Category Archives: Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy

Singapore Turf Club – the end is near in 2024; How not to shut it down? Use the airspace above expressways?

Posted on June 11, 2023 by tankoktim

============= . It will take great political will to change course in land usage. Does the PAP or the opposition has that will, and who has a stronger will and foresight? ====== There are other solutions to free up precious … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, HDB Public Housing; affordability; EIP policy; and resale prices;, Inflation and Rising cost of living, MRT, Olympics and Sports, Properties, Roads and Expressways, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, State Land, Vehicle parking facilities | Tagged | Leave a comment

Singapore of the future, the age of the 4-G – to become a single society? Overcoming income inequality? True causes of wealth and poverty; What kind of government policy can eradicate the income gap between the top 10% and the bottom 20% in any society? Broader meritocracy, how?

Posted on October 13, 2022 by tankoktim

=============== . Meritocracy, how? Education: What is Complete Whole Person Education? Work: What is “Work with the aim to help others become more efficient”? Workfare and Welfare: It is all about money. Where does money come from? Does it grow … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Government, HDB Public Housing; affordability; EIP policy; and resale prices;, Inflation and Rising cost of living, Media and freedom of the press; Movies, TV serials; Entertainment;, Medical & Health, Minimum Wage; PWM and WIS in Singapore's wage policies, Nation Building, Politics, Silver Support Scheme, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Workfare income supplement; Progressive Wage Model | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Rising cost of living; 2022, Worldwide inflation; Food chain crises due to the Ukraine war; Rising COL; Recession? Stagflation? In Financial Times, “The combination of fiscal and monetary policies implemented in 2020 and 2021 ignited an inflationary fire”.

Posted on July 6, 2022 by tankoktim

. ========== . Rising cost of living. How to bring cost of living down for all, rich and poor alike? Electricity is used in many modern equipment. Bring cost of electricity down. How? We spent additional S$8 billion to import … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Government, Politics, Social issues, Socialistic Policies | Leave a comment

Budget 2024 – S$131.4 billion – was presented in Parliament on 16Feb2024; National Reserves S$1.73 trillions as at 31st March 2023; Budget 2022 presented on 18 Feb 2022; Budget 2021on 16Feb2021;

Posted on January 5, 2021 by tankoktim

. ====================. . National Reserves or Total Govt Assets: S$1.7 trillions.It is official.S$1 trillion is outdated. National Reserves or Total Govt Assets as at 31st March 2019: S$1.174 trillions. It was S$1.732 trillions as at 31st March 2023. Grown by … Continue reading →

Posted in 14th Parliament. GE 10Jul2020, Budgets 2018, etc., Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Government, Govt's Budget, GST, Politics, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Taxation | Leave a comment

Food handlers will be required to wear masks – amid COVID-19 crisis; Enact laws…public hygiene in food centres; washing basins, soap dispensers; push taps; walk-in no main door at public toilets; clearing tables of tray and dirty cutlery after meals, and keep table clean for next diner; Have clean and hygienic cutleries at eateries;

Posted on April 22, 2020 by tankoktim

====== . I am grateful to ST Forum for publishing my letter. It has been heavily edited. The original text of my letter is below: Forum: Laws needed to improve public hygiene at food centresPUBLISHED7 HOURS AGO on 6th Oct … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, COVID-19 coronavirus Pandemic in 2020, Environment Control, Protect Nature, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Hawker Food -Top Favourites, Medical & Health, Social issues, The Govt listened and implemented my ideas and feedback | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A healthy population; Expand community healthier physical activities; Live and age well; Building more hospitals and clinics not the long-term solution; Rising cost of healthcare is a concern; Add reward element, increase incentive in the push for healthy living; Also: reward those who live healthy lifestyles; Successful ageing – Live and age well – ageing gracefully; How? Caring for the aged with low retirement CPF funds – retirement adequacy;

Posted on March 18, 2020 by tankoktim

  ===================== .   A healthy population will result in many benefits to the self and the society as a whole: higher productivity due to less down time; greater medical cost savings in hospitals and clinics; and less mental and … Continue reading →

Posted in CareShield Life insurance - permanent disabilities, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, CPF, Inflation and Rising cost of living, Medical & Health, MediShield Life mandatory medical insurance, Population, Productivity, Silver Support Scheme, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Workfare income supplement; Progressive Wage Model | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Govt listens: new laws on CCTVs and food samples to improve food safety; Unlicensed home-based cooked food business;

Posted on March 5, 2020 by tankoktim

========= . Not licensed… It is driving them underground… The fines must be high to deter illegal operators. Those above ground, licensed, are they affected and disadvantaged? . ======== . The Sunday Times’ Editorial says Keeping an eye on home-cooked … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Environment Control, Protect Nature, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Hawker Food -Top Favourites, Politics, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, The Govt listened and implemented my ideas and feedback | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Clean toilets in hawker centres, how? Have public toilets near to and not in the hawker centres or coffee shops; Coloured posters in hawker centres; Have TV monitor screens to send the cleanliness messages in hawker centres [in ST Forum on 8th Jan 2021]; Instead, NEA has placed coloured posters in hawker centres in March/April 2021; Take hygiene standards at food establishments a notch up [ST Forum 21Feb, 2020];

Posted on March 4, 2020 by tankoktim

.   ===============   . Forum: Efforts stepped up to improve and maintain cleanliness standards of hawker centre toilets   PUBLISHED8 HOURS AGO on 18th Jan 2021 in ST Forum   We agree with World Toilet Organisation founder Jack Sim … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Environment Control, Protect Nature, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Hawker Food -Top Favourites, Social issues, The Govt listened and implemented my ideas and feedback | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

2020 Unity Budget – my 34 suggestions. Total Assets of Singapore as at 31st March 2019 were S$1174b. 2020 Resilience Budget. 2020 Solidarity Budget.

Posted on January 17, 2020 by tankoktim

2020 Budget Speech by MOF Heng in Parliament on 18th Feb 2020  [see copy below]: 2020 Budget has S$109 billion spending in total.   It is called Unity Budget 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Budget has a … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgets 2018, etc., Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, CPF, Government, Govt's Budget, GST, GST Rebates, National Reserves, Politics, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Taxation | Tagged | 1 Comment

3 sen or RM2.73 million per year; The 4th Supplementary Water Agreement signed in 1990; Will there be a 5th SWA by the 9th PM of Malaysia, and when? Is there precedence in the 4th? Brinkmanship, is the bilateral relationship worth between Malaysia and Singapore worth only S$91m [or RM273 million]? How to ensure no ambiguity in the 5th SWA, if there is one?

Posted on March 3, 2019 by tankoktim

========Good, at last the 10th PM of Malaysia. PM Anwar is in red dot to engage in 4-eye discussions on bilateral and state matters. What is the agenda, what is on the table to have win-win solutions? Will it all … Continue reading →

Posted in Bilateral Relationship with Asean nations, Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Government, International Politics, Super Power Politics; Trade and Tariffs Friction;, Total Defence, Water | Tagged , | Leave a comment

CareShield Life from Nov 6, 2021; …inclusiveness and equality? Will CSL cove babies born blind or with congenital deformities? MOH has sent their letter dated 16th June 2023 to elderly Singaporeans inviting them to join CSL by 31st Dec 2023;

Posted on September 18, 2018 by tankoktim

========== . MOH has sent their letter of 16th June 2023. ref: CSLNTF026 to Singaporeans inviting all to join CareShield Life by 31st Dec 2023 to enjoy participation incentives of S$4000 over 10 years given by the Govt. Govt’s support … Continue reading →

Posted in CareShield Life insurance - permanent disabilities, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Inflation and Rising cost of living, Medical & Health, MediShield Life mandatory medical insurance | Tagged | Leave a comment

Clean the tables or be fined; Learn from the Japanese foodcourts; they not only clear the tray but even wipe table clean for the next customer; Birds eating on tables a nuisance; Keep hawker centres’ cost down. How? My letter 8thJan2021 gave solutions but three para were deleted when published in ST Forum; Dirty toilets; Solutions; Should we have full time toilet cleaner in all the 114 hawker centres, and 400 coffee shops?

Posted on September 9, 2018 by tankoktim

  ===== . . I am grateful ST Forum published my letter on hawker centres under Excepts, but heavily edited. Three paras were deleted.   [please see PTF format below]. . The published version: CLEANLINESS AT HAWKER CENTRES   TV … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Environment Control, Protect Nature, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Hawker Food -Top Favourites, Social issues, Socialistic Policies | Tagged , | Leave a comment

COL – CDC vouchers and rising cost of living – Govt special Assurance Package S$800 payment to each adult in Dec 2023 with fewer criterion; The Govt has listened; S$500 in Dec 2022, and S$200 Assurance Package; CDC voucher of S$300 per family on 3Jan2023; how to keep hawkers’ costs down? Inflation – Singapore paid S$8 billion more for LNG import in 2022; Rising COL – we have PWM, WIS, MW and LQS; Reduce COL or reduce income gap with MW? MW will drive COL up, not down; WIS and PWM are far superior than MW; Factors that caused COL to rise – cost of state land accounting; public housing; COE; cost of utilities; basic food and daily necessities; transport, medical costs, etc;

Posted on August 14, 2018 by tankoktim

============== . Assurance Package: 2 million Singaporeans to receive Seniors’ Bonus and MediSave cash payouts in February 2024 The payments are part of the suite of Assurance Package measures previously announced in Singapore’s Budget 2022. Timothy Kang ·Finance Producer Updated … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Education; What is Complete Whole Person Education?, Energy, Clean and Green Electricity, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Government, GST, GST Rebates, Hawker Food -Top Favourites, HDB Public Housing; affordability; EIP policy; and resale prices;, Inflation and Rising cost of living, Labour, Medical & Health, Minimum Wage; PWM and WIS in Singapore's wage policies, National Day Rally - new policies and strategies, PG and CHAS, Politics, Productivity, Silver Support Scheme, Singapore in 1960s, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, The Govt listened and implemented my ideas and feedback, Workfare income supplement; Progressive Wage Model | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

GST rate increase; NTUC FP’s 1% discount on 500 essential items; GST Rebate Vouchers; Govt will raise the 7% GST to 9% in two equal tranches – to 8% on 1stJan2023 and 9% on 1stJan2024; S$200 more in GST – or 2% on S$10,000 spending; Demagogues will make a song and dance on the S$200 or S$18 per month.

Posted on June 28, 2018 by tankoktim

=========== . .NTUC  FP will offer 1% discount but not increase the discount from 7% to 9%.  It is better than not at all.  It has listened to public feedback somewhat: FairPrice to offer 1% discount on 500 essential items … Continue reading →

Posted in Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Govt's Budget, GST, GST Rebates, Taxation | Tagged | Leave a comment

Have a Sales Tax on expensive goods? Can any government policy eradicate poverty or the income gap? Govt working on ensuring basic retirement needs met; How? Solutions? Income inequality a long-term social issue and concern; In UK, talk about redistributive measures like higher direct income taxes on the rich, sparks fury from the right; Should the government reinstate estate duty tax to reduce inequality? Or, have wealth tax – that could cause “Wealth Flight”? A deterrence: 35% ABSD on Living Trust;

Posted on June 1, 2018 by tankoktim

======= . How to take money from the rich [tax the rich] to benefit the poor? We already have indirect consumption tax on cars and properties. We should go further by having indirect consumption tax on other expensive goods. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Education; What is Complete Whole Person Education?, Government, GST, HDB Public Housing; affordability; EIP policy; and resale prices;, Politics, Properties, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Taxation | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

22 recommendations for the UN – submitted to the Global Challenges Foundation in Sept 2017; United Nations should set up a UN Environment Council to transform and reform the 21st century and beyond; No environment, there will be no nature, more diseases, and no life on earth; Environment is the main – to reverse it first, and make all the other UN missions become secondary; US$10b UN Green Climate Fund – what is the purpose?

Posted on May 4, 2018 by tankoktim

============== . “22 Recommendations that will transform the UN and the World” Is the UN neutral in NYC?  America did block many heads of states from visiting the UN in NYC.  Is the UN practising democracy by having the veto … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, COVID-19 coronavirus Pandemic in 2020, Divine Science. Man-made human science, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Education; What is Complete Whole Person Education?, Emergency Disaster Preparation, Energy, Clean and Green Electricity, Environment Control, Protect Nature, Government, International Politics, Super Power Politics; Trade and Tariffs Friction;, IT. AI, and Computerisation; Robots; Space Technology; Astral Particle Information System, Politics, Productivity, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, United Nations, Water, World Peace | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments

Governing by public donations not by taxation; Which country will be the first? Will there be inflation if Govt spending is zero or paid by public donations? Countries in the red, bankrupt; Printing money to repay debts; Interest rate hike; G7 countries will review corporate tax rates to discourage MNCs from shifting profits to low-tax jurisdictions;

Posted on March 5, 2018 by tankoktim

======== . How many countries are in the red, bankrupt? When a country cannot obtain loans to spend, is print the solution? =======. Biden calls meeting on debt ceiling, as US to run short of cash June 1, 2023. US … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Government, Govt's Budget, Inflation and Rising cost of living, International Politics, Super Power Politics; Trade and Tariffs Friction;, Lee Kuan Yew's Legacy [His life 1923-2015], Nation Building, Politics, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Taxation, World Peace | Tagged | 2 Comments

National Reserves S$1.73 trillions as at 31st March 2023; – Cap it at 3 or 5 times of GDP? Should NR have a limit? NIRC from National Reserves – how it benefits Singaporeans? PM Lee Hsien Loong released the NR figures for the first time in Parliament on 27th Jan 2016;

Posted on March 5, 2018 by tankoktim

======== . S$1.7 trillions.It is official.S$1 trillion is outdated. National Reserves or Total Govt Assets as at 31st March 2019: S$1.174 trillions. It was S$1.732 trillions as at 31st March 2023. Grown by S$0.56 trillions in four years. [Source: MOF’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgets 2018, etc., Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Elected President - roles, powers and responsibilities; The 2nd Key; EP: the proposed changes;, Government, Govt's Budget, Inflation and Rising cost of living, Inward investments and incentives; overseas Investments - should more be invested overseas or locally by Sovereign Wealth Fund? Maintain stable supply chains and security?, Medical & Health, Nation Building, National Reserves, Socialistic Policies | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Sales Tax on expensive goods? High direct income tax will cause ‘Wealth flight”; How GST works and functions? Should POFMA be thrown at the demagogues? GST hike, 2% points: one on 1Jan2023 and the other on 1Jan2024; Make the hike acceptable by having 713? 7%+1%+3%? Have a 3% Sales Tax on expensive goods and equipment; Both PAP and the opposition are not ready as yet politically to have a Sales Tax. Why?

Posted on March 3, 2018 by tankoktim

==================. Have a 3% Sales Tax in 2028?GST above 9% not the long-term solution.Time to ask the Govt to pass the Law for this now, and why? . Sales Tax on the rich on expensive goods will not be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgets 2018, etc., Business & Finance, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Government, Govt's Budget, GST, GST Rebates, Minimum Wage; PWM and WIS in Singapore's wage policies, Politics, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, Taxation, Workfare income supplement; Progressive Wage Model | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Cashless; Paperless; The Govt has listened yet again; Four years of waiting; Grateful the Govt has upgraded the systems at the polyclinics – A paperless system – and pay electronically; Japan has the paperless system to cut waiting times at pharmacies; Now, ours too; What next?

Posted on July 27, 2017 by tankoktim

======== . Cashless and Paperless;  The cashless society.. a one card system. No card you cannot move around in society. You will become history. When? It is all about money. Cash only. Some retail shops accept only cash, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Finance, CareShield Life insurance - permanent disabilities, Cost of Living & Retirement Adequacy, Economy; Perfect Economic Storm? When?, Food & Drinks; hawker centres; foodcourts;, Hawker Food -Top Favourites, IT. AI, and Computerisation; Robots; Space Technology; Astral Particle Information System, Medical & Health, MediShield Life mandatory medical insurance, PG and CHAS, Productivity, Social issues, Socialistic Policies, The Govt listened and implemented my ideas and feedback | Tagged , , | Leave a comment