Giving Singaporeans something they have never been able to afford - Failure

The Freedom to Fail.

Ask a Singaporean what is the quintessential, negative characteristic of a Singaporean, and being “kiasu” will likely be in the top ten list.

Kiasu – “scared to lose” or “scared to fail”.

There are lots of things Singaporeans are. Being risk-takers apparently is not high on the list. (That is why we only have one Sim Wong Hoo… and he hasn’t done anything of note since his Soundblaster.)

Why is this? A natural Singaporean characteristic?

Or a rational, reasoned, Singaporean response to our social environment? Our Social Compact? Our Social reality?

The other characteristic of Singaporeans is that we are a practical, pragmatic, and prudent people.

The Singapore Dream is to own our own HDB flat. No…wait! That is the Singapore Right. The Singapore Dream is to own their own private property. Preferably landed. With a continental car in the driveway.

Owning a HDB flat, is the Singaporean's Right!

Opposition parties - May 2014

Tan Jee Say has stated that he will launch a new political party on Sun, 25 May 2014. 

The Singaporean voter is quite intelligent. They understand what is a credible opposition, and who are... less credible.

Why do we have so many opposition parties? Why are opposition parties only able to have temporary alliances during general elections (when they agree not to split votes in 3-corner fights - usually)? Why was there a 4-corner fight in Punggol East By-election? Why did the components of the SDA splinter off before the last GE? Why did the Reform Party attract so many known "stars" and then lose all of them before the 2011 elections?

Understanding the Bus Contracting Model

<WARNING: Rated M for language>

[You would have met the Angry Singaporean. You can find him on any forum on Singapore issues. 

Meet The Angrier Singaporean. His pet peeves are people who comment without understanding the issues, people who hijack discussions to talk about their pet peeves, people who do understand the issues or who don't even bother to read and understand the news report. 

Today, he has a beef with The Angry Singaporeans who have not understood the Bus Contracting Model. Here is his rant.]

I just love reading the comments on FaceBook in reaction to the news about the Bus Contracting Model for our public bus system.

All that angst, the sense of  betrayal, the horror, the fear, the ignorance, the stupidity.

All because they did not bother to read the news. Or if they did they did not understand. Or if they thought they understood, they did not really understood.

What's the song in your heart?

So the NDP organising committee has made the BRAVE decision NOT to commission a NDP theme song this year.

I applaud them. 

What makes a good NDP theme song? Or Singapore Song?

It shouldn't be contrived. If someone loves SG and wrote a song, GREAT!

If you commission a song... well, some are great. Some not so good. It's a little hit and miss.

2016 - Speculations

Everybody seems to be talking about 2016.

Or rather they are thinking about 2016. Or are saying variations of "Just wait until 2016... THEN you will see!"

Like it would be a major upheaval in the SG political scene.

It won't.

People who don't take "No" for an answer

You may know people like this.

If you are unlucky, you may have a boss or someone you work with, who is like this.

Bosses likes subordinates/middle management who don't take "no" for an answer. These "don't take no for an answer" people are often seen by their bosses as "people who get things done". They have a "can-do" attitude. (Technically, it is a "can-make-others-do" attitude.)

Taxi woes

Singapore has more taxis than HK, but arguably has less satisfaction with our taxi service. This is a perennial problem. 30 years and counting.

The problem as a lot of people have noted is that Singapore doesn't have even 1 taxi company.

What?

What about Comfort Cabs? CityCab? SMRT Cab? And TransCab?

Nope. Those aren't Taxi Companies.