole/half chicken then to get individual sets. This is value buy.

All this upgrading of hawkers previously menstioned by them as improvements. Please don't bs. Once you renovated, rental increase and during the period of renovation alot of the hawkers lose income even though they had rebates. Alot of hawkers shifted their biz elsewhere and i lost my fave stalls. And after that, build ERP on my fave hawker centers.

[Ben]

Hi all,

This is very off-topic but can someone explain to me how our elite govt can ask the food hawkers to hold prices for 6 months? What happens after 6 months? Anyone knows if the govt is giving them subsidies or rebates?

If there's no incentives, how does this scheme (sorry for the pun) work?

If there's really no incentives, I think they really need a vehicle commander to slap the driver awake or better still throw him out !

Imagine if you are one of the hawkers yourself, and despite being affected by the high inflation like everyone else, you need to hold price and absorb the increased costs. Like this make sense meh? Why don't the PAP ask HDB to reduce rental cost instead and let the saving filter down? In one of the interview, Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry says that this is totally voluntary. Hawkers are free to decide if they want to take part in this hold-the-price program. This only shows our ministers really could not understand the problems of the people. We all know how competitive it is to run a food stall in a hawker center. Who dare to increase price if the others are not ?? Is this holding of prices voluntary or force by circumstances?

Why not our "smart" minister goes to one of the petroleum company and asks them not to increase price so that others will have to hold price? Why only bully the weak?

[Jared Seah]

Hello Hyom,

I share similar concerns when you started this topic of discussion. But just like what you have written in your blog, we should take care of our own money. So whatever happens in the election - even if opposition wins, we ultimately have to make our own decisions for our own future. Whether our economy will tank or not - we know when we know!

I am more practical minded. I have somes examples of what citizens can do if things blow-up:

1) Athens. I am now working here, and must say to reach such a state, all the debates and changing of party will not help - the existing govt was the former opposition. It's whether the Greek citizens will prefer to default or forgo all the past entitlements and cut back.

2) Ireland. Only recently, Ireland was compared to be like the Gaelic tiger - the equivalent of our 4 Asian tigers in the 80s. But now with lots of anguish, the Irish have to ask for a hand-out from EU. Especially painful for the patriots who have fought violently for independence from UK - now UK is the biggest "donor" to Ireland. It's a bit like Singapore asking our neighbours to bail us out.

3) Actions citizens can take:

a) Citizens can stikes and demonstrate in the streets. Can even vote for new opposition - but if the Greeks vote in the most viable opposition today, it will be voting in the former ruling party!? Or try something new? Vote in the marginalised Greek communist party?

b) The more practical Irish and Greeks graduates have already moved abroad to find employment opportunities. The wealthier ones have also migrated or planning to. That's one way to avoid paying higher taxes and have their children saddled with "sins" of the parents.

c) In Asia, we have the Taiwan example. Very exciting democracy - especially the fights in parliament. When Chen Shui Pian was voted in, the Taiwan economy suffered - perhaps a co-incidence. When I was in working in China 3 years ago, I found quite a few Taiwanese businessmen who have moved their factories and families to China. Worked with quite a few young Taiwanese graduates in China too - they said Taiwan job opportunities were more limited then....

But nothing is written in stone. The Taiwanese then voted back the old ruling Nationalist party.

d) That's the beauty of democracy and mobility. We either vote with our ballots or our feet.

[Kalos_2]

Fully agree with Karlmarx - Singapore really needs many more Street Smart people. This is our major failings as a Nation / Society.

We have become book smart , follow the rules all the time. What we need is Hunger , Belief , try and try again. Apart from SIA , DBS and a few more Government Linked Companies , ... we don't have much going to propel us forward.

[Gosling]

Most of the people I met are anti-PAP. Same thing happened in 2006. What happened in 2006 is likely to be repeated tomorrow. Why? Because when people go to the voting booths, they become selfish. These cow-peh-cow-bu people like to see more opposition candidates anywhere except where they live.

I have also met several PAP supporters. The reasons they gave are PAP good good, Opposition bad bad. Singapore will mati if no PAP. They are the real hypocrites. Why don't those PAP supporters be honest with themselves? They just prefer to have the PAP in their backyard. Can get preferential treatment in upgrading mah. Or maybe they bought too many properties using too much borrowed money? Scared property price will plunge if PAP loses badly?

I like the honesty of the thread-starter. At least he admits he is afraid of losing money in the stock market if PAP loses badly. On the other hand, I don't like emotional immature outbursts from anti-PAP people who calls pro-PAP people ugly names. I was a victim from these unbalanced people while discussing politics on the way home with a colleague. I should not even be considered pro-PAP but I just told him to be fair to PAP in his comments. We also saw this happened in this forum when iisterry called someone who disagreed with his views an idiot. These people really make a fool of themselves. My blood boils when I think of that immature colleague of mine.

Anyway, come tomorrow, just be true to your heart. Don't vote PAP out of fear. Don't vote opposition out of anger. Vote for the party you sincerely think will give you and your children a better future.

[violinist]

If tomorrow's results come out 87-0, and the process is clean, we have to accept that it is the choice of the majority Singaporeans. You can call them daft, selfish, or whatever, it IS a democratic result. So now, why? My view is that what has happened for the past several decades in Singapore is very unique here. Yes it is one dominant party, and you can say they are arrogant, they use unfair tactics, etc. but a large part of the reasons are things get done and the majority of the people are not feeling bad, as least not bad enough, in their lives. NOT BAD ENOUGH, that's it. I feel that our forefathers from southern China are a generation of hard working, high tolerant people who can tolerate a lot more than the present younger generations. And the persecution of Barisan leaders pretty much sealed the throne for them. So how will it be tomorrow?

For me, I am feeling damn xian as Tin Pei Ling will be my MP tomorrow, no matter how I wish to be proven wrong.

[Zelphon]

If tomorrow's results come out 87-0, and the process is clean, we have to accept that it is the choice of the majority Singaporeans. You can call them daft, selfish, or whatever, it IS a democratic result. So now, why? My view is that what has happened for the past several decades in Singapore is very unique here. Yes it is one dominant party, and you can say they are arrogant, they use unfair tactics, etc. but a large part of the reasons are things get done and the majority of the people are not feeling bad, as least not bad enough, in their lives. NOT BAD ENOUGH, that's it. I feel that our forefathers from southern China are a generation of hard working, high tolerant people who can tolerate a lot more than the present younger generations. And the persecution of Barisan leaders pretty much sealed the throne for them. So how will it be tomorrow?

For me, I am feeling damn xian as Tin Pei Ling will be my MP tomorrow, no matter how I wish to be proven wrong.

Vote NSP then...

At least you know deep down in your heart, U did not contribute to TPL's ascension into MP status...

[WolfT]

I go meet mp everyday if nicole errr... i mean NSP win...

[FA+TA]

Please vote in opposition GRCs who you think have genuine interest to serve residents.

Don't let 87-0 to happen, we will have problem in future.

I'm pro-Singapore, pro-FairPlay and pro-democracy.

[lonewolf]

On the other hand, I don't like emotional immature outbursts from anti-PAP people who calls pro-PAP people ugly names. I was a victim from these unbalanced people while discussing politics on the way home with a colleague. I should not even be considered pro-PAP but I just told him to be fair to PAP in his comments.

I know the feelings and you are definitely not alone. Its one thing to be called these by anonymous people online hiding behind a nick. Its quite another when people you socialise, interact and know on a personal level does the same. That's why I shy away from discussing politics as much as possible with frens and colleagues nowadays. Everybody has an axe to grind with the govt (including those perceived to be pro-PAP - yours truly included)

Anyway, come tomorrow, just be true to your heart. Don't vote PAP out of fear. Don't vote opposition out of anger. Vote for the party you sincerely think will give you and your children a better future.

And if after making those due considerations, my choice is still PAP does that make me a PAP lapdog??