First, I am sad that Intelligent Singaporean has decided to retire from the socio-political blogosphere. What we need is more not less after seeing the departure of Kitana’s and Gayle Goh’s blogs.  Hopefully someone else will pick up the torch and keep things going.

Where are we going to go for intelligent discourse? Steven Lim, XX?

More importantly, I see the sad state of affair between the government of singapore and its people. Has it always been like this? Ask anyone I am sure they’ll tell you the foundation for any relationship begins with trust. Doesn’t matter if its between husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend or employer and employee. To make any kind of relationship work, it has to begin with trust.

Look at our government, look at the people around you and its hard to see that trust and I can’t help but wonder if it were ever there in the first place.

Recently our PM announced plans for a compulsory annuity plan to prepare for those will live beyond the age of 85. I have to admit, I haven’t really paid it much attention. Somehow, I didn’t think it would make me a happier person. The reasons given will be condescending at best and insulting at worst. PM does what PM wants anyway. So frankly I don’t give a damn.

Nonetheless, I find it saddening the PM, the government do not trust the people enough to think that they will be able to plan for their own retirement. Nope. The nanny state decided they must make it compulsory for everybody to buy an annuity plan.

Is that sad or what?

Government don’t think we are smart enough, or mature enough to prepare for our retirement. And if they be proven right, then wouldn’t it be doubly sad that the majority of singaporeans really do not know how to prepare for retirement and need the government to actually hold their little hands right up till the ripe old age of 85.

Of course there will be no shortage of anti-pap analysis and conspiracy theories out there explaining how this is just another plot by the government to hold on to our money. I am not here to debate the validity of their points, but again its sad to see people don’t trust their government and they see everything as a ploy to squeeze another few cents out of us.

Sad.

Just so you know though, this compulsory shit don’t sit well with me- just like all the rest of the other government bullshit. I’ve already made plans for my retirement and I don’t a stinking compulsory annuity plan which will pay me $300 a month 40, 50 years from now.

$300.

What the fuck is that going to buy me in 2050? You look at the insane increases in the cost of living, the annual transport fare hikes and its not hard to believe $300 will just be enough for me to take a fucking transitlink bus to the hospital to get euthanised with change left over to buy a packet of tissue paper sold by an impoverished 90 year old in the year 2050. (And by the way, despite what Goh Chok Tong said, singapore will still not be in the World Cup Finals.)

Ultimately all I want is for the government to go do something for the old, the poor, the handicapped and all the rest of the singaporeans who for one reason or another is trapped in the cycle of poverty.

As for me- LEAVE. ME. THE. FUCK. ALONE. And don’t touch my CPF either.

I know how to live my life, I know what makes me happy and the last thing I need is another compulsory government scheme to exert more control over my life.

Every year the government spends an unholy amount of money on silly frivolous things like campaigns and what-nots. Have 1 kid, have 2 kids, have 3 kids. Get married, have sex, don’t have sex, speak mandarin, speak english, don’t speak dialects, exercise because heart disease kills, don’t exercise because heart failure kills. Don’t watch this movie, don’t play that game, don’t listen to this music and don’t read that book. Don’t smoke, don’t eat, don’t drink, don’t drive etc etc etc.

And on top of everything, millions literally go up in smoke in fireworks for the national day parade which incidentally- if it takes a bunch of uniformed men marching around in circles to make you feel all warm, fuzzy and patriotic inside, then I suspect you may not really love your country all that much.

Who here thinks these campaigns really made a difference? I’ve yet to see one smoker quit because the gory picture on the cigarette pack gave him the willies. Why not save all the money and give more than $290 to those who really need it. Hell, you wouldn’t even have to raise the fucking GST. And if you think $290 is enough for the poor to survive on, than take the money you save and give yourself another shameless raise.

Instead, what we get is this sad state of affair.

p.s. its funny how these kids of millionaire civil servants still needs to make use of taxpayer’s monies to fund their studies all in the name of serving the country. Here’s a thought- if you really want to serve the country, why don’t you study using your parents’ millions and leave the scholarship to those who really need it. Afterall its not like you can’t join the civil service if you went to Havard on your parent’s dime.