Ask what you can do for your country?

[9V-Orion Images]

Also, I will like to leave my final 2¢ worth of thoughts here as some people tend to get confused between the two...

The country, Republic of Singapore is not Pay And Pay Corporation™
Pay And Pay Corporation™ is not the country, Republic of Singapore

Berjaya Singapura! Majulah Singapura!

 

[Octarine]

If the country does not do any good for the people, change the leadership...

Is there a re realistic chance to do this? The currently ruling party has set up a system that effectively prevents a change in government. How democratic is that? But changing an inefficient or bad government is one of the basics on democracy. I hope you realize the obvious flaw here.
Please form your own opinion by critical thinking, we don't need someone copying Pappy speeches without quoting the sources.

 

[An drew]

Also, I will like to leave my final 2¢ worth of thoughts here as some people tend to get confused between the two...

The country, Republic of Singapore is not Pay And Pay Corporation™
Pay And Pay Corporation™ is not the country, Republic of Singapore

Berjaya Singapura! Majulah Singapura!

Again, I say you are the true patriot.

 

[albertri]

Is there a re realistic chance to do this? The currently ruling party has set up a system that effectively prevents a change in government. How democratic is that? But changing an inefficient or bad government is one of the basics on democracy. I hope you realize the obvious flaw here.
Please form your own opinion by critical thinking, we don't need someone copying Pappy speeches without quoting the sources.

Once again the saying goes "A pen sometimes is more powerful than a sword" use it wisely each and everyone has the power to change things it's just up to you if you want a change or you want to just follow the crowd and go with the flow. Individually you dont have much power collectively and in unity you can do a lot of things

 

[Octarine]

Once again the saying goes "A pen sometimes is more powerful than a sword" use it wisely each and everyone has the power to change things it's just up to you if you want a change or you want to just follow the crowd and go with the flow. Individually you dont have much power collectively and in unity you can do a lot of things

I fully agree. But still, there is a flaw in the system when 65% of votes result in 95% of the seats in parliament. Legally it all sounds nice. But does it make any sense..? Why was such a system copied to SG? Maybe once the intention was good, but nothing is good absolutely. It's crippling the power of the pen.

 

[stuck]

For someone who I recall has expressed unhappiness on mainstream media performance, you are really lax when relying on deliberately selective printscreens... Tsk tsk.

Don’t believe everything you see » pseudoplace.com

this is endemic of the vast majority of "political discourse" in this country, *ahem* I mean the internet.

 

[stuck]

I fully agree. But still, there is a flaw in the system when 65% of votes result in 95% of the seats in parliament. Legally it all sounds nice. But does it make any sense..? Why was such a system copied to SG? Maybe once the intention was good, but nothing is good absolutely. It's crippling the power of the pen.

This admittedly antiquated electoral system was adopted from the British - the "first-past-the-post" system. It's still in place in most so called "Real" democracies like the US, UK and France. I believe only the EU has implemented some sort proportional representation whereby parties win seats in parley in proportion to the number of votes they win in an electoral region. However, imo this is only applicable to large countries where one region/state can have multiple seats up for grabs and portioned according to the voting %. Can you imagine the fragmentation in the already tiny constituencies in SG if that happened?

Besides, its not as if the "first-past-the-post" system cannot produce "healthy" well-functioning multi- or two-party democratic systems, as the US and the UK has shown. It's the quality of the opposition party and the maturity of the electorate in thinking about issues critically in a rational manner that results in a true democracy, & not changing the electoral system.

So again, ask yourself what you can do for your country & make the effort to drive changes to things/issues that you don't agree with, rather than sit back, complain & wait for some white knight opposition politician/party to ride to your rescue. That my friends, is true patriotism.

 

[kkgoxplore]

If we do nothing than it will be 1.2 in 2030... So what can we do to prevent this from happening?

I don't think I am wrong to say that the majority who do not want to have children is due to the high cost of living. It is very unfortunate that the govt keeps treating the symptoms by throwing baby bonuses, more maternity leave, etc and now paternal leave which have proven little if any success. If childcare cost is made affordable and facilities be provided to take care of the baby/child so that the mums can go back to work without much worries, and education is to educate and not to compete, I am sure TFR would improve. Unfortunately, time and again, the govt refused to acknowledge this.

 

[kkgoxplore]

Agree. It is not difficult being a "yes" man. It is just small price to pay for the success and wealth that it will bring you. Just say "yes" to White Paper etc, what's so difficult? Not too late, you can still be the next "Son of Ponggol". Your country/party will value your service and this is what you can do for your country.

if your country is just a money-making machinery, it is all man for himself.

This is the scary and worrying part. A court full of "yes-man" officials will lead to the detriment of the country. Hasn't history us taught that? Unfortunately this is what I am seeing in our beloved country today. The *** has a system set-up to reward and enslaved the "loyalists" while shutting out the pariah. The feel good medicine has to increase in dosage over time and that is what we are heading for in 2030 if there is no major shift in political paradigm.

 

[kkgoxplore]

Some 30 years ago when I served my NS and even though I don't really like it, I knew I was serving a purpose; to protect our beloved country. In recent times with the govt's objective centred on GDP growth and mindless immigration policy, my value starts to waver. My son who is in NS now is questioning who is he protecting? Mind you, I am not against hiring low to mid skilled foreigners but I am AGAINST the indiscrimate giving away of PRs. We are like a whorehouse now and every free-loaders can become a PR.

 

[albertri]

This is the scary and worrying part. A court full of "yes-man" officials will lead to the detriment of the country. Hasn't history us taught that? Unfortunately this is what I am seeing in our beloved country today. The *** has a system set-up to reward and enslaved the "loyalists" while shutting out the pariah. The feel good medicine has to increase in dosage over time and that is what we are heading for in 2030 if there is no major shift in political paradigm.

Again the thread title is very true based on what you said "Ask What you can do for your Country" Change is at your hands small voices shouting united is very deafening . Again dont blame your Govt for all things but blame your self for not doing anything

 

[Shizuma]

the time has come for Group Representative Constituencies to be scrapped and each election candidate to be judged on her own merit.

scrapping this scheme may also benefit the incumbents , ironically , as the risk of sudden and complete capitulation of GRCs of 5 members of parliament is reduced

 

[albertri]

Some 30 years ago when I served my NS and even though I don't really like it, I knew I was serving a purpose; to protect our beloved country. In recent times with the govt's objective centred on GDP growth and mindless immigration policy, my value starts to waver. My son who is in NS now is questioning who is he protecting? Mind you, I am not against hiring low to mid skilled foreigners but I am AGAINST the indiscrimate giving away of PRs. We are like a whorehouse now and every free-loaders can become a PR.

What if those PR who serves NS would think the same way what will you say? Imagine PR serving NS would tell a Singaporean Why would i serve NS and protect you? you don’t even welcome me nor treat me equally? Remember there are PR's serving and protecting us all not only Singaporean so it's wrong to say that you're the only one lugi here...

 

[Halfmoon]

a woman who sells her body rents it out but gets it back at the end of the day.

a woman who sells her integrity sells her soul without redemption!

btw i am not in the biz of selling either, hor.

"What does it profit a (wo)man if she gains the whole world but loses her soul?"

Some women do not value their soul....

 

[Halfmoon]

Also, I will like to leave my final 2 worth of thoughts here as some people tend to get confused between the two...

The country, Republic of Singapore is not Pay And Pay Corporation™
Pay And Pay Corporation™ is not the country, Republic of Singapore

Berjaya Singapura! Majulah Singapura!

That's why we hv pepple staying on to fight the whitening faq....

 

[pinholecam]

If the country does not do any good for the people, change the leadership...

Who make us today... we are here today and many wish to become one of us. We are fortunate to have a clean govt and we pride ourselves as one of the better one..

I know that we are not the best but we are among the best despite our limited resources...

This is the sort of claim to the right to rule that the government has kept drilling into our heads.

I'd give them credit for the clean/neat infrastructure.
Beyond that, the success of this country is the fruit of the ingenious mind, tenacious spirit and hard work of the Asian peoples who form it.
Look at China/Jpn/Korea/Taiwan/HK (even India too; to some extent M'sia/Thailand), many rose from the ashes of war, but have climbed to the very top.

Their governance/infrastructure may be different and have their own quirks/faults (all systems are), but they have been successful nonetheless.

 

[Shizuma]

Some women do not value their soul....

Kate Spade bag nicer? But on 16k a month, sure upgraded to latest Hermes / Birkins

 

[kei1309]

no political system is ultimately correct.

ask the greeks. look where their democracy has brought them :bsmilie:

 

[d2xpeter]

yep happy new year to you too

for me, it has to start with the first part, is Singapore really the place for you? A lot of people don't seem to have an answer to that yet, and a lot of them still searching.
If it is, how do you want it to be? Is it good for all of us? on goes the questions and considerations. then slowly you can move on to do stuff in small steps.

I believe our version of that Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country is "No one owes Singapore a living"

One consideration as to whether Singapore is for you or not would be, are the policies something you agree with (and do they make sense)? I'm still racking my brains over that. I still can't make head nor tail from the white paper what is the ideal population/growth.

However, this is the view that i subscribe to:
http://www2.smu.edu.sg/about_smu/images/documents/hokwanping/ST_20120117_1.pdf

I don't think the White Paper addresses these underlying issues yet.

I don't want to be in a nation where the policies might potentially hurt us as a country. The little stuff i try to do, can only affect so much, while theirs is more or less a game changer...

Ask NOT whether Singapore really is the place for you. Rather Ask what you want YOUR Singapore TO BE.

Don't be REACTIVE! rather, be PROACTIVE. Do something about it, in 3yrs time. LOL

 

[dreaming]

What if those PR who serves NS would think the same way what will you say? Imagine PR serving NS would tell a Singaporean Why would i serve NS and protect you? you don’t even welcome me nor treat me equally? Remember there are PR's serving and protecting us all not only Singaporean so it's wrong to say that you're the only one lugi here...

You are absolutely right. These non Singapore core ppl would turn their back against us. Hence we should deter it or in other words prevent it.

Fertility problem is not addressed. They simply craft a different route around it.


The white paper is passed. Those belong to their camp sing hurray. While those not support of the white paper have to accept it. You can't win with such majority in the house.