Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Tit For Tat

So who fired the first salvo? While it's not exactly raining missiles like in the Middle East, the trade of tit for tat has to cease. If the paper generals are trying to justify the purchase of the flawed F-35, they had better come up with a better excuse.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) slapped a hefty increase in Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fees for foreign-registered cars, from $20 to $35 with effect from August ("Higher entry permit fees for foreign vehicles"; ST, July 2). True to character, the money grabbing behemoth tried to downplay the revenue generation exercise by claiming that 9 in 10 of the 13,000 foreign-registered cars will not be affected by the fee increase as they enter and stay in Singapore during VEP-free periods. VEP period runs Mondays – Fridays, 5pm – 2am. Simultaneously, the Goods Vehicle Permit fee for foreign-registered goods vehicles will be raised from S$10 to S$40 per calendar month. Singaporeans will just have to brace themselves for a price hike in vegetables and other foodstuff trucked across.

Naturally, our neighbor in the north did not take things lying down. As expected, Prime Minister Najib Razak soon announced that his government would go ahead with the introduction of a levy on non-Malaysian vehicles entering the country via Johor, selfie or no selfie. The Malaysian Highway Authority made it clear it will start collecting tolls from cars entering and exiting at the Sultan Iskandar checkpoint from next month (this Friday). Cars will be taxed S$6.50 (RM16.50) for a return day trip to Singapore, compared to the current one-way charge of about S$1.10 (RM 2.90). Buses will pay S$5.20 (RM13.30), while taxis will be charged S$3.20 (RM8.20) per two-way trip. Malaysian politicians from both sides of the bench lament that the hike will impose a heavy blow to their countrymen who commute daily to Singapore for work.

Determined to have the last word on the subject, LTA countered that if there is a new, or an increase, in toll charges by Malaysia at the Causeway, Singapore will match them in due course. It has always been Singapore's practice to peg its tolls to match those set by Malaysia at the Causeway and the Second Link, so they say. Notice that when the politicians settle scores, it is the ordinary citizen, Malaysian or Singaporean, who suffer the consequences. The Swahili saying goes like this: “When two elephants fight, the grass suffers; and, when the same two elephants make love, the grass also suffers.”
Lesson in voting with your feet

17 comments:

  1. There's this saying from the old fart that trumps all other sayings: "What's wrong with collecting more money?". Naturally Malaysia also boleh. Looks like a farting war between Sinkieland and Matland, to the detriment of both people. Let's see who farts last. I thought the role of government is to reduce cost and inflation. I guess they are all turds.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's not tit for tat.
    More like, one on the left, one on the right, and together they suck them dry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you beli creative, yummy!

      Delete
    2. The money from the Toll charges will help Najib keep MH afloat...of course after setting aside the usual commission.

      Delete
    3. me think MH will be kept afloat, "whatever it takes" lah! but unca sam better bear the costs too.

      Delete
  3. when elephants make love, tumashit write big checks for iskandar white elephants, and the sheeple (the 80% non-elites) become poorer, while the property developers and their whole patronage sign on for $200k trip to the moon.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Our PAP leaders, by this very stupid action, is the real mother f**ker of all inflation increases in Singapore and the way it goes, the CPF Minimum Sum is going to reach levels that almost every ordinary Singaporean is not going to meet it some time in future.

    No wonder that Fuck You Minister is named as such for everyone to fuck him for a very good reason.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Why not just cut off the bridge? No bridge, no disputes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No bridge, no revenue for both sides. I am surprised they have yet to implement admin processing charges like $5 for one way, increasing to $10 during peak period and $20 for express lanes...i.e. paying premium for better service.

      Delete
  6. the last time I was, anywhere, in johor/m'sia was in '98. so, I don't give a s*** about johor/m'sia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This will impact the price of food/goods imported from Malaysia as businesses pass-on the costs to Sgp consumers.

      Delete
    2. It might impact your pockets, but civil masters have automatic inflation-adjustment to their salaries, plus inflation is what the garmen wants - why do you think they have the PTC and all these "regular" healthcare costs increase etc, its so that the billions of housing loans owed to the bankers can be repaid. When will the sheeple understand that all governments work for the bankers, property developers (and in disneyland, the defence industry)? Those leaders who refuse to work for the vested interests will follow Kennedy's path to you know where.

      Delete
    3. You may not give a shit, but you will ultimately be affected whether you travel to JB or not.
      The lorry operators carrying our daily food supply are not going to absorb the fee increase
      You could definitely going prices of poultry fruits and veg going up.
      But don't blame them , blame the fxxking LTA.
      LTA now exists soley to reap $$ from the public

      Delete
  7. to correct the above input...

    i don't give a sxxx about UMNO johor/m'sia...

    And to add from me...i also don't give a sxxx about PAP singapore...


    Now that is more accurate.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Another distraction for both sides to make sure you read the right news? MAS is going to collapse, and papigs need to spin their way out of the CPF mess... when in doubt, look for a bogeyman to pick a fight, they are all unca sam's disciples, find a reason to start the next cold war with russia and china, that is why the 2 planes went down? Or cover for israel to finally wipe out the palestinians so they can rightfully claim their god-promised land?

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like it when our Gov faces opposition from another Gov.

    Then you can see how we have been treated very clearly.. we are so easy to step over as citizens.. but when it comes to other people, its not so easy.

    They take us for granted... if only they remove the stupid rule about not leaving singapore for west malaysia.. I can withdraw all my CPF and live in JB...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I concur. We are easy to eat...koi ciak. Change we must.

      Delete