Warning: If you ain't into local issues like I do, don't bother reading this whiny thread especially when you don't read the Straits Times or any form of newspaper.
Good things about Singapore talk next time.. So what makes Singapore stink? Well... There's so many reasons to it. To begin with, it starts every four year with the so-called fair election where it's almost impossible for any existing opposition party. With so many electoral divisions, it leads to many walkovers meaning uncontested victories. In the end, the majority party (you know who) will form the new government given the amount of support they had received. Blah blah.
And within the 5 years, Singaporeans will have to make do with whatever government policies being implemented after having debated in the Parliament, which I feel it's more like a Q&A clarification session. I guess we just swallow what comes in - the GST increase, the ERP increase, the ministerial salary hike. There's absolutely no way we can do anything about it, other than whining about it online before it slowly dies out. Haha.. The good and bad things about the ban on protest. With the inflation having its effect on its people, Singaporeans are seriously feeling the widening impact of the rich and poor. What's more these government policies are causing the inflation to implode further.
Damn did I realise that owning a car is that expensive, especially for those who drive and work in the CBD area. For every half an hour, average charge is $2.50 lar. Good for those with season parkings, but for those without, I'll be damned - one full working day = $40 of parking fees. Hahaa. Singapore's current option for solving the traffic congestion now is build new expressways like KPE etc and THEN add all the gantries over there to ensure that the traffic flows smoothly. Haha. There's going to be 16 gantries added to KPE, and did you know each of those cost LTA $1.5million (as mentioned in today's Straits Times)? So that means the Government spent $90 million solely on those money-sucking machines wor. I thought the KPE was meant to divert the traffic congestion in ECP and TPE for those people who use them as through-routes. But in the end leh, created a shortcut that will be charged. I wonder if people will go to the free one or the paid one. If it's the former, then congestion will remain and poof comes another ERP in one of those expressways. Haha.. And the cycle continues with ERP money being collected for LTA to use on road works and etc like buying gantry gates!
Well.. At least they finally showed that they wanted people to make the switch to public transport after so many years of ERP operation with the cash rebate scheme. Previously, car owners could only scrap the car and get credits to buy another car. Lol. Anyhoo, all new ERP gantries will start from $2 (no longer $1) and will increase $1 each time (no more 50 cents) when 85 percentile of the road users are not within the threshold of 45kmh (used to be 50%). And did I mention that they extended the hours too till 8pm? I guess those people who used to wait till 7pm over then drive home will have to bring newspaper or PSP to play until that time before heading home. Haha. Public transport is so damn unconvenient during the peak hours, having to squeeze here and there. For me last time, I had actually missed four fully-packed bus 27 before catching one by having to walk to the bus stop ahead. =.=" Back to the main topic, soon it will only be the rich to owe a vehicle while the poor will have to take public transport. Maybe one day we'll just get to see more fancy cars on the road wor. Haha. And with the zero downpayment and 10-years car loans being available freely, I seriously wonder why the car population is so huge in Singapore. If they actually do something about this few points, I tell you those sukar-sukar buy car for fun one will also think twice before doing so. Actually, the government is quite smart in a way without crippling the car market - entice you to buy car -> self-realisation you can't afford it -> scrap/sell car -> use public transport. Hahaha.. Anyway, I thought the COE in the first place was to control the car population, so I guess that ain't really effective eh? So why not just scrap it lar, no point also. Just make ERP damn expensive lor. Hahhaa.. It's effective in dealing both I believe given the fuel price hike as well.
And quite true about certain comments in forums that there's no need for non-peak hour charges when there isn't any cars in the first place. Geeze. Initially, it was to control the traffic congestion entering the city area, and slowly even those cars leaving the city to go home have to pay. Haha. Increase GST so much liao, then realise there's so much GST surplus somehow. Then still want to look for options to take more. Have any one wondered how deep is Singapore's piggie bank? Hahaha.. I really can't imagine. And I totally wonder if they had ever used them to help alleviate the situation of Singaporeans. I guess Singapore's just another business to some, with the CEO salaries and stuff. Apparently, monetary factor is the more important for our government officials than the passion to serve and contribute to the nation. I don't get why Malaysian ministers can cut their allowance for the nation and have their fuel subsidy removed (we don't have any in first place), while our ministers cannot *boohoo* - I guess we cannot be too dependent on the government arh? Lol. If not, we'll take things for granted and become complacent, and perhaps cause another Mas Selemat escape (I think he might just have taken SIA out of Singapore lor - haha!)...
Well well. Read enough of my gibberish? Just treat it as a cow moo-ing around again lar. I just hope the payout before the next election betta be good or more GST payouts. Lol.