TR EMERITUS

I am afraid not. PAP Govt can't even get the basic traffic lights synchronized properly! How many times do you feel that you have been struggling along a short distance with multiple red lights stopping you on the streets? Some streets with barely 1 km can have 4 red lights! 2 km distance can have 8 or 9 red lights! Best is within 500m you can see 3 red lights with an overhead bridge! The most frustrating part is, most of the time these traffic lights aren't even synchronized properly and it makes driving quite a painful experience in SG. Having a traffic light right next to overhead bridge is quite common. Why is that so? Having two traffic lights with barely 150m apart is even worse! Is that SMART at all? LTA now has a new interest, installing Red right turn arrows all over the place, including side roads! The result? Unnecessary jams created during peak period when there are only two lanes while one lane is already stuck! There are certain junctions with blocked views warrant such red light arrows but putting these up indiscriminately without due consideration will only worsen traffic conditions. Some the barriers where obstructing views at junctions and should be done away with but instead, they installed more of it! It has never been so bad in the past but all these years, things are really screwed up. It seems that Scholars running the departments aren't really getting themselves on the ground to understand situations before they start making nonsensical planning and implementing silly things. SMART City? Don't make my toes laugh! People try to show others they are doing something and thus, keep increasing spending and implementing unnecessary things. More is less. No wonder PAP Gov keeps saying money no enough and want to increase GST!   Goh Meng Seng      Read More →

I am glad action is being taken to reduce noise pollution because the problem is getting worse especially in the crowded heartlands.(Neighborhood noise: Panel to propose norms by year end, Straits Times, 30/4/22). A community advisory panel has been formed. It is chaired by Singapore Kindness Movement's general secretary, Dr William Wan, and comprises nine representatives from the social, academia and people sectors, the Municipal Services Office (MSO) and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). It’s mandate is to tackle unacceptable neighbourhood noise from residents as well as outdoor spaces such as basketball courts and coffee shops. It will establish what unacceptable noise levels are when, for example, residents drag furniture, slam doors or play loud music, and look into the feasibility of a guideline for noise levels in decibels. I would suggest that the advisory panel include the Housing and Development Board (HDB). This is because a lot of the unhappiness can be avoided if HDB is more mindful of noise pollution when it plans the layout of amenities. For example, building a playground in close proximity of a block of flats is all but certain to encroach on residents’ right to a peaceful home. It is unreasonable to ask children to play quietly, but HDB should have the good sense to build the playground where it will least affect residents. Likewise, building a common pavilion beside a block of flats is unthinking on the part of the planners, to put it mildly. It would subject residents to constant rounds of children playing noisy games, Zumba sessions organised by Residents Committees, award ceremonies organised by the People’s Association, weddings and funerals, to name a few. Whilst HDB has a mandate to design precincts to encourage residents to mingle, it shouldn’t forget that a house is for the owner and his family to rest and relax in a peaceful environment, first and foremost. I hope the community advisory panel will be practical and strive for concrete results rather than feel-good-and-sound-good yardsticks like “looking into the feasibility of a guideline for noise levels in decibels” when residents drag furniture or slam doors.   Foong Swee Fong      Read More →

Lhl's May Day Rally speech touched on 2 main issues, ie, the Ukraine war, it's impact on global order and the cost of living pressures. I will be as frank and forthright with my commentary like I have always do. I despise and I am ashamed of lhl's hypocrisy. Let me explain. I quote, 'Most fundamentally and what matters to us is that Russia's attack on Ukraine has undermined the global order: the basic rules and norms for countries, big or small to interact properly with one another. This means not invading somebody else...that is a fragrant violation of the UN Charter. It is bad for every country but especially for small states like Singapore. Our security our existence depend on international rule of law. That's why Singapore has taken a strong stand, condemned the attack and imposed targeted sanctions against Russia'. I ask if lhl and his foreign ministar, Vivian Balakrishnan had even let out a small fart when the United States invaded Somalia, Libya, Iraq or Afghanistan etc? I ask did Singapore similarly took a strong stand, condemned those attacks and imposed targeted sanctions against the US when those attacks happened? Need I say more? To lhl, I, as a citizen will say this to you. You have lost plenty, plenty of credibility among your thinking and awaken citizens alearly and there are political costs. Next, cost of living pressures. Have we turned the corner on our inflation! Hell no! In fact, early days yet. The worst has yet to descend upon us. So far, the hikes in electricity prices, petrol prices and food prices etc are just the appetizers. With the impending GST increases, the worst for our people are yet to be. Although Singapore is small and we are an international price taker, domestically, there are alot more that this government can do if only it is willing to wayang less, genuinely empathise with Singaporeans more, be more willing to be selfless and play lesser games with suckerporeans. Alearly more than 150,000 households are owing their water bills, ie, about 10% of Singapore's households with 1,200 of them owing at least $250/. That, MOS for Sustainability and the Environment, Desmond Tan told Parliament. CDC vouchers, U-Save rebates and S&CC rebates are all welcome and they are helpful to some extent but mind you, we are not living in a third world country. The pap government has turned Singapore into a very expensive country to live in and all those are far from enough, what the Chinese would describe as more thunder than rainfall. This pap government is a rich but reluctant to do more government. I repeat. This is an able but unwilling to do more for its people government in their hours of need. Furthermore, I ask why can't this government show some meaningful solidarity and compassion with the growing numbers of its being squeezed and struggling fellow citizens by way of example what true and worthy leadership is all about by taking a meaningful pay cut for itself, its very expensive but don't know do what Mayors and its elected pap MPs? Although in monetary term, the quantum may not be large but the gesture and gratitude will be huge. Isn't this one nation one people one Singapore all about and not just in song lalala.. but in spirit and in solidarity too? After all, aren't actions speak louder than words? No? I can easily go on... Think.   Simon Lim      Read More →