Singapore: Multiculturalism or the melting pot? Celebrate our commonalties rather than our differences.Gerald Giam 11 Vietnamese students awarded scholarships worth US$1.24 million Scholarships are for "full undergraduate" studies, reports Thanh Nien News. S’pore not a nation yet, says MM Lee Please remember this is an ideal which we may not completely reach, but because we have this ideal, we’ll continue to make progress. MM Lee, on Singapore not being a nation yet Censors refuse to classify One Nation Under Lee Film on Lee Kuan Yew remains in classification limbo. Martyn See. An Uneven Economic Recovery Is recovery in sight for the world economy? By: thio super cannon the missing (external) links resident >>> calls TC office >>> HDB>>> NEA >>> LTA >>> POLICE >>> directed back to TC office. By: Eureka Wooden Goh should visit Gayland more often, it is badly maintained with dirty hawker assistants and people jaywalking at their own will. There is quite a number of 1 and 2 room flat. There is also strong poodle presence since it is a red light district of prostitution and illegal gambling. If Wooden Goh went there more often, Gayland will be clear of streetwalkers and only those legal prostitutes will patronize the brothels. By: SM's own identity ? when sm took over as pm in 1990, we felt a refreshing new breezee he was seen as a reformer but he is now one of conformers. he had opprtunities to make a new singapore and solidify rising support of people after 1997 election but he has ptoven that he can’t beat the system we are let down !!! By: identity with town council ? what identity ? 20 years ago, ruling party downgraded the parliamentary democracy by introducing town council, practically making MP as estate managers, minimizing need to contest in GE with super sized GRC now, they twist their tactics again, by keeping weak MPs in GRc and bring out ministers to stand in Single consituency after 50 years of self rules, Singaporean are muted by all these political tricks The more educated people have more stakes to lose so they are easily muted. By: fourties The town council has always been an instrument of the ruling party for the following reasons: a. Votes buying – remember the upgrading funds for estate? if you do not have a PAPy TC , u will not enjoy faster upgrading? b. Creation of jobs for new MP – with the GRC, you need more jobs for the MPs. No jobs for them, how to get them “closer” to the people? No jobs for the MPs, how to assess their performance and pay their salary? NO wonder he is now saying that there is no link between the people and the TC. Because his MPs are just not able to get better feedbacks from the residents except complains…….$$$$….freebies, etc Have any Singapreans wonder how much we have wasted on upgrading works and various works leading to wastages? Spend and spend to make some happy residents, ultimately leading to more spirally cost of living. This statement is a sign of engaging people by the PAPy and leads to the final election which is coming. To make the people feel better that they are doing something for the people so that their votes will come back. Wonder why they only do these things just before they decide for election? I really do not want to see Singaporeans vote the opposition just because they are unhappy with them regardless the quality of the opposition. But this day will come, until then, the PAPy must really wake up and provide a fair platform for us to see that they are people who have “heart” for the people. By: Chan Chin Chai Mr Goh, did you mention this 10 years ago? or this just happened? By: doctorwho It is not “missing link”, they should be finding the “weakest link”. We, singaporean, have been a nation of robots under 1 central command. Now the central command is already growing old and senile, and with his supreme “intellect”, he named his newbie son as the successor. Of course, he is protected by his relatives and “business partners”. All these talks from gct is useless when they are the one creating the problems and most of the time, i think it is for their political gains. By: That Old Man I actually feel very sorry for the Senior Old Man. He stared with a bang but looks like its ending with a whimper. Look at all around us, social, economic, political……, in all aspects we’re straining to be a 1st world country, but really just in the top echleons of the 3 world banding. TCs are key stones in nation building and it took 20 years to realise that the people are not pluged in? Can a 1st world nation have so much scism and disconnect? Initially on the right track but took too may wrong turns. Now desperately lost! He limited his counsel to the elites who continues to be disconnected with typical Singaporean Heartlanders. Over time these out-of-touch elites grew into yes-men. Why I feel sorry? Time is not on his side and he is going down in history for something he dread. I wish we can help but I don’t think there is much we can do. We belong to a different social class. By: TheRationalMe I feel that the Residents of HDB estates would gradually have a stake in the governance of TCs/their estates if the TCs and their staff are apolitical. Furthermore, the RCs block representatives must also do their part actively/dutifully. Most residents are unaware who are their blocks rep(s). However, in some RC zones the RC block reps do make efforts to visit each and every units/household to introduce themselves. RC block reps if they are really committed can be a vital link between residents and the TCs, believe you me. By: mike 27) patriot on June 28th, 2009 3.11 pm , yes! the senitment feelings is already spreading and steadily and ppl are getting very pissed when talk about them in all issues. By: mike 59) TrueBlood Singaporean on June 29th, 2009 11.07 pm , few days ago, i told my kids when their come, you either do or dont as far as family plan is concerned. that is …if you cant afford dont commit when concerning expenses on marriage, housing and kids planning. this problems in sg is serious esp when you dont enough money to survive let alone planning for the above not cos we dont want to, is just that we cant. By: XGGX For a response to 63) Ape, I quote an earlier comment. 59) TrueBlood Singaporean on June 29th, 2009 11.07 pm Dear Brother, we shouldn’t complain about Town Concils cause it still cheao $50 as compare to Condo Maintenance of $200 to $300. But is worth if you drive a car of parking $90. From $200 (low end) to $50. And I think most of Singapore’s HDB estates are of the same standard as condo estates, if not better. Furthermore, it is more difficult to maintain a HDB estate’s cleanliness due to a much higher human traffic than in the condos. Considering how much the “sinking funds” have contributed to subsidizing our SC/CC costs, not too bad i think? By: sadoh They are at it again, playing with words and tricks, to cover the facts that town council pocketted huge amount of money in the last 20 years but delivered sub-standard kind of services. Also there is the missing link of town council uses sinking funds to buy risky products and the town council accountability to the residents for the funds used. By: Renaerd Well… the Town Councils do handle complaints from residents pretty well… and they rent out badminton courts for 5 bucks per session… the wonderful lil things that the Town Council does. By: musical chair I pitty the new generation flat buyers, condo buyers while those injoying the bubble may not feel the pain. but if the music stops? By: TrueBlood Singaporean Dear Brother, we shouldn’t complain about Town Concils cause it still cheao $50 as compare to Condo Maintenance of $200 to $300. But is worth if you drive a car of parking $90. We should complain abt HDB prices! Prices does not go with our pay increased but foreigners intake. A couple earning 2, 3K. How to afford to pay back the loan! Hope Singapore population will extinct in future! By: budamax1952 #XGGX56;;; The picture painted by the PAPy masters and their running dogs, during the last few decades, have always been rosy and smells sweet, but scratch the surface a bit you’ll see a big lump of turd with accompanying smell. By: ZYYZ 56) XGGX on June 29th, 2009 5.58 pm “Of course there’s nothing I can do to verify these claims, and there’s even less I can do to prevent the anti-establishment elements on this forum from crying “go back to your PAP masters la, running dogs!”” You have said it yourself (about verifying these claims and also on the part about running dogs) – you sure know how you smell. Why speculate it so much yourself. Why must they leave so many doubts hanging in the air. Lay the accounts for all to see and I am sure people who are experienced in these areas will give their own analysis / side of the debate. Now have you heard of the “missing link” – “to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance”. Just for added effect, to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance”. By: XGGX I always wondered, what are the rates that Condo owners have to pay the Management for the upkeep of their estates, and are these rates comparable to Town Council rates? (barring HDB subsidies, I believe the cost of upkeep for a HDB estate is lower, but comparable to a condo estate, given that the amenities nowadays are pretty advanced in most HDB estates) Furthermore, as a reply to what some people were complaining about earlier, regarding the high reserves in our Town Councils, I spoke to a friend working in the Town Council for her explanation for this. The following is a casual conversation, which is in no way reflective of all the Town Councils in general. The reason why Town Councils have sinking funds is because it is difficult to accurately predict the expenditure of a Town Council for the NEXT financial year. As such, we decide to err on the side of caution and collect slightly more than what is necessary. With a combination of cost saving efforts and a bit of over-estimation, there will be a surplus in good years. However, this surplus varies from year to year, and sometimes it goes into deficit. Instead of putting the funds into a bank and earn 0.001% interest, it makes a bit of practical sense to place it in various financial products over a range of risk and return rates. As such, there will be a small amount of the funds in a high risk high return zone (0.4%). This provides Town Councils with 2 benefits. 1. With the revenue generated from this sinking fund, each resident actually pays less than what is required to run the Town Council. Depending on the different Town Council, the sinking fund might contribute as much as 10-20% to offset operating costs. 2. Costs of running the Town Councils are pretty much fixed (assuming that you maintain the same standard of services even during recession times), but the SC/CC Charges can vary, to offset the tough economic times for some residents. So this is the “rainy day fund” that the Town Councils can tap into during the down times. I think these points made by her are pretty decent points if you think deep into it. Of course there’s nothing I can do to verify these claims, and there’s even less I can do to prevent the anti-establishment elements on this forum from crying “go back to your PAP masters la, running dogs!” By: Yang Lucky for me > I’m am out from HDB to private estate. No more payment to TC or else money will be gone without any returned. All of you still in the HDB estate should ask TC to lower down the SC charges as they have extra money to burn away in investment. Good Luck. By: mice is nice it took 20 years of hindsight to conclude this? … & i thought we have people in key leadership positions with foresight who anticipate potential issues & problems (not hindsight)? By: mike i think he failed to understand what is the ‘missing link’ is all about. residents are getting tired of empty promises but no solutions, high cost of living, jobs lost, influx of FTs, CPF locked up and what else??(that is what ppl are worrying now) unless changes are made otherwise the ‘missing link’ is not going to improved. By: Missing Link Actually there is another missing link :- ‘Between the grassroot leaders and residents’ I don’t know them and like my MP, I don’t see them at all By: At last, missing link is found After two decades, some missing link has been detected at last. By the way, since when have residents been called to be really involved “to give them (residents) a stake in the process of governance” – other than those usual cliques of those different committees already in the TC & some lesser kakis in the RCs. Luckily, one of the top honchos has voiced out the ‘missing link’ himself. Now fire fighters have to dance to a different tune – not an easy job to put out fire coming from surprising direction. By: Ape “But Town Councils have been successful in getting the grassroots leaders to understand the linkage between what Town Councils can do and what the people must do.” So what if the grassroots leaders understand the linkage? Did they do anything about it? Did they build a bridge with this understanding or did they form a filter system? If grassroots leaders are supposed to be the bridge and after all these years, there is a missing link, can we conclude that grassroots leaders are redundant in this aspect? How then should TC and residents connect? Anyway, did anyone spot this, i.e. Is there any difference if the statement has been changed to “… what Town Councils MUST do and what the people CAN do.”