Yahoo! Answer: Are the GST credits enough to help you cope with the GST increase?

We can book one whole flight for a mass gear excursion. That would be a thought, heh.

Ah, The Online Citizen blog. I am familiar with it. Great read.
 
THOA

We have to understand the reason for those who are in financial problem. Is it a temporally or a on-going cycle for them. All have to be tackle with case-by-case.

We should definitely feedback to the government. But do it at the right channel where we can get solution/feedback directly from them. Cos there are just too many angles to consider.

Those mega event that you mentioned are money making business. Without them, Singapore will have no income.
 
soft said:
We should definitely feedback to the government. But do it at the right channel where we can get solution/feedback directly from them. Cos there are just too many angles to consider.
Click to expand...

I dont think they will listen to us. Even with the right channel, there wont be any solution/feedback from them. No nned to think of angles.
 
Oh? Does it mean there are no solution? I am sure we can do better than that.

Also, I find it uneasy that so many of us are aware of fellow country who are in financial needs but have not done anything to alleviate them from their situation.

Is it possible to have lesser instrument/equipment and donate our surplus to the needy?
 
Hi, James,

I do realise that I am toeing into very sensitive issues with my post and replies, that can perhaps get this site (and yourself) into trouble. For that I would like to apologise.

But I do wish that, through the post and replies that I make, some awareness and emphathy can be accomplished, and that in turn can help to spurn a little more interest in seeing things from ALL angles, and not just through the lens and pens of the Singapore media.

Now, I do agree that without the mega events, Singapore will have no income. But for now at least, it seems that Singapore is still dependent on the people for income as well. Also, the income Singapore gets from these mega event... does "Singapore" translate to "Singaporeans"? I hope for the sake of the expenses this country spent on them, it will. So I am not entirely objecting the events being held at all... at least not yet. I do hope that in executing these money making endeavours, they do not forget other pressing concerns as well eg the energy crisis and Mas Selamat's whereabouts (or have we ALL forgotten how he looks like now?)

Trying not to go off tangent by rambling on a whole host of concerns that have no relevance to the GST offset package.. it is hard. But, out of respect to you, I shall not say further.
 
Hi THOA

Yes, discussing issues like these are very sensitive but I do see the benefit arise from it. These are social issues that affect everyone.

What I don't like is when users post comments that are ... hhmmm ... hard to find the right word, but it is very close to "bias".

Cos what is repeatedly said will form an impression that will create a feeling and it will lead to action.

Example: "Vote against the ruling government in the next election". Or "I dont think they will listen to us."

These are very dangerous ideas. As we can see, the younger generation today are highly influence by media and they demand for much better things which will subsequent taunt them in the form of desire.
 
Guitarsan=

This is what I got from the link:

"Not Found, Error 404

The page you are looking for no longer exists. Perhaps you can find what you are looking for by searching the site archives by page, month, or category"

You can perhaps guess what happened.

However, a situation like Malaysia is something that I rather not happen. Not that I am pro-ruling government because I am not pro-opposition either. I believe if either parties have a solution and idea that can work, I will support that solution.

Here's the problem: On one hand there is a side who does things that they think is right, and on the other is a side who's out to prove the other side is wrong.

That, my friend, is unhealthy politics.

James=


"Is it possible to have lesser instrument/equipment and donate our surplus to the needy?"

I believe you already know the answer for that, heh.

I can only speak to myself when I say that as a Muslim, I often donate my own pocket money to the mosque funds every Friday. If I have a bit more, I will give to the line of elderly and children awaiting outside the gates after every prayer. On top of that, as an employee, I have a compulsory contribution of 3 dollars to the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund, which is only $36 a year.

Fact is, I take home just slightly above 1k per month (after CPF). After setting aside about 25% of that for family obligations, and another 35% for daily expenses, and about 10% for personal bills, I have very little surplus for gear, so I guess you can say the value of my gear is worth more than the price because I know that I earned it after working so hard, all for a pursuit that is no longer just a hobby for me, but a possible opportunity for some improvement to myself which I rather not clarify further at this point.

I am not trying to sound like a charitable person. I give what I can, and won't give what I can't. Neither can I preach or point fingers to those who choose not to give even when they can. But when those whose RESPONSIBILITY is to help, but are not doing it to what they can fairly do, that particularly bothers me.
 
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soft said:
As we can see, the younger generation today are highly influence by media and they demand for much better things which will subsequent taunt them in the form of desire.
Click to expand...

Yes, I do see that. Personally though, I am a little lacking in faith with the Singapore media. That is why I rather rely too much on the lens and pens of one media perspective. I do hope to keep pushing this emphasis to others as well.
 
my message to my peers and everybody:

Question everything. Reach your own conclusions. Take action, and act firmly.

:)
 
THOA, I know you are a good man and you are very passionate about music making. Much respect for that.

My idea is that, money is what we use to solve problems. But that is not the solution. For example, we give a little to those "line of elderly and children awaiting outside the gates after every prayer". The money will allow them to have a meal and maybe a place to stay. But their condition will not improve. Live goes on, day after day.

1. Possible solution could be offer employment for the elderly in the Mosque. They will earn the money and get their feet back on the ground.

2. Children, let them go to school. Make sure they study hard and then they can improve their family situation.
 
of course no matter how much the GST credits help, it can only last for so long.

increase in GST lasts forever- your children and grandchildren will be paying it too
 
Those are great possible solutions, James. But as in most solution, the ball would be on the court of the people who can make it possible (in this case, the mosque committee, as well as the MOE). We can only push for the solutions, it is up to them for solutions to be implemented. And for most solutions, money is needed.

I am sure we have seen countless fund raising campaigns, shows and organisations and the amount garnered from these events is nothing short of amazing. But the fact remains that there are still problems, at it seems to be getting worse.

Problems can't solved by suppressing the symptoms (in this case raising cash to reduce poverty) but to understand and reduce or eliminate the cause (knowing and stopping the cause of poverty). Inflation is a cause of poverty and widening income gap, but what is the cause of inflation? I think we already determine the cause of inflation, so solutions need to be found to solve or reduce its effect at least.

That is my hope, which I was trying to reiterate all this while with this thread (before it became a little bit off topic); that amidst the preparation of some of the biggest things to happen to this country, substantial attention is also being given to look into the current problems that have already existed.
 
Last time when i watch charity shows like NKF, president star charity, etc, They really hit hard on me. These people are in dire straits & in need of help.

Then after the NKF saga, etc. i come to think why doesnt the 'gahmen' donate? why must singaporeans donate? I even have to pay service charge of 20cents? to singtel for donating? what the hell? im not saying we shouldnt donate. IF we, the middle income personnels are in dire straits, who is gonna help us? the gahmen?
 
jeepers said:
How do you know the gahmen doesn't donate? I'm quite sure they do, but what I want to know is whether they're donating in parity to their paychecks.
Click to expand...

i think the amount they donate is up to them right? don't think they're obliged to report in the press...

anyways, LHL has pledged his salary to charity already. has been quoted in the papers.

James, i think you hit the point spot on, but its from a very pragmatic pov. but let's take an altruistic perspective and genuinely give. there are singaporeans who dial in and donate, but a majority of them needs to watch a charity show and oftentimes its not on their initiative. its not creating a relationship of dependency, but developing ppl to give back.

coming back to the gst credits, i only fear its not enough for blue collar workers to survive. and for ppl who remain doubtful, there's no need to fear when u vote for an alternative party.
 
I have never trusted the charity programmes.

Actually, everyone only knows to complain but they never really want to act. And when things get drastic like Chee, everyone just starts to go, "What the hell is he doing?"

So, I think all this talk has eventually come to naught.
 
empihsrow said:
I have never trusted the charity programmes.
Click to expand...

GUILTY here Sir.

RoRK actually produced a couple of videos for NKF during their golden tap days. Even worked with folks like the late Bani Farouk, Ramli Sarip and Nuradee for an NKF song.

Everyone was taken in by the whole scheme, not just those that contributed. RoRK had a great feeling that even though I was getting paid for what I did, that I was doing something good for society.

However, while working on the projects, RoRK encountered a number of irregularities there but the sheer number of success stories as printed by the mass media and the support from ministers seemed to make more sense to RoRK than the irregularities.

But that's the media in Singapore for you.

At the end of the day, we still have to ask ourselves whether we should or shouldn't donate based on our personal thingies.

With respect to everyone getting a better education, while sounding like a panacea for all economic troubles, it actually won't solve the problem of how to assist lower-wage earners.

I provide you with an analogy -
You have an empty bottle - this is your infrastructure; your economy

Regardless of what you pour into this bottle, whether it be crystal clear sky juice or the most expensive champange in the world, a certain quantity will always flow to the bottom, some to the middle and others will rest towards the top.

You can shake the bottle therafter, but the same thing will happen, some at the bottom, the middle and there is always the top.

So, regardless of how educated the entire population is, it is a fact that a fraction of the population will sink to the bottom of the economy. This is a fact of socio-economic life in any society, whether we're looking at a 1st or 3rd world country.

What most developed, 1st world countries have in place is a minimum wage law that helps those at the bottom. This strategy also helps to alleviate the wage gap between the top and the bottom. Heck, even China has a minimum wage law.

There are other forms of assistance in place, but of course, because unemployment exists in all modern societies and micro-level human 'disasters' occur in all societies.

Also, let's not confuse between the government, which is a machinery, and the people that run this machine. They are two separate entities. Additionally, LHL DID NOT donate his [entire] salary to charity. He donated the part of his salary that was due solely to the most recent salary hikes for ministers and civil servants.
 
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RoRK said:
I provide you with an analogy -
You have an empty bottle - this is your infrastructure; your economy
Click to expand...

But I think your analogy missed out one point. The liquid flowed into the bottle will always be homogeneous or uniform. So, even though you reach the bottom, you're still at the same level with the top. But in reality, that will never happen.

Why not put it this way...

Mud is poured into the bottle. As we all know, mud is a suspension. It consists of water and suspended particles. If we leave the bottle of mud to rest, eventually, the suspended particles will sink and the top of the liquid will almost be crystal clear.

But whatever it is, we cannot always end up helping the poor or needy cos at the end of the day, it's your ultimate survival at stake too.

As long as inflation rises alarmingly and our daily expenses get higher, even if everyone pours in a dollar a day, how on earth are we going to feed the increasing number of needy and poor people?
 
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