Thursday, April 28, 2011
Its been sometime since I have last blog. Life was as usual as it is, monotonous and dull in color. May be the new color that have been added to my life is the current General Election Rally/Speech.
All along, I share the same sentiment with people who thinks that is just propaganda in their speech/rally which I am not interested to hear. But this year, it seem that everyone is digging on what lies, propaganda the previous party had mention.
The few key topics which interest me is definitely on jobs, housing, transportation and foreign talent.
In 2-3 years time, I am going to start a whole new chapter of my life, entering the workforce. Who want to compete with foreign talent for a job which they will stand a higher chance due to their low salary/wages. We have lost 2 years of our time serving the nation which we can actually spend it on working/study which we can gain more experience/knowledge to command a higher pay. So who is going to guarantee that we will have a higher priority to get a job which is paid for a more comfortable survival in the Singapore city or who is going to force us to leave to other country to look for jobs, be their foreign talent, settle down and eventually give up out Singapore Citizenship?
Housing. How much would you spend just to RENT (if yo do not know that HDB flat will be yours for only 99 years and after that it will be back to the government) a place to live in. $400K for a 4 room flat which cost only $200K a few years back? $500K for a 5 room, 25 years of age? This is the current price for the current situation. For just a couple of years, the price shot up to a SKY ROCKET price which is not beneficial to the citizen and to the younger citizen. In future, you might need to spend $1 million just to get a 3 room flat and take 40 years to pay off your payment and then have to work till your death as there isn't any money left for your retirement. Everyone knows that Singapore is a small country with very little land space but that does not mean that the price of housing should be at such a high price which the citizen might not be able to afford.
Firstly, our wage/salary grade haven't catch up with the rising cost demands for transportation, food, groceries and even rising a kid. You need around close to $1K extra to have a kid as the infant care, milk powder, pampers, vaccine and much more need $.
Secondly, Singapore as what they had said is a small country. Having a limited land area yet a very ambitious plan to increasing our population worsen the demand supply of housing. We, Singaporean will eventually suffer due to the the low supply of housing due to the large demand for housing. Its the government plan to increase the population without factoring housing, transportation and even jobs demands. Due to their poor judgement, the citizen in turn have to pay for what extra cost which shouldn't even be added.
Thirdly, there are income ceiling which decide on the smallest possible type of flat you can purchase. If 1 couple both earn a comfortable $5 K a month wants to buy a HDB flat, they can only buy a 5 room flat. 2 person in a 5 room flat is firstly a complete waste of space, secondly, forcing the couple to pay for the unnecessary space required by them which result in having less saving which eventually affect the couple decision of having a baby.
Fourthly, why do we still have to pay interest for the public housing which is too expensive resulting citizen to have no options but to loan from the CPF. The interest is not few hundred dollars but thousands of dollar which add on the burden of the flat owner.
How about transportation. It just worries me that you have to squeeze into trains and buses every single day just to go to other places which is too far/long for the person to walk. If the cost of the transportation is kept low, we won't have much rights to expect a very comfortable ride. But the transportation fees is getting higher and higher while the comfort level get lower and lower. Most of the people had no choice but to take public transportation to work. If want to travel slightly more comfortable, CAB would be an option. But paying for $20-35 just to get to work seem to have taken up almost 30% of the days pay. Getting an MC seem to be a better option. The next option is Driving. Kiss $30K good bye even before you get your key to your car! Pay so much for the metal but you can only drive for maximum 20 years. No subsidies for petrol unlike neighboring countries which even require to fork out more money due to the large population.
Foreign Talent. They command a lower salary as compared to a singaporean with the similar qualifications and experience. They became the priority of employers choice of worker to fill up empty vacancy, the took up the low supply of housing leaving people having lesser chance to get a roof above their head. They add on to the massive squeeze every morning on public transports. The only thing they does is increase the population as what the government wants.
Wonder this time who will win. Just pray hard there are more opposition in the parliament to have a better decision/policy making.
Sadly I won't be able to vote due to the fact that I am AWAY on the voting day. Can't vote =(
it's you and me <3
10:31 PM
