Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The Gah-Men Thinks We Are Stupid

You know what, I just about had it. Drill a hole in my wallet, and fuck around with my life. Play God if it's all I care.

But don't insult my intelligence while you're at it.

I can stand it if our taxes are raised, even though we are running on a tax 20% surplus nearly every single year since independance. I can even accept that the powers that be change rules on a whim and leaches you for every single cent you have for their own coffers.

But for FUCK's sake, don't pretend that "it's for my own good!"

Proof you say? Sure. Let me give you proof.

1. Zoning laws are changed every election for efficiency's sake. Strangely enough, every GRC that is opposition-controlled, or declined in support of the ruling party, has its area reduced, split up or amalgated into those with strong support. Marine Parade Town Council now manages Serangoon Garden. The nearest body of water is that which is in the fish tank at home.

2. Sengkang is an integrated new town. The LRT stations run AROUND the estate. Most of the people stay in the MIDDLE of the estate.

3. The NEL is a frigging automated system, one can reduce manpower costs and make the trains run more efficiently, and hence the trips are cheaper. The project was finished S$5 BILLION under budget, almost a year late, and every train has 1 or 2 men in green. A precaution in case the trains break down. Brilliant.

4. ERP is suppose to reduce road tax and make car ownership more accessible. For all the bloody gantries that came up, road tax was reduced by an insignificant amount,for a stupid amount of extra charges through ERP. Inefficiency? or sheer ass stupidity.

5. Long time ago, we were told that using the EZlink system, everyone pays the correct fares, and thus can help reduce the overall cost of buses and public transport. In fact, there was one time bus fares was raised for the reason that dishonest commuters are costing millions of dollars to bus companies. Bus fares have NEVER decreased for a period of 25 years.

6. SMRT raised prices of train fares shortly after SARS ended, quoting the reason that they are making losses and are unable to sustain operations at current levels. 3 cents increase conservatively equals to a S$200,000 increase in revenue per DAY AT NO INCREASE IN COST. After intense rebuttal, they published a statement in the papers, citing the writing off of 17 new trains to the tune of $237 MILLION dollars as expense, as a reason for increasing fares. If any private company did this, ACRA would be down their necks faster that the alien in AVP.

7. ERP gantries are popping up everywhere and it's not due to the monsoon season. The reason is to regulate traffic flow and prevent congestion. I urge the Minister of Transport to drive from Yishun to his office in town for a month. After that, tell me how ERP has improved traffic flow in the peak hours.

8. CPF is suppose to be for our old age. It's suppose to be our money. I dare anyone to try going to a bank and borrowing money, using our CPF as collateral.

This are just SOME examples that show that either a) the powers that be don't have a high regard for our own people's intelligence, or b) they are overpaying their PR and corporate comms team.

So yeah, go ahead and do what you want with the country. Just don't try to convince me it's for my own good, and that if I leave this country, I'm a quitter.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

**clap, clap, clap** Excellent post.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't have said it better. Oh, I did a check on the 20 min thingy from one corner of SG to the other corner.

It can be done provided there's no traffic jam, no red lights and no speed cameras. :D

DK said...

Later they send people to fix you then u know. :P

Vandalin said...

Larry: Thanks! I'm screwed.

wishbone: not necessary. If I move at more than 10 metre a minute during peak period WITH ERP, I'd say that it's justified.

dk: Yeah I know. I'm screwed.

Anonymous said...

Excellent post :)

Anonymous said...

but surely singaporeans cannot be that bright if not why is that the gah-men continues to get away with all these nonsenses with flimsy arguments. voters continue to support the party every single election and all policies are met with silent acceptance. or may singaporeans just don't care.

Vandalin said...

Jacelyn: Thanks!

John: Most people who have a vote cannot vote. See reason 1 in the same post.

Viable opposition's get chased out of the country before nearly every election. Send over a bottle of good single malt, and I'll demonstrate how it gets done.