TR EMERITUS

And I must not just talking about downgrading from private homes to HDB, from bigger HDB flats to smaller HDB flats. There was a recent report in thenewpaper praising and glorifying university and polytechnic lecturers being inspired to take lower paying jobs in nursing. And we have courses to teach our graduates how to become hawkers. Soon there will be courses to teach our graduates how to become taxi drivers and security guards. In contrast, every third world wildlife coming here is upgrading, from joblessness in their home countries to high paying full time employment in Singapore, from low paying jobs to higher paying jobs, from homelessness to homeowners. Singaporeans on the other hand are directed to take on low skill jobs, low technical jobs, while foreigners, many poorly educated, with fake papers, are taking up high tech and computer related jobs. Funny isn't it? No, this is not funny at all. This is a very serious problem affecting many Singaporeans today and tomorrow. The Singaporeans are turning into dodo birds, obsolete, unskilled and unemployable in their own country and wildlife of dubious backgrounds and often half educated or with poor or fake education papers are taking over their lives and their country. This is a very serious problem that cannot be ignored. It is systemic and existential. Does anyone know this? I think not, I think everyone, I mean Singaporeans, is taking this as a natural state of affair, that this is the fate of Singaporeans, despite their very expensive education and supposedly people from a first world country, losing out to third world wildlife and cannot do anything about it, and in the process would eventually lose their country as well. What do you think? Chua Chin Leng *The author blogs at http://mysingaporenew.blogspot.com/  Read More →

Fresh cases of infections and deaths from the Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) have hit a record daily highs in China as of Saturday (1 Feb) morning. From figures released by China's National Health Commission (NHC), by 0900 hours, the nationwide* death toll saw an increase of 46 to 259 while those confirmed infected rose by 2101 to 11821,  both daily record highs. As of 0900 hours on Saturday (1st Feb) The number of confirmed cases in China alone has also surpass the total number of persons infected by SARS (SARS-CoV) in 2002-2003, which was 8098 worldwide with 5327 recorded in China. While the mortality rate of the current Coronavirus strain (about 2.2%) is lower than SARS (about 10%), experts at the NHC have noted that the current Coronavirus strain has stronger transmission ability. The virus's apparently ease of transmission was observed by local authorities in Xinyu, a city in Jiangxi province where 15 confirmed cases were infected by a single person. The figures are expected to rise rapidly, as experts from the NHC have predicted that the coming week would be when the infections would peak (爆发). Meanwhile, Singapore recorded its first case of a Singaporean being infected and has announced that it will bar all travellers arriving from mainland China who had been there in the past 14 days, as well as anyone with a China passport, effective Sunday (2 Feb). Singaporeans and those with long-term pass will be allowed entry but must undergo quarantine.     * Cases in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are included in the official tally under China.          Read More →

Singapore authorities have announced 3 new confirmed cases of the Coronavirus, among which a Singaporean, bringing the total number of persons infected to 16. The new cases announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (31 Jan) include a Singaporean female who had travelled to Wuhan with her family and returned on Thursday (30 Jan). The 47-year-old woman reportedly showed no symptoms when she boarded the return flight but was found to have a fever during a medical screening at Changi Airport.  She was then taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and tested positive for the Coronavirus on Friday (31 Jan). The remaining 2 new cases are both Chinese nationals: a 31-year-old man who holds a work pass for Singapore and had visited Hubei province, returning to the city state on January 26; and a 38-year-old man who arrived from Wuhan on January 22. Meanwhile, MOH is advising Singaporeans to postpone all travel arrangements to Hubei Province, adopt precautions, which includes wearing masks. The ministry also reminded members of the public to practice the following at all times: Avoid contact with live animals including poultry and birds, and consumption of raw and undercooked meats; Avoid close contact with people who are unwell or showing symptoms of illness; Observe good personal hygiene; Practise frequent hand washing with soap (e.g. before handling food or eating, after going to toilet, or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing); Wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough or shortness of breath; Cover your mouth with a tissue paper when coughing or sneezing, and dispose the soiled tissue paper in the rubbish bin immediately; and Seek medical attention promptly if you are feeling unwell. To date, the Coronavirus has infected almost 10,000 around the world, claiming 213 lives. The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak an international public health emergency.          Read More →