Be afraid.....be very afraid....

[AndrewLee72]

Quick bring in the clothes - wait rain - clothes will get wet....

[Felipe]

I never knew with million dollar salaries, one can still speak of dark clouds. Maybe billion dollar salaries will then remove all dark clouds

[Mazdaowner]

[Sdf5725]

I never knew with million dollar salaries, one can still speak of dark clouds. Maybe billion dollar salaries will then remove all dark clouds

 

billion dollar they will tell you is thunderstorm coming.

[Wamphyri]

I can only say this kind of fear tactics remind me a scene from the movie V for Vendetta.

 

 

:D

Edited April 29, 2011 by Wamphyri

[D15z7]

The Government should be afraid of the people.. it's time to live without fear.. let's celebrate our Independence on 7 May 2011..

 

Edited April 29, 2011 by D15z7

[Acemundo]

as i watch yesterday news telecast of PM lee speech, it seemed to me he is trying to pass the message that the inflation and rising cost of living is a global phenomenon and not to attribute it to PAP. he say look around and compare to other country.

 

the other message he tried to bring across is that though things look good now, but beware the pitfalls that could come from the global economy so a strong pap is needed to help them tide over any potential economy downturn.

 

to them, whenever the economy does well it is due to their effort and talents and good work. and whenever there are problems it is a global problem and nothing attriutable to them.

 

if global problems can affect singapore as like other countries, it only shows that our ministers are not out of the world talent as they said when they justify their multi million salaries. please learn not to have the cake and eat it too.

 

 

[Wrc]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1125633/1/.html

I scaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

SINGAPORE: After the financial crisis, and after the economic rebound, the People's Action Party (PAP) leadership sees "dark clouds" ahead.

 

No fewer than five Ministers, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, sounded the warning on Thursday as the PAP sought to build on its election manifesto of securing Singapore's future.

 

The message to voters - said at the party's walkabouts, at its election rally and in its political broadcast last night - comes after weeks of framing the 2011 General Election as the one that will usher in a fourth-generation leadership to take Singapore to 2020.

 

Now, the PAP has filled in the backdrop to their message of leadership renewal, and brought sharply into focus a string of global events happening as the May 7 polls approach.

 

In the PAP's first party political broadcast, for instance, PM Lee cited the challenge of an "ever-changing and uncertain" international environment.

 

He said: "We can see dark clouds on the horizon - the political upheavals in the Middle East, the tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan, serious debt problems in Europe, and a crisis in government finances in the US.

 

"Our neighbouring countries also face security challenges from extremists and terrorists.

 

"All these could impact our growth, stability and security."

 

The PAP's sketch of the global context and how it is expected to affect Singapore - "dark clouds in the next five years", Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam told reporters in a constituency walkabout - was a sharp contrast to a message that the Workers' Party (WP) has carried through for three weeks.

 

Just as WP secretary-general Low Thia Khiang had said previously that now was the best time to buy "political insurance", his party colleague Pritam Singh said in WP's political broadcast that the time was right "to take advantage of our economic and political stability" to vote the Opposition into Parliament.

 

The question that DPM Teo posed on Thursday night, as he spoke at the PAP rally in Buangkok, was this: "Can we be sure that the path will be smooth for us in the future? Who knows what challenges and crisis we will face in the coming years?"

 

The experience of the last 10 years shows that the unexpected can strike, he said, citing the World Trade Centre attack, SARS and the financial collapse in developed countries in 2008.

 

This year, Singapore's economy is expected to grow by between 4 and 6 percent, but the call for continued vigilance resounded yesterday.

 

In his May Day message, Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "There could be significant volatility in the global economy ... We must remain vigilant in monitoring these developments and be ready to respond if global growth falters."

 

The effects are already being felt, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in the morning as he described the problem of rising costs not just as a local issue but a global one.

 

In particular, he said the Middle East crisis could greatly impact oil prices and the lives of Singaporeans.

 

"We talk about cost of living. That will affect us in a very drastic way if the crisis were to filter into Saudi Arabia, which is the largest exporter for oil," he said.

 

But while the PAP sees this challenge lying in wait for Singapore, the party also believes the answers can be found in its manifesto.

 

PM Lee said last night in its 12-minute broadcast that the PAP will create better-paying jobs, ensure that low-wage workers are not left behind, strengthen the education system for all children as well as help seniors stay active and healthy.

 

He acknowledged current issues such as cost of living and how the Government is giving out utility rebates and the Growth Dividends from the Budget, among other offset measures.

 

As for public housing, he said: "We're building many more new HDB flats. We promise that young families will get their flats sooner, and at affordable prices."

 

These issues were raised at the Opposition rallies on Thursday night, as they have been in the lead up to the GE. For the PAP, the next phase of the campaign has begun.

 

Asked on Thursday night if the PAP will keep up its message about the uncertainties of the future, DPM Teo said simply: "If you look at the next 10 years, I honestly can't predict what might turn up. This is one of the things we worry about. We spend a lot of time thinking about it, and it's a reality we live with every day." - TODAY

 

"As for public housing, he said: "We're building many more new HDB flats. We promise that young families will get their flats sooner, and at affordable prices."

 

Are you sure? I thought your MP MBT said high prices is good for Singaporean? So what's what now?

[Relacklabrudder]

I'm trying my best to understand why (according to the PAP) opposition candidates cannot do as well if not better than the incumbent in whatever the future climate may be. It only holds true if each and every PAP candidate is better than their election opponent, but that is not the case (in my view). But the PAP selection process has shown that it is not foolproof. Neither do I believe that the PAP will do more right than the next opposition candidate each and every time. Sure they do right many times, but they have gotten some things wrong too, in certain cases horribly wrong.

 

 

how many '5 yrs' singapore citizens have to wake up and decide the future of the country for themselves?

[Wt_know]

1 word - accountability .... for good and bad

 

macam usa team said the down of usd is not their fault .....

 

as i watch yesterday news telecast of PM lee speech, it seemed to me he is trying to pass the message that the inflation and rising cost of living is a global phenomenon and not to attribute it to PAP. he say look around and compare to other country.

 

the other message he tried to bring across is that though things look good now, but beware the pitfalls that could come from the global economy so a strong pap is needed to help them tide over any potential economy downturn.

 

to them, whenever the economy does well it is due to their effort and talents and good work. and whenever there are problems it is a global problem and nothing attriutable to them.

 

if global problems can affect singapore as like other countries, it only shows that our ministers are not out of the world talent as they said when they justify their multi million salaries. please learn not to have the cake and eat it too.

Edited April 29, 2011 by Wt_know

[Celicar]

to them, whenever the economy does well it is due to their effort and talents and good work. and whenever there are problems it is a global problem and nothing attriutable to them.

That's what CST has been trying to tell Singaporeans - if the government wants to take the credit, they must take the fall as well.

[Shull]

as i watch yesterday news telecast of PM lee speech, it seemed to me he is trying to pass the message that the inflation and rising cost of living is a global phenomenon and not to attribute it to PAP. he say look around and compare to other country.

 

the other message he tried to bring across is that though things look good now, but beware the pitfalls that could come from the global economy so a strong pap is needed to help them tide over any potential economy downturn.

 

to them, whenever the economy does well it is due to their effort and talents and good work. and whenever there are problems it is a global problem and nothing attriutable to them.

 

if global problems can affect singapore as like other countries, it only shows that our ministers are not out of the world talent as they said when they justify their multi million salaries. please learn not to have the cake and eat it too.

 

Give credits when it's due.. but when s--t happens, take responsibility too..

[Acemundo]

Give credits when it's due.. but when s--t happens, take responsibility too..

 

yep actually they fail to realize that they are victims of their own action of hanging the albatross over their head when they want to pay themselves such obscene salaries

 

the level of salary one is paid is also indication of the level of responsibility one has to shoulder. if they are now like hong kong, head of state paid US$400k a year, many of us won't be so harsh on them when they make mistakes. big pay = big job = big responsibiilty and big responsibility means that you have to pay the price for the mistakes.

[Tanlee]

If you have old relatives and friends, talk to them... they might vote for the PAP due to such messages...

 

I am doing my parts, it is not easy...

 

What I did is, I bring up stories of other relatives and friends that are impacted by the PAP policies. I even tell him/her to give these folks a call to understand their current situation...

 

Such stories has deeper impact... End of the day, it seem to work very well...

 

Just my 2cents view.

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Oei............. correct lah, they says 'dark cloud' right.....

 

the show starts yesterday in all cinemas mah ..... before THOR appear, there are 'dark cloud', then the 'hammer' came down hard ......

Edited April 29, 2011 by Picnic06

[Jman888]

Oei............. correct lah, they says 'dark cloud' right.....

 

the show starts yesterday in all cinemas mah ..... before THOR appear, there are 'dark cloud', then the 'hammer' came down hard ......

 

 

cloud is pretty dark outside my office now [:(]

[Moredhel]

Oei............. correct lah, they says 'dark cloud' right.....

 

the show starts yesterday in all cinemas mah ..... before THOR appear, there are 'dark cloud', then the 'hammer' came down hard ......

 

*WHAM*

 

CSM holding the hammer and wacking bolts away.

[Happily1986]

They see dark clouds ahead because honestly they are quite clueless on how best to jolt start the economy for more prosperous years. you know that they are clueless when they start to trumpet the benefits of opening not one but two casinos. And did they not know that they are are setting up a property bubble? I am sure they do. It is one surefire way of spurring the economy.

 

There is something very wrong here. Singapore's economy is virtually propped up and dominated by State corporations. The capitalist class is virtually absent in terms of economic initiative except for a few which in my opinion, have been blessed and state sanctioned so as to speak.

 

Singapore experienced industrialisation from the early 70s through the mid 80s. We are well past the throes of industrialisation and if any economist worth their pennies were to comment, there is something wrong fundamentally here in our economy. Why is there still such an overt reliance on manufacturing? They can talk to the nines about moving up the high value ladder but fundamentally, high value manufacturing is still manufacturing for crying out loud. You need to move away and create a new engine of growth.

 

And i find their perception of growth to be very skewed. In any real economy, double digit growth is only witnessed during the industrialisation phase. Post industrialisation phase, growth slows down and makes way for more modest growth. In fact i am more worried if the economy keeps growth at double digit growth long term. it is not sustainable.

 

And why isn't anybody looking at the slump in our productivity? It has remained virtually stagnant since the 80s despite the difference in implementation of computerisation, automation and process integration. Increasing working hours is not going to help at all.

 

There needs to be a critical rethink about the fundamentals of our economy.