Thursday, December 4, 2014

Lessons From Hong Kong

"Singapore is at a crossroads. How the country moves forward will depend on the choices that the people and their leaders make today. The incentives that those in power build into the system will determine whether the country progresses or stagnates. To that end, the ability of Singaporeans to question authority and to build a capacity for collective reasoning and debate is essential."

Singapore's Consul-General Jacky Foo Hong Kong did not object to that paragraph in the Wall Street Journal commentary of 27 November 2014 ("A New Vision for Singapore").

He was rankled by some other observations, and had to put in his 2 cents' worth. But you have to wonder about his mental state when he regurgitates stuff like these:
  • "in Singapore, the low-income have access to high-quality education, health care and public housing, like other citizens"
  • "Families earning just 1,000 Singapore dollars ($800) a month can afford to own a two-room apartment"
  • "Their wages have also grown by 10% (in real terms) in the past decade"
  • "The reality is that elections in Singapore are free and fair"

You know the guy is obviously oblivious that many have sold their public housing flats to finance an overseas education because places in local universities were given up to "scholars" from PRC, that $1,000 a month can service flat ownership is a myth that has been debunked ad infinitum, his real wage growth statistic is off by at least a factor of 10 and, to quote his political master's voice, "there is no such thing as fair play in politics". Foo's mindless ramble reminds one of Michael Palmer's first utterances when he was helicoptered into parliament at too tender an age: "Before I joined the grassroots organisation, I never knew there were poor people in developed countries". If Foo is just as wet behind the years, we hope he stays away from ardent worshippers bearing tempting mangoes.

To be fair to Foo, he is just protecting his paycheck. All said and done, "he is out to make a political case and trim his sails to the wind." What ex-minister George Yeo, also based in Hong Kong, eloquently penned as "going with the flow".

8 comments:

  1. PROSTITUTE:
    a person, typically a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment.

    MENTAL PROSTITUTE:
    - what then is the definition of a mental prostitute?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Allowing the brain to be inseminated with:

      "... it is not an offence if you are in the polling station.."

      and receiving U save, S&C rebates as payment for the insemination.

      There are people who look forward to be inseminated.

      Delete
  2. Foo's remarks can be easily rebutted.

    //However, upon reviewing the data, it was observed that Singapore’s real median income (i.e, income after adjusting for inflation) growth is actually at its slowest pace since 2009 with the real median earnings rising to just 0.4%. This is inclusive of the employer CPF contributions.

    A DBS economist said that the real income growth of 0.4% for this year is disappointing, noting that it was 4% last year. //

    Real income growth minus CPF contributions is actually neg 0.6% which MOM dared not report. Why is Mr Foo spreading inaccrrate and dishonest half-baked figures? Singaporeans can calculate that PAP ministers have had 60% salary increment in the past decades yet our real income wages have dropped and not grown with inflation. That is a sorry fact. MY and several many PMET friends experiences are real and we don't need Mr Foo to cook up some unrealistic picture.

    Yet, we will be facing around round of PTC transport fare increases and ITE polytechnics fees.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Why do people take what these state-paid hacks say seriously? Foo is of course confident that he can utter whatever rubbish he wishes without being held to account. He merely validates what CSJ has stated without the need for a reply. Silly bugger.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wages grown by 10% in ten years ? He totally forgot the inflation alone over the same period is more than 10% ? Housing has risen by how much, I suppose he pretend he doesn't know or what ?

    He must be sucking someone's arse hole, I think.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Island of Dr Fu Man Chu
    - a 90 year old evil that refuses to die

    ReplyDelete
  6. Only Fools will agree with that Consul General Foo . He must be away for too long .

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dr Chee writes and speaks with more sense and conviction than this fool and many arse-lickers in white. Anyone who can stand up to the old fart and get his goat has my respect. Not this PAP gravy train passenger who just regurgitates what his political masters want to hear.

    ReplyDelete