Category: Politik

Be Grateful For Lee Kuan Yew

Mr. Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) is at the gun sight of his detractors and enemies again, taking in potshots from all directions in the social media, simply because he was in the news for being hospitalised. The criticisms, condemnations, curses and swearing is gathering storm again. Even anyone who speaks up for him becomes the target. Who are these hateful ingrates? Mainly his political opponents, past and present. The social media has allowed them to amplify their hates. I will try to balance these with the good things that LKY has done for ordinary people. I will look at them from an ordinary, layman perspective.

No fear of starvation. Food aplenty, in quantities and varieties. Clothing aplenty, in quantities, varieties, styles and fashions. Don’t have to sleep in the streets. Roof over my head which I can call my own. Good sanitation system. You flush the toilet and walk away without looking back, without worrying if it will work. Home has uninterrupted supplies of water, gas and electricity. The water can be drunk straight out of the tap. Can walk from a residential block to bus-stops, MRT stations, markets, other residential blocks, etc., rain or shine, because of sheltered walkways. Good waste disposal. No unsightly and stinking piles of rubbish lying around. Cleanliness. Few litters found on the ground, though this is changing for the worse as more foreigners come in. No unsightly sticky chewing gum in public places. No fear of stepping or sitting on one.

Good education and training, leading to good jobs. Can continually upgrade. The limit is myself. Good quality and affordable health care. Public and private medical institutions aplenty. Infectious and communicable diseases are well under control. Good public sports facilities. Stadiums, swimming pools, exercise stations are available. Individual or group can exercise in the nature parks.

Good transportation; land, sea and air. Public land transportation is well-integrated. Air-conditioned bus stations are built close-by to air-conditioned MRT station. The buses and MRT coaches are all air-conditioned. Its air-conditioned comfort all the way. Combine this with the sheltered walkways, it means you can start from your living quarter and travel to a destination without a drop of sweat or a drop of rain.

Good communication system which enables the country to be well linked to the rest of the world with the latest in communication technology. Good physical environment. The rivers and reservoirs have clean water, The air quality is good, except when smog blows over from neighboring countries. The whole country is like a garden, with green grass, colorful flowers and tall healthy trees everywhere, all well maintained.

Good financial control. Never heard of a run on a bank. No one has ever lost money because a bank has gone bust. The nation’s currency is one of the strongest in the world. Good internal security. Low crime rate. Can walk the streets safely at night. Can walk and jog safely in the parks at night. No gunfights on the streets. No school children ever get shot in schools.

Strong defence backed by an advanced and well-equipped military. We have been able sleep soundly since the last external threat during the Confrontation. Good international diplomacy. We don’t make enemies, only friends. Good political stability. Govt does not change like I change shirt
everyday. This allows big, long term projects to be realised from planning to completion.

Good social order. No serious racial or religious conflicts despite being a multi-racial and multi-religious nation. Strong economy. Good quality foreign investments continue to flow in. Unemployment is low. Not satisfied with being good, things are continually being improved to make them better.

If this is not paradise, what is? How does it come about? Strong government with sound values. And that’s the PAP, under LKY.

begrateful

* Submitted by TRE reader.

Source: www.tremeritus.com

February 26, 2015
SDP: Government Less Elitist, But System Still Far From Fair And Sustainable

By raising income tax rates for the top 5 per cent and setting up the Silver Support Scheme to give payouts to the lower-income elderly, Budget 2015 has shifted the Government to a “less extreme elitist position”, said the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in a statement responding to the Budget today (Feb 25).

But while measures to aid the “poor and weak” are welcome, Singapore is still far from a fair and sustainable system, the party said.

The shift in the Government’s policies have come about not because of a change in the People’s Action Party’s ideology, but because of electoral pressure, the SDP said. “In the meantime, the ruling party continues to ignore the critical issues such as minimum wage, universal healthcare and retention of our CPF savings,” they added.

Adding it was imperative for Singaporeans to support the SDP in the next General Election, the party said it plans to campaign on policies which include raising taxes on the top 1 per cent earners in Singapore to pay for financial assistance. “This Budget is a clear demonstration of how a competent, constructive and compassionate opposition like the SDP benefits Singaporeans,” they said.

Source: www.todayonline.com

February 26, 2015
Experts: GST Set To Increase To Pay For Social Spending

While the Government has raised income tax rates for top earners in Singapore for a more progressive tax system, taxes paid by a broader swathe of Singaporeans, such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), will probably go up in the coming years to pay for social spending, said tax experts and economists.

The GST could go up after next year to 9 or 10 per cent, in line with the Asia-Pacific average. Other taxes the Government could raise include consumption taxes, stamp duties and property taxes, they said.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam had dispelled the notion that the Government had adopted a “Robin Hood” strategy for this year’s Budget by taxing the rich more to give to the poor. He said the bulk of the spending is for the common interest and not one particular group.

“This is our society… We need to take collective responsibility,” said Mr Tharman, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, on a televised forum on Channel 5.

PricewaterhouseCoopers tax partner Koh Soo How said Mr Tharman’s words signal a continued shift towards a “broad-based” system that reaps revenue from indirect taxes such as the GST. Noting the Government had committed not to raise the GST for five years during the 2011 General Election, he said any hike would probably take place in 2016 or 2017.

On the other hand, Ernst & Young Solutions head of tax Chung-Sim Siew Moon does not expect a hike in the GST before 2020. “The minister has indicated that the revenue measures that have been put in place will be sufficient for the increased planning needs until the end of the decade,” she noted.

The GST contributes the second largest share, after corporate income taxes, to Singapore’s total operating revenue, contributing about 16.5 per cent in Financial Year 2014.

Taxes such as the GST, which are collected from the domestic population, can be raised without affecting Singapore’s international standing in terms of tax competitiveness, Mr Koh said. He noted that many countries, including the United Kingdom, Malaysia and countries in the European Union, are also gradually increasing tax revenue from indirect taxes. Indirect taxes include consumption taxes such as duties on alcohol, tobacco and petrol.

Mr Koh added: “Tools such as GST vouchers are in place for the Government to make adjustments to alleviate the burden on low-income taxpayers.”

KPMG Singapore head of tax Tay Hong Beng also pointed out that consumers have a degree of choice as to whether to consume and pay consumption taxes.

Experts also expected the current income tax rates to hold. Noting that only about 30 per cent of all Singapore residents pay income tax, Mr Tay said increasing the tax burden on a minority of taxpayers “might not be the fairest way forward”.

“Taking the concept of ‘collective responsibility’ further, the best option remains to grow the Singapore economy. A growing economy directly increases the takings from taxation without the need for excessively high tax rates,” he said.

Mr Koh from PwC pointed out that raising the top marginal rate of personal income tax beyond the 22 per cent announced during Monday’s Budget statement may hurt Singapore’s competitiveness.

In line with the global shift from direct to indirect taxation, Mr Tharman on Monday also announced an increase in petrol duties. Duties on tobacco, alcohol and gambling were also raised last year, with alcohol taking the steepest hike of 25 per cent.

Nanyang Technological University economist and Assistant Professor Walter Theseira said taxpayers can expect to pay more in the medium and long term, with higher-income earners contributing a larger share. The proceeds can fund social initiatives to help the unemployed, and support medical expenses and retirement provisions for middle- and lower-income groups.

“It is fair that we all are asked to pay a bit more to fund them, although of course in general the more fortunate amongst us should contribute a larger share,” said Asst Prof Theseira.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

February 26, 2015
Activist Han Hui Hui Files Judicial Review Application

Activist and blogger Han Hui Hui turned up at the Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon (Feb 25), to file a judicial review application against the Attorney-General. Channel NewsAsia understands Ms Han is challenging what she calls a “Blanket Refusal” to permit her to speak or organise a demonstration at the Speakers’ Corner.

Last October, the National Parks Board had cancelled approvals granted to Ms Han to speak and demonstrate at Speakers’ Corner, and said it would not approve further applications for her to use the space at Hong Lim Park, until a police case against her was concluded.

Ms Han, along with five others, including fellow blogger Roy Ngerng, had been charged on Oct 23 last year, for causing public nuisance by disrupting a charity carnival last September. They reportedly led several hundred people in a march around Hong Lim Park and encroached into the area where YMCA’s annual carnival Proms @ The Park was held. They also allegedly frightened some children with special needs who were about to perform on stage.

Ms Han and Mr Ngerng were also charged with organising a demonstration without approval.

Regarding her judicial review application, Ms Han told Channel NewsAsia she had hired a lawyer to represent her – the third one so far, but he did not show up, due to “personal matters”.

Ms Han had earlier told the media she would be appearing at State Courts at 2.30pm. She arrived at 2.17pm, accompanied by two friends, but was told she should be at the Supreme Court instead.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

February 26, 2015
Indonesia Prepared To Return Australia Tsunami Aid

Jakarta. Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday that Indonesia was prepared to return the $1 billion in aid that Australia provided following the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

The comments were in response to a reminder from Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who last week mentioned the relief when making a plea for two Australian drug traffickers on death row in Indonesia.

“I have explained that we understood during the tsunami, there was humanitarian aid from 56 countries, including from Australia,” Kalla said on Monday. “If it was not considered humanitarian aid, we will return it.”

Abbot’s comments have struck a raw nerve with many Indonesians, and in some major cities protests and theatrical coin collections have started.

Twitter and Facebook have been flooded with messages under the hashtag #CoinsFor Australia — a campaign to repay Australia and a demand its neighbor respect Indonesia’s legal system.

Since making the comments, Abbot has claimed they were not a threat but instead the aid referred to the strength of the two countries’ bilateral relations.

Kalla said he had been communicating with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and he had explained that the execution of Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan — ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine heroin trafficking group — was not a decision made solely by President Joko Widodo.

“She appreciated the explanation. She understands Indonesian law and I have told her it wasn’t the president who decided on the death penalty but an independent and objective court,” Kalla said.

Sukumaran, 33, and Chan, 31, were caught trying to smuggle heroin out of Bali in 2005. They are among the next group of inmates to be executed by a firing squad.

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com

February 25, 2015