Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Is Singapore City Or Country?

Once again, Teo Chee Hean is caught using selective data to suggest Singapore is not such a crowded place. After attempting Hong Kong, he is using Seoul as a comparison. The lie is obvious when you fire up your computer.
Seoul the crowded city

South Korea the spacious country

One of Aesop's Fables involves a city mouse and a country mouse. The story ends like this: "Goodbye," said the country mouse, "You do, indeed, live in a plentiful city, but I am going home where I can enjoy my dinner in peace."

In the country, neighbors may be distanced miles apart, while in the city, people are stacked like sardines in tiny, claustrophobic apartments. Some people like the feeling of never being alone in a city, while others take comfort in having plenty of room between themselves and the rest of the rat race.

As more people are concentrated in a city, the population diversity tend to be greater in terms of race, religion, creed, economic background and body odours than you would find in the country.

Country life has an abundance of wilderness and unspoiled nature, along with fresh air and the opportunity to drink directly from a natural spring instead of recycled toilet water. City life, on the other hand, has more artificially constructed buildings than natural structures, and the air is more polluted because of vehicular density, factories and chemical plants. On 12th January this year, Beijing had a reading of 755 on the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Animals in the wild and and farm animals roam freely in the country, while animals in the city are likely to be locked up in isolated zoos, or living as pets caged in private dwellings.

Shopping for necessities of life, such as food, equipment and clothing, can be more convenient in the city. Country living affords fewer opportunities to buy things in stores, but people in the country often grow their own food, and less likely to be ransomed by unscrupulous merchants.

Cities have an intellectual and cultural stimulation advantage in terms of proximity of universities, museums, art galleries, bookstores and similar enterprises, while country living will have fewer of these amenities. However, life in the country can offer contemplative peace and quiet, which is conducive in its own right for becoming a more cultured person instead of ending up a duplicituous politician.

City life or country life, you can have a choice in a place like South Korea. Not so in Singapore, not when the city planners have their way. Don't let them sell you a different story.

57 comments:

  1. Well, well, planning parameters, worst-case scenario, and other conciliatary terms? All hot air, going by what TCH said in Parliament.

    When were the definitions for what an ageing and aged society decided on? Don't %ages change with time? Shouldn't these change, seeing as how the entire world's make-up is changing? As the world's resources dwindle?

    As for slowing down growth, that's crap. The numbers of people coming in are about the same. But since the popn numbers here have galloped away, yes, the percentage of increase would be smaller. Good try about smaller increases, boy.

    If TCH wants rich and cramped, he should try New York and Monaco. If TCH wants support for the old, all PRs and new citizens should Not be allowed to bring in anyone aged over 11. All PRs should have their PR revoked at 40.

    Bloody old man. We're looking for fresh ideas not tired thinking. And may you have great difficulty finding adult diapers when you need them, as you one day will.

    PS: His grammer is dreadful!

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  2. Do not be so hard on the DPM. His colleagues have been quite adamant that Singapore us Not a Country but a City-State.
    And of course, lately the English Grammar we All were drilled in decades ago, had been been replaced by a special variety. You know, the one that say, something about the verb associated with a noun are sequential or something like that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If Singapore is just a city, then what is our nationality? Earthlings?

      Delete
    2. LKW, TCH is from a time when we were taught good English by people who spoke good English. So no excuses there. It's really sad when Yee Jenn Jong has to explain what ''Whither'' in the headline of his blog means, and someone else explained ''harbinger'', which was used in his blog! And we claim to speak English?

      As for being unable to differentiate and strike a balance betw country and city, that is just one of the MANY things wrong with his White Paper. In the first place, it should be a Green Paper. Talk about inept! And why should they be concerned about not enough young supporting the old, when so Little is spent to help the old.

      The amazing part is we worry that things will be bad if we have an opposition govt, even as this govt makes a muck of Everything. How much worse can it get?

      Delete
  3. Why do I always sense trojan horses everywhere each time a politician speaks? "Open the door, this is good for you", "We offer enhanced coverage with more realistic Medishield premiums", "We have listened", "Higher salaries will allow us to attract the best"... No wonder they have switched to BIG NOSEs type to tell lies. It wouldn't look so obvious when Pinnochio gets a hard-on. But an rection is an erection, always makes us want to f@#$ them though. Hong Lim this Saturday will be watershed.

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    1. People should just go to Hong Lim on Sat.
      Everybody who is out on that day, should wear black (top)..their family, their kids and their maids. Wherever you are , running your errands, shopping or out meeting etc..to show your disagreement with this plan, even if you can't make it to Hong Lim. So that come Saturday, the island is covered in black! I hope somebody go start a facebook and announce Sat a Black Day for 6.9m population! It is legal and everyone helps make a point!

      Delete
    2. Haven't singaporeans been spreading their legs wide open and allow PAP to screw them over and over. Now they try to do it a new way by wanting to screw you from your arse holes. But people are waking up, because they send the Colorectal Dr packing!

      PAP is like the Republicans in USA. They want to sell you blue sky when they want you to endorse their plan...but sell you storm and dark clouds ahead during election time if you don't vote for them. Seen that done that..this one trick pony is out of tricks!

      Delete
  4. Treat their shit talk as "noise". Make yourself heard in 2016. Do not trust the PAP government anymore. Don't be bought by any fake apology. This is my country, this is my land, not for anybody to sell to any willing buyer.

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  5. I would agree with Teo that Singapore is a city provided that he abolish NS.

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    Replies
    1. Agree. I dare Ng Eng Heng to tell all our Ah Boys they are defending the city..not country. And while we're on it, why aren't we paying them City Mayor/Councilor salaries instead? Why the highest out of the world? Got no 20/20 vision, can't even do a proper White Paper and screw up all out quality of lives..and they deserve the out-of-the-world salaries?

      Delete
  6. *&^%^&*(&^$ is all I wanna say to TCH.

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  7. Since the paper has come out, in my conversations with friends/families, 7 out of 10 people have already indicated they are migrating and getting out of here...and for me, this announcement has just pushed me to expedite the move permanently. Bravo to the PAP govt..they have just achieved what they intended to do...extinction of native singaporeans so they can rule over the new population.

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    Replies
    1. It seems like Singaporeans are now facing extinction. The current rate of emigration, already the highest in the world, is going to be "crazy bad" soon.

      Delete
    2. //..current rate of emigration already highest..//

      That is form, not the substance. WE won't know WHO these so called emigrants who left were. One suspects there are a high % who have merely used SG as a stepping stone to other countries such as Us/Canada or ANZ. Many Indians and Chinese are very prone to doing that once they got their SG pp or finished their scholarships. That's the deep black hole you won't read/see/hear from MOM because it would prove their failure of PR conversions and why Khaw said what he said - you won't know how many will turn up at the banquet!!

      Delete
  8. Why is there a debate these days of whether Singspore is a country or a city? If one looks at the map of Singapore before 1965 you will see a line demarctating the boundary between the city area from what was then the designated rural area. The city area was administered by the City Council and the Rural Board adminstered the rural area. The first Mayor of the City Council was Mr. Ong Eng Guan. Those of us who are old enough will recall having to go to the City Hall to pay our utilities bills or arrange for connections for gas, water and electricity. Teachers employed by the government who lived in the city and were posted to a school in the rural area were entitled to a special allowance for having to travel to the "countryside" much like teachers in Australia posted to remote areas. Those people who lived in Telok Kurau / Katong will recall the post along East Coast Road near the Catholic Church which read demarcated the city from the rural area of Singapore. With the increase in population and the building of more homes the distinction became obsolete. We became literally one big city. The achievement of independence merely put the legal gloss on this city.Nothing useful will come from debating this false dilemma.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So what are you saying? We are City dwellers? So we should disband our NS immediately, and let everyone disengage themselves emotionally from defending this country" b.s the MIW has been drilling in the naive minds of Singaporeans all these 50 years.

      Make no mistake..PAP has been trying to imagine us as Manhattan and your new iskander/JB will be the new jersey. Why else would Khaw wants to park our elderlies there?

      Delete
    2. Your illogical connection with NS proves my point. Have you travelled to Australia? If you did you have to fill up the immigration card. You will be required to fill the country from which you came. And also the city from which you came. What will your answer be?

      Delete
    3. There's no illogical connection, just illogical planning by PAP where ALL evidence point to how they run this country like a City Mayor, right down to how they treat its people, foreign workers as mere digits. There are no empathy, dignity nor rights accorded to them, other than to preserve the magnificence of 1000 more years for Leegime and its legacy. Go ask TCH..whether there will be more Hong Lim park opened up for 7m population. Will ISA still be there? Will freedom of speech/information be made available to public? Will Singles or LGBT be less discriminated? Will experienced or elderly workers in 40-66yrs have dignified jobs other than keep telling us the non-dignified jobs will be done by FWs? There is a joke going around..Put your politicians on minimum wages, and see how fast things will change! Maybe we ought to say "Put your politicians out of their jobs one by one, and see how fast things will change!".

      http://thehearttruths.com/2013/02/04/discussion-on-the-singapore-population-white-paper-2013-part-5/

      Delete
    4. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=524642267558907&set=a.518622691494198.110993.518247218198412&type=1&theater

      Wow, they even try to sell me a 3.0 disneyland visual of the future. What can I say. Singaporean's Happiness Index will shoot right through the rooftop this time, from the bottom up! Move over, Somalia!

      Delete
    5. Now, beside the point about why NS if we are just a City, ever wonder why we need 5 Mayors in a City-State or a Country ? Compared that with, say London or New York .

      My poor brain tells me that, it was jobs creation.
      Of course, the "coverment" believe it was money well spent.

      Delete
    6. Is it just for international posturing sake...so that if global cities like London/NY etc wants to confer best city award, the small mayors, instead of the country leeder will be there to claim the prize. Otherwise, how to justify the salary..although in truth, everybody knows they are just a bunch of City Mayors, no more no less.

      Delete
  9. Teo Chee Hean
    I hope WP will contest your GRC in GE 2016.

    First Deputy Prime Minister in Singapore to lose an elections.
    I like that very much.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Switzerland's population is 7.5 mil and land area 43,000 sq km ..... Spore's population will be 7 mil and land area 800 sq km .... Ours will be Swiss std of living ?

    Is the Swiss govt any less responsible when they don't pack in more foreigners and businesses? Unlike the SG govt, at least they didn't do the sneaky thing of importing large influx of foreigners behind their citizens' back only to be found out, caught redhanded, and now, claim to be doing the transparent and most responsible thing!!! Ha, almost fooled me, TCH.

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  11. Various foreign chambers of commerce and also the SBF have voiced their concers against "tighter curbs on foriegn labour".

    Actually all the government have done was to reduce the rate of increase of the the number of foreigners in Singapore. (the previous sentence does not have a typo-error!).
    The government is NOT reducing the number foreigners in Singapore.
    It is NOT EVEN keeping the number of foreigners in Singapore constant.
    All it is doing at the moment is to reduce the rate of increase of foreigners in Singapore.

    What Singaporeans want is for Singapore's population to keep steady; with economic growth fueled by productivity improvement.
    Foreigners can be let in to replace the short-fall due to our low fertility rate. The net result of this should be that the total population DO NOT GROW!

    The population white paper is now being sold as being on a trajectory of lower population growth than the current trajectory. My goodness! It really is little comfort to know that the white paper proposes a better way than the disaster that is the present TRAGICTORY!

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  12. I want to know which ethnic groups has similar culture and background which TCH has mentioned, integrates very well? Is he referring to

    1. The Myanmese?
    2. The Pinoys?
    3. The Vietnamese?
    4. The North Indians?

    Or the 1m+ PRC ah tiongs who went on labor strikes, drive fast cars and kill people, drive buses recklessly, hijack taxis and kill cleaners, sell dog meats in restaurants and dislike curry etc?

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  13. A good point that I have previously made. The mistake often made with regard to PRCs is that they aer like you and me,i.e. Chinese Singaporeans. One need only see the People`s Party Congress meetings. "Chinese" representatives, dressed in their tribal or provincial garb. Very colourful, but nothing like what you and I wear.

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  14. DPM Teo says young people will leave for more dynamic cities.

    I find it laughable. If only he starts loosening up in the areas of citizens rights to speak without fear/favor, to assembly and to rally, he will automatically find the city very dynamic itself!

    I also want to throw my HDTV out of the window every time some posh bloke from PAP earnestly explains what they are doing about raising us into a better quality of life or up into their stratosphere.

    They pretend a vague humility about their servant's plan, but exude the very confidence that a master would do and know best. So, I find myself listening to his motherhood spiel about how they are on the side of Singaporeans and for their own good - my cynical view sees this less empathy based and more a staged appeal for future endorsement revenue, like what Lance Armstrong had been doing..doping, lying and denial...doping, lying and denial..until ...well, you know the rest.

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  15. What they want you to hide from you is that Singapore is world's most expensive country in the world given it small size placed among the top expensive cities in the world. Just look at the chart, all other expensive cities are just one part of a country are far larger than Sincity. At least in other countries, you can choose to live rural area or state in country where cost of living is lower, but Singapore, Country is a City, and a City is a country, and you don't have that choice.

    Do not deceived by shameless party.

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  16. "Several foreign firms prepare to leave Singapore - BT"

    As widely anticipated. When the people tell the emperor he has no clothes, the tailors are not very happy lot.

    If they want to leave and take to India, China or Vietnam so they can hire plentiful of cheaper, better and faster labors, be my guest. Lim Swee Say will be very happy to lead the way. Those money they save will be used to grease the fingers of the corrupted officials and inefficient workers. Good luck to their profits, I am sure they will have more to pay themselves and their directors.

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    Replies
    1. Yah sure shift to India and look forward to their daughters getting gang raped. Singapore is a paradise for these expats

      Delete
  17. This government likes to compare with the best and the worst from other countries. When the elite want something, they compare with the best. Their pay is always not high enough. When the mere mortal is suffering, they are compared to the worst. Their suffering is always not too bad.
    So Singapore has the best for the elite and the worst for mere mortal. This is a class war.

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    Replies
    1. This is called special pleading. You can find an example anywhere in the world to support any point of view. Only used to deceive and not allowed in professional circles. A favourite ploy used by politicians. Margaret Thatcher is the only politician of note to publicly declare that she had never and would never stoop to such arguments.

      Delete
  18. And not to mention the Ang Mo stealing the PMET jobs

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  19. Workforce can't grow if you lock a majority of your men in NS for 2 years. Not to mention how many Arm forces personnel you are feeding just to keep your billion dollars defense spending for an rhetoric full of phantom wars that nobody has fought!

    If one doesn't make baby in a year, are they to make up for it the next year with 4 babies ? In PAP's trajectory, they are to be replaced with 4 working adults! And to think that Emeritus GCT has had 2 decades of governance for doing NOTHiNG about the fertility & aging! At least I will give some credit to PM LHL for admitting mistakes, unlike his Father who has NEVER done so! Apparently when GCT is handed over the porcelain, he looked after it so well that he decides NOT to do anything, other than just cruising along, and now all that humpty dumpty is falling apart in the hands of the rising son.

    In short, generalizing the human conditions as if there were only one way to experience things is foolish. Some strive for conflict to help resolve it, others seek to incite it for their own clouded, subjective reasons. PAP is in the latter category, attempting to use this to spur discussion, but unfortunately, everyone sees it clearly , is to spur more hides behind our back.

    When are you to take your ostrich heads out of the sands? Tick Tock..

    ReplyDelete
  20. http://ifonlysingaporeans.blogspot.hk/2013/02/parliament-highlights-4-feb-2013.html

    Parliament clip..

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  21. Maybe he should be selling the idea of people living in modern floating houses instead of HDB. Floating houses may be a good alternative especially this island has unlimited amount of sea space and they are cheap cos no expensive land to pay for and in case of big flood, we will survive. One can even own a piece of small garden in your floating house. Swans and ducks are always around to add beauty. Fishing is just at doorstep.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why bother to have floating houses built by HDB and pay through your nose?
      Just allow CPF withdrawal for people to buy any type of boathouse and I guarantee you, your queue to BTO or HDB flats will cut by half! The marina will be the ones having a roaring business.

      So why do we even need to stick to their definition of what a "house" mean/is if they keep cutting it into shoeboxes?

      Delete
    2. Floating houses need not be built by HDB. China already selling them. It can be built anywhere and be towed over to anywhere. Of cos, the gov will come in the and regulate it so they can earn money. Politics is all about money. 7m is about money too. Just ask your gahmen.

      Delete
  22. Once PAP has decided something, nothing the people say will change anything. Over times, we have all learnt that they are some sort of dictators and fascists in a certain sense. Actually, they should just sell us 10m and then lower it down to 7m. So folks, be prepared for them to increase it to 20m on the next future white paper unless they are voted out.

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  23. Just a voter2/05/2013 7:26 PM

    //Asking whether the fact that she was not born in Singapore made her any less Singaporean, Dr Khor said: “It is unhelpful and unfair to distinguish between local born Singaporeans and new citizens and cast doubts on the loyalty of the latter.”//

    I would like to say this to Dr Khor.

    Most people agree that all the citizenship swapping makes the Olympics soulless these days. As evidenced by the Chinese ping pong imports and winners everywhere. I mean where is the excitement right? Asking the above question is akin to asking, if someone who barely speaks English/singlish or lived long enough to understand the core culture of Singapore still considered a Singaporean just because he/she competed for SG under our banner? Are they doing it for individual glory or for country they claim to love and serve? And what about the native citizens of SG? No matter how good they get, they are easily tossed aside for some soulless opportunist imported from somewhere else. Why even bother competing under the same flag anymore? So why don't we do away with the pretense and let them all represent themselves instead of their country, do away with the parade of nations and just do parade of athletes by sports. In the same token, let's just prove that you can run a SMC on your own talent, skills and local knowledge that you've acquired about SG and its people, not on the coat-tail of a GRC, or a strong ruling party. And if you can hold the ground and win the support of the local core singaporeans who will elect you based on your authentic "core singaporean essence", then you win. Otherwise, you are merely the product of a fast-tracked system that has advantaged and benefited a small group of elite, and it proves nothing about your determination, loyalty and sincerity about serving the people of Singapore.

    I apologize if this is offending you. But I am merely pointing out to you, the reality that loyalty to a nation, has to be earned, demonstrated and proven as you have asked for!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just write to her directly lor. Write here for what ? Got balls write in with your full name and contact.

      Delete
  24. We do not negotiate with Traitors.
    We don't talk to Traitors.
    Vote them out in GE 2016.

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    Replies
    1. So emo...

      Delete
    2. Better to be emo,
      than to be heartless, you traitor pig.
      May your female descendents be prostituted for the next 5 generations.
      The way you prostitute our Singapore,.

      Delete
    3. tsk tsk tsk... so rude, and so destructive.

      Delete
    4. Yes.
      Traitor pigs like you are destructive to all Singaporeans.
      Traitor pigs like you are rude to Opposition MPs.
      Sending lawyer's letters instead of answering the questions on parliament.

      Delete
    5. Sigh. Get a job my friend.

      Delete
    6. My job is to get PAP voted out in GE 2016.
      It's my patriotic duty.
      Getting rid of PAP bitches like you in Aljunied & now Punggol East.
      That's my job & life.

      Delete
    7. And how do you go about doing that ?

      Delete
    8. Converting PAP voters into Opposition voters.
      60% of my friends & relatives voted PAP.

      Delete
    9. And which opposition team could possibly achieve your job objective ?

      Delete
    10. Anybody but PAP.

      Delete
    11. HAHAHA.

      Delete
  25. Chen Show Mao shows his insights and wisdom here :

    When we have 6.9 million people we will have even less space for making mistakes. I would urge the government to think three times before we move.”

    ---

    But we know it is precisely this reason, when you have more people who can potentially cause more social tensions (as evidenced late years), the more it gives PAP the power to wield its control-monitor-oppress tactics on the populations. More CCTVs, more Internet control, more inflammation/libel suits, more clam downs, more intolerance, more whatever you can name...that is exactly what a totalitarian regime would want.


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  26. Might want to check this.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21302065

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  27. Your illogical connection with NS proves my point. Have you traveled to Australia? If you did you have to fill up the immigration card.

    ReplyDelete