TR EMERITUS

I will like to share some bad experience from a friend that has fallen on bad time and seeked help from social assistance (MSF). He had some problems with soccer gambling debt and being a responsible person, he decided to clean up his act. Unfortunately, he did not have any previous full-time job experience besides his stint as a storeman in army. He had been looking for jobs for months and was recommended a job at a local supermarket. However, as he was unable to adapt to the working hours and low pay, and quit his job within a week. The social assistance staff assigned to his case actually chided him after that, and furious from the discussion, he stormed out of the room. The staff did not understand that as he was displaced from the job market for a long time, he was unable to adjust to the working tempo and found his boss to be micro-managing. His job did not accord him the flexibility and freedom to use his phone while working, and he found the environment restrictive. The social worker only knew he quit his job without informing his superior, but she did not realise he was on bad terms with his manager. This is a ridiculous example of how insensitive the social service workers are. Unfortunately, his trouble did not end here. Another job was recommended to him, this time a hawker center stall assistant, Despite informing the staff that he was uninterested in this line of work, it was still recommended to him. Are there no better jobs for him? Again, the rigidity of the organisation shows itself in dealing with clients. He repeatedly told the social worker he did not like working long hours in a hot environment, and found the pay to be too low. The staff assured him that the pay will rise if he picks up experience and culinary skills, but he retorted that he was uninterested in this career. However, he still gave the job a shot to prove his sincerity. A few days later, the boss accused him of being lazy and bad service attitude, and he lashed out at his boss, and left his job again. Instead of empathising with him, the social worker was not on his side again! He made more sarcastic remarks implying that he was being picky, repeating the same mantra about how the job market is bad. But that's not his problem! It should be the social workers' problem to deal with, and find him a decent job he can perform well in, instead of explaining their problems to him and expecting him to do all the hard work! The final straw came when the social worker informed him that the financial assistance he had been receiving will be ending. Even though he had not secured a job for himself, the social worker was cruel enough to suggest that other more needy candidates need the financial assistance more than him. My friend has served his NS dutifully and served his country proudly, and it is sad that he is being abandoned in his time of need, while foreigners enjoy good jobs. I am really disappointed that government servants do not care more about vulnerable Singaporeans with less education like my friend. The government should focus more on helping the unemployed, especially long-term employed Singaporeans, and try to assign jobs they are interested in, so they do not quit after a while.   A disappointed Singaporean      Read More →

Gilbert Goh with Dr Tan Cheng Bock Dr Tan Cheng Bock’s announcement of his intention to start a new party has brought forth a lot of cheers and hope to the opposition camp. Its the first time that any ex-PAP MP has switched camp so deliberately and many have hope that it will provide the impetus for a split within the weakened PAP camp. There are the occasional whimper from aggrieved former PAP MPs who could not agree with the policies of the incumbent but none has the guts and more importantly the stature to raise a team and form a political party. Understandably, Dr Tan has gained much from the experience of standing for the Presidential Election two terms ago and lost by a narrow margin to the elected President Tony Tan but it has raised his profile considerably – from being a PAP white man to someone who could rally the country and speak for the common people. His failure to stand for the recent PE – notably against the appointed woman President Halimah Yacob – has irked the doctor to no end and he has vowed to take his dissatisfaction to the highest level. So his decision to start a political party to challenge the incumbent does not surprised many. At the ripe age of 78 years old, Dr Tan not only commands respect but held a considerable amount of clout by frequently championing for causes close to the heart of the common people. Even during his several terms as a PAP MP previously, he has gone against the grain and raised issues that are not in line with party politics – often behaving like one from the opposition camp. During his rally speeches at the PE which he contested, he spoke alot about minimum wages, transparency of sovereign funds and the monopoly of power within a single party – issues that troubled many Singaporeans but have no where to channel their frustration to. Dr Tan frequently reminded many Singaporeans that he is outspoken and will vehemently speak out against any policies unhesitatingly even though he is a ex-PAP MP. However, despite the many benefits he could bring to a system that is crying out for a strong alternative voice, some critics have questioned whether he is able to swing the hearts and minds of hard-core opposition supporters who have always view any man in white with suspicion. Will Dr Tan behave and think like a PAP man if he is being elected to be an MP in the opposite camp? Will a leopard change it’s spot and sometimes even relent in the face of immense pressure from going too hard against his former master? Already, several PAP MPs have spoken against the doctor for forming a new party and will Dr Tan then take a few steps back when the political pressure pile up especially during the soon-coming election campaign? Will the frequently-used dirty word “traitor” push him back from giving his best as an alternative MP if he is being elected? The incumbent will not hold back and likely unleash hell on this prodigal son who may even usher the start of a direct break from PAP’s total domination if things will to go to the good doctor’s way. His deliberate total switch from the white side has given hope to many pro-PAP supporters who are aghast with what the authorities have being doing for the past decade but could not immediately quell their loyalty and vote for any opposition party yet. Dr Tan has given them that added incentive to vote for an alternative voice – no less thrusted by a trust-worthy former white man. Dr Tan to his credit will likely give his best despite the anticipated fierce backlash and hold his ground in his honourable wish to provide a alternative voice to the masses. His performance in the contested PE has convinced many that he will not yield to his former master however difficult the journey may be. The forthcoming GE will probably be fiercely contested with this fresh alternative input and it is for the country’s benefit that other smaller splinter opposition parties join ranks and contest together as one flagship. There are also currently too many opposition parties in our political scene now and if a few are to join hands with the doctor, it will not only raise the profile of opposition politics but they may even miraculously win some seats for doing something that is unseen before. Moreover, voters are mostly emotional and the feel-good vibes of a large powerful coalition will likely bring forth much synergy in the opposition camp. Malaysia could only topple the incumbent UMNO – another post-war traditional party in the mould of PAP – by coming together to contest their recent election as one huge political umbrella and though Dr Tan is no Dr Mahathir – he could hopefully pave the way in the near future for more ex-PAP loyalists to swing their political allegiance. PAP will probably now have some sleepless nights ahead especially with the next election looming so near the corner.   Gilbert Goh      Read More →

Voice controlled devices have had their mainstream moment – with the market for devices rocketing 187% in the second quarter of 2018 alone. Millions of Google and Amazon devices are now used in homes around the globe. But, while voice technology might have seemed futuristic a few years ago, the pace of change means that they’ll soon be overtaken. IG, which trades cryptocurrency, forex and other assets, has cast its eye forward to the world of 2069. With A Time Traveller’s Guide To The Future Of Trading, it suggests how thought-powered technology might well be possible in 50 years – meaning we could well have replaced vocal commands with our minds by then. The guide suggests traders might be able to translate electrical brain signals into actions that render the keyboard and mouse unnecessary, using microchips and brain augmentation surgery. Its guide states: “It might sound like the stuff of science fiction, but thought-powered trading, hardware-induced neural stimulation and brain-to-brain communication have already been subject to extensive research by academics and commercial entities.” Other predictions included in the guide are AI replacing human brokers, 3D holographic trading floors and the dominances of cryptocurrencies and blockchain. The voice speaker might be having its moment, therefore, but don’t expect it to seem cutting edge for long as the relentless march of technological progress continues.   Brought to you by IG      Read More →