JB toll hikes: Malaysia pun bolih lah September 4, 2014

So a month has passed after the JB bombshell of nearly 500% in toll hikes.

What has been the impact?

The cross border travel has plunged dramatically. Generally it’s free flowing traffic except for the inbound traffic from Malaysia during the morning rush hour.

This has wide ranging negative implications for JB businesses. A sign of the times is the sight of car wash workers desperately waving whenever they spot a Singapore car as if they are in some kind of emergency situation.

Initially hopes were raised that the Malaysian authorities would review the steep toll hikes.

The Deputy Prime Minister said tolls should not be a burden on the people. MCA and the social media too expressed similar concern.

As expected it was eyewash. When the revenue poured in like a gigantic waterfall, the noble sentiments were conveniently forgotten. Cakap saja (Malay for talk only).

Meanwhile JB has pursued the idea of its own VEP, a permit to enter JB. This could be NOT less than RM 50. The final decision now lies with the federal government.

That will be the death knell for JB surely.

Malaysia No 1; Malaysia bolih ( Malaysia can). Haha.

SPF: why police patrols missing? September 18, 2013

It was like witnessing a comet streaking across the sky such was the rarity.

It loomed in the darkness with lights blazing, moving at a slow measured pace. No, it was not a UFO. It was a huge police vehicle.

Why rare? In all the years cycling on the Park Connector Network or PCN all over the island, it was the first time I ever saw a police vehicle.

It was at 9 pm near Punggol Point. The PCN was deserted except for a few cyclists. It was there presumably on patrol. This is good because police patrols in Singapore are practically non-existent.

But why use such a humongous SUV? Why not bicycles? Something more appropriate in a park.

Anyhow, I welcome police patrols on the PCN.

I’ve repeatedly called for a greater police presence in public places but the Singapore Police Force (SPF) remains unmoved. Lives would have been saved if SPF had been true to its mission and vision to combat crime.

Sadly, like many things in Singapore, that mission and vision remains a lip service.

SPF SOP: active policing to combat crime is preferable to merely issuing a crime alert.

Police bogeyman: even kids laugh at this.

Orchard Road slashing case: SPF must keep Singapore safe from crime and harm June 19, 2013

Within the space of a week two slashing cases occurred.

The one in Orchard Road grabbed the headlines. The other one seems to have been relegated to the background.

In that case under the pretence of asking for directions, the culprit tried to yank away the cell phone of the victim. When the victim resisted, he slashed her with a knife.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF)’s “core function is to protect the people who live in Singapore from CRIME and all manner of CRIMINAL HARM” according to its vision.

People are perplexed as to how SPF can protect us from crime and harm when there is a lack of active policing in the form of police patrols. SPF seems to have receded into the background.

It’s this out of sight, out of mind impression of SPF that in my view has emboldened youth gangs, criminal elements and people to carry out acts of crime with concealed weapons. Another concern is the increase in thuggish behavior which often involves violence.

According to SPF’s vision, to achieve its aim of protecting the public from crime and criminal harm it applies the three strategies of Prevention, Deterrence and Detection.

But how it’s going to prevent and deter crime when its presence in public has diminished?

In Japan, I witnessed active policing in the form of police patrols on foot and on bicycles day and night. The low crime in Japan in part can be attributed to the proactive approach of their police force.

SPF asserts that it aims to “to make Singapore the safest country in the world”.

But when even youths regularly clash with weapons, SPF’s boast doesn’t inspire confidence.

To realise its vision, SPF has to boost its presence in public places. The public have called on SPF to do that but the appeals have fallen on deaf ears.
How many more people must suffer from serious injuries and killed before SPF takes its vision seriously?

SPF should boost its presence with police patrols to deter and prevent crime instead of just issuing crime alerts.

Singapore’s Elderly: no golden years for them July 22, 2012

My Chinese educated retiree friends on their return from holidaying in China often enthused about the benefits the retirees there enjoy.

For example, they learned that retirees either pay a subsidized rate or free travel on public buses throughout the day. “In Singapore, our retirees above 60 pay subsidized rates only outside peak hours,” they fumed.

And they also pointed out that many Chinese retirees get a pension of 1500 yuan which is quite substantial.

So on a recent visit to Shanghai, a resident asked me about our CPF scheme.In turn I asked him how much Shanghai retirees got from their government.

He said that it ranged from US 500 to US 5000. I was incredulous and asked him to repeat the figures.

Making a sweep of his hand, he said, “See all these elderly people here in the park? They are enjoying their golden years, playing mahjong, dancing, singing, flying kites, fishing, in the park. Do your elderly enjoy life like this?”

I sighed and said, “Most of them still have to slog.”

It depended on a person’s last job but the least was US 500. The higher a person’s salary before retirement, the higher his pension the Shanghainese explained.

Who qualified for the US 5000 pension I asked. He replied” “War veterans”.

I asked him, “Do employees need to make any contributions during their working life.”

He replied, “No, the pension money comes from the employer and the government.”

China has the world’s latest ageing population. More than 185 mullions Chunese were 60 or older by the end of 2011, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Although verification is needed on this subject, the escapable impression is that, say what you will about the Chinese government, in China the elderly are taken better care of than in Singapore.

A PAP Minister even suggested sending our elderly to nursing home in JB where costs are lower!

In contrast, the Chinese government has decided that most of its elderly population should grow old at home and have sufficient care services.

There are thousands of elderly poor in Singapore struggling with the high cost of utilities, medical treatment, transport and daily necessities. But the government balk at giving generous help out of fear it will foster a crutch mentality or, worse, usher in an era of welfarism.

In Beijing, all residents above 80 get coupons worth 100 yuan a month to subsidise daily necessities or services including haircuts and hiring domestic help.

It’s the toil and sweat and sacrifices of your parents, now mostly in their 60s to 80s, who largely laid the foundations of modern Singapore, it must always be remembered.

But the PAP government would rather vote themselves million-dollar salaries than spend on the elderly.

Shame on them! Great, great shame!

Below: China’s elderly enjoying their golden years

Singapore’s elderly: still slogging away, a common sight

Malaysia: young cleaner

The best: Punggol Park Connector July 18, 2012

Despite its imprudent purchase of the expensive Brompton bicycles, which sparked a storm of protest and derision in blogosphere, I still love National Parks Board. I forgive them.

Thanks to NParks, Singapore is blessed with a network of park connectors the likes of which I haven’t seen in the many Asian countries I’ve travelled to. Framed by lush greenery, the park connectors are understandably popular haunts of joggers, cyclists and strollers.

My vote for the best park connector is the Punggol park connector which takes you past Sengkang and Punggol Point and all the way to Lorong Halus where you can cross Serangoon River to pat the lonely dogs at the pet farms.

This park connector hugs two rivers and the coastline facing Malaysia.

Punggol Park Connector: the starting point at Gerald Drive

Punggol park connector network: beautiful

Among my circle of baby boomer friends, few believe in the virtues of an exercise regime. Most merely pay lip service to the health benefits of regular exercise.

Nature seems to conspire with them to be lazy in this respect. As one ages, your energy level naturally wanes and lifting yourself off your backsides becomes something of a gigantic strain. So most spend their time glued to their favourite armchair.

Just as a machine becomes problematic if unused for an extended period, the human body is prone to all sorts of health issues if it’s idle.

Experts tell us exercise is highly beneficial not only to our physical but also our mental health as well. The easiest exercise is brisk walking.

We are lucky to have a Park Connector Network (PCN) in Singapore. One of the most beautiful park connectors to my mind is the new Punggol PCN. It takes you to the wetland in Sengkang, Punggol Point, Lorong Halus and Punggol Waterway.

Now you may say But there’s no park connector near my place that’s why it’s hard for me to exercise. See what I mean by low energy level?

Wetland: one of the delights of Punggol PCN

NParks crazy to buy high-end Bromptons July 16, 2012

The controversy over NParks imprudent purchase of high-end Brompton folding bicycles is still raging.

Even friends who are normally apathetic towards this sort of thing are fuming over the $2200 spent on each Brompton bicycle. It’s wasteful spending of taxpayers’ money they tell me.

I agree. However, since the spotlight falls on bicycles I’ll confine this post to that subject.

When I was in my twenties and thirties jogging was my passion but I soon got bored with the sport. Besides, my doctor warned me about the damage jogging was inflicting on my knees.

I made the switch to cycling and have enjoyed it ever since. With a bicycle you not only have an excellent low impact sport but can use it for commuting as well.

Unless you want to be an old macho, cycling is an inexpensive sport. If you confine yourself to recreational cycling on the park connectors any supermarket bicycle around a $100 or $100 plus will do.

Of course, if you fancy yourself a Warren Buffet of sorts then get a Brompton like NParks. It’s your money so people will shut up.

$99 bike: cheap, practicable and durable. Good enough for recreational biking on park connectors.

Gardens by the Bay: seniors will fall in love again July 8, 2012

The latest excuse for baby boomers to get off their butts is the Gardens by the Bay, right in front of the Marina Bay Sands casino (I’m not encouraging anyone to gamble).

Baby boomers will enjoy exploring this huge lush garden. I spent three hours but saw only half of it. I focused on the outdoor sections, leaving the conservatories for the next visit.

I was pleased to observe that birds have already found the Gardens an attractive place to set up homes, particularly on the island in the lake. The next time I’ll bring binoculars to pry into their lives.

I met a few baby boomers who were enjoying this latest attraction. The Gardens offer a discount for seniors.

The best time to go is about 5 pm
when it’s not scorching hot.

Direction: Bayfront MRT

Futuristic: vertical gardens

The vertical gardens reaching out to each other

Boardwalk: good spot for bird watching and dragonflies.

Close-up photography: bees galore

Jogging craze of the 70s: an addiction June 26, 2012

MacRitchie Reservoir jogging track: still as popular

When I was in the prime of life back in the 70s, the jogging revolution was just starting to capture young people’s imagination, and judging by its popularity now the pioneers of that sporting revolution were right about its health benefit.

Like most young people then, I was soon sweating it out in MacRitchie Reservoir. It became an obsession with me as I tried to set personal records to see how fast I could make it to the golf course from the starting point.

Those days the MacRitchie track was not so extensive as it is now. Whereas we were mostly limited to jogging to the golf course before, these days joggers can easily do a 10 km jog around the reservoir.

Jogging made me feel good, and you become addicted to the sport. They call it a runner’s high because of the endorphins being released into the body, making you feel energized and relaxed. You get the on top of the world feeling and that you are invincible. Mount Everest, here I come.

So addicted was I to the sport that it became a daily obsession to run. Missing a session would spoil my day. The highlight of any day would be a morning run in the forest with its lush greenery, fresh air and birdsong.

Whenever I see young people huffing and puffing on park connectors, pleasant memories of my own exertions flash before my eyes. I’ve no problem keeping up with them. In fact, I easily pass them.

On my two wheels.

Singapore baby boomers live life to the fullest! April 12, 2009

Singapore baby boomers are determined not to let life pass by them. Many are determined to live life to the fullest, and this to me is highly commendable and inspiring.

A group of them grows  herb plants on a small plot of land below their apartment.  And they are making a great success out of this project.

Another group learns magic tricks, and after mastering the art they visit homes and schools to give free performances.

While yet others learn how to play the drum, convinced that drumming helps to keep depression at bay.

They are in uncharted waters but they are blazing a path for other Singapore baby boomers to follow suit. I think this is inspiring.

Especially their desire to banish the myth that oldies are useless, and should be put out to pasture as soon as possible. What one fool can do, another can too says an ancient proverb. And that should be our rallying cry.

By 2030, one in five Singaporeans will be 65 and above.