Annuities Protest
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i went there at quarter to 6 and saw quite a few "blackies" in the two bistros and some in the shops at level 1. when i finished walking one round, up to level 4, the shoppers were noticeably lesser.
Annuities protest
Numerically a flop, but...
It might just work to get the government to take people's views more seriously.
littlespeck.com, by Seah Chiang Nee.
Sept 10, 2007
The government has maintained a dignified silence on the wear-black 'annuities' protest on Sept 8 at Centrepoint, but it is likely to have weighed strongly on its mind. Therein lies in its achievement.
If there was any quanitfiable success, it lies not in the large crowd assembled, because there wasn't one, but that it has - knowing the serious nature of the ruling party - jolted the attention of the people who walk the corridors of power.
What was rational about the 'Black September' call to go shopping wearing black: -
* Firstly, it wasn't a gathering or a rally and broke no laws;
* Secondly, it wasn't anti-government or tied up to any party but had a limited, specific goal of showing opposition to a policy; and
* Thirdly, as a strategy to provide feedback it holds future promises but only if it is not deviated into a political cause and used sparingly and selectively.
I wasn't surprised by the relatively poor response because the 'target' protestors are the better-educated, Internet-savvy professionals and students, who are generally more concerned about careers rather than taking any firm public stand.
The organisers, commendable as their effort was, had a major problem. They could only publicise it online, which prevents them from spreading their message to the non-English speaking heartlanders.
For any public action to succeed, however, it has to have the participation of the broad Chinese or Malay speaking masses who live in the HDB estates.
That will mean, of course, protests not at Orchard Road - but in the midst of HDB estates.
The Western educated intellectuals (with the exception of a several hundred activists at best count) are too few to be a true force. Nothing succeeds without the participation of the broad masses - the heartlanders.
I'm sure Mr. Lee Kuan Yew knows this and will work hard to prevent it.
However, any effort to involve the heartlanders will be extremely difficult without the Internet since the majority does not surf. Outside the web will involve mass organisation that could invite an official crackdown.
As expected, the mainstream media has ignored the event, ..... -
read my thread regarding something similar to this in SC
http://sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=279342 -
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Wow, singaporeans have resoundingly responded.
no response is also an answer.
No response means no care.
An overwhelming 800 signatures to date!!! my goodness! what are singaporeans trying to do? Riot?
Hey, the Annuities policy passed already right? when har? -
Hello forum, reddressman over,
Ctr Pt part 2 , how many reduction in turnout? was it not ZERO ?
Any recce done ? Field report?
reddressman out. -
Originally posted by reddressman:
Wait for tomorrow - they will bring this up in parliament. Tell you, don't expect any good from them.
Wow, singaporeans have resoundingly responded.
no response is also an answer. No response means no care.
[b]An overwhelming 800 signatures to date!!! my goodness! what are singaporeans trying to do? Riot?
Hey, the Annuities policy passed already right? when har?
[/b] -
i went there with my sister. We saw Chee Soon Juan's wife and sister changing from white to black at 4pm sharp!
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Hello,
can anyone tell me when will Annuity be made COMPULSORY as in a MUST to buy for everyone, rich or poor?
I mean, I am almost certain it will be COMPULSORY. When?
I think Low et al argue also no use wan lah. but then this is my humble opine only. -
What diiference does it make even if you know when? Are you planning to skip town?Originally posted by reddressman:Hello,
can anyone tell me when will Annuity be made COMPULSORY as in a MUST to buy for everyone, rich or poor?
I mean, I am almost certain it will be COMPULSORY. When?
I think Low et al argue also no use wan lah. but then this is my humble opine only. -
Originally posted by reddressman:Hello,
can anyone tell me when will Annuity be made COMPULSORY as in a MUST to buy for everyone, rich or poor?
I mean, I am almost certain it will be COMPULSORY. When?
I think Low et al argue also no use wan lah. but then this is my humble opine only.CPF reforms carefully considered, govt can deliver: PM Lee
minus all the wayang, it's a pretty dead sure thingy
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 23 September 2007 1818 hrs
SINGAPORE: The latest CPF reforms were finalised after carefully calculating that the government can deliver on what it has promised, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday.
Chairing a dialogue with five other ministers for some 500 grassroots leaders, Mr Lee said any scheme devised has to be fair to everyone.
The prime minister said a British pensions expert he met recently had three possibilities to solve the problem of living longer and providing for old age.
The first is to work longer and enjoy a shorter period of retirement, the second option is to save more while working, and the third is to choose to have less money when one grows old.
For Singapore, the CPF reform is the right thing to do as it will benefit many, especially the low-income ones.
He said: "It's not something that is going to make a difference overnight because we are talking about something when we grow old, and you are talking about 10, 15, 20 years from now.
"This is something if we didn't do, it will not disturb us now, it will not affect the next election, nobody will blame us until we are 35 years from now, when the problem is here, then people will say what kind of government did we have 35 years ago, (they) never took care of us. I think it is our responsibility to do that now."
Mr Lee said the CPF interest rate is better than that given by the banks, and he had a tip for wives.
"All the women should tell their husbands that the government's CPF interest rate is now very high, better than the POSBank anytime so better take your money from your POSB (account) and put into my CPF account," he quipped.
The extra one percentage point given by the CPF Board is something Singaporeans will find hard to get anywhere else.
Mr Lee said: "The government is taking care of it – 100-percent risk free. The money is there, it will never disappear. People say go with GIC, Temasek; GIC makes so much money, you should give me the same like GIC. But GIC invests long-term – they buy shares, the stock market goes up, the stock market goes down.
"(In the) last few months, the stock market has gone down. I am sure GIC's portfolio would have gone down. And not just your interest is less – that means your capital gets less. I was persuaded by MOM (Ministry of Manpower) and MOF (Ministry of Finance), against my preference, that it's better for the government to take on this responsibility for the first S$60,000 because it's a big burden."
Measures to ensure that Singaporeans have a secure retirement go beyond just improving the CPF system.
PM Lee explained that the various measures taken by the government to improve the housing programmes, education system and even Workfare all contribute to achieving that objective.
On the Longevity Insurance or annuities, Mr Lee said he is prepared to consider various options.
"You put the money, you buy the annuity, they pay you, you die, (but) they will continue paying your spouse until she dies. That is something we should consider and can be an option in the scheme which will address the needs of quite a number of old folks," he said.
Mr Lee said the CPF changes are major and hopes the dialogue will help community leaders better understand what the government is doing for the country's long-term good.
- CNA/so
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I saw today sunday's obituaries. Maybe I missed one , I could not find any of the dead live to 85. Most are under 80 and even 70.
I so puzzled now ... are people living longer? I think even if so, is this a majority or minority? If minority, what does this imply about the annuity?
I so so the very puzzled liao leh. -
Last Fri I scan thru ST there were 2 dead obi above 85 I calculated only abt 10% above 85, gahmen is lying it said half live above 85Originally posted by reddressman:I saw today sunday's obituaries. Maybe I missed one , I could not find any of the dead live to 85. Most are under 80 and even 70.
I so puzzled now ... are people living longer? I think even if so, is this a majority or minority? If minority, what does this imply about the annuity?
I so so the very puzzled liao leh. -
I dont like this gahmen, they like to change this and that, very often, they have fickle minded, no proper planning, any plan is to their advantage, I wonder come nexy election, Ng Eng Hen will be booted out by the ppl just like Howe Yoon Cheong was beaten by Chiam See Tong, I hope Ng will lose
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I'm a housewife & I'll tell my husband to give me CASH rather than top up my CPF cos I can take it out anytime, what so good abt extra 1% more interest?
Must be very stupid to put in CPF, once inside, cannot take out! -
I bet the goverment has a group of think-tanks... thinking of all kind of ways.. that will directly or indirectly .. quell this kind of future protest. Its just a matter of time. slowly... patiently... it waits.. for the right moment.
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Not the 1st time..... won't be the last time....Originally posted by BadzMaro:I bet the goverment has a group of think-tanks... thinking of all kind of ways.. that will directly or indirectly .. quell this kind of future protest. Its just a matter of time. slowly... patiently... it waits.. for the right moment. -
Originally posted by gerrykoh:[quote]
I'm a housewife & I'll tell my husband to give me CASH rather than top up my CPF cos I can take it out anytime, what so good abt extra 1% more interest?
Must be very stupid to put in CPF, once inside, cannot take out! he doesn't know the value of money -
it a wrong assumption to assume the current X, Y generation will live longer than the current old folks. we have high stress level, and i bet most of us can barely survive such environment longer than 70.
even current old generation 2/10 can survive beyond 85. then why is it necessary to make it compulsary? and worse off all, we cannot touch the basic $4000 in it should we die early , which will be form in rolling pool. Govt should not shed it own responsibility and must match dollar by dollars so show us sincerity.
actually LEE hsien Long forgot another way to besides the few way he mention The first is to work longer and enjoy a shorter period of retirement, the second option is to save more while working, and the third is to choose to have less money when one grows old.
fourth way, the govt sucks less money from the ppl so they have more money to retire IN PEACE!! -
The minister try to con u to put ur $ inside CPF, what is the actual reason to defer our CPF payment, and to buy annuity which is to be collected only after 35 years. At 85 we dont spend much, why the gahmen bother so much, there is something behind, CPF is our money, we want to gamble or call prositutes is our own funeral, they got no right to intefereOriginally posted by gerrykoh:[quote]
I'm a housewife & I'll tell my husband to give me CASH rather than top up my CPF cos I can take it out anytime, what so good abt extra 1% more interest?
Must be very stupid to put in CPF, once inside, cannot take out! -
Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security. -Benjamin Franklin
In the name of our welfare, they are robbing away our natural rights. Dear citizens let us unit, let us protest, and let us stop them interfering with our choices of using our money. -
Have you not been flowing the news? The annuity thing is postponed. But i guess it would be made compulsory with some modifications like some people could be exempted, the pay out age, etc.Originally posted by reddressman:Hello,
can anyone tell me when will Annuity be made COMPULSORY as in a MUST to buy for everyone, rich or poor?
I mean, I am almost certain it will be COMPULSORY. When?
I think Low et al argue also no use wan lah. but then this is my humble opine only. -
vote for the party that will undo all of this in the next GE
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What are you people protesting about? Why so unhappy when you have CPF and soon 1% more? And if the annuity does come, it will cost you about $10k.
Why don't you do something better? Go and protest in Myanmar. The people there got no CPF, no liberty, no proper housing, no education. Go there, then I say you are great. Otherwise, I say you are just a bunch of weakling, good-4-nuthing, full of nonsense, complain till-no-end, talk only (and babies can do just as well) whinners. -
If you are not so unhappy about the people here, go to PAP's website and don't come back here. YOu will be happy surfing PAP's website. YOu can feel free to praise PAP in their website and feel free to carry their balls.Originally posted by TheGoodEarth:What are you people protesting about? Why so unhappy when you have CPF and soon 1% more? And if the annuity does come, it will cost you about $10k.
Why don't you do something better? Go and protest in Myanmar. The people there got no CPF, no liberty, no proper housing, no education. Go there, then I say you are great. Otherwise, I say you are just a bunch of weakling, good-4-nuthing, full of nonsense, complain till-no-end, talk only (and babies can do just as well), no-brainer lot! -
Correction to the above:Originally posted by qlqq9:If you are not so unhappy about the people here, go to PAP's website and don't come back here. YOu will be happy surfing PAP's website. YOu can feel free to praise PAP in their website and feel free to carry their balls.
It should read:
"If you are so unhappy about the people here, go to PAP's website and don't come back here. YOu will be happy surfing PAP's website. YOu can feel free to praise PAP in their website and feel free to carry their balls."