GE coming?
-
u actually still believe theres freebies...Originally posted by YI:coincidental or not.. who cares.. just grab the freebies..
-
my comment was directed to the recent plunge in coe prices, be it coincidental with the soon-to-be held GE or not, I don't care. the drop in prices is definitely something worth having a second thought.Originally posted by BrUtUs:u actually still believe theres freebies... -
coe bidding is an open system, unless pap threatened car dealers not to bid, manipulation is highly impossible. economics 101, supply up then price down, demand up then price up.......use your blain, use your blain..
-
So what COE is an open bidding system, I believe there are still frauds could happen. Why was there COEs bidded by someONE as low as $50.00?.... and that because someONE wanted to order a BIG>>>>>>>fleet of transportation?Originally posted by countdracula:coe bidding is an open system, unless pap threatened car dealers not to bid, manipulation is highly impossible. economics 101, supply up then price down, demand up then price up.......use your blain, use your blain..
-
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (Singapore)
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41659.htm
Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and freedom of expression but permits official restrictions on these rights, and, in practice, the Government significantly restricted freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The Government's authoritarian style fostered an atmosphere inimical to free speech and a free press. Government intimidation and pressure to conform resulted in the practice of self-censorship among journalists; however, there continued to be some limited progress towards greater openness during the year, including a moderate level of ongoing debate in newspapers and on the Internet on various public issues.
Under the ISA, the Government may restrict or place conditions on publications that incite violence, counsel disobedience to the law, have the potential to arouse tensions in the country's diverse population, or might threaten national interests, national security, or public order. While the ISA has not been invoked in recent years against political opponents of the Government, political opposition and criticism remained restricted by the Government's authority to define these powers broadly. In the past, occasional government references to speech that it considered "out-of-bounds" were understood to be implicit threats to invoke the ISA; however, these limits are not codified, and journalists and others generally believed these limitations have shifted toward greater tolerance in recent years.
Government leaders urged that news media support the goals of the elected leadership and help maintain social and religious harmony. In addition, strict defamation and press laws and the Government's demonstrated willingness to respond vigorously to what it considered personal attacks on officials sometimes led journalists and editors to moderate or limit what was published.
On August 22, newly inaugurated Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that beginning September 1, citizens no longer needed police approval to speak at indoor public gatherings unless the topic impinged on race or religion. Foreigners still needed a permit, and police further specified that any such indoor public gatherings had to be held in enclosed spaces that were not within hearing or view of non-participants.
Prior to this relaxation, under the Public Entertainment and Meetings Act (PEMA), a permit was required for virtually any form of public speech or entertainment (see Section 2.b.). In 2002, opposition leader Chee Soon Juan was charged under the PEMA for holding an unauthorized rally outside the Istana, the government compound that houses the offices of the President and Prime Minister; Chee served 5 weeks in prison rather than pay the $1,715 (S$3,000) fine.
In 2000, the Speakers' Corner opened in a financial district park; however, government restrictions limited the ability to speak freely. Prospective speakers must be citizens, must show their identification cards, and are required to register in advance with the police. However, they do not need to obtain a public entertainment license. Speakers Corner rules were relaxed during the year to allow exhibitions and performances; however, sound amplification is still banned. A list of registered speakers was posted on a notice board outside the police station. While it was not necessary to declare speech topics in advance, government regulations governing the Speakers' Corner state that "the speech should not be religious in nature and should not have the potential to cause feelings of enmity, ill will, or hostility between different racial or religious groups." In 2002, opposition figure Chee Soon Juan was fined $1,715 (S$3,000) for a speech criticizing the government ban on schoolgirls wearing the "tudung," a headscarf that some Muslims consider a religious requirement (see Section 2.c.); under the Constitution, anyone fined more than $1,140 (S$2,000) cannot run for Parliament for 5 years.
The Government strongly influenced both the print and electronic media. Two companies, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. (SPH) and MediaCorp, own all general circulation newspapers in the four official languages--English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. MediaCorp is wholly owned by the government investment company. SPH is a private holding company with close ties to the Government; the Government must approve (and can remove) the holders of SPH management shares, who have the power to appoint or dismiss all directors or staff. As a result, while newspapers printed a large and diverse selection of articles from domestic and foreign sources, their editorials, coverage of domestic events, and reporting of sensitive foreign relations issues closely reflected government policies and the opinions of government leaders. However, columnists' opinions and letters to the editor expressed a moderate range of opinions on public issues. In October, an annual survey of journalists conducted by the international nongovernmental organization (NGO) Reporters Without Borders ranked the country as 147th out of 167 countries in terms of press freedom; the organization's report on the country noted strong government and ruling party influence over the media as well as continued censorship and self censorship.
Government-linked companies and organizations operated all broadcast television channels and almost all radio stations. Only one radio station, the British Broadcasting Corporation World Service, was completely independent of the Government. Some Malaysian and Indonesian television and radio programming can be received, but satellite dishes are banned, with few exceptions. However, cable subscribers have access to three foreign television news channels and many entertainment channels, including some with news programs. -
I've decided since Secondary school days not to have kidsOriginally posted by LazerLordz:For our children, we have to wake up.
The environment is not conducive for healthy growth and I feel worse knowing I've bring them life to suffer. -
There was never free-biesOriginally posted by YI:coincidental or not.. who cares.. just grab the freebies..
Its all paid for, through the various taxes collected off the people - GST, ERP, Income Tax, COE
What the whole population got back is very little of what will soon be collected back...usually double ot triple fold... So nothing in sg is free thus, the idea of freebie is not really right.
In the past, there was no COE - why should a certificate to own a car cost so much. In UK ERP was used to curb bad traffic during peak hours. In the past, there was no GST, but I guess they need to copy more from Aus other than the theatre by Darling Harbour. In SG these were put in and now become monsterous money generating machines and the people are kept in debt over theirlifetimes. -
You are right~! Bro.Originally posted by mistyblue:I've decided since Secondary school days not to have kids
The environment is not conducive for healthy growth and I feel worse knowing I've bring them life to suffer.
Why bring our children here to suffer?
Just look at the western countries or Aussies, they have lifestlye, not of luxury but in meaningful lifestyle. They maybe paying very high taxes, however, the still have many choices to live simple and in lovely country with medical and education are well taken care by their government. -
the oppositions parties maybe wayang also.Originally posted by Spirit of Fire:Nah bei, after all those f**ked-up jobs done including the ever present rise & rise & rise & rise & rise of fares & bills, he dare to expect strong support from voters. Damn thick skin siah.
Calling all fellow Singaporeans!!! Those who have the chance to vote the opposition, this is the chance now man!!! Pls bring out all the guts to vote for the opposition!!! For those who vote for the ruling party, pls dun complain after that if y'all think that made the wrong choice.
I'm indoubt with our election system that is geniune here. -
Don't be too happy abt the low COE. The ERP ganties/ carpark fees will increase to make up for the lost in revenue.
-
High COE can get refund if you export your car later. ERP/carpark fees once paid is gone into government pocket, no refund.Originally posted by gerrykoh:Don't be too happy abt the low COE. The ERP ganties/ carpark fees will increase to make up for the lost in revenue.
ERP/carpark fees paid little by little but end up big sum.
If the government really is giving freebies, hahaha, the sun rises from the west. -
u ppl wasting time toking such things, wif so few of them to begin wif, opp will take decades to come to power if ever.
and when they do mebbe you people will think taxes from fall from the sky into their laps so there is no need to tax the people huh?
those opp are born, brought up, schooled, fed and mostly trained under this system so that means they are very intimately familiar with the system as PAP are right? So how will they know another system will work if they have never been in it? Will they be willing to bet their hard earned / won mandate on a term with a new system? Don't make me laugh ...
So even if they do come to power there won't be much changes, prices will keep going up and the government under whichever party will still take from the people becuz here is simply no natural resources here to exploit other than from the people. And the opp will still take the tried and proven path that PAP took because it works and the people will still complain and complain.
I'm not holding my breath for anything spectacular. -
In the case of a PAP downfall, I won't deny that the possbility is not there, given all the possible signs that have been demostrated within the PAP these years. For the curious one, you all may wanna take a look at the book: Parties and Politics by Hussin Mutalib.
However, with regards to voting out PAP and voting in the opposition, I have a few comments which I would like to point out.
I do realise that people often comment that they wanted to vote in the opposition. These comments are made with reference with some flops by the PAP government, It may be true that the PAP government has its own demerits but think about it, given the quality of the opposition in general today, with the exception of a few such as Low Thia Khiang and Chiam See Tong, will the opposition really be effective in replacing the PAP government, bearing in mind that they are unable to be viable at the moment. Would anyone want people like Chee Soon Juan to lead the nation? I sincerely dun mind to see other parties take over the leadership, if they are able to offer an effective and viable alternative model of governance as opposed to the current existing one, or if they are able to prove that they are able to outperform the current PAP leaders.
Another point which I want to point out is that although the government seems to have this habit of suddenly announcing the date of election and allow only short period of campaigning, it's the onus of the opposition parties to be constantly on the ground and preparing for election, rather than waiting for election announcement before desperately organising themselves for the 'showdown'. For your information, there are around 27 political parties in Singapore, inclusive of PAP, and this arises a question, why is it that we only see the other parties, other than the PAP, in action during election and after election, we see them going into a virtual hibernation? In actual fact, there are even some parties which never even participate in elections, then what can we say of them? The one important thing that the opposition ought to ask themselves is that despite the constraints set about by the PAP government, what have they done to 'capture the ground', rather than keep on addressing on controversal issues? From what I know, the PAP is very good in 'capturing the ground' in terms of grassroot works and social services to the citizens. This is perhaps one aspect which a lot of people, especially young Singaporeans, had failed to take notice as they keep on criticising on PAP politics and policies. To be rather crude about it, if we were to let the current 'so-called' educated batch of Singaporeans to take on the PAP, they will probably lose out in terms of grasping the support of the grassroot, which ever proves so important in any democracies. Well, people can argue that grassroot has been the monopoly of the PAP government, but can't the opposition really do something about it to make their efforts even more visible?Originally posted by KumSioJui:u ppl wasting time toking such things, wif so few of them to begin wif, opp will take decades to come to power if ever.
and when they do mebbe you people will think taxes from fall from the sky into their laps so there is no need to tax the people huh?
those opp are born, brought up, schooled, fed and mostly trained under this system so that means they are very intimately familiar with the system as PAP are right? So how will they know another system will work if they have never been in it? Will they be willing to bet their hard earned / won mandate on a term with a new system? Don't make me laugh ...
So even if they do come to power there won't be much changes, prices will keep going up and the government under whichever party will still take from the people becuz here is simply no natural resources here to exploit other than from the people. And the opp will still take the tried and proven path that PAP took because it works and the people will still complain and complain.
I'm not holding my breath for anything spectacular. -
One reason why the Opposition can't get enough support is largely due to their disunity. If all the 20-something parties were to forge a grand coalition, they could take on the PAP anytime.