Opinions

What has Halimah Yacob done for us? Well, a lot of us would say "nothing". Until now!! We were all waiting for her to earn her 6 digit salary by appearing on national day, the one day of the year she has to actually work. 

"Halimah Yacob is our first female president. But that is not what we will remember her for. She will always be remembered by the citizens as the "selected president". She will be remembered for not being there during the Trump-Kim summit. For promoting Milo and Mickey Mouse. What has she done to deserve the respect from us citizens?

She is nothing but a puppet of the PAP. We all know the only time she ever does work is during the national day parade, where she will come out and wave her hands at us. But even during this year's national day parade, she needs people to tell her who to talk to during the Guard Of Honour walk. 

Until she proves her worth and does something for the people of Singapore, she will never be my president. #notmypresident"

Credits to Michael for the story

Happy National Day to Singapore! How many of us watched the NDP? How many of us felt proud seeing Halimah Yacob as our Mdm President? 

Yes, she was nice to have stayed a little longer to meet some of the performers, but what has she really done for Singapore? How come we can only remember her milo gao kosong? Doesn't it remind you of how unfair the reserved presidency was? 

"Just wanna remind myself.. that she is #NotMyPresident because:

1. The Reserved President is a scheme engineered to keep out non-PAP approved candidates like Tan Cheng Bock.

Many citizens have been questioning if Halimah Yacob is the right person to become Singapore's president when she was elected last year. Since then, everybody has been keeping a close eye on her actions. During the Kim-Trump summit, she was off promoting Milo. Recently, she was seen promoting Mickey Mouse. What has she done for our country? What is she doing to help the citizens of our country? A netizen gave some opinions on how she can actually help.

"Dear Madam President, 
Your slogan before becoming a president was :
Do good, do together.

Almost 99% of Singaporeans are mediocre.

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's remarks at a recent event organised by South East CDC definitely caused a stir online. When asked by a resident if it is possible to lower ministerial salaries to channel them into more support for elderly Singaporeans, ESM Goh had this to say:

"Somebody must pay for the pension – and you got it right, we’ll have to take it from somewhere else.

If you had suggested we up GST by 2%, I would have applauded you. Seriously. Because you’re then taxing the whole society to support the older ones.

But you did not. You said cut the defence. 1% is enough.

On top of that, you said cut minister’s salaries. That’s very populist.

I’m telling you the ministers are not paid enough. And down the road, we’re going to have a problem getting people to join Government. Because civil servants now earn more than ministers. Are you aware of that?

And where do we get our future office holders from? From the private sector? I tried for the last election.

Two of them – one earning $5 million a month and one earning $10 million a month. To be a minister for $1 million? (inaudible)

So where do you want to get your ministers from? From people who earn only $500,000 a year? …

You’re going to end up with very mediocre people who can’t even earn a million dollars outside. Is it good for you? Or worse for us?"

First, let's applaud ESM Goh. Seriously. Because he's slamming the whole society for being mediocre when they only want to help the older ones. 

According to him, we're so mediocre unlike our educated, elite, gracefu ministers, but who's worse for crying that they're not earning enough? Isn't serving the nation and its people supposed to be a calling, a service, a commitment; something that cannot be measured in dollars and cents? 

Aren't they being too calculative by saying that their efforts outweigh their salaries? Aren't they being arrogant for saying that their effort outweigh OUR efforts? Do they think that we have not done anything for our country to deserve even a mediocre salary?

We, too, put in as much effort to do our work daily and keep our families together. Actually, many Singaporeans probably have to put in MORE because they don't earn that much! Will those in their ivory towers ever understand? Have they experienced how it's like for us ordinary Singaporeans to get by?

Calling us mediocre seriously undermines the effort of every Singaporean to work hard or simply be proud of being a Singaporean. Whether it is taken out of context or not, it remains a horrible thing to say.

Come, let's applaud ESM Goh for making this statement in the month of our nation's birthday. He totally rained on our parade.

Credits to Mustsharenews for the transcript

Is CPF our money? Are you happy with how the Government handles it? If not, you're not alone. A Singaporean enraged by this took to the Internet to voice his anger. Do you agree with him?

"Dear CPF Board,

You are the appointed agency to manage my retirement fund, which comes from my monthly contribution from the day I started working. I had no options to self manage my fund, or to appoint better fund manager. In short, I was forced to work with you. Nonetheless, I thank you for the hard work all these years to provide me an impressive 2.5% interest on my contribution. I ought to be grateful that my money is still there. If not, don't tell me about it. Don't drop hints either. That is a bad habit you have acquired over the years and I am highlighting it today as my feedback.

When we first began, we agreed for a complete withdrawal when I get to 55 years old. That would be more than 3 decades from my first contribution. It was an absolute peach to you. Even the worst local bank would offer me more than 2.5% for a crappy structural deposit on a 10 year term, capital guaranteed. If I use them, I would be able to do an early withdrawal my funds before maturity, albeit with a penalty charge. You could certainly do better than 2.5% for a complete lock in for no withdrawal option for 3 decades. Never mind about the yield. We are friends and it hurts our relationship if we get too calculative. That is why it is unacceptable for you to charge me an interest for any loan I take from my own money. We should give and take but unfortunately, you are the only one enjoying the taking till now.

Things turned a nasty corner when you begin to think it is rightful for you to dictate my retirement age and how to live my life. We agreed on a complete withdrawal at 55 years old at the beginning of our contract. You revised it, because you told me you cared for me. So you suggested 60, then 63 and now you are urging me to stretch my non-withdrawal to 65 years old, by giving me a bonus of $1,200 for a 2 year extension. that would amount to a total of more than 40 years of keeping my money with you. Oh, is that how things work around here? I would have offered you $12,000, to withdraw my money 20 years earlier. I would if I could, if you have the money to return me in the first place.

I must apologise for my lack of faith in you but that has been lost ever since you told me I would not be withdrawing my retirement fund at whatever age you decided, and the goal post is still shifting as we speak. Instead you told me I will receive only pay-outs like an unemployed working receiving handouts from Centrelink in Australia. The key difference is, the Australian Government pays the unemployed from tax receivables and the money I left with you, come from my pocket. Despite that, you think you have the right to hold a bulk of my money in which you called Minimum Sum, and even tell me I will receive no payouts if I fail to accumulate enough money beyond your Minimum Sum. Thus, I cannot help but wonder if the Minimum Sum is created to keep me alive or to keep you afloat.

Over the last 15 years, you have dropped too many hints to suggest things are not exactly in a pink of health within. I do not want to interfere with your affairs but do not make me pay for your mistakes. I entrusted my money in you because I had not been given a choice. It is more than a privilege for you, an entitlement in fact. Do not abuse it. This is not a warning, just a simple advice from a friend.

Sincerely,
Your Friend"

Credit to Rosalind Lee for the story

Ministers are always saying that NSmen's service for the nation cannot be measured in dollars and cents. But what about our Government? Aren't they supposed to be servants to our nation as well? If so, why do they get paid in millions while some of our NSmen only get paid $400 a month? A netizen writes his views regarding this issue.

"Dear editor

I refer to the recent comment by PAP MP Josephine Teo who said NSmen's service for the nation cannot be measured in dollars and cents.

I was a clerk in a camp CCO when I was an NSF.